~JEREMY, KIERA'S FRIEND~

"Kiera, where are you?" I asked through the phone as I and the group were looking for her at the supermarket.

"Hmm? What do you mean? I told you I'm gonna buy food for tomorrow."

"Yeah, we know. But where?" We are looking every aisle just to find her and surprise her but in vain.

"In the supermarket, duh! You expect me to buy food in the cemetery?" She said in a mocking voice and giggles.

I rolled my eyes, "Argh, geez. We are at the supermarket but we couldn't find you. Are you in the other neighborhood supermarket then?"

I had no choice but to tell her we came to see her as this surprise would be useless if we couldn't even find her.

Probably out of shock, Kiera didn't say anything until... 

"Nyah! You're here?! Nyah!! I'm outside the supermarket Z!" Like a child feeling excited, she explained to me she just got out of the supermarket and already across the street.

Her house is near, hence she didn't need to use her car. As for the things she bought, I wonder what she did?

"Alright, we are getting out, stay where you are," I called the others from the other isles and walked out of the supermarket.

"Wait, there are others? Nyah! Okay, okay! I'm waiting!"

"Pft, Kiera is like a child!" Ruen burst into laughter hearing Kiera's voice even though it wasn't on speaker.

Jena grabbed my phone for a moment, "Well, she is a child, after all." She teased her as she said it directly through the phone.

"Hmph, I'm older than you!" If we could see Kiera right now, she would probably puff her face and complained.

"Right right, granny Kiera!" Jena didn't stop teasing her even when we got out of the supermarket and they're sweet bickering didn't stop even when we reached the side road.

I grabbed back my phone as we can see her on the other side, she was wearing shorts and T-shirts with a backpack, so that's where she put her foods.

She looked like a kid with that get up especially with her short height, and then she waved at us and gave us a bright smile. 

She certainly looked and act like a kid but we found it cute, we know she longed for this moment so feeling excited like this, we also felt it.

Finally... She is free...

"Are you that excited about the housewarming party?" I asked even though I know the answer.

With very protective parents like her, she rarely comes out of her house unless she goes to school. There were even times she was homeschooled due to some reasons yet she can't complain and accept it.

Living while having chains that suffocate you, living with strings and act like a puppet, living inside the prison called home... She barely talks and smiles.

However, when we met her, became her friends, we found out what expressions she can show, her childishness, her caring like a mother, even when she got mad, we saw it. She looks like a human rather than when we first met her, a doll.

That is why, when she finally graduated and found a job, she instantly move out and got her freedom back. 

We were so happy for her that we wanted to help her out for her unforgettable moment, the housewarming party.

"Of course! There is food! And foods! And foods! And! And! ... I'm free!" Her smile reached through her ears and as the sun shines beam at her, she looks like an angel of joy. If only we know this would be the last time we saw that smile again.

"Congrats, Kiera!" We all shouted to make her hear it to the other side, though with the phone it was loud that almost burst her ears.

Jena took the phone again, "Hey Kiera,  whatever you do, stay on that side, okay? We will be the ones coming to you! Understand!" She returned the phone to me. I stared at her, even though she was smiling, I can see her worried eyes.

Did she foresee something again? My attention went back to Kiera and while we waited for the walk traffic lights to turn green, I noticed something.

A strange aura...

A black one...

And it wasn't on Kiera...

But on the strange shape behind her!

My eyes widen and felt like the world turns into slow motion... I saw it... That strange aura pushed her out to the streets while Kiera didn't know anything and smiled at us until...

A bus from no one knows where hit her!

Jena who was trembling beside me, felt like she anticipated this, run towards her without caring about the cars that would bump into her.

However, Ruen, Felix, and the others didn't hesitate to grab her back to the side, scared that she might get hit.

It was then the rest realized where Kiera is now. All of us were shocked. And I only stood while looking at the strange aura that disappeared.

What was that? And why?!

....

~KIERA~

I didn't know what just happened but I'm pretty sure I stay stood still... So why am I under the bus?

Seeing my beautiful legs got chopped by the bus tires, well, my whole body was smashed... and my face became unrecognizable under there, I knew I was dead.

I won't be like others that can't accept reality like this but I can't accept that I would die ugly!

Worse, I died just as I taste a single drop of my freedom! 

I don't mind dying but can I at least die after my first-time party hosted by me?!

This is so unfair!

And, I believed in ghosts but I didn't mean I want to be one too!

I wanted to cry, but there are no tears produced by a transparent soul.

I shook my head, I walked to where my friends are, they were grieving but I can't do anything. Some were wailing, some were crying while holding Jena, and some trembled that they can't handle their weight as they fell from their knees.

"Jeremy..." I walked in front of my friend who stood still trembling on his own. He blinked and... I'm not sure but he was staring at me... Then, he immediately cried.

Seeing him like this, I seriously wanted to cry too... But still couldn't...

Then, a light shimmered beside me, well, besides us... Feeling hopeless, just like how I accepted my life, I accepted my death. 

Even though I still have things I wanted to do, promises I wanted to keep, I can't do it anymore... I knew that... 

I stared at the bus that killed... 'Bus-chan, why is it you? If only you are truck-kun, I could have transmigrated to another world and maybe I could do something.'

"Pft," What am I thinking, this is silly. I've read too many novels. Well, was it bad to hope for dying by Truck-kun instead? 

Ahh~ I felt a little better when thinking like this.

"Bus-chan, no worries, it's not your fault you're not a truck."

My attention went back to the light and thought that the underworld peeps are calling me. I can't stay here anyway, it was hard to see them like this... And even if I stay, with a body with bones shattered like that, I knew there is no hope to go back.

The only good thing about my death is, I didn't feel it for a long time as it was in instant. That felt better more.

I didn't know how long I walked but I saw a forest-like door with veins around it. I pushed it.

I closed my eyes as light emerged from the inside, and that slowly died down. I open my eyes once again and went in.

Seeing other ghosts everywhere feels weird. "Am I in the right place?"

I strolled around not knowing anyone nor anything. The other ghosts seem didn't know what's going on too.

Well, at least I wasn't alone.

Not a moment later, a voice from who knows were, spoke. "Welcome players, to the Enchantrix Game!"

Hmm? Players? Game?

That's when I realized... "I think I got the wrong turn..."

_______

E N D of P R O L O G U E