The Wrong Person Was Transported to the Horrific Lost Village

The day went on. Bessie had errands to do, excited that she had to make sure the inn was stocked for us, so she went off and left us to our devices. With only a few hours before dusk, we sat down in Ryza's room and started chatting.

"So, this is my EVP Recorder," Haunting said, putting a device on the table we were sitting around.

"Looks like a regular tape recorder," I said, sipping my tea.

"And this..." she pulled out something that looked like a radio box with a display. "This is my spirit box. It sweeps through frequencies, and if there's a ghost talking, it might pick it up."

"Looks like a radio."

Haunting then pulled out a strange device--one like a disc on a stand. "This is my dot projector!" Haunting pressed on a button and filled the room with green dots.

"Wow," Hari said, dazzled like the child she was.

"Huh... Looks like something you'd see at a rave--"

"Oh, come on, Mari!" Haunting cried as she shook my arm. "Take me seriously."

"I do take you seriously. Anything else in the bag?"

She pulled out what I recognized as a Celtic cross. "A cross for the demons. And other baddies."

"Looks like it'd leave a good dent in someone's skull," Ryza said.

"I don't want to use this on people," Haunting said.

"Well, you never know," Ryza said with a playful shrug.

"I've got a few other things, but only pros will get what I'm talking about..."

I laughed at Haunting's pout. She was amusing.

"So, Mari," Ryza started, putting down her cup. "What do you make of this place?"

"Other than the obvious?"

Haunting nodded repeatedly. "Yeah, what else can you say about this crazy place beyond it is super crazy and super exciting?"

"Okay, let me clarify," Ryza said. "Let's put aside the 'set piece.' What do you think about the characters here so far?"

"The characters..."

"Lorio, Pitter, Riggs, the fair Bessie, that nervous-looking Anabelle, and so on and so forth? I've been watching how people look at each other. It's interesting. They're friendly, but it looks like everyone has a cautious eye on each other. I'm sure this business with the Goals makes it worse."

My hand went to my chin as I pondered. Haunting meanwhile chimed in with an interesting observation.

"If we're talking about people, it's weird that there doesn't seem to be little kids here."

Both Ryza and I looked at Haunting, surprised.

"What?" she asked. "You didn't notice?"

"I did," Hari said, sipping on her juice. "I noticed that some people were giving me lingering stares too..."

"Yeah, I noticed that," Ryza followed. "Was it because there aren't many kids here?"

"If people are staring at Hari though because of something having to do with no kids, though," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Why didn't Bessie or Anabelle alert us to whatever is causing concern?"

Haunting stuck a finger out, an idea in mind. "Let's think about it from a horror perspective. If there are no kids, people are staring, but our liaisons aren't speaking, then there must be something unpleasant going on. The fact that no one has given us any clues means that whatever it is is not urgent, however. In other words--"

"I do not have to worry for my safety at the moment," Hari said, letting out a sigh.

Ryza cocked her head as her expression twisted. "Hold on, do we think kids are targeted here?" She shook her head. "I'm glad I asked what you two thought--"

"You didn't actually ask me," Haunting whispered.

"--I wouldn't have made that conclusion on my own."

"Lorio gave us his speech about this place and rules, however," I said. "If such targeting is occurring, there must be some rule behind it. If there's a rule, then we'll know ahead of time if something like a childnapper is on its way."

"Hold on, Mari," Haunting said. "If people are still tense, doesn't it imply that they've failed to prevent the child-napping? Assuming there were, in-fact, children here before Hari."

Hari shivered. "This is concerning."

"What about teenagers? Did anyone notice teenagers?" Ryza asked. "We brought a few with us..."

"I'm not sure," I said. "Though... I'm not very good with distinguishing a sixteen-year-old from, say, a nineteen-year-old."

Ryza clicked her tongue. "I can imagine something like, "those 17 and under are hunted..." She shook her head. "We should probably ask who the youngest people in this village are."

