'A higher rank...' Bradley thought.
'Well I didn't expect our school nurse to be an evil spirit.'
[She isn't exactly an evil spirit—her body got possessed.]
Possessed?
[Yeah, I don't know for how long, but she's been possessed. Either she's still alive or the evil killed her before taking her body.]
Now, that's new, a spirit strong enough to possess someone by either killing the body owner or just possessing them by suppressing the host of the body consciousness, pretty strong.
[Yeah, you've been fighting some weaklings for the past weeks, and now we have the real deal at your school.]
It was a good thing that I always shared my spirit energy with Kirby in case he encountered something dangerous.
Ever since meeting Kirby, Bradley always shared his spirit energy with him without him knowing, just in case he wasn't with him and met an evil spirit.
So when the nurse tried to touch his body, her touch got repelled and she was hurt.
[That was a smart move, but I wonder when she got possessed because earlier in the morning, when you dropped those bastards in the infirmary, she was able to touch them despite you having left your spirit energy on them.]
Maybe a new spirit possessed her in that short amount of time after I dropped them?
Bradley thought for a bit and then shook his head. Nah, it's impossible... spirits do not attack humans in broad daylight.
[Unless she has actually been possessed even before you brought them to the infirmary. Probably possessed before the school even started, and somehow managed to bypass your spiritual energy.] Spirit Bradley said as he held his chin with his left hand.
Bradley nodded. That is the most reasonable answer. I think that she's probably behind the appearance of that spirit because we killed all the spirits that were in the school years ago, and no other spirit showed up ever again...
[...until now.] Spirit Bradley finished for him.
[She's mostly behind it; higher rank spirits order lower spirits after all.]
tsk, normally I feel their presence but I didn't feel anything when I looked at her, hell, she could've passed under my radar if it wasn't for you or my spirit energy on Kirby reacting to her touch and that's dangerous...
[Just how you like it.] Spirit Bradley smiled.
Bradley had an evil grin on his face. Yeah, just how I like it, there's no fun if it's dangerous and plus she might be able to kill me.
[I doubt, but we'll see tonight.]
[The reason why you couldn't feel her evil energy was that you're still too weak and have poor control of your spirit energy.]
Yeah, we can't even make a perfect fusion, nor can you possess me completely. Bradley nodded.
[Most likely because I'm you and you're me, so we can't...]
We will think about that later, let's pay attention to class before I get hit by a chalk. Bradley turned to the math teacher, who had come in minutes ago.
Spirit Bradley chuckled and continued floating beside him with his eyes closed.
After a few hours, school had ended for the day.
The bell had already rung.
The corridor was filled with voices as the students walked out of their classes.
Almost everyone in Bradley's class had already left.
Only he, Kirby and Josh remained and were still talking.
Bradley packed up his stuff and got up from his seat along with Kirby.
Kirby, noticing Josh not standing up as well, asked. "Are you not coming with us, Josh?"
"No, I'm going to study for a bit longer, and then I'll leave. You guys can leave first."
"What a study freak, you used to be just like that, Brad." Kirby nudged at Bradley's side.
Bradley walked close to Josh's desk.
"What time are you leaving Joshua?" Bradley asked.
"It's Josh—sigh, never mind. I'm leaving like around 7pm or 8pm?" He replied.
Bradley frowned.
"No, don't leave at night, leave by 5 or 6, it's dangerous to go home very late."
"Nah, I'll be fine," Josh said.
"I insist, I don't want to see one of my friends getting stabbed by a road man in the night."
"Road man things." Kirby nodded.
"D-damn, you consider me one of your friends?" Josh asked.
Bradley smiled. "Yeah, the moment you spoke with me without any remorse, you were already my friend."
"Ah, thank you so much." He sniffed.
"I haven't really had any friends in class; you are all my first friends."
"No, I'm the one who is thankful." Bradley patted Josh's shoulder.
After all, you're the second person, after Kirby, to not slander me or hate me for what I did, even though I deserved it.
[You're making the kid cry.]
"Okay, fine, I'll leave early as you said." Josh finally agreed.
Bradley smiled. "Great, then I'll see you tomorrow, Joshua."
"It's Josh."
"Yeah, I know."
Bradley offered his hand, which Josh shook.
Black spirit energy passed from his hand to Josh, enveloping his body.
Just in case something unexpected happens.
