Chapter 1 - Rosetta Junction

"Have you heard the rumor?"

Luka's eyes left the pages of her notebook as she reluctantly focused her attention on the girl sitting across the table from her. It wasn't too much of a surprise to see that Miki wasn't even holding a pen in her hand. The girl was a great help in organizing school events and getting students pumped up for new activities, but she had little discipline when it came to actual schoolwork.

Miki grinned, unaffected by Luka's reproachful stare. "It's pretty silly, I guess. But everyone is talking about it and I can't help but wonder…I mean, it couldn't hurt to give it a try. What do you think?"

"I think you're babbling."

"Got me there!" Miki laughed. "But you know what I'm talking about, right?"

Luka let out a small sigh. Of course she knew. Her classroom was abuzz with the stupid little tale. Even classmates she usually considered sensible were intrigued by what sounded like a rejected idea for a girlie cartoon. "Go to the abandoned clinic in Rosetta Street and stand at the top of the red staircase at dusk. You'll see your soulmate at the bottom of the stars when the light stops touching the old fountain," she said in the driest, less enthusiastic tone she could muster, hoping Miki would take a hint and go back to calculus.

No such luck. Miki rested her face on her hands and stared into space with a starry-eyed look. "Can you imagine! Yukari told me a couple of girls went there and saw shadows moving in the yard."

"And then, the mysterious shadows asked them if they had any change to spare, or maybe a cigarette."

"Oh, Luka!" Miki laughed again, undeterred. Luka tended to appreciate her luminous personality, but this time it was starting to tick her off. Mainly because she knew what was coming next. "Can we go after we are done with this? Just for a quick look?"

And there it was. Luka had been expecting that question ever since the story started circulating the school like a virus. Her classmates knew better than to rope her into absurdities like this, but there was no stopping Miki. However, Luka wasn't going to give in without trying to dissuade the younger girl. "Forget it, it's private property."

"I know it's trespassing! But we just go in and out, nobody is going to notice anything if we're quick about it."

"Yes, I'm sure getting past that tall fence and into a boarded-up building is that easy."

"Yukari told me what to do."

Of course she did.

"Come on, please?"

"Even if I felt like breaking the law, that building has been abandoned for years. I doubt it's safe."

"It's not that bad! I told you, some people went there, nothing happened to them!"

Luka's gaze wandered, studying the room they were in while Miki continued to beg in different tones. It was a room the school had set aside for the representatives of each class to hold meetings and organize activities. At the moment there was nobody but the two girls and the afternoon sunlight pouring from the row of windows. Luka examined the bland beige walls, the old cabinets opposite the windows, the water boiler in the corner and the row of mismatched cups next to it. Familiar, boring and reassuring.

"Fine, I'm going on my own, then! I'm not scared." Miki leaned back and crossed her arms theatrically.

"No, you are not." Luka contemplated tying Miki to her chair until the next day and just wheeling her into class. Alas, it would probably constitute a breach of the school's code of conduct. "I'll go with you, but only if you finish those exercises first."

"Yes! Thank you!" Miki bounced in her chair and swung from side to side in a short dance. Luka shook her head but couldn't stop herself from smiling faintly.

"Hurry up or we won't get there in time."

"Yessir!"

Rosetta Street wasn't a place Luka had any reason to visit for the most part. There was nothing there but old buildings at one side and a huge fenced property at the other. The purpose of the latter was unclear: there was a long line of trees planted next to the fence on the inside, and their foliage helped to further obscure whatever lied on the other side. Perhaps it was a private club of some sort, but it lacked any identifiable signs.

In any case, if one side of the street looked somewhat suspicious, the other side was even worse. The old clinic was located right next to a T-junction, and it loomed over the two high schoolers even from a distance. The fence surrounding the clinic, its gardens and adjacent structures had been reinforced with planks of various sizes and colors and was covered in graffiti. The main building itself was dark grey, discolored and severe. Contrary to what Luka expected, she could see several upper floor windows that were completely open. They were like the myriad black eyes of an enormous stone monster staring back at her. As soon as the thought came to her, Luka tried her best to squash it. There were enough real dangers in the world to come up with imaginary ones.

