Chapter 23: Sweet Dreams

"What do you think happened to Mom and Dad?" Mora asked quietly.


Michael sighed.


"I don't know..." Could you call Mom this afternoon?"


Mora glanced around nervously, then leaned in close, her eyes locking intensely onto his face. "Are you out of your mind? Do you know how ashamed I'd be telling her I still can't transfer the money?" she whispered.


Michael gulped, gently pushing Mora away to create some distance. He scratched his chin, his mind racing for a solution. Suddenly, Raden tapped him on the shoulder from behind. Michael turned around.


"Um, can I bum one of those energy drinks?" Raden asked.


Michael stared at him. Raden's hand wraps were grimy, stained with dirt and little patches of blood.


"Where did you put the bag gloves?" Michael asked, frowning.


Raden pointed to the floor near the punching bag, where the gloves lay discarded. "Over there."


Michael followed his finger, then looked back at Raden sternly. "Next time, put them on the rack," Michael said, pointing to a small shelving unit.


Raden scratched his head, though it didn't itch. With an awkward smile, he replied, "O-oh, really? Alright. I still wanted to use those gloves, though."


"Come here, follow me."


Michael walked over to a plastic bag sitting on a chair, rummaged through it, and pulled out two blue cans stamped with a dragon logo. "Take it," he said, handing one to Raden.


Raden cracked the tab open. "Thanks." He immediately took a long swig. Holding his own can, Michael left Raden and walked back to Mora.


"You want one?" Michael offered.


"No, maybe later," Mora answered, her gaze fixed on the floor. Her mind was heavy, haunted by the burdens she carried. Michael cracked his can open and took a drink. wiping his mouth, he forced a smile for her.


"Let's just do this: tell Mom we'll transfer the money next week."


Mora lifted her head, looking at him with deep worry. "Are you sure?"


Michael nodded. "Hopefully, we'll find a way out by then. It's the only thing we can do right now. We can't let Mom carry any more burdens. That's why we came here, right?"


Mora sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Okay, I'll call her later."


She turned and left the room, stepping into the elevator. As she reached to press the button for the first floor, her finger hovered for a second.


"I think I need some fresh air for once," she muttered. She pressed the button for the third floor instead. Slowly, the metal doors slid shut.


When the doors opened again, Mora stepped out casually. She walked toward a nearby door and pushed it open. Bright, warm sunlight immediately greeted her from the open sky. The air smelled fresh, clearing her nose and relaxing her eyes. Her thoughts began to flow more freely. She sat down on a wide bench not far from the entrance.


Slowly, Mora's eyes closed on their own, as if the sky itself were commanding her to rest. A few minutes later, she snapped them open again. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a 6.5-inch phone. She opened the camera app and switched it to selfie mode, turning the screen into a mirror.


"Short bob cut, sexy lips, chubby cheeks. You're too pretty to be stuck in a dark room for so long. A woman like you should be spending hours getting ready in front of a mirror, waiting for a handsome man to pick you up in a luxury car. Why did you end up like this?" she muttered, staring at her reflection with annoyance.


"But, I don't know... I kind of like it. I'd rather spend hours in a dark room staring at a big monitor than staring at my face in a mirror. Am I a normal woman? Probably not," she said with a faint laugh.


Mora flashed a peace sign and grinned, showing her teeth. She adjusted her angle multiple times until it was perfect, then snapped the photo. She opened the gallery and scrutinized the selfie intently. Suddenly, she giggled. "What the hell is this? Why do I look like an angel here? This is digital fraud."


A moment later, her phone vibrated. Her forehead wrinkled as she looked at the screen. "Mom?"


She answered the call. "Yes, Mom, what's up?"


"Sweetheart, I've been waiting to hear from you. Sorry if I'm disturbing you. About the administration fees I haven't paid yet... do you have it?" her mother's voice came through the speaker.


"It's okay, Mom. You're not disturbing me at all. Um, about that... Mora doesn't have it yet. But Mora promises to transfer it next week," she replied.


"Is that so? You can't do it any sooner? The officers here keep asking me. My heart just doesn't feel at ease," her mother pleaded.


Mora scratched her neck nervously. Forcing an awkward smile, she said, "Not yet, Mom... I'm really sorry. Next week, I promise."


