Chapter 1: Just Another Normal Day?

A bad start for the day, that dream that is plus my neck was sore because of my fall from my bed. But I’m also thankful for that fall because it woke me up on just the right time or else I’m going to get late. Not to brag but ever since I started going to school, I never been late because I am too time conscious. I am currently a second year high school student by the way.

I got out of the room and ate a piece of bread before going out of the house. I live alone anyways since my mother is working elsewhere and my father has been missing ever since I was a child. I tried asking my mom about why he left but she just told me that she does not know either. But I can see it in her eyes that she is telling a lie, I am proud of that talent of mine to tell whether someone is telling a lie. Since she does not want to talk about it, then I just left it like that.

I only walk towards school since it is not so far and saving a bit of money does not hurt you. I grabbed my phone from my right pocket to see if I am still on time. Yes, yes, that is the side effects of being time conscious. As I put my phone back to my pocket I hear someone call my name.

“Hey Rei, wait up!”

I look backwards and I saw Hector trying to catch up to me. I met him since our families are close way back when I was a child. He is taller than me and his hair is a bit long for a guy and it goes straight down. He is a so-called friend of mine and is currently a third year high school student. I just call him a “friend” because the public will judge me if I don’t since we hang out a lot. I believe he also thinks I am his friend but the truth is I only stick with him because he is reliable and the popular type of guy. But he is not the popular to girls guy but the popular to guys type which might be handy in the near future.

When he caught up to me, I greeted him with a smile.

“Morning Tor”

“You really have no respect for your upper classmen huh”

He then replied while rubbing my head. I really hate his carefree attitude. I slapped his hand away since it will make a mess out of my hair, not that I care much about my hairstyle though.

“Hey I don’t have any club activity later, wanna hang out at the arcade?”

“Sure”

I nodded while smiling. Refusing an invitation without a good reason would cause a strain in our “friendship” so I have to comply even though I really don’t want to. We talked about all kinds of things like games and such as we walk towards school

As we enter the school, we say our goodbyes and agreed to meet after school before we split up. I entered the classroom and greeted everyone near me. Being “friendly” have a lot of perks you know? I even memorized all their full names so they would not doubt that I was just playing “friends”. I sit down on my chair and sleep through half of my classes, eat lunch the sleep again. That is my routine during class since I still pass my exams even if I don’t pay attention. Class ended so I met up with Hector at the school gate.

From the school we went to the arcade and played for a few hours. He can never really beat me in Road Killer VI and it is just hilarious every time he sulks when I beat him. It was night time when we got out of the arcade but something is weird. Everything looks reddish and I was frozen in place as I look at the sky.

“Hey what’s wrong?”

“The… The moon”

“What’s the problem with the moon?”

“You don’t notice anything?”

“It is still the white full moon you see every month, you know?

“Maybe I’m just a bit sleepy, maybe I should go straight home”

“Tired even when all you do during class is sleep? Aaaaaaanyways see you tomorrow”

We split up in front of the arcade since he has some other business to do or so he says. I walked in a fast pace while cold sweat is running through my back. I was actually nervous and I just can’t seem to relax. The moon is red only to my eyes, that’s all but I am really fidgety. As I reached my house, I went straight to my bed and sleep hoping that it will fix everything.

I woke up being all sweaty even though the AC is at full power. I looked at my phone to see the time and it is 1 o’ clock in the morning. I gazed at the window and the moon was still red. I grabbed my laptop and searched the net if someone has the same problem as I. Surprisingly, I found one quite so easily. I entered the website which states “if you can see the red moon and want to know all about it, you should meet me as soon as possible”. I am not someone who usually do this but because I feel so restless...

I sent a message to the site and it replied after a few minutes. It asked me if I am available right now and I said yes. Since it is currently about 1:30 am, we agreed to meet at a secluded warehouse at 2:30 am. I asked him if we could change locations since it is a bit shady but he said that others might think we are crazy if others hear what we are going to talk about so I have no choice but to agree. By the way my talent to tell if someone is lying has no effect when I cannot see the speaker.

I quickly changed clothes and grabbed my jacket and then left the house. I went to the meeting place right away. I arrived there about twenty minutes early before the meeting time. As I was waiting at the front of the warehouse, I hear some footsteps and a guy with a grey jacket and black cap appeared. He seems to be an adult and I can’t see his face clearly because of the cap.

“Oh you are early, you are mister Rei right?”

“Yes It is me so can we go straight to business?”

“Sure sure but first let me show you something”

“What is that?”

“Just follow me, you’ll see”

He went inside the abandoned warehouse and so I followed him inside. The inside was big, there are a lot of wooden boxes and crates at the sides but the empty space is still quite huge. I could like play soccer in hear. The guy closes the door and locks it. I became frightened but there is already no turning back.

“So what is it that you will show me?”

He raised his right hand frontwards to the level of his chest and light started to surround him.

“This…”