ã€ŠSoul Portalã€‹


 Prologue - I do not regret what Ive done

    ¡°I do not regret what I¡¯ve done.¡±

    Those words kept ringing in her mind.

    Those words kept pounding her soft heart.

    Those words betrayed the trust she once had.

    It has been 5 years since she heard that chilling statement. Even on the other side of the world, its echoes continued to ring, louder at times. It was tantamount to hearing from a person right in front of you. On starry nights when the gentle breeze flows alongside her hair, it carries the sounds of an inescapable past. It seems more vociferous compared to the morning.

    Maybe it can finally go away, or it can be muted for the last time.

    Upon returning to the States for a well-deserved vacation, the scenery appeared distinct yet nostalgic. The good old traffic congestion, the many places she visited were still intact, and new buildings were being constructed. The veil of memories soon controlled her mind and replayed clips of the old times. She was most exuberant to eat some good local food. Not only that but also meeting with her old friends again. How she yearned to convene with them after being away for so long. Her calendar had no gaps during her vacation stint.

    But there was one place she needed to visit first. No one else was aware of this. She intended to finish this by herself.

    Some things never change.

    She immediately revved up the black Infinity car that her father gave her and was en route to her destination.

    No music. No radio. Only dead silence.

    After a protracted drive, she made her way to the prison facility just far out from any civilization. A dull, desolate building filled with bored guards patrolling the area. Any person who was to see this can tell no one wanted to be there. Not surprising since only employees and convicted people were there.

    She took a long glance while standing untroubled. Her stoic face masked the apprehension in her mind. Nervousness and remorsefulness swirled around her head. Her heart pounded against her body trying to prevent her from making that first step. It was not too late to turn back. Maybe it was not a good idea to be here. A quick peek at her phone to see if any notifications pop up. Only one. Her appointment.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit¡­¡± the receptionist located the prisoner¡¯s name and went through the usual screening process before allowing the visitor to enter deeper into the facility.

    ¡°Right this way.¡±

    She was taken to a single room with two desks intertwined with each other. In the middle, there was a large plexiglass separating one side from the other. The room was structured so a visitor and an inmate could not physically contact each other. Only small semi-circle holes right in the midsection of the glass can be seen. The woman stood motionless.

    Waiting¡­

    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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    Outside of the visiting room, a hall of repetitive cells consisting of a stiff bed, metal toilet, and a small overhead opening. A ray of light could be shone through the window. The space in each cell was so compact that moving freely was problematic. Each day you can hear agonizing screams and there was nothing they could do.

    A security guard walked down until he stood in front of cell number 385.

    ¡°Get up! You have a visitor.¡±

    The prisoner looked at the guard with their right eye burrowed. Their eyes widened slightly before slowly standing up from the floor and walking towards the bars. The inmate extended their hands, grabbed the bars, and kept a distance from the guard. Once cuffed, the prisoner was escorted to the visiting room.

    ¡°Who¡¯s visiting me at this time?¡± The convicted inmate monotonously spoke before entering the door. ¡°No one¡¯s visited me in 5 years. Who would even show up?¡°

    There the convict¡¯s eyes met with that familiar face again.

    ¡°¡­you.¡±

    A silent tone stills the area, neither wanting to move closer to the desks.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­here?¡±

    A mere soft sigh was heard from the woman. Her lips slowly crept down on her warm face. The background surrounding her vision blurred and the only thing that was sharply focused was the person in front of her. She made the first little step and made it to her chair before calmly sitting down and placing her purse on the armchair. The prisoner then followed suit.

    They quietly gazed at each other for a brief stint.

    The convict¡¯s unwavering face slightly became softer, ¡°This is the second time someone visited me in 5 years. So¡­ you came back huh?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± was her initial response. ¡°I figured I spent some time here on my vacay.¡±

    ¡°You decided to spend your time with me?¡± with a slight smirk on the prisoner¡¯s face. ¡°I must say I¡¯m flattered.¡±

    She slowly nodded thinking a spoken response would have been awkward.

    The prisoner chuckled and shook their head in amusement. ¡°So¡­ how¡¯s Korea treating you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been treating me well,¡± the woman loosened her shoulders. ¡°We made some great improvements on our app and have gotten lots of success. So many people leave positive reviews about how much it helped them understand their loved ones better. Now I am on a nice little break so I could use my legs after being a couch potato for so long.¡±

    Their conversation felt just like how it was before, so calming and peaceful. No surprise that the prisoner had to know life updates from her.

    But now the stage was set for her.

    She had to know again. Another reassurance to completely close that page that was long overdue.

    ¡°Hey,¡± the woman addressed the prisoner¡¯s name before her face slowly turned somber. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°I probably know what you¡¯re going to ask but ask away.¡±

    ¡°I just need to know why¡­ Why did you do it?¡± Her face was not hiding the vulnerable pain shown in her eyes.

    The prisoner looked down for what felt like forever to her. The silence was making her heart palpitate faster while her expression remained unchanged. Her eyes were completely focused on his facial expression.

    He finally made contact with her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I already answered that before, or better yet you already know that answer.¡±

    She closed her eyes and sighed with melancholy knowing that was confirmation of what she probably already suspected. Was she a fool for asking that question?

    ¡°Just why was I here then? Why did I come all the way to meet you?¡±

    ¡°You had a reason, didn¡¯t you? You always do these things for a reason. Doesn¡¯t matter how big or small. That hasn¡¯t changed about you.¡±

    ¡°I guess I did¡­¡± she mindlessly admitted, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I wanted to recall our time 5 years ago¡­when that happened.¡±

    The prisoner said nothing, only a faint smile detected on his expression. His eyes zoned out for a bit reminiscing the memories made there.

    ¡°Seeing how you are here, are you¡­ okay with this?¡± The woman¡¯s question brought the prisoner back to reality. ¡°Are you really fine being here?¡±

    ¡°Nothing has changed to make me think so¡­ I do not regret what I¡¯ve done.¡±

 What...was I dreaming?

    ¡°What¡­ was I dreaming?¡±

    She breathed heavily and swiped the sweat on her forehead after abruptly rising up from her bed. Facing the window containing the dark starry sky, she wondered if it was early morning. It was only 3am according to her phone.

    The imagery was still vivid in her mind.

    The dark void was surrounded in a gray mist. Vast. Boundless. Every step taken, the scenery remained the same. No matter where she walked, she became more lost than before. It¡¯s like a road with no destination.

    Her body was covered with a violet blanket. It was cold. Her breath could easily be seen even with a weak huff. The wind consistently punched her body. She had no way to fight back due to the freezing mist. It was getting worse as she was struggling to move forward. Not a single step could be done.

    Soon the mist became denser. It rose from the ground like smoke at a fireplace.

    But the mist was approaching her. It was following her.

    She decided to run for it while clutching the blanket. Panting heavily, sprinting with all of her strength, she still went nowhere. The fog easily caught up and swirled around her. Perception became nonexistent. Her right arm covered her eyes while her left arm acted as a shield. It was not enough to protect herself. Soon she fell to her knees.

    A familiar eerily voice soon echoed from the mist. She immediately covered her ears, closed her eyes, and shouted ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to hear it! Don¡¯t say it! Please!¡±

    ¡°Every¡­gone¡­all¡­me¡­My¡­alone¡­¡±

    That was the last thing she remembered from that dream.

    <hr>

    Later that morning.

    She tried her hardest to purge that disturbing dream from her mind while going through this new campus tour. Today was a new student orientation for incoming freshman and transfer students. She was the latter.

    At her orientation, she listened through what pretty much felt like a lecture on what the campus is about and what to expect. Nothing really interested her and was beginning to think about something else.

    ¡°Our campus is wonderfully supported by the Herman, Hurwitz, and Cuffey family,¡± her interest quickly piqued as her focus shifted toward the speaker. ¡°They generously have been funding our programs since the 1940s which is why we are ranked one of the best colleges in this country. This college will not be what it is today without them. Being accepted into this prestigious college along with the families¡¯ children currently attending makes your college experience one to remember. They have promised to fund and prosper everyone regardless of who you are and what you study.¡±

    ¡°If I could get their connections, then my career will take off much better than expected.¡±

    The crowd began to cheer and clap. While her eyes do love to look around the arena while others are distracted, she noticed a man standing to the far left of the podium.

    ¡°Something about him feels weird,¡± she thought while covering her mouth with her right hand. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like a weird guy, but whatever the speaker said, his vibes changed. Really damn weird¡­¡±

    By the time the early afternoon came around, she finally was able to register for her classes and get her student ID card, the most important part of her day. Of course, she had to wait since a good amount of people were there. After passing time nodding subtly about what to eat for lunch, she was ready to take a picture with a red background and received her campus card. Her face gleefully beamed after stepping out of the small administrative building and gazing at her student card.

    Name: Allyson Kim

    Undergraduate student

    UID: 175626783

    ¡°I¡¯m now a student at this fucking campus. Let¡¯s gooooooo!¡± She quietly cheered while pumping her right arm.

    The celebration did not last long before a loud rumble roared from her stomach.

    ¡°Damn, I need some food,¡± Allyson hurriedly placed her student card in her wallet. She pulled out her touchscreen phone and searched for food spots around the campus. ¡°Oh hold on, there¡¯s that Stamp building that has a food court. Fuck it, I¡¯m going there.¡±

    A well-deserved plate of noodles, sweet chicken, and spicy fried beef was enough to satiate her hunger. Now that there was nothing else scheduled for the rest of her day, she decided to head home for the day.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Right outside of the building where the bus stops were, Allyson was really enjoying the gray clouds swarming in to cover the blue sky. While she was occupied, a young man waved goodbyes to his colleagues. His back faced towards Allyson before¡­

    THUMP!!

    Both stumbled back a few steps before regaining their composure. Allyson¡¯s eyes widened and frantically looked around her surroundings while the man tidied his red and white campus shirt.

    ¡°Oh hey, sorry that I ran into you,¡± he raised his hand slowly, slightly lowering his head while still focusing on her. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you there.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s ok,¡± Allyson reassured quickly, waving her hands and barely shaking her head while making a little embarrassed chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you either. Guess I got so focused elsewhere in my mind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all good. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re ok.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± she took a long glance at the confused man before tilting her head. ¡°Weren¡¯t you at the new student orientation? I could have sworn I saw you there.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes I am,¡± his face smirked a bit and slightly tucked his shirt. ¡°I guess I¡¯m pretty famous around here.¡±

    Allyson chuckled at his response before reaching her hand out to him.

    ¡°You know, I sorta met the orientation team there but I don¡¯t think I ever met you. The name¡¯s Allyson.¡±

    He reciprocated and shook her hand. ¡°Jansen. I¡¯m Jansen. So what¡¯d you think of the new orientation by the way?¡±

    ¡°It was good,¡± she half-admittedly revealed. ¡°I sorta knew this campus a bit when my older sister went here. Although I almost fell asleep a few times.¡±

    ¡°Good thing you didn¡¯t otherwise we would¡¯ve left you there.¡±

    She giggled and was slowly relaxing by the second. Her arms went from being stiff to calm in a split second.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to like it here. Lots of people to meet here and I could really make some friends here.¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± Jansen pulled up his phone and showed her a turtle shell containing the letter ¡®M¡¯ on it. ¡°There is this app where not only does it show the campus map, your classes, and all that good stuff, there is a chat feature that you can connect with any faculty or student, as long as you both are connected.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± she recalled during her orientation that she was instructed to download the app and pulled out her phone. ¡°Why don¡¯t we connect? You can show me some nice food areas here if there are any.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is the most important thing to know around here and I¡¯ll show you around soon, but first let¡¯s connect together.¡±

    In the orientation, the speaker mentioned that you:

    ¡°First, search the person¡¯s name here on this app. Next, you will request to TerpConnect which will give the option of finding the person you want to connect with. Once the other person clicks and accepts, you both have to be in the same proximity meaning you both have to be next to each other to connect as friends. Afterward, you will get a notification that says ¡®Congratulations! You are TerpConnected to this person!¡¯ It¡¯s a fun and great way to chat and connect within this campus community. Try it out!¡±

    Allyson typed ¡®Jansen¡¯, and the search returned a few people with that name, but she couldn¡¯t tell which was the right one.

    ¡°So uh¡­ what¡¯s your last name? Jansen seems like a popular name around here.¡±

    ¡°Last name is Erikson.¡±

    ¡°Ah, there you are. Annnnnd made my first connection.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jansen pushed a few times on his phone. ¡°And we should be connected now.¡±

    After waiting about 15 seconds, there was an error on Allyson¡¯s phone that said ¡°There was something wrong with the requested connection. Please try again!¡±

    ¡°It looks like it didn¡¯t work the first time.¡±

    ¡°Hang on, the app¡¯s acting up on my phone. Let me try that again.¡±

    They repeated the process one more time and the connection was successful.

    ¡°Cool! Welp, I¡¯m glad to have you as my first TerpConnect Jansen!¡± Allyson exuberantly said with a bright smile on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s great to meet you, Allyson, and let¡¯s meet up soon once the semester starts.¡±

    ¡°Will look forward to it! See ya!¡±

    <hr>

    Things were possibly looking up for Allyson. She got her classes signed up, obtained her student card, and most importantly was able to get her first connection with Jansen. The transfer student was feeling great about this upcoming semester.

    Allyson had some time to prepare before moving to an apartment near the campus. Although she understood about living on her own, Allyson was not really feeling the weight of this change. She did her best to not think about it until the time came. Distractions such as watching her favorite shows, listening to her comfortable songs, and playing games were all she was doing for the remainder of that week.

    On the night before her official move-in, Allyson lay down on her bed scrolling through social media but nothing enthusiastic popped up. It nearly caused her eyes to become heavy. She randomly decided to search through her apps to keep herself awake.

    But something caught her eye.

    A strange application of an ember icon surrounded by a black void. The symbol in particular was unique because different colors randomly fluctuate in a blink of an eye. She never saw this application before nor recalled downloading this before.

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Allyson calmly said with a confused expression before trying to delete the app.

    However, she noticed a notification that said ¡°This application cannot be deleted.¡±

    She attempted to launch the app but got another message displaying: ¡°This application cannot be used here. Please use this application at the appropriate location.¡±

    On one hand, she was curious, however, Allyson was concerned about a potential virus infecting her phone. At the moment, there was not much she could do but sleep it off until returning to campus. Besides, at a glance, it did not seem to appear malicious if she was receiving notifications like that.

    ¡°I wonder what that app is about¡­¡±

 The feeling wont go away

    ¡°The feeling won¡¯t go away¡­¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s the last of it.¡±

    Allyson, her mother, and her younger brother completed moving every piece of luggage, backpack, and bag from their vehicle to the Parkside apartment. Going back and forth with relatively heavy carriages can be exhausting as seen by their expressions. Nothing else really needed to be done at this point. Her desk was already set up earlier, and the bed was firmly arranged in the far left corner of the room. Prior to her move-in, light blue couches and a small dining table were already in the living room area. In the kitchen, the shelves contained a decent amount of utensils, plates, and bowls. Allyson brought some of her own and placed them in the cabinets above the sink.

    She¡¯ll have to do a few more errands later. But that did not matter at the moment. It¡¯s now official; She has moved into her apartment.

    Outside of the building and just at the cusp of the parking lot pavement, Allyson was with her mom and brother before departing their separate ways.

    ¡°Thanks for helping me move in. It¡¯s pretty crazy that I have my own apartment.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t believe my daughter really is living on her own,¡± her mom could not help but smile yet water was flowing down her face. She quickly wiped them from her face but they persisted. ¡°Please study hard and be careful out here ok?¡±

    ¡°I promise mom,¡± Allyson chuckled and embraced her mother. Her younger brother joined soon after.

    ¡°Please text me when you are coming home.¡±

    Allyson continued to hold onto her family trying her hardest to maintain her calm expression. She tightened her hug one last time.

    ¡°Text me if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± she nodded before seeing her family drive away. She stood at the entrance by herself. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m really living on my own here now. It feels¡­ weird.¡±

    Upon returning to the building and heading to the 6th floor to enter her apartment, Allyson noticed a young woman half a foot shorter than her returning with several groceries bags on the table.

    ¡°Oh hey,¡± She waved in one direction once. ¡°Name¡¯s Allyson. I know I was expecting a roommate, and I didn¡¯t expect you to arrive this soon. Nice to meet you!¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± the response of her tone was monotonous, made no eye contact, and continued to unload her groceries. ¡°I¡¯m Julia.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Allyson elongated her words while pouting her lips. ¡°Need any help with your bags?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Allyson slightly widened her eyes, walked away from her roommate, and took her luggage. ¡°I¡¯ll just move my stuff into my room.¡±

    ¡°Good. It was a mess when I came back.¡±

    ¡°Yeahhhhhh. I¡¯m unpacking everything.¡±

    Allyson resumed where she left off: putting specific clothes in certain cabinets, hanging her country¡¯s flag on the left side of the wall, hanging a wallpaper of her favorite video game franchise, organizing her acrylic keychains on her key hooks, and lastly plugging her gaming consoles on a TV stand in front of her bed.

    She spent the weekend walking over 10 minutes to a grocery store and purchasing a few vegetables, fruits, and frozen meal packages. Since she had no choice but to walk everywhere, Allyson decided to tour around the campus to get comfortable ahead of time. While spending at least an hour walking around the enormous campus, it felt much bigger than expected. There were times when she felt she was going to get lost.

    Ever since that awkward introduction, Allyson made no attempts to converse with Julia. She even hoped that the apartment would be empty whenever possible.

    Allyson hoped that when the semester starts tomorrow it would stay like that.

    _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

    First week of the new school year - August 29

    Allyson woke up at 8am and toasted a bagel with sesame seeds. She took her time to finish her breakfast while dressing up with a blue purple short-sleeved shirt with black jeans. Once she grabbed her notebooks, mechanical pencils, apartment keys, and placed them in her backpack, she was out the door.

    Near the McKeldin Mall, there was a large field with a long fountain in the middle. The fountain was split into three levels at different heights like stairs. Each level was wide enough for people to walk through its shallow water. On the right of the library, the Tydings building between the Chincoteague and Scott Key building held her first class. Going inside and heading upstairs, a few students were in the relatively spacious classroom. Allyson found a row with no one in close proximity and took a seat there.

    The class had begun and for pretty much the first two days, it was only just reviewing the syllabus.

    Three days into the first week, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She was seeing people minding their own business and walking to wherever they needed to be.

    Until Thursday, after her classes were finished, Allyson decided to walk around the campus again. After exiting the Stamp building around 3pm, she saw a construction site on her right and a large parking lot in front of her. Allyson noticed three students in formal clothing speaking with a few other students near the building. Curiosity was on her mind. As she was closing onto the group, she made sure to lower down her earbuds volume.

    ¡°...getting art should be easy as long as we get those weird artist people to do our work.¡±

    ¡°Who do we ask?¡±

    ¡°Easy. Julia,¡± one of the three students said. ¡°She¡¯ll be our best bet to present ourselves with this project of ours. Besides, she¡¯s the most normal-ish person to talk to.¡±

    Allyson walked far enough and the voices became difficult to hear.

    ¡°Hmm, I didn¡¯t know Julia was an artist. I wonder what kind of big project she¡¯s working on.¡±

    As she looked up, she saw someone wearing a gray work shirt and navy blue tactical pants exiting the construction site. The person also wore a construction helmet and a safety vest.

    ¡°Jansen?¡±

    ¡°Oh, hey Allyson!¡± Jansen noticed and walked over to her. His smile radiated her aura. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be around here.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to walk around for a bit,¡± her face beamed up a bit. ¡°What¡¯s with the uniform? You work here?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a construction worker,¡± he took off his vest where the gray shirt displayed a text of his department. ¡°I actually work with the Police Auxiliary.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s news to me,¡± Allyson was a bit surprised. ¡°So what do you do exactly?¡±

    ¡°Think of us as like the extra eyes for campus security,¡± he said before leaning a tad closer to Allyson and covering one side of his face with his hand horizontally up. ¡°But really, we do work that the police don¡¯t want to do.¡±

    ¡°Ah I see,¡± she slightly smirked. ¡°The campus police hires students to do mundane shit huh?¡±

    ¡°Quiet down,¡± Jansen gestured his hands downward. ¡°They¡¯re watching me. No one can know that. I can¡¯t lose my job, you know.¡±

    Allyson playfully covered her mouth with her hands. By doing that, they both shared a laugh. Allyson slowly became less tense before loosening her backpack.

    ¡°By the way, do you know those three over there?¡± She gestured her index finger and pointed to the three well-dressed students near the entrance of the construction site.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Oh them?¡± Jansen¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°They¡¯re Scott, Joe, and Cree. They¡¯re the children of the Herman, Hurwitz, and Cuffey family. The rich kids.¡±

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s them?!,¡± she widened her eyes and opened her mouth leaving an open gap. ¡°I literally walked past them and didn¡¯t realize they were in front of me. I want to make sure I can get a good relationship with them.¡±

    ¡°I will tell you, however, to be careful around them.¡±

    Allyson astonishingly gazed at him as her pupils expanded a bit. ¡°Really? How come?¡±

    Jansen said nothing for a split second. ¡°Well, appearances can be deceiving. Stay on your guard around them and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± she softly answered and made just one nod.

    ¡°Sorry for making it a little tense there. I wanted to make sure you¡¯re safe here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all good,¡± Allyson shrugged her shoulders while maintaining a little smile. ¡°I appreciate you looking out for me.¡±

    Jansen wore his safety vest again. ¡°I would love to stay and talk here, but I need to finish my rounds so I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    ¡°See you around!¡±

    Allyson, throughout her walk there and back to her apartment, kept contemplating what Jansen said to her. She wondered if what he said was true. Would this mean that her career may have taken a step back?.

    Upon reaching home, Julia appeared to be elsewhere. She wanted to mention something to her, but simultaneously, but decided against it.

    Friday evening.

    Allyson decided to cook up one of her mom¡¯s recipes. With some sweet potato starch noodles, mushrooms, spinach, onions, and topping it off with some sesame seeds, it was successfully completed. She took a picture and sent it to her mom captioning: ¡°Look what I made Mom!¡±

    She opened a container of fermented kimchi that her mom gave her. Excitement and joy were written all over her face.

    The door suddenly opened.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted Julia, less engaging than previously.

    ¡°Hey,¡± the same tone recurred when they first met. She smelled the kitchen and her face scrunched up a bit. ¡°What¡¯s that weird smell?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything weird.¡±

    Julia saw a container in front of Allyson. ¡°Then what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just kimchi. Wanted to bring a little bit of home here.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she nodded with a lack of amusement. ¡°Well, eat whatever you like I guess.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Julia.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She was a bit irritated by her expression.

    ¡°Scott, Joe, and Cree were talking about some project you had while I was walking on this past Wednesday so I wondered-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± she quickly retorted as she directly stared at Allyson. ¡°That is only between them and me. You don¡¯t need to know any of it.¡±

    Allyson was just silent and froze from where she was sitting.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving in a bit. Now I have to wash my clothes again, just washed them yesterday,¡± Julia shut the door to her room, quickly swapped into her casual clothes, and stormed out the apartment.

    Suddenly, Allyson lost her appetite. She took a few bites but the taste was tainted by Julia¡¯s words. Her expression turned soft but her smile turned upside down in an instant. Allyson just gazed at her food.

    She received a text message and another notification. The text was from her mother.

    ¡°Wow! So yummy! :) How was school? What about roommate? Good so far?¡±

    Allyson¡¯s response: ¡°School¡¯s been great! My roommate¡¯s been good. We¡¯re trying to get to know each other.¡±

    Her mom¡¯s last reply: ¡°Very good! Happy on your first week! Enjoy your weekend!~¡±

    She let out a heavy sigh and hardly finished half of her dinner. Allyson decided to save them and returned the containers back to the fridge. After lying on her bed, she stared at the roof for what felt like hours. No thoughts ran through her mind.

    ¡°Not how I wanted this week to start out. No one to even talk to. I always hated this feeling. Of course, it¡¯s happening again.¡±

    Allyson slowly closed her eyes and patiently waited to doze off.

    Until a notification alarm buzzed on her phone.

    She opened up the TerpConnect app and navigated to the chat feature to see a message for her. A smile beamed on her face.

    JansenErikson: Hey Allyson, it¡¯s me Jansen!

    AllysonKim: Hey Jansen!

    JansenErikson: What are you up to now?

    AllysonKim: Nothing much. I¡¯m just chilling in my bed.

    JansenErikson: Well, I just finished my shift today. Gonna get something around here. Care to join me? I do recall you wanted to find some food around here ??

    AllysonKim: Sure! I¡¯d love to join! Though not hungry¡­

    JansenErikson: Consider it a night snack. Here¡¯s the place: Ten Ren¡¯s. I¡¯ll meet you there soon!

    AllysonKim: Heading over there now!

    It took about over 15 minutes before she found the restaurant on the streets of Route 1. Luckily, it was near the grocery store she went to a week prior. Upon entering, she saw Jansen waiting at a table for two.

    After greeting, they sat in front of each other. After looking over the menu, Jansen went with Tonkatsu with noodles and Winter Melon tea while Allyson ordered Spring Rolls with Taro bubble tea.

    ¡°How was your first week here?¡± Jansen initiated the conversation.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Allyson spoke while formulating a plan to mask what transpired with Julia. ¡°Classes aren¡¯t a huge deal right now, but I know it¡¯ll be worse once assignments and essays come around.¡±

    ¡°As long as you plan ahead, it¡¯s not too bad. Though 5 classes is a lot to manage.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± she agreed and let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Though just doing classes feels like I¡¯m in a rut. I don¡¯t have anything else to do around here.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why don¡¯t you try to apply with the Police Auxiliary?¡± Her partially stunned expression spoke of itself. ¡°We usually are open to hiring during the school year.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not like studying a police major or anything like that,¡± Allyson was concerned with her tone.

    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± he scoffed at Allyson¡¯s rebuttal. ¡°I¡¯m not a ¡®police major¡¯. I¡¯m an English major.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Jansen¡¯s nod eased her nerves a bit. ¡°Then, in that case, I could join your police auxiliary team. What¡¯s the work like?¡±

    ¡°Most shifts are usually in the evenings and day shifts are usually hard to get by unless it¡¯s the weekend. People usually scoop the day shifts but you¡¯ll likely get the evening ones, so you¡¯ll learn to be a night owl.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be like a vampire.¡±

    The conversation came to a halt because they were enjoying their orders. After finishing their food, Jansen asked for a check so the two could pay. The service was rather quick and they paid their checks and walked out of the restaurant.

    Allyson and Jansen decided to walk near the campus. They were in a walkway in the middle of a large field and found their way to the McKeldin Mall. They sat on the fountain and continued their conversation there. Allyson broke the ice and mentioned her awkward experiences with Julia.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± he sympathized with her. ¡°Having a sucky roommate makes living at the apartment difficult.¡±

    ¡°I want to get along with her but she just brushes me off whenever I try to talk to her. I guess things don¡¯t always go my way,¡± Allyson gazed at the starry sky. Her face showed a lack of faith and whispered to herself. ¡°I hate how it¡¯s always like this.¡±

    Jansen was silent for a moment trying to figure out how to phrase his response. ¡°You can¡¯t ever expect to get along with everyone as much as it pains me to say that to you. Though, you¡¯ll have those who do more than just get along with you; they will understand you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Allyson unhappily replied. ¡°One day, I could shake off this feeling and not have to live through it again.¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± Allyson shook her head and took out her phone. She showed the ember app on her phone. ¡°This might sound weird, but I want to ask you something. Have you ever had this app on your phone before? I couldn''t delete this when I was at home, not here.¡±

    ¡°Oh that,¡± Jansen nodded as he showed the same app on his phone to Allyson. ¡°I also have it too.¡±

    ¡°At least it¡¯s not just me,¡± she breathed a sigh of relief. What even is this app?¡±

    ¡°From what my friends told me, nothing really happens when you use it. They said it just shows the icon and that¡¯s really it. I tried it before and they were right about it¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s emberassing,¡± she deadpanned. ¡°I was expecting more¡­¡±

    Jansen chuckled. ¡°That''s why it¡¯s not a flame.¡±

    A little crack of Allyson''s smile brightened Jansen¡¯s face.

    ¡°Well, I hope things do get better with Julia,¡± he got up and stretched his arms out. ¡°Oh wow, I¡¯m about to be late at home. I promised my housemate our game night.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, gamer¡¯s night. That sounds fun,¡± Allyson got up and did the same thing. ¡°It¡¯s really nice that I talked with you, Jansen. I honestly needed it.¡±

    ¡°Well, when a friend¡¯s in need, I¡¯ll be there,¡± he walked a few steps before facing Allyson. ¡°Want a ride back home? Unless you have night vision or are a vampire, it¡¯ll be hard to walk back home.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she answered without hesitation.

    Allyson was dropped off in front of her apartment. She happily waved her goodbye to Jansen. He did the two-finger salute before pointing the fingers at Allyson.

    After changing into her violet pajama set with her childhood video game characters and powering on her gaming console, Allyson sat upright on her bed with a controller in hand. Scrolling through her library to select a game, she lamented.

    ¡°The feeling won¡¯t go away.¡±

 I just...wanted to help

    ¡°I just¡­ wanted to help¡±

    September 10. Saturday morning.

    Allyson dwelled on her side whilst in bed. Nowhere to peer. Nowhere to focus on. The surroundings blurred faster by the minute. Time ticked for 30 minutes. She thought a few minutes had passed.

    An outside door then intertwined against its lock.

    She quickly soared from the bed, fervently turned the door handle, and carefully peaked through the thinly opened view. Her roommate¡¯s door was clearly accessible. Allyson nodded and alleviated herself with a deep breath. All the time needed for a relaxing time dining with a toasted bagel and coffee.

    About an hour later, Allyson wore all-black athletic clothes: a long-sleeve compression shirt, pants and socks.

    ¡°Where will I run today?¡±

    No specific routes in mind. Only a free run.

    After bypassing the campus entrance, traversing on the sidewalk alongside Route 1, and making an abrupt right turn to the campus south entrance, Allyson immediately sprinted through the sidewalk leading to the vast field of Chapel Lawn.

    ¡°Think fast, run fast.¡±

    Once she was close to the buildings on Regents Drive, Allyson halted to a stop in front of the Mitchell building, the place where she got her student ID card, and had her hands pressing on her knees. Breathing heavily, she hardly peeked at whatever was in front of her.

    ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m not used to this.¡±

    ¡°Gotta practice the sprints before you try to do that.¡±

    She discerned a man sitting on the stairs of the Administration building next to the Mitchell building and typing on a laptop while wearing gray headphones. He was fixated at the bright screen and never made eye contact with Allyson.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she instinctively concurred while placing both hands on the top of her head. ¡°Maybe I should slow down.¡±

    ¡°Even if you run fast, it¡¯s not good if you go hard at a long pace, especially if you¡¯re not used to it. Short bursts between long recovery jogs is a good start.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± she snapped her fingers and pointed at him before jogging away. Quietly muttered, ¡°What a fucking weirdo.¡±

    The man continued with his project on his laptop.

    ¡°Hey, Michael¡¯s still here. Sorry about that.¡±

    Her current route led her to the main roundabout, straight through the Regents garage, the campus farm, and to the left side of the parking lot. She weaved her way through upstairs and its sidewalk before reaching a large relatively modern building.

    ¡°Here¡¯s Eppley,¡± she marched inside the building. First, she was required for verification by presenting her student ID card. The initial interior preview was so monumental that Allyson was mesmerized and took no steps in front of the stairs.

    ¡°Oh the gym¡¯s upstairs and then go to the right,¡± a woman with a teal fleece jacket walked right next to her. ¡°Just wanted to say it in case you need to find the gym.¡±

    ¡°Cool, thanks!¡± Allyson slowly made her way to the second floor.

    ¡°Hey Marie! Ready to go?¡±

    ¡°Yep ready to go!¡±

    That afternoon.

    Allyson was preparing dinner using one of her mother¡¯s recipes using two of the four stovetops. To the southeast, she heard a door open.

    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m heading over right now,¡± Julia assertively secured her room. Her expression frowned. ¡°If you are going to bring that up again, then don¡¯t bother coming. I know I¡¯m still working on it¡­ Ok, ok! I¡¯m bringing it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Allyson left her mouth a small open gap for a moment. ¡°Everything ok?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied upsettingly. ¡°It¡¯s still none of your concern.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? It didn¡¯t sound like it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything better to do like cooking that over there?¡±

    Allyson pierced her lips and resumed her cooking duties. Her eyes zoned out while facing her skillet.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting out of here,¡± Julia then slammed the front entrance.

    Another exasperated exhale and she dully turned off the stove. After carefully transporting the spicy grilled pork onto her red plate, she assembled the rice and kimchi on opposite sides of the meat. Bringing the plate over to the living room and sitting on the couch, she powered on the television and selected a random movie.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have talked to her.¡±

    Sunday morning.

    Allyson decided to go on another run around the campus. This time she jogged through the vast field adjacent to the main campus entrance. It was a serene breeze as the sunlight bathed her temple until a drone flew right on the skin of her face. The collision on the soft grass cushioned the impact.

    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± She loudly muttered to herself while her eyes nearly bulged out.

    ¡°Oh shit!¡± A man ran to Allyson and offered his hand to pick her up. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry my drone flew into you like that. The controls were wonky.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ok. I didn¡¯t see how fast it was going. You good though.¡±

    Allyson waved the man goodbye as she jogged away.

    ¡°Jackson! What happened?¡± was all she heard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! The configurations were perfect. How could it not work?¡±

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    The next destination was the school¡¯s track and field. Allyson elected to run around a few laps. During that run, she observed a student who was practicing free kicks on the soccer field inside the track. The soccer player took a few steps back and concentrated on the upper right corner of the goal post. Several deep breaths in. The first kick went way over the crossbar. The second one went over the crossbar. The third one went over the crossbar. Every attempt produced the same outcome.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she missed all of those kicks. If she was a football kicker, she¡¯d be a real champ.¡±

    The player only gazed at the sky. Her body was completely still before falling onto her back on the turf. She then proceeded to slam her left fist on the field twice.

    ¡°Why is she by herself?¡±

    Those questions were without answers. She chose to walk home despite it being quite a hassle. A group of people outside the fence were pointing fingers and muttering amongst themselves.

    ¡°She still there?¡±

    ¡°Fay is such a trash of a player! She can¡¯t contribute shit to the team, so why even bother?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t the team just cut her? Literally, she has no reason to be here.¡±

    ¡°God damn,¡± Allyson shouted inside her mind. Her lips crawled down and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Those guys are fucking douchebags. What did she do to even warrant that?¡±

    Numerous feelings were engaging in a war inside her. None in particular were at a tactical advantage. She tried to take deep breaths and maintain a peaceful stance.

    <hr>

    On Wednesday morning, Allyson got up abruptly because of a boisterous constant vibration. Hair bent in many directions and eyes barely opening an inch, she swapped to the left side of the bed and slammed her nightstand where her phone was located. All while still lying down.

    ¡°Ugh, my alarm again. Gimme like 5 minutes.¡±

    Except the alarm was never set off.

    She saw the ember icon on her phone. Only one color appeared on the app. No other colors were displayed. In an instant, she sat up from her bed.

    ¡°Why is it only yellow?¡± Allyson intently stared at the app as the tiredness swiftly dissipated. She tried to open the application again.

    This time the application progressed further than previously. Allyson, to her disappointment, only saw the yellow ember on her screen but bigger. Nothing else to it.

    That is until a message came up that said: ¡°This individual¡¯s Soul is currently safe. Will you access its portal?¡±

    ¡°What the...actual hell?¡± Allyson exited the app and immediately turned off her phone. She rapidly jumped out of her bed and monitored her device from a distance.

    Several minutes later, she placed the phone in her pocket and shook her head. Class was starting soon.

    ¡°Just shake it off. I¡¯m just seeing things.¡±

    Whatever transpired continued to rummage through her mind. The events that morning replayed in her mind continuously. She had a difficult time focusing on her class lectures. All Allyson did was mindlessly write and copy whatever the professor wrote whether it was on the blackboard or on the lecture slides.

    <hr>

    After getting a French Vanilla latte at the library caf¨¦, Allyson faced the direction behind the library. She rugged her head and alleviated her puffed up chest. Walking up the grassy hill, she previewed the Anne Arundel dormitory across Campus Drive. To the left was the Mitchell Art-Sociology building. There were about 10 minutes before her next class commenced so she made sure to get there early to get the furthest seat from the professor as far as possible. Inside the first floor, the ground was layered in tan granite. At the center of the perimeter, several yellow couches spread evenly throughout the area.

    However, there were two familiar faces near the far side of the floor.

    ¡°Is that¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t handle a little commission I have? I¡¯m sure someone like you would have all the time completing something as simple as that.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Julia barely shook her forward and refused to make a single contact with the confronter¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of work at the moment and I just need more time to¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want any more lazy excuses!¡± Her voice slightly rose and crossed her arms. ¡°You knew what you were signing up for, right?¡±

    Absolute silence from her.

    ¡°You never reach the deadlines. Why is it so hard to make a simple art commission? Do you want to take this job seriously? Or are you just taking the money for your own selfish needs? Blowing it off on drugs? You can do more than just being a bum.¡±

    Allyson''s surroundings became unclear. The only sharp image visible was that woman. Her right hand tightly gripped the coffee cup almost on the cusp of dismantling its structure. Her heart pounded harder and louder.

    ¡°You know your other artists always presented and finished their jobs on time unlike you. We never had an issue with deadlines until we asked you for a commission. Maybe you should learn more from your friends. Now I want this commission finished for our business presentation next week. You need to finish 10 portfolios we want. We will not afford more time loss. Our reputation is at risk.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too early. I won¡¯t have enough time,¡± she pleaded, still looking away from her. ¡°Please Cree, I won¡¯t be able to finish all 10 in that span of time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll learn how to be efficient and productive for once. I expect quality work from you though that is not asking much. Now get to it!¡±

    ¡°Hey! Why don¡¯t you fuck off?¡±

    ¡°Are you addressing me?¡± Cree spoke with aversion.

    ¡°Allyson?¡± Julia shook her head and begged her roommate to cease her confrontation.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m telling you to fuck off,¡± her furrowed brows and intense stare pinned against Cree. ¡°Can¡¯t you see she needs more time? How about listening to her and letting her finish everything she needs?!¡±

    ¡°Allyson!¡± Julia loudly whispered and clenched her hands. ¡°Stop it!¡±

    ¡°You seriously are saying that to me?¡± Cree scoffed with a ghostly grin and tapped Allyson¡¯s shoulders who then backed away. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you are aware but your friend here is lacking behind her work. It¡¯s not surprising given the ¡®major¡¯ she is studying if you even consider it.¡±

    ¡°And who are you to judge that?¡± Allyson retorted. ¡°She is studying that for a reason. It¡¯s her choice and you don¡¯t get to judge people with what they want to study in.¡±

    ¡°Please just stop!¡± Julia immensely begged and tugged Allyson¡¯s shirt who simply ignored her roommate¡¯s actions.

    Cree simply chuckled before stepping back a few steps. ¡°So Julia, are these the kind of people you want to associate with? Even more unsurprising from you. Well, instead of 10, I¡¯m going to give you 20 portfolios to discipline you.¡±

    Julia was so flabbergasted that her mouth gaped open. Her arms froze.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t finish by then, you¡¯ll have to pay a hefty price and learn to be held accountable for your poor work ethic. I honestly expected more from you and you will understand the consequences of failures for us. Well, I need to take care of other businesses now. Bye-bye!¡±

    Once Cree was no longer in plain view, Allyson turned to Julia with a concerned expression. She appeared incapable to muster up a word. Her roommate¡¯s pupils pointed to Allyson.

    ¡°Julia, are you-¡±

    ¡°WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!¡±

    The vociferous tone boomed throughout the building and several students turned to where the sound originated. Allyson¡¯s heart pounded at an alarming rate. Her head swiveled and her eyes continuously blinked. Her breathing rate was faster and hearable.

    ¡°I¡­I¡±

    ¡°Seriously, you just had to be in my business,¡± her furrowed eyes and clenched fists daunted Allyson. Julia pointed at the direction where Cree exited the premises. ¡°I was just fine with Cree and you had the audacity to come in and piss her off?!¡±

    ¡°I..¡±

    ¡°Just stop. Please just stop fucking putting your nose in my business. You moved into my apartment, made disgusting food, and ruined my job. I¡¯m not your friend. You¡¯re just a roommate.¡±

    Allyson¡¯s arms shook slightly but were not noticeable to anyone.

    ¡°You know what, forget this. Leave me alone and never speak to me again!¡±

    Julia stormed out of the building and the students quietly gazed at Allyson before slowly resuming their regular activities.

    Standing still and staring down at the cold concrete, she felt her body freeze in time. Her bottom lip shivered.

    ¡°I just¡­ wanted to help.¡±

 Julia?

    ¡°Julia?¡±

    Walking down a long vertical hallway. Black and white tiles beneath. On the left wall, various paintings were proudly displayed. Symmetric with the right wall. All signed by only one artist who made all of these artworks possible. A short-haired blonde woman was running through the hallway, panicking from the seemingly never-ending corridor.

    Behind her were numerous unidentified entities chasing her.

    The woman continued sprinting until a brown monotonous door appeared at the end. She hastily pulled the door and immediately tripped from a canvas that spawned in front of her. She abruptly stood up and bolted through the wide gallery only to find that no pathways existed.

    Running to the left. Running to the right. Running upward. All in vain. Only more canvases in each venture. Portraits unfamiliar for those unaware but familiar to those who discovered the secrets behind them.

    ¡°Stop this! This is scaring me!¡± the woman breathed heavily before sliding down the wall and covering her ears from the entities who caught up to her. She masked her eyes and covered her face with her knees.

    ¡°I worked sooooo hard to make all these creations by myself.¡±

    ¡°Do they know? Do they know the truth behind all of these drawings?¡±

    ¡°I needed the money¡­ and I will get it no matter what and no matter how.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve become what I¡¯ve sworn to not become. Oh, how I¡¯ve tarnished my integrity but who cares as long as¡±

    ¡°STOP! ENOUGH OF THIS! STOP, STOP, STOP!¡±

    Her eyes awakened from her deep slumber.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°What¡­ the hell was that?¡± Julia swiped the sweat from her forehead and hurriedly walked to her restroom. Mindlessly took her yellow towel and wiped the sweat covering her body. Splashing some cold water before scrutinizing her eyes through the mirror.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true. I did what I had to do to get by.¡±

    September 15 - 2:00 pm

    Julia tried to shake off that vivid dream by not thinking about it during her lectures. She lacked energy to focus on studying the material in her morning lectures. During her lunch break, the artist hardly finished her hamburger and fries. She trashed the contents in the garbage can and exited the Stamp building. Crossing Campus Drive, she stood in front of the Health Center building.

    A notification pinged her phone and revealed a contact messaging her.

    Roommate: Hey Julia, I¡¯m really sorry what happened with you and Cree. I hope we can talk soon!

    Rolling her eyes over and placing her phone in her pocket, she entered and walked up to the reception desk and called for her scheduled appointment. After verifying her identity, Julia passed through the right side hallway and arrived at the last room waiting until the appointment officially squared off.

    ¡°Hi, Julia!¡± A man in white robes appeared. He presented a hot cup of Black Tea and placed it on the small table. ¡°I brought some tea for you. Please have one¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Julia got up from the couch and took a long sip of it before laying down again.

    ¡°There¡¯s something on your mind. I can sense it from your expression,¡± the man sat on the other couch that was behind Julia. ¡°I would love to hear what¡¯s on your mind.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± she exalted a long sigh after closing her eyes. ¡°This past week has been nothing but shit. My roommate, my job, and this vivid dream I had last night. My roommate keeps sticking her nose into my business. Because of her, my job¡¯s been getting worse with too much work with the expectation of finishing them in a short amount of time. What¡¯s worse is that-¡±

    The session lasted its entire scheduled time.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°And that¡¯s how I fucked up.¡±

    Allyson met with Jansen at the Stamp building after their classes finished for the day. They decided to walk behind the building, down the stairs, and through an athletics field and continued with their conversation.

    ¡°You were only trying to help Julia out,¡± Jansen reassured before crossing Fieldhouse Drive and following the sidewalk alongside the street. ¡°She has a lot going on for about a good year.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t bring up about those rich kids earlier, then I wouldn''t have intervened. Now, Julia has her hands tied behind her back¡­ all because of me.¡±

    ¡°Come on,¡± Jansen shook his head and pierced the right side of his lips. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You stood up for her and it was the right thing to do. Being punished by getting more workload from your employer doesn¡¯t make Julia feel better and it makes it worse for her.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± she clenched her neck and arms. ¡°Julia is going to spend these days working non-stop and it¡¯s going to kill her. I honestly don¡¯t know if she can handle that.¡±

    Allyson solemnly stared at the cloudy skies and took a deep breath. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tough,¡± he pierced his lips before nodding his head once. ¡°Give her some time to decompress since she doesn¡¯t want to talk to you. When her work is done, hopefully, you have time to talk to her and make some amends. If it doesn¡¯t work out, then honestly, you might need to either respect her boundaries or move to a different apartment.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she let out a defeated sigh before slightly furrowing her eyes. ¡°When the time is right, I¡¯ll try one more time to talk to her. I rather not move to another apartment.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot of work. In any case, I hope for the best between you two.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jansen,¡± her bright smile eased his nerves. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have someone to talk to about this.¡±

    He grinned and snapped his left fingers at her. ¡°I¡¯m always here to talk. Got to help a friend in need.¡±

    ¡°So aside from that,¡± Allyson took a small breath and pointed in the direction of the vast parking lots. ¡°Are there some food spots over there?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes in that direction,¡± he vertically shook his head a few times. ¡°But if you really want to find a decent spot, we have to walk a lot more down there. Think you can keep up?¡±

    ¡°Is that an insult?¡± She scoffed. ¡°I should be asking you that.¡±

    Without warning, Allyson speedwalked after a rapid start leaving Jansen standing at the far end of Lot 1b.

    Jansen chuckled and waved his head. ¡°You are such an interesting person, Allyson.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    September 18 - Sunday morning

    Across Lot 1b, passing through Alumni Drive on the second exit in the roundabout, going through Mowatt Lane, and making a left on Mayer Mall field was the Van Munching Business building. Julia rushed from the opposite of the field while holding her backpack and tablet. Right before the front entrance, she made sure to keep herself composed before proceeding further.

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    Still breathing heavily, she found the first room on the right and entered to meet Cree, Scott, and Joe. Julia immediately unloaded her backpack to the closest seat and her tablet.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­*pant*¡­ sorry that I¡¯m late¡­*pant*. I managed to get 20 portfolios.¡± She presented the USB drive from her left hand. ¡°It¡¯s all here and¡­*pant*... each file is labeled specifically for your portfolios.¡±

    Cree slowly clapped her hands while maintaining a stern expression. ¡°You think you should get praise for doing your assignment? You did nothing to go beyond expectations. Just be lucky that you met the deadline.¡±

    Julia finally caught her breath and tidied her light yellow jacket. ¡°I¡¯m just done with the job and you will need them for your presentation.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even say ¡®thank you¡¯ to your boss,¡± Scott crossed her arms and kept a stoic stare at Julia. ¡°How can we keep our employment with you if you cannot give a token of appreciation to your employer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my lack of gratitude to Cree. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You forgot two more people.¡±

    ¡°Scott and Joe.¡±

    ¡°Much better. Now you can leave as we have to prepare the presentation.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Julia slightly bowed before packing her things and immediately charged out of the building.

    Upon returning to the apartment, Allyson was on the couch studying the lecture materials from her classes.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted her roommate and raised a hand to wave at her.

    Julia made no eye contact. Not even a single response. She shut her room.

    Allyson scoffed, shook her head, grabbed her laptop, and closed the door to her room.

    ¡°Can¡¯t even fucking say ¡®hi¡¯ to me you fucking bitch?¡± Her arms were tense. Allyson dropped her laptop on her desktop with more force than normal. She then swiftly changed to her black compression pants and solid teal running shirt. Once she locked the front door, Allyson opted to take the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m not going to bother even trying to make up with her. She can fuck off for all I care.¡±

    Noon

    Julia, all by herself in the apartment, finished dusting her desk, shelves, and cabinets. She also vacuumed the perimeter. While logging onto the computer to order lunch, the artist received a phone call. Recognizing the number, she let out an unhappy groan.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Julia¡­¡± Cree¡¯s voice was quiet. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Her heart pulsated faster and silently gulped. Her body was tensing up. ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°Do not feign ignorance,¡± her tone unfazed. ¡°Do you think you are making a fool out of us?¡±

    She closed her eyes and scrunched her face. Silently cursing her tongue, Julia shook her head. ¡°I did not make you guys look-¡±

    ¡°Enough of your pathetic innocence,¡± Cree vociferously exclaimed, causing Julia to flinch. ¡°All of your so-called artwork is a mockery of the fine arts. Presenting this blasphemous work was an embarrassment for me and my family. I now have to explain to our business partners and shareholders why we represented so poorly in front of them. Your work has caused damage to my business partnership with potential candidates for the funding of this school. Do you realize the affliction you have caused?¡±

    Julia became speechless. Her eyes began to water. Her mouth was left open. Her left hand was grabbing the top of her hair.

    ¡°You have disgraced us for the last time. We no longer wish to keep your employment with us.¡±

    ¡°B-but,¡±

    ¡°Let me finish you plagiarist,¡± Cree sternly addressed her remarks. ¡°Not only will you no longer be employed by us, but you will pay for your insolence. You know how we paid you for each completed portfolio? You are going to repay us for every single portfolio assigned.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Julia pleaded while closing her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s so much money I have to pay back for the two years I¡¯ve been doing this! I don¡¯t have enough to cover rent!¡±

    ¡°Well, if you weren¡¯t so financially irresponsible, you wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament.¡±

    ¡°This is wrong. You can¡¯t do that!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in the contract you signed. As I said before, you know what you were signing up for.¡±

    Julia fell silent.

    ¡°You will know the consequences of not upholding your end of the bargain. I expect you to pay in full by the end of this week. Otherwise, missing the deadline will increase the interest rate. No excuses. Now¡­bye-bye.¡±

    The call hung up and Julia immediately dropped her phone. In an instant, tears rained down on her face.She sat against the side of her bed. Both of her hands covered her eyes. Unrestrained by her emotions, she uncontrollably bawled.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Later that night.

    Julia kept her door shut and remained dormant since that call. Allyson microwaved a frozen meal of basmati rice and curry chicken including one large naan bread on the side. She had her wireless earbuds on and watched a podcast about the psychoanalysis of dreams.

    The door opened.

    She noticed her roommate¡¯s eyes were puffed up and red. Julia tried to search for her leftovers inside the fridge. She quickly closed the fridge and searched for a bag of chips from the cabinet.

    Allyson inconspicuously peeked and glared at her roommate longer than expected. She opened her mouth but no words were uttered. Shaking her head, the transfer student resumed her activity. As soon as she finished her meal, she returned to her room to decide what to do for the rest of the night.

    Julia was still in a depressed stupor. Opening a bag of chips, she only had one bite before throwing them on her desk. She pulled her hair and then exalted a desolate sigh. More tears flowed down her face as her mind was slowly on the verge of exploding. On her nightstand, she got a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of sleeping pills. She continued to gaze at those and contemplated.

    Then her phone vibrated.

    ¡°What now?¡± She unlocked her phone¡¯s lock screen and swiped down to see the notification.

    Allyson tidied up her cabinet and organized her clothes from undergarments on top, shirts below it, pants and shorts after, and the rest at the bottom. After finishing that chore, she went to her TV stand to power on her gaming console.

    Then a vibration noise went off.

    She abruptly turned to her nightstand and saw something displaying on the screen. Approaching closer to the phone and picking it up, the yellow ember icon appeared again.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Allyson quietly queried as she tried to open the application.

    The phone vibrated again.

    The screen became all black.

    Allyson tried to power on her phone but nothing happened. She pressed the location of where the home button was on the screen but it never showed up.

    The ember icon appeared yellow once more before dissipating.

    The screen initially was static. Then, as the staticity dissolved, the phone displayed an unusual surreal environment.

    Walking down a long vertical hallway. Black and white tiles beneath. On the left wall, various paintings were proudly displayed. Symmetric with the right wall. All signed by only one artist who made all of these artworks possible. A short-haired blonde woman was running through the hallway, panicking from the seemingly never-ending corridor.

    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± Allyson¡¯s body froze, and her phone slid off from her right hand. Eyes widened, brows furrowed, and mouth left a gap. Her breath began breathing at an alarming rate.

    ¡°What the fuck is that?!¡±

    Allyson turned her head on the floor and picked up her mobile device. She was unable to decipher the sound and the apparatus. Her intent stare at the phone caused her to move closer to the screen.

    The woman continued sprinting until a brown monotonous door appeared at the end. She hastily pulled the door and immediately tripped from a canvas that spawned in front of her. She abruptly stood up and bolted through the wide gallery only to find that no pathways existed.

    Running to the left. Running to the right. Running upward. All in vain. Only more canvases in each venture. Portraits unfamiliar for those unaware but familiar to those who discovered the secrets behind them.

    Then her TV suddenly powered on.

    Startled, Allyson walked slowly to her television and gazed at the image on display whilst gripping her phone.

    ¡°Stop this! This is scaring me!¡± the short-haired woman breathed heavily before sliding on the wall and covering her ears from the entities who caught up to her.

    ¡°I worked sooooo hard to make all these creations by myself.¡±

    ¡°Do they know? Do they know the truth behind all of these drawings?¡±

    ¡°I needed the money¡­ and I will get it no matter what and no matter how.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve become what I¡¯ve sworn to not become. Oh, how I¡¯ve tarnished my integrity but who cares as long as¡±

    ¡°STOP! ENOUGH OF THIS! STOP, STOP, STOP!!!¡±

    The woman suffering was the main focus on display. She was the only person on screen, just like presenting a picture to the audience. Once Allyson identified the hair color and face structure, she fell to her knees. Her head leaned closer to the TV but no physical contact.

