Hours had passed.

Amidst the darkness, Florence fell through a pit, pressing the stab injury on her abdomen. At the same time, she held onto Aisling and Renee. The nerves around Florence’s wounded neck, back, and shoulder blade screamed. Florence groaned as her fractured rib cage rattled.

The wind whispered, rustling her hair.

A snore echoed beside her.

“Who was… that?” she asked.

“It’s totally not me,” Renee said. She yawned. “So… anyways, this is unexpected.”

“Absolutely.”

“Like, how did we end up in this situation?”

“Absolutely… no idea.”

“Hey, I’m just asking myself. Not you.”

Suddenly, a light erupted beneath them, blinding Florence.

Florence squinted her eyes. Below her, a stack of oranges caked in green mold sat at the bottom. She squashed into the fruits, squeezing out the juices. Some of it splashed onto her tongue, where bitterness erupted on the taste buds.

She gagged, sinking deeper into the pile.

Renee pulled Florence and Aisling out, scattering the oranges caked in mold across the pit.

Florence’s face smashed into the plank floor. She yelped, rolling onto her back and covering her face.

Renee yawned, cupping her mouth. “Hurry up, we don’t have much time left.”

“I… know,” Florence said. She peered through the gap between her fingers. “This is… way past your… bedtime. And, if I… have to guess… you are trying… to stop… Feno.”

“Yup and nope.”

“Pardon me, which one is it?”

Renee got onto her feet, crossing her arms. She furrowed her brow, glaring at Florence.

“Your… cram school… I mean, you still go there… right?” Florence asked.

“Yup, exactly that,” Renee said. She turned towards a wooden door that appeared out of thin air. “We probably should go this way.”

“Absolutely not… that just materialized… from nowhere.”

“You got a problem with that.”

Florence nodded,

Renee dragged Florence and Aisling across the pit. The floor creaked. Renee raised her up, kicking the door swinging open. She entered into a room caked in soots.

The entrance slammed shut behind her.

The crackle from the fireplace illuminated the space, and the poker hanging near it reflected a warm orange light.

She moved towards a wrinkled sofa, lying Aisling on one of the seats. The springs squealed. The overhead shelf vibrated, shaking the array of portraits covered in grime. Renee patted her sailor uniform, stretching her back.

“Pardon me… I am quite… certain this was not here before?” Florence asked. “As in like… I have been in here… but not in this… part before, if you know… what I mean.”

Renee shrugged. “I can tell.”

“How can… you tell? You are… making it sound like… you are the… ghost in this haunted place.”

“Why would I be a ghost? That’s like asking me if I can manipulate this haunted place here.”

“So… you are not the… one.”

Renee dropped onto her bottom, curling into a ball. She pouted, pinching her chin between her knees.

“I would like to… apologize,” Florence said. “I did not… mean it like that. I am just wondering… how do you… know it?”

Renee covered one of her red eyes. “Whatever… I get it. It’s sorta complicated.”

“Absolutely… that is it. I need to check for the… red eye tattoo.”

“Please don’t… I’m not legal yet.”

“I meant it as in checking if Feno has it.”

“That’s what you mean… wait, what does a red eye tattoo have to do with this?”

A creak echoed beneath Renee as she shifted her weight.

Florence gritted her teeth, slumping into one of the seats on the sofa. Her feet tapped against the floor. She rolled her neck side to side, loosening the kinks.

Renee placed her palm on her hips. “So, are you going to answer me or what?”

“I will… get into it,” Florence said. “It is just… that it seems… important.”

“So… in other words, you’re still completely clueless about what is happening.”

“Well… I did see it on Yuze… and multiple NPCs. As well as… in different locations around this city.”

Renee sighed, stood back up, and brushed the soot off her sailor uniform. Then, she spun around and grabbed one of the portraits off the shelf. Then she wiped the grime off the picture and showed it to Florence.

On it, Renee pointed at the albino lady with red eyes that Florence had seen at the Coffee Bar.

“It might… be her,” Florence said. “But… I never saw her… actually die and… turn into a ghost.”

Renee slipped the photo into the pocket of her sailor uniform. “So, you do know her.”

Florence nodded.

“Well… how should I put this out?” Renee twirled her fingers. “I actually haven’t seen her in a while.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Pardon me… what do you mean… by that?” Florence asked. “Wait a minute… this is certainly starting to make sense. You are… Reese’s daughter.”

“Who?”

“That lady in the photo.”

“This is sorta getting really creepy.”

“That baby back then… was you. It… could be someone… else with… the same name. But… with this… you are… certainly quite similar to her.”

Renee hugged herself, gripping onto her shoulders. She pulled her eyebrows down, wrinkling her nose. Her lips loosened, revealing her teeth.

Florence gave a thumbs up. “Please do not worry.”

“I think I should sorta contact the pink androids,” Renee said.

“I do not mean it… in that type of way.”

“Hey, stop making this weird.”

“You are… the one… who is overthinking here.”

Renee slid her palm down her arm. She sighed.

“I… see,” Florence said. “Any idea… where she is?”

Renee shook her head.

Florence closed her eyes, then opened them wide again. “Absolutely… that was a bit of a baloney for me.”

“Believe me, you are not a baloney,” Renee said.

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.”

Renee turned away from Florence. The floor creaked. Renee kneeled down, reaching her palm over the fireplace.

“She does… certainly seem to know… about me,” Florence said. “Even though I had… never seen her before when… I first met her.”

Renee yawned, stretching her arms upwards. “Look, I don’t need any fun facts about my mother.”

“Absolutely.”

“Good.”

“How do we get out of here?”

“I’ve no idea.”

Florence coughed, jumping out of her seat.

The sofa squealed.

Renee looked over her shoulder. “What? Are you that surprised?” she asked. She smirked, turning her head slightly down. Her hair covered those dark bags under her eyes.

