Hibi 🌺

The floor dropped from underneath my feet, and I was grateful that I was sitting down when the chancellor announced. The silence stretched on and the chancellor shifted uncomfortably at the way I stared blankly at him. “Wait, what?” I laughed weakly. “I’m going to die in a year? Like actually die? Not as a joke? No... No chance of revival or anything? You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

“I regret to inform you I’m not joking.” The chancellor’s face was grim. “At this rate, yes, you will die.”

“Oh my god.”

He laid a pamphlet on the desk in front of me. “Darkwick Academy is known as Japan’s most elite educational institution; but that’s just on the surface. This is our true form.” He flipped the pamphlet over so I could read it.

“‘The Anomalous Investigation Institute’...?”

“Yes. This is an educational facility managed by the Anomalous Investigation Institute. For many years, we have nurtured extraordinary talents to protect the world from the threat of anomalies.” The chancellor paused before adding, “No one outside of the Institute and its associates know about that, of course. If the public learned of the existence of anomalies, society would descend into unnecessary chaos.”

I flipped through the pamphlet, my mind still reeling from learning about my inevitable untimely death. “‘Our mission’... ‘To face the unknown and the arcane without fear, and preserve world peace.’” I frowned at the pamphlet. Sounds pretty odd.  “So... I’m cursed? By a mysterious entity the world doesn’t know about? This sounds like a bad superhero movie.”

“Unfortunately, it is very real. Fiction often takes inspiration from real life.” The chancellor patted my hand in an act of sympathy as I attempted to swallow, but my throat was drier than the Sahara Desert. How did this happen to me? Why me? What did I do to invoke this kind of cosmic punishment!?

“I... I was just taking the train...” My voice wavered. I hated how weak I sounded in front of this stranger.

“Yes, terrible business really. That anomaly is particularly troublesome. That’s why we chose Mr. Hoshibami, one of the more aggressive ghouls, to handle it.” The chancellor’s face twisted in anger as he grumbled, “But he failed to capture or even defeat it. What’s the point of ghouls if they can’t do what they’re expected to do?”

“Ghouls?” I looked away from the pamphlet.

“Yes. Ghouls aren’t ordinary humans; they’re physically stronger and possess special abilities. There should be something about them here.” The chancellor took the pamphlet and flipped through the pages. “Aha! Here it is.” He slid it back across the desk so I could read it.

“‘In addition to general admission students, Darkwick has a special admission program. Participants must be ghouls to qualify’.” I blinked at the chancellor.

“Only ghouls can become special admission students, so they’re usually referred to as ghoul students.” The chancellor seemed particularly eager to explain ghouls and their purpose.

“So they’re not human?”

“What defines a human is a hotly debated topic within the Institute. There are several conflicting viewpoints...” The chancellor murmured the last part, lost in thought. He realized that he was spacing out, and exclaimed, “Oh, don’t even get me started! We’ll be here until the cows come home.”

“What?”

“Anyway, ghouls are kind of like Darkwick’s special forces. Day and night, they risk their lives to preserve public peace! ...Or they’re supposed to, at least.” The bright light of excitement in the chancellor’s eyes faded. “It seems like this time, they were a little too late.”

My cheeks got hot and I ducked my head down to avoid meeting the chancellor’s gaze. My situation was an exception to Darkwick’s normal cleanup routine and that was both embarrassing and frustrating. “Right.” Just rub it in my face, why don’t ya?

“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t be able to discuss these things with an outsider such as yourself. But the Mesmer Matches didn’t work on you, did they?” The chancellor moved, and I caught a glimpse of that familiar bottle, causing me to lift my head to get a better look. It was the same bottle Haku had when we first met.

“Apparently not.” I sighed and fiddled with my ring. I always loved the simple silver leaf design. It was nice to remind myself not everything was coming to an end.

“Hmm... Perhaps the curse is cancelling them out. If the matches worked, then she wouldn’t be cursed anymore, after all.” The chancellor sighed, noticing how disheartened I was. He smiled sadly before reaching forward and ringing a little bell on his desk. Seconds later, a cat bounded down the spiral staircase and rubbed itself against the chancellor’s legs. With a giggle, the chancellor spoke, “Always after pets, aren’t you?” The cat meowed in response. “I’ve got a job for you. Could you fetch Professor Nicolas for me?” The cat meowed again before scampering off. I was still curious about how cats were working here but I could feel the grim reaper hovering over my shoulder and I didn’t feel like asking more questions. “There... is one more thing I must tell you.” His expression was solemn once again.

“Well, it’s not like my day could get worse.”

 “We place all cursed people under surveillance so we can observe the progression of the curse. This is to prevent more victims like you–and most importantly, it’s for your own sake. We must study your curse in order to find a cure.”

“I’ve been thoroughly proven wrong, it can get worse. What do you mean by surveillance?”

“Until your curse has been broken, you cannot leave Darkwick.” The chancellor’s words were the final nail in my coffin. My heart sank, and I could only imagine what the shipwreck of my hope looked like.

“What?!” I leaped up. “You can’t keep me here! I’m not a lab rat for you to study!”

“Ms. Campbell, please ca–”

“Chancellor? It’s Nicolas.”

“There you are! Excellent timing!” The chancellor beamed, grateful that someone else would be dealing with me now. “I was just explaining her curse and the detention process.”

“Right... How are you doing, Ms. Campbell? You look a little pale.” Nicolas’ tone was cautious, like he knew he was poking a hornets’ nest. I could hear the sympathy in his voice and I knew he was doing his best to be considerate of my feelings.

“Well, I’ve just been told I’m being held prisoner so it makes sense why I look pale.” The staff exchanged glances as I contemplated throwing up on the chancellor’s desk out of spite.

“Chancellor... Do you mind if we stop by the treatment room before admitting her? She doesn’t look well.”

“That’s fine. But Professor Nicolas... Please take care that she doesn’t escape.” A shiver went down my spine at the Chancellor’s ominous words. I couldn’t help the unease that built up in my stomach at how serious he sounded. He’s actually going to imprison me?

“...Yes, I understand.” Nicolas looked uncomfortable but he agreed nonetheless.

“Ah, yes!” The chancellor snapped his fingers. “We’ll need to check your belongings, so please leave everything here.”

“Absolutely not.”

“It’s just a routine check, it’s nothing to be concerned over.” The chancellor placed a tray in front of me.

“What’s the point? I don’t even know how to get out of this place.”

