Chapter I - Nobody is here!

Nikko, the city that had been my home since the day I drew my first breath, the city I've known my entire life, the city where the first rays of sunlight kissed my cheeks, the city where I found my truest friends, friends I would cross the Styx with. And now, at the tender age of 16, on this day of March 9th 2008, it is the city I must say goodbye to. It's the city which I am moving out of, probably forever.

Memories of my childhood flooded my mind with a warmth I cannot shake. I recall the grand walnut tree, its crown sheltering me, Zak and Asuna for endless hours as we whiled away lazy afternoons beneath its boughs, lulled to sleep by the gentle whispers of the wind and the scent of salt in the air, then we woke up at sunset and we leisurely went home. How I will miss that tree! And our school... The empty hallways where we three would linger after classes had ended, chasing imaginary ghosts 'til our laughter echoed off the walls, then we would scatter like startled birds when a teacher chanced upon us.

I have many pleasant memories and my heart aches at the thought of leaving it all behind. Saying goodbye to my best friends was the hardest thing I've ever done. Zak... Asuna... I will never forget you. I never liked partings. Partings have always left a bitter taste in my mouth... quite literally. I'll be far, too far... Another city, a different part of the country. The branch of the company my father works for is about to close, but my father is an indispensable and reliable person. So, my father's work has whisked us away to the bustling city of Osaka, where opportunity beckons amidst the towering skyscrapers. Dad accepted this opportunity, he really likes his job. My father's hasty voice called to me:

"Sara, are you ready? The airplane waits for no one..."

Sometimes he gives the impression that he is a severe person. On the surface, he wants to be seen as a pillar of strength, despite the turmoil that has marked our lives since my mother's passing. But I know him, I know that inside he is very calm... and he has this strange sense of humor sometimes. His occasional severity caused by my mother's death and the suffering he went through changed him, metamorphosed him. Although we still miss her, we have learned to hide this. Life goes on.

"I'll be there in a moment! I just want to make sure I haven't forgotten anything."

Everything I needed was neatly packed: all my clothes and shoes, my only framed picture of mom, a few mementos from Zak and Asuna and other essentials. And so, with one last glance at the city that holds my heart, I gathered my courage and stepped into the unknown, trusting that wherever life may lead, the memories of Nikko will always remain etched in my soul.

After hours of travelling by taxi, then by plane, we've finally arrived in Osaka. The journey had been quite long and exhausting. I've never been fond of flying. I was slightly dizzy from the flight, so when my feet touched the solid ground again, I couldn't help but feel a wave of relief washing over me. I tried to find a place to breathe in... the Osaka air. I walked through the urban crowd and the constant noise made by cars. I looked around curiously in every direction. I found myself drawn to a bridge overlooking a stream of water. A cool breeze was caressing my face and blowing through my hair. Memories of my childhood beneath the walnut tree flooded back to me. I breathed, feeling a sense of contentment. Perhaps, I thought, this city, this whole new world wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe, in due time, I could learn to like it here.

"The Yodo River! Do you like it?" dad said, resting his right hand gently on my shoulder and interrupting my reverie.

"How do you know this?"

"I read the mind of a passing human." he grinned.

Dad was trying to be funny again. He knew I miss home and he was trying to take my mind off of it.

"I studied a map on the plane."

"I like... its smell."

"Hmm... I don't smell anything."

"As usual..." I sighed, rolling my eyes playfully.

"What does it smell like?"

"Like... home."

"And it is also written on that sign. Yodo. Time to go." dad continued.

A taxi drove us to an address indicated by my father on a letter. Soon enough, we found ourselves standing before a new house. It looked... monumental!

"We're finally here, the Bakken residence." my father announced proudly.

"Bakken?" I said, a sense of wonder building within me.

"Sara, I give you the honor!" he said, with a flourish, handing me a key and gesturing toward the house.

The Bakken residence... A name that sounded important, imposing. Dad said that this house hosted many families for many generations since 1880. The last family that lived here left about ten years ago. This house was located on the outskirts, pretty far from the loud city. Dad let me take the first step in this new home. Was it out of kindness or... maybe out of cowardice?! I slowly climbed the steps to the front door, I inserted the key in the lock, I turned it twice with a little effort, then I turned the doorknob. It sounded as if it had not been turned for centuries. I felt like this house has been waiting for me to unlock the mysteries within. The door swung open with a creak, revealing a long narrow hallway, untouched by sunlight. The dim light cast eerie shapes along the walls, it was pretty hard to see all the way to the further end. As I took my first step, the same cool breeze as the one on the bridge blew through my hair. I felt shivers. A loud noise suddenly started, there were repeated bangs coming from all directions. A quick and chaotic wind started blowing all over the hallway, willing to push me out of the house. But the door suddenly closed behind me, trapping me inside.

"Father!" I cried out, my voice echoing against the walls.

I frantically tugged at the doorknob, but to no avail. Panic surged within me. My heart started pounding against my chest as I pounded against the door in a desperate bid for escape. The deafening noises around me were getting louder and louder. I started spinning around and all my senses were going crazy. Through all this madness, I could still hear dad tackling the door from the outside. The door finally opened and dad reached in, pulling me outside, into his arms.

"Sara! Sara? Look at me! Are you alright? What happened in there?"

"Father!" I gasped, my breath coming in ragged gasps as he guided me through calming breaths.

"Inhale deeply, exhale!"

Dad always knew how to calm me down. I never liked tight dark spaces. Add the deafening noises altogether and it can bring despair to anyone.

"How do you feel?" he asked, concern etched all over his face.

"I'm alright now." I managed, my voice trembling, but steadying under his reassuring gaze.

After investigating around, dad found the source of the mysterious chaotic noises. It was just nature, a chaotic wind seemed to toy with the doors and the windows, opening and closing them with reckless abandon before abruptly ceasing its tumultuous dance. It was a mystery for both of us, nature can be so random and unpredictable. Dad came to me, got down on his knees and gently held me in his arms.

"You have nothing to fear while I'm around!"

I hesitated for a moment, then I slowly spread my arms and hugged him, finding solace in the warmth of his presence.

"Dad..."

"I'm here..." he whispered.

Drawing strength from his unwavering gaze, I sighed in relief. Dad looked me in the eyes, a silent exchange of understanding and gratitude passed between us. He kissed me on the forehead, he got up and left to bring the rest of the luggage, leaving me to collect my thoughts on the stairs of our new home. It was a long day, this day had taken its toll on me. After finding my courage to go inside again, I started wandering throughout the house. Upstairs, I found a room to my liking, a room that kind of felt like home. The bed was nothing special, but the wardrobe had this antique feeling about it. The room was pretty plain, but it had this big window I could see the sunset through, like I used to do at home, in Nikko.

I decided to arrange this room to resemble my room from Nikko as much as possible. Hours went by quickly. After helping my father settling in, we had dinner and we were both completely exhausted. I rushed back to my room, I grabbed an old wooden chair and sat on it, so I can gaze out the window and watch my first sunset in Osaka. I remember the sunset in Nikko was of a bright red, but here... here it looks kind of gray. A whirlwind of emotions ran through my mind. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new chapter, a new school, new friendships, a new world to navigate. How will I handle it?! I knew I couldn't control everything, I had to embrace the unknown.

As the night drew near, I felt this strong need to sleep deep, to rest. I lay down on the bed and I started gazing at the ceiling. It was something I used to do at home, it was the simplest way I knew to quickly make me fall asleep. Slowly, the weight of the day lifted and my eyelids grew heavy with the promise of a peaceful slumber. In the depths of slumber, I dreamed I was wandering alone in the narrow, dark hallway. The front door opened in front of me and my dad was patiently waiting for me outside. He was ready to take me to the new school. I was so nervous. While running down the alley towards dad, I realized I forgot my backpack. The air around me suddenly turned gray. The rustling trees were bending in the wind, echoing the tumult of my racing thoughts. With a resounding thud, the door of the hallway slammed shut and an ominous shroud of darkness began to envelop the house.

Everything around me was getting darker. The wind started blowing into my face, pushing me away from the house, towards my dad. Desperation lent wings to my feet as I sprinted towards my father, a beacon of solace in the distance. But with each stride, he seemed to recede further and further into the darkness, a silent witness to the chaos unfolding around. I watched him in the distance. He didn't say anything, he was just waiting for me with open arms, but I could never reach him. A disembodied voice, an echo, started speaking to me from the darkness. It was surrounding me, I could hear it from everywhere.

"Leave this house! Leave! Leave..."

