DEAD HELPER

KELLY HINART

"MA, I WILL now go to school. I might be late!" I shouted near the window of our house. My mother was in our backyard, watering our plant.

She looked at me. "Have you already eaten your breakfast, dear?!" she muttered, raising her voice a little bit.

"Yes, ma! I'll go now!"

"Alright, dear. Take care!"

After that, I immediately left the house and waited for a jeepney on the roadside. Just moments later, a jeepney came to stop and when I took a sneak peek, it was already full.

"Can I still in?" I asked the driver while holding the sling of my bag pack.

"You can just hang there. Just hold tight, if you want," he said, pertaining to the tube that is located above the entrance door.

"Sure, manong. It's just fine."

Well, I have already gotten used to it. Besides, I don't have a choice because if I don't take this opportunity, I would surely be late for my morning classes.

I immediately hang myself on the bus. I enjoyed my position. Compared to when you sit inside the jeepney, you can feel more fresh air here than there.

A few moments later, I took a glance inside the jeepney. My shoulders slightly shrugged as I saw something---nah, someone. It's very early in the morning, yet, someone like her appeared.

She's a kid. She's currently sitting on the other side of the jeepney, near the driver's seat. She was looking at me, her pink dress has lots of blood. Unlike the ones like her that I always saw at night, she's not crying, but instead, she's smiling at me.

I used to see this kind of thing. Yup, you can distinguish her as a ghost. Before, I always freaked out whenever I saw them. But now, they just seem normal in my eyes. I smiled at her back until the jeepney stopped in front of the gate of my school.

After I paid for the transport, I jumped off from the jeepney and immediately went inside the gate of the school. I would still need to walk kilometers longer for me to reach the College Department of Questi High. If you would drive along, well, just a few minutes, surely you will reach the destination. However, if you would choose to walk, like what I'm doing right now, it would take 30 minutes because Questi High is very wide.

This school is very famous and highly recommend even though the fees were very high and expensive. I had no other choice. And besides, the teachers here were highly respected and brilliants. You could really learn a lot.

After thirty minutes, I already reached the gate of the College Department. I am already in my fifth year. All of the courses here would take five years before you could graduate.

"Ouch!"

As I walked through the gate, I did not notice I bumped into the woman. One of the freshmen. With brow-raised, she looked at me intently.

"Sorry," I muttered, calmly and sincerely.

She rolled her eyes. "Let's go, Cheery. I could not believe there's a trash roaming around here!" she retorted and walked out, swinging her handbag.

"Tanya, wait!" her companion shouted, following her.

I shook my head. Tsk, we should not argue with the people like them. Surely, she did not know yet the word 'super stress' unless she was already in her fifth year like me. I was an active Student Council President in my Elementary, High School, and first year in college. However, I stopped when I reached the third year until now because projects and tasks were no longer a joke, it needs full attention.

I was about to step my foot when suddenly I saw a piece of paper on the ground, near my feet. A folded piece of paper to be exact.

Out of curiosity, I picked it up and unfolded it. My forehead creased and I was a little bit shocked when I read what was written on it.

'TO MS. KELLY HINART

YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO BE ONE OF THE OCCUPANTS OF THE HOUSE. PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THIS. MEET US AT TRES MARIAS PARK AT EXACTLY 6 PM.

FROM MS. CRUZ'

My eyes knitted. Miss Cruz? Who's this?

Discombobulated, I folded the paper back and slid it inside my pocket. Was this some sort of a scam or trip of whoever made this? In times of this new generation, it's too hard to believe anymore.

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