Smoothly curved bridge of nose, deep-set eyes, everything else. It’s Joanna. That’s Joanna’s face on that mask.
Why? How? Of all possible faces, why hers? She wasn’t anyone special, was she? She was just a regular college student. Kind of an introvert, even. Why would she… matter?
Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m hallucinating. Or dreaming. Maybe I fell asleep on that bench. Maybe I never got up in the morning to begin with. This feels real, but inside a dream, you can never really tell…
The mask is moving. Stay focused. It’s heading for the bushes, curious about the rustle. Its way of moving is strange - gracefully yet uncannily, it bobs slightly as it hovers onward. It moves like a ghost…
Oh, of course. Ghosts. This has spectral activity written all over it. Either it’s a type of ghost I’ve never seen or heard of before, or it’s an illusion created by a ghost. But how would that ghost know about Joanna? Her significance to me? Oh, Gods, has it possessed me and seen into my thoughts?
“Hello?”
Both the ghost and I flinch at the voice. The ghost hides behind a tree of its own. I guess it knows no more than I do.
“Hello?” the voice calls again. A child’s voice. It’s coming from somewhere beyond the trees.
Rustling steps follow. “There’s no need to hide,” the child calls. Something appears between the trees in the distance, something brown, pale, pink. Oh, a young girl with earthy clothes and pink hair. As far as I can tell from this far away with all these branches in the way.
She begins to approach us directly. “I know you’re there behind that tree. Just come on out, I wanna help.”
Shit. How does she know? No, wait, she might mean the mask. I have no idea what kind of help she would have to give me, so...
The mask shifts within its hiding spot, unsure whether to reveal itself. Go ahead, please. One of us has to, and it’s not going to be me.
After a few seconds, the mask finally gathers its courage and floats into the open. Once the girl spots it, she stops and smiles.
“Hi,” she says. “You’re new here, aren’t you?”
The mask shyly nods.
“Oh, you can turn yourself visible if you want," the girl says, then pauses. "Do you know how to do that?"
The mask shakes from side to side, like a human shaking their head.
"Oh, well, it's like… you imagine your body turning to stone," she says. "That's how the others say how it works, anyway."
The mask freezes. Moments later, something dark forms around it. The air becomes murky and opaque, like thick smoke. It’s in the form of an upper half of a humanoid. A large eye opens on its face, blood red with a slit, black pupil, and I’m willing to bet there’s a second one on the other side of its face that I just can’t see from this angle. The eye leaks some kind of viscous red fluid. It slides down the entity’s face and drips off its chin, but the droplets evaporate into nothing halfway through their fall to the ground.
It’s a ghost, alright.
Well, that’s not good. Whatever type of ghost this thing is, I can tell it’s not a good idea to let it parade that mask around. Joanna needs to fade away just like all my previous victims - the fewer questions people ask, the safer I am. But a ghost… how am I supposed to get rid of a ghost?
The girl chuckles. "This is so cool. I've never met a face-bearer before."
Face-bearer. Is that the type of ghost it is? I better remember that, then.
The girl steps towards the face-bearer, but it jerks back, becoming a bit translucent.
"No, no, it's okay," says the girl. "I couldn't hurt you even if I wanted to. I’m a human, and you’re a ghost. There’s no way for me to damage you."
The face-bearer looks down at its mask and grips it harder with its shadowy hands. "Maaaah…" it wails quietly. The voice feels human, but isn't quite there… yet there’s a familiarity to it.
Oh Gods. Don’t tell me this ghost… is Joanna?
"Well, I guess that part I could damage… but I won't. I promise not to." The girl slips her hands in the pockets of her hoodie and gives another encouraging smile.
This gives the face-bearer the courage to approach the girl again. It ducks under some low-hanging branches.
"So, what's your name?" asks the girl.
The ghost pauses in thought but doesn't respond. Can it even talk to begin with?
"...It's okay, not everyone has one."
Relief. It didn’t say it was Joanna. I don’t think it would have any reason to lie here, so this means it either isn’t Joanna… or doesn’t remember being Joanna. Both work for me, though I still need to make it disappear somehow. Its existence might lead to new evidence surfacing. Or it could start remembering its past life and tell all about it, all about the one that killed her…
I can’t let that happen.
The girl reignites her weakening smile. "My name's Michi. I'm friends with a lot of ghosts round these parts. They told me they'd seen someone new floating about, a face-bearer. That must be you."
"Maa? Maa, maa..."
“Yeah, that must’ve been Gabby! She’s the one that told me about you. Sorry about her, she can be kind of prickly… but she’s a good girl once you get to know her.”
Wait, those wails have meaning? And she can understand them? I guess this Michi isn't just any ordinary girl.
“M-maa...” mumbles the ghost.
"Oh, no, you don't have to meet them all right away. Actually, they're used to leaving me alone with any new one for a while so I can make them feel more comfortable."
