Haroku's mention of the hospital case shifted something in my mind. It wasn't a sudden realization, just enough to disrupt my focus. Broken fragments surfaced—memories buried too deep to form a complete picture. Faces without identity. Places without context. And cutting through all of it, one name. Jason.
Next Day — 6:00 PM
We parked at the school just as the sun dipped below the tree line. The building stood exactly as we had left it.
"Haroku," I said, keeping my eyes on the structure. "This case is escalating."
He checked his gear bag. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. We've handled a lot, but this one..."
"...is different," I finished.
He nodded. "So what's the play?"
"Today, we don't run."
He raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to elaborate.
"We hold our ground," I told him. "I borrowed some old binding papers from an associate. They aren't as potent as my usual stock, but they might give us enough leverage to understand what we're actually dealing with."
Haroku gave a sharp nod. "Alright."
We found the principal waiting near the front entrance. He was wringing his hands as we approached.
"Sir," I started, keeping my voice level. "The rituals happening inside your school are real."
His jaw tightened. "Rituals?"
"Yes. And whoever or whatever is conducting them is highly coordinated. The shadows we encountered are intelligent. Every time we try to move in, they detect our approach."
The principal swallowed hard, his eyes darting to the closed doors. "Do you have a plan to stop them?"
"We're developing one," I said. "We will track them down. It's only a matter of time."
Even as the words left my mouth, a twinge of uncertainty gnawed at the back of my mind.
Old School Building — 7:00 PM
We set up our equipment in the main corridor.
"Bro," Haroku said, breaking the quiet. "You're too quiet."
I kept my eyes on the hallway ahead.
"You look way too serious right now," he pressed. "What's going on in your head?"
"Just observing," I muttered.
He stopped adjusting his flashlight. "Observing what?"
I turned to look at him. "This case... it isn't a new phenomenon."
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
I hesitated, searching for the right words. "The name. Jason. It feels familiar. Like I've heard it before, a long time ago." I clenched my fist, frustrated by the mental block. "But I can't put a face to it. I can't remember the context."
Haroku watched me for a moment before I finally shook my head.
"Forget it. We need to stay focused."
12:00 AM — Midnight
We finished running the cables. The cameras were set. The monitors flickered to life, casting a pale glow over our makeshift desk. We watched the screens, tracking every angle, waiting for the slightest movement.
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty.
I felt a subtle shift. A faint vibration in the floorboards.
"Haroku," I said, pushing my chair back. "Something's wrong."
He turned from the monitors. "What is it?"
I stood up, grabbing my stack of borrowed papers. "Let's go straight to the epicenter. The ritual spot. We'll find a place to hide and watch them directly this time."
He grabbed his flashlight without a second thought. "Let's move."
We navigated the corridors with measured, controlled steps. We were closing in on the old wing.
Then, it erupted.
A sudden overlap of voices echoed down the hall, loud and violent.
"JASON... JASON... JASON... SIR—"
The volume rattled the loose ceiling tiles. The floor vibrated beneath our boots.
I didn't stop to think. I broke into a sprint, heading straight toward the source of the noise.
My hand plunged into my pocket, pulling out the old, fragile papers.
I started the chant. The words spilled out naturally, faster than my own conscious thought. The faded symbols on the parchment began to spark with a faint, erratic glow.
"BRO—LOOK!" Haroku yelled.
I snapped my head up.
In the center of the dark corridor, something moved.
It wasn't a shadow hovering above the floor like before.
This was different.
This was physical. Alive.