Sakura Urameshi: Spirit Detective (Book 1)

Chapter 27: Forced Invitation

Yusuke couldn't imagine anything worse than this. Stuck outside a dressing room in a cutesy teen shop waiting for Keiko. Not only that, the store's employee was watching him like a hawk behind her fake smile.

"Are you done yet? That woman thinks I'm stealing stuff!" he hissed.

"One second, I've found the perfect outfit!" Keiko called. "Now we can grab a bite to eat somewhere, and then go onto the park!"

"What?!" Yusuke was aghast. "Do we really have to go there too?"

"Of course!" Keiko replied.

Yusuke rolled his eyes. Even Sakura had never put him through such torture. "This is the part when Yusuke makes his escape," he muttered and took a step towards the door.

The dressing room curtain was whipped back. "You going somewhere?" Keiko asked pointedly.

"Who, me?" Yusuke tried - and failed - to look innocent.

Keiko gave him a sarcastic smile. "Surely you wouldn't have the nerve to run out on me two dates in a row, would you Yusuke?"

Yusuke laughed weakly. "No, of course not!" Son of a bitch. Where's Kura when you need her? Oh wait, she'd probably just hit me. Damn brat. He plastered on a smile. "Well, the park it is!"

"Have a nice day you two!" the employee called, clearly glad to see the back of them.

As soon as Yusuke and Keiko exited the shop, the sound of wailing sirens filled the air. Yusuke looked to see what all the fuss was about. The building on the corner seemed to be damaged in some way, and there were police officers trying to get onlookers away.

"Look, this is your last warning. Please stand back!"

The crowd screamed as another chunk of concrete fell from the building and landed on the ground. But there was no sign of anything responsible for the carnage.

Keiko clutched Yusuke's arm. "That looks dangerous,"

"Yeah," Yusuke muttered. "Better check it out,"

The two of them pushed closed. Keiko gasped. "What causes that?"

Yusuke instantly went on high alert. The building looked like something had bitten holes in it. Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't of this world.

*******

"We're nearly there, Sakura," Botan said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. But still Sakura remained tight-lipped and deathly pale. The girl hadn't said a word the entire way back, and Botan couldn't think of anything to say either. There was no reasoning with Sakura when it came to protecting her brother. 

Besides, what could possibly make this situation any better?

The second Botan's oar was close enough, Sakura jumped off and quite literally hit the ground running.

"Be careful, Sakura!" Botan watched her sprint away with deep concern.

Pushing through the crowd, Sakura looked in all directions. Yusuke? Yusuke, where are you?!

Kura, you're back? What's wrong? You sound terrified!

Just tell me where you are!

Uh, ok. Yusuke couldn't remember the last time Sakura had sounded this frantic. I'm with Keiko and we're on the corner near that Teen's Mate shop. There's a crowd. And I have a bad feeling that something nasty is here.