He, once again stepped foot on the Upper Ground. It was surprisingly relaxing. After spending so much time in that burning hell hole he called lair, the fresh scent of polluted air was a great welcome.

Just like before, he strode along with the creatures called human. No one noticed his presence as he wanted it. As he takes in his surroundings, he thought that human can improved a lot. It was just a decade or two when the human invented what they call DVD. A round object that when inserted in a specific machine will produced a moving picture.

But now, humans don’t need that. Everything has become convenient. They were now watching the moving picture in a box fit in their hands. Humans are so busy. Is what he thought.

He passed by a mirrored wall and saw his reflection. He stopped to inspect himself. The Upper Ground and the humans changed so much. But he, still remained the same. It was still the same grey orbs that project no emotions, the same five o’clock shadow on his face and the same posture as the day he falls.

He was busy staring at his reflection that he failed to see a bustling young woman going towards him. She was clutching her bag to her chest while running barefooted. She was running like time was chasing her, so when she collided with him, she didn’t spare a second to look back and just shouted her sorry.

His eyes grew big. That didn’t just happen… right? He was unbelieving. Someone, some human just collided with him. A human girl. A running human girl that shouldn’t have happened. No one should see him nor collided with him and yet, there is one.

It should have bothered him. It should have except it didn’t. Not when there’s someone calling him. Not by his name but by his nature. It was nearby, just a little walk down the alley. He followed the call. It led him to a café. People gathered around at the front of the café’s entrance. He passed through the crowd and saw an interesting scene.

“You stupid little devil! I already warned you. DO. NOT. TOUCH. MY. THINGS!” a short stout man yell at a young and timid looking man in front of him.

“Sir, it’s not like that. I-I was j-just checking…” he didn’t have the chance to continue his words when the man kicked him in the chest.

“And now you have the guts to talk back to me, you little shit! I will teach you a lesson!” the stout man began kicking his employee in every place he can.

The audience started whispering. Some whisper fake sympathy. Others whisper how should the employee act in front of his boss and others just simply watched the scene unfold. But none of them made the call. It was not the beaten employee or the stout man, nor one of the audiences.

He proceeded inside the café. Some people had turned to see the scene at the window. Some didn’t mind. His eyes wander until he saw the girl who made the call. She was silently sitting at the farthest part of the café. Her hands were on her lap, fidgeting. She was hesitating.

He smiled, even though the girl looked innocent and humble her intentions didn’t go unnoticed by him. She just needs a little push. Someone to give him courage. Her desire was strong enough to make a call and she was just lucky that he was nearby.

He stepped beside the girl. She doesn’t need a good nudge. Just a slight touch and her worries will be over. A man sat in front of the girl. He was handsome and lean. He spoke with confidence. Too confident for a guy breaking up with his girl.

“I’m sorry, Jane. But I think we need to stop this” the man has no remorse.

He snorted. He is like an open book. He can be easily read. He placed his hand on the girl's shoulder. That simple gesture changed the girl’s attitude. She smiled sweetly.

“It’s okay. It’s no big deal. Well, it was actually a relief for me. I knew about your infidelity. I just happen to own something as proof. So, it’s fine.” She stood up.

“What do you mean?” the guys asked with confusion.

“I just didn’t happen to video you with a guy the day before yesterday. Oh, and I almost didn’t send the video to your family. But changed my mind. Bye, Chris” with that the girl left leaving the guy with a pale expression.

She passed the commotion outside but didn’t give a single glance. He sighed. It was just how humans are. They will call you when in need but wouldn’t give something in return. He then again resumes on his pace. There’s no use in crying over a spilt milk.

His thoughts wander as he walked. He remembered the first human who, change the direction of his life. She was a beauty because He didn’t made mistake when creating her. She was almost perfect, a human created in His image. But what He missed was her heart.

It was dark. Luring him to fall. Once he did, he can’t even pick himself up. He was exiled and he felt wronged. But that doesn’t change the fact that he was also at fault. So, he ended up enjoying his stay on the Lower Ground and he had the privileged to roam around the Upper Ground without a limit.