    ¡°Julia?¡±

    Without warning.

    SLAM!!!

    A deafening noise of a door from the outside.

 Becauseâ€¦ itâ€™s about herâ€

    ¡°Because¡­ it¡¯s about her¡±

    ¡°Julia?!¡± Allyson frantically crossed the living room.

    Her roommate¡¯s interior room was visible but she was nowhere to be seen.

    Numerous thoughts rummaging through her mind, Allyson quickly grabbed her running shoes and bolted out of the apartment and ran through the stairs. She forced the exit out.

    ¡°JULIA!!¡±

    Her head turned left and right multiple times in quick succession. Several students stood on the sidewalk smoking cigarettes. Her darting eyes and swiveled head were becoming very vivid.

    ¡°Hey guys, have any of you seen a woman this high,¡± she positioned her right hand like a flat line and hovered over her right shoulder blade, ¡°with short blonde hair? She also wore a yellow jacket and black pants. Did you see her out here?!¡±

    ¡°Uh, no sorry,¡± a man with gray sweatpants weaved his head. ¡°We just stepped out like a second ago.¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Allyson immediately carried her legs south of the sidewalk and turned right at the stop sign. Upon approaching the parking lot, she caught attention at a campus police car driving the opposite lane.

    Then the car slowed down and stopped.

    ¡°Excuse me, officer!¡±

    The cop got out of his car and crossed his arms.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°My roommate¡¯s missing!¡±

    ¡°Missing?¡± A shadow smile crept on his lips. ¡°When was the last time you saw your roommate?¡±

    ¡°Just now! She was in the apartment with me and then all of a sudden, I heard a loud noise and now she disappeared! I don''t know where she is! You have to help me find her!¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± the officer wrote on his little notepad with his eyes sternly focused. ¡°You were with your roommate when she suddenly disappeared out of nowhere?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! It sounds really weird but that¡¯s what I remember.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± his tone was unenthusiastic. His expression remained unchanged ¡°And the minute you knew she went missing, you ran out here to search for help?¡±

    ¡°I did!¡±

    His nod at first eased Allyson¡¯s mind. The officer tucked the notepad into his shirt pocket before clicking on the radio microphone clipped to his collar.

    ¡°244 to College Park.¡±

    ¡°College Park to 244.¡±

    ¡°I have a 10-75. Requesting backup.¡±

    ¡°Backup requested and can you provide the information on 10-75?¡±

    ¡°Number 5 female, purple shirt, and navy pants. My 20 is the intersection at Lakeland Road and Baltimore Avenue right at the parking lot.¡±

    ¡°10-4.¡±

    Allyson¡¯s stomach began to churn. Her body started spiking up heat and her eyes furrowed. ¡°Excuse me, are you describing¡±

    ¡°Give me a moment.¡±

    ¡°285 to College Park.¡±

    ¡°College Park, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Arrived at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Lakeland Road with 244 and the 10-75.¡±

    ¡°10-4.¡±

    ¡°Young lady,¡± the first cop addressed. ¡°Hands behind your back.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Hands behind your back. Now!¡±

    Before she even complied, the first cop walked behind Allyson and forcibly placed Allyson¡¯s wrists in a cross formation and cuffed her.

    ¡°We are taking you to the station to get more answers from you. You are going to have to answer us a few questions about your roommate¡¯s ¡®disappearance¡¯.¡±

    Her eyes widened and her heart raced at every millisecond. Her body froze from the cop¡¯s information and was taken in the back seat of the vehicle.

    In her mind, she hollered, ¡°My roommate is fucking missing! Why am I being arrested?!¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    In a dark gray room, Allyson sat with her back erect on the chair with a wooden desk at center. Her shoulders shriveled up, hands tucked in her lap, and knees bent inwards. All she did for the past hour was gazing at the table.

    Finally, someone walked in. A man in a light blue buttoned shirt with a black tie and brown pants. He held his navy jacket with his right hand and over his shoulder. Once the man sat directly on the opposite side, he took a deep breath.

    "Name''s Detective Vargas. What''s your name?"

    "Allyson," she dryly answered while holding back the urge to cough.

    "I''m going to cut to the chase here. Recall what has occurred before your roommate went missing."

    "I saw her come back to the apartment late Sunday morning. Then I left to go for a run. When I came back, the door was still shut. She didn''t come out until the evening at around 7pm. She quickly went back to her room and I went to my room. At around 9pm, I was cleaning my room before I heard a loud slam. I ran only to see her room wide open. She wasn''t there so I ran out of the building to try to find her."

    The detective nodded and wrote down what he thought were main points in Allyson''s story.

    ¡°Can you describe what she looks like?¡±

    ¡°About this high, had black pants, and a light yellow jacket.¡±

    ¡°Did anyone near the building see your roommate?¡±

    Allyson waved her head sideways.

    ¡°Any vehicles around the area that you may have seen?¡±

    The same response.

    Vargas covered his lips inward and documented the information. He raised his head to meet with the anxious Allyson. "Do you know if your roommate had anyone who may not get along with her?"

    "Not that I know of."

    "How about you?"

    "I don''t understand," she kept her focus on her tucked hands.

    "What I was trying to ask is did you and your roommate get along?"

    "We did."

    He groaned and clenched his teeth. Allyson waited for about 10 minutes as Detective Vargas continued to jot down his notebook. His demeanor was difficult to decipher when she took a quick peek.

    "Ok, you can leave."

    "What?" Her left eye furrowed. His words slowly loosened Allyson''s body.

    "I said you can leave. I don''t think you would do anything to harm your roommate. If it makes you feel better, I can have an escort take you home."

    "That''ll be nice, thank you."

    The Detective unbuckled his radio and brought it to the left side of his lips. "277 to 2009."

    "2009 go ahead." Allyson shifted her focus to the respondent''s voice.

    "I have an escort for you. Meet me in the auxiliary room asap."

    "10-4."

    "Come with me." Vargas and Allyson exited the interrogation room and walked upstairs on the left corridor.

    "What the hell was that?!" The first cop halted the two and tensely stood in front of them. His flaming eyes locked to Allyson. "Why is she leaving? She is a prime suspect!"

    "Hey, I''m in charge of this case and I make the calls.¡± He stomped his left foot and shielded himself in front of the ¡®prime suspect¡¯. She is cleared of suspicion and that''s that."

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Bull fucking shit! You got lucky bitch but you better watch yourself." The first cop walked the opposite direction and smashed the exit door.

    "I''m really sorry that he made you uncomfortable and scared," his eyes lowered and braced his right palm on his forehead.

    Allyson remained silent and looked away from Vargas. He closed his eyes for a moment before arriving at the auxiliary department. There a man in a gray buttoned shirt with navy military pants sat on a chair filing some paperwork. He turned to meet the escort.

    "Allyson?"

    "Jansen?" Her eyes beamed upon knowing it was indeed him.

    "Wait, what¡¯s going on?" He asked while his brows were knitted.

    "I''ll explain later.¡± The detective raised his hand up to his chest. ¡°Take her home first. I''m calling an APB for her roommate."

    "Her roommate''s missing? Uh, what the hell is going on?"

    "Now is not the time. Take her home, meet me at Lot 3 right after. I¡¯ll let you know what is happening."

    "Got it."

    The SPA Supervisor walked side-by-side with Allyson to the parking lot behind the Pocomoke Building. He took out the vehicular keys from his left pocket and unlocked the Crown Vic containing no markings on the exterior. He swiftly opened the passenger side to let the distraught woman sit first. While the drive back to her apartment was short, no conversation was made. Parking in front of the building on 48th avenue, neither made a single inch of movement on their still bodies.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jansen quietly turned to his friend. ¡°We¡¯ll find Julia. I promise you that.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± her head leaned on the window while her dark eyes pointed at the door handle. ¡°She¡¯s gone because of me. All because I stuck my nose into her business.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± His narrowed eyes and scowled tone left her unfazed. ¡°Was it you who punished Julia? Was it you who caused her to have so much stress? Or was it you who wanted to make sure she¡¯s safe?¡±

    Allyson¡¯s tense muscles circled around her closed mouth and hid her eyes behind her long hair. Her body felt numb. Her heart pulse echoed throughout her temple.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I really don¡¯t.¡± Her voice almost cracked near the end of her response.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± he gently tapped his chest once. ¡°Everything¡¯ll be alright. We will find her and search every single place to do so.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Just make sure you get some rest tonight. Leave the searching tonight to me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jansen,¡± Allyson cracked a dimpled smile which Jansen reciprocated. ¡°For being there for me again.¡±

    She stepped out of the vehicle, waved her hands to Jansen, and walked while her head was tilted down to her apartment building to which Jansen drove off for the night.

    Despite putting out an APB, there was no luck on Julia¡¯s whereabouts.

    September 21

    Two days have passed since the incident. Despite the campus police and the student police aides efforts, there was no confidence in locating Julia. When both parties attempted again Tuesday night, neither of them replicated the same efforts from Sunday night. They mindlessly patrolled the area and concluded that Julia was not present. When Jansen relayed the news that Julia was still missing, Allyson was determined to find Julia herself.

    Around in the afternoon, once Allyson completed her classes, she hurriedly speed walked to the Stamp building and rendezvoused with Jansen.

    ¡°Ok, here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do,¡± Allyson aggressively tapped her phone¡¯s screen a few times to display the campus map. ¡°We can split up using the Campus Drive as the middle line. We¡¯ll start with the area behind the Stamp building and survey that area. I already crossed out several buildings because I checked them yesterday. So our search today is going to be a little easier.¡±

    ¡°Damn, she really was prepared.¡± Jansen thought to himself as he pierced his bottom lip and rocked his head. He queried, ¡°Ok, where should we start first?¡±

    Throughout the entire afternoon, Allyson and Jansen searched through the surrounding areas of Ellicott Area Dining, Cambridge Community Center, Campus farm, and the Denton Area. These areas consisted mostly of dormitories spread out north of the campus. After questioning almost every student they came across, they all answered the same.

    To wrap up the afternoon, they traveled to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center which was to the left of the football stadium on Alumni Drive. Inside the vast building, they peeked into several studio rooms where students were practicing either choreography, theater performance, or music. They were not able to pinpoint Julia in any of the rooms. The students and faculty confirmed to not have seen her recently.

    Walking outside the building, Allyson placed her hands on the top of her head with her icy stare pointing at the pavement road.

    ¡°Damn it! Where the hell are you, Julia?!¡±

    ¡°No one seems to know where she is,¡± Jansen was surveillancing the area with his dilated pupils and slight frown. ¡°How can no one see Julia at all? Though it was at night but still¡­¡±

    The skies were gradually becoming orange.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll take you home and I¡¯ll try to get my SPAs tonight to search again.¡±

    ¡°Please do, thanks!¡±

    But alas, they not only failed to accomplish the task, but wrote down that they searched the areas mentioned but surveillance cameras indicated otherwise. The campus officers only parked in lots and waved their eyes once and then drove away.

    That night in a small office in Pocomoke.

    ¡°How can someone just disappear like that?¡± Detective Vargas pinned his elbows on the desk and nearly yanked his short hair. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. Julia disappears without a trace. Her roommate was in the same apartment unit with her yet was shocked by the news. What the hell is going on?¡±

    Hearing the commotion outside, he was forced to hear the conversation and shut his lips.

    ¡°You guys see that stupid girl trying to find her ¡®roommate¡¯?¡± The voice resembled 244.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know man,¡± the unknown voice shrugged his shoulders and lips turned down. ¡°It sounds like she really does want to find her roommate.¡±

    ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t buy into what she¡¯s saying.¡± Officer 244 curled his lips while his nostrils flared up. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s weird that her roommate goes missing and she quickly calls the cops saying that she went missing? I know it¡¯s fishy as fuck. That detective shouldn¡¯t have let her go. If I had full control, I¡¯d make sure she confesses everything.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Yeah, right.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, what?¡± Vargas cocked his head and pursed his lips.

    September 23

    Allyson and Jansen opted to skip their classes and resumed their investigation. Despite surveying the other side of the campus, the outcome was the same.

    During their walk on Mowatt Lane, they were about to head to the Mayer Mall until they saw three people standing in front of the Van Munching Building. They were heading down the steps and converged just on the edge of the field. The investigators furtively stepped backward and held their backs against the wall.

    ¡°It¡¯s them.¡± Allyson¡¯s veins were pulsing on her temple as she crawled and looked out near the ground.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here.¡± Jansen stood and looked at the three just above Allyson¡¯s head. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go the other way.¡±

    ¡°No, I want to hear what those shitheads say.¡±

    He closed his eyes, shrugged his shoulders, and pierced his lips.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not surprised that someone like her ran out on the campus,¡± Cree scoffed.

    ¡°First, she has a ton of debt to pay. So even if she¡¯s alive, she still needs to pay us back.¡± Scott kept a straight face before pulling out a cigarette. ¡°It¡¯s hard to find people who actually put in work these days.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s her fault that she is in debt and lost her job. If she did what she was asked to do, then she wouldn¡¯t have run away.¡±

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s ok, honestly she can talk to me and we can pay that debt my way,¡± Joe turned his lips up and raised his eyebrows twice.

    Allyson¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. Instinctively, she stood up and took a heavy step.

    Then her left arm was caught and forced back to a corner.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She loudly whispered as her eyes crinkled.

    ¡°Do NOT make a scene.¡± Jansen¡¯s tone was daunting, his eyes darted at her, and his neck tensed up.

    ¡°You heard what they said about Julia. I¡¯m not going to let that slide.¡±

    ¡°And what are you going to do? Tell them to ¡®fuck off¡¯? Tell me, how does that help find Julia?¡±

    ¡°It does because¡­ because¡­ it¡¯s about her.¡± She stammered before pulling her left arm away. ¡°Julia¡¯s life is in danger and I¡¯m terrified of what might happen to her. Hearing someone make a mockery of her is the last thing I want to listen to.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right that it¡¯s about her,¡± he reassured before hovering his hands on her shoulders. Allyson made a ghost nod to which Jansen then made physical contact. ¡°Her life is possibly at risk. RIght now, those guys, with whatever they are saying, are not important. Finding Julia is the priority. With everything that has happened this past week, I¡¯m also very worried about you.¡±

    ¡°Why are you worried about me?¡± Allyson tilted her head to the left by a small degree.

    He paused for a moment which made her body tighten. Her shoulders shrugged up a tad bit.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let someone suffer like that again. At the very least, I would like to see you make some amends with Julia. Maybe then, you can be ok.¡±

    Allyson held a deep breath yet her heart fluttered and face flushed a hint of red. Her mind became cloudy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were that concerned about me.¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± he closed his cold eyes before locking eyes with his friend. ¡°You¡¯ve had a rough time here so I want to at least make sure you¡¯re okay.¡±

    The woman let her bottom lip hang down by a centimeter and felt the wind softening her body.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anyone say that to me.¡±

    ¡°We can stay here and talk or we can make sure those guys don¡¯t see us,¡± his lips crawled up.

    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± she turned to her right and those three were still at the same place. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get out of here. We¡¯re still not done here.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± he took his arms back and put them through his pockets. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go the other way.¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    They retreated to Mowatt Lane. At the roundabout, they were unsure of where to head next. Then, Allyson covered her forehead with her right hand, crunched her eyes and grinded her teeth. She let out a disgruntled groan.

    ¡°Woah, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jansen had his hands on her shoulders. His forehead puckered.  ¡°A headache? Need to sit somewhere?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± she innately pinned at the Art-Sociology building with her vision.

    ¡°That building¡­ let¡¯s go there.¡±

    Upon entering the first floor, it appeared to be unoccupied. No students were present.

    ¡°I remember this is where I stood up for Julia.¡±

    ¡°How come you¡¯re recalling that memory now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she shrugged her shoulders. Allyson pulled out her phone and stared at the ember icon while darted her eyes forward. ¡°I forgot to mention something to you, Jansen.¡±

    ¡°What about?¡± He squinted his eyes.

    ¡°This app,¡± she touched the icon and the yellow ember reappeared. ¡°I saw a creepy message and it asked if I wanted to access something. I think I want to go forward with it, but I need you to be with me. Are you ok with that?¡±

    ¡°It sounds a bit crazy but yeah, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    The message on Allyson¡¯s phone appears: ¡°Warning! This Soul is compromised! The individual¡¯s Soul is no longer safe. Will you access its portal?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I want to access its portal. Jansen¡¯s coming with me, too.¡± Allyson¡¯s focus had her pupils expand and clench her teeth.

    Jansen had his eyes bulge out due to the message his friend got before steaming off through his nostrils.

    The TV screen in front of them displayed the same ember icon on Allyson¡¯s phone.

    The app typed in one more message.

    ¡°Accessing the portal to the Artificial Gallery.¡±

 "I will...pierce the heart of my abyss"

    ¡°I will¡­pierce the heart of my abyss¡±

    Circular diffusion waves emitted from the TV screen. The entire surrounding became pixelated and gradually blurry until everything suddenly turned pitch black. Once it was coated in a bask of shadows, the world began spinning around uncontrollably.

    The duration had a brief stint as the rotating motion steadily came to an end while Jansen and Allyson remained motionless during that transfiguration.

    ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Allyson said as her body remained still yet her eyes rolled everywhere.

    ¡°Are we still on campus?¡± Jansen cautiously took the first step with his left foot.

    The skies shrouded in darkness with a light gray sphere at the center. He squinted his eyes to gaze at the moon.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she reduced her vision and left a gap in her mouth. ¡°Um, Jansen? Look over there.¡±

    Approximately 100 meters from where they were standing, there was a building that resembled the Art-Sociology building. Additional constructions from above layered the original foundation of the Art facility.

    At the top, the exterior shone gold. Beneath it displayed a lemon yellow color. Below that was orange. Lastly, the first floor glowed red. Banners represented the campus mascot hanging on the sides of the entrance doors. Rainbow lights flashed intermittently across the yellow carpet leading to the main entrance.

    Allyson and Jansen discreetly approached closer and closer until a metallic gate came crashing from above with prickly thorns encompassing it. Above the rose door handles, a flat-screen panel appeared. At the top of the screen, it was slowly flashing crimson light.

    ¡°So do we just use our eyes and,¡± she proceeded to close her right eye and revealed a large left eye to the screen.

    Nothing happened.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± He kept a straight face. ¡°A flashing bright light on your eye doesn¡¯t seem healthy.¡±

    ¡°Tch,¡± she scoffed but revealed her dimpled smile.

    Touching the screen with her left hand, a green line emerged from the screen and moved vertically.

    Five seconds later.

    The gate began to move inwards and forged a carpeted path to the gallery. As they continued walking, they saw a figure on the flight of stairs holding their hands on the side of their waist. The burning lights behind the figure illustrated a shadowlike apparatus. As the two investigators reached the bottom of the stairs, they were able to discern the mysterious person.

    ¡°Julia?¡± Allyson squinted her eyes.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my roommate,¡± she scrolled over her eyes before exposing her palms upward. ¡°I thought I told you to keep your nose out of my business.¡±

    ¡°Are you seriously saying that to me?¡± Her brows arched and snarled back. ¡°I was worried that you were kidnapped!¡±

    ¡°I told you already, I¡¯m fine!¡± She roared back clenching her fists and pulling them back behind her.

    ¡°Not what I saw at the apartment last Sunday. Something was wrong. Something happened to you, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°There you are invading my privacy,¡± the figure in a golden dress pressed her left palm on her forehead, closed her eyes, and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not your business and just leave it at that! You don¡¯t see me stick my nose into your business. So why should I say any more to you?¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jansen stomped the first stair with his right foot and pinned his stare at Julia. ¡°We searched every single damn part of campus to find you. Allyson did everything to make sure you were okay. Put some fucking respect on her name.¡±

    She just beamed the strongest grin on her face to where her white teeth shone. Her giggle escalated to a chuckle before bursting out uncontrollably loud ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!¡±

    Both Jansen and Allyson furrowed their eyes and took a few steps back.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Her mouth left a wide gap while her eyes were as large as the moon. ¡°Who are you to say to put respect on someone¡¯s name?!  They never earned mines in the first place.¡±

    ¡°The fuck you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Enough chatter,¡± Julia swung her left arm across her body. Her face quickly relaxed and maintained a straight face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two guests enter my gallery? This visit is free of charge for today.¡±

    She turned her back and took a few steps into the facility before stopping. ¡°Oh and one more thing. You don¡¯t want to miss the unveiling of my new artwork coming soon.¡±

    Julia entered the premises. Allyson immediately bolted through the flight of stairs. Jansen stammered before following his friend.

    Artificial Gallery - Floor 1

    Sculptures, paintings, and canvases spreaded across the area. Lights were distributed evenly to shine on every single art piece.

    It was, however, unoccupied.

    "Where is she?" Allyson sharply scanned the entire premises, turning her head in all possible angles.

    "Hey, don''t run off like that," Jansen heavily breathed before repeating the same gestures his friend did. "Why is there no one here?"

    "No damn clue," she aggressively rugged her head. "Come on, let''s find her."

    Before making a single step, all the lights went out.

    "Jansen?"

    "Allyson?"

    "Where are you? I''m reaching my hands."

    "Got em!"

    Then a single ray of light centered at the middle of the floor.

    "Now, don''t be in such a rush," she smirked while her hands were on her hips. "Please take your time around the gallery. There is plenty of art to appreciate."

    The light went out again before the entire stage of lights returned. Julia was no longer present.

    ¡°Is she serious?¡± He raised his left eyebrow while still holding Allyson¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I kinda wanna see everything around here,¡± she pierced her lips inward. ¡°It¡¯s my first time being a visitor in a gallery.¡±

    Jansen closed his eyes, widened his lips, and scoffed. ¡°I guess there¡¯s always time to appreciate art during this time of crisis.¡±

    Starting their tour, they saw two sculptures closest to them. The one on the left was holding a scale in its right hand while wielding a sword in the other. Eyes were covered by a white cloth. The other held a torch in its left hand while carrying a book in the other hand. Upon inspecting the engraving below, there were only two words:

    ¡°Julia Sivhia¡±

    ¡°Did she create these?¡± Allyson¡¯s eyes broadened and nonchalantly rocked her head. ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t these look familiar to you?¡± Jansen pressed his lips with his right fist while his left arm supported his right elbow.

    ¡°Maybe a reference?¡± She then spotted three pillars behind the two sculptures and stepped closer to them. Her friend soon followed.

    The canvas in the middle portrayed the campus mascot of a terrapin standing on two legs and proudly revealing the ¡®M¡¯ at the center. To the left depicted a basketball court where fans were raising their arms in celebration of a last-second game-winning shot. On the opposite side illustrated the McKeldin library in the distance and the McKeldin Mall rendered closer in view. Students converged. Students walked. Students sat at the fountain. They all appeared to enjoy their campus life.

    ¡°These all look pretty good,¡± Allyson tilted her head to the right and furrowed her eyes. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure why she¡¯s the way she is now?¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Jansen squinted his eyes and focused on the canvas on the right. ¡°Hey, Allyson? You might want to look at the canvases again.¡±

    She concentrated on the middle drawing. Initially, she believed that it was not anything out of the ordinary.

    Until she saw the terrapin''s face.

    Beneath the eyes had another additional slither pair of eyes. Only the bottom of the usual pair of eyes. The palms of the legs had layers of themselves angling in different directions.

    "Uhh, what?"

    She checked the left drawing and the fans¡¯ arms were uncharacteristically long. Fingers on every hand were more than 5. Many faces were a tad elongated. The painting on the right was the same. Her face directed at Jansen who then reciprocated.

    ¡°Are these¡­¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± he slowly tilted his head forward a few times.

    ¡°What about her other stuff and the sculptures?¡±

    Allyson surveyed the side closest to the entrance whereas Jansen covered the remaining side. All of it had strange oddities that reminisced the three paintings earlier. Jansen quickly rendezvous with Allyson to where they first discovered the sculptures.

    ¡°They all have these weird features. Every single one of them.¡± He reported, pointing his right finger at every art piece he scanned.

    ¡°Same here,¡± she closed her eyes for a brief moment before walking behind the sculpture on the left. She gestured to Jansen to walk to where she was standing. ¡°Look at this.¡±

    Created with Nightlife.Studios

    Artist: Julia Sivhia

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Jansen squinted his eyes and furrowed his eyes. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of Nightlife.Studios before.¡±

    ¡°What is it exactly?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± he scratched the back of his head with his right hand while crunching the right side of his face. ¡°It¡¯s not a physical studio you would think of for artists. It¡¯s more of a website where you can type in a description and then it generates an artwork from the description you wrote in.¡±

    ¡°Wait so you can just type in a few words and poof? Art piece done?¡±

    Jansen pierced the right side of his lips, stared at his friend, and statically tilted his head down a few times.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ really lame. Feels soulless to me.¡±

    ¡°You said it, not me.¡±

    ¡°I get so many portfolio assignments non-stop. The amount of work to even make one drawing takes so much time. Cree piles on so much work on me that I can¡¯t finish all of them by the deadlines given to me. I cried to myself at night because it was all too much.¡±

    The voice echoed throughout the area. No signs of Julia anywhere.

    A hologram of Julia pulling her hair with both of her hands. Her eyes were tightly shut and she exhaled slowly and painfully with her teeth grinded against each other. When she returned to her desk, she attempted to layer some shadows. One second in, she flicked her tablet pen and covered her face with her hands.

    ¡°Julia¡­she¡¯s been dealing with all of that,¡± Allyson tilted her head down and moist eyes. Quietly muttered, ¡°all by herself.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Friends that I once had, artist mutuals and inner circle, haven¡¯t talked to me in the past year. I was trying to survive with this job where maybe I could enjoy what I like doing and get paid for it. But I never realized¡­ how much it cost.¡±

    Soon the paintings in the area all transformed into the same visual. It was like duplicating a desktop to multiple monitors.

    One image flickered to Julia running but a group of unidentifiable individuals had their backs turned against her and walked away. In the next image she tried to extend her left arm as far as she could. The third image was a pile of unfinished creations all smudged and torn. The last image was Julia holding a wad of cash but her somber eyes and still expression left a stinging pain in Allyson¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Then came my roommate.¡±

    Her head quickly shot upward and dilated pupils scanned the hologram.

    ¡°Her moving to the apartment was such terrible timing. While working on my last two assignments for Cree, she moved in. I could tell she was like my so-called friends. Pretending to be nice and then turning her back to me because I did this one bad thing. A fake person like her. So I just made sure we are just roommates and nothing more.¡±

    "Allyson?" Jansen turned to his friend but it was all muffled to her.

    Her body was stiff. Heart beating by the smallest of seconds.

    ¡°I wished she would just shut up and stop talking to me. She doesn''t know how to respect anyone''s boundaries and wishes to be liked. She''s so obvious to figure out. She is the reason why I lost my job and was forced to pay back for everything I made there. I almost lost it because of her. It''s all her fault. I want her to just leave here. You ruined everything.¡±

    Jansen refused to say a word. He can only see Allyson balling her hands into fists.

    She clenched her teeth while shutting her mouth. Her burning eyes all focused at the hologram.

    "Let''s leave."

    "B-but"

    "NOW!"

    As they approached the entrance, the impenetrable metallic doors were conjured up.

    The woman in the golden dress appeared behind her with a smirk. "Aw, want to leave because I said what I said?"

    "Shut¡­ the fuck up," she held her tension in her fists and pinned a deadly stare. "Let us leave."

    "If you do, then I will still be missing," she snapped her fingers and displayed a holographic visual of a hallway. "Doesn''t this look familiar?"

    "What is this? What¡¯s going on?"

    The elegantly fashioned lady quickly released her middle finger and thumb once again. The lights lost power for a second and she was absent.

    On the opposite side, the wall was moving sideways. It unveiled a flight of stairs to the next floor.

    "Jansen, come on!" Allyson without hesitation bolted towards the stairs.

    "Wait, Allyson!" Jansen chased after her. "You don''t know where that leads to!"

    Ignoring her friend''s words, she sprinted up the stairs and continued on until a corridor laid in front of them.

    Artificial Gallery - Floor 2

    Allyson stopped and scanned the hallway. Black and white tiles on the floor. Paintings hung on both sidewalls. Jansen had just arrived behind her.

    "This looks like¡­"

    "Uh, Allyson?" He pointed back from the stairs and dark entities with blonde coverings on their head came running.

    They hurriedly dashed through the long corridor and found a brown door. They shoved it open and found themselves in an area with no exits and a wide stand that was barricaded by a rectangular glass.

    Julia with a gilded attire was in front of the stand.

    But there was someone else on her knees.

    "Julia!"

    "You heard it? Didn''t you?" The woman clawed her fingers against the floor.

    "Hey, I''ll say shit about you later. Come on! Let''s get out of here! I was trying to find you all week!"

    As Allyson approached Julia, she was stopped and restrained by the shadow entities chasing them. Her left arm was locked by one shadow¡¯s left arm while another shadow mimicked its partner on Allyson¡¯s right arm. Jansen was also detained in the same way. A quick glimpse of the entity to her right, the being had wavy blonde hair yet no facial features were present.

    ¡°I should come clean,¡± the lady standing took several steps closer to Julia. ¡°It must have been all the hard work I¡¯ve put in these past two years in making the best work for Cree.¡±

    Julia lifted herself with her shins and stood right up before balling up her hands.

    ¡°...¡±

    The other figure¡¯s shallow smirk circled slowly around Julia.

    ¡°At first, it was fine. I was so happy knowing that I was representing my art to the family who funded our prosperous campus. I was getting paid good money for my passion. Oh, I was enjoying the moment. But you know, everything wasn¡¯t as it seems. Seeing¡­ is believing.¡±

    Allyson left a small gap with her lips while squinting her eyes toward her roommate.

    Another snap of the fingers created a hologram above everyone.

    ¡°There has been a change of plans, Julia. The deadline for these portfolios is now two weeks earlier.¡±

    ¡°What? I can¡¯t finish everything in that short of time!¡±

    ¡°I understand your frustration. This is an unfortunate circumstance but you will have to finish your work with this constraint. We cannot afford more losses if you cannot deliver to our expectations. We will also make sure to not let these circumstances reoccur again.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Yes, Cree.¡±

    ¡°The deadlines were becoming shorter. They were using my competitors'' work more instead of mine. I was getting paid less as a result.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it¡­¡± Julia partially widened her eyes and rapidly shook her head. ¡°I know what I had to do.¡±

    ¡°Oh, did I?¡± The woman halted right at Julia¡¯s left side and pinned her flaming eyes at her. ¡°As a matter of fact, I did know what I had to do to make sure I made more money and beat my competitors and actually reached my deadlines. Here¡¯s what I did¡­¡±

    She snapped her fingers again.

    In Julia¡¯s room at her desk, she stared at her laptop screen. The search engine was empty. Surrounding her computer were unfinished sketches and crumbled papers. She was ventilating at an alarming rate. Her eyes were closed while her fingers trembled.

    ¡°If I do this, just this once, I can relax for now. Only once ok. Only once.¡±

    The website navigated to the Nightlife.studios. The search bar was asking the user to put in a description, paste an image URL.

    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±

    ¡°What started out was just doing this fun little art creation tool on this website. But then, it was creating nice art at face value just by putting in a description or a picture! Ooh, when I got that fat paycheck and my art was getting used more, I felt great. I finally can be comfortable with my life. But then¡­¡±

    Another finger snap.

    ¡°What the hell is this, Julia?!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Why are you using this to make your own art? You¡¯re stealing other work and making a profit?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see how bad this is? We are getting people claiming they are stealing OUR work and now we can¡¯t post our work on our social media anymore!¡±

    ¡°Julia, you really disappointed us. It¡¯s one thing to use it, but to make a profit out of it and as your primary art tool is just tarnishing what all of us artists stand for.¡±

    ¡°My mutuals started coming after me. Calling me a plagiarist, putting me on blast with Cree in front of us. I couldn¡¯t understand it. I didn¡¯t know at the time that doing this harmless thing could affect them like that. Then¡­Cree called me that same term after using that website again and again.¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Julia shouted and pushed the woman. ¡°I wasn¡¯t happy with the little money I was making with my work.¡±

    ¡°My work?¡± The lady puffed her dress and rolled her hands down on her attire. ¡°I think I mean other people¡¯s work.¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking like you know me?!¡±

    ¡°Simple. I am Julia Sivhia. The artist who steals for a quick buck and blows it all away on some things I depend on. I am also the person who thinks Allyson is weird and annoying. Why can¡¯t she be normal like anyone else?¡±

    Allyson closed her eyes and leaned her head downward. Her lips were sealed shut.

    ¡°Allyson¡­ I¡± before Julia could muster up any more words, the other Julia snapped her fingers. Julia was surrounded by four mirrored paintings in all four-way directions.

    The portraits were drawing closer to Julia. She quickly ran to the corner and barely escaped with an inch of her body. But the mirrors flew faster towards Julia who then was pinned to a wall of the glass stand.

    ¡°No, no!¡± She stammered while her knees were bent inward. ¡°Please stop this¡±

    ¡°Now, now,¡± the woman snapped her fingers again and the mirrors became motionless. ¡°If I want to show everyone who I really am, I¡¯ll need to make an original self-portrait. Something that people can remember someone through death. Starting with¡­ me.¡±

    The mirrors floated toward Julia who then yelled out a blood-curdling scream ¡°AAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!¡±

    Allyson regained her vision and swung a left leg sweep and both entities fell over in a domino effect. She sprinted to the golden-dressed woman with her right fist. Once in close proximity, she attempted to deliver a punch but upon impact the other Julia was substituted by a painting case causing it to shatter into million pieces.

    Allyson¡¯s vision blurred and covered with her left arm. Slowly regaining sight, without her notice, she was met with a roundhouse to the face and flew back a few feet.

    ¡°Allyson!¡± Jansen charged forward but he went nowhere. ¡°Fuck!¡±

    ¡°Now, watch as I make my greatest self-portrait to the world. They will remember what I am.¡± The eloquent lady clapped her hands.

    The mirrors started to glow and flashes were rampant.

    Julia slid down the wall and covered her face with her arms. Her whimper was soft. Her entire body shook vigorously.

    Allyson while lying on her side slowly extended her right arm out to her roommate before it slammed to the ground. She pressed her left hand against the ground to get her two feet firm against the floor. Her breath became heavier as her eyes started to sleep.

    Then something rang in her pocket.

    Pulling out her phone, the ember icon reoccurred. Her brows furrowed and her eyes woke up.

    The flames radiated a violet color.

    Then it dissipated.

    A line flashed on and off for a few seconds. The background was an empty space with little diamond stars. A light, transparent gray mist enshrouded the screen

    After a brief stint, it typed: The feeling is there, isn¡¯t it? That feeling-

    ¡°Never goes away.¡±

    ¡­ But then why do you still want to save her? Why do you risk your life for someone who gives you nothing?

    Allyson stayed silent for a brief moment. Her mind became foggier by the second. A storm brewed gradually inside her.

    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ Julia isn¡¯t that different from me. That¡¯s why I want to save her.¡±

    And if she still treats you the same?

    ¡°It¡¯ll suck but it is what it is, I suppose.¡±

    I will¡­save her? I want to prove that. I must speak and open with my heart to the Soul Portal.

    The purple fire appeared once more. Allyson gazed at the flame admiring its warmth. A grin slowly crept upon her lips.

    ¡°I will¡­ pierce the heart of my abyss.¡±

    The phone vibrated at an unusually high volume. Everyone¡¯s attention shifted to her. Her device began to levitate and spiral uncontrollably. During the gyration, her device was rotating in various directions. The initial shape was a sphere before it elongated into a cylinder-like object.

    Suddenly, the revolution gradually slowed down and the device floated still.

    But it was not her phone anymore.

    A handle of 10.5 inches covered in ray skin and wrapped with smooth leather. The handle guard was a black and violet circular object wrapped between the handle and the metal blade approximately 10.5 inches long. She softly gripped the short blade and was mesmerized by its manifestation.

    One long released breath while her grin remained unchanged.

    Grabbing both of her hands on the handle, Allyson extended her arms out with the tip of the blade facing towards¡­her chest.

    ¡°Soul¡­¡± she quietly whispered as her eyes closed and lips no longer rolled up. ¡°Portal¡­¡±

    The blade had pierced her chest. The sharp blade penetrated her real heart. Allyson¡¯s pupils shrunk. Her mouth was all exposed. No sounds were heard from her.

    Crimson liquid poured out from her mouth. Drops of it rained down on her chest. Staggered to the left, staggered to the right, she gripped the handle tightly with both hands before trying to pull the dagger out.

    But it was stuck. It was not budging.

    Her eyes began to lose vision. She fell to her knees as her strength to pull the blade faltered. Allyson¡¯s facial expression soon gradually lost its tension.

    Her eyes went completely dark.

    Her head sank down in an instant.

    ¡°ALLYSON!!¡± Jansen¡¯s face blushed red and uncontrollably swung his entire body but he never stepped a single foot forward.

    Julia¡¯s lower lip quivered and water rained down her face.

    ¡°Look what I¡¯ve done,¡± the woman in the dress clapped slowly as she faced the cowered Julia. ¡°She did all she could and I let her die. And now¡­ It¡¯s my turn.¡±

    The mirrors levitated Julia¡¯s temple. She shrugged her shoulders, clawed her hands behind her head, and buried herself deeper into her legs.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry Allyson.¡± Julia rapidly whimpered as her cherry face puffed from the tears. ¡°I treated you so horribly and never made you feel welcomed. I¡¯m really, really sorry. Please save me¡­ please, please, please¡­¡±

    Allyson¡¯s right hand suddenly twitched.

    She swapped her right grip so that it was an overgrip. Allyson clenched her teeth and stomped her right leg first. With the weight against it, she barely stood on both legs while covering the handle with both hands.

    One last pull. Her hands trembled as the force was unable to waver the weapon.

    Her vision was bloodshot. Each slow heartbeat darkened what was in front of her, the shortblade puncturing her heart.

    Then the handle became loose. Her eyes widened and persisted clench her teeth.

    ¡°AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!¡±

    No longer holding the handle with her left hand, Allyson arched her back and swiftly unsheathed the blade from her chest.

    Once the entire sword was released, dark clouds began forming above the area. Thunder roars echoed throughout the area a myriad of times. The ground began to rumble. Bolts of electric waves dispersed amongst the clouds.

    Then a line of violet lightning struck down where Allyson once stood. On impact, it emitted a shockwave that stunned everyone except for Julia and Jansen.

    Allyson raised the sword right above her. Blade''s length grew to approximately 29.5 inches. On her left wrist, a purple bracelet with an orb-shaped gem inlaid within the bracelet¡¯s borders. It surrounded itself by a circular mark of her home country¡¯s flag. Within the gem, 3 lighting strands converged at the center, creating a slight swirl symbol.

    The ends of her hair illuminated dark purple.

    When her eyes opened, a luminescent, faint violet light shone.

 "but at the very least, I can be there for you..."

    ¡°but at the very least, I can be there for you...¡±

    Still standing firm, Allyson crossed her sword to her left before quickly bringing it down to her right side. Her icy stare at the golden-dressed figure grew clearer. Her left fist sparked electric pulses. She patiently walked to her target.

    Click¡­Click¡­

    The lady¡¯s elbows were bent at an acute angle. Her left gilded heel behind her right heel but was shoulders apart. Eyes were hyper-focused.

    ¡°Stop looking at me with those eyes!¡± She let out a small breath before shouting.

    Allyson heard nothing. Her eyelids waned. From her vision, the figure was the only sharply vivid image present.

    Julia in the dress hastily released her middle finger and thumb tension at least 15 times. A tall figure with dark violet armor radiating cool flames brandished a long, metallic sword. The soldier, gripping the hilt with both 6-fingered hands, swung diagonally down.

    Allyson retaliated with an uppercut strike.

    CLANK!!!

    She skid back a few meters but squeezed her hands on the hilt like tightly tying a rope.

    ¡°Grrrrrgh¡­¡± the swordswoman¡¯s teeth were on the verge of shattering while the veins on her neck bulged.

    She pressed with her shoulders against her opponent but the warrior was immovable. With one swift force, Allyson flew back. Several entities shoved Jansen forward, approaching closer to him.

    ¡°Get down!¡±

    Jansen immediately fell face down while the right side of his face pressed against the floor.

    Raising her right arm across from her chest, just a few meters away from the shadows, Allyson swiftly twirled, slicing through the entities with her Jingum, separating their upper bodies from the rest.

    They dissipated.

    Upon impact with the ground, Allyson rolled a few times before slowly getting up, still hanging onto her sword.

    Jansen jumped right up and ran to his friend.

    "Are you out of your mind?!"

    "You''re welcome¡­"

    "Yeah thanks¡­ ok so what''s happening right now?!"

    "We''re getting Julia out of here, that''s what!" Her gaze shifted at the soldier. "Get Julia and run out of here. I''ll be right behind you."

    "How can you be so sure?" He furrowed his brows and stared at her with his dark eyes. "That monster can kill us!"

    "Not if I kill it first."

    With the sword on her right side, she casually walked toward the soldier. The warrior gripped the long sword with both hands and swung in an upward concave.

    Allyson sidestepped to the left, held the hilt with both hands, readied at shoulder level pointing the blade horizontally, and struck through.

    She, however, missed as the soldier swung its lanky left leg at Allyson''s shoes to which she dropped to the floor on her back. The soldier steadied the long sword. Its tip pointed directly at Allyson¡¯s heart.

    Allyson rolled away right as her opponent struck the blade straight down. She pressed her left palm against the floor, propelling herself to stand. Swiftly turning behind to face the warrior, she charged at her foe and slashed with her sword at a lower diagonal angle. The soldier jumped back before leaping at Allyson with a vertical downward slash.

    She blocked the weapon by angling her Jingum slightly downward. The silver metallic edges were hovering on the skin of her eyes. Her knees rattled and were gradually pointing inwards. The Jingum was closely coming into contact with her neck.

    ¡°Shit¡­¡±

    With one swift force, Allyson was pushed back and the tip of her sword pinned against the ground. The soldier swung an uppercut slash.

    As soon as Allyson raised and brought down her sword to collide with her opponent, the Jingum flew off from her hand.

    The soldier raised the long sword above before striking down.

    Allyson leaped back and stumbled before continuously stepping backward. While doing so, she raised her left arm up to her chest. The gem glowed a faint gray shade.

    ¡°Come on, I need something to fight. I don¡¯t care what it is.¡±

    Left palm facing up, curling her fingertips, and stressing her forearms, nothing happened.

    ¡°Augh! Fucking do something!¡±

    The soldier cocked its head, leveled the sword horizontally, and pulled back before thrusting forward.

    In a split second, lilac-tinted sparks emerged on the palm of her hand. Shortly after, it repeated itself. Soon, the strings of bolts flowed consistently.

    The right side of her lips curled up while her right eye squinted.

    After hopping to the right side escaping the longsword, Allyson rowed her left arm back, jumped at the soldier, and planted her left palm on the soldier''s chest armor.

    ¡°AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!¡± Clutching her left forearm with her right hand, Allyson unleashed the violent lightning bolts amplifying its voltage.

    The immense heat caused the soldier to explode and dissolve thinly into the air.

    She turned to the woman in the gold attire. The Jingum lay flat on the floor. Allyson grabbed and abruptly pulled back the blade with her right hand. Staring at her enemy with dilated pupils.

    "You''re next."

    "Uh, uh, er hem," she coughed onto her left fist. "I have more tricks on my sleeve!"

    Snapping her fingers, 3 more dark entities appeared in front of her.

    "Hey, Julia!" Jansen was blocked by the mirrors surrounding her. He extended his left hand. "Take my hand! Come on!"

    Julia''s shaking arms contacted his hand. With his right palm pressed against the back of one of the mirrors, he pushed until veins stuck out. With one final tuck, Julia escaped the mirrors.

    "Come on, let''s get out of here!"

    As the two ran back to the stairs leading to the corridor, a rectangular gate enclosed them.

    "Nuh uh uh," the other Julia weaved her right index finger. "It¡¯s very rude to interrupt my art show."

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Jansen shook the metallic bars in front of him but nothing was budging.

    Julia elevated her shoulders while her arms were tucked to her sides.

    Allyson rolled her eyes at all 3 of her opponents. She softly pushed breath out of her mouth at a quick pace, waiting for one of them to provoke an attack.

    Then the three entities charged toward the gates.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    The distance between them was not getting closer. All three entities slammed themselves around the cage extending their razor-sharp edges to the short-haired woman. Julia tucked her shoes together, leaned her shoulders inwards, and tugged Jansen¡¯s shirt.

    ¡°RAAAUUGGHHH!!!¡± The Jingum pierced through the first entity. Vanishing thinly into the air.

    The second one coming from the right side leaped at Allyson with its scythes. Allyson kneeled down on her left kneecap before jumping up to grab the entity¡¯s neck. The bolts of lightning sent shockwaves before the foe became motionless. Throwing the lifeless body aside, she turned to the cage only to see her friends there.

    ¡°Look out behind you!¡±

    It was too late as the sharp edge sliced her right leg.

    ¡°AAAAHHHHHH!!¡±

    Falling to the ground face down before rolling over to see the last shadow raising its arms and forming a large scythe above where she fell.

    The deadly edge crashed down on her.

    ¡°ALLYSON!!¡± Julia¡¯s neck popped with her veins alongside her crimson face.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Allyson?¡± The artist whispered as she reached her left arm out to her roommate.

    Eyelids were slowly opening and the tip of the scythe was nowhere to be seen.

    The entity¡¯s head was missing.

    Emitting from her left palm was a singular dark violet bolt that reached the skies of the building. The front of her hair drenched in sweat and hung on her face. Using her right arm, she reached behind and pulled herself closer to the cage before the last entity plummeted forward. She got up on her shoes and widened her eyes.

    ¡°How the fuck did I do that?¡±

    ¡°Hey, we can save that later, we need your help getting us out of here!¡± Jansen rattled the bars again.

    ¡°Then step back if you want to keep your fingers,¡± she tapped the locking mechanism with the tip of the Jingum, and raised it upward before striking the lock in one fell swoop.

    The cage slowly crept open. Allyson reached her left hand.

    ¡°Hey, Julia, it¡¯s gonna be okay. I¡¯ll make sure we¡¯re back at the apartment safe and sound.¡±

    As Allyson and Jansen hurriedly ran to the corridor, Julia never lost sight of her roommate with her gaping jaw and wrinkled forehead. Everything around her became dark. Allyson remained the sole image visible to her.

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± The other Julia threw her fists down to her sides. She snapped her fingers and raised her voice on the intercom. ¡°Do not let the intruders get away with my art piece!¡±

    Passing through the hallway and down the stairs, the exit was just beyond the sculptures. The metallic doors remained intact.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°It¡¯s still here. How can we get out of¡­¡± right as Jansen attempted to assess the situation, Allyson walked up to the gates and struck it with the tip of her Jingum.

    The doors began to produce waves within themselves. On the final wave, the metallic doors dematerialized displaying the thorned gate from afar.

    ¡°...here. I can¡¯t believe that actually worked.¡±

    The three followed down the steps and through the carpet, inching in close proximity to the gate. Alarms boomed throughout the facility. Suddenly, the gateway began to move inwards.

    ¡°Just a little closer¡­¡± Allyson raised her sword with her right palm facing towards the side of her face. Arching her right shoulder blade, she waited and waited until the right moment.

    One slingshot throw. The sword darted like shooting a missile from a tank. The velocity of the Jingum was fast approaching the entrance, but the gate was nearly shut.

    CLACK!!

    The metallic sword locked itself between the thorned gates. The mechanism failed to close.

    Beep! Beep! Beep!

    From there, Allyson stomped on the left gate with her right shoe, causing it to fly away. She grabbed her Jingum and pierced the glass panel, ceasing the alerts.

    "AAAUUURRRRGGGHHHH!!!" The golden-dressed Julia slammed the table in an isolated dark room.

    Numerous screens showed different areas from various angles. One of which monitored the three visitors escaping the premises.

    "I was so close to creating this work. It was almost perfect!

    She started to prolong her exhaled breaths and gazed at one particular woman with her dark eyes.

    ¡°That woman¡­she''s full of surprises."

    She slid her hands on every part of her dress. "No matter. I will retrieve my stolen work in due time."

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    "Are we in the clear?" Allyson wrapped her right arm around Julia''s shoulders.

    "Yep, no one in the distance," Jansen confirmed while still using his left hand to hover above his eyelids.

    "It''s ok, Julia. Everything¡¯s gonna be okay." She pulled the zoned-out Julia closer to her temple.

    "How are we supposed to get out of here?"

    "No idea. Maybe the same way we entered?"

    Her sword began to glow with radiant fuchsia light. Its bright luminescence coerced them to cover their eyes with their forearms.

    When the light dimmed into nothingness, Allyson''s phone lay exactly where her Jingum was last placed. She picked it up and saw the yellow sphere icon.

    Do you wish to return to where you once were¡­ over to the other side? The Soul of this individual is still lost in balance.

    "Uh¡­what the fuck is this?" Her eyebrows furrowed and moved her phone away from her face.

    Jansen kneeled next to Allyson and saw the message on the screen. He, too, had the same expression.

    "What did it mean ''the other side''?"

    "That doesn''t matter now. We need to leave this place and get back to the campus!"

    Disconnecting to the Artificial Gallery. Returning to the original point of entry.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    The world of the Artificial Gallery began to pixelate. Once everything became blurry the area melted, carrying the colors, and coursing through the floor until it found itself a drain at the center.

    Once it was cleared, the three students found themselves on the first floor of the Art-Sociology building. The real campus building.

    None of them were standing. Allyson had her left kneecap on the cold concrete while her right shoe was planted firmly. Jansen squatted right to where Allyson¡¯s height was. Julia sat with her hunched back.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re back home.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, the floor was empty before we entered into that other world. It''s still the same now. How long were we in there for?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Julia remained speechless.

    ¡°Never mind that, Julia needs some rest. Where should we take her? Health Center or Hospital?¡± Allyson¡¯s head turned to Jansen¡¯s voice.

    ¡°No.¡± She looked away when answering. ¡°We¡¯re taking her back to our apartment.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s risky, Allyson.¡± His icy stare darted at his friend. ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened to Julia before we found her there. Her condition could be a lot worse than she looks. And you were hurt during the fight, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a scratch. Not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think screaming ¡®aaaaaggggghhhhh¡¯ is just a scratch,¡± his expression remained unchanged.

    ¡°Pff, whatever,¡± Allyson locked her right arm beneath Julia¡¯s right shoulder, lifting both of them to their feet. ¡°I¡¯m taking her home. It feels like the right thing to do.¡±

    Jansen shut his eyes and curled the left side of his lips. He then met with Allyson¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take her home. My car is in Lot 1b. Pretty close by so let¡¯s go.¡±

    Parkside Apartment - Unit 606

    Julia sat on the sky-blue couch, connecting to a wall where behind it was Allyson¡¯s bedroom. Legs tightly together, shoulders tucked inwards, hands covering opposite arms.

    Allyson went into her room to grab a slightly fuzzy blanket and wrapped it around her roommate. She then sat next to her but kept her distance. Jansen got a cup from one of the shelves and poured room-temperature filtered water. He placed it on the black table in front of Julia.

    Neither Allyson nor Jansen opened their mouths. They looked at each other but gestured what to do. Julia¡¯s eyes pointed at the mug but paid no attention to it.

    ¡°Hey, Julia, um, how are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    To the artist, everything was muffled.

    "It''ll be alright," Jansen intertwined his fingertips. "It''s a lot to take in from what had transpired. Just know that we''ll be here for you."

    "..."

    The warm air circulated the dry living room. The tiniest pin drop could be heard outside the apartment unit.

    Allyson opened a gap in her mouth but gradually balled her right hand into a fist. Her lips soon were sealed shut.

    "I''m¡­ going to get¡­ some sleep." Julia finally spoke in short intervals.

    She took one quick sip of her water, stood still for a few seconds, and walked in minuscule steps to her room. The artist then tucked herself into her blankets, turned her body toward the wall, and went into a deep slumber.

    Allyson furtively turned the door handle and slowly closed the door. No sounds made.

    The remaining two students were now across from each other on the couch.

    "What do we do now?" Allyson bit a few strands of her hair. "Can we tell the police that we found her?"

    "I''m not sure." Jansen clawed the side of his head with his right hand. ¡°They might get suspicious if you said you found her. You already are on their bad side so doing this won¡¯t help your case.¡±

    ¡°God damn it!¡± she squeezed the bridge between her eyes and nose. ¡°I don¡¯t have any other ideas.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Allyson cocked her head at Jansen¡¯s calm response. ¡°I can talk to Detective Vargas and let him know that Julia is safe. It¡¯s our best chance of keeping ourselves safe from being targets.¡±

    ¡°Can he be trusted?¡±

    ¡°Well, he is the one who let you go.¡± He pierced his lips and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Besides, I trust my uncle on this.¡±

    ¡°Wait, he¡¯s your uncle?!¡± She dropped her head and left a gap in her mouth. Allyson raised her head and rotated her neck once. ¡°Well, that¡¯s cool and all. Would¡¯ve liked to have known that earlier.¡±

    ¡°Eh heh,¡± Jansen let out a small chuckle. Taking several steps to the door before turning to his friend. ¡°Just make sure Julia is alright while you¡¯re here. I¡¯ll take care of everything at the station.¡±

    "Uh well, I have to head home tomorrow. I can''t really back out like that¡­"

    "When will you be back?"

    "Sunday sometime in the afternoon."

    "In that case, I can watch over Julia then. I''ll prolly need to steal your keys for this."

    "Yeah, I''ll hand them to you tomorrow before I head home."

    "Alright, just send me a text." Jansen snapped his fingers before pulling out his phone. "You mind if I got your number by the way? It''ll be better to message each other directly like this instead of on the turtle app. Can¡¯t have other people look at what we are sending."

    "Oh yeah, good point. Here¡¯s my number."

    Both parties exchanged their cell numbers and saved them as their contacts.

    ¡°Thanks, Jansen, for helping me out with all of this."

