Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume2 Chapter3 (section)

===6===

Bou-san and I pulled the altar out of the hole and helped Ayako prepare for her exorcism. 

"Can we still use this?" 

"Well, I guess." 

After we set up the altar, Bou-san and John went to the hotel. Ayako, I, and that person who drifts off to different places— Lin-san, were left behind. 

Ayako changed into her priestess kimono in base. 

"Hey, Mai-chan?" 

Huh? ...Mai...-chan? 

"Do you want to stay in the living room to watch me do the prayer?" Ayako asked with her back turned towards me. 

"Ah, you're scared. What kind of medium are you~" 

"I'm not scared!" 

She turned toward me, her face hard with determination. Sadly, that same face crumbled. 

"I'm not...scared...only..." 

"It's okay. I'll go with you." 

"Thank goodness." 

She looked at the mountain-pile of equipment. "Lin-san, can you..." 

"I left it there to record data," Lin-san informed us in a cold tone. 

"...What a personality. Just like the boss. That "[[Ghost_Hunt:Volume2_Translator's_Notes#Lady-killer|lady-killer]]"." 

"Huh...?" It seemed like Lin-san didn't understand Ayako. His eyes were open wide in confusion. 

"Oh, nevermind. I was just saying your boss is a pervert— Mai, let's go!" 

Ayako grabbed my hand and pulled me out with her. 

...Hey, Ayako, you don't really like Naru that way, right? 

Under the rosy afterglow of the sunset, Ayako started her prayer. The scarlet light lingered in the room. It gave me a bad feeling. 

"Here I humbly offer a modest cleansing ritual and enshrine this temporary altar..." 

When the exorcism started, faint sounds filled the room. 

A chill covered the floor. Sitting near the door, I felt a chill on my back. My feet became colder. 

I looked at the video camera, which was facing the old well. The cold air must be coming from that well. 

As the swaying became more evident, noises arose from the floor. 

Ayako's voice was terse. "In the sacred presence of his Majesty... Emperor of... Yamato, who reigns..." 

It was freezing. And I had three layers of clothing on. 
The trees in the courtyard swayed, casting a shadow into the living room. A dark mist conjured in the middle of the room. 

"Ayako! Don't stop!" 

"Don't say that so easily!" 

Quickly Ayako regained her composure. Rapping noises sounded nearby. It was getting colder. My breathing came out as white fog. 

"Over the Land of the Eight Grand Islands as the living god..." 

The sun was sinking as Ayako proceeded with her prayer. Soon the room was covered in darkness. The only light left was the flickering of the candles. 

A wispy gaseous figure came into view. Frightened, I could hardly breathe. 

"Ah!" Ayako screamed, jumping up. 

"Ayako!" 

"Someone touched my shoulder!" 

Don't jump because of something small like that! 

"Calm down! You're a priestess!" 

I felt a cold presence tug on my hands. 

I shrieked. 

Someone's breath. I felt completely surrounded. 

The room swayed incessantly as thumping sounds restarted. 

Ayako and I slowly tried to step out of the room. We had to give up. 

"Mai, it's too dangerous here! Let's go!" 

"Yeah...Yeah." 

Ayako dashed out. 

At the same time, the floor swayed intensely. I fell onto the ground. 

The floor rocked back and forth. 

I touched my injured kneecaps. 

"Mai! Hurry up!" Ayako called out from the door. 

"Okay!" 

The moment I tried to stand up, the floor swayed harder. I can't stand up! 

"Mai!" 

I tried to stand again, but then a pair of hands grabbed my feet. 

I shrieked. 

Turning around, I saw the wispy smoke encircle my ankle. 

Using all my strength, I tried to shrug off the smoke, but it didn't work. It felt like someone was clutching my feet. My hands were sweaty. My ankle was freezing. 

"Ayako! Help me!" 

"Mai!" 

I was being pulled backwards. 

Behind me was the well. 

Another pair of hands grasped my ankle as I was tugged backwards into the hole. 

"No!" 

I yelled as I grabbed onto the floor with all my strength. 

Ayako screamed frantically.

"Taniyama-san!" 

Lin-san rushed in. 

"Help me!" 

He ran to me and stretched out his hand. But I couldn't reach it. 

The eerie hand grabbing my foot pulled harder. My bones almost cracked. I was going to fall into the well. 

"...Lin-san! Ah! I'm going to fall!" 

"Taniyama-san!" 

Lin-san leaned forward and stretched out his hand. Right when our hands almost touched, a force pulled me down. My waist was already inside the well. 
Save me! I'm going to fall! 

I remembered their nest. The center of the cold. The depths of the well. All the little children, stuck down there. 

The floor swayed violently, taking down Lin-san and Ayako. Then I was falling. The well was up to my chest now as I grabbed onto the floorboards. 

No, I'm going to fall! 

It was hard trying to hold onto the hard floor. The rough edges cut into my hands. I felt helpless. 
"Mai!!" 

Suddenly a force pulled me backwards, my body fell past the opening of the well, and my hold on the floor broke. 

.........! 

I didn't even have time to scream. 

I reached my hand out toward the opening as I lunged down into the darkness. 

I could hear the voices of two people. 

But their words were unclear... 


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