Chapter 3: A Dark Shadow

No one was sitting on the stairs. There was no trace left by him.

Was that a ghost? Oh my god. My heartbeat went fast. Goosebumps were all over me.

I was scared shitless that I forgot that I was a ghost myself.

I turned back around and planned to run downstairs and be out of this scary place.

However, a pale face shocked me to the core. The boy's face was so close to me. He was standing in front of me the moment I turned around.

"AHHHH!!!" A startled cry came out of my throat.

Because I was scared silly my knees trembled. My mouth was opened wide as I stared and pointed at the ghost in front of me.

His face was pale and since the lights were on his back I could only see the shadow of his hair covering his features. He was tall and lean. I could see the dull eyes staring at me.

"G-ghost..." My voice trembled as it reflected the fear I felt.

The boy who was taller than me leaned towards me. His blank eyes stared at me and observing me. In a cold voice, he said,

"As I can see, you are more ghostly than me."

Then he sneered in disgust.

"You're so pale and your eyes are sunken. Not only that, but your clothes are all bloody. If a living person saw you, they would surely be terrified to death."

He waved me off as if trying to erase my existence in front of him.

Wait.

Did he say "I can see..?"

"C-can you see me?" Flabbergasted I asked.

The boy gazed at me.

"Of course I'm not blind." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"T-then..all of them are blind? That's why they can't see me?" I asked with hope. I know I'm kidding my self. But I want to badly believe that. Without knowing anything, or knowing to ask to or talk to, made me crazy.

The boy sneered again. "Stupid ghost."

I cringed. This boy who looked like a ghost made me annoyed with its disgusting tone. My fear earlier was completely gone, only to be replaced by annoyance.

"Then what are you? A crying ghost?" I retorted. No one wants to be called 'stupid'.

The boy was stunned and his mouth agape. A flash of shame was on his face. Even though it was dark I could feel that he was ashamed. He was probably ashamed of his secret that was found by me.

With enthusiasm, I added salt to his wound.

"You're so tall but you're crying in the middle of the stairs. What a kid. Are you not afraid to bother people who have to pass by you? "

The boy was silent. Even without seeing his features clearly, I can feel he was angry.

"Ugly ghost. You're the kid. You are a noisy kid trying to stick your nose on people's lives. Why don't you go to the mirror to take a look at yourself? You're too bloody and dirty. Be thankful I am the only one who saw you. If it's other people, they already called you 'monster'.  " Clearly the boy was fuming mad.

But who is me? I also don't know. That's why I'm asking you, reader. ( ←_← Again I don't know where it pops up. Please forgive her for she is too bored lately and now trying to talk to our imaginary readers.)

I am a girl who is nothing to talk to nowadays. So having someone to bicker with, made me feel agitated and passionated. So I argued back spitting all my saliva.

"Haah. What a man. Telling a girl to take a look at a mirror. Why don't you do it yourself? Ever wonder why I called you to ghost in the beginning? It's because you look so scary. You're the ghost."

The boy was silent. But his surroundings got chiller.

"I look scary?" He tilted his face to the side. This move of his made the light shined to his side face. Sharp jaw, sharp chin, high bridge nose, and full lips were revealed. It was like his face was sculpted perfectly by god. This boy for sure was fully awake holding a big bucket when God showered his blessings of handsomeness to humanity.

How unfair.

"You're the first one who told me that. Clearly, a girl who is so stupid and blind." But this boy's tongue was poisonous than a snake.

I gritted my teeth. I cannot retort to that. What should I say? That he was ugly? If he was ugly? Then what am I? Remembering my pale thin face who was bedridden in the last room made me taste sour.

Fine. He won in terms of face.

"So? So what if is your appearance is 10 over10? Will that make you judge me as a stupid girl? If so, then all the judges must be beauties." Even he won in terms of appearance I will not let him be dominant in this clashing. My face lost. But my tongue should not.

"..." The boy was silent. What can he say about that? Not all judges are beauties. Nor all beauties are judges.

Seeing the boy was silent. Probably thinking of another counter-attack, I changed the topic.

"By the way what are you? Are you a living human who can see supernatural beings ?"

The boy gave me a look of incredulity.

"You are really stupid."

"..." I shut up. Fine, I won't talk. In his dictionary, the word 'stupid' must be the same as breathing.

"Did you see me disappear? That's because I floated and appear in front of you." The boy said with impatience. Like explaining to me was really bothersome for him.

Who is this guy? Did I owe him a million?

Then it registered in my brain.

"You said you floated?" Gosh. He FLOATED. No human could do that. He was really a ghost.

"Then you are a ghost..." I said blankly.

"Hmph. Stupid. You just realized? Or you just still analyzing?" The boy scoffed.

"Then why are you crying?" I asked with curiosity.

The boy stayed silent. Then he sneered.

"That's none of your business. Just stay away from here. This floor is my territory."

What? Was a ghost claiming a place too? This floor is hunted. Thinking of my body occupying this floor with this annoying ghost as the landlord made me shuddered.

Should I transfer to another floor?

"Stay away from here." A chilling cold surrounded us. The boy wanted me to disappear.

But sorry boy, I can't.

"No. I won't. This is my place too." I showed him a defensive stance. Well, I'm a ghost too, if he could occupy this place, I could do it too.

The boy growled.

"Leave."

Dark shadows appeared on his back. The chilling atmosphere became intense. It frightened me.

I took a step back. I couldn't breathe. I feel suffocated.

The boy seemed to notice this as his face changed and frowned.

"What's happening to you?"

I exhaled a breathe as the suffocating and chilling atmosphere was gone. I look at his back and the dark shadow was gone.

What was that?