Warning: This Chapter contains bothering and uncomfortable gore scenes. If you don't like it, please skip the chapter, if possible.
Case 7,
911 Emergency Call,
***
"911 Emergency, what's your problem?"
"Just die! JUST DIE! I HOPE THEY ALL JUST DIE! THEY WILL PAY FOR THIS!"
"Accomplished..."
***
Hajime's POV
My eyes slowly opened, head still heavy andy memory of the last day is slightly hazy. I looked everywhere, and this time, I'm certain I don't know this place.
It's normal, but old-fashioned. Made of wood everywhere, and just one window facing outside. One bed and there's three mats on on the floor, mine, Kise's and a girl's—the one from yesterday. Kise's face. What a nice welcome.
I looked around. It looks like someone's room, and a high school's to be exact. There's photos on top of a small drawer. Two tall men. One with a bright smile, and another with a stern look on his face. They look cute there, not gonna lie.
One moment while I admire the photo, someone came barging in, his voice so loud, "Good morning, everyone! Wakey wakey~"
I gazed into his hands, both holding into serving plate. One for the rice, and another for the soup. Each on every bowl, and it looks delicious.
"Oh, Hajime! You're awake!" He greeted. His features are like that smiling kid at the photo. This guy probably know Kise, right?
"Uhm...why...am I here?" I asked.
His eyebrows furrowed, thinking for answer, probably, "Kise brought your here past night. He was soooo funny-looking, haah~ You know, bleeding and all."
He laughed. Isn't he worried about Kise?! I know he probably helped us, but it's annoying if he put it that way!
"Muno Hajime. I guess Kise do love keeping secrets, doesn't he?" He whispered, and I don't think he knew I heard it.
I trembled, lost in the field of words, "S-Sir..."
"Rafael's fine."
My brained paused it's functions from the minute I heard his name. "Rafa...eh?"
He laughed, "No, Rafael. He hasn't told you about me? My name is Creius Rafael. I'm basically his cousin...in a sense or two."
He's the guy who helped me. This time, he also probably helped me... If he's Kise's cousin, then they might probably be both idiots.
"Rafael, thank you so much for your help." I smiled at him, fine and normal.
"Let's not talk about that, let's talk about your powers. I heard from Yo-Heng that you can have your soul leave your body." I nodded on confirmation. "After looking through your body, and a little of your remnant memories, I've come to realize a few things. Your power is different, and I think you have an ancient power."
Ancient what? I don't know about my family background, and it's a fact, but I don't think we have those! They couldn't have thrown me away if that's true!
"What kind of power...?" I gulped back my saliva. I'm preparing myself right now.
"Tsubame!" He shouts, calling out a man from outside. He has this hello kitty apron, which looked a little weird for his muscular and tall body. He seemed to word inside the kitchen. "This guy is Tsubame." He added as the other guy pulled out a whiteboard and Rafael drew scribbles on it.
"Hmmm, let's see... You can leave your body at will, not because it's your power, but because your body is merely a vessel. Because of your sturdy body, you can house a few spirits inside...so far...I don't know what happened to Betty. Right now, I can tell that Carol's soul suits your body." He nodded as he spoke. "Technically, in the past, there's a power where a race can eat or seal spirits and use their power. They're certainly not Seimei's bloodline who uses yin-yang arts. Soon, their power developed and became weaker. I don't think there's much left for a future to that clan anymore."
My brain felt like spinning. Race this, race that, power this, power that! I can barely understand it! "Okay," I muttered awkwardly.
"By the way, don't tell Kise about this, or it will be bad! I don't want him killing me, haha~" His mood shifted. "Well then, let's eat up!"
"Should I wake them up?" He nodded on affirmation.
I've been racking Kise, but he barely moved an inch. The girl beside me is already awake, but this idiot won't even budge! "Kise, wake up! Making breakfast wait is bad~" Rafael threw himself into Kise, snuggling him under the futon. More precisely, he looks like he's biting off his flesh...