Luka turned towards Miki and saw that the ominous appearance of the building had actually managed to dent her energy somewhat. The girl was fiddling with a strand of her reddish hair, which Luka knew she only did when she was nervous. "Miki, we don't need to do this, you know."

Miki startled, but immediately adopted a confident posture. "I'm not giving up now! I was just trying to remember how to get in. This way!" She ran across the street in a somewhat stiff manner. Luka pursed her lips but followed Miki without comment.

After walking past the front of the clinic, the pair found a small rectangle of cracked cement and uneven grass, almost like an alleyway between the abandoned property and the warehouse next door. The unused space was lovingly decorated with a dilapidated kiosk, some cardboard boxes and assorted trash. With some agility, it was possible to climb onto the roof of the kiosk, and then grab the long branches of a tree that arched over the fence. It wasn't an exercise one would normally be inclined to do in a school uniform, but once more Miki exerted her considerable powers of persuasion.

"You could've told me this involved gymnastics," Luka complained from the top of the kiosk. She took a look around while Miki climbed. There was no sign of activity, fortunately. In fact, she had seen no vehicles pass through Rosetta Street since they arrived. There were no passerbys returning home after work. The only sound was the occasional chirping of birds. The nearest properties seemed as deserted as the street. Even for a calm neighborhood, it seemed almost suspiciously convenient. Luka shook her head, then turned her attention towards the clinic. Why was the property so neglected? Even if it wasn't the trendiest zone in town, it made little sense to waste space like this.

But that's not what's really bothering you, is it? A mocking voice resonated inside her head.

Yes, hard as it was to admit, there was something else. Something primal was tugging at her, old sensations from the dawn of humanity. The more Luka looked at those gray walls, the more she felt something gripping her insides and threatening to overcome her normally calm exterior. She had no name for this feeling. Fear didn't seem completely correct.

"Hmm, maybe we should've changed into our tracksuits for this, hehe." Miki climbed up next to her and examined the branches. "Don't get too many scratches or your admirers are going to kill me." With a grunt, the redheaded girl pulled herself up onto the thickest branch within reach. After adjusting her position, she began to carefully advance towards the clinic.

"Just hurry up." Luka gave a last look to the empty street before following Miki up the tree. The leaves of the old crooked tree caressed her cheeks as she stood on the branch, her hands firmly gripping a second branch almost directly above her. To her right, Miki was circling the trunk of the tree with surprising ease. Luka imitated her as best as she could, trying not to think of bugs getting into her hair or under her uniform.

Once they were past the fence, Luka saw that underneath the tree was a patch of long unkempt grass, sprinkled with mushrooms. And more importantly, a closed waste disposal bin. Was that put into place by previous explorers? It certainly was better than dropping directly to the ground, although it made a huge racket when Miki landed on it.

"Oof!"

"Miki, are you okay?!"

"It's fine! It's fine!" Miki said with a grimace. "Just try to ease down slowly, ok?" She climbed down and stood to the side. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and rotated her ankles one at the time, while looking around.

"I'm truly convinced," Luka mumbled and sat down on the branch.

"Come on, weren't you in a hurry?"

"It's not like I'm an expert on tree climbing." After a moment of deliberation, Luka took off her pink scarf and tied one end of it to the tree.

"Oh, that's a great idea! Leave it there so we can use it on the way out."

"It would've been even better to bring rope. Not that I want there to be a next time, but if you ever plan on doing anything remotely similar to this, I want all details beforehand. At least I can come prepared."

Despite the precaution, the bin made a booming metallic sound when Luka's feet landed on it. The rose-haired girl climbed down as fast as possible, fearing it could collapse under her despite its sturdy appearance. A moment later, she stood next to Miki, both of them gawking at the scene before them.