Hearing those words, I was ripped from the clutches of dreaming. As my eyes opened, in a blink of an eye, I saw something black above me vanishing like smoke, like lingering tendrils of darkness. Was it just my imagination? The air around me cooled down. I started shaking. I looked around, scanning the darkness, scared, but also cautious. I was looking for any trace that could confirm what I saw was real. But there was nothing, just the heavy silence of the night. It was dark, too dark... I leaned back. Tremors shook my body as I sought comfort and protection under the safety of my blanket. I didn't want to see anything and be seen by anyone. I tried to get some sleep. All night long, until the first ray of sunshine, I tried to convince myself that what I saw was just a hallucination, a vivid nightmare, a remnant of my dream that was ingrained in my eyes, a phantasm born of sleep and shadows. This new day was going to bring me a fragment of reality. My first day of school was starting... again! My dad was in the kitchen. He was cooking something... It smelled good, as usual.

"Good morning, dad."

"Good morning, Sara. Are you hungry? Breakfast will be ready in no time. In the meantime, please enjoy a cup of peppermint tea."

"I'm not really hungry. I would have preferred a large cup of coffee right now... but a cup of tea sounds lovely too." I said grinning.

"Why? How did you sleep?" dad said, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Barely." I admitted, the weight of the previous night's dream still heavy upon my mind.

"It's expected. It's hard to find comfort in a new bed."

"I don't think the bed is to blame." I murmured. "This house... it's weird! It gave me the weirdest nightmare."

"What kind of nightmare? What was it about?"

"Ironically, my first day of school." I said, without going into detail.

"Unfortunately, I didn't really have much of a choice. This house came as a perk of keeping my job. They're letting us stay here for free. At least I got to choose the school I thought would be the best fit for you."

"Maybe we'll move into a brighter house one day..." I mused.

"I don't know, Sara. This house is really growing on me." dad said with a huge grin on his face.

"Your way of being funny is otherworldly."

"Breakfast is ready!"

The Bakken residence was an impressive house. It was roomy and pleasing to the eye, hinting at a life of luxury in the past. I think this house could accommodate at least ten people. It was a house that not everybody could afford. This made it even stranger. How had dad managed to find himself holding the keys to this house? Does the company he works for care so much about him? Something doesn't add up. I decided to use my phone to do a background check on the Internet before leaving for school. The only information I found was that the previous family left abruptly ten years ago, after a member of their family, their daughter, died under mysterious circumstances. The article didn't go into much detail, it didn't mention if the death happened outside or inside the house. This could be a valid reason why dad got this house for free. Nobody wanted to live here anymore!

Dad offered to walk me to the new school. This brought back memories of the nightmare I had. There was a lot of hesitation and worry hovering above my head. My father's sense of orientation was well developed, better than mine. He always remembered how to get places with just one look at a map. The school wasn't that far away anyway, walking by foot was a delight for both of us. Fortunately, our walk to school was quiet and peaceful, devoid of dream-related events. As we neared the school, I stopped and hid behind a tree, pulling dad next to me. A weird feeling of embarrassment washed over me. I pulled him closer and I made sure no one sees us.

"So..."

"So..."

"This is it..." I said, looking into my father's eyes.

Dad had a wondering smile, like he felt something disturbs me. Luckily, he didn't insist. I wouldn't have told him about last night. It was just a dream. He wouldn't have believed me anyway.

"Look, I bought you something."

"A diary?"

"I hope it will be of help to you, to unload your soul, to be like your first friend here."

I looked at the diary with reluctance, the idea of confiding my innermost thoughts on a piece of paper seemed foreign and daunting to me.

"I think I'd like to make some human friends at first."

"All in good time, of course. Shall I come and walk you home after school?"

"I don't think it's necessary. You're busy at work and I have already memorized the way home."

"Very well then..." dad sighed.

He handed me the diary. I looked at him with sulky eyes. I never needed a diary, but I accepted it anyway.

"Goodbye, dad! Have a nice day at work."

"I'll see you home, Sara!"

This grandiose school was lay out in front of me. As I crossed the threshold of the front gate, I felt like stepping into another world, another realm waiting to be explored. I started walking on the sidewalk, slowly, spinning around little by little. It was a huge yard, but there were barely any people around. I guess most students were already inside. This yard was full of trees, old and new buildings, benches and meandering alleys. There were even walnuts! Lost in this spectacle, I began to walk backwards and, by mistake, I bumped into someone... or something. When I turned around, the Sun blinded me. I couldn't see who I bumped into, all I managed to say was:

"Sorry, I wasn't..."

"Don't worry, it happens."

These words came from a thick voice. His figure drew closer, completely blocking the Sun. At first I thought I bumped into the Moon, then I thought he was a teacher, but, as his figure became clearer, he turned out to be a random boy. He smiled and looked at me gently. I replied with a forced smile, but my gaze was rather curious. His brown eyes met my green eyes with a gentle intensity. He was a tall boy, about ten centimeters above my head. He looked Japanese, but he had some foreign features too. His hair was goofy and brown, about the same color as mine. His gaze was giving a sense of confidence and familiarity, but also a hint of mischief. After a few seconds of silence and curious looks, his voice startled me:

"Hey! Is anyone there? I'm Josh." he said, reaching his right hand out, showing that he wanted to meet me.

Josh? His name didn't sound very Japanese to me, further confirming he's not entirely from around here.

"I am Sara! Nice to meet you." I replied, shaking his hand.

"You're not from around here, are you? Are you our new classmate?"

For a boy I've just met, his confidence was a bit of a surprise to me. He seemed comfortable and open, as if he already knew me. I had to try to be as open.

"Your new classmate? How would you know that?"

"Our math teacher mentioned yesterday that a new classmate from outside of Osaka will join us today. And I pretty much know everyone around here."

"I see. I do stand out in this huge crowd of people." I smiled.

"What brings you to Osaka?"

"Nothing brings me here. It wasn't really my decision. My dad and I moved here from Nikko yesterday, for business reasons."

"Did you move to the Bakken residence, by any chance?"

"You seem to know plenty of stuff about me." I said, smiling in confusion."

"I live in the... area. And yesterday I saw a man and a young girl moving into the residence. So, I put two and two together."

"Now I'm beginning to think everyone knows where I live."

"You said you've moved in with your father. What about your mother?"

Josh's question, though well-intentioned, cut through the facade of politeness, leaving me momentarily stunned.

"Mom? My mom... she's not with us anymore."

"Where is she?"

"My mom passed away. I was young, only six years old. I barely remember her. All I have left is one picture keeping her memory alive."

"I am sorry to hear that, Sara. It must be hard to lose a parent, a loved one."

"Thank you! It is hard, time heals inner wounds, but she will always be a part of me. Enough about me. What about..."

"Sara! Do you need someone to show you around the school and its surroundings?" Josh said, changing the subject.

"I should." I admitted. "I need to get familiar with the campus as soon as possible."

"There's plenty of time for a complete tour. The first class starts in 15 minutes."

I ran my hand through my hair and nodded in approval. It was logical that I wanted to know more about this place and Josh seemed very nice and friendly. I was still a little shy, so I let Josh do the talking. During the tour, Josh started naming people and places.

"That one is Mrs. Nakamura, Sports teacher. I think you two will get along, if you're any good at handball. The gym is right through that door. There is Mr. Takahashi, History teacher. That girl carrying those books is Sakura, our class leader..."

As Josh guided me through the school hallways, I couldn't help but notice that many students glanced at me, sometimes curious, sometimes puzzled. It was obvious why, I was the new student, the new face around here. After the tour concluded, Josh offered to help me with anything school related. I was grateful for his support. Josh showed me to the classroom. The door was wide open, welcoming all of us. As I stepped through, dozens of wondering faces turned around, looking at me in unison. Their collective gaze bore into me, igniting a flush of embarrassment that crept up my neck.

"Good morning." I said, my voice trembling nervously.

The teacher rose from his chair, extending his arms in a welcoming way.

"Good morning and welcome to our school. You must be Sara Gin. I am Mr. Kenshi Takahashi, your History teacher."

"It's nice to meet you." I replied, returning his gesture with a respectful bow.

The teacher bowed his head briefly. The other classmates rose to their feet and bowed their heads towards me, offering their own greetings. Instinctively, I did another bow, mirroring their actions. The teacher continued:

"I'm glad you found the classroom." Mr. Takahashi remarked, his tone warm and encouraging.

"I had some help." I added, offering a grateful nod to Josh.

"Please, have a seat." Mr. Takahashi said, gesturing towards a couple of empty desks in the back, next to the windows. "It's time to start the class."

"Thank you." I sighed in relief.