“Ms. Campbell.” The chancellor said my name firmly. “I understand your fear and concern, but please understand that we’re doing our best to ensure the safety of our students. If there’s a possibility you’ve brought something dangerous onto the campus, we cannot take the risk. You’ll get your things back once they’ve been processed.”

“Fine.” I relented, putting my bag on the tray. I slipped my phone into my sweater pocket where the bagginess hid it. I kept my jewelry on.

“Let’s go, shall we?” Nicolas placed a gentle hand on my shoulder before guiding me out of the office.

“Don’t let yourself be too disheartened, Ms. Campbell!” The chancellor called after me, as if that was supposed to reassure or make me feel better. “I hope you get some rest.” I thanked him and raced out of the office.

“Do you think you can walk?” Nicolas asked as we exited the office. I nodded right before tripping over my own feet, which didn’t invoke much faith. “I’m sorry. The treatment room is in Mortkranken, so it’s a bit of a walk from here.”

“Professor?” I interrupted, not interested in whatever the hell he was talking about.

“Yes?”

“The chancellor told me I was going to die in a year. Is that... true?”

“Darkwick is on the cutting edge of anomalous research. Unfortunately, that means your diagnosis is likely accurate.” Nicolas’ words only further crushed my soul. Will I even get to say goodbye to my friends and family before I die? Or will Darkwick keep me locked up until I finally kick the bucket? “We dedicate ourselves day and night to anomalous research to ensure that people everywhere can live in peace. That includes researching ways to lift curses like the one affecting you. We will do our utmost to help you. Let’s overcome this challenge together, okay?”

“But why can’t I leave? I have school, a family that expects messages daily, friends that I’m supposed to hang out with, an apartment, a cat to feed, I have a job and trips to visit my family back home during winter. My things have been confiscated, I’m going to be locked up for an unknown amount of time, and nothing has been explained to me. Why can’t I continue living and just get regular monitoring and check-ups? Why does my whole world have to end just because I’ve been cursed by an anomaly you couldn’t keep track of!?”

“...I’m sorry.”

“Is ‘sorry’ all you can say!?” I snapped, anger rising as the words spilled out. “You don’t have anything to say for yourself, or for this stupid school? Is there seriously no explanation for why I’m locked up here like a damn criminal?!”

“This is the Institute’s policy.” Nicolas said gently, unbothered by my outburst. “I’m sorry, I really am. But there’s no way out of this.”

“But–” My voice was cut off by the ringing of a phone.

“Sorry, that’s me. Could you hold on a moment? I need to take this.” Nicolas stepped away from me to take the call. Whatever it was, it seemed important. His voice was drowned out by the thumping of my heart, along with the vortex of my thoughts. Anger and fear warred against each other, trying to decide what emotion I should feel more. A small voice whispered in the back of my mind and it got louder until it was all I could think about. If I stay, I’ll never escape. I didn’t stop to question myself before I started running. I’m running for no reason. I’m scared. I want to go home. I’m going to get caught. I don’t know where I’m going. Is he going to notice? I swear I saw somebody. Why is it so quiet? Are they already hunting me down? How do I get off the island? Where am I going to go? Do they know where I live? Can I hide forever? What if I’m not cursed and they experiment on me? What if I am cursed and they experiment on me for escaping? Is this even a good idea? Will I even make it out of the building? How far can I run before I’m dragged back? What if I get locked up? What if they kill me anyways?

A million questions swirled in my head as I continued running until they mashed together. I needed to get out of here even if I spent the rest of the year running from Darkwick, or I’d be leaving in a body bag. I cursed that anomaly and I cursed the matches that didn’t work on me when they should’ve. I cursed talking to internet strangers and I cursed Haku for bringing me here. I cursed Nicolas for walking me to my doom, I cursed Hyde for interrogating me, and I cursed the chancellor for not letting me go home. I cursed that I had to run just to be free even though I hated running.

“I should’ve taken P.E. class more seriously...” I panted, catching my breath as I bent over to rest my hands on my knees. “I’ve never run that fast in my life.” Once I regained enough oxygen to think, I looked up. The exit was a bit further that way, right? I stood up to survey my surroundings. The corridor was deserted and I glanced behind me. There was a growing nagging sensation of guilt at running away. Professor Nicolas was nothing but nice to me, and I ran away to let him deal with the aftermath of my escape. I shook my head to physically remove that thought. It was him or me, and I wasn’t going to let myself be detained. Whatever happened to him wasn’t my concern, especially if he intended to hold me hostage. What mattered was getting out of the academy and figuring out what I was going to do when I got back to my place. Lock in, Maple. Figure out where the exit is instead of worrying about someone you’ve known for 5 minutes.

I looked around to figure out which direction I’d go when I saw a poster that wasn’t there when I looked before. Oh my god. My face was on a wanted poster. When did they even get that? I stepped closer, and it read ‘If you see this individual, please contact the Department of Anomaly Regulation immediately.’ Fuck. I was so recognizable. Everything about me stood out in Japan. If I was lighter, I could blend in a little better, but I stood out like a sore thumb. How fast was I reported missing? Will I even make it to the gates before they find me? I stared at the wanted poster in horror, and a shout from the other corridor snapped me out of it. I crouched behind a flower pot on instinct, peeking out to see who yelled.

“Hey! What happened to Hera’s Snakes!?”

“The containment box is empty!”

“Crap... Is this an escape?”

“What?! There’s only a couple of hours left until the entrance ceremony!”

“It’ll be chaos if we don’t deal with it quickly!”

“We? Are you serious right now?”

“Do you know how much damage there was when we contained Hera’s Snakes the first time?!”

“Urgh... True...”

“We don’t stand a chance...”

“I don’t want to die!”

“Go ask for a ghoul student to be deployed! Quickly!”

The loud crowd of students ran in the opposite direction, clearly distressed. I sighed in relief. It seemed like something else was taking priority and if it was potentially dangerous, I might have a better chance of sneaking out before they recaptured it. I crawled out from behind the plant before tiptoeing further down the corridor, avoiding the areas with voices. I scanned for people before moving into a bigger hallway with less areas to hide in. The corridors were freakishly long. No wonder the chancellor acted like it was a prison, it looked impossible to escape from.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” A loud, somewhat feminine shriek came from unnervingly close by. It sounded like the type of scream someone would let out while being murdered. “Gyaaah! Gross, gross, gross! Gotta hide... He’s really gonna kill me this time!” The wailing footsteps grew closer.

Panicked, I threw open the nearest door and leapt inside the dark closet. The closet had tall shelves lined with clothing and fabric, and a large, brass mirror loomed eerily in the dark. I’ll hide in here until the coast is clear. I ducked into the corner and shut the door behind me.