Well, that’s good news for me, I guess. Fewer obstacles in my way to destroy this thing.
The girl’s eyes dart in my direction, freezing me mid-breath. Does she see me?
She glances elsewhere, then returns her gaze to the mask. I let my breath escape my lungs. Guess she didn't notice me after all. At least I hope so. While there's nothing for me to physically fear from a child of… twelve years or so, a witness is a witness. It's always better to stay as low profile as one can. Who knows what crimes might end up being necessary.
"Say…" starts Michi, grasping her arms, "it's pretty cold and windy out here. There's an abandoned cabin nearby I like to hang out at. Do you wanna come?"
The ghost shyly nods - now with its true head instead of the mask.
"Alright, cool! This way."
The two head back the way Michi came. As they get further, I begin to follow, careful not to rustle the vegetation too much. Soon, though, I reach the trail they're walking and thank my luck that it's a winding one. Were it a straight stretch, they'd spot me in an instant.
From the glimpses I see through the slivers between tree trunks and branches, I analyze the girl's appearance further. Hoodie, worn jeans, beanie, fingerless gloves. All shades of gray and brown, starkly contrasted by her chin-length pink hair and bright blue eyes. Her clothing seems shabby at first glance, but a longer look reveals it's still in good condition, only a bit dirty. Likely from all this forest trekking. So she's no princess, but she's no street rat, either. Just a wild spirit. A bit like me?
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No, nothing like me. She's helping someone, for one. Someone like me would never do that. The difference between us is the difference between a mouse and a wolf.
“So,” the girl begins after her long silence, “what brought you to these woods? Where did you come from?”
"Aa, maa. Mah, maah, maah…"
"Ah, I see."
What was it, what did she say? Dammit, why does this thing need to talk in wails only?
I continue to follow the two on their trail. With the ghost's backstory apparently not having much to ask about it - good for me, I suppose - the girl chooses to share her own. I ready myself for mental notes in case anything relevant is revealed, but not much is. She's just some orphan from Gurindon that likes to screw around in nature. Used to live closer to these woods but was moved due to her orphanage getting too full. No human friends, but many ghost ones thanks to her rare ability to communicate with them. A bit predictable, honestly. I could've deduced this myself.
“Anyway," Michi continues, "I come back here a lot and stay at the cabin if the nights are warm enough. My friends would probably understand if I didn't come here anymore, but I couldn't leave them. They’re kinda like orphans in their own way… no parents, lonely and scared, people usually don't want much to do with them…”
“M-ma…?”
“Oh, no, sorry, I mean… you're gonna be fine, that's what we're here for.”
“Ma…”
The two fall silent. It makes my steps seem louder again. I try my best to sync them up with the girl's, but it proves more difficult than expected due to her being a whole head shorter than me.
The branches seem sparser up ahead. Are we headed to a clearing?
"Okay, we're here," announces the girl. Oh, good.
I creep along the next stretch, keeping myself out of sight, and then stop. I can see the opening from here while the raspberry bushes still keep me hidden. A perfect spot for stalking.
Stalking a little girl. Doesn't sound very good when I put it like that, does it?
Nevertheless, the girl and the ghost make their way through the opening to the cabin near its edge. It's clear the shack's been long abandoned by its legal owners - its red paint is peeling off, and splotches of mint green lichen cover some of the exposed planks. Dust and smudges coat the back window and surely any other windows as well. I'm rather surprised the glass is intact. If time doesn't get those, ape-brained teens usually do.
Michi leads the ghost into the cabin and closes the door. Keeping myself out of the window’s view, I sneak to the side of the building. This should be a safe enough spot to eavesdrop.
“Yeah, as I said, it’s not much,” says Michi, stretching by the sound of her voice. “Still, it’s cozy when you get used to it. Those blankets in the corner help.”
“...Mma?”
“I -- well, places. People throw old stuff out. Even though it’s good. Like this cabin. Whoever lived in it left it long ago, but I still think it’s neat.”
Resourceful, this girl. Clearly she’s more capable than most brats her age - and even a good amount of adults.
“This mirror, too”, she continues. “Just because it’s cracked doesn’t mean it’s worthless. You can still see yourself just fine.”
“Haah...”
“...Do you know her?”
I lean forward.
“...Maa.”
“Oh... well, maybe with time.”
Time… time is of the essence, then, if the ghost’s supposed to remember something Joanna-related.
“Anyway, I’m gonna go gather some firewood. I’m gonna be back soon, just stay here. And make yourself at home.”
The front door creaks open. I crouch. Do I need to sneak past the back window? Will the ghost spot me if I try? Wait, wait, the girl is going the other way. Return to the side wall, calmly, calmly…
Michi’s footsteps head to the start of another path leaving the opening and fade there. Seconds later, I dare to peek around the corner. No sign of her. I can let myself think.
Alright. What should I do next? I want to know more about this ghost and this face-bearer species, and the girl clearly knows things… but just waiting to pick up information from casual conversation feels rather slow. Not to mention I can only understand one side.