"Do you think they'll be okay with us asking?" Haunting asked.

"I'd bet Pitter and Lorio would be happy to ask. I wouldn't ask anyone else carelessly. You never know who you might trigger."

"Hmm..." Haunting said as she stirred her tea. "There are myths about things that kidnap children... The stories I know mention that they switch out the kids with their own, and let the swapped live among human populations."

"Why?" Ryza asked, raising a brow. "Why swap them out. Do the fakes eat the humans?"

Haunting shrugged. "They just grow up as kids, maybe strange, but otherwise, they're fine. Maybe they have a secret life that no one knows about. Maybe they don't."

"I've heard about stories similar to those... about fairies that replace kids," I said. "Given that there aren't kids in general though..."

"Yeah, it's not the same buuuut fairies are traditionally pranksters... This could be one giant fairy game. Maybe fairies that like kids," Haunting replied.

"I like this," Ryza said. "We've got questions we can ask... Haunting, I am going to go out on a limb here. Do you have any fairy-catching devices in your bag of tricks?"

"Well, before today, I didn't think fairies existed."

"Seriously?" Ryza asked.

"What? Fairies are supposed to be made up. Ghosts are real, though--"

"And demons, apparently," I added.

"Everyone knows demons are in the same realm as ghosts, Mari."

I looked at Hari's wide-eyed stare then back at Haunting. "I can guarantee you that 'everyone' is very small."

"No, everyone who listens to my show knows this. Anyway, I had another thought about the villagers."

Ryza chuckled. "Well, don't keep us waiting here."

"Are we absolutely sure that the villagers are real?"

Ryza crossed her arms and tilted her head.

"We... should be careful about embarking down that road," I said. "I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping that possibility in mind, but in my case, I have no reason to stop at the villagers. I wasn't on the bus. This whole place could be made to torture me. Maybe I'm dying in a forest somewhere, and this is my hallucination." I sipped my tea. "I do wish I could have had a better one in that case." 

"I'd say everyone on the bus is real," Ryza followed. "We all came from outside."

"That would be my first instinct too," Haunting said. "Most Supernaturo case scenario--all the villagers are dead and don't know that they're ghosts."

Hari sipped on her juice. "That's morbid."

"But it'd be a twist in a horror movie!"

"I don't like horror..."

Ryza locked eyes with me. "Where are you leaning, Mari?"

"Well, I truly believe that all of the bus riders are real. As for the villagers... I don't think all of them are fake... but... If I was making a prison that tested the prisoners... I would definitely mix in some of my own agents to further control the situation... The best lies are the ones with a little truth in them."

"That's even more paranoia-inducing. I wonder if the villagers have already gone through these thoughts as well..."

"We shouldn't let ourselves be overwhelmed by possibilities. Let's focus on what can be done now," Hari said.

Ryza nodded. "We need to gather information. The sooner we know everything the villagers know, the better... Tomorrow, let's pair up and look around and get a sense of the land. I'll go with the kid here. Mari, you pair up with Haunting since you get along. How does that sound?"

"No problem," I said as Haunting squealed. "One of our priorities should be confirming the situation regarding children."

"Definitely."

"Oh my god, I love you, Ryza," Haunting said, looking like she was about to cry.

We talked for a little longer, but eventually, I got up and took Haunting with me, telling Ryza and Hari that I wanted to speak with her for a little while. Ryza looked like she wanted to chat with Hari too, so it worked out.

"Would you mind meeting up when dusk falls? I'd like to watch the Jailers together. You know, see what insights we might come across," Ryza said right as we left.

"Sounds good..." I cracked a smile. "If you all are fake, way to go. You got me. I don't understand why you would wait to off me when you could have done it in the forest, but regardless, you got me."

Ryza laughed. "Don't sell yourself short, Mari. You're as tricky as you are enchanting."

Haunting poked her head back into the room. "Ryza, I don't like you anymore." 

I pushed Haunting's head out. "Get moving, Haunting."