FILE 3: THE HAUNTED SCHOOL PART 1

Three months after the SIMI case, I had already sold off the black pearl, and you can see the result in my newly renovated kitchen.

It had a nice upgrade from a petty eighties look to a more modern twenty-first-century look. As a result, Mars now liked to sleep on the island where I prepared my food and had become a nuisance.

I wasn't expecting a client today. Bummer right? So I called Min Sung and scheduled a date. For lunch.

Me and her, alone. I can't wait. I smiled broadly as I dressed in front of my favourite mirror. I sprayed some of my cologne until I was satisfied.

Initially, I wore black pants and a navy blue shirt, and later I will wear black boots and a black winter coat.

Mom always said I looked good in blue. I played with my hair, wondering how to style it when I heard snickering. It was Mars.

"What?" I demanded. "No, nothing. You're okay, so just go already," he waved a limp paw.

I checked myself one last time. He's wrong. I look like Adonis reincarnated, perfect for my Aphrodite.

I picked up my coat, patted my partner, and practically flew out the door. "I left a bowl of fish and some water for you. Ciao!" I shouted as the door closed behind me.

Pulling on the coat to keep out the cold air, as it's almost Christmas, I walked to our arranged café. She stood waiting nervously.

Wearing a long red coat and orange scarf, her long black hair stood out among the grey clouds, and she looked as beautiful as always. Especially now that she is wearing makeup.

"Sorry, I took so long," I apologised.

"Did the mirror hold you hostage?" she teased. She was getting to know me.

We sat at our reserved table, ordered our drinks, and conversed. 

"What will you be doing for Christmas?" I asked curiously. She sipped her mocha. "My family invited me to stay for a few days. They're very eager to see me, so how can I say no?" 

"Me too. I'm going to my parents in Scotland for a family Christmas as well. It sounds like you're getting along with your family." I was truly happy for her.

"Thanks to you. I never thought I would spend time with them like this again," she blushed happily.

For a moment we sat in silence before she spoke again. "You have done a lot for me, so I feel terrible for asking this of you-" she started.

"Ask me anything," said the foolish me.

"I need your help. Well, not me exactly, but the place I work at," she murmured.

I might as well, so I motioned for her to continue. Looking confident, she continued, "I found work as an administrator at the Sahagu Junior High School in Sahagu. 

The principal was kind enough to overlook my past and hire me. My first few days were pleasant. The people were kind, and the students acted like students."

Our food came, so she took a few bites before continuing.

"The school has a policy, no one may enter the building after six pm. Neither students nor staff. No matter what.

I understood the students, but I found it odd that they wouldn't even allow staff to enter. But no matter how much I inquired, no one would tell me why.

The principal just said, 'safety reasons.' But I'm not one to drop something, so I eavesdropped on the students. I hit the jackpot among third-years."

She gasped for breath and slurped her mocha. I was on the edge of my seat. 

This was very interesting. "Last year, during the midnight hours, a group of kids broke into the school building for fun.

Security wasn't very tight, as it had never happened before. They got into mischief. Drew on boards, moved desks around, you know, the usual.

But just as they entered the storage room, things got strange."

"Strange how?"

"Three died on the spot. The last one ran away, but his body was found hanging from a tree two days later." She sniffed.

"What did the doctors say?"

"Fright." She glanced at me with widened eyes. "Those dead children died of fright. After that, no one was allowed after six." I flushed as she gripped my hand.

"Please help them. I love that school. Please." 

"I'm on it. Just keep holding my hand," I comforted her as I gently patted her hand.

"How'd it go?" Mars yawned as I came in. Hanging my coat in the closet and taking off my shoes, I gave him a thumbs up and a thumbs down.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he meowed. I slouched on my comfy couch and explained.

"We had a nice lunch. We held hands. But the conversation gave me overtime."

"You're working?" Mars smirked.

"Yes. And you're coming with me," I wink, making Mars scowl. He licked his paws.

"You held hands? You sure?"

"You're doubting me?" I shot back.

"Yeah, well, I don't see a red mark-" I threw the cushion at him. What does he think I am?

