These things called life

The story of a bit who have to deal with the struggles of everyday life with the people around him

“These things called life,”

“Never bring any good.”

“I don't know.”

“At the very least, I can never understand it.”

Her lively laughter in the bustling school was like a screech to my ears, averting my eyes toward her and hoping that she would stop her screeching. She was standing out too much, her pinkish hair was eye catching and her beautiful figure along with her cute face was the envy of the girls.

Wrapping his arm around my neck while whistling a cringy tune, he was simply a classmate who I barely remembered his name.

“Sarah's so cuute~” He squeaked, admiring her beauty.

“Hmph, Sarah?” I asked, giving him a disgusted look on my face.

Taking his hand off my neck, i questioned as I moved my disgusted look at Sarah, “Are you stupid? What's so good about a woman like that?”

“Like that…?!” He questioned, confused by my tastes.

“Besides, you were looking at her too!” He frowned, arguing with me.

Straightening my head, I gave him my reply, “I just happened to see her.”

“No, she’s definitely cute! Nothing can beat that cuteness!” He argued.

Hugging himself and pushing out his lips, he was spoke out his weird fantasies, “Aaahn~ Sarah, do it with me~~”

“Uuugh, creepy, creepy, creepy.” I moaned, distancing myself from him.

“Eh~? Then what's your type of girl?” He asked.

“....My type?” I muttered.

Looking at the girls around me, I could see an array of different fetishes and women, from short hairs to long hairs all coming with their different shapes and shades of colours, from big breasts to flat chests. I can't forget the new trend of thighs and asses, a fetish probably made by loners, shut-in loners.

“People never bring any good.”

“You can't tell what they're thinking,”

“And you can't understand them.”

“I find it hard to believe that they're the same creatures as me.”

“Am I thinking too much?”

“...No, nevertheless..”

“At the very least, I…”

While in the midst of my thoughts, her eyes managed to intercept mine. Moving the ends of her lips up trying to give me a smile, frowning in disgust at her smile someone managed to find it appealing

“EEH?! Did Sarah just look here and smile?” He gasped, noticing Sarah's smile in our direction.

“I can guarantee..”

“That people never bring any good..”

Having enough of this nonsense I decided to head back to the classroom, wanting to follow me back to the classroom he knocked onto someone, a classmate. To be precise, the person he knocked into was the class president of our class, apologizing to her, she only gave him a simple warning to be careful before walking off. Going into the fetishes from what I was thinking about earlier, she was an example of an honor student, always getting high grades, a bespectacled lady with short hair and small breasts with a stern personality.

Poking my cheek on her entrance, she greeted me with her usual sleepy face.

“Good morning, Ben~”

“Mary.” I greeted.

“It's already noon, Mary! You just came not!?” He asked, cracking up a laugh.

“Ishi Shi Shi.” Mary laughed, weirdly.

“What? Did you sleep in?” He questioned.

“Hmm… Nah…” She yawned.

“I woke up in the morning, but I just kept watching TV…” She replied.

Mary paused in thought, thinking of a new topic, “Ben, did you see the news?”

“No, what is it?” I asked.

“They found the corpse of the latest victim of the Serial Phantom Killer!” Mary boasted, showing off what she saw on the news earlier.

“Whoa!? Seriously!?” He gasped.

“How many victims are there already!?” He asked.

“This is the tenth? I think?” Mary replied.

“What the hell are the police doing!?” He complained, mocking the police.

“Hey, Ben!” Mary called.

“It's scary, huh? It's so dangerous!” May grinned, making a joke out of it.

“The case of the Serial Phantom Killer.”

“It sounds so stale and cheap.”

“However, it's true and it's real.”

“It started more than half a year ago in Singapore.”

“Serial murders.”

“Killed without discrimination.”

“All of them, stabbed with a knife.”

“There are already ten victims.”

“And the culprit….”

“.....”

“.....”

“.....”

“...Has yet to be caught…”

Looking at the view outside, the blue skies were enough fire me to regret waking up this morning. Turning back into the school scene and towards Mary, she have me a sweet little grin forcing me to take back what I was thinking about.

“I take back what I did earlier.”

“Be it men or women…”

“Strange people are strange.”

As the school started to reach towards the end of it's operating hours for the day, the students, including me had to pack up and get out of there.

“Going back about the topic of strange people.”

“An example would be…”

“Just like this girl.”

“Master.” She called.

Turning my head around, a shadow was standing in the corner. With nothing noticeable on her except for her height, she was always buried in the shadows staying silent while watching me with her head bowed down. I couldn't make any eye contact with her but she was making eye contact with me since her bangs were shadowing her eyes.

“What?” I asked, breaking a sweat from the suspense coming from her.

“I have brought the book that you requested.” She informed, taking out a book from the shadows.

