Number 078 - Like a Shadow (3)

"Boss, how is it?"

"The house has no problems."

Ding dong--

Click!

"Hello."

"Come in. That amulet of yours is quite effective. Xiao Rui hasn't felt anything strange lately. Is that thing gone?"

"Can't confirm yet."

"Can I buy that amulet?"

"Yes."

"Oh!"

"This must be the floor-to-ceiling window you mentioned, right?"

"Huh? That's right."

"This is your bedroom."

"Yes, my bedroom doesn't have a bathroom. I've been using the one here..."

"Hey, you're so rude! How can you just barge into a girl's room?"

"Boss, how is it?"

"The bathroom is fine, and the house is fine."

"Did you scare it away?"

"What do you mean, 'scare it away'?"

"Little sister, I told you last time, if you don't understand, just shut up and get out."

"Shishi..."

"Let's see what you can do!"

"Now, let's do an experiment."

"What experiment?"

"Miss Zheng, you're wearing the amulet now, right?"

"Huh? Yes. This..."

"Alright, now, please go into the bathroom alone and look in the mirror."

"Are you kidding me! You took away the amulet and are leaving Xiao Rui alone..."

"This will show how effective the amulet is. With us here, if anything happens, you can shout loudly. But I hope you can be brave. If you feel eyes on you, look into the mirror and see what's there. Don't look away until we come in."

"Ah... I..."

"Stop joking! Are you using Xiao Rui as bait? We're paying you, not for you to do this kind of thing!"

"Ling, you talk to her."

"Okay. Little sister Xiao Rui, come with me."

"Hey, wait! You... let me go!"

"Little sister, don't interfere with our work."

Click.

"Interfere with what! I don't agree with you doing this, you're fired! You... what are you doing, mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm..."

"Alright, Boss."

"Mm. Little sister, have you learned to shut up now?"

"Mmm!"

"Then I'll let go. When your friend comes out later, don't say too much, understand?"

"What do you mean? Is that a pinhole camera?"

"Your parents might be right."

"Ah... could it really be Xiao Rui..."

"As a friend, you should encourage her to face the truth, not indulge her recklessness and deepen her fear."

"..."

Click.

"Alright, we've finished talking."

"Can I go in now?"

"Mm, you can. I... I'm ready."

"Don't worry, if you feel it's dangerous, just call us. We'll be right outside the door."

"Okay. Shishi..."

"I'm right here at the door, don't worry. I'll keep holding the doorknob. If I hear your voice, I'll come in."

"Okay. Then, I'm going in."

"Yeah! You can do it, Xiao Rui!"

Creak—Click!

"She's at the mirror."

"Hoo—Don't appear, don't appear, don't appear..."

"She opened her eyes. Hmm... It's been ten minutes already."

"Hoo..."

"Six-fifteen."

"..."

"Six-twenty."

"Open the door."

"Ah..."

"Open the door."

"Oh."

Click! Creak—

"Shishi?"

"Xiao Rui, you..."

"It seems the ghost has left."

"Huh?!"

"You didn't see anything strange, nor did you feel anyone staring at you, Ms. Zheng?"

"No, really not. Was that thing driven away?"

"That's right."

"Then... are you going to take back the amulets?"

"We can give them to you. As a memento and for protection. You won't encounter such terrifying things again."

"That's great! Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

"Little sister, do you want to buy an amulet too?"

"...Yes! I want to buy a pair with Xiao Rui!"

"All the amulets at our agency are the same. There aren't any 'pairs'."

"What a shame... Not a hint of business sense... No wonder you're in that old neighborhood..."

Attachment: Video File 07820131214.avi.

December 14, 2013. Investigation concluded. Incident resolved. Confirmed as non-supernatural.

December 20, 2013. Received call from Duan Shishi. Call Recording 201312201212.mp3.

"Is this Qingye? Can you... can you come to the school now?"

"Miss Duan, is it? What happened?"

"That amulet... the amulet is gone. Xiao Rui is very scared. She, she's locked herself in the bathroom. It's lunch break now, but class starts at one. The teacher will come. Can you come quickly?"

"Understood. We'll be right there."

December 20, 2013. Traveled to Huangnan District First Middle School. Located client, processed leave request for her, and brought her to the agency. Audio File 07820131220.wav.

"Don't be afraid. This is a new amulet. Hold it tight. It's okay now."

"Wuwu... wu..."

"Don't worry, we'll go to the office now, it's a quick drive. If you're scared, don't look around, just close your eyes. I'll sit next to you and hold your hand, okay? I'll talk to you the whole time."

"Xiao Rui, don't be scared, sob, don't be scared... I'm here too."

"Boss, I've spoken to their homeroom teacher. We can go now."

"Mhm, let's go."

"Miss Zheng, are you feeling any better?"

"Mhm."

"Have some hot water."

"Mhm..."

"Now, can you tell us what happened?"

"I... I joined the school choir. We had rehearsals, and I had to change clothes... I wasn't paying attention... When I was changing, I wasn't paying attention. When I finished and changed back, I realized my protective charm was gone... I looked for it... in the music room, the hallway, the classroom, the restroom... nowhere..."

"I helped look too, but we couldn't find it. I told Xiao Rui that maybe someone picked it up, or maybe the cleaning lady threw it away as trash. I gave her my protective charm first."

"Where's your protective charm?"

"Here."

"Miss Zheng, you didn't take it?"

"No! I wanted to take it, but... but at that time..."

"Xiao Rui was staring behind me then... We were standing in the music room, and behind me was the grand piano and the window."

"Did you see your reflection, a strange shadow, or something?"

"Sob..."

"Miss Zheng, if you don't tell us, we won't know how to help you. You're safe now, please tell us bravely."

"...It was a bird."

"What kind of bird?"

"I don't know... it was brown, but not a sparrow. It was very big, standing on the windowsill... it... in its beak... its beak held the protective charm..."

"Ah! A bird took it! Why didn't you say so then?"

"It looked at me... it held the protective charm and looked at me..."

"Xiao Rui..."

"Did it fly away later?"

"Yes, it flew away... but it would come back... it came back again..."

"Xiao Rui, don't be scared, it's okay now."

"You were so scared that you locked yourself in the restroom?"

"Sob... Sob sob..."

"Xiao Rui... stop crying, it's alright."

"Spirit."

"Mhm. Little sister Xiao Rui, I'll take you to wash your face, don't be afraid."

"I... huh?"

Sound of footsteps... Creak--Click!

"Little sister, can you contact her parents?"

"Do, do I need to tell her parents?"

"She needs a psychologist more than us right now."

"But... but this is strange, isn't it? How could a bird snatch away a protective charm? Could that thing be cunning, deliberately trying to confuse us?"