• .. – Louisa muttered, glancing at the avalanche of photographs. – At least he loved you, apparently. Unlike me.


  

  She let out a dry laugh. It went unanswered. Erich suddenly snatched one of the CDs—maybe for memory’s sake—and bolted outside. He was gasping for air.

  Louisa didn’t know how to help him. Didn’t really feel like trying either. She felt just as messed up. Outside, night had fallen hard. They’d have to make their way back with only phone flashlights.

  Louisa’s practical side kicked in—get back to the car now, unpack the emotional trauma later… preferably in a bathrobe, with wine, and a locked front door between her and this haunted-family drama.

  Lighting a cigarette, she walked up to her brother. He was doing some kind of breathing exercise, drenched in sweat, his eyes darting around like pinballs in panic mode.

  

  
• Panic attack?


  

  He gave a small nod.

  

  
• Then get yourself together We’re getting the hell out of here. If the doctor wants to come, fine. If not, he can live with the ghosts. – She was done. Time to shut the circus down.


  
• Not just me. Someone else – came Toshi’s voice as he stepped out of the shed—holding the cat.


  
• Sanura! – Erich sprang toward her and gently scooped her She didn’t fight him—just calmly licked her paw and shot them all a look of divine feline disdain.


  

  

  
• Where’d you find her? – Louisa asked, still slightly


  

  

  
• She ran up to the Popped out of the leaves. Maybe it was the light from inside that called to her. Maybe she decided it was time to check out what we were up to. Or maybe, just maybe, she was trying to lead us. Dogs think they’re people; cats think they’re gods. (Adriano Bacchella.)


  
• Thanks, Mr. Quote Machine. I’m just glad everyone’s alive. Now let’s go—dinner’s not gonna eat itself. – Louisa turned and marched toward the field, fully pretending she knew where she was going. Her noble squad of oddballs had no choice but to follow their fearless, half-lost leader.


  

  Much later, after the fields were crossed and the kilometers driven, they were finally sitting in Erich’s house, slurping instant noodles.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  The meal was anything but fancy—just some street food Louisa picked up before heading to her brother’s place—but sometimes, happiness is cheap and spicy.

  Now, this steaming mess of chemically enhanced joy hit the spot. Erich and Toshi ate with chopsticks, disciplined and precise. Louisa, on the other hand, was too drained to care. She ate the way she knew best—old-school Western fork technique—even though her brother had tried to teach her the -proper- way once or twice.

  Toshi had fallen asleep mid-dinner, his forehead planted squarely on the table, and they decided not to disturb him. They just laid out a blanket and pillow on the floor in case he decided to migrate to something softer.

  Louisa stifled a yawn and checked the time. Midnight. Time to crash. But she’d promised to call Imani tonight—to let her know how things were going. The past few days had been hectic, what with the jet lag and the general madness, so they hadn’t had a proper chat. But now was the time. Imani was off work today. No more excuses.

  Alright… let’s do this.

  She glanced at Erich, who was still laser-focused on his noodles, and suddenly had an idea—kill two birds with one stone. Imani had been asking to talk with Erich for a while now. So why not throw

  him at her while she got ready for bed? Her brain was shutting down and her eyeballs felt like they were filled with lead. Yes. This would work beautifully.

  

  
• Erich, I’m about to FaceTime my You remember Imani, right? You’ve talked to her before. Well, she’s dying to talk to you, so do me a favor and join the call, say a few words—sound good?


  

  When she saw the lack of enthusiasm on his face, she hardened her voice and raised it a notch:

  

  
• Listen, bro. I’ve been dragging your moody ass around all day—from that ‘business meeting’ to your little haunted-house field trip near Mount Fuji—so how about you return the favor and stop being difficult for five seconds? I help you, you help me. Deal?


  
• I was gonna go to bed… – he began, but one look at her eyes, wide with fake rage, and he caved with a sigh:


  
• Just call already. Sooner we start, sooner it ends.