Ghost Hunt Fan Fiction ❯ The Forgotten Case Files ❯ File One: I Will Love You as my Own. Part 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Authors Note:
Hi Serena here with another chapter I hope you are all excited. Thanks for those of you that did review I really appreciate it. So a new case unfolds and the first one in a while. Who will be the murderer, what will be the weapon and more importantly what room. I for one think it is Professor Plum with the Candlestick in the Conservatory but that is just me. Anyway, let’s get this show on the road shall we.

Disclaimer:I do not own Ghost Hunt, I do own the shirt on my back though (winks)

Flashback:
“NARU!” I complained to the closed door. Really could he go for one minute without saying something about me being late, or dropping something, or…I tried to think of something else he complained about, when the door opened again. “Oh, and work on your hand writing you write like a second grader” he said before closing the door again.

I was waiting anxiously for our guest to arrive. I already had cleaned and prepared the sitting area and even when so far as to start the water boiling for tea. I could not wait; our two-month dry spell in case might finally be leaving if Naru officially accepted the case today. He had did research on it yesterday so that was always a good sign. The tinkling of bells had me jumping up to greet the young dark-haired beauty that walked into the office. “Good Afternoon, welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research, I am Taniyama Mai, may I help you?” I asked.

“Yes I am Ariwa, Miki I have an appointment with Shibuya Kazuya at 2’oclock today.”

“Yes of course, right this way Ariwa-san I will show you to the sitting room and fetch you something to drink why you wait. Would you like tea, coffee, or water?” I offered why I showed her to the couch.

“Water will be fine Taniyama-san, thank you.”

“No problem it will be my pleasure, Shibuya-san should be with you in a moment, and I will be back with you water in a second.” I left with a smile and headed back towards the kitchen, stopping briefly to rep twice on both Lin-san’s and Naru’s door to let them know our potential new client had arrived. By the time, I arrived back into the sitting area, Naru and Lin-san had already taken a seat. Placing the drinks down, water for Ariwa-san, tea for Naru, Lin-san and myself, I joined the conference by sitting on the ottoman at the end of the table as I usually did.


“Ariwa-san you called my office yesterday seeking my services and left some details with my assistant would you mind just going into a little bit more detail here so I know what I am dealing with. I took liberty to look up the police reports on the deaths, but they were all attributed to suicide, which why tragic is no real reason to look for paranormal activity. Tools missing could easily be workers, or kids, leaving the only substantial evidence into possible activity being the women’s screams and the strange touching incidents tell me more about those please.”

“Yes well, I had cameras installed to make sure no one was coming into or leaving the compound without permission but I have not been able to catch anything on type. The cameras tend to go fuzzy as if picking up some rather interference around ten every night. That is when the workers repot being touched or hearing the screaming or other odd happenings start to occur. This lasts up until midnight, and then the cameras starts recording like normal, and the incidents stop,” she paused, picking up her glass of water and taking a sip before continuing with her story. “You see, I let the workers and their families stay on the estate why the construction is going on, because many of the people I chose for the job live a good distance away but they where the best. My goal is to restore the old castle too its natural historic beauty, with only a touch of modern convinces and makes it a resort. The best a required for that type of project, the work could go for up to a year more before completed that is if we stop having setbacks. The occurrences that happen always begin with a high-pitched scream at ten, it sounds like a women and it ends as quickly as it started.” Her hands began to shake forcing her to stop for a second and sit the glass down before she could talk again.

“At first we tried to find a natural reason or thought it was one of the women playing a joke, it always came from the Lord’s chamber. That is until the man that later committed suicide was fed up with it and decided to sneak in there one night and catch whoever or whatever it was in the act. The area was still under heavy construction to rebuild the balcony area at the time. Before he died, he reported that he heard a sound like a sword sliding through flesh and then a pool of blood appearing on the floor where the old bed was. Shortly after that, the women’s scream was heard. It was then that rumors of the house being haunted started. After the women’s screams cut off it is then the reports of being touched happen. It the women, never the men that report this phenomenon, recently though it has progressed from just simple touching to more forceful actions. The girls have all left; accept a few of the older ones that have not been bothered, the only ones that complain are the ones that are between eighteen and twenty years of age. Most speculate it is the age of the women that screams,” she had calmed down enough now so that her voice stopped shaking as she spoke.