The pair stood on a rectangular section of terrain covered by trees and unchecked vegetation. It seemed to run the length of the property, meeting the remains of the front lawn and driveway at the front, and the extensive gardens at the back that were delimited by a slender metal fence. Directly to their left was a path wide enough to allow for a vehicle to pass through, and the clinic itself.

The side of the structure was speckled with stains of dubious origin and more graffiti. The row of windows at ground level had been boarded somewhat haphazardly, leaving unsettling glimpses of the darkness within. Some glass still survived, other windows had a dirty mesh covering them, others had nothing but air. Dead bushes and weeds hugged the wall along a narrow strip of soil that seemed to surround the entire ground floor.

"That's our way in," Miki said, pointing to the top of the compact fire escape near the corner of the building. The closest window at the top was completely unobstructed and someone had even marked it with a helpful graffiti arrow and a smiley face. "Let's do this!" Miki took out a flashlight from her backpack and brandished it in the air heroically for an instant. Then she jogged in the direction of the stairs, proving that her graceless landing hadn't done lasting damage.

Luka produced a second flashlight from her bag and rubbed the sticker on it with a thumb for a moment. They were technically property of the school, but they were kept at the representatives room in case of emergencies. Luka dearly hoped nobody would need them that evening. With a shake of her head, she followed Miki's energetic steps.

The base of the stairs had been lazily blocked with some old chairs, planks of wood and chains. As Miki promptly demonstrated, anyone in good physical condition could overcome the obstacle by using the railing and the support beams of the fire escape to climb from the side.

"We made a fair bit of noise," Luka noted as they went up to the top floor. "Did you think any neighbors heard us?"

"Maybe they'll think it's just cats," Miki offered unconvincingly.

From the top of the fire escape, the open window looked slightly less unsettling, as the light coming in managed to show part of an empty room, devoid of any furniture except for the metal skeleton of a bed in a corner. More graffiti adorned the walls and ceiling.

Miki again took the lead, acting like it was perfectly reasonable to go over the railing and onto the ledge under the window.

"Have you considered joining the circus?"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind." Luka waited until Miki was safely inside before she attempted the maneuver. Do NOT look down, she repeated inside her head a few times until she was sitting on the window frame. One leg inside, then the other. Done. Her shoes touched the dusty floor of the room and an old wrapper creaked under her weight. There was more trash littered all over the room, a testament to the popularity of the clinic amongst reckless teenagers and squatters. The walls had once been an aggressively ugly shade of light green, but the ravages of time had turned into a even uglier speckled mix of grey, brown, yellow and the last remaining splashes of paint. There was a slightly bitter taste to the air.

The room had two exits, both bare frames devoid of doors, with one leading to a miniscule bathroom. Miki pointed to the other and said, "The light outside is starting to change. Come on." She approached the empty doorway and examined her surroundings for a moment before turning left and walking away. Luka hurriedly did the same to keep Miki within sight.

As Luka was expecting, they were traversing a long corridor, although its exact length was difficult to determine with the far end shrouded in darkness. Other openings along the way allowed for the afternoon sun to tenuously peek into the structure, forming islands of light where dust motes could be seen dancing in the air.

"This place must have several staircases. Do you know which one we need?" Luka asked in a low tone. It didn't seem right to speak at a normal volume at such a menacing location.

"I'm… I'm not completely sure." Miki admitted after a few seconds, without turning her head or stopping. She also used a lower tone, almost a whisper. Before Luka could complain she added, "But the story speaks of a fountain, right?"

"So it's either at the back or this place has an inner courtyard," Luka surmised.

"Yeah. I think we should take the first turn right we find. And-" Whatever Miki was going to say never reached her lips, because at that moment the silence of the clinic was broken by a peculiar sound that seemed to come from somewhere behind them.

