Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume2 Chapter4 (section)

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...It's dark.

This isn't Noriko-san's house because I see a sliding door.

Beyond the porch was a backyard with a pond. It looked like the one in Noriko-san's house...

A girl was playing in the backyard. I couldn't see clearly because of my blurry vision. But I could tell that she was almost Ayami-chan's age. She was also wearing a kimono. What time era is this?

"Tomiko! Tomiko!"

A woman's cry rang from inside the house. Her face became distorted.

It's dangerous! Don't go with him!

The man and girl exchanged a few words, and then the man took the girl's hand and walked off with her.

The shrill cry from the house continued.

Don't go! You can't go with him! I tried to shout, but no sounds came out.

The man walked away as he held onto the girl's hand. They went toward the pond.

The girl vanished into the distance.

"Tomiko!"

A cry of misery. Ah, it's my voice. That was me.

I dashed outside. White fog engulfed the pond, and I couldn't see anything.

My tears fell as I bent down. I lowered my head and realized there was a well. Deep inside the well, water was flowing.

A woman brushing her hair was reflected by the water.

The woman's teardrops rippled the water's surface.

I unconsciously faced the room to see the weeping woman.

I felt sad for her. She must've wanted to go there so much. I was about to walk there, but then a pair of hands stopped me.

Turning around, I saw Naru staring back at me. His eyes looked pained. He shook his head, the sadness evident in his face.

I turned back to see the woman.

Sobbing and whimpering, she leaned against the well.

Crying, crying... She cried out before jumping into the well.

The sound of water dripping.

...Then I woke up.

What was that just now?

I knew it was a dream, but why would I dream about that?

I slowly stood up, and my entire body ached.

This is...the bottom of the well.

And then a sound came from above.

"Mai! Are you okay?!"

Ayako leaned against the well. She was worried about me.

Suddenly I remembered the woman's painful cry from my dream.

"I'm fine! But I can't climb back up!"

"Lin is finding something to help you out! Are you really okay?"

"Yeah."

After I replied, I heard some footsteps. Lin-san quickly appeared. His hands held onto the well as he agilely made his way down.

"Are you hurt?"

"Nope."

Without smiling, he nodded and looked back up at Ayako.

"Throw the chair down here."

Ayako tossed the chair into the well.

While standing, I thought for a moment.

...The buried well.

I immediately understood.

This well is the same one that woman jumped into.

Since her child disappeared, she commited suicide because of the pain.

And then she became a ghost. And now she's still looking for her child...

Standing on the chair, Lin-san reached his hand out toward me.

I was finally on the ground again.

"What time...is it now?"

I asked Ayako while I pondered over whether or not I should wear a skirt in the next case.

"It's 10:00. We've just started work."

...That means I didn't stay in the well for long... That dream only lasted a few minutes.


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"Kidnapping?"

Ayako asked as she cleaned my leg wound.

"Yeah, that's what I think. Tomiko was kidnapped, and then her mother jumped into the well to commit suicide. What a vivid dream, right?"

"Did you hit your head?" Ayako giggled. "You're not even a medium so does your dream even count?"

Bastard. Who was the one freaking out earlier.

Lin-san contemplated, "...Even though we don't know if it's true...it could serve as a valuable clue."

"Ah, so you think so too?" I asked.

Lin-san was still deep in thought.

"Hey, what do you think? I doubt we can purify this place," Ayako admitted.

"......"

"Hey!"

"...I don't think we can force them out," he finally spoke, "we should wait until Naru comes back before we attempt another exorcism. Exorcisms use brute force, which is why they always try to resist us."

"...Aren't there other ways? First of all, we don't even know when Naru will be back," Ayako replied.

"Naru has a clear idea of our situation. He wouldn't loaf around and waste time so he'll definitely be back soon."

"...You sure have faith in your boss."

Lin-san shot a cold glare at Ayako. "Naru has never let anyone down before. That's why I believe him."

Turning toward me, he continued in his cold tone, "Rest for a while. Your head might hurt after your fall."

"Okay."

Actually, my whole body ached so much I could barely stand it. I obediently lay on the sofa.