Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume1 Chapter2 (section)

=== 4 ===

After I put the microphones back, I was ordered once again, to set up the equipment. 

"Do I have to go inside the building...?" 

"Of course you do." 

"I want to stay out here and observe the machines." 

Naru-chan gave me a cold look. I'm just saying. Not acknowledging my request, Naru-chan handed me some steel pipes 

"Don't worry; I won't let you go alone. I'll go with you." 

"Got it." 

I unwillingly walked toward the old school building. The building was old and worn, and the entrance hall was pitch black. I reached my hand out to open the door. Inside the building, a little orange tint of light could be seen from the afterglow of the sunset. The fallen shoe cabinet lay in the same place since the accident from this morning. Black water droplets dotted the floor. Those must be the assistant's bloodstains. 

"Wait... Wait for me." 

"Hurry up." 

Naru-chan carried a bunch of pipes inside, and I followed him in. The smell of dust permeated the air, and the floors creaked with every step. Deep in the entrance hall was a curved staircase. To the left and right of the staircase were hallways. There were two classrooms on the left, and three on the right. The classrooms' nameplates hung down from the wall, unreadable and covered with dust. 

"Use this room." 

Naru-chan said, glancing at a classroom near the entrance hall. It was the former lab room; big lab tables lined up in rows and columns. Naru-chan went in. 

A typical school would normally house many students. Even if some found it annoying, it was still a place were everyone could be together. Consequently, classrooms usually weren’t considered scary… Then again, they usually weren’t left to weather and rot to this degree. 

Plus, there are creepy rumors about this place: The truck that ran out of control, the dead child, and the beckoning hand of a white silhouette by the window. 

I carefully made my way into the room although I was really scared. I let out a nervous sigh after noticing the classroom was brighter than the entrance hall. The floor was covered with dust, and the walls were worn. Naru-chan placed the steel pipes onto the table. 

"Start building the shelves." 

"Shi... Shibuya-san, what about you?" 

"I have to bring in the rest of the equipment." 

"Are you going out?" 

"Of course, the equipment is outside." 

Ah— 

"You're just gonna leave me here alone, to build the shelf?" 

Please don't. 

"Are you saying you'd rather move the equipment? Some of it weighs about 40 kg." 

"I'll just build the shelf," I answered resignedly. 

Naru-chan nodded and walked out of the classroom. Luckily the classroom was still bright. Plus, there were no sounds except for the creaking of the floor when I moved. 

I looked around. It was still bright, so there should be no problem. 

Right when I was feeling nervous, a blunt, grating sound filled the room. I was so scared I jumped. Lifting my head, I realized it was just the ceiling. I let out a sigh of relief and listened carefully. 

It's okay.. It's okay... 

While comforting myself, I looked at my surroundings. Naru-chan had stealthily entered the room. His sharp voice dazed me a little.

"You'd better work faster than that." 

Annoying... I hate this guy. 

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While I was building the shelf, Naru-chan continuously brought in more equipment. 

Not long afterward, the classroom was completely filled with equipment. 

After I finished setting up the shelves, I moved the rest of the equipment onto the tables. 

I stood by Naru-chan, handing him this and that. 

"Hey, what's this?" 

I asked, pointing at the tall machine beside Naru-chan. 

"You can't tell it's a tape recorder?" 

"I can't tell." 

"This is a tape recorder. However, this one is special; it can record up to twenty four hours. I rely on this and the microphones to collect sound." 

"...Why?" 

Right after I said that, Naru-chan shot a frosty glare at me. 

"I don't like speaking with amateurs." 

This jerk— 

"You knew very well from the beginning that I was an amateur. If you have a problem with that, I'm leaving." 

I spouted out without thinking. 

Naru-chan looked at me, a hint of hurt behind his eyes. 

"It's to confirm whether or not there are ghostly sounds." 

"Ah, so that's what it's for." 

"I set up the microphones and spent the better part of today recording sound from the first floor windows." 

"With those microphones just then?" 

"Right. I will set up a tape recorder in this room tonight." 

"...You're not gonna stay here, right?" 

"Not today." 

He replied as he opened five tape recorders. The tape recorders used adhesive tape, not magnetic tape. 

"If there are ghosts, I won't stay here unless I know what kind they are." 

"So you're the kind who looks before he leaps." 

"What?" 

"You're a very cautious person." 

"Of course.... Some haunted houses have abnormally strong ghosts. If you don't handle these things with care, you might never return." 

"Don't scare me like that.... What's this?" 

I pointed at a bulky camera-like object. 

"I'm through explaining everything to you." 

"Then never mind, but let's just say I make a huge mistake out of ignorance." 

In order to illustrate, I lifted my foot right above the camera. 

"Whoops, is this camera-like object a footstool?" 

I'm going to step on it—  

Naru-chan sighed. I win. 

"It's an infrared camera. You use it to record in dimly lit areas. It's very sensitive and uses thermography to record temperature levels." 

"Oh..." 

"In addition.." 

Shut up. 

"Thermography indicates temperature. When a ghost appears, the temperature drops." 

"Got it. Got it." 

"Do you really understand? Then stop asking stupid questions and get to work!"