Chapter 38: Spirit Aren't Outdated

Spirits are mysterious beings, you never know what they might be up to most of the time or what they think. That's why there are things we wouldn't expect for them to know about us. 

            "Hmmm, how do you make an account again? Wait, this name is taken? Eh, there's an age restriction, but the others all have one!?"

             It was a day where I tried learning to make my own e-mail account, there were various things I need to fill in and I don't get about entering the words of an abstract letters, so I scratched  my head in frustration a lot. 

             Is there something bothering you Lady Claudia? 

            A voice resounded in my head and I turned toward the white dog wagging its tail at me, "Something I don't think you'll understand, no need to worry yourself." I said that as I turned back toward the monitor. I felt the presence of his warmth closing in by my side from behind. I looked and he had turned to his physical spirit self next to me. He crouched slightly so his face could clearly look at the monitor. 

            You don't need to be so bend at the rules, just randomly put a year on the birthday, you only need to fill the mark ones, a username should be something similar to your name, usually with numbers to make it distinctive for the computer, as for the captcha code, you just need to fill 601wbe, the code functions to tell apart computer and human user so you don't need to think much. 

             Hod explain all that while he fiddled my account, I stared at him with disbelief look and asked, "Hod, you know how to use a computer?"

            I know a lot of things Lady Claudia, not being summon for hundreds of years, human civilization progress in an interesting and fast pacing way that I couldn't help learn from them just by observing. 

            I was caught surprise of what a spirit in the 21st century could do. Though I thought they remained the same it seemed they could still learn things they can't help learning. 

         "It would be great if there's a spirit specialize in internet searching, it would definitely be interesting" I said jokingly.

#

"Zilla, for now I have a task for you!" 

            Please named it Master!

            "First, call me by my name, second, explore the net and found every bit of information on Jason Omala and his connection with Gregory Howard and his wife !"

            As you wished Lady Claudia.

            Zilla said that and then went through the nearest electric device which was my phone and everything went back to silent. "I guess all I need to do is wait now" and so once I hit my bed, the feeling of being overwhelmed by sleepiness and soon my eyes felt heavy and everything turn dark. 

             I open my eyes when the morning sun hits me, Zilla was standing by my table, staring at me as if she's an ornament. "How long have you waited for me?"

            5 hours 42 minutes 36 seconds and 10 milliseconds have passed since I gather the information. 

            I giggled at her precise respond, seeing my reaction, Zilla tilted her head, probably confuse. "So, how much did you find?" My expression hardened the moment I focused on my objective. 

           The search of Jason Omala resulted in 11,647 findings, 2,243 results for his connection with Gregory Howard and his relatives  and any mention of their name together.

             A LOT!!! That's a lot, there's no way I could read all that. "Hmm, do you think you could summarize what you found?" 

            By summarize...in what aspect should I summarize on? 

            I think for a while and ask her to emphasize the relationship between Lora's father and him. Once she understood, Zilla touch the side of my computer and just like it turned on by itself. Files began to pop up and close as if trying to sort itself. Even though I'm the one who created it, I sure summon an absurd spirit. Wait, my computer shouldn't be able to connect to the net right now, how did she do.....I shouldn't think too much, I'll just think that's how capable she is. I could even hear her murmur to herself about processing and searching and other words I'm sure its English yet completely foreign to me

            Analyze complete, Lady Claudia I'm done. 

            "So what did you fine?"

            Jason Omala and Gregory Howard both born and grew  in the same area, they both go to the same school but found they became close at their freshman year in high school. They went to the same university and even went to the same course, it's also at the same university that they met with  Jessica Hutslesky

            "Who?"

            Zilla blinked several times at my question and hesitantly answer. She is Loranne Hutslesky's mother, I presume you knew Lady Claudia. 

            I clap my hand once, realizing the last name she had. Now that I think about it, I never research her name. Even though I've heard of it, it never stuck on my mind. 

            Continuing, from various personal data of the people involve, Jessica Hutslesky and Jason Omala began dating at their first year of college, and dated for 6 years. 

            6 years!!! Seriously? You would think 3 years is enough to consider marriage yet what's up with them, and in the end she married Gregory so what's going on? Unless.....

