“Could you please repeat that? I’m not sure I fully understand.”
Inside the interrogation room, the detective rubbed his temples.
The officer beside him looked equally stunned.
“Was my explanation unclear?” Haley asked, a hint of confusion on her face.
“No, you were quite clear. I just need to confirm… You took a box from a room that was off-limits.”
“Yes,” Paxton admitted.
“Then you took it to an antique shop on the Walk of Fame, run by a Chinese owner, to have it appraised.”
“Mhm,” Haley nodded.
“He told you the Tarot cards inside that box harbored an evil force that would attract fatal misfortune.”
“Correct.”
“And then you actually used the goddamn cards for a Tarot reading?!” The detective’s voice rose steadily.
“Well… yes,” The young men and women, bewildered by the detective’s anger, exchanged nervous glances before nodding hesitantly.
“I think you really should have listened to that antique shop owner,” a patrol officer added from the side, sighing inwardly. He had been personally involved in the welfare home incident; witnessing the bizarre events firsthand had shifted his previous worldview. Their actions could only be described as ‘brilliant’.
“Detective, if I may ask, are you suggesting what that person said was true?” Grant ventured.
“What do you think?” the detective retorted.
“The police actually believe in this stuff?”
“When the evidence is right in front of you, belief becomes irrelevant.”
“I know it’s hard to accept, but kids, there’s so much in this world you don’t know about. Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.” For a moment, the detective felt like he was talking to his past self.
“Respect the mysteries. Don’t test them recklessly. By the time you realize something is wrong, death might already be unavoidable.”
“What should we do now?” Madeline’s face paled with panic.
“If you want to live, go to that antique shop immediately. Apologize to the owner and beg him to save you.”
“Does it have to be him?” Paxton asked.
“Trust me. If there’s anyone who can definitely save you, it’s him. Provided you can earn his forgiveness.”
After leaving the police station, everyone looked uneasy. They had all dismissed the antique shop owner’s warnings. Who would have thought his ominous words would come true? Having mocked him before, now they had to swallow their pride and beg for his help. For young adults whose pride often came first, this wasn’t easy.
“Okay, I admit it, that owner might actually know his stuff,” Lucas shrugged.
“But we don’t necessarily have to beg him for help. If there’s a demon involved, why not just go find a church pastor? Wouldn’t an ordained clergy recognized by the Church be more reliable than some random exorcist of unknown origins?”
“Didn’t you hear what the detective said? This isn’t a game,” Grant couldn’t help but refute Lucas’s statement. Were they really going to be stubborn about something as serious as life and death?
“Regardless, we really should make another trip to the antique shop,” Haley, the one among them most knowledgeable about the occult, finally spoke.
“Everyone knows deep down that Elise couldn’t have committed suicide. And there was no one else in the school building at the time…”
“Instead of searching for a priest who might or might not have real power, wouldn’t it be better to seek help from the owner, who we know has ability?”
After this rational analysis, the group nodded silently.
“Meet at the antique shop entrance at 7 PM tonight. Don’t be late.”
Having agreed on a time, they parted ways outside the police station. They had arrived bewildered, and now they left burdened with worry. The shadow of death loomed over them, impossible to shake. Even California’s perpetually good weather seemed a little less bright.
The sun set, the moon rose, and night fell quickly. One by one, the six of them arrived in front of the antique shop. Seeing all her companions arrive safely, Haley breathed a sigh of relief. But she noticed their somber expressions and felt a sudden pang of nostalgia. Just two nights ago, at this time, they had been laughing and chatting, completely at ease. In just two short days, everything had been turned upside down.
Haley sighed, then, as before, was the first to push open the antique shop door. Her eyes immediately met the gaze of the black-haired young man. He seemed to have been expecting them.
The others waited for Haley to speak, but she didn’t know where to begin. What could she say? That she hadn’t heeded his warning, had been swayed by her friends, and performed a forbidden Tarot reading? That they had attracted a curse and now needed him to save them? The sheer shamelessness of it was overwhelming.
“We… came here to ask for your help,” Grant, standing beside Haley, quickly spoke up seeing her struggle.
“It’s about the box from the other night…”
“I know why you’re here. No need to explain further,” the young owner interrupted before Grant could finish.
“That girl named Elise isn’t with you. She’s gone, isn’t she?” He glanced over their faces and made the statement.
Grant was taken aback, then smiled wryly. This owner’s way of speaking was, as always, hard to take. Sure enough, upon hearing this, everyone except Haley and Grant looked displeased, but they didn’t dare voice their anger. His tone held not a shred of respect. It was truly infuriating.
Su Fan, however, paid no attention to their expressions. He simply pondered for a moment. He had originally thought it would take them another two days to come around, but here they were already. That wasn’t quite normal.
“Did the detective suggest you come here?”
“You…” The group was stunned. Aside from their initial attempts to be friendly, they hadn’t revealed any information. How did he know?
“Did the detective contact you?” Madeline asked, instinctively seeking the most logical explanation she could think of.
“No. It’s fairly obvious if you just think about it,” Su Fan replied casually, then continued.
“You’re currently under threat of death, living in constant fear. But do you know what kind of people die most easily?”
Haley and the others shook their heads instinctively.
“In this world, good people don’t die easily, and bad people don’t die suddenly. Only fools die mysteriously and quietly.”
Hearing this, Lucas, who was already upset by Su Fan’s earlier remarks, couldn’t hold back.
“Hey, I get that you know some spiritualism, maybe even a bit of exorcism. But you should at least show some basic respect for the dead!”
“You think I’m talking about the deceased Elise?” Su Fan looked at Lucas, then pointed at him and laughed.
“Look. This is exactly the type that clearly won’t live long.”
