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- Into the Pages -

By R

Finding this mansion of a home in the middle of nowhere wasn’t easy. No roads show on the maps leading up to it. It’s as if this place doesn’t exist. “Is this the Fujimura residence?” I shout to the woman over the rain. The rain is pouring so hard now it feels like it could tear right through my coat. I hate the rain. It’s the worst weather to work in.

“Yes sir.” The small woman opens the door wider and steps aside to let me in. I rush inside, soaked and dripping. The entrance hall is absolutely breathtaking. My eyes slowly trail up the walls as I admire a very detailed painting on the ceiling: a half nude woman and three children dancing in a garden. The door locks behind me and my attention is brought back to ground-level.

“You must be Mr. Sadow?” The small woman walks up to me smiling. She reminds me of my mother. Frail, gentle, and kind. You’d never suspect she’d murder her husband. I chew on my withered toothpick and move it over to the other cheek. I spare a small grin and hold out my hand to her.

“Yes, that’d be me.” Her handshake seems gentle but offers a firm grip. “Now I doubt you’re Mr. Fujimura?”

She lets out a small giggle and smiles. “No, unfortunately Mr. Sadow, I’m Hisa, Mr. Fujimura’s butler. However he will be joining us for dinner after the other guests arrive. May I take your coat? We wouldn’t want an accident to happen.”

She tilts her head slightly to the side and makes an awkward smile. Was there a hint of malevolence in that smile?

I pause for a second and give her a questioning look. “Accident?” I say.

“You’re dripping wet Mr. Sadow. You’ll track puddles around the house, and that is just an accident waiting to happen.” She lowers her eyes to my feet and points at an imaginary trail of water down the hall.

“Oh, yes of course.” I unbutton my coat and hand the dripping rag to Hisa. She makes a faint disgusted face as she takes it. “You mentioned other ‘guests’?” I ask as Hisa attempts to gather up my coat to keep it from dripping any more into the hall.

She starts to walk past me and stops in front of a large door some ways down the entrance hall. “Make yourself at home in here Mr. Sadow. The rest of the guests will be arriving, and I must attend to my duties to make sure everything runs smoothly tonight.”

She grabs the knob of the large door and put her hand out to invite me inside. I give her a suspicious glance as I walk into the dim lit room. The door closes behind me, and I find a long-legged woman sitting on a blue velvet couch. She’s dressed in a beautiful floral gown with pink hair and butterflies pinned into it. She glances up from her phone to look at me. Her eyes are lit up with gold and pink sparkles that circle them, and pink lips that gleam even in the dimmest of light. I want to say hello, but my voice doesn’t come out.

“Oh, hello there!” says a male voice from the corner of the room.

I turn, a bit startled. I see a small group standing by the mini bar. They’re all looking at me with drinks in their hands. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have mistaken them all for a damn painting with their ornate clothes and dead stares. The man who greeted me walks over and holds his hand out. I take his hand and nod my head.

“I’m Kesler Novack, and this is my wife, Akira.” He directs his head to the woman seated on the couch. I make a quick smile to her and pull my attention back to Kesler. No need to make any more eye contact with this man’s wife than I already have.

“I’m Sadow,” I nod and shake his hand firmly. “Nobody informed me this was a formal occasion, or else I would have dressed up.”

I look over to a girl who looks more bored with her life than I thought possible. Her cigarette smoke glides up to her jewelry crowned geisha updo and she takes another deep inhale as she stares at me.

“Well you look alright to me,” he lets out a chuckle as his blond hair waves majestically, and he puts one hand in his perfectly tailored pants pocket.

This kid can’t be serious, I tell myself. I probably look like a joke compared to these people: old sickly gray shirt that’s seen way too many washes and slacks that don’t quite fit right, barely hanging on with an old worn leather belt.

At least he’s trying to make me feel somewhat accepted in this little humble circle. I look at him and nod my head. “Sure,” I say through a cracked grin.

Another man walks up to us and checks me out from head to toe hiding no subtlety in his actions. “You must be the last dinner guest?” He takes a drink of his clear alcohol, not breaking eye contact with me, and waits expecting an answer.

I shrug my shoulders. “How should I know?” I say. If I had known I’d have to stand in a room anywhere near people like this, I’d have most definitely stayed home.

