St. Hashiro

The Ritual

  The ground shook, as they headed to the open door. They peered in the door leading to the entrance. Nothing. There was nothing that opened the door.

  "Oana?" whispered Asami. No response.

  "We need to be careful," whispered Carrie. Satoshi was sniffing the air, when his ears perked.

  "The basement is where I sense activity," whispered the cat. 

  "Are you sure, Satoshi?" asked Asami. Satoshi nodded. The entrance was dark, in fact, everything was dark, aside from the purple flashes of lightning. They walked down the steps into the cellar, when Asami paused.

  "What is it?" asked Carrie.

  "The power doesn't work down there, and we need a light source due to the storm wrapping this place into the blackness,"  said Asami nervously. Satoshi shook his head.

  "If you want to be found and killed, then let's grab a candle. If you want to be safe, I suggest we keep the darkness of the cellar, dark," said the cat, as he licked his paws. Carrie and Asami looked at each other and nodded slowly. They begin their way into the dark basement, walking carefully down the corridor wrapped in darkness. They notice light coming from the cafeteria.

  "Odd, maybe it's Oana?" asked Carrie. Before Asami or Satoshi could say anything, she approached the light. 

  "Those look like paper lanterns," said Carrie. Satoshi's eyes dilated. 

  "Put that down!" hissed Satoshi. Carrie looked at it and screamed. The white lantern had one eye on it and long black hair with a wide gaping mouth. Carrie threw it.

  "What the hell was that thing?!" exclaimed Carrie.

  "A Chōchin-obake. It's a paper lantern ghost, and a type of Tsukugomi, which is what a fox turns into after living for a 100 years," said Asami. Carrie just stared at Asami. She nodded, despite being confused. They continued their walk down the twisting dark corridor. As they walked, footsteps were heard behind them. Asami paused, but Satoshi scratched her leg.

  "Ow, bitch! You're a mean cat!" hissed Asami.

  "I'm a Bakeneko, and don't turn around, they're following us," said Satoshi.

  "Who?" asked Carrie.

  "Your faceless nun friends," said Satoshi bluntly. Sure enough, five of them were following them, with distance between them. They sped up in order to lose the Noppera-bō nuns, but they sped up too. 

  "Look, there's the door that leads to the supply area!" said Asami. They ran to the door, opened it rapidly, and slammed the door. The nuns outside were screaming.

  "DON'T GO IN THERE!" yelled one of the faceless nuns. 

  "GOD ENDS THERE!" yelled another. 

  "GOD ENDED THE MOMENT YOU STEPPED FOOT IN THIS GODAMN PLACE, YA FREAKS!" yelled Asami. She turned around and saw Sister Oana floating in air, in the postion of a cross. Her eyes were closed and beneath her, drawn in red was a pentagram. Carrie and Satoshi looked up at Sister Oana. His eyes shrunk down and he hissed. 

  "That's not Sister Oana, not anymore!" hissed Satoshi. 

  "Huh?" asked Asami, who was hanging onto Sister Oana's leg, trying to pull her down. Asami was then blown to the wall by Sister Oana's demonic scream. Asami fell down to the ground after she finished. Sister Oana floated down to the ground.

  "Why are you here? We told you to leave you bitch," said Sister Oana, her voice having a demonic echo. Asami got up slowly. Satoshi grew into his human size form, his red kimono appearing on him. His tail noticeably split into two. 

  "How did we not notice that?!" asked Carrie, surprised. A pure red flame appeared in Satoshi's paw.

  "Don't make me fight you," warned Satoshi. Sister Oana laughed.

  "You're weak, Bakeneko. You wish for your precious Miyuki, don't you? Might as well say 'NEVERMORE' to that!" laughed Sister Oana. Her eyes were red and black, and her smile was cunning.  

  "What do you mean? She's in a better place than the place your from, which is HELL!" said Satoshi. Carrie ran to Asami to make sure she was ok. 

  "Miyuki is gone! Her spirit is NOT released, and she'll SUFFER in PURGATORY!" said Sister Oana. Satoshi threw a red fire orb at Oana, but she puts her hand out, causing the flame to fly back at Satoshi, burning him. He falls over, rubbing his face. She then uses her demonic force to throw him up in the air and slam him back to the ground. 

  "STOP!" yelled Carrie, her blue eyes glowing. Her blonde hair had brown streaks in it.

  "That voice...Miyuki?" asked Satoshi. Carrie looked at him.

  "I'm ok, my lovely cat!" said Miyuki through Carrie. "Now to deal with this bitch!" Asami was stunned by Carrie. Carrie floated up and forced Oana to the wall. Sister Oana fell down and got up quickly.

  "You're nothing, Miyuki!" growled Sister Oana.  

  "Get the hell out of my FRIEND!" yelled Carrie, blowing Sister Oana back to the wall again. This time, Sister Oana fell down, and she didn't get up. Carrie stopped floating, her blue eyes stopped glowing, and her hair lost its brown streaks. Sister Oana rose slowly, her eyes now her normal dark brown.

  "Th-thank you," stuttered Sister Oana.

  "You're welcome," said Carrie. Oana gasped.

  "What is it?" asked Asami.

  "I was being used to open a portal for demons as a distraction for the real ritual! We gotta go to the woods NOW!!!" exclaimed Oana.