"I didn't notice anything wrong when I came out that day. Everything seemed normal."
"Then it happened a few more times... At first, I saw it in mirrors. Later, it wasn't just mirrors..."
"Not mirrors?"
"Right! Like glass windows! The classrooms at our school have windows facing the corridor. The top half is transparent, and the bottom half is frosted glass. You can't see anyone's reflection in that, obviously. At most, someone might lean against it, and you'd see their shadow from the other side. I... when I walked down the corridor, I felt... felt like there were shadows in all the classrooms, following right beside me."
"I checked. There was nothing there."
"Were the two of you walking together?"
"Yes, we were together. Our classroom was in the middle of the building. On our way to the bathroom, to and from school, or when we changed classrooms, we had to pass two classrooms, with maybe... four of those windows. Xiaorui always said something was following her. I checked, and sometimes I saw students from those classes leaning against the windows, casting shadows. I thought that was what she meant. At the time, she hadn't told me about the mirrors."
"After you told Miss Duan, did she confirm that the shadows you'd noticed disappeared?"
"Ah... well... I think so. It got better after I told her."
"Now, whenever I walk with her, I tell her there's nothing suspicious around us. But I can't be with Xiaorui all the time..."
"Other than that, have there been any other strange occurrences?"
"I don't know how to explain it. Maybe... maybe after seeing it once, I just started imagining things."
"That's all right. You can tell us about anything you've felt."
"At my home, there's a floor-to-ceiling window between the balcony and the living room. We hang some clothes on the balcony."
"Mm."
"The clothes hang there, and when the sun's out, their shadows fall on the living-room floor."
"Mm."
"I... I feel like the shadows are staring at me... Not just the shadows, but the clothes too! The wind must have been blowing them, but I could've sworn the clothes turned a hundred and eighty degrees to follow me... I'd go from the bedroom to the kitchen, and they'd turn a hundred and eighty degrees to follow me! They were on ordinary hangers like this. There's no way they could've turned a hundred and eighty degrees!"
"Yes."
"And the shrubs along the street, the ones about this tall."
"Bushes?"
"Yes, bushes. When I walked past them, I felt like something was staring at me too."
"Was that just a feeling?"
"Yes! The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I was so scared I started running, and I heard rustling in the bushes beside me, as if something was running along with me. I kept running until I reached the end of the street. There was a red light at the intersection, but there were bushes around the corner too. I was going to cross the road, so I went around to the side. I'd just turned around when something suddenly hit me!"
"Xiaorui..."
"I... I almost got hit by a car... I almost fell into the road and got hit by a car..."
"It was a stray cat that hit Xiaorui that time. It ran after her the whole way, then leapt out of the bushes and knocked her over when she was about to cross the road. A scooter was turning at the time. It almost ran over Xiaorui's head..."
"Mm. What did the stray cat look like? Did you catch it?"
"Waaah..."
"No, it ran off ages ago. Xiaorui didn't see it either. The scooter driver told us. He was frightened too."
"So this time, the thing had a physical body?"
"Mm. And it wasn't just that time. Xiaorui says the dogs and stray cats in the neighborhood, and even the sparrows she runs into on the street, all look strange to her now. I... they look perfectly normal to me..."
"Have you encountered anything else that put you in danger?"
"No. They just stare at me..."
"Miss Zheng, before the first time this happened, did you do anything out of the ordinary?"
"Ugh... huff... Something out of the ordinary?"
"For example, have you ever visited a cemetery? Seen a dead body? Or been to the scene of a murder?"
"No, I've never been anywhere like that!"
"Please don't get upset. Based on our experience and knowledge, there must be a reason this is happening to you. The cause could be something small that you didn't think much of. Please think carefully about what you did beforehand."
"I don't know... I really don't know..."
"What about you, Miss Duan? Do you remember anything?"
"No. I don't remember us doing anything unusual. We just went to school, went home, and hung out."
"What about your family? Have any of your relatives or friends had paranormal experiences?"
"No, my family's perfectly normal."
"If there are no leads, we'll have to investigate everything from the ground up."
"Don't you have any special methods? Like a spirit board or a séance board..."
"Miss Duan, we're an investigative agency, not a little medium's shop."
"What? How long is this going to take? Xiaorui's in a terrible state!"
"If you can give us more leads, we'll have a clearer direction for our investigation."
"Miss Zheng, would it be convenient for us to visit your home? You first felt this way in your bathroom, right?"
"Mm. I... My parents don't know I came to see you. Could you come when they're not home?"
"Certainly."
"This is a protective talisman made by our agency. Wear it for now."
"What is this?"
"A protective talisman."
"What..."
"Could you two write down the places you've been and the things you've done before this started?"
"That's a lot... and I can't remember everything."
"Do you have any receipts or photos?"
"I have some..."
"For now, just write down as much as you can remember."
On December 4, 2013, investigated the client's background and confirmed that there were no unusual cases among her immediate relatives.
On December 5, 2013, visited the client's middle school and confirmed that it had been established in 1953. After undergoing several administrative changes, it became the current Huangnan District No. 1 Middle School in 1998. There had been a total of 21 deaths among students and staff: five died in an off-campus traffic accident in 2001, three died by suicide at the school, seven died in separate traffic accidents, and six died of various illnesses.
Additionally, three paranormal legends were reported at the school. None were connected to "shadows," "surveillance," "mirrors," or "animals."
On December 6, 2013, investigated the client's current residence and confirmed that no residents had died there.
On December 9, 2013, ruled out Huangnan District No. 1 Middle School as a possible cause. None of the 21 deaths were suspicious.
On December 12, 2013, investigated the client's whereabouts over the past six months.
Attachment: List.
On December 13, 2013, investigated Duan Shishi's whereabouts and background over the past six months. No findings so far.
On December 14, 2013, received a call from the client. Call recording: 201312141931.mp3.
"Hello."
"Hello, Miss Zheng."
"Um, my parents are going away this weekend, so you can come over tomorrow."
"Certainly. Could we come early? Preferably before you usually wash up."
"Huh? Oh, then... then let's make it the day after tomorrow. They're going on a trip tomorrow morning. Come the day after tomorrow. I saw it that time... at six fifteen in the morning."
"Then we'll arrive at your home at five thirty the day after tomorrow."
"Mm, all right."
On December 16, 2013, visited the client's residence. Audio file: 07820131216.wav.