“This’ll do!” The doorknob turned less than half a second after I finished hiding in the corner. Shit! Someone’s coming in! I hurriedly grabbed a nearby piece of black fabric, pulled it over my head, and remained as quiet as possible. Please let this work... “Crap, crap, crap, crap...” A cloaked stranger nimbly maneuvered through the closet, miraculously missing contact with me by a hair. “Whatever deity is out there listening, please get rid of Romeo!”

“Fuji~ Come out, come out, wherever you are~!” A sing-songy voice came from further down the hallway, sounding like he was searching for a lost cat. “Don’t be scared! Come on, answer me...” The cloaked stranger made a quiet squeak of alarm. I heard a door open in the distance, and I jumped a little despite my better instincts.

“Huh...? Is someone in here...?” The cloaked stranger whispered, voice trembling a bit. Oh god... What if he finds me here? What am I supposed to do? “No, it’s probably just my imagination... Right?”

“I know you’re hiding, Fuji...” The man gets closer, impatiently opening doors. He was rapidly approaching, and I could hear my pulse in my ears. If he found the cloaked stranger, he’d find me too. “Tch... Not here... In that closet, then?”

“Urgh, that asshole! Does he have a sixth sense or something?!” The cloaked stranger hissed as the footsteps drew closer. I tensed up, my unease amplifying. “Whatever higher power is out there, I am your humble servant!” I couldn’t help but pray with the guy in the closet. Seems like the higher power answered, because a phone started ringing.

“Who is calling me right now!?” The man hissed. “Hello? I’m busy, what is it? ...What? One escaped?” There was a pause before the man continued, “Sounds like our LB.” His voice suddenly raised. “‘Lucky break,’ obviously! Do I really need to explain that to you, moron?!” He sighed. “Yes, good. I’ll find the escapee before the academy does.” Is he talking about me?! With a groan, the man hung up the phone. “Must be your lucky day, Fuji.” His footsteps quickly disappeared into the distance as he began searching for his new target. Silence replaced the tension that he left behind.

“Yeah, it’s bigger on the inside.” Haku glanced at my injury, “Let’s get you patched up. You okay to walk a little further?” I nodded, determined to not succumb to my injuries. Tis but a scratch. We crossed the grounds, cats in hats emblazoned with Darkwick’s insignia darted around us, engrossed in their work.

“There’s a lot of cats here. Do they all work?”

“Yeah, they’re all highly capable and the chancellor’s a big fan.” Haku smirked, “And judging by the look on your face, you are too.”

“Yeah... You caught me.” The cats captivated me. They all looked relaxed with glossy coats, suggesting that they were well-loved and cared for. “...Is that lamp-post sitting on that bench over there?”

Haku glanced over, “Sure is. Wouldn’t you get tired standing all day?”

“Guess I can’t argue with that.” The interior of the gothic castle was magnificent. A vast hallway lined with marble pillars stretched out under an ornately decorated ceiling. The embroidered carpet felt soft beneath my sneakers and I was tempted to reach down and touch it but I didn’t want to be weird.

“Watch out for that shadow, it’s a tickler.”

I shrieked and leapt away from the shadow that’d been creeping toward me when I wasn’t looking. “It’s a what!?”

Haku raised an eyebrow at my reaction, a smirk tugging at his mouth. “A tickler.” He repeated. “Don’t worry, they’re harmless. Mostly.” He winked. Haku told me not to worry a lot, but there were many things to worry about lately. I missed when all I worried about was figuring out when the government worked my shifts. Now I had to worry about mysterious shadows tickling me and lamp-posts sitting down. “I think Professor Nicolas said he was in the counseling room.” Haku set his sights on one of the rooms throughout the academy. “Sir?” He knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Haku led me into the room and we entered a comfortable lounge. A fireplace sat in the center of the room, its fire shining brightly and sending dancing shadows across the wooden walls. “Ah, Maple Campbell, right? We’ve been expecting you.” The owner of the voice was a man with caramel skin, shaggy brown hair, and light baby blue eyes. “I’m Nicolas, Professor of Anomalous Medicine. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, Professor.” I bowed politely.

“Professor Nicolas is a teacher here. The cut is on your right leg, right?” Haku looked at me and I hummed in confirmation.

“Could you show me?” Nicolas asked, stepping closer. I pointed down at my wound and Nicolas crouched down to examine it carefully. He looked up with sympathy in his eyes, “You poor thing. This must be painful.” Duh. He stood up. “Take a seat on the sofa and breathe this in for me, please.” Nicolas handed me a small, old-fashioned silver box.

What is this? I opened it and peered inside. There was a bed of wooden chips strewn inside and it smelled like apple pie. “Is that cinnamon?”

Nicolas nodded, “It is, yes. It’s mixed with willow bark and ginger, and steamed in will-o-wisp.”

“Will-o-wisp?” I inquired, a vague memory of a myth I heard once popping into my head at the mention of will-o-wisps. The memory was too hazy to recall much other than the fact that they were spirits.

“Campbell isn’t a student here, sir.” Haku whispered.

“Oh, of course!” Nicolas laughed awkwardly, “It’s been a while since I’ve spoken to a civilian. You’ll have to forgive me, Ms. Campbell.”

“A will-o-wisp is a type of wandering light, also known as an ignis fatuus. It’s essentially a lost soul.” Haku explained.

“Ah! I’ve heard about them.” I snapped my fingers once Haku told me that. “I always thought it was a myth. I’m guessing it’s not though, based on the professor saying he steamed cinnamon in will-o-wisp.” Having your soul steamed doesn’t sound very pleasant... But it was in cinnamon.

“The effects should’ve taken hold by now. Let me know if this hurts.” Nicolas removed the lid from a small vial that I hadn’t noticed he was holding. He tipped some of the pink liquid onto his fingertip, and gently smeared it onto my cut.

My right leg pulsed with heat for a second before the wound mended itself right before my eyes. “Whoa.”

Nicolas smiled warmly at my amazement, “Do you feel any pain?” I shook my head, still dazed from how quickly my injury was healed. “Good. The mark should be gone by tomorrow.” It doesn’t even hurt when I move it! That was like magic!

“Great! Thanks, sir.” Haku grinned, gesturing for me to follow him. “Let’s head to the chancellor’s–”

“Ah, there she is! The infamous witness!” A blindfolded man with long white hair swaggered through the door with a smirk. He looked shady and to my dismay, he circled me like a vulture. After a moment, he folded his long arms and plopped down onto the sofa across from where I sat. “Looks like a regular girl to me. Must be a side effect of the anomaly.”

