Ryner slumped into his seat and dropped his head onto the desk. His mind was spinning.
Today was one of the strangest days of my life.
He exhaled through clenched teeth. "Who would've thought I'd meet a real-life exorcist?" he muttered to himself, clearly overwhelmed.
Trying to settle his racing thoughts, Ryner mentally retraced everything he'd learned about Rita.
Rita Holt... she was a student at Martin's Technical High. Everyone thought she died five years ago. The scene had bloodstained clothes—hers—but no body. Just the corpse of a young man.
"I found her bag in the abandoned school building… and the love letter she wrote to Charley," he whispered. "Then we find out she's not really dead. Her soul was extracted from her body in some kind of ritual."
His brows furrowed as he rubbed his temples.
"So now I have to find where these Cultists are keeping her body—and somehow figure out how to restore her soul," he said. "But who even are they? And how do I put a soul back into a body?"
A chill crept up his spine.
If I want Rita to live again… I'll have to risk my own life. But is she really worth it? What exactly is she to me?
Nearby, Rita floated around the classroom in a much better mood than Ryner, softly humming a tune.
"I feel weird," groaned Thomas, rubbing his stomach in the air. "I bet this is what being nauseous feels like… if you're a ghost."
He scowled suddenly. "That damn exorcist almost killed me. I swear, I'll get even with him one day."
Ryner glanced at Thomas, suspicious.
Thomas... He doesn't remember anything about his past. Just that he knew Rita, and he was first seen in the old school building. But something feels off. Like he's hiding something. Or he's more involved in this than he realizes.
"You look like you're getting back to normal," Rita said, smiling at Thomas.
"Define normal," Thomas replied dryly. "If you mean back to being a ghost, sure."
He hesitated. "But that exorcist's info—do you really believe it? Five years gone, your body still preserved somewhere? It all sounds insane."
Rita drifted down toward him, her eyes hopeful.
"I know it sounds crazy," she said softly. "But if there's even a chance I can go back… talk to my parents again… see Amelia and my friends… I have to believe in what Jack Crow said. I want to live again."
Ryner looked up, meeting her eyes.
"And you will. Once we find the Cultists," he promised.
She blinked, then slowly drifted toward him. "Ryner..."
He held up a hand, stopping her. "Listen... I was only supposed to help you pass on. I didn't sign up for this. Cultists. Exorcists. All of it."
His voice shook slightly. "Honestly, I'm scared. I've been asking myself all morning—is helping you worth dying for?"
He lowered his head. "I don't even know anymore."
Rita floated closer, her expression stricken. "What are you trying to say?"
"I don't know if I—"
A sudden warmth tickled the back of his neck. He froze.
"Well, well... Hello, Ryner. It's been a while."
He jolted from his seat. "Shimoya?!"
Sitting at his desk with casual ease was Shimoya, her dark eyes locked on him with an amused glint.
"How've you been?" he asked, struggling to keep his composure.
"I've seen better days," she said with a faint smirk. "But I'm touched—you actually remembered my name."
She leaned forward on the desk. "So... I came to ask about your ghost friends."
Ryner's blood ran cold.
She knows.
"What are you talking about?" he said, forcing a laugh. "Ghosts? Why are you always so hung up on that stuff?"
"Ghosts are just myths. Old stories," he added, hoping logic might throw her off.
Without a word, Shimoya reached into her jacket and placed several photos on the desk.
Ryner's heart dropped.
"What...?"
The photos were clear. Him—caught in candid moments. But behind him, barely visible but undeniably there, were ghostly figures: Rita and Thomas.
"It's amazing what old cameras can pick up," Shimoya said with a twisted smile. "So... how do you explain this?"
Ryner stiffened.
She's been stalking me... ever since that day in the old school building.
Rita whispered, "Just stay calm. She's pulling at straws."
Shimoya tilted her head. "So, is it true? You can talk to ghosts?"
Ryner exhaled slowly. There was no use denying it now.
"And what if I can?" he said. "Why does that matter to you?"
"Because I've been searching for someone like you," she said, her voice growing serious. "There's something I need you to do for—"
Ryner's phone vibrated on the desk, cutting her off. He saw the name and froze.
Officer Charlotte Buchanan.
He shot quick glances at Rita and Shimoya, then stepped aside and answered.
"Ryner, thank God you picked up," Charlotte said.
"What happened?"
"I reviewed the case files from five years ago. Rita's case. Like we thought—her death was never confirmed. Her body was never found."
Ryner felt a lump form in his throat.
"But I found the name of the boy whose corpse was found at the scene. His name was Thomas Bloomfield."
Ryner's hand went numb. The phone slipped from his fingers and hit the floor.
"No way... I was right," he whispered. "The boy found at the scene... was Thomas."