All the students sat down. There were three empty desks, I sat on the first one, behind a classmate. Josh sat behind me, I felt a little safer having a somewhat familiar face around. As the classroom fell into a hushed silence, Mr. Takahashi started teaching. Each class, no teacher would check if students are missing. Josh told me that it rarely happens that someone would be absent without motive. Students here were very conscious and punctual. The first day of school was quite enjoyable and in no way what I expected. I was grateful that the teachers did not dwell too much on my status as the new student. All they asked of me was to introduce myself, no personal stuff needed. They treated me like any other student. Josh's guidance throughout the day was really helpful too. I hope I will be able to return his favor in time, his kindness won't go unnoticed.

As the final bell rang and classes concluded, everyone gathered in the school yard, formed small groups, chatting, then headed home. As Josh said he lives in my area, I thought I'd wait for him by the front door. I didn't catch the moment he left the classroom, I don't know how I missed him. Under a walnut tree, on a bench, a boy caught my attention. He kind of reminded me of myself, maybe I wasn't the only new student here. He sat there alone, a few meters away from the other students. With his legs tightly close and his arms resting on his knees, he suddenly looked up at me. I looked behind me, nobody was there. I was pretty sure he was staring at me. He had a piercing odd look, slightly menacing. A chill crept up my spine as our eyes met. For a few long seconds, my gaze was stuck on him. I felt an odd cold in the palm of my hands.

"Sara!" Josh said, startling me. "May I accompany you on our way home?"

"Gladly. Where have you been? You must've slipped by me." I said, grateful for the chance to escape the gaze of the mysterious boy.

Josh grinned at me, offering no reply. I was glad he offered to accompany me. I felt a tad safer in his presence. That boy on the bench, who could he be? His image imprinted on my mind, I thought about him constantly. I was obsessed because I didn't understand who he was and why he was staring at me that way. The walk home was short and Josh's company ended quickly.

"See you tomorrow, Sara!" Josh said, walking further down the street.

"Definitely, Josh! Goodbye!"

Thus ended the first day of school. I realized that I worried in vain. Everything went pretty well, except for the staring contest with the boy on the bench. He was still lingering on my mind. On the bright side, I made a friend. The Bakken residence was waiting for me. I still didn't feel at home when I was crossing the threshold into this house. I was alone, my dad was still at work. I decided to make myself busy, to get to know this house better. Yesterday, I didn't really have the time or the mood to explore. I thought I'd start downstairs, with the living room. It was the most spacious and most illuminated room in the entire residence.

As I entered the living room, I noticed a series of markings etched into the door frame, accompanied by numbers. These numbers seem to have marked the height of a child. Many families had probably lived in this house. In the further corner, a black musty desk caught my attention. It had 7 drawers, each of a different color, like the rainbow. The drawers were empty, but the purple one was different. It had this big symbol drawn inside. I couldn't read it clearly, so I pulled harder. The drawer came out of the desk, dropped on the floor and fell apart, revealing a framed black and white photograph. The symbol looked like a sigil, it said curse. What curse? Who believes in curses anymore? Three figures stared back at me from within the faded frame: a young man who was definitely from Japan, a woman of foreign origins and, cradled in their arms, a boy only a few months old.

Turning the photograph over, I found three letters inscribed in ink: YMJ. There was something else written under those three letters, but the ink was all faded. I managed to decipher a few words, I think it was something about family and death, an odd combination of words. I managed to put the drawer back together and inside the desk, but I kept the framed photo. As I inspected more rooms looking for more framed photos, I found none. The one from the living room was the only photograph left behind, perhaps forgotten. I would've loved to know more about the family in the photo. I took the photo upstairs, in my room and I searched the Internet for those three initials, YMJ. Nothing concludent came up, nothing about a family that might have lived in this house.

The Sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the sky. It was almost evening. This whole wandering around the house was pretty exhausting. I retreated to my bedroom and I planted myself on the chair, near the window, to watch the sunset again. Outside, I heard vague voices, a discussion between at least two people. I soon recognized one of the voices was my father's, he was finally coming home from work. But I couldn't figure out who the other person was. I heard a reply, words that reminded me of my dream.

"You should leave this house! This place hasn't been inhabited in years for good reasons." this stranger said, with a hint of worry and ominosity in his voice.

I got up from the chair immediately. Those words couldn't just be a coincidence. Through the window, I caught a figure walking away from my father. What the...?? He was... the boy from school, the one on the bench. He knew where I live! Surely he followed me. Why is he talking to dad? Dad suddenly ended the conversation with him.

"I would appreciate if you'd leave us alone." dad said, somewhat bothered by what the boy said.

I rushed downstairs to greet dad. I was so confused, I needed answers and dad might have them.

"Dad! I am so glad you're home!"

"Sara! Sorry I'm late. This first day of work was loaded, it'll take a while for me to get used here. How was school?"

"School was... uneventful." I lied. "Who-who was that boy?"

"I have no clue. He didn't bother to introduce himself. He suddenly crossed my path and decided to strike a conversation."

"What did he tell you?"

"He didn't say much, but he insisted on leaving this house without offering a good reason. He kept telling me that terrible things happened here." dad said, trying to discredit the boy.

"Terrible things? If I am to be frank, I did some research about this house in the morning."

"What research? What did you find?"

"The previous owners left this place on bad terms. Their daughter... may have died inside this house." I said with hesitation.

"Sara, I promise. I didn't know anything about this." dad said, worried and surprised.

"Did that boy tell you anything else?"

"What? Why? Do you know him?"

"I do not know him. But, at school, I had a weird encounter with him, from a distance. He just sat there alone on a bench and kept staring at me. What if he followed me home? And now he's talking to you?! Maybe we should call the police."

"Maybe we're being too rash. I can't call the police. He's probably long gone by now and he didn't really offer me any good reason to be concerned about him. Just empty warnings."

"I don't know, dad. Something doesn't feel right."

"You know what? I'm starving. Will you join me for dinner? I can't wait to hear how your first day of school was like."

Dad was always good at changing the subject, but also annoying sometimes. I guess he just wants to make me feel better and forget about it. The dinner he cooked helped as usual. Dad has this saying: A full stomach removes any worries. I don't know where he got that from. I started telling him about my day, about school, about my new friend, Josh. He told me about this funny accidents he had during his first day at work and how he tried to make a couple of jokes to break the ice to no avail. I laughed to tears for minutes. It was the most enjoyable dinner of my life. The soft beckoning of the bed called upon me. I was looking forward to a new day of school, to my surprise. With a weary sigh, I turned off all the lights and lay on my bed. A gentle knock at the door heralded my father's presence. He slowly opened the door, walked quietly, and sat next to me. We stared at each other for a few seconds. His gaze conveyed that he will try his best to protect me, to make me feel safe. My gaze replied with the affirmation that I always appreciated him for that. I couldn't wish for a better dad.

"Dad?" I whispered, breaking the silence in the room. "Do you like this house?"

"I didn't find any reasons to dislike it until hearing the news you delivered to me today. Why are you asking?"

"Ever since I set foot inside, I've just felt this... sadness, this loneliness lingering in the air."

"I can't say I've felt that too. To me, it feels like any other house. In time, I will get used to it. I hope you will do too."

"I hope so. Maybe one day it'll be like home." I said with a sliver of yearning in my voice. "Good night, dad!"

"Good night, Sara!"

As he departed, leaving me to the warm embrace of my bed, I tried to sleep, to forget about the mysterious boy and just focus on the nice things that happened to me today. Half an hour went by, but sleep eluded me. Visions of that boy flashing into my mind were tormenting me. A gust of wind rattled the window. I got up from the bed, drawn to the window by mere curiosity. Outside, there was a terrible darkness. Across the road, behind a tree, two tall and glowing eyes gleamed from the shadows. A loud voice, that could be heard from all around, began to shout repeatedly:

"Find your father! Find your father..."

"My father?"

"I can't come in. He won't let me!"

In the blink of an eye, the two glowing yellow eyes rushed towards me, slamming into the window. A loud bang startled me. As I woke up, I stared dumbfounded to my left, the bedroom's door was wide open. To my right, the Sun flooded my eyes with ray of lights. Was it all just another dream? Who burst the door open so loudly? All my thoughts were set on my father, a deep sense of unease troubled me. I got up from bed quickly and rushed down the stairs to the ground floor, my footsteps echoing through the house. I expected to find dad in the kitchen, cooking, as usual. But not this morning... The kitchen lay silent and still. No trace of a meal being prepared, no smell of freshly cut vegetables, nothing. A gnawing fear gripped my heart. Where could my father be? Was he still sleeping? I raced upstairs to his bedroom, but stopped in my tracks at the front of the door, as if I didn't want to wake him up. I turned the doorknob and whispered:

"Father! Are you there? Can I come in?"