He stopped in front of a church, where a children choir was singing a worship song. He stopped to listen for a while.

“…In my Father’s house

There’s a place for me

I’m a child of God

Yes, I am

I am chosen

Not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me

Not against me

I am who You say I am

I am chosen

Not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me

Not against me

I am who You say I am…”

It does not really make sense. How does human think about so shameful things to one another and then praise what they call the Almighty? How can He love those creatures so much that he sacrificed himself for them?

That act didn’t really change the human's attitude. He shook his head. He wouldn’t be able to understand those creatures. Especially Him. No one would. Even if he is the right hand.

He walked again, without any destinations. He would wander aimlessly until he gets tired and rest on a place or maybe he would go back to the Lower Ground for a refreshment. Not that there is a refreshment there.

✒✒✒

“Hey, Amilia! What are you standing there for?” Amilia turned to her friend.

“What are you looking at…? Oh! Isn’t that Drake Collin” Lizzie nudged her at her side.

“I’m not looking at Drake. The one beside him, who is that?” Lizzie jokingly squinted her eyes at beside Drake.

“There’s no one beside him. Don’t tell me that there is a ghost there” Amilia rolled her eyes upward.

“On his left, Lizzie. Stop scaring yourself” Amilia continue to stare at the boy.

Something was off about him. She just can’t point a finger on it. It was a rare case on their school to accept a late enrollee especially during the end of the semester.

“Oh, the new guy. Stacey said that he’s weird” Lizzie opened her notebook.

“Don’t be so judgmental, Liz” when she found what she was looking for, Lizzie showed it to Amilia.

“His name was Zephyr Rutherford, it was weird” Lizzie quoted.

“Just because it’s not a household name doesn’t mean that it was weird. And why do you have a note?” Lizzie shrug. She decided to just end the conversation since it was not going the way she wanted.

“Anyway, Physics is coming soon. Do you have notes? Let me borrow” Amilia sighed. There’s no hope for her friend.

“What are you doing? Are you covering for that little human?” the attacker’s voice boomed that made Amilia flinched.

Yes, there are times when she gets involved with unseen entities and she tried to shrug it off. But this is the first time she got so involved with them, and a powerful one too. She tried to shrink herself behind the one who blocked the attack.

“Move away. I don’t care about your status” the attacker threatened. But he didn’t even budge.

“Stop this. She’s not worth it” Amilia’s protector said with finality.

His voice was very masculine and deep. A unique kind of voice. What he said angered her attacker. The library seemed to transform into a different place. There was something sinister in the air.

“You!” but before the attacker could do anything, he disappeared right in front of Amilia with just a wisp of black smoke as a remnant.

Everything went still after that. Amilia didn’t dare to move an inch as she held her breath. Even the air stilled with the tension. After a minute, but felt like years for Amilia, he turned. Giving her a full view of his being.

He looked otherworldly. His clothes may look ordinary but something tells her that it was not ordinary. He was not really ordinary. Whatever happened earlier, Amilia wanted to forget. She wished she could just pass out and when someone finds her lying on the library, she would wake up with no recollection at all.

“Leave. Forget everything you saw” Amilia was dumbfounded by what she heard.

That was it, after saying that he just vanished in the air. Leaving with the tension air along. The library looked normal again as if nothing happened. But the emptiness of the librarian’s seat was the only clue of the happenings.

Amilia felt exhausted. She does not know what to do. So, she just leaves the library. Her first intention vanished and she just wanted to go home. He walked fast paced until she reached the school gates. She only felt relieved when she saw the busy world of sidewalk outside the campus.

She remembered her part-time job and glanced at her watch. Ten minutes before her shift start. So much time passed. Amilia run to the nearest restaurant where she was working. When she reached the back door, her boss was just about to throw the garbage greeted her.

“Amilia! Got stuck with your assignments again?” she jokingly asked.

“Hi, Linda” Amilia smiled. How she wished she could tell her that it was not the assignments that hold her back this time. But she wouldn’t believe in her anyways.

“John was just about to get you. Tell him you’re here” with that, Linda proceeded to what she was about to do.

