The girl's eyes opened slowly.
For several seconds, she saw nothing but darkness.
A damp, musty smell pressed into her nose.
Beneath it lingered something stale and unpleasant, the scent of old decay.
Her breath caught.
She pushed herself upright, her palm sliding across the floor.
The surface beneath her hand was hard and cold enough to make her pull it back.
"What...?"
Her voice came out quiet.
She turned her head, searching through the darkness.
"Where am I?" she muttered, her voice shaking. "How did I get here?"
She raised a hand to the side of her head.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
"Why can't I remember...?"
Water dripped somewhere nearby, each drop striking the floor with a soft tap that carried through the dark.
Above her, old wooden boards creaked one at a time, shifting under their own weight.
She looked toward the walls.
Cracks ran across them from floor to ceiling.
Paint had peeled away in long strips, leaving rough patches beneath.
Vines pushed through the broken sections, their leaves brushing against the wall whenever a weak draft moved through the hallway.
She slowly got to her feet.
Her eyes widened as the shape of the place became clearer.
"No way..."
Her mouth opened slightly.
"Is this the abandoned school building?"
A chill moved down her back.
She rubbed her hands over her arms, then looked toward the nearest doorway.
The corridor beyond it was swallowed by darkness.
"One moment, I was leaving school," she said under her breath. "Then the next... I woke up here."
Her eyes lifted toward a hole in the ceiling.
"And now it's already dark?"
The cold pressed through her uniform.
She wrapped her arms around herself, her fingers gripping the sleeves near her elbows.
"Why is it so cold?"
Something about this doesn't feel right.
There's no way I'd fall asleep in a place like this. So how did I end up here?
"Don't tell me..." she muttered.
Her fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt.
Was I knocked out?
Did someone kidnap me?
Her breathing grew heavier.
"It's dark out..." she said, her voice unsteady. "And I'm here alone... in this empty, creepy place."
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
Drip.
A drop of water struck the floor behind her.
Creak.
The old boards above shifted.
Sayoko's breath hitched.
She turned around at once, her eyes searching through the darkness.
"Is someone there...?"
She took a step back.
"Sayoko... Sayoko... are you listening?"
Sayoko froze.
The voice was distant and quiet.
It sounded like it was coming from somewhere deeper inside the building.
Her shoulders tightened.
Her hands stayed at her sides, but her fingers shook.
"Sayoko..." the voice whispered. "Can you come closer?"
"Ahh!"
She spun around and ran.
Her feet struck the wooden floor hard as she rushed down the hallway.
The boards creaked beneath her shoes.
Her breath came out in short bursts, and she kept her eyes fixed on the exit ahead.
The doorway appeared through the darkness.
She rushed outside and did not stop until she reached the front of the building.
Sayoko bent forward, placing both hands on her knees.
Her chest rose and fell quickly.
She looked back at the entrance.
"Who was that...? Why would anyone be in that old building at this hour?"
Her eyebrows twitched.
This has to be a prank.
She nodded to herself.
No, this doesn't make sense... Why was I even asleep in there to begin with?
"Whatever the case..."
She slowly straightened.
"I just want to go home..."
She exhaled and walked through the school gate.
The street outside was dimly lit.
Vehicles drove by, their headlights passing over her for only a moment before disappearing down the road.
Near an alleyway, a stray cat sat beneath a flickering streetlamp, licking one of its paws.
The light buzzed overhead.
It blinked on and off, leaving long, uneven shadows across the pavement.
Sayoko looked up.
The cat noticed her.
Its paw stopped in midair.
For a moment, it did not move.
Its pupils narrowed, and its ears twitched toward her.
Then its back arched.
"Hisss!"
Sayoko flinched.
"Hey, that's not nice, Mr. Whiskers," she said.
The cat's fur stood on end.
It stared at her for another second before turning and bolting into the darkness of the alley.
Sayoko blinked, watching its tail disappear around the corner.
"Weird..." she said. "I didn't even move toward it."
Sayoko turned and looked across the street.
Her eyes caught a familiar figure walking ahead.
"Nanami!"
Her face brightened, and a smile spread across her lips.
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you!"
She hurried off the curb and ran across the road.
The traffic light changed to green.
A car rushed toward her.
Its headlights flashed across her face.
Sayoko noticed the lights first.
Her eyes widened.
She threw both hands over her face.
"Ah—!"
The sound of the engine passed close by.
For a second, she did not move.
Then she slowly lowered her hands.
The car was already farther down the street.