    ¡°I think I¡¯m the one who should be thanking you. If you hadn¡¯t done what you did back there, Julia wouldn¡¯t be here. Neither would I. Thanks, Allyson, for saving me and Julia.¡±

    Allyson¡¯s face sparked a slight redness while massaging the back of her neck with her left hand. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, yeah. I¡¯m just glad we made it out alive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you around.¡± He winked his right eye and clicked his tongue before leaving the apartment.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    During that night, Jansen was on evening duty. He pulled out his phone and went to his messages.

    Jansen: Hey uncle, need to talk to you about something. Meet at the auxiliary?

    Uncle Vargas: Sure. Be there in a few

    After letting his uncle know that he and Allyson found Julia at the Art-Sociology building, he grimaced at the thought. He also was informed that Julia hardly spoke when she was found.

    ¡°It still doesn¡¯t make sense to me.¡± 277 combed his hair all the way to the back of his head with his right hand. ¡°She was missing for almost an entire week and she somehow was found in a campus building?¡±

    ¡°It sounds really far-fetched, but that¡¯s how we found her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I trust what you¡¯re saying. What matters is that she''s safe. What bothers me though is why Julia is in the state that she is. She¡¯s not speaking much. It sounds like something happened to her and it¡¯s taking a heavy toll on her. But what?¡±

    Jansen shook his head.

    ¡°Thanks, Jansen, for giving me this information. It helps a bit, but it feels like we haven¡¯t moved a single damn inch.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me. I just hope Julia¡¯s ok.¡±

    September 24 - 9:00am

    Allyson packed up her luggage and carried her backpack. She brought her luggage to the front door before stopping. Pulling out her phone, she navigated to her messages.

    Allyson: Mom! I¡¯m coming home now!

    Two minutes later

    Mom: Ok~~ See you home soon ??

    A door opened but it was not the front door.

    ¡°Hey, Julia.¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡± The artist had her eyes slightly opened but cast a warm smile. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m heading home for the weekend. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow, but Jansen will be here to watch over you."

    ¡°Ah ok, thanks for letting me know,¡± she softly spoke. ¡°I hope you enjoy your weekend.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Allyson curled her lips upward before grabbing the door handle.

    ¡°Allyson?¡±

    She refrained from pulling the front door. Returning the handle to its neutral position, she turned to her roommate. Julia¡¯s stare was empty. Her lips curved slightly downward.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow.¡± She wrinkled her forehead.

    ¡°Why did you save me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Allyson silently swallowed her own saliva. She wiped the palms of her hand on the waist of her brown pants. Clouds brewed inside her mind as the words became lost while trying to deliver to her voice.

    She finally opened her lips.

    ¡°Um. ¡­well, it¡¯s because you¡¯re not that different from me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what that means.¡±

    ¡°In that strange world¡­I was asking myself the same thing. Seeing everything that happened to you in the past two years, looking into your thoughts and memories, it, uh, made me realize that you were by yourself when no one was there for you.¡±

    Allyson quietly whispered. ¡°Alone¡­alone.¡±

    ¡°I made you feel unwelcome here and even said terrible things about you.¡± The artist pressed her thumbs in her fists.

    ¡°It still hurts to hear that coming from you. But still, uh, it also made me realize that you were going through a battle on your own. So maybe by saving you, reaching my hand one more time, I can answer your call for help.¡±

    Julia''s pupils dilated as large as the moon. Her entire body tensed up so much that she froze in place like a statue. Her heart skipped beats at every interval.

    "No one has ever said that to me before." She then thought to herself, "How did she know that just from one look at that strange world? My gallery?"

    "I know we may not get along now, but at the very least, I can be there for you. I mean, we do live together so there''s that."

    "Hahaha!" The artist closed her eyes and wiped a droplet from her left eye with her sleeve. "I''ll make sure to let you know all of my problems right in this apartment of ours."

    "Make sure you draw them so I can understand them better."

    "Will do!"

    "I''ll see you tomorrow!"

    "See you then!"

    As soon as the door was shut, Julia''s eyes became slightly pink. A frowned expression painted her face. She covered the back of her neck with her hands.

    "No, no, no! How can she even think that?! Why did she really save me?! Did she really mean it? Is she just making me feel better? Is she hiding something else?!¡±

    Julia breathed through her nose at quick intervals. She clawed against the back of her neck before crawling through the front of her neck. Finally, she let her hands hang low. Closing her eyes, tears flowed down her face again.

    ¡°Despite all that¡­ Allyson¡­ thank you¡­for understanding me."

 "Thats what friends are for right?"

    ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for right?¡±

    Julia had her back on the sky-blue couch while closing her eyes to immerse herself in the somber waves of her playlist. With her right hand buried beneath her head, she hummed and weaved her head to each song¡¯s rhythm.

    When a song came to a close, she opened her eyes and quickly unlocked her phone. She swiped left once and found an application with a gaming controller icon.

    Launching the app, she saw the top server with a terrapin logo on it. Looking closer, the last message she sent was in the #general channel, dating back to September 15th, 2022.

    The artist curled her lips upward.

    Jewels: @everyone hey guys! Sorry that I haven¡¯t talked much but I¡¯m ok now. I also want to introduce a friend here soon. Hope you guys are cool with it

    1 minute later

    Several people are typing¡­

    Village Protector: ??

    Dos Pantalones: :PeepoCrazy:

    sonny sideup :) : who¡¯s the new friend?

    Jewels: she¡¯s actually my roommate lol

    Dos Pantalones: wait I thought you didn¡¯t like her

    Dos Pantalones: what changed?

    Warframer: good with me

    Jewels is typing¡­

    Jewels: I guess I found that she and I have more in common than I realized. It made me realize there¡¯s more to her than I thought. I figured she should join this group. How about it?

    sonny sideup :) : She should join here! I don¡¯t mind

    Dos Pantalones: :bcaApprovingNod:

    Dos Pantalones: i¡¯m down to meet her

    Warframer: Sure thing!

    Village Protector: looks like the majority says yes ??

    Village Protector: when should we meet her?

    Jewels: she¡¯s not here atm

    Jewels: She left to go home for the weekend

    Jewels: ill let you know

    Village Protector: :TerpApprove:

    dunes n danes: @Jewels I¡¯m at your apartment btw

    dunes n danes: oh and yeah I¡¯m fine with meeting your roommate ??

    Jewels: wtf Jansen lmao

    Jewels: you already know who she is man ??

    Jewels: I know you were gonna be here anyways

    Village Protector: hold up Jansen already met your roommate?

    Warframer: Were you ever going to tell us?

    dunes n danes: Look man

    dunes n danes: I didnt know when was gonna be a good time

    dunes n danes: now seems like a good idea

    dunes n danes: Besides she¡¯s cool to hang around with. Julia, I¡¯m still waiting btw

    Jewels: mfer you have the keys

    dunes n danes: save me it¡¯s bright outside

    The artist jumped from the bed and Jansen used Allyson¡¯s apartment keys to allow himself in.

    ¡°Sup, Julia.¡± He raised and waved his right hand once, creeping up the right side of his lips.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a troll¡­¡± She closed her eyes and cracked a grin.

    ¡°Huuuh, what you mean?¡± He cocked his head to the left. ¡°It really was bright outside. You can see the sunlight over there.¡±

    ¡°You motherfucker¡­¡± the artist planted her left hand on the top edge of the couch and pressed against it. Her slightly pink face from the laughter eased Jansen¡¯s mind.

    He cherished the moment before they locked eyes again.

    ¡°So about Allyson,¡± Julia rubbed the back of her neck with her left hand and turned her face to the kitchen table.

    ¡°What about her?¡±

    ¡°Do you know why she really saved me?¡±

    He paused for a split millisecond and pointed his pupils at the upper left side of his eyes.

    ¡°Well, she genuinely tried to find you when you went missing.¡± He then widened his eyes afterward. ¡°She used the campus map and directed me to go check every single building on campus. I¡¯m pretty sure she didn¡¯t sleep a lot this past week. She skipped class just to find you.¡±

    Julia winked a shadow of a grin and looked away for a bit.

    ¡°But is that really why she saved me?¡±

    ¡°Uhhhh, huh?¡± He scratched the back of his head with his left hand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t why but I don¡¯t feel that¡¯s the real reason why she saved me.¡± Her face turned dark and her vision blurred a little bit.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t asked her about that. Did she tell you why?¡±

    Julia explained to Jansen what Allyson said to her. They first sat across from each other on the living room couches.

    ¡°...it¡¯s because you¡¯re not that different from me.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what she meant by that, Jansen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It could be that there¡¯s more to her than she appears, kinda like you? You know, Allyson might understand what you¡¯re feeling inside so it would be easier for her to connect with you like that.¡±

    "It could be." Julia shrugged her shoulders and exhaled strongly. "It''s just that, is she that forgiving of me?"

    "I don''t follow."

    "Why would she still help me despite all the trouble I caused her."

    "Is this the first time you ever felt that?"

    The artist darted her eyes at him while her lips curled partially down. She recalled the images in her mind while roaming in her Artificial Gallery. The images of her group turning their backs on her.

    "I¡­ think so? I''m used to people never wanting to talk to me."

    Jansen clenched his fists, his forearms tightened and blew air through his nose.

    "Normally, I get why people cut ties with me."

    He loosened his grip.

    "I guess with Allyson," he paused for a brief stint. "She must''ve seen something there that I didn''t notice and wanted to answer your call for help."

    Julia''s pupils dilated to the size of the moon and her heart skipped several beats. Jansen furrowed his eyes and furtively swallowed.

    "That last part you said, Allyson said that to me before she left."

    Julia scoffed and beamed a warm smile.

    "I''m glad to hear that again."

    Jansen reciprocated with his smile and rocked his forward a few times.

    "Hey, uh so don''t tell her this, but when she comes back tomorrow, can we meet at that Pho d''lite place?"

    "Yeah, uh, sure. I can let her know that. Why though?"

    "There''s something I want to say and I need you and her to be there."

    Her face was relaxed while making a stern stare at Jansen.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t say a word. So what should this surprise plan be?¡±

    Outside of their apartment window, a campus police vehicle was parked on 48th street. One officer, by himself, was staring at a window on the sixth floor just two windows to the right of the entrance doorway. He caught a glimpse of the two students engaging in a conversation.

    ¡°I knew it.¡± the officer wrinkled his eyebrows and hardened his teeth.

    He took his phone out on the cup holder and positioned it horizontally. Zooming the camera closer to the targeted window, he captured a clear image of Jansen and Julia speaking.

    ¡°I¡¯ll finally get this arrest on that bitch.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    2:36pm

    No students were present on the first floor of the Art-Sociology building. No sounds were nearby, only the silent air.

    The glass doors were opened by a man in tan khakis and a dark red polo shirt. Each step echoed through the building.

    Click.

    Click.

    Click.

    On his left hand, he firmly gripped his phone and swiped the screen to the left twice. The spherical ember icon appeared.

    The color displayed was not purple or yellow. It was glowing green.

    One single tap on the application, the icon flourished first before dissolving from the phone. The screen was pitch black for a brief moment.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    A message was being produced on its own: Generating logs at Artificial Gallery¡­

    He read through the information given to him. His stern expression remained immovable. Slid his right index finger vertically downward, the information on the app was wiped from the application.

    ¡°There is another who can access that other world.¡± The redshirt gentleman pocketed his phone before walking out of the building.

    ¡°I must find out who that is before it¡¯s too late.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    September 24th - 5:24pm

    Julia was scrolling through her phone. Jansen was placing his laptop inside the pocket of his backpack. As he was preparing to head to the station, he turned to his friend.

    ¡°About to head to work, let me know if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Julia?¡±

    He noticed her pale face and blinking eyes. Jansen raised his eyebrows and approached closer.

    ¡°You okay?¡±

    Not a word was spoken. Only her eyes were directed at her phone.

    ¡°Why is she texting me like this?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡±

    Julia showed the message thread.

    Cree: Now that you¡¯ve returned home, your debt is still due. Since you were gone for some time, I will give you a chance to pay your debt back in weekly increments. Your weekly debt starts next Friday.

    Julia: It¡¯s still going to take some for me to pay that back. I don¡¯t have a job right now.

    Cree: There are plenty of jobs available on campus. Instead of complaining to me, you should look at the job market. None of this would have happened if you didn¡¯t use a website to steal art, tainting our image.

    Julia: And if I don¡¯t pay the first deadline?

    Cree: There will be consequences and you will be in trouble for breaking your contract.

    Julia: I thought my contract was terminated¡­

    Cree: If you read the contract, then you should¡¯ve known that a violation like this is grounds for taking action against you. Do not act like you¡¯re safe. Since I feel bad for you, here is a link for potential low-skill jobs you can take to pay back your debt.

    Julia: I understand.

    ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡± Jansen squeezed his right fist and his eyes flared up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± She dropped her phone, curled her body, and hid her face in her legs.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way that you have to pay her back. Not after what happened to you,¡± He looked away and took a deep breath. ¡°How fucked up do you have to be to make someone pay debt and not give a single ounce of sympathy?¡±

    ¡°I hate this so much. If only I didn¡¯t use¡­¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    She unburied her head and gazed at Jansen.

    ¡°The people who hurt you and put you in a shitty spot are the ones at fault.¡±

    ¡°I still used a computer to create art for me. How can it not be my fault?¡±

    The young man remained speechless.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do much now to even try to call off this debt thing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jansen¡¯s tone was exasperated. ¡°They¡¯ll just hire the best lawyers in case you ever sue. For now, you¡¯ll just have to find a place to work, just find something that you can tolerate.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try and make sure I can get out of this shithole.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Somewhere inside the Van Munching building.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t even look shaken up despite being ¡®kidnapped¡¯.¡± Cree calmly shook her head. ¡°If she thinks she can fool me, then she has another thing coming.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you,¡± an officer tucked his vest while maintaining his frown. ¡°It was all suspicious from the start. On top of that, that loser is part of it.¡±

    ¡°Oh him? He never knows when to learn his place. It seems that he has not learned his lesson. I suppose we¡¯ll have to take matters into our own hands again.¡±

    ¡°Let me know what I need to do and I¡¯ll make sure it happens. Just give me what I want.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll satisfy your demands as long as the result is upheld.¡±

    ¡°Good. Good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not just him who needs to be punished. There is another who needs to face her consequences. I believe you wanted to arrest her.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re speaking my language!¡± The officer crept a large grin and gripped the gun on his belt.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    September 25th - 3:23pm

    Allyson returned to Parkside after spending time with her family. When parking her car, Jansen stood near the entrance. After rejoicing, they carried the grocery bags and her luggage in one trip.

    Once she entered the apartment, she pushed her luggage with the plant of her left shoe and slammed her grocery bags on the kitchen top table.

    ¡°Going back to the apartment sucks sometimes, jesus fucking christ!¡± She locked her door before unloading all items from one paper bag.

    ¡°I thought you were just visiting home, not staying at a hotel.¡± Jansen assisted while keeping a deadpan expression.

    ¡°That hotel is my home.¡± Allyson beamed while chuckling at herself.

    ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s hurry up and pack up here. Pho is calling us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m craving for some of that honestly. After drinking last night, I need something to cure my soul.¡±

    ¡°This place will be d-liteful.¡±

    ¡°Kkkkmmm,¡± Allyson covered her mouth, hung low, and snickered.

    After unloading and placing her groceries in the refrigerator and the pantry, Allyson and Jansen were en route to Pho D-Lite. At the intersection of 48th Avenue and Navahoe Street, they bypassed the townhomes. Right before the sidewalk of Route 1, there was a small plaza.

    The center of the perimeter was the resting point for vehicles. Surrounding the lot were two long buildings divided into subsections with different restaurants and liquor stores. The building near the sidewalk of Route 1 had Pho D¡¯Lite. The restaurant was in the middle section. The two students entered but it did not appear to be busy.

    ¡°Hi, how can I help you?¡± A student server walked and stood by the stand.

    ¡°A table for 3, please. Someone¡¯s coming a little late.¡± Allyson raised her right eyebrow. Her pupils curled to the right corner to where her friend stood.

    "Right this way."

    The waiter escorted them to a four-person table near the windows. Jansen and Allyson sat across from each other and were given menus.

    "Could I start you off with any drinks?"

    "Waters good and give a few minutes for our 3rd person."

    "Ok sounds good."

    ¡°So, uh, who¡¯s coming?¡± Allyson inquired.

    ¡°Just a friend of mine. Sorry for not telling you sooner,¡± Jansen crossed his right leg over to his left thigh.

    Several minutes later, a short blond-haired woman stepped into the restaurant and marched her way to the table.

    ¡°Julia? Wait, what are you doing here?¡± Allyson curved her brows before fainting a shadowy smile.

    ¡°Wanted some noodles for lunch so I stopped by here.¡± Julia grabbed a seat and sat next to her roommate.

    Allyson pinned an icy stare at Jansen while keeping a smirk. ¡°You fucking dipshit. You said ¡®a friend¡¯, I didn¡¯t know you were inviting Julia!¡±

    ¡°Where did I lie?¡±Jansen pierced his lips, shrugged his shoulders upward, and showed the palms of his hands. ¡°She¡¯s a friend of mine unless she¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°Teh, you know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± Allyson husked a chuckle.

    After ordering their noodles, the three conversed about Allyson¡¯s weekend. She mostly spent her time hanging around the newly opened outlet mall with her mother. Nothing stood out for her to mindlessly purchase anything.

    Julia was nearly finished with her bowl whereas Jansen and Allyson barely made a dent in theirs. The artist was convoluting a way to communicate the conversation about that strange world. Everything was cloudy in her mind. One thought she decided against because she was worried that it might be too harsh. Another contemplation was reconsidered because it might have been too increasingly verbose.

    Once the silence broke in, Julia decided to take her chance.

    ¡°Hey, guys.¡±

    Both students turned their faces. Allyson still had noodles hanging from her mouth.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I want to do and I want you guys to be there for me.¡±

    Jansen and Allyson¡¯s eyes connected to each other for a split second. Neither moved a single inch and let the wave of information crash through them.

    ¡°Uh, yeah, of course, Julia,¡± Jansen reassured. ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°I want to go back into that other world.¡±

    ¡°ACK! Ah! UAGH! ACK!¡± Allyson hacked out her noodles and slammed her left palm onto her chest numerous times. She quickly grabbed and gulped her cup of water.

    ¡°You good?¡± Jansen immediately ran to Allyson¡¯s side and gently tapped her back a few times until her coughing subsided.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah I¡¯m ok. Not the first time I¡¯ve felt pain in my chest.¡± The front strands of her hair sparsely hung on her face. Sweat rolling down the side of her face, Allyson took the napkin and wiped her entire face.

    ¡°Uh, cool? Well, you¡¯re at least talking.¡± He tapped her left shoulder twice before heading back to his seat.

    ¡°Now¡­¡± Allyson closed her eyes and blew a deep exhale before her eyes burned flames. ¡°Are you fucking crazy? That place is dangerous for any of us to go back to. You almost fucking died there! Why the hell do you want to go back?!¡±

    ¡°I need to go back there.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She scowled.

    ¡°There¡¯s this nagging feeling that I have to return back there.¡± Julia pulled out her phone and showed the yellow spherical ember. ¡°I feel lost.¡±

    ¡°Lost?¡± Jansen repeated Julia¡¯s last phrase. He tilted his head slightly to the right.

    ¡°When I see this ember, it looks incomplete¡­ like a few pieces are missing in the puzzle. Those key pieces are hiding somewhere and I need to discover and put them back. I still don¡¯t know why that is, but if I can go back to that gallery, I can finally get some answers.¡±

    Allyson¡¯s frown completely shifted to a sad smile. Jansen looked at the floor from the bottom left corner of his eyes. Julia¡¯s temple began to heat up.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it.¡± Allyson firmly nodded, causing her roommate and friend to widen their eyes.

    ¡°Wait really?¡± Julia¡¯s eyes beamed with shining lights.

    ¡°I said I¡¯ll reach my hand out for your call for help, and I damn sure will do that.¡±

    The artist chuckled and wiped a tear from her left eye.

    ¡°Thanks for remembering, even though you said that yesterday.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to forget things, so stuff just gets stuck in my head.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Both roommates shared a laugh while Jansen shook his while grinning.

    After they all paid for their meals, the three returned to the apartment. Julia and Allyson sat on the couch against the wall while Jansen sat on the shorter couch in the middle of the living room.

    ¡°We need to prepare ourselves if we do go back.¡± Allyson pulled out her phone and began typing notes. ¡°Assuming that we¡¯re going to face the same enemies, you guys need to defend yourselves with something.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything in my room that I can use as a weapon,¡± Julia scratched the top of her head with her left hand.

    ¡°I do have a hunting knife in my room that you can use.¡±

    ¡°Allyson, why do you have one? No, uh, why did you bring that here?¡± Jansen knitted his brows and expanded his pupils.

    ¡°Ok, look,¡± she raised her hands and tilted her head to the right. ¡°A friend and I went hiking and camped out one night and she gave me that knife as a gift since she didn¡¯t need it.¡±

    ¡°Jansen, I¡¯m scared.¡± Julia loudly whispered, planting her right hand vertically on her left lip.

    ¡°In my defense, if someone were to break into our apartment at night, I would use this knife to defend, right? If they come at me, they can kiss themselves good knife.¡±

    Julia cackled while Jansen covered his eyes with his right hand, hung his head very low, and pinched the bridge between his eyes.

    ¡°Ok, all jokes aside, Julia can borrow that for now. Jansen, what are you going to bring?¡±

    ¡°Well, definitely not a hunting knife, but I have a baseball bat at my house that I can use. I can bring that.¡±

    ¡°Anything else we should bring?¡± Julia inquired while crossing her legs.

    ¡°A medical kit and some water. We can''t risk any injuries."

    "Speaking of that, Allyson, is your leg okay?"

    "Now that you brought it up, I checked on it when I came home. It was only a scratch. Wasn''t bleeding or anything, but I was fine."

    "I''m surprised that it recovered so quickly considering it was a nasty hit."

    "I honestly can''t explain why."

    "Well, Jansen, we might not need the first aid kit."

    "I''d still bring it just in case since that was only one time." He rebutted. "No one knows about that world well. Best to be cautious and prepared."

    "Good point. Anything else we can bring?"

    "Hmm, I think for now we should be ok. Bringing too much won''t favor us going into that world."

    ¡°Are we not well prepared with the weapons we have?¡± Her mind was racing around her brain.

    ¡°Allyson does have that cool sword and electric powers if we go back there. We¡¯ll be in good hands.¡± He left a shadow smirk.

    ¡°Oh, lord, please don¡¯t gas me up like that.¡± Allyson rapidly rocked her head sideways. ¡°That¡¯s going to be too much pressure to handle.¡±

    ¡°You need to make sure you can use your powers and protect us in case we¡¯re in danger, so no pressure really.¡± Jansen shrugged his shoulders while still smiling.

    Allyson puffed up her chest before loosening her upper body.

    ¡°Alright, so when is a good time to do this?¡±

    ¡°How about this Thursday?¡± Julia suggested. ¡°I have a test that morning but afterward I should be free.¡±

    ¡°I don''t have anything planned that day so I can do Thursday.¡± Jansen agreed.

    ¡°I¡¯m free on that day.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet up this Thursday after our classes. I¡¯ll send a group text for the details later."

    Jansen and Allyson agreed, reassuring her roommate''s resolve to return to the Artificial Gallery. The mist in Julia¡¯s mind slowly was clearing up.

    "Oh, and thanks guys for coming with me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for right?¡±

 â€œI will...never forget the face I once woreâ€

    ¡°I will...never forget the face I once wore¡±

    September 28th - 10:43pm

    Allyson returned to her apartment after spending several hours studying for an exam tomorrow morning. She arched her upper back while pushing her hips forward.

    ¡°Uuuuurrrraaaaaagggghhhhh!¡±

    To her left, there was a small black metallic stand with 3 support layers. On the top, she took a bottle of magnesium and popped a pill in her mouth. Slowly stepping towards her room, a door opened behind her.

    Julia greeted her with a faint smile.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Allyson, with her eyes half asleep, mustered up the strength to greet her roommate.

    ¡°Heeey.¡±

    ¡°Big day tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just hope nothing happens to any of us.¡±

    ¡°You know¡­¡±

    Allyson squinted her eyes and tilted her head right. Julia swallowed and balled her fists.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little scared.¡±

    ¡°I don''t blame you. How come?¡±

    ¡°Uh, erm, scared that I might regret going back there.¡±

    ¡°Told you going back there is dangerous,¡± Allyson waved her head sideways.

    ¡°I know¡­whew¡­¡± Julia took a deep breath before leaning her right shoulder on the door frame. ¡°But I have to do this. If I don¡¯t, then it''ll keep eating me alive knowing that I can''t go back there and what might''ve been. I have to find this peace for myself.¡±

    ¡°Not sure what peace you¡¯re trying to find, but I¡¯ll be by your side when you do find it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, really appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then.¡±

    ¡°Just one more thing.¡±

    Allyson turned back to face her roommate.

    ¡°I want to make up for all that I¡¯ve hurt you since you moved here.¡±

    "It''s ok. You don¡¯t have to do it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to. I just need to stay alive after this.¡±

    ¡°Being dead means you don¡¯t have to pay back your stupid debt.¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The artist showed her teeth and hung her head low for a brief stint. ¡°Good luck explaining that to the police.¡±

    ¡°Nuh uh. My ass ain''t gonna say shit if they question me again.¡±

    They both giggled before the blond-haired woman took a step back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Night.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    September 29th - 3:26pm

    Both Allyson and Julia finished their exams. Although they were in different classes, they simultaneously monitored the classroom clocks. They contemplated if they should use all the time they had or finish as soon as possible.

    In the end, Julia turned her exam in when she was done. Allyson, on the other hand, nearly took the entire time allotted to complete her class exam. Jansen spent the day at his house preparing to traverse into the Artificial Gallery.

    The three rendezvous at the Art-Sociology entrance on the first floor. Julia arrived first before Jansen and Allyson in that order. He carried a backpack with the handle of the baseball bat sticking out.

    As soon as they entered, students were spread throughout the entire area.

    Allyson puckered her lips before pulling them inward. ¡°Well¡­fuck.¡±

    Julia turned to her friends while furrowing her eyebrows. ¡°What now?¡±

    Jansen covered his lips with his left fist. ¡°Either wait or try another way to enter into that world.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re finding another way.¡±

    ¡°But where?¡±

    Allyson took two steps forward, squinting her eyes at an empty classroom. ¡°I see a classroom with no lights. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Following her command, the three students walked to that classroom. Empty. Quickly entering and closing the door, they closed all the window blinds veiling the class in a shroud of darkness. Julia unlocked her phone and elevated her screen brightness.

    ¡°So what next?¡±

    She hovered her phone beneath Jansen¡¯s face.

    ¡°Last time I remember, Allyson and I connected the app to a TV screen. That¡¯s how we were able to get in.¡±

    Julia then hovered her phone beneath her roommate

    ¡°I wonder if we can use that monitor over there.¡± Allyson pointed her right index finger at the back center of the room where a desktop monitor was powered on.

    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡±

    They walked over to the monitor which displayed a login prompt. Allyson hurriedly pulled her phone out and opened the app.

    The color of the sphere continued to glow yellow before it disappeared.

    A message began typing on Allyson¡¯s phone: Warning! The Soul is still compromised! The individual¡¯s Soul is no longer safe. Will you access its portal?¡±

    Allyson slightly arched her brows.

    ¡°We¡¯re going back to the Artificial Gallery.¡±

    ¡°Accessing the portal to the Artificial Gallery.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Within distance, the gallery was up ahead. The crimson carpet rolled from the entrance all the way to where the three stood. Right on the cusp of their shoes.

    ¡°She was waiting for us.¡± Julia walked several steps on the carpet. Her pupils dilated and began to gravitate forward.

    Allyson blocked her roommate¡¯s path with her Jingum. She darted an icy stare.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going alone. We stick together. Remember?¡±

    On her left hand, she brandished a hunting knife and extended it in front of the artist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget this.¡±

    Julia gripped the hilt with her right palm. She gazed at the weapon.

    ¡°Thanks. Don¡¯t know what got into me there.¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry about it. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Allyson led the pack up front. Julia scoped the surroundings while holding the hunting knife with both hands. Jansen anchored behind as he firmly held the baseball bat in his right hand while periodically checking their blindside.

    When they reached the bottom stairs of the gallery, no enemy was in sight. Not even the other Julia was nearby. With their bodies heating up just a bit, the students took one step per second. Upon arriving at the main entrance, the first floor remained unchanged since their previous encounter.

    ¡°Still nothing,¡± Allyson rapidly directed her pupils in every angle possible. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really quiet,¡± Jansen hung the bat on the back of his shoulders. He turned back to investigate the stairs they just walked up. ¡°No enemies behind us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Julia lowered her knife to her right hip. She then pointed to the stairs on the opposite side. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going up.¡±

    Allyson squinted her eyes by a few centimeters but left her mouth hanging slightly low. Her roommate immediately walked straight to the next staircase. ¡°Jansen, what¡¯s wrong with her?¡±

    ¡°Beats me,¡± he shrugged his shoulders and pierced his lips.

    Artificial Gallery - Floor 2

    The same corridor and the same long stand encased by a rectangular glass towered the students. No exits within the perimeter. Julia with the golden dress was nowhere to be seen. They stood directly in front of the glass and observed a wide brown stand. However, there was nothing on top of it.

    Julia inspected the stand.

    Allyson tilted her head left. ¡°Am I seeing this right? Why¡¯s there nothing being displayed?¡±

    Jansen covered his mouth with his left hand while squinting his eyes. ¡°Hard to say since the glass is protecting it. But what?¡±

    ¡°Jansen, I need the backpack.¡±

    ¡°Uh, sure.¡± He handed the bag to Julia.

    The artist rummaged through different sections of the backpack. She finally unzipped the area with the most space and placed her left hand inside. What she pulled out was a black rectangular tablet with eight buttons on the left side.

    Julia stood back up before staring at the stand again. ¡°I think I know what it needs.¡±

    She held the drawing tablet on the opposite sides with both of her hands. Closing her eyes, the artist carefully extended her arms toward the glass. Allyson wanted to reach her hand out but immediately froze in place. She retracted her right hand.

    When her hands contacted the glass, nothing happened. The glass began to wave around its structure. Julia continued on until her arms were not bent. She then arched her wrists forward causing the tablet¡¯s surface to be perpendicular to the stand. After softly placing the tablet down, the ground began to vibrate a little.

    Allyson held her Jingum in front of her body. ¡°What the hell is happening?!¡±

    ¡°Guys!¡± Julia shouted to her friends. ¡°Get inside the glass!¡±

    Everyone quickly entered the glass. The vibration ceased. However, the ground surrounding the wide stand began to elevate on its own. All three placed their hands on the edges of the stand as they escalated to the next destination.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Artificial Gallery - Floor 3

    After reaching the next area, before the metallic door opened, there was a voice message.

    ¡°Warning. The following area is the remains of the artist¡¯s work. If you wish to proceed, please enter the Archived Hallway. Otherwise, please use the elevator to return to the previous floor.¡±

    ¡°What did that mean?¡± Allyson raised her left eyebrow.

    Julia¡¯s shoulders were hunched up while her elbows pressed against her obliques and arms wrapped around her waist. She silently swallowed. ¡°Pfhoooo¡­ I don¡¯t feel good.¡±

    ¡°You need a break? Need something from the first-aid kit?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Something doesn¡¯t feel right with me. Don¡¯t know why.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow and see what lies ahead. Jansen, cover me.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Upon opening the doors, the entire walls and ceiling displayed lemon yellow. However, the lighting made it hardly visible except at the center. There were three screens with black lights hanging over them.

    The students cautiously walked towards the middle. Each one depicted different portraits.

    On the left was the Terrapin mascot stepping on one building with its left leg.

    On the right side a football player in their uniform carried the ball and stiff-armed as if it was for a photo shoot.

    In the middle was a portrait of a middle-aged woman.

    Julia¡¯s pupils were as large as the moon and dropped her knife. Her body stunned from the waves of shocking information.

    ¡°Julia, are you ok?!¡± Allyson grabbed her roommate¡¯s shoulders and rocked back and forth.

    ¡°UAHAHAHAHAHA!!¡±

    ¡°What the fuck?¡±

    A snap of the fingers echoed throughout the entire perimeter. Behind the portraits, the woman in the gilded dress stood at the top of a staircase. Her evil smile fired a string of anxiety to Allyson and Jansen. She had her hands on her hips.

    ¡°I just knew you were going to come back, but I was not expecting myself to take such steps to make it to this floor.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Why just look at the three drawings in front of you,¡± the other Julia clapped her hands, changing the hanging lights to a much lighter shade. ¡°Don¡¯t they look familiar?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the fuck I¡¯m supposed to see?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡±

    Julia took several steps back while her arms violently shaking. ¡°What did you do with my drawings?¡±

    Allyson furrowed her eyebrows and turned to her roommate with widened eyes.

    ¡°You made these?¡±

    The golden-dressed Julia chuckled while maintaining her creepy smile.

    ¡°Oh, she did make them, but she also abandoned them.¡±

    With the exception of her roommate, she and Jansen faced the drawings with their tilted heads and narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Oh, did she not tell you? Oh, ho, ho, ho! This is just perfect!¡±

    The other Julia clapped her hands twice before turning her back from her visitors.  ¡°I¡¯ll let them speak for themselves.¡± Four canvases surrounded and encased her until they dropped to the floor. The other Julia was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°What did she mean by that?¡± Allyson wondered.

    All three drawings soon began to glow dark yellow. To Julia¡¯s left was her roommate who had her right leg forward. She held her right hand up to her lower chest and positioned the Jingum¡¯s blade across her front body. On her right, Jansen gripped the handle with both hands and oriented the weapon in front of him.

    The Terrapin inside the drawing began to move its limbs. The woman in the middle of the drawing stood up and walked toward the screen. The football player dropped the football and jumped out of the drawing.

    ¡°Holy¡­shit.¡±

    ¡°Get ready!¡± Jansen raised his bat to where the handle was parallel to his face.

    Allyson curled her left fingers inward, generating pulses of violet bolts. Julia covered the small handle with both hands and pointed the tip at the elderly woman. However, her arms continuously rattled while losing sight of her peripheral vision.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Jansen charged at the running back who was attempting to recover the football. With the bat in his left hand, he pulled it back at a slightly upward angle. Directing the weapon in a concave downward motion, the athlete grabbed the football with both gloves and twirled to the left.

    The front tip of the ball was enclosed by the player¡¯s right palm. The bottom tip was locked between the obliques and the inner elbow. Once the elbow closed the gap, the ball was secured. The running back used the free hand to grab Jansen¡¯s face and shoved him back, engendering the man to collide against the yellow concrete ground.

    Hopping back on his feet, Jansen chased the athlete who was running along the right side of the wall as if the player was sprinting down the sideline. The gap was far from inching closer. Jansen detected the player rushing toward the corner, so he decided to traverse in a different direction. He took off at a 45-degree angle to shorten the distance between him and his opponent. Once the running back turned left, Jansen was within distance to his opponent. This time, he readied the baseball bat with both hands and turned his body to the left. He then swung in a horizontal motion.

    Only for the halfback to halt and scoot backward, just barely scraping off the uniform. He lost balance and fell head-on against the wall, banging his forehead in the process.

    ¡°AAAAAAGHHHH!!¡± Covered the damaged area with his free palm. ¡°Damn it! If only¡­:¡±

    Meanwhile on the other side of the battlefield.

    Allyson dove left again while avoiding the Terrapin¡¯s fireballs. Left knee pressed against the floor, she fired a lightning bolt which then crashed into the incoming projectile. The heavy, charcoal smoke blinded Allyson¡¯s vision ahead of her.

    She gripped the handle with both hands and angled the blade tip up. With her narrowed eyes and jutted jaw, Allyson rapidly jolted her head in different directions. However, no clear sighting of the enemy.

    ¡°Whew¡­whew¡­whew¡­whew¡­¡±

    Then out of nowhere, a large swirling shell charged at her.

    SMACK!!

    Getting flung back over 15 feet, the swordfighter not only landed on her back, the back of her head collided with the ground. Allyson covered the area with her left palm.

    ¡°God¡­ffffffuck!¡±

    The Terrapin stood over her with its right foot raised behind the shell. As the velocity of the claw approached her chest, Allyson immediately tightened her grip on the Jingum. Tucked her elbow close to her side, she flicked the handle upward.

    Thud!

    The blade¡¯s tip collided against the claw, piercing deep into the foot.

    ¡°AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!¡±

    Her right arm continuously shook while maintaining the foot of the sword¡¯s helm against the ground. Directing her left palm at the Terrapin¡¯s head, she fired a long bolt of lightning.

    The Terrapin pulled back its inflicted wound and fell back on its shell. Allyson jumped back on her feet and was right next to the fallen foe. Raising her sword and pointing her blade right above the plastron.

    Her opponent began rotating in a rapid circular motion. After charging for a split second, the Terrapin released a huge momentum boost, plowing against Allyson¡¯s legs. She spun sideways and landed on her left arm.

    ¡°AGH! You fucking cheater!¡±

    The shell collided against the wall and redirected the direction to the swordfighter.

    A quick glance at her sword before darting her eyes at her target. She stood motionless.  ¡°Steady¡­¡± Within closing distance, Allyson pierced the Jingum¡¯s blade deep into the ground, angling it at 45 degrees. Right after, she sprinted in the other direction.

    The Terrapin could not adjust its steer in time. Allyson skidded forward and fired a bolt of lightning at her Jingum. The waves of electricity pulsated through the sword. Every single static energy bounced back and forth at a light speed pace. Once the shell collided with the handle, the metallic blade exploded from the ground. The Terrapin skyrocketed straight up while the Jingum flew toward Allyson.

    By some miracle, she raised her right hand and swiftly grabbed the handle without a single flinch detected in her body. She approached the Terrapin whose shell was against the floor. The head and limbs were tucked inside the shell.

    Allyson positioned her Jingum horizontally, located the pocket where the head was located, and struck through.

    No sounds from the Terrapin. Only its body was stunned by the impact before becoming motionless. The enemy slowly melted, traces of brown, red, and black paint running past the swordfighter.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°Mrs. Daniels¡­¡±

    ¡°Julia Svihia,¡± the elderly woman spoke in breaks while crossing her arms. ¡°I am hurt to see that you¡¯re pointing that knife at me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that; it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    The senior elevated her tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s what? Abandoning your passionate work and caring only about the money?¡±

    Her arms continued to rupture with anxiety.  ¡°No, no! It wasn¡¯t about the money! I needed it to survive!¡±

    ¡°If it was not about the money, then why did you use that wretched AI art?¡±

    Allyson stood still facing her roommate. Her arched eyebrows pinned at the artist.

    Julia then brought the knife down to her right side before dropping the weapon.

    ¡°Work was getting stressful and deadlines were crunched up. If I can''t meet the deadlines, then my work doesn¡¯t get shown and I don¡¯t get recognition, and I wouldn¡¯t make¡­¡±

    Mrs. Daniels closed her eyes and lowered her head. Julia hung her jaw open and coldly stared at her palms.

    ¡°Did I really¡­care only about the money?¡±

    The old woman opened her moist eyes.

    ¡°You always love drawing so many things. From drawings of your family, the scenery of your backyard, or even your own characters, it was fascinating to see. I remember after you graduated middle school, years after, you came to me with a new art style that you discovered.¡±

    She clapped twice. A holographic image of Julia in high school visiting her middle school teacher was rendered just above the woman.

    ¡°Mrs. Daniels!¡± Julia entered the empty classroom with a yellow folder in hand. ¡°I finally wanted to show you something I¡¯ve been working on for some time.¡±

    It was a painting of Mrs. Daniels dressed as a superhero.

    ¡°This is such a beautiful painting, Julia, and not because it¡¯s me in it. Everything about it feels so unique. I haven¡¯t seen this style before but it truly fits you.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to give this to you as a thank-you gift for guiding me to find this hobby that I really love! I¡¯ll dedicate more work to you in the future. Don¡¯t forget it!¡±

    ¡°After all that, it¡¯s very disappointing to see that you resort to using a website to make art. You continued to do so, even if you did it one time just to get the work done. If that was truly the case, then why did you still go back to the site? Was it ever about the deadlines? Tell me, Julia, what was it about?¡±

    Julia fell to her knees while still gazing at her palms. Clear beads streamed down her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­I hated the one thing I loved to do becoming a chore.¡±

    Mrs. Daniels widened her eyes a bit and was thrown off by her answer. Allyson hung her head lower.

    ¡°I just rather make things simple for myself and not stress too much on projects I just can¡¯t willingly finish.¡±

    Vibration hummed inside her left pocket. She pulled out her phone.

    The yellow spherical ember barely glowed. Suddenly, a circular cursor navigated to the screen before, bit by bit, erasing the ember completely.

    Once it had vanished, the cursor began to move again.

    When will you stop lying to yourself?

    "What?"

    What is hidden inside that makes you afraid?

    "..."

    Since that night it was just more than meeting a deadline, more than needing money. What was it really about?

    Her face was swollen and masked with a crimson shade. Drops of sorrowful tears broke the barrier from her eyes.

    "It''s such a stupid reason¡­and it was pretty much all of it. Everyone¡­ thought my art style was ugly compared to my mutuals."

    "Is that the reason?"

    "Yeah, it actually is," she never lost contact with the screen. "Maybe using that site to make art to please them would be enough to get recognition. It did for a good while. Until I got busted for it. God, even someone like her knew the bullshit of AI art and I gave in."

    Allyson diverted her gaze to the bottom right of her vision. Mrs. Daniels shut her eyes again but pressed her teeth against each other.

    Julia suddenly stood up.

    "How stupid of me to let that happen. I knew it was wrong but I did it anyway. It fucked me up so much that I lashed out to my friends and family. I can blame whoever but I let my art style die. I don¡¯t know what else to do at this point."

    It never died. Emerge its revival and be proud of your own creativity.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I won¡¯t let what others think of my work anymore. I know why I love my style of work. It''ll arise from the ashes once more. It''s time I embrace it again! No more hiding!¡±

    I must speak and open my heart to the Soul Portal.

    The yellow orb returned and its radiance shone brighter than the rays of the morning dawn. Julia''s tears vanished. She tightened her handle on the phone and frowned.

    "I will¡­ never forget the face that I once wore."

    The phone levitated just inches off from her palm. It rotated helically at incredible velocity. During the motion, the phone''s height became longer and length shrunk to an inch long. When the rotation ceased, a brush appeared. However, the bristle had a sharp tip. She merely gazed.

    Then her lips crawled up.

    Gently pressing the brush at the top center of her forehead, Julia traced a semi-circle on her right side. During that time, scarlet drops hung down the right face.

    "Soul¡­"

    She finished the other semi-circle shape on her left face. Only this time, cyber yellow blood came out.

    "Portal¡­"

    After lining down to her chin, she pushed off the brush from her face.

    From the center, red paint flourished from the right and surrounded Julia.  Yellow paint emerged from the left and enshrouded the artist''s entire temple.

    Inks exploded causing every droplet to splatter across the room. Yet no one was inflicted.

    A black digital drawing pen intertwined with her right thumb, finger, and middle finger. A belt consisting of numerous pens distributed evenly around her waist. A gray beret sat comfortably on the artist''s head. She wore yellow glasses with clear visors. Lastly, a wide screen tablet hovered in front of her.

    Julia Svihia was ready to confront her world.

 "I know why Im here..."

    "I know why I¡¯m here..."

    "Julia¡­" Allyson widened her pupils, her body resisting from reacting.

    "I remember now why I loved doing art. No longer will I forget that feeling again," Julia took a single step forward, locking her target.

    Mrs. Daniels held her hands together and interlocked them, a shadowed smile drawn on her face. "I''m happy to see that your resolve has been reignited. Continue on, Julia. There''s no reason for me to stay now."

    Julia''s stern expression shone brighter. "Thanks for the reminder, teach."

    With the eight buttons beneath the screen, she saw the 2nd button with an eraser icon. After clicking it, she hovered her pen just centimeters above the screen. The circular cursor appeared in front of Mrs. Daniels. Julia pressed the pen against the screen and swiped left and right until her teacher was no longer present.

    The screen portrait behind displayed her again.

    Allyson then ran to her roommate. The artist cracked a smile.

    "Look, Allyson! I''m kinda like you now!"

    "At least you didn''t stab yourself like I did," The swordfighter straightened her hair back.

    "Nah, cutting my face seems less disturbing."

    "Uhhhh, sure, whatever you say."

    Both curled their lips.

    "Ahahahahaha!"

    "Alright buddy, just try to gain more yards per carry!"

    Allyson and Julia turned to the right side of the area.

    The running back still secured the ball inside its right arm. Jansen pinned the tip of the bat on the ground while his left knee was also against the ground.

    The athlete said nothing.

    "Red 24! Omaha!" Jansen hollered as his hair strands dripped out sweat.

    The player ran to the left while Jansen pulled back and marked his opponent at a distance.

    "Looks like he needs help," Allyson clawed her left hand in the air and targeted the running back.

    "I got an idea," Julia scribbled on her tablet quickly drawing an orange rectangular prism with a white horizontal line near the top. Looking up, she surveyed the area and saw the wall near the end. Tapping the side of her glasses, a white layer of paper emerged before disappearing.

    "Uh, what''s going on?" Allyson conducted strands of lightning but refrained from firing.

    "Like I said, I got an idea!" Julia gazed at her screen and wrote something on there.

    A signature marking "Julia Svihia".

    The object she drew disappeared. The orange pylon began manifesting at the end of the wall. Immediately, the running back noticed and ran towards it. Jansen just followed from behind.

    "Allyson, now''s your chance!"

    The swordfighter closed her right eye while aiming the target with her left eye. Waves of lightning were rampant. As soon as the player dove, extending its arms for the football to tap the pylon, Allyson fired a stream of bolts.

    Her lightning zapped the football out of the enemy''s arms, causing a fumble. The football ricocheted off the front wall, bounced on the ground next to the fallen athlete, and rolled away.

    The running back managed to stand up. However, a smack to the helmet by a powerful force engendered the athlete to collapse back down.

    "And stay the hell down¡­whew¡­whew¡­whew¡­" Jansen kneeled with his left leg while pressing the tip of the bat on the floor.

    The running back melted. Colors of red, white, black and gold traveled past him.

    "Wait, where did that pylon come from?"

    "Right behind you!" He turned to Allyson''s voice to see Julia''s new appearance.

    Jansen dilated his pupils as Julia twirled her pen. He walked in their direction. "You too huh?"

    "I''m still shaken that I have this power in me."

    "But now you have the same powers as Allyson."

    "Conceptually, yeah, but not exactly like hers."

    Allyson crossed her arms after sheathing the sword to the scabbard on her left hip.

    "Besides, the power fits you right. ?? ????!" Allyson ended by pinching the fingers on her right hand.

    ¡°What did that last part mean?¡± Julia tilted her head left.

    ¡°It means ¡®the most beautiful¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± the artist chuckled before masking her mouth with her free hand. ¡°Thanks for that.¡±

    Allyson revealed a warm glimpse of a smile.

    ¡°Hey, since you can create stuff, why don¡¯t you make me a shield to protect myself with?¡± Jansen rested the bat on his right shoulder.

    ¡°Alright, coming right up. Gimme some time.¡±

    Julia shifted her focus on her tablet screen and began to draft up a shield. A few minutes passed in silence, Allyson pierced her lips and quietly rocked her head.

    ¡°So, Jansen, I guess you had a fun time against that football guy there.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah!¡± He curled his lips up. ¡°I loved getting tackled and getting run over and over again. Had a field day, too.¡±

    ¡°How many yards did you give up against him?¡±

    ¡°Enough to know that my run defense is worse than the Texans.¡±

    ¡°You should go to San Francisco. They can teach you some good run defense.¡±

    Julia signed her name on the screen and looked at Jansen¡¯s left arm. ¡°All done!¡± She tapped her glasses.

    On his left arm, numerous lines and colors began to transfigure into a pentagon shape with the tip facing down. The edges soon began to concave downward. The shield contained a blue metallic base coated by a silver metal overlay on the surrounding edges. There were small yellow triangles that were positioned at the top to form a larger triangle. Beneath it depicted a carving of a red birdlike creature resembling a shoebill. The shield soon became a tangible object.

    ¡°Well damn!¡± Jansen horizontally waved his left arm back and forth. ¡°This shield feels real! And a lot like the Hylian shield.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you need something to guard us, you know.¡± Julia curled the right side of her lips.

    ¡°Could I at least get a sword to match the shield?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, we can¡¯t waste any more time here. Let¡¯s go after the other me.¡±

    The three students walked up the stairs and discovered an elevator. Once they were closer, it expanded its doors. No one said a single word. They entered the platform which then immediately closed its doors once the passengers arrived. Suddenly, the elevator had a boost in momentum engendering the students to stumble. The ride lasted several seconds before reaching its destination.

    Artificial Gallery - Floor 4

    The walls were painted dark yellow with empty canvases hanging in rows across the entire surrounding. Above it, the ceiling dangled a chandelier resembling a spinning top. Bulbs shaped like paintbrushes were layered across the circular frame.

    Right at the dead center of the floor was an L-shaped desk. One corner had a laptop sitting on a small table; the other side contained another in between a 24" monitor and a drawing tablet. Sitting on a well-furnished rose armchair, the lady in the gilded dress slowly clapped her hands.

    ¡°My, my,¡± she crept a daunting smile. ¡°I usually don¡¯t let many people here, but welcome to my studio!¡±

    Julia ran to her and stopped right in front of the desk. Allyson was just behind her roommate¡¯s left whereas Jansen was on the opposite side.

    ¡°Enough with this!¡± The artist hollered, her face turning pink red. She readied her pen by tapping it on her tablet¡¯s screen. ¡°Or I¡¯ll erase you from existence right here, right now!¡±

    ¡°Do it then.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Julia pressed her drawing fingers against each other, pulling back her pen slightly.

    ¡°Get rid of me and I¡¯ll be gone just like you said.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay, Julia?¡± Allyson stared at her roommate.

    ¡°...No, I won¡¯t do it then.¡± Julia conceded, shocking her roommate and Jansen.

    The other Julia creepily stood up, sparking a large grin. ¡°UAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!¡±

    All three students took exactly three steps back.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Jansen asked vociferously.

    ¡°It must be soooo cute that you two heard what I said,¡± The golden dress figure clasped her hands together. Her face suddenly became dark. ¡°Look around you.¡±

    They noticed that one row had the same drawing. It repeated for each one. The other Julia snapped her fingers displaying holographic images of all the canvases in a slideshow.

    From the beginning of one drawing slowly became clearer and more polished until the end. It repeated for each different ideas on separate rows. All the dates were in chronological order since the first time Julia used Nightlife.Studios.

    ¡°Did you know that I used that site every day?!¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Allyson slapped her forehead. ¡°I thought you used that only for your deadlines.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Julia, what¡¯s going on?¡± Jansen asked in a worried tone.

    ¡°Oh, ho, ho, ho!¡± The other Julia snapped her fingers again. The desk melted into various paints and followed her. She walked away from the three and turned to them. ¡°I used that site not only for deadlines but for little art competitions on campus and online ones! It was magnificent! Everyone believed it was my work! I got praise for my unique style and even got acknowledged that my art was finally good!¡±

    ¡°And then,¡± a light bulb sparked in Allyson¡¯s head causing her pupils to dilate. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah I¡¯m not proud of it,¡± Julia calmly answered while closing her eyes.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I was getting stepped on so much,¡± the artist clenched her right hand on her drawing pen. ¡°Work ruined my love for drawing. My so-called peers were right about me. People, who I don¡¯t fucking know, get to lecture me on what¡¯s considered good art, and ALL THAT destroyed me!¡± Her roar blasted throughout the hollow arena. She took several deep breaths. ¡°And guess what? I gave in to it. I let that all get to me. Could you blame me? Yeah, you should because look who I¡¯ve hurt. Too many people to count.¡±

    The other Julia widened her eyes and softly covered her lips with her left hand. ¡°Well¡­um¡­yeah.¡±

    Allyson and Jansen spoke no word. They gripped their weapons and took a slight step forward.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny really,¡± the artist shrugged her shoulders. Julia then pressed her glasses, quickly gazing at Allyson and Jansen. She stared at her screen and began to trace around two figures there. ¡°How it took my dead teacher to remind me why I loved digital art. How my friends are still by my side despite all that¡¯s wrong with me, especially with Allyson.¡±

    The swordfighter gazed at her roommate with a pale face.

    ¡°It must¡¯ve been a long time since I felt someone who really wanted to help me and I pushed her away. But this time,¡± she finished scribbling before tapping her glasses one more time. ¡°I¡¯ll give her my gratitude just like my teacher!¡±

    Cyber yellow outlines began to draw around Allyson and Jansen as if they were protected in a veil of armor. The warmth of her appreciation eased Allyson¡¯s body. The serene coat set Jansen in a calming state.

    ¡°I know why I¡¯m here,¡± Julia planted an icy glare to her other self. ¡°The answer is here.¡±

    ¡°Well then,¡± the other Julia cracked a long grin before snapping her fingers. ¡°Let¡¯s make this gallery show the greatest show this campus has ever seen!¡±

    Soul Search: Julia, The Plagiarist. Julia, the Artist

    She raised her arms to the side while pouting an unsettling smile. With her right hand, one single booming snap generated 2 figures in front of her acting as guards. "Can you handle the power of this art?"

    "Call it art¡­" Julia paused, hanging her head lower and averting her gaze away. "I really was a fool."

    The 2 creations were polished into more concrete depictions. To the AI artist''s left was a scrawny young-looking man with an orange striped buttoned shirt and black pants. Misshapen glasses and a wooden stick in his right hand.

    To the right was a young woman with dark purple hair wielding a hunting knife. Her expression appeared unamused yet resembled a familiar face.

    "The hell¡­" Allyson crunched her eyebrows. "Why do I look like that?"

    "That''s not important right now!" Jansen hollered, bringing the shield closer to his chest.

    The scrawny figure leaped at Jansen, slamming the wooden stick downward. The branch collided with the shield with an impact so feeble that Jansen lowered his left arm to see his opponent. He had not anticipated a hand clawing his face before being shoved to the ground.