            There's no evidence of the two of cheating with one another. 

             As if reading my mind, Zilla reported of what her analysis tells, although that means it's highly unlikely, it still doesn't mean there's zero possibility. 

            It is not mention why they broke up, but according to the information and the timing, it is when Jessica Hutslesky was found pregnant that they stop seeing each other. 

            My eyes were wide open and immediately I ask of Zilla on who's Lora's father, and just as I feared, according to the data she hack to the hospital....wait, she hack in to the hospital server?! Although she said she didn't left any trace of herself there, I am more worried than surprise at the extent of her ability to gather information. If by any chance she could with no problem, steal information from servers such as the US military or government, or even top secret information from organization such as CIA. Then I might have created something equal to a national threat.  

            Cold sweat broke out within me, but I put that mind aside, seeing there was no reason for me to worry since I'm not going to do bad about it. 

            Back to the topic, according to the DNA analysis she performed on her own, there was no doubt that Lora's father is Jason Omala which really gave my jaw a drop. In other words, they've gone out for 6 years, but when she started to get pregnant, that man abandon them, not wanting to take responsibility. 

            HE'S THE WORST!!!

            After all they've been through, and that's how he end things? He's as low as any scum around.Now it made me wonder why Gregory married with Jessica, no matter how much I think about it doesn't  make any sense. 

            Lady Claudia, should I continue? 

            Because I was in a trance of my own thoughts, I was forgetting about Zilla and that she had more information with her. 

             Then I'll continue, afterward, Jason Omala had outstanding credits as a politician and now had rise up toward president candidacy while hiding all the back deals he accumulated,  there are 72% he has made an underground organization that intends to sway the vote of the masses. Additionally.... 

             "HOLD THE PHONE THERE!!!" My voice was raise without meaning to, my heart was also beating irregularly at the last statement Zilla said, I didn't hear her wrong right?

            But Lady Claudia, I'm not making any calls nor do I have a phone?

            "That's not it, you say back deals and underground organization, can you elaborate that?" 

             The underground organization is just my assumption from circumstantial evidence collected on Jason Omala and his various acquaintance. 

             "By evidence do you mean...."

            Phone records, meeting schedule, credit card info, emails, browser history, finances, including the deleted data I managed to recover. 

            I was again surprise for a moment but began to genuinely feel nothing but impress at her ability, though I should have expected from the spirit who steal information from the hospital personal records. Suddenly a few puzzle pieces in my mind began to click, ignoring the knocking of my mother, telling me to hurry get ready to school. I feared of one fact I might have just uncovered that would also be the key to Lora's predicament. While I had Zilla look over again for new information I desire, I hurriedly got ready to school.

             I wasn't sure back then, but I had began to shape the bad feeling in my heart, that the closer I get toward the truth, there was a chance that instead of saving Lora, I might lose her instead.

Chapter 37: Internet Spirit, Zilla

"Claudia, is there something bothering you?" Mother asked me with a worried tone. 

            The time is Friday night, was it out of concern for me, who's been listless lately? Mother had drag father and the rest out to eat at a high class restaurant that's been the talk of the city.  Aren't I suppose to be grounded?

            However, even after eating on a boat where we could fill our eyes with the view of the ocean at night, breathing in the cold salty breeze that tingle the lungs. The night sky was pitch black except for the red eclipse moon hovering over the earth. To top it off, the sound of classical music accompanied by the sound of waves that seems to soothe the soul. 

           With seafood served, which is also my favorite kind of food, adding the fact it was three star restaurant, there should be no reason for me not to be feeling satisfied. 

            Sadly, with Lora's situation weighing on my mind, I barely have any appetite to touch my food. My mother didn't try to pry further when I wasn't in the mood to answer her. I always appreciate her kind and patient nature at this kind of time. Even knowing that, I can't help but to pent up my thoughts from her. 

            What a waste that I couldn't enjoy dinner now of all times. "Claudia, you know it's a rare occasion that we get to eat out like this, don't you know it's rude to show dissatisfaction like that" said Karen like it's a matter of fact.