“If we don’t know how many guests are going to be here, how is he supposed to know?” A dark-haired girl with ruby red lips breaks between the two men and comes up to me. She pauses as she looks at me. Her red dress hangs gracefully on her as she tips her hips to one side and a small grin comes up to her lips. “This is my brother Taru.” She bobs her head to the judgmental twig at her side. “I’m Tora.” She offers her hand to shake.

I take it and smile. “Taru and Tora,” I say as I look over at Taru. “Cute.”

He rolls his eyes and walks back to the bar. Kesler begins to smile and excitedly nods his head as if to genuinely agree with my statement. Someone better start telling me what the hell is going on here, and why I’m in the middle of a dinner party instead of a meeting about a missing person. If Mr. Fujimura knew he was throwing a dinner party this evening, why change our previous agreed upon time to meet in the first place? This is a waste of my time.

I step back from Tora and Kesler and wave to the hundreds of books that line the walls of the room. “What’s the deal with all these books? Does Mr. Fujimura actually read all these?”

“I think I want to say yes.” Kesler steps up next to me and admires the books. “For a man of his age and knowledge I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s read at least half of these cover to cover.” He puts a hand on one of the shelves.

“Or he’s just a collector?” Tora loops her arm around mine and holds it to her. “I don’t see any titles on these books, so I assume they’re only here to look pretty.” She takes a sip of her drink and shoots a glance at me. The woman had a point, not a single book had a title.

The doors burst open and I can feel the room jump from the sudden abrupt noise. Hisa appears in the doorway with another woman behind her wearing a white ruffled shirt and a very tight fitting skirt.

“Our last guest has arrived,” she informs us as she steps aside to let the woman enter the room. “You may join us in our courtyard down the hall in front of you for dinner at your leisure. The rain has stopped and the area is covered, so everything is dry. The food will be brought as soon as all of the guests have been properly seated.” She steps back into the hall and leaves.

The woman from the doorway softly grabs her arm and looks at us. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had a bit of trouble finding the place,” she chuckles and shrugs her shoulders.

 “I had the same issue,” I say.

Kesler turns his body to face the woman in the doorway. “Aren’t you Rebecca Ueda?” He asks pointing at her with his drink.

She makes a quick glance to the group at the mini bar then returns her eyes to Kesler. “Yes,” she clears her throat, “yes I am.”

I notice the slight hesitation to answer Kesler’s question.

“I thought I recognized you. I’m a bit surprised to see you here,” he rolls on his heels and straightens his shoulders, “but I suppose Mr. Fujimura keeps business and social lives well separated.” He turns to face the group. “We can definitely take some pointers from Mr. Fujimura,” he says to us as if he’s teaching a lecture.

“Well let’s go eat and then we can learn all the wonderful things Mr. Fujimura has to offer,” Tora says sarcastically as she leads me, arm still around mine, past Rebecca and out of the room.

We all gather around a meticulously decorated table outside in the courtyard. Flowers and small twinkling lights hang overhead. Is this a dinner party or a bridal reception? I take a deep annoyed breath and sit down. Tora hurriedly takes a seat next to me and shoots me a subtle glance. I pull my seat out and grin at the silly gesture. I sit down and the empty chair to my other side glides out and Kesler’s wife, Akira, sits down next to me. She looks over to me and we make eye contact for what seems like a nanosecond then she quickly shoots her head back to the table. Once everyone is seated, four people in all black start bringing trays with food on them. This feels like it’s going to be the most expensive meal I’ve ever eaten in my life. Well, at least it’s free.

Ms. Hisa finally comes to the table and addresses us, “Good evening everyone. Please feel free to start eating. Mr. Fujimura is running a tad behind but will join us soon. Thank you.” She bows.

“Do you have an estimated time when Mr. Fujimura will be arriving? I have other engagements later tonight, you understand,” Taru says before Hisa can leave.

Hisa rises slowly and locks eyes with him. She’s silent for a few seconds and then smiles. “Of course, Mr. Taru. I assure you Mr. Fujimura will be with us very soon. Apologies for the inconvenience.” She bows again and turns to leave us.

“Bon appétit, I suppose,” Kesler says with a smile as he begins to poke his fork at his dinner.

Everyone begins picking at their plates, and soon chattering and clanging of silverware against plates fills the air. I contemplate picking my fork up when I feel Akira’s arm gently bump against mine. I glance over to her, ready to apologize for nothing, when she speaks to me without making eye contact.