There was no answer. I opened the door widely and a cool breeze hit me. The window was open and the curtain waved in the wind, announcing that no one was in the room. The bed looked crumpled, it usually wasn't. Maybe dad had an emergency at work and left in a hurry. Maybe he left a note on the fridge when he left, as he always does. I went down to the kitchen, but there was nothing on the fridge's door. I would've looked for him at work, if I had known where he's office building is. I never knew much about the professional side of his life. He doesn't talk about it that much anyway. I calmed down a bit. I was content with the idea that he was at work. I could handle going to school by myself, I always did. I got ready in a matter of minutes, I grabbed a jacket from the wardrobe and went straight to school.

The school hallways were empty, a sign that I might be late to classes. At the far end of the hallway stood Josh. Something was different, there was a secretive air about him. He was smiling and holding his hands behind his back. He greeted me, so did I. Josh reached out his right hand, revealing a single crimson rose. I was dumbfounded, I didn't know what to say. I really love roses, my father used to offer them often to me back in Nikko. I didn't expect Josh to offer me one. I couldn't take my eyes off of Josh's gaze.

"Sara?" Josh greeted me.

To end the odd silence, I reached for the rose. At that very moment, a gust of wind swept through an open window, engulfing the rose like a spiral. The rose turned gray and shriveled, like the wind sucked the life out of it, scattering it petals on the floor. Josh's face changed completely. We were both shocked by the sudden death of the rose. Then, I saw him outside, through the window. The mysterious boy, just sitting there on a bench. He had the same incomprehensible obscure gaze. He gave me an odd nod, then he stood up and disappeared like a phantasm behind the trees. This couldn't just be a coincidence. I turned to Josh. He was still staring at the petals scattered on the floor. He looked mad and sad.

"Josh! Josh?"

"Sara, I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault."

"This wasn't just any flower. This was..."

"Did you see that boy outside?" I said, interrupting Josh.

"Boy? Which boy?"

"Oh, you missed him."

"We should go. We're late for class." Josh said, with a sadness in his voice.

Eventually, Josh started talking to me about school stuff, but I didn't really hear what he was saying. I was still thinking of the mysterious boy. The classes made this day pass quickly. The flurry of activity with teachers and classmates served as a temporary distraction from negative thoughts. I planned on looking for that boy after classes. I needed answers, I needed an explanation. Maybe he will be sitting alone on the same bench again. So, I waited in the hallway looking through the window, waiting for the mysterious boy to emerge. After two minutes, he came from behind the trees, sat on the same bench and looked around. Most of the students were gone home, the hallways and the yard were empty. I hastened to meet him, I didn't want him to leave. When I reached the door, Josh greeted me.

"Sara! What are you doing? Where have you been? I've been looking for you."

"I've been waiting..."

"For me?"

I looked again at the bench. Magically, the boy was gone, no trace of him. I looked at Josh frustrated.

"Not for you... We should go." I said disappointed.

"That's why I've been looking for you."

Maybe I shouldn't have taken it onto Josh, it wasn't his fault. When I got close to the Bakken residence, as dad was still at work, I found myself yearning for companionship. I didn't want to be alone again in this house.

"Josh? May I ask for a favor?"

"What favor?" Josh said reluctantly.

"Will you hang with me in the house?"

"Sara, I can't..."

"Why not?"

"My parents are waiting for me. I am already kind of late."

"What happened? Where do you live?"

"Not far, down the street."

"Can I come to see where you live?"

"Not today. Maybe some other day."

"Why?"

"I have to go. Goodbye, Sara!" Josh said, his words tinged with a sense of finality.

"Josh!"

He left in a hurry. He seemed troubled, worried.

"Goodbye..." I said disappointed.

Soon after Josh left, I decided to follow him. I really didn't want to be alone in this house. Keeping the distance to not get noticed, further down the road, Josh took a left and entered through a gate. When I reached the gate, I gazed over the fence. This was a graveyard. In the distance, Josh was standing between two graves, placing a crimson rose on each one. Who was he visiting? His grandparents? Above us, the sky slowly turned gray. Rainy clouds gathered, setting forth a stormy day. I had no choice, I had to rush home. I had to get inside the house. As I stepped inside, the silence echoed from every corner of the house. I headed to the kitchen, I had to calm my hungry stomach.

In the fridge, there was ice cream, strawberry flavored, my favorite. I looked outside, through the window flooded by raindrops. Nature had been unleashed on this city. I always liked the sound of rain. It reminded me of the days when my dad and I locked ourselves in the house, cooked pancakes and read short horror stories by the candlelight, while enjoying a big cup of tea. But my dad wasn't here right now, he hadn't arrived home yet. It was 5 PM, he had to be home by now. I tried calling him on his personal phone, but he didn't answer.

"Where could he be? Why is he so late?" I sighed, while swallowing spoonfuls of ice cream.

I wish the night hadn't come today. The thought of having to spend a whole night alone in this big house that gives me the creeps had me terrified. Night came, my mind and body longed for sleep, the bed was calling me again. In the confusing realm of dreams, I found myself transported to a familiar place, a childhood memory. I was under the walnut of my childhood, with Zak and Asuna by my side, we marveled at the dancing leaves, trying to distinguish strange shapes. As usual, Zak had the most playful and creative imagination.

"Look there, to the right! The leaves on that branch look like a... a hand... with four fingers."

"Look on your left!" Asuna added. "Those leaves look like a hand without a finger."

I didn't see anything, I couldn't understand how their imagination worked. I was seeing... leaves. I made an effort, I didn't want to be the only one without imagination. I was enveloped by the magic of this moment.

"Wait a moment... A hand with four fingers and a hand without a finger? But... they're the same thing! Look over there, by the edge, that leaf looks like a... door ajar. Zak? Asuna?"

I didn't get an answer. When I looked around me, Zak and Asuna were gone. A feeling of uncertainty came over me. Have they really been here, next to me? When I stood up, from nowhere, I heard a voice, an echo:

"Why? Stop!"

"One by one! There's no place for you here!"

I was confused. Was this voice talking to itself, answering its own questions? When I looked up, a strange ghost-like shape with no eyes in its sockets appeared out of nowhere and pushed me into the trunk of the walnut, then vanished. I shuddered again, the echoes of this nightmare were still ringing in my ears. I buried my face into my hands. I was covered in sweat and I was breathing heavily. My lips were trembling uncontrollably and I felt a slight pain in the back. It took me a few minutes to calm down. When I checked my phone, it was around 6 AM and no call from dad. I had hoped he'd be home, sleeping in his bed or getting ready for work, but he was nowhere to be found in this house. Could he have arrived late and went early to work again? I tried calling him again, but to no avail. As I was sitting concerned on my bed, my eyes gazed upon the diary dad gifted me. I guess there is no better time that the present. I had an hour to kill anyway, so I've started writing all the events that unfolded in my life since I got to Osaka. With a heavy heart, I set out for school. It was high time for me to escape from this house, from the dreams that haunted me.

At school, the bustling hallways echoed with chatter of students. I half-expected to find Josh waiting for me at the end of the hallway to greet me with the same smile as yesterday. Yet, as I ventured into the hallway, no trace of him greeted my eager eyes. Indeed, it was a bit crowded, but I could easily spot Josh because of his height. I inspected the hallway very carefully, but Josh remained elusive. There was no trace of him, not even a similar looking boy to apologize to for confusing him with Josh. I went into the classroom hoping that Josh would be there, but... the same, no sign of him. The only idea that came to my mind was to ask a classmate. Seated in front of me was Asuka. I touched her slightly on the shoulder, she turned to me smiling.

"Hello!"

"Hello to you too, Sara!"

"Sorry to bother you, but have you seen Josh? I've been looking for him for a while. Do you know if he's at school today?"

"Josh? Josh who?" Asuka replied, with confusion in her gaze.

Josh who? There was only one Josh in the classroom. Doesn't she know the name of her classmates?

"Josh who? Josh... about this tall, brown hair... I don't need to describe him to you. You-you already know Josh! He sat right behind me these few past days." I stammered, struggling to reconcile her denial with the reality I knew.

But my words fell on deaf ears, her confusion deepening with each passing moment. Asuka looked at me puzzled, she didn't know whom I was talking about.

"You're scaring me, Sara! Are you feeling well? Nobody sat behind you. That desk has been empty since the school year started. Did you hit your head or something?"

Asuka reached for my forehead trying to check my temperature, but I pulled away.