           "I'm not dissatisfied!" 

           "Then you shouldn't show it, on your expression, your face gives the food a bad taste."

            "Karen, that's enough!"

            Karen didn't say anymore after father's remark. However, it's true that I'm being rude to my parents by not enjoying the meal they took the trouble of getting us when I mulled alone my own problem without giving any clues to them. That's why, in a rush, I ate my Clam Spaghetti as fast a I could a if to show my will on eating it, but ended up choking up in the middle. 

            I drank the water Beth offered to me when the TV turned on suddenly and interrupted the music with a news flash. Almost everyone turned their eyes toward the screen. 

              "We interrupted this program to give you this news, senior Jason Omala has officially announced his candidacy for the president seat at the press conference just now."

               There were many reactions that filled the small boat, some smiled at the news, some didn't look too happy about it, and most were indifferent about it. I however, might be the only one to have an astonished look, that's because the one being shown at the conference is the man who showed himself several times on the photos I looked into yesterday. 

            Not only that, according to the news, from where he had stand, he worked together with Lora's father before. Now I don't know what you might be thinking, but my instinct told me there's something way deeper lies in this case. Something like a new motivation build up inside me, at last another clue was put in place. I knew what my next step should be so I was able to at least enjoy my dessert with a bit of comfort. 

#

That's what I thought but I forgot I was banned from the internet. Even though I plan to look more information for Jason Omala, I can't just wait for a week to pass for that. Even so, searching for general data wouldn't be enough if I want to dig up the past around 10 years ago, the same goes for Lora's father.  At times like this I wish I had one of those cool geeky sidekick that could get any information from the net. 

            My family looked at me weirdly on the way home, seeing I was in good spirit but back toward dispirited again. I'm sorry you have such a handful family member. When we got home, Galbraith greeted my father first with great excitement then came nuzzle up toward Karen. He then looked at me with eyes that were asking if it's okay to approach me. I heaved a small sigh before I smiled and asked him to come to me, which he did while licking at my face. 

            If only Hod wasn't inside of him I would have definitely laugh it off. 

            Although it's possible to summon him from the other side, it takes more time and mana to summon a spirit so a magician would always prepare a vessel to hide in, mostly in the form of pets. 

           Wait.....spirit.....summoning.......

            "That's right, why didn't I think of that before!" I subconsciously said it out loud, but without caring what my family thinks of me, I went back to my room in a rush. 

            That's right, I should have thought of this sooner, one of the good things about spirits is that you could make a named one! And there's one I'm dying to summon. As usual, I waited for midnight to come, the moon was on its full view and I smiled excitedly. For one reason, this spirit sounds ridiculous but technically not impossible to create. Galbraith was awake with a disturb look as he sat beside me. What? Are you jealous you're not going to be the only spirit here anymore?

            I spread out the magic circle and utter the chant that's similar but different when I summon Hod. I closed my eyes and pour mana at the circle, at the same time, imagining a fox with a blazing red tail....is what I want to imagined at first but thinking a firey spirit would not be a good idea for me, I changed my image to a blue fox with a lightning like tail with a body that sometimes glimmers with yellow light and black beady eyes that looks like pearl. I tried thinking of a name, and decided to take the name Zilla from Mozilla since it's cuter and I won't feel guilty about something like copyright. 

[I call upon the spirits from the end of shore, with my power, tear open the gate between, with my blood, trace your way to my side, with my words, pledge your service to me. I hereby name you Zilla, the Internet Spirit, take the form I gave you and release yourself.]

            There was a different kind of light shining from the circle, but I knew it was a good reaction, it just shows a spirit responding toward my call. The light started to concentrate at one spot where it then reveals the majestic creature I created on the spot. 

            I take on the form and the name you've given to me, my new master, would you be so kind to state your name?

            The spirit said as it wags its tail, damn it's so cute, I'm glad I made it small. I could cuddle it as well as have it do my job. Making it two birds in one stone!

           "My name is Claudia Robertson, please to meet you Zilla" I stretched out my hand to pet him, but the moment I barely touched him, I felt something zap me and sent my hand away on reflex. 