“Mr. Sadow,” she says quietly, as if she doesn’t want anyone else to hear. “I know why you are here.” She puts a few pieces of lettuce into her mouth and chews.

I stare at the table for a few seconds then reach into my jacket pocket and pull out my flask. I reach for my wine glass and begin to fill it with whiskey. I have a feeling this is going to be weird night. Akira watches me as I put my flask back in my jacket and take a drink.

“And why is that?” I ask as I put my glass back on the table and rest my hands on my lap.

She doesn’t answer for a few seconds, and returns to eating her food. “You’re here about the disappearances of people around the city,” she says.

I look up at her, surprised that she does know why I’m here.

“Forgive me,” she turns and looks me straight in the eyes, “I was the one who called and told you to come tonight.”

My breath catches and I’m unsure what to say. I turn away from her and look down at my uneaten plate.

She continues, “My father disappeared after eating dinner here with Mr. Fujimura. I’ve been following these disappearances since then. The news and police reports say they’re suicides or murders. But no one has ever seen any bodies. My father would never have done such heinous acts, but no one was allowed to see his body or even identify it. Even one of the pallbearers said the casket was light, as if it were empty. I’ve tried to find answers, and I know you’ve been looking into the cases recently. That’s why you wanted to meet with Mr. Fujimura next week to discuss the disappearances.”

How the hell this girl knew as much as she did about what was happening at the department made me a little uncomfortable. I look back over to her. Her eyes are glassed over as if she could start crying at any moment.

“And what do you want me to do?” I ask and take another drink of my whiskey.

“Someone in your department is helping cover things up for Mr. Fujimura. You seem like an honest detective,” she takes a sip of her wine and takes a deep breath, “I want you to find out what you can from this dinner and hopefully find out wha-,” she stops speaking abruptly and puts her hands down on her lap.

She looks terrified as she sits silently looking across the table to her husband Kesler. I look over to him and notice he’s also in a frozen state. I soon realize the silence that’s fallen over the table. Everyone looks confused as they silently sit still and glance at each other with only their eyes.

A small frail looking man calmly walks in with the four waiters from earlier and stands at the head of the table. He places a stack of eight thin hardcover books on the table and looks at us.

“My friends,” he holds out his arms and smiles, “I do hope you enjoyed the meal.”

No one says a word. It’s as if… no one can say a word. What the hell is going on here?

I try my best to remain as still and quiet as everyone at the table, in hopes Fujimura won’t notice me. Then something completely unnerving happens. Fujimura’s face begins to fade away in tiny pixel-like fragments to reveal Hisa’s face.

“I’m sure you all are wondering what is happening and why you cannot move? I will gladly inform everyone.”

One of the waiters in black takes the stack of books away and places them on a small table a few feet from our dinner table. Another waiter brings a chair and sets it next to Hisa.

Hisa begins looking around at each of us in the room and stops when she reaches me. “I’m sorry you have to meet your end so soon Mr. Sadow. I was worried when you continued to take an interest in the disappearances after you were warned to leave them be.” Her eyes trail over to Akira, “Looks like Mrs. Novack has sped up your fateful end by inviting you prematurely tonight; which is not a problem for me.”

I don’t move or speak. I look around at the other guests at the table. Is she planning to kill us? Some psychotic serial killer? She continues scanning the room until she finally puts a hand on Taru’s shoulder and smiles at him. He’s immediately pulled from his chair by two waiters and carried to the seat next to Hisa’s.

I can tell he’s panicked. A trickle of sweat runs down the side of his cheek and his eyes are large. He’s panting. I quickly start thinking of a way to stop whatever Hisa has in mind to do to Taru.

“You may speak Taru,” Hisa says as she walks behind him and picks up one of the eight books from the stack on the small table.

Taru’s mouth slowly opens. At first, he appears to be in shock, and then he begins to beg Hisa to let him go. “Please,” he sobs, “I don’t know what’s going on or why you’re doing this but please don’t do whatever it is you’re going to do. My father can pay you whatever you want, just plea-”

Hisa holds up a hand to signal Taru to stop talking. Her eyes close and she turns to face the table.

“Your wonderful parents,” she pauses then opens her eyes, “are the reason you are here today.”

We all look at each other.

“Taru and Tora, your parents have refused to take my gracious offers to join my company and reap the splendors of wealth and power. They have refused to give me what I need and cared little of my threats; just as you did Ms. Ueda.”

