Chapter 3

The school day had finally ended, and Jay couldn't wait to get home. The halls were still buzzing with students, but he kept his head down, weaving through the crowd until he reached the exit. Once outside, he took a deep breath, relishing the fresh air and the thought of leaving the day behind.

As he started down the familiar path home, he spotted Nick and his group of friends loitering on the street ahead. Jay's stomach twisted. The last thing he wanted was another run-in with them. Deciding it wasn't worth the risk, he turned down a side street, taking a detour.

The alternate route was quieter, with fewer houses and more overgrown trees lining the sidewalk. Jay walked for a few minutes, the sound of his sneakers scuffing against the pavement the only noise. He was lost in thought when he heard it: a faint, muffled sound. He stopped, straining to listen. It was crying—a soft, heart-wrenching sob coming from somewhere nearby.

Jay's pulse quickened. He looked around, trying to pinpoint the source. Then he saw her.

A little girl stood at the edge of the sidewalk, partially hidden by the shadow of a large oak tree. She wore a vintage dress, the kind you'd see in old photographs, and clutched a worn teddy bear to her chest. Tears streamed down her face, her small frame trembling as she cried.

Jay hesitated. He wasn't great with people—living or dead. Most of his interactions were limited to avoiding bullies or ignoring ghosts. But something about the girl's distress tugged at him.

"Hi there," he said cautiously, stepping closer.

The girl didn't respond, her sobs continuing unabated. Jay scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to do. "Are you okay?" he tried again.

Still no answer. Jay's panic began to rise. He wasn't used to comforting anyone, let alone a crying child. He glanced around, hoping someone else might appear to help, but the street was empty.

Finally, the girl seemed to notice him. She looked up, her tear-streaked face full of surprise. "You can see me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jay's breath caught. He should've known. "Yeah," he said, his voice soft. "I can see you."

Before he could react, the girl dropped her teddy bear and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Jay froze, unsure of what to do. Her small body felt cold against his, a chilling reminder that she wasn't like him.

"Thank you," she said, her voice muffled against his hoodie. "Thank you for noticing me."

Jay gently pulled back, looking down at her. "What's your name?"

"Ellie," she replied, wiping her eyes. "I've been walking around for so long, asking for help, but no one could see me. No one could hear me." Her lip quivered, and fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

Jay's chest tightened. "I'm here now," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "The name is Jay. I can help. What do you need?"

Ellie sniffled, clutching her teddy bear once more. "He's chasing me," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Jay frowned. "Who's chasing you?"

Before Ellie could answer, a shadow loomed over them. Jay turned, his blood running cold. Emerging from around the corner of a nearby building was a figure unlike anything he'd ever seen.

It was tall—easily as tall as a two-story house—and its elongated limbs ended in sharp, claw-like fingers. Its body was pitch black, as if it absorbed all light, and its face was an empty void, save for two glowing red eyes that burned like embers. The air around it seemed to ripple with malice, and a low, guttural growl emanated from its chest.

Jay's heart pounded in his ears. He'd seen plenty of ghosts in his life, but this… this was something else entirely. Something far more terrifying.

Ellie screamed, clutching Jay's arm. "That's him! That's the one!"

The creature took a step closer, its claws scraping against the pavement with a sound that made Jay's skin crawl. He didn't know what to do. Run? Fight? How could he possibly fight something like that?

"Stay behind me," he said to Ellie, his voice shaking. He didn't know where the words came from, but they felt right. He couldn't let this thing hurt her, ghost or not.

Without thinking, Jay scooped Ellie into his arms and started running. His legs pumped furiously as he turned corner after corner, hoping to shake the figure off. But no matter how many twists and turns he took, the creature remained behind them, its towering form relentless.

They finally burst onto a main street, where people were milling about, chatting and walking their dogs. Jay's chest heaved as he slowed, hoping the presence of others might scare the dark figure away. But to his horror, the creature strode straight through the crowd, its massive legs passing through people as if they weren't even there. Nobody noticed. They didn't flinch, didn't scream, didn't even glance up.

Ellie clung to Jay's hoodie, her tiny fingers digging into the fabric. "It's still coming," she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

Jay gritted his teeth and kept running. His arms ached from carrying Ellie, and his legs felt like they were on fire. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his vision blurred from exhaustion. But he couldn't stop. Not now.

He turned another corner, desperate to lose the creature, only to find himself facing a dead end. A high brick wall loomed before him, cutting off any chance of escape. Jay's heart sank as he stumbled to a stop, his body screaming in protest.