Sayoko looked from the road to her own feet.
Am I imagining things...? Shouldn't I have been run over by that car just now...?
She placed a hand against her chest.
Her fingers pressed into her uniform as she stared at the empty stretch of road beside her.
Then she looked ahead again.
Nanami was still walking away.
"Nanami!" Sayoko called, running until she was beside her. "You wouldn't believe the crazy night I had!"
Nanami walked straight past her without even turning her head.
Sayoko slowed to a stop.
"Did she just ignore me?"
She watched her continue down the street.
Her hand fell from her chest to her side.
But... what did I do?
Sayoko continued walking.
A small pastry shop appeared ahead.
Warm light spilled from its windows and stretched across the pavement.
She glanced through the glass.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh, wow! I've never seen that flavor of cake before. It looks so good."
Then she noticed two people sitting inside.
They were laughing as they ate slices of cake across from each other.
Wait... isn't that Marube and Kanna?
Sayoko leaned closer to the window.
Her lips parted.
Her eyes moved from Marube to Kanna, then back again.
No way... I can't believe it. Those two are on a date?!
Her hand rose to cover her mouth.
But they always argue with each other. Wait a minute...
She narrowed her eyes.
Why aren't they wearing their school uniforms? That looks more like work clothes.
"Wait..." Sayoko said. "Did they have an interview today? But they never mentioned anything about getting jobs."
Maybe I should go ask them...
She walked toward the entrance, but stopped in front of the doors.
Her eyes lowered to the pavement.
What if they ignore me too?
Her fingers closed around the edge of her sleeve.
I guess I'll just text them when I get home.
She turned and continued down the street.
Behind her, the automatic doors slid open.
Then they closed again.
Inside the pastry shop, Kanna tugged lightly on Marube's sleeve.
"Hey, Marube..."
"What?" he asked.
Kanna glanced toward the entrance.
"Is it just me, or did those doors open even though nobody came in?"
Marube frowned at her.
He picked up his glass of water and took a sip.
"I told you to stop watching all that horror movie crap. It's getting to your head."
Kanna pulled her hand back from his sleeve.
"Hey... ghosts are, like, totally real..."
Sayoko walked toward her house with her shoulders slumped.
"Finally... home," she said, letting out a quiet breath.
As she reached the front window, she looked inside.
Her mouth opened slightly.
Her family sat around the dining table, eating together.
Plates and bowls covered the table, and quiet conversation drifted through the glass.
Sayoko's eyes moved to her younger brother.
She paused.
His hair was longer than she remembered.
His face looked sharper too.
Her brows pulled together.
"What?!" she said. "How dare they start eating without me?"
Her cheeks puffed out.
"Did they even think to call me? Weren't they worried about me?"
"Grrr...!"
She rushed to the front door and grabbed the handle.
Her hand passed straight through it.
Sayoko stopped.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"Huh...? What was that?"
She shook her head and reached for the handle again.
Her fingers went through the door.
There was no resistance.
No cold metal against her palm.
Sayoko stared at her hand.
Her breathing quickened.
She stepped back, but her heel caught against the ground.
She lost her balance and fell backward.
Her body passed through the front door.
She landed inside the house.
Sayoko pushed herself to her feet at once, her hands brushing against her skirt.
"What's happening...?"
She rushed into the dining room.
Her parents and younger brother were still talking.
"Mom! Dad!" Sayoko said. "Why are you eating without me? It's so late, and you didn't even call me!"
No one looked up.
Her mother smiled at something her father said.
Her younger brother kept eating, his cheeks full of food.
"Mom?" Sayoko said.
Her voice lowered.
"Dad? Can't you hear me?"
Nothing.
Her fingers trembled as she stepped closer to her mother.
She reached out.
Her hand passed through her mother's shoulder.
A small gasp escaped Sayoko's mouth.
She pulled her hand back and stared at it.
Then she reached toward her father.
Her fingers slipped through him too.
Sayoko shook her head.
"No..."
She tried again.
Her hand passed through her mother.
Again.
Through her father.
Again.
Nothing changed.
"No... no, no..." Her voice broke. "This isn't real. This isn't happening."
Her knees gave out beneath her.
She fell to the floor, her hands pressed against the carpet.
Tears filled her eyes.
Nanami walking past her.
Marube and Kanna wearing different clothes.
The car that should have hit her.
Her hand passing through the front door.
Her family sitting only a few steps away, speaking and laughing as though she was not there.
It can't be...
Her lips trembled.
"Am I... dead?"