《Double Trouble》 1. Stanley (Part 1) Stanley watched helplessly as the man jumped off the roof of the apartment complex. The man fell back with his eyes closed, wearing an enormous smile on his face as he fell all the way down until he collided with the hard-concrete ground. Blood poured from his body as it laid there motionless. Stanley couldn¡¯t believe his eyes; his lousy day had gotten a lot worse. He never imagined something like this happening right before his eyes. .-.-.-. Earlier in the day, Stanley woke up from his bed before the alarm clock went off, much to his surprise, since he had a hard time sleeping since moving in. ¡°Might as well get started on a brand-new day.¡± He said to himself, pulling off the turquoise covers and getting out of the bed. Stanley went over to the sink to wash his face and put some eye drops in his sapphire blue eyes. He combed his black hair, then reached for the multi-colored suit that he had set out the night before. As Stanley slipped on his black shoes, his phone rang on the coffee table, which caught his attention. After he went over to pick it up, Stanley answered the phone and pressed it against his ear. ¡°H-Hello?¡± He greeted. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me. Yes, I got to my new place, ok, so how about you?¡± Silence ensued for a while, until Stanley spoke up again, this time in a louder tone. ¡°Oh, come on! Don¡¯t talk about that right now; I just got here! I know, but... doesn¡¯t that take time and¡ª?¡± He massaged his temples and groaned. ¡°Look, I got to go. I have an interview I need to attend to. Yeah, that quickly. Yep, glad you understand. Alright, talk to you soon. Love you too.¡± Stanley hung up on the phone and sighed heavily. He hoped someone like him could find a decent job around here and make it on his own, anything to prove to his parents that this was a good idea. The only family member that believed in him from the beginning was his nana, the person he was mixed towards. She was a strange case, always had been. Her mood would always change in the blink of an eye. It was hard to read her. He couldn¡¯t tell if they were ever close or not, though. He hadn¡¯t seen or heard much of her, even before he packed things and left. Nobody else brought her up either, which was odd, to say the least. Stanley didn¡¯t question it, however. He figured she was busy or just tired and would call him again when they both had the time. Stanley didn¡¯t have time to ponder about that though, he had stuff to do. He took a suitcase filled with papers, grabbed a granola bar, and headed out. .-.-.-. After eating a snack and doing some last-minute checkups, Stanley stepped out of the apartment. Now that daylight shone in the town, his vision around the place was clearer. The buildings looked old-school and basic, with their shapes and color structures. Old-fashioned trolleys still operated on the streets, while modern electric televisions got displayed behind the glass windows of the shops. The fresh smell of mist went through his nose; it seemed different from the region he was in previously, as it had a mix of old and new stuff involved. Stanley couldn¡¯t believe he was here at last, in the town of Bleakburn. As Stanley walked through the city, he noticed other people chatting. Some sat in street-side shops, yet others looked at the items in the nearby window displays. Watching them made Stanley¡¯s stomach churn, but he still pressed on, trying not to bump into anyone along the way. ¡°Hey there, do you hate your life?¡± A female voice asked, perking his ears. Stanley stopped and turned to find the voice; he soon noticed it came from the TV ad in a nearby window. The ad featured a young girl with long pink hair and multi-colored eyes, one brown and one black. Several people ran over to the TV display to inspect, and before long, the area bustled with excitement and awe. Stanley stood up on his toes, trying to get a better view of what everyone watched. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± He tried to call out to get their attention, but to no avail. ¡°Do you sometimes wish that something good could happen to you?¡± The girl continued, ¡°Well, now you can! With this brand-new request app! Just type whatever you like on your phone, and your dreams will come true!¡± Wait, wishes? Give me a break. Stanley thought while rolling his eyes. Who would fall for that? ¡°There are limits and rules to its use. Please read the guidelines for more info.¡± She finished with excitement in her voice. Sorry, but don¡¯t expect anybody to read those. Wait, what am I doing wasting my time here? Stanley shook his head. I need to find a map; there must be one around here somewhere. Stanley looked around in search of a map stand. He eventually found one, but noticed a small crowd of people surrounding it. Stanley figured he could wait until it simmered down and then walk over to grab a map from the stand. He looked around as he tapped his foot impatiently, wondering when the people would leave. They just stood there, chatting with one another about who knows what. The wind blew hard in his direction, as Stanley tried to keep his stance; the suitcase slipped from his fingertips. As it hit the ground, the case popped open, papers and documents flew out toward the other side of the street. Stanley ran across the street to chase the papers and pick them up before they flew too far. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t get hit by any cars as he put the documents away one by one. He noticed one last piece across the street and hurried to catch it before he¡¯d end up late for his first appointment. Stanley turned around and ended up bumping into someone in the process, causing them to fall on the sidewalk. The woman had long, dark brown curly hair and wore a cyan-blue dress with matching shoes and white laces. She glared at him with her topaz yellow eyes. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m so sorry about that!¡± Stanley exclaimed. ¡°Are you ok, miss?¡± ¡°Do I look ok to you?¡± The woman retorted, getting up and brushing herself off. ¡°Um, maybe? I don¡¯t know...¡± The brown-haired lady rubbed her arm and winced. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± Stanley asked, raising his arms. ¡°Yeah, how about you leave me alone?¡± ¡°But wait, before I do that, could you at least tell me where¡ª?¡± ¡°Just go to the nearby map stand, it¡¯s available.¡± The woman pointed without looking. Stanley turned to find nobody near it anymore. ¡°Oh, I see. But I still need to collect some paper that I dropped¡ª¡± ¡°You mean this?¡± The brown-haired lady took out a piece of paper that had some application notes written on it. ¡°Oh, yeah, that¡¯s it, thanks!¡± Stanley chirped. He took the paper from her and placed it back into his briefcase. ¡°Sure thing, but don¡¯t you have somewhere to be?¡± ¡°Ah, right, my bad.¡± Stanley walked back over to grab a map from the stand. After checking the specific spots on the map, he then went on searching for nearby transportation. Stanley noticed the red trolley moving by. Seeing as though the ride wouldn¡¯t stop any time soon, he ran and jumped into the vehicle, grabbing the first open spot. Just as Stanley tried to adjust and make himself comfortable, tons of people squirmed around and squeezed in. Soon, the trolley became too crowded, making Stanley feel uncomfortable as he fidgeted the entire ride. The vehicle went over bumps and corners; people swerved to the sides as they hung on to the railings in the ceiling. Sweat poured down from Stanley¡¯s face and a bottomless pit sunk in his stomach. He couldn¡¯t take it any longer. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted another female walking by, one with red hair tied back in two ponytails. She held a piece of paper he found to look familiar. Could that be an application too? As the trolley continued moving, Stanley noticed one building he just passed looked like one of the places where he made an appointment. Stanley tried to make his way to the opening in the trolley and prepared to jump out. He nearly tripped as he landed on the sidewalk, but somehow composed himself and stayed in balance. Stanley looked up and noticed how tall and regular-looking the building appeared to be. He took a deep breath, placed the application paper in his pocket, and headed inside. 1. Stanley (Part 2) Stanley entered through the doors and immediately found a long line in front of the desk. Someone checked something on the computer while trying to talk to the others one by one. Stanley sighed as he walked over to take a seat and check out some magazines. He turned and noticed a couple of picture frames on the wall that appeared to have the same person in them, except with a different outfit. Up at the top lied a small clock ticking, which seemed to move its arms backward. Stanley squinted his eyes to examine the clock, and the arms still moved back. He tilted his head in confusion. What¡¯s going on? Was he seeing things or...? ¡°Next person, please.¡± Someone called out. Stanley glanced over and found the line already gone. He looked around the room, wondering where everyone else went. Did time fly by that fast, and Stanley wasn¡¯t aware of it, or did something else happen? Regardless, he prepared himself as he followed the other man to a room upstairs for the appointment. Stanley entered the room and took a seat across the desk; an older man who had his hands folded neatly on the counter. A bright lamp post shone down on the center of the bureau and contrasted with the rest of the darkroom. The man had a stern look in his eyes while Stanley tapped his foot and squeezed his hands, trying to calm down. He could hear his heart beating as he waited for the other guy to say something. The suspense killed him on the inside. Finally, the employee spoke, which took Stanley by surprise. ¡°Are you feeling comfortable?¡± He asked. ¡°Oh, uh, yes. I¡¯m fine, thanks.¡± Stanley lied through his teeth as his face continued to sweat beads. ¡°Ok?¡± The man¡¯s eyebrows creased at that remark. ¡°So, tell me what your name is.¡± ¡°Jordan, Stanley Jordan, sir.¡± The man took out some papers from his desk and wrote with his pen. He looked up at Stanley while raising an eyebrow. ¡°So, is that your full name?¡± ¡°Um, yes?¡± ¡°So, is this your first time doing something like this?¡± Stanley didn¡¯t respond to the question. The man sighed and continued to scribble information. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s cut to the chase, shall we? What makes you think you¡¯re right for this job?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Stanley replied as he scratched the back of his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t planned on anything before, nor have I done anything I feel that is important.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Do you even know what we do here?¡± ¡°Please, sir!¡± Stanley begged as he reached across the table to get closer to the man¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve got nowhere to go, and I don¡¯t know what I should do! If I don¡¯t get a job soon, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do!¡± ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯ll¡­¡± He hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, ok?¡± .-.-.-. Time went by as Stanley exited the building; he sighed to himself and hung his head low. Another interview tarnished, just my luck. Not sure where to head to next, Stanley figured he checked in with all the different job applications available in the buildings, with none of them successful. Stanley wondered if things could get any worse, when a passing car drove through some water next to the sidewalk, soaking him in the process. I didn¡¯t even finish my sent¡ª oh, forget it. Stanley thought as he stormed off to search for a drink stand. He checked the map to look for an icon that could resemble a cart with drinks. He soon found a stand that held some water bottles on top of the shelves. There, Stanley also noticed a red-haired woman standing next to it. He realized that it was the same one that had a similar application earlier. Now that he got a better look at her, she wore a white shirt, a short pink jacket, gray shorts, and had small white socks. The lady sipped on some water. Stanley gulped. He wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d leave or how she¡¯d react if he tiptoed around to find a drink. He walked over to try to get the merchant¡¯s attention. ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± Stanley spoke up. The red-head turned to face him with her emerald-green eyes. ¡°Yes, did you want a drink too?¡± ¡°Yes, I wanted some lemon-lime soda and...¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, but they¡¯re out of that soda.¡± ¡°Aw, man. I guess I¡¯ll go with water, I hate drinking this stuff, though, but I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°I like it, I think water is good for you compared to soda.¡± The woman brought up, putting her bottle away in her purse. ¡°I know, but that doesn¡¯t mean I like it.¡± Stanley took a water bottle and tried to open the bottle cap. ¡°Hey, do you have a map? I¡¯d like to know which way the supermarket is, and I¡¯m not sure where to go, can you help me?¡± ¡°Oh, sure thing.¡± Stanley checked his map for little icons that could resemble a supermarket or something of that sort. ¡°It¡¯s right over there.¡± He answered as he pointed in that direction. ¡°Ah, thank you very much, good sir.¡± The woman said with a smile as she turned around and left. She smiled at him, grateful for his aid. As far as Stanley could remember, no one had been this kind to him before, for the longest time. His face beamed as it moved his heart, Stanley didn¡¯t even know that person¡¯s name either. He didn¡¯t know why, but something warm and fuzzy hit him deep inside. Like what he did was worth it, even though it was just a simple gesture, and he would¡¯ve done it for anybody regardless of their gratitude, right? Now that Stanley thought about it, didn¡¯t that supermarket she mention, also have a help-wanted sign? Could there be another application to get? Stanley¡¯s eyes widened as he rushed over to find the market as soon as possible. 1. Stanley (Part 3) Stanley arrived at the place the red-haired lady talked about earlier. There, he came face to face with the store called The Purple Spoon Supermarket and headed inside. When he made it inside, the man encountered the red-haired female talking to someone at the counter. Stanley noticed she took out and put on a magenta cap and matching robe with a nametag. Squinting his eyes, it read ¡®Hilary.'' Could that be her name? ¡°Oh, hello again.¡± She noticed him standing at the front door and waved. ¡°H-Hey, do you remember me?¡± Stanley asked. ¡°It hadn¡¯t been too long since we last saw each other...¡± Hilary brought up and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Uh, right, my bad...¡± This situation got more awkward by the second. ¡°So, did you come here to apply for a job, or are you here to shop?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, do you already work here?¡± Stanley asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m doing an early shift,¡± Hilary explained to him. ¡°Thanks again for earlier, I was afraid I¡¯d be late for this because I despise being late for work.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I¡¯m pretty sure everyone resents that. ¡°So, where is your boss? Is he here today?¡± ¡°Yes. You can find the boss in the office,¡± Hilary pointed at a door from the far end of the area. ¡°He can be stingy, but he means well.¡± She whispered to him as she darted the place to make sure no one overheard her. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Thank you,¡± Stanley replied, extending his arm. ¡°I¡¯m Stanley; it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Hilary replied, shaking his hand, ¡°It¡¯d be nice to work with more people that I¡¯m familiar with and know.¡± ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have somewhere to go?¡± Hilary reminded him. ¡°Oh, right, my bad. I better get going then.¡± On his way to the office, Stanely looked around the area, noticing the empty shelves along with the multiple lights on the ceiling, which appeared to be symmetrical. Stanley wondered why Hilary seems to be different from other people he¡¯s met in his life. Then, annoying ticking sounds interrupted his thoughts. His eyes twitched as he searched the place for where the clocks were, or at least, where the noise originated. Without looking, Stanley bumped into a door. As he rubbed his head, the door creaked as another man peeked his head out before opening it all the way. The older, grumpy man raised an eyebrow as he inspected Stanley, who stood in front of him. ¡°You know we¡¯re not open yet, right?¡± He questioned. ¡°Um, sorry, but I¡¯m not here for that...¡± Stanley murmured. ¡°I wanted to¡ª¡± ¡°Are you here to apply for a job?¡± The boss guessed. ¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡± He asked as he got up from the floor. ¡°You looked at our help wanted sign out on the window, right?¡± Stanley nodded in response. ¡°We seem to be running low on workers recently; I¡¯m not sure why, but...¡± ¡°Please let me take this job; I¡¯ll do anything!¡± ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t take weak or lazy employers...¡± The man warned him. ¡°However, I do like your attitude; you seem to be in full spirit too, so why don¡¯t you try out your skills by taking the robe and being the cashier?¡± ¡°You mean it?¡± ¡°Sure, you¡¯re good with people, right?¡± ¡°Uh... sure thing.¡± Stanley lied. He bowed. ¡°Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity; I swear I won¡¯t let you down, sir.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, kid, now get going.¡± 1. Stanley (Part 4) As Stanley went back to the main entrance, the boss got the other employers¡¯ attention to come around. He announced the newest member of the block and introduced everyone to Stanley, who hid behind the boss and shook. He eventually stepped out and introduced himself meekly, and waved slowly. The other employees surrounded the man and greeted him happily, much to Stanley¡¯s discomfort, even though he knew they all had good intentions. The boss told the rest to back it up and then spread out to head back to work, which they did. Stanley marched back to his counter with his head held high, his confidence rising. After a while, thinking about what happened, Stanley lowered his head with his confidence diminished. He couldn¡¯t believe that he just lied to someone about something. All he wanted was to get a job, but he never could¡¯ve imagined doing something so devious to get it. Stanley took an empty counter with a cashier near it and got himself comfortable. As he took out a light blue apron and put it over his head, Stanley looked over at other people, placing items on the shelves and filling them up again. The man also noticed Hilary behind a counter across from where he stood. She noticed Stanley looking over and gave him a congratulatory thumbs up and a wink, to which he did the same thing. ¡°So, I heard you got the job? Congrats on getting it.¡± Hilary complimented. ¡°Hey, thanks,¡± Stanley replied. However, just as another employer changed the sign out on the doors, a bunch of regular customers charged in, buying items off the shelves while taking the grocery carts around the place. With the noises and footsteps the others made, a pit formed around Stanley¡¯s stomach, worried there could be an earthquake ensuing around here. ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s going on?¡± Stanley panicked, hiding behind the counter. ¡°Why is the place so packed suddenly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of our busiest days,¡± Hilary explained, trying to maintain balance. ¡°Lots of people come here when that happens.¡± ¡°Is this the only supermarket in the city, or is it at least the most popular?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I¡¯m not sure; I¡¯m still not too familiar with the city yet. What about you?¡± ¡°Me neither, to be honest.¡± Time went by as Stanley got instructions from other members on how to work the cashier, scan for items, and put them into bags. He learned the information fast and worked slowly but efficiently. Stanley watched Hilary as she appeared to be doing a wonderful job. He almost got distracted as more customers stood in line near his desk and he went back to work. While Stanley checked in all the items, a man talked on the phone. He watched as the cashier kept glancing at Hilary from the other side as she spoke to a couple with a child riding in the cart. The man on the phone looked over at Stanley and grinned. ¡°So, do you know her?¡± He asked. ¡°In a way?¡± Stanley remarked, not sure what he meant by that. ¡°I see, well, good luck.¡± ¡°Uh, thanks?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± The man said with a wink before taking the bags, placing them in his cart, and heading out. Later, after some time had passed, everyone finished their shifts for today. The customers had left, and the employers got ready to head out. Some people did cleaning up duty on the shelves and floors, while others took the time to relax and call people on their phones themselves. Stanley sighed as he rested his head on the counter. Today had been a rough day. He didn¡¯t know how he survived it, but he overcame the hardships for now. At least he got the first day out of the way, but could things get worse from here on out? Stanley glanced over as Hilary walked over to him with a green bottle in one hand and a light orange bottle in the other one. She gave him the green bottle as he took it from her hands. They both opened the cap, took some gulps, drank them down their throats, and sighed when they finished their section. Stanley thanked Hilary for the drink as she put away her bottle of orange juice. ¡°Superb job, for your first day, you didn¡¯t do half bad,¡± Hilary said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± Stanley replied sheepishly. ¡°So, what do you plan on doing now?¡± He asked out of curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m going to go back and relax in my apartment: Willow View.¡± ¡°No way, that¡¯s where I¡¯m staying at too!¡± ¡°Cool, do you want to head back together, then?¡± ¡°Oh, s-sure, that¡¯d be great...¡± Hilary said goodbye to the other employees, who got ready to leave as well, while Stanley watched and squeezed his arm in anxiousness. After a while, the two headed out of the supermarket together. 1. Stanley (Part 5) Stanley and Hilary walked along the sidewalk in the dusk; the yellow-orange lights shone down against the brown and gray buildings. Stanley noticed the trolley riding by, and Hilary didn¡¯t react to it one bit. ¡°Hey, did you not want to ride on that?¡± He asked and pointed. ¡°Nah, I¡¯d rather exercise and just take the long way to the apartment, and besides, I don¡¯t like narrow spaces,¡± Hilary mentioned. Stanley felt humbled by the response. Finally, someone else gets it. He thought with a small smile. ¡°Oh wait, I forgot to introduce myself. I¡¯m Stanley Jordan¡ª¡± ¡°I know. You already told me. And it was also on your name tag.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t notice that; I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright...¡± The two continued to exchange pleasantries when they eventually arrived at The Willow View. The two both stood beside the entrance. They were about to say goodbye when something caught Hilary¡¯s eye. She looked up at the enormous apartment complex as her eyes widened in fear. Stanley was about to ask her what was wrong; he glanced up at a man standing on the gray roof. His mouth gaped when the man lifted his arms in the air and turned around. The man fell back with his eyes closed and a big smile on his face before he collided with the hard-concrete ground in a splat. Blood poured from his body as it laid there motionless. Stanley and Hilary covered their mouths and jumped back in horror. They weren¡¯t even sure what to do with seeing someone commit suicide in front of their very eyes. The two rushed over to find a phone and call the police as fast as possible. Time had passed by; eventually, the police and an ambulance car drove up near the parking lot. Two police officers with orange hats came out to investigate the scene. One had a notepad and brown eyes, while the other had a measuring tape in his hands with black eyes. One officer asked Stanley and Hilary some questions, while the other one wrote stuff down on his notepad without saying a word. ¡°We swear we don¡¯t know why that man leapt off the building.¡± Hilary acknowledged, getting misty-eyed. ¡°We only showed up right when he was about to¡ª¡± ¡°We understand.¡± The officer responded while nodding his head, ¡°However, this is not the first time someone had committed suicide, and by falling off this complex no less.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy; we live in this apartment, though!¡± Stanley exclaimed. ¡°Do you even know why that¡¯s the case? ¡°No, not really, I¡¯m afraid.¡± The officer replied, pulling his hat to cover his eyes. ¡°All we know is that it usually occurs around once a month, according to our notes.¡± He explained, then pointed to the other officer as he showed off the notepad with written words scribbled on. Stanley shook his head and massaged his temples. ¡°Oh, man. Is there anything we can¡ª?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll look over and inspect the scene ourselves.¡± The officer interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ll see what we can do, so don¡¯t worry, and leave this to us, ok?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Ok...¡± Stanley and Hilary waited by the side of the apartment as their bodies leaned against the wall, feeling forlorn. Stanley lowered his head as he stared at the ground and said nothing. Hilary curled up in a fetal position, slumping on the floor. He looked down and knew, with how things went, that the atmosphere was uncomfortable, but he wanted to break the silence by trying to reassure her. But how? ¡°Um, hey...¡± Stanley muttered. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll solve it?¡± Hilary spoke up and turned to him. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± He asked, caught by surprise. ¡°The case. We won¡¯t get affected by this in any way, shape, or form, will we?¡± Stanley thought about it for a short while. This could be a chance to assure her, but this wasn¡¯t what he had in mind. How could he respond to a situation like this? What would be the right words to say regarding the matter at hand? He went with the first thing that came to mind, hoping to reassure her and himself. ¡°No, of course not, we¡¯ll be alright.¡± ¡°Oh, thank goodness.¡± Hilary sighed in relief. Stanley sighed too, as he glanced up to look at the sky. ¡°I¡¯m still shocked over what happened...¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t believe it either, but why...?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why would they want to throw away their lives? We¡¯re given the chance to live out our lives to the fullest; we only live once, after all. We¡¯ll never know why their heart ached. It sucks that no one was able to help the poor soul. I wish we could¡¯ve done something about it, be it listening to their troubles and assuring them or even pointing them to professional help. What do you think?¡± Hmm, I wonder what my purpose in life could be. ¡°Um, you ok? Did you say something?¡± Hilary asked. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°Ok?¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not so sure myself on what we could¡¯ve done, I mean. I¡¯d love to help, but I wouldn¡¯t know what to say or do.¡± Soon, the officers finished their work, and people from the ambulance took the unconscious body toward the truck and drove off. Stanley and Hilary walked over as the officers headed back to their car. ¡°Thanks for your patience,¡± One of them told the duo and tipped his hat. ¡°We¡¯ll get this all under control soon enough.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± Hilary said, ¡°Now we can go back to our apartment in peace.¡± After the officers left, Stanley and Hilary stood outside by themselves. The two exchanged glances as they found they had to go their separate ways for now. Hilary informed him that her room was two floors above his. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± She waved, turned around, and headed up the stairs. Stanley waited a while and watched her leave before going to his room himself. .-.-.-. Man, what a day I¡¯ve had. Stanley thought, clasping his face with his hand. Stanley entered his room, threw his belongings to the side, and he plopped himself down on the bed without taking his shoes off. He turned toward the small black and gray television and reached over from the coffee table to grab the remote control and turn it on. The TV went into static for a couple of seconds before Stanley marched over to hit the device in frustration until a picture finally came to play. However, much to his annoyance, the wish app from before showed up on the TV set again. He found himself in the middle of a commercial. ¡°¡ªwith my new wish app! Just type¡ª¡± Stanley shut the TV off and threw the remote at the wall in frustration. ¡°Forget it! I¡¯m going to shower and get ready for bed!¡± Stanley shouted to himself as he stormed over to the bathroom to shower, wash his face, and brush his teeth. He soon put on some pajamas, crawled into the light blue covers, and planted his head on the pillow. Hmm, I wonder if I feel like I forgot something important. Oh well. Stanley thought as he stared at the ceiling until his eyes drooped as he slowly descended into slumber. 2. Stanley (Part 1) The next day, a knock came from the door. Stanley begrudgingly got up from the bed and walked over to check the hole above the door to see who it was. He hoped the Landlord didn¡¯t ask for him to pay the rent so soon. To Stanley¡¯s surprise, the person at the front had an orange police hat on top of their heads. Stanley unlocked the chains and opened the door, only to find two police officers. These seem to be different from the others, as one had yellow eyes, and the other had red eyes. ¡°Good morning to you, sir.¡± The officer with yellow eyes tipped his orange hat and greeted him. ¡°Do I happen to be addressing Mr. Stanley Jordan?¡± ¡°Uh, yes.¡± Stanley nodded. He tilted his head in confusion, not sure why they were here and wanted to see him. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Ah, so you don¡¯t know? Perhaps you should follow us outside for a bit.¡± The person whispered something to the one with red eyes before heading out with their hats lowered, covering their faces. Stanley put on some slippers and followed the two outside. .-.-.-. Stanley and the officers headed out, only to find a big bag on the floor near the doormat. The officer walked over to unzip the bag and revealed an unconscious person inside. Stanley¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he stared at a body bag. ¡°What the¡ª? How did this happen?¡± Stanley asked, stepping back and trying to catch his breath. ¡°It appears this person died from¡ª¡± ¡°I know he died, but why?¡± ¡°Well, I think there might be a connection to this building. Legends say that there¡¯s a wicked secret within this building...¡± The individual with yellow eyes explained. ¡°What? Are you serious?!¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just messing with you there.¡± The officer chuckled before going back to serious mode. ¡°That wasn¡¯t funny,¡± Stanley muttered. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°But in all seriousness, people seem to love this spot when it comes to committing suicide.¡± ¡°They must hate their lives...¡± The officer with red eyes added. The other one glared at them in response to that. ¡°Um, is it a common thing in this strange town?¡± Stanley inquired. ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± The one with yellow eyes replied, ¡°Someone would always do this around once every week.¡± ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t one of your pals state the other day that it was once a month?¡± Stanley pointed out. ¡°Oh, did he?¡± ¡°In fact,¡± Stanley continued while squinting his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but somehow, I feel like I¡¯ve seen your face somewhere before... but I can¡¯t quite put my finger on¡ª¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve mistaken us for someone else...¡± ¡°Ok...?¡± Stanley wondered if he should find the Landlord and ask him what to do about the situation. However, as if the officer read his mind, the guy stopped him from leaving. ¡°Nonsense, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± The officer reassured him. ¡°We¡¯ll try to clean up the loose ends for you.¡± ¡°You can?¡± Stanley inquired, feeling a bit puzzled. ¡°Yeah, sure, just try not to get yourself into a lot of trouble, alright?¡± ¡°Sounds easier said than done...¡± ¡°Actually, can you wait here for a moment? I need to get something, so I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The officer mentioned as it rushed off back to the apartment for something brief. Stanley looked over at the corner of his eyes. Hilary got out of the building and rubbed her eyes. She stretched her arms and walked over to where Stanley was standing. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on over here?¡± Hilary asked. ¡°Oh, hi, it¡¯s a little complicated.¡± Stanley said while he scratched the back of his head, ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I might be late for work today, so you¡¯ll have to go on without me¡ª¡± ¡°What? But how come?¡± ¡°Yeah, you wouldn¡¯t want to stay, get going to work.¡± The two turned toward the other officer with red eyes speaking. He walked up to Hilary and looked at her in the eyes. ¡°Hey, you look kind of cute.¡± Hilary stepped back and scrunched her nose, feeling very uncomfortable as he checked her out. ¡°Say, on second thought, how about after I finish my shift, we can¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever you¡¯re about to say, I don¡¯t want to accept! EW!¡± Hilary interrupted in recoil. She turned to Stanley and told him she would go on ahead and dashed off. The two men sighed in disbelief as the leader walked back with a pen and notepad in their hands. ¡°Alright, I got the¡ª¡± They stood there as the situation strangely got quiet. ¡°Did something happen? What did you do?¡± The yellow-eyed officer asked, turning to the other officer and glaring at them. What is with those two? Stanley thought, rolling his eyes. While that went on, Stanley had enough of their shenanigans and snuck out to work. 2. Stanley (Part 2) Later, Stanley finally came to The Purple Spoon supermarket at last. He breathed in and out as he opened the doors and walked inside, hopefully arriving not too late. As soon as Stanley entered, the boss greeted him instantly. He stood there with his hands on his hips and tapped his foot. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re late!¡± He thundered. ¡°Ah! I¡ªI¡¯m sorry!¡± Stanley bowed and exclaimed. ¡°Sorry doesn¡¯t cut it. So, what do you have to say for yourself?¡± ¡°Um, well...¡± ¡°Hey, wait.¡± A voice called out. The boss turned to face Hilary, who walked over to be a part of the conversation. ¡°Hilary? You¡¯re supposed to be at your shift by now.¡± The boss pointed out. ¡°Yeah, but I want to mention that Stanley had an excuse for being late,¡± Hilary said. ¡°Really? Well then, let¡¯s hear it.¡± Hilary whispered in his ear about what happened beforehand. ¡°Oh, I had no idea.¡± He turned to Stanley. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you off the hook this time.¡± The boss said. ¡°Thank you, sir. Can I go back to work?¡± ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here, there¡¯s something else I want you to do.¡± ¡°R¡ªReally?¡± ¡°There are some of our workers that ended up calling in sick and had to stay home.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Could you take over their roles for the time being?¡± ¡°What would the job be, then?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°A clerk. But don¡¯t worry, Hilary will give you some basics if you ever need any help.¡± The boss soon left to go back to his room. Stanley turned to Hilary and lowered his body to bow in front of her. ¡°Thank you for having me; I hope to be of use to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go thanking me just yet,¡± Hilary responded as she extended her hand to grab his sleeve and took him over to the shelves and aisles. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get going.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Once the two arrived in-between more open-ended aisles in the market, Stanley asked what his job would be for today. Hilary took a list from her pocket and handed it to him. The listing said to re-stack and shuffle the specific canned foods in different sections and orders. Stanley figured this could be an easy enough job to handle with no problems, and Hilary would also be there in case he ever needed any help with anything. Stanley and Hilary went to move a medium-sized cart with cans sorted out in lines across the floor. They ended up going over a slight bump, and near a wet floor sign, Stanley didn¡¯t pay attention to his surroundings and nearly tripped and fell. Hilary went over to check if he was alright as he picked himself off the ground. Hilary talked to a worker to ask for some directions on which shelf to re-stack and where. After she pointed and showed them the way, the two grabbed some cans and headed over to the tall rack. Hilary noticed one being out of place and tried to reach it by standing on her toes, to no avail. Stanley reached up, grabbed the can, and gave it to her. She accepted it with a thank you and put it away back in the cart. As Stanley helped sort the cans in alphabetical order, he noticed something odd about them. He inspected the labels as they read different assortments that they contained: Canned Bread, Canned Juice, Canned Cans, even Canned¡ª wait, why is the word next to scribbled out? Stanley looked around and realized that the only things available in the market were cans. ¡°Hey, Hilary?¡± Stanley asked while holding a can of his hands. ¡°What¡¯s up with this lack of variety here?¡± ¡°Oh, that,¡± Hilary said. ¡°Well, it¡¯s easy to store, carry, eat, and drink the contents inside, and use other materials that are in there. It was the boss¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°Well, if you say so.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll get the hang of this job.¡± ¡°I sure hope so.¡± Later, the boss showed up again to meet with Stanley and check on his progress so far. ¡°Ok, it¡¯s your turn.¡± He said, pointing at Stanley. ¡°Huh? What is it, boss?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°There¡¯s a daily shift that the workers do at overtime. Clean this place up and make it nice and stuff.¡± ¡°Alright...?¡± ¡°Can you do us that favor?¡± ¡°Uh, sure thing?¡± ¡°Great to hear!¡± The boss exclaimed as he walked off. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow...¡± Stanley soon got a nudge on his shoulder and turned to find Hilary watching over him. ¡°Are you afraid of the dark?¡± She asked, with her arms behind her back. ¡°Of course not. Why do you ask?¡± Stanley inquired. ¡°A lot of places here look different at nighttime, is your hometown from before like that?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know just yet; I haven¡¯t seen many areas here at night to judge...¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Hilary said in a stern voice. ¡°Man, I wish I could...¡± She turned and muttered under her breath. Stanley couldn¡¯t quite hear the last words she said. He didn¡¯t want to step into her business, but at the same time, his curiosity grew, wondering what she mentioned. ¡°Did you say something?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, nothing.¡± Hilary responded. Eventually, nighttime fell over, and Hilary jolted out of the market as soon as she could. Stanley cleaned the floors, dusted the shelves, and even fixed the light bulbs from the ceiling. The area got dark and ambient, with the only source of light shown from the lamps above. Flies and bugs moved around near the glow. Stanley wiped his forehead as he looked around the area. Hilary was right; it looked different at nighttime. He did enough for the day and didn¡¯t want to stay long anymore and left the scene as quickly as possible. 