“And you are...?” I raised an eyebrow as I questioned him, trying to ignore how queasy I felt now that he was here. Everything about him seemed untrustworthy. I bet he wears that blindfold to hide something! And I bet his hair isn’t even naturally white!

“He looks like the kind of person you’d cross the street to avoid, right?” Haku teased.

“You’re setting a bad example for your students, Professor Hyde. How about you introduce yourself first?” Nicolas scolded him.

“Professor?!” I gasped. “He looks like a walking lawsuit in the making! This is whose teaching y’all?”

“Ouch! I’m not a criminal, y’know. And nobody would cross the street to avoid me, I’m an absolute catch!” Haku and I exchanged a skeptical look before turning back to the mysterious man. “Can’t argue with Professor Nicolas though.” The lanky stranger leaned forward with his hands in his pockets, somehow meeting my eyeline. “Hyde, at your service! I teach Anomalous Biology, and no one cares more about our precious students than yours truly.”

“Sure...” I nodded at him, unconvinced but wanting the conversation to move on. Hyde was giving me anxiety and I didn’t even know why. Maybe the disapproving looks Haku and Nicolas gave him were a part of it. I don’t think I’m supposed to take him seriously.

Nicolas cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’ve finished treating her. Are you going to hold the counseling session now?”

“Bingo.” Hyde finger-gunned at Nicolas, whose frown deepened. “The sooner we figure out why the matches don’t work, the better.” He turned to me and grinned widely. “So how about it, Mabel? Let’s have a little D&M, just the two of us.”

“It’s Maple, and what does D&M mean...?” I looked at Haku.

Haku smiled sympathetically as he explained, “They want to do a psych eval before they take you to see the chancellor.” A psych eval? What do they need that for?

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” Hyde questioned. I couldn’t tell if he was joking or if he was stupid, and I didn’t know if I wanted to.

“It’s really not.” Haku and Nicolas said before sighing in unison. Both of them exited the room. Haku gave me a supportive thumbs-up as he left me alone with Professor Hyde.

Once they were gone, Hyde jumped into interrogating me. “Do you remember the anomaly you encountered on the train?”

“Anomaly...? You mean that creepy flower lady?”

Hyde’s brow furrowed, “Yeah, that’s the one. Has no one given you the brief yet?” I shook my head. “Jeez, how’d you get here then?”

“I was dragged here after my encounter.”

“That sucks.” Hyde shrugged. “Well, that weird flower thing you described is a part of a group that we call ‘anomalies.’ There are things in this world that defy the rules society has deemed common sense. Those are the kind of things people call ‘the occult,’ ‘paranormal phenomena,’ or ‘cryptids.’ We’re a global organization that searches for anomalies so we can study and regulate them. Darkwick Academy is our cover, as well as our training facility.” Hyde threw up his arms like he was rallying a crowd for a cheer. “In other words, we’re the Japan branch of a heroic organization that defends world peace from the shadows!”

“Okay...” I nodded along.

“Not only am I a professor at Darkwick, I’m also one of the world’s leading anomalous researchers. I’m sure you’ve figured this out already, but I’m brilliant, so just lay back and spill all your secrets.” I stared at Hyde, unphased by his attempts to hype himself up while also trying to gain my trust. All his efforts had the opposite effect. “No need to be nervous! Let’s get down to business.” Hyde sat back and merrily called out, “Hodge! Podge! It’s counseling time!”

A clattering noise came from behind me. I swiveled and saw two disembodied hands carrying a typewriter. “I’m going to ask you some questions. All you have to do is answer truthfully. Don’t overthink it.”

“Um, okay...” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, fiddling with the crystal butterfly ring on my finger. I decided to go along with Hyde so I could leave faster.

“You said you encountered an anomaly covered in flowers, correct?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Did you see its eye?”

That horrible monster with its bloody smile and flowers that split open like cut flesh to reveal its ginormous eye flashed in my head. My blood ran cold and my ears rang. A wave of nausea clawed its way up my throat. “...Yes.”

“Did you make eye contact?”

“...Yes...” I lowered my gaze, hands clammy and heart hammering against my ribcage at the mere memory of that monster. Why did it scare me so much? What was it that evoked such a negative reaction from me?

“I see... That’s a shame.” Hyde sighed, “Hodge, Podge, write ‘confirmed.’” The disembodied hands frantically clacked against the typewriter, presumably writing down my words.

“Um... What are those?”

“Oh! Sorry, I forgot to introduce you to each other. The hand with the red ribbon is Hodge. The hand with the black lace glove is Podge. Don’t worry; they’re just here to record what happened to you so we have a report for later.” Hodge waved at me and I waved back while Podge tapped its index finger against the table impatiently. I didn’t realize hands had so much personality.

“Alright, let’s take a peek inside your noggin’ next, shall we? Hopefully it didn’t mess around in there too much.” Hyde handed me a sheet of paper with questions. “Take a look at these questions and pick the answer that vibes with you the most. Go with your first instinct.”

The quiz was shorter than I thought it would be, but the questions weren’t hard to answer (other than the animal one, that one took a minute). Hyde took the paper from me and looked it over, humming in acknowledgement as he read my answers. He turned his attention to the typewriter and whistled as the hands rapidly typed. “Interesting. So you value ideals, huh? You’re mission-oriented and direct your efforts toward reform and innovation.”

“Yeah, that fits.”

“In my experience, you’d do well in Vagastrom.”

“Vagastrom?”

“Oh, they’re going to draw it for you now. They don’t waste any time!” Hyde nodded toward Hodge and Podge who’d acquired a blank canvas and were focused on painting. “Looks like they’re done.” Hyde grinned as Hodge and Podge floated toward me, carrying a small paper with them.

“Thank you.” I looked down at the card-shaped piece of paper that held a beautifully drawn painting of a graffiti-filled garage illuminated by sunlight and full of cars being repaired. It looked comfortable, yet busy and slightly chaotic.

“It’s their gift to you!” Hyde exclaimed cheerfully.

“It’s beautiful.” For a painting that was done so quickly, it had incredible quality. Hodge extended its palm toward me, requesting a handshake. I gripped the extended hand and shook it gently. “Thank you, it’s gorgeous.” Hodge seemed to be pleased by my words, and even Podge seemed to be in better spirits. Hyde stood up and tapped my shoulder.