"It's fine, I understand your situation. I can't force it. How is Michael doing?"


"Woah, Michael is eating like a king here, Mom. He exercises a lot. He's a hard worker. All his friends are really nice," Mora replied with exaggerated enthusiasm.


"Thank goodness, I'm glad to hear that. It makes me happy to know you two are happy there. Alright then, I have to go. Your father has to go to the doctor again today."


"Okay, Mom. You take care of your health too, okay? Bye!" Mora replied cheerfully.


The call ended. The brightness faded from Mora's face instantly. She stared down at the rough floor beneath her feet, sliding the phone into her pocket.


"Bastard. I have to do this again..."


---


Hours passed quickly. The sun was now a deep orange, sinking low in the sky. Raden, who had been training with intense energy earlier, was now drenched in hot sweat. He sat on a bench, panting heavily.


He chugged a bottle of water with frantic desperation, like a lizard finding an oasis in the middle of a desert.


Did you feel something when you hit that? Oni asked through Raden's mind.


Raden, still drinking, nearly choked and sprayed water everywhere upon hearing the internal voice.


"Yeah, I felt fire burning in my heart and hands when I swung at it. By the way, why were you silent from morning until afternoon? I called you so many times. Lucky nobody saw me, or I would've been labeled a lunatic," Raden answered.


I heard you. I just wanted you to learn to make decisions independently, Oni replied.


"Is that so? Weird excuse. But whatever, I'm exhausted today. I feel like sleeping for a long time," Raden said.


He tossed the empty plastic bottle into a nearby trash can and walked out of the gym. The room was now completely empty. He trudged back to his room and collapsed onto the bed face-first, burying his head in the pillow. His eyelids were so heavy that closing them felt like a relief.


Raden saw a barrage of images flashing by at high speed. He frowned in his sleep, trying to comprehend them. He saw blood on his palms, towering buildings, a coffin he had once opened, and the smiles of his parents. All rushing past, accompanied by a deafening ringing in his ears.


His eyes snapped open, wide and terrified. He sat up abruptly, his breath spiraling out of control. He looked to the left—the sky was pitch black. But the city outside was ablaze with white, yellow, and orange lights. Holograms and bright neon signs in red, purple, and dark blue radiated from the sides of the skyscrapers.


Raden tried to regulate his breathing. He glanced at the wall clock: 00:43. He got out of bed and walked out of his room toward the workspace. The automatic door slid open, and he saw Mora fast asleep, drool pooling near her keyboard in front of a massive, glowing computer monitor.


Raden approached her and gently patted her shoulder. "Mora. Psst, hey, Mora."


Mora bolted up from her sleep with a bizarre expression, her eyes still squeezed shut. "Get lost, you fucking bastard! You're interrupting my work!" Her head slammed back down onto the desk.


Timmy, who was patrolling the base, saw them and immediately rushed over. Raden grabbed Mora's lower thighs gently and dragged her out of the chair. He hoisted her arm over his neck and lifted her up.


Slowly, Raden carried the sleeping Mora down the hall. Timmy floated right in front of him, displaying scrolling text that read: 'Follow me'. Raden looked at the robot and nodded. Timmy led the way to Mora's room. Halfway there, a drop of Mora's saliva landed on Raden's shoulder, causing him to grimace.


When they arrived at Mora's door, Raden saw a card scanner on the handle. He checked Mora's left pants pocket but found nothing. He struggled to check the right pocket, but found only her phone.


He looked at the breast pocket on her shirt. Raden gulped.


"Forgive me, Mora," Raden said as he reached toward her chest.


Suddenly, Mora's right hand shot up and grabbed Raden's hand, stopping him cold. He broke into a cold sweat. But a moment later, her hand went limp and fell back down.


Raden managed to fish the access card from her pocket. He swiped it against the lock. A small green light flashed, and the door slid open.


He stepped inside, laid Mora gently on the bed, and covered her with a thick blanket.


"Thank you, Prince Charming," Mora mumbled in her sleep, drooling onto her pillow.


"You're welcome," Raden whispered, letting out a soft laugh.


Raden walked out of Mora's room. He stepped into the elevator to go down, but suddenly, the cabin shuddered violently. Raden banged on the doors, but no one heard him.


The elevator ground to a dead stop.