2. Stanley (Part 3) As Stanley walked around the block outside at night, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder where everyone went and why no one appeared in the vicinity. The crickets chirped, and mosquitoes buzzed around the lampposts. As Stanley stood beside a lamppost, a chilly breeze flew through his body as he wrapped his arms around and shivered. Why is it getting colder all of a sudden? I thought we were in spring. He checked the map coordinates from his pockets and tried to retrace his steps to find his way to the apartment. Fortunately, he somehow found his way back to Willow View and ran inside. After Stanley headed back into his room, the first thing he did was take a warm shower. He walked out, wearing a blue towel, and looked in the mirror while drying himself off. ¡°That shower sure was exhilarating. Hmm, I wonder if Hilary¡¯s doing ok, why would she¡ª?¡± ¡°Yuck, what is that smell?¡± A voice in the same room inquired. Stanley took a step back as he blinked at the mirror. Did I hear things? Why did it sound like the voice was...? ¡°Say what? Are you talking to me?¡± He pointed at himself. ¡°Well, yeah. It¡¯s almost like something crawled inside and rotted away.¡± The reflection talked back at him with a creased brow. ¡°But, I just showered!¡± Stanley defended. ¡°Or were you referring to my breath? Do I stink?¡± ¡°Not that kind of stink. Man, you¡¯re pathetic! You need to better yourself!¡± ¡°Well, I wish I could, but¡ª¡± ¡°Seriously? What has your family been trying to tell you?¡± The reflection inquired. ¡°Um, to get a job, wife, and friends?¡± Stanley guessed. ¡°Two out of three, I think...¡± ¡°Wait, how are we having this conversation? Are you even real? Is what¡¯s happening right now even¡ª?¡± ¡°Oh, believe whatever you¡¯d like. You best be careful and keep your head up...¡± ¡°But wait, what do you mean by¡ª?¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Loud ringing interrupted the conversation from outside the bathroom. Stanley walked out and found that it came from his phone; he went over to pick up and answer the call. ¡°Hello? Oh, hey, it¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it? How are you doing? Ah, that, sorry I didn¡¯t call you earlier, I just had a lot to do. No, no, not like that. What? But I already discussed that with¡ª it¡¯s going well, but please give me time to produce results, ok? It¡¯s too early for that. Don¡¯t worry; I promise I¡¯ll make you guys proud of me. I got to go, talk to you soon. Bye.¡± Stanley hung up and sighed. ¡°Perhaps I should wait until tomorrow, after all.¡± .-.-.-. The next day, Stanley showed up for work, this time early, and with little to no problems getting there. When he arrived, Hilary talked to another employee about something in his view. It seemed everyone got ready for their first shifts before they would get announced and work again. Stanley waited for the two to finish their conversation before walking over to greet Hilary. She, too, took notice and welcomed him back, surprised that he made it early. After exchanging some pleasantries, Stanley asked her a question about the boss. She mentioned going to his office if he wanted to discuss something with him. Stanley thanked her and said goodbye before heading out, also saying that it was imperative to do it before the workday started for them. The boss wrote something on a piece of paper when a knock broke his concentration. Stanley opened the door and excused himself before entering the room and sitting on a chair on the other side of the desk. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re early!¡± The boss exclaimed, putting the papers away. ¡°But what are you doing here? Work¡¯s about to start.¡± ¡°Why yes, I¡¯m aware of that, sir,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°But I wanted to talk to you about something important.¡± ¡°And what would that be? Is it the products we provide?¡± The boss guessed. ¡°H-How did you know?¡± ¡°I heard about it from Hilary yesterday.¡± The boss told him. ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem with them?¡± ¡°Well, as you said, it¡¯s about the cans. Doesn¡¯t it just seem, I don¡¯t know, strange, to stuff these random items into the small canisters and sell them to customers?¡± ¡°Oh, let me assure you, we found a way. Not to mention, it¡¯s easy to store, buy, open, and use¡ª¡± ¡°So, does that include eating the¡ª?¡± ¡°Whoa, who said you had to eat the product inside?¡± The boss interrupted. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t have to?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°That¡¯s what makes these so great. You can do whatever you want with them. It¡¯s helped so many people; that¡¯s why we¡¯re the best in the business!¡± The boss proclaimed proudly. ¡°...Or are we the only ones in business in this town? Business does only boon on particular days, after all...¡± ¡°You mean like yesterday?¡± ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s your name again?¡± ¡°Uh, Stanley, sir.¡± ¡°Tell you what Stanley, write me an essay on why we should change our orders; if they¡¯re good enough, then maybe I¡¯ll consider changing the formula. Think you can do that for me?¡± ¡°I... I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! I¡¯ll give you a week to figure something out, ok?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± 2. Stanley (Part 4) Time went by as Stanley went on continuing his work, with the thought of the essay still burning into his mind. Not as many customers as yesterday showed up today, but Stanley found it to be more manageable, even when putting up with some unruly people. Hilary and some employers were there to back Stanley up and tell them off. Pretty soon, he had a break. Stanley went over to a bench to have himself a Dry Roasted Soy Taco that he bought at a store, along with Pineapple Fruit Salad and Grapefruit Tornado frosty for the drink. What am I going to do? Stanley thought to himself as he sighed. To his surprise, Hilary walked over to him with her hands behind her back. ¡°Hey there, how¡¯s it going?¡± She greeted with another warm smile. ¡°Oh, hi, nothing much,¡± Stanley said. ¡°So, do you have any plans later today?¡± ¡°Well, no, I had nothing planned. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Are you new here in town? Why don¡¯t I show you around? That is, if it¡¯s alright with you. I know this sweets shop that¡¯s cool, called Midnight Delight. It¡¯s not far from here...¡± ¡°Oh, sure! I¡¯d love to go, but what about our shifts?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the overnight shifts, then there¡¯s no need. It¡¯s not our turn today, so we can head there after work is over.¡± Hilary assured him. She clasped her hands. ¡°Does that sound great?¡± ¡°Yeah, it does!¡± Stanley exclaimed. ¡°Great, I¡¯ll come to get you when you finished your work.¡± This was what Stanley needed, a beautiful place to go to with a familiar face. Should put his troubled mind at ease. He couldn¡¯t wait until later that day and tried to hold his excitement without letting it impede his work. .-.-.-. Once work had finished for the both of them, Stanley and Hilary headed toward the Midnight Delight. They came across a white building with a light brown cinnamon-colored roof and two cute cakes with strawberries on top near its sign. It also had the windows garnished with little plastic chocolate-covered balls, hanging on the side along with planted small flowers near the door and its light pink doormat. The two entered and noticed the long line. It would take a while to check out the display case and talk to the two workers behind the desk. Hilary and Stanley looked around to sightsee at the d¨¦cor, the wooden textures on the floor, and colorful wallpapers blended and matched well. Small tables are planted on the ground along with doilies resting on top to go with the matching chairs. They even have stuff like those outside the shop. Unsure what to talk about, Stanley hoped things wouldn¡¯t be another awkward moment between the two. Hilary broke the silence, which caught him by surprise. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry I invited you here at such an awkward time. I didn¡¯t know this was...¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no worries, I don¡¯t mind at all,¡± Stanley reassured her. ¡°Really? You mean it?¡± Hilary asked. Stanley nodded. ¡°Hey, since we¡¯re here, I wanted to discuss something with you. It¡¯s about the store.¡± ¡°You mean like this one?¡± ¡°No, The Purple Spoon, the one we were just at.¡± Hilary corrected him. ¡°I agree with you; we have to change those items in the store.¡± ¡°But wait, I didn¡¯t say anything to you, so how did you¡ª?¡± ¡°I... couldn¡¯t help but overhear what you just said.¡± She admitted, rubbing her foot against the floor. ¡°You eavesdropped on us?!¡± Stanley asked, exasperated. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that you two were being way too loud; besides, I can¡¯t imagine losing jobs or working in a place where this can exist for so long. All because of...¡± ¡°Next, please.¡± A worker behind the counter called out. Stanley and Hilary walked forward after finding the line had disappeared, and they were next in line. The two glanced at the cake display. The variety of different treats available almost made their mouths water. ¡°So, what¡¯ll it be?¡± The worker questioned. ¡°I¡¯ll have a Banana Cheesecake, please,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°And I¡¯d like a Pineapple and Saffron Molten Cake please,¡± Hilary added. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, but it seems we¡¯re out of Banana Cheesecake.¡± The employer said, sadly. ¡°What? Aw, man.¡± Stanley whined. ¡°But what about the one over there?¡± Hilary pointed out. ¡°That one is only on display.¡± The other worker mentioned. ¡°Would you like anything else?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll have what she¡¯s having,¡± Stanley responded. ¡°I¡¯d also like a Raspberry Fruitcake if that¡¯s available.¡± ¡°Of course, be right back.¡± The two got their snacks, paid for the meals, said goodbye to the employees before leaving the scene. They went outside and found a table nearby, so they could eat their snacks and drink their Hazelnut Critter Coffee to go along with it. It got close to dawn, not as many people walked around like before. The skies looked like they were on fire as the clouds turned gray. As Stanley and Hilary relaxed, they also took the time to notice the beautiful scenery all around them. It was then, Stanley couldn¡¯t help but feel curious about what Hilary mentioned the day before. ¡°Hilary, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, what did you mean by what you said the other day?¡± ¡°About what?¡± Hilary questioned as her head tilted in confusion. ¡°You mentioned wishing you could do something when I talked about the town. What did you mean?¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± Hilary lowered her head, staring at her cup and changing her tone of voice. ¡°You might not understand, since you just moved here not too long ago. But, I¡¯m sick of this place; I want to travel the world and write stories about my experience. I was hoping to do so for a while, but I don¡¯t have enough money...¡± ¡°Well, maybe I can help you out?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I can do, but I¡¯d like to try to help. I can get money, tools, and travel stuff needed to get passports. One for you and one for me. Well, if you don¡¯t mind me tagging along, but it might take longer...¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all, thanks so much,¡± Hilary said, her face beaming. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°When I get home, I¡¯m going to see if I can write this down in my journal.¡± ¡°Ah, let¡¯s hurry back then.¡± The two exchanged smiles at one another. As the two headed back, a shadowy figure from next to the walls watched the two of them with its piercing red eyes. It took out a small phone, dialed up a number, and then slipped back into the darkness to avoid getting caught. 3. Stanley (Part 1) Stanley skipped back to his room and laid down on the bed. He thought about how fantastic the day had gone and wondered what the future would hold for him. He never thought he¡¯d felt like that before, as far as he could remember. Stanley took out his phone to call someone, but nobody picked up from the other line. Thinking they were busy, he shrugged and went over to change into his pajamas and crawled into bed. As his eyes drifted away, the surrounding area grew darker. The lights in the room illuminated into an ominous red ambiance. An enormous shadow grew out of the bed as it lurched over toward Stanley, who still slept soundly. The darkness lingered closer to the man¡¯s neck as a glow formulated around its long, dainty hands. The cold eyes and rough atmosphere made the intensity grow higher. Stanley soon shot open his eyes and jolted out of bed in a panic. When he looked around the room, he found nobody else there beside him. The lighting didn¡¯t change in any form, either. ¡°Was that a nightmare I just had?¡± Stanley questioned while rubbing his head. ¡°My head hurts, I need to calm down and wash my face.¡± Stanley went into the bathroom to splash some water on his face from the sink. He looked at himself in the mirror again and sighed heavily. ¡°That must¡¯ve been a part of my imagination, right?¡± He asked his reflection. Much to his surprise, it didn¡¯t respond; Stanley¡¯s eyes narrowed at the reflection. ¡°Oh, now you won¡¯t talk to me? Are you just going to leave me alone like this? I see how it is. And considering how my...¡± Stanley shook his head in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m talking to myself and am overthinking things, aren¡¯t I?¡± He marched over to the door in a huff shortly after. ¡°Fine, I don¡¯t need your sympathy, you hear me?! I¡¯m going back to bed!¡± The reflection looked back at him with a small smile as his eyes changed color before disappearing from the mirror into oblivion. Days went by as things went well at his job. One day, Stanley woke up before his alarm went off. Pumping his fists in the air, feeling accomplished, he got ready for the day. While on his way to work, Stanley ended up getting breakfast by ordering a granola bar and a fresh drink of orange juice at a small shop beside the coffee shop before heading to work. Along the way, he came across an older woman standing on the sidewalk. Feeling generous, he helped her cross the street, to which she was more than grateful for the help. After doing so, Stanley heard some people nearby whispering behind his back. Something about another person around town that looked just like him, almost like a clone. Stanley rolled his eyes. Rumors. How typical, he thought. Once he finished his duty, he strolled back to work. .-.-.-. As Stanley opened the doors to The Purple Spoon, he came across every employee crowded and huddled in one area. Stanley tilted his head, trying to get a marvelous view of what was going on. He didn¡¯t know what happened, and couldn¡¯t find Hilary anywhere to explain the situation to him. The door opened as the boss walked out of his room to count all the employees in the area. ¡°Oh good, everyone seems to be here.¡± He said, clapping his hands. ¡°Now, before we get started on work today, I¡¯d like to make a major announcement.¡± He turned as another figure walked over next to him. ¡°We have a new recruit working with us today. So, why don¡¯t you introduce yourself?¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Sure thing,¡± The man replied. ¡°My name is Jordan; it¡¯s an honor to meet all of you; I hope to get along with every one of you.¡± He greeted them with confidence. Stanley tried to get a good view of the unknown figure, but everyone gathered around in awe, unintentionally blocking his view. When Stanley finally got in the front and checked out the newcomer, something about the guy left him speechless. This Jordan fellow looked familiar. He had black hair and wore a similar outfit to¡ª Wait, he looks just like me! The only two differences are his personality and his eye color. Jordan stared at him with his crimson red eyes as opposed to Stanley¡¯s sapphire blue. Stanley looked around, wondering if anyone else noticed the similarities between the two. However, nobody reacted, much less said a word. Stanley¡¯s eyes widened as his body froze. It was like everybody stared at him, including the newcomer. Stanley¡¯s heart continued to pound across his chest. ¡°Um, hello, I¡¯m Stanley.¡± Stanley greeted, twiddling his thumbs. ¡°Hi,¡± Jordan grabbed his clammy hand and shook it. ¡°Hope we get along ok, Mr. Stanley.¡± ¡°Uh, the ¡®Mr¡¯ part is unnecessary, but sure, same here...¡± The boss walked over to impede the two as they pulled their hands apart. ¡°Ok, so Stanley should be able to give you some basics here.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Stanley took a step back in confusion. ¡°But, I can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Jordan interrupted, as he gave the man a nudge and a wink. ¡°I look forward to it!¡± Before the people separated and went their different ways, Stanley tested this guy¡¯s knowledge and picked up a can from the stack on the rack next to the shelves. ¡°Ok, so do you know about the¡ª?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. Everybody knows that.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, I just wanted to know if...¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Jordan walked over to the same stack of cans and picked up a bunch. ¡°Say, do you want to see a trick?¡± He turned to face Stanley and asked. ¡°No.¡± But Jordan ignored the response and showed off the trick, anyway. He threw some cans in the air and juggled them. He caught two with his hands; just as Jordan was about to finish, another two stumbled and landed on his head, causing him to drop the rest as they tumbled to the floor and surrounded his feet. ¡°Uh, my bad.¡± Jordan rubbed the back of his head and laughed sheepishly. Everyone else laughed alongside him, except for Hilary and Stanley. Stanley wrinkled his nose. He only knew him for a couple of seconds and already hated the guy. Something about Jordan rubbed him the wrong way. The boss didn¡¯t seem pleased with the guy either, but since he was new, the man would let him off the hook for a bit. ¡°Look, I know you¡¯re new here, but please take this seriously.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right; I¡¯m sorry, sir, I¡¯ll go pick them up.¡± Jordan bowed and bent down to pick up and put the cans back to its original spot. ¡°Would you like some help?¡± Hilary offered, resting her hands on her lap. ¡°No, thank you, I got this,¡± Jordan replied, waving it off. ¡°You should go back to your shift and not worry about me.¡± After a while, Jordan followed Stanley to some emptier aisles containing many cans. Jordan skipped along while Stanley did a more comfortable stroll. ¡°So, Sensei Stanley,¡± Jordan started. ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that,¡± Stanley murmured, looking away and hunching his shoulders. ¡°Where do we go next on our perilous journey?¡± ¡°This is our stop; we must rearrange more cans over at¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on; my help senses are tingling...¡± ¡°Your... what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Jordan exclaimed as he rushed off in another direction. 3. Stanley (Part 2) In another aisle, Hilary struggled to grab a can from a higher shelf. Jordan got a ladder and a small stool and moved over next to Hilary, who stepped aside in wonder. He placed the seat next to the ladder and climbed the ladder and tried pulling the can out, but nothing worked. Eventually, Jordan got the can into his hands. However, he fell off the ladder as his feet landed on the stool and slid across the floor. Jordan jumped off the seat, rolled toward Hilary with the can in his hand, and gave it to her. ¡°Wow, that was impressive.¡± Hilary complimented, clapping. ¡°Thanks for delivering the can to me.¡± ¡°Thanks, and you¡¯re welcome.¡± Jordan got up and bowed. ¡°If there¡¯s anything else you need, then let me know, and I¡¯ll try my best to help you out in any way I can.¡± ¡°Ok, I got to get back to work, though.¡± ¡°Yeah, same here, bye.¡± Stanley watched the whole spectacle and couldn¡¯t believe his eyes or ears. ¡°I got to go to the restroom.¡± He murmured. ¡°You can¡¯t hold it?¡± Jordan asked, apparently hearing what he said. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need...¡± Stanley murmured. ¡°That red-haired lady is kind of cute; I wonder if she¡ª¡± ¡°Focus on your work, please!¡± Along the way to the bathroom, Jordan kept complimenting the other employees and customers on things like their outfits, hair, and shoes, etc. He even helped other customers out by showing them which aisles contained what and recommended various products inside the cans. Stanley appreciated Jordan being helpful, but something about his attitude irritated him to no end. The two made it to the bathroom; the cream-colored walls and pastel tiles made the place look beautiful but dull. Stanley washed his hands in the sink while Jordan looked at himself in the mirror, trying to fix his hair. The water from the sink felt cold; Jordan noticed the prunes growing on his hands and stared at them in awe. Stanley reported how he shouldn¡¯t waste water like that. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°But where is the heater? Is the air conditioner here broken?¡± Jordan questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wash my hands if it¡¯s only cold, it¡¯ll just feel weird. And what¡¯s up with all the food here? The variety is just awful; I¡¯m going to go give the boss a piece of my mind!¡± Jordan was about to storm out when Stanley grabbed his arm to stop him. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jordan asked. ¡°You¡¯re new here; they won¡¯t listen to you.¡± Stanley pointed out. ¡°And besides, those cans mean a lot to him.¡± ¡°So, what?¡± Jordan shrugged. ¡°This could be bad for business...¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to just go along with the boss until¡ª¡± ¡°If I risk getting fired, then that¡¯s fine. That guy wouldn¡¯t have the guts to do so, anyway. But, sometimes, risks are worth taking!¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Stanley inquired. ¡°Do you think you can change his mind or something?¡± ¡°Do you have any better ideas?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Stanley took out some papers from his pockets and showed them to Jordan. They had stuff written on it. ¡°I also want to help. As you can see, there are some things I wrote which have complaints.¡± ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s great to hear!¡± Jordan exclaimed as he snatched the papers and inspected them. ¡°This seems promising; if you don''t talk to him, then I will!¡± Before Stanley could respond to that, Jordan rushed out of the doors and headed toward the boss¡¯s room. Stanley tried to stop the man and chase him throughout the market, but he was too late. He could overhear a conversation on the other side of the door. Stanley slumped on the wall, covered his legs, and lowered his head, unsure how the boss would react to his idea and if they''re good enough, that is. Soon, the noise died down, and the door opened. ¡°Oh, Stanley?¡± The boss called out to him. Stanley gulped and stepped into the office. ¡°Um, y-yes?¡± ¡°I wanted to talk to you about the papers...¡± ¡°Look, I-I can explain¡ª¡± ¡°Are you kidding? These ideas are magnificent; how¡¯d you come up with these? And how long did it take for¡ª?¡± ¡°A couple of hours, I think?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try some of these out, so thanks!¡± The boss chirped. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Stanley replied, his face beaming. ¡°Well, Jordan helped¡ª¡± ¡°I may have told him, but you wrote them all down, so you should get the most credit,¡± Jordan mentioned. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll credit you both for this.¡± The boss said as he shook Stanley¡¯s hand. 3. Stanley (Part 3) After work ended for them, Stanley and Jordan headed out of the market and chatted more. ¡°Did you see? I told you it¡¯d work out.¡± Jordan pointed out as he gave Stanley another nudge. ¡°Yeah, I do, thanks for that.¡± Stanley complimented. ¡°Sure thing, however, you owe me a trip to the library today.¡± Stanley blinked. ¡°Wait, why is that?¡± ¡°You say you¡¯re new to the place, correct?¡± ¡°Yeah, I joined not too long ago. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°And it seemed like we got what it looked to be a promotion. So, the higher-ups could depend on us more often.¡± ¡°Where are you going with this?¡± Stanley asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I say we go study, cause if we improve our knowledge, then we might gain more praise from the higher-ups!¡± Jordan glanced over and spotted the trolley driving by. ¡°I think we can get to the library faster if we ride on one of those. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± He ran over towards it, prompting Stanley to sigh and follow him. .-.-.-. The two soon arrived at The Vision Library. The place was empty save for a select few workers. Stanley and Jordan looked around the color-coded aisles and searched for some excellent books to help them with their work. Jordan walked over to the aisle with shades of red covers while Stanley searched in the aisle with blue ones. Time passed as the duo picked up some books and laid them down on the white table to read carefully. So far, neither of them made any actual progress. Stanley wished there would be a faster, more efficient way of finding what they needed. He turned to Jordan and was about to ask him something, but Jordan seemed to be out of focus, his mind on something else entirely. ¡°Hey, Stanley,¡± Jordan spoke up in a whisper. ¡°Do you think that attendant over there is cute?¡± He asked while pointing at someone who worked there. ¡°Will you focus?¡± Stanley asked, smacking his forehead with his hand. ¡°I am, I am. Why don¡¯t we ask the lady to give us some tips and advice?¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Um, I¡¯m not okay with talking to...¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll do it for you!¡± Jordan got up and headed over to where the woman stood. Stanley wasn¡¯t sure how this would go. He turned away from the scene, covering his ears and shutting his eyes. His body felt queasy, and his head got woozy, prompting him to rush over to the nearest garbage can. He coughed, trying to extract the vomit from his system while white noise occurred in the background. Stanley couldn¡¯t hear what happened, but eventually, the library grew silent again. He rubbed his eyes to get a clearer vision. He looked around and didn¡¯t find anybody there, not even Jordan, who seemed to have disappeared. A tap hit him on his shoulder as Stanley turned to see a brown-haired woman in a librarian outfit and matching hat approach him. ¡°Hey sir, are you alright?¡± She asked with concern. ¡°Oh, yeah, I think so,¡± Stanley replied weakly. ¡°Do you know where¡ª?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried about your friend, he¡¯s outside; we kicked him out.¡± She pointed out. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Harassment. Also, if you were wondering, I¡¯m in a relationship.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry...?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Oh, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not anything dirty, then go right ahead,¡± Stanley whispered something in her ear and then stepped back. ¡°Ah, is that so? Hang on a moment.¡± The woman left to go to a yellow aisle and picked out two hardcover books with yellow covers on them. She then handed them over to Stanley with a slight smile. ¡°Here, these should help you out.¡± ¡°Sweet, thank you so much,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure these will help.¡± ¡°Great to hear, those two are on the house!¡± Stanley had a feeling that he¡¯d seen the woman from before, but couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. He decided not to think about it too hard as he headed out of the library. .-.-.-. Jordan sat on the stairs with his hands on his chin as he pouted, when the doors opened from behind him. He turned to find Stanley exiting the place with books in his hands. Jordan was about to get up, but Stanley approached him and sat down beside him. ¡°I got some books,¡± Stanley said. ¡°Hey, superb work.¡± Jordan complimented. ¡°Is it true what the librarian said? That you up and harassed her? ¡°What? No way!¡± Jordan shook his head. ¡°I just talked to her, but her ¡®lover¡¯ didn¡¯t take too kindly to that and threw me out.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Stanley glanced back at the books. ¡°But then, why did she tell me that...?¡± ¡°Ah, who cares? Let¡¯s go study! My place or your place?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean¡ª¡± ¡°My place it is. Let¡¯s go!¡± Jordan was about to head out when Stanley stopped him again. ¡°Hold up; I didn¡¯t even say a¡ª¡± ¡°You know,¡± Jordan turned to face the man with his hands behind his back. ¡°There¡¯s this little thing you should know about: It¡¯s called speaking your mind.¡± He tapped his forehead. ¡°You might want to use that more often.¡± As he walked past, the words hung in Stanley¡¯s mind, stuck in the back of his mind for quite a while as he begrudgingly followed Jordan to his place. 3. Stanley (Part 4) To Stanley¡¯s surprise, Jordan also lived at Willow View, just like him and Hilary. Not only that, but his room was one floor above Hilary¡¯s, unlike Stanley, who was one floor below hers. Jordan took out some keys from his pocket and pried the door open, letting Stanley enter first. The room had cool decorations and furniture around, along with brighter colors. However, the place was still a colossal mess, unlike Stanley¡¯s, which was dull looking but mostly spotless. The red bed sheets nearly touched the floor, scrunched up pieces of paper rested near the half-full trash can, and torn magazines lied about near the coffee table, etc. Stanley didn¡¯t know whether to feel jealous or insulted at the sight of the room. Jordan stood with his arms crossed over, Stanley didn¡¯t know if he was proud of the mess he made or embarrassed, forgetting that he invited someone over without bothering to clean the place up. Regardless, the two headed over to a desk, where they both grabbed some chairs to sit. Stanley set the books in front of them as they studied and highlighted the critical parts to keep in mind about their job. The books were both long and complicated, but Stanley had a feeling he¡¯d be able to keep track of everything listed if he tried hard enough. Jordan, not so much. Time passed by, as Jordan increasingly grew tired of the reading process. Even though it was his idea to begin with, he didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this complicated. Jordan rubbed his eyes and head due to stress; Stanley suggested they take a minor break, to which he accepted. Stanley got up and walked over to the fridge. Jordan moaned about wanting the light green drink without moving an inch. He headed to the refrigerator to find some cans of Orange Snake soda and Mint Orb tea. He took one of each and closed the fridge. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Stanley got up and walked over to the fridge, Jordan groaned about wanting the light green drink without moving an inch. He headed to the refrigerator to find some cans of Orange Snake soda and Mint Orb tea. He took one of each and closed the fridge. The man took a small sip of the orange drink and strolled back to Jordan, who laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He covered his head with his hand and sighed heavily. Stanley handed Jordan the Mint Orb tea, who didn¡¯t notice the glass until Stanley spoke up. He took the icy drink and placed it on the side of his cheek. Stanley noticed him acting a little differently than before, but wasn''t sure why. ¡°Hey, uh, are you ok?¡± He asked with concern. Jordan didn¡¯t respond. After a while, he blinked and responded. ¡°Yeah, I''m alright.¡± ¡°You sure? You seem to be out of it.¡± ¡°Sorry, my mind is at something else.¡± ¡°What are you thinking? Is it about another female?¡± Stanley guessed. ¡°...Maybe. Why do you ask?¡± Jordan inquired. ¡°Man, I get that you¡¯re at least honest, kind of, but what is with you and women?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± After a while, the two continued to write as many notes as they could. Stanley didn¡¯t know how long they¡¯d keep doing this for, since it got late. He turned to Jordan, who had already fallen asleep in his chair. Stanley sighed in disbelief. Now might be a good time to call it a day. Stanley picked up Jordan and placed him down on the bed, pulling the red bed sheets over to his neck. Looking around the room, Stanley figured he¡¯d clean up the place since Jordan was out of energy for today. Once he finished, Stanley closed the door behind him and headed back to his room to get ready for bed. 4. Stanley (Part 1) The next day, Stanley headed for work, his shoulders slumped over as he yawned. He rubbed his eyes and went to a smaller shop to get a cup of coffee to help give him some energy. That study session seemed to have done a number on him. He hadn¡¯t seen Hilary or Jordan on the way to work and wondered how their days have been. As soon as Stanley entered the Purple Spoon, the boss approached him with a concerned look. ¡°You ok?¡± The boss asked. ¡°Do you seem to be...?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be alright,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°Why do you ask? Did you need anything from me?¡± ¡°Well, unfortunately, we¡¯re losing more and more workers here. And I need you to do a different job.¡± He took out a mop and bucket. ¡°You know how to use these, right?¡± ¡°Am I getting demoted?¡± ¡°No, this is just as important as all the rest. Just clean up on aisle five.¡± ¡°Oh, alright...¡± Stanley muttered in response. The boss handed the stuff over to Stanley and walked off. Stanley went over to the aisle, dunked the mop in the bucket, and cleaned the floors. He had a hunch this scenario felt foreboding, since not many people roamed around as much anymore. Another tap hit his shoulder. He turned around and found Jordan standing there with a stupid grin on his face. He said nothing, though. ¡°Do you mind?¡± Stanley asked, rolling his eyes. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m taking a break,¡± Jordan mentioned. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Something important. Don¡¯t you have other things you can do right now?¡± ¡°Not really. I got nothing better to do than to bother you. Hey, that rhymed!¡± Stanley sighed in disbelief. Out of the corner of his eyes, he looked over as Hilary talked with another female employee while working on some extra shifts. Jordan, quick to notice, bumped Stanely¡¯s chest to get his attention and get his mind off them for a moment. ¡°Oh my gosh, you¡¯re in love with a woman!¡± Jordan whisper-yelled. ¡°What? No, I don¡¯t! Keep it down!¡± Stanley whisper-retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you lie to me. I can see it in your eyes. I never thought you¡¯d be the type to be interested in women, though...¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m an expert on this, so I¡¯ll help you out. Consider this as thanks for cleaning my room last night.¡± ¡°Wait, how did you¡ª?¡± ¡°Who else could¡¯ve done it?¡± Jordan pointed out. ¡°You were the only other one there.¡± Jordan walked over to where the two ladies stood, as Stanley turned around, covered his ears, and shut his eyes tight. He hummed a song in his head to avoid hearing what happened on the other side. Eventually, Stanley felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned, and Jordan stood in front of him. It didn¡¯t look like it took that long, did it? ¡°Huh, did you finish already?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, it went well,¡± Jordan claimed with an enormous smile. Stanley had a feeling he lied through his teeth. ¡°But you need to prepare yourself.¡± ¡°You know you could¡¯ve said something like that sooner.¡± ¡°Maybe if we set you up with a bit of confidence, then you can ask her yourself.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is, it didn¡¯t go as well as you planned, did it?¡± ¡°Quiet. Look, that woman knows you more and seems to like you, so if you¡¯re honest with yourself...¡± Jordan¡¯s voice faded as he went quiet for a moment, thinking about what he said, much to Stanley¡¯s confusion. ¡°I know where to meet up after work!¡± He exclaimed. Oh boy. 4. Stanley (Part 2) After work, Jordan took Stanley over to The Vision Library, where they pondered about their next plan. ¡°Are you certain about this?¡± Stanley asked nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t think this sounds like a good idea.¡± ¡°Do you have any better ideas?¡± Jordan commented without looking at him. ¡°Well, no. But why are we here again?¡± ¡°I know some people who can help us out here.¡± ¡°But weren¡¯t you kicked out before?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ll be careful this time, just as long as nobody confuses you for me.¡± Jordan pushed him toward the entrance. Stanley looked around, finding the library less crowded than before. Was anybody even working here, or were they on break? Stanley didn¡¯t know if he could handle this. Jordan tried to reassure him and tell him not to be so hard on himself. Jordan left for a moment as he said he¡¯d be right back, leaving Stanley by himself near the tables. Stanley sighed as he rested his head on the table with some books next to him. His arms wrapped around himself as he moaned to himself. Just then, a voice and loud footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°Excuse me, you¡¯re at a library, so you need to be quiet.¡± Stanley got up from his seat and turned to face the brunette woman, who stood there with a stern look on her face. ¡°Hey, wait, you look familiar...¡± ¡°Oh no, that was my¡­¡± He hesitated. ¡°Twin that you kicked out.¡± Stanley tried to save face. The female¡¯s face softened a bit after hearing that. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the other one, then. Hi again.¡± ¡°Uh, hi.¡± Stanley placed his hand behind his head and whispered. ¡°Now that I think about it, I feel like I¡¯ve seen you before as well. Have we met before?¡± The brown-haired lady gasped with shock. ¡°Oh my gosh, I remember now. You¡¯re the one that wanted the map from the stand weeks ago!¡± ¡°Wait, that was you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the rude behavior beforehand...¡± She clasped her hands and bowed down. ¡°I was having a horrible and stressful day; I didn¡¯t mean to take it all out on you.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°I wish I could make it up to you somehow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Please, isn¡¯t there anything I can do?¡± She offered. ¡°Well, um, if you insist,¡± Stanley stammered, thinking up a suitable response. ¡°Maybe you could accompany me to go get some ice cream or cake? There¡¯s a shop down the block that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Ooh, I love ice cream! Then are you saying it¡¯s a date?¡± ¡°A date? But don¡¯t you already have a lover?¡± ¡°Well, had one...¡± She lowered her head and murmured. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Stanley said sadly, ¡°maybe this is a bad idea¡ª¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind at all; we can go once I finish my shift. My name is Melody.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°And I¡¯m Stanley, pleased to meet you.¡± .-.-.-. After a while, Stanley and Melody exited the library and planned a course toward the ice cream parlor. While heading out, a vibration rang in Stanley¡¯s pockets. He reached into his pockets, picked up his phone, and looked over at what appeared to be a text. J: ¡°Hey, sounds like you already got one in no time. Good luck, man, you¡¯ll need it.¡± Huh? That¡¯s odd. When did I get a new number? Stanley thought. A whisper caused him to snap around and notice Jordan hiding behind the staircase, giving him a thumbs up and a wink as the two headed out. Stanley and Melody strolled along to get ice cream and went window shopping. Melody skipped across the sidewalks while Stanley walked at a reasonable pace, trying not to bump into anyone. He didn¡¯t know how many more stores they¡¯d go to or how long they¡¯ll be doing. The two exchanged pleasant conversations about how they came to the town, what their goals and dreams are, etc. Just then, a familiar jingle on TV from the display screen interrupted them. The two turned around and spotted a young android girl on the television screen. She talked about an app one could get on their phone that could help and benefit all of society. Stanley felt he¡¯d seen the ad before and groaned. ¡°Ugh, not this again...¡± ¡°What, do you not like the ad?¡± Melody questioned. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I hate that it¡¯s everywhere,¡± Stanley replied, his shoulders dropped. ¡°I mean, does that even work?