REN

Ren tightened his fists, and they stopped in front of Toby’s room.
My start was bumpy
But I saw everyone, and surely they have more than one side.

Ren and Cero opened Toby’s room. His room was dustless despite not being in use. Though stone scraps were scattered on the floor, and a flower writhed amongst them. Cero picked it up as his tail dropped to the floor and tossed it on the table. “Toby loved this a lot...” 

“Shouldn’t the computer have cleaned this mess…?”

Cero's ears twitched upright, pupils constricted and fangs prominent. He tilted his head, looking at Ren. “Run!”

Ren yanked the door, but it was stuck. Cero walked next to him. “We didn’t close it on ourselves.....”

The lights slowly dimmed, and a mist swept across the floor. A thick red lump fell splattered from the ceiling. Blood slowly seeping along the walls.

“I am getting out.” Cero tugged the door, but still no use. Ren banged the door, shouting for help.

“Ren, I can grant wishes….Wish that we get out….NOW!” 

Ren’s eyes widened, pulling Cero close. “Are you a genie?”

“Wishing warrior’s contractee.”

“I have so much to ask; I will do that later…. I wish…I-I wish…I-“ Ren gritted his neck. “I can’t say it.”

“Of course you can’t~”

A soft yet uncanny voice resonated from behind. On the bed sat a guy, legs crossed, hand pressed against his face, smiling. A calm smile, not suitable for the eerie situation. 

Ren looked at Cero; being new, he was unfamiliar. 

But Cero was in more shock, staring at the person with popped-out eyes. “Who are you?”

The intruder chuckled. “The leader…”

Cero took a step back. “How did you enter Star Awesome.....without the batch….w-without the approval….w-“

“Is that odd?” Ren frowned.

“YES…” Cero hissed. “He must be powerful.”

The lights dimmed, walls drenched red, Ren let out an awkward laugh. “I-I just s-survived the war…and now this?”

Cero’s ears drooped. “What do you want from us?”

“Revenge~”

“R-revenge?” Ren dropped on his feet.

Cero marched to the person reaching for his cloak. “We don’t even know you?” He reached for his cloak. His hands froze midair, trembling; he collapsed, clenching his chest.

Ren rushed to him, “Cero?”

“That’s for entering a cursed room.” The leader stood up and walked to the window. “You are Cero, Toby’s best friend…to be exact, his ex-bestie.”

“Toby?” Cero’s lips quivered.

“You didn’t bother helping him...”

“I didn’t know…..”

“But you did.”

Cero coughed, tears pouring out. He kept wiping off the tears continuously. “I-I did, but it was too late….I had my own issues….I-I…why can’t I stop crying?”

“That’s a part of the room curse…..crying till you bleed.”

Ren stroked his face. “I am not crying…”

The leader's gaze lingered on Ren. “Oh, that’s because you are a fellow spirit,....even if you are in your human form.”

Ren reached for the leader, but he walked past him. “You are a spirit?”

“A soul… A vengeful lingering soul…like Toby.” The leader glanced at Cero and back at Ren. "You met him. Right?"

"T-toby....Yes......but why?"

“Because he felt comfortable around an unknown person…..I will be going….It will be 1:21 soon.” He dispersed into fog.

Cero coughed, red fluid dripping from his eyes. Ren clung to Cero's trembling cold hands.

After some time, I noticed his body turned into sparkles and drifted away.

I sat there….in the dark…..without a clue.

The clock ticked, adding to his nervousness. Suddenly the room lit up. Ren rushed to the door and tried opening it, but no luck. He turned to the balcony glass and slammed his arms on it.

“Stupid Sen….sent me in here...”

He picked up a chair, crashing it into the glass, cracking it. He let out a gasp of relief and raised the chair once more. Before his eyes, the cracks filled up. An upsurge of agitation arose in him. He threw away the chair and let out a loud scream. 

He panted. "No one came for me….." He fell onto the floor. "I wish I could just become a spirit…” 
If I just hate myself a little more, maybe my powers will work.....I am worthless.....pathetic.....weak....not even liked.....

The sky rumbled behind him as he insulted himself as the day slid into night.

Suddenly the lights began flickering. A fog dispersed in the room and suddenly assembled into the leader. 

Ren got on his feet. “Why am I still here!?”

The leader sighed, “So you wouldn’t alert the others….I had shut it down.”

Ren blinked. “Shut what?”

“The computer.”

The lights flared bright, and with a crashing sound, the room went dark. 

The leader whispered. "I have killed Lunette, so it’s time for Toby's revenge.....now then see you later."

Ren took a step back; Toby’s face flashed before his eyes. “His revenge?”

He disappeared again.

There was a click from the door, and it creaked open. A light flashed in Ren’s eyes; he squinted, shielding his eyes.

“Sorry.” Ayu lowered her phone.

Ren stared at her, his eyes widened. “A-ayu…d-don’t enter…room's cursed.”

Ayu flashed the light to her feet. She had crossed the boundary between room and hallway. “I am already in…”

Suddenly She fell on the floor, and the door swung shut. Ren ran to her and helped her up. Ren’s eyes glistened. "I am sorry; I should have warned you…”

"You did.....but I was already in...hehe" She looked at the door, thinking. She ran to the door and touched it. The door trembled; some of it turned pixelated but quickly regained itself.

She walked back to Ren. “Can’t you cross it? You are a spirit…right?”

“I tried multiple times…I just couldn’t become spirit…” Ren hung his head. “I was told if I felt bad I could probably turn into a spirit…. I felt bad about myself the whole day, but nothing happened.”

“Like hating yourself?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Why would you hate yourself?”

Ren clutched her shoulders. “B-because…why not…I am the weakest person around, I am worthless, I can’t even handle this world. When I thought I was okay…all this happened, and all I can do is cry!”

Ayu grabbed his hands, pulling them down. “Ren, believe me, you are brave….. It’s hardly been two weeks since you came; you were there on the battlefield, you saw the demons up close, and you even did a little fight with Nami when she was possessed.” 

She smiled at him and grabbed his cheeks. “When I was new I cried consecutively for more two months… So in my point of view you are doing amazing….. You shouldn’t degrade yourself if you want to turn into a spirit…. You should try being happy.”

Ren stared at her; he blinked and wiped his tear. “T-thank y-you….”

"Try becoming a spirit..." 

Ren blinked awkwardly, pressed his lips and closed his eyes.
Let's see...this is an unlikable place with unlikable people....b-but Riley, she is nice....even Ayu.....Jacksaw and Yuzuru seem fun....even Nive, he can be nice too.....Nami she was also unexpectedly geeky......And ofcourse Amanda.....

As Ayu's flashlight went past Ren, she jumped. "You are a spirit."

Ren opened his eyes, looking at his hands. "I-I did it..."

“Now try walking out.” She pointed at the door.

Ren slowly pushed his hand out. He turned to Ayu; she was sitting on the floor wiping her tears.

“Are you okay?”

She looked at him with a smile. “Please leave me behind and go.”

“NO!?”

“The room is cursed,” you said…. I think I won’t be able to escape…..you should go… Even if I die, I will come back.....”

Ren gritted his teeth looking at her.

"Try to understand, Ren...here getting out is priority."

He took slow steps to the door while repeating to himself that she would return to life. He turned around to look at her one last time.

 She raised her thumb, and he took a step out into the hallway. It was completely dark, his ears rose up, and he took a deep sniff. 

The smell of wet soil filled his nostrils. "Yeah, it's raining...but there's another smell..." He took another sniff. “It smells like blood.”