"Creius, get off of me, I'm awake!" He threw a heavy punch into his face. Damn, Kise's something else, considering he helped us.
"Meanie Kise!" He grumbled, setting the food in front of us three.
The girl here is Ayiesha. Isha for short. I just realized right now, but this is the girl I ghosted last time on the convenience store. I mean, I didn't mean it, it's already night and there's curfew!
"So, are you gonna be okay, Isha?" I worriedly asked.
She nodded. "I guess..." She muttered.
I swear, she looks different from before. I saw a punk-like girl on the convenience store, and now what's standing before me is a A-grade student! Look at her; perfect student aura, glasses and her good student attire!
"So, you heard us talking?" Rafael interrupted.
"Talking about what?" Kise's face seemed to darken partially. "What kind of nonsense are you feeding him?"
Not like this is the first time, but it really feels like I'm talking with a different person whenever I see Kise like this. His eyes are shining, but it's not something that brings a soothing sensation, but a scary one.
"Are you okay Hajime? Are you still not feeling well?" The idiot questioned.
I nodded my head for disapproval, "Nope, just thinking about things and stuff." He looked worried for some reason. I'm just imagining things, probably.
"Don't sweat over stuff you can't control~ Let's just have a fun recovery, shall we~?" Rafael looked eager for some reason.
"Are you guys done eating? Tsubame came out. He looked like he was already ready to wash the dishes.
"Yep, take it." Kise handed out the bowls after collecting it one by one himself.
As Tsubame was walking away to the kitchen, the place darkened and the bowls fell off his hands. The atmosphere suddenly became eerie and the sounds seems louder and echoing through the whole house.
As I reacted, a sound came from my phone—it's a phone call. I picked up the phone slowly and saw 911 on the sign.
"Hello?" My hand shakes.
"911 calling. You're under arrest for murder of Carol and Betty. Any actions or words from you can be used against you."
I paused, not knowing what to do as the call suddenly ended. "What's... happening...?!"
A red mark appeared on top of my head. A hexagram with red color and a liquid dripping from it; it's blood...!
Loud siren sounds covered outside, creating a scary sound that seemed to be breaking my eardrums. My head spins around while we suddenly floated up the ceiling and suddenly getting chained by a pair of handcuffs that appeared out of nowhere.
Footsteps walked through the corridor coming towards our direction. There revealed a gruesome picture of a man with a creepy face.
His eyes are sunken in and his hair almost falling out while his right hand pulls it abruptly. His face with a big smile and stare like it's shooting me with thirst and hunger for flesh and blood.
The flesh remaining is colored deep grey and colorless while it wore a police officer uniform. Handcuffs on his other hand and badges on his clothes. He also has the same foul smell the other spirits have, but he's kinda different from the others.
He smells like spoiled eggs and there's some blood seeping from his legs and limbs. His face also has a few scratch scars, but they are all byproduct of his own nails.
My body trembled from the pain, breathing became difficult and my gooseflesh rising slowly. My stomach felt upset after smelling and seeing him. I couldn't even bother struggling.
"Hajime, take your body and run." A familiar voice came from somewhere, but I cannot see anyone talking. As I looked carefully, Tsubame was signalling something from me. He's the one talking?!
"Wha—? How?!" I screamed inside my head.
"You know how," he replied, staring at me intently, his eyes telling me the answers.
I went quiet, trying my best to concentrate. My body slowly fell down and my soul left my body.
Before my body could fall into the wooden floor, I grabbed it and jumped straight into the window, not caring about possible injuries.
I quietly groaned in pain, my inside feels battered and bruised as I took the impact. I didn't realize I was at the second floor.
My mouth dripped a small amount of blood, still unconscious. Even though I'm outside the body, I feel my feel slightly strained and my shoulders stiffening.
Loud sirens echoed through the road as I run through a shallow alley. The sound rotates around the city as I'd it's following my prints. I can't stay like this in here forever.
The moon is so round. That isn't the problem here—it was daylight when I woke up on Rafael's place. We were having breakfast, and now it's dark? The flowers everywhere are in full bloom and the place feels off and gloomy. I don't know this place...!