¡± ¡°Why, yes, it does, believe it or not.¡± ¡°Huh? How do you know? Did you use¡ª?¡± ¡°Yes, I wished to maintain multiple jobs. That way, I could get enough money to afford college.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s kind of cool. But wait, why didn¡¯t you wish to go to college?¡± Stanley suggested. ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as satisfying,¡± Melody replied, tapping her foot on the ground. ¡°I want to work hard and make it seem more rewarding. You can wish for anything you want. You can travel through time, make someone fall in love with you, kill another...¡± ¡°Um, aren¡¯t there any limits to this wishing stuff?¡± Stanley asked. ¡°Of course, you can only use one wish, so choose wisely,¡± Melody warned. After a while, the two sat on the porch and looked at the sunset; the sky had a fiery look with shades of red and orange, along with purple clouds lightly floating. The lanterns glowed brightly, making it easier to see. As it got late, Melody asked if Stanley could take her back to the library, as she knew the rest of the way home from there. After reaching the location, which was now closed, Melody took the bags off Stanley¡¯s hands and thanked him for the day. The two both claimed they had fun today and said goodbye to one another. Melody kissed him on the cheek and walked away. Stanley¡¯s eyes widened as he placed his hand on his cheek. A small smile spread across his face. His heart skipped a beat as he headed back to his apartment. On the way, he felt another vibration in his pockets. Stanley reached inside and pulled out his phone, only to find he had gotten another text. He had a hunch on who it was. J: ¡°Nice job out there.¡± S: ¡°How did you know we finished? Were you following us?¡± J: ¡°It was just a guess; I had a feeling everything went well. See? All according to plan!¡± ¡°Ok, but what am I going to do about¡ª?¡± Stanley was about to text, but another reply appeared in a matter of seconds. J: ¡°If you¡¯re worried about that other date, then don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Stanley was unsure what Jordan meant by that, but he thought not to question it at this point if ¡®J¡¯ knows what he¡¯s doing. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about what he did, since his plans seemed to go well, bizarrely enough. Stanley recalled wanting to ask Melody something, but he had forgotten until after going their separate ways. He turned and headed back to the library as fast as possible before he forgot again. Stanley walked around the edge of the staircase that led to an alleyway beside the place. He immediately noticed Melody standing there in the middle of the dark alley. As Stanley was about to walk to her, he spotted Jordan standing right next to her. Stanley backed away and hid behind a wall, trying hard not to get caught. Why hasn¡¯t Melody gone back home? And what¡¯s Jordan doing over here? Whatever it may have been, they both seemed happy about something. Stanley couldn¡¯t get a good listen without getting spotted. Jordan and Melody continued talking for a bit, finishing their conversation with an embrace. Stanley¡¯s eyes widened as his mouth gaped open after witnessing that. He placed a hand on his cheek and rubbed it. His eyes became red and watery as he tried to hold back the tears, not knowing why he felt this way, he just did. Stanley ran back toward his apartment without looking back. 4. Stanley (Part 3) Stanley had a hard time sleeping because of having an unexpected nightmare. He shot up wide awake with his body sweating and aching. Worried that the dream might become a reality, Stanley went to refresh himself by showering and taking medicine. He headed out of his apartment after getting dressed to start another fresh day. He took a glance and saw Jordan out at the gate as he waved. Stanley grumbled under his breath and ignored Jordan, and stormed off to work without saying a word. Stanley looked back, wondering if Jordan followed him or not. When he entered the supermarket, he didn¡¯t pay attention to his surroundings and bumped into Hilary. ¡°Hey, watch where¡ª¡± Hilary was about to remark. She turned and noticed Stanley and retracted her comment. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Stanley exclaimed. ¡°Hey, are you ok? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± She asked, noticing the black circles underneath his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine, no worries.¡± ¡°Ok, but if something¡¯s up, you know you can always¡ª¡± ¡°Is everyone here yet?¡± The boss proclaimed. ¡°I have another announcement to make!¡± ¡°Well, Jordan¡¯s not here.¡± Hilary pointed out. ¡°Yeah, maybe he¡¯s sick or something...¡± Stanley murmured. The doors from behind the group swung open, and everyone turned around as Jordan strutted inside, announcing his presence. ¡°Hey guys, how¡¯s it going?¡± He greeted with excitement. ¡°You¡¯re late; you know that, correct?¡± The boss pointed out. ¡°What do you have to say to yourself?¡± ¡°Knock, knock.¡± ¡°Um, who''s there?¡± ¡°Justin.¡± ¡°Justin, who?¡± ¡°Justin time for work.¡± Some employees chuckled and snickered at the remark Jordan made, while others groaned to themselves in disbelief. The boss himself raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. ¡°How cute.¡± The manager turned to everyone else to continue his announcement. ¡°Anyway, now that everyone¡¯s here...¡± He cleared his throat before continuing. ¡°We have an intern coming over for inspection. What we need to do is have someone give this person a tour and make sure they see the best parts of the store, so it¡¯ll get a seal of approval. That way, we can still stay in business.¡± ¡°I feel like he should do it,¡± Jordan replied, pointing at Stanley. ¡°Really? No offense, but why do you think that?¡± The boss questioned. ¡°Look, he may not look like it, but he¡¯s more social and informed than before. Besides, I¡¯m not feeling the best, so if I were to do it, I¡¯d risk getting the woman sick.¡± ¡°Is that so? Wait, how do you know the intern¡¯s gender?¡± ¡°Uh, I just guessed, that¡¯s all.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Ok then? Stanley, what do you say?¡± The boss turned to Stanley and asked. Stanley sighed. ¡°Alright, fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Excellent, good luck!¡± Jordan gave Stanley another wink and thumbs up and walked off without saying a word. Time passed by, as Stanley waited by the doors on the benchmark for the intern to arrive while everyone else continued doing their assigned duties for the day. The doors opened as someone walked in. A woman called to Stanley, as he glanced over, her brown hair reflected against the light. He immediately recognized her as his body stiffened. ¡°Melody? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Stanley? I didn¡¯t know you work here. I¡¯m an intern.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re the one I¡¯m supposed to guide?¡± ¡°Oh, sweet, lead the way then.¡± The two walked around the place as Stanley gave the tour the best he could. However, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder about last night. Then again, it wasn¡¯t his business; his curiosity grew over what happened last night. Stanley recalled the time when Jordan told him to speak his mind the other day; maybe it¡¯d be a good time to do that? He stopped in place and turned to face Melody, whose hands were behind her back. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Melody questioned. ¡°What were you and Jordan up to?¡± Stanley remarked. ¡°I saw you last night; even though you said¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, you saw that? Please don¡¯t get the wrong idea. Jordan just wanted to apologize for his unruly behavior the other day and gave me a present as a token of that apology.¡± Melody pulled back her hair and showed off her new pair of golden earrings. ¡°See? Aren¡¯t they pretty?¡± ¡°Yeah, they are.¡± Stanley complimented her. He lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I misunderstood the situation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± Melody¡¯s tone then grew more serious. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to discuss with you. Can we go somewhere private?¡± ¡°Um... sure? The two entered a storage room, which appeared to be empty, save for a small peach desk, two little wooden chairs, and a dim light bulb hanging from the gray ceiling. Melody turned to lock the door as she and Stanley took both seats. They faced one another, looking each other in the eyes. ¡°So, what was it you wanted to talk about?¡± Stanley inquired. ¡°It¡¯s about an old friend of mine,¡± Melody replied. ¡°Do you know a woman named Hilary?¡± ¡°Yes, I do, is she a friend of yours?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk to her anymore.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s not as she seems.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see what you mean, I mean, we met not too long ago, so...¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to state this, if you¡¯re wondering, she doesn¡¯t love you, and never will.¡± ¡°Huh? When did that get into play?¡± Stanley tilted his head in confusion. ¡°When did I¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± Melody continued, growing more frustrated. ¡°What if she¡¯s trying to use you to, selfishly, pursue her own goals and then leave you? Is that really what you want?¡± ¡°What? But Hilary doesn¡¯t seem like the type who¡¯d do such a thing! Besides, I feel obligated to help a friend of mine. She made me feel appreciated. ¡°Is that so? Even if the friendship was a lie?¡± Melody climbed up on the table and crawled toward Stanley. A shiver rolled down his spine, with his heart pounding fast, and head feeling heavy. ¡°What are you doing? What¡¯s gotten¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll be there for you, I promise...¡± ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± Stanley stuttered, backing away with the chair. ¡°I don¡¯t like being lied to. How do I know I can trust you when¡ª¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± ¡°Are you trying to seduce me? What are you and Jordan up to?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Hey guys, how are things going?¡± The boss called out as he opened the doors. Stanley shook his head and blinked, realizing that he and Melody were close to the desk again and back in their seats. What was going on? He could¡¯ve sworn things were different. Did he imagine things? ¡°It¡¯s going great,¡± Melody turned to the boss and chirped. ¡°I give this place a seal of approval!¡± She took out a slip from her pocket and handed it over to the boss. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear!¡± The manager exclaimed, clasping his hands together. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I listened to Jordan!¡± He walked over and patted Stanley on the back. ¡°Nice going, mate.¡± ¡°Uh, thanks,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°Wait, where is Jordan?¡± ¡°He went home early and was feeling ill.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± 4. Stanley (Part 4) Back at the Purple Spoon, Stanley noticed Melody leaving in a hurry through an aisle. He watched Hilary dust off one of her shelves before walking over to her. ¡°Hey, do you know that Melody person over there?¡± He asked. ¡°Not that I know of,¡± Hilary shrugged. ¡°Although that name sounds familiar.¡± ¡°I heard we have off days tomorrow, is that right?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re correct. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Do you have any plans that day?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m afraid I have plans,¡± Hilary told him with a bow. ¡°Maybe some other time we can hang out?¡± ¡°Sure thing, I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Stanley waved it off. ¡°Thanks, I owe you one,¡± Hilary mentioned. Later that night, Stanley went to clean up the floor with his mop and bucket. The light flickered up above the ceiling continuously as flies gathered around the only sources of light in the building. Stanley grabbed a stepladder from the broom closet to climb and change the light bulbs when some stepping sounds rang through his ears. He wasn¡¯t sure where they were coming from or whose steps they belonged to, but it got louder and closer. Stanley grabbed his mop to defend himself, but he slipped off the ladder and broke the broom in the process. He rubbed his head and sides as he got up and continued to look around the area. Stanley figured the boss wouldn¡¯t mind if he clocked in early and rushed out of the market as quickly as possible. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. .-.-.-. The ambiance grew quiet, and the area got darker. Light poles beside the sidewalks flickered on, as if on cue. All Stanley could hear were crickets chirping and buzzing around. The moon glowed in the sky, where some clouds blocked parts of it and some stars. There were no other sources of light, not even from the buildings and stores around him. As Stanley walked along the roads all by himself, he took out his blue phone and texted Jordan again, as if something had been dawning on him for quite a while, ever since he got out of work. S: ¡°Hey, be honest with me, what¡¯s the actual reason you gave Melody that ¡®sorry¡¯ gift?¡± After a while, he got a response in the text. J: ¡°From the goodness of my heart! What else could it be?¡± S: ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Surely you must¡¯ve had some other reason?¡± Jordan didn¡¯t reply to that text. By the time Stanley reached his apartment, he had got his phone out and furiously typed again. ¡°Where are you? Answer me!¡± Stanley gave up and moaned, shoving his phone back into his pockets. He stormed up to his room and stared at the door in front of him in contempt. Stanley contemplated whether to check on Jordan or Hilary upstairs. He didn¡¯t know for sure who to trust, either. His phone rang, catching him off guard. Stanley hurriedly grabbed his phone to answer the call. About time you responded. Stanley thought to himself. However, no one answered on the other end, just panting and heavy breathing. Soon, the phone clicked, leaving Stanley utterly confused. Did he get the wrong number or something? That was then, Stanley came to realize: something wasn¡¯t right. Hilary had plans tomorrow, Jordan kept leaving him in the dark and not answering anything, and everyone around him acted strangely. No, it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence; somebody must be up to something. But what? As he entered his room and changed into cyan pajamas, Stanley figured he had to get to the bottom of things. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but he had to start somewhere. Right now, it didn''t seem like a good time to question it. Hilary was probably asleep with Jordan still sick. He shrugged it off and waited until the next day to talk to others about it. Stanley set his alarm and tried to get some sleep while thinking about the possibilities that everyone could be planning behind his back. 5. Stanley (Part 1) Sunlight shone through the windows as it hit Stanley in the face while he attempted to sleep soundly. He groaned, tossed, and turned on the bed as he placed a pillow on top of his head. ¡°Go away, sun, can¡¯t you see I¡¯m trying to sleep?¡± Stanley complained. After thinking for a moment, his eyes opened wide as he shot out of bed. ¡°Wait, what am I saying?!¡± He jumped up and checked the alarm clock; it was past the time he had set. He overslept at the worst possible moment. Stanley ran out to go upstairs and see if Hilary was in her room, only to find a tag on her doorknob, saying she went out for lunch. Stanley turned to check out the windows from below, only to find Hilary and Jordan walking out of the apartment, smiling and chatting. ¡°Oh, no...¡± He mumbled, moving his hands to scratch the windows. With the elevators out of service, Stanley sprinted down the stairs. He ended up getting a stitch in one of his legs but kept running and hopping on his one leg. When he reached the doors, Stanley could hear his phone ringing again, this time with Nana''s name on the front of the call. Stanley¡¯s hand gripped as he bit his lip and shoved the phone back into his pocket before heading out. As much as he wanted to talk to her, it wasn¡¯t the best time right now. He had a mystery to solve and was going to figure it out, one way or another. .-.-.-. Stanley walked behind Jordan and Hilary, following them wherever they went without trying to get caught. The sun was scorching down on everyone today, as many people went to stands and stores to get drinks and snacks. The two headed across the street. Stanley tried to follow, but the streetlamps turned bright red, obscuring his sight and forcing him to stop in place. He stood by and watched them enter a building. He checked his watch and tapped on his foot furiously, waiting for the light to change back to green. Eventually, after some time had passed, the illumination altered, causing Stanley to run on the other side immediately. Much to his surprise, Jordan and Hilary entered the Midnight Delight. He pressed his face against the windows and watched them both order their snacks. Jordan ordered the Banana Cheesecake, which came back on the menu, along with a Chestnut Bliss flavored mocha. Hilary got a Raspberry Fruitcake and a Strawberry Slapper smoothie. As they exited the place, Stanley ran and hid behind a Stonehenge next to some small bushes before he could get spotted. He peeked as Jordan and Hilary took some seats near an empty table with a velvet red and chocolate brown trimmed umbrella, trying to get a listen to their conversation. ¡°Hey, do you have a feeling that someone¡¯s watching us?¡± Jordan asked, taking a bite out of the cake. ¡°Huh? No, not really.¡± Hilary replied, taking a sip from her drink. ¡°Why do you ask? Is something bothering you?¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s probably my imagination.¡± ¡°Ok, if you say so...¡± ¡°Now, where were we?¡± Stanley bit his lip and clenched his fists as he continued to listen in on their pleasant chattering. He thought it was sickening and disgusting that they could get along so well. What was Jordan doing, being that friendly with Hilary? Stanley wondered if he tried to purposefully make him look bad. Was he trying to get him to hang with others so that Jordan would have Hilary to himself? Not only that, but have him look impressive by comparison? The thought of Jordan doing and thinking about those things made Stanley¡¯s blood boil. He should¡¯ve known to trust a guy he had only known for a few days. Jordan wouldn¡¯t do all that out of the goodness of his heart after all. What was up with his plans with Melody? That was when Stanley thought up an idea. He took out his phone and texted Jordan something that might get his attention. Jordan felt a vibration in his pockets and took out his scarlet red phone. He read the message, got up from his seat, and excused himself for a moment, promising to return shortly. Hilary finished her cake and drank up the rest of her drink to settle in her stomach while waiting for Jordan to come back. Stanley smiled to himself; everything went according to plan. He got up and left his hiding spot to approach Hilary when she least expected it. It took a while for Hilary to notice the coincidence, as the two exchanged pleasantries before Stanley got to the point of why he came here. ¡°So, you¡¯re waiting for Jordan to come back, huh? How is Jordan? Is he nice?¡± He questioned, tapping the table. ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Hilary replied sheepishly. ¡°He¡¯s not as bad as I thought to be hon¡ª¡± ¡°Well, I hate to break it to you, but you should avoid him at all costs from this onward.¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not as friendly as he claims to be.¡± Stanley took out his phone and adjusted it to a picture before showing it to Hilary. ¡°Unless you know what this is all about? And yes, this is real.¡± Hilary¡¯s eyes widened as her mouth dropped open upon seeing the picture. ¡°When did you take this?¡± ¡°Two nights ago, to be precise. It seems that Jordan¡¯s not as he seems, after all, most likely playing us all like¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this...¡± Hilary muttered with her head lowered. ¡°I thought he said that he l¡ª¡± Her voice faded as she stopped herself from continuing any further. ¡°Hilary? You ok?¡± Stanley asked with concern. He extended his hand to reach Hilary, but she stepped back, got off her seat, and checked her watch. ¡°Oh, would you look at the time? I almost forgot!¡± She said out loud. ¡°It appears I have somewhere to be!¡± ¡°Would you like for me to accompany you?¡± Hilary¡¯s head raised as she forced herself to make a smile and squinted her eyes, trying to hold back the tears. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, I can go by myself, thanks.¡± As she stormed off, Stanley noticed her sad expression; her head lowered down as tears streamed down her face. Just seeing the moment where her mask fell apart broke Stanley¡¯s heart. He tried to follow her, but her pace was too fast for him to catch up. Just then, a single raindrop fell from the sky and hit his cheek. As Stanley looked up at the dreary sky, the air grew more humid. Soon, many spots of rain kept pouring, causing everyone around him to scatter and go to the nearest building for shelter. Stanley moved his hands above his head as he rushed back to the apartment, guessing that Hilary went over there. High gusts of wind soon blew over hard. Stanley soon wrapped his arms around his body and shivered. Why is the weather acting so weird? The weather said it¡¯d be nice today. Stanley thought. I need to hurry back to the apartment ASAP! 5. Stanley (Part 2) Stanley finally made it back safe and sound. He took the nearest towel to dry his hair and headed up to the laundry room near his room to take care of his clothes and shoes. On the way there, Stanley could hear a faint sobbing from above the floor, which made Stanley¡¯s heart continue to sink. Stanley felt sorry for making her miserable, but he thought he brought it upon himself for trusting and believing Jordan on every account. Stanley made it clear to take him down that man no matter what. No matter what. The thought of those words lingered in his mind; that gave him an idea. Stanley rushed back to his room and locked the doors. Trying to catch his breath again, he took out his phone to open an app store. Now might be a good idea to use the wish app finally. Unfortunately, the phone revealed the founders had discontinued the requesting app. Great, just when I needed it the¡ª A loud knock banged on the door, startling Stanley and causing him to jump and turn around quickly. The doorknob got knocked off the door as the locks broke, and the door swung open violently. Stanley fell back on the floor as he crawled away. He looked up at the imposing figure, standing beyond the door as lightning struck down to reveal Jordan, striking him down with his angry and glaring eyes. Jordan stomped over and grabbed Stanley by the shirt collar, shoving him against the wall, and pressed his hands against his throat. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± Jordan asked bitterly. ¡°W¡ªWhat do you mean?¡± Stanley questioned weakly. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me!¡± Jordan snapped at him. ¡°I know you¡¯re the one that made Hilary cry!¡± His tone of voice grew colder. ¡°What did you do?¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I... don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Stanley said with a wicked smile. ¡°You see, I¡¯m not the one who two-timed Hilary and Melody...¡± ¡°What? Are you out of your mind? I didn¡¯t do such¡ª¡± ¡°Liar! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, but you won¡¯t get away with this!¡± Stanley¡¯s voice squeaked as it got raspier by the second, and his eyes and skin slowly changed to blue and purple. Jordan sighed and let the man go as he inhaled and exhaled, while grabbing his neck in exasperation. Jordan approached the door, then turned to face Stanley on the floor. ¡°I wanted to be a good person and set you up with some other woman.¡± He snared. ¡°Why did you have to fall for Hilary, of all people?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Stanley asked, trying to keep up with his composure. ¡°My boss is right; you don¡¯t care about Hilary at all, not like I do.¡± Jordan turned away from him. ¡°This means war. You better be careful, because pretty soon, I¡¯m going to get back at you.¡± ¡°But wait, if you hate me so bad, then why don¡¯t you just kill me right here?¡± ¡°Believe me, I want to, but I can¡¯t.¡± Jordan slammed the door shut and walked away, leaving Stanley all by himself. ¡°What did he mean by that?¡± Stanley questioned himself. Stanley threw the covers over his face and tried to sleep, but the lingering thoughts of Jordan plagued his mind, keeping him up all throughout the night. In the middle of the evening, his phone rang loudly, spooking Stanley awake. He begrudgingly got up from the bed and checked the phone, only to find another text. However, the message seemed to be from an unknown sender. Anonymous: ¡°Go ahead and leave your room in the morning. Because when you do, your room will be mine.¡± ¡°What the heck?¡± Stanley tilted his head in confusion. It must be spam or something. Stanley ignored the text, deleted it, and headed back to sleep, or at least tried to, anyway. 5. Stanley (Part 3) The next day, Stanley entered The Purple Spoon, as the first thing that caught his eye was a conversation between a worried Jordan and a stern boss. ¡°Please, sir?¡± Jordan pleaded. ¡°I want to get more time off!¡± ¡°Look, sorry, but I can''t do that.¡± The boss replied. ¡°Hilary may be sick, but we don¡¯t have a lot of workers here, so you¡¯re going to have to work late this time.¡± ¡°Oh, man... alright.¡± Jordan gave up and walked off with his head hung low. He greeted the few employers still present before going back to work. ¡°Hey Jordan, how¡¯s it going?¡± An employee greeted as Jordan walked along. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s going great,¡± Jordan replied, keeping his cheerful persona in front of others. ¡°Hi there.¡± Stanley did the same thing. ¡°Hello... um, Simon?¡± The employee guessed. ¡°It¡¯s Stanley.¡± He corrected him. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Jordan overheard the conversation and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He made jokes involving Stanley while doing a shuffling dance. Stanley¡¯s eyes twitched. The irritation around this guy grew. He wasn¡¯t the only one, as some other employees became sick of the jokes he made. Stanley couldn¡¯t stand it anymore as he marched over and pushed Jordan to the floor. ¡°Will you shut up?¡± ¡°Ow!¡± Jordan thundered. ¡°What the heck is your problem?¡± He snapped, rubbing his head in annoyance. Stanley ignored the question by asking another question. ¡°Why do you even have my body and look like me? I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, but nobody said anything. I was afraid of being considered crazy and delusional!¡± ¡°Like I¡¯d know to care, or even tell you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying; you¡¯re hiding something from me, I know it!¡± ¡°Did you not hear what I¡ª? Ugh.¡± Jordan slapped his forehead in disgust. The other employees, including the boss, circled the two as they argued and fought with each other. ¡°Do you know about this text?¡± Stanley continued as he pulled out his phone. ¡°What was that about threatening to steal my room away?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Jordan couldn¡¯t recall. ¡°When¡ª? I don¡¯t remember texting you; I don¡¯t even have a phone. And how did you even get¡ª?¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Man, you¡¯re a horrible liar, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re the crazy one making stuff up! And I swear, if you call me that one more time, I will put your head through that wall!¡± ¡°Just try it, punk!¡± Lightning sparks grew between the two as they glared at one another. The ambiance got darker and colder around them. Finally, the boss stepped in to split them apart. ¡°Hey now, knock it off you two!¡± He roared. ¡°You guys have a lot of work to do, and you¡¯re disrupting all the customers, so break it up, or else you¡¯re both fired!¡± Silence filled the room shortly after. Stanley and Jordan eventually nodded in agreement. They turned their heads away in disgust and walked off in opposite directions. .-.-.-. Time passed by. After work, Stanley headed to a pharmacy to buy some medication and food to bring to a sickly Hilary. He went upstairs to her room; standing beside the door, he inhaled and breathed out, trying to steady his heartbeat. He then knocked softly at the door, extending his hand to grab the knob and move the doorway open. Stanley was about to ask if he could enter when he saw Hilary lying on the desk, blood soaking in her bandages. Looking at her motionless body, Stanley feared the worst. Stanley dropped his stuff and rushed over to check up on her. She sat upright before he reached her. She sighed and touched her bandaged covered arms. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Stanley asked. ¡°What happened to you?¡± ¡°I''m fine,¡± Hilary replied. ¡°I... accidentally hurt myself while writing in my journal.¡± ¡°Is that why you have bandages? You sure I shouldn¡¯t call¡ª?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Stanley, I don¡¯t need help.¡± Stanley looked over and spotted a pink journal book with lovely cursive wording written on it. ¡°Hey, what are you writing?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but ask. Hilary slammed her hands to close the journal and glared at him. ¡°None of your business!¡± She snapped. Stanley jumped back and shrieked. ¡°I didn''t know what I was thinking there. I¡¯m sorry!¡± Stanley exclaimed. Hilary calmed down and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t mean to get nasty and overreact. I¡¯m sorry too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± Stanley walked back to pick up the bags containing Ampivid medicine and other snacks to hand to her. ¡°I brought you these in hopes of getting you better.¡± ¡°Aw, that¡¯s so sweet, thank you!¡± Hilary chirped as she took the stuff off his hands. ¡°You¡¯re welcome...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll improve after taking these; thanks to you, now if you¡¯re done, could you please leave? I want to get some rest.¡± ¡°Oh, of course. I¡¯ll see you later. Hope you get better...¡± Stanley said as he walked toward the door. ¡°Same here, and thanks again.¡± As Stanley headed back to his room, he reached into his pant pockets for the keys. His eyes widened in surprise when he realized the keys were missing! He looked back down the corridor, confident that they would be lying along his path. ¡°Jordan...¡± He hissed, then clenched his fists upon thinking and guessing about where it could¡¯ve gone. He stormed over to Jordan¡¯s room and banged on the door. ¡°Hey, you, open the door now! I know you have my keys, so hurry and let me in!¡± Nobody responded. Stanley grit his teeth and kicked the door open. To his surprise, no one was inside; the room was clean, with barely any objects in sight. The windows were open as the mahogany curtains blew in the wind. While looking around, besides the open windows, the one other thing that caught Stanley¡¯s eyes was a note on the coffee table. He picked up the paper and read it. ¡°Meet me at the hotel, if you dare.¡± Stanley read out loud. He squeezed the paper in his grasp and glared at the windows across from him. Is he trying to lead me to a fight? Stanley wondered. Well, if that¡¯s the case, then bring it on. 5. Stanley (Part 4) Stanley looked over at the coordinates on the map to the destination. Eventually, he arrived in front of a bright yellow hotel, standing out against the darkness. Stanley had a feeling he¡¯d win against Jordan, considering he¡¯d like to think he¡¯s got brains as opposed to Jordan, who seemed only to have brawn. He wasn¡¯t sure if Jordan would keep true to his word and show up as the notes said, but it wasn¡¯t like Stanley had any other choice. Stanley entered the hotel, which had a white receptionist''s desk, light purple walls, and a beige floor. A familiar face stood behind the receptionist¡¯s desk. ¡°Hi there, welcome to Stardust Hotel. What brings you here?¡± ¡°Melody, do you work here too?¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you to show up.¡± Melody looked at a list of papers and nodded. ¡°You have an appointment with someone upstairs.¡± She pulled a drawer and took out some keys to give to Stanley. ¡°Here are your keys, mister.¡± ¡°Um, thanks? How did you know I was seeing somebody?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°I heard from said person. Shame you¡¯re here by yourself, though.¡± ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Stanley took the keys to enter the room up on the floor. When he stepped inside, he looked around the area, finding he¡¯s the only one inside. The room had purple curtains with star patterns, a neon yellow couch, a pink heart-shaped rug, and a magenta lava lamp placed on top of a cinnamon-colored table. Stanley did admit the place looked lovely. But why was it the higher the floor, the better looking the sights were? The hallways had light purple carpeting on the walls with star stickers around. A voice spoke from the corner of the room. ¡°Hello there.¡± Melody greeted with her hands behind her back. ¡°Huh? What are you doing here?¡± Stanley asked, his eyes widened. ¡°Is there something wrong? You look pretty pale.¡± ¡°Well, weren¡¯t you back at the counter? How¡¯d you get¡ª?¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? I don¡¯t recall. Were you confusing me with someone else?¡± ¡°Maybe? But she had the same name as¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m the one who sent you that message,¡± Melody admitted. ¡°Wait, that was you? What was it about?¡± Stanley inquired. ¡°It¡¯s about Jordan. I lied about my profession earlier. I found out he¡¯s used me for devious purposes.¡± ¡°Wait. What?¡± ¡°Jordan wanted you out of the picture so he could have Hilary for himself. I didn¡¯t want to be a part of the fiasco, but...¡± Melody choked on her words as she wiped her eyes, fighting back the tears. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to put up with that,¡± Stanley said, looking away. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Jordan set both of us up. We have to stop him.¡± Stanley turned to walk away, but Melody grabbed his arm and stopped him. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Hold on. Do you even know where Jordan is? He might be hiding somewhere.¡± ¡°Well, then we need to find him.¡± ¡°Then what will you do? Stanley paused for a moment to think about the question and how to answer it. There were a bunch of choices he could take, but each of them had its own set of consequences and setbacks. Eventually, he gave up and just said the first thing that came to his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe we can talk it out.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± Melody shook her head. ¡°What we need to do is plan a surprise attack. We can work together and find a way to defeat Jordan once and for all. ¡° ¡°You¡¯re right, that might be better...¡± ¡°You know something?¡± Melody spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m starting to like you.¡± ¡°You... mean that? Really?¡± Stanley didn¡¯t know how to feel about this. ¡°Where did that come¡ª?¡± The next thing he knew, Melody walked over to him, pulled his shirt collar closer to her, and pressed her lips against his. Stanley¡¯s eyes widened, and his heart banged all around his ribcage fast. Melody separated and sighed. Stanley¡¯s hands stiffened as his body stood motionless for a while. ¡°Maybe we should forget about Jordan after all.¡± Melody¡¯s voice rang, snapping Stanley out of his state. Why did you do that? That was out of the left-field! Stanley wanted to shout, but when he opened his mouth, the words wouldn¡¯t come out. His throat became dry and sore, his body tense, arms and palm sweating up a storm. Melody stared at him, wondering if he¡¯d respond or at least say anything. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He asked weakly, finally mustering up to say something. Melody thought about it momentarily before talking again. ¡°Hey, you know what? Perhaps we should lead him here instead.¡± ¡°Really? How so?¡± ¡°Like this.¡± Melody wrapped her arms around Stanley¡¯s back and kissed him again, this time, a little harder. Stanley¡¯s hands twitched as he ended up speechless with what happened. Melody pulled back, wondering how he would react this time. ¡°I... that was...¡± He tried to muster up more words to say but couldn¡¯t do it. His mouth still gaped open as to what had happened. ¡°So, do you want to go further?¡± Melody asked. She leaned in closer, but Stanley flinched and jumped back, wiping his mouth and panting heavily. ¡°Sorry, look, I-I¡¯m not ready for something like that. It¡¯s too much, and it¡¯s making me uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Melody slumped her shoulders, trying to keep her composure. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Why don¡¯t you get some sleep?¡± ¡°But... I don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let your boss know, and I¡¯ll make sure Jordan doesn¡¯t get in here to wake you.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, trust me, ok? I¡¯ll handle things. I promise you, you need to rest up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Stanley headed over to the bed and got under the yellow covers. ¡°Good night.¡± He murmured, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. Melody smiled and turned to the door behind her. ¡°I should get back to work as well.¡± .-.-.-. In the morning, Stanley woke up feeling groggy. He stretched his arms and his back, wondering why he felt so tired. Then, Stanley looked down, as he lied on top of an old mattress. He turned to face an out-of-service and demolished building right next to him. Ok, now I¡¯m getting more confused, did I imagine things? Stanley thought while scratching his head. Am I dreaming? Yeah, that must be it. I got to wake up from this awful nightmare somehow. Stanley got up from the bumpy mattress and looked around, wondering why he got transported outside. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed the sun rising toward the sky as it changed from black to a strange shade of blue. Loud noises and vibrations in his pocket rang once more, and he had gotten the hang of how the phone kept going off like that at the strangest times. He dug down into his pants pockets to take out and flip the phone open to read. As he looked over at the new message, his eyes widened upon realizing what it said, making his heart pound once more. ¡°Tell nobody about any of this, or else your dead meat.¡± Stanley clutched his chest tight and squinted his eyes, making sure he didn''t imagine things. What could he do about the situation now? His watch rang a tune to alert him about his day at work. Stanley realized he hadn¡¯t changed his clothes or showered since yesterday, so he felt the need to do that before heading to work. He got himself up and went to a public bathhouse to relax and cleanse himself before changing into a set of clothes and walking to work. 6. Stanley (Part 1) Stanley entered work and put his apron around his head to stroll over to the aisles. He got tasked to clean the floors and placed a wet floor sign next to him, sighing in disbelief. Whoever that was who texted me, what do they mean by that? That was Jordan, right? Does he mean what he says? Jordan can¡¯t bring himself to kill me, would he? I got to stop him, to make sure he doesn¡¯t get away with... whatever he¡¯s planning. There¡¯s got to be something to bring him down. His mind focused on defeating him, and Stanley didn¡¯t notice the time passing by as he nearly forgot to do his work correctly. Soon, it became lunchtime. Stanley went over to the snack machine to get something light to eat. He pressed a button that had a picture of a Lemon and Milk Chocolate Tart, waiting for it to fall out. Stanley took it out, ripped the wrapping off, and munched on the tart. He looked down at the floor and sighed sadly. A voice and a tap on the shoulder caused him to snap around. He looked at Hilary, who stood right behind him with a confident smile on her face. ¡°Stanley, I said, how are you doing?¡± She repeated with her hands on her hips. ¡°Oh, hey, sorry,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°I got distracted by¡­¡± His eyes shifted. ¡°Something.¡± ¡°Time goes by quickly when lost in thought.¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose.¡± ¡°Are you alright? Is something bothering you?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯m fine,¡± Stanley stated. ¡°Are you still upset over what happened last night?¡± ¡°No, what about you?¡± ¡°Well, not quite. That¡¯s why I wanted to see you.¡± Hilary pointed out. ¡°Really, what did you want, Hilary?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°I wanted to know if I could stay in your room for the night?¡± Stanley¡¯s face turned pale upon the remark. Hilary realized what she said and retracted her comment. ¡°What I meant was to hang out for the time being.¡± She clasped her hands and bowed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I just wanted some time away from my room. That¡¯s not a problem, is it?¡± Stanley frowned. ¡°Unfortunately, it is. You see, I don¡¯t have my keys with me.¡± ¡°Huh, how come?¡± Hilary asked. ¡°I lost them, ok?¡± Stanley snapped. He immediately wished he retracted his tone. Hilary didn¡¯t seem to notice or mind, however. ¡°Does someone else have it? Have you talked to other people?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine; I can get them myself. I don¡¯t need you to tell me to do that.¡± ¡°What is your deal? What¡¯s gotten into you suddenly?¡± Hilary asked, feeling offended. ¡°Sorry,¡± Stanley tried to calm down and bottled up his anger. ¡°Look, I am entitled to my moments, too. Just like you had from the night before...¡± Hilary¡¯s mouth gaped open. ¡°What¡ª why are you bringing that up?¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling better, but I can handle this, alright?¡± Hilary sighed with a huff. ¡°You know what? Never mind. Forget I said anything.¡± She stormed out as Stanley solemnly watched over. ¡°Sorry for yelling at you.¡± He murmured. After a while, Stanley had finished his work cleaning the floors, when he felt another tap on his shoulders. This time, Jordan approached him, making Stanley¡¯s blood boil all over again. ¡°Hey, Stan, how are things going?¡± Jordan asked with a smug and arrogant look on his face. ¡°What do you want?¡± Stanley retorted, not looking at him. ¡°The boss wanted you to do, uh, another assignment to arrange some more cans at aisle twelve.¡± Stanley¡¯s eyebrows furrowed at the remark. ¡°Aren¡¯t those cans in normal order?¡± ¡°Not quite, they could use some inspection.¡± Jordan corrected him. ¡°And since you¡¯re the tallest and most dependable one, there is (that didn¡¯t quit or get sick), you can do the job no problem.¡± ¡°Well, alright then, if the boss says so, then I guess I can check.¡± ¡°Sweet. Oh, and by the way, we have a special meeting in the office later tonight, so when you finish, come over to the office to listen in and take part in the special announcement.¡± ¡°Alright, I get it.¡± Jordan glanced over and noticed an upset Hilary walk away and head through a door. He turned back and scowled at Stanley. ¡°Did you do something to her?¡± ¡°No,¡± Stanley replied. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet you did. And you said you¡¯d never hurt Hilary...¡± ¡°When did I¡ª?¡± Stanley raised his head. He ground his teeth. ¡°I swear I will...¡± He shook his head and stopped himself from finishing the sentence, and begrudgingly hurried over to work. 6. Stanley (Part 2) After a while, Stanley had completed his task, wondering when and where the meeting had taken place. He headed towards the office door as a muffled conversation echoed from behind the walls. As he was about to question what the others could be talking about, the door creaked open. Hilary walked out, excusing herself and going past Stanley. Stanley noticed the others staring at him, now exposed to the public. The boss and the employees glared at Stanley as he took a seat across from Jordan. The atmosphere grew quiet and severe, making Stanley''s hands clamp with sweat. Why didn¡¯t anyone say anything? ¡°So, um, w-what did I miss?¡± Stanley asked, finally breaking the silence. ¡°That¡¯s not important right now.¡± The boss said in a harsh tone. ¡°So, is what Jordan said true?¡± ¡°About what exactly?¡± ¡°The intern approved of this place, but because you blackmailed her?¡± Stanley¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°Wait; what? I didn¡¯t do such a thing!¡± Stanley exclaimed, taken aback by the harsh words. ¡°What did Jordan tell you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true; he¡¯s lying to your faces,¡± Jordan recalled. ¡°I also caught the two going to some love motel.¡± He took out some photos and dropped them onto the table. ¡°Here¡¯s the proof.¡± Stanley extended his arms to grab some and skimmed them. His eyes widened, and his grip tightened upon seeing the photos. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be me! These photos got to be fake!¡± ¡°Oh yeah? And where is your proof?¡± Jordan asked with his hands on his hips. ¡°What did you do yesterday?¡± ¡°Uh... well...¡± Stanley stammered. ¡°See? Can¡¯t even muster up an excuse or lie to back himself up.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± The boss shook his head, surprised. ¡°How could you do this?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I...¡± Stanley didn¡¯t know what to say now. In the meantime, all Jordan could do was brag under his breath. ¡°You should¡¯ve known better than to mess with me...¡± The remark made Stanley¡¯s blood boil with every word coming out of that man¡¯s mouth, seeing the expressions and inflictions on Jordan¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be with Hilary at all!¡± He snapped. ¡°Oh my, first Melody, now Hilary? You want to be a two-timer now?¡± Jordan asked in a condescending tone. ¡°How could you do such a thing?¡± The boss questioned Stanley, appalled by the remark he heard. ¡°Let¡¯s face it. That guy is just a weak-willed wimp, with no heart, brain, courage, or dignity.¡± Jordan glanced over to Stanley. ¡°No offense.¡± That was when Stanley finally had enough of his nonsense. ¡°You want to know something?¡± He clenched his fists and ground his teeth, stomping over to Jordan and poking him in the chest. ¡°You¡¯re a complete jerk who has no soul, no offense! First, you stole my appearance, then my job, my apartment, and now you¡¯re going to steal away my friend too? You¡¯re stealing my life!¡± Stanley grabbed him by the shirt collar and slammed him down onto the table, dragging him across and throwing him toward a wall. Jordan tried to get up, but Stanley marched over and sucker-punched him in the face, causing the man to topple onto the floor. Jordan rubbed his head and coughed up blood. He looked up at Stanley in horror and surprise. Everyone else glanced at Stanley as their eyes widened in shock. Stanley wondered why until he noticed something across his face in the corners of his eyes. He touched and rubbed the substance, only to find blood dripping from his fingertips. Strange, but Stanley didn¡¯t feel any pain or sorrow; it felt good. Stanley laughed out loud, trying to hold back the tears from pouring out of his eyes as they burned like mad. The employees made worried glances; they backed away, wondering what was up with the guy. When Hilary entered the room, she swung the door open, marched over to Stanley, and slapped him hard. The room grew silent and cold afterward. Hilary¡¯s hand shook in the air; she glanced down at her trembling hands, as her face became somber upon realizing what she has just done. Hilary shook her head and stormed out while tearing up. Jordan got up and followed her out, hoping to catch up to her and cheer her up. Stanley placed his hand on his cheek and widened his eyes upon realizing what he did. The other employees turned to glare at Stanley. The boss narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°Stanley, you have a lot to think about.¡± The boss told him, crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°Turn in your uniform and don¡¯t bother coming back.¡± 6. Stanley (Part 3) Stanley trudged home with his head lowered to the ground. He noticed the gray clouds forming together in the sky. The man had to get back home, but he took the long way to contemplate his decisions back there and what to do. Stanley knew he had to get there eventually, just to end the already miserable day. What have I done? What was I thinking back there? He thought to himself, clasping his face with his hands. Stanley made it back to his room and headed toward the gray balcony. He didn¡¯t even bother checking in other places, not wanting to upset them further, and figured they wouldn¡¯t want him. Why would they? He looked up at the sky, placing his arms on the railings and resting his head there. What should he do now, and where can he find a new job? What would he tell his nana now? Should Stanley go back to his old home as a failure at this point? The gray clouds turned to black, as soft thunder roared from above. Small droplets of rain fell on the ground, Goosebumps grew on Stanley¡¯s body, but he didn¡¯t care, not anymore. What was the point now that his life was ruined? He heard a knock on the door in his room, but ignored it. Another, but louder, whack banged at the door. The door opened by itself as the Landlord excused himself and entered the room. Stanley turned around, about to question how he got in, but recalled Jordan breaking the lock not too long ago. Just thinking about that made his heart sink lower. ¡°Hey, there you are.¡± The Landlord said, wiping his forehead. ¡°What do you want?¡± Stanley hissed. ¡°I can see you¡¯re not in the mood, but I need to tell you this.¡± The Landlord cleared his throat before continuing. ¡°Your rent is due tomorrow, and I¡¯m going to need the money by then.¡± ¡°What?¡± Stanley¡¯s heart dropped as his eyes widened. ¡°But, I¡ª¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± The Landlord interrupted. ¡°You either pay or have to go away.¡± ¡°Where will I go if I can¡¯t¡ª?¡± ¡°Beats me.¡± The Landlord turned and walked away, closing the door behind him. Stanley lowered his head back to the top of the balcony and sighed. Now he had lost everything, back to square one, but worse off. Stanley couldn¡¯t hold back the tears anymore. He shut his eyes and just let them fall down his face. He sobbed quietly to himself throughout the night and buried his face in his arms. A door creaked from a distance. His ears picked up on that. Stanley stopped crying and looked down to see an entry open, and a person turned heads before walking out. He couldn¡¯t recognize the figure as it blended with the darkness surrounding him, though seeing the red eyes pierce the gloominess, he knew who it was. Stanley wiped his eyes and went down the stairs to follow the figure. .-.-.-. Stanley carefully snuck behind the figure to make sure he didn¡¯t get caught. The image walked toward some lamps, glistening and illuminating the dark. He was right; it was Jordan. All that¡¯s left to wonder is, where did Jordan head off to, and why? Jordan stood in front of two enormous gates and pushed them open, then he stepped inside, as the fog poured out of the area. Stanley brushed off the mist and read the sign up above. The first word was Angelwing, and he couldn¡¯t make out the second word. Stanley stepped forward and followed Jordan. As Stanley trudged along the wet grass, he could barely see Jordan past all the fog surrounding the area. He rested his hand to use as a hand stool, only to find he touched a tombstone and backed away. It just occurred to him what the second word was as he realized where he was, a cemetery. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The owls hooted and crickets chirped as the ambiance in the area grew with every step he took. After a while, Jordan came to a complete stop when he got to a specific grave and knelt to read the sign. Stanley stopped a few feet from him and turned his head to try and get a read on the name of the grave. Stanley squinted his eyes, then shot them wide open upon realizing something. I recognize that tombstone and name; it can¡¯t be. Jordan turned around and noticed Stanley standing right behind him. ¡°You again? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Why are you near that grave?¡± Stanley pointed. ¡°How do you know about my nana?¡± ¡°Your nana? You mean our nana.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? How do you know her? Why is her grave even here?¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know?¡± Jordan replied, getting himself up and brushing off his clothes. ¡°She¡¯s been dead for years, sick in bed. Nana fought hard, but it was no match for her inevitable demise. Her family members didn¡¯t want to tell you about it.¡± Stanley¡¯s body grew stiff, as a tight knot formed around in his stomach, almost as if he got punched in the gut. He couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard. It couldn¡¯t be, it just couldn¡¯t. ¡°You mean to tell me that all this time, she...?¡± Stanley started, his voice growing cold, and his body shook. ¡°That¡¯s right, died peacefully, in her hometown,¡± Jordan replied. ¡°No one wanted to have your heart broken and confess to your face, so your family bottled it all up and didn¡¯t say a word.¡± Stanely didn¡¯t know how to react. So many things filled his head at once. He tried to hold back his hot tears and fuming head. He heard her voice, he could¡¯ve sworn that, so why is she now revealed to be dead? If it wasn¡¯t Nana, then who was on his side of the phone? How did they get his number, whoever they were? ¡°That can¡¯t be. How would you know about that?¡± Stanley inquired, taking a step back. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Jordan asked. He walked closer to Stanley. ¡°I¡¯m you, whether or not you want to believe and accept it. I have all your memories and such inside of me. We even share the same app¡ª¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not me! You¡¯ll never understand or become me!¡± Stanley snapped. ¡°And besides, I heard my nana on the phone, so I¡¯m not crazy, you hear me?!¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Jordan rolled his eyes. ¡°I can see why your family never told you.¡± ¡°Excuse me? After everything you¡¯ve said and done, you now have the gall to mock my family?¡± ¡°Did you not even¡ª?¡± Jordan shook his head and groaned. ¡°Forget it and forget her too.¡± ¡°Forget who?¡± Stanley asked, confused. ¡°I change my mind, your history, and soon I¡¯ll be the one and only¡ª¡± ¡°Will you knock it¡ª?¡± Before giving him the time to finish the sentence, Jordan shoved Stanley to the ground, nearly hitting a gravestone. Stanley had gotten scratches from his legs and arms; he rubbed his head and noticed Jordan storm over to him in a fit of rage. Stanley looked around for something to fight back against as a weapon. He discovered a shovel on the ground and grabbed it, clutching it in his hands. Stanley knocked Jordan out of the way with the shovel by hitting him into the air and causing him to tumble to the ground. Jordan glanced at Stanley in shock as the latter got up and sauntered over to him with the shovel in hand. ¡°Hey, you, eat this!¡± Stanley exclaimed. ¡°What¡ª?¡± Jordan started. ¡°Get out of my life!¡± Stanley interrupted. He lifted the shovel in the air and swung it at Jordan, knocking him over to hit a tombstone, causing him to black out. Stanley continued to whack him with the shovel to make sure he stayed unconscious. Stanley felt satisfied, but somewhat dizzy. His eyes drifted off as his body fell. After a while, when he woke up, Stanley rubbed his head and noticed the blood spill from Jordan¡¯s head. Stanley touched his head and also felt blood. What¡¯s going on? Why do I have this? This doesn¡¯t make sense. Stanley called back to when Jordan said that they were the same. No way, unless, could we share the same pain? Stanley looked over at Jordan¡¯s unconscious body and thought up an idea. He walked over and dragged the body out of the graveyard. 6. Stanley (Part 4) Stanley headed toward an old and torn building where the torn mattress laid aside and plopped Jordan on top of it before dragging and pushing that as well. Stanley placed the mattress on the side of the apartment complex before entering Willow View. He snuck around the Landlord who was sleeping while sitting on his chair. Stanley tiptoed to the drawers and opened them, taking out a pair of keys and putting them in his pockets. Heading to the storage room on the floor above, Stanley unlocked and opened the door using the keys from before and stepped inside, bringing Jordan along with him. He placed the man with red eyes on a chair. Stanley headed to another drawer, opening it to take out some duct tape and rope. He turned to face Jordan and unpeeled the tape to place in the guy¡¯s mouth and tied up his body with string, making sure he stayed in place and tightened it. ¡°Perfect,¡± Stanley muttered under his breath. He lurked over to a box, where he found a small pocket knife and picked it up. He noticed the tip of the blade, and upon seeing the reflection, saw Jordan open his eyes. ¡°Oh, looks like you¡¯re awake, Jordan,¡± Stanley said, walking over to him as Jordan squirmed and grunted, trying to get out as well as find a way to breathe. ¡°So, how does it feel to be in a tight situation? And don¡¯t try to struggle either. Once I leave this place, you won¡¯t be able to do anything much longer. No one will help you out here.¡± Stanley pulled out the knife and drew near Jordan¡¯s neck. ¡°But before I go, there¡¯s something I¡¯d love to test out.¡± He said with a sinister grin on his face as his eyes grew wide. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Jordan¡¯s heart pounded fast as his body sweated, and his eyes shrunk in fear. He desperately tried to get out of the situation and cry out for help. But as Stanley said, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. He shut his eyes tight and prayed to his heart¡¯s content. .-.-.-. Stanley closed the door behind him after finishing his business. He locked it with a shiny key before disposing of it in the trash, covering it with all the garbage surrounding it. Nobody will find the broom closet now. He hid in his room to write up a letter to give to Hilary. He exited and headed up toward her room and slid it under the doorway before heading out. Stanley rushed up the stairs to the roof of the apartment. The wind died down as the clouds separated to show a creak of the moon high in the sky. Stanley walked closer to the edge of the roof, looking down to see the mattress still resting on the ground. His heart pounded fast as he gulped, clutching his chest. His plan should go smoothly if he could pull this off. Once Stanley went off, his clone will go down with him since they share the same pain. ¡°Stanley, what are you doing?¡± He heard a female voice call out from behind him. He snapped around to find Hilary standing there, with her hands clasped together, her body shaking. ¡°I saw your note; it¡¯s not true, is it?¡± She questioned. ¡°What did you¡ª?¡± ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t explain it at the moment. There¡¯s little time left for me.¡± Stanley sighed, turning back to the mattress. ¡°I have to do this.¡± He turned back to face Hilary and gave her a sad smile. ¡°Although, I¡¯m glad to have met you, one last time, and that you¡¯re not mad at me anymore.¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t do this!¡± Hilary pleaded. ¡°Goodbye, Hilary...¡± Hilary ran over to try and catch him, but she was too late. Stanley closed his eyes, spread his arms wide, and fell backwards. Hilary dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands, refusing to watch Stanley fall and letting the tears streamed down her face. Stanley smiled one last time before he blacked out. 7. Jordan (Part 1) ¡°Hey, won¡¯t you please wake up?¡± A voice echoed through the darkness. ¡°Huh? Melody, is that you?¡± The voice questioned. Melody looked over at the figure in bed with the bedsheets covering their face. They opened their eyes and stared at her. ¡°Oh, good, you¡¯re awake.¡± She walked over and opened the curtains to let the sunlight shine and pierce through, hitting the bed. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± ¡°Glad you didn¡¯t die on me. Good to know you¡¯re not ignoring me either.¡± Melody turned to face the person inside the bed. ¡°So, how are you feeling, sleepyhead?¡± ¡°Was I... asleep?¡± ¡°Yeah, did you have a nightmare?¡± ¡°I guess I did then. Weird...¡± They scratched the back of their head. ¡°So, what now?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a brand-new day, so why not explore more? What do you say, Jordan?¡± Jordan peeked out of bed and nodded. ¡°What day is it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, they¡¯ve forgotten about it already.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Oh, good.¡± Jordan sighed, but took a double-take. ¡°No wait, I¡¯m not sure if I remember¡ª¡± ¡°No need,¡± Melody interrupted. ¡°All you got to know is that we should try to make a different approach.¡± .-.-.-. It was early outside, as the sun rose, changing the skies to light blue, with the white clouds hovering in the air as it mystified the duo. Melody figured that they could have an early start as soon as possible with their new goal in mind. Surely, they can succeed this time around. The two finally reached the outskirts of the center of Bleakburn in the crisp autumn season. The air was humid, with a few people walking about at this time of day. Most of them wore warm clothes and carried phones in their bags. Melody smirked as she took out her planner and checked off some things on her list. Jordan leaned over to inspect, but Melody clapped her planner shut and put it away in a huff. She suggested that they both split up and get information on everything and start from scratch. Jordan didn¡¯t know if the idea would work, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything else, and wouldn¡¯t dare to talk back to her. As the two went their separate ways, for now, Jordan headed off to a familiar place to try and refresh his memory, starting with The Midnight Delight. As it just opened, Jordan noticed no line available as he walked over to pick up a menu and look it over. He sat down on the table, tapping the table furiously, as he can¡¯t seem to remember anything that happened prior. What did I miss the last time? Jordan thought. And why won¡¯t Melody tell me? There had to be something he could do differently, right? As a waiter walked over to give Jordan his meal, Jordan looked over at the corner of his eyes as a familiar person walked by. He stared through the window displays until they left his sight. ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Jordan turned and told him. He got up from his seat and dashed off to chase after the other person, leaving the waiter to stand there, tilting their head in confusion. 7. Jordan (Part 2) Jordan ran over and spotted the figure about to turn a corner. He sidestepped around some people in his way. When he finally came across the red-haired lady, he placed his hand on her shoulder to get her attention. ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± He called out. ¡°Yes, can I help you?¡± The figure turned around and asked. I knew I recognized you, Hilary. Jordan thought with a smile. ¡°Hello there.¡± ¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t think anyone would be out here this early, and be this uplifted, that¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Jordan scratched his flushing red cheek. ¡°Oh, I mean¡ª I know, I wish more people could do this more often, without...¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a shame. Some people don¡¯t want to go to work but have to, anyway.¡± Hilary commented with a shrug. ¡°And some would rather stay up late and sleep in than go out and get fresh air...¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jordan replied. ¡°So, why are you out here? I¡¯m out getting some for work later.¡± She said, adjusting her magenta cap. ¡°And I¡¯m out for a jog.¡± Jordan lied. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you again Hilary, what a coincidence meeting up like this, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Hilary seemed to be taken aback by that statement. ¡°How do you know my name?¡± Jordan frowned. ¡°Do you not remember me?¡± He pointed at himself. ¡°It¡¯s me, Jordan.¡± Hilary shook her head. ¡°No, sorry, you must be confusing me with someone else.¡± ¡°But I saw you at that store recently.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember seeing you there either. Then again, I also don¡¯t have the greatest memory.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± He muttered. Jordan didn¡¯t understand. How come she doesn¡¯t remember him? He knew why he remembered nothing prior, but why didn¡¯t she recognize him? What was going on? Then he realized. Perhaps they could start over? Perhaps they could start over? ¡°Hey, is it alright if¡ª?¡± ¡°Hey, sir, are you coming back to the restaurant?¡± The same waiter from before ran out the door to catch up to Jordan. ¡°Your food will get cold unless you plan on leaving without paying.¡± He glared. Jordan tugged at his shirt collar as Hilary squint-glared at him with disbelief. ¡°Of course not, no,¡± ¡°You better get going,¡± Hilary muttered. Jordan turned, wondering if he caught that right. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss stuff on my list and be late for work at this rate.¡± She checked her watch and headed off. Jordan raised his hand to try and stop her, but was too late. He slumped in defeat as he followed the waiter back into the restaurant, pressing his elbows onto the table and staring at his Strawberry Shortcake. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. While taking some bites of cake and a gulp of milk, his phone went off in his pockets. Jordan reached inside to take out his mahogany phone and noticed Melody had given him a text. M: ¡°I found something, here¡¯s a link and some pictures¡± Jordan looked over and checked the link containing some pictures she mentioned. His eyes widened upon seeing them as his hands trembled. No way, it can¡¯t be. It wasn¡¯t like that before. He brooded. ¡°Sir, I¡¯d like to tip out,¡± Jordan told the server. ¡°Now?¡± The waiter started. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I got somewhere to be.¡± Jordan interrupted as he got up from his seat and took out some dollar bills from his pocket to place on the table. As he was about to leave, the server called to him, while raising the bill to his face. ¡°Where did you get this from?¡± ¡°The ground?¡± ¡°Money like this doesn¡¯t come around often, especially on the ground.¡± ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s not my problem. Anyway, think of it as a special tip for a special person that¡¯s superb looking.¡± Jordan turned to face him and gave out a wink before leaving. The waiter watched him leave as he tilted his head. ¡°What?¡± .-.-.-. As Jordan headed out, he took out his phone to text Melody. J: ¡°So, where are we meeting?¡± M: ¡°Near the station. How¡¯s your progress going so far?¡± J: ¡°Oh, it¡¯s going great.¡± M: ¡°You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡± J: ¡°Not exactly. In fact, I¡¯ll let you in on the amazing details later today when I make it to where you are.¡± M: ¡°Sure, sounds good.¡± Jordan closed his phone and checked his surroundings, knowing he had to be careful and hide somewhere. At first, Jordan thought about not getting worried for now, but then spotted some police cars idling near an area, as some wanted posters stuck onto some walls. Jordan quickly hid behind one; not knowing why there were this many cars and officers around that area. In the corner of his eyes, Hilary walked by on the sidewalk, looking at some display windows. She also noticed the vehicles nearby as an officer wearing an orange hat walked up to her. ¡°Hey, excuse me, miss?¡± He spoke up. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s going on?¡± Hilary asked, glancing at the scene at large. ¡°What¡¯s with all those cars over there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little hard to explain.¡± He scratched the back of his head and murmured. ¡°But I¡¯d like to ask you a question if that¡¯s alright with you.¡± The man reached into his pocket and took out a piece of paper to show to her. ¡°Do you recognize this person?¡± Jordan couldn¡¯t make out who was in the picture, but Hilary shook her head. ¡°Can¡¯t say I have. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Well, we heard you were associated with those people...¡± the officer answered. ¡°¡¯Those¡¯? You mean to tell me that there¡¯s more than one?¡± ¡°I guess I might be confusing you with someone else.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hilary¡¯s eyes widened, then looked away. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not the first.¡± She muttered under her breath. ¡°A-ha, I got it.¡± The man took out another piece of paper and showed it to her. ¡°How about this person?¡± ¡°Hey, yeah, I recognize that person!¡± Hilary exclaimed while pointing. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Hey, look.¡± Another officer came over and pointed at a figure on the other side of the street. Uh oh, I think they found me! Jordan thought as sweat beaded from his body. He got out of his hiding spot and ran the other way before they could see or capture him. 7. Jordan (Part 3) Jordan finally found Melody, hiding behind a small planter brick wall, with her back turned, but her head looked at something else. Jordan snuck over next to her and peeked his head out to see why she hid. His eyes widened upon seeing the Willow View, surrounded by more police cars and officers. They looked to be inspecting the cases that the building supposedly had. ¡°So, this is what you wanted to show me?¡± Jordan whispered. Melody jumped back a bit, then glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that, you almost blew our cover.¡± She regained her composure and sighed before turning her attention back to the apartment building. ¡°But if those guys keep at it, our plans might get ruined.¡± ¡°If they keep at what, though?¡± Jordan tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Blocking every part of the whole town!¡± Melody hissed. ¡°Now, you''re too loud.¡± Jordan pointed out. Melody pouted in response. ¡°You don¡¯t suppose it has something to do with the suicides, do you?¡± He continued. ¡°Probably.¡± Melody guessed. ¡°We¡¯ll need to lower their numbers, but how?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible. I mean, how can we decrease the suicide rates?¡± ¡°I got another idea.¡± She proposed. She didn¡¯t say it to Jordan to keep it a surprise. Since they couldn¡¯t get back to their home, Melody exited the area, and Jordan followed her. The two walked along the town square of Bleakburn, all while trying to find places to hide from the many officials that still roamed the town. Some residents and civilians sat on benches, small chairs beside the coffee tables, walked around, or texted on their phones. Jordan noticed something odd about everyone he passed by. No one said a thing, and they lowered their heads, seeming to be upset about something. He had no clue why or what the cause of it could be. Jordan was unsure why the atmosphere felt different and somber everywhere they turned. Melody didn¡¯t seem to care or mind about what went on in the background. Her mind went elsewhere as she walked along the sidewalk. Jordan had a feeling that the atmosphere had gotten worse with each passing day, almost as if¡ª ¡°Hey, look over there.¡± Jordan pointed at an alleyway, causing Melody to stop and turn in his direction. The two noticed some people lying on the ground near the dumpster. Their bodies appeared to be motionless, even though there were no injuries present. Jordan and Melody held their noses and walked closer toward the source. Melody placed her hand on one of them and shivered upon interacting with the cold Goosebumps-like body. She backed away, trying to calm down and loosen her leg hairs from rising too high. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Did you feel the pulse?¡± Jordan asked. ¡°Won¡¯t don¡¯t you check it out for yourself?¡± Melody asked back. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to!¡± Jordan whined. ¡°Not so loud, dummy!¡± Melody hissed. ¡°We can¡¯t let anyone know about this either way.¡± ¡°But why are they...?¡± Melody pondered about the fact that maybe those folks died from jumping off a building. But the rumors that had spread mentioned that people committed suicide by jumping off a different structure. She then wondered if since those people on the floor had got no injuries on them, they could have gotten a disease. Melody looked over and noticed a yellow phone in their grasp. She pulled it out and checked it briefly. ¡°Now I see,¡± Melody muttered. Jordan leaned in to look at what she talked about and what she meant by that, but Melody pulled the phone away to prevent him from seeing the device. ¡°We can¡¯t let them see this, not again.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Jordan questioned. That was when Melody thought up another idea. ¡°Follow my lead.¡± ¡°Is the next step going into swing?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see, trust me.¡± She took the phone and dialed a number. Once she finished talking to someone on the other side, the two went into hiding. After a while, some police cars arrived as two officers stepped out. They took out their flashlights and scrutinized the area. The presence and the stench got worse by the second. ¡°Where¡¯s that smell coming from?¡± One of them held their nose and asked. ¡°I think it¡¯s coming from there...¡± The other kneeled to check on the bodies. ¡°Do you think, maybe, the murder here and the suicides might have nothing to do with the main case?¡± The first one swung the flashlight toward a wall and looked around the area. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like I remember¡ª¡± The second was about to reply, but when he looked up, his comrade was no longer in sight. ¡°Um, Bill? Where did you go?¡± He stood up and looked around. Out of the corner of his eyes, a red light pierced through the darkness. The officer pulled out a gun and trudged toward the glow. A massive blow hit him in the back of his head, causing him to fall and lose consciousness. Melody walked over with a blunt object in hand. She tossed it aside, kneeled, and picked up the orange hat. She brushed the dust off and placed it on her head, tying her hair up in a bun. Jordan got out of his hiding spot, dragging the other unconscious officer in tow, and did the same thing. ¡°Wow, this is surprisingly comfortable for me,¡± Jordan remarked. He pulled out a mini mirror from his pocket and admired himself for a bit. ¡°That meant swell,¡± Melody recalled. ¡°Now, come on, we¡¯re not done yet. Help me carry these bodies over...¡± She walked over to the dumpster and opened it wide. To her dismay, the stench got even worse as it spread all around the area. It didn¡¯t help that she thought she saw what looked to be severed hands underneath the garbage. ¡°OH, GOD!¡± Melody jumped back and shut it closed. ¡°Never mind, forget the dumpster!¡± Melody exclaimed, waving off the fumes and flared her nostrils. ¡°What? Why?¡± Jordan put the mirror away and turned to ask. ¡°Let¡¯s just take them to the car.¡± ¡°But do I have to touch those?¡± Jordan used the tips of his nails to nuzzle them toward the vehicle. ¡°Seriously?¡± Melody collided her hand to her face and shook in disbelief. ¡°You expect me to help too?¡± Melody and Jordan worked together to carry each of the bodies, one at a time, into a body bag and threw them into the back of the trunk before shutting it closed. They looked around, making sure nobody watched them, before heading to the car and driving away. 7. Jordan (Part 4) The two drove off, with Jordan in the passenger seat and Melody driving on the road. They stayed silent for a while as Jordan rested his hand on his chin, staring at the window. ¡°Hey, do you think that''ll work?¡± Jordan glanced and asked, breaking the silence. ¡°I hope it does,¡± Melody replied, not taking her eyes off the road. ¡°But what we got to do is lie low so no one gets any more suspicious.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jordan looked back at the window and the scenery outside. ¡°So, where are we heading?¡± ¡°The Piers.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that far away?¡± ¡°I know a shortcut that can get us there in no time,¡± Melody smirked as her driving got more reckless while taking the shortcut. Jordan held his mouth, trying not to vomit in the car or fall out. By the time they got to their destination, dawn already struck, nobody else appeared by the docks. Melody and Jordan got out of the car, opened the trunk, and took out the body bags to toss into the salty waters. They watched as the bags bobbed and weaved before eventually sinking below. ¡°There we go.¡± Melody clasped her hands and brushed herself off. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and head back to¡ª¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± A voice called out to them. The two stopped and turned to see another officer getting out of a car of his own. ¡°Um, can we help you?¡± Jordan asked. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± The man inquired, walking over to them. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here, weren¡¯t you called in to check at some other location?¡± Beads of sweat rolled down on the back of Jordan¡¯s neck, making it hot and sweaty. ¡°Um, well...¡± He started. ¡°Keep it quiet. I¡¯ll handle this,¡± Melody whispered. She turned to the other guy, lowering the hat so the guy couldn¡¯t see her face entirely. ¡°The boss called us and wanted us to check and examine some specific areas.¡± She pointed at the pier. ¡°This is one of them; once we finish the rest, we¡¯ll report this to the boss.¡± The officer tapped his foot and scratched his chin. ¡°Really? But why would he¡ª?¡± ¡°Are you questioning the boss?¡± Melody tempted him. ¡°No, not at all. If that¡¯s what the boss said, then carry on.¡± The person walked away in the opposite direction. Melody and Jordan waited for him to get in his car and drive away before continuing their mission. ¡°Nice, that was a close one.¡± Jordan complimented as he slipped into the passenger seat. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll say.¡± Melody went over to the driver¡¯s seat, turned on the ignition, and took the wheels. ¡°Hang on.¡± ¡°Wait, at least let me put on my seatbelts!¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Melody slammed on the gas pedal and drove off. Jordan clutched onto the seats and squinted his eyes, bracing himself. ¡°Can¡¯t you slow down a bit?¡± Jordan pleaded. ¡°As I said, we need to hurry back to the¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, stop the car!¡± Jordan peeked through the windows and pointed at a familiar face. Melody jammed on the brakes, causing the car to jolt and jump. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Look over there; it¡¯s Hilary!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°I wonder if she finished her errands.¡± ¡°Ok, so what are you going to do about it?¡± Melody asked, arching her eyebrows. Jordan unclipped his seatbelt. ¡°You go on ahead; I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡± He opened the car door and started heading out. ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to her again.¡± ¡°Wait, do you know where we¡¯re meeting up?¡± Melody questioned. ¡°The Willow View, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Better hurry before you know who leaves your sights.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡± ,-,-,-, ¡°Hello there.¡± Jordan ran over and called out to get Hilary¡¯s attention once again. Hilary turned around, placing her hand on her hip. ¡°Oh, another police guy?¡± Jordan looked down and realized he didn¡¯t change his disguise. Nevertheless, he still rolled with it. ¡°Uh, you live near those apartments, right?¡± He pointed and asked. Hilary nodded in response. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°We took care of a problem nearby recently. We wanted to let you know.¡± ¡°I see, well, then thank you for letting me know,¡± Hilary said, her face lit up. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Jordan replied as his face flushed light red. ¡°Hey, do I know you?¡± Hilary pondered, leaning over. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t recall.¡± Jordan lied, shaking his head. ¡°By the way, you look rather nice today.¡± ¡°Thanks, although I don¡¯t think so myself.¡± She muttered the last part to herself. ¡°I should finish my errands before it gets too dark out.¡± Hilary turned and was about to leave. ¡°You should go for a quick walk or get a light snack before going home,¡± Jordan suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it after I do my errands.