The Whitechapel Case [abandoned]

Part 3: The Usual Suspects (Chapter 4)

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 3: The Usual Suspects
Chapter 4

Day 3—When Noll was finished telling the story, they just looked at him in silence. None of them said anything, only staring at the kid in disbelief and dread. Of all the horrifying developments that have popped up in this investigation, his latest horror story took three long minutes to sink into reality, and even then it was hard to take. But he didn't tell them everything. He left out the part where he turned around and fled from Reynard Malders; he would be damned if if anyone found out about that.

But that wasn't the worst part of it; it was Reynard's face that troubled him the most, the long smile, the toothy grin, the glowing eyes, the sheer weighty reality of such a sight that gave him chills down his spine. He couldn't get the image out of his mind. So he shut his eyes, willing the horror to pass; but all at once, he saw it again with brutal clarity—the man in the blood-stained white suit, the smile growing along the tearing flesh of cheek and muscle, the eyes glistening and growing into balls of hypnotic fire, all of this getting closer and closer with every step, until it was within a foot away and closing in, until he saw into those eyes and beheld—

His hands shook. So he stood up again but got dizzy.

Everyone moved.

"Whoa, there," said Bert, as he and Lin came in to catch him, though the kid still managed to keep his balance, "not so fast, man. You just got out of it; there's no rush to get back into it, okay? Just sit here and relax for a bit."

He fell back on the couch, clenching his hands into fists to stop them from shaking, trying to pull the veil over what he saw, trying to keep his mind busy with the details of the case and not linger on the vision. But he wasn't the only one. Everyone else was struggling to keep themselves in check, thinking horrible thoughts and fearing for Noll's health. In fact, Luella was was fuming at Lin for failing to protect him and all but silently cursing at her husband for getting Noll into this mess, while Martin stood there clenching his jaw and ruing his decision; as for Madoka, still angry at Noll for implicating Somina Gavvers, she nevertheless felt bad for his situation, bad for the horrors he had to endure and for the incomprehensible horrors yet to come.

And Mai, she just stared at him with disbelieving eyes; she had worried for Noll's health during the Yoshimi case when his use of psychokinesis landed him in the hospital, but never once had she seen him lose his composure the way it was slipping from him now. My God, Naru, what's happening to you? she thought. But deep inside she knew the answer the way she knew his smile was fake when she first met him, sending chills down her spine.

But more than anyone, Lin took the brunt of it. This case had tested his nerves like no other, though he had rationalized each incident into a false sense of security that he could protect Noll the next time it happened. But this was the last straw. Forget about Andrew socking him in the balls and spitting in Noll's face; forget about the near-catastrophic incident at the Allenshire House for the Insane, where he almost had a heart attack watching a possessed Penelope Fowler choking the life out of Noll; forget even about Martin's reprimand to protect his son, or get fired; or, for that matter, Luella's glares roasting the back of his sweating neck right now. He realized that there shouldn't be a next time; he knew he had to take charge. Now.

So he just stood there and crossed his arms over his chest, glowering over his young charge, making the kid look at him; then he said, "Noll, I suggest you take a break from this case for now."