Chapter Ten: First Contact:  

February 8th, 2011.

Midnight.

Hitomi sat outside the schoolhouse, waiting nervously. She held a gold piece of paper in her hand. The kitsune looked at her watch.

“My associate will pick you up at midnight,” Kato told her in the morning. Hitomi paced around.

“I’m sorry, Haruka-sama,” she mumbled. She lifted her head when she heard horse hooves. Hitomi breathed as a veil of fog rolled towards her. A hooded figure stood before her. Hitomi gulped.

“Are you the one I am to meet?” she asked. The hooded figure didn’t speak. The kitsune held out the paper to them.

“I was told to give this to you when you arrived. Here.”

The hooded figure took the paper. The kitsune’s stomach turned as they read over it. She moved her hand to her chest. The hooded figure lowered the paper. A thick wind filled Hitomi’s ears.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes,” she said.

“You cannot back out of this.”

“I understand.”

“Are you willing to risk your life?”

“Yes.”

“Are you willing to abandon the life you know?”

Hitomi pressed her lips together. She remembered her students’ faces. Sweet little dears they were. Their parents didn’t judge her. In fact, they all spoke highly of her. She lived a peaceful life with her students. But now…

“Are you willing to abandon the life you know?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The wind stopped blowing. The hooded man bowed his head. He turned and walked into the fog. Hitomi followed behind. She took one last look at the schoolhouse. Goodbye home. The kitsune vanished into the fog.

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Kato walked up to the empty schoolhouse. The room above the classroom was now vacant, void of any evidence of anyone having lived there at all. A sign was on the door. The ghost walked up for a better read.

I’m sorry. I have gone to care for sick relatives for a while. I don’t know when I’ll be back. Thank you for everything. Goodbye.

Signed Hitomi-sensei

Kato smiled. You did good, sensei. But then, he paused.

“Oh,” he said. The ghost glanced out of the corner of his eye. “You here to take me in?” The old man chuckled.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that yet. But you’re welcome to try if like.”

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! And then… nothing.