¡± Hilary glanced at him and replied before walking away in the opposite direction. Jordan tipped his hat and left the other way, with his head held high, feeling that he did a better job communicating with her than the last time. .-.-.-. Jordan strolled along, heading toward the Willow View apartment complex. There, he finally met up with Melody. He was about to wave to her, but when he walked closer, his peripheral vision noticed a familiar figure that looked like him: Stanley. Jordan rushed behind a wall and peeked his head out, watching the two talk to one another. ¡°Okay, if you say so,¡± Stanley said, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Thanks for helping out on the unexpected turmoil, officer.¡± ¡°My pleasure,¡± Melody replied coolly. She leaned closer and smirked at him. ¡°So, what do you plan on doing now?¡± She asked. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go to bed.¡± Stanley yawned, appearing to be unaware of her antics. He walked away and didn¡¯t look back. Jordan squinted his eyes and glared at the man as he headed up the stairs toward his room. Just you wait because soon, I¡¯ll make it so you¡¯ll regret messing with me. When it was safe to proceed, Jordan got out of his hiding spot and took off his disguise. Melody did the same thing. ¡°Hey, Jordan.¡± Melody greeted him while flipping her hair. ¡°You sure did a great job on the flirting, huh?¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Jordan asked. ¡°Wait, how did you know? I thought you weren¡¯t there¡ª¡± ¡°I just assumed, that¡¯s all.¡± Melody brushed it off. ¡°Anyway, excellent work so far. Take your break, I¡¯ll go do more important stuff.¡± ¡°But why won¡¯t you tell me¡ª?¡± ¡°Later, when the time comes.¡± Melody winked. ¡°For now, relax and rest.¡± ¡°Alright, do be careful then.¡± Jordan nodded and sighed. He opened the doors to the apartment and headed upstairs to his room while Melody stood there, watching him leave before continuing her ¡®duties.'' 8. Jordan (Part 1) Jordan rested his elbow and hands on the edge of the balcony, and he leaned back from the bars as he stared at the dark sky. It stayed black for a long time before the sun rose from the corner of his eyes. As Jordan watched the scenery, it dawned on him that he never went to sleep at all. Time had passed, but his mind grew too weary of getting any sleep as he couldn¡¯t concentrate or sit his brain still in the slightest. To Jordan, not a lot of stuff made sense. What¡¯s Melody doing that was so important, she couldn¡¯t tell him a thing about it? He didn¡¯t know how long it had been since she told him to take a break. On the one hand, he didn¡¯t want to disobey or break his promise. But on the other hand, Jordan didn¡¯t want to stand there by himself and let her do all the hard work. Jordan left his room to get fresh air and quench his thirst. He trotted down the stairs and approached a door to listen in on a conversation from the other side. The door slammed open, hitting Jordan in the face. ¡°Oh no, I didn¡¯t realize what time it was!¡± He heard Stanley exclaim. ¡°I gotta find myself a job!¡± Jordan closed the door and rubbed the bump on his forehead. He glared at Stanley, who ran off without knowing what he had done and hurt Jordan by whacking him with the door. ¡°Couldn¡¯t he have watched where he was going?¡± Jordan hissed. ¡°What was he¡ª?¡± His eyes widened after a good chunk of hard thinking. He ground his teeth as he reached down to pull out his phone. That did it, Jordan would finally give Stanley a peace of mind. He dialed up a number, placing the phone beside his ear, and tapped his foot, waiting for the person to pick up. ¡°Hello?¡± He heard Melody speak up. ¡°Hey,¡± Jordan greeted. ¡°Can we talk?¡± ¡°Sure thing, what¡¯s up? Is something the matter?¡± Melody asked. ¡°Yes, I would like to change plans, or at least, go try a different route while waiting for you.¡± ¡°Is that so? What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to try that job at the supermarket again, earlier than our intention,¡± Jordan suggested as he walked his way down the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m asking you for permission before I could do it, but...¡± ¡°Sure, go for it,¡± Melody replied. ¡°Really? You mean it?¡± Jordan questioned, his eyes widened. ¡°I know what you mean; it¡¯d be easier to watch over them in the same area. People would get suspicious if you were a customer watching from afar.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get intel and plan ahead.¡± ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t want to join me?¡± Jordan asked. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯d rather not.¡± Melody scoffed. ¡°I have far more important stuff to do here.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Jordan hung up and headed out the door. .-.-.-. The fog grew dense in the area, and mist surrounded his eyes after a while. Jordan entered the Purple Spoon and hurried over to the boss¡¯s office, where the man did some paperwork with the files, cabinets, and computers. The boss looked up and noticed Jordan as he closed the door behind him. ¡°Oh, hello there, welcome to the store.¡± He greeted him while putting away some papers on his desk. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to apply for a job here,¡± Jordan muttered. ¡°Oh, well, I was about to close up the store, so can¡¯t you wait until¡ª?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have time for this!¡± Jordan interjected. ¡°I need this now! And time? Aren¡¯t they open for a long time?¡± ¡°You seriously didn¡¯t check the closing times beforehand?¡± The boss questioned. ¡°Will you at least answer me a question?¡± ¡°Um, sure?¡± ¡°Why do you want to apply here, and what makes you think you should get¡ª?¡± Jordan couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He looked at the boss in the eyes as an ominous symbol appeared in Jordan¡¯s eyes as they widened and stared into the boss¡¯ soul. ¡°You will give me this job,¡± Jordan ordered in an ambient-toned voice. ¡°I... will give you this job.¡± The boss repeated, sounding robotic and lifeless. ¡°You will give me a proper introduction tomorrow and give me special treatment.¡± The boss repeated that sentence. Jordan smirked and blinked, causing the symbols to disappear. ¡°Alright then, see you tomorrow.¡± Jordan turned and exited the store, leaving the boss to sit there, looking confused as to what had just happened. .-.-.-. Jordan went back to his room, feeling content with the entire day. He sighed with content as he got ready to head to bed, finding it to be a lot easier than he expected. Who knew Jordan could possess power like that and talk the boss into giving him that position? Now, if only he could get rid of that faker, Stanley, make him get over that girl, Hilary, and make her fall for him instead. Jordan stopped fixing the bed to ponder about something. Did he not pay attention or had time been sporadic all around him? Jordan thought about asking Melody if she knew anything about it, but figured she might be busy. He shrugged it off and decided to ask some other time. In the meantime, he¡¯ll get some beauty sleep. After all, tomorrow is another day. .-.-.-. Mystifying laughter echoed in the room, and footsteps came closer. Jordan woke up and rubbed his eyes. Looking around the area, he found himself enwrapped in complete darkness, having no clue where he was. His body slowly lifted off the ground as he tried to get down. His stomach lurched, and his heart pounded like crazy. He had no clue what happened or why he ended up in this position. He jolted up as invisible lines stuck out in his body, making him dangle in the air like a puppet on strings. Out of the corner of his eyes, Jordan noticed a glow and a free hand moving closer to him with a pair of yellow scissors. They reached toward the strings to cut them in one snap. Jordan¡¯s eyes widened as he fell to the ground. He wanted to scream, but nothing came out. He shut his eyes tight, waiting for the inevitable. .-.-.-. Jordan fell out of the bed as he shot wide awake. His legs were entangled with the blankets and sheets. He rubbed his head and groaned. What a nightmare that turned out to be. Jordan crawled back onto the bed and covered himself with the blankets and tried to get back to sleep since it was too early in the morning. After a while, Jordan heard tapping sounds from his windows. He squinted his eyes and covered his head with his pillow and clutched it tight, hoping to block out the noise, but it was no use. Jordan shot out of bed in anger and stomped over toward the window to find a bird flying around and hitting the window repeatedly. He pressed his face against the glass and spotted Stanley walking outside the apartment complex, past the gates. How could he have forgotten? Jordan slapped his face to get himself awake and prepared to get ready for the day. Once he got prepared, he looked over in the mirror and smiled, now ready to get going for his ¡®first¡¯ day of work. 8. Jordan (Part 2) The employees surrounded themselves in the center of the market, chatting away, wondering why they were brought here at this moment. The groups stopped talking when the main doors opened, and Jordan stepped into the Purple Spoon. ¡°Why, hello, everybody.¡± Jordan greeted. ¡°How are you doing?¡± The employee''s attention was focused on him right now. ¡°Fine, thanks?¡± One of them replied. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± Another one whispered. ¡°Ah, there you are.¡± The boss left the office and walked over to Jordan, placing his hand on his shoulder. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we have another new recruit here.¡± He turned to face the rest of the workers and announced. ¡°Would you like to introduce yourself, sir?¡± Boss glanced at Jordan and asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Jordan bowed. ¡°My name is Jordan; I love the outdoors and sweets. I can also do some tricks my folks back at home taught me, if you¡¯re interested.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Most of the workers exclaimed, pumping their fists in the air. ¡°Hold on.¡± Hilary held up her hand and proclaimed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go back to work? I mean, we don¡¯t have time for this.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Stanley added. ¡°Listen to someone that has common knowledge over here.¡± He pointed at Hilary, proud of herself. Jordan glared at him but kept his optimism in check. ¡°It won¡¯t take long, I promise.¡± He insisted. ¡°It¡¯ll be worth your time in the long run.¡± ¡°Alright, if you say so.¡± The boss agreed. ¡°Huh? But boss¡ª¡± Stanley started. ¡°It¡¯s fine, he said so himself.¡± Jordan took five cans from the display case and juggled them around. He spun in a circle as he threw them in the air. He caught two from each of his hands and balanced the fifth can on his head. Jordan curtseyed as everyone but Stanley applauded at the act. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Jordan replied, feeling accomplished in completing his task, unlike the last time. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Wow, that was impressive!¡± Hilary exclaimed. ¡°I know, and thanks,¡± Jordan repeated. ¡°Say, I feel like I¡¯ve seen you before. Did we meet yesterday?¡± ¡°You recognize me? That¡¯s great! I hope we get along well, Hilary.¡± ¡°I see, same here, Jordan.¡± Seeing Hilary and Jordan exchanging smiles made Stanley¡¯s heart sink. What¡¯s with this guy? Stanley thought, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Alright, now everyone get back to work.¡± The boss recalled, clapping his hands. Why does he have to act all high and mighty on his first day? Stanley rolled his eyes and got ready for his shift, also. Jordan put on the red-violet apron over his head and went to the counter to check out. He swiped the items across and placed them inside the bags. Stanley tried to keep up with the aisles by guiding some customers to individual pieces but kept on messing it up. Jordan left his position to help with some customers, at the cost of moving some lines. Stanley took over the counter for the time being and rushed to get the work done. Between everything that¡¯s happened so far, Stanley and Jordan¡¯s bodies grew woozy, almost as if they saw double from the surrounding customers. Their shifts and breaks flew by fast. Jordan did his next shift as he cleaned the floors with the wet bucket and a mop. His arms grew tired as he wobbled around, feeling like jelly. He sighed in disbelief as he slumped against the wall, relaxing the tension in his muscles. Jordan questioned himself how and why breaks were short, as it went by before he knew it. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, sir, there¡¯s something weird about that Jordan guy!¡± Jordan¡¯s ears perked up at a somewhat muffled conversation from behind the office door. He put the mop away and sneaked toward the door to listen to the full talk. Jordan opened the door and entered the area when he heard someone call his name. ¡°We should monitor him!¡± Stanley continued. ¡°Nonsense.¡± The boss waved off. ¡°I trust him. Besides, he¡¯s a magnificent worker and is making me money.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s new,¡± Stanley insisted. ¡°And you just met him¡ª¡± ¡°Hey guys, I couldn¡¯t help but overhear my name.¡± Jordan interrupted. The others turned their focus on him. ¡°You called?¡± Jordan smirked as the symbols showed up in his eyes again. The boss¡¯s eyes widened upon noticing them again. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The boss replied. ¡°I wanted to inform you about your early payment.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Stanley tilted his head in confusion, unsure where he went with this. ¡°Today is the day, and you¡¯ve yet to receive your checks.¡± The boss continued. ¡°But we need¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re new, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± The boss handed them both checks that contained money. ¡°Now, get going, you two.¡± 8. Jordan (Part 3) Jordan and Stanley walked out of the office. Stanley scratched his head in disbelief while Jordan put his check in his pocket in satisfaction. ¡°What was that all about?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°I mean, how did¡ª?¡± ¡°Stanley, was it?¡± Jordan interrupted. ¡°H¡ªHow do you know my name? I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡± ¡°Your name tag.¡± Jordan pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from a certain friend of mine.¡± ¡°Really? Who?¡± ¡°While I don¡¯t agree with what they say and what they¡¯re doing, but...¡± Jordan walked farther away from him with his head hung low. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face Stanley. ¡°Never mind, forget it, my mind went elsewhere.¡± ¡°Ok?¡± Stanley didn''t know how to feel about this. ¡°I want to inform you about that red-headed woman over there.¡± ¡°You mean Hilary?¡± Stanley guessed, pointing. Jordan nodded. ¡°Stay away from her if you know what¡¯s good for you.¡± Stanley took a step back as his mouth gaped open. ¡°What? But why?¡± ¡°You may not believe this, but I¡¯m from another timeline, and I¡¯m doing this for your good, so don¡¯t get any ideas¡ª¡± ¡°That makes no sense. What did she do?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°I can¡¯t say, just don¡¯t get involved in this, and don¡¯t tell anyone about this either.¡± ¡°But why did you even tell me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your break over by now?¡± Jordan pointed out. Stanley checked his watch. ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯re right. How did you¡ª?¡± ¡°See you later.¡± Jordan waved and walked away. Jordan headed toward the other side of the aisles and shelves when he looked over and spotted Hilary talking to another employee while arranging more cans. He looked back and found Stanley talking to people as well. Jordan glanced again and walked over toward Hilary to exchange a conversation with her. ¡°Hey there, Hilary.¡± He greeted her. ¡°Oh, hi, Jordan.¡± Hilary noticed, stopped what she did, and turned to face him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing your shift?¡± ¡°I am. The boss just gave me a promotion,¡± Jordan puffed out his chest and placed his hands on his hips. ¡°Aw, that¡¯s not fair,¡± Hilary muttered, looking at the floor. Uh oh, she doesn¡¯t seem impressed. I should probably change the subject. ¡°Um, nice weather, isn¡¯t it?¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Hilary muttered, rolling her eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t bothering you, was I?¡± Jordan asked. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Well, I was wondering if you weren¡¯t busy¡ª¡± ¡°I am.¡± Hilary interrupted. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say too, but my answer is no.¡± ¡°W-What was I going to say?¡± ¡°Why would I hang out with someone that treats others poorly?¡± Hilary thundered. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I even heard you were talking bad about me, and I don¡¯t want to listen to you anymore. Goodbye.¡± Hilary finished as she stormed off in a huff. Jordan stood there with his head hung low. He sighed in defeat, not sure what to do now. A tap on his shoulder made Jordan spin, only to find Stanley standing there. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Stanley asked. ¡°Ah, I was talking to Hilary,¡± Jordan replied. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that she could be a terrible person?¡± Stanley reminded him. ¡°Well, perhaps I was keeping my friends close and my enemies closer,¡± ¡°You sure? But she seemed so nice...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t seem to watch over her at this rate now, or else she¡¯ll think¡ª¡± ¡°Should I go and¡ª?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you get involved.¡± Jordan interrupted. ¡°I need to do this myself.¡± He thought about it for a while before his face beamed and sparked an idea. ¡°I think you can help me out. Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Really? What kind of favor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before, but I¡¯d like for you to head to the library and get me some tech books. Are you busy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I am.¡± Stanley shrugged. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try my best to help you out if you failed in your previous timeline.¡± ¡°Thanks, I appreciate that.¡± .-.-.-. After they finished work for the day, and the two went their separate ways, Jordan waited outside the market near the entrance. Once he exchanged glances to make sure nobody was around, he went to dial up a number again. ¡°Hey Melody, he¡¯s on his way now. This is your chance. I told you this last night, so are we doing this? Come on; you said you¡¯d agree¡ª What do you mean I never¡ª? Are you seriously¡ª? But I¡ª Ok, I¡¯m sorry! I just wanted to try something different since we get nowhere with our plans. Look, make sure he doesn¡¯t get back to his apartment for the time being!¡± Jordan hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket. He looked up at the dark gray skies as the rain continued to pour down. Jordan ran off, placing his hands on his head to avoid getting too much contact with the rain. Eventually, Jordan made it back to the Willow View apartment and closed the door behind him. He picked up a nearby towel and dried himself off. After wiping his feet on the rug, Jordan trotted toward the cabinets where the Landlord slept and went to steal the key to Stanley¡¯s room. He hurried upstairs toward Stanley¡¯s room and unlocked the door before entering. Jordan looked around the place, trying to find his phone to put the plan into motion. He spotted a small pocket knife in the drawers and another key. However, not before long of searching the area and finding nothing, the door behind him moved its knob. Seriously, Melody? I thought I told you¡ª Jordan panicked and rushed over to crawl under the bed as the door opened fully. Stanley walked in and placed the towel on the coat rack before closing the door behind him. He had some books carried in his arms as he headed toward his desk and turned on the lamp. Stanley sat down in his chair and opened a book to scrutinize it. ¡°Alright, made it back, and got the books Jordan asked for,¡± Stanley concluded to himself. ¡°Thank goodness I could get back before the weather got worse and night fell.¡± Stanley yawned. ¡°I hope I can be of excellent use to him, though. Although, I should rest up and shower before I get sick...¡± His eyes drifted and drooped as he fell onto the desk, snoring softly. When Jordan discovered the golden opportunity, he got out from under the bed. He meandered toward the sleeping Stanley and took out a small pocketknife. ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯ll finally get what¡¯s coming to you, in more ways than you deserve.¡± 9. Jordan (Part 1) A couple of days have passed since that event. Jordan got out of bed and crawled out toward the drawer with the mirror intact above it. He opened the cabinet and took out some prescription pills before plopping one into his mouth. Jordan headed over to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water to gulp the content down. His body quivered as a shiver fell down his spine, letting the soothing content go down his throat. Jordan pounded his chest and coughed. His phone rang from the coffee table as it fell to the floor. Jordan strolled over to pick it up. Checking the number, he answered the call and placed it beside his ear. "What is it now?" Jordan thundered. "Are you kidding me? Look, don''t bother me right now. I have somewhere to be. I got plans and have this job under control. I don''t need your help; you didn''t even do what I asked you to do the other day! Don''t give me that. You have better things to do, don''t you?" Jordan shook his head and facepalmed. "Look, I''m going back to work, and the last thing I want is for you to ruin my reputation. Call me when something important comes up next time." Jordan hung up in a huff. .-.-.-. Jordan got to the Purple Spoon, only to find lesser workers inside, along with the boss, looking grim. "Jordan, you¡¯re here." He raised his head and spoke up. "I didn''t think you''d arrive." "What do you mean? What happened?" Jordan asked. "I''m afraid I have bad news." The boss explained. "Not only is Stanley sick, but we''ve lost more workers." "Will that mean more people are getting longer over time?" The boss nodded. He turned to another employee. "Byron, it''s your turn." "Again?" One worker complained. After the boss finished another one of his announcements, the group scattered and went back to work. I wonder how Hilary''s doing. Jordan glanced at Hilary, who also ended up in a sour mood. It might not be a good idea to bother her, but maybe he could cheer her up, regardless. "I can see you are staring at me," Hilary mentioned without looking at him. "No, I just happened to walk on by and..." Jordan tried to defend; his voice faded soon after. Hilary turned to glance at him. "Uh-huh, right." She rolled her eyes. Some silence passed, as things had already gotten awkward between the two of them. Just as Hilary was about to walk away, Jordan spoke up, making her stop for a moment. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Wait. Look, I''m sorry about, well, everything." Jordan muttered. "What do you mean by that?" Hilary''s eyebrows arched, turning back. "I mistreated others behind their backs, and for mistaking you for another person." "It''s ok, I guess..." What''s wrong with her? "Hey, if you don''t mind me asking, what are you up to?" "Not at all, I''m just doing research..." "I see¡ª" Jordan clutched his chest as a sharp pain struck him inside. "AGH!" He bent over and covered his mouth with his hand. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as his body continued to sweat. Hilary ran over to check up on him. "What''s the matter? Are you alright?" Jordan didn''t answer as he ran over to the bathroom. He opened the stalls wide and bent down to the toilet, wrapping his arms around the seat as he retched out inside the bowl at least twice. Jordan''s head felt feverish; the sweat grew wide all over his body. He took some toilet paper and applied it to his forehead, wiping the water from him. His throat felt dry, like the Sahara, as he walked over to the sink to use icy water and splashed his face. After turning it off, he sighed and slumped down to the walls. Jordan looked down at his hands and curled up in a ball, shutting his eyes tight. Jordan soon heard a knock on the door. He raised his head and leaned toward the source of the sound. "Who''s there?" "It''s me, are you ok?" Hilary''s voice echoed behind the door. "Oh, I think so, yes." Jordan got up and opened the door, exiting the bathroom. "Are you feeling better?" "Are you concerned about me?" "Well, yeah," Hilary replied. "Perhaps if you call off work for¡ª" "Oh, no way, I can handle this..." Jordan interrupted. "I probably ate something bad, that''s all." "Are you sure about that?" "Yeah." Jordan nodded. "Although I do appreciate the food for thought." He winked. "That wasn''t half-bad." Hilary snickered. "You sure are weird.¡± "Really? Well, can I say something weirder?" "Sure?" "I''m not an expert on food terminologies like you are, so I was wondering if you could teach me? We could maybe do it after work like normal friends?" Jordan offered. "I don''t know..." Hilary murmured. "Look, I know you don''t feel the same way I do, but that''s fine. Seeing you happy is all that matters to me, and I wouldn''t force you to do anything uncomfortable." The comment took Hilary aback. "W-Wow, that''s sweet of you." She moved her foot along the floor and placed her hands behind her back. "Sure, I''ll go with you later today." Jordan''s face beamed. "That''s great; I''ll be looking forward to it." As he skipped across the halls, Jordan couldn''t help but notice a familiar brunette figure pass him. He stopped and turned to find her, but to no avail. A ring came from his pants pockets as he took out his phone, only to see another text. "Don''t get the wrong idea; I''m just¡ª" "Something the matter?" A voice rang and snapped him out of his thinking process, not reading the rest of the text. Hilary walked over and waved. "No, nothing that important." Jordan put his phone away. 9. Jordan (Part 2) After work had passed, Hilary and Jordan left to go to a familiar hangout place: The Midnight Delight. The two had a meal outside on the patio, since it was packed inside. They picked a white table with periwinkle doilies and a cherry red umbrella perched on top, sat on caramel-colored seats, and took out the menus to read. Jordan and Hilary both ordered Strawberry Shortcakes with milk on the side. Hilary had a feeling that this couldn''t have been a coincidence that they both have their favorite hangout and food. Jordan recalled how it was normal for people to have similar interests like that. Jordan hoped she didn''t think he lied to impress her with this friendly ''date.'' "Hey, do you hate your life?" A female voice called out from a distance. Jordan turned and noticed the TV displays that depicted the female android talking about the ad again from afar. Hilary rolled her eyes and groaned. "Not that stupid ad again." "Do you know it?" Jordan turned back to Hilary. "Yeah, have you not heard of that wishing app that gets played a lot?" "No, is it real?" "Well, it used to be." Hilary rested her arm on the table. "But it''s discontinued. They must''ve forgotten to put it off the air. Shame, because I was thinking of making a wish myself." She muttered. A waiter arrived with drinks and placed them on the table before leaving. "What was it you were going to wish for?" Jordan stared at his glass. Hilary gulped milk and exhaled before replying. "It''s selfish, so I doubt it would even work." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "Well, I''m sure if you believe hard enough¡ª" "If you only knew, you''d understand." Hilary interrupted. "And besides, I heard a nasty rumor, which if you dare break any of the guideline rules..." Jordan''s stomach lurched as he inched forward in his chair. He clutched his tummy tight and held his breath. Oh no, not again! "Is it stomach pains again?" Hilary questioned. "Yeah, sorry, but hang on a moment, I''ll be right back..." Jordan got up from his seat and dashed to the nearest bathroom. Jordan rested on the toilet seat again, this time, waiting a little longer to see if the pain would go away real soon. He pondered what went wrong with him, as he never felt this beforehand. Butterflies formed in his stomach, as he hoped nobody would notice him in this state. Just as he was about to question if things could get worse, the phone once again rang out loud. Jordan felt his blood boil while snatching the phone up to check the text; this had better be good. When he looked at it, his eyes widened upon reading the rest of the message. Jordan ran out of the restroom in a panic; he had to hurry as fast as possible. By the time he made it back to the patio, Jordan had seen it was too late. The place was barren, not a single person visible in sight. It shouldn''t be, though; how long had he been in there for? Where''d Hilary run off to? Jordan thought, looking around. Also, where did everyone go? Unknown giggling rose in the air, as Jordan glanced in all directions, wondering where the sound came from. A shadow emerged from the planter wall as it glared at him. Jordan gave chase to the shadow, which in turn, ran off to avoid contact. "Get back here! Why are you running?" Jordan yelled. The shadow didn''t answer as it led him toward gates and a small hill. .-.-.-. Jordan lost sight of the shadow, as he looked around, wondering where he''s at now. He looked up at the sign above the gates: The Angelwing Cemetery. He walked around, wondering where the unknown source ran off to, and why he ended up here again. Why did it lead him here, of all places? Jordan stopped in his tracks upon noticing a common gravestone. Heavy breathing occurred from behind him; Jordan turned to get the drop on the person and find out their identity. He wondered if he got duped or was led here by someone else. Before his mind could process anything else, a blunt force hit him in the head, knocking him out and causing him to fade to black. 9. Jordan (Part 3) When Jordan woke up, he found himself back in his room again, even though he hadn''t done anything to warrant coming back- wait, what was he doing? Jordan rubbed his head, wondering what had happened before, as he can''t seem to remember a thing. What was he doing again? Jordan noticed his phone on top of the table. He fell out of bed and headed over toward the device and picked it up to check. There, Jordan read a lengthy message about the situations from the past. Next to the table, was a drawer, open by a crack. Inside the drawer, he pulled it open and noticed a portrait of Hilary. Jordan''s eyes widened as his mind went all over the place; it¡¯s coming back to him. He glared down from outside, put the picture away, and went to get ready for work. .-.-.-. He ran out of the apartment and crossed paths with Hilary, who stood on the sidewalk. By this point, he realized the fact that he¡¯d gotten back through time because of circumstances and tried to rationalize and calm down before speaking up. "Excuse me, wait up!" Jordan caught up with her, as he panted and gasped for air. "Can I help you?" Hilary turned to face him. "Hi there, I''m Jordan." He bowed before her. "Is that the apartment you came out of?" He pointed at The Willow View. Hilary nodded in response. "I''m guessing the same goes for you?" "Yeah, I happen to be new here myself. Could you show me where this place on the map is?" Jordan took out a map and pointed at a specific location. "Oh, I work there," Hilary replied. "Cool, so could you lead the way to your workplace? I want to get a full view of the town with someone familiar." Jordan suggested. "But where''d you get the map?" "Last night, but I couldn''t do much." "Alright, I guess we can get going." Hilary walked along while Jordan strolled beside her. He looked over and asked if they could use the trolley as a shortcut, but she refused, not liking the crowds and would instead exercise and walk. Jordan mentioned that she didn''t have to say any more as they continued in silence. Jordan noticed Hilary''s head hung low as she had her hands in her pockets. By the time the two passed by The Midnight Delight, he broke the silence. "Hey, is there something on your mind?" "Well, do you feel like someone''s watching us?" Hilary muttered. "I''m sorry?" Jordan arched his eyebrows and tilted his head. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Even though lots of people surround you, you feel someone''s watching you, and you don''t even know who it is that''s doing it? And you want to stop them, but don''t know how?" After thinking about it, Jordan''s eyes widened. "Now that you mention it, yeah." "Or, if you at least feel like you''re doing similar things over and over?" Hilary continued. "Wait; what?" Jordan questioned, taken aback by that comment. "Why are you asking me?" "Well..." Hilary stepped closer to the mat of the market and turned away from Jordan. "I just felt like we''ve met somewhere before and that you''d understand what I meant. But I guess I was wrong." "I''m sorry," Jordan muttered. "It''s alright." .-.-.-. Hilary and Jordan considered changing subjects when they entered the supermarket. However, the instant they did, Stanley walked over and greeted them. "Hey Hilary, we got a new item in the store today." Stanley proclaimed. He pointed at a jukebox over by the corner of the store. "We just got that built here. It was the boss''s idea." "Ooh, how neat." Hilary clasped her hands in excitement. "Is Midnight Fireworks available?" Stanley went over to check the song selection at the jukebox. He eyed on all the choices and sighed. "Doesn''t seem like it." "What about Obsession of my Imagination?" "Oh, that''s here." "Sweet!" Stanley put a quarter in the slot and played the song over the speakers so that everyone could hear it. Hilary announced to the workers that a new employer would work today. The boss said that he could be the cashier for today''s shift. As Jordan took the apron and headed over to work and the others scattered, he couldn''t help but think about what Hilary said to him earlier. And about that Stanley guy, he didn''t seem to be that bad of a guy, despite what the letter told him. Should he follow the plan or ignore it altogether? Could Stanley be hiding anything? No, Jordan should wait until he got more information before he jumped to conclusions and followed any unknown source. And he probably shouldn''t let anyone else handle the situation but himself. Work had gone by once again. Stanley cleaned up the place in overtime, Jordan and Hilary waved goodbye and left the market together. After a while, Hilary stopped in his tracks as she turned back to the store. Jordan also stopped and glanced at Hilary, wondering if something was wrong. "Oh no, I forgot something," Hilary mentioned. "Should we go back?" Jordan asked. "I can get it myself; it''s fine." Hilary waved it off. "You can go ahead without me." She headed back to the doors, leaving Jordan to stand there. As he walked off, something wet hit his cheek; Jordan looked up at the sky, finding it to be snowing. He had no idea why it occurred at a time like this, wondering what season they were in now. Jordan went under the porch as the frigid wind brushed against his skin, giving him goosebumps and raising his arm hairs. Jordan checked his watch, wondering how long Hilary would take to get what she had to in the store. He peeked through the windows to find her, but only saw Stanley mopping the floors away. Jordan waited so long; his eyes drifted off as his mind went elsewhere, slumping against the wall and resting. He soon snapped himself out of the state, wondering how much time had passed since then. He rushed back to the store, startling Stanley in the process. "Hey, you." He spoke up. "You''re still here?" Stanley inquired. "Yes. Do you know if Hilary''s still here?" "No, she just left not too long ago. I don''t know where she went, maybe back home?" She left while I was...? "Ok, see you later." "Why do you ask¡ª?" Stanley turned to ask, only to find Jordan had already left. His confused gaze slowly turned to a suspicious squint. What could he be up to at this hour? 9. Jordan (Part 4) Jordan sneaked behind Hilary when he found her in his sights until they made it back to the apartment. Hilary moped over to the trash can and dropped an item inside before heading back inside. Jordan walked over to the trash bin and inspected the contents inside. To his surprise, he found a small pink journal book. He reached in and took the book out, finding it to be a diary. Wasn''t this the book Hilary had in her room? Why would she throw this away? Jordan''s hands trembled as he clutched it tight, feeling tempted to open and check it out himself. He slouched over to the page, flipping it open and reading the contents of what''s inside. There had to be a reason for her deciding to do that, right? "20XX: It was a lovely spring day at Bleakburn town. I heard it had a different name, but it got changed to something else entirely. I''m uncertain what the name was initially, but I got a feeling that I don''t want to know either. Today I got a new job applied to a market called The Purple Spoon. Maybe I could get enough part-time money to achieve my dream and become an author and a travel agent. ¡°20XX: I''ve been working for quite a while now, and I already made lots of friends, including a brunette that helps me out from time to time. I can''t recall her name or what other features she had, but I miss her and want to see her again. ¡°20XX: Months after employment, I met this blue-eyed, black-haired guy. I also met this other guy, who looked like him, but nobody else noticed, so I kept my mouth shut." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°20??: I forgot to keep track and write this in the diary, and I''m not sure how much time had passed since my watch and calendars are¡ª" Jordan looked down and realized that there were missing pages in the book. Why was that the case? He also remembered that Hilary mentioned the person she met had blue eyes, not red. It occurred to him that maybe¡ª "A-ha, there you are!" A voice jolted Jordan out of his thinking. He turned to find Stanley standing there with his hands crossed over his chest. "What do you think you''re doing here?" Jordan stammered and hesitated before responding. "I was just taking in the fresh air." Jordan placed his hands behind his back and looked at the apartment. "You know, I don''t believe you." Stanley pointed. "And what''s behind your back?" "Oh, this?" Jordan took out the book and waved it around Stanley''s face. "Do you want to see for yourself?" He asked. Before giving him time to answer, Jordan tossed it in Stanley''s direction, landing on his hands. Stanley stared at the book. "What the¡ª? Where did¡ª?" "Why don''t you open it to find out?" Jordan offered. Stanley hesitated at first, but opened the book to find out what he meant. His eyebrows arched as he skipped through the pages to read the remaining ones that weren''t torn or covered in sweat. "20!!: Am I dreaming? Did I pass out, or have I been stuck in some loophole? Why, why am I the only one who''s self-aware of what¡¯s going on? Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?! I was thinking of testing this little theory out by trying to write this down and then do something dangerous myself, but I''m afraid of what might happen if it goes awry and wrong. I¡¯m scared. If this is the last, I write of this diary, then¡ª" 9. Jordan (Part 5) Stanley quickly closed the book and looked at his clammy hands. His heart pounded twice as fast upon reading it. He looked up and noticed Jordan''s eyes widening and taking a step backward. "I think I understand now what she means..." Stanley muttered under his breath. "What are you talking about?" Jordan questioned, not sure where he went with this. "Hey, what are you two doing down there?" A voice called out from above. Stanley and Jordan looked up; Hilary watched them from her room with the window open. She squinted her eyes and noticed that they both had something in their hands; it looked familiar. "What''s that you got over there? Hold up, don''t go anywhere!" Hilary shut the window and stormed out of her room. "He did it!" Jordan pointed and ran away from the premises, leaving Stanley alone and offended. "Hey, wait!" Stanley exclaimed. He looked around as his face was beaded with sweat. "You there." A voice called out to him. He turned to find Hilary standing outside the apartment complex. "I didn''t think you''d stay out here, so thanks." She said with a sincere smile. "Oh, it''s no problem." "I could''ve sworn you had a book in your hands, but¡ª" "Yeah." Stanley interrupted, raising the book in the air. "Is this yours?" Hilary''s mouth gaped upon noticing it. But she shook her head shortly after. "N-No, I''ve never seen it before." "Sorry, I thought it looked similar, and it''s also cute." Stanley turned away, his face tickled pink. "You know what I think?" Hilary pointed to the book. "I think you should throw it away." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "Why, though?" Stanley asked. "It seems important." "You read that, didn''t you?" "Uh, truth or lie?" Stanley joked. Hilary glared at him. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to!" He cried out in desperation. "I can explain!" "Did you read all of it?" Hilary inquired, arching her eyebrows. "Only the last couple of pages." "Then I guess you know?" "It''s true, I understand. But I had no idea this whole time..." "Thank goodness." Hilary sighed in relief. "I thought I was the only one who knew about this situation. I was ready to¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Give up on everything." Her voice trembled as her body quivered. "I didn''t know what to do; I just wanted something to happen or change." "No, I don''t think any of this can be a coincidence," Stanley informed her, stroking his chin. "There''s got to be something that''s triggering them." "Well, now that you mention it, I''ve noticed that different things seem to change in each timeline," Hilary recalled. "Not only that, but that Jordan fellow is the only one that doesn''t seem to act the same." "Then perhaps he could have something to do with all this. We should keep a close eye on him." "Are you sure that''s a good idea?" "Well, yeah, we need to find out what and where the cause is. He might know the answer to the catastrophe or could be the one that..." "I like the plan." Hilary nodded in agreement. "If we work together, we can solve it in no time." "Sounds good," Stanley agreed. "We should go over the details tomorrow." "It''s getting late, so we should head to bed." "Oh, before we part, would you like your journal?" "Sure, thank you." Stanley handed it over to her, and they headed to the apartment before going their separate ways to the dorms. Meanwhile, from a distance, Jordan peeked from the wall he hid behind, making sure the coast was clear. He couldn''t believe what he overheard between the two of them. Not only did Stanley not get in trouble, but now he and Hilary plan on working together to stop him and the plans he made. Jordan found himself in a bind, unsure of what to do now. Just when he lost all hope, a soft voice echoed, calling to him from the ominous shadows behind him. "Is something the matter, Jordan?" The voice asked. Jordan turned to face the darkness. The only thing he could see through it was piercing yellow eyes. "Who are you, and how do you know my name?¡± 10. Hilary (Part 1) The next day at work, Hilary and Stanley met up in a secret huddle away from the other employees to continue discussing their plans from last night. During the break, they prepared to think up strategies on how to tackle the situation. Neither of them had seen or heard from Jordan at all today so far, so they wondered if he had gotten sick or if he had other plans. "Do you think Jordan will show up?" Stanley whispered. "Who knows?" Hilary shrugged in protest. "But we need to stay on our toes just in case." "Affirmative. Perhaps if I go get help from another source?" "Huh? Are you sure we could ask someone else about this? I don''t think anyone would believe us." Hilary protested. "Well, whatever the case, we need to keep our eyes peeled." Stanley reminded her. Hilary checked her watch and gasped. "Uh oh, break time''s over." They waved goodbye, promising to meet up again later. After more time had passed, the doors swung open, and Jordan showed up, perfectly fine. He walked up to Hilary to greet her, paying no mind to the boss, who wondered what took him so long. Stanley hid behind a wall and peeked his head out, watching the display unfold. "I thought you were sick." Hilary pondered. "I got better, and when I saw that there was time left, I came by," Jordan explained. "So, I''m doing good now. Do you have any plans?" "Why... do you ask?" Hilary asked, her eyebrows creased. "Well, I was wondering if, after today, we could go hang out for a while..." "You mean like a date?" "Yeah, something like that. What do you say?" Stanley''s heart dropped upon hearing that, but Hilary didn''t seem to react as wildly. "That''s pretty sudden for you to just¡ª" "You can take your time if you have trouble deciding..." Jordan insisted. "Look, I''m flattered? But I''m not looking for a relationship right now." Hilary replied. She waited for Jordan''s face to register and let those words sink in. A short amount of time passed, and Jordan finally responded. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "I see." He murmured. "Sorry to bother you then." He bowed and then walked away. Stanley sighed in relief as his heartbeat steadied. He scratched his chin and thought up an idea before going back to work. Just as Stanley thought about it, the phone in his pocket rang once more. He rested his hand on his phone and placed it beside his ear and listened. "Hello again, Nana, it''s nice to hear from you again." Stanley began. "You mean you called me beforehand? Sorry, I didn''t hear it, and I thought you were busy with¡ª Ok, my bad. Look, I have no idea what I want to do with my life, but I swear I''ll make you proud. Yes, I know. Can I call you back? I need to contact¡ª" "Hey, who are you talking to?" Jordan asked, startling Stanley in the process. "None of your business!" Stanley retorted. Jordan yanked the phone away from his hands and placed it beside his ears, but no sound came out from it. "I hear nothing; did you hang up on them or¡ª?" "Well, that only works for the person it belongs to." Stanley defended. "You mean only you can hear from the other side of the phone?" Jordan inquired, unsure if he said it right or not. "Yes, now will you give me back my phone?" Stanley demanded, thrusting his arm outward to get Jordan''s attention. Jordan groaned. "Fine, but on one condition." His voice grew serious. "This is your last warning: Either leave Hilary alone or else." "A-Are you threatening me?" Stanley asked, feeling somewhat offended by his tone. Jordan didn''t reply; he let out a small smile as he handed over the phone back. "Before I go, let me ask you this. Do you know anyone by the name of Melody?" "Uh... no? Why do you ask?" "That''s all I need to know. Jordan turned and walked away. Stanley stood there as he clenched his fists as blood continued to boil. You¡¯re not getting away with this, whatever it is you¡¯re planning. Later, when the coast was clear, Stanley stormed over to Hilary, who worked on more cans to apply, and tapped her on the shoulder. "Stanley, what''s the matter?" Hilary turned to face him. "H-Hey, how''s it going?" Stanley asked, stammering. "Um, shouldn''t we talk about this after work or during a break?" Hilary reminded him in a whisper. "No, I need to tell you this now. Jordan caught me and is getting suspicious. He told me not to hang out with you anymore." "Say what?" Hilary asked, being careful not to yell to get any unwanted attention. She placed the can away on top of a shelf and pondered. "Maybe I should talk to him again." "Are you sure it''s a good idea?" "Why not?" Hilary shrugged as her shoulders slumped down. "I think it''s worth a shot. Meanwhile, you can investigate further without me." ¡°Alright, in the meantime, I could just watch over him¡­¡± After work, Jordan cleaned the floor all around him with the mop. He sighed sadly, pondering over how to win Hilary''s heart. Jordan looked up at the clock on the walls, seeing how much time had gone by in a flash, although he hadn''t seen Hilary or Stanley in a while. He put the broom away and searched for the boss. Upon entering the office, he noticed a note with scribbles in front of him. Jordan took it and read it carefully, then squished the paper into a ball and threw it away in the trash. When unable to find the boss anywhere in the area, Jordan left for today. 10. Hilary (Part 2) Jordan made it to his room and couldn''t help but find it odd. The door opened a crack, with the light turned off. He nuzzled the door open and walked into the black area. "Hello?" A soft voice called out. "W-Who''s there?" Jordan questioned. "Don''t you recognize me? Then again, it has been a while since I''ve seen you, my dear." Jordan took a while to let those words register in his mind. His face contorted to a total surprise upon realizing who was in front of him. "Nana, is that you?" He asked, his breath caught in his throat. "You are the real Stanley, right? Don''t act like I don''t notice the contact lens." Contact lens? Is she talking about me? How...? "Do you miss me?" "Yes." "Then step closer." Hilary finally caught up with him and yelled out to snap him out of it. "Wait, stop! Don''t¡ª" But ''Jordan'' couldn''t hear her. His mind had been blank, and his thoughts were absent as he stepped closer. Hilary rushed over to the door, but it closed on her before she could get close to it. Hilary clasped onto the knob and struggled to open it. "Hello? Hello? Open up, please!" Hilary called out from the other side of the door. "I knew I heard you from before; you''re alive and well." ''Jordan'' spoke up as he walked closer to the darkness. "So, I''m not crazy, am I?" "I heard you''ve been having problems with something." The figure extended their arms toward Jordan. "I mean, why else would you keep ignoring my calls, Stanley?" "Um, about that..." "I want to help you feel better." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "You can, but how?" "If you trust me, then close your eyes and take my hand." ''Stanley'' extended his arm and reached for ''Nana,'' when Hilary continued to pound on the door. "Open up already! What''s going on over there?" She yelled out. The pounding had caused the closet door behind ''Nana'' to open, and an unconscious body plopped out. He looked like ''Stanley,'' but with paler skin, lifeless eyes, and foam poured out of his mouth as his body laid motionless. ''Stanley'' snapped back to reality and noticed the closet filled with corpses as his eyes widened and took a step back in horror. His heart was beating fast, and his stomach lurched. "What''s going on?" "You weren''t supposed to know about that,¡± ¡®Nana¡¯ brought up. ¡°Oh well, it doesn''t matter." He turned to the figure, and upon further inspection, realized something. "You''re not my real nana, are you?" He pointed at the one with piercing topaz eyes and a wicked smile. As the figure loomed over to grab him, ''Jordan'' fell back and crawled over to the doorknob, trying to pry it open, but to no avail. .-.-.-. Jordan trotted along the road in the dreary skies. A chill ran down his spine, and his heart was beating fast as he got the feeling of being watched, somewhere or somehow. He turned around and peered through the darkness behind him. "I know you''re following me," Jordan spoke up. The figure walked over, revealing to be Hilary. ¡°Oops, I didn¡¯t intend to.¡± "Huh? Hilary?" Jordan questioned. You''re not who I thought it was. "Oh yeah, you''re in the same apartment as me." Hilary squeezed her arm and shuffled her feet. "What are you doing following me like that?" "Sorry, I wanted to know what you were up to and wondered if you had any plans," Hilary said with a weak smile. "Oh, I see." Jordan grinned. "So, do you change your mind about the date?" "Well, no." Hilary shook her head. "I want to ask you something. Does the name Melody ring a bell for you?" Jordan looked around the area in awe. "I feel like I heard it before, but I can''t put my finger on it." Liar. Hilary glared at him as he walked away. "So, why do you ask?" Jordan stopped and turned to face Hilary. Before Hilary could respond, she looked up to see a shadow in the windows of the apartment. "Hey, look up there!" She pointed at the window and exclaimed. Jordan squinted his eyes upon looking up. "Yeah, I see it!" His eyes widened in shock. "Isn''t that your room?" Hilary inquired, biting her lip. "It''s him..." Jordan muttered. He ran up inside. "Hey, wait!" Hilary yelled out, running and trying to catch up to him. "What do you mean by what you''ve said?" Hilary asked, rushing up the stairs. She called her heart out to Jordan, who still marched toward his room. All Jordan could say was: "The problem, I''m going to solve it and save you." 10. Hilary (Part 3) Jordan made it to his room and couldn''t help but find it odd. The door opened a crack, with the light turned off. He nuzzled the door open and walked into the black area. "Hello?" A soft voice called out. "W-Who''s there?" Jordan questioned. "Don''t you recognize me? Then again, it has been a while since I''ve seen you, my dear." Jordan took a while to let those words register in his mind. His face contorted to a total surprise upon realizing who was in front of him. "Nana, is that you?" He asked, his breath caught in his throat. "You are the real Stanley, right? Don''t act like I don''t notice the contact lens." Contact lens? Is she talking about me? How...? "Do you miss me?" "Yes." "Then step closer." Hilary finally caught up with him and yelled out to snap him out of it. "Wait, stop! Don''t¡ª" But ''Jordan'' couldn''t hear her. His mind had been blank, and his thoughts were absent as he stepped closer. Hilary rushed over to the door, but it closed on her before she could get close to it. Hilary clasped onto the knob and struggled to open it. "Hello? Hello? Open up, please!" Hilary called out from the other side of the door. "I knew I heard you from before; you''re alive and well." ''Jordan'' spoke up as he walked closer to the darkness. "So, I''m not crazy, am I?" "I heard you''ve been having problems with something." The figure extended their arms toward Jordan. "I mean, why else would you keep ignoring my calls, Stanley?" "Um, about that..." "I want to help you feel better." "You can, but how?" "If you trust me, then close your eyes and take my hand." ''Stanley'' extended his arm and reached for ''Nana,'' when Hilary continued to pound on the door. "Open up already! What''s going on over there?" She yelled out. The pounding had caused the closet door behind ''Nana'' to open, and an unconscious body plopped out. He looked like ''Stanley,'' but with paler skin, lifeless eyes, and foam poured out of his mouth as his body laid motionless. ''Stanley'' snapped back to reality and noticed the closet filled with corpses as his eyes widened and took a step back in horror. His heart was beating fast, and his stomach lurched. "What''s going on?" Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "You weren''t supposed to know about that,¡± ¡®Nana¡¯ brought up. ¡°Oh well, it doesn''t matter." He turned to the figure, and upon further inspection, realized something. "You''re not my real nana, are you?" He pointed at the one with piercing topaz eyes and a wicked smile. As the figure loomed over to grab him, ''Jordan'' fell back and crawled over to the doorknob, trying to pry it open, but to no avail. .-.-.-. From the other side of the door, Hilary could hear screams of terror. She stepped back and placed her hands in her mouth, mist forming around her eyes. "Landlord, somebody help!" She ran downstairs, screaming. Hilary hurried to the main lobby to search for help. Her phone batteries had died, and she couldn''t find a nearby operational phone to use. Hilary walked around the area and came to notice the walls covered in red liquid splatters; people laid on the ground, motionless. She clutched her chest as her heart pounded, and as she tiptoed across the hallway, attempting not to touch any of the bodies. What happened down here while she was upstairs? Hilary heard groaning from somewhere nearby. Somebody was still alive, and they were around here somewhere. She listened to the sounds and ran over to the office door and slammed it open. She looked down as the Landlord struggled to get up; he used the desk as a stepping stool. "Are you alright?" Hilary bent down to help pick him up. The more she looked, it made her realize that the Landlord looked like Jordan, who also had an eerily resemblance to Stanley. "Yeah, I''m fine, I''m just tired. That''s all, working hard and not getting enough sleep." The Landlord replied, rubbing his head and eyes. "Oh? But what happened to everyone else? They''re near the wall, which has blood over it!" Hilary exclaimed, throwing her arms in exasperation. "Are my painters sleeping on the job again?" The Landlord stomped over outside the office. Hilary pursued him, while the Landlord marched over and tapped on the other people to wake them up. The people revealed to be painters, woke up, rubbed their eyes, and stretched their arms. "Hey, sleepyheads, have you finished decorating the walls?" The Landlord spoke up, with his hands on his hips. "We were taking a short break like you always do." One of the painters pointed out. The Landlord shook his head. "Just because I do that, doesn''t mean¡ª" "Sir, that''s not the point!" Hilary interrupted. "What''s wrong?" The Landlord asked, turning his attention towards her. "Are you ok?" "Stanley and Jordan are in danger," "Who?" "How can you not remember? They''re in the same apartment as me!" The Landlord took out some files from the cabinet and checked some of the papers with scribbles and names. "I don''t know or see anyone of that name. Nobody''s been here for¡ª" "Upstairs!" Hilary thundered. "Hurry and follow me before it''s too late!" Hilary ran upstairs as the others followed her toward Jordan''s room. The Landlord reached over to the knob and opened the door before entering inside. Hilary shut her eyes as she walked over herself. To her surprise, she heard the door click. Wasn''t it locked? She opened her eyes and found the area clean and spot-free, with nobody in sight. Hilary''s head jerked from the side as she searched all over for anyone present. Where did they go? What happened over here? The Landlord and the painters looked around, scratching their heads in confusion about the whole situation. She marched over to grab the Landlord from the shirt collar and shook him, ordering him to throw a search party. "Calm down; we need to stay calm about this..." The Landlord brought up. "Besides, there doesn''t seem to be¡ª" "I know I''m not crazy." Hilary let him go and sighed. "They got to be around here somewhere." Hilary looked down at the ground and tapped her foot while placing her hand on her chin. "They couldn''t have been that far away from¡­¡± Her face lit up. ¡°What if they were still outside?" She sprinted out of the room. "Hey, wait!" The Landlord extended his hand to try and stop her. He was too late, as she had already left his sights. 10. Hilary (Part 4) ilary jogged outside, trying to keep her eyes peeled. Everywhere she turned, the people around her behaved oddly. Not to mention, they all looked like Stanley, but had the same eyes as Jordan. Her nerves caught up with her, and the wind pressed against her skin. The chilly wind brushed against her as she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered softly. Wasn''t the weather supposed to be warmer than this? Why did it get colder around nighttime? Did Hilary get it from stares that peered around in every corner or because of the weather? A clearing of the throat snapped Hilary out of her thoughts as she turned to see one of the Stanley lookalike''s approach her and try to get her attention. "Excuse me, are you lost?" The person asked sincerely. That made Hilary realize again what she came out here for, but didn¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. Still, it would be rude to ignore this man, but would it be a good idea to tell him the truth, or should she play it safe and lie instead? "Well, yeah." Hilary finally responded. "Do you know where the boss that works at The Purple Spoon is at?" "Oh, you mean Jordan?" He guessed. "He left not too long ago, so no." Jordan? Wasn''t the boss¡ª? "My name is also Jordan." He spoke up. "Huh?" "And those guys over there are also named Jordan." He pointed at some other folks, who waved towards her. A bottomless pit resonated inside her stomach. This got uncomfortable fast. "Is everyone around here named Jordan?" Hilary questioned. "What do you mean?" Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Well, I''m also looking for¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°Well, have you seen a guy named Stanley?" The Jordan''s stopped what they were doing and turned their heads toward her. "Stanley?" They all said in unison, in a monotone, soulless voice. Hilary stepped back. "Uh, would you look at the time?" She checked her watch. "I gotta get going." She ran off without looking back. "It''s her." One of the Jordans pointed out. "Master Melody wants us to get her." The Jordans ran out and chased after her. Hilary''s heart pounded like crazy as she ran behind a wall in the alleyway to avoid contact and lose sight of the Jordan''s. Thankfully, they disappeared from her view, and she sighed in relief. Her throat became dry, and her legs shook like jelly from all the running she had to do. What could''ve happened to the other residents of the town? Who''s this Master Melody that the clones keep bringing up? Why does that name sound familiar to me? Hilary thought about the scenario when something clicked. "My journal, of course!" Hilary deduced. She turned, about to run off, but bumped into someone . She fell to the floor and rubbed her aching sides. Hilary looked up, only to find someone standing there, helping her get up from the ground so she could dust herself off. "Are you alright?" The man asked. "Yeah, thanks..." Hilary blinked. She came across a person with blue eyes as opposed to red. "Stanley? Is that you? Where were you? I''ve been looking everywhere for..." "You have?" ''Stanley'' pointed at himself and questioned. "Sorry, I got caught up in some stuff." "But I thought you were in the room with¡ª?" "What room?" "Never mind, but have you found anything yet?" "Well, I got this." ''Stanley'' handed Hilary over a journal. Hilary inspected the pages and found them to be blank. Hilary scratched her head. "Is this supposed to be mine? What''s going on?" "Listen." ''Stanley'' spoke up. "You best be careful. I wouldn''t want anything bad to happen to you." "Ok?" Hilary arched an eyebrow and wrinkled her nose. Her head peered down at the book briefly. "Before you go, there''s something I need to tell you. Something''s been going on and¡ª" Hilary looked up and saw that he was no longer there. "Where did you go now?" Hilary looked down and noticed a small blue contact lens on the ground. Her mind went crazy, wondering what was going on. Her eyes drifted off as she lost control of her body, causing it to fall. 10. Hilary (Part 5) "Where am I? Why am I here again? Why are we here again?" "Silly you, this is one of my favorite places to hang out. I love spending money here, but I wish there was a mall around this place." "That''s nice, but why am I brought over here?" "Oh, sorry, Hilary, I wanted to get something for a special someone. Was there anything you wanted to get?" "No, nothing." "I see. Well, I wouldn''t want anything bad to happen to you or your boyfriend." "Boyfriend? .-.-.-. Hilary''s eye''s shot awake as she jolted out of bed. Hilary looked around and found herself back in her room. Why and how did this happen? As far as she could remember, she was in an alleyway, not caught, right? What time was it? What day was it? How much time had passed since then? Did Hilary dream up the occurrences the other day or hallucinate? Could it have been an illusion, or was it all too real? Should she go back to work and get ready for the day or call in sick due to not feeling well? Hilary looked down and discovered a note on the table next to the bed; she took the letter and read it carefully. "I saw you down on the floor and dropped you off into your room. If there''s anything you need, I''m at the supermarket doing some errands of my own. From Jordan." ''Jordan?'' Hilary turned to notice her phone on the coffee table vibrate and fall off on the floor. She got up and went to look at the message. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Sorry, I got sick, you''ll have to go to work without me." ¨CS Hmm, I wonder. Hilary dialed up a number and placed it beside her ear, waiting for a response. "Hello? It''s me." Hilary greeted. "I know it might be a bad time to call you at a time like this, but I need to tell you something. I¡¯m sorry for accusing you of¡ª something wrong? No. Yes. Well, I want you to do me a solid, and it''s about Stanley. What?" Hilary touched the speaker button to get a better hearing of what they were saying. "Can we talk about this when I get back? Where I am right now isn''t safe, so you better¡ª" After a click, the line went dead before the person could finish their sentence. Hilary groaned and massaged her temples. "Seriously?" She pondered about going to the market, but today might''ve been one of the closing days. Then again, considering what happened the other day... Hilary went over to her desk and took out her journal. She checked the contents inside, not remembering everything she wrote. From the corner of her eyes, she could spot Stanley outside from the window walking near a trash can. His mind seemed distant about something, or someone. Stanley glanced down at a piece of crumpled paper that landed in his direction, which caught his eye. Stanley uncrumpled it and read it. After a while, he then clenched his fists and slammed the article back into the trash before storming back inside the apartment. Hilary scratched the back of her head as she left her room. She went down the stairs to inspect the paper inside the trash bin. Her eyes widened upon seeing the message. "Meet at the roof of this apartment; we need to resolve this once and for all. And if you don''t show up, I''ll know that it''s you who''s responsible for everything that''s happened all around us." Oh no, it can''t be! Hilary thought in a panic. How did I not notice this sooner? She paced the area back and forth. I think I know what''s going on, but I need to test out one more thing. She held her head high and dashed toward the highest floor of the apartment. I need to hurry before I''m too late! 10. Hilary (Part 6) Jordan stood on top of the edge of the apartment roof. The wind blew against his skin, giving him goosebumps. He crept his smile as he tried not to let it fall from his face despite the weather. All was going according to his plan, and soon he''ll finally get his vengeance on that man. Footsteps got louder as the noise approached the door and it slammed open, with a figure stepping out of the room. "I''m here." Another male voice spoke up. "It''s been a while, hasn''t it?" "Well, well, well." Jordan turned to face the figure. "I didn''t think you''d show up, Stanley." A vein bulged on Stanley''s head as he inhaled and exhaled to calm himself down before continuing. "With a threat like that? How could I ignore it?" "Then you know why you''re here." "Yeah, it''s about time we settle this once and for all." Stanley pointed out. "When Hilary finds out about¡ª" "I don''t believe she trusts you anymore." Jordan interrupted with a smug grin. "What do you mean¡ª?" "Why don''t I give you all the details?" "Wait, stop!" Hilary thundered as she stormed through the door, causing the two to turn to face her. "What''s going on here? What are you two doing?" She pointed. "Oh, you''re just in time, Hilary," Jordan spoke up. "I was just about to bring an end to your suffering by putting a stop to¡ª" "No way." Stanley interrupted. "I''m going to be the one to end this cycle by putting a stop to you." "Knock it off!" Hilary retorted. "Fighting like this won''t solve anything or make this better." She reminded them. "You''re only making things worse." "But we''re in this situation because of this monster." Stanley pointed out. "We need to get rid of him now!" Jordan chuckled and lowered his head. "Not if I get rid of you first." The other two turned to face him as he raised his head, eyes bloodshot. "You know what? Forget what Melody said; I don''t care anymore. The only way for me to truly succeed is if I murder you myself!" A grin spread across his face. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Stanley and Hilary''s hearts pounded as the back of their necks sweat profusely. "Didn''t you try to do something like that already...?" Stanley murmured. "That was just a fluke," Jordan remarked. "And Hilary would''ve been sad and all alone if your stupid plan had worked back there." He looked down at his hands. "Thankfully, I''ve been given another chance to redeem myself." He glanced back at Stanley. "This time, I will be the original, once I rid you out of the picture. Nana will be so proud when I kill you slowly and painfully! Hilary will be my one and only¡ª" "Oh, come on." Stanley interrupted with a scoff. "Who believes what you''re saying? That''s bull¡ª" "Will you knock it off?" Hilary interjected. The two had stopped fighting and glanced at Hilary. She breathed in and out to calm down as the atmosphere got ambient and quiet again. "The one responsible for this isn''t either of you, so stop fighting." "What?" Stanley and Jordan exclaimed. "But if it''s not him, then who could it be?" They pointed at one another, questioning. "Then again, you''re not even real, are you?" Hilary asked Jordan. "You know that, don''t you?" "W¡ªWhat do you mean?" Jordan inquired, stammering. "I read it in my diary," Hilary explained, taking out her book. "When I looked back on some of the earlier pages, they showed how I met a guy in the market who was new and had blue eyes. A couple of pages later mention another recent worker who looked like him, but with red eyes." "No..." Jordan whispered, shaking his head in denial. "Not to mention there''s this part where a person named Melody would sometimes show up from time to time, almost as much as you, Jordan." Hilary continued while scrolling through the pages. She looked up to face Jordan in the eyes. "And the strange townspeople I ran into earlier had called her ''Master'' for some reason. Is something wrong?" Stanley''s mouth gaped upon hearing this. "Could that mean Jordan is a pawn for...?" "No, it can''t be. That''s not true!" Jordan thundered, taking a step back. "You''re lying, I can''t- you''re not¡ª" Hilary raised her hand. "Wait, where are you going? Don''t go stepping away like that!" Jordan''s foot nearly slipped off the roof. Hilary ran over to push him back onto the roof, but in the process, her body slipped and fell off the building. "HILARY NO!" Stanley and Jordan yelled out. They rushed over and jumped off the building without a second thought. Even when falling, they both still reached their hands to grab Hilary. The magenta hat and book flew off and landed on the roof where it laid still. A shadow walked up to the items and picked them up. The figure looked down and sighed. "How miserable you all look from up here," Melody muttered under her breath. "Thought you''d learn by now, you flew too close to the sun, and now look what you''ve become." She dug her hands deep into her coat pockets. "I guess I have no choice. If only you knew how I felt." 11. Melody (Part 1) Some time ago, Melody worked at The Purple Spoon; she took a break from her shift and sighed. She rested and slumped against a wall while sipping her juice when a man wearing the nametag ''Cody'' approached her with a clipboard and a pencil behind his ear. He scratched his head full of shaggy brown hair before speaking. "Hey Melody, can you handle our next shift as soon as you finish your break?" "Again?" Melody whined. "Why do I have to keep doing this?" "Hey, watch it," Cody warned. "Need I remind you that you''re one of our most prominent and early workers here. We need you to keep watch for the others, ok?" "But I''m tired." "Don''t give excuses, unless you want to complain about it to the boss yourself." "Whatever." Melody got up and stormed away from him. Melody walked through the doors and looked around the area, wondering if anyone could use her help. Soon, someone approached her from the back by calling out to her and tapping her shoulder. "Excuse me?" The woman spoke up. "If you''re looking for the tofu in a can, it''s over there." Melody pointed at an aisle. "That wasn''t what I wanted to ask." "Sorry, used to hearing that complaint.¡± Melody shook her head. ¡°So, what was it you wanted?" "I want to know where the person in charge is at." The woman replied. "Over there in the office, I believe," Melody remarked. "Thanks so much." "No problem, but why do you ask?" "Just curious, that''s all." The woman bowed and skipped away. Melody tapped her foot. Although, I''m a little curious myself. Could she be applying for a job herself? "Hey, what are you doing?" The voice of Cody broke her train of thought. He placed his hands on his hips and gazed at her. "Are you still on break, or are you stalling again?" "The former." Melody retorted. "Quit spying on me." "I wasn''t doing such a thing." Cody scoffed as he turned and walked off in a huff. "Men," Melody muttered under her breath. "Hey, I heard that!" Cody exclaimed. Melody groaned; she knocked on the door and excused herself before entering the office. There, inside, the boss and the other woman from before discussed something near the desk. "I should get going, thanks again." The red-haired female bowed and took her leave. "Hi Melody, what are you doing here for?" The boss inquired, resting his hands together on the desk. Melody took a seat and made herself comfortable before responding. "Yes, I want a different shift away from that Cootie guy." "You mean Cody?" The boss corrected her. Right on cue, Cody entered the room with a piece of paper in his hand. "Sir, I got you that report from yesterday." "Oh, thank you." The boss chirped as he placed it down on his desk. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "I heard you guys were talking about me?" Cody raised an eyebrow and glanced at Melody while saying that. "Yeah, you see, Melody¡ª" "Never mind, forget I said anything." Melody excused herself and left the office without looking back. After some time had passed, the boss left the office and called for everyone to gather around him. "Everyone, I got an announcement to make." The boss spoke up, as everyone stopped and had their attention towards him. "Meet our newest recruitment, Hilary." He pointed and moved aside to give the woman some leeway. She bowed and introduced herself to everyone. That woman from before? Melody thought, her eyes widened. "And Melody will show her around and look out for her." The boss continued. "Wait; what?" "Everyone else scramble for now." Later today, when Melody had another break, she peeked her head through the door to see if the boss was present in the office. When the coast was clear, she stormed inside without knocking and slammed the door behind her. "Hello again." The boss greeted, not bothered by her actions in the slightest. It was as if he expected her to show up again. "Are you here for the same reason as before?" "What is the meaning of this?" Melody asked, slamming her hand on the desk. "What do you mean?" "Why do I have to be the one to guide this recruit?" "Well, I heard you wanted a new job and grew tired of your current one. So, I gave you a new position." "Behind my back, without my permission?" Melody remarked. "I didn¡¯t get a say in this! Who told you?" "Cody." Melody ground her teeth. Why that little¡ª "Why are you acting like that?" The boss questioned. "She seems like a friendly fellow, and besides, it can be good for you to be more social and nice to others." "If you say so..." "Talk to them, get along with them, and help them out, so they can help others and have the customers be satisfied. This is a chance for people to get along well." "Are you seriously doing this for the ratings?" "In a way. Now go get''em, girl." Melody stormed out of the office in a huff, immediately greeted by Hilary, standing there as she waited for her. "Hey there." "Hilary, is it?" "Yes, and your name is...?" "Melody.¡± "What a pretty name." "Thanks," "I look forward to¡ª" Melody raised her hand in protest. "Why did you lie to me before?" "Well, technically, I wasn''t lying," Hilary recalled. "I said I was curious and wanted to know if the job was available. I also wanted to see if it was a suitable place to work." "Oh, ok then," Melody said, sounding understanding. "In that case, let me show you around." Melody took Hilary to different aisles, where each of the shelves had cans holding items arranged from food and drinks to ordinary everyday things. Hilary shook her head in confusion. "I don''t understand." "What?" Melody asked. "Why are they all cans?" Hilary inquired. Melody shrugged while holding up one in her hand. "The boss likes it, I guess? Not all of these you can eat or drink, though." "But isn''t this a market? Hilary mentioned. "Bleakburn''s one and only, so what?" "I guess I just thought¡ª" "Hey guys, how''s your training going?" Cody interrupted, getting in the way between the two, much to Melody''s chagrin. "Oh, it''s going great, thanks." Hilary chirped. "Why do you care, Cody?" Melody asked. "And why''d you give me this shift?" She glanced at Hilary and whispered, "No offense." "None taken?" Hilary tilted her head in confusion. "Well, for one thing, I didn''t want to put up with you anymore," Cody replied coolly. "Another thing, you always complain about your job." "Why don''t you just mind your own business?" Melody shoved him. Cody stood his ground, his face contorted into a grimace. Cody went over to shove her back. "Do you know how hard it was for me to even¡ª?" "Guys, won''t you please stop it?" Hilary interrupted, impeding them. "Can''t you guys just get along?" "No." They replied in unison. Cody checked his watch. "Looks like my shift''s over." He grinned at Hilary but scowled at Melody. "Good luck out there Hilary, you''ll need it." He turned and walked away. Once he left the picture, Hilary glanced at Melody. "Why do you and Cody¡ª?" "The boss always asks him to watch over me and make sure I don''t slack off, but I never do, it''s annoying." Melody explained. "But they''re showing concern for your wellbeing," Hilary mentioned. "Not really, they only care about profit, ratings, customers, etc." "Are you sure? I feel like¡ª" "Let''s just continue this tour." 11. Melody (Part 2) After a while, the tour flew by, and another lunch break occurred between the employees. Hilary and Cody exchanged pleasantries while Melody sulked in the corner, waiting for them to stop. "Work''s going great so far," Hilary replied. Melody groaned, covering her face. "I''m bored." "What''s the matter with you?" Hilary asked her, seeming to have heard what she said. "Nothing much, I guess." Hilary walked over and sat beside her. "You seem rather lonely. Is it alright if I join you for lunch?" "If you don''t want to bother me about that Cody guy again, then sure..." "I just want to hang out, that''s all." She flashed a smile. Melody couldn''t help but feel stress released from seeing her. "Don''t bother," Cody said loud enough to get both of their attentions. "That brunette is spoiled rotten." Melody clenched her fists upon hearing that while Hilary¡¯s blood boiled. "You wouldn''t want to get involved with that woman. She won''t change¡ª" Melody got up from her seat and marched over to face him. Hilary ran over to try and put a stop to them. She wanted to make sure they didn''t get into a brutal fight in the middle of the market. "Hey, I got something to say to you," Melody spoke in an unruly tone. "Oh, and what is that?" Cody arched an eyebrow. "I''m sorry," Melody said. "For everything I''ve done to you, can you forgive me?" Cody''s eyes widened at the response, but shook his head in protest, finding the tone to be unapologetic and lazy. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "See? She said sorry, it''s your turn to apologize." Hilary replied. "Why should I?" Cody asked. "That''s not nice!" "All I did was my job, nothing more, nothing less." He turned and started walking, but stopped in his place for a moment. "Besides, I don''t believe she meant what she said. You won¡¯t convince me otherwise." He left the scene shortly after without looking back. Hilary placed her hand on Melody''s shoulder as her head slumped down. "Melody, I''m sorry, I didn''t think¡ª" "It''s ok," Melody replied with a weak smile. "I wanted to get that out of my chest, anyway. I feel better about it, so thank you for that." "But he didn''t¡ª" "That''s fine; I''ll handle this myself. You wouldn''t understand, but I''ll make him forgive me for my actions, just you watch." "Ok then?" "Do you want to talk while we still have our break?" Melody offered. "Sure thing." Hilary chirped. Work flew by in an instant. It felt short despite the long hours at work. Melody and Hilary walked around and talked about what to do after work. Melody wasn¡¯t certain why, but something about Hilary drew her in. Was it her welcoming ambiance? Her friendly attitude? Her patience and understanding? It hadn¡¯t been long, but Melody didn¡¯t want to leave at the first opportunity, which said something, considering her opinions on other employers and customers. "I see you''re co-operative this time," Cody commented from afar. He walked over to the duo and snarled at Melody. "I wonder what made you change your mind." Cody tapped his foot and scratched his chin. "Did the boss bribe you or give you a raise?" Melody gripped her fist, then inhaled and exhaled to calm herself down and loosened her grip. "You¡¯re not going to get through to me that easily." Cody shook his head in confusion. "Why are you acting so... different suddenly?" "Is that a problem?" Melody taunted. "Does the boss seriously value you more than me?" Cody asked under his breath. "Even though I''ve been here longer than you?" He stormed off in a huff. "I don''t understand!" ''Whatever, he''ll get over it soon enough.'' Melody rolled her eyes. "I''ll be right back." She left briefly to find the boss and ask him who would work overtime. He replied that it''s Cody''s turn, much to her delight. Melody and Hilary discussed what to do ¡ª wanting to make up for past mistakes and take her to some place nice and have it be her treat. 11. Melody (Part 3) Melody and Hilary headed out to the store to get ice cream and juice. They sat on a bench and talked about bits of nothing. "This is nice and such." Hilary started. "But I wonder why you changed the tone so quickly." Melody glanced and questioned. "I didn''t think it was quick." She looked over and noticed something caught her eye. She got up from her seat and rushed to press her head against the glass, looking down at the jewelry on the display case. Without looking, Melody motioned for Hilary to come over as well. Hilary went over to follow her and spot the jewelry herself. She furrowed her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose, not as impressed upon the scenery. "Doesn''t that look lovely?" Melody asked. "I suppose so," Hilary replied. "I''m not a fan of jewelry." "Oh." Hilary looked over and spotted a magenta hat on the display case next to the jewelry, pressed her face against it, and inspected the item. "Ooh." "Do you like that hat?" Melody questioned. "Yeah, it looks pretty, but I''m not sure how much money it costs," Hilary muttered. "Why don''t I get it for you?" "Really? But you¡ª" "Don''t worry about me and my wallet. Be right back." Melody went into the store for a moment before coming back with the hat in her hand. "Here you go." She handed Hilary the hat as she accepted the item and tried it on. "Thanks so much." Hilary chirped. "So, how do I look?" "Great." Melody gave her a thumbs up. Hilary glanced over at a shadow from the corner of the streets. "Huh?" "Something the matter?" "I thought I''d seen someone over there." Hilary pointed. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Could that be Cody? "Go on ahead; there''s something I need to do." Melody ran off to follow the shadow. .-.-.-. Melody walked around the dark and damp streets near the alleyway, feeling unease. The hairs on her body grew and got goosebumps. Where could that guy be? "Hey." A voice called out. Melody jumped and turned around to face Cody, who stood with his arms crossed. "Can you stop following me?" "What?" "Why are you acting weird?" Cody didn''t let up. "Why did you leave your work post?" Melody asked. "You were supposed to do overtime." "Oh, is that so?" Cody leaned over with a smirk. "Let me clarify it for you." He whispered, "Simply put: I quit." Melody''s eyes widened, and her mouth gaped open. "Wait; what?! But why?" "I''ve got big ambitions and dreams, and I''m sick and tired of dealing with you. Now leave me alone; I never want to see you again." Cody finished rudely and stormed off. Melody glared at him and squinted her eyes. Why that little...! He''ll pay for that! .-.-.-. A week passed since then, Melody slept in as time ticked by slowly. She woke up to the sound of loud knocking on her door. Melody got up and went over to the hole in the middle of the door to see who it could be. She peeked through and saw Hilary, standing there waving happily. Melody got dressed, went to unlock the door, and let her inside. "Hi there." Hilary greeted. "Hey." Melody greeted back. "How did you¡ª?" "The Landlord told me," Hilary explained. "Isn''t it a coincidence, though?" "What is?" "That we happened to be on the same floor and have rooms next to one another?" "Oh yeah, that''s, like, cool." Melody sat on the rug in the center of her room. "Mind if I ask why you''re here?" Hilary sat beside her as her legs crossed over on the ground. "Well, I made something last night and wanted to give you this." She reached into her pocket and took out some small, colorful bracelets. "This is a friendship bracelet," Hilary explained as he gave Melody a yellow and red bracelet. "Aw, thanks, you shouldn''t have." Melody put on the bracelet and looked at it for a while. Hilary put on her green and blue bracelet and smiled back at her. "I know it''s not as pretty as that jewelry, but I wanted to make up for that hat you bought me. Even though I don''t have much money." "Hold up, could you teach me how to make one of these?" Melody inquired. "Well, maybe when we have an off day, we could always work on one together." Hilary offered. "But why not now? When do we have to work?" "Um, about an hour, I think?" Drat, I didn''t think I had work today. "Why don''t we try it when we get back from work then?" Melody suggested. "Sounds like a good idea. 11. Melody (Part 4) Months had passed since that fateful day, and another fateful encounter would soon occur to them both that would change everything. Melody and Hilary walked into the store; every employee surrounded the boss as he stood on a podium. "Is everyone here?" The boss asked. "Because I have an announcement to make!" "Again?" Melody shook her head in disbelief. "Does he seriously do this often?" Hilary asked. "Hey, keep it quiet over there, peanut gallery." The boss retorted before continuing. "Anyway, we have an extra member here." He turned to the figure. "Come on and introduce yourself, don''t be shy." "H-hello, my name is Stanley, it''s nice to meet you all." He introduced himself. Melody peeked through the crowd and upon seeing him, appeared disinterested. "Another guy is going to be working here?" She hissed. "Oh, come on, you got to give him a chance," Hilary told her. "Not every guy is ''like Cody'', you know." Melody pouted and looked away. "I never said that, though." "Now who would like to¡ª" The boss started. He heard snickering from a distance. He glared and squinted his eyes. "Who said that?" "I''ll do it." Hilary raised her hand and giggled. "What? Seriously?" Melody asked, her eyes widened. "How nice." The boss said, feeling satisfied. He motioned at Hilary to get Stanley''s attention. "Ok, so she''ll show you the ropes and establishments of this place." "Hi, I''m Hilary, and this is Melody." Hilary greeted. "We hope you enjoy your stay here." "Same here," Stanley replied and bowed. "And I hope to be of use and service to all of you." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "Why do I have to do this too?" Melody complained. Hilary rolled her eyes. "You know you don''t have to if you don''t¡ª" "What? But I..." Melody stammered, raising her hands in defense. "As your mentor, I feel like I should watch over you and¡ª" "What are you, my mom?" Hilary questioned. She turned and walked off in a huff. Melody bit her lip and turned away. I just wanted to hang out with¡ª "Don''t fret." Stanley tried to assure her. "I''m sure she didn''t mean¡ª" Melody glared at him as a vein popped out in her head. "Look, you need to learn to stay out of people''s conversations. And if you make Hilary cry, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it." She drew a line across her neck while keeping her serious face. Stanley gulped as his heart sunk lower than the black abyss. "Are you guys coming?" Hilary called out to them. "Yeah." The two replied and followed her. The first day of work didn''t go super well for Stanley. He tripped and dropped cans at an alarming rate and wasn¡¯t social with customers. Melody groaned every time this had happened. She also couldn''t believe that her friend tolerated Stanley with every moment that occurred. She tried her best to help and support him. That feeling made Melody sick to her stomach. More time passed by as lunchtime occurred. Melody approached Hilary, revealing to have brought nothing, and hoped to share food with her. After sitting beside Hilary on the bench, Stanley walked over to them, and wished to sit beside them since they were familiar to him. "Is that not allowed? Can I not sit here?" Stanley asked. "We didn''t say that." Hilary started, taking a bite out of her tuna sandwich. "But don''t you have any other friends to hang out with?" Melody inquired. "Not really." Stanley scratched the back of his head and muttered. "I mean, it''s not like I could..." "Come on, lighten up." Melody got up and turned Stanley around to push him toward a group of other employees. "It shouldn''t be that hard to talk to other people, right?" "Melody, be nice and understanding," Hilary informed her. "It''s probably hard for him." She got up and glanced at Stanley. "Stanley, we can help you out if you''d like." "Thank you." Stanley beamed. "And, thanks for everything." He reached into his pockets and took out some colored bags. "Here you go, I got you both something." Stanley handed Hilary a green bag and Melody a yellow one. "How sweet of you, thank you so much." Hilary chirped. "Yeah, you didn''t have to do that," Melody added. "But what''s inside?" "Open it when you get back to your rooms," Stanley recommended. After work, Hilary walked over and whispered to Melody''s ear, "I''m sorry about before." before leaving. For what, though? Melody thought, not remembering what happened between them earlier. 11. Melody (Part 5) Much time had passed since that fateful encounter. Hilary, Melody, and Stanley all met up to chat the day away while continuing their shifts. Hilary excused herself to the restroom, leaving the two by themselves. The awkward tension lingered between the two of them, as Melody also left. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to bother and talk to him. Now that she thought about it, had she ever spoken to someone like him before? If only it¡¯d be so easy, but why did Stanley make it so much harder? Melody, however, didn''t pay attention to where she walked and slipped and fell on the floor near the wet floor sign as her mind blackened out for the time being. When she opened her eyes, people surrounded her with concern and worry. One of them looked familiar to her. "Hilary, is that you?" She thought out loud. "No, it''s Stanley, are you alright?" Her vision came clear as Stanley appeared in her view. Melody jumped back and screamed. "Oh, gosh!" After being given a minute to compose herself, she held his hand, pulling herself up and brushing herself off. "Y-Yeah, I''m fine." "You sure? You took a pretty nasty fall." Stanley pointed out. "It''s alright, thanks for the concern though," Melody muttered, turning her head away. "What happened?" Melody turned back as Hilary ran over to check up on them. "Melody, are you alright? You usually focus on your tasks and don''t mess up like that." Hilary told her. "I guess I wasn''t paying attention," Melody admitted, hanging her head in shame. "What did you do? What did you think about that distracted you so bad?" Hilary questioned. Melody held her breath, refusing to admit why her mind went blank for a moment there. Hilary looked back between Melody and Stanley. "No way, it''s Stanley, isn''t it?" "Does it matter?" Melody replied, rolling her eyes. Why does Melody hate me so much? Stanley thought with a frown. Later, during break, Hilary approached Melody and whispered something in her ear. "Hey, if it''s alright with you, can we talk about something alone?" "Huh? But why not now?" Melody questioned. "And what about Stanley?" "He''s over there helping a customer." Hilary pointed. "So, you don''t want him to overhear our conversation? I''m not sure if he''ll hear us or not" Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Oh. Well, let''s keep it quiet, ok?" "Alright." .-.-.-. The two headed over to a broom closet and hid from everybody else to discuss their little topic. It dawned on Melody that Hilary acted differently than usual. Her hands twiddled, her foot rubbed the ground, and her head hung low, narrowly avoiding her contact. "So, what did you want to discuss with me?" Melody inquired. "Something so important that you don''t want anyone else to hear?" "It''s about Stanley," Hilary replied, her face flushed with pink. "What do you think of him?" Melody stepped back, hitting her head on the door frame in the process. "Ow! W¡ªWhy do you ask?" She rubbed her head. "I''ve noticed that you look at him and talk about him a lot recently." Hilary squeezed her arm tight. "Like, I hear you thinking out loud about him too." "W-What are you saying? Are you implying that I...?" "Is that a no?" "Obviously." "Oh. And here I thought you weren''t honest with yourself and with me, but I guess I was wrong." Hilary placed her hand on the back of her head and sighed. "Yeah, of course," Melody confirmed. "Sorry, guess you don''t love him... as I do," Hilary murmured. Melody nodded in agreement. "Exactly my point¡ª" Her eyes widened upon realizing what she had said. "Wait. What?!" "I''ve been thinking of professing my feelings to Stanley, but I was afraid that you also had similar feelings for the guy," Hilary explained. "Thank goodness that''s not the case! I hope he reciprocates my feelings." But really? That guy, of all people? "Do you think he will? Would he be that type of guy?" Melody questioned. "But if I don''t get the chance soon, then I''ll surely regret it," Hilary mentioned. "But if you change your mind, I can give you twenty-four hours to¡ª" "Don''t bother." Melody interrupted. "If you love him that much, then go, I want to see you happy." Hilary gave out a slight smile, to which Melody gave one back. "Thanks, Melody." Hilary bowed and left the room. Melody''s smile faded after that. Was she serious? She knew Hilary wouldn¡¯t lie to her like that. But Hilary deserved so much better than that pathetic man. She had to follow her friend and see if it was true or not. .-.-.-. Melody snuck around and crept to follow Hilary and Stanley out of the market once their shifts finished up. When the two got over to a bench to sit down and chat, Melody rushed behind a planter wall and peeked her head out, trying to listen in on their conversation without getting caught. She couldn''t hear what either of them said, but judging from their expressions, they seemed happy to be in each other''s company. Seeing them like this made Melody''s heart drop. Stanley''s eyes widened as he stayed in silence, but then grew a wide grin as his eyes got misty-eyed; the same went for Hilary. The two got up and embraced one another in silence. Melody turned back and slumped against the planter wall. She buried her head in her arms and crossed her legs, sobbing silently to herself. The confession seemed to be a success, and they left Melody out of it unintentionally. She didn''t even like Stanley all that much. At least, she didn¡¯t think so. But why did she feel so empty inside? Why should she care? It had nothing to do with her. Still, the idea that her only friend, the person who seemed to understand her, had fallen in love with someone so... Melody let out a quick, but heavy sigh, making sure not to attract attention or get caught. She rubbed her eyes as she got up and walked back home, leaving the two behind. 12. Melody (Part 1) Melody took a long shower, lost in thought over what to do, and what she could¡¯ve done or said to avoid the earlier situations. But it didn''t matter now. No matter how hard she tried or wished, she''d never been able to change the events or go back in time to change things. Melody plopped onto her yellow-orange bed and buried her face in the pillow, getting into a fetal position and clutching the pillow tight. She threw her pillow across the room, causing it to hit the coffee table and knock the remote control off. The remote fell on the floor and hit the power button, which activated the TV. Melody adjusted herself straight and glanced at the TV that aired a commercial about phones. "¡ªmy brand-new Wish App!" The voice echoed through the television. "Just type whatever you''d like on your phone, and it''ll come true!" When the ad ended, Melody got up to turn off the TV. She looked down at her yellow phone in her pockets and searched for the app in the store. No way, could it be real? It didn''t seem real, too ridiculous even. But what if it came true? Melody wondered if she could change events with the help of this so-called ''Wish App''? "Are there no limits to the wishes I can ask for?" Melody wondered as she read the information about it in the app store. "Heck, yeah!" She tapped the install button and pop-ups appeared, which discussed the terms and agreements on its use. Melody scrolled down, rolling her eyes, and pressed yes. Why would they bother putting that kind of stuff on there, anyway? Nobody reads that, not that I¡¯m aware. Once she settled that, Melody stopped to think about her potential wish. A light bulb clicked in her brain as she thought up an idea of what she wanted. Melody typed it down and pressed send. Now all she had to do was wait. She wasn''t sure if the wish became instant or if it depends on the request. She didn''t want to wait that long, however. Eventually, Melody grew tired of waiting and plopped back down on her bed. She buried herself in the covers and drifted off to sleep, hoping the wish would come true and answer her pleas in time of need. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Time had passed by, as a shadow emerged from the bottom of the bed. The shadow formed a human figure for a body, and glowing red eyes illuminated from the depths. It blinked and walked over toward the sleeping Melody. "Hello there, are you the one who summoned me?" It spoke up. Melody shot her eyes up and straightened herself out of bed upon seeing the figure in front of her. She covered her mouth and tried not to scream, waking everyone else up. Upon further inspection, it looked just like Stanley, the only exception being the red eyes. "Whoa, is that you?" Melody questioned and pointed. "I think so." "But that doesn''t mean you have to act creepy beside my bed." "Oh, sorry about that." The man moved aside and lowered his head. "So, are you the one I summoned and wished upon?" Melody inspected him. "You look the part, except for the eyes. But that¡¯s fine; it''s easier to tell you apart from the original." "So, it is you, then. What should I do with my eyes, though?" He asked. "Let¡¯s say that your eyes are sleepy and dry, or something like that." "Okay. So, what should I be called then?" "How about something simple? Jordan sounds good, so let''s go with that." "Oh, alright, then." Jordan nodded in agreement. "So, can you tell me what you sent me here for?" "The answer is simple; I need you to talk to a friend of mine." Melody explained. "Her name is Hilary." She took out her phone and picked out a picture of her to show to him. "She looks pretty." Jordan cooed, leaning over to get a closer look at the picture. "Now, about your doppelganger Stanley," Melody continued, putting the phone away. "I don''t think he deserves someone like her." She clenched her fists. "I need you to win her heart over." "I see, so what should I do?" "Whatever you can, I don''t care, as long as those two don''t get together as a ''couple.''" Jordan saluted toward her. "Don''t worry, leave it to me." He glanced over at the windows. "Hey, isn''t that the guy out there?" Melody turned and noticed Stanley walk outside the apartment all by himself. Her eyes widened in shock and fear. What could he be doing out there? And why is he alone? 12. Melody (Part 2) The two rushed outside to follow Stanley to wherever he could be heading. Jordan and Melody hid behind a wall and peeked their heads out, spotting Stanley eyeballing a store in front of him. It looked to be a hardware store of sorts. Stanley breathed in and out before stepping toward the doors and entering the place. "Why do you think he''s there?" Jordan whispered. "Who knows?" Melody shrugged. "But we can''t lose focus on what''s important here." After a while, Stanley left the store with a plastic bag filled with some contents in his hand. "I sure hope Hilary likes this." He said to himself. "This is such a delightful gift; I''m glad the store opened up late." With a skip and a hop, Stanley made his way back to the apartment at full speed. Jordan scratched his chin as he watched his doppelganger in action. Maybe he''s not bad after all? Jordan shook his head, trying to contemplate the scene. No, wait, I know nothing about him, but I don¡¯t know anything about that brunette, either. But that gift, what could it be? "Hey!" Melody hissed, interrupting Jordan''s thoughts. "Get your mind out of the gutter and pay attention! Stanley left, and we gotta go catch him." "Oops, sorry, but I¡ª" The sounds of a horn screeching and slammed brakes got their attention. As a car swerved and crashed into a fire hydrant. Melody and Jordan adjusted their heads toward the scene and saw a familiar man on the ground, bleeding from the head, and having let go of the bag in hand. "Oh no, Stanley!" Melody cried. She rushed over as the person got out of the car and took out their phone to dial a number. "I''m sorry! Is he going to be alright?" The driver cried, tears forming in their eyes. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Who knows, but hurry and call someone!" Jordan exclaimed. After a while, an ambulance arrived as workers stepped out with a stretcher in tow. They picked up the unconscious body, plopped him on the gurney, and tossed him into the back of the car. "What took you so long?" Melody thundered. "He could be dead by now!" "Look, we''re sorry, it took us a while to get here." One of the workers replied, tipping their hats. "But in the middle of the night?" "Calm down!" Jordan exclaimed, raising his hands. "Can you get it done?" He asked the workers. "We''ll try, we can''t rush things here." "I tried hitting the brakes, but¡ª" The driver tried to explain without sounding like a blubbering mess. "Oh no, it''s worse than I thought." One of the workers whispered to the other as they touched the body. "He might not make it." The other worker''s eyes widened in shock. "Are you kidding me? We got to hurry then!" The two went back to the car and drove off. Melody and Jordan stood there, speechless over what happened. They eventually walked back to Willow''s View once the air grew damper in the dead of night. After entering Melody''s room, she locked the door and slumped against the wall. They both stayed silent as Melody fell into a fetal position, and Jordan stood, lowering his head. Neither of them were sure what to say to change the subject, considering what they had just experienced. A loud knock banged on the door and called out to Melody. "Hello? Are you there?" "Uh oh, I think that''s Hilary." Melody raised her head and spoke up. "Jordan, you need to hide." She walked over to him and whispered. Melody picked Jordan up and pushed him into the cabinet before closing it. She then headed for the door and unlocked it to open. Hilary rubbed her eyes and stretched her hands as she entered the room. "Uh, sorry about that, hi." Melody greeted her. "Hey," Hilary replied with a yawn. "I heard some noise outside my room." She mentioned, scratching her chin. "Not to mention, I can''t find Stanley anywhere." Melody''s heart dropped. "Have you seen him? Do you have any idea where he could be?" "No, not at all." Melody lied. "He probably went out for a walk or something. I''m sure he''ll be back soon." "Huh. I guess Stanley must have a hard time sleeping lately." Hilary shrugged. "Oh well, sorry to bother you." "Good night." Melody waved as the door closed behind Hilary. 12. Melody (Part 3) The cabinet door soon opened as Jordan fell onto the ground. "So, do you think Stanley will get out ok?" Jordan asked, unaffected by the fall. "Hey, how did you know the coast was clear?" Melody turned and questioned. "I heard the door close," Jordan replied, picking himself back up. "Oh. Well, Stanley has to, otherwise, Hilary..." Her voice faded, feeling like she could choke on her words, the more she spoke. Jordan squinted his eyes at her. "You know, for someone that claims to hate Stanley, you seem..." "It''s not what it sounds like!" Melody shook her head, trying to deny such a possibility. "But what can we do? It''s not like we can go back in time to prevent that atrocity from¡ª" "Wait, say that again?" "That again? Oh, you mean, ''It''s not like we can go back in time to¡ª''" "Jordan, that''s a brilliant idea! You''re a genius!" Melody took out her phone. "I am?" Jordan pointed at himself. "What did I¡ª?" "Look here; I got an idea." Melody accessed the Wish App. However, the screen froze. She furiously kept tapping on the screen, resetting the app, app store, and phone. When she finally got it to work, Melody showed it to Jordan. "This is the Wish App. You can type in any wish you want, and it''ll come true." She explained. "It''s how I summoned you into existence." Jordan nodded, acting like he paid attention to what she said. "So, how does it work?" Melody tried to show him, but a pop-up showed up, telling her she already used up her wish privilege and that her account got banned. This scenario prompted her to flip out. "What the heck? Why is this acting up?" Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Maybe you didn''t read the terms and rules?" Jordan guessed. "What?" Melody asked, unsure if she quite understood him. She eyeballed the rules, and her eyes widened. "If you make a selfish wish, you get punished in some way." She read. "You won''t know when and what will happen to you, however." Melody continued. "You can only make one wish per account, so choose wisely and wish for something selfless." "That might explain it." Jordan crossed his arms and confirmed. "But, my wish wasn''t selfish at all; it was very selfless," Melody muttered. "You think so, but the people behind this app might not agree with you." Jordan pointed out. "As if anyone would not want to use a wish on themselves." Melody scoffed. "Talk about ridiculous. Why is this trash so popular? It''ll probably lose its trend within a week or so or get shut down due to complaints." She waved it off. "I''m not sure if..." Melody''s face beamed up. She looked over at Jordan. There might be a chance. "Hey, you can make a wish on the phone!" She suggested wildly. "Me?" Jordan pointed at himself. "But I don''t even know¡ª" "Don''t tell me you don''t know what to wish for." Melody interrupted. "I can just tell you what to put on there with your account." She whispered into his ear. Jordan shook his head, uncertain about the idea. "Wait, are you sure this is a good idea?" "Yeah, I''ll take you with me, so you don''t have to worry about being alone." "Wait a¡ª" "Stop saying, wait!" "But¡ª" "What now?" "Doesn¡¯t that technically qualify as selfish?" Jordan pointed out. "Ha! Don''t be ridiculous, what you''ll be doing is for my sake, which is the opposite of selfishness. Wouldn''t you agree, Jordan?" Jordan looked back at the windows, watching Hilary walk out of the apartment. He glanced back at the phone and sighed. "Alright, if you say so." Jordan made an account himself and typed up the wish Melody ordered him to make and pressed send. The two waited in silence. How long would it take for the request to go through, if at all? Moments went by, and nothing had happened. Minutes went by, but it felt like hours on short notice. Just when things became bleak, and they both lost all hope, a magic portal appeared in the center of the room, with lightning emerging from the sides of the entrance. "What''s going on here?" Jordan questioned. "No way, finally, it worked!" Melody cheered and laughed. "Come on, let''s go!" She grabbed his hand as they marched over toward the portal and walked through it. 13. Melody (Part 4) The two arrived in their room; it seemed to be the same as before, like nothing happened. Melody looked around, wondering if the portal did what they asked them to do. She took the calendar and phone to check the date. According to them, they seemed to have gotten back in time by an entire day, and time wasn''t the same as before. Melody realized that she had to hurry back to the supermarket before it''s too late. She told Jordan to stay out of sight for the time being and watch from afar to learn how to win over Hilary. "So, why are you leaving again?" Jordan inquired. "Man, you ask a lot of questions," Melody replied. "Well, I got to make sure I do this right. But, what if I get caught by Hilary?" "Simple, either pretend to be Stanley and make her hate him or become his twin or relative and try to win the girl over yourself." Jordan pondered about this. "That doesn''t sound like a bad idea. Then I shall do my part." "I''m sure you won''t disappoint me." He bowed as Melody hurried out the door. .-.-.-. At work, Melody did her shifts while shifting her glances at Stanley and Hilary. Her heart pounded as the anticipation gnawed at her. Not to mention, the boss had yet to make any announcements either. "Hey, how''s it going?" Hilary asked. "Not so good," Stanley replied. "What''s the matter?" "I had a hard time sleeping because of some nightmare." "Huh, now that you mention it, I think I also had¡ª" "Hey, guys!" Melody got in the way between them and greeted the two of them. "Oh, hey," Stanley greeted back with uncertainty. "Were you eavesdropping on us?" "No way." Melody waved it off in denial. "Should I have?" "Did you have any strange dreams the other night?" Hilary questioned. "Not really." Melody shrugged. "So, what are you planning on doing during a break or after work? You guys have off tomorrow, right?" This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "I''m not sure yet," Stanley replied. "I''ll be sure to ask the boss about it, though." "Sounds good. What about you, Hilary?" Hilary stared off into the distance. She shook her head and blinked. "Sorry, I thought I saw someone over there that looked like Stanley." Jordan, what did I tell you? "You must be imagining things." Melody tried to deny such possibilities. "Is that nightmare giving you hallucinations or something?" "Maybe? I don''t know." Hilary scratched the back of her head. "I think I should go to the bathroom." She turned and walked off, leaving Melody and Stanley behind. After a time passed, break time nearly ended. Stanley wondered when Hilary would exit the bathroom and feared she''d miss her work shift once it started again. "What did she see in that dream that''s making her...?" Stanley asked himself. "Well, who knows?" Melody shrugged. "Hope she''s doing fine, though." "You seem to be acting differently than before, Melody." Stanley pointed out. "I have? Is that a bad thing?" "No, not at all," Stanley raised his hands in defense. "It''s just that; it''s weird and off-putting... No offense." "All taken, jerk," Melody muttered bitterly. "I''m sorry." "I am too." "You are? What for?" "For treating you like garbage in the past." Melody hung her head, staring at the ground. "Don''t worry about it; it''s ok." "Hey, I was wondering." She twiddled her fingers. "Do you think it''s possible, for a guy like you, and someone like me, to be in a stable relationship?" "I... I don''t know, I''ve never been in one before." Stanley paused. "Are you confessing your feelings to me?" "...Maybe." Melody pouted and muttered. "Yeah, I figured as much." Stanley sheepishly laughed, until his face registered what she said. "Wait, are you serious?" "How dense can you be?" Melody thundered. "But I had no idea." "Guess you''re not as dumb as I thought." After another pause. "So... what''s your answer?" It didn''t take long for Stanley to make a response. "Sorry, but the answer is no." Melody''s eyes widened upon hearing that. "W-What? Why?" "Well, I don''t mean to sound rude, but you''re not my type. Also, we barely had any connection or chemistry in the time we¡¯ve spent together. And not to mention, I already have feelings for Hilary, and plan on confessing to her after work." Stanley replied sternly; Melody stayed silent. Stanley noticed and reached over to touch her shoulder. "Melody, are you ok?" "I''m fine, just leave me be." Melody stepped back and stormed off, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. "Hey, I''m back," Hilary announced as she left the bathroom and slowly approached the two. Melody pushed her aside without noticing and walked past her. "Melody, what''s wrong? Where are you going?" "I''m going out for a walk." "But does the boss know? Did you ask him permission? If he finds out that¡ª" "I don''t care, not anymore." Melody reached the doors and was about to walk out of the store. "Did something happen while I was away?" "I told you already; I''m not in love, so just confess already!" Melody roared before storming out, leaving Hilary standing there, frozen in place. 14. Everyone (Part 1) Wait a minute, where am I now? Or, for that matter, who am I? Jordan opened his eyes and shot up wide awake. His body jolted and glanced around. To his shock, he appeared to be back inside his room. Jordan rubbed his head, trying to remember what had happened beforehand, but drew a blank. All he could think up was hearing faint words ''help me'' and ''save me please,'' but had no clue about the context behind it. Jordan slowly got up from his bed and nearly fumbled out of it. He reached for his phone on the coffee table, but a small light caught his attention from the corner of his eyes. Jordan pulled open the drawers, and the first thing that caught his eye was a framed picture of Hilary and a note attached to it. His eyes narrowed as he read the letter and studied the pic carefully. After checking it out for a slight moment, his mind erupted. It all came back to him. As memories came flooding inside his head, he remembered everything now. More questions remained within him; for example, why did Jordan keep getting those visions? Who''s calling out to him? What did he do to deserve this? Jordan peeked through the windows to see if anyone was present outside, then he hurried outside the room. The first thing that caught Jordan''s attention when leaving the room was a small magenta book that rested on a chair near the broken elevator. He walked over to inspect the item, which had Hilary''s name on the front of the book. The name sparked some memories that lingered inside his mind. He was slowly piecing things together and remembering more than before. Jordan searched for the owner of the book no matter what, as he felt it would be the first step in recovering his memories. .-.-.-. An alarm clock rang on the drawer, nearly toppling off. Hilary extended her arm to press the snooze button to calm it down. She stretched her arms and yawned, rubbing the water around her eyes. Hilary prepared to get ready for the big day, excited to start fresh again since yesterday. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Although, it occurred to her that the dream she had last night might have more of a connection than she realized. There had to be a reason she kept having the same thoughts recently, which unnerved her to no end. Hilary shrugged it off, thinking about not having to worry about it for now, as the dream wasn''t even real. She reached into her drawers, deciding to write the current events in her journal book. However, much to her shock, she couldn¡¯t find it anywhere. Hilary frantically searched the room for the journal, but with no such luck. Hilary stormed off and was about to leave the area; she heard a scream after slamming the door open. Hilary glanced over. Her mouth gaped open upon seeing the man who fell on the floor and covered his face. "Oh my gosh, are you alright?" Hilary asked with concern as she helped him get up. "Yeah, I''m fine," Jordan replied. "Um, do I know you? You must be new here." Must''ve been sent back in time again if she doesn''t recognize me. "No, I''ve been here for quite a while now. I feel like we have met before." "Like in a dream of sorts?" Hilary guessed. "Maybe?" Jordan shrugged. "This is weird." "Oh, that reminds me!" Jordan exclaimed. "I''m looking for the owner of this book; someone left it out in the open." He took out the journal and showed it to Hilary. "What a coincidence, I was about to search for a book I lost." Hilary said. "Can I have a look?" "Sure." Jordan gave her the book as Hilary scrutinized it. She pressed her face against the pages and widened her eyes in shock. Her grip on the edges of the diary tightened as her body grew sweaty. As Jordan was about to ask if she was alright, Hilary looked back up at him in the eyes. "I can''t believe this. Jordan, this is monumental." She spoke up. Did she say my name? Jordan¡¯s body froze. "Did you remember something?" "Yes, but we need to discuss this privately." Hilary walked over and gently pushed Jordan into her room. "We can''t have anyone else listen in on us." She scratched her chin and pondered on something. "Nobody except..." She took out her green phone and dialed up a number to call, telling the caller to meet up in her room on the double. Shortly after, Hilary hung up and waited, much to Jordan''s confusion. "Um, can I ask what''s going on?" Jordan asked. "No, not yet," Hilary murmured. 14. Everyone (Part 2) After a while, the door slammed open, and Stanley rushed inside as quickly as possible. "I got the call and came as fast as I could. Are you ok?" "Oh, I''m alright," Hilary replied calmly. "Hey, what''s he doing here?" Stanley pointed at Jordan and asked. "What do you mean? I got here by choice. Hilary led me here." Jordan raised his hands to defend himself. "Same here, but I got here because of concern. Why did Hilary let you¡ª?" "Guys, stop." Hilary interrupted. The two boys looked at her in silence, wondering what she''ll say next. "It worked, my plan worked." "What did?" They inquired. Hilary put her finger to her lips to shush them before continuing. She took the diary and showed them specific pages. "I''ve written in my diary everything I knew and did, including the ones where we tried to commit suicide, and the parts where we died on accident." Hilary glanced up to see if Stanley and Jordan followed what she had been saying so far. When they nodded their heads with certainty, she continued. "And that''s when I found out we keep going back in time through an endless loop; this seems to occur when one of us or all of us end up dying." "How the¡ª? Say what?" Stanley''s eyes widened in fear. "So, are you saying that someone is actively putting us in this never-ending spiral?" "Precisely." Hilary nodded in agreement. "But who could''ve done this?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Oh, no..." Jordan whispered. The others glanced at him. "I think I know who it is." "You do, who?" Stanley and Hilary questioned. "Melody," Jordan muttered, lowering his head. "I think she told me she''d end the torment if I got rid of Stanley and had you, Hilary, for myself. That was part of her plan." Silence embodied the room for a while, as nobody knew what to say about the circumstances. "But didn''t you question any of her motives before?" Stanley asked, breaking the silence. "I don''t remember." Jordan panicked. "I don''t even know why I have these weird feelings toward you two!" He cried. "I just want to see her happy for once!" Stanley''s phone rang, breaking everyone''s concentration. Stanley took out his phone and checked to see who it was; the name said ''Nana.'' "Oh, I almost forgot. My Nana likes to call me on certain mornings," Stanley recalled. "But should I answer?" "It''s most likely a disguise," Jordan mentioned. "If that grave is real, then someone could pose as your nana in disguise." He looked down at the palm of his hands. Why didn''t she call me, though? "Maybe she wanted to manipulate Stanley?" Hilary guessed. "And have you two turned against each other?" "What could she want or gain from all of this?" Stanley pondered. "You know, your ''Nana'' might get suspicious if you don''t answer," Jordan told him. Stanley gulped as he stared at the phone, which continued to ring. He slowly reached to flip it and place it beside his ear. "H-Hello? Yeah, I''m¡ª Huh? I''m, well, all by myself, of course, why do you ask? Did you hear something? That was my refrigerator. No, I wouldn''t lie to you. So where are you? What? No, I''m just curious, that''s all. What makes you think I¡ª?" Dead silence rang around the area once again. "She hung up," Stanley concluded as he put away the phone. "Oh no, this ¡®Melody¡¯ person could be onto us," Hilary recalled, scratching her cheek. She turned to Jordan. "Why don''t you call her?" Jordan shook his head. "I think we might have a similar problem." Hilary pouted. "Drat, now we''ll never know where¡ª" "Hold on; I think I know someone who can help us!" Jordan exclaimed. He got up from his seat and motioned the other two to follow him outside. They needed to get there before Melody, no matter what. 14. Everyone (Part 3) Hilary, Stanley, and Jordan walked outside the apartment building; to their shock, they found the surrounding area changed for the worse. The sky broke apart, as pieces of clouds fell to the ground, and parts of the surrounding buildings got torn up as they flew through the skies as if in zero gravity. The arrows on the clock dropped and stayed still, while others spun backward at a crazy speed. People down the streets lost their color, their faces wiped off, as they all stood still. "What''s happening around here?" Hilary questioned as they walked around slowly and cautiously. "Who knows, but I don''t think we should stick around to find out," Jordan replied. "Now, if only I can remember that shortcut..." "Hey, why don''t we go use a map from the stand?" Stanley pointed and suggested. "Good idea." Jordan complimented. Wow, I never thought I¡¯d say that. Jordan read the map carefully and pointed them in a specific direction, with Hilary and Stanley following him. .