"Trash!"
"Devil Worshiper!"
"Weirdo!"
"Demon child!"
"ghost whisperer!"
"DEVIL!"
Those names and many more that people, even my foster parents called me.
* * *
Somewhere in the country side of Japan.
"Your child needs to stay with me!"
"Mother, you can't control me anymore with those stupid schemes of yours anymore! My son is perfectly—"
"Your son can see ghosts!"
Ah...
My parents and grandma are arguing again, why do they keep fighting each other? There's nothing wrong with me anyway.
"Right?"
BOOM CRASH!
Creak
Thunder? Huh? Grandma always says hide under my blankets whenever it happens, she never tells me why. Just like when she tells me not to talk to strangers, mom has said the same thing, but Grandma mentioned something different about hers.
Thump. Thump. Thump
What did she say again? I've forgotten already, I guess I'll just not talk to strangers.
"AAGH!"
"Oh lord have mercy!"
Huh? We're those voices, mom and dad? Why were they screaming like that. They probably just saw a cockroach, they're pretty common around here anyway.
"Grandson!"
Grandma suddenly pulled me out hiding from underneath the blankets and sheets. She has a look of terror and fear written across her face, she quickly drags me all the way down to the first floor and quickly heading towards the exit.
"Where is mommy and daddy?"
". . ."
I look back towards the kitchen seeing a weird black aura coming from behind the kitchen walls.
Huh? Those shoes, their my mom's favorite high heels. And that watch, isn't that dad's?
Sniff
Sniff
What is that weird smell? It's gross, even grandma can smell it.
"Has the talisman fallen already? Tsk"
Grandma mumbles to herself, we exit the house the storm still hasn't stopped. Why did grandma take me out here? Why are we heading to auntie's house?
Smash!
Surprising that grandma even has the strength to bust a door open, she couldn't even lift a teapot up.
"Auntie Eiri!"
I run towards her and hug her, though she's looking at my grandma kinda anxiously. Could something have happened?
"It's happened hasn't it? And by the looks of your face it doesn't seem well."
"We need to take him somewhere safe"
What happened? What is happening? Huh? Why is there a weird looking man standing behind the window of the kitchen?
"Grandma, Auntie Eiri, someone's at the kitchen window"
Even though I pointed they looked at me like I just said a word in a different language.
[So you really can see us?]
[Hihihihihi~]
The man spoke and a laughter emitted through out the house, how could they not see the man outside the window but hear those voices?
"Mother, do something!"
"I- I..."
Without even muttering a word, grandma took my arm and auntie followed as we ran outside again.
I didn't even get to change my shoes. Come to think of it, that stranger at the window looked wierd, like his skin was dark, and it was like those parts of fire where it splits off.
"Don't look—!"
Grandma's voice resonated through my head, oh it was that memory. What was she trying to say?
"Where are we going!?"
"Shrine!"
"Auntie, grandma! My clothes are getting wet!"
They dismissed my words like I didn't even say anything. Why are we going to a shrine? I don't get it.
BOOM! CRACKLE!
Thunder again, I can't hide under the sheets. Well whatever, I don't usually get to play outside in the rain so I guess this storm will be fine even if it's just me getting dragged along Auntie, and grandma's... Tour?
"Huh? Grandma what are those wierd looking people doing on top of the houses?"
I go to point again to make sure that they see it this time but Auntie Eiri held my hand and turned my head to face hers as we're running.
"Ignore them sweetie, it'll be okay!"
Why did she sound so nervous? Oh look it's the shrine, I wonder what they'll show me.
"Don't look at them—!"
That memory of grandma talking to me again...
Don't look at who? Who is she talking about? I seriously don't get anything adults and grown ups say, it sometimes makes me angry.
Me, auntie Eiri, and grandma finally arrive at the shrine. Though the rain has lessened, it's still so cold.
"We have to stay here for a bit okay sweetie? Here you can have some candy and read comics to pass the time"
Auntie Eiri is so kind, she brought candy and comic books for me. Though she still has a nervous tone in her voice, grandma is walking up to the shrine. Is she praying? What is that paper she's holding.
Whoosh whoosh
Creak creak
The rain has stopped but the harsh wind is blowing making the trees give off a somewhat weird but comforting sound, like you're in nature. If only it weren't so dark it wouldn't be so creepy.
