“That dipsh^t!” Veronica yelled as she walked into the employee lounge. “He did it again!”
I sigh because this was starting to feel like a running gag. “Again?”
“Yes! Do you know how uncomfortable the customers are right now?” she yelled pointing to where the dining room area is.
I take a peek and yep he was sitting on the table glassy-eyed with something in his mouth. One of the customers stood up and walked out the door before her order got to him.
"The smell is awful. Why did Amanda employ a jacka$$ like him!” she moaned sitting down on the chair. “Why?”
We hear a commotion in the dining room area and I shake my head in pity. “Too bad she is not here to answer the question.”
Then Michael pushed Ral into the room along with his stench. Annoyed, I quickly walk out of the room and spray the place with perfume praying to God no one would walk inside.
The door opened and Taro Yamada walked in wearing his business suit. He covered his nose and quickly took a seat near the window.
“Good evening Emma.” He said picking up the menu.
I quickly drop the can of perfume and take out my pen and notepad. “Good evening sir. What will you have tonight?”
“Well…” we heard glass shatter. “Is everything alright?”
I nod quickly. “What will you have sir?”
“I'll have the usual.” He replied.
“Would you be interested in dessert?”
“Sure. I will take the chocolate pudding.” He said shutting the menu.
I quickly head to the counter and a few minutes later, I reappear with his order.
“Thank you.” he took a bite of his food. “Slow business tonight.”
I nod.
“On a normal night, this place would be filled with customers. What’s happening?”
Loud voices and something falling to the ground stopped me from answering the question. Then Mr. Ming the head chief stormed out of the kitchen and walked out the door with a huge slam.
I watched him disappear into the night and sighed.
Taro sighed along with me. “Now I know why.”
Amanda had employed Ral a few weeks after the summer break and went to visit her family three days ago. We didn't like him since he was a two-faced jerk; acting nice when she is around but behaving like an idiot behind her back. We complained to Amanda about his behavior but she shocked us by saying, “As long as he does not push us out of business, deal with it.”
Well, the rest of the workers raged war on him while I decided to tolerate him because I had a lot on my plate with school and Jake who hasn't said a word about him, and this made me drink the cocktail called Fear.
Was he playing it safe?
“I’m done.” Taro’s voice snapped me out of my trance. I clear the table and hand him the bill which he paid in cash. Even though no one was there to help me, I clean up the dining room, grab my coat and walk out the door.
“It's late,” Taro said. “Do you need a ride home? I can drive you.”
I shake my head and call a taxi which arrived just in time to pick me up. I get home, take a shower and go to sleep.
I wake up to Jake staring at me.
“Good morning my love. Did you sleep well?” he asked.
Hiding my terror, I give a stiff nod, get up and stretch until my joints popped. After wearing my uniform and eating breakfast, we walk to school together.
“I made an extra bento for you my love.” He cheerfully said.
I nod.
“What’s wrong? Are you sick?” he asked.
I shake my head earning a look of suspicion from him. With nothing else to say, we get to school, change our shoes, and head to class. Soon it was time for lunch, I slipped out of class to stay with my friends who talked about the new online game that was out.
“Honestly all you do is game,” Aubrey complained as she wiped her shirt with baby wipes.
“Well, what did you do during the summer?” asked Brianna.
Aubrey beamed with pride. “If you want to know, I sharpened up my culinary skills by learning new techniques, new recipes, and new ways of handling cooking equipment, especially knives.”
“I thought you were already an expert on knives,” Ralph said.
“I know but there are so many skills you can learn with a knife and it is amazing!” she said. “A great chief should have exceptional knife skills you know.”
“Yeah, and a good gamer should have exceptional gaming skills too,” Brianna added.
We all laughed.
“Move over.” a voice commanded. We look up to see it was Valarie glaring at us. “I said move over.”
“Why? The bench is full.” Andrew replied.
“Do I look like I care? Move over!” she barked.
We took one look at each other and said, 'No!' simultaneously.
She gritted her teeth and walked away.
“Ugh, that girl is so annoying,” Aubrey said with a scowl.
“You think?” Brianna said. “Do you know she decided to come for the trip because of Jake? And we all know that he and Emma are dating.”
Aubrey stuffed her mouth full of rice chewed and swallowed. “Of course! Everyone knows about her crush on the upperclassman and it started the minute she caught him smiling.”
Brianna laughed. “It's said ‘One kiss is all it takes to fall in love with someone. Now, all it takes is a smile.”
We laughed at the joke and the bell for class rang. Bidding each other a farewell, we packed up and parted ways.