-.-.-. Eventually, the three stood on a small hill to get a better look at their surroundings. That¡¯s when they spotted their destination: The Angelwing Cemetery. The fog and ambiance grew thick and damp. Hilary¡¯s heart pounded like a drum upon finding these gravestones everywhere the group turned. "Um, are you sure this person will help us out?" Hilary whispered. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. "Of course," Jordan replied with a small layer of confidence. "Are they even around here?" Stanley added. Jordan nodded. "I think you might recognize her, too, Stanley." "Really?" Stanley questioned. The three stopped when they reached a particular gravestone as Jordan fell to his knees. "Arise." He motioned his arms as smoke formed around it, and a figure rose from the grave. Stanley and Hilary stepped back in horror as Jordan got up and dusted himself off. "Wait a minute, is that...?" Stanley started, getting misty-eyed. "Yep, it''s our Nana," Jordan replied. ¡°Her spirit anyway.¡± Stanley gasped. It had been so long since he saw and talked to the real her, it caught him off guard. "It can''t be! How is that possible? I thought she was..." "Beware," Their nana spoke up. "Someone is using my body to get you all involved." "So, could you tell us where this Melody could be?" Hilary asked. "She''s coming; her power was too much to handle." "¡¯Powers¡¯?" Stanley repeated. "How did she end up getting powers?" "The Wish App, of course!" Hilary exclaimed, pounding her fist into her hand. "She must''ve used it to gain power!" "But what could she have wished for?" "Beats me." "I think I know what it is," Jordan replied. "None of this could''ve happened if not for¡ª" "Doesn''t matter for the time being," Nana interjected. "You need to leave at once before it''s too late!" "But why?" "Oh no, she''s here!" Their nana exclaimed, then let out a bloodcurdling scream. A magic vortex appeared from behind her and sucked her body and life away inside, turning it into a small orb. A shadowy figure loomed over the magic orb and the graveyard where the group stood, crushing the sphere into pieces. "NO!" Stanley cried, extending his arm to try and grab the orb, and watched as the life force dissipated away. 14. Everyone (Part 4) The lighting from the moon revealed the figure to be Melody. "Well, well, well..." Melody started, spreading a mischievous smile on her face. "Look who we have here." Hilary''s eyes widened as memories sparked in her head upon seeing her. "Melody, is that you?¡± "So, you finally showed up." Jordan looked and glared at her. "What''s going on here?" Stanley questioned, clutching his chest and trying to steady his heartbeat. "Seems like I left you to do stuff by yourselves when I shouldn''t have," Melody said, ignoring Stanley''s question. She glanced at Jordan and glared at him right back. "Also, I''m disappointed in you, Jordan." "Me? Why me?" Jordan pointed at himself. "What did he ever do to you to deserve such awful treatment?" Hilary asked. "Whatever do you mean?" Melody chuckled under her breath. "Jordan''s my puppet, isn¡¯t that obvious?" "Puppet, what are you talking about¡ª?" Jordan fell to his knees and let out a bloodcurdling scream, covering his head with his arms. "No, NO!" Hilary and Stanley turned to Jordan in worry. "Jordan, what''s wrong?!" "I remember everything, including what she''s done to me in the past," Jordan muttered. His voice raised higher. "Please don''t kill me!" Melody held her breath, trying to contain her laughter. Hilary and Stanley glared at her upon hearing it. "What have you done to him?" They both asked. "What are you going to¡ª?" "What is wrong with you, Hilary?" Melody inquired, as her voice sounded more desperate. "I just wanted you to be happy." "Happy?" Hilary repeated. "How can I?" "After I heard that you had feelings for Stanley in the past, and I couldn''t believe what happened." Melody looked away, trying to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. "When I knew what you were into, what your type was..." She shook her head. ¡°Of all people, why him? You deserved better than someone who¡¯s wimpy and spineless.¡± "So, correct me if I''m wrong," Stanley informed, stepping forward. "You used the wish app to create a clone that looked like me but is a ''better person than me'' in your eyes. Then, have this person attempt to convince him to make Hilary fall for him instead of me. Did I miss anything? Am I correct?" "Yes, you are." Melody nodded. "Stop this cycle at once!" Hilary pleaded, clasping her hands. "Not until we agree," Melody replied. "Isn''t that right, dear friend?" Hilary clenched her fist and tried to keep her chin up. "Melody." She started. "Don''t do this anymore. Can''t we just¡ª?" "No!" Melody snapped. "Why can''t I get what I want? I try to copy others to get people to like me, but it still doesn''t work! Why is that?¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "I think I know why," Stanley replied. "Karma, your repercussions." He explained. "You''re just afraid of using your true colors, so you make a shell outside to manipulate others. The ''me'' in the past probably knew about the darkness in your heart and wouldn''t go out with someone like you. And I sure as heck would never date, much less hang out with someone who treats other people like trash!" Everyone stayed silent upon hearing that. After a short while, Jordan broke the silence. "Stanley, what are you doing? Don''t you understand what she can do? She could¡ª" "Maybe not." Stanley interrupted. "But this isn''t right, and I know I have no right in saying this, but..." He looked into Melody''s eyes. "You need to move on with your life and not rely on magic to try and make things go your way." He glanced at Hilary. "Isn''t that right?" "Yeah." Hilary nodded in agreement. "No," Melody muttered, grinding her teeth. "You''re wrong. You''re all wrong!" She thundered. "Do you think you guys could change me so easily? You snot-nosed brats!" A purple aura formed around her eyes as she cast it out from her palms, heading toward Jordan. "No, look out!" Stanley ran over to push him out of the way and take the shot for him. Stanley screeched as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach, and having a dark pulsating aura around his body. "Stanley!" Hilary and Jordan cried as they rushed over to his side. "Are you alright?" "I... I don¡¯t think so..." Stanley replied weakly. "What were you thinking? Why did you do that?" Hilary cried. Stanley coughed up bits of blood before responding. "I... well..." Jordan felt pain in the back of his neck and spat out some blood of his own. His body froze. "Aw, what a shame," Melody whined in a mocking tone. "Poor guy¡¯s going to die real soon. Guess I''ll need to go back in time again to fix that." She turned and created a portal from behind her. She then turned back to the others with a mischievous smile. "Oh, and by the way, I''ll also be taking this." Melody reached into her pockets and pulled out a pink journal book. Hilary''s eyes widened upon seeing the familiar object at her old friend¡¯s disposal. "My diary! Where did you get that book?" "No, she couldn''t have stolen it from right under us, could she?" Jordan wondered. "Don''t go..." Stanley gasped, writhing in pain. "Don''t worry Jordan, if you''re wondering, I can handle this myself from now on, without your help." Melody boasted. "If I do need some help, then I know where to find someone, I''ll make more allies for myself. Goodbye and good riddance." She curtseyed, turned, and headed toward the portal. Jordan''s blood boiled and clenched his fists. He couldn¡¯t think straight and didn¡¯t want to let her get away, risking their present and future selves getting destroyed. He charged after Melody and tackled her, hurling them both inside the portal, leaving Hilary and Stanley alone, wondering what to do now. .-.-.-. Melody and Jordan fought with one another as they flew off into the warp. Tons of aqua windows floated around them as the two fell inside an aquarium exhibit, and the outside had technological cubes surrounding them both. "What do you think you''re doing?" Melody asked. "I''m so sick and tired of being your mindless, soulless, brainless PUPPET!" Jordan exclaimed. Melody threw Jordan out of the designated path and knocked him through the outside area. Jordan landed on an invisible podium. He got up and rubbed his head. Looking around and realizing that the place seemed different from the last time he traveled back in time. The aqua blocks floated and displayed images and videos of scenarios involving real-life circumstances; some of them had Stanley and Hilary in them. "Where are we? What''s going on?" Jordan questioned. "You should''ve thought straight before pushing me, you idiot!" Melody retorted from a distance. Jordan looked over at Melody, who peeked through the tubes. "How far do you intend on going back? And why are you doing this?" "You''re the last person I want to tell that to!" Melody jumped off the tube and chased after Jordan, chasing him down throughout the area. When the coast was clear, Jordan leaped and flew into one of the boxes, disappearing from her sights altogether and entering a different place and at a different time. 15. Everyone (Part 1) When Jordan came to his senses and woke up, he found himself stuck inside a broom closet with an old mattress on the side. Shouldn¡¯t he have been in his regular dorm room instead? Something must be up. Finding the door to be unlocked, he exited the area and looked around. Jordan came across a window and peeked through; he saw what appeared to be Stanley and Hilary standing by the entrance and looking up. Jordan pulled the windows open and looked up. His eyes widened in horror upon realizing what timeline he stumbled upon: This was days before the three of them had ever met. Jordan shut the windows closed and ran upstairs as fast as he could, hopefully, to stop the cycle of events from starting all over again. .-.-.-. Jordan slammed open the door as soon as he entered the top of the apartment complex, where another man stood on the other side, leaning on the edge, tipping, and about to fall off. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Jordan yelled at the top of his lungs, getting the figure¡¯s attention and spooking him. The man turned around and noticed Jordan. ¡°Huh? Where did you¡ª?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t jump off. Whatever the reason it may be, it isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Jordan pleaded. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The person turned and looked down, seeing the height and other people watching. ¡°I...¡± The man stepped off, his body quivering. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore; I feel so afraid and lost.¡± He said, as his voice shook. Jordan walked over, wrapped his arms around the man, and embraced him, telling him how much it would be ok. ¡°Hey. Feeling scared or lost is okay, but you¡¯re not alone, and I¡¯m here for you. Is there anything upsetting you? Do you want to talk about it?¡± The man nodded, trying to hold back the tears in his eyes as he continued clutching onto him. Time passed as the two continued talking before heading back inside the apartment. Jordan waited for the man to feel confident about heading out with a clear head and conscious before leaving himself. As Jordan stepped out, Stanley and Hilary rushed over to greet him. ¡°What you did back there, that was incredible!¡± Stanley exclaimed. ¡°And a close one,¡± Hilary added. ¡°You saved the person¡¯s life; you¡¯re a hero!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really.¡± Jordan scratched the back of his head and replied. ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do; someone had to help and be there for them in their darkest times.¡± ¡°Hey, you look familiar...¡± Stanley brought up. Jordan blinked in confusion. ¡°Do you guys not recognize me? It¡¯s me, Jordan.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Stanley and Hilary responded. ¡°Are you ok?¡± Jordan couldn¡¯t believe what he heard. Then, his memory dawned on him: The Diary isn¡¯t in their disposal anymore, so neither Hilary nor Stanley can remember past events. How could Jordan convince the two about the situation they¡¯re in now? Jordan¡¯s eyes drifted off; he lost his sense of balance and fell to the ground. 15. Everyone (Part 2) Jordan drifted off into the darkness, as if the ground turned to water, sinking to the bottom of the abyss. When he opened his eyes, he noticed the blurry images of Hilary and Stanley above until the picture became distorted and grew smaller the further Jordan descended. Jordan couldn¡¯t breathe, but at the same time, didn¡¯t feel like he suffocated either. Jordan tried to think about what to do and how he got into this predicament in the first place. Just then, a soft voice called out to Jordan from out of nowhere. ¡°Jordan, you need to wake up.¡± He tried to open his mouth but couldn¡¯t make out the words or have it move. All he could say was what was on his mind. ¡°I¡¯m awake; I¡¯m pretty sure.¡± ¡°No, you need to wake up from all of this. Otherwise, you and your friends will cease to exist.¡± ¡°What? But how?¡± ¡°Melody is planning on messing up all timelines, and you¡¯re the only one who can help me.¡± The voice continued. ¡°Really?¡± Jordan could hear the conversation between the two, even though his mouth didn¡¯t move, but could think up the thoughts instead. ¡°But who are you?¡± ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t go into much detail, especially with the predicament you got in¡ª¡± .-.-.-. Jordan shot awake as the voice had disappeared before it could finish the sentence. Jordan looked around and found himself in his dorm room in his bed. He glanced at the door, where the knob moved, and fidgeted as black goo crept out of the entrance. The walls opened all around him as the ceiling crumbled apart and the bed flew into the air, with Jordan clutching on and hanging on for dear life. Pieces of the building fell and nearly hit the bed. The bed spun around as Jordan lost his footing and jumped off, falling and hitting the floor, which broke apart and turned into a dark void. He fell and screamed until he hit an invisible ground and came to his senses. The surrounding area was now pitched dark; a shiver fell down his spine as he felt helpless. Soon, a form of light appeared in his view. Bubbles with evil purple auras showed up, floating helplessly and showing messages in each of them. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I wish I was rich.¡± ¡°I want vengeance on my boss; I want him to suffer.¡± ¡°I hope to become powerful and rule the world.¡± Etc. Etc. The messages had wishes individually, each one worse than the last. Were they from the Wish App? Jordan¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to get away, but he couldn¡¯t find a way out. Jordan bent down and covered his eyes and ears, trying to ignore all the thoughts from scooping their way into his head. Jordan shook his head, refusing to give in and prove Melody right. But how could he hold back when he found himself surrounded by all the selfish messages used for the Wish App? Maybe people in the world are¡ª Pop! A white light obscured the view, as Jordan looked up, amidst the darkness, a single white bubble with another message inside. This time, it appeared to be different, selfless even. Soon, more selfless wishes came out, eventually overpowering all the selfish desires that occurred before. ¡°I hope mom gets better from her sickness.¡± ¡°I wish for world peace.¡± ¡°I want my beloved to have a safe trip out by the sea.¡± Etc. Etc. Jordan¡¯s smile grew wider upon reading them at once, seeing that there are selfless people out there who have used the Wish App for its intended purpose. ¡°I can see it now,¡± Jordan said. ¡°But how is this all happening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the wishes; they gave me powers.¡± Another voice popped up and told him. ¡°Strong enough to surpass Melody and her negative energy.¡± It¡¯s that voice again. Jordan thought. ¡°You have a friend to thank.¡± The voice added. Jordan looked over as the portal opened, and Stanley and Hilary appeared from outside to greet him. ¡°Guys, did you remember, after all?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The voice echoed. ¡°It was my idea, after all.¡± Stanley replied. ¡°After the help of the voice, bringing us back our memories, I thought up the idea to send over the wishes to you.¡± ¡°We needed to bring you back to reality,¡± Hilary added. ¡°We¡¯re sorry we didn¡¯t realize and heed your warnings after everything¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine; you didn¡¯t know at the time.¡± Jordan defended. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on? What happened here?¡± A familiar and different voice questioned. The group turned and spotted Melody standing there from a distance. She clenched her fists as her icy glare focused on Jordan. ¡°You...¡± She muttered with a sneer. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s not safe here!¡± The softer voice exclaimed. As Melody stormed over closer to the trio, Stanley, Hilary, and Jordan stepped away, unsure of what to do now, as there was nowhere to hide or run. ¡°Hang on tight; I¡¯ll pull you three out of there!¡± The voice continued. The group huddled together and shut their eyes tight. Soon, a beam zoomed down to take the group out of there before Melody could catch up to them. 15. Everyone (Part 3) Stanley, Jordan, and Hilary ended up teleporting to a different location. Looking around, they find themselves inside an operating computer, the maintenance of the internet. They could tell from the wires, lines, and bubbles with tons of visuals. ¡°Wow, I never thought I¡¯d be in a place like this,¡± Stanley said in awe. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you brought us over here.¡± Hilary acknowledged. ¡°Otherwise¡ª¡± ¡°Ok, that¡¯s great.¡± Jordan interrupted as he looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Now, can you tell us who you are and what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡± The voice replied. After a while, someone appeared in the center of the room and in front of them. The figure had long pink hair with a black and brown eye. She also wore a gray dress that covered her legs and shoes and had a small black top hat. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡± The pink-haired lady greeted them. ¡°My name is Mimi, the robotic mascot for the Wish App.¡± She explained. ¡°I had a feeling; you looked rather familiar.¡± Hilary pointed out. Mimi cleared her throat. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m speaking to you through my Master¡¯s¡ª¡± The ground shook as rumbling occurred. The group tried their best to keep their balance and not fall. ¡°What was that?¡± Stanley questioned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Hilary shrugged. After a moment of silence, the four went back to their earlier conversation. ¡°That¡¯s a lot to stomach,¡± Jordan replied to Mimi. ¡°So, if that¡¯s the case, then what is your true form?¡± Stanley inquired. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mimi inquired, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Who is your master? What do they look like?¡± Stanley corrected. Mimi stammered for a bit before responding. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t say or show what my master looks like to protect their identity.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so¡ª¡± ¡°Did you honestly think you could escape from me, Mimi?¡± A familiar voice hissed from a distance. Mimi and the others turned to find Melody had caught up with them. ¡°What? How¡¯d you get here and find us?¡± Mimi questioned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Melody retorted. ¡°All that matters is I will get my revenge on you...¡± ¡°We need to get out of here now!¡± Mimi exclaimed. ¡°But how?¡± Jordan asked. Mimi created an open tube set as a slide and pushed Stanley, Jordan, and Hilary inside while Mimi followed them from behind to make sure they were safe from Melody¡¯s grasp. The group slid down until they exited and came across forks in the road floating in the air. None of them were sure which way to go, but they couldn¡¯t stay for long. Stanley, Jordan, and Hilary each took one path and split up for the time being. Mimi flew over the big tubes that appeared to be going in different directions, but soon found a way to connect. .-.-.-. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The group got together as Mimi led them to another room, as they locked the door behind them. As Mimi sighed in relief, Stanley, Hilary, and Jordan looked up to find themselves in a mainframe room. The control pad had lots of buttons that stood from across the room. Up ahead in their view, videos appeared in their sight; each one had bits of clips of different people interacting and doing tasks in their daily lives. How was this possible? Did those people use the app beforehand, or have they just shown up on the network? Mimi lowered her head and sighed. ¡°All these people.¡± She muttered, breaking the silence between the four of them. ¡°All we wanted was to make people¡¯s lives better with our mechanical properties. But it seems that we made it all worse.¡± She buried her face in her hands and sulked. Hilary walked over and placed her hands on Mimi¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Mimi, don¡¯t blame yourself, it¡¯s not your fault, you had your intentions and reason after all.¡± ¡°Hilary...¡± Mimi looked up and beamed a small smile at her. ¡°Hey, uh, guys? I don¡¯t mean to interrupt...¡± Jordan spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Jordan?¡± Stanley asked. ¡°Well, has anyone noticed that Melody hadn¡¯t followed us to this room?¡± Jordan continued. ¡°Now that you mentioned it, yeah, that¡¯s concerning,¡± Mimi replied. ¡°Maybe we lost her?¡± Hilary guessed. ¡°Man, I wish¡ª¡± Jordan started. ¡°No, no more wishing.¡± Mimi interrupted. ¡°But I already made a wish earlier...¡± Stanley defended. ¡°Is there a way to find this app online and delete it from the mainframe?¡± Hilary suggested. ¡°Hold on; I¡¯ll try to look for a way.¡± Mimi squinted her eyes. She activated a board to scroll over some stuff as well as move around pieces and shapes on the internet until coming across something that caught her eye. ¡°A-ha, I got it. This should do the trick!¡± ¡°You got the idea? You know how to fix this?¡± Stanley asked. Mimi nodded. ¡°I just need you guys to give me some time and¡ª¡± ¡°I see you.¡± Many of the clips were replaced by distinct body parts of Melody as she stared blankly at the screen, making the others jump back in shock. ¡°Melody?¡± Hilary and Stanley questioned. ¡°How did¡ª?¡± ¡°I heard everything you said.¡± Melody ignored the two and spoke up. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Jordan inquired. ¡°You¡¯re just going to destroy¡ª¡± ¡°Like I care.¡± Melody interrupted. ¡°All I wanted was to give you guys a paradise.¡± The clips blacked out as Melody teleported herself in the middle of the room. ¡°What¡ª? How did you get here?!¡± Mimi asked, exasperated. ¡°Before you delete the app, though...¡± Melody turned to face the control pad near the clips above. ¡°I¡¯m going to make one last wish.¡± She finished as she stepped closer to it. ¡°Wait, what are you saying? What are you going to do?¡± Mimi inquired, clasping her hands. Melody hovered her hands over to the control panels and rubbed on one of the motion sensors. ¡°I wish to be the most powerful user in the entire world!¡± After a moment of silence, nothing happened. While Melody struggled with the system, wondering why it didn¡¯t work, Mimi motioned for the others to leave the area. ¡°That¡¯s not even where she can access the wishes,¡± Mimi whispered to the group of three. ¡°We should get to the main control room before Melody does.¡± ¡°What?¡± Melody turned, overhearing their conversation. She slammed her fists, causing ominous purple sparks to appear and chase down the others. .-.-.-. Stanley, Jordan, and Hilary followed Mimi out of the room. The door they had locked previously broke open as ominous shadows rushed down through the area to chase down and grab the others. As Stanley, Hilary, Jordan, and Mimi jotted down through the light walls, circuit boards, and tubes, they nearly got caught and stopped by mini dark message bubbles. Mimi shot out some bright bubbles to hit them back, causing some explosions on the premises. ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± Jordan exclaimed. ¡°How can we stop that crazy girl?¡± ¡°Aside from deleting the app?¡± Stanley inquired. ¡°She¡¯ll still have those crazy powers. It¡¯s not like that¡¯ll get erased as soon as Mimi¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, I got an idea!¡± Hilary interrupted. ¡°We can fight wishes with wishes!¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that?¡± Jordan questioned. ¡°I still haven¡¯t made a wish yet,¡± Hilary informed them. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m the only one out of all of us that hasn¡¯t...¡± ¡°Are you aware of the rules and guidelines?¡± Mimi asked. Hilary nodded. ¡°And I know what to wish for, too. Before you delete the app forever, can you let me make one more wish?¡± Mimi thought about it before responding. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll take you there and you can make your wish, then I¡¯ll delete the app permanently.¡± Mimi led the group to a door while continuously blocking off the shots from the ominous message bubbles that kept appearing from thin air or another corner. 15. Everyone (Part 4) Eventually, they arrived at a room and hurried inside with the door locked behind them. ¡°We did it, we¡¯re¡ª¡± Stanley started. ¡°¡ªToo late?!¡± He exclaimed upon seeing that Melody somehow beat them to the room. It looked like the other room from before, but more prominent. ¡°Ah, just in time.¡± Melody mocked. ¡°I¡¯m just about to create another world in place of this one, and I¡¯ll be its new ruler!¡± Melody motioned to show the group she had already typed the message on the computer screen. ¡°All I have to do is push the button to confirm it.¡± Her hand slowly reached over for the send button. ¡°No!¡± Mimi shot out a laser blast to hit Melody, pushing her back and knocking her against the wall, causing the surrounding walls to crumble and make holes. ¡°Now¡¯s your chance!¡± Mimi cried. ¡°Hilary, change the message and replace it with your wish!¡± Hilary hesitated. ¡°But what about¡ª?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her.¡± Mimi interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this, go! Hurry!¡± ¡°Ok. On it!¡± Hilary yelled out. She rushed over to the control panel in the other room, removed the message, and tried to type the new one as fast as she could. ¡°Why you¡ª you¡¯ll pay for that!¡± Mimi heard Melody roar. Melody got up from her feet and charged after Mimi. She punched her in the air, causing Mimi to hit through the ceiling and having the room break apart around them. Melody jumped up to follow her as they partook in a brawl. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Melody kicked Mimi in the stomach, pushing her back, then shot out some lasers to attack her from afar. Mimi regained her composure and, noticing the laser, tried to push back Melody herself and fire a laser as well. As the light and darkness moved back and forth between one another, Mimi got weak as her legs shook, and her body quivered. Melody appeared to be leading in powers as the spark slowly leaned toward Mimi in the face. From down below, while Hilary tried to write the message at a breakneck pace, Stanley and Jordan watched the whole spectacle with bated breath. Stanley bit his fingernails while Jordan jumped up and down with his hands close to his mouth. ¡°What should we do?¡± Stanley turned to Jordan and asked. ¡°What can we do?¡± Jordan asked. After the two pondered about it, Stanley thought up an idea. ¡°Wishes can give strength, depending on what wish it is, right?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡±. ¡°Well, Melody made more than one wish, so...¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t bring that up! Do you know the rules and consequences for...?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I have an idea.¡± Stanley pulled out his phone. ¡°Remember the wish I made not too long ago?¡± Jordan nodded. ¡°What are you trying to say? What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think this counts, but I want you to trust me on this.¡± Stanley extended his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s send Mimi some support and strength.¡± Jordan looked down at his hand, feeling puzzled. ¡°But if it doesn¡¯t count, then what will happen to you?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a sacrifice, I don¡¯t care. If we can put a stop to all of this, then I think it¡¯ll be worth it. We got to take the risk.¡± The speech made Jordan¡¯s eyes widen in shock. He then smiled and took Stanley¡¯s hand to shake. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do this.¡± 15. Everyone (Part 5) Mimi tried to hold on to the best of her capabilities. However, Melody took out her phone and generated more dark powers to consume and use them against Mimi. The dark laser grew more prominent and faster, as a result, making it more difficult for Mimi to hold on. Mimi then noticed a small message bubble with a selfless wish. Soon, more showed up in her vision as she consumed each one, reading them in her head. ¡°Mimi, don¡¯t forget about all of those that wished selflessly!¡± She heard Stanley call out. ¡°There are good people in this world, and you¡¯ve made a difference, don¡¯t let them down!¡± Jordan added. Her eyes widened upon hearing those words of encouragement. Mimi smiled as the powers inside grew stronger as she fired out a mega laser to push back. The blast built and got speedier as it charged toward Melody, knocking her back. The darkness soon evaporated out from Melody¡¯s body as she fell and hit the virtual ground. Mimi hovered down to confront Melody face to face. Melody had bruises and scars all around her; she tried to get up from the ground but found it to be difficult in her current state. ¡°The time has come to put an end to your tyranny.¡± Mimi acknowledged, placing her hands on her hips. ¡°No...¡± Melody said weakly. ¡°It can¡¯t be... I don¡¯t...¡± ¡°Face it, you lost.¡± Stanley and Jordan rushed over to catch up to the two. ¡°Is it over?¡± They both asked in concern. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°No, not yet,¡± Melody muttered. ¡°I still... I don¡¯t...¡± A dark pulse emanated from her chest; she clutched onto the chest tightly as she ground her teeth hard. The darkness formed around her body as Melody screamed at the top of her lungs until it covered her entire body. The dark then shot out and headed toward the others at full speed. Stanley and Jordan turned and made a break for it to try and outrun the darkness to prevent themselves from getting sucked in as well. Mimi created a barrier to block out the power from hitting them, but it kept pushing her and nearly overlapping her. Mimi rushed over and grabbed the other two, carrying them into the air to outrun the shadow from catching them. She had a feeling Hilary wouldn¡¯t like the news once she found out about the condition her ¡®friend¡¯ had, facing the consequences for doing what she did. Mimi had a hunch they needed to retrieve her in the other breaker room. There, she ran the wish system and attempted to remove the wish before the group left. Mimi fired out beams to attack the shadows, but they appeared to pass through and not affect it at all. Jordan looked over and noticed the group trapped between a rock and a hard place. He got in between the groups with his arms up and his head held high. ¡°Hey, you. You¡¯re going to have to go through me if you want to mess with my friends!¡± Jordan exclaimed. Stanley spun and gasped. ¡°Jordan, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to make up for my misdeeds. You need to get out of here. This is your chance.¡± ¡°But why, though?¡± ¡°Remember what you told me?¡± Jordan asked Stanley. ¡°Some sacrifices can be worth it.¡± ¡°But if you do this, you¡¯re going to get¡ª¡± ¡°Tell Hilary I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡± He finished as the shadows enveloped him. ¡°NO!¡± Stanley cried, extending his arm out. ¡°We have to get going, or else we¡¯ll get swallowed too!¡± Mimi thundered. ¡°No, I¡¯m not leaving him behind!¡± Stanley leaped over and dove inside without hesitation. 15. Everyone (Part 6) [SERIES FINALE] Stanley opened his eyes, finding the entire area darkened with white outlines, which appeared to be snakes and strings, grabbing Jordan in a chokehold and pulling him into a bottomless dark pit. ¡°Stanley, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Jordan asked weakly. ¡°You could¡¯ve been free.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Stanley admitted. ¡°But it isn¡¯t right to leave you to die like this.¡± ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done and said to you, you¡¯re giving me...?¡± Jordan choked on his words. ¡°You¡¯re still a person, deep down.¡± Stanley acknowledged, on the brink of tears. ¡°But I¡¯m just a soulless puppet created for selfish intentions. I don¡¯t deserve your kindness.¡± Jordan turned away, his face feeling hot and his eyes getting stingy. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Stanley denied as he moved closer. ¡°You¡¯ve proven that you¡¯re human, just like all of us. You express emotions, have compassion, and have your thoughts and desires. You¡¯re unique, there¡¯s no one like you, and it wouldn¡¯t be the same if you weren¡¯t a part of our world.¡± Finally, after hearing those words, Jordan felt tears streaming down his face. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Stanley was right. Jordan wasn¡¯t just a meaningless puppet with no soul, or rather, he had a soul deep down. Jordan looked up at Stanley and extended his arm to reach and grab Stanley¡¯s hand as he moved closer. However, the snakes and strings moved over to tie Stanley around by his body parts and drag him further away before they could touch their fingertips. Stanley and Jordan struggled to fight back, continued moving forward, and tried to break free. Soon, a light pierced down into a lancer that fell and cut through the strings and snakes, causing them to disintegrate. Stanley and Jordan broke free and reached each other before Jordan could fall into the dark pit. The two looked up as the light grew more prominent, overshadowing the darkness. The figures in the light were revealed to be Hilary and Mimi, along with some other message bubbles with light auras, resembling, and turning into different people. The data moved over and destroyed the dark shadows, breaking them into pieces, giving Stanley and Jordan time to escape. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back together,¡± Hilary said with a smile as she extended her arm towards the two. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s.¡± Stanley and Jordan smiled back and reached for her arm to grab them. Mimi activated a beam and managed to teleport everyone out of the scene entirely, as the figures also disappeared off the net as well. .-.-.-. The group ended up in another room. This time, it was all white, with a substantial podium being in the center of the room. ¡°Where are we?¡± Hilary asked. ¡°The Eternal Dimension,¡± Mimi replied. ¡°It seemed like whatever you wished for, was enough to put an end to all of this madness.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°So, is the app deleted? Did you do it?¡± Stanley inquired. Mimi nodded. ¡°No one will be able to make any more wishes with it anymore. we¡¯ve omitted and eradicated all the selfish wishes by¡ª¡± ¡°What about Melody?¡± Hilary interrupted. ¡°Is she¡ª?¡± ¡°Afraid so.¡± Mimi interrupted. ¡°Sorry, but there¡¯s nothing you can do about her.¡± Hilary blinked, tears streaming from her face as she felt her face hot and red. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it...¡± ¡°Sorry, Hilary,¡± Stanley said sadly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, I...¡± ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯m alive?¡± Jordan interjected. ¡°Why am I still around? I thought that...¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just like I said before?¡± Stanley reminded him. ¡°This is your chance to change and become a better person; you shouldn¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Hilary added. ¡°You have a new purpose, a new meaning, go out there and find it.¡± ¡°I...¡± Jordan paused. He looked down at his hands and then back up at the others. ¡°I want to become more than a puppet. I want to live among the people and hang out with you guys!¡± He exclaimed ecstatically. ¡°That¡¯s what we like to hear!¡± Hilary exclaimed. Jordan rubbed his eyes and hiccupped. ¡°Thank you for believing in me.¡± Jordan choked on his words as he said those lines. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Stanley and Hilary chirped. The three got together and embraced one another. They felt the accomplishment of overcoming their trials and tribulations as Mimi watched with content and satisfaction. When they finished, Mimi cleared her throat to get their attention. ¡°Shall I send you back to your world?¡± Mimi asked. ¡°Wait, you can do that?¡± Jordan questioned. Mimi nodded. She pointed toward the center near the podium, a long streak of light shot up toward the sky. ¡°Just step toward the light; your world should return to its normal state.¡± ¡°Will we ever see you again?¡± Hilary inquired. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again,¡± Mimi replied. ¡°You better get going.¡± ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± The trio said in unison. The three held hands and stepped toward the light without looking back. .-.-.-. A man in his apartment room signed off the net and communicated with the android on his computer. ¡°Nice work, Mimi.¡± He complimented, moving backward from his chair and stretching his arms. ¡°Thanks, Master,¡± Mimi replied. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have done it without your help.¡± She peeked through her screen and watched as her Master got up from his seat to inspect the scenery from out the windows. ¡°Something wrong?¡± The man scratched his head and sighed. ¡°Well, now we need to find a new job.¡± ¡°Got any ideas?¡± After a bit of thinking, he closed the curtains from the windows and turned to smile at Mimi. ¡°I do.¡± The person pulled out his phone and dialed a number before placing it to his ear. ¡°Hello? Yeah, it¡¯s me, Cody. It¡¯s been a while. How are you doing?¡± .-.-.-. Jordan squirmed in the bed and opened his eyes, finding himself inside his room. Everything appeared to be in place as if nothing terrible had occurred. Jordan heard a knock on the door and walked over to see who it was. There, Stanley and Hilary stood in front of the doorway. The three looked out the window and found everything back to normal. At least, they hoped it was the case. None of them were sure which timeline it was anymore, but they were all glad to be together again. The group hugged once more before exchanging pleasantries. They all decided to go out to Midnight Delight to get snacks and chat, feeling great that the time-traveling and mishaps were finally over. Hilary took out her journal, now blank, and wrote about their recent adventures and memories that they¡¯d be sharing today and in the future.