Plain: Book 2

What Evil Has Been Done

I woke up to a shock of white and periwinkle blue. To my drowsy, half-conscious eyes, I thought I was in the sky. It only lasted for a fraction of a second before I picked out the white, squared ceilings (ceilings don't change much from hospital to hospital, don't they?), light blue walls, and a lone window. Warm spring sunlight shown through its sheer curtains, which fluttered in a light breeze. I could smell the freshly mowed grass outside.

On the other side of me was Naru, much as I expected him to be: dark, legs crossed, and engrossed in a book. Besides him sat John, who smiled widely on meeting my eye.

"'ello, mate," he said softly.

Naru glanced up, his cheek resting on his hand.

"About time," said Naru, snapping the book closed. "No one passing out from mild blood loss should have been unconscious for that long. I suppose you were busy."

Busy as in 'having my visions.' I had had them while knocked out before, as it was more necessary to be unconscious rather than asleep. From his expectant tone I assumed he was eager for any clues I could give him to the case.

"Where are the others?" I asked.

"Having a Skype chat with Yasu. Apparently he's thinking of catching a bus over here, because we're all on a little field trip and he wanted to join the fun."

Even John winced. I scratched out the theory of Naru's tone being of impatience and wrote in 'pissed.' Was it because I passed out? Nah, that couldn't be. He wasn't unreasonable, after all. Heck, Oliver Davis was anything but that. But then what?

"Do you...not want Yasu around?"

"More or less, but as he is not an employee of mine, I have little say in the matter. Besides, as he has shown no signs of being a medium, he is most likely safe." But, by the sounds of it, Naru wasn't too please. "Did you or did you not have any visions?"

"Well, yeah, but..." my voice died. I had, for one blessed minute, forgotten all of it. Now my insides twisted sickenly and I hugged myself to keep all of it still, as well as ward off the cold that had put the hairs on my arms on end.

John was looking from Naru to me in dismay. He seemed to want to say something, but couldn't find his place to.

Naru didn't miss my sudden withdrawal into the hospital bed. "The sooner you get it out the better, Mai. Try to be objective. Distance yourself."

"Easy for you to say."

John winced again, this time at my bitter tone. "Um, I'll just get some coffee?"

"You can stay, Father, we're not having some lover's spat." He waved his hand, almost flippantly, before him, eyes downcast to pull out a notepad and pen he had tucked away at his side. "Do your best, Mai. I want to be rid of this...nightmare just as much as you. Once we're done with this..." his voice hesitated, teetered on the edge of softness, and he glanced at John. John probably didn't notice, but after knowing Naru for so long, I could see the lines of his self-consciousness. Saying anything even close to sweet in front of anyone was as bad as stripping naked to Naru.

It was with that smile tickling the corners of my lips that I told him all that I had seen. When the ice tar swirling my gut rose up to cut off my throat, I'd look to the window and the sunlight outside to remind myself where I was, and of that which thawed me best. Like walking in the sunshine with Naru and eating ice cream. Had that really only been today? It was evening already. The days were getting longer.

When I had said all that I had to say, Naru clicked his pen and frowned at his notes.

"Something doesn't add up," he said, pressing the side of the pen to his temple. "There's little doubt she could be a medium. I've narrowed down the list Yasu sent me to a few girls and you've just singled out the one I need, but...where would she have gotten training in an orphanage? Where was the affect of the dead in her life? Of her powers? From what you've told me and what I've read, it's hardly mentioned."