"Suspect found. Starting apprehension." I shivered once hearing a voice from the back.
I've been spotted!
I quickly went on running, almost stumbling into the road. Countless loud sirens echoed everywhere the place. I can still feel the fear inside wherever I tend to.
Everywhere I go, they could find me, as if they already know where I would be, watching me at some place I don't know of.
At some point, I arrived at a playground near the town center. I don't know how much I've ran, or how long I've been running for my life. It's so good and silent... places feels surreal and my heart is unexpectedly beating very slow. I can't stand this heavy and painful feeling in my chest anymore!
I snuck into the cylindrical slide, cowering from fear, trying to keep myself warm from the cold night. It's freezing... My hands and feet are getting numb... Breathing seems more... difficult...
"Fo...und you..." Quiet whispers sent shivers into my flesh. Red eyes glaring from the end of the slide.
Fear crept into my whole system once again, weakening my ability to move. I couldn't help but helplessly crawl back up to the slide and run. I can hear a loud screeching sound from the cylindrical slide as I go for the monkey bars.
As I head towards the road, a big shadow loomed over me, bumping myself into something hard. The pain was same as hitting myself into a rock.
I held my face, groaning in pain while I used the other to support myself by holding the hard thing before me.
It's weirdly... hard? It's bumpy and somehow shaped like...
My head tilted up, eyes widening in confusion. I was speechless when I saw one of those coming for me. It's different this time— he's bigger than the others. The boss, perhaps.
He isn't as scary as the others I've seen so far. Just a big man that you could see rarely, yet his skin is pitch black, almost blending into the dark night if it wasn't for the moon illuminating his features. A physique of a well maintained muscle-man and his abdomen is in level with my face... He's scarily tall...
It didn't do anything, but took the radio and spoke, "Target: Hajime Muno, apprehended. All teams, abort."
Slowly, the man came closing in, heavy footsteps and weakening aura, "What are you doing?! H-hey—!"
Nijiro Kise's POV
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" I exclaimed, fume in my eyes.
"Relax. You don't want him to see what you do, don't you, Grim Reaper?" Rafael's expression remained stoned.
"You don't give a fuck about my decisions, stupid fallen angel." I clicked my tongue.
If only this fucking angel knows how to set boundaries, it couldn't have been worse. Now I had to deal with more problems. But either way, what this damned sinners did might just be...right. I can't let Hajime see me like this.
The radio made a screeching sound, a heavy voice talking, "Target: Hajime Muno, apprehended. All teams, abort."
Another sound continues, "What are you doing?! H-hey—!" It's...Hajime!
"You motherfuckers, what do you think you're doing?!"
"Hey, calm down. Where was that kind personality you had before?" Rafael really knows where to push my buttons.
"I said shut the fuck up..."
The spirit suddenly disappeared by blending into the shadows, sound of sirens slowly fading, yet the dark night continues.
"I'm going after them, don't try to stop me." I voiced out, storming away from the window.
As fast as I could... I will get those damn spirits and obliterate them one by one, and I make sure they don't forget the pain for the rest of their lives, if they could even survive.
I arrived at the shattered playground, a big man on the middle while Hajime remained unconscious on the ground, as if he was placed there neatly.
On the other side was a girl. She has braids and glasses. The typical smart high school girl, but something was off; her clothes doesn't look like some school near this place, and being here means she has some kind of power.
"Central Playground, all units, requesting backup." The dark man called out to the radio. Loud sirens came, and dark shadows appeared and summoned forth the minions he had.
On the other side, the girl looked frail, yet she slowly transformed, and grew large. He hair stretching out and... This is the... Evil spirit that almost killed me...!
How the hell is she here?! Why the fuck is she even protecting Hajime... Just what the heck is he...?!
Her hair started to grow, striking the minions away along with her long nails. As much as it is painful, they kept coming back. To be worse, her attacks looked useless against her enemies' body. I need to step in this time.