The kitchen was filled with a nice aroma of bread and pastry. No one was manning the stove. There was something going on at the locker room. Indicating that John was there.

“John! John!” Amilia called at the door of the locker room. Another rustle before she saw John’s face peeked from the inside.

“Amilia! Great you’re here. I was just about to check on you. You know, Linda worries about you a lot” John said as he goes inside the locker room again.

“Sorry for the trouble, John” Amilia replied, still standing at the door.

“Nah! That’s okay” as John exited the locker room.

“Let’s get to work, little girl. Customers are coming soon” he patted Amilia’s shoulder.

Amilia went inside the locker room. She turned the lock of the door knob. She went to her locker to get the change of clothes. She saw herself at the mirror. The familiar baby face came into view.

Her blue orbs reminded her of her mom. While her red hair was from her father. Both already have their own family and almost forgot about her. Tuition and house rent was not a problem but she needed money to get through days.

She quickly changes into her uniform and proceed to her work station. She manned the counter, she still had thirty minutes before customer came. So, she decided to open the coffee machine and the arranged the counter. A pinged indicated a customer.

Amilia straightened her back. She put her best smile and readied herself. She saw a familiar figure enter the restaurant. She squinted her eyes to scrutinize the man and woman whose voices now filled the whole area.

“Welcome to Linda’s…” she wasn’t able to finish her script when she recognized the man who just entered.

“Jason?” a familiar name escaped her lips.

“You know me?” Amilia furrowed her eyebrows at the question.

“You didn’t recognize me?” Amilia was shocked.

They’ve been neighbors since childhood and although they don’t have an intimate relationship, they still greet each other with a smile. Sometimes they would stop for a little conversation. So, what he said was a shock to Amilia.

“Miss, I would like to order a buffalo wings, soda and a nacho” completely ignoring Amilia’s gawking face, he ordered.

Amilia snapped out of her trance and punched the orders. Still puzzled with Gerald’s reaction. When he received his order, he proceeded to an empty table without even looking back at Amilia. She watched him. His movement was the same. The only questionable about him was the way he talked to her. But Amilia soon let the matter go as many customers buzzed in.

Her mind drifted away from him and focused at the task on hand. She got busy and forgot about what happened during her trip to the library and all other things. It was not until that night when she got home and open the door of her apartment that she notices that there is something odd.

The air around her was chilly. Her once warm home felt strange. Something was following her. She looked back but there’s no one there. She was afraid to step inside her room.

“Amilia? What’s wrong dear?” a voice called out to her.

“Mrs. Rodriguez” it was her fifty-five years old Asian neighbor.

“Is there something wrong with your apartment? Is there a burglar?” the old lady stepped closer to take a peek inside. Amilia was quick to stop her.

“No! No, there’s nothing wrong. I was just thinking if I left something at work” Amilia smiled at her sweetly.

“Are you sure?” Amilia was not sure. Heck, she doesn’t even know what was wrong but she wasn’t going to voice it out.

“Okay. If you need anything just knock on my door” the old lady went back inside her apartment.

Amilia hesitated again but decided to just enter. Whatever it is, it’s better to face it head on than become a coward.

There was nothing inside. Her furniture was like how it was when she left. There’s no sign for anything. She switched on the light and the whole place lightened.

She sighed in relief. Amilia firmly closed the door and make sure it was locked. She then proceeds to her room. There was nothing out of ordinary. Except for her mirror.

Her mirror portrayed a different reflection. It didn’t show her bed nor the paint at the wall. It was a total black. She placed herself in front to examine the mirror. A total blackness.

Then something moves from the side. An opening. Something was tearing the blackness. Amilia stepped back. Scared, she reaches for something to fight with from the floor. She found nothing. Her knees were buckling but she tried her best to fight it. She tried her best to find a way out.

A monster like claw grabbed the frame of her mirror. A sinister smell wafted the room. Amilia was thankful that she left the door open. She readied herself to run out but what came out of the mirror stopped her. It was what she saw earlier. No, this one is uglier than the other.

“Stacey!” everyone gasped as they saw the swollen pink face of the Campus Bell.