Both girls stopped at the same time, as if paralyzed. It wasn't wood settling or leaking pipes, or anything that could reasonably be expected of a long-neglected building. What was it? It sounded almost like the cry of a large animal, but there also was a metallic quality about it…No, that wasn't right at all. Luka racked her brains trying to identify the sound, but her mind seemed to refuse to even process the oddly muffled whine. One second later, she decided all she needed to do was to get as far as possible from its source, whatever it was.

"Go. Go!" She whispered manically into Miki's ear. The girl looked at her, wide-eyed and mouth agape, but when Luka pressed a hand against her back and pushed, Miki snapped out of her shock and ran. Luka set off after her, her heart pounding inside her chest. Perhaps it would've been wiser to inch their way as silently and stealthily as possible, but something in the sound had awaken an atavistic need inside of her to escape, to run away and never stop. The same fear guided Miki as she ran down increasingly dark corridors, turning corners at random. The sound behind them at times grew in volume, only to diminish moments later. Yet it never went away for long. Whatever it was, it was tracking them.

Luka had barely managed to reach that conclusion when disaster struck. Miki turned another corner, only to drop through a huge hole in the floor with a surprised yelp. Luka managed to stop herself from tumbling down at the last second. She sunk to her knees and pointed her flashlight downwards anxiously. "Miki!"

"Luka…" Although her friend's voice was pained, the mere fact that she was able to reply was enough for a temporary sense of relief. The girl was lying on her side on top of a pile of debris and discarded furniture. Her flashlight had flown off her hands as she fell and lied at the bottom of the pile, broken and useless. "Luka, it hurts…"

"Don't move!" Luka chewed on her bottom lip, trying to figure out what to do. That thing chasing them would come soon. But she couldn't move Miki, not without knowing the extent of her injuries. And how was she supposed to carry the younger girl all the way to safety? That only left one choice. "Miki, listen to me. I'm going to get help. You need to stay as quiet as you can, you hear me? I'll make some noise to confuse that thing."

"But-"

"You can't run, can you?" Luka stood up and straightened her uniform, taking care to keep her hand from shaking.

"I- I Don't think so."

"Then do as I say." Luka said firmly, surprising herself with the lack of hesitation in her voice. At least she was a good actress. "It's going to be okay." Without waiting for a reply, she turned around and ran. Moments later, she discovered a pile of destroyed medical equipment strewn in the hallway. She picked up a metal rod with white paint peeling off its rough surface and began to occasionally bang the walls and remaining doors with it as she ran through the corridors. Somewhere behind her in the darkened maze, her pursuer roared. She definitely had its attention now.

Not even in her nightmares Luka had ever experimented something like this. Running without pause, without any plan beyond confusing her enemy. The limited light of her flashlight turned the obstacles on her path into incomprehensible messes, almost devoid of perceptible weight. The walls seemed all the same, there were no signs left to indicate the different sections of the clinic. No way to know where she was, where the next turn would lead her.

The few times she ran into slivers of light from the outside, the sound was too close to stop and try to orient herself using the view outside. There was nothing to do but plunge back into the darkness, with her throat filled with cold and fear. Her breathing felt so loud, so broken. There wasn't enough air inside this horrid place, she couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe.

Another turn, another long hallway. But there was a faint halo of red light before her. A door at the end? She moved forward, bumping against the walls, tripping, reaching desperately with her hands… She pressed her body against the door, feeling the metal bar across it crushing her ribs. It was heavy, but against all her expectations the door opened and she tumbled outside, into the dusk. Her momentum made her crash painfully against a metal railing, then crumble pitifully to the floor. The shock made her drop both the metal rod and the flashlight, but she barely noticed it. Behind her, the door closed almost without a sound.

Luka curled up over the old tiled floor and sobbed. Her heart was pounding, her forehead, her sides, her legs and feet, everything ached. Tears, sweat and dirt covered her face and hands. Her uniform was torn, her knees were bleeding. For a few seconds, all Luka felt like doing was to lie there and shut out everything around her.

