Chapter Twenty-Six: Death of a Devil:

4:17 p.m.

Tsuzuki’s phone rang. “Hello?”

“Is this Tsuzuki-san?” Miki asked on the other line. The shinigami made a strange face.

“Who is this?” he asked. “How did you get this number?”

“We’ve got a little surprise for you!”

“Hello?” Tsuzuki heard screaming on the other line. “What was that?! Hello?! Hello?!” Tsuzuki’s phone buzzed in his hand. The photo text made the color drain from his face. Bones and clothes covered the screen in ten separate pictures. A video showed a boy about to make another kill. The shinigami trembled.

W-What is this?

“Got the message?” Miki asked on the other line. “Come down to the Shokochu Motel and bring the baby!” She hung up before he could speak. Tsuzuki looked at his phone. Panic subsided to anger. I should’ve known he would pull something like this. He gritted his teeth and dialed another number.

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4:18 p.m.

Katsumi looked at his cell phone. “Heh, looks like it’s about time.” He turned to the remaining eight victims. The five men and three women shook as he walked closer. Katsumi looked each of them in the eye. His gaze landed on a pretty young waitress.

“You!” he shouted. “I have something special for you!” Her brown eyes widened.

“No…” she whimpered. Katsumi laughed in her face.

“Oh, yes,” he said. Katsumi pulled out his knife. “Say good night, bitch!” The waitress shut her eyes as Miki began laughing.

“Hold it!” someone shouted. Katsumi paused and turned around. Tsuzuki and Hisoka stood inches away from the front desk. Katsumi drew back his knife, smiling.

“Right on time,” he said. Miki leaned forward with a cat-like smile on her face.

“Where’s the baby?” she asked.

“Safe,” Tsuzuki said. “Away from you.” Miki glared at him.

“You didn’t bring her?”

“Nope.”

She gritted her teeth. “Wrong answer!” Katsumi slashed the waitress’ neck. Her blood sailed onto Abaddon’s Box. Hisoka noticed the deadly artifact as the waitress screamed.

“Tsuzuki, look!” the younger shinigami shouted.

“Here it comes!” Katsumi shouted. It didn’t take long for shinigami to put the pieces together. They raced over and grabbed the waitress just in time. Katsumi swore under his breath. Tsuzuki and Hisoka moved the victim to the couch.

“Are you okay, miss?” Tsuzuki asked. The waitress nodded, holding her neck. Hisoka froze when he heard hissing.

“Tsuzuki…” he said. His partner turned his head in time to see the black cloudy demon flying towards them.

“Oh shit!” Tsuzuki shouted. He grabbed the waitress and jumped out of the way in time. Hisoka tried to fight off the black cloud. Miki laughed at their attempts.

“Give it up!” she shouted. “He’s hungry. He’s going to chase her down until he eats her.” Tsuzuki pulled the waitress into the kitchen. Hisoka glared at Miki.

“Do you know what you have in your hands?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Katsumi said. “The best toy ever!” Hisoka sighed.

“What you have is cursed object,” he said.

“So what?”

“You cannot control it. We figured that box was behind the killings leave behind clothes and bones. If you keep feeding it, the demon will turn on you.”

Tsuzuki ran out with the waitress. Katsumi threw big his head, laughing.

“Now why would it do that?” he asked. “We can do as we please! This is our freedom! We will kill who we please to keep it!” As he spoke, one of the remaining guests lunged forward and bit him on the leg. Katsumi howled and dropped his knife. He lifted his head towards the now scared guest.

“You!” he barked. The guest jumped for the knife.

“Baby!” Miki shouted. She ran over to help her boyfriend. However, she trembled over a bone and fell hard to the floor.

“Babe!” Katsumi yelled, running towards her. Miki hissed, sitting up.

“My knee,” she complained. Her right knee had landed on broken glass from the vase Katsumi broke earlier to get the hostages’ attention.

“You okay?” Katsumi asked as he looked at her knee. “Ooh, you’re bleeding.” Miki hissed in pain. Suddenly, the couple paused when they heard a rumbling noise.

“What is that?” Katsumi asked. Miki inched her head to the left.

“Oh,” she murmured. The black clouded demon changed direction and made a b-line towards Miki. She climbed to her feet and tried to run away. Due to pain and a bleeding knee, she couldn’t get far. The demon sailed forward and covered its new victim. She didn’t even have time to scream. The cloudy ooze covered her body and ate her up. Tsuzuki and Hisoka had to look away. Katsumi trembled as the color drained from his face.

“No…” he said.

“This is the curse of Abaddon’s Box,” Hisoka said with shielded eyes. “The demon will eventually turn on its master when it is overfed.” When the gruesome feast was complete, the demon retuned to its box. Katsumi was left to weep over his girlfriend’s bones.