Ghost Stories:Shiryo Village *Editing*

Chapter 5

I saw someone staring at me from the same crack. I let out a quick scream and took a couple of steps back, only to be caught by Seiku, who was staring at the door. The door swung open and there was the same man who had been wielding the knife earlier. He gave us a sadistic, menacing smile as he raised his knife. He took a step towards us and Seiku took a step back, holding me tightly to his chest.

"You will not escape ", the man laughed darkly as began to slice from side to side, taking more confident steps forwards us.

"Back away! ", Seiku loudly commanded, trying to take longer steps away from the crazed man.

The man laughed even louder, but suddenly his laughter stopped and he gazed at Seiku with this strange look in his eyes, as if he knew him from somewhere. Then that strangeness changed into one of sheer horro. Terror. Fear.

"Y....You... ", the man stuttered out while suddenly taking a couple of steps back. This caused Seiku to stare at him like he had lost his mind.

The fear in his voice and face was undeniable. But why would he be scared of Seiku? We’re the humans here. We aren’t the ones who can stay alive even after being defeated. I thought that ghosts had full control over possessing or killing any human that they wanted. At least, that’s what I’ve heard in various folklores that Mr. Oishi has lying around at his house.

The man floated back and disappeared without so much as even another sign of threat. Seiku released his hold on me and I looked at him. Confusion over took my entire face. There isn’t anything scary about Matsu, nothing at all. So what could have caused that ghost to be so afraid of him?

"Seiku, what just happened? ", I asked him with a perplexed expression on my face.

He shrugged.” I'm not quite sure... ", he answered before looking down at me, "Let’s just get out of this house ".

We left the conversation at that. Unfinished and left with this poor attempt of a cliffhanger that was put in at the worst time possible. I have questions. Questions that only he can answer apparently. But, he wasn’t taking any anytime too soon. We exited the room and began heading down the stairs being wary of any signs of ghost that was nearby. The violent shaking had stopped earlier on and the screams of agony and pain had subsided a little after the shaking had stopped.

We arrived at the front door and hesitantly opened it. Looking outside, everything was the same as though a fight had never occurred on the road. I looked around carefully and then took a step out. I was being more cautious than before. I didn’t want to risk getting caught in another ghost occurrence.

"Which way should we go? ", Seiku looked at me for the answer, I could still tell that he’s confused about the man’s actions as well.

I thought back and remembered that Nana? had said something about a ceremonial room somewhere deep within the mountain at the back of Shiryo Village. That has to be the place that Nana is in. That’s the only logical answer.

"The mountain ", I suggested with this weird sensation of confidence in my heart, "Let’s try there ".

He looked at me, checking to make sure that I’m sure of myself, before nodding his head and we began making our way to the mountain, sneaking and hiding behind various walls and alleyways in case a ghost were to come by. It became like a game of cat and mouse. Sadly, we are both playing the mice. The game is usually only fun when you get to play as the power player, the cat.

While we were hiding in an alleyway, I felt this chilling, icy cold gaze on me. It was enough to make me shiver and my teeth to quietly chatter. My eyes darted up to a second floor window that’s facing the alleyway and my heart stops for a split second. I can see Nana? looking down at me with this cold of pleading on her face. Without even thinking about it, I make a mad dash towards the house, a sense of sibling protectiveness overtaking my entire thought process.