Taking the book from her and keeping it in my bag, I thanked her for her efforts of taking the book for me.

“It was nothing.” She said, being humble towards me.

“Master.” She called.

“Hm?” I mumbled.

“This noon, you talked to that woman once again, did you not?” She questioned, interrogating me.

“You were watching?” I asked.

“As you feared?” She apologised, bowing her head down.

“For this is Ergo’s duty.” She explained.

“This girl is Ergo Marvy.”

“Ergo.”

“Does not have any friends.”

“She doesn't engage in useless chatter either.”

“All she ever does is read books. A strange girl.”

“When I was still in first year, because of some minor business, I talked to Ergo.”

“Every since then, we started to exchange a few words whenever we met.”

“However, one day...”

“Master Benjamin.” Ergo called.

“Master, you were a kind of a small country in your previous life.” She informed,

“And Ergo was a knight whose duty was to protect the king. My memories from that time have returned.” She added.

“That's what she said.”

“After that, Ergo was all loyalty blah, mission blah, I need to protect you blah blah yada yada.”

“She would ramble to me endlessly about that setting.”

“Yes... In short…”

“This person…”

“Is a delusional, psychotic woman.”

“-aster.” Ergo called.

“I believe i have requested you not to talk with that woman again.” She reminded, forcing a stern tone on me.

“You mean Mary?” I asked, since she was the only woman I talked to today.

“I told you before.” I reminded.

“It's none of your business.” I frowned.

“That one is up to no good.” Ergo warned.

“You understand, do you not!?” She barked.

“Didn't you hear what I said?” I questioned.

“And you still date to call yourself my pretentious knight?” I howled.

Pulling her head down and gritting her teeth in realisation of betraying her king. I let out a sigh, trying to remember my plans for the day.

“Bye. I have to go meet someone.” I informed, taking my leave.

“Where are you headed?” Ergo questioned, concerned about my safety.

“It's none of your business.” I informed.

“Don't follow me.” I ordered.

As I took the first few stairs down, Ergo was watching my back waiting for me to leave her field of vision before moving on.

As expected of the city, it's filled with money grabbing shops and restaurants, of course the groups of condominiums are a call grab for their luxurious array of worthless facilities. With luxurious homes require luxurious security measures, I had to get permission from the owner of the house before I could even get in the building.

Pressing the buttons on the machine at the visitor center, I dialed the unit the person was staying in.

“....Yes?” It asked.

“It's me.” I said.

“...Come on up…” It said.

Although talking to a machine was very monotonous and dull, I guess it's already a pain in the a*s to go to the visitor center to get a permit to see someone. Leaving the lift and ringing the doorbell, the owner of the unit came to open the door and greet hey guest.

“Am I late?” I asked, stepping into the house.

“No…” She replied.

“Then... Please wait.” She informed, as I was in the midst of untying my shoelace.

“I'll go get ready.” She added, heading inside.

“Oraa!!” I shouted.

“Ha… AAAH!” She moaned.

Holding a whip and swinging it at someone's back while their legs are chained to the ground and the hands pulled up doesn't mean I was interrogating someone like how they used to in the old, olden days, I was instead engaging myself in an activity. Being in a room filled with weird things, S&M toys and tools to be exact, that idea itself doesn't make look like a bright person. Maybe I wasn't really a bright person to begin with, but the plot twist would be the the one on the receiving end.

“Who the f**k told you that you can get excited on your own!?” I shouted, whipping hey back.

“You're just a f*****g pig! You swine hog b***h!” I insulted, continuing to beat her up.

“Aah… I'm sor… sorry! I'm so sorr-!” She moaned, trying to apologise.

“Huuh? I can't hear you, idiot!” I howled.

“Khuaa!” She moaned, losing her breath.

“Mind you, I don't have hobbies like this.”

“It's this perverted masochist person, Olivia Dove’s idea of playing.”

“Remember the class president earlier? The honor student example? That's her, Olivia Dove.”

“I meet her back in middle school.”

“Up until now, she was a girl best described as an honor student.”

“And she had these inclinations back then as well.”

“If course, she kept it private and hidden from the people around her.”

“How I found out about it was completely an accident.”

“Ever since then..”

“Olivia has gotten ahold of a precious playmate who would accompany her in her strange hobby.”

Dropping to the ground, I was done for the day. It's not the time for me to be the receiver but it was time for me to get back home. Leaving the place, I walked past a pillar, an empty, plain looking pillar.

“I told you not to follow me.” I frowned.

Popping out from behind the pillar, Ergo called, “Master.”

“Please stop getting involved with one of such humble birth.” Ergo requested, simultaneously insulting Olivia.

“Hey, don't say it like that.” I scolded.

“No matter how much of a pervert she is, she's still my friend.” I said trying to defend Olyvia.

“Besides!” I howled,

“It’s none of your business.” I added, abandoning her.