This girl, though, must have learned what she knows from somewhere else. Books, probably. In that case, I should head to the library. Not only will I learn more about this species, I’ll likely find out how to kill it, too - and that’s something I can’t expect the girl to explain.
But… ugh, I still have these groceries to deal with, meaning I need to go home first. But then again, I’d have to go there anyway to get some supplies for keeping the girl out of my hair. Spores and duct tape come to mind. Yes, a visit home is imperative.
I sneak back the way I came and adopt a more casual gait as I reach the forest path. Skulking would only make me more suspicious. From now on, I’m just somebody out for a walk. Enjoying nature.
And why wouldn’t I? Now that I don’t have a target to tail, I can take in the little wonders in my surroundings. Tiny white buds line the edge of the path. Above them sway branches of shrubs and evergreen trees alike, casting shadows in chaotic patterns. Between them hang stray strings of spiderweb… okay, that's not so nice, not a fan of spiders… but dry leaves and needles crunch beneath my sneakers, their blanket broken up by the occasional root slithering across the path. Outside the path, I can spot mounds of moss on the forest floor. They look soft enough to lie down on.
Ah, nature. I’m glad there’s at least something that can cheer me up on these gloomy days --
“Stop where you are.”
...Hm.
It appears the girl has spotted me.
I turn around. It’s Michi, alright. I guess she repaid my sneaking by walking silently herself.
“Who are you, and what do you want?” she demands with an icy stare.
“I’m just passing by,” I say and continue walking - but she follows me.
“No, you’re not,” she says. “You were following us.”
How did she know? Did I not hide myself well enough? No, play it cool. She might be bluffing.
I keep my expression neutral. “You must be mistaken.”
“Your aura didn’t lie.”
"Aura?" She’s aura sensitive?
Oh. Yeah. Of course. Ghosts communicate through aura waves. That's why she can understand the face-bearer.
She nods. "I can sense them. And yours was behind us the whole time. Why were you following us?"
"Well, there was a face-bearer," I say. "You don't see those everyday. I was just curious."
"There's more to it than that. I can tell."
I stop and narrow my eyes. She's persistent. "Shouldn't you be at school or something?"
"Shouldn't you?"
Ouch. She's got me there.
She steps closer, still confident. "Just cut the shit and tell me what you're after."
"Language," I mutter.
"You're not my mom."
"Yeah. I'm alive."
Her eyes widen. I smirk. Now we're even.
"Fine," she grumbles, "be like that, then. But I better not see you around here anymore."
I snort. "Or what? What's a little girl gonna do to me?"
She reaches into her pocket and pulls out something metallic --
Click! A blade springs out. A switchblade.
Honestly speaking, I didn’t see that coming. But that thing doesn’t scare me. Not when I have a much bigger blade of my own.
Eager to show her who’s boss, I reach for my…
Wait.
Think about what you're doing. If you take out your knife, she'll see what you're capable of, physically and mentally. Faced with that danger, she might decide to gather some of her friends for security or even take the new ghost somewhere else. And then it'll be a lot harder, if not impossible, for you to get rid of the ghost.
You need to yield. You need to falter. You need to give her the illusion that you're just another sheep. Hide your fangs.
I douse my heart with freezing humility and step back. "Whatever," I mutter. Just before I turn around, I can see triumph in her eyes. It's a triumph for me as well, even if this shame makes me shudder. But I'll get to show my true colors yet.
I resume my journey back to the graveyard. A few seconds in, a glance over my shoulder confirms Michi has gone her own way as well.
Aura sensitivity, huh. That could be a problem… were I not a Helixian. An aura nullification seal will make me invisible to that sense of hers. Once I get home, I’ll carve it on my wrist. May as well look for anything on ghosts in the documents, too, while I'm at it. I'll gladly make use of any knowledge HE gifts me. Or HIS texts, to be more exact. I shouldn't bother HIM in vain. And I don't want HIM to see me with that… task unfinished.
I'll just settle this on my own. After all, it's just one ghost. With good luck, it'll be dead by tonight, and that girl will have no memory of it.
Soon enough, I return home. Having unpacked the groceries, I pay my hidden room a visit and check the Helixian texts... but there are no instructions on dealing with ghosts within them. I guess HE just didn’t consider HIS knowledge of them necessary to include in the material HE chose to preserve.
After carving the aura nullifier into my wrist and patching up the wounds, I copy the memory-eraser's pattern to my notebook to make sure I don't get it wrong. Then I gather the supplies I think I'll need in my backpack… vial of spores, rag, duct tape, scissors, naturally the notebook… anything else?
I don't think there's anything else. I should be ready to go. I should hurry up, too - these things ended up taking longer than I initially expected. The clock of the kitchen’s microwave tells me it’s ten to three already.
Ten… to… three.
Shit.
The front door opens, and in steps Abe.
“Red! Are you ready to go?”