“I tried to find out more about the houses history, but all I know is that a young feudal lord and his wife and three children lived there. The wife died at a young age for some unknown reason, and the husband never got remarried, he eventually passed away claiming to have seen his wife before he died and the son inherited the castle. Then through a series of unfortunate accidents, he died and it passed to the second son. It was said that he was the most that acted like his father. He married a young women, who later both died when a fire broke out in there room. The young daughter was the next to inherit, but she moved out claiming the house was cursed. That is all I have to tell you really. Lately though the occurrences have been lasting longer and getting more violent. I did not know where else to turn so I came here. My employees threaten to quit if I do not do something about it soon, so please, you have to help me.”

“You can rest easy now Ariwa-san we will take the case” Naru said at last causing me to let out a breath I did not know I was holding as I was listening to this whole thing.

“Mai call the others and put the other appointments on standby this case takes priority, Lin” Naru said as he walked out of the room.

“Yes” Lin-san walked to his office where he would probably be looking into the case more. That just left me and our client. After showing Ariwa-san out, I called up the others and scheduled the day we would all meet up at SPR before heading out.

“Oh wow!” I exclaimed when I got my first view of the Azuchi-Momoyama period castle. It was made entirely of wood, stone, tile and plaster. The central tower looked to be at least 150 feet tall. It was really a remarkable sight. Surrounding the main tower where four smaller towers about half the central’s height positioned at each compass point. About 25 feet of so out from that, a thick wall surrounded the inner keep. The roofs where a burnished black color that gleamed in the sun sharply contrasting with the white stone walls.

“Mai I did not pay you to sight see, now get over here and help unload the van.”  Shaking out of my wonder, I came around back where Naru promptly handed me the shelves and a few boxes of cords before sending me up on my way to the front door. Behind him, he was already handing Bou-san some of the heavier equipment we used.

Once inside I followed the directions up to the area of the house we would be staying in. We would be allowed into one of the finished sections of the house. The workers were all quartered outside the house in the barracks now. I remember what Ariwa-san had said when we arrived. “The workers spent the night in the barracks not wanting to be in the castle itself. I agreed that those who wanted to leave until the investigation is complete might do so after you have talked with them. Those that stay though, have the option of getting a pay raise to deal with the haunts. Most have chosen to go and are packed up waiting though, a few stayed, mostly the older single ones.”

As I set down the shelving units, I at once turned to begin setting them up. My job complete, I moved to help Lin-san connect all the various monitors and other equipment up. Now done, with my part I took a chance to stare out the window at the grounds before me. It really was a wonderful place. Below me the waves crashed merrily up against the sides of the rock face, while the sun light glittered and danced about in the water.

“Mai Tea” Naru’s voice called me out of my reverie, we had only just arrived and he already wanted his fix. Rolling my eyes, I turned around and snatched up the teapot I had set on the table for that purpose and went to find the kitchen. On my way there, I bumped into Ariwa-san.

“I trust the room I gave you for a base is good,” she said in way of greeting.

“Yes, thank you for the spacious rooms, as well as the extra rooms you have provided us for our use why we are here.” I responded smiling, “Could you point me to the kitchen though? Shibuya-san gets grumpy without his morning tea, and he has already had to wait an hour without it.” Having got directions, I continued my way to the kitchen. Once back in the room I sat down a fresh cup for everyone, including myself. Base set up check, Naru’s tea check, begin interviews… there was a knock on the door. Check, I thought as I crossed off another section of the beginning a new case to do list as our first witness walked into the room.

I woke up yawning after an exhausting day yesterday of fetching tea, listening to witnesses, and helping in organizing cases of incidents after they were done. This was followed by Masako doing a walkthrough of the property why I checked temperatures and with Bou-san’s help set up cameras and microphones all over the house. After that, I fell into a bed for a rather restful night’s sleep despite everything.  There was not one peep all night long, even when it hit the usual time the commotion would start, nothing. From what I learned though that was not unusual, usually when someone new came into an area that was being haunted, it could take up to three days before your first activity was noticed. The ghosts themselves actually being shy of new comers, if your activity happened before then, it was usually the sign of an angry or potential strong and violent sprit that did not want you there and was trying to scare you away.