“Let’s walk and talk. Wouldn’t want to keep the chancellor waiting.” Without waiting for me, Hyde strolled out of the room. He didn’t look back as I scrambled after him, thanking Hodge and Podge again.

“My cut is already gone... That serum worked wonders.” I mused under my breath.

“Professor Nicolas knows his way around a mortar and pestle. Embarrassing in a fight though.” Hyde chuckled at the thought.

“Uh... Does he get into fights often?”

“You saw Hoshibami fighting that anomaly, didn’t you?”

“Hoshibami...?” I squinted my eyes as Red came to mind. Was that the gunman? Kusanagi called him Taiga but maybe that’s the same guy? “Was he the one with the gun?”

“That’s him! It’s common for encounters with anomalies to result in a bit of a scuffle.” He nodded at the card in my hand, “The warding card Hodge and Podge made for you is handy in times like that.”

“Warding card?”

“Yep. Each one has a different effect when you carry it with you. They give you certain advantages in combat. Not that you’ll be fighting any anomalies, but FYI.”

“Wow. Sounds like a video game.” I looked down at the warding card. “What is this picture, exactly?”

“It’s a painting of the house I said you’d do well in. All the students here belong to a house. It’s a requirement. When they go on missions, they usually form teams with other students from the same house. Not that any of them actually do what they’re told...” Hyde’s brow furrowed.

“Missions... That’s where they go anomaly hunting, right?”

“Investigate, capture, manage, research, the whole shabang.”

“Students do all of that?” I side-eyed him. Sending students seems dangerous. Isn’t that essentially sending them to war?

Hyde let out a hearty chuckle. “Being here might change your definition of ‘elite.’” That doesn’t sound good. He stopped in front of a door, dramatically sweeping his arm toward it. “And here we are! The very place our mighty lord chancellor rules over it all.” I awkwardly followed him inside. “Your humble servant has returned, Chancellor!” I leaned to the side to see what he was looking at since I couldn’t see over his shoulder. A winding spiral staircase and a beautiful chandelier caught my attention. The chancellor’s office exuded an air of dignity that made me shudder. Everything about that room screamed wealthy and I felt like a fish out of water in that room. “I brought our witness.” Hyde grabbed my arm and pushed me in front of him.

“You’re late!” A boy with blue hair, blue eyes, and a cat-eared hat scolded Hyde. His hands were on his hips and his cheeks were puffed out as he glared up at him. Is that a child?!

“I did a counseling session with her first. We won’t get far without knowing the cause, will we?”

“But I’m the chancellor! You’re supposed to consult me first!”

“That’s the chancellor?” I gawked.

“Right, right, my bad.” Hyde waved his hand dismissively. “Here’s the results.”

“Not an inch of you means that, does it? Honestly, it’s like you make my life difficult on purpose...” The chancellor sighed, rubbing his temples before snatching the papers from Professor Hyde’s hands and turning his back on us.

Hyde snickered, swiftly turning to me and playfully jabbing my side harder than necessary and I flinched at the sharp pain. “Not what you expected the chancellor to look like, ay?” Hyde laughed, “He may look like he just graduated from diapers, but he’s actually–”

“I can hear you, Professor~!” The chancellor sang, interrupting Hyde mid-sentence.

“...A very important person.” Hyde finished. That wasn’t what he was about to say, but the chancellor paid little attention to him as he turned to me.

“A pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Campbell. My name is Cornelius. Welcome to our humble academy.”

“Delighted to meet you as well.” Nothing about this place was humble, but I pushed that thought to the back of my brain so I could focus on the chancellor. “You’re... pretty young for a chancellor, aren’t you?”

“Aren’t you sweet?” Chancellor Cornelius giggled. “I get that all the time!” I guess the staff at these ‘elite’ schools are just as unique as the students... I watched as cats surrounded the chancellor’s feet, rubbing against him with cheerful meows. “Hush, everyone! I have some important business with our guest. Break time’s over! Back to your posts. Go on, off you trot!” Upon the chancellor’s command, the cats dashed up the staircase and one by one leapt through the window. I hope those cats are magical too, otherwise that’s gonna hurt. “Alright, that’s dealt with now. Please, take a seat.” I plopped onto the sofa, not wanting to disobey him. He seems friendly enough.

“I’ll head out too, then. The materials on the anomaly are over here, chancellor.” Hyde set the papers down in front of him. The chancellor thanked him and Hyde turned to me. “He’s a little long-winded, but hang in there. Bye bye!” Hyde waved at me, then strode from the office with his hands folded behind his head.

“Honestly, that man doesn’t know how to shut his mouth!” The chancellor muttered angrily before turning his attention back to me with a bright smile. “You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you?” He picked up the report that Hyde left. “Let’s take a look at your counseling results... Wonderful! No psychological interference detected.”

“Um... Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“What exactly is this meeting for? No one has told me why I was brought here, other than to be healed. Professor Hyde gave me a warding card, but he never explained why I would need it if I was just here for a meeting.” I took a deep breath before continuing, “I’d like some clarity. Why have I gone through so much to get a meeting with you? And what is this meeting on?” Being able to say all that felt like a weight off my chest. I hoped the chancellor would shed light on the reason why I was here.

“I’m just saying. I’ll have to tell the academy, and no one wants that.” The other guy seemed friendlier than the gun wielding maniac, even though he was crossing his arms and frowning disapprovingly.

“Stay outta my way, asshole.” Red tossed me into a seat like discarded luggage. His sharp gaze never left the man in front of him.

Earrings sighed, “Chill out, Taiga. I’m not trying to steal your prey.” He glanced at me before looking back at the gun wielder. “This civilian saw you, right? I’ll take care of the cleanup.” What!? Oh my god, I’m going to get murdered. This is actually the universe deciding it hates me and wants me to die via mob hit.

“Oh, for real? I’ll go after that thing then.” Red relaxed after hearing Earrings wouldn’t interfere. He adjusted his grip on the gun, heading for the window.

“Yeah, alright.” Earrings nodded at him. “Maybe try not to destroy anything?” Red immediately punched a hole in the window, and Earrings to let out an exasperated sigh. “What did I just say...?” The gunman picked up a handful of shattered glass, grinning widely before jumping out the window and disappearing into the fog.

“Alright. Let’s get out of here for starters.” Earrings stretched before kneeling down on the floor of the train, keeping his back straight. He pulled out a long flute, pressed it to his lips, and blew several notes into the air. The smell of rain filled the car with the beautiful sound of the flute playing in the background and I closed my eyes. The smell brought me some comfort since I grew up in a rainy area. I feel like I’m back home... Maybe I should’ve stayed there. Maybe I wouldn’t be getting chased by whatever that thing was...

