The five men trudged in the direction the woman had indicated. Exhaustion made their steps heavy, and the air seem thicker. Suddenly, Hajime stopped dead, his sharp eyes catching something hidden to the left. He pointed, his voice cutting through the silence. "Does that... look like a house?"
The four men in front halted abruptly and turned. Squinting through the dense, tangled undergrowth, they just managed to make out a low, stone structure. If they hadn't been looking specifically, they would have missed the small building entirely, swallowed as it was by weeds and wild trees.
Abrafo put his hands on his hips, surveying the eerie scene. "This looks creepier than what the woman told us!" He turned to his friends, a flicker of genuine apprehension in his eyes. "Do you actually think this place is... haunted?"
Yul leveled him with a calm gaze. "I thought you weren't afraid of ghosts, Abrafo."
Abrafo scoffed, suddenly defensive. "I'm not afraid of ghosts!" He turned back to Yul, who just smiled and shook his head knowingly. Abrafo met his eye. "Do you know why? Because we've seen creepier things than ghosts."
U-ri managed a tired, approving nod. "Your attitude is certainly positive."
Hajime, ever practical, brought them back to reality. "Well, haunted or not, we're staying. We have virtually no money left."
Michio spoke softly, a quiet belief in his words. "Every inch of land has likely been someone's grave, but I believe that since we hold no ill will, others will not have ill will toward us."
"Let's go look," Yul decided, taking charge. "That's the best we can do right now. We'll figure the rest out once we're settled."
As they approached the stone structure, the state of the house became painfully clear: it had been deserted for many, many years. Stones were crumbling from the side, and thick, strangling vines were practically holding the front wall together. Michio immediately began yanking vines away from the door while the others helped clear the chaotic yard.
Yul and Abrafo unsheathed their swords, their blades glinting as they hacked at the tall, stubborn grass. Abrafo swung his weapon with a disgruntled frown. "My sword was given to me by His Highness to kill enemies... I can't believe it's now being used to cut grass!" he grumbled.
Hajime walked over to the two, wiping sweat from his forehead. "How about the side? Should we cut down those vines too?"
Yul shook his head. "No, leave it alone. We want to keep a low profile."
U-ri sighed as he picked up an armful of tangled vines. "Low profile? We're living in a legendary haunted house. We are no longer keeping a low profile. But at least no one will come to visit."
After Michio finally cleared the door, he wrestled it open. A powerful, choking cloud of musty, damp decay rushed out, making him stagger back. "I think we might want to open all the doors and windows for a while before we go in," he advised, gingerly stepping across the threshold.
Hajime followed him into the small, single-story building. Inside, he found just one large, open space with a small, inground firepit. There was a window on the left wall and another on the right. He pushed the right window open, even though the upper corner of the wall itself was missing, letting a glorious rush of fresh air cut through the stagnant stench. He walked back out.
"There are no rooms," Hajime announced to the others. "Just one big space."
U-ri picked up some discarded vines. "We will dry these and weave them to divide our own rooms for privacy," he declared, his mind already spinning solutions.
"Let's not do anything fancy," Yul said, sliding his sword back into the scabbard on his back. "We won't be here long." He started walking determinedly toward the forest.
Hajime shouted after him. "Where are you going?"
"Look for water," Yul replied, disappearing into the trees.
"He should be looking for food, not water," Abrafo muttered, pointing to a covered well just a few feet from the house.
Hajime looked at the well cap. "Do you think the water in it is good?"
U-ri walked closer. "Usually, unused or dry wells are covered to prevent leaves or animals from falling in."
Abrafo peered at the old stone well. "Well, I don't know. Let's see if it's a dry well."
Hajime, Abrafo, and U-ri approached. Abrafo gripped the wooden cover and shoved it open. The three men stared down into the inky, deep shaft.
"There is water in it," Abrafo said, pulling a broken bucket and rope to the side. "But who knows if it's safe to drink." He tossed the bucket down and quickly hauled it up. The water was surprisingly clear and fresh. He looked at Hajime with a mischievous grin. "Test the water."
Hajime gave him a bewildered stare. "Why am I your water tester?"