"I am sorry, I don't mean to overstep. But I mean it, we have no classmate with this name. Josh... it doesn't sound familiar at all. Maybe you mean Hajime, he fits your description the best.

I grabbed Asuka by the shoulders, I was already a little panicked and angry.

"What's wrong with you? Can't you remember Josh?"

Asuka looked at me dumbfounded, she seemed irritated by my reaction. She grabbed my hands, pushed me away, and said repulsively:

"Let go of me, Sara! You're scaring me to death! Don't you get it? There is no Josh among our classmates."

Asuka's denial struck something inside me. If I had to be honest with me, I don't think I've ever seen Josh interacting with anyone in this classroom, but me. At that moment, I started questioning my ability of grasping what's real or not. How could she not remember Josh? What could have happened to him? Is Josh even real? The teacher joined the classroom, signaling that the class was about to begin. All day long, I waited for a teacher or a classmate to mention Josh's name. Maybe someone knew what happened. But, nothing, nobody noticed Josh's absence. Josh behaved weird yesterday. He was in a hurry to meet his parents. Did something happened between them, after he left the graveyard? However, it made no sense. It seemed he had magically been erased from everyone's memory, but mine. Why not mine?

The end-of-class bell jolted me back to reality. This was the real world, a mundane world that always functioned according to a certain rhythm. As normal as it could be, as much it surprised me with unexplainable events. I had to talk to Asuka again. I couldn't really blame myself for our previous encounter, but I wanted to end this school day with peace of mind. I think I scared her badly and I didn't want the leave it like that. Maybe we can be friends in the foreseeable future. Waiting patiently for the teacher and my classmates to leave the classroom, I tried to find Asuka in the dizziness that usually comes after classes. Minutes pass, but there was no trace of her. I rushed down the hallway, then into the school yard, hoping she would be there. But the crowd in the yard was too big, she was lost amidst the sea of faces that blurred together in my frantic search. I went back to the classroom, I had to grab my backpack and jacket. The cold air in Osaka started seeping into my bones, I began to tremble uncontrollably. In the rush to regain the warmth of my jacket, I bumped into someone.

"Sorry..." I stammered.

"No worries... Sara?"

"Asuka!" I exclaimed in relief at the sight of her.

For a second, I thought that, same as Josh, people wouldn't remember me either.

"You know my name!" I blurted out, the words tumbling from my lips before I could stop them.

"Of course... Why do you look surprised?" Asuka replied.

"I've been looking for you. Where were you? Do you have a few seconds?"

"I didn't attend the last class. I've been feeling weird all day. I didn't feel like myself. I went to the nursery, I feel better now. Didn't you notice my absence?"

My mind was all over the place, still trying to understand what happened to Josh. No wonder I didn't notice her absence.

"What did you want to tell me?" Asuka said.

"I owe you a huge apology, Asuka. My reaction from earlier was out of line. I never meant to behave that way."

"Apologies accepted!" Asuka said without hesitation. "There is nothing to worry about, Sara."

I smiled, I was genuinely surprised. To show my gratitude, I bowed shortly. Asuka smiled and bowed back. Maybe this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. We gazed into each other's eyes. Her face suddenly became serious. She grabbed me by the shoulders and shouted in a thick voice:

"Run away!"

It all happened in a blink of an eye. Her face returned to normal right away.

"Goodbye, Sara! See you tomorrow." Asuka said, smiling as nothing happened.

"Goodbye...?" I said, dumbfounded.

Asuka left right away, leaving me to wonder. What was that? What just happened? Run away? Why? From what? And why the thick voice? With more questions than answers on my mind, I left the school premises. I needed to be alone, to process what just happened. I had no desire to rush home, so I wandered in my path, taking a detour. A familiar scent lured me, a scent carried by a cool breeze. I deeply breathed it in... As I let myself being lured further and further, I found myself beneath the crown of a walnut. A vertigo shrouded over me. I fell on my back, looking up at the barely visible sky through the walnut leaves. With each breath, I felt slipping further into a world that straddled the line between dream and reality. I was in an impossible place, an unreal place.

I was walking slowly and curiously. I found myself traversing a surreal landscape, my footsteps guided by instinct alone. Beneath my feet, there was a blue canvas-like floor rippling with chaotic shades of gray. I couldn't tell if I was walking on it or... on nothing. To my left and right, a multitude of bright green doors stretched along an endless hallway. Before me, the doors had numbers on them, behind me, they had letters. A desperate voice started shouting:

"Sara! Sara!"

It was an unmistakable voice. It was dad!

"Where are you? I can not see you! Show yourself!"

"I'm here! Follow my..."

But his voice stopped, like he was ripped out of this place.

"Dad? Dad!" I shouted.

"Sara, is that you?" a thick voice said.

This thick voice sounded familiar, in a strange way.

"Who-who are you?"

"Run away!" the voice said, echoing all around me.

The voice suddenly stopped. Run away? I was now determined more than ever to find the source of this voice, I had to know what his warning was about. I started opening doors left and right, hoping I would find dad and the strange voice, but beyond each of them I found only void, only darkness. As I opened the fifteenth door, behind it, in the darkness, two glowing yellow eyes stared right at me.

"Dad?"

"Run away!"

Two long arms, caught in chains, raised from the darkness. Whatever it was, it must've been chained up for a good reason. Behind me, I noticed the sixteenth door opened wide. From the darkness, a human figure shining bright like the Sun emerged. From the fifteenth room, a sudden gust of wind pushed me right through the shining figure, inside the sixteenth room. As I fell on the floor, I was quickly sucked into an abyss of darkness. I managed to get a final glimpse at this bright silhouette slowly losing its shine and heading towards the fifteenth room. A long fall followed, a dizzying fall into an abyss of pure darkness, endlessly. I was falling at an amazing speed, which felt like the speed of light. In the distance, a green dot emerged. I went through it without hesitation. When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by leaves, large walnut leaves covering me with their shadow. I was truly happy to see them... What was that place? That distorted world... was it just a dream?

A surge of concern washed over me. I felt a strong need to get to the Bakken residence as fast as possible. I started running, my forced breath was full of despair. As I arrived, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. The front door was wide open, revealing that I had an uninvited guest. I cautiously approached the door, inspecting it for signs of forced entry, but there were none. The only person who knew where the backup keys were hidden was dad, it had to be him. Nobody else could cross my mind, this made me slightly calmer. I stepped inside slowly and cautiously, closing the door behind me. The floor creaked threateningly.

"Dad?" I said, with fear in my voice.

I checked the kitchen first. Nobody was there. I headed for the living room, carefully inspecting it, turning around. If my dad was really home, I wanted him to find me here, in this well-lit room. I didn't want to be part of anyone's game. After a long period of complete stillness, when the hope I would get an answer almost faded, a thick strange voice shattered the silence:

"Nobody is here!"

Kind of ironic, wasn't it? How can nobody answer back?! Caught between fear and curiosity, I squared my shoulders and demanded answers from the unseen presence that lurked inside.

"Who are you? Show yourself!"

As the echoes of my words faded into the darkness, silence descended once more, leaving me to confront the chilling realization that I wasn't alone in this house. As seconds ticked by, I heard faint steps from all around. With bated breath, I heard as the front door creaked open, then slammed shut. I didn't know what was waiting for me, I didn't know who that could be. I slowly retreated to the darkest corner of the room. I could hear footsteps, big steps that seemed to be heading to the living room. And then, he emerged from the gloom. He looked tall and solid, but I couldn't tell who he was. He was a dark silhouette standing in faint light. I couldn't distinguish colors. I simply froze. I did not know what to do. Crouched in the darkness, I buried my face in my hands, willing for this nightmare to end. I waited... I could hear the slow steps of this shadow cloaked in mystery. I knew he was drawing near and I was terrified. I counted his steps, but each sounded the same. I didn't know if he was getting closer or further from me. And then, two warm hands enveloped mine, gently lifting the veil of darkness and giving me light.

"Josh? Josh!" I exclaimed, as I touched his cheeks with my palms and looked at him joyfully.

"Someone missed me."

"You've gone missing!" I shouted. "Where have you been? You didn't come to school today. I asked about you, but nobody remembered you. How is that possible?"

"Sara, it's complicated. I can't really explain it, I am afraid you wouldn't understand."

"What? What are you talking about? Complicated how?"

"If I had to put it in simpler terms, I was never there."

"That doesn't make any sense. I clearly remember you being there, talking to me."

"Yes, YOU did!"

"I don't get it. Are you saying that I am the only one that remembers you? How?"

"I can't offer you any more details. I really can't..."

"You can't offer me..." I said quite angry and disappointed. "Why are you even here, Josh? What is the meaning of all of this?"

