"And what the hell are you trying to say now?" Kent said. Visibly upset.

  I saw the syringe move in.

  "No! Wait! Wait!" I pleaded, putting up my free hand. "I'm not fighting anymore! See?"

  Major Coleman paused for a second, studying me. Then he retracted his hand holding the syringe.

  I looked at the soldier holding me. "Can I have my arm back?"

  He looked at Major Coleman for confirmation. Major Coleman nodded. The soldier let me go.

  Rubbing my arm, I examined Kent. He's in his new clothes. His hair was styled. And the only terror I am picking up from him is towards me.

  "Sure, just stare at me all quiet-like after you implied that I should be dead," Kent said. "Nothing creepy about you right now."

  The rest of the haunteds shared the same horrified look on their faces.

  "B-but the tree," I said. "It fell, didn't it?"

  "So because the tree fell," Kent said. "I should have gone down with it?"

  "No, no," I said. I rubbed my temples with both hands. "So how did it fall? Why did it fall?"

  I looked at the haunteds. None of them look like they have any clue.

  "It was an old tree," Major Coleman said. "Trees tend to do that with age. Especially with the nasty storm last night."

  That is true. We learned that in school. And that would explain why the ground was muddy when I don't remember mud on our first night. But I'm not convinced that was the case here. "Can we see it?" I asked.

  Major Coleman gave me a long, hard look.

  "I promise I'm okay now," I said. And I honestly feel that way. I mean Kent is still alive! Of course, I'll feel good. Hopeful, even. But that hopefulness is mixed with confusion.

  Major Coleman still didn't give a reply.

  "I'm sorry about last night," I said. "And now. It's just...all this is too much, you know?" I'm talking about the whole surprised-time-travel-backward-to-relived-the-nightmare-all-over-again but he doesn't need to know that. He'll probably think I'm talking about being a haunted and brought here and all.

  He gave me a smile. "I understand. We are sorry too. For taking you out of your normal live and expected to study the very thing that will kill you. But you must also understand, we are doing all of this—"

  "For our sake, right?" I interrupted. "And for the next generation of haunteds. I understand. Look, I was scared. But if I saw the tree right now, and have you answer my questions that will follow, I think I can deal with my situation a little bit better without you having to drug me."

  "If it will make you feel better," Major Coleman said. "I will answer all your questions till you are satisfied."

  "All right, let's go then," I said. A little too excited. I can't help it. Kent's alive. But now there's another mystery that needs to be solved.

  I took off.

  I've reached the fallen tree first. I didn't wait for any of them to start investigating. It was the same tree that had fallen. At least it looked like it. I don't know much about trees to begin with.

  By the time they caught up, I was bombarded with questions but I remained silent.

  I walked up beside the tree to the location where Mr. Donovan's body was supposed to be found three weeks ago.

  "No, that's not right," I thought, shaking my head.

  I am confusing myself with the timeline so as of right now, I am denoting my original timeline, where the three haunteds and Mr. Donovan are dead as Alphaline and this new and too-good-to-be-true timeline as Betaline.

  In Alphaline, Mr. Donovan's body was cut in half diagonally, same as the tree. I walked past the tree. There was no cut. It wasn't even split in half. I looked at the roots. It was exposed above the surface.

  So that's it? It got uprooted? With the muddy ground, I guess that would be the best guess.

  "So it rained hard last night?" I asked.

  "That wasn't a heavy rain," Scarlet said. "That was a tropical storm!"

  "It's crazy you slept through that," Darius said.

  "Blame whatever Major Coleman injected me with," I said.

  But Major Coleman said nothing in his defense and instead, cleared his throat. "Are we satisfied?"

  I look around the people gathered around me, looking for the other casualty but fail to spot him.

  "Is Mr. Donovan here?" I asked with caution, fearful of the next words Major Coleman might say. But that fear immediately disappeared with his reply.

  "It's morning," Major Coleman said. "He's not here."

  Right, he's the night shift. I thought.

  "What happened last night?" I finally asked. But my stomach grumbled before Major Coleman answered. I forgot I haven't eaten anything since last night.

  "How about we discuss this over food?" Major Coleman suggested. "Mr. Marino is also preparing lunch."

  "Mr. Marino is here?" I blurted out.

  Major Coleman looked confused. "Why wouldn't he be?"

  Because you fired him after Mr. Donovan's and Kent's death. I thought. But instead, I say, "Are these all the haunteds?"

  "What are you on about now?" Cana said, clearly irritated. Or disturbed. And I don't blame her.

  "I count twelve haunteds here," Major Coleman said. "So yes, I would say these are all the haunteds. It was twelve last year and the year before."

  So that confirms it. No wonder I still hasn't seen myself since last night. Why these people treat me like I'm their Vergil. Because I took his place. So what happened to this world's Vergil? I file that away for another time because right now I've already got a lot on my plate.

  "Well, if that's all," Major Coleman said. He gestured for us to go back to the dorm. "Shall we?"

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  We trailed after Major Coleman as he led us back inside.

  "Seriously, dude," Eris said. "What was that last night?"

  "You're freaking us out, man," Kent said.

  The faces of dead kids talking to me and making eye contact still make the hair in my body stand but this time, I managed to hold it. "I'm sorry," I said. "I guess I'm a little freaked out, too."

  "Nothing to be ashamed of," Major Coleman assured me. "I can't fully understand what you kids are going through but I know it is not something teenagers like yourself are equipped to deal with. Or should even experience in the first place."

  No kidding, I thought.

  The glass, sliding door spread opened, welcoming us with a cool blast of air from the central air conditioning system installed in this place.

