Dangerous Souls

Nightmare

Chapter 5-Ryoukuryou

February Day 2 7:15 P.M.

"Did you know that apparently the park we passed on the drive up here, the one with the old iron gates, is supposedly haunted by a little girl who drowned in the lake?" Kiko asked, as she took a sip of her coffee. Apparently, there was an instant coffee vending machine by the elevator of the second floor. "Fell through the ice while ice-skating, I wonder if we could find a police report on that."

"I'm starting to regret giving you coffee," Yasuhara teased, turning the page of his book.

"Caffeine hasn't even hit my system yet, just you wait." She took another sip. "And I know, I know, I'm getting distracted, but you were the one who brought these in here."

"Only because we're at a loss of information." He took a sip of his own coffee. "If we weren't about to have a blizzard, I'd say we should drive out to another library and see if they have any info. But I called them and they said they would look into it for me."

"Think they'll be as tight lipped as everyone here?" she asked, but he just shrugged. "How did you convince them you needed information on any tragedies involved with the place?"

"I just told them I was doing research on Universities and controversies and tragedies to see how they might have been able to rise from the ashes."

"That's such bullshit. I'm surprised that they agreed to look into it for you." She rolled her eyes.

"Well, I hope they bought it, otherwise I'll have to go there myself and possibly wait out the storm there."

"They'll probably close due to weather."

"Yeah and we'll probably be stuck here."

"Don't remind me."

***

Just as Naru had said before, he stayed outside the dormroom while Mai interviewed their victim. "Chinatsu, I saw you were on your way to class," Mai began as she sat by the desk, while the girl sat on her bed. "I also saw that the professor approached you in the stairwell, but what happened after that?"

Chinatsu was a couple inches taller than Mai, with reddish brown hair that had been tied in a bun before her attack. She had hazel eyes that seemed so distant. She took a deep breath before she explained, "He-he's a family friend, known him since I was a kid, right? He would never do something like this. They weren't his eyes."

Numbs tears fell from the girl's face, and Mai understood her pain all too well. Her own eye throbbed in sympathy. "Chinatsu, what happened? My team and I want to help."

The girl pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I don't want to get him in trouble, God, if my family finds out-"

"I'm not with the police," Mai interrupted her and tried to look kindly on the girl. "I'm not even in college yet, all we're here for is to figure out what's causing these attacks and hopefully put an end to it." She leaned forward in her seat, and the girl looked up at her. Mai knew she was looking right at her eye. She had to put that out of her mind. "What happened when he grabbed you? He pulled you into the closet, right? Did you shout? Did you try to get someone's attention? You can tell me, I'll make sure none of the other students find out, only the team I work with. It'll be completely confidential."

She was hoping the girl would open up and tell her what happened. That's how it usually went in movies, right? Nothing could have prepared her for the question the student finally asked. "What happened to your eye?"

It startled her to say the least. She should have expected it, she knew. Though, she could use this to her advantage. "Long story short, I tried to break up with my boyfriend and he happened to be drunk," she answered flatly. It was matter of fact. Not a single lie in that sentence. But her voice was far too straight and indifferent. Damn it, Mai! This is no time to be apathetic! "Please, Chinatsu, tell me what happened, so I can make sure you don't have a similar experience." You can't make promises like that. You know that.