She looks sharply at Rebecca whose makeup is already smeared with tears.

“And you Mr. Novack… you thought I was speaking in riddles and jokes. Well I hope now you can see how serious I am.” She looks over at Akira. “Shame your poor wife will have to suffer the consequences with you.”

She turns back to Taru and opens the book in her hands. The pages give off a faint golden glow and a sudden uneasiness befalls the table. Hisa holds the book open in one hand and reaches for Taru’s hand with her other. She holds his hand by the wrist and looks back at us.

“When you all are gone, I will take control of all your assets, and your parents will have no choice but to hand over their companies to me. None of you will leave here tonight.”

She puts Taru’s hand on the book and immediately his body is broken down to pixilated fragments and they begin being sucked into the book. Taru lets out a muffled scream as he is completely absorbed into the pages and the book closes.

Hisa takes another book from the stack, looks at Akira and smiles menacingly. She opens it and the golden light illuminates Akira’s face. Akira doesn’t look at the book, but instead stares at the ground… at nothing. “You’ll be joining your father soon, and you have your husband to thank for that,” Hisa says as she reaches for the woman’s hand.

I must do something. I can’t let her hurt Akira. I grab a dinner knife from the table and silently but quickly slip out of my chair and scurry behind Tora and Taru’s chairs.

Hisa takes one last look at Kesler’s face before she puts Akira’s hand on the book. She sees Kesler looking away from her and towards the edge of the table and Hisa suddenly realizes that I’m missing.

“Sado-,” I interrupt her as I spring up behind her and wrap my arm around her and the book. She’s fiercely strong for a small woman and fights with all her strength to keep me from squeezing her against the open book.

“You’ll never leave here!” she screams. The four silent waiters rush over to help free Hisa from my grasp. In a last-ditch effort to overpower Hisa before her bodyguards trample me, I take my foot and kick as hard as I can into Hisa’s leg. She lets out a yell and we both tumble to the ground face first.

Two of her bodyguards tear me away and I quickly take the dinner knife out of my pocket and slice it through the throat of one of the guards. He lets out no noise but quickly punches me in the nose and stumbles back as he gropes at his neck. The other guard holds fast to my arms.

“No,” Hisa moans, “no no no!” I look over to her crumpled body and see the all too familiar small pixels begin to float up around Hisa’s head. She rolls to her side and glares at me. I can see she’s filled with rage and if it weren’t for her disintegrating body she would have come over to me and slit my throat slowly. Her eyes begin to tear up, “Rip him apart!” She screams as her face fades away into the book.

The man holding me tightens his grip so I can barely move. The three other men gather around me and one of them wraps a black sash around my neck and pulls it tight. My breath catches, and I struggle to breath. The man I had stuck my dinner knife into stands before me with a long sharp faded green dagger. He then takes a hefty grip of my hair into one hand and lifts my head so that I’m facing my murderer.

I ignore the gentle breeze that rises around me and close my eyes. I couldn’t save my father all those years ago, so I became cop, and later a detective. And now, I couldn’t save Akira…

My murderer takes in a short quick breath and I can almost hear his dagger slice the air as he thrusts it at me.

I welcome the pain of death, but it never comes. Instead a faint crackling fills my ears and I slowly open my eyes. The dagger and almost half of the man’s hand has faded away, his face and body slowly following. The grip on my arms loosens, as does the sash around my neck.

I gasp for breath and fall to the ground. All four men turn into particle dust and fade into the air. I rub my throat and crawl over to Akira. She looks dismayed, to say the least. I put my hand on her shoulder and she looks at me. I offer her a smile to help ease her, and she looks down at the ground. At her feet is the book Hisa tried to use to seal Akira in which now houses her instead. I slowly pick the book up and hold it in my hand. No one will believe what happened here tonight. Hell, even I don’t believe what happened here. I attempt to open the book when Akira stops me.

“Don’t,” she says in a pained voice. I stop and look at her. “Please,” she looks at me and I can’t help but obey her.

I stand and put the book atop the stack of other books. We all agree to leave the home and never speak of what happened here.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

I tried to find the mansion of Mr. Fujimura again shortly after, and to my surprise the mansion was gone. Hisa, the body guards, the entire mansion, and the hundreds of prison books in the study had simply vanished, as if they had never existed.

© 2018

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