Yun sighed as he grabbed another box. His mother had written on it in neat, serious handwriting: Family Heirlooms.
"Great," Yun muttered, cutting the tape. "Just what I want, more stuff I don't need."
Familiar yellow talismans marked with ominous black characters stared back at Yun.
What's this?
Underneath the talismans wrapped in silk, a bronze frame was slowly revealed. A note slipped out and landed at Yun's feet. Yun could almost hear his mother's voice.
Xiao Yun ah, keep this Shadow-Locking Mirror safe. It's your job now.
"Pfft, what nonsense. Job? Great job so far. This thing is already broken." Burdened with the prospect of an unwelcome white elephant, Yun frowned. He traced his fingers over the cracked surface, feeling the jagged edges of the mirror's glass.
Suddenly, he yelped. What an aggressive mirror, he thought. Carelessness had nicked his finger, spilling a drop of blood into the cracks. Sounds of the opera began to muffle as all sound seemed to drain. A heavy silence descended, and the mirror suddenly started to glow.
"What the…" Yun dropped the mirror in shock as cracks in the mirror spread. A rush of icy air blasted his face, turning his breath visible. The glow got brighter and brighter before exploding with a soft pop.
When Yun could see again, he wasn't alone in his room anymore. Ghostly shapes peered menacingly back at him from the shadows. One of them was thin and hunched over. It turned slowly to look at him. Its belly was bloated, but its mouth was tiny, like it could never eat enough. It let out a creepy wail that only Yun could hear.
"Shit, Hungry Ghosts," Yun swore, remembering the stories his mom used to share. "No, no, no."
The ghost lunged forward. Startled, Yun stumbled backward, tripping over a box as he failed to grab onto the nearby bookshelf to save himself. Its long claws took a swipe and narrowly missed his face.
"Think, think!" Yun scrambled wildly, grabbing the nearest object - his thick accounting textbook. He flung it at the ghost, but it passed right through.
"Great. Very helpful," Yun muttered.
"Helpful? Of course that was helpful. Were you trying to bore it to death?" an exasperated voice entered his mind. Yun froze, looking around the room.
"Who said that?" Yun questioned his sanity.
"Your great granddaddy, but you can call me Greed," the deep voice replied in a familiar Singaporean accent. "I am the spirit of the Shadow-Locking Mirror. But to you, I am your new Shifu, or teacher, if you prefer. You have much to learn, boy."
Yun's eyes glazed over as he tried to make sense of what Greed said. The ghost lunged at him again. Its sharp claws grazed his shoulder, leaving him with a burning pain. "Rude!" He cried out, stumbling back as he clutched the wound.
"Okay, okay! So quick, teach faster!" Yun yelled as panic started to build.
"Really? Is that how you greet your new teacher?"
"Fine. We'll settle this later. First lesson - Binding." Greed said, "Use the mirror, gather your focus. Do you remember the chant?"
"No! What chant? I don't know any chant! Quick, just tell me what to do!" Yun pleaded.
"Listen and repeat carefully. This Taoist chant will surely work. It's been passed down for generations in the family. Focus on your will to subdue the spirit." Greed said as he transmitted the chant straight to Yun's mind. Yun raised the mirror and chanted loudly, but nothing happened. The ghost hovered, unimpressed.
"What broken chant is this? Do I need to shave my head?" he asked, half-panicking. Greed rolled his pretend eyes loudly. "Sigh, wrong religion. Shave what? You're not a monk! It's not going to work if you don't put your will into it. Focus and try again! He looks hungry!"
Yun winced, raising the mirror again. "What does that even mean?" he stammered. "It means stop talking and chant," Greed urged. "Your belief powers the mirror. Quick, you're running out of time!"
Left with no choice, Yun steadied his grip on the mirror again in frustration and pointed at the ghost. A piercing wail filled the room as its twisted body writhed. A golden light began to emit from the mirror as Yun's hands trembled. His faltering voice grew strong with each word as he repeated the chant. The words felt awkward at first. It had been a while since Yun spoke Chinese. The mirror didn't appear to mind as the glow intensified, seeming to work.
The chilling air in the room reluctantly gave way to the warm light. An impossibly loud scream escaped from the ghost's tiny mouth as its belly stretched and warped towards the mirror.
"You've upset him," Greed observed.
Yun persisted, even as the mirror seemed to drain his strength as the chanting continued. One last wail echoed through the room as the mirror finally swallowed the ghost.
The rest of the shadows quickly fled the room and escaped through the windows. Silence as the light slowly faded and darkness returned. Yun collapsed, out of breath.
His reflection stared innocently back at him from the mirror. He could almost make out the Hungry Ghost in between one of the cracks. But for the wound on his shoulder, Yun would have never believed what just happened.
"Is it done?" Yun asked, "I'm going crazy."
"Done? Yes," Greed said with a frown. "Well done, I think. You've caught your first ghost, and you didn't turn into one. I'm also still here in one piece, great."
"What the heck was that?" Yun demanded, his eye seething.
"What, you've never seen a ghost before?" Greed replied, his tone deadpan. "You accidentally released a bunch of spirits, nearly got yourself eaten, and now you need to clean up. You've basically managed to undo generation of work. But, welcome to the family business."
Yun groaned, leaning back and drawing strength from the wall. "This is not real."
"Oh, of course it's real," Greed said. "Not only is it real, it's also just starting. Do you know how many spirits escaped thanks to you? That was just the first one you caught. It was also the one with the lowest intelligence."
"Thanks to me? You're crazy. Crazy!"
"If not you, who else could it be? I can't do anything. You're the one that released them with your blood," Greed retorted. "You're also the only one that can put them back into the mirror. You can start slowly with catching the rest of them."
Yun closed his eyes. "I just got here; I can't deal with this. It's not my job. I didn't sign up for this."
"Yes, you didn't. Your mother did. Do you remember what the note said? Tell me, whose job is it now?" Greed asked.
Yun drew himself slowly to his feet, wobbling slightly. He stared at the mirror, the cracks reflecting distorted fragments of how he felt inside. "No. Not my problem," Yun said firmly. "You're crazy if you expect me to handle this." Greed sighed. "Suit yourself, kid. Pretending it doesn't exist will definitely make it go away. These spirits will keep coming for you, and one day, they'll finally get you and the mirror."
His mind made up, Yun quickly wrapped the talismans back around the mirror and threw it deep in his desk drawer. He paced around his room, weaving around the overturned boxes nervously. "This is insane. I need to think."
Greed chuckled softly. "Sure. Think. But remember, whether you're still thinking or not, they might come back and help you think too."
Greed paused, seeming to ponder what might happen next. "Oh, hang on, they will definitely come back for you and the mirror. Get some rest, I'm sure lesson two will start soon, whether you like it or not." Greed's voice faded slowly.
The faint muffled notes of the Chinese opera returned as Yun sank onto his bed. The scattered talismans filled his mind as questions kept him awake.