            Ah, Master, please do not touch me carelessly, because my form is made out of electricity, I would zap anything within my reach so do be careful

            There was a long pause between us, sure I did imagine him made out of electricity to make it look cooler, but to not able to touch or cuddle him because of that. 

             This might be....one of my biggest failure in life. 

-----------------------------------------------

I have revived!!!!!

Thank you my dearest readers for all your patient and concern. Especially my loyal readers. 

Also, I'm sorry if the politic aspect of this novel is vague since I'm not very knowledgable about how American's politic works. Even though it's an important aspect of this arc. 

That's why, I'll try my best on that research when I have the time. 

Hope you enjoy this chapter.


<<<PREVIOUS CHAPTER                                                                  NEXT CHAPTER>>>

I feel like a rag

Ok so heres how it goes. 

My college has something called unit where we could express our passion. 

I didn't feel well under the blinding rays of sun when I had my Unit Gathering so I excuse myself. 

I had a sore throat and had runny rose, with genetics to blame, usually this would lead to my asthma. So I took immediate precaution. 

However, I didn't eat lunch because I wasn't feeling it so I couldn't drink my meds I had bought. 

You should know in my area, we are surrounded by mountains so it's freaking damn cold at night. I had to put on two jackets and a blanket and I am still shivering. 

Anyway, it was a good thing I didn't ate lunch because just now I threw up a whole breakfast. Imagine if I had ate lunch, I guarantee my sink wouldn't look pretty. 

Anyway right now I am shivering alone, and with nothing to do I post this which makes me a little better. With good rest, I hope I could get back on my own feet by Monday. 

By the way, it may be late but the next chapter should be finished by this week. 

Today is.....

Hello loyal readers of Witch Life, just so you know.....

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!

I had a great time today with my friends but unfortunately separated with my family.

It would be good if that's all I had to tell you but unfortunately I have a 'not so good' news.

Due to assignments piling up they'll be no chapter this week. I hope I get it done enough time for me to put on it 2 weeks later, or at least in 8-10 days.

I guess this is going to happen sooner or later *sigh*

Anyway, please forgive me for the delay and I hope you'll continue reading and enjoying Claudia's life.





Next Chapter: Internet Spirit; Zilla

Chapter 36: The Break-In

The window of the second floor was unlocked just like the other day. Even though it's a room where they're keeping a corpse, isn't this too unsecured? Well, because of that, I could sneak in easily so there's no problem for me in it.  

            I had already made a sensor barrier around the building, making it possible for me to perceive the presence of people at the radius of 500 meter.I had to make sure no one was inside the apartment room, and perceived the movement around the building. Nothing was steering my way at the moment, so in this murky room, I held back breathing in too deeply at the dusty room and urged myself to inspect the skeleton. 

            Slowly, I zipped down the sleeping bag, revealing the whole structure of it's body. I wonder if it's Lora's doing that the skeleton so clean, I don't know how long a corpse's stench last, but there wasn't a particularly bad smell. If it weren't for the 'bad' presence it had around, I would believe in anyone when they say it's just a model.

            Taking a closer look, I realized obvious points that I had overlooked, which was the size of the skeleton, anyone would say is a child. When I realized the kind of skeleton it was, I felt a deep anger lit inside me. Just from the size I knew the child's age wasn't far from my own, maybe even younger. To have a life so young to be taken and kept alone in this room was intolerable. 

           I held the hand of the child, it was cold and hard, and no one was even able to bury it. "Don't worry, you'll have your rest once it's over." 

            Speaking with the dead is not something hard for a standard magician, but since I don't even know who the corpse is, there's no way to call on her soul or even the residue of her spirit. 

            "Should I start checking the mother's room?" There was no one at the moment so as long as I don't gave away my trace then it should be fine. 

           [Light] 

            I flicked my finger along with my chant, and three small bulbs of light came up from my fingertips.  I checked on her wardrobe, it was as disorganized as I imagined. There was remain of takeout foods, the clothes and lingerie weren't sorted, and only one hanger was used to hang one pair of jeans. 