He set Ellie down gently, his back against the wall as he turned to face the approaching figure. The creature's glowing eyes bore into him, and its guttural growl reverberated through the air. Jay's hands balled into fists, though he had no idea what he could possibly do against something so monstrous.

The creature reached out with its long, pointy fingers, and Jay's breath hitched. This was it. His life was over. He closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable.

Suddenly, a piercing cry of pain echoed through the alley. Jay's eyes flew open, expecting to see Ellie hurt, but instead, the sound had come from the creature. A spear had appeared out of nowhere, impaling the creature's arm. Black, oily blood oozed from the wound, dripping onto the ground with a hiss.

Jay watched in stunned silence as the spear detached itself from the creature's arm, causing it to howl in agony. The spear flew through the air, guided by some unseen force, and returned to the hand of a woman who had just stepped into view.

She was dressed in a traditional Japanese hakama, her long black hair tied back in a simple braid. Her expression was calm but focused, her eyes locked on the creature. The spear floated beside her, seemingly moving of its own accord.

The creature roared again, its claws swiping at the air as the spear shot forward once more. This time, it pierced the creature's torso, eliciting another ear-splitting scream. More of the black, tar-like blood spilled from the wound, pooling on the ground.

Jay stared in disbelief. Who was this woman? And how was the spear floating like that? Was it controlled by a ghost? But how? He thought he could see all ghosts.

The woman stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "Stay back," she said firmly, her voice cutting through the chaos. Jay didn't need to be told twice. He pulled Ellie closer, shielding her as best he could, and watched as the mysterious woman prepared to strike again.

The spear floating beside the woman shimmered, its shape shifting before Jay's astonished eyes. In seconds, it transformed into a man-sized axe, the kind he'd only seen in fantasy games. The woman grabbed the axe with both hands, her movements swift and purposeful.

Without hesitation, she charged at the dark figure. The creature swung its massive arms toward her, but she dodged each attack with an agility that seemed almost supernatural. The axe gleamed in the dim light as she closed the distance, and with one powerful swing, she sliced through the creature's arm.

The figure let out another deafening cry, its severed limb falling to the ground with a sickening thud. Black, tar-like blood spurted from the wound, pooling around its feet. The woman didn't flinch at the creature's pained howls. Instead, she pressed forward, her expression cold and determined.

With another swing of her axe, she severed the creature's head. The massive body collapsed, hitting the ground with a tremor that shook the alley. The head rolled a few feet away before dissolving into a black mist that quickly dissipated into the air.

Jay felt his knees go weak with relief. Was it over? He could barely process what he'd just witnessed.

The woman turned, her axe shrinking back into the shape of a spear before floating beside her once more. She approached Jay and Ellie, her expression softening slightly. "You two alright?" she asked.

Jay nodded shakily, his arms still protectively around Ellie. "Who… who are you?" he managed to stammer.

"I'm Chiaki," she said casually, as if what had just happened was an everyday occurrence. "A shrine maiden and exorcist. For fun."

Jay blinked, unsure if he'd heard her correctly. "Exorcist?" he repeated.

Chiaki nodded. "Yep. You know, exorcising evil spirits and all that."

"Evil spirits?" Jay's voice was tinged with disbelief. "So that thing was an evil spirit?"

"Exactly," Chiaki confirmed, resting her spear on her shoulder. "And lately, more of them have been showing up. Evil spirits are nasty business. They cause all kinds of havoc—sickness, accidents, even possession. They turn people into murderers or drive them to… darker places. My job is to get rid of them before they do too much damage."

Jay's mind reeled. He'd seen ghosts his whole life, but nothing like the creature Chiaki had just defeated. "And that weapon?" he asked, gesturing to the spear.

"This sweet thing?" Chiaki grinned, spinning the spear in the air. "It's my special ability. I can change its form into any weapon I can think of. Plus, I can control it without touching it. Cool, right?"

Jay watched in awe as the spear transformed again, this time into a scythe, then into twin blades, and finally into a massive bat. Chiaki twirled each weapon with ease before returning it to its original spear form.

But before Jay could ask more questions, a low growl interrupted them. His blood ran cold as he turned to see the dark figure's remains shifting. Black mist swirled around the body, and in moments, it split into two smaller figures. Both were human-sized but no less menacing, their glowing red eyes locked onto the trio.

Chiaki's playful grin faded, replaced by a look of grim determination. "Looks like the fun's not over yet," she muttered, gripping her spear tightly.

Jay's heart pounded as the new creatures stepped forward, their claws glinting in the dim light. Ellie clung to his side, her small frame trembling with fear.