She just came out of the restroom with some friends when she felt a sudden itch on her face. The itch crawled down to her neck to her arm. She looked as if she was having an allergic reaction. Which is hardly the case.

She doesn’t have any allergies. She knows because her parents were strict when it comes to health issues. So, she didn’t have any slightest idea what was happening. And the reaction of her school mates doesn’t help the situation.

“Stacey! What happened to you?” Lizzie and Amilia was just about to enter their class when the commotion caught their attentions.

“I don’t know! Oh my gosh! Help me” her best friend quickly guides her to the Infirmary.

The crowd was noisy, astounded by the scene they witness. Everybody share their own opinions about the matter and everyone was silenced when Cole Edward appeared.

He was part of the school basketball team. With his heights and looks he instantly became popular among the girls. But the only one who caught his attention was Stacey Willows. Which made them the perfect couple.

“Who did that?” his voice boomed at the hallway.

Lizzie, as jumpy as she is, flinched. She grabbed Amilia’s arm with a little force that made the later turned to her. Lizzie smiled apologetically before turning again at the scene. Lizzie’s eye caught the sight of Zephyr Rutherford’s weird physique.

He was standing but his back was bent. It’s as if there’s something heavy weighing his back down. What amplified his weirdness was the way he looked at Cole. His eyes were focusing on the later like a black hole ready to swallow its prey.

“Amilia, come on. Let’s get inside” Lizzie whispered with a shaky tone.

Amilia obliged, sensing her friend’s discomfort. Something bothered her by the way her hands shook a little and the tiny prickles of her skin. But she didn’t question her. They quietly sat at their usual spot, third row near the window.

Lizzie quietly works on her assignment and Amilia just gave her the moment of peace she wanted. She was staring at the window when a figure of a man suddenly emerges from somewhere unseen. The air shifted when the man glance around. Amilia can’t understand how the hell she knew that the air shifted when there’s a wall and a window separating her from the outside.

She followed the man’s movement. He went inside the Biology Department Building. No one seems to notice him except for Amilia which is questionable. He was wearing a suit that was usually seen in the business area.

“Okay class! Let’s start” Amilia was brought back to reality when she heard her professor’s voice.

✒✒✒

“Amilia! I’ll get going first. My part-time starts early tonight. See you tomorrow” Lizzie waved goodbye to her with a smile.

Whatever bothered her before Physics soon disappeared after their Physical Education. Amilia looked down on her watch. She still had an hour before her work starts and the shop was just fifteen minutes away from the campus.

She decided to work on her assignments at the library. She passed the Biology Department Building and a memory of a man in a suit came back. The man’s face was unfamiliar and she didn’t saw him leave the premises.

Amilia was so bothered but she can’t do anything to satisfy her curiosity. Whatever she saw earlier will just become a distant memory for her. She can’t go inside that building. Or more likely she won’t. Stepping foot on that building means death, for her. She will not ever go inside. So, she just let the matter off and continue to the library.

If she just knew that her decision would affect her life forever, she might even consider going in there. But she was oblivious. She entered the quiet library. Not the usual quiet you get but a weird quiet. No one was around, not a single soul was present.

Amilia scanned the place and shrugged. It was better this way, at least no one can distract her. She tapped her ID at the scanner before placing her bag at the nearest table. She starts off to look for a reference book. She went at the last row at the left side where the Statistics books was placed.

But what she saw made her frozen. Her mind refuses to believe what she was seeing. It was impossible. It was just a hallucination. But the scent and the feelings are real. She stepped back and back until the back of her thigh bumped at the corner of the table.

She was supposed to get used to this kind of scenes. But this time it was different. It was more gruesome. The man from earlier snapped his head towards her. Their eyes met and what she saw made her shiver.

His eyes were an endless black hole. His face, no, he has no face. But there was something like a mouth. It was what sucked the life out of the poor librarian. It was horrifying. It moved towards her causing her to step back.

He inclined his head as if regarding her presence. She was shaking. Her knees were about to collapse. She was barely standing up. The only thing that was supporting her was the end of the table behind her.