            She kept her jewelry in one tiny box at the corner, and even that didn't look like it was that precious enough that it would sell high. For the wife of such successful man, you would think the father is neglecting the family too much. 

            I look through the other cabinet and found some important looking document like birth certificate, wedding certificate, and old photos that had mold on it. 

              There were only a few photos of her old days, yet she looked so cheerful in it that she looked like a completely different person. I looked through every single photo and found one I found significant. 

            It was a photo where it was dated around 8 years ago, around the age she should have bear Lora. The problem was, the man beside her was not her father. He looked a few years older than her, he had a square head, and smooth straight hair, he had a big smile that showed his gleaming white teeth. His features looked awfully familiar even though I'm sure I never met such person. What I'm most curious is she looked like she is deeply affectionate with this person yet this is the only photo with only the two of him so far while there were a lot of photos with Lora's father or the three of them. 

             However, call it a woman's intuition or what not, I know the look of someone in love when I see one. Judging from these photos, the three must be really close, it wouldn't be weird if they got caught up in a love triangle, she might even had an affair with him. That photo was the last of the bunch I found. I thought about checking on the trash bags, but then I felt the familiar presence coming toward this building.

             Oh God, Lora's back!

            I put all the things back to where it was place, and swiftly take my leave through the window.
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Three chapters finished as promised.
Writing a mystery is so much harder than I would imagine,  I had to ad lib half way through yet stay connected with the facts I put in
Anyway, hope you like it, because this mystery is more than meets the eye.

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Chapter 35: True Feelings

This is punishment. 

            No doubt, this is heaven's reminder that I had begun to forget my own sin and divulge to my own feeling. Now…I lost the only friend I have. 

            However, I'm sure this is for the best. I don't want her to hate me more than she already had if she ever found out the truth and no one will get hurt because of it. That's why, it's best for me to be alone.

            "If you look so sour, you'll needlessly worry Claudia."

            I've been walking with my head down, I had no choice but to look up to see the boy in glasses. He had an expressionless look but his eyes was fill with emotion, is it anger or is it annoyance, I can't figure which one. However, he never gave me another look otherwise. 

            "There's no need for you to care…nor does Claudia."

            "That's why I'm here, because I care for her."

            That's right, this is the kind of relationship we're in. We're not close, but we're not just mere acquaintance, just two people who hangs together because of one person, and that one person happens to be Claudia.  

            "You should know that my face always look like this, now if you don't have anything else to say then move!"

            I hasten my steps and nudge him off, but instead of getting rid off him, he latch on to my hand instead. I gave him a disgust stare, "What on earth are you thinking?"

            "That should be my line" he said plainly, "do you know why I never like you?"

            It was a sudden, straightforward question, yet it was a question I knew the answer from the beginning. "Because I always lied."
            It was just as I said, I never was being true to them, even after knowing Eric's ability, whenever it's about myself, my family, I even lied about my favorite ice cream flavor. 

            I was desperate to hide myself, and I was desperate to have her as my friend. I ended up lying, many times that I felt grateful to Eric for never leaking it out. 

           "Why do you never told her?"

            "One thing you learn when you get this power, you don't carelessly expose people's lie." He released the grip from my hand and took a deep breath, "I got this power, way before they had our ESP Test, I was one of those who have the thing called Innate User, not that this power is something I was proud of, because knowing the world full of lies isn't a pretty things, I even felt disgusted."

            There was a small pause, as if Eric was prepared to spill his guts out and I stayed without looking him away, "Claudia was the first person who ever made me glad she lied, it was more of a prank when she first tested my power, but to make me glad someone lied was the first." There was the usual smile he had, boyish yet charming smile that could turn his glasses into his good point, one he always had with Claudia. "Second, there's no point in telling when it wouldn't change the things between us."

             "Even though you don't like me?" I asked. 

            "Yeah, being with you always giving me a headache, that's why I don't like you, but that doesn't matter to Claudia." 

           I twitched at his words and I got angry how he could say it obliviously,  "It's over, this friend game of ours, there's no point in continuing it anymore!"

            I began to walk away, somehow I don't want to hasten my pace, it would only make me look I was running away. Then, I could hear his words a few feet away, "Loranne,  I don't like you not only because you lie to others, but you also lie to yourself!" 

