#5: Art

"Mmmnnh. What's the time?" A boy sleepily said. He reached for his phone on the top of the drawer the bed. The phone said 9:48. Shit. I'm late.

He hastily got up and changed his clothes. "Mornin', Mom. Thanks for making me lunch as always." He walked out of his room and walked past the kitchen, towards the bathroom.

"This child, you really need to get up earlier. Even though you don't have any morning classes today, you still need to go to school."

"Yep, yep. Got it, Mom! I'm leaving now. See you later!"

The boy thought to himself as he runs urgently towards the bus stop. Well, fuck. I think I'm going to miss class today. Not good. I need that class to graduate. And that teacher hates the flying hell out of me. Wait. Ah, motherfucking sonuvabitch. I forgot about my art project. I'll just do it on the bus.

"Wait! There's someone coming!"

Made it, he thought. Now, just another hour and I can make it for the last 5 minutes of class. He won't give me a late or absent for that, right...?

He pulls out his sketchbook and begins finishing his model. On his way to class, the bus passes through a tunnel. On a cliffside.

The boy pulls his phone out, there's a text.

Mom? 'You forgot to bring your umbrella. Didn't you know that it's rainy season? It's been rainy continuously for the past 3 days. How could you forget?'

Oh, oh no. I'm going to be soaking wet when I get home. Mom's definitely going to yell at me when I get home. I'll just deal with it when I get home. I need to finish this project ASAP.

The boy must have feel into a deep slumber because the next thing he saw, was his model, in real life.

"Hey, what are you staring at me for? I don't look strange do I? You're the one who made me, y'know?"

"W-what? But, I was drawing you? Oh, this must be a dream."

"... Yeah. But, what's my name? Give me a pretty one, one that matches me. And clothes. Why'd you draw me nude?"

"It was the project, okay? I'm sorry! But how do I give you clothes?"

"Easy, just draw them."

"Really? I can draw clothes and they'll be clothes for you?"

"Yep. It's your ability."

"Cool! I'll give you some warm clothing."

"Thanks! But, what about my name?"

"Would Jessica sound nice?"

"Yeah, okay. I'm fine with that."

The boy then left with Jessica, a girl of the boy's creation. They went through forests, deserts, met lions and tigers, talked and drank, all with the boy's drawing.

"Hey, Jessica."

"Yeah?"

"I won't see you again if I wake up right?"

"You'll see me everyday from now on."

"How?"

"Don't you remember by now?"

"? Urgh-"

The boy was triggered by the word 'remember'. He remembers. The bus. It was on the bus. There was a mudslide, caused by the constant rainfall. Right before they entered the tunnel. Everybody on the bus died. Including the boy.

"I-I died?"

"Yes. I was manifested to be your guide. I am the perfect girl for you, right?"

No, I don't want this! The boy wanted to scream. He wanted to wake up. He tried to wake up. He ran away from Jessica. Away from the truth, back to his death place.