As I was about to step up, the earth crumbled, weak, but fearful. Everyone looked stunned— to them, that was probably a strong shake.
Silence filled the place. Everyone was being cautious, looking from left to right. I've felt this sensation before— weak, but forcing. Just like a little ant trying to fight for it's life against a big fly. Small, yet strong.
The evil spirit in the red dress took the opportunity and took out the minions. Surprisingly, they didn't regrew, which left a shock into the other side's face.
It was about to run when hands came out of the ground and held into the dark man. A butcher knife went flying into its head, cutting it off neatly, including the bones.
There revealed on the behind of the evil spirit in a red dress was Betty, surprisingly. The dark man crawled without its head, seemingly trying to get closer to the two.
They transformed back into their human forms, one in braids, the other in a maid costume. The braided girl looked down into the man, stepping her black heavy school shoes into its wound, making it screech in pain.
Evil spirits are scary in battle...like living human murderers who torture their victims before they die. This is why they must be eliminated...one day, this will eventually happen to humans like it is starting now.
A bright light suddenly flashed before us, blinding even my very eyes. As I blinked again from left to right, the dark man was long gone. The two girls looked at each other, nodded, and sighed. Both looked at me with a glare before dispersing into the air.
"K-Kise!" I looked back, the idiot angel came with Tsubame, carrying the girl in his hand.
"Tell me everything before I burn you two into crisps..." Creius paused, seemingly scared to come closer. He better be. "Now!" I glared, forcing him to sigh and cautiously walk to me.
"Just promise me not to kill me once I tell you~" He poked my sides, blinking his eyes over and over.
I glared at him once more, eyes darkened like the moonless night, "Depends on my mood."
He shrieked, looking at me anxiously. "When you took me to Hajime, I didn't obliterate the spirit. I couldn't. Just as you said you might affect his soul, I might cause some complications into him. Those spirits are protected inside his body—more like become a part of his soul."
I went silent on shock, still keeping my face composed, "He unconsciously absorbs the spirits same as how the Omyouji clan seals the spirits. Hajime makes them a part of himself, and I've never seen something like this. You better consult Terrence about this."
"I'll...find a way to stop it. Meanwhile, try to stay away from him as much as you can. I need to calm my head about everything. I'll leave before I might do something. Who knows if I could contain myself right now." He fell silent this time.
I took Hajime in my hand and gazed back into the girl who is now awake, " Hey, you, let's go before I leave you behind."
The girl stood silent until we reached inside the car. Her eyes looked weak, body still faintly shivering. "Uhm..."
"Don't tell anyone about this. And if you got time, watch over Hajime to find him a cure. Stay discreet and silent about this. You owe him, don't you?" She couldn't help but reply with a nod.
I paused the car, staring at Hajime beside me. I don't know if this is worth the risk, but I know there's definitely something with this boy...
The phone on my pocket rang, a ringtone definitely different from the others. It's the Great Master.
"Hello?" A gentle voice spoke through the line, soothing and expressive. "I just had a feeling you need a hand. Perhaps, I'm right?"
I chuckled calmly, "Probably the right time, Terrence. I don't know what to do with these things you tasked me to do anymore... It feels...somehow suffocating." I smiled bitterly.
"Pets are leashed when they need to be controlled, am I wrong?" He brightened up, "But you must be careful. Sometimes, it's too suffocating. And you must realize that it's not just to control them, hence also to keep them safe. Not too harsh, not too loose. Leash doesn't apply to all animals, anyway."
"I understand, Great Master." I gazed into his sleeping face.
"Really? Well, I hope you do, because that would be a problem if not." His words somehow pushed me to an edge.
"Take care, Great Master." He chuckled faintly and ended the call.
Who knows what this road leads— doom or a happy end? But I know for sure that what comes around, will just come. Even if it stayed, I'm not ensured to stay the same.
In this Deathtrap Road I stray on, lightless and suffocating, I'm not alone anymore. We will strive until I get the satisfaction I long for. The greater the danger, the greater the prize.
***