"What happened to me?" Ruby asked, her voice shaky and uneven, her face damp with sweat. Her red eyes darted around the room as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.
Karl knelt nearby, his baby-blue eyes wide with fear. "You... you don’t scare us ," he stammered, his voice trembling. His hands twitched slightly, unsure of what to do.
Ruby’s brows furrowed as she tried to recall what had happened. "But what happened?" she asked again, her gaze dropping to the floor. That’s when she noticed she was lying on it, a sharp ache in her back making her wince. She slowly sat up, rubbing her head and taking a deep breath to steady herself.
Julian, who had been standing nearby, hesitated before speaking. "Actually, you..." he paused, glancing at Karl, then back at Ruby. "We were talking, and suddenly you looked... scared. You zoned out, like you were deep in thought, and then you started screaming. After that, you fainted for ten minutes," he explained, his mossy-green eyes clouded with worry.
Ruby sat there, processing his words, her face blank but her mind spinning. She felt a faint pulse of something—fear, perhaps? Or maybe it was the remnants of whatever had triggered her.
"Thank you," she said simply, standing up on unsteady feet. The three of them watched her cautiously, their faces etched with concern.
Milo quickly stepped forward, gently rubbing her back. His honey-brown eyes were soft as he whispered, "Wife, don’t scare us again, okay?"
Ruby gave him a faint smile, nodding at him and at the others. "I’m fine now," she said softly, though her mind was still clouded.
Without waiting for their responses, she turned and walked away, her movements slow. She needed space, not just to clear her thoughts but to figure out what had just happened.
Ruby walked into the washroom, her steps slow and unsteady. Turning on the faucet, she cupped her hands under the cold water and splashed it onto her face. The icy chill made her shiver slightly, but it helped clear her head.
Raising her head, she looked into the mirror. Her red eyes stared back at her, slightly duller than usual, and her face was flushed. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to ground herself, and then opened them again, taking in her reflection.
What happened? The question gnawed at her. Whatever she had seen—or experienced—was terrifying. She didn’t remember much detail, but the fragments that lingered in her mind were enough to make her stomach twist.
Something dark and scary that she couldn’t fully grasp.
Ruby gripped the edges of the sink, her knuckles whitening. Her red eyes narrowed meaningfully as a thought began to form.
Something must have happened to the original owner in the past, she thought, her mind racing. The images and sensations didn’t feel like her own—they felt distant, like memories buried deep within the original owner’s soul, now surfacing at random.
Taking a deep breath, Ruby straightened herself, her gaze hardening. Whatever it was, she would figure it out. She had no intention of being haunted by someone else’s fears, but at the same time, she couldn’t ignore what her body and mind were trying to tell her.
She wiped her face with a towel.
Adrian, on the other hand, had been working non-stop since the morning. As a helper, his job was simple yet physically demanding—carrying things around and assisting wherever needed. The tasks weren’t hard on their own, but the constant back-and-forth drained him quickly.
By the time it was afternoon, he was already feeling tired. His dark eyes flickered toward the clock, hoping for a break, but his stomach growled loudly, reminding him of something worse. He hadn’t brought any food with him. They didn’t even own a proper tiffin box at home, and without one, he had decided to go without lunch.
When the lunch bell rang, he saw everyone start gathering in groups. Most of the workers were witches, chatting with one another as they moved to the break area. Their laughter echoed through the space, their robes flowing elegantly as they walked in packs.
Adrian noticed a few ghosts among them, but even they stuck to their own cliques, whispering themselves
Adrian stood awkwardly by the side. He wasn’t part of either group, and no one seemed to notice him. The witches were too busy discussing their meals.
He leaned against a stack of crates, watching the others eat together, their conversations filled with laughter and familiarity. Adrian felt a sharp loneliness sink deep into his chest.
He sat down on an empty crate, his back stiff, and let out a quiet sigh.
No one came near him. The witches stayed in their own groups, and the few ghosts kept to themselves, chatting quietly. He was completely alone, but he told himself it didn’t matter.
His stomach growled again, but he ignored it, closing his eyes briefly to push away the hunger and the isolation. For now, all he could do was endure.
By evening, Adrian’s work was finally done. His body ached, and his stomach felt hollow, but at least he had completed his tasks for the day. He made his way to the manager’s office, eager to finally receive his first wages.
The manager, a middle-aged witch with sharp features and a weird smile, glanced up as he approached. Her expression didn’t change much, and Adrian hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Excuse me," he began, his voice steady but unsure. "I wanted to ask about my payment. Will I be paid today?"
The manager’s thin smile stretched a little wider, and she tilted her head. "Oh no, dear," she said in a tone that was both condescending and dismissive. "We pay all employees, including helpers, at the end of the month."
Adrian’s brows furrowed slightly. "The end of the month?" he repeated, trying to hide his disappointment. "But... is there any way I could get an advance or be paid for the work I did today? Just for daily expenses?"
—To be continued...🪄