All of us except me. I decided to skip class and go to the library and listen to the headmaster’s tapes writing down the key points. When that was done, I listen to it one more time before looking at my notebook.
‘It looks like he was talking about a murder that happened in the school with the culprit being a female student but Saiko corp?’ I hum and put a hand on my chin. ‘It seems that Saiko Cooperation were the ones who built this school but what secrete did the Headmaster promise to keep? What was the last tape? Why did he take this secrete to his grave?’
“Well, well, well, look who I find in the library.” a familiar voice said.
I turned to my right and jump back in horror. "St...Stan?"
“Did you miss me big tits?” he leaned closer to me and winked. “Your eyes don't deceive you. It is me.”
Suddenly the tape recorder magically appeared in his hand.
“He…hey!” I protest only to have the nail-studded bat pointed at my face.
“Ah, ah, ah.” He let it fall on the floor and crushed it to pieces with his foot. “Caroline wants to see you tonight so don’t be late.”
He kicked the pieces towards me and proceeded to walk out the door. “Oh and one more thing, tell your ‘boyfriend’ he is tasteless when it comes to gifts. Tell him the message was from me."
As he disappeared, I heave a sigh of relief thanking God Jake was not here to witness the stunt but my heart broke when I looked at the pieces of the machine on the floor. Getting a broom, I sweep them up and put them in the trash.
Apart from that incident, school was uneventful except for one thing; I hadn’t seen Jake though out the whole day. I was unable to find him during cleaning time so I walk home alone.
‘Why do I get the feeling I am being followed?’ I look behind me and see nothing. Sighing, I continue to walk straining my ears for footsteps other than mine but hear nothing until I get to my apartment.
“I like it. I like it a lot.” I heard someone say once I open the door and see my Aunt was talking to none other than Ayano Aishi or should I say, Ayano Yamada.
“It’s about time you got back.” my Aunt said standing up from the couch. “Go down to the store and buy something for our guest will you?”
“Oh. You don’t have to do that. I was just leaving.” She stood up and looked directly at me giving me goosebumps.
“Good…Good evening Mrs. Yamada.” I manage to say.
“Good evening Emma Cross-wood,” she replied folding her arms. “It looks like you just came back from school.”
“Y…yes.”
“I heard you are going to Madeline’s high school?”
I freeze. 'H...how on earth did she...'
“Yep. She is a very studious girl. Always has her head in the books." my aunt chirped.
"That's nice to hear. I also heard she is in class 2-1.” Ayano had an amused look on her face. “That’s the same class I was in before I became a senior.”
“Really? Then you can show her the ropes in that school.” My Aunt jokingly said.
“I would if she was a new student.” Ayano pointed out making my Aunt cringe. “So, how is your boyfriend?”
I move my weight from one foot to another. “He…he is fine.”
“Oh, he is such an angel Mrs. Yamada.” My Aunt cooed. “I am hoping they would get married someday.”
“No, I…” I catch myself and look away. “We aren’t in a deep relationship.”
“Pity. The sooner you get married the better.”
I gulp at her rueful tone.
“Girls like you ought to be married one way or the other.” Her eyes sparkled with an unknown emotion as a grin appeared on her face giving me another round of shivers.
‘I need to get out of here.’ I thought. “O…okay. Aunt, can I go to my room to study?”
“Oh sure.” was her reply and I quickly speed up to my room, change into my normal clothes, and tried opening the window.
‘What the…' This time it opened. I looked through it to see if there was anything afoot but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Crawling through it, I climb down the building.
‘I would gladly go to work but today is not my shift.’ I thought while running straight to the school. ‘Besides, the sooner I meet Caroline and give her the book we found in Madison’s mansion the better but this means…I have to tell her what happened to Gwen.’
I make it to school and stop by the Headmaster’s office to meet with the ghost.
“My Ms. Cross-wood you made it,” he said with a smile. “Did you meet her?
I stare at him in shock. “You…you knew she was coming?”
He nodded. “The minute she didn't find the tapes, she knew you took them.”
“But…but why?”
He said nothing and poured himself a glass of wine. “Looks like you have a brief knowledge of what happened in this once prestigious school.”
I nod. “But what happened to the Headmaster?”
He took a sip and snapped his fingers. Appearing right in front of me was someone dangling to and fro from the ceiling.
I clover my mouth in shock. “Is…is that…”
The ghost nodded. “Don’t be shy. He doesn’t bite.”
I take a step forward and his eyes flew open forcing me to jump back in fright.
“Relax. He doesn’t bite.” the ghost said brandishing his glass of wine. “He has been here for decades now, refusing to leave this very room. This is why it's haunted.”
