A student with a red tie and a black belt on a set of white uniform walked briskly into a building.
The boy with a somewhat sharp but common face pressed the button to call the elevator. The button responded with a red outline and pinging sound.
The elevator soon arrived and the student yanked the collapsable gate open.
'The red color was nice. A not so deep yet light red that is soothing to the eye. Reminds me of a rose in bloom. Wait, red has really become my favorite color. This means my identity crisis can resolve on its own. Fucking shrink! Made me pay so much for one session and then gave me drugs! She thought I would unknowingly get dependent on anti-depression drugs. Humph! Might as well count the stars in the night sky.'
"Ha ha haha!"
A burst of weird laughter in staccato resounded in the elevator shaft.
A lady who was about to enter her apartment became curious. These kinds of little stories that could garner speculation were the best kind of gossips amongst her peers. Peers as in other housewives of course. After all, a good gossip demanded a few in return.
The lady, strong in her resolve to gather information, peeked into the elevator as it rose by her floor.
"Ah!"
She was about to exclaim loudly but her hands saved the day! Countless thoughts ran through her head but only one dominated. A question that would soon be asked by many.
'This kid...He has changed...He...Scary...'
"But why?"
Slide.
The collapsable gate opened and closed.
'Time to go inside. The kid reached his floor.'
"Hahaha."
The boy walked through a grey corridor laughing rhythmically. A smile plastered on his face.
The short corridor only had two doors. A metallic door that had a police cordon across it and a wooden one. The latter was in front of him.
Click!
The door became ajar when the key turned.
Slam!
The boy closed the door behind him. On it was a small plaque that read 'Kuma-sou'
(Name-Home in Japanese)
Once inside, the laughter stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Kuma walked into the bathroom and looked inside the mirror. He caressed the face in the mirror and stared into the eyes of his reflection but the only response was a cold hard surface.
"I made a really scary face. The old lady on the floor below must have been scared witless."
The face in the mirror contorted. A smile was plastered on his face, again.
"But...Ha ha haha. I feel so happy. Hahaha!"
The laughter stopped again. It was stuck in his throat.
A question came to him and, almost immediately, the man in the mirror asked him.
"What is my name?"
Damien felt the air thicken, his senses confounded.
Slap!
"I almost lost myself."
Reason flashed across his expression as he felt the sting on his face.
"But is slapping myself awake really an option?"