We got ready, or I got ready, for my investigation into the school. Min Sung promised that she would leave the gate open, but I assured her that would be no problem for me.

Before midnight, I stood in front of the giant steel gates, which were securely locked. She didn't succeed. I leaned against the wall, glancing around to make sure we were alone, before using LEAP to jump over the gates. 

"Don't be reckless. What if security catches you?" Mars warned me furiously. I folded my arms and said, "Min spiked their drinks, so they're asleep." I grinned as his whiskers twitched.

"Good then. Let's go before anything happens." Shaking my head, we returned to business and sneaked inside the main school building, where the storage room was located.

I'm not a person who gets frightened very easily. I become uncomfortable easily, though. Walking down silent halls during the darkest hours of the night is eerie.

Mars trotted beside me as we went along to the storage.

"Hey, Mars?"

"What is it?"

"What kind of spirit do you think could be scary enough to cause someone to die of fright?" I questioned him.

"Any kind, I suppose," he answered nonchalantly.

"The shadow didn't scare anyone to death, though," I grumbled. Mars hissed. "You're being irritating."

'Well, sorry, sourpuss,' I thought spitefully as we trudged towards the room. We progressed down a single flight of stairs, following Min's directions, and found our destination.

STORAGE was painted across the top in yellow. Sheesh, what an overkill. I reached for the doorknob when Mars suddenly growled.

Chills ran through my spine, and I flung open the door, expecting some monster to rush out. But instead, there was silence.

"You freaking cat, you scared me! There's nothing there," I cried angrily. Mars whipped around and scratched me in fury. "Yowtch! What was that for?" I rubbed my ankle.

I wondered if I should enrol him in a pet training school.

"You idiot! Don't you have SENSE activated?" he snarled. I only had my LEAP activated, but since Mars was here, I hadn't bothered with my other skills.

Seeing him so hysterical, I immediately activated SENSE and shrank back.

"You gotta be kidding me," I muttered. "Don't these things exist in legend?" I stared in disbelief at the creature in front of me.

Before us was a large human skeleton. Its red eyes stared at us dully, but using SENSE, I heard grinding teeth.

It stretched its arm and exhibited six-inch claws on each finger that gave me goosebumps.

Those were five daggers on each hand that could kill me! But what was freaky was the continuous flow of blood on its chest, as if stabbed.

"Sorry, wrong door. We're looking for a bathroom. Pardon us." I grabbed a protesting Mars, slammed the door shut, and sped back upstairs.

After slumping down on the boys' toilet, I eventually calmed down. I told you we were looking for a bathroom. 

Leaning back, I asked, "That's a yokai, isn't it? There's no such thing, right? You told me there are spirits and ghosts, but no yokai. So why is there one in the school's storage room? No wonder those kids died of fright."

"It looks like a yokai, but it's not a yokai."

"That looks a lot like the Gashadokuro from mythology. Maybe we should get an onmyoji," I suggested eagerly.

"You're thinking of Japan."

"Then a priest."

"They exorcise demonic possessions."

"I'm an Otherworld investigator, not some Shinto priest. I don't do these kinds of things," I complained. Mars jumped onto my lap.

"The Otherworld Investigator takes on cases involving the Otherworld, meaning ghosts and spirits. That skeleton was a ghost.

And if you looked closely before fleeing, there was a ghost of a young boy." That made me pay attention.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I grabbed Mars and lifted him. He looked dismayed as he informed me; "When will you grow up?

I don't have to tell you if you do your job properly. Listen closely now. He may look like a giant bloody skeleton on the outside, but in fact, he is a thirteen-year-old boy wearing the designated school uniform.

Something must have happened because I noticed his chest bleeding. But you grabbed me before I could figure out anything else."

Oh, right. My mistake. Then it hit me. "But you were alert when I opened the door," I argued.

"That's because his presence made me feel like prey. It was a horrible feeling." He shivered. I let him back down on my lap and stroked his head. "Do you think we can talk to him?"

"Do what you think is best. It's your decision," Mars told me expectantly.

After that, I naturally once again walked, with my SENSE to the max, down the flight of stairs back to the storage room. I opened the door, and with my SENSE I finally saw what Mars had seen.