Since they've found the Camer Obscura, stranger things have happened. They've seen more ghosts with their very eyes. Some of them just watch them. Some of them whisper things to them, and some of them attack. Leo could no longer say he didn't believe in ghosts and now he was determined to figure out exactly why these woods are haunted. Even though he and Ken were both frightened, they had a mission to carry out and they still had to find Hongbin as well. Leo just hoped that they wouldn't get to him too late.

The further they went, the stranger Ken began to act as well. He would blank out and stop while they were walking. It had happened several times now and Leo was beginning to worry.

"Ken!"

"...Huh, what is it?" Ken said finally breaking out of his trance.

"You just did it again...are you sure you're okay? I'm really starting to worry about you," said Leo staring directly at Ken.

"I..I don't why I keep doing that.."

"Wait, Ken what's that?" Leo said pointing to Ken's arm. There was a large cut on his arm that was dripping dark blood.

"Huh? When did this happen??" Ken said in shock looking at his own arm. Leo reached into his bag and grabbed a bandage, then patched it over the cut.

"Did you cut yourself on a branch or something?" asked Leo. Ken shook his head.

"No I didn't. I think I'd remember getting a cut this big," Ken replied. The blood began to seep through the bandage.

"Whoa this is really bad. The bandage isn't working.." Leo said trying to wipe the blood. He grabbed a towel from his bag and wrapped it around Ken's arm over the bandage.

"Thanks Leo," Ken said giving a soft smile to Leo. Leo nodded and tied the towel tightly to ensure that Ken didn't bleed through the towel.

"Come on, let's keep moving." They continued deeper into the woods.

"You know, the further we go, the creepier it gets. It feels like we've been walking around in here for hours. What if we don't find Hongbin?" said Ken.

"Don't talk like that. We'll find him. I know he's here and I know he's still alive. He and I think alike. He wants to figure out exactly what's going on in here and so do I," said Leo.

"Oh, so I guess you guys are pretty close then...." Ken said in a low voice.

"I guess you could say that. We have eachother's backs I know that for sure," Leo said, then turning back to look at Ken. "What's wrong?"

"Oh..nothing. It's just..how come you never want to work with me?" Ken asked keeping his head low.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well...it's just..whenever we're partnered up..you always snap at me and treat me like crap,"

"Because you do and say things that annoy me."

"I only do that because otherwise you won't talk to me at all...and I really wish you did.."

"Hm? Why?"

"Because I like---" Ken stopped in mid sentence and also stopped walking. Leo turned around to see Ken with the same blank look as before.

"Ken? Not again.." Just when Leo began to walk over to check on Ken, Ken started dashing ahead. Leo was caught by surprise and started to run after him. "Ken stop!! Where are you going??" He worriedly called after him.

It was exactly like the first time Ken was in a trance. Running forward into the thick fog. Leo almost caught up with him. He could still see his figure running. Leo reached out his arm to grab Ken's shoulder. Got him. He turned him around, but...it wasn't Ken. A woman with blood pouring out of her eyes...her eyes which were no longer there. They had been poked out or gouged it seemed. She was indeed a ghost. Leo backed away in fright as the woman lundged her arms out at him.

"My eyes!!! My eyes!!!" The ghost screamed as she moved forward trying to claw at Leo. Leo quickly took out the camera and aimed it carefully. He flashed one picture. The ghost screamed as she was pushed back. He snapped another photo, carefully conserving the film. For it was the film that would keep him alive. After the third photo, the woman perished into thin air and the fog disappeared. But...Ken was nowhere in sight.

"Ken?" Leo called out. No answer. "Ken! Where are you?!?" Still no reply. Leo shined his flashlight all around in different directions, expecting to see the boy hiding somewhere in an attempt to scare him but he was nowhere to be found. Leo's breathing picked up, afraid that his colleague was had wandered off and gotten lost somewhere. He was worried that Ken was taken by the ghosts...he was afraid of what would happen to him. 

Just as Leo was about to continue forward, his flashlight shined on two pieces of paper on the ground where the ghost had stood. Clues perhaps? Leo thought. He bent down to pick up the first note. It was from Hongbin.

The longer I search these woods, the madder it becomes. There are angry spirits all around me. Something horrible happened to these spirits and I think it has something to do with Ayame.. I keep finding her notes and I even hear someone whispering her name sometimes..

I'm getting a strange feeling about the white lotus. Every time I see it, it's still oddly glowing. But I've noticed something else. Whenever I see it again...a petal is missing. I have a bad feeling...I really don't want to be there when the eight petal is gone...but I've already come this far. I need to see this through. 

I'm leaving my notes for someone to read if they come looking for me. Please if you are at this point, please turn back. The further you come, the more trapped you become as well. I don't want anyone else to get caught up in this situation..

Leo sighed when he finished reading the note. He knew for a fact he wouldn't leave until he found Hongbin, and now he had to find Ken too. He turned his attention to the second note on the ground and picked it up.

Ayame's Notes:

I kept waiting...and waiting..but they never came back...

They abandoned me....

All people are the same..they tell you one thing then do the other..it's sickening..

I'm not waiting anymore...

I want revenge...

I need revenge...

The Lotus Woods was never home...they kept me locked away...they wanted me gone and so did the world.

Fine..if that's what they want...I'll help

Lalalalala......everyone will die.

Leo dropped the note and slowly backed away. Just who was Ayame and why was she so upset? Her notes were almost like riddles, and the more he found, the more since they started to make. Could it be Ayame who called Ken into the woods? Is her spirit trying to lure him in to kill him?

All of these thoughts ran through Leo's head, making him worry more and more about the younger. He had to hurry up and find him before something else did...