SOUL DORM

7

Ah, freak out!

***

CHAPTER 7:

GRAVITY

When I opened my eyes, I was grinning. The gentle breeze, the shadows dancing on the ceiling in the sunlight, the sweet scent of flowers... Any one of these, or all together, could be the source of my happiness. Maybe I had a delightful dream, too. I stretched happily and rolled over in bed. At that moment, I saw the window in front of me and the pink world beyond it. Then, other details flooded back to me. The bookshelf over there, the wardrobe beside it, the study desk diagonally opposite, and Tamagotchi by the pillow...

No!

I sat up straight like a mummy awakened from a hundred-year sleep, mouth agape, making choking sounds because I couldn't find the words. The impossible memories I had forgotten while asleep were back in my mind at an impossible speed. I knew this room. I recalled the events that led me to this room. And since I was still in this room...

"It was all real!" I whimpered. The Principal, the Dorm, Ursa... and my death. Real, real, real, and real. Damn it!

I collapsed back onto the bed as if falling off a cliff, but then froze as I heard a sound. The mailbox by the door had suddenly sprung to life. It was trembling, rattling, emitting a purplish light. After swaying for a while, it suddenly stopped, and the lid opened. From where I was, I could see two letters stacked inside.

Remembering Ursa's warning about the importance of the mailbox, I jumped out of bed eagerly. One envelope was dark, the other light mauve. Because the lighter one seemed friendlier to me, I started with it. Inside was a paper with Daily Schedule boldly written at the top. There was little to read, as only one item was scheduled for my first day.

O R I E N T A T I O N

The notes section stated that I had to attend this orientation with my soulmate, whose identity I would find in another letter that had arrived. While textbooks and notebooks were not mandatory for orientation, having them was recommended. The envelope also contained a sketch depicting the Dorm's sections on the front and a map of the Dorm grounds on the back. I was rather pleased with this; at least I wouldn't have to rely on asking people for directions.

And now, it was time to find out who my soulmate was. I opened the second envelope with a bit of curiosity, a lot of excitement, and plenty of fear. Being matched with an inadequate soul was like being assigned to a weak project group and failing the course. My fate was dependent on my partner. I wasn't sure what to anticipate, but I certainly didn't expect to see a name I recognized.

"Mars?" I repeated to myself.

Yesterday, in the hallway, Pam had uttered that name. I remembered it vividly because it was so unconventional. Mars... Was that an abbreviation for something? Was it a boy or a girl? Who would call their child like this, for heaven's sake?

Despite these unanswered questions, he was undeniably my soulmate. But when I recalled Pam's mention of missing Mars's performance, I couldn't help but grimace. He was probably an artist, which meant he was most likely messy, disorganized, and lacking in discipline. Why on earth had they paired me with him? I was the exact opposite of all these. No, my star wouldn't align with this Dorm.

I trudged to the bathroom, dragging my feet along the way. I took a quick shower, hoping it would lift my spirits. It did until I opened my wardrobe. Gone was the single pajama set from yesterday; now, it was bursting with all sorts of clothes. But...