He, again moved forward. Amilia struggled to keep a good distance between them but failed. If she really wanted to run away, she needed to move one step forward so she can circle around the table but that also means one step towards him. She held her breath.

Then he snapped his head to the door. Something suddenly caught his attention. Amilia was thankful for the distraction. She eased herself behind him and put a few more distance between them. A meter was not enough.

From where she was standing, she can’t see the person who stole the creature’s attention. He staggered to get to where that person is. Something was drawing her near him. But he has no idea what was that.

The person reached his hand at the creature. A black air was being absorbed from the creature. Little by little the creature became small. Gradually he became just a speck of dust and Amilia finally got a good look at the person. He was otherworldly handsome.

His good looks couldn’t be seen in a normal person. The way his eyes bore at her can’t be done by a simple person. It was as if he can see her soul and stripped her *****. He didn’t move neither was she. She doesn’t know what just happened and who is he. She had lost control of everything from the moment she stepped foot on the library.

“You! What did you do to my pet?” a man, the one Amilia saw earlier emerge from the window and shouted at the person at the door. The man at the door raised his hand, all the while still staring at Amilia.

“She can see us” it’s not a question. He said with a finality.

Amilia flinched. With those words she only confirmed her thoughts. They’re not normal people. Heck! They are not even human. Amilia prayed silently. She wished she was anywhere but. She wished she could just vanish in thin air.

“What? Who? That girl? Let me just finish her off then” the new arrived guy flew in front of Amilia.

His hands aiming for her throat. Cold sweat and fear invaded her body making her numb from everything. She silently plead for her dear life. She thought of her parents, of her friends, of Lizzie, of school and of life.

Her life would come to end but she didn’t know that it would happen so fast. She tightly closed her eyes while whispering her last thoughts. She waited for something that would indicate the end of her life. But a minute passed nothing happened.

She slowly opens her eyes. A tall man was standing in front of her. Blocking her view of what was supposed to be her death. But someone just saved her. Or so she thought.

“What are you doing? Are you covering for that little human?” The attacker’s voice boomed that made Amilia flinched.

Yes, there are times when she gets involved with unseen entities and she tried to shrug it off. But this is the first time she got so involved with them, and a powerful one too. She tried to shrink herself behind the one who blocked the attack.

“Move away. I don’t care about your status” the attacker threatened. But he didn’t even budge.

“Stop this. She’s not worth it” Amilia’s protector said with finality.

His voice was very masculine and deep. A unique kind of voice. What he said angered her attacker. The library seemed to transform into a different place. There was something sinister in the air.

“You!” but before the attacker could do anything, he disappeared right in front of Amilia with just a wisp of black smoke as a remnant.

Everything went still after that. Amilia didn’t dare to move an inch as she held her breath. Even the air stilled with the tension. After a minute, but felt like years for Amilia, he turned. Giving her a full view of his being.

He looked otherworldly. His clothes may look ordinary but something tells her that it was not ordinary. He was not really ordinary. Whatever happened earlier, Amilia wanted to forget. She wished she could just pass out and when someone finds her lying on the library, she would wake up with no recollection at all.

“Leave. Forget everything you saw” Amilia was dumbfounded by what she heard.

That was it, after saying that he just vanished in the air. Leaving with the tension air along. The library looked normal again as if nothing happened. But the emptiness of the librarian’s seat was the only clue of the happenings.

Amilia felt exhausted. She does not know what to do. So, she just leaves the library. Her first intention vanished and she just wanted to go home. He walked fast paced until she reached the school gates. She only felt relieved when she saw the busy world of sidewalk outside the campus.

She remembered her part-time job and glanced at her watch. Ten minutes before her shift start. So much time passed. Amilia run to the nearest restaurant where she was working. When she reached the back door, her boss was just about to throw the garbage greeted her.

“Amilia! Got stuck with your assignments again?” she jokingly asked.

“Hi, Linda” Amilia smiled. How she wished she could tell her that it was not the assignments that hold her back this time. But she wouldn’t believe in her anyways.

