When a person passes away, where do they really go?

Do the good ascend to heaven and the bad descend to hell?

Or are the scientists right that when one dies, nothing lives beyond because souls don't exist?

Honestly, at first, I couldn't care less.

But as I tumble into this small town and meet someone who broke the barrier of the heavenly realm merging the reality I perceive and what I once thought was fiction, my eyes slither into a state of existential dread.

Unsure of what's real and what's not, only one thing made me certain.

I'll solve this mystery for her, not because she's an annoying phantom who pesters my already stressful life, but because despite her heartbeat ceasing to exist 23 years ago, I have never felt more alive.

…

"Is this it?" I asked and felt a tingling sensation pounding my veiny temples.

For fuck's sake, that old bastard can't be serious about letting me live in a place like this!

What sits in front of me is beyond my imagination, and I can't let myself stay here for one goddamn day, let alone a whole semester!

I turned my head around and threw Demetrius a cold glare. He better say no!

I saw the hesitation in his eyes; he even scratched his head like a fucking donkey as he answered, "Yes, Mr. Astley… This—is the address your father gave…"

He also looked at the creepy, run-down house.

Anger crept through my head as I dropped my sports bag after hearing my butler's answer. Snatching my phone from my pocket and dialing the old bastard's number, my eyes rummaged the site before me.

What stood behind the knee-length wooden fence was the wide array of unidentifiable overgrown grass that seemed to latch itself on the garbage that dominates the place. Old tires, rusty cans, and even a whole-ass TV set were there, and not the flat kind. I'm talking about the boxy type, which existed like… when? The 1800's?!

But what sets off the sinister sense of this place is the house itself. No, this isn't a house… It's more like a shabby shack that belongs to a Stephen King book. I can almost feel myself throwing up just glancing at the frayed window.

The small house is made of almost-rotten wood, viny plants wrapping on the corners. I hope those ain't poison ivies! I fucking hate DC!

Though there's a patio leading to the door, I'm a hundred percent sure it would collapse the moment I step on it. There's also this bench and a small table pillared there, something an old woman would rejoice over.

"The number you have dialed is unattended, or out of coverage area. Please try again later…"

My trance ended the moment I heard the automated response. I skimmed on the phone screen, and in a fit of intense anger, the loud thwack it made on the ground resonated. My phone sat shattered astride the rocky pavement after throwing it, my feet subconsciously pulverizing the stupid iPhone further.

Man, I'm really making Steve Jobs richer at this point. This is the 7th phone I broke this month.

"Stupid piece of shit!" I muttered, and the stepping stopped when I felt my legs going numb. I then rested my hand above my hips, looked at the clear sky, and heaved.

"Demetrius, take my things inside and get me a new phone," I ordered and didn't notice that he didn't even respond.

After saying that, my feet instantly swayed the wooden fence that goes around the shabby shack. What would this fence even protect me from? Garden gnomes?

I clicked my tongue and kicked my way through the tall weeds, and stopped on the stairs leading to the patio. I tested it first by pulling my left leg up and shakily pummeling the wood.

Surprisingly, it seems pretty sturdy. So, I shrugged and made my way through. The creaks were faint but tolerable. I first eyed the dusty wooden bench. It's so ashy, but not more than the table itself. A little ornament sits there. I don't know if it's a dog or a wolf, but its white color has diminished to a greyish tone.

"Yuck."

Disregarding that, I stopped in front of the door leading inside. Suddenly, a strong gush of wind blew past my back, making the hair on my nape stand. Damn it! I'm not a coward, but chills literally ran down my spine when I looked at the golden doorknob.

I mean… what if there's a ghost inside?

Bullshit! It's 2010; ghosts can't exist anymore… right?

"Hehe… ghosts…" I chuckled to rid of that thought and touched the knob.

But…

Fuck it! I can't do this. I was about to call Demetrius to get him to go inside first, but when I looked back, I was instead welcomed with the sound of my Mustang's starting engine.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" I yelled and ran back to the road, but I only caught a glimpse of Demetrius' rushing measures. He drove my car so fast that when I passed through the fence, he was already way beyond me.

I run towards the speeding red car as I yell, "Hey! Where are you going?! You mean I'm supposed to stay here on my own?! Come back! Demetrius! Wait… Crap!"

