Katherine's hand goes to her cell phone. She is about to resume her music when a female voice interrupts her.

"Kathy! Hey, Kat, Wait!" The girl screams in her high-pitched voice, the words reverberating with the tone of a squeaky toy.

Katherine turns around; in the distance, a short young woman approaches. A yellow sweater contrasts with the pink skirt; her dyed blonde hair waves in the air; a few strands of dyed pink dance in the golden sea.

"Good morning, Lexy..."

"The sexy!" The girl jumps up and makes a peace sign with both hands.

"Uhu..."

"Late again? Did you stay masturbating until the wee hours of the morning again?"

"Late again? Did you let the football team take turns in the dressing room again?"

"Ha ha, of course." Lexy pats Katherine on the back.

"Don't touch me. I can feel syphilis and gonorrhoea dripping from your body."

"Aw~ always so bitter... You need to smile more! Maybe if you smile more, the bags under your eyes will disappear."

"You know I have problems sleeping, without pills... without pills, I can't rest in peace."

"Hmm~ I see... Maybe you need to put that dildo of yours to use."

"I told you it was one time, and no, it didn't help at all," Katherine replies without shame.

"Alcohol? drugs?" Lexy rests her pinkie on her bottom lip.

"No thanks, I'd like to try to sleep without destroying my life in the process."

"Maybe you should try crying. Some people say it helps to tire the eyes."

"I have never cried in my life; I never will."

"Hey ladies, over here." A man interrupts the pair's journey. "May I have a minute of your time?"

The man adjusts his crimson jacket and takes a card from his pocket; shiny silver and gold rings adorn the fingers of both hands, in his right hand waves a cane made of metal and wood.

"Maximiliano, Maximiliano Du Pont."

"Lexy Monroe, a pleasure, Mr. Du Pont." Lexy takes the man's hand."

"Lexy, we are late."

"Don't worry. It would be just a moment. I own a modelling company. I'm looking for models."

"Here? On the street?" Katherine looks around her.

"I'm sorry; now I was going to my office, but when I saw this young lady, I couldn't help it."

"OH, fuck you too. Sorry for not being up to it."

"Kathy! Thank you, Mr. Du Pont. I'm interested." Lexy takes the card.

"I hope your modelling agency has rules when it comes to hiring minors."

"Kathy!" Lexy puts her index finger in front of her lips.

"Don't worry about that. I could arrange a meeting, Miss Lexy?" The man chuckled.

"Of course." Lexy puts the card away without taking her eyes off the man.

"Ugh." Katherine's eyes can't go any higher without going all the way around in their sockets.

"Could you give me another card for my friend? She's pretty too. We can both be models."

"Of course." With a smile, the man hands her another card. "Then see you later. The office address is on the card." Maximiliano walks away in the opposite direction.

"Gross..."

"Aww, can't you see Kathy? This could be the beginning of my future as a professional model." Lexy poses.

"All I saw was a pedophile grooming a stupid schoolgirl."

"Do you think I'm going to go there without getting something in return? At least I can earn a little money."

"Doing what?"

"Modelling, maybe I can have a sugar date with Mr. Max."

"Oh, is that what they call prostitution now?"

"Kathy! I mean... you saw his hand. It's obvious he has a lot of money."

Lexy reaches over and places the card in the pocket of Katherine's sweater.

"An old man with money grooming minors, pretty typical."

"Always soooo negative."

"It's called common sense, just... take care."

"Of course, I'll bring condoms."

"I didn't mean it... in that way..." Katherine can feel her blood pressure rising and her brain cells dying little by little.

The school gate appears in front of the girls; a young man dressed as a janitor is waiting on the other side; his left arm is in a cast, and metal rods peek through the bandage. Seeing Katherine and Lexy approach, the young man closes the gate.

"What's the big idea? let us through." Katherine plead.

"No oh~, you're late." The young man answers.

"For ten minutes! The rules say—"

Lexy can't finish her sentence; the janitor interrupts her.