Upon walking into the designated base room, it did not surprise me in the least to see that Naru and Lin-san where already up and working, sometimes I wondered if they even slept, I know I never caught them at it. As if my walking into the room signaled something the familiar call of Mai Tea, came and I was off on my way to the kitchen repapering sometime later with a fresh pot of tea and some toasted bagels and butter. By the time, I had returned to the base, Ayako and the others were up and moving about. Sitting the tray down I was carrying for the others I carried Naru’s morning tea over to him.

Feeling mischievous, I stopped just shy of setting the tea down. “Say thank you”

“That is right Mai, when someone gives you something you asked for you are supposed to say thank you, I am glad that manner book I gave you last Christmas is starting to sink in. For a while there I thought I should have gotten you the picture version instead because you did not know how to read, much less write.” Naru quipped back before taking the cup from my hand, then turning his back to continued reading his notes.

“Grrrr” I stomped away furious with him. That stupid narcissistic jerk!

All around the base was howling with laughter at Naru’s comment, just like any other normal day at SPR. After breakfast was ordered, it was off to check equipment and temperatures again. This time I was walking with Ayako, Bou-san being busy doing something else for Naru at the moment.

“I just don’t understand him.” I had just finished my rant about Naru as we turned a corner that led to the feudal lord’s room.  I had not been in it yet and was quite curious about it. Bou-san after seeing that I was practically asleep on my feet sent me to bed and set up the last room his self. As I walked into the room, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu come over me. Like I had been there before. It took a little imagination but I could place where and what the furniture was. Why Ayako walked around with the temperature reader to record it and check the standard temperature of the room since it was not completed last night. While she was doing that, I stared out at the partially reconstructed balcony instead of adjusting the camera as I was supposed to. What was it about that balcony that seemed familiar? The words “I will love you as my own.” Echoed through my head. It was then I realized I had seen this place before, in my dream. Accept I was not me, I was some women…. Turning away from the balcony, I pondered this notion as I went through the motions of checking and repositioning the camera and mike on auto pilot.

“Mai, stop staring off into space I am leaving.” Ayako called as she walked out of the room.

“I’m coming, just give me a sec,” I hollered back, making one last adjustment before running to catch up with her. It was there just before I completely left the room that I felt a ghost of a hand touches my hair. Figuring it to be wind though from the open balcony I blew it off and hurried to catch up.

Back at base, we walked into the room just as Masako was giving her report on spiritual activity in the house. “There are two sprits here I can sense. Although they are both shielding their presences from me. One of them though feels like it is full of anger, and the other full of sadness. I cannot tell you more about them at this time, until they decide to show themselves to me.

Authors Note Continued:
So another chapter has come and gone, how did I do on this one, they have their case and it has only just started. Please R&R I might always post chapters but I get bored when I don’t know what my readers think. Anyways the case is just getting started and my brain is starting to heat up. I normally favor small chapters, but my next one might be longer than my normal length, or might not be. We will just see how it goes. Until then.
Side Note:
Information about the type of castle I am aiming for. Provided by wiki
Unlike inwhere the advent ofthe end of the age of castles, Japanese castle building was spurred, ironically, by the introduction of firearms.However, firearms first appeared in Japan in 1543, and castle design almost immediately saw developments in reaction. Azuchi castle, built in the 1570s, was the first example of a largely new type of castle, on a larger, grander scale than those, which came before, boasting a large stone base, a complex arrangement of concentric, and a tall central tower. In addition, the castle was located on a plain, rather than on a densely forested mountain, and relied more heavily on architecture and manmade defenses than on its natural environment for protection. These features, along with the general appearance and organization of the Japanese castle, which had matured by this point, have come to define the stereotypical Japanese castle. Along with Hideyoshi'sFushimi-Momoyama castle, Azuchi lends its name to the briefperiodwhich these types of castles, used for military defense, flourished. (The only difference is instead of a plain mine is located by water. Why? Because I wanted it to be, so I took the creative liberty and made it so).

--Serena

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