Chapter 5: Police Box Ruins
Around midnight, Houzuki stood in front of the Tsukinashi Town police box.
The seemingly ordinary police box, marked with its official sign, shone brightly, with officers on the night shift keeping watch over the town’s safety. It was like a beacon of hope in the middle of a dimly lit street.
Do old people who wander around late at night get attracted to this police box? If a police box like this appeared in the middle of a dark, wide, empty street, anyone might feel at ease approaching it.
As Houzuki looks up at the police box, the silver-haired, red-eyed male student who followed her–Yuiru Enen says, “What’s the matter?”
“Did you see something bad?”
“……I’m just wondering if this police box really is something ominous.”
Houzuki stared at the empty police box with its lights dimmed,
“Because the person yesterday was a really nice person.”
“Do you think he might be trapped in a ghost police box?”
Yuiru’s red eyes narrowed,
“Houzuki, you’re so naive.”
“Naive?”
“Sometimes it’s a lure. The ghost pretends to be kind in order to make the other party trust it.”
Yuiru’s opinion was harsh but convincing.
As another ghost, he likely sensed something about the haunted police box that Houzuki couldn’t. He didn’t dismiss the police officer at the haunted police box as merely a poor soul trapped there.
Indeed, the idea of a lure made sense. To ensure capturing someone, a ghost might pretend to be kind and timid, just like the police officer they encountered yesterday.
“Uhm, excuse me.”
“!?”
Suddenly, a voice called out from behind her.
Turning around, Houzuki saw an elderly woman with a bent back.
She was dressed in comfortable-looking sneakers and a bright pink tracksuit, as if out for a night walk or some light exercise.
The old woman tilted her head curiously.
“There’s no police box there.”
“What?”
“It was destroyed a long time ago. They haven’t been able to remove it, so it just remains here like a ruin.”
Houzuki turned her gaze back to the police box.
The lights were now out, leaving it in complete darkness.
The walls were peeling, the linoleum floor was littered with trash and dust, and an old, tattered logbook lay abandoned on a desk. The scene that had seemed so ordinary yesterday had transformed into something desolate and grim.
This was strange.
She was sure there had been a functioning police box here.
It must truly be a ghostly police box, a phantom structure living up to its eerie reputation.
“Please keep your ghost-hunting in moderation.”
The elderly woman advised kindly before walking away.
Houzuki stood frozen in place, staring at the now-ruined police box.
It was hard to reconcile this derelict place with the one she had seen yesterday. What had happened to the young police officer? Had he been transferred, or was he part of the ghostly illusion?
Was he, even alive?
“Give it up, Houzuki.”
Yuiru pats her shoulder.
“He’s destined to be eaten by me. There’s nothing else.”
“……You’re right.”
As expected, the young policeman is a ghost.
Looking at the reality, Houzuki became sad.
So that was an act to deceive her. Ghosts are such cunning creatures.
“Wanna try calling out? I’m not sure that he’ll respond, though.”
“…………”
Houzuki gazed into the darkened depths of the police box,
“Hello.”
She tries calling out.
“Excuse me.”
Something is hiding within the police box.
“Hello, excuse me.”
A while after she called, the door at the back of the police box opened, as if to answer.
Kyii.
Peeking through the gap was something dressed like a police officer.
His glaring eyes are pointed at Houzuki who is standing in front of the police box. How did she appear to it from the outside?
The faux police officer at the door’s crack jabbed its gnarled fingertips against the surface, scratching with its jagged, broken nails.
Kari, karikari, kari.
Karikari, kari.
Kari, karikari.
kari, kari, kari.
It’s like a response to Houzuki’s call.
“Take a look, Houzuki. Is that your so-called kind policeman?”
“He doesn’t.”
“What a quick answer.”
Yuiru chuckles,
“This is the true nature of the Ghost Police Box. Whether that figure inside is a deceased police officer or just a foolish mimic, I can’t say. But thanks to that fool lingering inside, there are still some who fall for the deception.”
It was like yesterday’s Houzuki.
It seemed like that ambiguous voice, which sounded both like a man and a woman, might have been someone calling out from the real world. Perhaps they were concerned about Houzuki boldly stepping into the ruins.
That night, Houzuki had indeed been deceived. The once lively police box was now nothing but a desolate ruin, and the gentle, timid figure of the police officer had turned into a pitiful sight. She had fallen for the trap of the Ghost Police Box.
Yuiru toyed with his silver knife, stepping into the desolate interior of the ruined police box.
“Well, it’s finally mealtime. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this moment, and now I can also confirm the truth behind the rumors. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”
With a lively expression, Yuiru approached the fake police officer peeking through the gap in the door.
“I ta da ki ma su”
With the greeting announcing the start of the meal, he thrust a silver knife into the trembling eyeballs of the police officer.