I look at the ghost then back at the headmaster's ghost. ‘It’s clear he committed suicide but…when did he die? If he is dead, who is in charge of the school?’
“All will be revealed in due time.” the ghost said. “Now you have a choice, Emma. Do you want this man to be in the school forever or do you want him to rest in peace?”
I look at the hanging figure of a chubby man wearing a green sleeveless sweater and felt sorry for him because the events that took place in the school caused him to sink into despair especially when he heard the culprit was innocent. It changed the school’s reputation forever and it is not getting any better.
“Or do you want to give the tapes to Ayano Aishi? You will get on her good side if you do and she might forgive you for getting cozy with her husband.”
I was appalled. “I wasn’t…”
“That is not what she thinks.” He brought the glass of wine to his lips. “What is it going to be Emma Cross-wood?”
I look at him and walk out of the room.
“Oh, and one more thing,” the ghost said. “Make sure you go into the Science Lab after meeting Caroline. Someone is waiting for you there.”
I nod and leave to the school’s incinerator. There, I dump all the tapes inside and burn them.
‘The tapes are the objects tying him to the school.’ I think going back to the room. ‘Maybe destroying them will put him to rest.’
I open the door, take a peek and see Caroline fiddling with her Ouija Board while the orange-haired girl was watching TV.
“I have been expecting you, Emma.” She said without looking up. “The spirits told me you would come at your own free will.”
‘If she means the ghosts in this school, then I believe her.’ I take out the book from my bag. “We found this in Madison’s mansion. It didn’t have much but it did give us insight on who the demon might be.”
“Nothing more?” she asks still keeping her head down.
I shake my head. “And Gwen is dead.”
She looks up at me with an angry expression on her face. “And it took you this long to tell me?”
I keep my mouth shut as she stood up and snatched the book from me. “Stan told me all about it and how Alice betrayed us.”
“She was trying to kill me.”
“She was trying to help you see the error of your ways.” she flipped through the book and tossed it in the box which ironically held Rebecca’s ballet shoes. “She wanted to save you, Emma.”
“But…”
“You should have brought Jake over and let her kill him but no. You just had to let him find his way to the mansion to kill Gwen. I hope you are proud of yourself.” I see tears in her eyes. “Gwen was the only person you could trust and now she is gone. I hope you are happy with what you have done.”
I wanted to object but the ghost’s words echoed in my ears, ‘Too bad Gwen wanted to take you away with her...’
‘And I'm still in the dark about what he's trying to tell me.' I look at the orange-haired girl who paid no attention to us. 'Something is wrong.'
“Have you decided on what you are going to do with him?” Caroline asked.
I shake my head and she gave me a weird look.
“How was Charlie’s birthday?”
“It was okay,” I reply with a shrug and nothing more was said for a while.
“Have you read the book since you got back?” she asked.
“Not really.” I folded my arms. “Jake spent the last days of summer with me so I was unable to read it.”
“Please read it,” she begged. “It will help us all and Stan will be accompanying you from now on.”
I shake my head at that idea. “I don’t want to go with Stan. He’s…”
“Creepy? Stupid? Loves evil things? Quick to kill? Annoying?” a voice boomed behind me as I felt something on my shoulder. “And Jake isn’t like that?”
Even though I was not looking at him I could feel the smirk in his voice.
“If you were comfortable with your Yandere, then you should be comfortable with me.” he thrust a card to my face. “That’s my phone number sweet cheeks. Call me when you sneak out of your apartment.”
I take the card and stare at it without saying a word. Caroline dismissed me like a servant I walked out of the room in guilt.
‘Gee like it is my fault that Gwen died.’ suddenly I snap out of it. ‘What I’m I saying? It is my fault! If only I had listened to her…’
‘And let her kill Jake?’
I bow my head in shame.
‘Do not forget what that ghost told you. Jake is the only person you can trust! Remember?’
‘But he kills people because he loves me! How twisted is that?’
‘Why do you think they call it Psychotic Love?’
I shake my head. ‘It is not going to work between us. It is going to be a toxic relationship.’
‘Well, good luck trying to dump him. ’
I groan and open the door leading to the Science Room. ‘You are of no help at all.’
There, staring at me was a Fox Demon’s head. Its fur was red and yellow with orange glowing eyes. Fear seized my movements and it bared its teeth at me giving a low growl.
Then I blinked and see a cute Kitsume staring at me and it looked similar to the one I saw during the fire at the Madison’s Mansion.
“You know you should wear your jacket. It is cold.” It said in a childlike voice.
I shuddered. ‘How could something so vicious transform into something so cute?’
“Well don’t just stand there. Come in!” it leads the way inside. “And shut the door while you are at it.”