            My steps didn't stop, and his words began to whisk away by the wind. Unbeknownst to me, Eric was sitting on the ground, followed by a long pathetic sigh, " You so owe me for this Claudia!" He whispered gently before putting on a relaxed thin smile.

<<<PREVIOUS CHAPTER                                                                            NEXT CHAPTER>>>

Chapter 34: Loranne's Past

At school the next day, the first thing I did was going toward the library, lent their computer and checked on a man named Gregory Howard. The first link that popped up was, as I expected, the case of his death. 

            It said here, around the end of summer, he was seen falling from his hotel room, dying instantly. No one was with him at the time, there was a brief interview at the wife which she turned away with no further comment other than expressing her grief. When I watched the video, I thought she was no different than an ordinary woman, either she was still sane then or she acts sane in front of people.  I wonder if it's because of her complexion or her make up, she also looked different somehow. 

            I then looked up at another link about the man himself, and who would have thought….Lora's father was one of the key member of one of the famous political party. In other words, he's a big shot. For no one around to recognize her father meant Miss Lissa's suspicioun may be right. 

            She said before that her father was quite a workaholic. He would arrive late at night or won't come home at all. Whenever he tried to use closure when he's home, the wife barely respond to his feelings. That's the gist I've heard from Miss Lissa's effort on becoming closer with Loranne then. Her effort was well done, considering how tight lipped she was.

            So, from my experience(of reading mystery novel), there is a need to decompose the problem before closing in on the answer. 

 1. Who is the corpse inside the apartment?

2. How did s/he die?

3. What's the connection between s/he with Lora?

            From those 3 points, I say finding out who the corpse is takes priority. Now how do you think an 8 year old could get the ways of searching a dead's man identity? However, thanks to the universe, I am not just a child, I am a Witch Child! Not that being a witch is something I should be proud of. 

            The bell chimed, which indicate the first period, an I finished all that just before class.

#

I had a hunch but as expected, Lora didn't met with us at lunch, and oddly whenever I visit her class, she mysteriously disappear. I have a feeling chasing her is a waste of time so I was expecting eating with Eric, just us two. 

            And yet…

            "Did you two had a fight or something?" Eric asked me while he took a bite of my sausage. 

          "You could say that, and I'm not sure how to reconcile with her" I said as I stab my fork on his fries. 

            Eric took a glance behind me and saw the figure of shoulder length blond hair girl, peeping at us from the corner. "I think she wants to reconcile with you first."

            "Don't look at her Eric, or else she'll only runaway again." I dip the fries at Eric's mother's homemade sauce and it was hot damn delicious. My face showed an obvious blushed of bliss on my face. I tried to show her I wasn't concern on what happen the other day, but Lora gave me a leering look in the end. No matter the things she' been through, she's still a kid I guess. "Eric, there's a favor I want to ask of you."

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Chapter 33: Witch Detective Claudia

No, no, no, no, no, this isn't supposed to happen. Why does this even happen to me? 

            I felt the mark which represent the most wicked being of my past life, and now I've become what I always avoid on becoming.  

            When I calmed down, I began to think that this might have been inevitable and I truly deserve to be a witch. Deep down I still want to deny it, but it's pointless arguing over a mark. Once I've sorted my mind, I was reminded again on Lora's circumstances. Exactly what kind of family had she been living with? Before I get to know her, I did felt she was a lifeless girl. I tried to recall the times we spent together and try to sort her information, but then I realize I almost know nothing about her. 

            I wasn't sure if I remember correctly, but we've been together for about a year and had shared a lot of things. There should be things I know as her friend like… her favorite ice cream flavor. Just the other day, I had her taste my favorite bubblegum caramel flavor, and we both were addicted to it. 

            Yet, at this crucial points about her past, her family, her pain, I knew nothing about it. What frighten me most though was the dark aura that woman emits. 

             It's only been something I heard, but for someone that has the mark,I heard  it's possible for them to feel a tainted soul. I've never get to know what it means, but now, I somehow got the gist of that feeling. Around that room and when her mother met with my eyes, there was an unpleasant feeling that coiled my spine, and a pleasant ecstasy welled up on my chest. It made me wonder what kind of person is her mother, and what kind of burden she's carrying to drag Lora along?