[How thoughtful of you, protecting someone you barely even know, that's progress for the salty Bradley.] Spirit Bradley said.
Shut up.
[Well, I'm only spitting facts.]
"See you around Kirby, and please don't go on too much to those books," Kirby said with a laugh.
"I'm not a gooner!" Josh replied, embarrassed.
After saying goodbye to Josh, they both left the classroom.
As they walked in the corridor, Kirby wrapped his huge arms around Bradley.
"You just made another friend, you're making progress."
Bradley just chuckled and said. "Not really, Josh was the one who did most of the stuff, he approached us first in the first place, y'know, I wouldn't have done it if I were in his position."
"Yeah, but I'm still proud of you. Now we're like the three musketeers."
"Nuh uh, he's a cool guy, didn't expect that," Kirby said.
"Yeah, same here. I was expecting him to pull out an AK-47 and shoot all of us since he's the quiet kid in class." Bradley said as he shook his head.
"Probably if we refused to answer his question, we'd be dead!"
They both laughed.
"But damn, he is a true man of culture," Kirby said.
"It's always the quiet ones who are the freakiest," Bradley replied.
They reached their lockers and took their stuff, and headed outside the school.
Two Limousines were outside waiting for them, and two people stood next to them.
One of them was Vuitton, and the other was a woman, Lucy, Kirby's personal maid.
She had blond hair and blue eyes like the sea. She wore a black and white servant uniform.
Bradley greeted her. "Good afternoon, Ms. Lucy."
She smiled warmly and greeted him back. "Good afternoon, young master Bradley. I hope Kirby didn't bother you in class on the first day of school."
Bradley looked at Kirby, who flinched at his gaze with a mischievous smile.
"D-definitely not!" Kirby said it out loud.
"Really?" Lucy looked at Kirby with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, making him flinch again.
She's really strict with him. Bradley chuckled inwardly.
He then said. " No, Ms Lucy, he behaved well today."
Kirby sighed at his words.
"However, if he misbehaves in the future, I shall inform you." He smirked
Kirby glared at him before getting into his limousine with a look that said. "I'll get you tomorrow."
Lucy said goodbye and then entered the limousine as well and left.
Bradley walked to Vuitton, who held the door of the car open for him.
"Good afternoon, young master. I see you've enjoyed school today, you're quite cheerful," Vuitton said.
"Oh, am I?" He asked innocently.
"Yes, you were all gloomy in the morning, but now the gloominess is gone. I guess Kirby is doing a good job as a friend." Vuitton smiled.
"I guess so." Bradley chuckled as he entered the car.
Vuitton closed the doors and started driving.
Since the trip was going to be a bit long, Bradley took out his phone out of his pocket, plugged in his earphones and started listening to music.
"All I am is a man around the world in my head~" The music played in his ears.
He opened a novel app and clicked on the book he has been reading for a while now.
It was a novel called As The Word Denies by Vladislavldi.
It was a fantasy novel about a young man who fought against fate for billions of years.
He really liked that novel.
Four chapters updated, and they are long too? Let's goo.
Bradley spent the whole journey reading the novel chapters.
When he got to his mansion, it was already 5pm.
He skipped lunch and went straight to bed.
He was in his bed staring at the ceiling.
Now that he was back home and wasn't busy anymore, his thoughts came back.
Suddenly, the grief hit him again like he was living that heartbreak of the day his parents had passed away all over again.
It has been five years, and it still hurts like yesterday...
His other self silently watched him—he could feel his pain so he didn't say anything.
Bradley opened his mouth and said:
"Alexa, please play How to Disappear Completely by Radiohead."
{"Sure thing, Bradley. Playing how to disappear completely by Radiohead."}The speaker replied.
When he couldn't sleep, he'd always play music to help him fall asleep.
{"In a little while, I'll be gone,
The moment's already passed
Yeah, it's gone and I'm not here
This isn't happening~"}
Such a beautiful song... this is truly the best work they have ever done...
{"I'm not here, I'm not here,
Strobe lights and blown speakers,
Fireworks and hurricanes,
I'm not hereeeeeeeeeee, this isn't happening
I'm not here, I'm not here~"}
Who am I without music? Bradley thought as his eyelids became heavy.
After an hour, Bradley was able to fall asleep while the song still played in the background.
*********
What's your favourite Radiohead song?