    The skinny warrior swung at a diagonal downward angle. Jansen swiftly hovered the shield above him blocking the impact. He kicked his left leg backward striking his foe¡¯s calf, bringing the orange shirt figure to its knees. Jansen climbed upward while lying on the floor before rocketing back to his feet. Positioning the shield in front, Jansen charged at his opponent. However, the figure¡¯s opacity became clearer until it was no longer visible.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you-¡± The figure became visible again, standing at the same spot prior. ¡°Shit never gets easy for me.¡±

    On the other side of the arena

    Julia opened a new canvas on her tablet and began drawing. Allyson hopped left, dodging her opponent¡¯s swift uppercut. Trying to thrust the Jingum, the dark-haired figure twirled left once before delivering a roundhouse kick to her face. Allyson stumbled before falling on her back, covering her damaged face with her free hand.

    The artist sped up her drawing to assist her roommate. The figure then stared at Julia and ran towards her. Preparing the knife, the figure pierced through the artist. Julia leaped to the right and stumbled before regaining her composure. However, the enemy struck without hesitation, causing Julia to hang low and cover her head.

    A string of sunset purple bolts sent shockwaves throughout the figure¡¯s body. Julia saw her roommate cast lightning and ran to her location. Once she was behind Allyson, she continued to draw on her tablet.

    ¡°Allyson, you need to protect me. I¡¯m trying to draw weapons but I keep getting interrupted.¡±

    The swordfighter stood directly in front of her roommate, holding the Jingum with both hands. Her focus was clearly set on her foe. ¡°Alright! Leave it to me.¡±

    The knife-wielding assassin sprinted at Allyson who was standing still. Allyson shot a bolt of lightning but her target easily dodged it. She tried again. Another miss.

    The frustrated Allyson fired several more lightning bolts, all resulting in the same as before. "Shit¡­"

    The assassin reached into its back pocket and threw three disoriented mini knives at Allyson. She hurriedly blasted strings of electric sparks to dissipate the projectiles. While successful, the assassin ran to the side and swiped the knife.

    Allyson¡¯s quick response was raising her Jingum horizontally, clashing the opponent¡¯s weapon. Her strength could not hold as the assassin extended its legs and tripped her, engendering the swordfighter to crash to the ground.

    Julia¡¯s heart raced at a light speed pace. On her tablet, a depiction of a double-headed spear was complete. She immediately signed her name and the weapon appeared right next to her. ¡°What? Why is it not shooting?¡± The artist noticed a button on her drawing pen. With no hesitation, Julia pressed the button, and the outline of her spear had the selection mark on it. She gently tapped the spear and slung it at the assassin.

    As Allyson held her hands, blocking the knife from piercing her head, the assassin took its free hand and delivered a powerful blow to Allyson¡¯s head who then lost strength in her arms. The assassin raised the knife back.

    But the spear pierced through its head, collapsing to the ground before melting into ink.

    ¡°Thanks for the save!¡± Allyson slowly stood on her feet, clutching the Jingum in her right hand.

    ¡°I got your back! Come on, Jansen needs our help!¡±

    On the other side¡­

    Jansen had no opening for an attack as the feeble figure continued a series of rapid swings with the branch. Each collision snapped the stick in half but would regenerate immediately after. ¡°Alright, this is going on for too long!¡±

    He repositioned the shield to level with his head. As the wooden onslaught raged on, Jansen began to run forward, causing the figure to be pinned onto the shield while still wailing uncontrollably. The man kept running until he forced the shield to drive down to the ground, bringing down both fighters. Right on top of the opponent, Jansen speedily drummed his bat against the figure¡¯s upper torso. Each impact made no sound, only its paint slowly expanding across the floor in liquid form.

    ¡°Whew¡­ha¡­whew¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, Jansen!¡± He turned to see Julia and Allyson rendezvoused with him. ¡°You okay?¡±

    ¡°I am for now.¡±

    The other Julia leisurely brought her hands together several times. ¡°Aw, that¡¯s adorable that you guys barely escaped those fights. There¡¯s plenty more where that came from.¡± Snap!

    Two more figures were generated in front of her, appearing the same but different colors and weapons.

    ¡°There¡¯s no end to this,¡± Allyson, in front of Julia, positioned her Jingum diagonally across. ¡°Even if we beat them, they¡¯ll come back just like that.¡±

    ¡°Anyone got any ideas?¡± Jansen asked, standing next to Allyson and wielding the shield to his torso.

    Then Julia stood in front of her friends.

    ¡°Julia? What are you-¡±

    ¡°Can you try and create this?!¡± Julia signed her name on the tablet, and the drawing that materialized was the running back.

    ¡°You¡¯re making this too easy for me!¡± The other Julia snapped her fingers. However, the creation process halted and only formed smudges in the shape of a sphere. ¡°What the hell is this?! What did you do?!¡±

    ¡°Aw, what¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t use your little wand anymore?¡± Julia pouted her lips, twirling her pen. ¡°I won¡¯t mimic anyone else¡¯s work ever again!¡±

    The third button on the tablet she pressed produced a transparent layer right above her current canvas. The artist signed her name once more, materializing three scythes above the students. Pressing the button on her pen, Julia took one of the three and threw it at the scrawny figure.

    That figure instinctively swung its plastic stick like throwing an American football. The collision impact forced the scythe to the ground. Both figures immediately ran toward the three students.

    Julia selected the second scythe and firmly pressed the tip of the drawing pen on her tablet, ready to deliver a strike. However, Jansen jumped in front of her, holding the shield forward. Allyson crossed her Jingum against the feeble future¡¯s plastic weapon. The assassin snuck from the side. But then, Allyson gathered strength in her right hand to maintain the sword¡¯s balance and used her free hand to direct a small lightning bolt, stunning the assassin in place.

    Jansen saw an opening and rammed into the thinly-shaped figure with his shield. He and Allyson pierced the figure¡¯s painted body with their weapons, melting the figure. The paint traversed across from their shoes and merged with the paralyzed assassin. The notable difference was that patches of the feeble figure¡¯s paint were sporadic across the assassin¡¯s body.

    No longer stunned, the assassin sprinted at a greater velocity and struck both Allyson and Jansen nearly simultaneously, forcing them to disconnect their weapons. The assassin clawed its knife at Allyson several times, but the swordless woman managed to dodge each strike. Jansen ran towards the assassin and extended his left arm out.

    THUD!!

    He collided with Allyson, bringing their bodies to the floor. Allyson had crossed her arms to absorb the impact.

    ¡°You ok?¡± Jansen gripped Allyson¡¯s right hand and brought her to her two feet. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to run into you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Allyson rubbed her right forearm while her wrinkled face said otherwise. The assassin turned around and ran towards Julia. ¡°Julia! Watch out!¡±

    ¡°Allyson! Fire lightning at me!¡±

    ¡°The fuck you say?!¡±

    ¡°Just do it!¡±

    ¡°Ugh, damn it! AAAHHH!!¡± One bolt of violet lightning sparked and discharged in the direction of her roommate.

    ¡°Come on, just a little closer¡­¡± She unselected her scythe and mainly focused on the assassin. Julia tapped her glasses after a quick glance at the projectile coming at her and signed her name on the tablet once more. The assassin was merely a few feet away from the artist. However, a clear barrier with a thistle-colored outline in the shape of a rectangle generated in front of her. The impact from the lightning redirected itself to the assassin, freezing the body in place again. Julia selected the scythe and swiped the tablet from the right, slicing the assassin in half from her drawn weapon.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Allyson raised her left fist in the air. ¡°That was so cool!¡±

    ¡°What the hell?!¡± The other Julia, failing to rip her hair out, hollered. ¡°No matter, I¡¯ll just make more-¡±

    ¡°Gotcha!¡± Jansen appeared from behind and delivered the bat right to the woman¡¯s hands.

    ¡°AAHH! You son of a-¡± She was hit with Allyson¡¯s lightning bolt from behind. ¡°Why you¡­¡± Unbeknownst to her, Jansen grabbed both of her wrists and placed them behind her back. He had clamped them together.

    ¡°Julia! Go!¡±

    The artist grabbed the last scythe with her selection tool. Concentrating her focus and motioning the pen in a circular motion, the scythe followed its movement. Once the pen slid vertically forward, the scythe launched itself, pinning the at the target.

    Jansen immediately released his grip and leaped to the side before coming into contact with the drawn weapon. The other Julia attempted to move out of the way but had her left oblique deeply cut.

    ¡°AAAAAAHHHHH!!!¡± She fell on her left knee, covering the inflicted wound with both hands.

    ¡°A direct hit! Way to go, Julia!¡± Allyson cheered, turning to face her roommate. ¡°Julia?¡±

    Julia fell onto her knees, dropping her drawing tablet and pen. Both of her hands covered her left oblique while her face hung low. Julia pulled back her hands from her side, dilating her pupils and turning her entire body pale upon what she saw.

    Blood.

 "I finally understand what my answer is..."

    ¡°I finally understand what my answer is¡­"

    ¡°A-wha¡­what¡¯s happening to me?¡± Her hands rumbled on their own.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Allyson instinctively rushed to grab the medical kit that was dropped during the fight and kneeled next to her roommate. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she scrunched her face while holding the wound again. ¡°Something sharp hit here but I never saw anything come at me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jansen escaped and returned to the two students. He quickly grabbed the medical kit from Allyson. ¡°How did this happen?!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Allyson vigorously shook her head, grabbing the rubbing alcohol from the bag. ¡°It¡¯s ok, Julia.¡±

    "Nnggaaahh!" The application of the rubbing alcohol burned through her warm flesh.

    Jansen took several gauzes, applied them on the cut, and wrapped them around Julia¡¯s waist with bandage tape. Julia gently covered the bandage with her right hand and slowly stood up. She held her drawing tablet with her left hand but constantly had to reposition it. ¡°What''s happening to me?¡±

    The other Julia stood up, mirroring the same way Julia got up. Her face was dark. The wound she suffered only left a scratch, no crimson liquid gushing out.

    ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    None of the students spoke a single response. All frowned.

    ¡°What it takes to face yourself, how much does it hurt you?¡±

    Julia gazed at her right red hand.

    ¡°Will I go through all this pain to look at the ugly side of me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to sit here and listen to this shit!¡± Allyson targeted her left palm at the other Julia, sparks of bolts emitting.

    ¡°Allyson, stop!¡± Her roommate¡¯s cry diminished the voltage of the swordfighter¡¯s electro vision. Allyson turned to Julia, furrowing her eyebrows. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to do this anymore.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°No more pain, not after what I¡¯ve done.¡±

    Jansen was left speechless and lowered his guard.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be fucking serious,¡± she scoffed, frowning at her roommate¡¯s decision. ¡°You¡¯re going to die if you don¡¯t-¡±

    A single snap created another iteration of an assassin that wielded a gun on the side of its belt while brandishing two daggers. The enemy sheathed one of the daggers before pulling up the gun and firing a bullet at Allyson.

    BANG!

    The bullet pierced through Allyson¡¯s left shoulder blade, engendering her to twirl then collapse into the ground. Julia¡¯s eyes bulged, her body froze, and refused to budge a single movement. The assassin shifted its hand to the left.

    BANG!

    Jansen hurriedly jumped in front of Julia and barricaded with his shield. Soon a myriad of bullets began rushing. He shouted at the artist to assist her roommate while attempting to hold off on the bullets. However, Jullia¡¯s body resisted moving again.

    ¡°Come on, Julia!¡±

    With the voice cracking through the impenetrable barrier, Julia kneeled down, grabbed the medical kit, and tried to tend the wound on Allyson. She was breathing faster as she merely held onto the materials.

    ¡°A-Allyson, are you ok?¡± Julia slowly pressed the gauze against Allyson¡¯s shoulder blade.

    ¡°It kinda fucking hurts,¡± Allyson grunted, dropping her Jingum next to her. ¡°I need to get up and fight.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy!¡± Julia shouted, shaking her head. ¡°You¡¯re being too reckless and it nearly got you killed!¡± Once the gauze was sealed tight, the swordfighter got onto her knees and pinned an icy stare at her roommate.

    ¡°How am I being reckless? I¡¯m trying to help you find your answer here, and now you want to back out?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m terrified¡­¡±

    ¡°Of what?! Finding out about your answer? Why?! Does it really hurt you that much???¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Jansen hollered, feeling his left arm increasingly numb. ¡°Stop bickering and give me a hand!¡±

    Allyson stood up, brandishing the Jingum in her right hand. ¡°You came here to find out your answer. You better damn search for that answer, even if it hurts you. Jansen! We¡¯re moving forward!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Now!!¡±

    Allyson ran forward while her left arm hung low. Jansen quickly caught up and was in front of her, blocking every projectile directed at them. Once the assassin equipped the twin daggers, docking the pistol in its pocket, the figure flew forward.

    Allyson, fighting through the pain, swooped past Jansen from his left. She raised the Jingum above her back and struck down at the assassin. However, the assassin sidestepped before driving one of the daggers. Jansen rammed into the assassin who then leaped to the opposite side. The assassin redirected its focus and lunged at him, crossing its arm across from its chest and delivering a diagonal downward strike. Jansen turned his body left and lifted his shield, clashing with the dagger.

    Clank!

    In a deadlock, the assassin sheathed the other dagger and pulled out the barrel.

    Ch-ch.

    ¡°AAAAAGGGHHH!!¡± Allyson pushed the Jingum in a straight line, aiming at the assassin¡¯s left side.

    The assassin swiftly pulled back the dagger causing Jansen to stumble forward before receiving a roundhouse kick to the face. Its body twirled around and faced Allyson. The residue from the barrel coldly breathed on her forehead.

    Ch-ch.

    With a single trigger pull¡­

    BANG!!!

    The other Julia''s lips traversed straight up. ¡°Finally, she¡¯s gone.¡±

    However, a pearly purple mist radiated through Allyson''s temple. Her eyebrows raised with whites showing in her eyes. Arms, legs and even her Jingum glowed. ¡°How the hell am I alive?¡±

    ¡°WHAT?!¡± The other Julia¡¯s body flared up.

    Allyson stood steady, and the assassin immediately tightened its hand. Ch-ch. Bang! However, the bullet collided with the purple aura and fell dead to the ground. The right side of her lips slowly crept up. With the hilt of the dagger facing away, the assassin smashed the weapon down at the swordfighter. She casually stepped to the right before stabbing the assassin right in its chest.

    However, the assassin managed to move its left hand. With its final breaths, the assassin pierced its dagger into Allyson¡¯s wound.

    ¡°Ggggnnhh, fuuucckk¡­¡± Her grip loosened but reapplied her strength to hold on until the assassin melted into ink. Crimson liquids poured down from her left shoulder. She fell to her knees, covering the wound with her right hand, still leaking.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find my answer,¡± Julia slowly walked closer to Allyson and Jansen. Her drawing pen was coated with her flesh. ¡°I won¡¯t like it but I just have to do it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, now you decide to come in at the right time?!¡± The other Julia threw her arms up in the air. ¡°None of that will matter if you can¡¯t get past my art.¡±

    The other Julia raised her right hand once more. Allyson mustered all of her energy into raising her left arm. The laceration of her left shoulder blade would not allow it. It was immovable as if trying to move a broken hand. Desperate for a change in the tides of battle, Allyson dropped her Jingum, using her free hand to grab her left wrist, and lifted her palm pointing at the other Julia. A single snap was heard from her scapula. Her face scrunched, feeling something was going to fall off. Strings of static sparked from her left palm, Allyson fired a strand of lightning, stunning the other Julia¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hnngg¡­why you¡­¡±

    ¡°Allyson, I need you and Jansen to buy me some time,¡± Julia started drawing on her tablet while her gauze soaked. Her eyes closed tightly. ¡°Gah¡­¡±

    ¡°We can, but will you be okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± her dark eyes pointed downward. ¡°Just don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Allyson left a gap in her mouth, shook her head, and grabbed her Jingum with her right hand. She crunched her teeth. ¡°Fine¡­please don¡¯t push yourself.¡±

    Julia began her focus on her tablet, drawing the object that she imagined.

    ¡°Jansen, get up!¡± Allyson commanded as her friend slowly got up. She brought her left arm down to the side after several attempts and pointed her Jingum at the other Julia.

    The golden-dressed woman chuckled before conjuring up a sword with her left hand, resembling Allyson¡¯s. She then directed her copycat sword back at her. ¡°Fine then, the show hasn¡¯t ended yet! My final masterpiece is still waiting!¡±

    Allyson and Jansen charged towards the other Julia. Her left arm never moved while running. She swung horizontally but the other Julia hopped back elegantly. The golden-dressed woman retaliated by striking forward her sword to Allyson¡¯s face. Allyson''s back arched matching a rainbow so much that she fell on her back.

    The other Julia quickly stood over Allyson and raised her sword, pointing the tip at Allyson¡¯s chest. Jansen swung his baseball bat in the same motion Allyson did. The other Julia guarded by angling the sword diagonally across her body. The collision caused her to stumble backward a few times. Jansen continued on by ramming her with his shield. The other Julia blocked also with her sword. Allyson quickly stood up and pierced her Jingum at the other Julia.

    Then the woman in the golden dress flicked her left shoe up, smacking Allyson¡¯s face who then clanked her sword against Jansen¡¯s shield before dropping her guard. The other Julia, while still blocking Jansen¡¯s attack, hopped twisting her body to the right, and delivered a heel to Allyson¡¯s face, compelling her to fall on her back again. Jansen saw his friend vulnerable. In that split second, the other Julia extended her right leg, stretching as far as the sea, wrapped around Jansen¡¯s legs, and pulled back, causing him to fall on his back. The impact of landing coerced him to drop his shield. The other Julia floated above the man and raised her sword before driving the weapon straight to his chest.

    SLASH!!!

    ¡°AAAGGHH!!¡± The other Julia felt a sharp deep cut on her left calf, forcing her to fall and roll on the ground. She struggled to stand as she lifted herself by impaling the sword through the ground.

    On the other side, Julia stood firm, shaking her left leg uncontrollably. The cut coursed deep. Crimson droplets flowed down her calf, which progressed to cover her entire ankle. Her heavy breathing mirrored the air coming in and out of her wound.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of how much this could hurt me? How much it hurts knowing that I¡¯ve become like this?¡±

    ¡°I thought it was the case,¡± Julia¡¯s pen halted in the middle of the tablet screen, her vision becoming blurry. ¡°But no, I wasn¡¯t scared because of what might hurt me. I was scared because I didn¡¯t want to see the other part of myself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that facing yourself will always hurt? There are things you¡¯re not proud of. It consumes you, eating every single fiber of your sanity until you fail to notice why the scars are there.¡±

    Meanwhile, Allyson and Jansen got up to their feet. Without a single muse conjured in her head, Allyson shortened the distance between her and the other Julia. She held the Jingum over her head and swung diagonally down. The shadowy sword scraped and hung against the metallic cutlass. The warm flesh on her left shoulder began leaking more as she tried to hold her Jingum with both hands.

    Jansen rapidly strode to his friend and rammed into the other Julia.

    WACK!!!

    The woman in gold flew several feet back whereas her dark blade spiraled further away. Her feet slid but never hugged the ground.

    ¡°Julia! Do it!¡±

    The artist''s name was barely legible, summoning two different weapons: a long silver, sharp scythe and an arrow with feather fletchings. Using the select tool to control her scythe, she released the button on her pen and threw it at the other Julia. The scythe spun while on a target route to the golden-dressed woman.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Slash! Slash!

    Two direct hits at the other Julia¡¯s right oblique and left hand.

    ¡°Rrrrnnggghh,¡± Veins popped on Julia¡¯s neck, her right hand transferring all the stress onto her pen. Hanging her head backward, wrinkles festered all over her face. She regained her composure, blowing heavy and sluggish air. ¡°Just¡­one more.¡± The artist barely selected the arrow, moving her pen down a few feet like performing in archery.

    The other Julia¡¯s right hand regained control. ¡°Not this time!¡± She began to snap her fingers.

    Thud.

    The tip of the Jingum appeared below her head, above her stomach. Allyson pushed her sword deeper and sacrificed her left arm''s feelings to restrict the other Julia''s right hand.

    ¡°Yeah, for you! Julia!!!¡±

    The blonde artist¡¯s drawing arm rocked heavily, grimaced her face, and clear droplets hung down her face. Everything became quiet, time was frozen in place. Her heartbeat echoed throughout her temple. One final serene whistle before opening her eyes.

    ¡°AAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!¡±

    She traced with her pen in a straight vertical line. The arrow gained a rocket boost and approached the target at supersonic speed. The dangerous velocity, aided by the breeze, sparked Allyson¡¯s body to spike up high heat. The only vivid image for the swordfighter was the projectile coming at her, approaching closer and closer to striking the source of life inside her physical form.

    A message brightened inside her mind. Without constraints of her mind and heeding to her heart, she retracted the Jingum and left hand. The arrow was meters away. Allyson leaped, head first, to the right, escaping death¡¯s door hanging behind her.

    A soft thud.

    ¡°A-aa¡­uh¡­uack,¡± the woman layered in gold eyes bulged while gazing at the arrow piercing through her heart.

    ¡°Aa¡­auck¡­kknnngggh,¡± Julia coughed up a puddle of crimson, dropping her drawing arsenal and pressing her chest with both hands. Her eyes became drier by the second. Black dots sprinkled in her version before hijacking all parts of it.

    Both Julias took a step forward with their left leg, stumbling on their right.

    THUD!!!

    She collapsed to the ground, rendering her body completely still.

    ¡°JULIA!!!¡± Allyson carried her legs until she fell next to her friend''s motionless frame. Jansen caught up from the opposite side.

    Allyson moved her roommate''s back so that it was cushioned against the ground. She clawed on Julia''s shoulders and forcibly rocked back and forth. "Ju¡­lia¡­please¡­wake the hell up," her voice cracked each time she opened her mouth. She shook her roommate again with less effort. Eye sockets unleashed a wave of transparent round crystals. She gently pressed her head on Julia''s chest.

    Jansen pressed two fingers on the side of Julia''s neck, in the area of the soft hollow area just adjacent to the windpipe. No rhythmic bumps. He closed his eyes and waited. Nothing. His body sunk lower with the heavy realization crushing against him.

    "Jansen, do something."

    "I can''t feel her pulse."

    "Try something else then!!" Allyson twisted her head, face flaring up and hair masking her face. "Anything!"

    He never let another word escape from his lips, only granting air to exit from his nose. His eyes locked on Allyson''s burning vision before closing his. Slowly, Jansen weaved his head sideways.

    Allyson buried herself deep into Julia''s upper body, a screeching cry strong enough to shatter the sound barrier. "UUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!! UAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!" She lifted Julia one last time and embraced her roommate''s head as warmly as she could. "I wanted to help you so much in finding out your answer¡­but I couldn''t do that. I just wanted a friend again. Please, not again¡­not again."

    Jansen got closer to Allyson and wrapped his left arm around her.

    Allyson coughed and then sniffed. "I-I wanted to help and b-be there for you and look where that took us. Why is this so hard for me? I can''t bear this anymore. I hate this feeling. Why does it always happen to me?!"

    "..."

    "I''m sorry, Julia. God¡­fucking damn it, I''m so sorry!" Allyson resumed sobbing, unwilling to let go of her roommate. "I''m sorry¡­I''m sorry¡­I''m sorry¡­"

    "Why¡­are you¡­sorry?"

    Jansen raised his eyebrows. Allyson froze, droplets continuing to rain from her face.

    "Shouldn''t I¡­ be the one apologizing to you? Isn''t it my fault that this happened?"

    Allyson slowly pulled back until she saw Julia''s soft eyes. The warm waters soaked her face, her lips rising like the morning sun. "You fucking bitch¡­hahaha¡­" She enveloped Julia with her soft arms like a blanket.

    Julia reciprocated, lighting up a smile and patting Allyson¡¯s back. Jansen joined in. The world had frozen in its tracks, not one sound at all. One single moment, although short, lasted a lifetime.

    After they separated, Allyson absorbed the tears with her right sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not done here,¡± Julia gazed ahead, seeing the other Julia hunch her back.

    ¡°Her again?¡± Allyson grabbed her Jingum and stood in front of her roommate. However, the artist walked past her roommate.

    Julia remained silent as she approached closer to the woman in gold. Hunching forward, dragging her left leg while loading stress with the opposite leg, the artist hand-locked her tablet and pen.

    Until she finally stood face-to-face.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t scared at how all this could hurt me,¡± one ruptured heartbeat caused her vision to fizzle for a split second. ¡°I was scared because I refused to look at what I¡¯ve done wrong.¡±

    The other Julia softly spoke, ¡°I could blame Cree for ruining my passion. I could blame my art group for betraying me. I could blame Allyson for being a nuisance.¡±

    ¡°But in the end, I let everything consume me.¡±

    ¡°And what did I do with it?¡±

    ¡°Trade it all for money. Trade it just to please whoever. It didn¡¯t even satisfy me. No. I was never happy.¡±

    ¡°It had nothing to do with the money.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t happy with myself for making that choice. The money was merely just a distraction. My choice burned and etched into my heart. I couldn¡¯t escape it. I didn¡¯t understand why.¡±

    The other Julia dropped her head low.

    Julia revealed her drawing pen, palm exposed, reaching closer to her other self. She locked eyes until the woman in gold looked up. The other Julia covered the artist¡¯s right hand with both of her hands.

    ¡°I realized that my other face is a part of me. The way I gave away my art for clicks and money¡­that is me. The way I succumbed to using artificial art¡­that is me. The way I mistreated Allyson¡­ that is me. The woman in front of me¡­ that is me. All of those faces are me.¡±

    The other Julia¡¯s left cheek left a trail of clear beads.

    Julia took one deep breath. ¡°I won¡¯t forget the face I once wore. It¡¯s a reminder that if I become that again, I''ll stop straying off on that path. This time, I¡¯ll follow my path as an artist as Mrs. Daniels said. I¡¯ll follow the ones who¡¯ll be there for me. My friends. Jansen. And most importantly, making sure I¡¯m there for Allyson, too.¡±

    A small warming smile took control of Allyson.

    ¡°I finally got it. I finally understand what my answer is.¡±

    The other Julia slightly tilted her head right, closed her eyes, and radiated a smile filling it with peace and joy. Julia¡¯s lower lip quivered before the barrier in her eyes broke, creating a river of water.

    The golden-dressed woman¡¯s form began to lose opacity, her body fading from existence. Her serene expression unchanged. Before Julia could blink, the other Julia shone golden yellow for a brief stint.

    What was in front of Julia was a radiant yellow sphere floating. The sphere flew up until it was level with the artist¡¯s upper body before floating towards her. Packing the drawing pen on her belt socket, she covered her right fingers with her left fingers in a cross hand gesture. The sphere was approaching closer. Julia had her hands beneath the sphere but never physically touched it, merely aiding its travels.

    The sphere entered Julia¡¯s heart. Covering her chest with her graceful hands, Julia shut her vision down and felt her heartbeat echo.

    She opened her eyes, noticing that her pen, tablet, beret, and glasses all had their outlines emitting cyber-yellow flames. As if her heart directed her mind, Julia opened her right hand, revealing her palm. All four flames converged in the resting area transforming into a rectangular object.

    BUZZ!!

    On the screen, there floated the yellow sphere again. It quickly was erased by a circular cursor. That same cursor then began to scribe on the screen.

    I, Julia Svihia, have opened my heart to the Soul Portal.

    The message then melted away and the screen became black.

    Julia looked around the arena. The canvases remained intact. No images were altered. Her vision went dark and hung her head low several times. She turned to Allyson and Jansen.

    ¡°Julia, are you ok?¡± Her roommate used her right palm as a bandage on her wound.

    ¡°I am,¡± she beamed a warm smile. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I need to hear,¡± Allyson chuckled.

    Julia''s vision suddenly had black dots everywhere.

    ¡°Woah, Julia,¡± Jansen locked his right shoulder under Julia¡¯s left arm. She started to feel thumping pulses in her head. ¡°You¡¯ve dealt with a lot here. You need some rest. Come on, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Allyson nudged her left shoulder, matching Jansen¡¯s side. ¡°How are we going to explain our injuries?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to figure that out soon enough.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    September 29 - 4:42pm

    The classroom remained unchanged. The gate of the classroom denied any bystanders from entering. The three students were pixelated in front of the monitor screen, luckily still standing.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like anyone¡¯s been here,¡± Jansen scoped the dark classroom, removing his weighted support on the artist to walk towards the blinds.

    ¡°How¡¯s your shoulder?¡± Julia asked her roommate.

    She pulled her collar, exposing the wounded area. All she saw was a dark purple circular bump. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s not there.¡± Allyson pressed on it. ¡°Ow¡­¡± Another press. ¡°Ow¡­¡±

    ¡°Uhh, I think I should be asking if you¡¯re okay,¡± Julia crept up a smile while exposing her dimples.

    ¡°Ever since she committed seppuku, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s ever okay,¡± Jansen pulled the blinds, illuminating the classroom.

    ¡°Hiss!¡± Allyson left a gap in her mouth exposing her teeth. ¡°I did it to save her.¡±

    ¡°See? Definitely not normal.¡±

    ¡°Heh!¡± Julia giggled, shaking her head sideways. ¡°You guys are such weirdos and I love it.¡±

    Allyson¡¯s heart danced. She had no choice but to ray a light of smiles. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and rest up.¡±

    September 29 - 11:56pm

    Jansen dropped off Allyson and Julia at Parkside before departing for his shift tonight. Once the orange skies changed their saturation to a darker color, Allyson and Julia dined in on chips, chocolates, and beers. In the living room, the large screen displayed a film, but the two spent time conversing about their experiences in the other world.

    ¡°What¡¯s so cool was that you made all that art shit and it became real!¡± Allyson grabbed her tall glass of alcohol and took a sip.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to make art at such a high speed,¡± Julia mimicked her hands as if she was trying to generate art and sign her name in the air. ¡°Nothing stuns me more than seeing you with that sword and summoning lighting!¡±

    ¡°Tch, well, I¡¯m pretty electrifying,¡± she twirled her hair, flicking her head in the opposite direction.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± The artist then crossed her right arm on her waist and bowed in front of her roommate. ¡°I¡¯m honored to serve you as your digital artist, fair lady lightning.¡±

    ¡°Join me and we¡¯ll rule this campus.¡±

    Without hesitation, they both cackled, faces glowing cherry red.

    ¡°Allyson?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Her eyes inched closer to shutting off.

    ¡°I¡¯m still sorry for making you feel unwelcome¡­¡± Julia wrinkled her eyebrows while her eyes were moist.

    ¡°Hey, Julia¡­¡±

    ¡°No really,¡± she downturned her head. ¡°I made things so much worse for you. I couldn¡¯t imagine how you felt during all that time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cool, I forgi-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to do everything I can to make this right. My world showed me a lot of things about myself that I ignored, so this time, I¡¯ll make the effort to be better.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough for me as long as you and I are friends.¡±

    ¡°We are friends. Thanks for being there for me.¡±

    Allyson and Julia embraced each other, feeling their comforting warmth.

    12:00am

    THUD!!!

    The TV screen went black. The lights of their apartment lost its strength, shadows enshrouding the area.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Allyson furrowed her eyes and jumped up from the couch. She ran to the windows, gazing at every single building and street with no lights. ¡°Is there a blackout?¡±

    ¡°Allyson¡­please come here,¡± she saw Julia curled up in a ball and burying her face between her knees. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡±

    She quickly knelt on the carpet just in front of the couch and rubbed Julia¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s ok, it¡¯s ok. I¡¯m here.¡±

    HMMMMM!!!

    Allyson bulged her eyes and stared at her right pocket. Pulling out her phone, the color drained her face, seeing what was displayed on her screen.

    The same icon from that app with the ember displaying deep pink. Allyson¡¯s body turned into stone. She regained movement when the TV screen revealed the same image on her phone.

    However, the image fizzled out before projecting a dark room. Small for a bedroom, small for a classroom, but larger than the hallways. Allyson and Julia hardly depicted what was transpiring.

    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!¡± A blood-curdling scream sent waves of terror to both roommates. An unidentifiable figure ran closer to the screen before slamming fists onto the screen. ¡°P-please help¡­ me. Someone¡¯s¡­ going to kill me. I don¡¯t want to die. I have everything ready ahead. I can¡¯t die¡­¡±

    Click¡­Click¡­Click

    ¡°Oh god, oh god, oh god, someone¡¯s getting closer¡­¡± the person¡¯s voice was muffled. Tone was too static to decipher the person''s identity. "I can''t move¡­"

    Click¡­Click¡­Click

    "..."

    "..."

    Ch-ch¡­

    ¡°UAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!¡± The figure viciously banging on the screen. ¡°SOMEONE PLEASE SAVE ME! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! AAAAAA-¡±

    Blip

    Nothing was displayed, only their reflections.

    Silence distilled the area. Weak airwaves brushed through the room, darkness still enclosing the walls.

    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Allyson glanced at her phone. The app was no longer in use. She dialed Jansen. ¡°Please pick up.¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Jansen. Sorry, I can¡¯t talk right now, but leave a message and I¡¯ll get back to you as soon as I can.¡± Beep!

    ¡°Jansen! It¡¯s Allyson! Please answer me! Something¡¯s wrong right now!¡± She hung up and dropped her phone onto the soft floor.

    ¡°W-what¡¯s going to happen?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know. Let¡¯s just hope it isn¡¯t serious and just some shitty prank.¡±

    September 30th - 6:23am

    Campus police barricaded the area in front of the McKeldin Library. The statue of Testudo had speckled stains of crimson liquid around it.

    One officer closed his eyes. ¡°Fuck¡­¡±

    A body was found planted on the ground. Arms angled acutely. Legs straightened out.

    Another officer walked up and took a step back.

    "Where''s the head?"

    Nowhere near the body. Only one place.

    On top of Testudo¡¯s shell.

 "You have more blood on your hands..."

    ¡°You have more blood on your hands...¡±

    September 30 - 7:27am

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    Allyson remained motionless, burying her face into the soft, warm cushion. The buzzing noise pounded her ears, slowly breaking her still expression.

    THUMP!

    She crashed her right palm onto the nightstand next to her bed. Her palm latched onto her phone like tape. Once she curled her fingers, she pulled her phone until it was breathing next to her face. Taking a quick peek while her eyes resisted opening, she noticed the time.

    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± She shot up from her bed, her body overwhelmed with sweat. After closing the alarm, she noticed a rectangular icon in the top left corner. Sliding her finger down, there was a message.

    839-61

    UMD SAFETY NOTICE 09/30/22

    INCIDENT: Homicide OCCURRED: September 30, 2022. Approximately 6:23am. LOCATION: McKeldin Library. UMPD CASE #2022-16253 BRIEF DETAILS: On September 30th, 2022, at approximately 6:23am, the University of Maryland Police Department was notified of a possible homicide in front of McKeldin Library. Officers responded immediately to the area and located the female victim in front of the Testudo statue. The victim was pronounced deceased and was taken to a local hospital. Witnesses were unable to identify any suspects. The investigation is currently ongoing.

    Allyson slowly raised her head and gazed at the pale white wall. It was all she was hyper-fixed on. A sharp, painful jab pressed against her mind. Her heart pounded into overdrive.

    Knock! Knock!

    Sharply locking eyes at the door, she slowly walked and opened it.

    "Did you just see the news?" Julia''s lips curved down by just a smidge.

    "Yeah, I did," she barely wanted to muster up a response. Allyson looked away from her roommate. "How did this happen?"

    "I don''t know," The artist shook her head.

    "You think Jansen might know since he works for the campus police?"

    "Have you gotten hold of him yet?"

    "Not yet. I was going to text him soon. Maybe we can meet up somewhere and see what he knows."

    "Yeah, hopefully, he can tell us anything."

    Ring! Ring!

    Both checked their phones for the notification.

    "Looks like classes are canceled today."

    "Yeah," Silence permeated through the air. Both roommates were stiff, feeling more weight forced against them. "I''m just gonna be in my room. Let me know if Jansen says anything."

    "Will do," Allyson poured half a liter of water into the electrical pot and clicked on the power button, waiting for steam to be visible. Grabbing a container of coffee pebbles, she scooped 3 tablespoons, dumped them into her mug, and poured in the hot water after. After mixing the instant coffee, she went to the couch and dozed off by gazing at the window.

    Buzz! Buzz!

    She peeked at her phone and saw a message come through. Placing her cup on the table, she checked her notification.

    Jansen Eriksen: Hey! Sorry for missing your call, the blackout had us really busy so I couldn''t answer

    Allyson: I figured much haha

    Allyson: So about what happened this morning¡­

    5 minutes later

    Jansen Eriksen: ok so for that it''s best that I say this in person. Is it OK if I head to your apartment?

    Allyson: Yeah! We''re both here

    Jansen Eriksen: Cool! I''ll be there in 15

    Allyson: See ya soon!

    "Hey, Julia?"

    "What''s up?" Julia stuck her head out the doorway.

    "Jansen''s coming here soon."

    "Alright."

    18 minutes later

    "Hey!" Allyson greeted with a warm smile.

    "Hey," He showed a shadowy smile, closing his eyes and nodding forward.

    "Before you tell us everything, you want something to drink?"

    "Some coffee would be nice actually," he opened a large gap in his mouth, forcing his eyes to close and hover over the gap with his right fist. "Aaaaaauuuuggghhh. Excuse me, sorry, wasn''t able to sleep."

    "With everything from last night to this morning," The artist sat on a chair in front of their dining table, planting her upper body against its support. "Can''t blame you."

    "A lot of people panicked and we had more escorts than usual," Allyson brought a cup of coffee to Jansen, who sat in the middle of the couch. He took a sip. "Thanks."

    "Mmm hmm," Allyson sat on the couch that stood against the wall connected to her room.

    Jansen took another sip before loosening his body. "You guys saw what happened last night, right?"

    "Yeah, a blackout occurred," Allyson gazed at the windows. "Everything went out like total darkness."

    "That''s not the only thing," Julia added.

    "Oh?" Jansen tilted his head while locking eyes at the artist.

    "You didn''t see it?"

    "See what?" Jansen slowly answered. "I was driving an escort when the blackout occurred."

    "Oh, ok," Julia nodded. She then brought out her phone and pointed at the ember icon. "This app came on with a pinkish color. Then our TV suddenly powered on and we saw some dark areas. We couldn''t tell what it was. Next thing we knew, we saw someone or something on the screen screaming that they were going to be killed. After that, the screen went blank. And that was all that happened. Oh, then by the time we woke up, the lights were on."

    "Woah, that¡¯s really odd," Jansen widened his eyes and covered his forehead with his left hand. "Did you guys notice anything else from the TV?"

    "Not really," Julia swiveled her head numerous times. "I couldn''t tell other than that voice. Couldn''t make out who it was. Allyson, you remember anything?"

    Allyson pierced her lips and directed her vision to the ceiling. "Not really."

    Silence stilled the area.

    "Ooh!" Julia and Jansen redirected their gaze on Allyson. "I remember that voice saying they couldn''t move. Then we heard footsteps but we couldn''t figure out where it was coming from."

    "Now that you mentioned that, we also heard a click sound like someone loading a gun."

    "Yeah, it was bizarre," Allyson shuddered. ¡°I thought it was just some prank but it wasn¡¯t.¡±

    Jansen merely stared at his coffee cup on the table.

    "Jansen?"

    "Sorry, just taking in everything that¡¯s happened," he closed his eyes and shivered his head before facing Allyson. "From what you two are saying, it sounds eerie that the TV showed whatever that was. Why though?"

    "We can speculate all we want," Julia shook her head. "Anyways, Jansen, about this morning¡­"

    "Right, whew," he took a deep breath before answering. "From the alert you guys got, someone was found at the McKeldin Library."

    "They said it was a female victim."

    "Yeah and not just that," he continued to gaze at his coffee. "The body was in front of the statue."

    "I don''t get it," Allyson furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head left.

    "Listen carefully. The body was in front of the statue."

    Julia hid her mouth with her left hand and turned her head in the opposite direction. "Ack! Ack! Oh god¡­"

    As soon as her roommate reacted, Allyson''s brain connected the wires sparking the epiphany. Her eyes bulged to the size of the moon before her entire face shrunk.

    "They also identified the body."

    "Who was it?"

    "Cree."

    Both women locked stares at each other, wrinkling their eyebrows and face losing all color. Julia tapped her mouth with both hands. The barrier in her eyes shattered and crystal droplets fell out. Allyson remained motionless, a heavy wave of the shocking information paralyzing her. Jansen closed her eyes and hung his head low.

    Cree Cuffey was dead.

    ¡°How did this even happen?¡±

    No one answered for 30 minutes.

    Jansen raised his head until he was directly staring at the television screen. ¡°For now, let¡¯s keep a low profile and don¡¯t go near the library anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Officers are still swarming around the area and campus in general. News outlets are going to cover this by interviewing students and the higher ups. Just be careful around there.¡±

    Allyson and Julia simultaneously agreed in unison.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    September 30 - 12:00pm

    Cameras encased a single man at the bottom of the stone stairs. A newscaster held a large microphone and slightly pointed it at the interviewee.

    ¡°Today¡­¡± Scott wiped beads from his eyes with a tissue and blew his nose. ¡°True evil had occurred on this campus, taking the life of a beautiful person¡­ who gave¡­ many opportunities for everyone here and i-inspired many students here to work hard and be the best they can be.¡± His face glowed cherry red while rivers of water rained on his face. ¡°This evil, corrupted monster will be stopped and brought to justice! Our hard-working officers will do everything they can to capture this culprit! Cree Cuffey, as a member of the Terp family and as a friend, you will be missed, but your life will never be forgotten. Your life will be avenged.¡±

    One of the officers hung her head low and walked away with her comrade. ¡°I feel bad for the guy. Having a friend like that killed in such a gruesome manner. Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Who would even go so far as killing her?¡±

    Somewhere away from McKeldin¡­

    One single individual sat on a black couch, watching the live conference at the campus library.

    ¡°This evil, corrupted monster will be stopped and brought to justice!¡±

    The individual¡¯s body tensed up, the right fist channeling all tension onto it. ¡°Hehe, you want to call me an evil monster?¡± The individual leaned closer to the screen. ¡°Take a look at yourself. You have more blood on your hands.¡±

    October 1st - 10:13am

    At the police department, Detective Vargas stared at the blue luminescent lights on his monitor. After a quick sip of his coffee, he was reading through a report of the incident.

    Officer 255¡¯s Report

    On September 30th at 0612 hours, I was patrolling via vehicle on Preinkert Dr. I parked in Lot A between Tydings Hall and Worchester Hall to conduct a foot patrol at the McKeldin Mall. At approximately 0621 hours, as I was walking on the east side of McKeldin Mall where Francis Scott Key Hall is, I noticed 3 students running up to me appearing to be in a panicked state. They informed me that there was a body in front of the Testudo statue of the McKeldin Library. I rushed to the scene, informing dispatch of a health check on an individual.

    However, upon reaching the location in question, the body was in front of the Testudo statue of the McKeldin Library yet the body¡¯s head was displaced on top of the statue. Next to Testudo was a large black tarp and a smaller light red tarp. I informed dispatch of a potential homicide investigation. I had encircled the statue with our police tape and warned bystanders to not engage. I questioned the 3 students on their activities prior to discovering the body.

    The 3 students and their student ID:

    Sophia Chiesa (UID: 184265956)

    Lucia Renard (UID: 172249931)

    Lillian Mitrovich (UID: 174481050)

    Ms. Chiesa informed me that Ms. Renard, Ms. Mitrovich, and she were walking from South Campus Commons 7. They intended to arrive at the Eppley Recreation Center by cutting through the McKeldin Library. It was then at approximately 0623 hours that they noticed something ¡®bulging¡¯ from the Testudo statue and ¡®a large tarp beneath it¡¯. Upon uncovering the tarps, they discovered the body of Cree Cuffey.

    I called SOC to check if there were any individuals around the area in question. However, SOC informed me that cameras on campus were offline during that time and did not return online until approximately at 0704 hours. They mentioned the blackout that occurred on September 30th, 0000 hours which may have contributed to the security cameras going offline.

    Once Officers 233 and 244 arrived at the screen, they questioned the students inside McKeldin Library, Jimenez Hall, and Chincoteague Hall. No students recalled seeing anyone suspicious.

    ¡°Rrrrggh,¡± Detective Vargas groaned as he stretched his throat, locking eyes at the monotone ceiling. He wrapped his hands behind his head. ¡°No one really saw anything? How? Someone has to have seen something. It¡¯s a big campus. Tch, I don''t know where to begin.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I know who did it!¡±

    ¡°You do? Tell me!¡±

    Detective Vargas pushed himself back to sitting erect at his desk. Leaning forward and sticking out his left ear, he closed his eyes only focusing on the sound outside.

    ¡°It¡¯s that stupid bitch who I arrested like two weeks ago. Only reason she¡¯s not in jail is because of that stupid detective. He¡¯s like ¡°ugh, me thinks she innocent because she didn¡¯t do nothing. Like bullshit! Everyone says that when they get arrested. It¡¯s so easy to tell when they lie.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you quiet down? The detective will hear you. He¡¯s in his office.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit! His office is always like that and he don¡¯t do shit here while we do all the heavy lifting.¡±

    The two officers walked past his office. They opened the exit doors. THUD!

    Pressing and stretching the bridge between his eyes with his thumb and index fingers, Detective Vargas froze in place, disgruntled at the situation. ¡°Hmm, something¡¯s not right here.¡±

    October 3rd - 10:02am

    Allyson walked out of her classroom finishing her exam. She spent some time relieving herself in the restroom and planning out her next schedule. While her pupils were glued to the little screen, her legs decided to carry her to the exit at the south side of Jimenez Hall. When she was outside, she saw McKeldin Library.

    "What the fuck? I can''t be around the library. Jansen said to stay away from there. And I need to not focus myself on this damn phone." Allyson''s expression remained straight while she was staring at the library.

    "Hey, you!"

    "Are you fucking kidding me? Please don''t talk to me¡­" Allyson swiftly spun around and walked up the incline to her right.

    "Don''t walk away from me!" The voice boomed louder, causing her to freeze on the spot.

    "Just my fucking luck," she took a deep breath before turning to the voice. The individual was standing around near the crime scene.

    "That''s right! Need to talk to you!"

    "What does he want?" Allyson marched toward the person despite her back leaning back just slightly.

    "It''s not nice to ignore someone calling you, especially to me," The individual''s voice remained serene yet his eyes flared with indignation. Allyson wasn''t able to distinguish it.

    "Sorry about that," her mind was withholding all the screams inside. "So what''s going on?"

    "Well, I''m not feeling great because a dear friend of mine was murdered by a psycho."

    "It''s disturbing what happened to her," she shivered. "I''m sorry for your loss."

    "Thanks," the student continued to stare at Allyson. "We need to figure out who would commit such an evil act."

    "I hope you and the campus police do your best in finding the culprit," Allyson began skidding her right shoe away.

    "I can''t do this alone, so why don''t you and I investigate this like partner-in-crimes?"

    "Yeeeaahh," her stomach started twisting, causing her body heat to spike up. Her hairline was starting to feel moist. "I''ll try some private investigation if I ever see anything and let the police know, and I''m late to my class so I need to go."

    "Well, what''s the rush? My friend was killed and you''d rather go to a class than grieve with me?"

    "I''m sorry for your loss. If I find something related to her death, I''ll let the police know."

    "Which is why you and I need to investigate this. You''ll have a better rationale than I would. I wouldn''t focus well unless someone is there to help me."

    Ring! Ring!

    Allyson checked her phone, curving her eyebrows and wrinkles creasing her forehead.

    Incoming call: Julia Svihia

    "Hello?"

    "Allyson! Where are you? I''m here at Stamp."

    "I''m at McKeldin. I know I''m late but I''ll be there real soon. Just let me know what I missed during the lecture."

    "Lecture?" The artist furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you-"

    "I''ll be there soon!"

    Allyson hung up. She looked at the person. "Gotta go. Bye!" She immediately strode away, averting her eyes away from that individual.

    The person pulled out his phone and took a picture. The image he had was slightly blurry but had a vivid view of the focused target.

    Behind the person, someone approached him.

    "Joe, what are you doing?" Scott inquired while smoking a vape.

    "Oh, nothing, just wanted to be a nice guy to her but she just ran away."

    Allyson maintained her fast walking until she reached the top of the incline. Her shins were burning up to a point where she felt throbs pulsing against them. Ignoring the pain, she crossed the sidewalk and met her roommate at the entrance. Jansen also arrived earlier than she expected.

    She told them what had transpired.

    "Sorry, that happened to you. People like that are so gross," Julia felt her body stiffen.

    "I''m glad you left there safely," Jansen''s face was pale initially but regained color right after. "What did this guy look like, if you mind us asking?"

    "Uhh," Allyson scratched the back of her head. "Had patches of hair on his face, black hair, about this tall," she hovered her left horizontal hand around 4 inches above her head. "And also an underbite whenever he smiled."

    "Oh," Jansen''s face shrunk, wrinkles spreading across his face. "You met Joe Hurwitz. Not surprised that he approached you like that."

    "You know him?"

    "Yeahhhh," he hung his head down by the smallest of centimeters, leaving a gap in his mouth. "You''re very lucky that Julia called you; otherwise that would have been ugly."

    "I was fucking terrified," Allyson rocked her head, dilating her pupils. "He didn''t leave me alone and I couldn''t get out if I tried. Thank fucking god, Julia, you saved me."

    "I''m glad you''re safe with us now," her roommate was able to loosen herself. "Let''s go and find a place to settle down."

    "Gonna need some coffee first."

    They had to resort to McDonald''s coffee since the closest coffee was inside the library. Once they got their drinks, they went past the main area of the food court and found another area enclosed on its own. It was called the Baltimore Room. There was a table at the end of the area.

    "So everything looks quiet here so we can at least talk about what happened."

    "Couldn''t we just talk about this at our apartment?" Allyson inquired.

    "Oh, uh, I didn''t think about that," The artist''s face highlighted pink. She painted a shadowed smile and closed her eyes. "Whoops¡­"

    "Eh, doesn''t matter as long as we don''t garner attention," Jansen reassured before sipping his Americano.

    "So I do want to know something," Allyson mimicked her friend''s actions. "Julia, before you went missing, what happened that Sunday night?"

    "I remember looking at my phone and seeing a notification. It just had three question marks on it. I tapped on it and it took me to that app. At first, it was just like how I thought it was supposed to be: an ember that just sticks out on the screen. But then¡­"

    ______________________________________________________________________

    September 18th - 9:48pm

    Julia gazed at the yellow spherical ember glowing on her phone. She continued to gaze at its alluring color.

    "It''s just nothing. This app is such a waste," she pressed the power button.

    The phone failed to shut off.

    "Huh?" She tried again. Same thing occurred.

    On the next attempt she pressed and held the power button and the bottom part of the volume button, waiting for something to change.

    It never did.

    All of a sudden the yellow ember icon began erasing itself. It drew another ember nearly identical to the previous one. Except this one, to the artist, something felt off. It looked fake: shading was unpolished, everything appeared too perfect. Nothing resonated with the feeling that a human created this.

    She was motionless still fixated on the ember. Her eyes were feeling heavier yet could not divert her gaze away.

    Then the sphere disappeared as if someone wanted to undo an edit.

    A small vertical dandelion line flashed in the middle of the screen.

    A message typed in: ¡°F..o..l..l..o..w¡­m..e¡­¡±

    ______________________________________________________________________

    ¡°That¡¯s all I remember. The next thing I knew I was there in that strange world.¡±

    ¡°So no one was at our door?¡± Julia weaved her head sideways. ¡°What the hell?¡± Allyson pulled out her phone and opened that app again. The color was gray. A message popped up.

    ¡°At this time, no individual Soul is in danger. You will be notified of any warnings of potentially compromised Souls.¡±

    ¡°This app¡­what is it and why are we the only ones who know about this?¡±

    October 3rd - 4:27pm

    Allyson and Julia returned to the apartment. Jansen had dropped them off and had to prepare for his shift tonight. Once they were in the living room area, the artist walked to the kitchen and began adding water to the electric kettle.

    ¡°What are you going to do for the rest of the day?¡± She asked her roommate.

    ¡°Not sure, probably just chill for a bit,¡± Allyson sat on the couch near the wall. ¡°How about you?¡±

    Julia turned to her while planting her palms on the edge of the counter. ¡°I¡¯m gonna apply to some places around here. I need to have some sort of stable income since I don¡¯t have a job right now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, you know, I need to apply for some jobs around here, too. I can¡¯t keep transferring money from my savings to my checking account. It makes me sad each time I do it.¡±

    ¡°Mmm hmm,¡± the artist nodded before grabbing a tea bag from the cabinets above her. ¡°You¡¯ll go broke if you keep doing that and this place just eats your money away. Oh, you want some tea?¡±

    ¡°Uh, sure!¡± Julia grabbed an extra one and poured the boiling water onto the second cup. She handed it to her. ¡°Thanks!¡±

    ¡°By the way, do you have any plans this Friday?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t, why?¡± Allyson leaned her head slightly left.

    ¡°I have a couple friends, Jansen¡¯s also part of the group, and we¡¯re planning on having a little hang out here. I would like you to join us and we can introduce ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah! I¡¯d be down to hang out. Can¡¯t wait to meet your friends!¡± Her heart fluttered. Her mind spewed out thousands of inner thoughts simultaneously. Allyson''s lips crept up without her noticing.

 "Is there really another world like that?"

    "Is there really another world like that?"

    October 3th - 7:48pm

    At her desk, Allyson purchased a water filter on Amazon. Whilst finalizing her order, she opened her phone and logged into her bank account. After navigating to her checking account, her face soured, curving her lips downward and lowering her eyelids.

    Account name: AKim

    Available Balance: $56.85

    "I''m broke¡­" no sound was heard for a stint. "I need a job."

    She immediately opened a new tab on Chrome and typed in "UMD campus jobs". Her bewilderment festered as the University of Minnesota Duluth campus appeared on the results page. "Why the fuck did it show me this?" She updated her search to "University of Maryland campus jobs for students". The first link showed Student Employment. Once there, she discovered the Careers4Terps link and followed all the steps to log in.