             The next question should be on how I'm going to proceed next? I don't even know Lora's problem and it's highly unlikely she would share it. If I want to help her, then I need to know her family history, her past, and get to the bottom of things. 

              That's right, this is the debut of the Witch Detective Claudia Robertson, reporting for duty. Tomorrow is the school founding day, making it a holiday anyway, so I then plan to look into the closest place where I could get information on her.

#

Maybe because I had a horrid face after I came back yesterday. My parents didn't probe further other than to remind me to always tell where I am when I'm going somewhere and was banned from the internet for a week as punishment in the house. 

            That's why, there was no problem when I asked of them to take me to my old preschool. 

            It's been 3 years since I last set foot here and as expected, there were few changes around. They raised the building into a three story floor, the playground was larger, they make bigger shoe rack at the near entrance. I was almost at lost where I was going with the unfamiliar halls and the loud children that kept running against me. 

            In the end, I found the nostalgic Apple Class that barely changed from what I remember. I slide open the glass door covered with many childish ornaments and handmade picture fruit. I opened slowly and silently, there, 20 or so children were huddled up around Miss Lissa, with a book on her lap, reading a story with her usual soothing voice. 

            I thought I would talk after she would read her bedtime story to them. She was telling a story of an armadillo who loves to sing and yet can't so he travelled the land for a way to sing only to be ridiculed. The sadden armadillo all tired and tattered, one day met a wizard. He beg the wizard for a way for him to sing and he told the armadillo the only way to sing was for him to die. Instead of getting depressed, the armadillo was overjoyed and would gladly give his life to sing. The wizard took his life and turn his shell into a unique flute that he then gave to the most talented musician in the land. The graceful music he played even make those who once ridiculed the armadillo celebrate in joy, knowing the armadillo…can finally sing. 

            As usual, Miss Lissa kept on telling tearful story. I thought I had gotten used to it but tears began to welled up on me. When the children was done crying, they were put to bed at the next room. Afterward, Miss Lissa had beaten me to the punch and went up to me with a cheerful smile. 

            "I can't believe it, Claudia right, It's been so long, how have you been?" She gave me a huge hug, yet I felt it was smaller since she last hug me. To think she remembered me after not seeing me for so long, she has a good memory. 

           We talked about myself, the school where I go to, the people I met, my well being and all those other stuff. "Enough about me, what about Miss Lissa, any changes in life?" She made a mischievous smile before she showed me the diamond ring on her left ring finger, she said this as I gaped, "Alan proposed to me and now we're engage."

            That wimpy guy finally went out and even proposed to her? "It's about time…"

            "Pardon?"

            "Ah, no it's nothing"

            She talked about the night he proposed an the romantic things he did, if I was a normal 8 year old child, then I would have fantasize with a blushed face, wishing the same thing happen to me. Trying to get the conversation on track, I went toward the main point of my visit. "Miss Lissa, do you remember Loranne?"

            "Do you mean Loranne Howard?"

            I raised a question mark above my head, never hearing that name before. "I meant Loranne Hutslesky" this time, it was Miss Lissa that furrowed her eyebrow and began touching her chin, sorting out her mind then put her hand together as if remembered something. "That's right, she changed her last name, I had completely forgotten."

There was a slight lag of reaction from me hearing this for the first time, "when did she even changed her name?"

            "You haven't heard Claudia, wait…knowing her father, I'm sure they don't want it to make it public on the family. Around 2 years ago, her father died accidentally from the 7th story of his hotel at the time" 

            The answer I urged her turnout to be a news flash for me, and more questions started to pop up. 

            Because Of the fact Lora lives with only her mother and the loving way of speaking the mother had for the corpse, I thought for sure that skeleton was her father. If it became a news though, there's no way of hiding the corpse inside their own apartment since the police will surely take custody of it after they hear the word. 

              Then… whose corpse was that?

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An early chapter I know

If things go well, I'll update a triple chapter in 5 days.

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