Before I could finish thinking about the “what-if’s”, a stream of bubbles flowed out of my mouth. I was underwater. I can’t breathe! Panic overtook me. I didn’t know how I got there and I couldn’t move my body to escape, which made it worse. Everything went dark.

“...line. We will soon be arriving at the final stop, Shimbashi Station.” A voice rang out, sounding like an intercom. I slowly opened my eyes to find myself standing in the same train car with daylight streaming through the windows. I must have fallen asleep and dreamt all that. “Phew, it was just a bad dream.”

“Sorry, but I’m still here.” I let out a loud yelp before I whipped around, panicked. I briefly saw Earrings’ face before a sharp, stabbing pain in my right leg made me collapse. “Whoa there.” He caught me before I smacked my head against the floor.

Earrings gently sat me down on the bench before he crouched down in front of me. “Oops. Looks like we got a civilian injured... I probably shouldn’t mess around with that out here.” He murmured before looking up and giving me an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I’ll do something about your injury after...” He took a bottle out of his pocket. “Let me clear your head first.”

He lit a match before holding it out in front of him. The hell is he doing? Something about the light and the way he smiled was eerie. “Do you know what this is?” Before I could respond, he blew out the match... Directly into my face.

“What the hell, dude?!” I leapt away from him. “Why the fuck would you blow a match into my face!?”

Earrings frowned at my outburst. “I’m going to need you to stay still and look at the match.” I shook my head, refusing to let him blow fire into my face again. He sighed, “Look, this will help you. I promise. I’m going to need you to trust me, just for a bit.” Earrings took another match out of the bottle, lighting it up with the striker strip. He met my eyes calmly, keeping his voice even. “Can you do that for me? Just for now.”

“You’re going to blow it into my face again, aren’t you?” I glared at him, brow furrowed as I fidgeted. I couldn’t run away because of my leg, but I couldn’t help but get more agitated even though Earrings was trying to calm me down. “Don’t deny it.”

Earrings seemed taken aback by my accusation at first, before slumping slightly in defeat. “Yes, I’m going to blow it into your face.” He held up the match, letting me see the flame that was burning brightly without the slightest waver. “But I’m not going to hurt you.” He must have seen the doubt on my face because he quickly continued, “I promise. Just look into this flame, and I’ll explain everything afterwards. Don’t close your eyes. Once it’s over, I’ll make sure we get that cut checked out, yeah?” I didn’t respond, so he tried again. “It’s not hot.” He brushed his hand through the fire and held it out to me so I could touch it. I stuck a finger over it, and it was cool. It didn’t burn my skin at all; it felt cool to the touch like marble. I pulled my finger away.

We stared at each other for a long moment, and his gaze remained soothing and patient. “Deal?” Earrings spoke calmly, staying firm but not demanding.

I held his gaze for a moment before reluctantly agreeing, since I wouldn’t get out of this otherwise. “...Deal.” I fix my gaze on the bluish flame.

Earrings nodded, satisfied with my agreement. “Good.” He brought the flaming match closer to my face. I kept my eyes open as he blew the match into my face again. It felt like a breeze when it blew over my face.

“...You’re right. It didn’t hurt.” I say softly, tilting my head.

Earrings’ brow furrowed. “What?”

I gave him a puzzled look, my brow furrowing more as he seemed confused at the interaction that just transpired. “Um, the match you just blew into my face? It didn’t hurt. It felt more like a slight breeze.”

Earrings looked taken aback by my comment before standing up and taking a step backwards. “The matches... They don’t work on you?”

“I’m assuming you’re talking about the ones in the bottle?” I gestured to the bottle in his hand. His shoulders slumped.

“Bingo. You’re putting me in a tough spot though...” He sighed. “And you’re injured. Guess we should go back to the academy.” The doors buzzed before sliding open. “Can you stand?”

“Um... yes?” Earrings gingerly tugged on my sleeve, and I stood, slowly placing weight on my right leg. I leaned against his shoulder for balance, and we stepped through the door. Like the train, the platform was deserted, yet the sun blazed in the sky. It was a beautiful day, but a silent one. It felt like I was in the Quiet Place. If I didn’t actually fall asleep... How long was I on that creepy train for? Why did it only feel like a few minutes? I wasn’t the best with time, but I wasn’t bad enough to not notice hours slipping by. What was that thing? And what was that place...?

“I had a bad feeling when I heard Taiga was on this one. Glad I cordoned everything off.” Earrings pulled out his phone, mumbling that to himself as he supported my weight. Considering what just happened, he was calm. I stood next to him, unsure of what to say, but my position was getting uncomfortable so I shifted against him. “That probably hurts, huh?” His gaze drifted from his phone to my leg. No shit, Sherlock. I stared at him, deadpan, and he chuckled. “Wait one sec and I’ll get it fixed up for you.”

“You are?” I asked, full of doubt and starting to get hungry.

“Yeah, I am.” He smiled. “You can trust me.” I did not believe him, but he was tall and handsome so I let him continue. He turned his attention back to his phone. “Hello? Yeah... slight emergency. No, not Taiga... Well, kinda him, I suppose. We’ve got an injured civilian, but the matches aren’t working.” Earrings looked at me as he continued the call, “About the same age as me? Female. Uh-huh. Right, one sec.” He lowered his phone away from his ear, covering it and asked, “What’s your name?”

“My name?” I parroted.

“Yeah, they need it for the paperwork.”

Paperwork? Like the ones in hospitals? He’s calling a clinic! He was telling the truth when he said he was going to get my leg fixed! All of those thoughts were thought all at once and I blurted out my name eagerly, “Maple Campbell.”

He smiled and made an okay sign before repeating my name to the phone, and when he was done speaking to the receptionist, he turned back to me. “Thanks for being patient. Sorry about all that.” He smiled warmly, “I’m Haku Kusanagi. Campbell, yeah?” He slipped his phone back into his pocket and stuck out his hand for a handshake.

I nodded and shook his hand, “It’s nice to meet you, Kusanagi.” I gave an awkward smile but I was still pretty shaken due to what just happened. He gave me a sympathetic one back.

“Likewise.” He glanced around the empty station. “I’m really sorry, but I’m going to need you to come with me.”

“To the clinic, right?”

He looked sheepish before shaking his head, “No, I’m not taking you to a clinic.”

“Huh?!” I side-eyed him. Who else would he be calling if it wasn’t a clinic? Who did I just give my personal information to? “You’re lucky I can’t run away right now.”