"Stay back," Chiaki ordered, her voice firm. "I'll handle this."

Jay nodded, pulling Ellie further behind him. His eyes stayed fixed on Chiaki as she prepared to face the new threat, her spear glowing faintly in the growing darkness.

For the first time in his life, Jay felt something other than fear when facing the supernatural. He felt hope.

The two figures wasted no time and charged at the trio with unnerving speed. Chiaki raised her spear, ready to face them, but she had underestimated how fast they were. She managed to block one, deflecting its claws with a swift spin of her weapon. However, the second figure darted past her and headed straight for Jay and Ellie.

Jay's heart stopped as the creature closed in on them. Just as it was about to reach them, a dagger flew through the air, piercing the figure's torso and making it stumble. "Run away!" Chiaki yelled, her voice sharp with urgency.

Without hesitation, Jay scooped Ellie into his arms and bolted. The figure snarled, pulling the dagger from its body as black ichor dripped from the wound. It turned its glowing red eyes toward Jay and Ellie and resumed its pursuit, moving with an almost animalistic ferocity.

Chiaki gritted her teeth, preparing to chase after it, but the first figure stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Not so fast," she muttered, switching her weapon to twin blades. One blade floated into the air, following the figure chasing Jay, while she wielded the other to fight the creature in front of her.

Jay's legs burned as he sprinted through narrow streets and twisted alleyways, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. The figure was relentless, crawling along building walls and leaping from one to the next like a demonic predator. Ellie clung to him tightly, her face buried in his chest, her small hands trembling.

Jay turned another corner, his mind racing for a plan, when his foot caught on a loose stone. He stumbled and fell hard, Ellie tumbling out of his arms. Pain shot through his knees and elbows as he hit the ground. Ellie scrambled to his side, her eyes wide with fear.

The figure, sensing its chance, leaped from a nearby wall, its claws outstretched and aimed directly at them. Jay braced himself, shielding Ellie as best he could, but the figure vanished just a meter away from him.

Confused, Jay looked around, searching for any sign of the creature. His breath caught as an overwhelming sense of dread washed over him. His body froze, and he felt an invisible force grip him. Slowly, his gaze was drawn upward, his neck craning unnaturally as he stared at the sky. Then, without warning, he collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing violently.

"Jay! What's happening?" Ellie cried, tears streaming down her face as she shook his shoulder.

Jay's body twitched and spasmed as if he were having a seizure. His hair began to change, shifting from black to a fiery red. His dark brown irises turned blood red, and his nails elongated into sharp claws. Horns sprouted from his forehead, curling upward like those of a demon.

"Hate," Jay mumbled, his voice low and guttural. "Hate. I hate them all."

Ellie recoiled, her small hands trembling as she watched the transformation in horror. "Jay? What happened to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jay's blood-red eyes locked onto Ellie, and his lips curled into a snarl. "Hate. Hate. I hate them all," he growled, stepping closer to her with slow, deliberate movements.

Ellie backed away, her heart pounding. "Jay, stop! It's me, Ellie!" she pleaded, her voice breaking.

Before Jay could get any closer, a liquid splashed across his face and chest, making him stumble backward and scream in agony. Smoke rose from his skin as he writhed, clutching his face.

Chiaki appeared from the shadows, holding a small vial. "Holy water," she said, her voice calm but firm. She stepped forward and quickly created a circle around Jay using a pouch of white sand. "Salt. Known to prevent evil spirits from passing through."

Jay roared, slamming his fists against an invisible barrier as he tried to break free. "Hate! Hate!" he continued to growl, his voice like that of a wild beast.

Chiaki knelt just outside the circle, her hands pressed together in a prayer-like position. She began chanting in a language Ellie didn't recognize, her voice steady and unwavering. The air around them seemed to hum with energy as the circle glowed faintly.

Jay's movements slowed, his growls turning into low murmurs. His body trembled as his demonic features began to fade. The red in his hair and eyes dulled, his claws retracted, and the horns on his forehead disappeared. Finally, he collapsed to his knees, his breathing shallow and uneven.

Chiaki finished her chant and stood, brushing her hands off. "That should do it," she said, her voice calm again. She glanced at Ellie, who was still trembling. "He's back to normal now."

Ellie hesitated before approaching Jay, her small hand reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Jay?" she whispered.

Jay lifted his head slowly, his eyes meeting hers. They were back to their normal dark brown, but they were filled with confusion and exhaustion. "Ellie?" he croaked, his voice weak. Then he fainted.