    When she scrolled through all sorts of jobs such as working at Stamp, teaching assistant, and bus driving, Allyson bit her lower lip. "None of these jobs sound fun at all¡­"

    Then a particular posting caught her eye: Student Police Aide.

    A spark triggered in her mind and a film of her past was played.

    "Why don¡¯t you try to apply with the Police Auxiliary? We usually are open to hiring during the school year."

    She closed her eyes, swallowing her dignity. "Fuck it, worth a try."

    October 4th - 9:22am

    Allyson was en route to her morning class. As she scaled Campus Drive just passing the main entrance, a small sheet of paper was nudged against the main frame of the black caged trash can. Picking up the sheet, Allyson''s face remained stiff but her mind began igniting fuses.

    Justice for Cree!

    On September 30th, 6:23 am, Cree Cuffey''s life was taken from this world. The evil monster who robbed a beautiful soul is still out there hiding. Cree has provided opportunities for aspiring artists, athletes, and students in advancing their careers. Her ambition and dedication to helping those in need with her resources, a rare kind you see nowadays, were her greatest strengths. Her life will not be forgotten! Her life was cut short! Her life had so much to live for! A murderer decided to kill for their own selfish desires!

    If you know anyone who may be involved or know the potential murderer, please contact the University of Maryland Police Department. You can also contact the following for any direct information:

    Scott Herman and Joe Hurwitz

    She folded the paper in half three times before pocketing it in the back of her pants. "I wonder if Julia or Jansen saw this."

    She steered left from the M circle and found herself at the bed of McKeldin Mall. As she strolled through the Edward St John building, Allyson noticed numerous crowds of students dispersed across the Mckeldin Mall. One group was nearby, so she delayed her strides and locked her head downward.

    "No justice¡­no peace!" The crowd chanted. "No justice¡­no peace!"

    One student raised the megaphone. "Cree''s life was not in vain! The evil murderer lives in shame! Everyone on this campus must work together until justice is served!"

    "No justice¡­ no peace!"

    Allyson was too distant to discern anything besides the chants. "Oh damn, this is getting a lot more serious than I thought¡­"

    Bzzt! Bzzt!

    She glared at her phone while walking and periodically looked up in front of her. An email notification popped up.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Student Police Aide Interview

    Her eyes flashed before halting her tracks. A quick tap on the notification and her Gmail app opened.

    Good morning Allyson!

    Thank you for applying for the Student Police Aide position at the University of Maryland Police Auxiliary. After reviewing your application, we are impressed by your qualifications! We would like to schedule a 30-minute interview with you. Below are the scheduled times to conduct your interview. Please let us know if these times conflict with your schedule. We look forward to hearing from you!

    10/4 - 8:30am - 9:00am

    10/4 - 2:00pm - 2:30pm

    10/5 - 11:00am - 11:30am

    10/6 - 1:00pm - 1:30pm

    10/7 - 10:30am - 11:00am

    Respectfully,

    Jansen Eriksen

    ID# 2009

    Police Auxiliary Supervisor

    University of Maryland

    Department of Public Safety

    Office: xxx-xxx-xxxx

    Cell: xxx-xxx-xxxx

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Bzzt! Bzzt!

    A bubble appeared on the top of her phone screen.

    Jansen: Congrats on the interview phase! ??

    Jansen: Knock them dead!

    Her beam ever brighter.

    Allyson: Thanks! Are you gonna interview me?

    Jansen: That would be unfair otherwise you would be a shoo-in ???¡á?

    Allyson: I see how it is, guess I have to work my way in!

    Jansen: You''ll be fine. It''ll be some ez basic interview questions and some scenario questions as if you were a cop. No worries tbh

    Allyson: That''s too much pressure¡­

    Jansen: I can bring some lavender tea bags if you need some

    Allyson: Lmao no tea will save me here

    Jansen: Be calm and be cool ??

    Jansen: You''ll be good

    Allyson: I''ll remember that

    October 5th - 11:33am

    Allyson stepped left out of the Pocomoke building being escorted by a young woman in a gray polo shirt and blue BDU pants. As they were exiting out the back door, in a small asphalt area, the interviewee observed the lady¡¯s bracelet containing a diamond-shaped gem inlaid in an octagonal border. ¡°That¡¯s a really nice bracelet you got there! It¡¯s like a Geo Vision!¡±

    ¡°Aw, thanks!¡± The lady chirped, showing her shining teeth. ¡°My boyfriend got me this, and I like the Geo element!¡±

    ¡°Definitely a rock-solid choice!¡±

    The gray-shirt woman clapped her hands once and cackled. ¡°I got it hahahaha! We¡¯ll call you regarding your application moving forward. Have a great day!¡±

    ¡°Thanks, same to you!¡±

    Several hours later

    ¡°Thank you Mrs. Cuffey for coming forward. I¡¯m sorry again for your loss,¡± Detective Vargas maintained a stoic face while writing up the last bits of his notes.

    The woman wiped several crystal droplets with his left finger. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Vargas, f-for doing everything you can to investigate this crime. My baby¡­she was taken away from me.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t rest until I find this culprit and put¡¯em behind bars,¡± he growled, maintaining his composure but the veins on his neck bulged out. ¡°Huh¡­ I¡¯ll have to conduct more investigation and assess more reports.¡±

    ¡°Thank you again for all you do detective,¡± Mrs. Cuffey grabbed a small soft cloth and smeared the lower eyelids.

    ¡°I can escort you to your ride.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your offer, but it¡¯s okay. My ride is right at the back door.¡±

    As the woman exited the premises, Detective Vargas reviewed his notes.

    Mrs. Cuffey¡¯s Interview

    Mrs. Cuffey was visiting campus on the week of September 26. The last time she saw Cree was on 09/28. She recalled her daughter saying that she will be having some drinks with Joe, Scott, and several business major students at Cornerstone on 09/29. Likely nighttime.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Will have to find out which officers and SPAs worked that night</li>

    </ul>

    Cree said to her mother she had to fire one of her employees (Mrs. Cuffey said Cree did not know who)

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">I asked if she knew if anyone would have any hatred toward her</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">From what Mrs. Cuffey said, it was difficult because it was ¡®normal¡¯ to have people like and dislike others</li>

    </ul>

    One last thing she mentioned was that Scott and Joe recalled Cree having too much to drink so they called the University of Maryland Police for an escort to their newly created business house on campus. That was the last time Cree was seen.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Who provided the escort?</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Was there someone at their house?</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Find out if any footage can be found</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Rrgh, how can no one see anything odd?¡± He flicked his notepad on the desk and jumped out of his desk. He grabbed his fleece jacket and stepped outside. ¡°Need some lunch.¡±

    October 7th - 1:59pm

    Allyson stepped out of the Tawes building and found herself in front of Lot JJ3 and 1b. She admired the sky-blue blanket above while plugging in her wireless earbuds. Peeking at her phone, she opened her messages.

    Julia: I¡¯m about to head to Target in a bit. See ya there!

    Allyson: Class just finished! I¡¯m heading over there now!

    Cutting through the south side of campus, Allyson crossed past the roundabout, making a left on Campus Drive and scaling up a slight incline. She then strode down the stone stairs passing Queen Anne¡¯s building before finding herself on the right side of McKeldin Mall. At the end, she faced the Lee building. Turning to her right, she followed the sidewalk on Regents Drive for a split second before traversing to another path through Chapel Lawn. Target was just across the street on Baltimore Avenue. She was able to identify the artist who stood right by the entrance. Once their eyes locked, they waved at each other.

    ¡°Sorry for the delay,¡± Allyson swiped her forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t make you wait that long, right?¡±

    ¡°Not that long. Let¡¯s go! We got a list for our little hangout tonight,¡± she immediately held the door for her roommate. ¡°After you, my lady of the lightning.¡±

    ¡°Why, thank you,¡± Allyson twirled her hair before elegantly stepping into the convenience store.

    Julia immediately grabbed a red cart and walked to the very back end of the store.

    ¡°So¡­ like what do you need?¡± Allyson inquired as her focus was all on the aisles of chips surrounding her.

    ¡°Nothing much besides like Sun Chips, tortillas, tomatoes, ground beef, shredded cheese, beans, bell peppers, ginger ale, taco mix, lettuce, onions-¡±

    ¡°What the hell? I thought we were only getting snacks for this hangout,¡± Allyson¡¯s eyes widened while her eyebrows scrunched up.

    ¡°Not just snacks,¡± the artist threw in three different flavored bags of Sun Chips. ¡°We¡¯re feasting tonight with tacos!¡±

    ¡°I can never turn down tacos. If you¡¯re gonna make them, do they have the Old El Paso one?¡±

    ¡°They should. I think it¡¯s over on the other aisle,¡± Julia pointed her left finger to Allyson¡¯s left.

    ¡°And what¡¯s the ginger ale for? Seems a bit of a random choice for a drink.¡±

    ¡°Oh, ho, hahahaha,¡± Julia quietly cackled while stretching her lips out. ¡°We¡¯re gonna make some Highball drinks tonight and getting ginger ale is part of the recipe.¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Ah, lit,¡± Allyson warmed her smile up before cooling them down. ¡°And please don¡¯t make that face again. Reminds me too much of your crazy self.¡±

    ¡°Uahahaha,¡± she clapped and rubbed her hands together while reverting to her sinister smirk. ¡°I just know you¡¯ll enjoy my creation tonight.¡±

    ¡°Girl, I swear to God¡­¡± Allyson shook her head in the process.

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t waste any more time. Let¡¯s round up our time here!¡±

    After obtaining all the necessary ingredients, Julia and Allyson checked out, splitting the payment together. The artist luckily parked her car in the garage of the Landmark apartment building. As they drove back to their apartment, Julia took a slight detour and continued down Baltimore Avenue. She turned to Melbourne Plaza and parked her car in the main lot.

    They entered the compact liquor store. The artist already walked to the right side of the wall containing shelves of whiskey. She surveyed the top shelf, then the next one below, and finally the last row. Her face was starting to lose hue. Until she saw a moderately wide-sized bottle. She nabbed one. Had the name Ballentine.

    "This is it."

    "I never tried that before."

    "Strong, smooth, and meshes well with ginger ale. Can you grab another bottle?" Allyson had no objections.

    After checking out and providing their IDs, they returned to the car.

    "What time are they heading here?"

    "Around 7. Jansen''s picking them up and heading to us then."

    "Ah, nice."

    <u>6:56 pm</u>

    As preparations came underway, Julia opened the top cabinet above the stove. Long glass cups were stacked and scattered inside the dark area. The artist took two and placed them on the counter next to the stove. Another two. Then another two. Finally, one more. She lined them up horizontally.

    "My beef with this thing is almost done," Allyson kept a straight face while adding the taco mix.

    "O-okay, eh heh," Julia almost coughed up. She then finished dicing all the vegetables. Dividing all ingredients on a wide plate like a piece of a pie. "Alright, looks like we just need to heat up the tortillas and we''re done!"

    "Steady¡­" Allyson carefully slid the beef onto a large-sized bowl. Not a single piece fell over.

    Ding!

    Julia checked her phone and saw a Discord notification.

    Village Protector: @Jewels save us it''s bright outside

    Jewels: omw down

    "They''re here! I''ll bring them up," The artist left the unit.

    Allyson grabbed two sheets of paper towels and smeared off the remaining traces of meat and dumped it into the trashcan beneath the dining counter. She grabbed the bag of tortillas and threw them on a baking sheet before inserting it into the heated stove. As soon as she placed the skillet in the dishwasher, a click was heard.

    "Here we are!" Julia entered before five other people walked in.

    Something flickered inside Allyson''s mind. Films were running but they were static.

    "This is Allyson, my roommate, and friend," that last word engendered Allyson''s heart to flutter. The artist pointed her right finger to each friend in the order they came in.

    "This is Marie," a woman with a white sleeveless shirt and chin-length brownish black hair waved her hands. She had checkered pants supported by a black belt containing a golden buckle shaped like a winged heart. Her greeting, "Sup!"

    "He''s Jackson," a tall yet slightly thin man with a darker skin complexion. He had a series of twisted hairs, grown facial hair on his chin, and wore a blue long-sleeve shirt with artwork from an anime Allyson had not recognized. Lastly, he wore tan sweatpants that can be mistaken for casual wear. His greeting, "Ey, man, how''s it going?"

    "That''s Fay over there," a young short woman with black hair and a tan complexion beamed the warmest smile that could melt any cold heart. Wearing a red fleece jacket with the state name and the college mascot on the edges of the upper chest area, she greeted, "Hi!"

    "Next to her is Michael," The tallest person in the group with a noticeable bulk on his upper body. His face had traces of facial hair growing back. Wore glasses, striped green and blue buttoned shirt, and black jeans. His greeting was, "Hey, Allyson, how are you?"

    "And I''m Jansen," he walked up to Allyson and extended his left hand, winking at her. "Nice to meet ya!"

    "Dude, you met her already," Julia scoffed before creeping up a grin.

    "Nice to meet ya, Jansen," Allyson accepted his offer. "It''s great to meet everyone here."

    "All I know is we bouta feast," Jackson never lost focus on the counter table.

    "It''s been almost 2 years since we all gathered like this," Marie rubbed her palms together.

    "Grab a plate and let''s feast!"

    After everyone grabbed several tortillas and added their sustenance, they gathered in the living room, helping themselves to sit on couches or on the small dining table. Allyson and Julia returned to the kitchen to nab the glass cups, adding 5 ice cubes per cup before bringing them to the group. Afterward, they got whiskey and cold bottles of ginger ale.

    "So what''re we toasting for?" Michael asked.

    "Uhhhhh," Allyson was dumbfounded and left her mouth hanging open.

    "Let''s say¡­" the artist pierced her lips and looked away before facing the group. "UNS is back together and introducing our newest member, Allyson!"

    Clank!

    All took a sip.

    "Mmm! I forgot how good Highball is!" Marie snapped her right hand. "Almost exactly like this last time!"

    "You guys hardly hang out like this?"

    "Yeah, I don''t know why we haven''t hung out much since then."

    "So Allyson," Jansen drank half of the Highball and then a bite out of his taco. "What do you major in?"

    "Hmm, I''m in STEM and minoring in Criminal Justice."

    "Oh, are you like trying to do cybersecurity stuff?" Michael inquired, his eyes sparking in the process.

    "You know, maybe," she rocked her head forward a few times. "Either that or something related to it. Haven''t found exactly what I want to do."

    "There''s plenty of options around in that field," he sipped his drink. "I''m more towards the IT field."

    "I hear you have to start at the help desk first before moving up."

    "Yep and getting certs while doing that so I can move into the more technical work of IT."

    "Best of luck, you''ll do good."

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I really like that jacket you have there,¡± she turned her attention to Fay. ¡°Did you get that at the bookstore?¡±

    ¡°This is actually a jacket I got from the soccer team.¡±

    ¡°Woah, do you mean-¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Marie wrapped her left arm around her. ¡°You¡¯re looking at one of the UMD women¡¯s soccer players.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal,¡± Fay¡¯s smile dwindled but hardly anyone noticed it.

    ¡°I always wanted to watch the games in person. Do you have a favorite soccer team?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a huge Tottenham fan! They¡¯ve been my team since ¡®05,¡± the footballer¡¯s cheeks became flushed with cherry pink.

    ¡°Can I guess who your favorite player is?¡± Fay nodded. Allyson then shaped her index fingers and thumbs into a rectangular camera and pointed to Fay, pretending to take a picture.

    ¡°AAAAHHHH!! YES!¡± Fay returned the same celebration gesture to Allyson, her smile brighter than the sun. ¡°I love Sonny! He¡¯s my favorite player ever to watch!¡±

    ¡°Korea¡¯s all-time GOAT!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a Tottenham game tomorrow. They¡¯ve been doing well so far and I¡¯m liking it.¡±

    ¡°Oh shit, I gotta see that. Gotta root for the Spurs!¡±

    ¡°Allyson, I didn¡¯t know you were into soccer like that,¡± her roommate finished her drink.

    ¡°It¡¯s my national sport. I happen to be pretty good,¡± Allyson pouted her lips and finished her drink.

    ¡°You, me, soccer field. When are we playing?¡± Fay asked who genuinely thought Allyson was serious. Her eyes were fueled by the coursing flames.

    ¡°Let me just get my cleats from home and I¡¯ll let you know.¡±

    82 minutes later

    Conversations continued to rattle the apartment. Everyone had seconds and a high concentration of alcohol in their system. Allyson and Fay¡¯s faces were glowing reddish pink. Julia¡¯s hair was becoming frizzier and had 5 cups already. Jansen was the only one who seemed unaffected by the effects of alcohol.

    ¡°Jansen!¡± The short-blonde woman raised her voice while giggling nonstop. ¡°It¡¯s tiiiimmme! Did you bring the games?¡±

    ¡°Oh my God, she¡¯s fucking drunk¡­¡± Allyson cut the fuse inside her brain from exploding.

    ¡°Come on, you think I forgot our tradition?¡± He unzipped the outer end of his backpack: a small black rectangular device with a black dock. There were multiple pairs of Joy-Con controllers and an adapter for the GameCube controller.

    ¡°What games are we playing?¡± Allyson inquired.

    ¡°We got Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros,¡± he gave the physical copies to the artist before assisting in setting up the console. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope we¡¯re good enough to beat Fay this time.¡±

    ¡°What why?¡± Allyson squinted her eyes and curled her eyebrows.

    ¡°Fay¡¯s good at everything,¡± Jackson turned to Allyson with his eyes softly closed and revealed his dimples. The soccer player shrugged her shoulders while maintaining an innocent expression.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out why,¡± Marie added.

    The first game booted up was Super Smash Bros. No Joy-Con controllers were used as Jansen had four GameCube controllers and three wireless Pro Controllers. Everyone was ready to participate in the rumbling clash.

    ¡°You know what we about to do,¡± with the group except for Allyson, they, without hesitation, agreed to utilize tournament rules, selecting Big Battlefield as the battle arena.

    The match-ups were:

    Marie: Zero Suit Samus

    Michael: ROB

    Jackson: Charizard

    Jansen: Snake

    Julia: Kirby

    Fay: Terry

    Allyson: Female Robin

    As the battle went on, Julia was the first to lose all 3 stocks. She simply nodded and enjoyed the show. Jansen threw two grenades near the right side of the ledge where Michael was hovering to recover. Allyson sprinted to grab Snake. She was successful but then she heard Terry say ¡°Are you okay? BUSTER WOLF!¡±

    Allyson and Jansen were on their last stock. Michael fired lasers but Fay shielded the projectile. As she closed into ROB, he fired the Gyro but Terry managed to shield and grab the projectile. She broke through the zone and delivered a series of z-drop combinations with the Gyro while using Terry¡¯s aerials before ending it with a Burning Knuckle. Michael was the second to lose all his stocks.

    ¡°She¡¯s too good,¡± he whispered to himself.

    Jansen threw Marie off the right side of the field. He fired a grenade upward and threw a few explosives just a few inches off the ledge. Marie selected the neutral getup option but Jansen inputted a forward tilt > forward tilt 2 combination. It was not enough to send her to the blast zone. Marie had tunnel vision when she was trying to recover using the flip kick and got hit by Nikita offstage. Marie was the third to lose.

    ¡°Snake is shit!¡± Jansen yelled. ¡°That was a frame 41 move!¡±

    ¡°You bitch¡­¡± Marie grabbed her drink and finished all that was left. ¡°No range. No damage. No combos. No recovery!¡±

    Immediately right after, Snake was hit with a Flare Blitz, sending him to the blast zone. Jansen was the fourth to lose.

    ¡°Ayo, my Zard is noice!¡± Jackson rocked his head at the end of his banter.

    Allyson fired Thoron which then sent Jackson offstage. As he tried another Flare Blitz to recover, Robin ran offstage and threw a forward aerial with the Levin sword. The timing was so immaculate that the burning missile had no effect causing Jackson to be the fifth person to lose.

    ¡°Yo, my Robin spicy!¡¯ Allyson mocked the same gesture Jackson did to which he snickered.

    Once she recovered, she was on the ledge, hanging low as Fay was a roll length from her. Allyson did not move and calculated what the best option would be.

    ¡°Too late,¡± all the eliminated competitors thought in unison as they noticed the ¡°GO!¡± meter.

    Terry punched the ground, erupting a massive geyser flame from below. The zoom-in shot on Robin was the indicator that the match was over. Allyson became the sixth player to lose.

    Fay was the winner.

    ¡°You guys weren¡¯t kidding,¡± Allyson silently swallowed her saliva, her eyes instantly becoming dry the minute she witnessed the Power Geyser.

    ¡°Sorry, I was just getting started,¡± the athlete showed her glowing teeth.

    10:13 pm

    The group played more games and drank more liquor. Jansen already stopped and sobered up. Many hollers and jokes aside, he noticed Allyson¡¯s smile while playing a minigame. A peaceful, resounding beam that lowered his anxiety. He, too, crept his lips up by a tad smidge.

    The last round of Mario Party had ended. Fay won yet again.

    ¡°Good games guys,¡± Marie took another sip of her glass. ¡°That was hella fun!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fun to play with friends like this,¡± Allyson¡¯s face was becoming puffy yet covered in blush red.

    ¡°We need to do this more,¡± Jackson said as he scrolled down through his phone. ¡°Oh damn, did y''all hear about Cree¡¯s mom going to the police station?¡±

    ¡°Nah, haven¡¯t heard about it,¡± Julia added as she looked up her feed. ¡°Jansen, any ideas?¡±

    ¡°From what the detective told me, she did speak with him, but I don¡¯t know exactly what about.¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear about that, Jackson?¡± Marie inquired as she scurried through her timeline.

    ¡°Apparently, a UMD article was posted on the school app. Though nothing really stood out. Hardly anything was written on it.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Cree died like that,¡± the white-shirt woman shuddered at the thought. ¡°Did any of you see the blackout?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I was at home when that happened,¡± Michael explained, cushioning his back against the couch.

    ¡°I fell asleep after the soccer game.¡±

    ¡°I saw it.¡±

    ¡°Allyson and I did¡­ and something else,¡± Julia¡¯s eyes met with her roommate''s. The signals both emitted were on similar wavelengths.

    ¡°What did you see?¡± Marie was rather intrigued.

    ¡°This may sound bizarre and not because I had a few drinks in me, but Allyson and I saw some sort of pink aura on our phones and on the TV screen here,¡± the artist pulled out her phone and opened the strange app. The color was monochrome. ¡°Just wait and look at what¡¯s next.¡±

    A message displayed on her phone: ¡°At this time, no individual Soul is in danger. You will be notified of any warnings of potentially compromised Souls.¡±

    ¡°What the hell? I don¡¯t see that shit on my phone,¡± Jackson opened the app but it just radiated a gray ember. No message popped up. ¡°How did you get that?¡±

    ¡°Me, Allyson, and Jansen are the only ones that have this.¡±

    ¡°Um, you guys aren¡¯t¡­¡± Fay¡¯s body suddenly felt weak as her mind conjured the worst possible outcome.

    ¡°No, Julia and I were here when that blackout and weird app happened,¡± Allyson then proceeded to explain all that happened since Julia¡¯s disappearance.

    10 minutes later

    Jackson and Fay furrowed their eyebrows and waved their heads sideways. Marie and Michael exchanged glares at each other.

    ¡°Is there really another world like that?¡± he pondered, glaring at the carpeted floor and resting his hands on the top of his head.

    ¡°It does sound weird but you have to trust us,¡± Allyson slightly raised her hands to emphasize her point.

    ¡°It may be unreal at the moment,¡± Jansen added. ¡°Just know that we can show you that place if you guys do want to see it for yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Uhhhhhhhh,¡± Marie froze her words for a moment while rummaging through her thoughts. ¡°Yeah, maybe seeing it will make it more believable.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about all that, it¡¯s a lot of information,¡± the artist fiddled with her thumbs.

    ¡°No worries, Jewels, I trust you guys. Hopefully, whatever that world you guys are talking about is safe.¡±

    ¡°Hey guys, I do need to head home. It¡¯s getting late,¡± Michael felt numbness across his head. He rubbed his forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take him home and be back soon,¡± Jansen and Michael stood up.

    ¡°Are you guys good for the night?¡± Julia asked.

    ¡°I could go for some sweets right now,¡± the slim man smirked.

    ¡°Ooh, yeah! Insomnia cookies!¡± Fay cheered, short-hopping up and down.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t been there so uh is it good?¡±

    ¡°Allyson,¡± Marie wrapped her left arm around her. ¡°We¡¯re taking you there.¡±

    ¡°Uh, sure.¡±

    October 8th - 11:12am

    A chilly howl rang throughout campus. Gloomy clouds enshrouded the skies completely. Outside of the Commons apartment, a woman powered on her wireless earbuds and walked north of campus. On her phone, she opened up the Discord app and opened up her Direct Messages. At the top of the message board, there was a name titled, ¡°Private Investigators¡±.

    A phone icon with wavelengths was selected.

    She waited until someone answered.

    ¡°Hey, Marie.¡±

    ¡°Sup, Michael.¡±

    Several seconds have passed in silence.

    ¡°You knew from yesterday, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I could say the same thing to you.¡±

    A third voice entered the chat.

    ¡°Mr. Richter, can you hear us?¡±

    ¡°Yep, I can. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°There are other people who know about that world.¡±

 "That feeling again..â€

    ¡°That feeling again..¡±

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Teach?¡± Marie¡¯s legs strode slower while wrinkles scattered around her forehead.

    ¡°When you say ¡®other people know about that world¡¯...¡±

    ¡°Three to be exact,¡± she accelerated her pace.

    ¡°Alright, but I never expected more than one person to acknowledge the existence of that place.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the only thing,¡± Michael chimed in.

    ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°Those three entered that world and¡­ they¡¯re our friends, too.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not great, but knowing that they¡¯re our friends, it¡¯s more feasible for them to trust us,¡± Marie scoped both ways before crossing to Campus Drive.

    ¡°That might explain why the logs at Art-Sociology a few weeks ago had multiple traces.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve seen something like this. What did you remember?¡±

    ¡°I initially thought it was just one person...¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    September 29 - 5:14pm

    Hmm! Hmm!

    Mr. Richter received a notification on his phone while finishing up grading assignments. The ember app glowed cyber yellow. ¡°Oh no¡­ I need to hurry!¡± He scurried all of his notes and jammed them into his messenger bag. Taking off at the speed of sound, carrying the weight around him, he hurried to the Art-Sociology building before decelerating near the end. Entering the bottom floor, he tapped the ember app which emitted emerald flames.

    Upon generating logs at the Artificial Gallery, Mr. Richter quickly found a restroom and hid in one of the stalls. No one else was present.

    Artificial Gallery Report

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Host: Active</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Floors: 4 </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Visitors: 3</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left">Visitor 1 - Wields Jingum and Electro Vision</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul style="text-align: left">

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Class: Beongae Ssaurabi</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400"></li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul style="text-align: left">

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Visitor 2 - Wields Jewel Tablet, Creation Pen, Svi Veret, and Exporting Glasses</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul style="text-align: left">

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Class: Virtual Artist</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul style="text-align: left">

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Visitor 3 - Unknown</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left">Class: Unknown</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Activities</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Floor 1 - No unique logs acquired</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Floor 2 - Path to the third floor unlocked</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Floor 3 - Visitor 2 awakens Soul Channel. Path to the fourth floor unlocked.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Floor 4 - Visitor 2 and Host become one and the Artificial Gallery remains intact. Host is still active</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°Shit.¡± Marie cursed, clenching her phone with her right hand. ¡°Michael, not only do they know about that world¡­¡±

    ¡°They have their Soul Channels awakened,¡± Michael¡¯s conclusion left the voice chat speechless.

    ¡°What the hell happened to them?¡±

    ¡°Alright, guys,¡± Mr. Richter calmly spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll need to speak with them about their experiences to understand the truth.¡±

    ¡°Yessir! Michael and I will try to see if we can coordinate a meeting with them.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Marie, I¡¯ll be at campus later for work.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. If you can find anything on your end, let us know.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 8th - 12:12pm

    Allyson and Julia met with Jansen early in the morning for a tailgate with Jackson and Fay. Marie arrived before the sun reached its peak. They all rendezvoused at the Riggs Alumni building. Behind it was the SECU stadium, home to the Maryland Terrapins football team. The group all took a photo together repping with Maryland gear.

    Allyson¡¯s grin shone on par with Fay¡¯s.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go Terps!¡± Julia shouted from the top of her lungs.

    ¡°Fuck Purdue! This is our house!¡± Marie wrapped her arms around the artist and roared until her face turned dark red.

    Pocomoke Building

    Detective Vargas walked to the third floor and entered a large room. There were three long rows with numerous desks structured next to each other. Each seat was occupied by a navy blue shirt employee gluing their eyes in front of the myriad screens.

    ¡°Hey, thanks for your help. Did you get the footage I requested?¡±

    ¡°All on this flash drive,¡± a middle-aged woman with brown hair handed the USB drive to the detective. ¡°Don¡¯cha think this is a weird murder?¡±

    ¡°Believe me, you¡¯re not the only one thinking that,¡± he let out a deep breath while his eyes suddenly became dark. ¡°No one has come forward with anything. The Big Three are on our asses and demand to resolve this case. The campus is unrested. I¡¯m just running in circles.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just part of the job. We weren¡¯t able to find the cause of the blackout that shut down our surveillance cameras.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, I can find some answers on this thing,¡± he flicked the flash drive once before walking out the door. ¡°Thanks again for your help. Hopefully, things calm down at the game today.¡±

    ¡°Sure hope so.¡±

    Detective Vargas returned to his office and plugged the USB device into his desktop. He clicked on the newly registered device and noticed many MP4 files. All were in chronological order dating back to the last hour before the blackout.

    File name: 092923-2256

    On the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Knox Road, crowds of students were walking around the area. Two Student Police Aides were standing across from Nando¡¯s right on Baltimore Avenue assisting drunk students in passing crosswalks.

    Right outside the Cornerstone, Scott, Joe, and Cree stepped out.

    No audio was heard.

    Scott pulled something from his pocket. He placed it on the bed of his left ear.

    8 minutes passed until a black vehicle with ¡°Police Auxiliary¡± stickers on the sides arrived. Once the vehicle departed, Scott and Joe were the only ones standing.

    Detective Vargas had rewind the tape again and paused when the vehicle was motionless. Upon zooming into the car windows, he latched his eyes closer to the screen, attempting to discern the driver.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Ford Escape no doubt, but who¡¯s the driver?¡±

    No conclusion was determined.

    ¡°Hang on, maybe I can check the SPA logs,¡± he stood up before closing his eyes and biting his teeth, slightly twisting his neck sideways. ¡°Damn it! They¡¯re all at the game and Jansen¡¯s off,¡± Officer 277 quickly pinned his vision onto the screen. ¡°Where did that vehicle drop her off?¡±

    He previewed additional footage, showing all areas in that intersection at different angles. Neither indicated the driver¡¯s identity.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 8th - 1:44pm

    Michael stepped out of the Edward St John building, pulling his back until it was perpendicular. He carried his legs around the building perimeters to wake them up. Once the blood flowed through his lower body, he returned to the facility and headed downstairs to his work room. Upon entering, two gentlemen were speaking to his boss. Walking past them and inches away from his desk until¡­

    ¡°Hey, you!¡±

    Michael slowly moved his entire body facing the commanding voice.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little rude to scoot past us without saying ¡®excuse me¡¯?¡± Scott¡¯s tone was masked in a playful serenity yet his stare controlled Michael¡¯s next choice of words.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for going past you like that. I¡¯ll not do that again,¡± the young man¡¯s body froze wanting to step in the opposite direction yet Scott¡¯s demeanor drew him in.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, you¡¯ll have to work on an urgent matter.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter that needs our attention?¡±

    ¡°We need you to see who¡¯s been sending death threats to Cree and her family recently. Check all of the attempted sign-ins as her, see who¡¯s been into campus buildings with her within a reasonable time, and find out who¡¯s responsible for the blackouts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Michael¡¯s mind began to ache, inches from him swirling his eyes over. ¡°Not a feasible request that I can do.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­ not?¡± Scott took two silent steps toward him. The bridge between his eyes started closing inward. ¡°Surely, the department that knows all this technology can do something as simple as this? Especially you.¡±

    Michael¡¯s body nearly eclipsed its boiling point, shoulders hardened. Joe curled up an amusing smirk.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what happened to your friend?¡± He whispered into Michael¡¯s ear. ¡°You don¡¯t want that to happen to you, wouldn¡¯t you? Or rather to him?¡±

    The technician felt sharp stings puncturing his entire body. All of the pressure was directed to his abdomen. Inside his mind, he was torn between shouting and filtering all his anxiety and rage. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ investigate and get back to you as soon as I can.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for all the work that you do,¡± Scott spoke loud enough so everyone in the room could hear. ¡°We¡¯ll expect great things from our DIT,¡± he and Joe left the premises.

    ¡°Hey, Michael, sorry about what happened,¡± his boss spoke. ¡°You can take a little breather if you like.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ok. I¡¯ll head back to my desk,¡± Michael walked to his desk, slightly slouching his arms downward.

    October 8th - 4:11pm

    Allyson and friends grabbed some bubble tea and insomnia cookies. At the south entrance of campus, the group all separated. Julia returned home to resume her job search. Fay and Marie marched to the gym but decided to rest at their apartment first. Jansen shopped at Target with his housemates. Jackson drove to his apartment. Allyson decided to venture back to campus.

    Passing through Chapel Lawn, cutting through McKeldin Mall, she climbed the incline leading to the Edward St John building. Right as she approached it, the entrance door to the east opened.

    ¡°Oh, hey, Allyson.¡±

    ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up, Michael?¡± She stopped in her tracks and redirected her steps to him.

    ¡°I just finished my shift. How about you?¡± Michae¡¯s face feigned a ghost smile.

    ¡°We watched our team lose because no 2-point conversion. We were all sadge,¡± she curled her lips down while her eyes remained wide.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a real shame because it was a good game overall. Oh, want some insomnia cookies?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they good? Looks like Marie got you hooked.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go broke with how pricey this shit is.¡±

    ¡°Mmm hmm hmm,¡± Michael chuckled, losing joy from his eyes.

    ¡°By the way,¡± Michael stared at her, quite interested in what she had to say. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand,¡± his body spiked up heat instantly while keeping a straight face.

    ¡°You seem a bit shaken like, not a bad work day, but like you were told something unpleasant,¡± Allyson¡¯s brows were knitted while pulling her hands close to her stomach.

    Michael for a split second nearly popped his eyes out but restrained himself from revealing the curtains behind his face. ¡°Yeah, something happened. Do you mind if we sit somewhere else?¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    The event at work was recollected in a brief synopsis. The lady holding taro bubble tea and two full-sized cookies processed it all.

    ¡°Ugh, that creep is bothering you,¡± her face wrinkled with disgust. ¡°That Scott guy is trying to blackmail you. Can¡¯t let him step over you like that!¡±

    ¡°I wish I could, but I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t want me to go through like he did.¡±

    With bewildered furrows on her brows, Allyson queried, ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡±

    ¡°A friend of mine.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± she rested her items next to the warm stone stairs. ¡°What happened to your friend?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really in my place to bring that up.¡±

    Allyson rocked her head in defeat. ¡°You know, Michael, this is gonna be weird as hell, but I feel like I¡¯ve met you before on this campus.¡±

    ¡°You have? When?¡±

    ¡°I was sprinting to that building over there,¡± she pointed to the Administration building. ¡°I got tired and you were giving me advice on running.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Michael let out a confused tone while forming his eyes in a straight line. ¡°I sometimes go there to get some fresh air.¡±

    ¡°And meeting you yesterday and here today, I get this feeling that you don¡¯t have a lot of interests that I guess the group has.¡±

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    "It''s fine that I do things with our friends, but the thing is¡­" he swallowed the cold air but kept it locked inside. "People don''t want to do things that I''m interested in."

    "What do you like?" Her eyes ignited a spark of interest.

    "Ever play Warframe or Spellbreak?"

    "Never heard of Warframe but Spellbreak sounds familiar. Isn''t it similar to that Fortnite game?"

    "You can say that. I also play card games like trading card sense."

    "Oh like Yugioh and Vanguard."

    "You know Vanguard?" Michael''s eyes rejuvenated with the flames of life.

    "I remember someone playing that back in high school but I never got the chance to play it."

    "Well, if you like we can play a few rounds."

    "I''ll take up your offer. Thankfully, Spellbreak is on my PS4."

    "Cool! You got Discord?"

    "Huh, what dat?"

    "It''s an app to talk with your friends like gaming, anime, all sorts of stuff. Very casual."

    "Ohhh, uh, yeah, I don''t have that," Allyson robotically shifted her head left and then right.

    "That''s OK! What''s your PS4 username?"

    "Yeah, it''s EiKin~~, with those like squiggly lines, 2 of them."

    "Like this?" He showed his notes on his phone.

    "Yep!"

    "I''ll send you an invite tonight and play some games soon."

    "Looking forward to it!"

    Before departing, Allyson offered insomnia cookies one more time to which Michael agreed to take one.

    "Hey, Allyson?"

    "Hmm?" She turned around with the white macadamia chip lodged in her mouth.

    "Thanks for listening. I really appreciate it."

    "Oh, no problem," she barely made coherent words with baked sweets hijacking her mouth. "See you around!"

    As they went their ways, Allyson had a melancholic curtain fall on her lips while her moist eyes began losing peripheral vision.

    "That feeling again¡­ please stop coming back. No more¡­ I don''t want all this to hurt me again¡­"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 9th - 12:44pm

    Julia applied for a server position at Kangnam BBQ, a powerful force stretching her entire physical body. In the kitchen, she preheated the oven to 375 degrees. While waiting, she opened up the Discord app and went to the server The United Nations Squad.

    #general

    Jewels: @everyone hey guys so what do you all think of Allyson? Is it ok if we add her to this chat?

    Several people are typing¡­

    Village Protector: She¡¯s great! I¡¯m ok with her joining this chat

    Village Protector: it all depends on everyone else tho ??

    Dos Pantalones: I fucks wit her

    Dos Pantalones: she got our vibes all checked ??

    Village Protector: that¡¯s 1

    Jewels: idk why but I¡¯m counting myself as a yes

    Village Protector: we got 2

    dunes n danes: despite meeting her for the first time, it¡¯s a yes for me ??

    Jewels: I hate you Jansen omg

    dunes n danes: :pepesmug:

    Village Protector: 3 votes down!

    dunes n danes: are we doing majority or unanimous?

    Village Protector: same as before unanimous

    dunes n danes: ??

    5 minutes later¡­

    Julia threw in a round frozen block of pizza and set the timer to 18 minutes. She checked the chat once more.

    Warframer: I think she should be in this chat. She¡¯s got a good character in her

    Jewels: she¡¯s something that¡¯s for sure

    Village Protector: 5 votes in favor of Allyson becoming UNS

    Dos Pantalones: Fay¡¯s at her match today

    Dos Pantalones: does she need to vote?

    dunes n danes: maybe but that¡¯s not up to me

    Village Protector: if it makes it easier, I did talk to her this morning if she was cool with Allyson joining

    Village Protector: she was all in

    Jewels: then it¡¯s official?

    Village Protector: on behalf of Fay, yes, the Board has spoken ??

    Village Protector: we can send an invite to her discord

    Jewels: idk if she has one. I¡¯ll ask her later

    Ding!

    Julia noticed a message above her chat. With a nervous twist in her eyebrows, she checked her Direct Messages. The profile icon matched Village Protector.

    @Kaguya:

    Kaguya: yo Julia, so don¡¯t mention this to Jackson and Fay, but is it possible for you, Jansen, and Allyson to meet up at 3 today?

    Jewels: uh ok sure

    Jewels: can I ask why?

    Kaguya: I can¡¯t say rn

    Kaguya: it¡¯s kinda important that we talk in person

    Jewels: NP

    Jewels: are we meeting at the apartment again?

    Kaguya: No

    Kaguya: we¡¯re meeting at esj

    Kaguya: meet in the main lobby first

    Jewels: alright I¡¯ll let Jansen and Allyson know

    Kaguya: ??

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 9th - 3pm

    At the main lobby, Allyson, Julia, and Jansen entered from Campus Drive. Once inside, they saw Marie and Michael standing near the cushioned seats.

    There was another face that none of them recognized.

    ¡°Hey guys, thanks for showing up on short notice,¡± Marie angled her head left, directing the three to meet the new face. ¡°This is Mr. Richter, my Bio professor.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you guys,¡± the teacher raised his left hand and displayed a welcoming smile. ¡°I know this is a sudden request. First, let¡¯s head into that room over there. I have it scheduled for us to discuss some things.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± Allyson inquired.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    The large classroom was quiet enough for a single quick breath to bounce its sound in all directions. At the core center, the three students sat closest to the board. Marie stood aside from there. Michael was at the lecturer¡¯s desk near the blackboard. Mr. Richter stood meters away from the three. The projector screen coldly scrolled down until its entire blank sheet covered the blackboard.

    ¡°I understand you guys may have some concerns about why we brought you here,¡± the professor sidestepped left twice before directing his eyes at Michael. The white screen revealed the ember app icon. The color was pink. ¡°You¡¯ve seen this before, am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Do you mean the pink ember? Yeah, Julia and I saw that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m also assuming that you three have seen that other world,¡± their ghostly faces confirmed his assumption. ¡°Rest assured that you guys are not alone in learning about that strange world.¡±

    ¡°We know it, too,¡± Marie crossed her arms.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be fucking serious¡­¡± Allyson quietly cursed in her mind.

    ¡°I understand that you guys have a lot of questions needing to be answered. Please let us explain all that you need to know.¡±

    ¡°Do you guys know what this app is? It can¡¯t ever be uninstalled. Why?¡± Allyson fired off several queries.

    ¡°Based on our understanding, the app acts as a medium to the other side,¡± Michael was directed to slide the next image. It was a gray room filled with computers and servers. ¡°This app contains data that generates the inner manifestations of the heart and soul of each individual. Think of it as all that you see in the world. Your eyes represent everything within you.¡±

    Allyson remained silent, diverting her moist eyes to the exit door. Jansen remained still. Julia¡¯s jaw crawled down and a spark of wires popped into her mind.

    ¡°As for why it can¡¯t be uninstalled, we don¡¯t exactly know. We suspect that it¡¯s some sort of malware that is somehow installed on everyone¡¯s phone.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be dangerous?¡±

    ¡°After running antivirus scans, it doesn¡¯t return any malicious data,¡± the technician clarified. ¡°We had to announce that the app is safe just to calm down the campus.¡±

    ¡°Does anyone else know about this world?¡± Julia asked.

    ¡°No one knows,¡± Marie answered before signaling her comrade to click the next slide. The ember was illuminated with various colors as if it looked like a rainbow. ¡°They¡¯ll only see the ember icon and nothing else. No message. Nothing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the weird thing because that¡¯s what I had before I was taken to that world,¡± Julia opened the app on her phone and a message popped up. ¡°How come I have it?¡±

    ¡°We believe that anyone who enters that world will be granted access for subsequent visits,¡± Mr. Richter chimed in with more confidence.

    ¡°Except me,¡± All turned to Allyson with flabbergasted reactions. ¡°When I arrived here, I got the app and didn''t realize it until I went home. When I first opened it, I got a message that I couldn''t use it because I had to try again at a different place. When Julia went missing, I was able to go to that world.¡±

    "How is she in the same predicament I was?"

    "That''s odd because you have to be in that world first," Marie bit part of the end strands of her hair.

    "I''m not sure either."

    "That other world is dangerous," The next slide presented a woman with Scarlet Red metallic gauntlets resembling workout gloves. "Marie and Michael were able to train and manifest weapons we call Soul Channel. The best way I can explain this is when a person taps inside their deepest hearts, a unique power awakens. It can be anything. For example, Marie¡¯s heart resonates with strength so she has gauntlets."

    The next slide pictured Michael with orange crystallized visors with a holographic keyboard, and a medium-sized blank screen shown above the keyboard. ¡°Michael¡¯s well adept in IT so naturally he controls a machine.¡±

    "The only possible explanation that you three are still alive is that one of you guys had awakened a Soul Channel."

    "Allyson and I are the only ones who have it."

    The next slide contained a short video.

    A digital, fictional version of Marie pixelated in the middle of a black flat plane. She raised her right hand, palm faced up, and stressed all tension in her fingers. A mysterious force swiftly resisted any opposition. Her right fist erratically rumbled.

    After brutally fighting against herself, Marie broke the chains and successfully balled her hand into a fist. Scarlet Red steel pieces began gliding around before attaching to the fist.

    "Normally, it takes a lot of willpower to manifest your Soul Channel. How were you two able to do this so easily? It takes weeks, hell, even months to accomplish this."

    Both ladies explained how they obtained Soul Channel. Marie and Michael¡¯s eyes curiously grew wider. Michael simply nodded whereas Marie tucked her left hand under her chin musing. Mr. Richter¡¯s jaw left a stunning gap while his brows were tied inward.

    ¡°I was not expecting those methods as a way to awaken your Soul Channels,¡± the faculty took out his glasses and wiped the lenses with his shirt.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask,¡± the spotlight shifted to Allyson. ¡°Why are you telling us this now?¡±

    ¡°Alright, you are all aware of Cree Cuffey¡¯s death and the disturbing images on your TV screens, right?¡± Allyson nodded in a steady rhythm. Julia quickly stuttered her head vertically. Jansen slowly waved his head up and down. ¡°We suspect her death is related to the other world. This is the first time we¡¯ve seen something to this degree. Because of how very few are aware of its existence, only we can investigate this.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that none of you made any progress in that world?! What have you guys been doing?¡± Allyson¡¯s confused eyes were coated with fumes.

    ¡°Hey,¡± her roommate gently tapped her friend with her elbow.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok, she¡¯s right,¡± the older man crossed his arms. ¡°We¡¯ve mostly been investigating one place and trained there for about 1 year. Not a lot of progress was made and admittedly we didn¡¯t find any clues¡­until now. With more people at our disposal, we can safely learn the truth of that dangerous world. Will you guys join in our investigation?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help out,¡± Julia immediately answered.

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Jansen conceded, chuckling while an enigmatic quirk on his lips emerged.

    Everyone else turned to Allyson who stared at the floor while outside noises began muffling. Her body shriveled inward while her shoulders remained calmly low. The light clouds hovering over her mind began to blind her entire temple. Reluctantly transferring her stress through her squeezed fists, she made her decision.

    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll join, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you all for assisting us in our investigation,¡± Mr. Richter warmly raised his lips.

    ¡°We are planning on heading to the other world this Tuesday around 3pm. Will that work for all you guys?¡± Marie queried.

    All three agreed in unison.

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll coordinate and invite you guys to our group chat later today.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you guys are all free to go. Thanks again for taking your time.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 9th - 7:26pm

    In Unit 606, Allyson and Julia shared a large pot of ramen noodles filled with onions, spam, eggs, and kimchi. The artist¡¯s face glowed so bright from the hearty flavor that she planted her face on top of her bowl. Allyson could not help but giggle.

    ¡°This is the best ramen I''ve ever had in like never!¡± Julia grabbed a white cloth and wiped her mouth. ¡°Where¡¯d you learn to make this?¡±

    ¡°My parents,¡± she finished all the noodles in her bowl. ¡°On a cold day or after drinking, this stuff hits.¡±

    ¡°This is now my new hangover food.¡±

    ¡°Ehehehe.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, do you have Discord? We got a group chat together, not the one Mr. Richter and Marie were talking about. This one is my friend group and we all agreed to invite you in.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh, cool,¡± her lips independently moved up without Allyson noticing. She pulled out her phone. ¡°I made an account right after our meeting.¡±

    ¡°Nice! What¡¯s your tag? I¡¯ll search it up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s this,¡± she revealed her tag by showing her roommate her phone. The tag displayed was StellerEi#3380. Her profile icon had a portrait of the Raiden Shogun.

    ¡°Sent the friend request,¡± Allyson saw the notification and accepted it. Then she received a message from Jewels and joined the United Nations Squad.

    #general

    Jewels: @everyone @StellerEi welcome to the United Nations! This is Allyson and she¡¯s the lady who bears lightning! ? Please welcome our newest member!

    Village Protector: Hey, hey, hey! It¡¯s me, Marie! ??

    Dos Pantalones: Ey welcome to da squaaaaaad :avengersassemble:

    sonny sideup :): Hi Allyson! It¡¯s Fay! Welcome to the United Nations!

    Warframer: Hey Allyson welcome!

    Raiden Kim: Hi guys! Glad to be part of the group!

    Several seconds later¡­

    dunes n danes: i¡¯m shocked to see you here

    ¡°Pff hahahaha!¡± Allyson¡¯s chest cheerfully flared up. She slammed her left fist on the counter. ¡°I think I know who that guy is.¡±

    ¡°I swear to God, Jansen, he just be acting like this in chat,¡± Julia¡¯s annoyed grin glued to her phone.

    Jewels: Jansen why you do this?

    dunes n danes: idk what you mean

    dunes n danes: I¡¯m acknowledging her as our newest crew

    Raiden Kim: I¡¯ll spare you from being exiled to the dune

    dunes n danes: haha bless your gentle heart

    dunes n danes: Glory to the Shogun!

    Village Protector: Glory to the Shogun!

    Dos Pantalones: Glory to the Shogun!

    Warframer: Glory to the Shogun!

    sonny sideup :): Glory to the Shogun!

    Jewels: no¡­

    A few minutes after Allyson, Julia, and Jansen all received a notification on Discord that they were added to the Private Investigators group chat.

    Kaguya: @Jewels @StellerEi @dunes welcome to our group! Anything regarding the other world or the investigation will primarily be mentioned here. This must be confidential between all of us.

    Kaguya: Confirm by reacting to this message if you¡¯ll be meeting with us on Tuesday 3pm at Van Munching (??) (??)  (??)

    Jewels: we¡¯ll be there!

    dunes: i¡¯ll make it there

    StellerEi: thanks Marie!

    At midnight, while everyone was asleep, their phone screen lit up but no sound. The ember icon appeared.

    Dark orange.

 "Is this how you saw us?!"

    ¡°Is this how you saw us?!¡±

    Stepping across a vast grassy and hilly valley, the individual tucked their arms inward, scoping the environment around them. Suddenly, the sandy dust roared, struggling for anyone to find clear visuals. Several seconds passed by before it subsided.

    At the center was a large cylindrical building with a sandstone brown dome overlaying at the top. Its arms extended in four acute angles. At each end was a cubicle.

    Yet¡­ no one was present.

    Upon inspecting the one on the right, the individual took a step inside. It was a jagged square perimeter with a myriad of scratches torn against the wine-red chair. A white desk layering a horizontal wooden plate supported the monitor and the keyboard weighed on it.

    Click.

    A shrilling pinging noise hijacked the wanderer¡¯s head, covering their ears and running out of the cage before being buried in the sand. As the person stood up, four other visitors enclosed the host. One well-dressed man with a daunting expression. One with a mechanical suit with a black glass visor and a rifle in hand. One in all green robes with a wooden staff and an emerald orb levitating at the top. One with multiple graphic screens floating around his body.

    Well, you¡¯re the IT expert so fix it! I don¡¯t know anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we do this instead¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mma be real, the stuff you like¡­

    ¡°Everyone annoys me about IT and that¡¯s ALL they see of me. Wanting to show something I like? Nope, get brushed off like leaves on your shoulder. Maybe they¡¯re right¡­¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± the wanderer pushed away from the four and sprinted toward the blinding dunes. ¡°It¡¯s not real! They¡¯re not real!¡±

    The wanderer tripped on a concealed piece of granite and immersed in the chiseling sands. Struggling to stand the visitor reverted to lifting their body with their arms.

    "Why am I here? What do people think of me?"

    ¡°AH!¡± Michael jumped from his bed, crystallized beads swarming his forehead. His back absorbed the white fabric and latched it to his moist skin. ¡°Whew¡­whew¡­whew¡­haugh. What was that?¡±

    He threw himself back on his soft resting furniture, staring at the bronze ceiling. ¡°I put it all behind me. They¡¯re not real anymore.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 10th - 2:27pm

    Allyson sat on the sky-blue couch attached to the wall close to her room. With a square pillow resting on her lap to protect the roaring heat coughing out of her HP laptop, she was reviewing PowerPoint slides for her class lectures.

    HMMMMMM!!

    A 301 number rang through. She originally wanted to let her phone rumble continuously. However, she instantaneously pressed the green call icon and swiped right. "Hello?"

    ¡°Good afternoon, this is Claydon Foglesmann from the University of Maryland Police Auxiliary. May I speak with Allyson Kim please?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, this is Allyson.¡±

    ¡°Great! So I wanted to call and inform you that after reviewing your application and interview, we are pleased to offer you a position as a Student Police Aide.¡±

    Her jaw left an elongated oval gap while her brows rose. ¡°Yes! I accept the position and thank you for giving me this opportunity!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it! Welcome to the Police Auxiliary! You will receive an email shortly detailing your orientation. The dress code is business attire. We look forward to having you on board.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome and you have a great rest of your day!¡±

    ¡°Same to you as well,¡± Allyson hung up the call before punching the air above her.

    Julia entered the apartment witnessing her roommate¡¯s cheer with a confused smile. ¡°Uh¡­ you alright?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, you saw that? Shit¡­¡± Allyson brought her arms down to the keyboard. ¡°I got a job!¡±

    ¡°Nice! Where at?¡±

    ¡°The police auxiliary here.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you like get in trouble with them?¡± The artist left a playful quirk on her lips.

    ¡°I wouldn''t get in trouble if I was let go,¡± she gently tapped the left side of her head with her left index finger.