He chuckled. “Relax, there’s just a few things we need to sort out first. Bear with me, okay? There’s a special clinic not too far from here that’ll help with your injury.”

“Special clinic? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I know it sounds weird, but it’ll make sense once we get there. I’m sure you’re freaked out, and I wish I could explain everything now, but we’ll have to get to the academy so things start making sense. You’ll be okay though, don’t worry.”

“Academy? What academy?” My head spun with confusion, and none of what Haku said made sense to me. The pain was increasing and my brain wasn’t working (a rather normal thing for it, I’m afraid).

“Darkwick Academy.” The words came out of Haku’s mouth casually, in the same tone you’d use to explain what you were eating for lunch.

“Isn’t that the ultra elite school near Tokyo Bay? On that artificial island that doesn’t allow visitors and has been nationally ranked #1 for decades since it produces a bunch of important people? I heard everything about it is a mystery, including how many people pass the entrance exam.” Haku nodded in confirmation. “Why are you taking me there? Pretty sure I’d get shot on sight without a student ID.”

“It doesn’t make much sense, huh? I swear I’m not shady.”

“Let’s not be hasty.”

He pulled a card out of his jacket and placed it in my palm with an amused smile. “Look.” The front of the card blazed with gold lettering and a photo of the man who stood in front of me.

Haku Kusanagi, Hotarubi house, third year... “You’re a student at Darkwick?” It sounded more accusatory than I meant it to, but Haku didn’t give me elite private school vibes with how weird he’d been so far.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Was that redheaded gunman a student too? You two seemed to know each other.”

“Yeah, he is. You catch on quick.” Red definitely didn’t give elite private school vibes. Haku cleared his throat, “Anyway, about that special clinic I mentioned. It’s located inside Darkwick. We should get going before that cut gets any worse.” He placed a gentle hand on my back to support me and hurried me along as we walked.

“Uh... Kusanagi? The train is leaving.”

“Sure is.”

I glanced at him, and then the train. Haku stopped in front of an ice cream machine, placing his hands on his hips. There was a beat of silence before I continued, “Shouldn’t we have gotten on if we were going to Tokyo Bay? Unless I’m really shitty at reading Japanese maps.” A strong possibility, maps weren’t my specialty.

“This way’s faster, actually.” Haku took out his phone and placed it against the card scanner. Is he buying ice cream right now? I watched him, wondering why I was in this situation when the vending machine meowed and the front slid open, revealing a portal behind it. Is that fucking space? “Don’t let go of my hand.” Haku took my hand in his and stepped off the platform into the spatial portal. I shrieked in alarm and squeezed my eyes shut so I didn’t have to see us plummeting to our deaths. At least I wasn’t alone.

The impact never came. I opened one eye, and we were suspended within space. “We’re floating?”

Haku looked back with a grin, “I like your energy. Strictly speaking, we’re falling slowly. That’s all lost property” He nodded towards the middle of the swirling vortex, where items floated around, lost in time. “Oh, we’re about to speed up. Hang tight.”

“We’re about to what?” The suspended feeling stopped, and we dropped into the unknown. I started screaming the second we plummeted and Haku squeezed my hand reassuringly. Our feet gently landed on solid ground, and my legs felt like jello. Haku grabbed my arm to stabilize me before my legs gave out. I realized we were standing at another train station platform. “Is this another train station?”

He nodded and flashed a playful smirk. “Don’t worry. Unlike the last one, this train comes with a safety guarantee.” I rolled my eyes but a smile tugged at my lips despite myself. Haku’s playful attitude kept the mood light and held my nerves at bay. I heard the sound of a train approaching. “That’s our ride.”

“Is that a steam train?”

“That’s the Galaxy Express. You’ve never seen one before?”

“You make it sound like a magical train is a common occurrence you can see anywhere. What is this, Harry Potter?”

“We’re in the realm of non-fiction.” Sure we are. Everything that happened today is real and definitely not some mass hallucination. Haku gestured towards the door, “Go on, climb aboard.” I hesitated, my newfound train trauma making me reluctant to get on this one. He held out his hand, an offer of comfort and encouragement. “Safety guaranteed, remember?” He gave me a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, if anything happens, I’ll protect you.”

Unfortunately, Haku looked really pretty in the doorframe illuminated in spatial light, and he’d been so patient with me that I felt bad declining. Plus, I didn’t want my cut to get infected and have to be amputated or something. “Whatever you say, handsome.” I took his hand, and he helped me climb onboard and didn’t let go of my hand until I was in one of the seats. My ankle still throbbed with pain, but focusing on the soft velvet of the seat and the warmth of Haku’s hand was easier than acknowledging the feeling. When he let go, the warmth lingered a little, and I missed the comfort. Haku sat down beside me though, so I felt better knowing he was still here.

The levers, switches, and dials peppered throughout the train were all reminiscent of an age long gone. The warm wooden walls were lit by antique lamps hung from the ceiling. The beautiful starry sky outside was visible through the windows. “It’s gorgeous here.” I murmured, taking in my surroundings.

“Meow!” A cat wearing a conductor’s hat gracefully leapt from a seat I hadn’t noticed when I first entered.

“Kitty!” I squealed.

Haku leaned closer to the cat, unphased. “Sorry to spring this one on you. Could you take us to the academy?” He asked as the cat sashayed past us. The cat turned back, meowed in acknowledgement, and disappeared into the driver’s compartment. The steam whistle blew and the train resumed its chugging along the tracks. “That’s the conductor. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.” Haku teasingly nudged me.

“Pfft.” I lightly nudged him back. “So, the conductor is a cat?” Haku nodded as the train picked up speed. After a while, the train entered a tunnel, the darkness seemingly swallowing us whole.

“Most people never get the chance to ride this train, y’know. Why not make the most of it?” Haku gestured toward the window, “Look at that, we’re almost there.” I shifted my gaze to the window as the train emerged from the tunnel, replacing the darkness with warm sunlight. An enormous building loomed outside the window, the gothic exterior standing solemn and elegant against the blue sky. I felt like I’d stumbled into a fantasy world.

“We will soon stop at Darkwick Academy.” The automated announcement rang throughout the train.

Maybe I should take this song off my playlist for a while... I used to love everything about it: the melody, the lyrics, the beats, the vocals... But that day, it only contributed to my sinking heart. The final concert was amazing. I knew it would be.

I thought I’d accepted it was over. But it still doesn’t feel real.

