The Corpse Ritual by Leong Yin

Author:Leong, Yin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kampung Kreepy Books
Published: 2022-08-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Joe heard the bedroom door creak. His eyes flew open. He saw Emma enter the bathroom across the hall. He sat up, racked with anxiety that something was wrong. He glanced over at Junie. His apprentice somehow had managed to fall asleep while perched upright on the rickety wooden chair.

The apartment’s multiplying shadows told him the day was fast disappearing. He swore under his breath when he peered at his watch. It was well past 6 o’clock. He and Junie had slept for more than seven hours.

He heard water running in the bathroom. The door opened and Emma came out to the living room. She looked, if not exactly refreshed, at least less exhausted.

Junie stirred. She licked her dry lips and mumbled something under her breath. She cracked open one eye and almost fell off her chair when she saw Emma.

“We’ve got to go,” Joe told her. He rose from the sofa with a groan—his bad knee had stiffened up during his nap. He limped over to Sze Ho, then Bowman, to see how they were doing. There was no change in the invalids’ conditions.

“Do you mind if we leave you with the two of them again?” he asked Emma.

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “I’ve gotten some sleep. I’m all set for the night. Go.”

He stared at her, uneasy about her being alone with not one, but two developing jiangshi. He wished he could leave a bagua mirror with her. That had proved amazingly effective against Wen Dou. Unfortunately, they were down to one mirror until Elsie could get Amazon to ship more. He and Junie needed that mirror tonight.

At least some of her usual aura of competence had returned. That competence was Emma’s shield and superpower. He was relieved that the sleep had done her good. “Do you need extra talismans?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve only just used one.”

He tilted his head at Sze Ho. “Keep a talisman handy,” he said. “You may need it soon. And remember what I said. Pin the talisman on his forehead if he does anything, anything at all, that makes you nervous.”

“Alright,” she said. “What are the two of you going to do now?”

“We need to track Wen Dou down.”

“How will you do that?”

“I’ll figure something out,” he said.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked.

“Count on it. If you can’t reach me, call Elsie. I’ll check in frequently with her.”

Their eyes met. “Thank you for all your help,” he said. “I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.”

“Well Joe, all I can say is … this has been interesting. I never know what to expect with you. First it’s sealing portals from hell. Now it’s tackling horrific Chinese mummies who’d like nothing better than to suck you dry.”

“Is that bad?”

“No.” She laughed with a spark of her old vitality. “It’s … interesting, like I said.”

* * *

Another Lyft car brought them back to the office. Junie gazed through the Laughing Buddha’s large front window when she got out of the car.

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