Just a Normal Girl With a Normal Crush

Once I regained my strength, Crowley and I wasted no time getting back on the move and walked through the halls. I only needed a split-second to check my phone to confirm one important thing: Apparently, in this witch’s house, it seemed like time was still moving normally. I somewhat expected that space and time would be warped for the witch’s amusement, but maybe I read too many horror stories.

Nevertheless, if the witch allowed time to continue to move normally, then it was still possible to hide the whole time and wait until Halloween was over. As much as I’d love to do that, I couldn’t imagine if Ray and Maria thought the same, and I couldn’t be sure a random spirit wouldn’t find me during their hunt.

Besides, hiding was out of the question anyway—Crowley would be bored to death. Figuratively speaking.

“Hey…”

Surviving the night was of course my main objective, but if Crowley had my back, then I shouldn’t worry too much. That only meant that I should focus on one thing: to either find Ray or Maria, but if I were them, where would I be…?

“Hey, hey, tell me more,” said Crowley, playfully waving his stick arms around like a curious puppy. “What are your friends like? How’d you meet them? What do you humans usually do with those… uh, what do you call them again? Phones? What’s the new trend this year? I heard there's a really popular app called Tik—”

“Ugh, please let me concentrate, will you?” I croaked, cupping my ears.

“Hmm? Concentrate on what? How to not die?”

“That, and finding my friends.”

“Hmm... And how will you find them, exactly? Run around the mansion until Lady Luck strikes you fancy?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” I sighed and planted my hands on my hips. “This house is too huge… Can you sense humans by any chance?”

“Why, yes, I do, but I cannot identify specific souls—if that’s what you were wondering about.”

I clicked my tongue. “Okay, then, do you sense any humans nearby?”

“None at all.”

“Any ghosts?”

“Hm, there were some spirits moments ago, but my presence must’ve scared them away.”

Wow, talk about convenient. I stroked my chin. “Then what about the witch’s energy?”

“Ah, yes. Her power is quite strong throughout the house.”

“I see… What about the witch herself? Is her spirit still roaming around like a final boss or something?”

“What do you mean by ‘final boss?’”

“Erm, video game slang. Never mind. Anyway, is the witch still around?”

“Hmm… I highly doubt it. If her spirit still haunts these quarters, time and space would’ve been twisted and shuffled around by now. I assume she already chose to move onto the afterlife and never returned.”

I shot a glance at a grandfather clock ticking normally as I passed by. “Then it’s just her powers lingering around for you spirits to use, huh?”

“Hehe, precisely.”

I shifted my gaze to the scarecrow himself, staring curiously. He couldn’t be a common spirit if he knew this much. He must’ve been an old contestant in this house—or at the very least, an experienced one. It might be more difficult to keep him more entertained I thought…

I shouldn’t forget it. My life was also on the line here.

“Okay, thanks for answering all that,” I said.

“Oh, finally. I was about to get bored of that,” said Crowley.

Thank god I stopped it there then! I swallowed and nodded. “R-Right, erm, l-let’s keep going then.”

“Oh? You know where to find your friends?”

“Uh, I have some guesses.”

“Ah, I see.” Crowley snickered. “Speaking of your friends—you haven’t answered my questions earlier, you know.”

“Oh, right. Erm…” I scratched my head and sighed. “Well, I first met Maria when I started highschool… I signed up in the same club she’s in, the journalism club, and we got to know each other from there, I guess.” I shrugged. “We loved talking about true crime and playing detective in anime and manga, and we’ve been hanging out ever since. We became the best of friends since then. That’s all.”

The scarecrow tilted his head. “Ehh, that’s all? How boring.”

“What? Did you prefer that I make up a whole drama story?”

“Hm, I would’ve had a hunch that you’d be lying otherwise—so I do applaud you for your honesty. Hehe, what about that boy you fancy?”

A wave of fire immediately shot through my neck and face as I gaped at Crowley. “W-Was it that obvious…?”

Crowley let out a hoarse cackle. “You’ve been starin’ at him the whole time since you’ve arrived!” He inched closer, his straw-stuffed body towering over me. “Pray tell, what’s so special about that lad, hmm?”

“I… erm, that’s…”

Everything. Everything about Ray was perfect. He was so kind and sweet, so patient and gentle, and so terribly thoughtful. Even if he tried to hide it by acting tough, he never hurt nor poked fun at anyone.

When he first looked at me… he smiled. It was such a simple smile, but words could never describe how much it drove me crazy. I remembered accidentally dropping some paperwork while I was so mesmerized, and he offered to help me pick them up, and… and… Ahaha…!

“Ray…” I cupped my cheeks and swayed my shoulders. “You won’t understand it—Ray is just special…”

Crowley’s ripped mouth gradually curved a wicked grin. “Special enough that lots of girls swoon over him, I reckon?”

I paused in my steps and turned around, glaring at the scarecrow.

“Yes,” I said coldly. “You’re right. He’s so popular… It makes sense that so many people love him…”

But no one could adore him like I did. No one.

“Heheheheheh, that’s a very, very delightful face you have there, Blanche.”

I blinked and relaxed my face before resuming my walk. “Hmph, you’re distracting me,” I mumbled. “Anyway, I just met him normally like Maria, that’s all there is—”

Something snapped above me.

I froze and glanced up, widening my eyes at a chandelier fast falling toward me.