"The rules say there's a minimum length for skirts, yet you come to class dressed like a whore."

"Hey... let us in; we don't have time for your stupid games." Katherine crosses her arms.

"Hmm... I could make an exception..." The young man scratches his chin. "If you let me touch your chest, I'll open the door for you."

"You are a pervert! Not in a thousand years!"

"I wasn't talking to you, flat."

"You son of a—"

"Easy Lexy." Katherine raises her hand. "Just once, and you let us through."

The young man nods while looking at Katherine's enormous chest. The young woman approaches the gate, and her body shakes with each step. The young man cannot contain his emotion and lets a drop of saliva fall around the edge of his mouth. He carefully stretches his hand through the metal bars, his fingers just inches from Katherine's bust. But in a blink, the fingers are captured by the young woman's hand. She squeezes the fingers together and bends his arm through the bars of the gate.

"Open the door."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" The young man contorts in pain. "It hurts; stop it!"

"Open up or I'll break this one too." Katherine applies pressure, the elbow bent at an awkward angle.

"Okay, oh! But I need the arm to—"

"No oh~," Katherine says with a mocking tone. "Lexy, take the keys and open the door."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Lexy obeys and approaches the gate, stretches out her hand, and takes out a bunch of keys from the pocket of the janitor's uniform.

"Which one?" Lexi asks.

"Oh! The one with the orange paint."

The blonde girl inserts the key, and with a flick of the wrist, the gate opens.

"Thank you so much." Katherine lets go of the young man's hand.

The young man forcefully contracts his arm and brings it to his chest. The pain in his wrist forces him to squat.

"Damn bitches, this does not end here."

"Boohoo, every day is the same with you." Katherine walks past the young man, who's still kneeling on the ground.

"See you." Lexy inserts her hand into the young man's pocket and hands him back the keys.

Calmly, the pair approaches the school.

"Ugh, yuck, men don't do anything but think about sex." Katherine turns and looks at Lexy, rethinking her statement. "Stupid people do nothing but think about sex."

"So, most of the world is stupid then." Lexy tries to defend herself.

Katherine nods.

They both approach the stairs of the building.

"Well, see you later."

"See you at recess! Good luck!"

"Uhu." Katherine goes up the stairs, approaches the door of her classroom, and opens it without shame. Calmly, she approaches her seat.

"Again late." The teacher reproaches.

"I have justification; the director has my medical papers, insomnia."

Katherine shows disinterest in continuing the conversation. The teacher shakes his head in disapproval and continues his class.

The hours pass quickly; the bell marks the end of the school day. Katherine looks at her cell phone while she waits for her friend, the crowd passes by the girl. Katherine stands out like a shadow among the bright students.

The unmistakable figure of Lexy approaches through the patio, along with the young janitor with his hand in a cast.

"What are you doing with that pig?"

"Oh! Hello Kathy! We were talking about this morning; he was apologizing."

"Right..."

"It's true, Kathy. I'm truly sorry for my attitude." The young man answers.

"Don't talk to me like we're friends; besides, I'd believe you if it wasn't the same every day."

"They are jokes, innocent little pranks." The young man waves a pair of grass shears in his good hand.

"Stop trying to fool me; I'm not as dumb as Lexy."

"Kathy, he was just doing his job."

"Yes, Kathy, I was just doing my job."

"Fuck you. "Let's go, Lexy."

"Oh? Okay! See you on Monday."

"Bye, Lexy, Kathy, stop being late." The young man does not try to hide his mocking tone.

Katherine responds with an obscene gesture.

"I frankly do not understand you." Katherine puts her fingers to her eyes and rubs them.

"Mmm?"

"It's like you did it on purpose just to make me mad."

"What are you talking about?"

"Every time I tell you to stop talking to someone, you don't listen to me."

"You worry too much, Kathy."

"The problem is that you do not recognize the danger or the malicious intentions of people."

"There is nothing dangerous in talking to people!"

"Lexy... have you been going to the doctor?"

"No! I already told you! I'm not sick!"