But reality wasn't going to go away, no matter how hard she wished for it. Luka rubbed her face and sat up. She gave a brief look around her, finding herself in a long balcony overlooking the long-neglected gardens at the back of the clinic. There was a set of stairs to her right leading downwards, presumably the red stairs of the rumor given the remains of paint on their railing. Then, reluctantly, she examined the door behind her, almost expecting a huge beast to come out at any second. But nothing happened. And she couldn't hear anything from the inside. If anything, the silence made her heart ache more. Miki was still inside! What if the thing was going back for her?

Luka forced herself to stand and approached the stairs. She had to find a good hiding spot, then call someone for help. Her mind was already composing what she was going to say to the emergency operator when she reached the top of the stairs and noticed that the upper steps were stained with something thick and almost black in the reddish light of the sunset. Her stomach jumped. But it was only an old stain. Nothing more. She just needed to step over it and get down. That was all. She looked down at the gardens to gather her breath-

There was a man below, next to the fountain. Looking away from her at the murky waters inside, hands in his pockets with a pensive posture. He was tall and lean, and wore a neat looking grey suit. Aside from his long ponytail, he looked like any young office worker Luka saw every morning on her way to school. He was completely ordinary, except that he had no reason to be there in the first place. Luka gasped, the accumulated fear from her experience escaping her mouth like the steam from a boiling kettle.

The man turned and focused on her immediately, even though her cry hadn't been that loud. There was neither surprise nor curiosity in his elegant features, just a welcoming smile. The face of someone encountering a much beloved friend after a long absence. But Luka began shaking uncontrollably. His eyes…Even accounting for the glint of the setting sun, they were too bright. Like a fire burning him from the inside out, but instead of shouting or displaying any pain, the man only kept smiling, terrible and gentle at the same time. Even with the distance between them, Luka suddenly felt suffocated, almost sensing the man's arms around her. Like a vision, she saw herself embraced by the man, and he delicately cupping her face upwards. Fire pouring out of his mouth and eyes, and into hers. Fire travelling through her airways, burning her flesh, sublimating her blood.

Luka screamed and shakily stepped backwards until her back hit the outside wall of the building. She sank to the floor once more, her mouth still open, hot air coming in and out as she heaved. No sounds came from the garden below, not even a chirp of a bird.

She couldn't go back inside, but every instinct told her to stay away from the man below. Could she maneuver around him, outrun him? Luka took a couple of deep breaths, furiously thinking. The metal rod was still in front of the door. Maybe she could use it as a weapon?

Why can't I hear anything? What is he doing?

Despite her trembling, Luka managed to approach the railing quietly in all fours. Just a peek.

Nothing. There wasn't anyone there. Just an empty garden, unoccupied benches, plants in need of a trim. An old stone fountain in shadows, the last rays of the sun not quite reaching its stone top anymore. Luka examined the scenery straining her eyes, but she couldn't discern any movement. In any case, she would've heard him run towards the auxiliary construction in the back, or towards the trees to the side of the property. But there was no rustling of overgrown grass, or crunching of gravel. The handsome man with fiery eyes was gone, as if was never there in the first place. With a start, she looked downwards, craning her neck. No, he wasn't on the stairs either, although she almost expected to see the orange glow of his gaze looking up at her.

Luka rose to her feet leaning heavily on the railing. Maybe it had been an hallucination after all, her own brain sabotaging her by taking the stupid rumor and twisting it into something horrible. After all, the man's face had seen vaguely familiar. Maybe she had seen him on her way to school at some point during the week, and his attractive appearance had been enough to file him away in some corner of her mind.

Whatever the case, she needed to get moving, Miki needed her help. She grabbed the rod (though it felt awful to get close to the door) and started to descend the stairs. Once she reached the ground, she again examined her surroundings, but Luka was becoming more and more convinced she was alone. The garden felt completely calm. She shook her head.

"Help! Is someone there?!"

