7: Chapter 7: Never Go Back!

Shaun crossed the street and walked toward her.

Only when he got closer did he see what Nell looked like.

She was even thinner than Gray had described.

Her face was so small that it seemed to consist almost entirely of her eyes.

Her eyes were large and dark, but they held nothing at all, like two pools of stagnant water.

The dark circles under them were so deep they were purple, making it look as if she hadn't closed her eyes for days and nights.

...

Nell just sat there on the steps, hugging her knees, staring into the void in front of her.

People came and went around her, but no one stopped to look at her.

Shaun stopped in front of her.

Nell didn't look up.

"Nell Crain?"

Upon hearing Shaun's greeting, Nell's shoulders gave a slight shudder.

Then she slowly raised her head, her hollow eyes focusing on Shaun's face. She stared for a full three seconds, then asked in a hoarse voice, "...Do you know me?"

Shaun sat down beside her.

He thought for a moment and said, "You went to the police station to report a case earlier. My colleague took it, and he described you to me, so I... came out to look for you."

Nell stared at him, a hint of wariness entering her eyes. "Why are you looking for me?"

Shaun thought about it.

It probably wouldn't do to be too direct.

He couldn't just come right out and say, "I believe what you said, and you absolutely must not go back to that old house," could he?

Shaun turned his head to look at the cross on the church spire, calculating how to phrase it.

After a moment, he made up a rather flimsy excuse. "I don't know. I just felt... it's late at night, and here you are, walking around alone in your nightgown. It doesn't seem very safe."

Nell didn't say anything upon hearing this.

The silence lasted for a long time.

People flowed back and forth on the street. Some noticed a policeman and a young woman in a nightgown sitting at the church entrance, but no one wanted to meddle in other people's business.

"They don't believe me."

Nell suddenly spoke up.

Shaun looked at her.

Nell didn't turn her head, still staring into the void before her. "I went to the police station and told them there was a ghost in my house, and they laughed at me. They said it wasn't a police matter and told me to see a doctor."

Her voice held no anger, no grievance—it was just a statement.

It was as if she were talking about something she had long since grown accustomed to.

Shaun could feel that Nell was already disheartened and on the verge of a breakdown.

If no one stepped in, she would surely be completely finished.

So, Shaun took a deep breath and said, "I believe you."

Nell turned her head sharply.

For the first time, there was a ripple in those stagnant, water-like eyes.

"What did you say?"

"I said," Shaun looked at her, "I believe you."

Nell stared back at him for a long time.

Then her eyes turned red.

"What reason do you have to believe me?" Her voice began to tremble. "You don't even know me, you don't even know what kind of ghost I'm seeing, so why do you believe me?"

Shaun was silent for a second, then said, "Because that ghost has a crooked neck."

Nell froze completely.

Shaun continued, his voice surprisingly calm. "He wears a top hat. He's very tall, very thin, and he's always hunched over when he stands."

"He stands by your bedside every night, just watching you. He doesn't do anything, he doesn't say anything."

Nell's lips began to tremble.

"How do you know?"

Shaun didn't answer.

Nell was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into tears.

It wasn't a wail, but the kind of crying that had been suppressed for a long time and finally could be held back no longer.

She buried her face in her knees, her shoulders heaving without a sound, only large teardrops falling one by one, hitting the stone steps of the church.

Shaun didn't move or speak.

He just sat beside her, keeping her company in silence.

After a long while, Nell finally composed herself and asked, "Who on earth are you?"

Shaun thought for a moment and replied, "My name is Shaun, and I'm a police officer who is willing to believe you."

Nell opened her mouth, her voice exceptionally hoarse. "Do you really believe me?"

"But why?" She leaned forward, staring intently into his eyes. "Everyone says I'm crazy!"

"My sister says I was like this when I was a child. She took me to see seven doctors. My father... my father stopped talking to me later on. What reason do you have to believe me?"

Shaun was silent for a while.

He couldn't tell her the truth.

So he could only say, "There are many things in this world that are hard to explain. Clearly, I also possess some abilities that most people don't know about."

As Shaun said this, he nodded, his expression very firm.

This expression finally allowed Nell to open up, even though Shaun already knew everything she was about to say clearly.

"Then tell me, what should I do?"

"I don't know who to trust anymore!"

Nell lowered her head. Though her expression couldn't be seen, it must have been very painful.

"I've been taking the medicine prescribed by doctors for three years, but it's useless. Priests have sprinkled holy water on me, but it's useless."

"I've tried moving, I've tried leaving the bedroom lights on all night, I've tried putting a Bible under my pillow..."

As she spoke, she raised her head again, tears streaming down silently.

"He's still there! Every night he stands by my bedside!"

"Just standing there, hunched over, watching me."

"I know what I should do," her voice suddenly became very soft. "That voice told me."

A chill ran down Shaun's spine, and he immediately pressed, "What voice?"

Nell's gaze became somewhat unfocused. "I don't know whose it is. There's just a voice in my head."

"It says... it says that as long as I go back to that old house, back to that basement, everything will end."

Upon hearing this, Shaun's breath hitched.

That voice.

The voice that was leading her to her death.

"Listen to me." His tone suddenly became very heavy, so heavy that Nell was taken aback.

"Nell, look at me."

Nell looked at him.

"I don't know where that old house is," Shaun said, enunciating every word. "But no matter where it is, and no matter what that voice tells you... right now, absolutely do not go back."

Nell blinked.

"That voice is lying to you. The 'everything will end' it speaks of is not the kind of ending you think it is."

Nell was silent.

After a long while, she asked, "Then what should I do?"

Shaun took a deep breath.

Right, what should she do?

That's right!

This really was a critical question at the moment.

Could Nell even be left to fend for herself tonight?

If she spent the night alone, she would surely be done for!

So Shaun tested the waters, "Do you have anywhere to go tonight?"

Nell shook her head. "I originally thought the police would be able to help me... but they laughed at me, so I..."

Shaun understood; Nell was worried about this too.

So Shaun immediately stood up, brushed off his pants, and said, "Alright, come with me."

Nell looked up, watching him warily. "Where to?"

Shaun was taken aback for a moment, then realized his words were indeed ambiguous.

"Don't misunderstand," he raised both hands. "I'm not taking you home. I'm taking you somewhere absolutely safe!"

As he said this, he repeated, "Absolutely... safe!"