Ghost of a Chance

The Nightmare Dwelling (Part 18)

SMASH!

Bou-san broke the glass in the windowpane of one of the doors of the Sasakuras' house with a flashlight while John quietly fretted, Ayako watched, and Lin kept an eye out to make sure no one was watching. The monk reached in and unlocked the door.

"Oh. It's open," Bou-san said.

"You're always quick-witted in this kind of situation," Ayako said as a bead of sweat rolled down her face. "I can't believe you..." John made the sign of the cross and prayed for forgiveness.

"Do I even have a choice here? No one answered the bells, or the phone calls..." Bou-san said. "Good kids don't imitate this! Sasakura-sa—n." He opened the door as he called out to the owners. "We're coming in... Whoa." They froze when they started to enter and saw that the space in front of them was overflowing with garbage bags. The smell was indescribable.

"What is this place? A garbage house?" Ayako said, holding her nose.

"..." Bou-san stared at the scene before him for a moment, stunned. Then he took a step forward into the room without removing his shoes.

"Hey! Your shoes!" Ayako scolded him.

"Now, now. This is an emergency," Bou-san said, wading into the sea of trash bags.

"Uh... Y-Yeah, you're absolutely right," Ayako thought, sweating nervously as some flies buzzed past her. It was disgusting in there.

"Is this the living room?" Bou-san asked, shining his flashlight around.

CLANG.

"!" Bou-san said, startled when he hit something with his foot. "Uh-oh." He sweat-dropped. "I kicked something by mistake. ... What's this?" He looked down, shining his flashlight on the object. It was a traditional Japanese hatchet and a chef's knife was lying on the floor next to it. He was startled when Ayako smacked him on the back to get his attention.

"There!" she said, pointing at a doorway, where sash or strip of cloth had been hung from the lintel and tied into a loop. "What kind of charm is that supposed to be...? So creepy." Bou-san's eyes widened as he recalled what he had heard before.

After massacring the Kawanabe family, Sekiguchi hung a belt through the lintel and...

Bou-san ran to another door and slid it open quickly, not caring that it made a loud sound that made Ayako flinch.

"Hey, quiet down!" she scolded him, sweating nervously as he thudded up the stairs.

KERCHACK.

Bou-san opened door after door, searching the house.

SLAM! KERCHACK. SLAM!

"That blockhead..." Ayako said, sweat-dropping as she face-palmed.

"They're gone!" Bou-san shouted down. "Return to the next door!!" he said urgently as he came flying back down the stairs.

"Hah!? Hey, what's going on!?" Ayakao asked, furrowing her brow, confused.

"They're all at Midori-san's house!" Bou-san exclaimed anxiously.

—∞—

He was right. At that very moment, Hirota was dodging another attack from Sasakura. Hirota moved his head to dodge the knife being thrust at him and grabbed Sasakura's outstretched arm, trying to hold him at bay.

"Stop this right now, Sasakura-san!" Hirota said urgently as a bead of sweat slid down his face.. "Do you think you can get away with murder!?"

"OH, YES, I DO!" Sasakura said with an unhinged look in his wide eyes as he continued to struggle with Hirota.