Written on the Walls (self-insert #5)

Chapter 3

"Please, come in." Igarashi-san said warmly. The room was empty aside from a table with five chairs. An unlit candle, a marker and a stack of papers sat on the table, and Minami and 'Dr. Davis' sat at it. "Thank you for your assistance, Shibuya-san. Actually, Dr, Davis and Minami-san will also be participating. Will this be all right?"

Not really.

"Of course!" Yasuhara said brightly.

"It's a bit dark." Minami said, holding a video camera. There was no tripod in sight. "May we make it a little brighter?"

"'Brighter'?" Igarashi-sensei frowned. "During a seance, there is only one candle. Spirits dislike brightness, do they not?"

"Huh? Is that right? What a nuisance..." He glanced at me suddenly, daring me to say something. I blinked innocently.

Igarashi-sensei's frown deepened, but when she turned to Yasuhara she smiled. "Mr. President, could you possibly bring your own camera? That would help us greatly." She requested, all sugar and lightness.

After glancing at Naru, I relayed the request to Lin via the earpiece. Before long a mike and night vision camera was humming, and once we were sure that the angle was right the rest of the lights went out. The candle flared into existence, casting shadows on their faces. Igarashi-sensei began. "Please take a deep breath and calll upon the spirits, the spirits living in this mansion..." She intoned. "To those living in this mansion...please posses this woman's hand and reveal your souls. I implore you to reveal yourself. Please let us hear what is in your souls. If you hear my voice, please reveal yourself. What is..." She continued her drone.

A chill ran down my spine. This...being here was insanity. I shouldn't be here. Something bad was coming. It took all my restraint—and the force of Naru's stare—that kept me from breaking into prayer. Should you act, only act until something happens, I mentally repeated Naru's instructions. What you're capable of isn't enough to completely drive anything away in a second, but it will be enough to keep the those who aren't participating safe.

Well, that's nice, I thought bitterly. I liked it better when I was only capable of messing up data input.

Masako's head snapped up.

The marker squeaked. Suzuki's hand was flying across papers that fluttered off the table as soon as they were filled, and some unmarked sheets were carried away with them. Belatedly I began whispering dua after dua, occasionally interjecting a short surah. The uneasy feeling from before only worsened, and now I was fighting the urge to run screaming. Keep it together, protect the others, protect Naru, protect Mai, protect Bou-san, protect...

BAM!

Instinctively I flinched, hesitating for a minute. Around me, I could hear the others rustling around and whispering. The rapping noise continued until the entire room seemed to vibrate. The candleholder rattled and teetered before falling and extinguishing the last light left.

"UWAAAAAAH!"

"Please don't move! Keep quiet!" Igarashi-sensei insisted.

"WHO'S THERE?!" Mai yelped suddenly.

"NOMAKU SAMANDA BAZARADAN KAN!" Bou-san roared.

It went silent, and a second later the light clicked on in a blinding flash. I blinked until my vision returned enough for me to take in the situation. Naru was at the switch. Igarashi-sensei, Suzuki, and Yasuhara were still sitting. Minami and 'Dr. Davis' were cowering. Naru bent down and picked up a paper, revealing a single word. "We definitely invoked spirits." He said grimly, showing us the word.