It was Miki's voice! Luka turned towards the menacing building, eyes wide. But the voice didn't seem to come from within its walls. Her brow furrowed, but she immediately set off running towards the side of the building, gripping the metal rod like a baseball bat. The shouting grew louder as she approached the front. There was a figure on the front lawn, leaning on an elbow. Even in the growing darkness, Luka could see Miki's reddish hair. Luka stopped for a moment, mouth hanging open. Then her eyes looked beyond the frail figure-

The metal gates at the far end of the driveaway were flung wide open, letting her see the lampposts and the pavement outside. No chains, no planks, nothing obstructing the way out.

Miki's dazed stare finally centered on the paralyzed figure standing in the shadow of the clinic. "Luka?! Luka, is that you?"

Luka nodded dumbly. After dropping the rod, her legs guided towards her younger friend, even as her mind threatened to collapse. She couldn't form words any more. For all of her intelligence, now she was like a single-minded animal. Escape. Escape. Escape. No other thoughts surged from the raging sea inside her mind. Ignoring Miki's yelps of pain and confusion, Luka forced her to stand and wrapped one arm around her waist. Miki's other arm curled around Luka's neck.

"What's going on?! Luka, please say something!"

Luka didn't reply. She couldn't reply. All her energies were focused on dragging Miki away from that awful place. Miki cooperated as best as she could, tears running down her face. Something was wrong with one of her legs, maybe her ankle. Luka didn't stop, didn't even apologize for making Miki walk. They needed to get away, no matter what.

"Luka, I don't… I don't remember how I got out. I closed my eyes for a minute or so, and then… Luka, how am I here?!" Miki's voice finally dissolved into uncontrollable crying, loud and ugly. But they kept moving. The gates were close.

One more step, one more.

There was a faint rustle, somewhere behind them. Luka didn't stop, didn't look back.

One more step.

More rustling sounds, from different directions.

One more step, and they crossed the gates. Luka looked to her left and saw headlights in the distance. A car, heading their way. That was enough to energize the girls: despite their injuries, they approached the nearest lamppost. Miki used it to keep herself upright while Luka waved her arms, trying to get the driver to stop. Once it was near enough, she realized it was a cab, perhaps on his way back from a long trip. It slowed down and stopped next to them, and the cab driver peered at them suspiciously, leaning across the co-pilot seat.

"What in the world are you girls doing here at this hour?!" His eyes nervously darted from one girl to the other taking in their disastrous appearances, then the dim surroundings, almost as if expecting for someone else to jump out from a corner. He noticed the open gates of the clinic and his eyes widened, before looking back at Luka and Miki with renewed alarm.

"We…we were exploring the old clinic," Miki provided before he could say anything.

"Someone was chasing us," Luka blurted out, her voice a burnt, low whisper. "Please take us away from here!"

The cab driver turned pale. "Get in!" He opened the passenger door, then began to riffle through his pockets, shooting nervous glances at the girls, then to the gates and the building beyond. Luka basically hauled Miki inside the cab, then barely had time to slid inside and shut the door before the driver let out an expletive and turned on the ignition. The car rushed forward down the empty street, clearly above the speed limit for residential areas. No one inside cared.

Miki began crying once more, her face pressed against Luka's neck. The older girl caressed her head mechanically, her other hand gripping tightly the roof handle to her right. Her eyes were fixed on the back of the head of the driver. For a long moment, no one spoke.

The cab reached the end of Rosetta Street and turned towards a more populated road. The driver slowed down to a more reasonable speed and he wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

"What did you see?"

"Eh?" The man said, almost distractedly.

"You saw something," Luka said, her voice still a rough, raspy growl that barely seemed recognizable to her ears. "Back there."

The man hesitated, then gave a nervous laugh. "I thought… Doesn't matter, really. Where do I take you? Are you going to report the creeper?"

