The Whitechapel Case [abandoned]

Part 2: The Connections (Chapter 7)

The Whitechapel Case
Fox-Trot-9

PG-13
Horror/Suspense/Mystery (How-Catch-'Em)
Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt or Death Note.

Part 2: The Connections
Chapter 7

Day 2—The nightmare wouldn't stop. Noll found himself reliving the horror of Gene's death, as it played in his mind over and over from the first impact to the green vision in the lake; it was eating him alive, eating at his sanity and soul. The continuing cycle of slamming skull, crunching bone and fading breath made his stomach clench and heave over and over, making him want to throw up. He wanted—no, he prayed—for it to end. Even if he were to die from the sheer weight of this nightmare, he knew that was a thousand times better than living under the torments of this Hell of Hells. Soon, he got his wish; the heart that had pounded in a fury of agony had beat its last painful lurch against his chest, his muscles steadily lost their frantic motions, and his breathing eased into the solemn of the void.

Darkness. Nothing but a black void of empty, silent space. He felt as if he were a disembodied spirit. For there was no sense of up and down, or left and right. No sound for there were no ears to hear, no sight for there were no eyes to see, no taste for there was no tongue to taste, no smell for the was no nose to smell, and no touch for there was no body to feel anything. In all, there was no bodily experience where Noll found himself. Was this a dreamless sleep? Was this the sleep of death? Was this the end of the road for him? No, that can't be, but it might be. He cringed at the thought. But then he thought he heard faint footsteps getting closer and closer, though he didn't know where. And he found himself lying on his back, as if he were on his death bed, or worse—in a crypt. And as those footsteps got closer, he heard something through the darkness, something familiar though he couldn't place it.

A voice. "Noll..."

 

The kid snapped his eyes open and found himself in a hospital bed. His blurry vision focused on the figures in front of him.

"What did I tell you, Lin?" said Bert. "He just passed out with just a couple of bruises, but you've been pining away like there's no tomorrow. And I was under the impression you were the manly man that spirit said you'd be."

Lin glared at him. "And what about you? A real man would not have left that room."

Bert was about to say something, when Noll intervened. "But a better man would have gone back into that room."

"Ah, see? He can respond; he'll be all right, Lin." Then he turned to the kid. "Noll, I'd never thought I'd say this, but you truly are the man's man. Seriously, what you did back there was the gutsiest move I've ever seen. But Christ, you scared the Holy Hell out of us! Especially Lin—he's all shook up, so you need to offer an apol—Now, Lin, be easy on him, all right? He's been through more than you or me."

"I know, but that doesn't seem to bother him like it should," said Lin, glaring at the kid. "My God, don't you ever, ever do that to me again, you understand me?"

"Lin, I'm your boss. I don't need to be lectured like this."

"I won't let this go like I have in previous cases, and you know it. What were you thinking? What would your parents think if you got killed? What would Ms. Mori think? What would Mai think? You have no right to risk your life like that!" He sighed. "Sometimes I think Mai's recklessness is rubbing off on you."

Noll glared at him from the bed.

"Wait a minute, who's Mai?" said Bert.

Noll glared even harder at Lin, as if to say, 'Don't even think about it!'