I glanced at my wristwatch. It was already 9:56 AM when I woke up. I had another dream with the boy named Lil. Perhaps it's because I've been thinking about him. Like, how the fuck can I get him off my mind?
But at least we're together, even just in my dreams. I didn't feel so lonely. It's nice having someone you can talk with about anything. Someone who understands how you feel. The loneliness in your heart.
I looked beside me and saw Alicia already awake. She had a headache, probably from drinking too much. I thought ghosts didn't get drunk, didn't need sleep, and didn't get headaches, but it seemed like I was wrong.
"You okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go find your enemy," she said, standing up from her bed and groping for support as she couldn't walk properly.
"But you don't look fine to me."
"I'm a ghost. There's no need to worry about me. I won't die since I'm already dead anyway," she asserted.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"When did you think I wasn't sure?" she replied.
"Okay, I got it."
I stood up from my bed and helped her. "Why won't you take a bath first so that you'll be refreshed?" I suggested.
"Nice idea." Alicia went inside the bathroom. I heard the sounds of the water. "So cold!" She screamed.
"How are you doing there?" I asked.
"I'm fine. The water's so cold," she replied.
"I thought ghosts don't feel anything?" I took an electric heater and boiled some water. I had been doubting Alicia; she told me that she's a ghost, but there are a lot of things she can do that a normal ghost can't.
After a few moments, Alicia stepped out of the bathroom. She looked more fully awake now than earlier. She changed her clothes and sat on the chair beside the table like a normal human being.
"I'm not a ghost, Kaila. I'm a cursed woman; the gods turned me into a ghost, but my human senses are still there," Alicia said.
"That's so complicated. I don't know what to believe with you anymore." I put two mugs on the table, poured in some powdered coffee in them, and added boiled water. The smoke spiraled in the air.
Alicia wrapped her hands around the mug. "So hot!" She exclaimed. She was wearing a fur-lined, black parka. Her face was pale, just the look of a typical ghost, but you'd be surprised if she suddenly appeared in front of you. That'd be scary, just like in a horror movie.
"It's raining cats and dogs outside," I told her. "Shall we continue the search?"
"The rain isn't enough reason to delay our mission, Kaila," she replied. "Learn how to dance in the rain."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"Dancing in the rain means not letting challenges stop you from achieving your goals, not waiting for the storm to pass, because the best way out is always through."
"I don't know which book you learn such things. You're right, however; sometimes letting the storm pass is the best choice. You can't always dance in the rain," I said.
"You're saying that to avoid doing your mission, don't you?" She asked. "Tell me, Kaila, do you really want to be free?"
"Of course, I want to be free, not caring about what other people think, not caring about the world, just doing things I love," I replied.
"That's it. The best people in life are free. They are the ones who don't allow society to tell them what to do. They take their own paths and walk them with grace. Sometimes this road can feel lonely for them, but they don't look back; they let the noise disappear behind them and focus on the step in front of them," Alicia said.
"But stepping back is sometimes part of the dance, isn't it?" I asked.
"Exactly. It's all part of the dance," she agreed.
After having coffee, Alicia and I went out of the building. It was raining so hard. There were many people outside, waiting for the rain to stop, as they didn't have umbrellas, and there were just a few cabs that could bring them to their destinations.
"So, what are we going to do now?" I asked.
"Hold my hand," she said.
I held Alicia's hand; she used teleportation. We appeared in front of a labyrinth.
"This will be a challenge for you, Kaila. Solve the puzzle and kill the beasts. Your enemies are here. You might encounter them along the way, so you better get ready," Alicia said.
"How about you? Aren't you going with me?" I asked.
"I can't go with you. This game is solely made for participants, and I'm not your enemy."
"Alright then, is there anything else you want to say before I go inside?"
"Nothing. Just be careful. I hope you'll make it out alive."
"Is it dangerous?" I asked.
"You'll only know when you get there. You don't have much time left before the entrance will close. Get in there, kill the beasts and the enemies, and the most crucial thing is to find the key to get out," Alicia said.
"Bye then!" I ran toward the entrance and got inside just before it completely closed. This place is like a dungeon. I'm sure there will be a lot of dangerous creatures, monsters, or beasts here.
I entered the first room. It was dark. I couldn't see anything. Then I heard some sounds. I stepped back as flying creatures came out. Bats. But not ordinary ones. There were round purple things coming out of their mouths. I dodged those things, and boom! They explode as they hit the walls. Those were explosives.
The bats continued releasing explosives. There were a lot of them, twenty or more. It became difficult to dodge those things. I was hit in the leg and then in the arm. I thought I was going to die when someone saved me with a barrier.
"You shouldn't play with them," he said.