42. Vengeful Spirit: The Epilogue for volume One-2
[A/N: This story is mostly nonsense and came from the author's imagination. Please don't take it to heart.]
Maisarah looked down at the thick, fluffy blanket with a mixed feeling.
She frequently changes the blanket and the bedsheet but never meticulously checks the mattress.
People never care about the mattress.
Besides, the mattress is too heavy for her to lift and dry that thing under the sun.
She felt it was troublesome to do that since the mattress seemed clean and unsullied. Even so, she took an antiseptic spray and sanitized it carefully, hoping it could kill all the germs and bacteria inside.
If only she had known beforehand that a headless ghost had laid upon the bed, she would never be careless with Thalia's room's cleanliness and sanitation. Perhaps, she would burn the blanket, bedsheet, and even the mattress!
Maisarah inexplicably shuddered.
She looked around in vain, trying to delay the inevitable.
After a while, she finally stretched her slightly trembling hand and quickly pulled off the blanket and exposed the mattress underneath it. And like she just had touched something dirty, she threw the blanket on the floor like tossing out a grenade.
A very dark, ominous aura shrouded the side where it faced the wall. There is a gray-like haze smeared on top of the mattress cover.
What is that thing? She couldn't help but swallow a gulp of her saliva due to her nervousness.
That thing gave her an eerie feeling inside her heart, making goosebumps erupt all over her skin.
The rotten smell from before came back as the gray-like haze thickened and multiplied rapidly. The speed is visible to naked eyes. Maisarah felt like she watched the growth and regrowth of a mushroom. It is endless and unstoppable.
Maisarah covered her nose and mouth.
There is only one way to find out the identity of that thing, but she is reluctant to do so. Once she opens her 'eyes', she is afraid it will be hard to close them again.
Even so, she must know what Thalia is hiding from her. Perhaps, by opening them, she might uncover a secret or two, and she can help Thalia regain her consciousness.
She breathed in and breathed out and repeated them thrice.
Maisarah hesitatingly closed her eyes, staying still for a moment before slowly opening her eyelids. Her eyes, which are light red, had turned several shades darker and seemed to glow brightly. Although the glow only lasted for several minutes before it disappeared.
She gasped in shock and involuntarily distanced herself from the bed as far as she could.
Other people, none of them would see anything wrong with the white fabric on top of the bedsheet. However, for Maisarah, what she saw made her want to stay blind for the rest of her life. She started to regret her hasty decision from before.
Maisarah finally knew the source of the rotten smell.
The supposedly white, fluffy blanket was drenched heavily with black, suspicious liquid that looked like rotten blood, imprinted on the fabric, and the shape even outlined the silhouette of a human. Even from here, Maisarah was sure that the black liquid had seeped far into the inside of the mattress.
On top of the fabric, numerous tiny, white wriggling creatures resembling a worm spread sparsely across it. They swarmed frantically inside the black liquid and produced a series of qualmish sounds.
Squelch! Splat!
Maisarah wanted to vomit right now! Holding it back would never do her any good, so she rushed outside and stormed into the toilet before anything could happen. A loud slamming sound followed suit soon.
------
Maisarah cringed when she saw the condition of Thalia's blanket and bedsheet that she hung outside.
Those pieces of fabric were partially wet, and the remnant of water occasionally dripped onto the floor.
The floor underneath was painted red. A puddle of crimson liquid had formed there.
Although the wriggling creatures had gone, the black liquid pasted on the fabrics like sticky gum. It spread evenly and changed the white color to hideous dark red.
The rotten smell stubbornly clung to them.
How could she allow such a dirty thing inside? No way. She decided to burn them later.
She put all those dirty things inside a box and set it aside.
I'm sorry, Thalia. I will compensate for your blankets and bedsheets later.
Maisarah returned to Thalia's room. She could finally release a relieved sigh as the nasty odor had gone from the room.
She pulled a chair and perched her butt on it.
Something is bugging her mind. She couldn't stop pondering why the creature appeared inside Thalia's room.
Was it a coincidence? Or was it intentional?
That thing shouldn't come inside someone's room without reason but should be only wandering outside. By any means, they would never enter a building with the owner without an invitation.
Something must attract it to step inside. But what?
Did Thalia do something? Did she summon that thing? It could be plausible.
Maisarah's eyes wandered around before stopping on something stuck out like a sore thumb underneath the study desk. A frilly lace table cloth in pastel blue covered the desk, and that medium-sized cardboard would be perfectly hidden had it not because of her keen eyesight.
She had never thought to check the things underneath the study desk because this stuff belonged to Thalia, not her. Perhaps, she should check it sooner, considering that Thalia possibly had done something dangerous behind her back?
Maisarah pushed aside her guilty conscience, pulled up the cardboard, and upon seeing the content inside, she was rendered speechless.
Isn't this... Maisarah's hands shook. She clenched the edge of the cupboard so tightly almost tore it apart due to her sharp fingernails.
Oh my god, Thalia! You stupid girl! You did play The Spirit Of The Coin!
I had warned her! Not once or twice did I remind her, but she dared ignore my warning and attempt such a dangerous thing behind my back?!
Maisarah gritted her teeth. She was furious. She should keep a better look on Thalia, especially after the disappearance of her friends. Because of her negligence, Thalia fell victim to that creature's trap.
Making a promise and forming a contract with those creatures are not advisable. They tend to be unfair and corrupted.
The contract will tilt heavily on their sides and endanger humans more. There is no sense of fairness in their dictionary. You give them an inch, and they take a yard. And the cycle will never stop until either you die or they are the ones who decide to leave you alone, which is almost impossible to happen.
Not many humans dare to make a contract with them. You're not only gambling with your life but also your blood-related family. Only those who are desperate or no longer care for their life dare to make a deal with those creatures.
Making a contract means that the human had asked that thing to fulfill their wish by giving away their blood as an offering. Do you perhaps think they need only a meager amount of blood? No. At first, it might be once a week. Later? And, if you forget to feed them at the appointed time, being late for unforeseeable causes, you cannot imagine the severity of the consequence you might face. If possible, they might try to suck you dry.
Maisarah took out her phone from her pocket and scrolled her screen to search for someone's name in her phonebook.
She found her target and dialed the number right away.
Her phone rang twice before someone accepted her call.
"Izzat Haikal. We need to talk." Maisarah jumped straight to the point.
From the other end of the line, Izzat's calm and composed voice replied, "Sure. When? And where?"
Maisarah glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was almost one p.m.
"How about at two o'clock? In the cafeteria. You should bring Fakhrul with you."
Izzat gave her an affirmative answer of yes, not even questioning her reason for this abrupt meeting. Despite being in the same group on several occasions, they rarely spoke with each other, and Izzat never took the initiative to approach her without reason. His friend is only Fakhrul.
"You're not going to ask me why?"
"I already knew what you're going to ask." Izzat's answer made Maisarah tilt her head in wonder. However, the girl said nothing. "Even if I decline, you will find a way to make me agree. So, rather than complicating the complicated issue, let me save the time and reluctantly agree."
Maisarah almost let out a snort.
"Please stop wording your words like that. It is as if I forced you to meet up with me."
Izzat at the other side of the line: Unfortunately, I really had this uneasy feeling if I reject your request, you might get angry and indiscriminately trouble me later.
"...." The young man let out a sigh. "See you soon, Mai." Izzat, without further ado, ended the call before Maisarah could say anything further.
"This kid never changes." Maisarah's lips twitched. "His attitude always irked me up."