Abrafo's smile widened, utterly unrepentant. "You can't die! Besides, we are mortals, and we don't have infinite life like you."
Hajime scowled, but he scooped a handful of water from the bucket and drank it. The cool, fresh water was the best thing he had tasted all day. He drank a second handful, then splashed a third over his face, washing away the heat and dust.
"So... good or bad?" Abrafo asked impatiently.
U-ri pulled out his empty waterskin. "Can't you tell from Hajime's expression?" He immediately began filling his bag.
Abrafo turned and yelled to Michio, who was still clearing the overgrown front lawn. "Michio! Come drink some water! Bring me the water bags!"
Michio grabbed four empty bags and hurried toward the well.
Walking down the old, overgrown path, Yul reached the edge of the forest. He spotted several pheasants fluttering around and soon discovered an abandoned, sprawling garden next to a clear stream. He glanced back; from his position, he could still see the roof of the small house.
Yul looked down at the overgrown garden and identified beans, melons, radishes, gourds, leeks, cabbage, and amaranth—a veritable treasure trove. Following the stream, he found a pond teeming with perch and water chestnut plants. Next to the pond stood an unusual tree: its leaves were a shiny green, and its branches bore both golden berries and some that were clear and transparent. He noticed there were many more golden berries than clear ones. He studied the tree for a moment, deciding not to pick any of the strange fruit he didn't recognize.
Yul stood on the bank, a wave of relief washing over him. If they stayed here for a month, this place held more than enough resources to sustain them.
He turned to head back to the garden when a sudden gust of wind blew past him, and a soft, high female voice humming stopped him dead.
"Hummm...hummm...hummm...shh...Hummm...hummm...hummm...shh..."
Yul spun around, scanning the area, but only saw tall grass and branches swaying in the breeze. The humming continued, distant but distinct.
He reasoned that although the immediate area was abandoned, there could still be small farms or houses nearby. The humming was probably just a neighbor. He wasn't overly concerned.
Yul left the pond and walked back to the abandoned garden, starting to pick vegetables for dinner. As another gust of wind whipped past, the female voice hummed the same unsettling notes again.
Back at the well, Hajime, Abrafo, U-ri, and Michio instantly stopped their work. The sound reached them, clear and impossible.
"This is not normal," Abrafo said, looking around wildly. The confused, worried expressions on the other three faces mirrored his own.
Michio asked in a hushed voice, "Which direction is the humming coming from?"
Hajime whispered back, "The leaves are rustling—it's hard to tell."
Another strong gust of wind swept past the four men, and they heard the eerie sound once more, closer this time, clearer.
"Hummm...hummm...hummm...shh...Hummm...hummm...hummm...shh..."
Hajime listened intently. The sound seemed louder, coming from the direction Yul had taken toward the forest.
"Yul..." Hajime said, his voice laced with sudden worry. He dropped his water bag and sprinted toward the road.
Abrafo threw the bucket to the ground. "Michio, you and U-ri stay here!" He quickly chased after Hajime.
Michio yelled after them, "You two be careful!"
U-ri's face was as pale as a sheet of ice. He turned to Michio, his voice trembling. "The ghosts here must be very powerful. They aren't even afraid to come out during the daytime! What will happen when night falls?"
Michio hurriedly pulled a yellow paper talisman from his robe and placed it between his fingers, but nothing happened—no glow, no warmth, no vibration. "Strange," he murmured, looking at the useless charm.
"Do you find anything strange?" U-ri asked nervously.
Michio stared at the paper. "My talisman tells me there are no ghosts wandering here."
"Well, your talisman might be misguided!" U-ri protested. "You and I both heard that humming! And not just us—Hajime and Abrafo heard it too!"
Michio shrugged, trying to sound calm. "I know, but my talisman detected nothing."
U-ri looked at him, utterly confounded. "If it is not a ghost, what is it?"
Michio forced a thin smile. "I don't know, old man, but you don't have to worry. You have four strong men protecting you." Though Michio offered U-ri comfort, deep down, his heart was pounding an unsteady rhythm in his chest.