Chapter 6: Beyond the ghost police box
As Yuiru swung his silver knife, the police officer impostor with the bulging eyeball retreated into the gap of the door.
The tip of the knife scraped against the door’s surface, creating an unpleasant sound that echoed in the quiet night.
For a moment, the shadowy figure lingered, swaying back and forth, before disappearing entirely. Did it retreat further inside?
Yuiru glared at the door leading to the back of the police box, clicking his tongue in irritation.
“I won’t let you escape.”
It seems like he has no intention of missing his meal no matter what.
Grasping the nearly detached doorknob, Yuiru pulled open the door leading to the depths of the ghostly police box.
The hinges creaked, and a lukewarm breeze brushed against Houzuki’s cheek. The air was filled with a dusty smell, a testament to the long-abandoned state of the building.
Gyiiiii~……
The back of the police box was dimly lit. Not even the moonlight reached it.
Houzuki regretted not bringing a flashlight. If she had, she could have used it to investigate the depths of the ghost police box.
“Hmm, it seems it’s in the back.”
While lightly fiddling with the silver knife, Yuiru stepped forward to the other side of the door.
“Wait, Yuiru.”
“If you’re worried about me, just come along.”
Looking back over his shoulder, the silver-haired, red-eyed male student said with an amused smile.
“You’ve faced countless terrifying experiences, haven’t you? What’s there to fear now?”
“…Alright.”
Houzuki, following Yuiru’s lead, stepped into the depths of the ghost police box.
Haah.
Warm breath brushed against her ear.
“Hiih!”
Houzuki turned around in a panic and saw something that appeared human for just a moment.
It quickly retreated into the darkness, but it seemed to resemble the young police officer from before. The ghoulish, entirely black eyes seemed to be staring at her.
“We’re being completely toyed with,” Yuiru remarked nonchalantly, as if it didn’t concern him.
“It’s probably delighted to have company after being ignored for so long.”
—Even though it’s about to be devoured.
Yuiru’s words rang true.
幽霊交番に居座る警察官モドキは、もう何年も月無町つきなしちょうの住人から相手にされてこなかった。そもそも明かりがついていると認識できた人間は、鬼灯以外に存在するのだろうか。
The ghostly figure of the officer who haunted the abandoned police box had been ignored by the residents of Tsukinashi Town for years. Houzuki wondered if anyone else had ever noticed the lights on in the ghostly station.
Now, the ghost was destined to be devoured by Yuiru Enen. From the moment he set his sights on it, its fate was sealed.
Batabatabatabata. (TN:rattle/clatter)
“Yuiru…”
“Here we are, Houzuki.”
As they passed through the doorway, another door came into view almost immediately.
“This is the innermost part of the ghost police box.”
The short corridor abruptly ended, and a door stood at the end, waiting.
It likely led to the room where the police officer would have taken breaks. Despite the surrounding darkness being so intense that even light seemed unrecognizable, the door stood out, almost floating in the void. It was nothing short of terrifying.
As Yuiru attempted to open the door—
Bang!!
The sound of someone violently striking the door reverberated through Houzuki’s ears.
Beyond the frosted glass embedded in the door, a figure stood, pressing their palm against it, peering through to observe Yuiru and Houzuki. Two black, hollow eyes stared intently at them.
“Is it fun?”
Yuiru points the silver knife at the ghost standing on the other side of the door,
“It must be. There are two people here who can see you.”
Yuiru tilted his head to the side,
“Why don’t you give up already? I’m starting to get hungry, and my patience is running thin.”
The ghost standing on the other side of the door just shook its head.
The ghost, whose actions seem ambiguous, disappears from in front of the door. However, the sound of dragging footsteps persisted.
Zuru, zuru.
Zuru.
Zuru, zuri, zuri.
Zuri, zuru.
It seemed to be shuffling around the room, the noise fluctuating in volume as if the ghost were pacing back and forth behind the door. Shadows danced intermittently across the frosted glass.
Yuiru savored the ghost’s futile resistance for a moment before grasping the doorknob more firmly. He twisted it, opening the door that now seemed sturdier than before.
Gyiiiii~……
The hinges groaned as the door opened, revealing a six-tatami mat room.
At the center stood a low chabudai* table, and in the corner, a pile of futons was heaped up. Despite the room’s preservation from when the police box became a ruin, the furniture and the room itself had significantly deteriorated. (TN: Low table where people have tea usually while sitting on the floor with a cushion.)
The tatami mats were coated in dust, and the chabudai was similarly covered, appearing almost white from the accumulated grime. The futons were heavily yellowed and tattered.
In the room, someone dressed as a police officer hunched their back and dragged their feet as they paced around.
Zuri, zuri zuri, zuri.
Zuri, zuri zuri, zuri.
Zuru, zuru, zuru.
It was unclear whether this figure was injured or afflicted by something else.
Through the gap in his excessively long bangs, he stared blankly into the void with pitch-black eyes. Saliva dripped from his slackened mouth, giving him the appearance of a wandering suspicious figure.
The master of the ghostly police station suddenly came to a halt.
“Ah, ah, ah-“
His voice was so disturbing that it made one want to cover their ears.
Was he earnestly trying to communicate, or was it just mockery?
Wrapped in the uniform of a decayed police officer, he reached out towards Yuiru, who was opening the door.
“Well, it’s commendable that you’ve come to me on your own accord.”
Yuiru smirked and took the hand of the ghost dressed as a police officer.
“In that case, let me fulfill those expectations.”
Deliberately, Yuiru took the hand of the ghostly police officer and thrust the silver knife into his palm.
In response, incomprehensible screams erupted from the slackened mouth of the ghostly police officer.
He attempted to quickly retract his hand, emitting a black mist-like vapor, but Yuiru prevented it by grabbing the officer’s arm. Despite wearing a police uniform, the officer seemed feeble compared to Yuiru, easily overpowered and pushed down onto the dusty tatami mat.
Struggling to resist being eaten, the ghostly police officer squirmed under Yuiru’s straddle.
“Ah, ah-“
“Settle down, settle down, no need to thrash about.”
Yuiru chuckled,
“You’re quite lively, making me all the hungrier.”
――I ta da ki ma su.
