Chapter 1-Little Soul
A little boy with deep, emerald green eyes and jet black hair suddenly showed up in front of her. He looked a little scared, of what, Mai wasn't sure. "Are you okay?" Mai asked, kneeling to his level.
The boy gasped and began to run away. Was he afraid of Mai? Why? "Hey! Wait!"
"Mai!"
August Day 1 2:30 P.M.
Mai was instantly snapped awake by her boss's call. She snapped her head off of her desk hoping to only be given an order for tea and not some demoralizing speech about her sleeping habits. "I do not pay you to sleep at your desk, don't you have work to do?" Okay, so maybe it was a demoralizing speech.
"I already finished all the paperwork from our last case, organized the bills and reorganized the tea cupboard. I have no work to do."
"Then come to me, I'll give you more work." His icy indifference seemed to cling in the air as he dropped a folder onto Mai's desk. "Call the others, tell them to meet up here by four o'clock. Have Yasuhara do research on the property, if he needs to, tell him to come tomorrow and give him the address."
"A new case, huh? All right, I'll get on it," Mai sighed, as her boss left back to his office.
"Mai..."
Mai looked up from her phone before she dialed. "Yes?"
"When you're done making the calls, tea..."
Mai sweat dropped as her boss's office door closed. "Jerk." she mumbled as she called Monk.
***
"So, where are we going anyway?" Everyone was gathered outside in the parking lot in front of the SPR office.
"Mai, didn't you explain to her where the case is at?" Mai shook her head with a sigh.
"I knew she'd refuse to come if I told her."
"Very smart move, though had you told her we'd never have to deal with this Old Hag on th-" Monk's words were cut off with a purse to the head.
"So where are we going? Abandoned jail? Hospital? Another high school? Or maybe a-"
"It's a summer camp..." Mai's voice trailed off as they eagerly awaited Ayako's response.
"A summer camp? Why didn't you just say so?" Everyone's jaw-dropped. "We're staying in a nearby hotel, right?"
Everyone started laughing as the two workaholics themselves suddenly materialized. "If you are all done goofing off, I believe we have a case to get to," his indifferently annoyed voice pierce the air, automatically making the air ten degrees colder.
You know, I can definitely believe Naru was causing poltergeists as a kid. He literally just changed the temperature! Mai thought as she climbed into the van between her boss and co-assistant.
She had no clue how long it would take to get to the camp, or what she was going to do to pass the time. Naru wouldn't let her play with the radio, and neither of them would talk. What to do? What to do?
***
The little boy she had a dream of earlier appeared again. Well, at least now she knew how she was going to pass the time. There was some horror on his face, Mai knelt down to his level. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked, offering her hand to the boy.
"Don't come!" the boy shouted.
"What?" Mai's head cocked to the side.
"You'll be next!"
The boy ran away again, this time Mai followed. "Hold on a minute! Maybe I can help!" Mai called out.
"You're not safe! Go back while you still can!" the boy shouted, heading towards a brightly lit door.
The boy ran through the opening and Mai followed, beyond the bright light was a log cabin. It was early morning, the sun just starting to rise, Mai could make out two figures in the window. She walked over to hear what was going on. "What do you mean Emi isn't here!" a man's voice scolded, trying very hard not to be too loud.
"I'm sorry, sir, I woke up this morning and she was just...gone..." a younger woman's voice replied, frantically.
"Miss?" the boy materialized behind Mai again.
"Who are you?"
"Leave, you're not safe!" the boy urged. Mai could tell he didn't want to be there at that time, he kept looking around.
"Maybe there's something I can do," Mai replied, trying to be comforting.
"No! Just leave!"
That was when Mai felt the Earth shake.
"Do you ever sleep when you're home?" Mai heard Naru ask as she fell onto his seat while he got out of the car.
Mai let out a small shriek as she hit the cushion. "As I recall, my sleeping has helped us on a few cases," Mai grumbled, earning a slight smirk as her boss walked away.
Something occurred to Mai at that moment. She had fallen on to his seat. Why? A blush crept up into her cheeks as realization occurred. She had fallen asleep on Naru!
On any normal occasion, she would have screamed, but today she had work to be done. Seeing that the rest of the team was waiting for her, Mai rushed out and headed with the group into a cabin.
***
"Welcome, and thank you all for coming in at such short notice," an older man said, bowing as everyone else bowed and sat down in the office. "I am Tamotsu Samurakami this is my wife, Hisako. Together we run this camp."
His voice... Mai thought remembering her dream. He was the man in my dream.
"I am Kazuya Shibuya, we spoke over the phone," Naru introduced as usual.
"The rumors of your young age, is true, I am glad to see that today's youth has been able to so successful," Hisako replied with a smile.
"Excuse me, but could you please give us an idea of what's been happening?" Monk asked.
"Yes," Tamotsu sighed, leaning forward on his desk. "We opened this camp about seven years ago, everything was fine until things started happening about four years after we opened this place."
"You see, on the final day of camp three years ago, a young boy, Dai, was picked up by his parents. He didn't live too far from here, so his parents thought it was fine that when he realized he left something around here. He could take a few friends and walk through the woods to get here," Hisako continued.
"However, Dai went missing. His friends were able to find what he had left, it was a medallion his father had given him, outside the cabin he stayed in. A search party was made and we eventually..."
"We found poor Dai's body in the river about a week later."
"This place was under investigation, but it was deemed that his death was an accident. That Dai fell down the hill, breaking his neck in the process, and rolled into the river."
"As expected, we did have fewer children attend that next year, but nothing strange ever happened after that..."
"Until now," the camp owner breathed a long sigh. "Last year, two more children went missing, two girls, Chouko and Emi. They were found about two weeks later, in similar situations as Dai."