I know I'm an athlete, but in terms of speed, I'm no match for a goddamn car. I eventually stopped running and could only watch my plate number, L8R BTCH, getting smaller and smaller. That shit didn't age nicely.

For 5 minutes, I stayed in that spot. Standing up and blankly watching the endless road.

Great! I have no car, no money, and no phone while I'm in this stupid town 7 hours away from the city.

Me, Joaquin Astley, the coolest kid in Addersfield… has been reduced to this kind of man.

"Hahaha! Damn you, John! You suck…" I muttered and looked back to see my things sitting by the side of the road. All in all, I have 30 boxes, 17 gym bags, and 12 pieces of furniture I deem necessary to survive, and all of it lays there like I'm having a yard sale.

So, I have to move those by myself inside Hannibal Lecter's house? I gulped and frustratingly jumbled my hair. I didn't have the mental capacity to deal with this, so I decided to walk away and plod through the neighborhood first.

My feet began their journey with my mind going crazy. All I could ever think of are the things that I'll sow after this punishment ends.

"You'll totally end up in a retirement home…" I muttered, kicking the pebbles beneath my feet. I then took a deep breath and lifted my head to look around. To my left, the array of houses nestles. Big, small, it doesn't matter. The only consistent thing about them is their ugly designs. It reeks of oldness, which hipsters would call… vintage?

All houses had their own yards blooming with stupid plants and creepy garden decorations. I could also see some pens with those giant, noisy land birds. They don't look like chicken or anything, but it's close. One of them even tried to run after me but couldn't go further because of the hedge.

"Stupid bird…" I said to it and stuck my tongue out. Then, I looked to my left.

A gigantic mountain veneers the sky, the tip covered by the clouds. Rows of tall trees coat the edge, and a kilometer-long crop farm is at the fore. Looking closely, the wide land mostly had planted corn, wheat, and rice.

I wouldn't deny that it's picturesque and looks like a Windows wallpaper, but the view of flashy buildings with neon lights and loud music is still better for me.

"Tch! Stupid countryside…" I said to the crops and kept walking until I heard the sound of the crashing waves. I have reached the coastal road, which isn't far from the neighborhood but just enough to bring me away from reality.

I held the ledge of the white picket fence that was leaning towards me and scanned the scenery. It's nearing sunset, so a tangerine color has painted the sky. Darkish clouds cover the horizon, and heaps of birds play in front of the sun.

A slight slope extends beyond the fence, so I can see the white sand from above, and I can see that no one's playing in the water. Seriously, no one occupies the long stretch of the beach!

"Is this a ghost town or something?" I audibly question as the wind ruffles my hair, not expecting that someone will answer me.

"No, it's just Sunday. They're at the town hall meeting."

"What the heck!" I jolted, turned back, and slipped.

I didn't know why I lost balance like a fucking toddler, but I somehow did and even ended up pushing the picket fence behind me. All profanities spun around my mind just like how I rolled on the bushy border, which led me to the sandy beach about 20 feet from where I was standing seconds ago.

"Ugh… Damn it…" I muttered as I slowly sat up, massaging my thighs, neck, and such.

"Hehe… You didn't tell me you dream of becoming a tumbleweed. You should've let me push you for a better momentum."

I felt like my ears short-circuited the moment I heard her voice. I slowly opened my hazy eyes and finally got a good look at this nosy girl—

Pausing without notice and just like getting a vaccine shot, I felt the tightening of my chest.

I don't know if it's the cold weather or the setting of the sun, but the girl before me seems like she's glowing. Her face was pale, though her lips were plump and pinkish. The eyebrows she had are thick and naturally pristine, which accentuates her captivating eyes—both neither blank nor lucid. Her hair extends below her bust, waving with the whirling air as a black snapback gathers her crown, the visor turned behind. There's no clear reason why, but I was captivated for a moment, especially with her taunting smirk.

She mockingly sneered, and I was swept to my feet until she began to speak.

"Dude, you might want to close that mouth. You're drooling…"

I quickly closed my mouth, which I didn't even realize were spread apart. Then, I shook my head and tried to stand up, but an unforeseen cram subdued my body. "Ugh!" I hemmed as I felt my body snecking the sand for the second time.

What the heck?!

Why am I suddenly this lame?!