At Ling's equally lavished house, Fung and her friends had held court for hours, lounging on plush velvet sofas beneath the golden chandelier that cast a warm glow over them. They admired each other's silk gowns and sparkling jewelry, their fingers tracing over the intricate details as they engaged in luxurious gossip about the wealthy men they consorted with, their laughter bouncing off the walls hung with fine art.
Ling then brandished a smartphone, the screen displaying a gruesome photo: the severed head of a hell lord lying by the riverbank— Horpik of the east side, one of the city's most powerful underworld overlords. The image sent a shiver down Alice's spine as she fought the urge to look away. "Who could've done that?" Fung asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. All turned to Alice, backlit in the living room's dim light, as if she held the answer.
Alice felt as if she were standing naked before them, exposed and vulnerable. She knew no more than anyone else in the room; yet, when she had no words to say, all energy was sucked from her being.
"You are so beautiful," Yuki breathed, her voice soft and mesmerizing, echoing everyone's thoughts. "No wonder you were chosen." Fung threw her an urgent glance while Yuki chuckled. "Stop the hazing," she said good-naturedly, raising a glass of champagne high. "Let's all welcome our new friend, hope she'll feel like home in this new city."
Alice contemplated, "I am not allowed to drink, sorry, I'll pass. Thank you."
Fung's face turned pale as her with was let down. "Girl! Have a drink, the night is still young!"
Alice hesitated, then took a small sip despite it being against regulations. Although she was not the type who gives in to peer pressure, she simply didn't want to be rude. It was quite normal for a girl of her age wanting to be accepted into the inner circle of indulgent, but not Alice.
"We have a gift for you, Alice," Fung declared, her voice reverberated in the lavish living room. The group formed a ring around her, chanting in an unknown tongue until Fung ushered Alice closer and held out her arm protectively. "Close your eyes and relax," she whispered, as though communicating with something unseen beyond the veil of our world.
The light was dimmed while time stopped, and the air rang with a profound stillness. Memories of Alice's past, of family and friends, wafted up like smoke and carried her towards oblivion.
"What do you see, Alice?" Fung murmured softly in the gloom, her breath cold against Alice's ear.
"I see my brother Travis," she spoke out slowly, her voice barely audible, "he came with me to Japan." Her wide eyes gazed unfocused into the darkness, shimmering with unshed tears.
"And what else? Look carefully, now." Alice paused for a few seconds before her face contorted in sorrow, "Oh no... it's Snowy. He's dead, my dog is dead - he was run over by Travis in our driveway!" A shuddering gasp escaped her lips as tears streamed down her cheeks. She had finally discovered the hidden truth about what happened to her pet.
"Now," Fung whispered gently as she rubbed Alice's back, her touch comforting, "wake up, and we thank the spirits for having communicated with us. With respect."
Suddenly, Alice jolted awake, her body trembling violently as she screamed at the ghostly visions she witnessed while in her dreamlike state. The haunting images were seared into her mind, a vision of some kind.
☆☆☆
The days had dragged on, the seemingly slow progression of hours weighing heavily as a week had passed. Alice was still suffering from her debilitating headache, a residue of the night spent with Fung and her peculiar circle of acquaintances. But what was even more tormenting was persuading her brother to let her stay with the girls longer; in exchange for his consent, Alice had promised not to tell their parents about their pet's death.
"How do you know? How did you find out?" Travis instigated while in fear of being punished by their parents. They might even take away his car and his permit to drive.
"Let's just say I have my ways." Alice replied with resentment.
"Ok, just when are you coming back? What am I to tell parents?" Travis had no options but to cooperate with Alice's wish.
"Just said I met new friends. It will only be a few days more." Alice believed she was in good hands with Fung, and her parents shouldn't worry about the trip extension.
"Ok, fine, just don't get in trouble! If anything happens, you are on your own!"
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Alice had been occupying the guest room at Fung's home, a lavishly decorated space with silk curtains and plush cushions. Save for the weekly visit of the cleaning lady, she was left to her own will. At well past 6pm, there came a knock on the door. It must have been Fung.
Alice opened the door to find Fung standing in the threshold, nearly out of breath, her cheeks flushed and hair disheveled. "Are you feeling better? Can you tell me what happened that night now? It had been a week since the incident."
"I... I don't remember clearly," Alice stammered, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. "All I can say is I saw a man and many people injured... something terrible happen." She wasn't keen to divulge any further details about what she had seen during her vision.
Fung's face grew closer, her eyes narrowing as she said, "Alice, we've never experienced such an extreme reaction from a guest before. Tell me the truth."
"I don't know! I told you everything!" Alice protested; her voice strained with confusion.
"Let me ask you this then," Fung replied with a piercing gaze, her eyes flicking across Alice's face as if searching for hidden past. "Do you often have bad dreams?"
Alice answered hesitantly, her voice barely audible, "Y...Yes. How do you know?"