"But—"

"Of all people, you are the least suitable to say that to me!"

Katherine remains silent and stares at the ground, immediately recognizing her hypocrisy.

"Sorry, Kathy, I got carried away."

"It's okay, you're right, it's just that... I care about you."

"Well, don't do it; there is nothing to worry about, nothing to fear." Lexy gives her friend a thumbs up.

"In this life, there is much to fear: people, things, and death."

"We are two of a kind, the one who lives without fear and the one who lives in fear." Lexy pats Katherine on the back.

"Like two peas in a pod. Two peas in a pod fucked in the head."

"Fucked up in various ways."

"Eww..."

Lexy laughs outrageously, Katherine joining her with a muffled laugh.

"Lexy!" The voice of a young man is heard across the street.

A young man approaches the pair, an aluminium bat resting on his right shoulder, his wrists adorned with spiked leather bracelets, and his black hair standing on end. The young man's shadow envelops Kathy and Lexy; they both have to look up to see the young man straight in the face.

"What do you want now, I already told you that I don't want to see you again!"

"Lexy, my love, please."

"Don't call me that! I don't want anything with someone as suffocating as you!"

"Suffocating?! Is worrying about the person I love suffocating?"

"Esteban! You threatened all my friends! You fought with my cousin! You don't know how much embarrassment you put me through with your jealousy!" Lexy pokes her finger into Esteban's chest.

"I... ugh. Look, Lexy."

"Nothing! I don't want to hear anything from you; I don't want to see you, anything! and drop the tough boy act; you aren't fooling anyone."

Katherine, who has remained on the side line, looks at Esteban from head to toe; some scars adorn the young man's face. She can see the fresh wounds on Esteban's knuckles. For her, the young man looks quite tough.

"I guess this is one of your little friends who has been putting things in your head."

"Shut up, Esteban! Don't start over; I know what you're trying to do. Kathy isn't going to abandon me like the others; don't try to intimidate her."

Esteban casts a cold look at Katherine. The young woman remains motionless; she can feel the anger in the young man's gaze, and she lets out a sigh of annoyance.

"Let's go, Lexy; it's getting late." Katherine takes her friend's hand.

They both walk, while Esteban is left standing in the middle of the street. Katherine looks over her shoulder and watches the young man clench his fist, his teeth grinding as he tries to control his anger.

"Freak," Katherine murmurs.

"He can't get over the fact that Lexy, the sexy, dumped him."

"Stop referring to yourself that way; it's cringe. Are you going to be all right?"

"Are you saying it because of Esteban? Pff, he's harmless."

"Of course..." The doubt in the young woman's voice is palpable. "It's for those kinds of situations that I worry about you; you're like an animal that jumps on purpose in front of cars."

"Aww, thanks, Kathy. I know I'm a free spirit."

"I didn't mean it...like that..." Katherine blinks a few times to keep her eyes from rolling up.

"Well! I have things to do; here is where we say goodbye." Lexy jumps up and balances on one foot.

"I... You take care of yourself."

"Of course! I would invite you, but I know you don't like parties. Bye-bye!" Lexy walks away and waves her hand in the air.

A slight smile appears on Katherine's face as she watches her friend walk away.

Katherine's headphones shield her from the outside world, and she occasionally hears her footsteps rumble through her body. She recognizes the street; her house is a few meters away; a familiar silhouette appears in front of her.

"Where are you going?" Katherine asks Bryan.

The young man hits the brake on his bike and stops in front of his sister.

"I'm going out; I have things to do; I have a lovers' lane appointment." With a small jump, the young man accommodates his backpack, some metal tools rattle on Bryan's back.

"Are you coming back?"

"Na, it's a night out; mom left you food."

"I know."

"Don't eat my share; I'm going to be hungry tomorrow. I apologize for leaving you alone."

"Poor me, eating alone without the company of my dearest brother."

"You know you love me; deep down, deep down in your rotten and black heart, there is love for your family."

"Sure... go away."

"See you tomorrow."