I stared out the window at the Rainbow Bridge. Tokyo Tower loomed in the distance, proudly bathing the night sky in its brilliant red. I admired the view before glancing at my phone, realizing I had several notifications.

It was from a group chat that the fans made in preparation for the last night the band had together. I watched the messages fly by as one by one as everybody said goodbye, until only I was left. Or at least I thought it was just me. Turns out somebody else was still there with me. They had a flower profile pic, but I didn’t remember making that contact. That’s odd. I feel like I would’ve seen them sooner if I made their contact.

I tilt my head at that question. It was a little strange, but it made sense to ask in a small talk conversation, so I brushed it off.

Well, they seem nice enough. I guess it wouldn’t be too bad to make a friend, especially since we seem to share a similar interest.

An announcement sounds. “We will soon stop at Kisaragi Station.”

I frowned. “Kisaragi? That’s not my stop...” Did I miss my stop? Or maybe I remembered the wrong stop. I looked up, and froze. What...? The world was the color of burnt steel. The previously full car was now lacking any sign of life. The brakes screeched, and the train suddenly slowed to a halt.

My heart thumped as I looked around. I was isolated in an unfamiliar area with no help in sight. My anxiety was through the roof, and my skin crawled. “Where did the other passengers go? What’s going on...?”

My phone suddenly buzzed with a call from an unknown cell. My finger slipped and hit the answer button. Shit. A female voice heavily breathed into my phone. It set me off, confirming that something was wrong. I suddenly felt more unsafe.

“We’ll be together soon...” The voice said, echoing slightly, as if to sound as inhuman as possible. Panicked, I hung up. My heart was racing, and my blood ran cold when a message popped up.

My whole body shook as I turned. What number is this car? The number 7 stared down at me, confirming exactly what I feared would happen. There was nowhere to hide as I heard an alarmingly close clack clack sound. With a woosh, the door to my car opened. Every hair on my body stood on alert. I felt like a deer in headlights, unable to move. The darkness continued to make terrifying noises, but breathlessly, I murmured, “There’s no one there...”

“Guess who?” Something–or someone–grabbed my shoulder from behind. “Heh heh...” It was a monster, covered in flowers. The form was disturbingly female, but it clearly wasn’t human.

As if to make matters worse, the flowers split open like a flesh wound, revealing a ginormous eye in the center. The eye stared directly into mine. I stared back, petrified. I couldn’t move; I couldn’t even scream. My voice attempted to claw its way out of my throat, but it’s as trapped as I am. Time felt frozen as I stared into the eye.

Suddenly, the concept of time snapped back into me and I pulled away with a shriek. My clumsy ass slipped on absolutely nothing, and I fell back onto the floor, scrambling backwards like a deformed crab. Or at least I attempted to scramble. What... What is that thing...?

I stared at the flower monster, who wore an outfit that made it (her?) look like a mental hospital escapee. It was positioned so oddly, looking like it was about to do a Lady Gaga dance. Get up! Run away!

It stumbled towards me, reaching a clawed hand towards my face. Ok, ew, stop getting closer.

“Haha! Wait ‘till I get my teeth into you!” A male voice boomed from behind. The monster and I turned in unison, both of us equally surprised at the interruption when I was seconds away from meeting the grim reaper.

A bright red-haired man with sharp, shark-like teeth, crouched on a nearby pair of seats, looking like the definition of a delinquent. The most alarming part was that he had a fancy looking gun with him. He doesn’t look like he can be trusted with a gun...

The flower demon stopped smiling, seemingly annoyed at the arrival of the gun wielding maniac. He jumped down from his perch, unintentionally striking a pose next to me. His leg was on a nearby seat and his gun was in his other hand. His eyes were zeroed in on the monster, a maniacal grin on his face. I felt no safer with him than with the monster. Then he proceeded to charge into the window, shattering glass and injuring himself in the process. What the fuck?! The man smirked, crushing some stray glass in his hand. “Malab.” He licked some of the blood off his face. What are you, a vampire? “Be good... And hold still now.”

This maniacal dumbass proceeded to load his gun with glass. It seemed he was just as unstable as he looked. “You want me to take you out, don’t you?” It happened fast, but he started shooting at the flower demon, who looked even more annoyed. Eventually, his barrage stopped. “Fuck, I’m out.” He sighed dramatically, looking disappointed.

What just happened? Did those glass bullets actually work? I wonder, struggling to process everything I’d just witnessed. My leg is bleeding...

“Huh?” Just as my shock wore off, and I began to feel the pain in my leg, that pleasantly unstable fellow with a gun noticed me.

Oh dear god, I’ve been perceived.

The man cocked his head and stared, then confidently strode across the train to stand over me. I stared back, not sure what else to do other than fight back the demons that wanted to tell him to take a picture or pay up if he’s going to keep staring.

The look in his eyes kept me silent though. A cold brutality permeated his piercing golden gaze, making me feel like I was a deer again. “Um...”

“You see that?” He asked. Dumbfounded, I stared at him in silence. There was nothing else around the two of us, since his tirade of bullets caused the flower creature to flee.

Great, now he’s hallucinating. And he has a gun! I’m so dead.

“Whatever.” The stranger shrugged. “I’ll just chuck you out there.”

“...What?”

He flashed a wide, manic grin. “Yeah, you heard me right! I’m gonna throw you out that broken window.”

This can’t be happening... First a monster, now a psycho with a gun? What did I do to deserve this!? Was I a fucking murderer in my past life or something? Why am I being punished?!

The man wrapped an arm around my waist, hoisting me up onto his shoulder, before heading towards the dreaded window, “You’re seriously going to throw me out there!?”

That bastard ignored me, instead continuing towards my impending doom. He threw his leg up on the seat and peered outside. A strange, acrid smell stung my nose. Ew, what is that?

On the other side of the window, an alien landscape wrapped in red fog stretched out into oblivion. Uh, does he want me to break my neck? I feel like this is attempted murder. “Can you let me go now? I’d rather bleed out over in the corner than let you chuck me out the window.”

Red paused, looking annoyed with me. “Quit strugglin’. I can’t get a good angle.”

“Do I look like a dart to you!? The fuck you mean ‘get a good angle’?! Who even are you???”

A wide grin spread across his face, revealing his sharp teeth once again. Wonder if he filed his teeth so they’d look like that... “Just your friendly neighborhood ghoul!” His smile got wider, “Man, I have always wanted to say that!” He laughed. “Ciao!”

“NO-”

He hefted me up and swung me back, preparing to throw me like I was a baseball pitch. All I could do was pray that it’s quick.