Diamonds Burn Gold

Chapter 24: Don't look back. The Hidden Killer

Soon, the young ghost girl stopped her tears and said, "I really hope you've taken what I said to heart. I've nothing more to say." Koichi, feeling sympathy and a sense of justice, decides to help her. "Well, I. heard. you loud and clear. And I'm shocked no one knows about this. There has to be something we can do here!" He says.

"Ha, how altruistic, Koichi. This smells like trouble." Rohan says as he began to walk away like he didn't care about Reimi's pleas or the fact that a murderer was living in Morioh. But then he stopped and looked up in thought. "Although this vicious killer could be a good source of inspiration, it all seems it could make for some interesting manga."

Koichi had mixed feelings where this was going but Reimi's eyes were practically sparkling when she heard this. Not exactly being selfless, but she felt that Rohan was going to listen to her plea and stop her murderer. She knew it. She just knew she could count on him. "Can we get out if we go this way?" Rohan asks as he pointed towards the next corner.

"Don't buy the good guy act." Koichi whispered, going over to Reimi's side. "It's obvious that he has ulterior motives, and when it comes to trustworthiness the guy's shady at best."

"Did you hear a word I just said?" Rohan asked with a sigh.

"Then we're agreed. I'll show you how to get to the exit." Reimi told them.

"Huh? The exit? Where do we find it?!" Koichi asked her. The pink-clad girl turned to point at the corner behind her. "If you go past the mailbox, you'll find it on the left." She told them. "Yeah!" Koichi cheered as he and Rohan began racing towards the way out of this twisted labyrinth. However, before they could take another step, Reimi quickly said, "Hey, slow down! Trust me you don't want to rush. There's a rule to making it through." The two quickly stopped running.

"There's a rule?" Rohan asked.

"Yes. Once you make past the mailbox, you'll see the exit about twenty meters away. No matter what happens around that corner, I need you both to promise me you'll never look behind you." Reimi explained to them.

"Why not? What would be there?" Rohan asked.

"That's just the rule for passing to the next side." Reimi says as she kneels to her dog, rubbing his head and underneath his muzzle. "Even Arnold understands something as simple as that."

"Okay. If a dog can handle it, I guess there's no reason I wouldn't be able to." Koichi said.

"And if we do look back, what happens then." Rohan asked.

"Well, putting it in layman's terms your souls will be dragged into the next world. Put bluntly, you would die." Reimi answered. This sends cold shivers down the two men's back. Okay...so looking back? Definitely a bad idea. Reimi then gave a smile as she said, "But don't worry, it'll be a piece of cake." To prove her point, Reimi and Arnold began to walk on ahead of them and went passed the mailbox. "All you have to do is look forward. Simple, right?" Koichi and Rohan followed her and when they did, they suddenly felt a cold wind fly right passed their legs and now they felt a foreboding presence behind them.

Reimi, without turning to them, said, "Remember, eyes front. Just stay calm and you'll be fine." With no other choice but to trust her word, Rohan and Koichi continued to walk forward and keep their eyes firmly locked on what ahead of them. But the cold chill and the ominous presence still lingered in the air. Creeping up behind them. They tried their best not to flinch as they felt puff of air breath down their necks.

"Just ignore it. There will be something trying to make you look back." Reimi told them as they rounded the left corner. "I know it seems scary and overwhelming, but as long as you don't look back it can't do anything to cause you harm."