"This I can share with you. I am here to retrieve an item."

"What item? What for?"

"An item that could help me get rid of someone, hopefully forever."

"Someone? Me?"

"Not you. I actually am here because I need your help on this matter."

"Why would I help you? I don't even know if I can trust you anymore, you being all secretive."

"There is this place, like a prison, the Infinity Hall. You know it, you've been there today."

"The place... with many doors? How do you know about it?"

"I found myself wandering there too. And you've met someone there, remember those glowing yellow eyes."

"That thing... in the chains."

"That thing... I put it there. I want to end its existence."

"Why? What did it do to you?"

"That creature is... the reason my parents are dead. If we don't hurry, your father might meet the same fate."

I was shocked. I felt Josh's sadness and anger lingering in the air as he felt mine when I first met him. Those two graveyards... His parents are dead, my mom too. I needed my father alive!

"I am really sorry I lied, Sara. Will you help me?"

"Yes!" I said, as a deep urge to save my father washed over me. "What do you need me to do?"

"The item I am looking for is a framed photo."

"Any framed photo?"

"Did you find any in this house?"

"I found one in this very room. I took it upstairs, in my room. How is this going to help?" I said confused.

"We need fire."

After I gathered a lighter, Josh said:

"Where is your room? We should head there."

"Why a framed photo? I don't get it." I whispered.

"That's another thing I can't reveal to you."

Josh was full of secrets. But I had to trust him, if we were going to save my father. We headed towards my room. I was ready to burn whatever was needed.

"Josh! This house... gives me shivers big time. After I find dad, I want to get out of here, as far as possible. I hope your plan will work, even if you don't want to give me all the details. I hope you'll help me as I helped you."

There was no need for words to tell me what Josh's response was, it was written all over his face. I gently opened the door to my bedroom as if I didn't want to wake someone. My room looked exactly as I left it, nothing seemed to be touched. Only the wardrobe door stood ajar. Strange! I don't remember leaving it that way. I walked to the window sill, I put the framed photo in a metal tray and I set it on fire. Josh was watching me carefully, from a distance.

"If we're to burn more photos, not this one!" I said, while grabbing the only framed photo of my mother and holding it against my chest.

"No worries, this will suffice." Josh said, while keeping the distance from the slow burning photo on the window sill.

"How will I find my father? I tried calling him, he never answered. Is he really trapped in that prison?"

"You should try calling him again."

I didn't expect for it to work this time, but I had nothing to lose. As soon as I pressed the dial button, I heard the ringtone of my father's phone. It was close, it was actually coming from this very room. Was it coming from inside the wardrobe? I must check. Josh reluctantly stood behind me. Was he more afraid than I was? He didn't look very comfortable. Drawing a shaky breath, I finally reached for the wardrobe's door. After a loud creak, amidst the darkness that lurked within, I saw... the harrowing truth: inside, on the wooden stand, on the few racks left, there was hanging... my dad! He had a hanger stuck in his neck, his head was hanging one side and there was no trace of his eyes in the sockets. Horror and disbelief coursed through me, tears streaming down my cheeks as the cruel reality of his fate unfolded before my eyes. I was too late, I couldn't save him! I started sobbing. I fell to my knees, I felt... destroyed.

"Josh!" I cried. "We're too late! Your plan failed! Josh?"

But Josh never replied. Suspicious, but also fueled by anger and disappointment, I stood up with determination and turned to Josh. He was suddenly so silent. He started walking backwards with slow steps, retreating, until he disappeared into a corner of the room, in the darkness. I didn't understand what was wrong with Josh. I didn't know why he changed so radically. He was an entirely different person. What was going on here? The air around turned thick, hard to breathe and had a bitter taste. Even the light was struggling to break through. The final flame extinguished as the framed photograph burned to ashes. From the darkness, something was about to emerge. My logic told me it was Josh, but logic faltered in the face of the impossible. First, one leg emerged, then the other. Limb by limb, this creature materialized before me. The more I saw, the faster my heart beat, ready to burst.

Out of the darkness, out of the shadows, two red eyes glowed, then the impossible emerged: a tall creature, with sharp ears, a lion-like elongated mouth and a body covered in a deep black fur from head to toe. Was I dreaming? If it was a dream, it was a very deep one. I considered slapping myself twice to wake me up, but I was too afraid to do that. I couldn't move a single muscle. I was standing there petrified as my eyes stared in dread at the creature born from darkness. The creature, Josh, was standing still in front of me and breathing slowly, showing his teeth. I was gazing at him in fear, but his look was unshattered. I didn't know what to expect. I felt like a sponge soaked in water. I was sweating... a lot. I felt threads of water running down my forehead and my throat.

From the other side of the room, in a flash, Josh drew close, right next to me. I could feel his slow heavy breath that fluttered through my hair, I could feel the smell of his bitter demonic fur, a smell that made me feel he was craving blood and that it wasn't long before he would get it from me. And he felt my fear, an unrestrained fear that controlled me. My whole body was trembling, especially my lips. I slowly raised my eyes. His sharp teeth, dripping with saliva, were so close to the tip of my head. At that moment, fear reached its peak. As Josh opened his big mouth, ready to bite, I fell on my back, got up and ran. I rushed out the door, racing down the stairs to reach the ground floor. But Josh didn't follow me. I stopped at the end of the hallway. I wasn't sure if I should leave or stay. Was I crazy? I had to understand, I had to see what was next. I had to see what happened to Josh, to see if he was... evil. Part of me was telling me I would be mad if I stayed. But the madness in me was winning. I wanted to see what happened to Josh. Was this a sign of courage or naivety?

It was complete silence. I could hear anything, the slightest breeze crashing into the window or the flapping of a fly's wings. Time passed steadily. The silence of the house was prone to tell me that it was all over, but my heart kept telling me the exact opposite. It never ended with such ease. Never! I heard all the windows of the house slamming shut as if it were the wind's doing. I rushed to the door, now I was sure, I had to get out of this house. The fear inside me had surpassed my madness by far. I frantically tugged at the doorknob in all directions, but the door just wouldn't open. I was trapped inside. Pressed against the door and holding my mom's photo close to my heart, struggling with the realization that my fate hung in the balance, I had to use my brain, I had to find a solution. It seemed I was wrong. Josh wasn't going to stay upstairs forever. I could hear Josh coming down the stairs, I could hear the stairs creaking loudly under his new dimensions. Each ominous creak was like a harbinger of doom. Was this Josh? My heart wanted to say he wasn't, but reason and fear prevailed. It was clear to me, Josh was not what he seems.

"That's it for me!" I whispered to myself.

Josh was now at the further end of the hallway, heading towards me, but he wasn't in a hurry. Maybe he liked to play with the mind of his victims. I started saying out loud the words that went through my head.

"Think, Sara, think!"

Josh was getting closer, he was already halfway down the hall. As he took his next step, something or someone appeared out of thin air, like smoke, hurtling towards Josh with a violent tackle, their collision crashing both of them into the kitchen. What just happened? Who or what was that? A symphony of strange noises came from the kitchen: knocks, bumps, shattered glass, broken plates and deafening metal sounds. I slowly approached the kitchen, I had to see what was going on in there. In the heart of the kitchen a battleground emerged. There were two creatures, two beasts, Josh fighting against something else, a mysterious adversary. Then, I saw its glowing yellow eyes. It was it, behind the fifteenth door, it was the creature Josh was trying to get rid of, the creature that killed his parents. It was a fierce battle that reverberated through the very walls of the house, a battle of life and death. Whose side was I supposed to be on? Was any of these two beasts on my side anyway? Their bodies were flying all over the kitchen, they were moving so fast. Their fists clenched, as they were trying to outpower each other. Out of the heat of the fight, exhausted, Josh shouted:

"Sara! Don't just sit there! Find a way to help me!"

"What??"

A shroud of doubt washed over me. This creature clearly came here for Josh, but if it wins, what then? Was I going to be next? What was the truth? What was I supposed to believe? The other creature found the strength to replicate:

"Sara! I know you don't know me, but I know you! I am not your enemy."

"Don't trust him!" Josh intervened. "You don't know him! He's nothing! He's just a shadow!"

As the battle raged on, as their voices yearned for my allegiance, uncertainty clouded my judgment, casting doubt upon the true nature of those who stood before me. On the one hand, Josh was right. Why, all of a sudden, a creature that I do not know would pop out of thin air to save me? I don't even know if Josh was here to hurt me, maybe he just wanted to reveal his true self to me, however otherworldly and beyond belief. On the other hand, maybe this mysterious creature really saved my life here, it didn't give me any reasons to think it's an enemy. Streams of memories flooded my mind. I remembered the moment I accidentally bumped into Josh. I remembered Josh acting familiar around me, maybe too familiar. Most obviously, Josh had magically disappeared and everybody but me had forgotten him. Josh and his secrets... And this other creature... Ever since I got here, its haunting presence desired to throw me out of this house, as far as possible. I had to choose a side, I had to put my trust into the hands of one of these creatures.

