When Ruby walked out of the small washroom, the room was already dimly lit, shadows flickering against the walls. She scanned the bed and realized that all the spaces were occupied. The only spot left was near Milo, who was already sharing a blanket with the others.
Sighing, she made her way over. It would've been better if I had some pajamas, she thought. Sleeping in her robe wasn't exactly comfortable, but exhaustion had gotten the best of her. Without much thought, she slipped under the blanket next to Milo.
As soon as she lay down, the weariness from the day hit her hard. Her eyes felt heavy, and her mind drifted. Just when she thought sleep was about to claim her, she felt something soft press against her arm. A sweet scent filled her nose, delicate and light. Blinking in confusion, she glanced down to see a tuft of fluffy brown hair nestled against her arm. Milo had somehow shifted closer, his head resting softly near her shoulder.
The next day, Ruby woke up to the sound of loud shouts echoing from outside. She groaned, feeling the pounding in her head as she tried to sit up. "What's wrong?" she muttered groggily, rubbing her temples as she stood. Instead of feeling refreshed, all she could sense was the ache behind her eyes, the dull throb of a headache gnawing at her.
She looked around the room, realizing it was completely empty. The others were already gone. The noise outside was growing louder, more chaotic. Oh god, can't I just have some peace? she thought in frustration as she dragged herself toward the door.
With a resigned sigh, Ruby stepped outside through the already open door.
The chaos greeted her immediately. Loud, angry shouts from a ghost filled the air.
"THIS GHOST STOLE MY ECTO BIKE! DO YOU KNOW THIS BIKE WAS SPECIALLY GIFTED BY MY MUMMY? AND NOW IT'S GONE? YOU LOWLY GHOST!" someone yelled furiously.
Ruby winced at the volume, rubbing her temples. The commotion was growing more intense.
Ruby scanned the scene: the ghost, standing angrily near their house, had a strong presence. Karl, with his head lowered, seemed to be taking the brunt of the anger. Adrian's fists were clenched in frustration, while Milo looked visibly frightened.
Julian, attempting to mediate, spoke gently, "Please try to understand. He didn't have malicious intentions. He took it because of an urgent situation."
The angry ghost named sam, dressed in a striking green robe and his hair adorned with a decorative hair clip that held his long curls in place, glared at Karl with a look of utter disdain. His fair skin and the arrogance in his posture only heightened the tension. He pointed an accusing finger at Karl and shouted, "So he can just steal my things and get away with it?"
Ruby approached the scene with an air of calm authority. Her eyes moved over the crowd, then locked onto the damaged ecto bike. The broken machine, with its twisted frame and cracked components.
Without breaking her stride, Ruby stepped up to Sam, who was still fuming. She glanced at the bike, then met Sam's eyes with a cold gaze.
"How much?" she asked, her voice was smooth and deep.
Sam blinked, momentarily thrown off by her question. "What?"
Ruby's expression remained impassive as she repeated, "How much is it going to cost to fix this?"
Her calm, authoritative presence caused a ripple of silence through the crowd. Sam stared at her in shock.
Was this the same witch who drank all day without a care in the world?
"Is that witch crazy?" someone whispered.
"Maybe it's the alcohol talking," another muttered.
"She can't even afford a proper bed, and now she's claiming she'll pay for the bike?" a villager scoffed.
"God! I heard Adrian was a thief; maybe Karl picked up the habit from him," another voice chimed in. The crowd, mostly ghosts dressed in simple robes, whispered amongst themselves, their eyes shifting between Ruby and Sam.
But Ruby's focus never moved. Her gaze remained locked on his face, her aura radiating an air of cold indifference. "I'll handle it," she said again, her voice even and unflinching. "Just tell me the cost."
For a moment, Sam blinked, thrown off by her boldness. Then, as if snapping out of it, he burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Thief's wife and an alcoholic? You're going to pay me?" His laughter grew louder, almost hysterical. "Oh, this is rich! You live in this garbage heap, and you think you can afford to pay for my bike? You're a joke."
Milo's face flushed red with anger, his small fists clenched. "Watch your words!" he shouted, his voice trembling but resolute. "You have no right to insult her!"
Sam sneered down at Milo, his arrogance growing. "Awww… look at the little fool, getting all worked up. Who asked him to steal my bike in the first place?" Sam's eyes gleamed with contempt as he pointed at Karl.
Ruby's expression remained unchanged, but a dangerous light appeared in her gaze. She took a step forward, her presence casting a shadow over the confrontation. The crowd held its breath, sensing the tension rising.
"I don't care about your insults," Ruby said coldly, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "You can laugh all you want, Sam. But understand this—there's a line you don't cross. Insult my family again, and I won't be so civil."
This ghost, named Sam according to her memory, was nothing more than a small-time bully who had managed to inflate his sense of self-worth simply because his mother worked in the government office of Hollow Wood village.
To Ruby, his arrogance was nothing new. People like Sam used their connections and status to trample over others, thinking themselves untouchable. And worse, Sam didn't even seem to care about the consequences of his actions or the harm he caused. His bullying had gone unchecked for too long.
He shivered under her aura, the weight of Ruby's presence pressing down on him like a dark cloud. But Sam, arrogant as ever, quickly shook off the fear creeping up his spine. He couldn't bring himself to believe that this so-called drunken witch could do anything to him. If anything, this would be entertaining—dragging out the payment, watching them scramble to fix the bike, and maybe even getting a few more kicks out of it.
He scoffed. "Fine. Just fix the damn bike," he muttered arrogantly. Then, with a smug smirk plastered on his face, he added, "If you don't pay within three days, I'll have no choice but to file a complaint at the Civil Protection Office." His tone dripped with satisfaction as he watched for a reaction.
The mention of the Civil Protection Office—a place that functioned like a police station, where complaints could be filed, leading to swift action—caused a stir among the onlookers. They exchanged nervous glances, knowing that involvement with the office could make matters even worse.
Her cold red eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made the temperature around them seem to drop.
—To be continued...🪄