Emi?
"They were found with broken necks and had apparently been lost deep in the woods, they had splinters and tree bark all over them. However, what was more interesting, was the fact that they had both been acting differently just before they went missing."
"Acting differently? How so?" The priestess crossed her legs.
"Both girls were very outgoing individuals, but just before they disappeared, they had become very reserved...much like Dai..." The wife sighed in remembrance.
"So you believe that Dai is possessing the kids in order for them to relive his death?" John inquired.
"Right, and this year we've had three children go missing, two boys and a girl. Many of the parents have pulled their children out, however the rest of the children have parents who are overseas for business and have nowhere else to go."
"We don't want the children to worry about the disappearances, so..."
"You told them they went home early, right?" Ayako finished for Hisako.
"That's right, please! We just want to know if this is really cause by Dai and if it is, for him to be able to rest in peace!" Hisako burst out, bowing. "Please..."
Mai looked at the woman with kind eyes. "Don't worry, we're going to figure this out," she said sternly believing every word.
"Because the campers don't know we'll be investigating, we need to work discreetly and undercover, am I right, Mr. Samurakami?" Naru interrupted, wishing to get one with the case. (As well as he was going through some Mai's tea withdrawal.)
"That's right," Tamotsu replied, pulling out a file. "All of you will be playing the role of camp counselors, with the exception of Mr. Kojo and Mr. Yasuhara, who I believe is coming tomorrow, right?"
"That's correct."
"Those two will be playing the roles of journalists, working on a story about summer camps, which will explain why there will be cameras set up. We also have a spare cabin where you can run your base from, with plenty of sockets, like you requested."
"If you don't mind, we'd like to start setting up now," Naru bowed, as the door opened.
"Riku! Perfect timing," Hisako exclaimed, turning back to the group. "This is our son Riku, he'll show you to the space we set up for you, as well as where you will be staying."
"Sure, Mom," the young man replied. He was no older that seventeen or eighteen, short dark brown hair and dark blue eyes.
"Be sure to finish setting up quickly, we need to make the announcement during supper," Hisako added as the group headed out the door.
"So you guys are the ghost hunters?" Riku asked, heading towards a cabin by the Mess Hall.
"You could call us that, and you're Riku Samurakami?" Monk replied, as Riku opened the door.
"That's right, I'm one of the head counselors, if you guys need any help with anything you can come to me or Miyuko, she's another head counselor." Riku turned on a light, revealing several chairs and long tables spread out the room. "Here is where you can set up, it's about 5:30 now, dinner is at 6:00, so try to finish setting up before then, my parents want to announce you to the campers so they know who you are." He turned to walk out. "The boys' cabins are on the left side of the Mess Hall and the girls' are on the right."
He showed the guys to their cabin within running distance of the Mess Hall and Base, then brought the girls over to their side. "Here is your cabin," he said, knocking on the door. "It's Riku, can I come in?"
"Come on in!" a cheerful voice responded.
The door opened and a girl with shoulder length red hair, tied in a ponytail and brown eyes was revealed. She jumped down from the top of one of the bunks. "Hi, I'm Miyuko, you guys must be with the ghost hunting team, right?" she greeted, Mai's eyes widened slightly.
Her voice, she was in my dream, too, Mai's mind wondered as the conversation continued.
"Pretty much, you're a counselor, right?" Ayako replied as they all walked in.
"I'll leave you girls alone, remember try to be at the Mess Hall by 6." Riku walked away as the girls placed their things by each bunk.
"Yeah, I'm a counselor, so did Mr. Samurakami give you guys different names or am I allowed to call you your real names?"
"Mr. Samurakami and Naru never mentioned anything of that sort," Masako replied through her kimono sleeve.
"Speaking of Naru, he's gonna be pissed if we don't get to work soon." Mai dropped her bag on the bottom bunk of a bed and headed out the door. "Coming?"
"Looks like we'll find out at dinner, I need to make sure all the girls aren't messing around in their cabins, see you later!" Miyuko ran out the door, waving at the girls.
"You okay, Mai? You seem a little jumpy," the priestess asked, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder.
"I'm fine, I just had a dream on the way here."
"And you didn't tell Naru?"
"I had no time." The three began to walk over to the cabin where the boys were setting up.
"You better tell Naru, I don't think he'll be very happy when he finds out that you didn't tell him immediately."
"Thanks, Masako, like I didn't know that already."
"I'm just trying to help you."
"Well, I don't need it!"
"Okay, cool it you two," Ayako chided, moving in between them as a barrier. "Naru's not going to be pleased with either of you if you keep acting like this."
"Acting like what? I believe it was Mai who was acting unladylike," Masako retorted smugly.
"Do I have to remind you that even if you say you're more of a lady than me, Naru still likes my tea better!" Mai crossed her arms, pleased with herself.
"This is going to be a long case," Ayako said under her breath. Why do they both have to be PMSing?
***
"We'll set up the cameras after dinner, for now we need to make our entrance to the children," Naru explained, leaning against the wall.
"Hey, Naru?" Mai called from her chair. Her boss nodded. "I forgot to tell you, but before we got here I had a dream."
"One of those dreams?" Mai nodded. "Go on."
Mai explained her dream everything from the boy, to the mention of Emi's disappearance in Tamotsu and Miyuko's conversation, back to the boy's warning. "Did the boy mention his name?" John asked after Mai had finished.
"I don't think so, at least I don't remember him telling me."
Naru stood straight and headed for the door. "At any rate, Mai's dream doesn't tell us much that we don't already know, and we're late for dinner."
The group left to meet the children they had to play babysitter for, each feeling as though they were missing something. But what?