    ¡°Sure let¡¯s go with that,¡± Julia¡¯s face continued beaming. ¡°Funny that you say that because I also managed to get a job.¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah! Where you gonna work?¡±

    ¡°At the concessions at the campus, so I¡¯ll work at games and events.¡±

    ¡°Lit! Best to the both of us!¡±

    October 10th - 6:22pm

    On the second floor of the Pocomoke building, Detective Vargas entered from the right and found the large square area of the Police Auxiliary Department. He saw a man sitting at the desk behind the lockers. ¡°Jansen, need a minute of your time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what do you need?¡± He swirled his chair until he stood face-to-face with the officer.

    ¡°I need the logs for September 29th. I need to check who worked around that time.¡±

    ¡°Do you need all of the SPA logs?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d make it easier for me,¡± Jansen slowly nodded and checked the cabinet beneath his desk. He found a manilla folder for that date and all the logs on that night.

    ¡°I have them copied already, but let me know if you need anything else.¡±

    Detective Vargas returned to his office and skimmed through all the paper logs. He immediately set aside four as the locations those SPAs notated were campus buildings.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    SPA: Brooks 2137 and Collins 2130

    Vehicle: 953

    Activity Log

    2245 - Campus Dr,  Route 193, Stadium Dr, Route 193. Paint Branch, Campus Dr, Route 1, Regents Dr - 2300

    2300 - 2300 gates - 2305

    2305 - Campus Dr, Preinkert - 2308

    2308 - SA: Escort 2079 from Pocomoke to Cole - 2318

    2318 - Lot Z, Alumni Drive, ValleyDr, Stadium Dr, Paint Branch Dr, Campus Dr - 2333

    2333 - Preinkert, MLG, Lot U1, Preinkert, Campus, Union Dr, Fieldhouse - 2348

    2348 - Regents Garage, Regents Dr, Paint Branch, 193, Stadium Drive - 0003

    0003 - SA: Escort Terp House students from Route 1 and Knox to campus - 0045

    0045 - Return to Aux to go 10-7 - 0100

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    SPA: Prentiss 2073

    Vehicle: 954

    Activity Log

    2245 - Mowatt Lane, Campus Dr, 193, West Gate - 2256

    2256 - SA: Escort VIP student from Cornerstone to 3 Houses in President Lane - 2317

    2317 - SA: Assist 2064 at West Gate - 2329

    2329 - Stadium Dr, Valley, La Plata, Stadium, Paint Branch, 193, Route 1, North Gate - 2344 - Route 1, Knox Rd, Guilford, Route 1, South Gate - 2359

    2359 - Regents, Chapel, Regents - 0003

    0003 - SA: Escorts from Cornerstone, Terp House, Bentley¡¯s to campus - 0052

    0052 - 10-25 to Aux to go 10-7 - 0100

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 10th - 6:55pm

    SPA 2073 arrived at the Police Auxiliary. As the tall student prepared to sign in, Detective Vargas walked up to her. ¡°Hey 2073, could you meet me in my office? Just need to ask a few questions.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure!¡± Prentiss happily agreed. Her mind rattled around preparing for what sort of questions she was going to get asked. Detective Vargas¡¯s stoic face sent anxious alerts to the tall woman.

    ¡°I¡¯m investigating Cree¡¯s death and based on her last known location, she was at Cornerstone. Based on SOC cameras and this log,¡± he presented the paper she was documenting that shift. ¡°You were the last person to see her. I want to know if you noticed anything odd about Cree before and after the escort.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Prentiss pressed her chest with her soothing hands. ¡°Umm¡­ before the escort, she¡¯s just like your regular drunk college student. When I dropped her off at the 3 House, I made sure she went inside. After that, I left and continued to help West Gate relieve himself.¡±

    ¡°Did you notice anything out of the ordinary at the 3 House?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, no, I just saw four cars in their private lot,¡± her report caused Vargas¡¯s brows to jump up.

    ¡°Wait four cars? They should only have 3. Do you recall what the cars looked like?¡± Prentiss simply weaved her head left and then head several times. ¡°Damn¡­ doesn¡¯t help that there are no cameras there since they are very adamant about that. Urgh, ok thanks 2073 for your help. You can head back to the Auxiliary.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 11th - 2:02pm

    Michael logged off from his desktop, meticulously slotting his notebooks and folders in different locations on his backpack. He reviewed his workstation to ensure that his personal belongings were in his possession. As he approached the exit door, the technician stopped at the front reception desk where a conversation took place.

    "I''m heading out for today," he raised his left hand to the receptionist and his boss.

    "See ya!"

    "Oh, Michael, I was finishing up here. Do you have a moment? We can speak outside," to which he agreed. They walked up the stairs and stepped out of the ESJ building, facing the main road.

    "Sorry for this sudden request, Michael, but uh, have you made some progress with Scott''s request?"

    "A little," Michael''s shoulders floated up a tad bit. "There was a rule in her mailbox that listed specific threatening words and automatically sent them to her junk folder. Card key logs don''t show much. I wasn''t able to see any patterns as there were too many students coming in and out of buildings."

    "Right," his supervisor nodded. "I appreciate your work and effort in keeping them satisfied, though a bit too much in my opinion."

    "I get that he wants to find out what happened to her, but he should at the very least be mindful of what he says to us."

    "To be fair, she was his friend. I''m not sure what he said to you that day but it didn''t sit right with me."

    "Yeah," the memory flashed his vision before rapidly blinking for a brief second.

    "Just let me know if something comes up or if you need anything from me. Oh and before I let you go," his boss pulled up his phone and tapped on the screen 5 times. "Let''s keep this project between us as I would rather not have other people involved with Scott''s dilemma. Let''s connect using the Terp app."

    "Sure," Michael launched the TerpConnect software and navigated to the request section. Ten seconds ticked by. "I don''t see a request."

    "Ah, sorry, my phone''s been acting up lately,¡± he tapped the screen once, swiped to the left, and tapped again. ¡°Need a new phone eventually. Lemme try again," The request was transmitted to Michael''s phone successfully.

    "OK, I see it. Thanks!"

    "Thanks, Michael. Just shoot me a message if you need anything from me."

    "At the moment, there isn''t anything. I''ll let you know if something comes up."

    October 11th - 3:03pm

    Allyson, Julia, and Jansen met in front of the Van Munching building. Entering inside the premises, they followed the hallway to the right, all the way to the end until they reached a wooden door on the right end. From there, they met with Marie, Michael, and Mr. Richter.

    "Alright everyone, thanks for showing up," The Investigators blocked viewing from the outside, closed the doorway, and kept the classroom bright as if the lecture was still ongoing. They lined up at the desk where the monitor stood.

    "Is everyone ready?" Marie asked to which everyone had already been prepared.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Class desks, window sills, walls, floor, and ceiling were converted into digital pixels. Soon each squared bit lost its original color before disappearing into a shadowed void behind them. All that remained was a sea of black blankets.

    Before one single blink, a fairly large ember sphere materialized at the center of the perimeter. Surrounding it were three desktop screens with the ember icon. Two tables were holding two laptops. At the back contained a vast glassed barricade withholding nothing inside.

    The color of the sphere at the perimeter center was magenta pink.

    "Welcome to our HQ."

    As Allyson, Julia, and Jansen toured around, Michael walked left to the desk closest to the group. Mr. Richter approached the three desktop monitors on the right. Marie went to the back. The other three were mesmerized by the mysterious glowing object in the middle.

    "What''s this?" Allyson inquired.

    "We theorized that it acts as a medium to traverse onto someone''s inner Soul."

    Allyson slyly swallowed as her body suddenly felt stiff. Her teeth sunk against her lower lip.

    "Have you guys used it?" Julia followed up.

    "A few times," Michael answered while adding a property on a particular file on the laptop. The artist simply nodded.

    "What are you guys doing right now?" Jansen asked.

    "The app had a pink color during the blackout. I was able to obtain the coordinates to its destination. We''ll be heading there, alright," the professor proclaimed before swiping the screen down.

    "It would be dangerous, no?"

    "Our chances for everyone returning safely is very probable. We will be able to send 4 of you guys there."

    "Wait, not all of us?"

    "One person needs to stay back here. The reason is that someone can return us here if anything goes wrong."

    ¡°Did you guys not go together?¡± Allyson furrowed her eyes, feeling her stomach contort.

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that we learned the hard way,¡± Michael turned to the group with somber gazes. Marie¡¯s thunderous punches on the punching bag became clamorous.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Oh,¡± the lady lightning hung her shoulders low. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± the teacher¡¯s expression was stiff yet his blue eyes lost a shard of life for a brief stint. ¡°Our probabilities are greater this time with more people.¡±

    "Since Jansen doesn''t have a Soul Channel, we want you to stay back whereas the rest of us can go," Marie''s right leg bent forward while her left leg was behind her shoulders. She repeatedly struck alternating punches at a lighter pace.

    "I''m cool with that, just don''t start a fight while you''re there," he playfully smirked.

    "Maybe I can start one here," she pinned a calming but daunting stare. "Anyways, you guys ready?"

    Allyson, Julia, Marie, and Mr. Richter stood around the rouge screen.

    Traversing to a new destination: The Castle of Moha

    All four bodies materialized into separate flames of Violet, Cyber Yellow, Scarlet Red, and Emerald Green. The four souls converged on top of the large magenta sphere before disappearing and traversing into an unknown plane overseeing a network of intersecting channels. At the center was a gargantuan crater where all the paths converged. The surreal glimpse lasted a second before being virtualized into a grassy hilly area.

    ¡°Everyone here?¡± Marie looked at her entire surroundings. Her mind was at ease when everyone was accounted for. ¡°Good, good. And wait, where did you two get your Soul Channels?¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh, we¡­ just have it,¡± Allyson shrugged her shoulders, bulging her eyes to the size of the moon.

    ¡°Yeah, after Allyson got hers and when we went back to my world, the sword just appeared,¡± Julia clarified.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Mr. Richter¡¯s brows danced as he closed his eyes and softly held his phone. The device deconstructed into miniature thin shards before enclosing his entire physical body. The metallic structure was layered with an iron coating including a mask. ¡°Whatever method was done must have been permanent.¡±

    Marie broke the chain on her right fist generating the Scarlet Gauntlets on her arms. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter since we got some good firepower,¡± she noticed the steep incline behind the group. ¡°Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything beyond there.¡±

    On the other side of the hill was a deep, vastly square-shaped ditch filled with murky liquid. At the center was a large fortified castle forged with beige-colored stone. At the front were two cylindrical towers standing with a thin gap in the middle. A long straight path was constructed from its entrance to the four standing on top of an incline. After following the pathway, the entryway belled a hollow hum. Upon walking inside, everything shone with powerful sparks that compelled the Investigators to shadow their eyes.

    Moha Castle - Area 1

    ¡°Everything is too quiet,¡± Marie deduced as she brought her gauntlets close to her upper body.

    ¡°Reminds me of your place, Julia,¡± her roommate hummed in agreement.

    "Generally, we would expect some defense mechanism, but no one''s coming," The professor rolled his eyes at different angles for his visor to assess the environment.

    Once the lights subsided, an elegant chandelier hung above them. Mauve carpet in a vertical line. Twisted stands supporting the gilded ceiling separating into thirds.

    Clank!

    "What the fuck was that?!" Allyson held the Jingum horizontally with both hands and stood in front of Julia.

    "The stairs up front, let''s go!" Mr. Richter and Marie charged in the direction of the peculiar noise while the roommates followed suit.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°Do you need to have one person here?¡± Jansen asked, squinting his doubtful eyes.

    ¡°Mmm hmm,¡± Michael rocked his head forward once whilst pinning his eyes on what appeared to be a floor print of an area. ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s this?¡±

    The weaponless man extended his neck and twisted his head so he was slightly behind his friend while watching the screen. Four variant colored dots were moving down to an elongated rectangular room. ¡°So¡­ Do you usually volunteer to stay back?¡±

    ¡°Not always. Sometimes I go with Mr. Richter and Marie stays here.¡±

    ¡°Do you and Marie ever investigate together?¡±

    ¡°No, because Mr. Richter wouldn¡¯t be able to gather data.¡±

    ¡°Why does it have to be him?¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, that¡¯s his Soul Channel.¡±

    Jansen puckered his lips inward and scaled his head left. ¡°By the way, how did you and Marie come across this?¡±

    ¡°One moment, Jansen,¡± Michael pinched three fingers when contacting the screen before spreading them out. The monitor zoomed onto a particular room.

    A Rose Taupe round object was approaching from behind the four colored dots.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    Moha Castle - Area 2

    Sky blue marbled walls and ceilings were supported by vivid yellow cylindrical stands. A long magenta carpet layered in the middle guides to the next destination. As they were trailing on the carpet, Julia shifted her head left, noticing an abnormally wide lengthy window.

    ¡°Guys, look!¡± The artist strayed away from the group and approached the glass. The other three were just behind her. Over on the other side of the area, several students sat at their desks scribbling with their pens. Their faces were seen from the side. Julia blew through her nose at an alarming rate. She clawed her hands and pulled against the window. ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Allyson turned to her roommate.

    ¡°That¡¯s my art group, why are they here?¡±

    ¡°How can we head over there?¡±

    ¡°Take a step back,¡± Allyson, Julia, and Mr. Richter took several steps back while Marie pressed her knuckles inward. She pulled her right fist, parallel to her shoulders. With the swift release, Crack!! The center of the impact lost every single shard, leaving a massive gap. ¡°Let¡¯s a-go!¡±

    Julia was the first to barge through the room. She grabbed and pulled the person¡¯s left shoulder, rotating the chair until she saw a clear vision of her friend. ¡°Will! What are- UAAAAGHHH!!!¡± The artist zapped back several steps while her temple was on high alert.

    Allyson¡¯s new source of adrenaline outran everyone in front of her. ¡°Julia!¡± Once she slid and stopped next to her friend, she angled her Jingum downward, the tip just hovering on the person¡¯s face. But the face had no human facial features. Allyson¡¯s brows shrunk inward. ¡°What the actual fuck? Guys¡­ this guy has no face.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Marie shrugged her shoulders while shuddering. ¡°She also doesn¡¯t have a face either.¡±

    Mr. Richter scoped the desk on the far right. A sheet of paper was set aside with the drawing tablet. The teacher noticed that commission requests overloaded the desk. There was one section that bewildered the professor. The employee¡¯s name was written as Subject 342. ¡°Everyone, check the papers! Do you all see any names?¡±

    ¡°Mine says Subject 356.¡±

    ¡°Will¡¯s Subject 411.¡±

    The muted air overshadowed the area. Marie and Mr. Richter grimaced at what they were perceiving. Allyson nearly shattered her teeth while lowering the voltage on her Electro Vision. Julia turned her back against her roommate and raised her head to the skies.

    ¡°Is this how you saw us?! How many more ¡®aspired¡¯ people are like this to you?! I did all of this work and for what? Treating me as a number?! Well¡­ fuck you, Cree! Fuck you for ruining me!¡±

    Not a single Investigator moved their lips. Marie averted her eyes to the bottom right corner. Mr. Richter lowered his head and shut his eyes. Allyson simply gazed at her roommate with her heart echoing throughout her temple. Julia''s eyes filled with dark malice. Feeling disgusted by the room, the artist pounded her legs to the exit.

    "Hey, Julia¡­ you ok?" Her roommate''s tone was filled with worry but too tranquil for it to be audible.

    "Let''s just finish whatever you guys need to do," she followed the path to clanking noise, steam radiating from her body.

    No one spoke a single word until they reached a vast, tenebrous rectangular room. More extensive than a classroom. More circumference than a bedroom. More lengthy than a hallway. Portraits surrounded the four walls depicting Cree as an angel saving the weak, being a part of the UMD community, wearing an elegant dress, and granting opportunities to all students around Van Munching who were cheering for her.

    Julia''s malevolence multiplied at an exponential rate. "All of this¡­ It''s all false."

    "I had a hunch that Cree wasn''t the person people make her out to be, but I never expected to be like this," the fighter took a single step before she fell to her knees.

    "Marie!" He yelled before collapsing on his back.

    The roommates stumbled before crashing their front bodies on the concrete ground. Soon the room was weaving left and right. The magnitude lasted for only 10 seconds before everything subsided.

    "Everyone ok? What the hell was that?" Allyson grabbed Julia''s arms.

    "We''re good here," Mr. Richter lifted his student. "What was that about?"

    Rattle¡­rattle¡­rattle¡­

    "Behind us!" Marie stood side-by-side, raising her right fist forward along with her right leg, with Allyson. She positioned herself in a southpaw stance.

    A figure approached from the hallway, a distorted face with the left side melted down. Chains surrounded its body, a long-range rifle on its left arm with a magenta bracket on its right arm. Despite the face being elongated, the artist lost her breath. "Is that¡­ Cree?"

    "What the hell happened to her? I thought she was dead?" The swordfighter sidestepped so she was in front of the artiste.

    Mr. Richter tapped the side of his visor and let his system assess. However, the analysis was still in progress. "No time for us to talk, let''s keep it a distance. Don''t aggravate it."

    Although the ladies complied with the teacher, the demented figure pointed its gun at Julia.

    Bang!

    A veil of emerald barriers enveloped the team.

    "I don''t think we can do anything except fight," Marie cracked her knuckles while perking up a fiery grin. "In that case, let''s rock!"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Cree, The Mogha Reaper

    Julia began articulating on her tablet. Mr. Richter unleashed another circular barrier on all of his teammates. Allyson steadied her Jingum. Marie leaped forward and delivered a downward swing cut.

    Cree snapped her right hand. A student appeared from thin air. Marie failed to retract in time and struck the puppet. The decoy dissolved in an instant.

    "Shit¡­" The rifle was on the cusp of her forehead. The gate into the heavens nearly opened. Sudden strands of violet bolts engendered the left arm to shoot the ceiling. Marie curled her left arm and raised it from the bottom before breaking the unrested enemy''s chin. As the enemy stumbled backward, Allyson swooped in from Marie''s right side and flung her Jingum in an upward concave motion.

    Slash!

    Its upper body displayed a diagonal elongated tear. The swordfighter raised her Jingum above before slamming down. However, Cree spun her right hand in the tiniest circular motion. Another student appeared. Allyson popped her eyes out but it was too late.

    Slash!

    Another student dissipated into thin air.

    She leaped back while angling her sword diagonally down. "Damn¡­ that''s too fucked up."

    The demented foe cocked her rifle and blasted a bullet to the ceiling. Three more students were conjured up in front of her. The decoys all had unsettling grins.

    "Cree¡­ gave me¡­ opportunities. I¡­ need to be¡­ grateful for her."

    "She''s¡­ only being harsh to me to¡­ better myself. Her leadership¡­ helped absolve my ambitions!¡±

    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t leave¡­ no matter what. I¡­ just need to finish¡­ until I¡¯m ready for my opportunity after college.¡±

    ¡°Grrrgh,¡± Julia swirled her eyes in a circular rotation and marked her signature, materializing three scythes above her. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this bitch already,¡± she selected two of her drawn weapons by clicking the button on the Creation Pen, twirling and directing them at two student puppets.

    Slice! Slice!

    Both puppets decomposed into shadow particles. Allyson fired a small string of lightning, paralyzing the third puppet in place. Marie sprinted before delivering a cross-right hook with her left gauntlet.

    ¡°Analysis complete! Let¡¯s hurry!¡±

    The artist graciously selected the final scythe, her devilish grin festering all over her face. She flicked her wrist and the curved steel blade spun forward. As Cree locked the rifle on the incoming projectile, static strings struck the opposite hand. Marie furtively snuck behind the enemy, hopped vertically as high as she could, and unleashed a skull-shattering diagonal blow with her left gauntlet. Cree stumbled several steps forward before the screaming steel pierced through.

    The head was dislodged from its deformed body. Both separate physical parts began to dissolve into small magenta spheres before gliding through the ceiling.

    ¡°Julia, um, you ok?¡± Allyson directed a concerned look.

    ¡°She¡¯s all this talk with her stupid prestigious persona, but look at her. Pathetic¡­¡± The artist walked past everyone, permeating the silent raging aura.

    Click!

    A flight of stairs shaped like a spring coil emerged from above and onto the center of the large area. The artist halted her steps but never turned back. ¡°Are you guys coming?¡±

    ¡°We are.¡±

    ¡°From what I can tell,¡± Mr. Richter scrolled through the blueprint of the castle before nodding. ¡°We¡¯re near the top of the castle.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The Investigators found themselves standing in front of two large golden doors with diamonds layered around them. The knobs were crystallized with platinum. Once inside, they were surrounded by stacks of cash wrapped in cubes.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°That was a close one,¡± Jansen swiped the salted waters on his forehead.

    ¡°I was this close to bringing them back here,¡± Michael pinched his index and thumb before unloading his back on his virtual gaming chair until it was parallel. ¡°I underestimated Allyson and Julia. Their Soul Channels are strong.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, they were why we escaped back then.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Jansen,¡± he directed his head to the voice. ¡°Can you keep this between us?¡±

    He left a gaping hole on his lips for less than a second. ¡°After you and uncle did for me, always.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Michael released a quick blow of air through his nose. ¡°Allyson talked to me last Saturday.¡±

    ¡°Huh, did something happen?¡±

    The technician recalled the events. Jansen blankly stared at the floor as his fists revealed veins. ¡°He gets on my nerves.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s getting more impatient the more we delay, but somehow Allyson made me feel at ease.¡±

    ¡°Julia felt the same when she was in your spot.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised. I¡¯m glad she listened to what I had to say.¡±

    ¡°Allyson vibes with everyone,¡± his face brightened up as if the sun rose from the west. ¡°I wonder if they know¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s now part of our group,¡± Michael rose back up, sitting erect. ¡°Jansen, I require one sacrifice for this knowledge I want to know.¡±

    ¡°It depends on if it¡¯s worth it.¡±

    ¡°How did you and Allyson meet?¡±

    ¡°Oh, pff, I bumped into her during the new student orientation, talked for a bit, and we exchanged our info on that Terp app.¡±

    ¡°Ah ok. It must be some sort of lucky coincidence. If that didn¡¯t happen, none of this would have happened.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ strange how life comes at us like that.¡±

    MMM! MMM!

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Moha Castle - Throne

    Over twenty trophy cases were evenly distributed in the spacious lounge. All of the walls had inscriptions. Not a single spec of space was out of place. At the very end presented a rose pink chair. The seat was unoccupied.

    "Everything looks so pretty," Marie stood in awe. "All of the money and accolades, it''s insane."

    Julia was the first to step inside. Everyone soon followed. However, as they closed in, the cathedra began to blur in its entirety. The first thing they noticed was that the gilded walls became shadow-colored walls. Stacks of cash had lines of dry crimson liquid smeared everywhere. The inscriptions around the throne changed. The over twenty display cases were replaced by myriad stone slabs. More tombs were present than the accolades.

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡± Every Investigator¡¯s body was struck with unsettling paralysis. Shivering chills kicked into overdrive. The air felt drier by the second.

    Marie managed to take a step and walked to the left side, kneeled, and dusted off a tomb.

    Employee: Leo Yoon (Subject 100)

    Service: 2015-2017

    Status: Deceased (2020)

    Cause of death: Fired from service, blacklisted, went missing, and committed suicide

    ¡°Guys¡­ this is¡­are these people really¡­¡± The bridge between her brows shrunk.

    Employee: Daniel Witten (Subject 33)

    Service: 2001-2004

    Status: Deceased (2011)

    Cause of death: Fired from service due to insubordination, blacklisted, and committed suicide

    ¡°Here¡¯s one from the 2000s,¡± rigid cords popped on Allyson¡¯s right hand.

    Employee: Jasmine Harke (Subject 13)

    Service: 1997-2000

    Status: Deceased (2017)

    Cause of death: Fired from service for damaging reputation, blacklisted, starvation

    ¡°This one goes back to the 1990s,¡± Mr. Richter shut his eyes and stood. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    Julia fell to her knees near the Throne chair with her arms rumbling. Her temple had not faltered but froze in place. ¡°N-no¡­ no¡­ no¡­¡±

    Employee: Julia Svihia (Subject 418)

    Service: 2020 - 2022

    Status: Alive (Planned death)

    Cause of death: Fired from service, blacklisted, overdosage (ETA unknown)

    She pulled back until she was in a sitting position. Shoes planted parallel to the ground, she reeled them close to her temple and buried her face between her legs. Allyson hurried and kneeled next to her roommate. The swordswoman opened her left palm, transferring all of her static pulses to it. She curled her fingers into a fist and slowly laid to her side. ¡°Let¡¯s leave. We¡¯ve seen enough.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Mr. Richter scoped the entire area with his visor before tapping the side of his helmet. ¡°Let¡¯s return to HQ and document all that we found.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    The sizeable magenta sphere illuminated pastel pink before darkening back to its original state. Jansen curtained his eyes while Michael continued to stare at the desktop screen. At the top of the ember was a small circular portal that segmented the four Investigators in each line and materialized in front of the enormous ember.

    ¡°Hey, welcome back,¡± the man with no Soul Channel walked up to the four. ¡°What did you guys see over there?¡±

    The professor immediately stepped to the left, approaching the three desktop monitors. He had no mechanical suit covering him, only the mobile device in hand. On the desk stand, a gray small square contraption with two glass lights on the right side. Resting his phone on the scanner, the monitor displayed rows of information. He gently tapped the monitor next to it and a holographic light beamed over to the pink sphere. The image illuminated was the Castle of Moha.

    ¡°That castle¡­¡± Jansen muttered quietly while maintaining stern eyes.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Mr. Richter nabbed a small clicker from the desk slider. ¡°Jansen and Michael, this castle appears to be Cree¡¯s Soul. Initially, we didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary,¡± Click. The workshop of Julia¡¯s artist group with their blank faces appeared. ¡°But after seeing this¡­there¡¯s something else to it.¡±

    Julia averted her gaze. Allyson¡¯s heart pounded like a drummer striking the drums. Marie crossed her arms yet continued to bask in the hologram.

    Click. The next graphic was the deformed manifestation of Cree.

    ¡°Huh¡­ is that?¡± Michael intently focused on the image. The teacher hummed in agreement. ¡°I thought she was dead.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll need to assess the information later.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t a hard fight,¡± the artist scoffed, frowning at the mere appearance of her former employer. ¡°She ruined me, ruined too many people¡¯s lives. I¡­ hate her.¡±

    Marie¡¯s forehead formed multiple wrinkles while her eyes stretched outward.

    Allyson pouted a shadow quirk of a smirk. ¡°Atta girl.¡±

    Julia¡¯s frown danced into a grin. The flames in her eyes were put out by her roommate¡¯s soothing waters. ¡°Mmm hmmm¡­ AHAHAHAHA!!¡± She flicked her head up and her chest puffed for each cackle. ¡°It feels good to finally say that all this time.¡±

    ¡°I bet! Those kinds of people can never be forgiven after all they¡¯ve done to you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, especially people who have too much power.¡±

    ¡°Wow, Jules, I didn¡¯t realize you kept that in for so long,¡± the lady with fisticuffs interlocked her arms while raising her curved brows.

    ¡°I kept it inside for too long. Sorry for acting like that,¡± she scratched the back of her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Jansen smiled warmly. ¡°We would rather hear what you truly feel than say some comforting lie.¡±

    ¡°I guess you got a point. I appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Mr. Richter showed one last image: the eerie graveyard throne room. ¡°While you kids discuss morals on forgiveness, I need you guys to see this.¡±

    Jansen grimaced at the gravestones.

    Michael shook his head while shutting his nervous eyes. ¡°What do those gravestones mean?¡±

    ¡°Each one was once an employee, who then died. As for the deaths, I don¡¯t understand it either. It¡¯s all too much to take in right now. But one thing is clear,¡± everyone all turned to the professor. ¡°Cree¡¯s death took place here.¡±

    ¡°Wait really?¡± Marie dropped her crossed arms, crunching the bridge between her brows.

    ¡°How can you be sure?¡± Jansen questioned.

    ¡°He¡¯s right¡­¡± Allyson felt sharp stings around her body.

    ¡°What made you say that?¡± Julia wondered.

    ¡°The room where we fought Cree. That room was on the TV that night.¡±

 â€œYou guys donâ€™t think itâ€™s"

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t think it¡¯s¡­"

    October 12th - 5:13pm

    Allyson stepped inside Ten Ren¡¯s, walked up the little incline where the bubble tea stand was located, and ordered a medium-sized Taro bubble tea. Across the stand was a tall, slim cabinet with various sorts of board games. Cocking her head left and crossing her arms, she gazed at every single one and discerned the names.

    ¡°Care for some Jenga?¡± she turned to the voice on her right to find a familiar face.

    ¡°Nah, I was just looking at the games they have here. Ooh, they have ¡®Sorry!¡¯ I haven¡¯t played that game in years.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry what?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe,¡± her crossed arms covered her stomach, leaning her upper body forward. ¡°Sorry! Didn¡¯t mean to laugh.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he squinted his eyes before facing the cashier. ¡°I¡¯ll get a milk Winter Melon. Large.¡±

    After receiving their orders, they left the building and began walking towards the sidewalk of Route 1.

    ¡°You excited for your first day as a SPA?¡± Jansen sipped his bubble tea and swapped the cup to his right hand.

    ¡°I am!¡± She chirped looking at the incoming jogger before stepping to the grassy area. ¡°It¡¯s nice to make some money while I¡¯m here, you know.¡±

    ¡°Just wondering¡­ why there? I mean you did get questioned by a cop.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that he falsely accused me. I was trying to find my roommate and apparently, that means I¡¯m a suspect.¡±

    ¡°Even though you haven¡¯t started, try not to associate with any campus cops, besides Detective Vargas.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s like the only decent guy. At least he listens and believes me.¡±

    Jansen continuously chewed on boba. ¡°I can¡¯t say any more until your first day. Can¡¯t give away too much information.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Oh, by the way, I¡¯ve been thinking about yesterday,¡± Allyson quickly turned back to which no one was behind them before sucking in the liquid tea.

    ¡°Hmm, what are your thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Other than my suspicion that the other world is related to Cree¡¯s death, whoever killed Cree must¡¯ve known that world as we do.¡±

    ¡°Good eye,¡± Jansen slowly nudged his head forward a few times. ¡°Logically, it makes sense because you connected the dots. If your suspicion is true, then we need to be more careful.¡±

    ¡°I think we can confirm it once Mr. Richter assesses his analytical shit,¡± she finished her entire drink with the boba bubbles remaining. ¡°Though, something felt wrong about Cree¡¯s Castle.¡±

    "What makes you say that?"

    "I don''t know," she shrugged her shoulders and weaved her head left and then right. "It''s like everyone liked her for different reasons, but the people who worked for her don''t feel that way."

    "We didn''t talk much about her castle when you guys came back. What did you see exactly?"

    "Her employees were called subjects. Those workers had no faces, and tombstones of all those who died were once her workers.¡±

    "She doesn''t care about her workers so much that she can''t recognize their faces. Despicable¡­" Jansen¡¯s eyes flared up immensely.

    "It gets worse," he pinned his burning gaze at his friend. "I saw a tombstone with Julia''s name." Jansen glanced at Allyson sideways as he hid his grinding teeth. ¡°She was going to die¡­ just like everyone else.¡±

    ¡°How can you possibly be sure that Julia would¡¯ve died?¡±

    ¡°The cause of death was the same for every tombstone: suicide. I feel like something¡¯s not right about that. Why did all of the workers commit suicide?¡±

    ¡°I would think they lost a battle they couldn¡¯t overcome, but if what you¡¯re saying is true, are you suggesting something else?¡±

    ¡°Maybe?¡± She laid the inner left hand on her eyeballs before sliding down her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know man. What if Cree planned on killing Julia?¡±

    Her friend knitted his brows and slowed down his walking pace, which Allyson mirrored. ¡°It¡¯s hard to confirm since it¡¯s all speculation, but since you saw it firsthand, it makes it more likely to be true.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to bring this up to the group and see what they think.¡±

    Jansen nodded before crossing the sidewalk and passing Turner Hall. ¡°On a less depressing note, there¡¯s a soccer game for the UMD Women¡¯s team tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, against who?¡± Her sparkling eyes caught him off guard.

    ¡°Ohio State,¡± his smile was tight-lipped.

    ¡°Is Ohio State good?¡± Allyson furrowed his brows and tilted her head right.

    ¡°Yeah, they are. They only lost two games in like twelve games so far.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad,¡± she curled the right side of her lip up. ¡°We can pull a win. Oh! Fay¡¯s playing too!¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah,¡± he raised his tone but masked the uncertainty with false optimism.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 12th - 7:16pm

    Michael returned to his home in Silver Spring. Inside the small compact house, he saw his uncle sitting at his desk in his small cubicle on the far right side. ¡°Hola t¨ªo!¡±

    ¡°Hola Michael!¡± Detective Vargas waved his left hand as he continued to glue his eyes on the monitor screen. ¡°Classes going well?¡±

    ¡°Si,¡± he nodded before opening a fridge in the kitchen to grab a can of Cola. ¡°I¡¯m gonna study more here to prepare for my exam tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Good luck!¡± As Michael took one single step on the stairs to the left, the detective shifted his dry eyes to his nephew. ¡°Hey, Michael! Did you notice anything weird? It¡¯s about Cree¡¯s murder.¡±

    The technician turned to his uncle with a perplexed expression. ¡°No, not that I know of.¡±

    ¡°Ok, sorry for asking. I just thought you might have an idea with your computer knowledge stuff.¡± He then muttered to himself, ¡°How does no one see anything?! Why is no one saying anything?¡±

    Michael flew the stairs and opened the second door on the right. Resting his backpack on the hanger on his door, he approached his desk at the far back end of the wall and sat on his red gaming chair with a slightly brightened smile on his face.

    HMMM! HMMM!

    His face became stiff and rigid as he lowered his eyelids by half.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­Michael¡­Michael¡­ I need progress on your reports on the investigation of Cree¡¯s death.¡±

    He silently left a gaping hole in his mouth. ¡°I still need to research more into the patterns of the reports. Please give me more time on investigation.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the expert here? You should be able to figure this out. He can¡¯t get the results I want. You can¡¯t get the result I want. I was able to produce a proposal plan for this campus in just 3 days. You can figure this out in that time. If you do not give me any progress, then you will know what will happen, right?¡±

    He winced his eyes to a point where they were nearly split off. His body was stunned and resisted the urge to throw his phone to the wall. ¡°Yes sir. I¡¯ll get to work on that and finish my findings soon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it, Michael! You will be responsible for Cree¡¯s death if you do not comply. Have a good night¡­¡±

    The call had ended.

    Michael flicked his phone to the right side crashing into the stack of books which then plummeted to the ground. He pinned his elbows to the wooden desk and pierced his fingernails into his lightly-haired cranium.

    Hmm!

    He let out an exasperated and irritated sigh before checking his phone again. It was a Discord notification.

    StellerEi: Yo Michael! Are we playing Spellbreak tonight?

    WanderingFramer: Hey Allyson sorry not tonight. Something came up and not in the mood to play

    StellerEi: oh damn I hope things get better for you!

    WanderingFramer: Thanks!

    At Parkside, Allyson blankly stared at her television with her grayish-blue dual shock controller in hand and headphones latched onto her ears. She buried the controller in the brown cabinet under the bottom drawer. With her headphones, she plugged the aux cord into her phone and collapsed to her resting cushion. "Of course, it happens again¡­"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 13th - 7:02pm

    Looney¡¯s Pub was off Baltimore Avenue and just a short block away from the main campus entrance. In between was a bridge taking the backcut through Northgate Urban Park. The backway layered a wide wooden bridge just above the soothing stream of water flowing southwest. As they stepped up the barely twisted granite stairs, there was a glass door with a dimly lit banner above. Entering inside was an elongated bean-shaped interior with loads of chairs and tables lodged together. Walking further down the area, three familiar faces were at a round table.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Marie raised and waved her left hand sideways before dragging her chair to widen the gap for the visitors.

    ¡°Already starting with the crush buckets?¡± Julia sat next to Marie and peeked at the menu she was holding.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get some for you guys,¡± she signaled one of the waiters.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the orange crush bucket.¡±

    ¡°Uhh,¡± Allyson flipped through the menu back and forth until she found a section called Crushes. ¡°Eh, I¡¯ll get the same one, too.¡±

    After verifying their age through their driver¡¯s licenses, Marie ordered nachos and informed the waiter that they would wait a few more minutes for additional orders.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we watched a game like this,¡± Jackson started at the screen in front of their table, just above where the bar stood.

    ¡°Really?¡± Allyson¡¯s brows jumped high. ¡°You guys don¡¯t watch Fay¡¯s games?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± the black-haired woman sealed her pressed lips and shrunk them inward. The other three spoke no word, which made Allyson¡¯s heart miss a beat. ¡°Uhhh¡­ how do we say this? About Fay¡­¡±

    ¡°YEAAH!! LESSGO TERPS!!!¡± Two men jumped from their chairs, raising their Bud Lights, contorting their faces from their unresting energy.

    ¡°Huh, those guys¡­¡±

    On the screen, UMD and Ohio State were just seconds away from kickoff. The screen then showed the starting lineup for the Terrapins.

    Head Coach: William Leves

    Assistant Coach: Jillian Conte

    Formation: 3-4-3

    GK: Francesa Varrione (#1)

    Defense: Hailey Johnston (#6), Lucia Renard (#5, Captain), Keira Karistias (77)

    Midfield: Jade Preston (#20), Adelaide Molts (#2), Lilian Mitrovich (#8), Laurie De Rossi (#13)

    Forward: Stephanie Hwang (#26), Sophia Chiesa (#10), Danielle Villa (#3)

    Substitutes:

    GK: Lindsey Beadley (17), Brea Ayew (27)

    Defense: Cyndi Urbana (9), Kenya Bell (18), Talia Greene (23)

    Midfield: Maddie Dalton (12), Simone Miletti (#19), Halle Churchill (44)

    Forward: Fay Ishikawa (7), Alexis Smith (14)

    ¡°That¡¯s why.¡±

    ¡°Ok, Fay¡¯s a sub,¡± Allyson bumped her shoulders, squinted her eyes, and clawed her hands in the air. ¡°So what? What¡¯s so bad about it?¡±

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    The kick-off had started with the visiting team in possession. Chiesa took the ball and passed it back to Mitrovich. The number 8 crossed the ball left to De Rossi. The lady wearing 13 lacked control of the ball recoiling on her left cleat. An Ohio midfielder intercepted the ball and began the early counterattack. As the right midfielder was inching closer to the opponent¡¯s goal net, she diagonally passed the ball to her across. The attacking midfielder, Jones, gently absorbed the spherical object with her right cleat and dribbled past Molts and Preston, exposing UMD¡¯s right flank. Jones made another pass diagonally upward to Sears who turned her body to face the incoming ball. The number 8 leaned against the ball''s direction, raised her right leg behind, and delivered a straight powerful shot into the bottom right of the net.

    GOAL! Emily Sears (8) - 1¡¯

    Assist: Cynthia Jones (5)

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    UMD 0 - 1 Ohio State

    ¡°Uuuuuggghhhh,¡± the disappointing slams on most students were directed at their sides or on the venue tables, which echoed throughout the area. One male student stressed all the rage on his middle finger to the screen. ¡°Fuck Ohio man. Such bullshit! How that fuck do you concede a goal like that?!¡±

    ¡°Huh?! Did that seriously happen?¡± Allyson hung her jaw below and nearly shut her eyes.

    ¡°Yeahhhhh,¡± Jansen pulled his lips inward and stretched his cheeks. ¡°I told you they were good.¡±

    4¡¯

    At the 35-meter line on the Ohio State territory, the ball sat firmly against the artificial grass. Behind were Mitrovich and Preston who stood across from each other. Number 20 tapped the ball forward by several meters. Mitrovich charged several steps before lobbing the ball with the inner palm of her right cleat and driving it with a slight left curve. As numerous players scurried for the ball, Chiesa leaped up to deliver a header. However, Ohio¡¯s defender beat her to it. With only 3 UMD players at the back, they were met by 4 Ohio players who initiated the counter-attack. As the opposition entered UMD¡¯s half, Sears dribbled past everyone until she was face-to-face against Renard who chased down the counterattack. When Sears knocked the ball with the tip of her left cleat, the Terps captain slid forward and swept her leg, sending it flying to the left sideline of the field.

    Fischer took several steps back and ran forward until halting at the sideline. Throwing the ball at the penalty box, the battle was won by Johnston. However, her head was angled backward causing the game ball to fly straight up. As it descended, Varrione leaped to punch the ball away. Sears hopped so high that she banged her head on first. It redirected to the goal net.

    GOAL! Emily Sears - 4¡¯

    UMD 0 - 2 Ohio State

    The graveyard aura slipped into the pub turning everyone¡¯s faces dark. Despite receiving Crush Buckets, no one in the group dared to consume alcohol in their bodies except Allyson who nearly chugged half of her own.

    The horror continued to film the eyes of all UMD students as soon as the kickoff started in the fifth minute, Chiesa passed the long straight to Renard at the back. The number 5 dribbled forward for several meters before crossing it to the left to De Rossi who cut to the right before tripping on her cleat. Ohio State recovered the ball and initiated another counterattack. After several one-touch passes to three Ohio players in a triangle shape, Jones tapped the synthetic orb to Fischer who then directed it to the corner of the penalty box. Ohio¡¯s number 8 broke the barrier between Renard and Karistias and found space. She lobbed the ball with the inner corner of her right cleat, passing over Varrione¡¯s extended arms. Fischer leaped forward and smashed the ball with her head ricochetting and burying it through the net.

    GOAL! Amy Fischer (5)

    Assist: Cynthia Jones (8)

    UMD 0 - 3 Ohio State

    Two penalty kicks were given to Ohio State after Renard and Karistias made challenges to Sears and Jones from the side. Their challenges had them clash their spike shoes against the opposition without any contact on the ball. Renard ended up receiving a yellow card.

    11''

    GOAL! Ivanka Dudukovich (4)

    PENALTY KICK GOAL

    UMD 0 - 4 Ohio State

    21''

    GOAL! Ivanka Dudukovich (4)

    PENALTY KICK GOAL

    UMD 0 - 5 Ohio State

    Multiple students at Looney''s Pub had no focus on the match and made conversations amongst themselves. One man shouted, "What''s happening? Why are we getting fucked?!"

    The group had depleted their crush buckets and munched through the large plate of nachos. Allyson felt her body heat jump from cool to sweltering hot in a split second. She got a second Crush Bucket and swallowed a concerning amount of the sweet and bitter liquid. "Not even 30 minutes and it''s 5-0. Reminds me too much of Brazil and Germany in 2014."

    "We don''t need that kind of embarrassment," Marie rested her back on the hardened wood chair. "You guess just wanna finish up here and head out?" All agreed despite the Korean reluctantly complying.

    Thirty minutes passed and everyone paid their bills and stepped out of the moist interior. Everyone went their separate ways. The roommates returned to their apartment.

    "Hey, Julia, how come none of you guys want to see Fay play?"

    "It''s not that we don''t want to,¡± she powered on the television, connected her laptop with an HDMI cable, and turned on the soccer match. "Just watch til the end and let me know what you notice."

    Allyson slung her right brow up but glued her eyes to the screen.

    90''

    Chiesa''s shot flew high above the opposition crossbar. The ball nearly passed the gates surrounding the field. She kept a straight face but the aura of frustration emitted from her temple.

    Beep! Beep!

    A referee in the middle of the sideline raised a rectangular device displaying illuminated colors of crimson and emerald. On the left showed 26 whereas on the right showed 7 for UMD. Hwang walked towards the team bench, clapping her hands several times before reaching the sideline. Fay and Stephanie tapped their hands against each other before the substitute came onto the field.

    The referee updated the sign with only one color in the middle: 2

    With lights flickering in her mind, Allyson tucked her shoulders inward and lost focus in her peripheral vision. "Is that why?"

    "Yeah, that''s why."

    "That''s¡­ so fucking dumb. What''s the point of being subbed on in stoppage time?"

    "That''s the problem."

    "Huh?" She turned to her roommate.

    "It happens to Fay all the time."

    "I¡­ don''t get it. Why? How long has this happened?"

    "At least a year."

    "Why?" Her roommate had no response and looked away.

    Beep! Beep! Beeeeeeeep!

    The UMD athletes half-heartedly shook their hands with Ohio State. The head coach maintained a stoic face after shaking hands with Ohio''s manager. He went to each player to give them a consoling hug. Except for Fay as he walked past her without a single sympathetic glance.

    Final

    UMD 0 - 7 Ohio State

    October 14th - 8:35am

    The soccer team boarded their Delta airline from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. As they unloaded their backpacks and luggage, Fay was the last to enter. With no seemingly available seats nearby, she hung her head low and walked down the aisle until there was a seat at the end. Over her head, she opened the luggage cabinet, only for it to be filled with other passengers¡¯ belongings. Her row was near the plane¡¯s left side but her seat was close to the aisle walkway. Fay was compelled to guard her small luggage between her legs along with her backpack.

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    Six rows ahead of her, one player sitting in the middle section twisted her head to see her melancholy teammate. Attempting to wave at her, Fay never bothered to look up. She continued to wave her hand but the outcome remained the same.

    ¡°...¡± the athlete faced the seat in front of her and slowly navigated through her playlist.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sofie love?¡± Renard nudged her left elbow. ¡°The loss was bad I get that but-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Chiesa rested her head and stared at the ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s Fay I¡¯m worried about.¡±

    ¡°Oui, oui¡­¡± the center back also mimicked her teammate¡¯s sitting position. ¡°It¡¯s messed up that she came on too late.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not true. It¡¯s messed up that it only happens to her in every game. It¡¯s not fair.¡±

    ¡°What can we do? It¡¯s the coach¡¯s choice. All we can do is just play until the whistle blows.¡±

    Chiesa slightly turned her back against Renard and shut her eyes from the cold images. ¡°So what if it¡¯s his decision? It¡¯s still unfair to all of us that she gets this treatment. Fay hardly spoke a single word since we arrived here. Hell, she barely talks in practice either. Everyone else gets more play time but not her. What did she do to deserve this?¡±

    Ishikawa from afar frozen from her stance began to lose clear vision from her eyes. Soon sounds from the outside became deaf.

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 14th - 5:32pm

    General

    Michael Vargas: @TerrapinTech signing off, have a great weekend!

    He was the remaining technician at the office as everyone had left for the day. Loading his work laptop and personal materials into his backpack, Michael walked to the receptionist¡¯s desk. Taking a small piece of Hershey¡¯s chocolate, the engineer took only one step away until¡­

    Click!

    The lights lost their illumination. Darkness surrounded the area. He felt uneasy movements spiraling inside his body as he was unable to discern anything within his wingspan. Grabbing his phone, he tried to unlock it. However, it was unresponsive.

    ¡°Come on, turn on!¡± He repeatedly pressed the power button with his right thumb, but no lock screen appeared. ¡°This isn¡¯t some joke, Scott! Stop this! I still need time!¡±

    Click¡­

    All monitor screens and shut-down laptops began powering on, but no sound was heard. Instead, the black screens were slightly lighter shades, and one single image was loaded on every device.

    A dark orange ember.

    ¡°Wait¡­ no, no, no!¡± He tried to run to the exit but the handle remained still despite nearly breaking it. Barraging the door with his right fist, ¡°Help! Someone open the door!¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 14th - 9:44pm

    Allyson and Julia sat across from each other at their dining table playing chess. The artist moved her Knight to H3 and stared intently at her roommate¡¯s next move. Her roommate shook her head after musing for a few seconds before moving her Bishop to F5.

    ¡°Ok, ok,¡± Julia whispered before masking her mouth with both hands.

    Ding!

    Allyson opened Discord and saw a notification from the UNS group server.

    #sensitive-talks

    dunes n danes: @everyone guys, have you guys heard from Michael? My uncle is at work with me and he¡¯s concerned because Michael never came home today

    ¡°Uhh, Julia? Check the chat.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Jewels: no we haven¡¯t seen Michael at all today

    Raiden Kim: did anyone check at ESJ? Last I heard he was there for work

    dunes n danes: I¡¯m not sure. He¡¯s checking there now and calling the employees there

    Village Protector: oh gosh I hope he¡¯s ok

    The roommates¡¯ television began to power on by itself. Both their phones blinked before the outline of the screen traversed its black paint all to the middle. Then the dark orange ember icon appeared on all three devices.

    ¡°Oh, fuck no¡­¡±

    Stepping across a vast grassy and hilly valley, the individual tucked their arms inward, scoping the environment around them. Suddenly, the sandy dust roared, struggling for anyone to find clear visuals. Several seconds passed by before it subsided.

    At the center was a large cylindrical building with a sandstone brown dome overlaying at the top. Its arms extended in four acute angles. At each end was a cubicle.

    Yet¡­ no one was present.

    Upon inspecting the one on the right, the individual took a step inside. It was a jagged square perimeter with a myriad of scratches torn against the wine-red chair. A white desk layering a horizontal wooden plate supported the monitor and the keyboard weighed on it.

    Click.

    A shrilling pinging noise hijacked the wanderer¡¯s head, covering their ears and running out of the cage before being buried in the sand. As the person stood up, four other visitors enclosed the host. One well-dressed man with a daunting expression. One with a mechanical suit with a black glass visor and a rifle in hand. One in all green robes with a wooden staff and an emerald orb levitating at the top. One with multiple graphic screens floating around his body.

    Well, you¡¯re the IT expert so fix it! I don¡¯t know anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we do this instead¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯mma be real, the stuff you like¡­

    ¡°Everyone annoys me about IT and that¡¯s ALL they see of me. Wanting to show something I like? Nope, get brushed off like leaves on your shoulder. Maybe they¡¯re right¡­¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± the wanderer pushed away from the four and sprinted toward the blinding dunes. ¡°It¡¯s not real! They¡¯re not real!¡±

    The wanderer tripped on a concealed piece of granite and immersed in the chiseling sands. Struggling to stand the visitor reverted to lifting their body with their arms.

    "Why am I here? What do people think of me?"

    In the Private Investigators chat Marie initiated a group call.

    ¡°Did you guys just see that?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ we did,¡± Julia softly spoke as her body slowly crawled until her back touched the wall.

    Allyson silently swallowed. ¡°You guys don¡¯t think it¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°It might be.¡±

    ¡°Guys,¡± Jansen joined in the call while sitting at the Auxiliary office. ¡°Did any of you just see whatever the hell that was? I just saw it on my monitor!¡±

    ¡°All of us did,¡± Marie slammed her right fist on her nightstand. ¡°I really hope it isn¡¯t Michael we saw on the screen.¡±

    ¡°The person running away looked like him,¡± Allyson softly but confidently stated. ¡°I recognized his face.¡±

    ¡°We need to meet up and find him now!¡±

    ¡°Guys, I can¡¯t leave my post."

    "Come on, this is Michael! He could be in danger!"

    "Yeah I know, but I don''t have that Soul Channel you guys have. You guys should go. I¡¯ll be okay here."

    "I guess so. I need to let Teach know."

    "What will you do, Jansen?" Allyson asked.

    "I''ll be fine. Just find Michael there and save him!¡±

    ¡°Jansen¡­¡± a familiar voice forced him to bite his lower lip and unload all the stress on his shut eyelids. ¡°What did you just say about what happened to Michael? Do you know where he is?! What¡¯s this other side you¡¯re speaking of? TELL ME!¡±

    The women on the call simultaneously pulled their heads back from their phones. The roommates had their moon-sized eyes shown with white lights. The other woman clawed her left hand on her forehead.

    ¡°Sorry guys¡­¡± Jansen sighed before turning to his uncle. ¡°We think we know where Michael might be. He¡¯s likely ok.¡±

    ¡°Tell me where he is¡­¡± Detective Vargas¡¯s tone was calming yet the daunting command fired shivers to 2009.

    ¡°We¡¯ll tell you. But first,¡± he brought the phone closer to his face. ¡°Can you guys meet us at ESJ? Uncle, we¡¯ll explain what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°You better damn do! This better not be some prank.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Jansen left the voice chat.

    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Allyson muted her mic before dropping her phone on the wooden table. ¡°Are we going to do this?¡±

    ¡°We have to,¡± Marie¡¯s reassured tone masqueraded her disappointment. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in 10ish minutes.¡± She hung up the voice chat. Soon they followed through.

    Marie searched her private messages and found RichterScale#7368. She pressed the phone icon and waited.

    "Marie? Everything alright?"

    "No¡­ we think Michael is in the other world."

    "What?¡± His calming tone nearly shattered a raging demon inside. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    "The app showed a darkish orange color and then some area where we thought the person looked like Michael. He may be there."

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    "What''s worse is that Detective Vargas caught us discussing this, and we have no choice but to meet with him and discuss this."

    "God damn it¡­ Alright, thanks for letting me know. Where are you meeting?"

    "ESJ."

    "I''ll be there in 15."

    October 14th - 10:08pm

    Everyone had gathered at the front door facing Campus Drive. The aura emitted unsettling emotions for them. Detective Vargas maintained his stoic, stern stature.

    "Are you kidding me? You guys and a teacher are involved?!"

    "While this looks suspicious, we''ll explain all that we know, alright," Mr. Richter disclosed showing his palms at a slight downward angle.

    ¡°First, tell me where Michael is?¡±

    ¡°Before we do, we need to head to the Terrapin Tech department,¡± Marie guided the group downstairs at ESJ.

    After Detective Vargas swiped his police card, they entered the premises. The faculty member observed behind and nodded knowing that no one was around. Windowsills blocked the lights from escaping. Marie opened her phone and tapped the dark orange ember app.

    ¡°Why are you opening that app? What does that have to do with Michael?¡±

    ¡°Nrrrgh!¡± sudden sharp stings severed Allyson¡¯s mind, covering the side of her head with her right hand.

    ¡°Woah, you alright?¡± Jansen lifted her and supported her left arm on his shoulders. ¡°Another headache?¡±

    ¡°Just like at the Art-Socio building.¡±

    "That''s unusual," Mr. Richter crunched his brows while Marie''s eyeballs were the size of the pale moon. "I have some ibuprofen if you need any."

    "No, I''m fine. It''s subsiding."

    "Are you sure? Still, take one just in case."

    "No, no, I''m fine now, really," she raised her head without any wrinkled pains passing through her face.

    ¡°Ok, what the hell are you kids talking about? This is getting ridiculous," The detective raised his voice by several decibels.

