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Mai clung to the door frame and dug her fingernails into the rotting wood, giving herself splinters (Naru would scold her later, teasing her by pinching at her nose with the tweezers).
Mai did not like this house,
The backyard had flowers sprouting up in a strange, random little clumps.
Little girls cried even though there were no children living here.
And the house's owner (he had bleached teeth and big hands) seemed in lust with her.
Mai was a little afraid it had been him who had touched her between her legs just a few moments ago. She'd rather a ghost - a man couldn't be frightened away with a few elegant movements of her fingers.
Mai hadn't even realized she was running through the dark halls to the room where Naru and Lin were sleeping until she was on her knees in the doorway.
Mai crawled a few feet into the dusty room. Suddenly overcome with pain and confusion, Mai began to cry into the carpet like a frightened child.
Lin moaned himself awake in response to her mewling and lifted a muscled arm automatically.
His shiki flowed from his fingertips, drifting to Mai and gently coaxing her over to his roll-away bed (the older man had given the soundly sleeping Naru the proper one).
Lin's arm fell, and his fingers wrapped around her wrist.
What small, tremulous wrists she had - no, they are not usually so tremulous, he
knew that..
"Mai." Lin's eyes were still closed, as he was thinking. "Why are you frightened?"
Mai's whimpering was her impassioned reply. Lin frowned and sleepily pulled her into the mattress, so her face was pressed to his hard chest, and her bare legs (she wore only her Hello Kitty panties and an old sleep shirt) were tangled with his long ones.
Yes, much better.
"Mai," Lin rolled onto his side so she was curled safely in his arms, like a baby, "I am the scariest thing here. So go to sleep before you wake up Naru."
His long fingers fluttered over her eyelids, enticing them to close.
She really was tired…
Mai dreamt of big hands and little girls.
Mai woke early. Naru was already up and wearing his favorite mask of bored indifference.
He informed her they were leaving - case closed.
"Why?"
Because last night the client had, mysteriously (suicide...or...), fallen out of the window in her room; he'd cracked his head open like an egg, made a mess like the egg was fertile.
"Besides, the crying has stopped." Naru went back to his notes. He didn't tell her about the little bodies they'd found helping the flowers grow.. and Naru knew Mai didn't really read the paper.
Lin was busy taking down the shelves that held their equipment. Mai moved to snuggle close to him after Naru's news, trying not to feel so relieved. Lin squeezed her hand, and hid his face behind his hair.