The Travelers

It's six in the morning and I look like hell. Well it's not surprising cause I barely slept last night. I had another bad dream. A supposed normal night for me and yet I just can't get used to it. I was about to go to the bathroom when my landlady texted me. She messaged me that she accepted a new bedspacer. She must be really short on cash because the last time I checked we don't have any space left. But apparently my room can accomodate one more roommate and one more bed. I'm two months behind on rent so I can't really complain. I just have to accept the new guy and hope we can get along. Luckily the bedspacers in my room all went home for vacation. It's already summer but I decided to stay and take some summer classes. So it's up to me to welcome our new roommate. I'm friendly enough I guess or I like to think so. But somehow I'm kind of nervous cause I hate waiting for someone's arrival. After showering I did a bit of cleaning. The room is kinda messy. I'm not exactly a neat freak. And what if this new tenant changes his mind at the last minute and finds a better place to stay? I'll be waiting and cleaning for nothing. Whatever, it's not my problem to deal with anyway. I like being alone after all. I'm just hoping my landlady won't ask me for that delayed rent payment or I might end up going back home. And I don't wanna go back. I want to graduate first. Well that's the original plan. But sometimes life gets in the way. I was about to leave for school when the door suddenly opened. My new roommate arrived unexpectedly. He looked a bit lost but when he saw me, he smiled widely like an old friend. A creepy old friend. "You must be Niccolo. I'm your new roommate Ric. I thought I got the wrong room again. But this time I think I got lucky. So where's my bed?" He asked a little too chirpily. Like he's on a stage playing a role. But despite his effort to look chirpy he seems very tired. Well we're on the 5th floor and the elevator isn't working. I don't think the owner had any intention of fixing it. "I'm not really sure what bed you can occupy but that one right there is empty. You can use that I think." I pointed at the bed right beside mine. "Cool. Going somewhere?" he casually asked. "Yeah school." "Be careful then." "Thanks I guess. By the way, nice to meet you. Sorry if I can't show you around." I wasn't really planning to be a "tour guide" but I got to be friendly. "You don't have to. I'm sure i can find my way around here." He looks a couple of years older than me. So he could also be a graduating student or a new graduate looking for a job. I will probably just ask him later. I'm already late for school. "See you later then." I said goodbye. And then closed the door behind me. And just like that I got a new roommate. =========== The second Niccolo left, Ric carefully surveyed the whole room. There are five beds all in all. Two double decks and one single bed. How the beds fit in such a small room he got no idea. The important thing is he finally found Niccolo. Ten years of looking and travelling around the world and he finally found him here in Manila of all places. He congratulated himself. "Good job." Then out of nowhere a woman suddenly appeared. He was surprised to see her. A ghost from the past. "What are you doing here? I thought you got bored and left our group. You've been gone for four years," he immediately asked her. "I was trapped here. I found Niccolo first and I was about to inform you but for some reason I couldn't leave and was accidentally trapped here," she explained in frustration. "The trap wasn't an accident. This building is special; it's a damn maze. But I'm glad you're back. I found you so you owe me now then." He wasn't really happy that she's back. Though they have the same mission they don't really get along. "I don't owe you anything. It's your job to find him anyways. And by the way why are you just letting him walk away like that?" she asked while floating in the air in her white dress which gave her the infamous moniker the white lady. "It took me 10 years to find this place and this room. Give me a break okay. I need to rest," he said as he casually lay down. "But he needs protection," the ghost insisted. "The angel will guide him outside. That's enough protection for now," he informed her. "What angel?" she asked. "While you're trapped here the devil asked for the assistance of an angel. He's basically your replacement. He's more useful and he leaves me alone. So can you please let me rest." "And I thought you were looking for me." "Well she did look for you but just for a few weeks. But since you're untraceable we just assumed you got caught by some ghost hunter and they brought you back to the underworld." "How about the vessel? Were you able to find her yet? "No" "This is why I can't leave you alone even just for a minute. You keep losing your sight of the target." she sounded frustrated. "My sight is perfectly fine. So please just leave me alone." "You're also here to find the vessel. Your job isn't done yet. She's still lost somewhere. And without her we won't be able to move forward." she reminded him. "You don't have to remind me. I have good memories. And why do you keep nagging me about the vessel? It's not my fault that she's lost. Find her yourself if you want." "I would if I could but it's your friend, a former key holder that decided to betray the whole underworld by stealing the key to the vessel then disappearing without a trace. And you can't even track him down by yourself. So you also need our help." "For a lost ghost you sure know a lot." "As they say, walls have ears. With the information I know I could kill you right now and leave everything behind." "Threatening me with violence. That's Scary. Must I cower in fear now?" he said sarcastically. "Well you should." she glided towards him. And before he could even react her essence was already all over him. Trapping him. "Hey get off me." "Don't you mocked me again you scum. I'm a f*****g ghost. I'm already dead. You're the one that needs to maintain a human body. You're the one that can die and be trapped in this filthy room forever, rotting. So don't get cocky with me if you want to keep breathing." she threatened. He just smirked, "You dont scare me. You're the one that got trapped in this room and can't get out for years. And I got your key. You wanna be here forever then go ahead. I have nothing to lose. So stop annoying me if you wanna get out of this little room. Because my dear ghost you're not going anywhere without me." he said Her eyes suddenly turned icy blue and the room was enveloped by a very cold wind. Enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. But she held her temper. "You're right, I still need you to find the vessel but we will settle our differences after this. And I would make you pay. Your fake human body won't save you when I'm done." "Well that's the spirit. Now can you please leave me alone. I'm sure there's an empty cabinet somewhere you can occupy." "I'll just wait here. Or do you want me to follow him too? To keep an extra eye on the target." she asked. "You can't just follow him around. He can sense danger. Why do you think it took me years to find this place? I had to hide my powers so that he wouldn't be able to sense my presence. He's been hiding his aura from us all this time." "I guess that explains why he's still alive. It's not mere luck. He's been the target of so many ghosts in this building but somehow he was able to avoid their trap. And he even unknowingly imprisoned me in here for years." "Well he's human and we are currently living in his world. So technically he's stronger than all of us. So stop being a worry wart. He'll find his way back in this room like he always does. And I'll be right here waiting for him pretending to be his roommate."