It was a normal night for June. Of course, 'normal' meant that June was sitting in her locked room, pajamas on, playing her phone. And not sleeping. She was tired, but she knew sleeping could put her life on the line. The vents? Boarded up. The door? Locked. Nothing could get her. If she was awake. She knew any guest could have an axe, or insane strength, and she didn't feel like dying tonight. She knew she would pass out sometime, but on occasion she would take a couple hours of a nap. That was... Good? She didn't know anymore. It was hard to think when she hadn't eaten a good meal in... How long? Since the first meal the chef served. It made her sick, and then the nurse came, and—she shuddered. Not again. She didn't trust anyone here. Sometimes not even her best friend, Anarchy Axolotl, or as she liked to be called, Anna. Anna was great and all, but sometimes she would remind June just too much about her best friend. The non-monster one. She would never tell Anna that, of course. In fact, she could hear Anna now. Stomping around in the attic and blasting music. She could hear her singing along to it, too. "Hide the scars to fade away the shake up! (Hide the scars to fade away the shake-up...)" But June ignored it. She was playing Candy Crush and was very close to beating this level. She had one move. One move. She looked at what she needed. "Oh, I know..." she said, swiping the last candies she needed. "Super Sugar Crush," went the little phone. She jumped up. "Yes! I win!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms up into the air. Now she didn't know what to do. Secure her room more? Suddenly, the wind threw her window open, and she was hit with a blast of cold air. She let out a little squeal of surprise and closed her eyes as the... wind? Hit her face. It didn't feel like the wind. It was warm—hot even. It burnt her skin a little bit, but the burning sensation went away in a second or two. Once the wind died down, she opened her eyes and looked around. "Oh—Oh." All her papers had been blown about. They weren't much, just poems and such. But one was a strange shade of blue. No- There was some blue light under it. She edged toward the paper and picked it up nervously. Nothing in her room had a blue light. And then she saw it. A blue flame. But nothing was burning. She felt the paper in her hand. It was perfectly normal temperature... She set it aside and tried to touch the little flame, but with a small, whoosh, it was under her bed. "Oh... You don't wanna be touched, huh?" Was she going insane? That wasn't a sentient being—it couldn't be—and yet... it felt.... like a real human being. Like her. But it wasn't. Was it? Then it hit her. The window. The rain. She bolted up her window quickly then went back to her bed. "Is that better?" She asked, without looking under the bed. Suddenly, the little flame was right at her face, casting a blue glow on it. And suddenly, it wasn't a flame. It was what seemed to be the outline of a girl, a bit younger than her, but made of... a blue flame. Suddenly it—she?—opened her mouth to speak. "I'm Soul." Said the girl, in a strange, demented voice. "I mean—I am a soul. I don't remember my name... Or much of anything. But you're... who are you? Are you..." she trailed off. "Human?" June thought out loud. "Y-yes... That's what I meant." She paused. "I used to be human..." She paused again. "Can you help me? Maybe I can be human again with your help? And I'll get you out of here...." Silence. "I-How do I know I can trust you?" June asked, and seeing the girl flinch at being asked this. "Please, I'll show you proof that I'm not evil.... Like mama and her son... and the guests," she said, in an innocent tone. "Fine." Then they were cut off by a "My dear? Are you okay?" From the outside of the door, followed by a knock. "Uhh-Yeah I'm fine!" She called out to the rat, turning for a second, but the girl was gone when she turned back. "Oh. That's good.... hmhmhm~.... I'll be going now, my dear..." Gregory said. And then she heard footsteps fading. She looked for the girl for a bit, before giving up and seeing how low her phone was. "Huh. 30%? It was higher before I could've sworn..." She went to grab her bag to get her charger. And then, she felt a burning sensation again, "Augh!" She looked in the bag and saw the little flame, not a girl anymore, but just a flame. "Is he gone?..." she asked, her voice hushed. "Yeah..."
"I think I'll be safer in here. I'll tell you where to go..."