“John was just about to get you. Tell him you’re here” with that, Linda proceeded to what she was about to do.

The kitchen was filled with a nice aroma of bread and pastry. No one was manning the stove. There was something going on at the locker room. Indicating that John was there.

“John! John!” Amilia called at the door of the locker room. Another rustle before she saw John’s face peeked from the inside.

“Amilia! Great you’re here. I was just about to check on you. You know, Linda worries about you a lot” John said as he goes inside the locker room again.

“Sorry for the trouble, John” Amilia replied, still standing at the door.

“Nah! That’s okay” as John exited the locker room.

“Let’s get to work, little girl. Customers are coming soon” he patted Amilia’s shoulder.

Amilia went inside the locker room. She turned the lock of the door knob. She went to her locker to get the change of clothes. She saw herself at the mirror. The familiar baby face came into view.

Her blue orbs reminded her of her mom. While her red hair was from her father. Both already have their own family and almost forgot about her. Tuition and house rent was not a problem but she needed money to get through days.

She quickly changes into her uniform and proceed to her work station. She manned the counter, she still had thirty minutes before customer came. So, she decided to open the coffee machine and the arranged the counter. A pinged indicated a customer.

Amilia straightened her back. She put her best smile and readied herself. She saw a familiar figure enter the restaurant. She squinted her eyes to scrutinize the man and woman whose voices now filled the whole area.

“Welcome to Linda’s…” she wasn’t able to finish her script when she recognized the man who just entered.

“Jason?” a familiar name escaped her lips.

“You know me?” Amilia furrowed her eyebrows at the question.

“You didn’t recognize me?” Amilia was shocked.

They’ve been neighbors since childhood and although they don’t have an intimate relationship, they still greet each other with a smile. Sometimes they would stop for a little conversation. So, what he said was a shock to Amilia.

“Miss, I would like to order a buffalo wings, soda and a nacho” completely ignoring Amilia’s gawking face, he ordered.

Amilia snapped out of her trance and punched the orders. Still puzzled with Gerald’s reaction. When he received his order, he proceeded to an empty table without even looking back at Amilia. She watched him. His movement was the same. The only questionable about him was the way he talked to her. But Amilia soon let the matter go as many customers buzzed in.

Her mind drifted away from him and focused at the task on hand. She got busy and forgot about what happened during her trip to the library and all other things. It was not until that night when she got home and open the door of her apartment that she notices that there is something odd.

The air around her was chilly. Her once warm home felt strange. Something was following her. She looked back but there’s no one there. She was afraid to step inside her room.

“Amilia? What’s wrong dear?” a voice called out to her.

“Mrs. Rodriguez” it was her fifty-five years old Asian neighbor.

“Is there something wrong with your apartment? Is there a burglar?” the old lady stepped closer to take a peek inside. Amilia was quick to stop her.

“No! No, there’s nothing wrong. I was just thinking if I left something at work” Amilia smiled at her sweetly.

“Are you sure?” Amilia was not sure. Heck, she doesn’t even know what was wrong but she wasn’t going to voice it out.

“Okay. If you need anything just knock on my door” the old lady went back inside her apartment.

Amilia hesitated again but decided to just enter. Whatever it is, it’s better to face it head on than become a coward.

There was nothing inside. Her furniture was like how it was when she left. There’s no sign for anything. She switched on the light and the whole place lightened.

She sighed in relief. Amilia firmly closed the door and make sure it was locked. She then proceeds to her room. There was nothing out of ordinary. Except for her mirror.

Her mirror portrayed a different reflection. It didn’t show her bed nor the paint at the wall. It was a total black. She placed herself in front to examine the mirror. A total blackness.

Then something moves from the side. An opening. Something was tearing the blackness. Amilia stepped back. Scared, she reaches for something to fight with from the floor. She found nothing. Her knees were buckling but she tried her best to fight it. She tried her best to find a way out.

A monster like claw grabbed the frame of her mirror. A sinister smell wafted the room. Amilia was thankful that she left the door open. She readied herself to run out but what came out of the mirror stopped her. It was what she saw earlier. No, this one is uglier than the other.