“Absolutely not.” Florence smacked her chest, clearing her throat. “Certainly not surprised.”

Renee laughed, cupping her mouth.

Florence placed the back of her hand on her forehead. “Where do… I even begin?”

“So… when did you meet my mother?” Renee grabbed the poker, stabbing it at the fireplace. “Just curious about her.”

“Pardon me… but you just said you do not want to know fun facts about her? So, why are you asking me now?”

“Nothing, really. Just sudden curiosity.”

Renee pressed her palm on her knees, standing up. The floor creaked. She turned around with her arms behind her back, swinging the poker side to side and walking towards Florence.

Florence rubbed her palm on her right thigh. “Around… the time when… you know… the Prince Underground Railway when it got haunted by a ghost.”

“So… who survived besides you?”

“We are absolutely… getting off-topic here.”

“Think about it. Do you find it funny that Aisling is a bit weird, trying to hide something from you?”

“I guess.”

Florence glanced over to Aisling with her eyes closed shut.

Aisling rested on the sofa, lowering her head. The blood on her lips and hooded shirt dried up. It could be her with the countless times she diverted Florence’s attention from the investigation. Just… maybe.

Florence pulled Renee closer.

“What’s the matter?” Renee rubbed the back of her ear.

“Who… are you exactly?” Florence asked. “Renee, or is it… the ghost I am… talking to?”

“What? Do I look like a ghost to you?”

“Absolutely… not.”

Florence pulled Renee’s earlobe forward.

Renee flinched. Behind her ear… that red eye tattooed on her skin glared at Florence.

“You have… got a… lot of explaining to… do,” Florence said.

Renee swung the poker, stabbing it into the backrest behind Florence. The leather hissed. The radiation of the heat bounced off Florence’s face, tingling her skin.

Florence sprang towards Aisling. Florence wrapped her arms around Aisling, slamming into her and rolling off the seat. The floor creaked as they thudded onto it.

The springs squeaked. Renee stepped on the cushion, pulling the poker. She raised it above her head.

Florence rolled to the side.

Renee struck with a crack on the plank board.

“Pardon me… what do you… want?” Florence asked.

Renee yanked the poker out.

The splinters scattered.

Florence scrambled, dragging Aisling. Florence’s back bumped onto the wall near the fireplace. She gritted her teeth as the nerves of her wounded shoulder blade screamed.

Renee inched towards Florence and Aisling.

Florence untied her apron, taking it off with the fabric rustling.

The poker blurred before her eyes.

She ducked, leaping onto Aisling.

In a flash, the wall behind Florence crumbled. The derbies crashed onto her back.

Renee kicked Florence on the chin.

Florence’s head jerked upward. The momentum carried her, sliding over to the fireplace. The pressure on her abdomen stab wound loosened, causing the blood to ooze between her fingers. She inhaled and exhaled, tangling the apron around her free hand.

A flash of iron zoomed towards her.

She blocked it, wrapping the apron around it. Her grip tightened. She pushed her weight onto the poker.

Renee snarled, inhaling and exhaling. She slid one foot back, hurling Florence into the air.

Florence yelped as her hair rustled. She crashed into the wall. The gravity yanked her down, dropping her to the floor with a thud. Her grasp strengthened on the apron around the poker.

Renee thrust forward.

The tip of the poker tore through the fabric, poking at Florence’s chest.

Florence gritted teeth. She swung her legs, knocking Renee over.

Renee fell onto the floor, relaxing her grip. She retracted her hands, rubbing her temple.

Florence tossed the poker away.

The metal clattered across the room.

Renee lunged at Florence, slamming her into the wall. The rubbles above them crumbled, falling on them. One of which smashed onto Florence’s forearm, breaking her bones with a snap.

Florence screamed. But, still, she grabbed Renee on the wrist, holding her in place. Florence’s hand, covered in blood, slipped from Renee’s skin.

Renee thrashed, rolling together with Florence towards the sofa. Then Renee stuck Florence right on the abdomen stab wound.

Florence’s nerves screamed.

Florence gagged, choking. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, pressuring her wounds, stopping the bleeding.

Renee stumbled on her feet, wobbling side to side. She raised her leg up, stomping Florence on the face, breaking her nose. Blood flowed out of her nostril, trailing down to her chin and dripping onto her dress.

Her head thumped against the floor.

Renee lifted her foot one final time, striking Florence on the forehead.

Florence narrowed her eyes, dampening her gaze. Her muscles twitched. She coughed as every inch of her nerves under her skin shrieked.

Renee rubbed the back of her ear, raising her foot one final time.

Florence breathed slowly. In and out. She tapped her fingertips, bracing herself.

Renee whacked Florence’s head.

A mass of bruises swelled on Florence’s face. Her limbs relaxed with the energy drained from her body. She glanced at Aisling, who rested near the pile of debris.

Renee yawned, stretching her arms and legs. She inched towards the poker, gripping the handle. She whipped it, untangling the apron wrapped around it.

The floor creaked as she twirled around to face Aisling.

Florence bit her lips, pushing herself up. Her legs wobbled. She smacked her palm on her knees, steadying herself.

She slammed her feet across the room, shoving Renee to the floor.

Renee hit her chin on the plank surface, releasing her grip on the poker.

A metallic clatter rang.

Florence, with her own body weight, pressed down on Renee. Then Florence reached for the handle. But before her fingertips came into contact with it, she stopped.

Her right thigh burned, urging her to sink her nails into her skin.

The door creaked open.

Feno stepped through, entering into the warm embrace of the fireplace, twirling the lily in her hand. “That’s enough,” she said. She brushed the hair that covered her face aside, revealing her red eyes.

Her face… was precisely the same as Reese’s.