Page 38 of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

“Nikaro always likes to be so dramatic,” the foreman said softly—as if more to himself than to Yumi. “Always needs to be at the center of everything. And we know how much he likes a good lie… Doing his job never has been good enough for that one. Needs people paying attention to him, telling him how great he is.”

Painter stepped back, his stomach turning over. He’d long known what the foreman thought of him, but hearing it still hurt.

“Foreman-nimi?” Yumi asked. “There was a family. They saw it, and Painter wants to check on them. He promised them financial help? He gave me an address…” She stood and wrote it quickly, able to write in his language as he was able to write in hers.

The foreman grunted and read the address. This finally seemed to give him pause. But then he tucked it away in his pocket and shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you,” she said, bowing again. “Thank yousomuch.”

She left, holding the door long enough for Painter to slink out behind her.

“There,” she said, halting at the curb. “We handledthat.”

“Except we didn’t,” Painter said. “He didn’t believe you.”

“What? He said—”

“He said what he needed to,” Painter explained, “to get you out thedoor. But he thinks I made up the story about the stable nightmare in order to get attention. That (lowly) man!”

Yumi appeared to shrink farther into her oversized clothing. “So he’s not going to stop the creature?”

“Doubt it,” Painter said. “If we’re lucky, he’ll check on the address. But it’s been three days—and I told the family to get out of town. They’ll likely have found a way, even without the money I promised them.”

“He might look into it,” Yumi said. “Maybe he’ll find them and see evidence of the nightmare?”

“Maybe,” Painter said, sighing. “Hopefully. Unless he decides to ‘take care’ of things by writing me up.”

“Your world makes no sense,” Yumi said. “People simply…mislead one another?”

“I’ll bet they do the same on your world,” Painter said. “Just not around you. People are people, Yumi. Your world is different, yes, but I doubt it’sthatdifferent.”

She started toward his flat again, and he gave minimal guidance as he walked beside her, fuming. And, deeper inside, feeling utterly humiliated. Based on the foreman’s expression and attitude, the man wasn’t going to investigate at all.

That nightmare had been crafty, powerful. Painter had given it a fright, so it might stay away a few days. But itwouldbe back.

“What if you’re right?” Yumi said as they walked. “What if the spirits sent me here to help you with this nightmare? What do we do?”

“I’m thinking about it, okay?” Painter snapped.

By the time they neared the apartment building though, he still didn’t have any good answers. Maybe…the nightmare would get noticed by someone else? But if it had gone this long without being captured, thenit must be distinctly cunning. It would probably only draw attention once it started killing…

“Hey!” a voice said. “It’s you!”

Painter and Yumi stopped on the street by the apartment building as Akane came out the front door. Gorgeous as always, she was wearing street clothing again—skirt, blouse, makeup—rather than her work gear. She went out most evenings before their shift began, clubbing, or…other normal-person things?

He didn’t really know, to be honest. Perhaps this was what she wore to go to the grocery store.

“Yumi, was it?” Akane said, looking her up and down, lingering on the sweater-turned-skirt.

“Yes,” Yumi said. “Um…I lost my trunk of clothing on the way here. I had to borrow my brother’s things.”

“Good save,” Painter said. “Get rid of her. We need to get back to the flat and discuss what to do.”

“I haven’t seen Nikaro around,” Akane said. “What’s up with him? He hasn’t been reporting to his shift.”

“Oh!” Yumi said. “He has…um…some big project he’s been doing. Somewhere else.”

“Your brother,” Akane said flatly, “invited you to the city, thenleftyoualone.Afteryou’d lost your luggage?”

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