Reaching back home, I whipped out the worksheets given by the teacher and started filling them in, regardless if they were important or not. It was already evening out there, from the late afternoon from the time I left my play session to the mid-evening where most of the interesting tv shows were airing on different channels and programs. Looking up and staring at the bland ceiling that was sheltering over my head, I started hearing the ticks and tocks of the alarm clock I had on my table. Interrupted by the vibration of my phone, I received a notification. Mary sent me a message, telling me to meet her at the park as soon as possible, unable to say no, I quickly got a change of clothes and got out of my house.

Opening my door I saw my pretentious knight waiting outside my house.

“I shall accompany you.” She informed.

“I don't need a companion.” I informed.

“Go home.” I ordered, leaving her there.

Walking through the dark skies, the entire neighborhood became a ghost town, no lights were on in the houses, l the street lights were flickering, it's barely even 7.30 and everyone here was already dead. Refecting on the events that happened today, I started wondering why I'm being pushed around by women.

Remembering the reason why I was outside, I wondered why she need me there as soon as possible.

“Mary.”

“Mary Mayweather.”

“My childhood friend, Mary.”

“She was a crybaby, and she was always do following me around.”

“10 years ago my childhood friend moved to a far away place…”

“Who’d have thought that we'd meet again.”

“Ah, Ben!” Mary called.

“Look, look! I've found a corpse!” She informed, making a joke out of some random dead guy.

“In these past ten years, Mary had completely changed…”

“Hey. Who's this?” I questioned, staring at her.

“Eh? Dunno?” Mary answered, rubbing blood off her face with her jersey sleeve.

“I see…” I sighed.

If you didn't get that terrible foreshadow earlier, I should at least be pretty obvious that she was the Serial Phantom Killer. Again, it should be pretty obvious how he died. Stabbed without discrimination.

“Besides, don't call to the scene of the crime. What if I get suspected?” I scolded, trying to stay clean.

“Eh~? But~?” She complained.

“I wanted Ben to be the first one to see it~!” She squealed, wiggling around.

“What is this? A gift?” I frowned.

“Anyway, can I go now?” I asked.

“Eh~? You're leaving already?” She complained.

“Sorry, there's a new show I want to see.” I apologized, trying to get away from there.

“I see… Can't help it then…” She sighed.

“You should go home too.” I ordered, turning around.

“You're a girl after all!” I added, forcing another reason she should get away from the scene.

“Ben! You're so nice~!” She complemented.

Waving her hand at me while I escaped the scene of the crime, I took the same route back home. Now nothing could go wrong if you knew the way back home right? Other than the fact that I just met a serial killer earlier, nothing could absolutely go wrong.

Living in a ghost town like this, maybe a few wandering spirits or a haunting ghost would be normal but being haunted by a ghost would really be a pain. Peeking at what's behind me, I said.

“I'm sure I said I don't need a companion.”

The echoing footsteps of the ghost was starting to get louder and louder, getting closer to me with a every step it takes. A pinkish-pale hair seemed to match it's tight fitting coat, I can't forget it's paleish eyes, if I had to describe that ghost in a word it would probably be pale.

“Sorry, Ben.” It apologized, grinning at me while fiddling with it's fingers.

“Don't get mad~ In was just concerned about you!” It explained, giving an excuse.

“Completely unneeded concern.” I frowned, rejecting her excuse.

“Sarah Winsley.”

“My Stalker.”

“But you don't know what she could possibly do to you, right?” She informed, telling me her reason to stalk me.

“So you should never be all alone…” She added.

“With that XXXX woman!” She said, insulting Mary.

“Hey don't insult my childhood friend!” I scolded.

“Were you the one who called Ergo?” I questioned.

“Yes! If it's that woman I'm sure she'll be able to fully protect you.” She answered.

“I was reluctant though.” She added.

“Seriously..”

“Women..”

“Really bring no good at all.”

“That's what you thought just now didn't you?” Sarah smirked, reading my thoughts successfully.

“Hey don't just read people's thoughts!” I complained.

“If you ask me…” She said, pondering to herself.

“i think the existence of boys are just as mysterious.” Sarah grinned, mirroring my views on women.

“Even if he talks with living humans…”

“Even if he sees the corpse of dead humans…”

“No feelings are reflected…”

“In those deep, deep, deep eyes.”

“Wonderful!” Sarah complemented.

“Who are you talking about?” I questioned.

“Are you dreaming or something?” I asked.

“That must be one heck of a dream.” I added.

“No, this is a dream of a sheep.” Sarah answered.

“Numb with love.” She added, throwing her feelings into me.

“What rubbish! I can't even laugh.” I complained, turning around and walking away.

“Ah, wait!” She called, running up to me.

“Hey, hey! Can I go inside your room?” She asked.

“I'll kill you.” I replied, threatening her.