    A message popped up on Marie¡¯s phone: ¡°Warning! This Soul is compromised! The individual¡¯s Soul is no longer safe. Will you access its portal?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s access the portal. Mr. Vargas, we¡¯ll show you and explain it that way.¡±

    ¡°What does that-¡±

    ¡°Accessing the portal to Honjok Dome.¡±

 â€œWhy hasnâ€™t he told me this?!â€

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he told me this?!¡±

    Digital pixels emerged beneath the reality rift. Endless marigold layers dispersed across the once Terrapin Tech department, appearing frozen. But the squared polygons stretched horizontally and contorted into undeciphered scribbles. Those strings piloted in a circular pattern just over the group¡¯s figures, only keeping the detective on high alert. The rotation''s velocity accelerated until it depicted a halo. It was as if the seemingly motionless ring had screeched to an immediate halt.

    One minuscule pebble from one line chipped off. Another one fell. Many shards tumbled through like an hourglass. When all laid on the ground, a rectangular aliasing crimson hologram appeared in front of the visitors.

    HonJok Dome

    To interrupt normal startup, press Enter

    No one lifted a single finger and exchanged bewildered expressions with each other.

    Before anyone could blink, the images vanished in an instant flash.

    VROOOOOOOOOMMMM!!

    A steaming gale beneath the surface void rocketed the sands. The chalked texts came crashing down on the Private Investigators. The rainy grains continued to hammer down heavily.

    Until it finally stopped.

    "Everyone alright?" Mr. Richter wiped the residue on his glasses and puffed out the specks on his tongue.

    "Yeah, we''re good," Marie rocked her head left and smacked the opposite side with her right palm, slinging the remaining dust flying everywhere. "Bleh¡­ I got sand in my mouth."

    "What the hell is this?!" Detective Vargas smeared his face using his sandy right palm. He then noticed the others and hovered over his holster. "Can someone explain to me what''s going on?! Where did you guys get those weapons from?"

    "How should we explain this?" She murmured, pinching the right side of her lips and interlocking her arms.

    "Detective, what just transpired is that we traversed to a different world separate from where we are. While it sounds like science fiction, what you see is real."

    "Pffahahahaha!!" His dark smile emitted ambiguous signals to everyone. "This seriously can''t be right¡­ right? N-no? You guys are legit? What the hell?"

    Mr. Richter briefly explained what the other world had entailed. Officer 277 instinctively pulled out a small white box, pulled a thinly cylindrical stick, and ignited flames.

    "I still don''t get what all this means. It feels like some matrix shit. You guys know this place better than I do. I''ll just sit back while you guys take the lead. I just need to find Michael."

    ¡°We appreciate your understanding.¡±

    ¡°By the way, you said something about how this world represents what someone truly is or something like that. What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question to answer.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ you understand from what others say, but once you experience it, you get it,¡± the artist chimed in.

    ¡°Huh, that kinda makes sense. You don¡¯t know until you go through it. Is that why each world is different?¡±

    ¡°No two worlds are the same.¡±

    ¡°Have you guys been here?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to this place without any prior knowledge of it,¡± The leading professor affirmed. ¡°This is the first time a member is in this world without being alerted.¡±

    ¡°Do you guys ever go to a place that you know?¡±

    ¡°Unless someone is in peril or we need specific answers, we do not traverse to another world. A justification must be warranted.¡±

    The smoker giggled, nearly snapping off the butt of the cigarette. ¡°Man, I wonder if this is how potheads see this world. Anyways, we¡¯re wasting time here.¡±

    ¡°All of us will proceed cautiously, alright.¡±

    ¡°One more thing¡­where did you guys get those weapons? Did you guys sneak them into campus? I can¡¯t recall if you had them.¡±

    ¡°We did not. Our Soul Channels, or weapons, are only accessible here.¡±

    ¡°Huh? How''s that even possible?¡± The detective squinted his eyes and raised his cheeks as the rest of the group marched through the grains of sandy rivers. ¡°What about Jansen? He doesn¡¯t have anything like you guys.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jansen shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t have mine, and I''m just kinda here.¡±

    ¡°I forced him into coming here,¡± Allyson nudged her left elbow against her friend¡¯s tricep. "We''re all in it together!"

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Vargas groaned unamusingly.

    They found themselves in front of a steep valley glowing with sparkling grass. Two massive inclines sat next to each other, exposing a narrow pathway. The width conformed to an average human body, so they formulated a single line following the curvy trenches. Mr. Richter had summoned his Soul Channel. Four touches on his helmet. Unsuspecting ripples scurried the vicinity.

    Several minutes clocked by.

    "Hmm?"

    "You good, Teach?"

    "Shit! Cover yourselves!!"

    The tan river beneath their feet began swirling and roaring around them. Burning rubble stung through their outerwear and invaded their flesh. All visitors glued their shoes to the ground. The winds kept blowing and blowing.

    "Rgh, it fucking burns!" Allyson hollered.

    The professor''s arms were unresponsive from the scorching residue plaguing his Soul Channel. Marie''s knuckles in diagonal crosses barricaded her sight. Julia sunk her head and extended her arms, holding her tablet against the sandstorm. Jansen planted himself against the left valley. His uncle mimicked the same but to the right.

    The raging breaths resumed its onslaught, rendering all vision blocked.

    It then died down in just one minute.

    ¡°Everyone alright?¡± Mr. Richter shouted while cleaning his glasses with his shirt.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re okay,¡± Allyson slowly raised her eyelids, facing the straight path and unveiling a blinding light. ¡°Look! If there¡¯s something up ahead.¡± She grabbed Julia¡¯s hand with her right hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡±

    The shining spark lost its strength. An elongated cylindrical building with a sandstone brown dome on top yielded up front. Four pathways split into four equivocal acute angles across the building.

    ¡°What¡¯s this place? I¡¯ve never seen it before. Something you see in a game,¡± Michael¡¯s uncle intently focused on the massive building.

    The professor tapped the side of his visor, and blocks of data unloaded.

    HonJok Dome Basic Report

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Host - Active</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Arenas - 5</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Visitors - 6</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Based on this quick scan, we must be in the right place. Let''s proceed with caution, alright.¡±

    Passing the arms, the gargantuan glass door with missing handles. It contained split sections. On the top left was a silhouette of a man placing his hands over his head and bolts hovering above. To the right was a shadow figure with his right hand resting on the top of his head with a zigzag line emitting outward. To the bottom left, a dagger pierced through a dark-grained heart. To the bottom right was a cage trapping a shadowy orange ember. Outside the boundary, orbs of cyber yellow, scarlet red, teal blue and ghost white surrounded it at a distance.

    ¡°What are those symbols?¡± The faculty member inquired, rubbing his metallic chin.

    The undergraduates deflected the voice waves and were mesmerized by the tiles. Julia saw her ember on the bottom right and attempted to assess its message. Jansen checked the bottom left square. Marie curled her brows inward as her focus shifted to the top right tile. Allyson gazed at the bottom right but primarily focused on the caged sphere, engendering her heart to pump blood into overdrive.

    Mr. Richter noticed a small prism just in front of the wall. It was a rusted foundation with a tablet latched on top. A message on the screen: Press here to enter the HonJok Dome.

    When he tapped the highlighted text, a window jumped out.

    Access denied! You do not have the necessary permissions to enter the premises!

    ¡°Alright, but how are we going to get in?¡± He surveyed his surroundings of the massive building. The instructor discerned one pathway to his left where one cubicle sat. ¡°Guys! Follow me!¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Upon reaching their destination, Marie slid the door to the right, revealing a square jagged perimeter. The wine-red chair had withstood a myriad of scratches against it, displaying the white, cloudy fabric inside. In front was a navy desk holding a wooden horizontal plate with two monitors, a work laptop, and a wireless keyboard.

    ¡°Hey, this looks like Michael¡¯s workstation,¡± the agent entered inside and inspected the chair by kneeling on his left knee. He pulled out his phone and pressed the power button on the right side. ¡°Huh? Why¡¯s my phone not powering on? It should have enough battery.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ phones are effectively useless here.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± he then swapped for his notepad in his shirt pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll just use this then.¡±

    Allyson stared at the workstation and stiffened her arms. "Should we just turn on the computer?"

    "Doesn''t hurt to try," Marie pressed the power button on the top right of the laptop''s keyboard.

    The device screen displayed several desktop applications in medium-sized windows. All four applications had documentation inserted, but they appeared as screenshots. Marie moved the wired mouse and clicked on the Excel app, which turned whiter. A message on the top of the window revealed (not responding).

    "Oh damn, I hate seeing that."

    "My computer isn''t working! Please help!"

    "Who the fuck was that?" Allyson gripped the sheathed handle on her Jingum.

    "Let''s go ahead and get this resolved. Have you rebooted your computer yet?"

    "Yeah, I did! It didn''t work! I need to get these assignments done today!"

    The left monitor screen, while black, popped up a notepad.

    How will you proceed to resolve the issue?

    "Uhh, I usually just press X there and close without responding."

    Allyson began the first troubleshooting step, but the little rectangular window continuously attempted to close the apps. It never did. "Well, fuck."

    "Hmm, Michael did show me Task Manager before," Jansen controlled the pointer, right-clicked on the dark gray bar below, and chose Task Manager. He selected the four apps and chose End Task for each one. After relaunching the apps, he clicked on an open space in Word, but the unresponsive white shade returned. "Oh¡­"

    "Don''t look at me. I use Google Drive," Julia stuttered, raising her exposed palms to her shoulders.

    "We can''t look up how to fix this kind of thing."

    "Hang on, guys. Do we actually believe the person rebooted their computer?" Marie decided to take the helm. "Is there¡­like a way to tell if a computer restarted? Jansen?"

    "Yeah, Michael also showed me that before. Go back to Task Manager. Then, check the Performance tab."

    Marie followed his instructions and found the Up Time. It showed 9:20:15:02.

    "Offff course¡­" he grumbled, swiftly rocking his head sideways. The group all pinned their eyes on him. "That person didn''t reboot. They shut down the computer."

    "Does shutting down not reboot?"

    "Nah! Restart does that. Shutting down just puts your computer into a hibernation state so that it quickly powers back on. Don¡¯t you guys notice how your computer batteries appear lower the next time you draw?"

    ¡°Welp, I did not know that.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention that, Jansen, I haven¡¯t used my computer in three days. My battery went from like half charged to nearly empty.¡±

    He went to the Start Menu, clicked the power icon, and selected Restart. A grayish-blue screen flickered on with small white dots circulating at the center; the word Restarting flashed from above.

    The computer lost its light before reverting to the login page. The four applications automatically awakened from their slumber. Jansen clicked File and chose the latest document.

    The first extension screen typed again.

    The issue has been resolved. The service request will be closed. Unlocking estr¨¦s gate.

    The cube violently ruptured its infrastructure, forcing all inside to fall or latch onto any tangible support. In a sudden split second, the surroundings had stabilized.

    ¡°Everyone good?!¡± Detective Vargas hollered, grabbing Allyson and Julia¡¯s arms and lifting them to their feet.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re good,¡± Marie glued her eyes against the windowsill, viewing the entrance. ¡°Hey, guys! Check that over there!"

    Returning to the glassed barrier, the top left glowed dark orange. The other three windows remained colorless.

    ¡°Does this mean that-¡±

    ¡°Three more to go.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    The group traversed behind the first gate, entering the second desk.

    ¡°Huh? Does this look the same as the last one? What¡¯s going on?¡± Allyson pressed the power button on the laptop.

    Once the workstation booted up to the login page, the device typed itself the password and logged into the desktop. The applications displayed remained the same.

    The previous four applications remained dormant, a lavender blue desktop app with a gaming controller launched on a particular server.

    #general

    Warframer: @everyone hey guys there¡¯s this game, Spellbreak. I like it so far and it has co-op. Anyone want to play?

    Village Protector: wish I could but I got a lot on my hands atm

    Jewels: same¡­ I have too many portfolios to work on

    dunes n danes: it¡¯s a maybe from me

    dunes n danes: work¡¯s been hectic and got some exams prepared ahead

    Dos Pantalones: sorry bro got a lot going on

    Dos Pantalones: when I get the chance for sure

    sonny sideup:): I can play! Right after practice

    ¡°Did no one play that game with Michael?¡± Allyson growled at Julia, Marie, and Jansen. Her eyebrows tightened closer.

    The artist looked at her shoes. The lady wearing gauntlets averted her gaze right and had cast down her eyelids. The weaponless friend managed to admit the revelation with his stare.

    ¡°We were busy at that time. So we couldn¡¯t play that game.¡±

    ¡°When did this happen?¡± Allyson scrolled back to the conversation on the Discord app and noted the date: 09//15/20. ¡°This was two fucking years ago, and hell, the semester at that point just started! Did you guys seriously not play with him at all?!¡±

    Ding!

    The date had shifted to 02/20/21 - 8:33 pm

    #general

    Warframer: @everyone anyone want to play Spellbreak? Need a teammate to rank up.

    No texts piled on for four hours.

    ¡°What¡¯s your excuse this time?¡±

    Neither of the UMD students spoke a single word. Detective Vargas lifted his right hand, but Mr. Richter signaled him to stand down.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Allyson,¡± Julia''s somber gaze shot pulses throughout Allyson¡¯s temple. ¡°I wasn''t going to do something I''d be into. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t respond the second time. Winter classes were also a pain in the ass. I had no time for myself with all the reading prompts and assignments due each day. And also with her, too.¡±

    ¡°I was in California with my housemates, Roland and Toby. We planned on going there for winter break at that point.¡±

    ¡°And your excuse, Marie?¡±

    Her posture and expression were still as a statue, her face dimly darker.

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    Mr. Richter cautiously peeked at the date from the Discord server. Wires in his brain sparked, ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­ are you ok?¡± Allyson¡¯s tone shifted, and her forehead puckered.

    ¡°Theo¡­¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Theo?¡±

    ¡°He¡­ they ruined his life. Because of them, only I had to take care of him when he was in the worst state of his life. That entire month I never can look forward to.¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes began to moisten. Clear tides were just several cracks away from breaking through. Soon, beads evaporated as the scorching heat flared up in her vision.

    ¡°No one, and I mean NO one, not even my siblings, want to help Theo! Why?! It¡¯s not his fault! Why am I the only one having to help him? Why can¡¯t they?! That¡¯s what I had to deal with, and I certainly didn¡¯t have time to play Michael¡¯s stupid little shooting game! So that''s why I didn¡¯t respond.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t know that.¡± Her heart continued to beat eight times per second.

    ¡°Like, hell, you wouldn¡¯t know. You¡¯ve been with the group for barely a week. We hardly know you, and I don¡¯t want to hear that I have some excuse for not playing with Michael¡¯s game.¡±

    "Marie!" The artist barked, causing blue lines to bulge out of her neck. "That''s a little-"

    "Let her be," Jansen softly chimed. "Allyson didn''t know, and it brought some¡­ painful memories. It''s best to say it all out."

    "S-still¡­"

    "Just stop guys," the fighter indignantly scoffed. "Please¡­"

    ¡°I-I''m sorry for, uh, pushing it too far. L-let¡¯s continue,¡± Allyson tilted her head down to her slight left, staring vacantly at the floor. Marie crossed her arms, circumventing any visual contact with her peers.

    Approximately 15 seconds ticked by, and an unnerving silence haunted the group. Julia and Jansen glossed perturbed expressions. Mr. Richter gently shut his eyes. Vargas directed his sharp eyes at the undergrads.

    "Something about that day caused her to act like that. Hmm¡­"

    ¡°Soooo¡­ anyone know what we would do to open this gate?¡± Julia suggested while still concerned for the two women.

    ¡°Well¡­ look at both chats,¡± Jansen mused loudly. ¡°What do these have to do with us?¡±

    The left monitor generated a message: What did Michael end up doing?

    The monitor on the opposite side released a wide rectangular window box with a flickering vertical line.

    ¡°Uhh, I don''t know what Michael ended up doing,¡± Jansen shrugged his shoulders before typing on the keyboard: Played a game by himself.

    The answer box rattled horizontally, and the text deleted itself.

    ¡°I wonder if he played a different game,¡± the artist suggested. He jotted: played a different game. The box repeated the same motion. ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Hang on, when did this happen?¡± Detective Vargas queried, raising his entire upper body and approaching the workstation. He assessed the date. ¡°I remember coming home. Usually, Michael greets me. This time he didn¡¯t, and I wasn¡¯t sure why. Let me answer this.¡± The detective wrote: Nothing.

    The answer prompt closed, and something appeared from the left monitor:

    Correct! Michael lay on his bed and did nothing until he fell asleep. Unlocking the decepci¨®n gate.

    The cubicle began to rumble. Julia, Jansen, Mr. Richter, and Detective Vargas held onto any object within their grasp. Marie and Allyson stood in balance and unfazed.

    ¡°Two more. Come on, let¡¯s continue, alright.¡±

    The group departed, but two were hanging back.

    ¡°Hey, Allyson,¡± Marie finally focused her attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my outburst there. I lost my cool.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I should be the one saying sorry for assuming that you guys had some BS excuse for Michael,¡± she scratched the back of her head with her left hand. ¡°What I saw from the chats scared me for a minute.¡±

    ¡°I don''t blame you because there wasn¡¯t much context.

    "Seriously¡­ had some worried thoughts."

    "Hahaha, too, right! Anyway, why are those chats relevant now? We¡¯ll just have to find out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go. Oh, and Marie? Who¡¯s Theo?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Marie¡¯s entire face lit with crimson flames. ¡°Another time. I don¡¯t want to bring it up right now.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    The mirrored entrance had the top right portion illuminated. The group traveled to the opposite side of the left pathways. They decided to split up. Mr. Richter, Marie, and Julia covered the third path. Allyson, Jansen, and Detective Vargas partook in the fourth.

    In the third booth, they powered on the workstation. There were no computer apps viewable on the screen. Except for one, a green equilateral shape surrounding a white oval. The application revealed a myriad of direct messages. One contact name appeared.

    11/21/21 ¨C 9:48 pm

    Keith: I¡¯m not gonna play Spellbreak anymore with you

    Michael: Why? If it¡¯s something I did, please let me know

    Keith: You take that game too seriously. I thought it was just playing for fun like casual shit. After playing with you, it¡¯s not fun. You get upset like pissed when I die. If I make a mistake or leave the area, you get mad and tell me to stay in range. I change a build and you tell me to change it for optimizing. Like dude, let me fucking play how I want to play. The game allows me to play how I like, not some tier list BS. You do this for every game we play. I¡¯m honestly sick of it man. I¡¯mma be real, the stuff you like, the stuff you want to do, it drains me. That¡¯s why no one wants to play with you. If you just let me play the way I want to and work together to win, then I wouldn¡¯t complain. But clearly, that¡¯s not the case.

    Michael: No¡­ that¡¯s not how I acted for those kinds of things. I was telling you to help me out when I was fighting solo. I gave you suggestions for specific builds that you wanted to try out, not forcing you to change. I still enjoy playing these games with you because it¡¯s fun. If you want me to let you do you, then I will.

    Keith: It¡¯s NOT helping you out fighting solo when you say shit like ¡°Keith, don¡¯t just run off or play like a maniac.¡± It¡¯s NOT giving me suggestions for builds when you say ¡°why would you want to use the staff? It¡¯s worthless on your build¡±. You say this and never think about oh idk if I should say this for a casual game. Honestly, it¡¯s not worth trying to speak to you on this. We¡¯re done here. The date tomorrow you can forget about it. If you can¡¯t understand, then I won¡¯t understand you either. Bye, Michael¡­

    Michael: Keith, can we talk this out? Please¡­

    Neither monitor lit up. The cubicle immediately shook more abruptly, forcing Julia to her knees. Marie grabbed the end of the door with her right hand, and Mr. Richter fell onto his back.

    The magnitude had subsided. Both screens displayed a message:

    An arrow had pierced his heart. Unlocking the descubrimiento gate.

    ¡°Teach! You alright?¡±

    ¡°Nrrgh, I think so,¡± he grunted, sat up, hunching forward, and gently pressed his lower back with his left hand. His eyes crunched up, revealing his tightened teeth. ¡°Might be the end of me. My back has finally broken.¡±

    Julia¡¯s eyes inflated as both hands covered her gaping mouth. Marie, on the other hand, half-closed her eyes and lost all emotion.

    ¡°Get up, you old man, quit messing around,¡± she grabbed her professor¡¯s right hand and forcibly yanked him to his feet. He slyly grinned as he puffed his button shirt. Julia tilted her head left and furrowed her brows. ¡°He¡¯s old but not that old.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    In the fourth work area, the home page resembled the previous visit. Initially, no apps had automatically opened.

    Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± Allyson covered her ears before noticing multiple small boxes from the bottom right corner. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Three applications opened up: Teams, Outlook, and Messaging. Numerous notifications were continuously piling up on the bottom right corner of the screen.

    ¡°Michael, can you help me with this ticket?¡±

    ¡°Please fix my printer! I can¡¯t print!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Michael! My computer¡¯s acting up. Could you give me a hand?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t read your message earlier, but can you help me with a Teams issue?¡±

    ¡°Michael, let¡¯s do this instead. I think it¡¯s more fun to do.¡±

    ¡°Not interested, I''d rather do this.¡±

    ¡°Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael¡­¡±

    ¡°Good, God, man, I¡¯d lose my shit if people keep pestering me like that.¡±

    ¡°Is this what Michael was going through? How did I miss that? Why hasn¡¯t he told me this?!¡± Detective Vargas¡¯s angry tone echoed in the minuscule room. The ringing sent shivering waves to Allyson. ¡°Let¡¯s get this thing over with.¡±

    Both monitors displayed the same rectangular answer box. A question popped up above: Michael is feeling ________. He will__________

    ¡°Uhh,¡± Jansen typed his answers on the keyboard. ¡°Overwhelmed and take things slow?¡± The window shook sideways. ¡°Oh¡­ well¡­ maybe annoyed and quit?¡± Same result. ¡°Unappreciated and take a stand?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna figure this out if you keep guessing like that. Don¡¯t you and Michael know each other?¡±

    ¡°Well, based on the messages, I can¡¯t tell. Maybe it¡¯s-¡±

    Allyson silently took command of the desktop, forcing Jansen to step aside. Her lifeless eyes became mesmerized. Her friend knitted his brows upon furtively inspecting the lady with a sword. She typed in isolated and do things alone.

    Correct! Michael feels isolated and wants to do things alone. Unlocking the aislamiento gate.

    The cubicle rattled like an earthquake. Vargas and Jansen held the handles of the windowsill. Allyson remained stiff as a stone. Her vision began to blur, eyelids partially covering her pupils and cloaked by the violet irises.

    Once the rumbling subsided, the men recomposed their posture.

    ¡°That should be the last one. Come on, let¡¯s meet up at the front. Allyson?¡± He tapped her left shoulder and rocked it back and forth. ¡°Wake up! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Huh, huh? Oh, yeah! Let¡¯s hurry!¡± Allyson¡¯s irises reverted to brown along with her pupils. She fizzled her head sideways for a brief stint.

    Dark circles layered around Jansen¡¯s eyes. He was behind Allyson and the detective. His forehead pressed against each other, forming three crunched layers when staring at her. Soon, his lips tightened before the skin around made dimples.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Once rendezvoused at the glassed entrance, the four squares all lit up. The panel kiosk remained the same as before. Mr. Richter pressed the hyperlinked text: here. The glass squares zoomed away, starting from top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right, respectively. Beneath the kiosk opened a small storage area, mechanically driving the contraption until it was not present anymore.

    Slowly entering the dome, they immediately noticed the numerous server racks stacked in a column and spread through the perimeter walls. Silver rectangular 2U Rackmount form factors stacked on top of each other, over ten per column. Numerous blue ethernet cables lodged into all available ports from behind, wrapped in an organized, twisted rope. Maxi-glass doors containing number locks intertwined with the handles.

    In a straight path ahead, another pillar touchscreen stood on its own just above an around cylindrical electronic board displaying: R.E.G.I.S.T.R.A.T.I.O.N

    Upon inspection, the shadow yet slightly dark orange screen launched a window.

    Welcome to HonJok Dome! You will partake in five arenas before confronting the System Master. Each arena is designed by the System Master and his countless efforts in perfecting the trials by himself. By clicking agree, you consent to the risks of participating in a dangerous task.

    Select: Agree Disagree

    Next

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s ahead. Michael¡¯s somewhere here, and I won''t stop until we find him. Got it?¡± Detective Vargas¡¯s commanding tone had everyone comply without hesitation. He tapped Agree before directing the kiosk to the next screen. Two forest green luminescent lights shot from opposite sides and converged in the middle, just above the group. A halo ring encircled them up and down before it vanished without a trace.

    Congratulations on partaking in the HonJok Frontier! You will participate in the five arenas representing the System Master¡¯s HonJok. In the next screen, you will dispatch one participant per arena until all have been completed.

 â€œIm slowly getting it nowâ€¦â€

    ¡°I''m slowly getting it now¡­¡±

    "Am I reading this right? One person has to fight?"

    At the far end of the lobby, silver doors slid away. The kiosk presented another message.

    Proceed to the next floor to commence the trials.

    "How do we know this isn''t a trap?" The detective questioned, stiffly gliding around his holster. ¡°We have to be careful here.¡±

    "Who fucking cares? Michael''s in danger, and we''re finding him!" The lightning lady bolted towards the elevator.

    "What''s her deal?"

    No one uttered a single word until Jansen spoke up. "Not sure what you''re talking about, Uncle. That''s how she is."

    "What does that even mean?" The group followed Allyson, leaving Vargas flabbergasted. "Nnrggh, kids these days are so damn confusing."

    Arena 1 - The Firewall

    The confined space was a vast square. Alloy orange coated the walls, ceilings, and floors. Its venue added no noticeable structures, presenting itself as an empty room. Beneath the center of the room, the carrier brought them up before disappearing below.

    "There''s nothing here," Marie stated, dropping her fisticuffs to her hips.

    "It''s too quiet," The professor proclaimed, cautiously spinning around to assess the area.

    "Welcome to the HonJok Frontier where you will partake in various journeys of the System Master¡¯s creation. Do you wish to proceed?"

    Everyone pointed their heads to the ceiling but showed no other physical presence.

    "Uhhh, sure?"

    "Are you asking a question or confirming your participation?"

    "We''re participating, no matter what!" Vargas affirmed, dropping his cigarette like a pin and crushing it with his left boot.

    "Very well¡­ let us begin. Arena 1 shall go underway."

    Without warning, five windows were on different levels. Two on the left and three on the right silently exposed a rectangular prism cage launching towards the center.

    "Look out!!!"

    Marie shoved her teacher out of reach. Mr. Richter stumbled several steps before realizing what had transpired.

    Cages emerged and captured the Private Investigators.

    The iron chains returned to their windows. Forceful impacts smashed the backs of the imprisoned. They then all slid down.

    "Hey!! Everyone ok?!"

    Marie felt the entire zone was a never-ending road. Everything felt deaf to her. She delivered a frustrated blow to the cage with her left fist. "Shit¡­"

    Julia used the cursor to erase the bars around her. It failed miserably. ¡°Umm¡­ can anyone hear me?¡±

    Jansen gripped the bars in front of him and intently stared below. ¡°... ¡­¡±

    Detective Vargas took two steps back, lifted his bent right leg, puffed his chest, leaned back slightly, and released a forceful heel kick. His cage rattled, so he attempted again, but to no avail. ¡°Nrgh.¡±

    Allyson sheathed her Jingum to her left hip. She crossed her ankles before dropping down in the middle of the cage. Hunching forward, she rested her chin on the base of her left palm. ¡°Well, damn, we¡¯re fucked¡­¡±

    ¡°Guys! Are you alright?!¡± The faculty member hollered, straining his neck. The lack of acknowledgment frightened him. ¡°Can you hear me?!¡±

    The wall in front of him virtualized a holographic prompt.

    You are witnessing suspicious activity on the network. Prevent the traffic from penetrating the firewall.

    Before the teacher could blink, a clicking sound came from behind. An ivory piranha emerged with razor-sharp hooks lodged on the left side of its mouth. It was erratically swimming around.

    Then its sights locked on him.

    Mr. Richter extended his left armor gauntlet, generating a high concentration of silver ether. Once visible, he fired a projectile. The impact only pushed the phish back¡ªno discernible scratches. The creature resumed diving in the direction of the professor.

    ¡°Strings! Quick analysis!¡±

    Target identified. Initiating analysis. Progress: 0%...2%

    With a slight bend on his knees, he prepared another concentrated windy orb. The piranha gradually paddled faster.

    Progress: 98%... 100%

    ¡°Almost there,¡± the influx of energy on his left palm started to shine.

    Warning! Do not contact the physical object!

    Mr. Richter leaped left and rolled once before kneeling right. When he looked up, the phish redirected its position and found its victim. The emerald-armored man maintained his position, leaned back a few inches, and released a sudden burst of ventilation. The creature flew up, spiraling into a gyro. The faculty jumped on both boots and squatted lowly with scorching steam emitting around his hands.

    VROOM!!!

    The teacher flew towards the enemy. He tapped the side of his visor.

    Sword mode switch.

    The emerald-armored left gauntlet transformed its green metallurgic shards into a sharp saber. Mr. Richter crossed the weapon to his right before slicing the phish in half.

    As he accelerated downward, the backside of his Gears opened two rectangular holes, bringing out boomerang-shaped objects. The teacher barely arched his back. Its silent waves eased his velocity. Soon, he appeared to float down like a falling autumn leaf.

    The split remains of the creature rendered motionless.

    Click.

    Across from him, a massive gap was visible. The black overcast rendered the professor¡¯s assessment inexplicable.

    Click. Click. Click. Click.

    Sssssssssssss¡­

    "Strings, full analysis."

    What emerged from the dark depths was a navy-skinned horse. It was triple the size compared to Mr. Richter. However, a knight in a charcoal suit rode a steed, brandishing a menacing twin-bladed spear.

    "Teach! Watch out!!" Marie unleashed a series of pounding forces on her cage. It never budged. "Aaaggghhh!!"

    However, the foe halted in front of him. The warrior dismounted and took three steps before striking its weapon to the ground and extending its right hand, palm up, to the faculty member.

    "Alright, is that thing trying to make peace?" He slowly reached for the enemy''s hand with his right hand.

    Warning! Do not contact the target!

    He paused, just inches from touching.

    "Wait a minute¡­"

    Mr. Richter suddenly shifted his weapon in an undercut position before swiftly raising it in an upper concave.

    CLANK!

    The knight''s posture was intact as his left hand pushed the spear forward, clashing with his sword. One commanding shove compelled the teacher to reconvene several steps back.

    THUD! THUD!

    Behind the armored opponent, a crimson cylindrical monster slithered out of the shadows. It was directing its trajectory toward the two fighters.

    "What the¡­" From his peripheral, a hand was coming towards his visor. Preparing to fight back, the knight gently touched it before stepping back to mount on the steed. He quickly peaked at the giant being. "Strings! Analysis!"

    The worm was inching closer and closer. The warrior merely stood still.

    As Mr. Richter bent his knees diagonally left and lowered his blade, Strings progressed ninety-eight percent of the assessment.

    When it struck one hundred, his visor shut down.

    "Huh?"

    SLAM!!

    Flown back by the length of a football field, he collided against the wall before dropping to the ground.

    "Mr. Richter!"

    "TEACH!!!"

    Crunching his entire face, the faculty member slowly got on his kneecaps, wobbling sideways before standing up.

    "I''m just getting started¡­" Twisting his left wrist, he sprinted. The creature and warrior stood together, refusing to move a single inch. He kept running and running.

    Then his blade disintegrated.

    "What''s-"

    The worm slithered past until it was behind him. Mr. Richter suddenly felt his strides weaken. With a simple bump, the teacher tripped and collapsed to the ground. The galloping horse trampled all over him. Lastly, the knight kicked him so that his head faced up.

    A sharp needle, just breathing on his neck. The armored foe raised back, steadying its spear. Mr. Richter shut his eyelids. Time suddenly froze in his eyes. A rush of memories flashed through the film screen of his brain.

    Memories of his kids graduating high school.

    The wedding with his wife.

    Receiving his teaching degree.

    Earning his Ph.D.

    Speaking to Marie at his desk with both of them warming up smiles.

    An office lighted in monochrome in an unknown building. The film buzzed out.

    When he opened his eyes, no enemy was visible. The trojan was nonexistent. The creature vanished.

    "How could you let this happen?!"

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    "You thought it was safe to download this link, and now our network is compromised!

    A young, familiar voice echoed throughout the arena.

    "Oh, Michael. I expected your knowledge to prevent this from happening. No one makes a fool out of me. We lost trust in our best investors! Our reputation is nearly beyond repair! We are losing investment¡­ because of you. You failed this campus. You failed me."

    "What''s going on?"

    Shackles pushed the prisoners to the hard concrete. All ran to the professor, ignoring their stinging pain.

    "Teach!" Marie lifted his back and embraced him. "Are you ok?"

    "Nrgh, I don''t think so. Strings is unresponsive. My body can barely move."

    "What were those things anyways?" Vargas wondered. ¡°They don¡¯t seem like random enemies. It¡¯s too out of the ordinary."

    Trial #1 failed. You¡¯ve allowed the malware to bypass the firewall and compromise the network, causing irreparable damage in the trust of Herman, Hurwitz, and Cuffey''s name.

    Heavy, quiet waves of uneasiness began flowing through the area. Initially, no one seemed to comprehend the information presented to them. The group exchanged gazes.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± the detective folded his eyes, recalling a memory file in hand. ¡°There was that data breach that happened on campus last semester. What does that have to do with Michael?¡±

    The opened wall across from them highlighted a recollection of that particular day.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    From: Emile Yoon <[email protected]</a>>

    To: [email protected]</a>

    Subject: Performance Review

    Good morning Michael!

    I hope your morning went well! I¡¯ve received a formal complaint from you by Scott Herman regarding your service request. The attached file is the complaint received. Please review the document and respond to this email that you¡¯ve acknowledged it. Thank you!

    Best,

    Emile Yoon

    ______________________________________________________________________

    Michael¡¯s heart raced. His mind rummaged through his system. Pupils shrunk to pebbles. He immediately opened the file that came with that email. He read the complaint that Scott was unhappy with his performance regarding tightening security for campus and Michael¡¯s attitude. As soon as Michael noticed the email header, he immediately closed the file and deleted the email.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    It was too late.

    His computer became inaccessible. His colleagues were unable to click or move their mice on their screens. Minutes later, on his Teams, there was a ping.

    @All Staff Attention! Please take your machines off the network ASAP! Our systems have been compromised! Data is being encrypted and we detected keystrokes being used! We are investigating the issue at hand. Updates will be added to this thread.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Shit¡­¡±

    ¡°That was him?¡± The artist said aloud, clutching her left fist onto her chest.

    ¡°Now, I remember.¡± Michael¡¯s uncle groaned. ¡°He worked late that day. I¡¯ll never forget his face when he came home¡­ He was this close to breaking down. That was the first time I¡¯ve ever seen him look¡­ despondent.¡±

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Since that day, nothing excites him. He talks in the same manner every time. Lays in bed whenever he comes home, barely eats his meals, and even news of new games he just doesn¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°Hey, did any of you guys talk to Michael around that time?¡± Allyson questioned her group.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Julia first answered. Marie shook her head.

    ¡°I tried calling him,¡± Jansen provided. ¡°He never answered. I went to his house, and uncle told me about it.¡±

    ¡°Were you able to talk to him?¡±

    ¡°I knocked on his door. His response? ¡°¡®GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE!¡¯¡±

    A sudden, uncomfortable flash of flames burned inside her. She let out a muted sigh.

    ¡°Michael was sorta better a month later,¡± Jansen added. ¡°Uncle and I got him to go to a movie theater together.¡±

    ¡°Was it that bad?¡± Her friend slowly nodded.

    ¡°Stuff like that lingers forever. It never goes away.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s press on,¡± Allyson half-heartedly commanded her teammates. ¡°We can talk about here, but he¡¯s in danger, so saving him is the priority.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    They entered the gap. For a moment, the dark cloak remained on the surface. Out of nowhere, their surroundings shifted left and right uncontrollably. However, no one in the group was losing their balance.

    The black mist swiftly vanished. A new room emerged. Three individual laptops stood on a desk in the shape of a triangle. The workstations surrounded the investigators. In front of them was a massive blank screen.

    Arena 2 - The Server

    ¡°What¡¯s it this time?¡± Mr. Richter mused aloud.

    You must disable the three accounts that have shattered the second gate. Each one resides on the server. Locate the objects. Use your resources to identify the users.

    ¡°So who wants to give this a go?¡± No one was willing to volunteer, leaving the faculty member to chuckle. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m sure y¡¯all can fare better than I.¡±

    ¡°Eh, why not? I can give it a try,¡± Marie cracked her knuckles before shrinking her lips. ¡°Hmm, does it matter which one I go?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t know until you find out,¡± Jansen slightly shadowed a smirk on his face.

    ¡°This one then,¡± the lady with Scarlet Gauntlets stood at the workstation ahead of her. ¡°Wish me luck!¡± She clicked on the Enter key, converting her body into pixels and streaming through its screen.

    ¡°Woah!¡± Marie stumbled a step before kneeling on her right knee and rising back up. Around her was filled with the Windows logo, capturing all available space. Sixteen mini tablets scattered around the library lobby. ¡°Which one am I supposed to find?¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°Look!¡± Julia pointed at the projection screen. ¡°It¡¯s Marie! Hey, Marie!¡±

    The woman on display continued to walk.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like she can hear us.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Walking to her left, Marie inspected the device that was in standby mode. One single tap. A message appeared: ¡°You take that game too seriously.¡± The bridge between her brows began to tense up. ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Bang!

    She instinctively turned back and positioned herself into a southpaw stance. At the center of the shape was a charcoal-cased laptop. Sky fluorescent lights shone enough to stress one''s eyes. Marie cautiously stepped towards the machine. A window covered the entire laptop glass. The top left corner depicted a title: The System Master¡¯s Directory Users. Beneath were branches filled with names. One folder appeared and expanded its group.

    Former Interests

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jack Ngata</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">William Ferguson</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Keith Mills</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Leo Yoon</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°That message we saw back there,¡± the fighter hovered her two fingers on Keith¡¯s name and pressed it. A gray box popped above the selected object. Among the options, she knew the one to pick: Disable Account.

    The object Keith Mills has been disabled. 1 of 3 accounts identified.

    ¡°Whew! That one was pretty easy. How hard can this be?¡±

    Thud!

    Eight tablets started to descend to the floor. The hatches opened before closing the selected pads. For the surviving ones, four of them powered on, revealing the shade of crimson rays.

    ¡°Looks creepy, like out of a horror movie.¡± She dropped her hands low before quickly bringing them level. ¡°Who else did Michael feel that way?¡±

    The tablet marked UMD01 was checked. Initially, it was merely a solid color with no other details. Marie weakly touched the glass. The background layer became paper white. The opacity began to reveal an outline, but to her, it was undecipherable. Then, black shades began to trace over it. The imagery was becoming clearer.

    It was the Eppley gym.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°A gym? That¡¯s an oddly specific location.¡± Vargas confusingly stated, tilting his head right while crossing her arms.

    ¡°Is this a person? Or like a group?¡± Jansen asked, squinting his eyes and leaning forward.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± Julia shrugged her shoulders.

    Allyson remained silent. Her left hand was clenching the ends of her shirt.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°That¡¯s not helpful.¡± Marie mashed the tablet with her right palm. The scenery was unchanged. ¡°Maybe the other tablets can give me more clues.¡±

    Across from there, she inspected the UMD02 on the left side. It illustrated the various equipment containing a rack of dumbbells, benches, and numerous machines designed for targeted muscles. Marie started chewing her lower lip. ¡°Rrrghh! It¡¯s Eppley again! What is this supposed to be?!¡±

    Ping!

    At the front side of the perimeter, the twin tablets flickered. Lowering her eyelids and pursing her lips, Marie carefully marched over to the devices, her torso twisting slightly sideways. Each step echoed throughout the temple that only she could hear. Soon, her breaths emulated the same.

    Once she stood in front of the devices, her pupils rose to the size of the moon. The rhythm in her exhalation exponentially sped up.

    The left tablet revealed metallic gloves coated in scarlet paint. Marie looked at her Soul Channel. Her mind connected the dots. To her right, only two words popped up: Village Protector.

    ¡°W-what? W-w-why is my name here?!¡± Her trembling voice nearly stunned her body before channeling enough energy to crack the crystal layer on the left. ¡°Is this some sort of joke?! What the hell¡­¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°Woah, woah, woah¡­¡± The blonde student furrowed her brows. ¡°There¡¯s no way that Marie could be part of the three, r-right?¡±

    Mr. Richter and Detective Vargas exchanged looks before tightly sealing their lips.

    ¡°Do you think what we saw outside this place played a role?¡± The male student recalled the Discord chats recorded.

    ¡°Did that affect him more than we think?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t confirm, but from what we¡¯re seeing, there¡¯s no doubt it can be.¡±

    Allyson¡¯s entire body became rigid. Her heart pounded like a drummer whaling on the instrument. The irises turned dark violet. She stepped back only once.

    Jansen directed his lens to the bottom right corner without moving his posture.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Marie bolted to the central hub and noticed that another folder appeared.

    Friend Group

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jansen Eriksen</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Julia Svihia</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Marie Villaeon</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Jackson Stroud</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Fay Ishikawa</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Allyson Kim</li>

    </ul>

    Her arm quivered as she closed in selecting her name, folding her brows inwards and jutting her jaw. Her vision only sharpened on her name whilst everything else was becoming blurry. Ears turned deaf to the silent, stilling air.

    She finally punched in her name and clicked the option.

    The object of Marie Villaeon has been disabled. 2 of 3 accounts identified.

    ¡°This is some sort of joke, Michael?! The hell did I do to you?! Tell me, you damn hermit!¡±

    ¡°I refuse to play some stuuuuupid game Michael wants us to play! Does he expect us to play along?!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s there?!¡± No one was around. ¡°Come out, you loser!¡±

    The red tablets began losing infrastructure pieces chipped off before crumbling like a fallen building. All remaining were the last four devices, layered like the previous four. The rays radiating were crow black. Unnoticeable afar but discernible up front.

    Marie remained where the other twin devices were and touched the one on the left. All flickered simultaneously.

    The little computers in front of her displayed two images: one with three men peacefully smiling in a small house. One with two young men well-dressed at a reception hall.

    From the other side, Detective Vargas stared intently at the wide screen. Jansen had done the same.

    The remaining tablets on the sides had revealed a cracked shield and the name dunes n danes.

    The officer lowered his tensed shoulders. The weaponless man''s pupils shrank to the size of a pebble. Mr. Richter continued being mute. Julia''s arms were latched onto her sides, only bringing her left hand to rub the other.

    All Allyson could focus on was the violet screen in front of her.

    Marie rushed to the center and found the name she had reluctantly chosen.

    The object Jansen Eriksen has been disabled. All accounts identified.

    Congratulations! You have passed the second trial! However, you must first open the path to the third trial by conquering the ambush conducted by the deactivated objects.

    "What?"

    The three walls that once stood the many tablets converged into three pillars. They were reconstructed into human-like manifestations.

    To the left was a young man with a silver shield. His physical appearance was all crow black, rendering other detailed features null. To the right was a woman with scarlet skin positioning in a boxing stance.

    At the center was an unrecognizable man appearing built with wired frames. He brandished a black and gold glove imbued with a teal blue shade. On the other hand, he was brandishing a double-edged ax.

    "You''ve got to be joking." Marie prepared her stance, rolling her eyes in the process.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    "Umm, shouldn''t we help her?!" The virtual artist exclaimed, preparing to scribble on her tablet.

    Mr. Richter tried to touch the computer Marie entered and pressed all sorts of keys on the board. Nothing had occurred. "I think we''re stuck here like the last trial."

    "Damn¡­"

    "Did I¡­ mess up somehow?"

    Everyone except Allyson directed their attention to Jansen.

    "We can''t confirm anything," The teacher reassured him. "Only can we find Michael and get more answers."

    "But¡­ why?"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    "Oh, if that''s how it''s gonna be," Marie briefly shut her eyes before flashing them to the three foes. "Then let''s rock!"

    The shadow woman charged forward, reeling her left fist back before chucking a hook cut. Marie took two steps back, twisting her back clockwise. Stopping at 4 o''clock, she lazily jabbed with her left gauntlet, stunning her opponent, and added three more jabs before delivering a straight punch from her right.

    Marie halted as the apparatus wielding the shield rammed into her. Crossing her fisticuffs, the ory alloys clanked against each other. From afar, the unknown foe shattered the ground, erupting glaciers of shivering ice toward Marie. With her peripheral vision, she lessened the tension with her arms. The defender started running, causing her to skid back.

    The man with a protective barrier was struck by the sharp crystals, leveling his shield down. Channeling and curling her left arm inward, Marie released a swift rising punch, launching the enemy off the ground before collapsing to the floor. She immediately stood over the fallen foe before smashing his body into robotic pieces.

    ¡°Shit!¡± The incoming ax nearly decapitated her head. She threw herself backward, rolling twice. The mage and shadow boxer approached her in different directions. Marie planted her palms down, twisting her hips and legs slightly left. Once she gazed and pinpointed their coordinates, she swung her lower body in a curved upward concave, separating her legs in the form of scissors. Nabbing the ax-wielding man¡¯s legs, Marie crunched her kicks, engendering the third man to fall on his back.

    The lookalike leaped up and brought back her right glove. Marie swiftly cushioned her winged scapula, drew her legs past her shoulders, and firmly planted her hands, in proximity to her ears, against the ground. With a flick flex of her hips and legs, she immediately extended both, granting a momentum boost of thrust into the air and dodging the incoming attack. Marie¡¯s kip-up was complete, stomping her imposter with both shoes. Instinctively, she bent her knees before hopping toward the male foe. The ax-wielding man failed to move as Marie landed an impactful elbow blow to his chest.

    She held no hesitation before stealing the ax and jamming it right through its chest. The man''s head exploded, revealing dense smoke and hard wires inside. Hopping back on her feet, she walked toward the mirrored foe and rolled her head up.

    Clank!

    The steel blade hardly carried through the target¡¯s cranium, just several inches deep inside. Fused sparks danced across her body before her face blew up.

    Marie raised her calm, burning eyes. "If you''re gonna make a clone of me, at least do it right!" The determined yet frustrated tone festered across the entire arena. Nothing from the left. Nothing from the right.

    Her body started to dematerialize.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    "Huh? Where''d she go?" Vargas wondered.

    The device on the right rattled as a shining white light emitted. The detective walked closer to investigate.

    "Wah!!"

    A magnificent force jumped out from the shaken computer, colliding and tumbling to the cold ground. Both laid against the floor with their backs.

    "Detective!"

    "Marie!"

    Pressing his chest with his left hand, the officer slowly got up while Marie sat up and rocked her head. Jansen maintained support; the professor followed the same for the lady with scarlet fists.

    "You guys alright?" Mr. Richter inquired.

    "Just a shove, nothing serious."

    "I''m¡­ ok."

    The group simultaneously raised their brows.

    "Marie¡­" Allyson softly addressed her friend. "We saw what happened from that projector over there."

    "Then you saw the names. Right¡­ Jansen?"

    He locked his ambiguous gaze on her. Several long seconds passed. "I did."

    "How come it was you two?" Julia contemplated.

    "I''m not sure, but he''s got some explaining to do." She tensely curled her hands, withholding all the pent-up emotions. "I''m not going through this again, not with you guys."

    "Even with this whole world of his, it''s difficult to understand his thoughts right now." Her teacher quickly added.

    "I can hardly understand him," The detective crossed his arms. "After looking at all of this¡­ I''m slowly getting it now."

    "It was like this with Julia." The swordfighter mentioned that event before gripping the Jingum tighter.

    THUD!

    The Investigators panicked and prepared themselves. The projector ascended to the ceiling, entering a gap before sealing itself firmly. Behind it was massive free space. An escalator was suddenly being constructed. The team had no skepticism and rode the moving staircase.

    "Hey, Marie," she turned to the detective. "I must say¡­ you were damn impressive back there."

    "Eh, heh, thanks! To be honest, they didn''t put up that much of a fight."

    "Maybe a certain someone can learn a thing from you." He had a sly smirk and ensured the other man saw it.

    "In my defense, my opponents had infected my system."

    "Who needs a computer assistant when you got these bad boys to use." Marie punched her right palm with her left fist. Vargas chuckled.

    "I''d be careful because fists aren''t always going to solve your problems."

    "I let them do the talking so they do fix my problems." Hearing those words made the faculty member giggle while shaking his head sideways.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Traversing the long hallway, their next destination had the same perimeter as the previous trial. The opening behind the group had been shut down. A layer rose from below, revealing a screen and a scanning camera at the center.

    On the opposite side was also the exact model. In between laid fallen worms, horses, phishes, and other unknown creatures.

    At the center, a young man stood stiff, his cranium pointing at an acute angle.

    "Michael!"

 â€œI will let no one decide my identity!â€

    ¡°I will let no one decide my identity!¡±

    Arena 3 - The DMZ

    The technician remained unflinched, gazing at the barrier. His body had not inched a muscle.

    "Michael!! Heyyyyy!!" No answer. Marie took one step before hopping right from the incoming vermilion elliptical sphere. "The hell''s going on?! Why are you attacking us?!"

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    The fighter still hung against the barren ground while raising her brows. Eerie waves brushed through their flesh.

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    The man at the center slowly moved his upper torso left. The side of his face, to them, was undecipherable. The whole fabric of existence had progressed steadily, deriving the expected normality.

    Finally, he showed himself to the group.

    "I expected more from the professor in the trials to succeed than his little disciple."

    Marie left a gap in her mouth when she noticed that the man who seemingly was their friend had half of his body etched with copper wires and fiberglass. His right eye was no human eye. It was a single-layered lens illuminated by the dark orange light.

    "Michael?"

    "I am the System Master. My only purpose is to provide trials to those unwilling to comprehend his world."

    "Where''s Michael?!" Detective Vargas hollered.

    The mechanical form moved his flesh side back, revealing a shadow sandstone barrier. Myriad squares dispersed across it. Each one had a 64-bit hexadecimal code.

    A visible gateway unveiled a man sitting on a torn desk chair with his back barely hunching. His head hung like a fruit on a tree.

    "Michael!" He instinctively chased the prisoner.

    "Wait, stop! Marie lunged forward to intercept his striding legs but failed.

    Click. BOOM!

    The furious velocity of the silver projectile was invisible to the human eye. The rest of the team hurriedly bolted behind him.

    He fell onto the ground motionless.

    ¡°Vargas!!!¡±

    As they encircled the unresponsive man, Michael¡¯s head decided to twitch on its own, his vision bridging hazy and clear images. Four blinks were all it took for his senses to come full circle. ¡°T¨ªo? T¨ªo!!¡± He smacked the glass door.

    ¡°It appears that I¡¯ve woken up.¡±

    Mr. Richter gently pressed the break adjacent to the detective¡¯s windpipe. His shoulders leveled down, and he let out an alleviating sigh. ¡°He¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°Way to go, Michael!¡± Marie snarled before cracking her fists. ¡°You nearly killed your uncle!¡±

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? We need answers!¡± Julia stood aside from her friend and started scribbling.

    ¡°The third trial will commence soon.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be fucking serious right now¡­¡± Allyson quietly cursed before standing to the right of Marie.

    ¡°I will make an exception to this trial. All of the visitors will partake in this trial. Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m in!¡± Marie hopped twice before getting into a southpaw stance.

    ¡°I guess so.¡± Julia was rather unenthusiastic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Jansen, guys? You ready?¡± Allyson spun the Jingum in a double helix motion before gripping the handle with both hands.

    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no other way. Come on, Vargas,¡± the teacher lifted the officer who clutched his chest.

    ¡°You guys can take care of the fight. I¡¯ll provide the backup if needed.¡±

    ¡°Julia, shield me,¡± with a flick of her wrist, the silver shield manifested on his left arm.

    There is suspicious activity in the Demilitarized Zone. Take the necessary steps to stabilize the architecture.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    From where they were standing, four towers appeared. Those seemingly objects began morphing into humanlike figures.

    From left to right, there was a man in an all-white dress suit, appearing similar in age to the students. Next to him was an individual encased in dark iron armor wielding a rifle. Adjacent to the gunman was an older gentleman dressed in lime robes and brandishing an elder staff. Lastly, a headless honcho whose body was composed of computer motherboards levitated inches above the barren wasteland.

    "Heh," The officer hacked before drumming his chest. "It''s like dealing with rowdy kids."

    "No, it''s not," Allyson firmly refuted, becoming the group¡¯s frontline. "They''re dangerous, and we all need to be cautious."

    "If it''s like those trials, then you''re right. What''s the plan?"

    "Easy," her teammates focused their eyes on the enemies but awaited the lightning lady''s command. "Jansen and Detective, the gunman''s yours. You know what to do."

    "Let me take the first lead," The shielder locked his protective barrier near his chest.

    "Julia and Mr. Richter take on the snobbish guy. I know he''s up to something."

    The artist and the emerald-armored man nodded in unison.

    "Marie, I suppose you have no problems with the wizard," The right side of her lip flicked up.

    "I won a 1v3. It won''t take long," The martial boxer''s body flared, engaging in her battle stance. "Think you can challenge that thing there?"

    "I''ve seen worse. Have you seen Joe?" Allyson''s entire vision tunneled to where the floating foe was the only thing she could see. She mused, "He looks tough. I can''t get a good gauge, unlike the other three. Good luck guys¡­"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Marie sprinted straight towards the wizard. The spellcaster swirled his staff in a circle, generating green crystallized flames. The fighter skipped right, dodging the shot. Another projectile flew. She pushed the brakes on her legs and leaped left. The sudden direction change forced her to spin around.

    Then she felt the scorching punch to her body.

    "Agh!!" The impact sent her right shoulder crashing to the ground first. She allowed the momentum to roll a few times before launching her upper body back to her southpaw stance.