Eiri feeling anxious decided to join grandma and start mumbling words. I've seen grandma and grandpa do this a lot I never understood what they are saying but I guess it's for the best.
Step
Step
A faint whisper brushes along my ears as I'm sitting on a bench distant from my auntie and grandma who are currently muttering words.
"Y---, sweetie. It's mommy and daddy"
My mom's voice, though I didn't hear dad speak the loud ticking of his old watch always sets my mind at ease.
Tick. Tock.
Though I've turned around I didn't see their faces clearly, the shadows are looming over their faces.
Isn't it a full moon right now?
"Mommy! daddy! What happened? Why did grandma take us here?"
A sharp pain suddenly starts aching around my chest, I suddenly can't breath properly. My body is shivering, goosebumps are appearing. Why? What's happening?
[Hihihihi~]
[Goodnight, child]
Huh? Mom and dads voice changed, why are they smiling like that? Why can't I move?
My father extending his hands like he is about to grab me while my mother laughs hysterically, her voice piercing my ears.
"Don't look at them! Don't listen to them—!"
Grandma's words again? Why in this moment? Why am I now just suddenly remembering what she had said.
"Don't talk to them! But most of all! Don't you ever even get fooled by—!"
Even before I could finish remembering those full words auntie Eiri grabs me by the shoulder and throws me behind her.
"I'm sorry"
A small tear flows down her face a small smile on her lips. Dad who was about to grab me suddenly realizes but Eiri has already touched and interacted with Dad.
My eyes have gone hazy, grandma lifts me up and drags me to the shrine. Though I can't see properly due to my blurry eyes, I can barely see a black flame engulfing auntie Eiri.
[BASTARD!]
"I WILL NOT LET YOU NEAR HIM!"
[LET GO!]
Eiri who is currently holding down both mom and dad while being engulfed in dark flames. Blood is already visible from her pealing skin as she buys time for me and grandma to distance ourselves.
"Grandma what's happening to Auntie Eiri!?"
"Silence boy!"
Though I am starting to feel scared there was a bit of urgency and calmness in grandma's voice. Though startled she rips my shirt up and pressed a paint brush on my back.
Hiss
I scream in agony, whatever she was using on painting my back hurts. Like boiling hot water, she then glides a small knife in a form of an asterisk "✳️"
Even though I could feel blood dripping down, it feels like my body is light, sky high feeling the warm breeze.
"Listen here, child, and listen well!"
[GET OFF!]
[CRUNCH HIHIHI~]
The voices who possessed mom and dad can be heard again, what was that crunch? What happened to auntie Eiri??
"Don't you ever get fooled by—!"
EVIL SPIRITS
Huh? Evil spirits? That's what she meant? Wait what,no, no, no, no, no.
grandma uses the paint brush again this time on my chest but I've gotten used to the pain a little so I could only groan and cry.
"Use your power wisely, the reason what happened here today is due to our families circumstances!"
Creak. Step
Creak. Step
The ominous aura from dad and mom, no, those evil spirits who possessed my parents are drawing closer and closer. What does grandma mean? My power? Family circumstances?
"Tsk, "
Grandma finished gliding her small knife on my chest in the form of asterisks. Suddenly, my vision starts going black, I can't open my eyes for that long.
[The kid is coming with us guardian.]
[Hihi~ do you really think you can stop us with your half baked skills, runaway~?]
Grandma takes off her robe, my body is still fighting against my closing eyelids and preventing me from blacking out.
Underneath her robes are a bunch of papers with wierd symbols. But it was enough for both the evil spirits to snarl angrily.
[GRAAHH!!]
[HIHIHIHI~]
They both lunge towards grandma but she lets out a small chuckle while opening her arms wide revealing more papers with symbols.
"Half baked you say?"
The two bite, slash, punch, and pierce grandma. But for some reason the two spirits were unable to separate from her body, the papers start glowing as the spirits scream in pain.
[NO, NO, NO!]
[YOU OLD WRETCHED WH*RE, ARE YOU CRAZY!!?]
"GRANDMA??!"
My vision has already blacked out though the one thing left that I was able to hear was my grandma's words.
"Young child, we are—"