A soften expression crossed Fung's face as she spoke again, her voice low but serious, "Now it makes sense why she chose me to protect you. You must have the Sight too. I must take you to the monks first. We'll go to the temple and see if they can offer some assistance or answer some questions."
"Questions? Why the hassle?" Alice asked.
"It's rare for a girl of your age with such vivid vision, and you were never trained as a psychic. It is unusual." Fung insisted. "Alice, you look dreadful! We must move with haste. Let's take you to the department store first and clothe you properly. No time to waste."
☆☆☆
The two teenage girls sauntered down the street in their brand-new designer outfits, the silk like cotton fabric fluttering against their skin as they walked. Their shopping bags, filled with luxurious treasures, were clutched tightly in their hands. The brilliant vivid life of the city made them almost forget about their intent to cure Alice of her condition. As they waited at a pedestrian crossing at the city's busiest commerce strip near Toji Temple, the vibrant neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement, ominous clouds gathered above them. Suddenly, rain cascaded down like a waterfall, its torrential downpour drenching their newly purchased clothing. Fung's grip on Alice's hand was tight and unyielding, unlike anything Alice had ever felt before.
"Something is wrong," Fung whispered urgently, her eyes darting around the busy street as if searching for an unseen threat. "The spirits around us are incredibly powerful, something terrible is happening."
Alice knew about Fung's ability to see ghosts from beyond the grave - it was as clear as day whenever she spoke of it. She turned towards her friend, worry etched deeply into her features, the rain plastering her hair to her face.
"I don't see anything out of the ordinary," she replied, her voice trembling slightly.
But Fung would not be swayed, an overwhelming feeling of weakness sweeping over her, causing her knees to buckle.
"I need to sit down," she gasped quietly, leaning heavily on Alice for support.
As they moved towards a bench in the nearby park, the rain-soaked grass squelching beneath their feet, Alice caught sight of someone familiar entering the temple gates amidst thousands of devoted worshippers.
"Mother Turtle!" Alice exclaimed in astonishment; her eyes lit up at the sight of the familiar woman. "I haven't seen her for a week, why is she here?"
Fung, her face pale and drawn. "Listen Alice, a powerful demon is near us. I would go with you if I can, but I'm extremely weak right now." Fung attempted to stand up straight but failed. She handed Alice a silk sachet with 'Mei' embroidered onto it while she struggled to catch her breath. "I know I can't stop you from going, this will bring you good luck," Fung whispered hoarsely as though it was farewell, her voice barely audibles above the pounding rain.
"You rest here, you can't move around too much. Don't worry about me. I'll be right back as soon as I find her. I must talk to her." said Alice firmly, her resolve shining through her concern. "I'll go inside the temple by myself, then I'll come back to you. Stay put." Taking the sachet with her and pressed it to her chest. Alice was still unaware of the seriousness of the matter, naively made her way into the temple, leaving Fung behind by the roofed bench.
The rain continued to fall, the droplets splattering against the stone statues and wooden eaves of the temple. As Alice crossed the threshold, the air grew heavy with the scent of incense and the murmurs of prayer. Although the temple was well-lit by thousands of traditional Buddhist lantern, a death like ambient shrouded it. The throngs of people within its walls became a cage made in flesh to trap Alice inside.
☆☆☆
Alice crept into the temple, her footsteps barely audible as she weaved between devout pilgrims dressed in vibrant kimonos and curious tourists snapping photos with their cameras. She recalled her research: most temples here were deeply rooted in Buddhist beliefs, and despite centuries of age, they were meticulously preserved and repaired monthly. The temple's walls, adorned with intricate murals, seemed to tell stories of past lives and divine intervention.
But Alice was in no mood for sightseeing. She felt an obvious tension in the air, like an unseen web of danger woven into the very fabric of the temple structure. Priests and disciples carved at her with their eyes, their expressions stern and with warning. As she continued her search for Mother Turtle, a half-starved man stepped forward from the crowd. His crossed pupils had a vile suggestion, and his yellowish smile seemed wolfish, with a predatory intention.
"Are you looking for something or someone?" he said, his voice barely more than a raspy whisper.
She replied warily, "I'm looking for my friend."
The man's grin widened, revealing jagged, discolored teeth. "Oh yes—and what is your friend's name?" He took a small vial from his pocket as he spoke, the glass glinting ominously in the temple's lamp light.
Alice's senses reeled in horror when she caught the acrid smell of the liquid in the container. Her vision spun, and her legs grew weak beneath her. She could hardly muster the words, "I...I don't feel well, I must go." The surrounding seemed to spin around her, the walls appearing to close in as her breaths grew shallow and steep.
"Go where? Where are you going?" The man moved closer still, his leering grin a sinister bait in the shadows. Fear bubbled within her like a cauldron, threatening to boil over.
In a fog of hallucinations, Alice heard a lilting mantra coming from an elderly woman nearby. It was Mother Turtle! Her voice, a soft melody in the cacophony of the temple wooden walls, seemed to pierce through the haze that clouded Alice's mind. With that single guiding note, Alice found strength to flee.