A man whistled as he was walking through the woods.
"Finally," he paused, staring at a building.
"I made it." He spoke into a watch.
"Burn it." A voice from the other end as instructed.
"Roger." The man said, clicking the watch off.
The man stared at the building for a second. He shook his head as he made his way towards the building.
Suddenly, two little boys ran past him, one accidentally bumping into him.
"Oh, sorry, mister!" One boy said, grabbing the other boy.
The man gave a stern look.
"It's dangerous around these parts; you kids should go home." The man spoke.
The boys looked up at him.
"Fine..." The boy huffed and then quickly turned his head to the other boy.
"Let's play just one more round, baby bro!" The older boy said.
"Mm!" The younger boy cheerfully replied.
The older boy grabbed the younger boy’s hand, and the two ran off.
The man let out a sigh.
*
As they arrived at the cabin, Norio let out a yawn.Larkin turned to him."Are you tired?"Norio nodded."I'm sure it's been a long day." Larkin smiled."What do we do now?" Rick looked up at Larkin."What do you mean?" Larkin asked."We need food..."Norio's stomach began to rumble."Sorry..." He said, shyly holding his stomach.Larkin sat on a chair and let out a sigh."There's a village down the hill..."Rick shot him a look."Oi, what's that look for...?" Larkin grumbled."We're too tired, right, Nori?"Norio nodded."Too tired!" He repeated.Larkin let out a sigh."Fine, I guess I'll have to go by myself then."Rick folded his arms, nodding."Looks like we have no other choice!"Larkin's eye twitched in annoyance.*As Larkin headed out, he scratched his head."I'm not obligated to return..." He whispered.
"What kind of killer lets his victims go..." Rick began as he looked at Larkin."You and I... are the same." He whispered, with a sad smile on his face.Larkin stared at him."The bombs are going to detonate in fifteen minutes!" Kari cried.Larkin's eyes widened."Where's the key?" He asked.Janine looked down in shame."We can't find it, and we don't have time to go and search for it!" Kari shouted.Larkin turned to face Rick."We don't have time; come get your child, and leave."He turned to Norio."Get up here; we don't have time!" He shouted.Norio quickly began running up."What the hell is this glass made of!?" Rick cried."Larkin, do you have a code?" Norio questioned.Larkin scratched his head."I don't remember..." He grumbled."Rick!" Abbey shouted, tossing her sword at him.Rick caught it, turning to the tube."Maru..." He whispered.
Nobody had spoken a single word on their walk back to town."Our house is this way..." Mikael announced, breaking the silence."I suggest taking Maru and Emersyn to the hospital immediately."Rick nodded his head."I'll try to visit when I can..." Mikael said, smiling sadly."I'm just glad they're safe..." He whispered, stroking an unconscious Maru's head."Come now, Iris Azalea." Mikael stretched as he yawned."Mm." She nodded.“See you..." She whispered as she bid farewell to the group.*As they arrived at the hospital, Vera and Norio's sister were seated in the waiting room.Norio handed Emersyn to Keren.Hiromi lightly shook a sleeping Vera.Vera sleepily opened her eyes, looking up.Her eyes widened as she saw Norio immediately standing up to hug him.She began crying.Norio rubbed her back.He gave a sad smile."Hey, Norio," Keren began, then not
As Rick stepped outside of his house, he let out a sigh."Today's going to be a long day..." He muttered."Are you okay?" Chris asked."Yeah, are you sure you're ok with watching Maru today...?"Chris gave a smile."Of course, I am."Rick smiled."Thanks." He said."Oi!" Norio called out, riding upon his moped."Eh!?" Rick cried.Norio smirked."Hop on." He said.*"How'd you learn how to drive?" Rick questioned."My mother," Norio replied."Do you mean..."As they stopped at a traffic light, Norio let out a sigh."I guess we have a lot of catching up to do, huh?" He smiled.Rick laughed, nodding his head.*"Oh, there you are," Mikael began, standing up."Yeah, sorry, we kind of hit a lot of lights..." Rick chuckled, scratching his head."This way," Mikael pointed to a room."Oh, so it really is just us here..." Rick whispe
“Are you sure you don't need any kind of medicine for your hangover?" Mikael chuckled."Nah, I'm good, but thanks," Rick said, letting out a groan."See you at the cemetery." Iris Azalea said as she shut the door."I didn't think you'd be such a lightweight, big bro," Norio smirked."Shut it," Rick grumbled as he put his helmet on.*As they arrived back at Rick's place, Rick hopped off the moped."Thanks for the lift." He said.“Take good care of your girls and Keren; I'll talk to you later." He smiled."Ah, same goes for you." He smiled. He then gave a wave as he drove off.Rick smiled, watching him go.*"Rick!" Maru cried as he entered the house. She quickly ran over to hug him."Hey, kiddo!" Rick said, kneeling to pet her head."Hey!" Chris greeted."Did the funeral take place already...?" He asked.Rick shook his head.“Later in the day," he
Norio stretched as he sat up in his bed. He looked to the sleeping child next to him, smiling as he gently stroked her hair. As he stepped out of the bedroom, he sluggishly walked to the living room. Just as he was about to sit, he heard a scream. "Vera!?" He cried as he hurried down the hall. As he got entered the room, he saw Vera holding her eyepatch. "Oi, oi, are you ok?" He panted, kneeling. "N-Nori..." Vera whispered, looking at him. "It ripped..." Norio looked at her, then down at the eyepatch. "Don't worry; we can just get you a new o-" Vera quickly shot him a look. "I can't do that!" She cried. "This isn't just any eyepatch; it's..." Before she could finish, she began to quiver. "H-hey!" Norio cried, grabbing her by the shoulders. Vera looked down. "W-we're not alone..." She whispered. Norio raised his hand to her forehead. "Well, you don't
As she said that, Norio's eye widened."W-What do you mean...?" He whispered.Vera looked at him nervously."W-well...there's a man here, and he's claiming to be L-"Suddenly, Norio burst out laughing."Nori!" Vera cried."I'm not dealing with him or this situation right now," Norio said as he rose."C'mon, let's go out and get some breakfast." He said, extending his hand out to Vera.Vera stared for a moment, hesitantly grabbing ahold.*"One coffee, please," Norio said."How about you, sweetheart?" The waitress asked Emersyn."Blueberry pancakes!" Emersyn beamed."How cute!" The waitress smiled as she walked away."You really should eat something..." Norio frowned, turning to Vera."Mm..." Vera mumbled as she gazed out the window.*As they were about to leave the café, a hand grabbed Norio by the shoulder.Caught off guard, Norio spun around.
"A girl born with the ability to see spirits, and yet..." Larkin began muttering, then paused, turning to Cole."Boring!" Cole cried."I wanted to talk to Rick!" He stuck his tongue out in annoyance.Larkin chuckled in amusement."Yo, boss," Mim began.Larkin turned around."What's up?" He asked."There are a lot of spirits haunting Four Eye’s house.""Well," Larkin began."Are they harmful?"Mim shook his head."Not necessarily, but they're pretty...angry." He chuckled.Larkin sighed and turned to Cole."Why don't we go and investigate?"Cole's eyes twinkled."Really!?" He shouted eagerly.Larkin nodded with a smile.*As they arrived at Rick's house, Larkin's eyes widened."What the-" He turned to Mim."You weren't kidding!?"Mim let out a sigh."Afraid not, boss.""That poor girl must be scared to death right now...