The fight between the two continued. Josh's dark aura grew rapidly and rushed to the other creature, enveloping it. A gust of wind emerged out of nowhere, lifting knives and forks into the air and driving them into Josh's body, nailing him to the wall. A ray of light shined through Josh's dark aura. The other creature broke through and lunged at him, pinning him by his arms so he wouldn't escape. Josh struggled in anguish, he wanted to escape at any cost. With his last ounce of strength, Josh tried to weaken a knife and release his right hand. The other creature grabbed him by the hand and slammed it harder back into the wall. To everyone's shock, the knife popped out of Josh's hand and swung into the air straight towards my head. Instinctively, at the very last moment, I raised the photo I was holding, stopping the knife in its path. As the knife stuck into the framed picture, I dropped them both on the floor and the glass broke into dozens tiny pieces. Mom's pierced picture began to glow. The glass pieces started floating and gravitating around the knife. In the blink of an eye, the shards were drawn by the knife like a magnet and covered it entirely in a silver-like crust. Josh and the mysterious creature stared at the two-edged silver knife. They both seemed frightened at its gaze.

"Quickly!" Josh said. "Pick up that knife and end this creature!"

As I picked the knife by its adamantine handle and locked it in my right hand, they both seemed scared to death.

"What are you waiting for? Come on, straight into his heart!" Josh said in anguish.

With its last breath, the other creature replied:

"Daisy Sparkle..."

As I heard those two words, my eyes glimmered with dread and awe. With no hesitation and my last drop of courage, I raised the knife and lunged at the mysterious creature. Right before being pierced by the knife, the creature dodged, as my hand carried on, driving the knife straight into Josh's heart. The knife began to glow blindingly. Josh looked at me stunned, all I could see in his eyes was disbelief, shock, sadness and agony. He started to struggle. I felt his suffering, I felt the burning light that engulfed and overwhelmed his demonic body. Josh... As he managed to break free of the wall, his body began to disintegrate, falling apart. Gradually, he vanished into thin air like a dark powder, as his final gaze clung for this world. The silver knife fell on the floor, breaking into pieces and losing its shine. I heaved a sigh of relief, it was finally over. Behind me, the other creature was breathing heavily. I could see its effort was immense. I was grateful I got its message and we had faith in each other at the very end. It knew to dodge just in time. The air around me suddenly got cold. Oddly, I liked it, it was a... familiar cold.

"Why didn't you run away?"

"Run away?" I said, recalling the moments I've heard this before. Your voice... it's so familiar. It was you all this time. The dreams, Asuka, that prison, the fifteenth door. Who are you?

"You can call me... Nik." he replied cryptically.

"That's not what I meant! What... are you? Why are you here?"

"I can not tell you..."

"Why not?"

"Because I can show you..."

Nik got closer to me, to reveal himself fully. Now I was aware of whom I cooperated with. He was tall and firm, but his body looked kind of skinny. However, his dark grey skin inspired tenacity. He had this human-like appearance, but his hands, feet and the top of his head were covered in feathers. He took a deep breath and behind him two feathered wings spanned. He looked... like an angel.

"Close your eyes and you will see!" Nik said.

I decided to put my trust in him, so I complied. I felt Nik's hands covering my eyes and most of my head. A sense of tranquility washed over me. I liked this feeling. And so it began. It started like a dream. I found myself in the midst of a funeral, yet the significance of this eluded me. I started slipping through the crowd and although I was pushing people around, no one was reacting. They didn't feel or see me. I realized that the place I was now did not belong to the present, but to a distant past. The outfits people wore seemed from another century. When I reached the center of the crowd, I saw two gravestones. One had written Yoshi Bakken on it, the other, Marie Bakken, and both had written 1912. Bakken... the Bakken residence?!

A young man left the crowd. I thought I'd follow him, I found it strange for someone to leave in the middle of a funeral. The path he took seemed eerily familiar to me. At the end of the road, a boy was sitting in sorrow on the stairs in front of a house. That was the Bakken residence and that boy was none other than Josh. It hit me... Yoshi and Marie Bakken were Josh's parents. And I... I lived in Josh's house?! That's why he chose me as his... victim? I needed to better understand the meaning of this. As Josh got up and retreated into the house, I pursued, yearning to see this through. I saw him racing up the stairs. Josh was moving too fast, vanishing from sight. I couldn't keep up with him. I got upstairs and I started opening doors, looking for Josh. As I opened the door to my bedroom, I finally found Josh. He was hanging in the wardrobe, by a rope around his neck, looking down. He ended his life. How could he do that?! His pain must have been immense. A tear emerged from my left eye, falling on the floor.

By the wardrobe, on the floor, a framed photograph lay. Yoshi, Marie and Josh – YMJ! Those initials. It all made sense now. I realized that Josh really knew the anguish of having no parents. His pain was great, but not his resolve. Succumbing to despair, Josh took his own life. It seemed it wasn't over yet... Something began to emerge from Josh's body, little by little. As his soul, his spirit was leaving his body, it changed shape, slowly turning into the red-eyes creature. Josh, or rather the demon he became, cast its gaze upon me. Could he see me? I hoped not. He started moving, passing right through me. Terrified, I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I met Nik's gaze, which opened at the same time as mine. His eyes didn't glow anymore, I could see their brown color.

"Why did you show Josh's death to me?" I said, confused and saddened.

"I needed you to understand why Josh was bound to this house and why he chose you."

"I see now. The symbol in that drawer was a warning. The previous family that lived here must've hidden that photo for a reason. Their daughter was killed, definitely by Josh. They knew they couldn't set the demon free. That framed photograph of him and his parents was the only thing left to bound him to this house, this world."

"Bound to his human side. His demonic side took over, but not fully. He needed someone's help. Josh wasn't trying to get rid of me, he was trying to get rid of his humanity. He showed himself only to you and he made you trust him, while he was isolating you from the world."

"Josh was in agony."

"Josh had a weak will."

"Josh killed my father!" I said, realizing I shouldn't pity him anymore.

"I was supposed to protect you and your father. I tried to warn you in the ways I could, but I couldn't get through while Josh was around. In the end, I was too late."

"Protect us? Again, who are you? Why do you look like this? Are you... a demon?"

"I am not a demon. My appearance wasn't my choice."

"How did you look before?"

"I was human once, like you, like Josh."

"My mom's photo... The silver knife... Was that you? Did you make that happen?"

"You made that happen!"

"I... did?"

"I don't know how you did it. But I am sure you'll find the answer one day."

"I never cared for cryptic messages."

"Do your remember how your mother died?" Nik said with hesitation, trying to deflect.

"It was an unfortunate car accident. I barely remember that day. I survived, she didn't. My dad told me about it after a few years, when I grew older."

"I guess your dad went along with that, it was easier. He lied to you, Sara."

"How could you know that?"

"It's time for you to understand. Let me show you!"

And Nik made me see... He covered my head again with his large feathery hands. I was still in the past. It was raining hard, thunder and lightning engulfed the sky. By the corner of a street I saw a man shouting at his son. The boy's kept his head bowed and he sobbed in silence. The father was drunk, he kept assaulting his son in an extremely violent way. A car arrived in a hurry and stopped right next to them. A woman rushed out of the car.

"Mom will be with you right away, my sweet Daisy Sparkle." the woman said to a little girl in the car.

"Mom!" I whispered, as a feeling of joy washed over me.

I remember this day! I was astounded to see her in flesh and bones again. My mother quickly approached the two, putting herself in front of the boy, trying to speak to his father. She was trying to convince him to stop, to calm him down and to get them both home, out of this pouring rain. But the father didn't listen to her at all, the alcohol was blocking his hearing and his feelings. In anger, the man pulled out a knife from his jacket and, without hesitation, stabbed mom through her heart.

"Mom!" I shouted, but no one could hear me.