    Bullets of embers began chasing her down. Marie decided to embrace the heat through her gauntlets. Her face started to numb.

    She failed to tolerate more onslaught, dropping face down to escape.

    "What am I supposed to do?"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Julia conjured a pink puffball with stubby arms, face nearly expressionless. "Go, Kirby!"

    The little assistant ran towards the suited individual. Mr. Richter''s Soul Channel remained unresponsive. He shook his head before joining the fray.

    The enemy stood relaxed, grin creepily rising.

    Kirby diagonally leaped while the teacher resorted to his armor as fisticuffs.

    Emerging from the shadows, an unknown individual guarded in front and endured the blows dealt. The intruder collapsed right after.

    "Tch, can''t do a simple job. This should be easy for you!"

    The artist created another manifestation, similar to the pink puffball. The lifeform was an oddly shaped figure wearing a blue bandana. "Help them, Waddle Dee!"

    The pear-shaped comrade readied its spear and lunged towards the foe. Kirby and Mr. Richter followed suit.

    The man did not move.

    Four abnormally large objects rained down, neither pouring on anyone. When they reached the floor, their bodies bounced up and down, lifelessly dangling around. Images of their forms were apparent. UMD students.

    The teacher and the two art forms hurdled back.

    ¡°Guess I have to do things myself.¡±

    The first and fourth student¡¯s limbs suddenly turned stiff. Behind were latched by eerie black thin threads, all tracing back to the man¡¯s left fingers. His fight fingers mirrored the same.

    ¡°This is creepy,¡± the virtual artist exhaled deeply before shaking off the uneasy weight on her shoulders. She summoned a wieldable scythe. Setting her equipment on the belt, Julia held the weapon with both hands. She ran past her teammates, raised her blade, and swung diagonally down. ¡°AAAGGGGHHH!!¡±

    The first puppet twirled right and stopped its momentum before delivering a hook punch. Kirby looped in and transformed into a bricked cube absorbing the blow. Waddle Dee snuck from behind and pierced its spear into the center. No blood. Only a hollow crater left its mark. The fourth servant performed a sex-kick as it approached the blonde student. Instead, green metallic plates met the attack.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    She twisted her body left along with her hands before slinging. The very tip of the scythe was lodged and buried on the pawn¡¯s nape.

    ¡°Did I get it?¡± The puppet¡¯s arms began twitching. ¡°Aaahhh!!¡± Using her free hand, she slapped the enemy¡¯s head, rotating uncontrollably. ¡°Is it still moving?¡±

    The controlled student was unresponsive. They looked at her creations, and the foe appeared to be motionless. The darkly emitted strings faded into nothingness.

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    The remaining two puppets appeared from behind and tackled the artist, launching her several meters. Mr. Richter took one step but fell.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± he questioned until an unknown hand hooked onto his left ankle. The two active pawns grabbed their target. The teacher intercepted them by using his arms. Kirby and Waddle Dee assisted, only for them to get held by the same puppets.

    ¡°Ehahahaha! It shouldn¡¯t be this difficult,¡± the business-attired man taunted before tightening his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to do! Can¡¯t you see what happens when you put your mind to it?!¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    A barrage of golden bullets roared against Jansen¡¯s shield, rendering him immovable. Detective Vargas moved his head out in the open inch-by-inch. He held his Glock and pulled the trigger.

    BANG!

    The assailant was unfazed and continued shooting.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get a good shot! We need to get closer!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying! If he reloads, let¡¯s jump him.¡±

    Seconds ticked by before the storm of snaps subsided. Both men immediately sprinted. Their visions sharply focused on the gunman. The male student kept his shield near his chest.

    The moment when the opponent raised its arms, Jansen¡¯s mind lit up.

    ¡°Get down!¡± Vargas kneeled, covering themselves with the silver barrier. The officer carefully peaked from the left and noticed the dark ironclad legs were approaching.

    ¡°Move your shield up a bit,¡± Jansen obeyed without hesitation.

    The troop suddenly stopped its rifle and stared at the detective. It redirected its target.

    ¡°Go,¡± he whispered to the defender. Jansen pondered for a split millisecond before boosting towards the gunman. As the foe shifted its next target on the moving man¡¯s legs, Jansen leaped, retracting his legs closer to his body.

    The collision had no effect, and the assailant pointed its life-stealing pistol on his forehead. However, its glassed visor cracked uneven lines everywhere. Myriad fragments began to falter but remained intact. The detective carried his weight and slammed against the gunman.

    ¡°See how you like this?!¡± He buried his derringer on the visor. However, he failed to pull the trigger and flew back.

    The enemy summoned another rifle. Before attempting to shoot, Jansen dove with his shield low to trip the gunman. However, it proved unsuccessful. The heavy force of the enemy''s boot pressed against Jansen¡¯s cranium.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Allyson swung the Jingum horizontally, only for the motherboard to levitate higher. She clawed her left hand, palm facing out. Strands of violet volts converged to the center. Then lightning burst through.

    The surrounding screens then constructed a barrier, immersing the incoming attack.

    Wattage: 65.

    All staticity was absorbed.

    Wattage: 1000000000.

    Bolts of electric energy reflected to the swordswoman. Allyson leaped right, firmly planted both feet, and fired a dagger-sized bolt. The enemy floated closer to the ground but still never made contact. She pulled her sword behind her and struck straight.

    One monitor screen intercepted the metallic blade. A thinly chipped hole rendered the barrier powerless. Allyson managed to retract her Soul Channel. The headless foe waved its hand across. The remaining screens gravitated toward the swordfighter, compelling her to step back. Nowhere to run, all preparing to block.

    One rammed into her. Allyson skipped left. The second screen generated pale blue spheres on its four corners. From top to bottom, each electromagnetic beam emitted, forcing her to somersault forward. She retaliated by storming a series of intensely heated threads. Out of nowhere, the first monitor collided with her.

    ¡°Gah, shit!¡± She cursed, trying to pull herself up using her sword. As soon as she was on her knees, the third screen levitated behind her. It opened two sliding pockets from the side and restrained Allyson¡¯s wrists.

    The second monitor was just meters away from the swordswoman. All four orbs danced around as their lights became saturated. In a split second, rays pierced through her fiber being.

    ¡°UURRRAAAGGGHHHH!!!¡± Her body convulsed uncontrollably by the pulsating charges scorching her flesh. The currents had ceased. Allyson¡¯s head dropped low like a crumbling tower. Burnt smoke emitted from her temple. ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°No! Stop this! Don¡¯t hurt them any more!¡±

    "..."

    ¡°Please,¡± Michael slammed his palms on the glassed container. ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt them.¡±

    ______________________________________________________________________

    ¡°Hey, Allyson! I¡¯m coming!¡± Marie, while still distant from the wizard, sprinted to her right. The spellcaster prayed a chant before unleashing numerous spherical flames. The fighter jump spun three times to avoid all the incoming projectiles. On the fourth dodge, Marie nearly tripped but regained her balance using her strides. She delivered an almighty blow on the third monitor with her left fist.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    The rattling impact allowed the projecting device to unshackle its cuffs on the swordfighter and direct its next objective to capture Marie. Its chains launched towards her. Before making a single step, a sizzling punch engendered to arch her back. Soon, cold bracelets locked her wrists.

    ¡°Nrgh¡­grrrh,¡± she grumbled, futilely endeavoring to shatter the chains against her. ¡°NNRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!¡± The green-coated magician barraged magma pellets against her back, causing her to belt out a blood-curdling scream. Crystal beads began pouring out from her eyes, and her eyelids were on the verge of shutting down.

    ¡°Marie!!¡± Mr. Richter anxiously screamed, abandoning his post to save her. However, one of the puppet¡¯s hands tripped up his ankle again.

    Jansen barely gazed at his endangered ally but felt the weighted force nearly cracking his skull. Detective Vargas and the gunman were standing across from each other, pointing their weapons. The muffled noise became deaf to him.

    The first monitor swooped to the left and charged toward its target. Her body collapsed to the ground while her numb arms were above her shoulders by the inescapable shackles.

    Out of nowhere, an orchid-colored bolt struck the pictured display. The monitor vibrated, ceasing its movement.

    With the Jingum impaled on the ground, Allyson hugged her body on it as she limply stood on bent acute legs. She raised her left palm, generating static pulses.

    Four lasers shot her from behind, causing her to be on the ground face-first.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°This is all my fault¡­¡±

    "They don¡¯t understand."

    ¡°I¡­ let those voices make me who I¡¯m not.¡±

    "Incorrect. I¡¯m all good at computer work. No one cares about what I enjoy. Why even Marie and Jansen think so, too. I know they think I¡¯m weird for playing these games no one knows. They think I¡¯m trying to be special¡­ and I am."

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Y-you¡­ are¡­. really¡­ pathetic,¡± Michael surveyed the battlefield and saw a boxer facing him. The wizard was approaching her.

    ¡°M-Marie¡­b-but¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you¡­ expect me¡­ or any of us¡­ to play a game¡­ that we¡¯re not interested in?¡±

    ¡°Marie,¡± Jansen coughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re my friend, aren¡¯t you?¡± The IT student left a gaping hole in his jaw. ¡°Friends are supposed to play games together like that.¡±

    ¡°Tehehe,¡± she giggled, curling her lips while her eyebrows withheld the blistering breath on her back. ¡°If we just¡­ played your game¡­ wouldn¡¯t that hurt you more?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    "As your System Master, retract your statement, or I¡¯ll order the enemy to burn you into ashes."

    ¡°The only person here willing to play your game is me,¡± an intruding voice let Michael scope the area again. It was Allyson, lying back and staring at the uninspiring ceiling. ¡°I remember your face when I told you I played games like that. We still have yet to show our dynamic styles in Spellbreak.¡±

    Michael left an alleviating grin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ care much about¡­ those games,¡± Marie stated, urging her pupils to wake up. ¡°You gotta¡­ understand that¡­ friends don¡¯t always have the same interests for everything. Even so, they always stick together. Why do you think we want you around?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    "This is your final warning."

    ¡°Hey,¡± the shielder hoarsely commented. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you feel that way. I thought what I said back then was okay, but it hurt you. To make things up, I¡¯ll do more to be a better hermano. After what you and uncle did, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡±

    ¡°All of us¡­ embrace different likes, hobbies, and styles. One thing¡­ doesn¡¯t define you. It shouldn¡¯t make you, you. There¡¯s¡­ always more to you than just IT.¡±

    Allyson quietly muttered, ¡°Yeah¡­ always more than what you see.¡±

    ¡°One last chance to desist all communication. If you do not comply, this entire DMZ will shut down."

    ¡°Michael,¡± the lady with Scarlet Gauntlets gasped for air. ¡°Get up and fight! I¡¯m not losing you. P-please. Not ever again.¡±

    He closed his eyes, letting all the information skim through like a quick scan. The swarming flood of various chatters reduced its volume until no audio registered. His vision regained clarity.

    HMM! HMM!

    The humming originated from his phone.

    Upon viewing the screen, a sandstone-colored ember burned through for a brief stint. The screen shifted to pitch black, a flashing brown line at the center.

    Do you still believe that IT is all you are?

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­No.¡±

    You left it all behind, didn¡¯t you? Why did you leave it behind?

    ¡°I wanted to leave it behind because I thought I could bury my past.¡±

    The past may have happened, but it will always be with you. The past cannot be buried.

    ¡°I guess I realized that. All that I¡¯ve endured. I¡¯ll take it back and show who¡¯s leveled up!¡±

    Let not one component shape a man. The sum of his life is what identifies him as he is. Let your heart speak and open to the Soul Portal.

    His handheld device revealed the spherical flames again. He tightly gripped his phone.

    ¡°I will let no one decide my identity!¡±

    The phone floated three inches above his palm, rotating helically at supersonic speed. During its rotation, the object symmetrically splited apart. One gravitated toward the glassed wall while the other remained. As it ended, half of the phone transformed into five ports resembling the fingers of one¡¯s left hand. The other fraction morphed into a two-bared tool, bearing similarity to a cable crimper. One stark difference was that five holes could fit human fingers.

    ¡°Soul¡­¡±

    His right hand shook, wanting to resist the action it was about to take.

    ¡°Portal¡­¡±

    Without thinking, a single snap dislodged the tips of his left hand.

    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!¡± Dropping the crimper, Michael locked his left wrist with his right hand, adding meaningless resistance. Grimacing the stinging pain, he hurriedly stood in front of the ports and carefully plugged in his severed fingers.

    Fiberglass and copper traces traversed through the left arm, his upper body, lower side, and head. Seconds clocked by before the ignition of a machine startup launched.

    Imprisoned shards dispersed across the warzone.

    A figure flew into the air. Body layered by components of a motherboard. Large black goggles with orange lenses covered his eyes. Around his temple was a circular translucent neon green screen with numerous applications launched simultaneously.

    ¡°An error has occurred. The following event cannot be comprehended. Eliminate the new threat."

    The wizard holstered its staff and cast a flaming laser. The headless honcho commanded its monitors to neutralize the new target.

    Michael drifted left to avoid the incoming projectiles. Continuing to soar, he swiped two fingers right twice until he reached an application. The top bar displayed PowerScript. The holographic keyboard glowed rainbow.

    He rapidly typed in a split second.

    M:\> Net SoulGroup Private Investigators Allyson /add

    M:\> Net SoulGroup Private Investigators Julia /add

    M:\> Net SoulGroup Private Investigators Marie /add

    M:\> Net SoulGroup Private Investigators Curtis Richter /add

    M:\> Net SoulGroup Private Investigators Jansen /add

    M:\> Net SoulGroup Private Investigators T¨ªo /add

    M:\> Grant-SoulRestoration -Name Allyson

    M:\> Grant-SoulRestoration -Name Marie

    Shades of Chartreuse Green halo rings encased around the swordswoman and the gauntlet fighter. Breaking into crystal pebbles, the mysterious lights converged on Allyson''s upper body and Marie''s back.

    "It doesn''t hurt," she concluded, standing up without struggle. "Marie!"

    "Am I crazy, or is my back okay? Hey, check my back. Are there any burns?"

    "Not really."

    "Whatever he did," The boxer punched her right palm with her left knuckles, leaving a menacing remark on her lips. "Time for some payback!"

    Allyson pointed at the wizard with her Jingum. "Hold nothing back. Exspell them out!¡±"

    "Leave that magic freak to me!"

    "Marie! Allyson!" Michael shouted from above. "Let me give you guys a boost."

    M:\> Grant-SoulChannelStrength -ScarletGauntlets

    M:\> Grant-SoulChannelStrength -Jingum

    The fisticuffs glowed with ruby lights. The metallic edges radiated an amethyst mist, outlining the outer blade itself.

    "I''m not sure what this is, but I''m liking it," Marie bolted off.

    Allyson stared at the technician who was evading attacks. A serene sun rose from her lips before walking to the gunman. An electric orb shape emerged from her left claw. With sufficient concentration, a thunderous beam of lightning forced the enemy''s system armor to malfunction.

    "Sorry to jump the gun, but your fight is with me."

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Two fireballs compelled Marie to pivot left and bend her back nearly ninety degrees. The spellcaster pounded the wasteland once with the wooden staff, ringing hollow vibrations. The female student winced her right face but continued to run. Muttered incantations painted a clear circular mark surrounding him. Then sapphire flames erupted.

    All of a sudden, the ring expanded at an exponential rate.

    "Woah!" Marie halted and saw the oncoming volcanic wall. She hopped until she could reach the heavens, whirled her body, and bounced onto the warm floor. Another flame ring detonated. "Again?! Hang on, maybe¡­"

    A series of oscillating waves began surging. The fighter flicked both wrists before running forward.

    "Hyah!" One hook shot with her left disintegrated the wave. Her face grew darker. "Ehehe¡­"

    Per fist, each flame nullified. Proximity between the two was shrinking by the second. Without warning, the wizard canceled the flame waves and shot fireballs instead. Marie repeated the same tactics. The outcome swung in her favor.

    Then, the mage pointed the staff orb and sent a flamethrower ray. The female student hesitated in swiping the attack. She crossed her arms in front and let her strides freely take off.

    To her surprise, the Scarlet Gauntlets withstood the intense heat. No time to muse. Marie rushed forward until she shoved the spellcaster.

    However, he stepped aside, raised his staff, which changed its orb into a sharp knife and struck down.

    CLANK!

    The wizard lost his grip on his weapon and flew upward. He saw the woman retaliate with a diagonal upward draw with her left Soul Channel. She immediately stepped once and delivered a jaw-breaking uppercut.

    Tasting the red alloy, the mage remained unresponsive after getting catapulted.

    "I don''t know what Teach''s talking about. My fists are the answer."

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Allyson ran around her opponent, who still barraged endless bullets. Despite sending thunderbolts, the shooter was unflinched. The officer¡¯s derringer fared worse. Jansen was still face down.

    Then, a bulb flickered in the dark chambers of her mind.

    ¡°Jansen! Forgive me for this!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Out of nowhere, a strand of bright heat sizzled against his shield. ¡°What the hell?!¡± He jumped in panic, causing the gunman to stumble.

    The armored foe focused its target on the male student and stomped his cranium. The gateway to the other side was nearly creaking open.

    Clack!

    The silver cutter absorbed its plate and spread it throughout the rifler¡¯s body. She swung in a downward slope, but the base of the gun intercepted it. Allyson leaned left before raising her sword. However, she created a lock around the enemy¡¯s arm and pulled it to her chest.

    ¡°Someone ram into this fucker!¡± Jansen quickly got up and slammed into the assailant, bringing him and the female student to the ground. Allyson managed to keep restraint. She felt the steel sheet with her left hand and unleashed electric discharge, only to find that the static strings found themselves in the barren land.

    Bang!

    A hole was chipped off from the visor. Detective Vargas had his Glock breathing just above it. Weak fuses coughed from inside the glass. The gunman¡¯s body was stagnant. His rifle faintly exploded before dismantling apart.

    ¡°Thanks for the help there,¡± he deeply sighed.

    ¡°No problem,¡± she rocked her head sideways, tidying her clothes and Soul Channel.

    ¡°You nearly killed me! You insane, woman?!¡± Jansen hollered, steam flowing from his body.

    ¡°Well, I did say sorry,¡± Allyson shrugged, leaning her head right.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that it worked out.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°Uhh, guys!¡± Julia panicked while speed-drawing. ¡°A little help!¡±

    Kirby controlled the artist¡¯s scythe while Waddle Dee continued fending off the puppets. Mr. Richter kept swerving his head as two pawns approached him. The four lifeless students began accelerating their steps.

    A storm of popping shots caused the group to drop to the floor. Julia ran to her little ones and covered their bodies. The detective stood from afar but withstood his gun¡¯s recoils. It only managed to strike one target whose bodies broke apart. A shower of static bolts paralyzed another one.

    The shielder slid and kneeled behind them and covered himself. Marie pressed her legs, bent down, and launched high with the catapult providing the momentum boost. Bringing her left fist, the trajectory was leaning toward the third puppet. Closer and closer.

    ¡°YAAAH!!¡± A meticulous blow to the false student¡¯s face engendered it to leave a dented mark.

    One pawn remained and sprinted. The Virtual Artist took her reaping staff and chopped off the last head.

    After reconvening, they all silently shifted their bodies toward the suited man.

    ¡°If they only could be better, then I wouldn¡¯t have to do all the work..¡±

    ¡°Shut up! You never gave me any respect!¡± A voice from afar began to fly in closer to the Private Investigators. The headless enemy was still in pursuit.

    It then stiffened itself, shaking its arms and legs uncontrollably.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be a great asset to me,¡± his devilish smirk glowed as he yanked the enticed servant. ¡°Fend them off, and I may reward you.¡±

    He nodded to the System Master, who pressed a key on his bracelet. A window tab wrapped around the well-dressed figure, leaving an ugly grin. The bright red square on the corner caused it to disappear in a blink of an eye.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Julia wondered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fight it.¡±

    Several raised eyebrows amongst the team. Michael swiped left, and a web portal loaded. He pressed Scan Now, formulating a cerulean barrier around the controlled foe. The enemy remained still.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Allyson whispered internally.

    ¡°Scan is complete. I had a feeling you¡¯d look familiar. You¡¯re a character I made on Spellbreak. I won my first match with you.¡±

    A plethora of rectangular shards emerged on the screen. He made no hesitation and selected the option Shut down. The headless honcho lost its levitation and dropped to the ground.

    A rumbling quake sang throughout the arena. The team barely supported themselves and fell to the floor.

    When it was over, the System Master inputted a command to disassemble the two gigantic walls.

    Congratulations! You have passed the third trial. Please take the time to recuperate and proceed to the fourth trial.

    ¡°That was a hectic fight,¡± Julia swiftly sat down before Kirby and Waddle Dee rested on her lap. ¡°You guys did great! I¡¯m glad those illustrations I drew came in nicely. Rest well, little ones,¡± She tapped her Exporting Glasses, which transferred the pixelated sidekicks back to her Jewel Tablet.

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Marie concurred, falling to her knees and heavily panting. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to be in back-to-back fights.¡±

    ¡°Try getting electrocuted.¡±

    ¡°In my defense, I saved you.¡±

    ¡°And if I died?¡±

    ¡°Oh, please, lightning wouldn¡¯t kill you. My electric powers aren¡¯t that shocking.¡±

    ¡°Mmm hmm¡­ You got that right. It¡¯s not that stunning.¡±

    ¡°See? Got nothing to fear.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± The fighter chuckled before getting up. ¡°Hey, Teach! You alright?¡±

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Teach?¡±

    ¡°The more we are in this world, the more confusing it gets.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We thought Michael already had his Soul Channel, but witnessing everything just now¡­ what is Soul Channel exactly? How do you determine it?¡±

    The question breezed through their minds. No one had any idea what to answer.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Allyson called to the technician. ¡°Thanks for saving us.¡±

    ¡°No, I should be the one thanking you all. If you didn¡¯t come here, none of this would¡¯ve happened,¡± a warm grin beamed on his face. ¡°If you and Marie didn¡¯t say anything, maybe I¡¯d still be stuck here.¡±

    ¡°You know you still got some explaining to do,¡± Marie crossed her arms and played an enigmatic quirk on her lips.

    ¡°I know, but let¡¯s save it for now. I¡¯m tired.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe!¡± Vargas embraced his nephew so tightly that Michael barely budged. His face turned cherry red. The bridge was on the verge of shattering and unleashing an ocean tirade. ¡°I got so worried. I thought you went missing. Come on, let¡¯s go home. This world is too much for me right now.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for worrying you,¡± Michael gently wrapped his arms around his uncle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say sorry. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    Without anyone noticing, Marie emptily stared at the floor, and the corners of her lips fell.

    ¡°Mr. Richter,¡± the swordswoman called the professor. ¡°Do you have any ideas on the Soul Channel thing or more about this world?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure,¡± he rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°What I thought I knew, I ended up knowing nothing, given Michael¡¯s situation. Thankfully, Strings gathered sufficient data, so I can analyze it later.¡±

    ¡°Can we head out? I don¡¯t want to stay here and risk any more issues,¡± the officer inquired in a demanding tone.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wrap it up here and discuss the matter at another time.¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    September 14th - 11:34pm

    Everyone returned to the lobby of the Terrapin Tech Department, encased by a shadowy intangible blanket. The professor located the switch, and luminescent rays dispersed everywhere.

    "We''re back home."

    ¡°That world is so confusing,¡± Allyson stated. Heavy thoughts lingered in her mind.

    "Like we said, it''s a bit complicated," Mr. Richter reiterated.

    "I''ll take Michael home and finish my shift later tonight. I probably can¡¯t sleep from this."

    "What if people see us here?" Julia inquired.

    "Not likely," Jansen reassured. "Our SPAs have shifts here, but they leave at 11:30pm on the dot. Right now, it''s past that."

    "We''ll take different routes exiting the building to avoid suspicion," Allyson suggested.

    "Don''t worry about that. I''ll take care of it if Jansen and I get questioned. Is your radio OK?"

    "We''ll find out later tonight."

    "Thanks, everyone for finding Michael. I''ll return the favor somehow," Vargas let his face crack a shadow smile.

    "We appreciate your understanding in this predicament," Mr. Richter reciprocated.

    "Take care all."

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Arena 3 - The DMZ

    On the abandoned field, a mysterious figure stepped in. No walls were conjured nor configured. The System Master was absent.

    Additional ghostly clicking taps in perfecting rhythm marched on until the headless individual was nearby. An icy cold stare left the visitor as motionless as can be.

    "Still alive¡­"

    The stranger scanned the environment before heading back to the entry point.

    The next destination was the front of HonJok Dome. After continuing to tour around the world, the visitor''s eyes closed.

    Flashes of Cree appeared. Flashes of Michael appeared. Flashes of two unidentifiable individuals.

    "One down. Doesn¡¯t matter because they¡¯re next."

 "Some things can be appreciated beyond what this world hasâ€¦â€

    ¡°Some things can be appreciated beyond what this world has¡­¡±

    October 15th - 11:26 am

    ¡°Hey, Michael! How¡¯s it going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m well, Emile. How are you?¡±

    ¡°Nice, nice! Can¡¯t complain since it¡¯s been a slow day. Checking your queue, it looks like you touched every ticket you worked on.¡±

    ¡°Some tickets are ongoing but I¡¯m still waiting for others to respond.¡±

    ¡°Right, sometimes they¡¯ll answer, sometimes they¡¯re hard to get. Keep working on those tickets and close them if you get no response after 3 emails.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    ¡°Another thing I do want to bring up is we¡¯ll be setting up a conference room for Scott and Joe in a few weeks for a conference on campus.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ yeah. What will I have to do?¡±

    ¡°So you and Brett will have to image a laptop. Doesn¡¯t need to follow normal procedures. You¡¯ll just create an easy local admin account and have them sign into their Office apps. The projector may be a challenge with the resolution issue, but the laptop we¡¯ll be issuing should circumvent that.¡±

    ¡°How early can we set this up?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to coordinate with Scott to schedule a time to get everything worked on: their files needing to sync over, download the necessary apps, run all updates, and anything else.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s been a rough couple of weeks for you, so I wanted to check in and see if you need anything from me.¡±

    ¡°It has been difficult, but I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it! Did anything happen that¡¯s making you feel a little better?¡±

    ¡°Only the support from my uncle and my friends. They help me keep doing what I need to do.¡±

    ¡°Family and friends are always great to have when you need them. Happy to hear that things are better. Some things can be appreciated beyond what this world has.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°Before we finish our check-in, need anything from me?¡±

    ¡°Not at the moment, but I¡¯ll let you know if anything comes up.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good! Have a great weekend, and keep me posted on anything.¡±

    ¡°Same to you.¡±

    ¡°Alright, bye!¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 15th - 11:44 am

    In the Art-Sociology building, a blonde-haired girl entered the gallery maze. She took a flight of steps and passed down the long path to her right. Behind the tan gateway was a field of familiar faces.

    The once lightly shone room was blackened by grave glares.

    "Oh¡­ we have a guest."

    The sky blue-haired undergraduate on the other side had to restrain her lips from curving up.

    "Hey guys."

    Hollow silence filled the air.

    "S-sorry for missing our meetings lately," Julia¡¯s shaky voice rang throughout the room. "I''ve been-"

    "You guys can continue here. Julia, we can talk outside."

    "Umm, okay."

    They were distant enough that their voices never echoed past their temples.

    "So why are you here?"

    "I thought I could come back and at least still help out while I can."

    "What makes you think I want you back with the group?" His demeanor struck a chord in her heart. "We welcome real artists."

    "Look," she greatly exhaled. "I know what I did because of-"

    "Because of what? What could you possibly justify using it?"

    "You knew how awful she treated us!"

    "Yeah, your point?"

    "Excuse me?"

    "We were all overworked and stressed out, but none of us stooped to the point of using that. You did."

    "You make it sound like I committed a terrible crime."

    "It''s not because you used AI for art. You claimed it as your work. Made money off of them. You didn''t even feel bad doing it. Hell, do you see the campus promoting stuff using that?!"

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    "You knew how wrong it was. At least we had the decency to deal through it all."

    "You can''t possibly be okay with how Cree-"

    "She knew how harmful AI art was. You didn''t. I''d rather be treated like shit than have you back. How can we be sure you won''t use it again? No¡­ better yet, we''re better off without you. We can''t let our group be infested by parasites anymore."

    "You can''t be serious? Give me another chance at least."

    "No. I''m not doing that."

    "Just listen!" Julia swallowed her pride and bravely locked his gaze. "I know it was wrong. It doesn''t justify it despite all that happened to me. I''ll start over! I can make a new name for myself to owe it up."

    "Can?"

    "What?"

    "You mean you wouldn''t?"

    "That''s not what I-"

    "Leave."

    "Will!"

    "Julia, you don''t belong here. Let''s leave it at that."

    "This group is all I have¡­"

    "Then find a new one!" Will stepped a few steps before turning his head. ¡°You never belonged here anyway.¡± He calmly entered the classroom.

    Julia traversed in the opposite direction, found the restroom, and slammed the stall.  Her sorrows plagued her mind. Melancholy waters broke her eyelids.

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Fuck my life!!!"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 15 - 12:08 pm

    Seven ladies in red penny jerseys marched down the grassy plains. Preston passed to Molts who lateralled across to Hwang. Lobbing to the center, Smith absorbed the ball by the arch of her left cleat. She flicked with the back of her heel before Fay slung a precise thirty-five-degree angle kick before hooking it to the mini net.

    "Nice one, Fay!" Stephanie cheered, assertively clapping her hands.

    "Good shot! Good shot!" Jade praised, jogging to give Fay a high five.

    Soon the other four followed suit. Whistles rung the whole field.

    "Strong finish!" The assistant coach complimented. "Keep up the strong pressing and the goals come later! Remember to never leave your position!"

    Beep! Beep!

    "Alright team, let''s gather around," the middle-aged man in a fleece jacket spoke with glazed eyes. The entire squad lined in a curve. Fay buried herself behind the front. "Good practice. Make sure to rest up and be ready for tomorrow''s match."

    Jillian brought a whiteboard. It depicted a soccer field with red magnetic dots forming a 4-3-3. Coach Leves directed his hand on it.

    "Expect them to box up the midfield. Bowman and Romina have a strong linkup so our back four must contain them on the flank. I''ll finalize the starting eleven tonight and set out a game plan. Be at Ludwig Field at 11 am."

    All nodded in unison.

    "Captain."

    "Bring it here, loves," The team encircled Renard, wrapping their arms around each other. "We''re here to take each opportunity one at a time. Don''t lose focus and seize the moment. One game at a time. Terps on three. One, two, three!"

    "Terps!"

    Minutes ticked by as the players gathered their belongings and departed the field. The striker finished sending a text and noticed the number 7 who took several paces back. One strike went wide left.

    "Fay, practice is over."

    She nabbed another ball, aggressively slammed it on a white dot, and attempted another shot. Wide left again.

    "You don''t have to push yourself. You''ll risk getting hurt."

    "Hurt?" Sophia appeared unfazed but wanted to smack herself. "How can I get hurt if I never play?"

    "Fay, um-"

    "I''ll just train more. I need more reps," The athlete mounted another one at the right corner of the penalty box. One deep sigh before swinging her left cleat. It went above the crossbar. ¡°Just need to keep going.¡±

    After six missed shots in various directions, Fay retrieved every practice ball and recycled her routine. The outcome remained unchanged. Her vexation became more animated as she carelessly let her cleats run amok.

    Chiesa slowly hung her shocked head and never turned back.

    One shot blasted through the skies. The lone player charged toward the game net, her eyes glazing over the white metallic post.

    ¡°AGH!!¡± A vibrant hum left behind scratched marks.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 15th - 12:33 pm

    ¡°One more! Come on!¡±

    ¡°Rrrrrgghh, raaaahh!!¡± Her arms fully reached out like bamboo and displaced the barbell on the handles. She instantly lost all feeling in her arms. ¡°Whew! That was tough!¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah! Always push on until you¡¯re all gassed up,¡± Marie applauded while grabbing a bronze-plated wheel and inserting each side. ¡°One more set and I¡¯m done.¡±

    Allyson''s mind ran around endlessly by the fighter¡¯s ability to withstand substantial weight before barely scraping by her last two repetitions. After stretching their bodies, they retrieved their belongings in the locker room before returning to the main floor.

    ¡°Hey, wanna grab a bite? Eating after a workout helps your muscles recover faster.¡±

    ¡°Where at?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s this place called Krazi Burrito. I usually go there after a heavy day. Cheap and you get a good bang for your buck.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m down!¡±

    They walked across campus and were just on the right side of Montgomery Hall. In a small stand just next to the Marathon Deli, the venue had two concessions on opposing sides. One side had large tortillas stacked near the presser. Allyson mostly adhered to Marie¡¯s order except for choosing chicken instead of steak.

    ¡°Damn, this burrito is good,¡± the long-haired woman felt a savory river flood her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling ya if you need a good post-workout meal, this is the place. Cheaper than Chipotle and honestly looks healthier.¡±

    ¡°Is there hot sauce? Lemme get one,¡± the question was discarded as she snubbed a bottle of Cholula.

    ¡°Hey, Allyson, while we¡¯re still here, about yesterday,¡± Marie quietly chatted.

    ¡°Is this about Michael?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ what did you think of it?¡±

    ¡°Think of what?¡±

    ¡°You know, his world and the weird trials. Did anything stand out? Trying to see what people think."

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It felt like there were lots of things he wanted to do but ended up doing it himself.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Each trial required one person to participate, and the trial felt like a game. You had to do it by yourself. Maybe that¡¯s how Michael felt.¡±

    ¡°Really?" Marie perplexingly replied, raising her brows. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it like that. I saw it more as him living in his fantasy.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I was trying to piece them all together and thought Michael was trying to escape from the real world.¡±

    ¡°Uhh, yeah, no. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°You were nice enough to play a game he likes that none of us do. It keeps him happy.¡±

    Allyson nearly crunched her eyebrows. ¡°I guess so. Him awakening his Soul Channel was a surprise. I thought he already had that.¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡± The short-haired student acquiesced. ¡°I was under the impression that we established our Soul Channel. Does he have another one then? But what about me? Do I have a Soul Channel?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ noooo?¡± The transfer student simultaneously twisted and tilted her head sideways.

    ¡°Ugh, It¡¯s getting more confusing, but then again we¡¯re making more progress than before.¡±

    "What even is that world?"

    "Beats me."

    "Speaking of that, Marie, how did you know about that world? Like how did you stumble upon it?"

    "Let''s finish up here and walk. I''ll tell you."

    After finishing their meals, they walked across Chapel Lawn and were on a trajectory to the sidewalk of Chapel Lane and Regents Drive.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    February 20th, 2019 - 7:18 pm

    An undergraduate student had exited the Eppley building, arching her physique in all directions. Filling her head with intense striking guitar chords, she strode in rhythm en route to her dorm.

    She opted to fly down the incline rather than up the stony stairway.

    Until an echoing ping halted her posture.

    What she saw made her legs feel like iron.

    Elizabeth: Have you heard from Theo? He hasn¡¯t been home yet¡­

    ¡°No I haven¡¯t¡­ what happened to him? I thought he was just meeting a friend.¡±

    Elizabeth: I¡¯m checking his location but it¡¯s saying he¡¯s been in Rockville since 8:34 am.

    ¡°Please, please, please find him! I¡¯m getting worried¡­¡±

    Elizabeth: Dad and I are heading there to see where he is. I¡¯ll keep you posted.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    What felt like lava coursing throughout her body. She sat on the chilling step and dug her nails into the flesh of her cranium. Three hours ticked by. She constantly checked the lock screen per second. At several points, the undergraduate rushed down to the campus farm and then returned to Centreville Hall.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    This time, a singing bell rang.

    Elizabeth: Hey, Marie¡­ so do you want to hear the good or bad news first?

    ¡°Good news.¡±

    Elizabeth: We found Theo.

    ¡°Whew! That¡¯s really good to hear!¡±

    Elizabeth: For the bad news, well¡­

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Elizabeth: We found him in¡­

    The receiver felt the sharp breeze penetrate her temple. Her posture transformed into a sculpted statue.

    Elizabeth: I know it¡¯s a serious situation right now. I¡¯m not sure what we¡¯ll do.

    ¡°Thanks. I need a breather right now.¡±

    Elizabeth: I understand. Let¡¯s hope for the better.

    The conversation had ended its transmission. The young student marched back to her dorm at a turtle¡¯s pace. With free space, Marie masked her face on the cushy pillow and belted out a scream. One slam with her left fist. Crystal beads flowed down like a waterfall.

    ¡°Theo¡­ why? W-why?!¡±

    A humming vibration coerced her to check her handheld device.

    The screen was all pitch-black. In the middle radiated a crimson-red ember.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy. What was that world like when you were there?¡±

    ¡°It was at HQ, believe it or not.¡±

    ¡°No way, for real?! Do you remember anything else? Must¡¯ve felt so surreal.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Marie swerved her head sideways. ¡°It felt like living in a dream. I thought it was when I woke up the next morning. For a while, it did.¡±

    ¡°What changed?¡±

    ¡°I saw Teach walk into the Van Munching about a month later. Must¡¯ve been that year. He was with another student. I thought it was weird because he never had lectures in that building, so I followed them. Next thing I knew, I was back in that world.¡±

    ¡°So he already knew then? But who was the student with him?¡±

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°That student¡­ was Leo Yoon.¡±

    A wave of shivering realization crawled her back. ¡°W-wait. Didn¡¯t we see his name on-¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she interrupted, leaving a smidge of wrinkled brows.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°Was he-¡±

    ¡°Mmm hmm,¡± a black screen was all she was seeing. ¡°He was an important member.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you another time. By the way, you doing anything tonight?¡±

    ¡°Oh, study a bit for midterms, but I got nothing else after.¡±

    ¡°Same here, just want the midterms to end soon. So, Julia and I are gonna head to Terp House for some drinks. You should come with us!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± The lights in her eyes flickered. ¡°Sure! I could loosen up after studying.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you a text later on when we¡¯ll meet up.¡±

    ¡°What about the others?¡±

    ¡°Jackson¡¯s got that smash tournament, which I think Fay and Jansen are tagging along.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if Fay¡¯s gonna win.¡±

    ¡°No doubt she will.¡±

    ¡°Is she that good?¡±

    ¡°One time we did a 5v1 against Fay in Smash and lost¡­ badly. We only took one stock.¡±

    ¡°Welp, she has nothing to worry about!¡±

    Ring! Ring!

    Marie¡¯s irises rolled around when inspecting the phone¡¯s incoming call. ¡°Sorry, let me take this call. What?¡±

    Her icy frown became misty upon hearing the caller¡¯s relayed message.

    ¡°Are you serious right now?! You promised that you were going to take care of him today! I need to study for my midterms. I¡¯m fucking busy!¡±

    Another digital chatter flowed to her ear.

    ¡°You¡¯re busy? No, no, no! Have the decency to take him somewhere so he isn¡¯t in the house all day. You are not breaking another promise.¡±

    Allyson¡¯s heart uncontrollably shook inside. The unknown caller recommenced the conversation.

    ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marie. I know I¡¯m telling you this on short notice, but this is something I need to do.¡±

    ¡°More important than Theo?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s more important than him? Huh?!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Margaret!¡± The lock screen was what remained. ¡°That bitch¡­¡±

    ¡°Marie?¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± she cursed as she shut her eyes and weaved her head back and forth. ¡°Sorry, you had to see that. Bad timing I guess.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all good, but who¡¯s Margaret?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my older sister.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like you get along with her.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no shit,¡± she agitatedly scoffed, marginally bulging her pupils. ¡°Her work has no business interfering with my life.¡±

    ¡°Where does she work at?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a lawyer. Nothing special.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Wouldn¡¯t that be a big position?¡±

    ¡°Depending on what you mean. Sure it¡¯s a well-respected job, but it isn¡¯t all that.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ who¡¯s the other person then, Theo?¡±

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡± her shadowed expression shot a crack in Allyson¡¯s nerves. Marie infuriatingly let out steam from her mouth. ¡°Just don¡¯t tell this to anyone, please?¡±

    ¡°Promise.¡±

    ¡°Theo is my brother.¡±

    ¡°Little brother?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s a year older than me,¡± her answer caused Allyson¡¯s brows to arch up. ¡°I¡¯m the youngest in the family.¡±

    ¡°Really? How many siblings do you have?¡±

    ¡°Three. Margaret is the oldest. Then it¡¯s Elizabeth, Theo, and me. We¡¯re quite a big family.¡±

    ¡°Must be a party. I have a younger brother. Wish I had a sister though.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, it¡¯s not fun,¡± she left an enigmatic quirk on her lips. ¡°They''ll get on your nerves for anything.¡±

    "Hahahaha!" Both women let loose their tense laughing boxes.

    Crossing her arms, "Kinda unlucky though because I just invited you to a night out, but it doesn''t seem like we can do that now."

    "Oh¡­¡­ some bad timing."

    "Another time. Anyway, I gotta head home now. I''ll see you around!"

    "Yeah¡­catch ya later!"

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 15th - 2:11pm

    Just off the skirts of campus, on a downward slope on Stanford Street, Jansen grabbed his backpack and stepped out of the house. Simultaneously walking to his vehicle and checking his phone, an unknown automobile pulled up behind his driveway.

    "Hey, little Jan!"

    "Shit¡­"  his teeth clashed while zipping his mouth. He apathetically sighed. "What do you guys want?"

    "Figured you may need a ride from us."

    "Why? I''m using my car."

    "I don''t know," The passenger angled his head near the ground. "You might need to check your tires."

    Upon inspecting, he realized his transportation was oddly imbalanced. His claws latched into his cheeks. "Are you serious? What the hell happened?!"

    "Well, you got a flat tire," Jansen quietly breathed furious steam from hearing the response. "And since Scott and I are here, we''ll offer you a ride to whatever you need to go."

    "No thanks."

    "We insist! It''s the least we can do."

    "I''ll ask my roommates for a ride."

    "Are you that lazy to not accept our offer or even walk? You got legs."

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    "We''ll pay you."

    "OK, OK!" He rapidly hollered. "Just take me to McKeldin."

    "Hop on in!"

    Jansen reluctantly entered the backseat of the car. He held the bag in between his legs.

    "And off we go!"

    After taking a right on Adelphi Road, Scott made a U-Turn at the next light. As the vehicle approached the right ramp to Campus Drive, he kept going forward.

    Turning to the next exit on University Boulevard, the nightmarish air became pervasive in the seemingly perpetual local highway. On the next light, they entered the narrow Golf Course Road.

    Jansen bit the lower end of his lip.

    Behind the Club House was a roadway that led to a mansion that was split into three foundations. Resilient aluminum pickets surrounded the expensive abode.

    The road''s name was 3 House Lane.

    By the time they reached the residence, Scott parked next to the lot where two other vehicles sat.

    "Alright, little Jan, let''s go!"

    The passenger¡¯s pale, trembling features compelled him not to utter a single word. Once they entered the fancy home, he was taken straight to the main lobby before meeting with the golden steps.

    "So tell us¡­"

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    "You and that Detective know something about Cree. Spill it!"

    "... ¡­ ¡­"

    Scott stepped away before grabbing stones of caramelized toffee and pelting at him.

    "I''m not playing games here," his glaring shot immobilized Jansen''s structure. "Somebody killed that woman. Someone decided that her life was worth taking. Someone needs to be brought justice. You work with those cops and I''m not dumb enough to know they don''t tell the whole story. So tell us."

    "I don''t know."

    He threw several more tan rocks before leaving clear, viscid mucus on Jansen''s cheek. "Yes, you do. Need I remind you what happens if anyone speaks against us like this?"

    A monotone film depicted a hospital bed holding a gray-haired man. It then flickered to another resting point of a totaled automobile.

    "Okay, okay!" The downed student covered his face and curled himself inward. "I just know that she was escorted and the blackout happened."

    Joe lifted and threw Jansen¡¯s back on the flight of stairs. Eye level was tantamount. "We already know that. What else?"

    "That''s¡­ all I know."

    "No, you don¡¯t. You know how much it hurts us to have no one come forward with our friend¡¯s death?"

    ¡°... ¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been in a terrible state ever since her death. You saying those words insult her name. Tell us what you know.¡±

    "I told you I don¡¯t know."

    "If you aren''t going to tell us, then maybe your friend may know. As long as she pays¡­ with interest," he bit his lip and danced his brows up.

    "What?"

    "Your new friend. I''m sure she wouldn''t mind if I inquired."

    "Leave her out of this."

    "Well, she bailed on me when I asked for her help, so this time¡­ she won''t do that again."

    "You¡­ sick fuck!" Jansen rammed Joe''s face with the heel of his sneaker. "Leave her alone."

    "How could you hurt me when I¡¯m already in pain?"

    "Joe," Scott''s lips creepily rose like a dark moon. "Remember what we used to do to him in middle school?"

    "Ohhhhh yeahhhh. I think he needs a little trip on memory lane."

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    October 15th - 3:48pm

    Jackson found an open meter lot on Regents Drive. He scrolled through his phone until his passenger door was open.

    ¡°Hi!¡±

    ¡°Ey, ready to go?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh! I can¡¯t wait for my first Smash tournament!¡± The sun peaked at high noon on Fay¡¯s face.

    ¡°Venue still at campus but let¡¯s go!¡±

    4:01 pm

    After parking in Lot 1b, Jackson, his brother, and Fay walked to the side of Campus Drive and entered the lower right entrance of the Stamp building. They found themselves in a lobby between the food court and the lounge. In front of the glass barrier was the Baltimore Room with tables at the far end. A swarm of game consoles, cabled wires, and monitors flooded the arena.

    ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up, uno!¡± A pale-skinned male student stood from the desk and lifted his fist.

    ¡°Ey, what¡¯s good,¡± he bumped with his knuckles.

    ¡°I got you and Doz. And did you pre-reg?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I did not,¡± she quickly rattled her head.

    ¡°What¡¯s your tag? I¡¯ll add you.¡±

    The athlete tilted her head right and covered her chin. She had to muse over on creating an alibi. While several seconds passed, it was as if years had flown by.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with¡­ Chiimu!¡±

    ¡°How do you spell that?¡±

    ¡°C¡­h¡­i¡­i¡­m¡­u.¡±

    ¡°Alright, added!¡±

    Jackson opened Discord and went to the group server.

    #general

    Dos Pantalones: @dunes n danes u coming?

    Jackson and his brother connected their Switch, Gamecube adapter, monitor, and controllers to their necessary destinations. All three competitors got their hands warmed up for an hour.

    5:30 pm

    ¡°Everyone, please stop your friendlies! Bracket is about to start! When I call your name, please go to the designated setup. The winner, I repeat, winner¡­ must report to the TO desk. If the loser reports, then he¡¯ll move on to the winner¡¯s bracket. This is a double-elimination, so you are out if you lose two sets. If you go oh and two or one and two, you are automatically added to the redemption bracket.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shit, Fay-¡± He gazed at the bracket online and noticed his friend¡¯s match.

    ¡°On stream, I need PawnKing and Chiimu.¡±

    The soccer player rushed to the wall containing the match setup. Fay sat on the right side and customized her button layout.

    ¡°There are five stages we¡¯ll have to start. There are-¡±

    ¡°I want to start PS2.¡±

    ¡°I just want you to understand the rules first.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ok, my friend showed me. I want to start PS2.¡±

    ¡°Uh, okay,¡± the male student with glasses burrowed his brows. ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on her. She thinks she knows it all. I¡¯ll use my secondary that I¡¯ve been wanting to use.¡±

    The arena was Pokemon Stadium 2. Fay chose Terry with the in-game tag ¡°THFC¡±. Her opponent was ¡°1.e3¡±.

    The character matchup was Terry and Samus.

    As the bounty hunter charged a ball of energy, Terry ducked through the right gurney and applied pressure using several uppercuts. When PawnKing attempted to jump right, Fay quickly intercepted and performed a bicycle kick with Terry. Returning to the left platform, Terry put up a shield to guard against the incoming Arm Cannon. Fay released the ¡°L¡± button right as the collision impacted.

    Terry executed a neckbreaker slam before following up with another bicycle kick and then a Rising Tackle. As Fay landed and rushed to her opponent, the male student flicked the analog stick and the red special button for Samus to drop a timer bomb. Terry barely jumped, forcing Samus to execute a spinning roundhouse kick. Anticipating the attack, the athlete blocked the attack and simply faced the bounty hunter. PawnKing reacted by using Samus¡¯ Screw Attack, sending her straight up. Rather than immediately punishing the vulnerable enemy, Fay timed her hop so that both fighters were falling at the same rate.

    Terry landed a knife-hand chop, jabbed, and short straight punch. She finished the combo by inputting a capoeira kick. Fay repeated the exact combination when PawnKing fired the fully charged projectile and then swept a low kick.

    When recovering from the ledge, he opted to get up and attack, but Fay timed her shield perfectly and retaliated with a rotating back-kick.

    The first stock of three lost.

    The match did not last a minute as Fay won her first game without losing one of her stocks.

    Over at the stream station, the commentators had their eyes grow to the size of the moon.

    ¡°Wow! What a surprising beatdown that Chiimu did on PawnKing!¡±

    ¡°In a way, Terry loses this MU to Samus with all her zoning tools keeping him out plus her edge guarding. But you know once Terry gets in, the MU can be even.¡±

    ¡°PawnKing is gonna switch to his main. He didn¡¯t respect Chiimu at all.¡±

    ¡°Uhh, no triplats,¡± Fay spoke calmly. Jackson and his brother silently pumped their fists.

    ¡°Going back to PS2 and I¡¯m switching characters,¡± he hunched his back forward, unleashing a fierce aura.

    ¡°Ok!¡±

    Game 2 was back at the same digital stadium. This time it was Terry against Young Link.

    Both fighters danced around in their territory, trying to throw their available resources at each other for cumulative damage.

    Terry took first blood by performing a spinning back heel. The soccer player piled on by using a bicycle kick and then a Rising Tackle for approximately 41%. Both characters returned to the neutral state, and Young Link bombarded the fighter with constant boomerangs and fire arrows. Both parties took minuscule damage. One neutral flying sidekick nullified a fire arrow. She quickly did it again. When it hit, Fay inputted the gray stick down, corner, and left special attack, allowing Terry to execute the Burning Knuckle.

    Despite not following up with a strong edge guard, Fay managed to rack up more damage with the same move on the left platform before delivering Power Dunk. Allowing PawnKing to return to the stage, he threw a bomb that exploded on him. She punished his mistake with an inverted corkscrew kick but not enough to take down one of his three lives. The little swordsman pulled out another bomb and directed at Terry who caught it and rammed it with his shoulder block.

    2-3

    PawnKing managed to fight back and get Chiimu to 117%. He had around 73%. Near the left gurney, Young Link slashed in a kneeling inward motion, causing Terry to land on the platform. He used his grappling hook in the opposite direction. One shin kick, one uppercut, one massive erupting geyser energy.

    1-3

    Fay¡¯s fiery eyes burned greater and continued to focus on her in-screen surroundings sharply. PawnKing erratically shook his head sideways while keeping a disgusted face.

    ¡°Holy shit! Chiimu still has three stocks and PawnKing has one! She¡¯ll pull off a huge upset if she can close this out! Or can PawnKing claw his way back?¡±

    With desperate time against him, PawkKing rushed in and pelted her with more bombs, burning arrows, and boomerangs. He continued to use them mindlessly engendering Chiimu to break down his predictable wall. She delivered a jab, jab, Power Dunk combo that made his head twitch. Near the middle of the stage, Young Link got a flying kick, sending Terry to the right. The male gamer leaped forward and grabbed a bomb. However, the timing was off and he was unable to act again until he was just below the ledge.

    As he attempted to recover by having the little spinning swordfighter outstretch his Koriki sword, he faced his opponent to try to snipe a kill.

    The last audio heard from him was ¡°Power Dunk!¡±

    An extreme close-up of the finishing blow and the booming crowd attracted eyes to the stream station.

    GAME!

    ¡°Good games!"

    A raging sigh came from PawnKing who made no eye contact with Fay and tapped her fist. ¡°Terry¡¯s fucking bullshit!¡±

    Ignoring his comments, her dimples glowed brightly as Jackson and his brother embraced her.

    ¡°Lessgo Fay! You¡¯re so good at everything!¡±

    ¡°Congrats!¡±

    ¡°This is fun! I love seeing people get mad!¡± The athlete chuckled before stepping to the main desk.

    9:13 pm

    At Parkside, Allyson and Julia were watching a movie while clanking a glass of white wine and a box from Pizza Kingdom. The film reached its end.

    ¡°Damn, I can¡¯t believe it happened like that,¡± the artist doused her remaining glass.

    ¡°The message was pretty depressing. That creepy smile though¡­¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting it at all. It¡¯s rare to see the bad guy win.¡±

    ¡°Or how the past comes back haunting you no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Kinda hurts, too.¡±

    ¡°What you mean?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Just thinking about when I worked for Cree is all.¡±

    ¡°You sure it¡¯s okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Julia got another box and poured another glass. All gone in one gulp. ¡°Should we do another movie?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, we could,¡± Allyson scrolled through her phone and saw a Discord message from Michael.

    WanderingFramer: Hey Allyson! Want to play some Spellbreak?

    StellerEi: Yeah! Let¡¯s play some games!

    ¡°Hey, so Michael and I are gonna play some Spellbreak.¡±

    ¡°Cool! Are you guys going to be on VC?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, let me ask him.¡±

    StellerEi: Wanna do VC? Julia wants to join just to talk

    WanderingFramer: Sure! I will join in a bit

    StellerEi: Gonna move my setup to the living room. I¡¯ll join VC soon

    ?? Convention Center

    StellerEi: Hey!

    WanderingFramer: Hey guys, can you hear me?

    StellerEi: Yep!

    Jewels: Heyyyy! We can hear you loud and clear!

    WanderingFramer: I¡¯ll make a lobby and I¡¯ll wait when you show up

    StellerEi: Cool! Almost there and lemme customize my character

    Jewels: I don¡¯t know anything about this Spellbreak game so you guys gonna have to explain to me¡­ by watching you guys play

    StellerEi: Watch us cook all these randos

    They lost every game that night.