Post by UmbraSight on Jul 1, 2022 14:55:23 GMT
“I didn’t know who else to talk to.” The old man said as he bent over and slid open a drawer. With shaky hands he sorted through the contents before finally pulling out a square object that had been wrapped in a white cloth. He held it gingerly and placed it on the top of his desk. Rei traced her fingers across the back of her left wrist, her lips dipping into a frown. The old man wasn’t lying.
“D’you know the story behind it?” Rei asked. The old man cleared his throat.
“I don’t know the full story, I didn’t think these were real until — that is, my acquaintance, the one who found it, said it was from down south in Okinawa. During the occupation after the war they used the blood of cursed children.” The old man shifted uneasily as he spoke, his gaze on the box. Rei reached out and plucked it off the table. Through the cloth it was uncomfortably warm, something like feverish skin against the tips of her fingers.
“Using the Noroi of Sin Eaters.” Rai muttered. The old man cocked his head like he wanted her to repeat herself. “I can take this off your hands.” She said instead. Relief was quick enough to chase off any curiosity the man might have had.
“Thank you.” He said, dabbing his brow with the corner of his sleeve.
“If you find yourself in possession of anything else, give me a call.” Rei said. The old man nodded as he pushed the drawer closed with his knee. Rei unzipped her shoulder bag and placed the box inside.
“The dreams, do you happen to know if…” the old man tailed off.
“The resentments of children linger, if they aren’t less violent in a week I know a priest who lives on the east side who’ll help.” She said, zipping the bag closed and slipping it over her shoulder. The old man thanked her as she turned to leave. She made it a few steps towards the door before another twinge in her left wrist drew her gaze over her shoulder. She caught her own eyes in a mirror clouded with age. She paused for a moment, a frown formed on her reflection, before she pushed the antique shop door open with her shoulder and stepped outside.
Today wasn’t particularly pleasant, the air was tacky and hot. Not wanting to linger too long, Rei made her way quickly to the nearest metro station. Two stops and one transfer later saw Rei back on her side of Tokyo on a busy street that branched off of a commercial hub. She allowed herself a brief detour in her journey to duck into a convenience store to pick up lunch, curry rice and a bottle of tea, before continuing on her way.
Light from the midday sun leaked into the alleyway through a gap between two high rise apartment buildings giving a shallow shine to the waxy leaves of two gloomy shrubs. Come evening the neon glow from the commercial district would do the same, but for now the plants greedily basked in the light. Rei continued past the plants, stopping finally when she reached an old wooden door with a nameplate reading Final Rites screwed on. She pushed the door open, a pleased sigh escaping her at the rush of air-conditioned air greeting her. She closed the door behind her and dropped her lunch off on one of a pair of small round tables on the left hand side of the room. A plush L shaped couch filled the right corner, with a small ficus growing on a coffee table in front of it. Rei continued past a reception desk that sat opposite the door, it looked like a few new notes had been added to the growing mess of paper, and brushed past the curtain divider into a short hallway beyond.
With a roll of her shoulder she slid her bag down her arm and simply sat it down in the corner of the hallway next to the curtain. The box would need to be dealt with soon, but it wasn’t so urgent she couldn’t have lunch first. Dusting off her hands she stepped back through the curtain and made her way back to her lunch. The city rumbled on distantly.
Hopefully things would remain quiet enough for her to finish eating.
“D’you know the story behind it?” Rei asked. The old man cleared his throat.
“I don’t know the full story, I didn’t think these were real until — that is, my acquaintance, the one who found it, said it was from down south in Okinawa. During the occupation after the war they used the blood of cursed children.” The old man shifted uneasily as he spoke, his gaze on the box. Rei reached out and plucked it off the table. Through the cloth it was uncomfortably warm, something like feverish skin against the tips of her fingers.
“Using the Noroi of Sin Eaters.” Rai muttered. The old man cocked his head like he wanted her to repeat herself. “I can take this off your hands.” She said instead. Relief was quick enough to chase off any curiosity the man might have had.
“Thank you.” He said, dabbing his brow with the corner of his sleeve.
“If you find yourself in possession of anything else, give me a call.” Rei said. The old man nodded as he pushed the drawer closed with his knee. Rei unzipped her shoulder bag and placed the box inside.
“The dreams, do you happen to know if…” the old man tailed off.
“The resentments of children linger, if they aren’t less violent in a week I know a priest who lives on the east side who’ll help.” She said, zipping the bag closed and slipping it over her shoulder. The old man thanked her as she turned to leave. She made it a few steps towards the door before another twinge in her left wrist drew her gaze over her shoulder. She caught her own eyes in a mirror clouded with age. She paused for a moment, a frown formed on her reflection, before she pushed the antique shop door open with her shoulder and stepped outside.
Today wasn’t particularly pleasant, the air was tacky and hot. Not wanting to linger too long, Rei made her way quickly to the nearest metro station. Two stops and one transfer later saw Rei back on her side of Tokyo on a busy street that branched off of a commercial hub. She allowed herself a brief detour in her journey to duck into a convenience store to pick up lunch, curry rice and a bottle of tea, before continuing on her way.
Light from the midday sun leaked into the alleyway through a gap between two high rise apartment buildings giving a shallow shine to the waxy leaves of two gloomy shrubs. Come evening the neon glow from the commercial district would do the same, but for now the plants greedily basked in the light. Rei continued past the plants, stopping finally when she reached an old wooden door with a nameplate reading Final Rites screwed on. She pushed the door open, a pleased sigh escaping her at the rush of air-conditioned air greeting her. She closed the door behind her and dropped her lunch off on one of a pair of small round tables on the left hand side of the room. A plush L shaped couch filled the right corner, with a small ficus growing on a coffee table in front of it. Rei continued past a reception desk that sat opposite the door, it looked like a few new notes had been added to the growing mess of paper, and brushed past the curtain divider into a short hallway beyond.
With a roll of her shoulder she slid her bag down her arm and simply sat it down in the corner of the hallway next to the curtain. The box would need to be dealt with soon, but it wasn’t so urgent she couldn’t have lunch first. Dusting off her hands she stepped back through the curtain and made her way back to her lunch. The city rumbled on distantly.
Hopefully things would remain quiet enough for her to finish eating.