My mother fell on the ground. Her blouse was full of blood and her breathing was slowing down little by little. If only I could've intervened. But these events had already happened, I couldn't change the past. The father had not finished his matters yet. Violence and blood thirst showed all over his face. Using the same knife covered in my mother's warm blood, the man rushed to his son and did the same, stabbing him in his heart. The boy fell with his right hand over mom's body, rolling over face down. The father took one last look at his two victims lying on the ground. There was a sadistic smile on his face. Then he fled, disappearing into the cover of the rain. There was no one around, no one to help. I went near the two in a hurry. With my fingertips, I touched my mother's forehead. I wondered if I can feel her, it was my only chance. Her skin was hot, getting colder by the second. I neared the boy, grabbed his shoulders and turned him face up. I couldn't believe my eyes... This boy my mother tried to help was the boy on the bench. The mysterious boy from school, the boy who stared at me eerily, the boy who told my father to leave this house. A dark grey aura began to envelop his body.

"Sara! Sara? Can you hear me?" Nik said, trying to bring me back from this memory.

Nik unwrapped his hands off my head. As I opened my eyes, he took a step back.

"Why did you make me relive this painful memory my mind made me forget? Who is that boy?"

A dark grey aura surrounded Nik. His body began to change, to shrink. As the light went out, Nik's human form was left behind.

"You... You are the boy!" I said, caught by surprise.

"That's how your mother died, and... that's how I died."

"You are the mysterious bench boy!"

"That wasn't the first time I met you, Sara."

"I don't recall seeing you before."

"You were pretty young, only six years old, I was sixteen. I didn't really know your father, I've never met him, but our mothers were old friends from childhood. They were like sisters, almost inseparable. My dad died when I was only one year old. The one you saw in the vision was not my father. He was just my mother's attempt to find happiness again. But she gained the exact opposite. Your mother had always tried to help my mother. She wanted to protect me, but no one expected the events that unfolded that day. There was no trace of morality inside that man."

"All this time, it was you all along, trying to warn us, to protect us, my father and I."

"Remember the cool breezes you've felt touching your face. Or your first time entering this house. I tried to warn you even in your dreams. But my warnings couldn't get through to you."

"Have you always been watching over me?"

"This became my sole purpose. In a manner of speaking, you could say I am what people call a guardian angel. The day your mother died trying to save me, the moment that knife pierced my heart, there was only one image stuck in my mind: a confused six year-old girl looking sad through the window of a car, waiting for her mother to come back without realizing what happened before her eyes. Before my last breath, I made a promise to myself. To protect what your mother valued the most."

"I used to believe in guardian angels when I was little, never thinking I actually have one."

"I've always been by your side. From the moment you stepped inside this house, I felt Josh's presence. Josh was a peculiar entity. The demon he became had this impenetrable energy that shrouded the house. Josh also noticed my presence. I wanted to get close to you, to warn you, but Josh was always around you. Yesterday, as I was waiting for you on that bench, Josh took me by surprise. His dark aura overwhelmed me and he dragged me into that prison, locking me behind that door."

"How did you manage to break free?"

"I did not." Nik said with a slight hesitation. "As soon as the framed photograph you set on fire turned to ashes, Josh was no longer bound to this house. I'd been set free from my shackles."

"What was Josh trying to achieve? I wonder..."

"By breaking the bond to this house, to his family, he managed to remove the last shred of humanity left in him. The demon took over fully, as he become even stronger. I might've lost the fight again, but you were the element of surprise."

"It was a surprise for both of us. I have no idea what I did. Nik, the prison, my dad was there! I exclaimed."

"You are right. Your father's soul is trapped behind one of those doors, definitely Josh's doing."

"Can't we do something? Can we set dad free?"

"I can try to track him, maybe the trace of his soul will lead me right to the room he's being imprisoned in."

"I want to see what you see."

"You might not like what you'll see, Sara. Are you sure you want to go through this?"

I closed my eyes again, nodding in approval. Nik's hands covered my head again. I was drifting into another vision, I found myself inside dad's bedroom. The window was open and the curtain waved in the wind. Dad was sitting on the bed, looking outside, through the window. I gasped in fear. The demon, Josh, crawled inside through the window and looked at dad. Dad didn't react at all, he couldn't see the demon. Josh grabbed dad by the neck, lifting him in the air. Dad started to struggle, gasping for air, not understanding what was happening to him. Josh opened his mouth wide and a red glow emerged inside his throat. Dad's eyes slowly vanished from the sockets, turning into dust and flowing into the demon's mouth. Josh was sucking the life out of my dad.

"Dad!" I cried.

Josh, the demon, closed his mouth and vanished like a shadow. As dad's lifeless body fell on the floor like a rock, I saw his spirit, his soul rising up, exiting his body. My dad, his soul, stared in shock at his own dead body for a few seconds. Dad's face suddenly changed, like he had finally realized what happened to him. With a powerful scream, dad made the door burst wide open. Dad rushed into the hallway, heading towards my bedroom.

"Sara!" dad screamed again, as the door to my bedroom burst open with a bang.

I, Sara in the vision woke up startled, staring dumbfounded at the open door. From behind, two hands grabbed dad's soul. It was Josh, he was here to drag dad into the darkness, into the prison. Dad struggled, but the demon was too powerful.

"I remember this morning, Nik. This was the day dad went missing, this was the day dad..."

"I am sorry I couldn't protect him!" Nik interrupted. "I am sorry I couldn't protect you either! I was doomed to fail!"

"Why do you say you've failed? We've won!"

"When you'll meet me again, tell me to not break the loop!"

"What? What loop?"

But Nik never replied. I no longer felt his hands on my head.

"Nik?"

Little by little, I opened my eyes as I'd been waking up from a long sleep. I was in my room, but not in the Bakken residence anymore. I was in my hometown, Nikko. I sat on the edge of the bed, looking puzzled at the framed photos on the walls. How odd... I knew that the only framed photo of my mother was the one that had been broken into pieces in Osaka, but mom was showing in almost every photo on the walls. Impossible! My mother had been missing from my life for the past ten years. I checked the calendar above my desk. It indicated a date that brought up unpleasant memories: March 9th, 2008. Panicked, but intrigued, I rushed downstairs. Dad, dressed for work, Zak and Asuna have been waiting for me. The feeling of panic suddenly turned into a feeling of happiness. I was dumbfounded. I rushed to them impatiently and gave them the longest group hug. Dad didn't understand my reaction, he thought I hadn't seen him since yesterday. So did my friends. I knew the truth and there was no point in telling them. They wouldn't have believed me anyway, not even I was sure what was real anymore. Was it all a long nightmare?

"The school starts in half an hour! Do not forget, Sara!" dad said, as he was trying to break out of the hug.

I smiled at him and let him go. All of this was surreal. From the kitchen, I heard someone cooking, cutting onions, boiling water on the stove. As I stepped into the kitchen, there was mom! This morning was getting better and better. After all this time her missing from my life, I had the chance to see her again, to smile at her and to hold her in my arms. Nothing could compare. Dad, Zak and Asuna joined. Thus, a true big family hug brought all of us together. I didn't get how all of this happened. How did I get home? Mom and Dad were here, safe and... alive. In the middle of the hug, the doorbell rang. Who could that be, I wondered. More friends I may not know about? As I opened the door with hesitation, the Sun blinded me. A tall dark figure stood before me.

"Nobody is here!" the tall figure said.

That voice... that deep voice.

"Josh!"

As soon as I said his name, my vision got foggy, everything looked blurrier and blurrier around me. I looked at Josh, a malefic grin emerged on his face. His voice, his laughter, all ominous. Josh... I was dumbfounded and scared, I could barely keep my eyes open. After a few seconds, I shuddered. As my eyes opened, I found myself lying on the floor. I was in a gloomy room and around me was... nobody. Angst, confusion and disappointment washed over me. I was still in the kitchen, in the Bakken residence. It was all a dream, a dream that turned into a nightmare. A fantasy created by my burning desire to see my family and friends again.

"Nik?" my voice echoed throughout the house.

But no one replied. Where was he? Had Nik really been here? The kitchen was in chaos, a reminder of the battle that had taken place. I gazed at the knives and forks stuck into the wall, where Josh gave his last breath. Was Josh really gone?

"Dad..." I sighed with sadness.

I picked myself up from the floor, as I was trying to make sense of everything that transpired. I headed to my room, I needed something to grasp on so I can fathom which side of the thin line between reverie and reality I was on. The house was so silent, no creaking stairs, no squeaky doors. I couldn't feel coldness, I couldn't feel happiness, I couldn't feel anything. As I opened the door to my bedroom, I froze in horror. In front of me, on the walnut brown timber floor, the cold disfigured body of a bent-neck young girl, with no eyes in the sockets, lay bathed in blood, one more victim of the demon, of Josh. Sudden vivid flashes rushed before my eyes. A red glow inside Josh's mouth, eyes turning to dust, teeth sinking in flesh, blood gushing and bones breaking. I... have never left my room.