I do as it says and looks around the room.
“There is nothing out of the ordinary here.” it hopped onto the table. “It is just a plain old science room. So you don’t have to be worried about it being haunted.”
I take a deep breath and relax.
“Why are you so scared?” it asked tilting its head to the side. “Don't you like Kitsunes?”
That got my attention. “Wait, what?”
“You are probably going to get a headache but when you were five, you told your parents you liked Kitsumes because they were cute and fluffy.”
“Wha…” I grab my head and groan in pain as the memory came pouring in. The day I said that was the day mom and dad took me to the Carnival. There, dad won me a stuffed red and yellow fox and I squealed because it looked like a kitsune. As I recalled this, the nursery rhyme ‘Oranges and Lemons’ replayed in my head but I finally knew where it came from.
“Do you remember now?” the Kitsune asked.
I nod and wince at the stinging headache. "My mother taught me that nursery rhyme."
“I am sorry if this caused you a headache but now you know who I am and who is the one vanquishing the ghosts trying to harm you.” it jumped on another table. “So consider me your Spirit Guardian.”
I look up at it. “So you are the one who was vanquishing the evil spirits?”
It nods.
I bow to it. “Is there anything you want in return?”
It raised its paw in protest. “Oh no. I don’t want anything from you. I want to give you something.”
Then a shiny silver knife appeared from nowhere, floating in the air.
“This is the Imperial Blade.” It said. “It can aid as a defense against vengeful spirits.”
I stare at it in awe, then remembered something. “I…I don’t know how to use a knife.”
“That is okay.” It said. “Once you take hold of it, you will have the skills to use it but you must enhance those skills.”
“Wha…what does it do?”
“It sends spirits straight to the afterlife.” It replied. “I used to do that until a certain someone noticed my presence.”
“A certain someone?”
“Yes. You see, unlike other Kitsunes who use cultivation and other means to be powerful, I take the energy from these vengeful spirits, convert it to my energy and send them to the afterlife to find peace or to be reincarnated in another world.”
“You take their energy?” I ask taking note of the carvings on the blade.
“Yes. Most of the spirits generate energy through hatred and vengeance to become powerful entities. If they do that, they will transform into demons. My job is to hunt down these spirits, drain their negative energy and send them to the afterlife. The more spirits I get, the more powerful I become.”
I soak in its words. “So you are like the Grim Reaper right?”
“Nope. The Grim Reaper is another name for death. I am just helping these restless vengeful spirits find peace.” it scratched itself. “But there are other ways to send them to the afterlife if you have noticed.”
I remember the ghostly events that took place during the past few months including what happened just now.
“How do I use it?” I ask.
“Oh. If you kill or stab a ghost, it will disappear. It works on humans too! Stab them and their spirits will go to the afterlife but do not use it for murderous intentions.”
“What will happen if I do?”
“The soul of the deceased will be trapped in that blade until it gathers enough energy to breakout and torment you. I have to say, spirits do manifest a lot of spirit energy through emotions. Especially through hatred.”
“So I have noticed.” I grabbed it and felt an untamable flow of energy through my body; like a rush of adrenaline! I suddenly felt…powerful.
“Don’t let the power get to your head. It doesn’t make you an immortal.”
I look up and see the kitsune was near the window.
“And do not attack ghosts that are stronger than you nor the ones that try to approach you. I know it sounds crazy but strikes the ones that attack first. You may get stunned a little but that’s the only way you can know who is a friend or foe since most of them are unable to talk.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, and one more thing, be nice to Jake. Remember he is the only one you can trust in this supernatural adventure.”
With that, it leaped out of the window and disappeared. I put the knife, in my bag and walk out of the room still feeling the headache from before.
“This is going to be a long night.”
Third POV
Jake spotted Emma walking passed him and followed her to the library. Taking a peek from the door, he saw her listening to the Headmaster’s tapes and writing something in her notebook but his phone buzzed distracting him.
Alice: Welcome back.
Jake: How have you been?
Alice: Here and there. How have you been?
Jake: That scumbag Stan didn't show up.
Alice: I know. Keep your guard up. I heard he and Caroline are up to something.
Jake: What are they planning?
Alice: I don’t know. He ratted me out to the manipulative witch and she is on to me.
Jake: Great! Now, what are we going to do?
Alice: Relax. She doesn’t know yet. But there is something you should know about Stan.
Then he heard a sound and watched Stan destroy the gift he bought for her. Drowning in rage and tempted to kill him for the insult, he changed hiding spots and stared at the picture of Emma which he used as his wallpaper.
As Stan walked passed him, he sighed deeply and sent a text.
I am listening.
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