Ghost Behind You

1.14. Awake

For a moment, Rose couldn't remember where she was.

Everything was quiet. She opened her eyes to see a white ceiling overhead. When she tried to turn her head, a sharp pain stopped her, forcing a groan out of her. Deciding to stay still, she lay there quietly, feeling as though her head was disconnected from her body. She couldn't sense her limbs and struggled to piece together what had happened. The only memory that surfaced was from 21 years ago—standing in her kindergarten classroom. She hadn't thought about those times in ages, about her adoption and name change. Those memories felt like they belonged to someone else.

Then she remembered the moments before she fainted.

Had she really seen that thick, black tail, or was it just a hallucination? Everything had happened so suddenly. Zach must have saved her, but where was he now? He must know what happened.

The bed beneath her was soft, and the pillow low—she was still in Room 104. Anxiety stirred. This room always made her feel helpless and small. Now that she was regaining sensation in her body, the only lingering discomfort was the throbbing in her head.

Rose struggled to sit up. Sure enough, she was still in the same room. The curtains were open, and one window was slightly ajar, letting in the summer heat. Outside, the little lake and the wrought-iron swing stood still in the sun, the whole hotel wrapped in the sleepy lethargy of a hot afternoon. It felt like she had just woken from a long nap.

Where was Zach? What had he dug up? And was she still in danger? Despite her headache, Rose knew she had to continue investigating. She wasn't leaving until she got to the bottom of it.

After sitting on the bed for a moment, dazed, she finally stood up. She needed to find Zach, but had he already run off? She instinctively checked the collar of her shirt—thankfully, all her buttons were still fastened. She slipped on her heels, steadying herself by the bed.

Oddly, the oppressive atmosphere in the room was gone. Everything seemed calm, almost normal. She walked to the window, looking out for any sign of movement, then made her way to the bathroom.

The tiles Zach had removed were back in place, though some black soil particles remained scattered on the floor, hinting at his recent digging. Everything else seemed untouched. The bathroom felt unusually peaceful, even with the lights off. The strange tension from earlier had dissipated, and it felt like just any other room again. Only the soot-stained ceiling and the broken bathroom lock hinted at the tragedy that had once occurred there.

Rose scanned the room in disbelief, looking for any clue of what had happened before she passed out. Aside from the soil, nothing seemed out of place. She checked herself in the mirror—her hair was a mess, and her face smudged with dirt. She leaned over the sink, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water on her face. The icy water brought a sharp sense of relief.

As she bent down to rinse her face, something in the mirror caught her eye—a fleeting image of something lurking behind her, just out of sight. A chill ran down her spine, and she froze, listening to the sound of the water while straining to detect any movement behind her.

But there was nothing. No ominous presence, no feeling of being watched like before. If not for that brief glimpse, she wouldn't have even thought something strange had appeared. Her nerves had hardened after recent events, but the image of that silent figure still sent chills down her spine.

She cautiously lifted her head and looked into the mirror again—nothing. She turned around, scanning the room—again, nothing.

Rose took a deep breath, steeling herself, and continued fixing her hair as if nothing had happened. These strange occurrences no longer rattled her.

What should I do now? Find Zach? But how? Without him, I can't piece anything together. As much as I hate to admit it, I owe him thanks for saving me. Ugh, these past few days have been utterly exhausting.

She started organizing her thoughts.

First, all these strange occurrences were tied to Room 104, not necessarily the people involved. Zach had confirmed as much. Now that he had left with whatever he unearthed, the focus of the investigation had shifted to that object.

Second, I'm still in danger—life-threatening danger. That ominous force is trying to kill me. But I can't tell if the threat comes from this room, the thing Zach dug up, or if it's directed at me personally. If it were solely tied to the room or me, it could have easily killed me by now. Aside from that glimpse in the mirror, things seem normal, which suggests the danger is tied to whatever Zach found.

Third, last night's strange events are also connected to the presence of that "spirit field," which must be related to the ominous force. While I can't be certain, it clearly harbors a strong hostility toward me. It wanted to kill me, but Zach's warning—and the charm he placed on my door—protected me, keeping it out. I don't even want to imagine what might have happened if that slipper-wearing ghost had entered my room last night. So, Zach's warning was given in good faith.

Fourth, Zach...

Rose felt a little embarrassed. He had warned her out of goodwill, and even saved her, yet she still hadn't trusted him. But could she be blamed? Zach had been so secretive and strange—it was only natural to have doubts. Then again, his line of work might explain it. After all, he couldn't exactly go around telling everyone he was a ghost hunter, especially not someone with ties to law enforcement like her.

She smiled to herself. "A religious scholar," huh? That guy...

Alright, the priority now is to find Zach. I wonder if he's in danger too. I have so many questions about his work... and about ghosts. There's so much I need to know...