Luka shook her head. What would she even say? "I just want to go home." She gave the man her home address. Miki barely reacted at this; in fact, she seemed completely exhausted by the events at the old clinic. Luka decided to have the younger girl stay at her place. Of course, Miki needed to get her leg checked out, but surely that could wait until the sun was back in the sky.

"But if you give the cops his description, you could get a perv off the streets," the driver countered.

"We didn't see who it was." Or what it was. A moment later, Luka recalled the stranger in the gardens, but she felt especially reluctant to speak about that.

"Oh. Yeah, they aren't going to do much without a face," the driver gave a short, quirky little laugh. "Yeah, don't waste your time." He sounded a bit relieved. Perhaps he didn't want to get involved in any dealings with the police after all.

And that was it. The driver quickly moved onto some frivolous chatter to which Luka only partly paid attention as she watched the streetlights go past her window. There was a good number of people milling about, enjoying the night life of the town.

Now that the immediate danger was behind her, Luka's thoughts naturally turned towards Yuu, her mother. She was due to arrive home the next day. On one hand, that made it easier to conceal the whole adventure from her. All they needed to say is that Miki tripped while they were playing a game in the backyard or a similar lie. Yuu wasn't the type to fuss about little things. Luka scrunched her lips. No, if she wore some foundation and tights under her skirt the next day, her mother wouldn't notice a thing. As for the uniform, Yuu seldom asked questions when she asked her for extra money. Repairing or replacing it wasn't a problem.

On the other hand, Luka felt in need of some reassurance. The world had made every effort to stop making sense the last couple of hours. Running to her mother for comfort was childish and embarrassing, but she wanted it all the same. Even if it meant a scolding. Even if Yuu said the whole story was absurd and that Luka was being silly. Actually, that would be better than Yuu believing her daughter had run into something eldritch, Luka decided.

"So I go past this crossing, and then?" The driver's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Take the first left, then go straight," Luka replied. "When you get to the end of the street, take the right."

"Got it."

"Luka." Miki suddenly lifted her head, although her eyelids were still drooping. "I just realized..." A long pause. Luka almost expected her friend to begin snoring. But she continued, "My backpack is still back there."

"You aren't going back to get it, are you?" The driver asked with an incredulous tone.

"No, she isn't. Everything inside that pack can be replaced," Luka replied flatly. "Stop in front of the house with the ivy, please."

The lights were off, just as Luka expected. After paying the fare, she opened the door and the driver carried Miki up the small set of stairs and into the living room. He laid her on a coach, after casting an appreciative look at the expensive decor of the room.

"Stay out of trouble," he said with a wink to the red-haired girl and tipped her cap at her. Miki replied with undesciphable muttering and a weak nod. The driver smiled and headed out, followed by Luka.

"Excuse me," the girl said from her door as the driver walked around his car. He paused with one hand on the roof of the vehicle. "You saw something when you looked past the gates."

His fingers curled, the hand tightening into a fist. His expression was guarded.

"I know you did."

The driver looked to a side, one side of his mouth curling into a humorless smile. "Kid, let it go."

Without thinking, Luka descended a couple of steps. There was no way she could do that, not without stripping her experience from some of its mysteries. "Please, I need to know."

The driver gave out another little chuckle. "How about this? You promise to never go back there, and I'll tell what I think I saw. I don't want to see your face on a missing poster, you hear me?"

Luka nodded.

"Well, it was only for a second, and the place is so creepy, I probably imagined it." The driver played with his keys. "But…" He examined Luka's face. "You know how cats' eyes glow in the dark? Well, there were several sets of those by the main door of the clinic. It wasn't cats, though. It was something else. Too big." He opened the door of his cab and shot Luka a last look. "I don't know what else to tell you, kid. Just stay in the light from now on, ok?" Without waiting for a reply, he got inside the cab and drove away.

Luka stood there for a moment, watching the car decrease in size and disappear. Then she quickly turned around and climbed the steps of her home. With a satisfying slam of the front door, she shut out the night.