The young man tries to pedal, but his wheel gets stuck.

"Ah, shit."

"Is the thing giving you trouble again?"

Bryan says nothing, gets off the bike, takes a wrench from his backpack, turns the wrench on the rear wheel nut a couple of times, and puts both feet back on the pedals. Before continuing, he puts his tool back in his backpack. The young man disappears on the horizon.

Katherine opens the door, turns on the light, and warms up the food after changing into her pyjamas. She waits for a couple of minutes in front of the microwave oven.

With the hot plate in her hand, Katherine goes up to her room. Enjoys eating in solitude, surrounded by silence, and delights in each delicious bite of homemade food.

After a few minutes and the plate is empty, a satisfied sigh leaves the young girl's mouth, followed by a burp.

Katherine takes up the remote and presses a button. The screen comes on. She dithers as the sun sets below the horizon, staring blankly at the screen, until a sound catches her attention. Her bedroom door slowly opens, the hinges squealing with the slow movement.

"Mom?" Katherine tilts her head, expecting to see her mother peering out the door, but all she sees is darkness in the hallway.

"Mom?!" Katherine exclaims, but no one responds.

The young woman carefully puts on her slippers and slowly approaches the door. The wood creaks under her feet; her hand approaches the doorknob and slowly opens it. Katherine is received by the darkness; the young woman remains motionless, trying to hear any sound coming from the dark void but hear nothing. With her finger, she turns on the light; the corridor lights up; the atmosphere changes drastically; the familiar hall reassures her; Katherine lets out air through her nose with annoyance.

The young woman turns, and the dark figure surprises her. Long black hair fluttering and rising in the air, pale hands clawing at the air in front of her face.

"H— Help... The light helps." The woman's harsh voice echoes in Katherine's ears.

The young woman jumps and lands on her butt, her surprise lasting a few seconds before returning to her typical disinterested attitude.

"Damn, imbecile! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Katherine argues.

"I saw... through the window..." The scrawny hand rises and points to the glass.

"I always tell my mother to leave the curtains down... but she doesn't listen." Katherine rubs her head; out of the corner of her eye, she can see a bite on the neck of the spirit in front of her. "Sorry, I can't do anything for you."

"Please... there is no one..."

"I know I'm sorry."

"So long... from so far..."

"How long?"

"Three days..."

Katherine closes her eyes and shakes her head.

"That's too much; at this point, not even I can do anything; I don't know where your body is; even if you have already realized your situation, you will not be free without your body."

"But the light... Please..."

Katherine ignores the woman and sits on her bed.

"Please..." the woman repeats.

The young woman ignores the spirit and concentrates on the television. The scrawny woman tries to touch Katherine, but her hands go through her. Katherine feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end; the woman's hand brings a cold aura.

"It's useless; I can touch you, but you can't touch me; the only thing you will achieve is to leave me with a few small scratches and bruises at the minimum; leave me alone."

"Peace..."

"This is going to be a long night..." Katherine's cold gaze settles on the woman's dead eyes.

The woman raises her forearm, and she can see the marks of some bites appear on her ethereal flesh; a black liquid drips from the wounds; the woman screams in pain; and more and more bites appear on the ghost's body. Katherine gets up from her seat, takes a couple of sleeping pills from her nightstand, puts them in her mouth, and pushes them down with water from a nearby bottle. The ghost lets out some piercing screams while its flesh is devoured by invisible mouths.

"Help! Please! Please! I don't want to die! I don't want to!" The woman screams.

Katherine leans back and turns her back to her.

The fingers begin to disappear, leaving behind black, tooth-shaped wounds; the eyes are gouged out to immediately disintegrate; and the tongue vanishes with bites. The woman trembles and shakes, extending her stumps to the sky while she does not stop screaming. Katherine clenches her teeth and covers her ears with her hands; she gets dizzy and feels the effect of the pills. The screams try to keep her awake, but the strong medicine makes her lose consciousness. The young woman falls asleep under the painful screams, like a bizarre lullaby.