  Seeing the visitor's lounge made me remember my freak-out last night.

  My hand went to the spot on my shoulder where the syringe pierced my skin. "Do you always carry that with you? The drugged you injected me with?"

  "Let's just say that in the past 20 years of our operation," Major Coleman said. "You're not the first one to be...distressed on the first day."

  Oh, distressed doesn't even begin to cover it. I thought.

  When Major Coleman opened the door to the Dining Area, my nose was immediately assaulted by the sweet and sour smell of tomatoes making my stomach grumble even louder.

  "Mr. Marino," Major Coleman said. "Do you still have a breakfast set for Mr. Torres here?"

  "There are leftovers," Mr. Marino said. He was on the stove in front of the pot where the delicious broth is wafting from. "I'll fire them up in the microwave. Should take 30 seconds."

  The tables here weren't pushed together to form one rectangular one. I guess that's because nobody died yet and so no one was afraid. Major Coleman asked me to sit across from him.

  "You told me you have questions?" Major Coleman said as soon as I sat down.

  "Yes, I do," I said. "What the hell happened last night?"

  Major Coleman sighed. He spoke with a gentle voice. "You experience what—"

  "No, no, I get that," I said, stopping him. I don't want another lecture on how crazy I was. "I meant last night's Shade Study."

  Major Coleman seemed taken aback by my sudden and complete one-eighty.

  "Well, we didn't get to join group A last night," Leo said. He pulled up a chair and joined us at our table. Soon, our table was circled with seats and the other haunteds.

  "Major Coleman said it wasn't a good idea, considering what just happened," Caprice said.

  "Group A is you, right?" I said to Darius. "Did you see the Shade? What happened?"

  Darius started recounting the events of last night. Group A did go outside. And at about 10:30 PM, they saw the Shade. The one-point-zero version of the Shade. A floating shadow of a man. But instead of legs, its lower body tapers into a tail. They kept at it till sunrise.

  "So you haven't slept yet?" I asked.

  "If you saw the Shade yourself, I doubt you'd be able to sleep right away too," Caprice said. "Not because it was scary, mind you, but because you finally see the thing you've only heard of it or taught about it in books and in school. Seeing it in person is just...wow."

  "I know, right!? "Demi exclaimed. "It's felt like the book came to life!"

  Oh, Demi. Still the curious one... His innocence and genuine excitement made me forget that I am trapped in this world that I know nothing about.

  I reorganized my thoughts. So they did see the Shade. And it was all as described in the Haunted's Handbook...?

  I wanted to ask them directly, just to make sure. Before asking them, I decided to stall. I looked down at my meal, took a bite of my hotdog and a spoonful of rice. I want to ask if the Shade transformed, just like in Alphaline. But I think that saying that out loud would make them think I'm still losing it. I can't be put to sleep again. Not now. I have to make sense of this timeline.

  Fearing another drug-induced, unwanted trip to the dream world, I carefully choose the words to use to probe without sounding crazy.

  "So the Shade," I said after gulping down a glass of water. "It didn't grow legs or anything?"

  Darius blinked. "Not sure that was in the handbook..."

  It wasn't.

  "Well, the way Major Coleman said it during the briefing, I thought it was going to transform or something."

  "Ahh, I see," Major Coleman said. "I apologize for scaring you. But trust me, it wasn't my intention."

  That wasn't my intention too. But since Major Coleman took the blame, I let out a nervous laugh, hoping that that was enough to explain my freak-out last night.

  "So that's what got into you?" Cana said. "Thank goodness. I thought you just went ahead and lost your head!"

  Everyone stared at her.

  "Get it?" Cana said, shrinking in her chair. "Because haunteds loses their heads in pictures..."

  I'm really glad some things are the same in this timeline.

  I finished my meal and said a quiet prayer Grace After Meal. "I'm really sorry about last night," I said.

  "Hey man, we understand."

  "It's okay, dude."

  "Honestly, could happen to any of us."

  They said, taking turns comforting me.

  "What do we do now?" I said.

  "Some of you want to sleep," Major Coleman said, looking at the yawning Darius, Scarlet, Indigo and Caprice—Group A. "But for the rest, the arcade room and the movie theater are always an option."

  The mood changes from fearful and apprehensive to vacation mode. But I can't be in vacation mode. I need answers. However, I doubt I can brush them off without them being suspicious of me. And I do plan on going with them. To observe them. And of course, probe for any new information. So I need an activity where we can just sort of ignore each other but still be together so that I can gather my thoughts and all this new information and make sense of this new timeline and my silence won't be weird.

  It hit me.

  "Wanna watch a movie?" I suggested.

  Of course my idea was met with great enthusiasm.

  I told them I'd be right behind as soon as I finished washing my dishes. There is a clean-as-you-go policy around here so they shouldn't think too much about it.

  "Okay," Eris said. "We'll set it up."

  "What movie do they have?" Harmony said.

  "Nobody checked yet," Cato said.

  "I'm sure you'll find something to your liking," Major Coleman said. He stood up and pushed his seat under the table. "Since everything seems sorted out, I leave you kids to Mr. Marino, then. He'll call me if something comes up."

  We nodded assent.

  "I'll be taking my leave, then." Major Coleman said. "Enjoy your day."

  We said goodbye as he left the room.

  I stood up and took my plates to the sink. The rest took that as a signal for them to go to the movie theater. There were some talks about watching an action movie as they walked out the door.

  "If they have any," I shouted back. "Maybe you can find a movie or series about time travel?"

  "We'll see what we can find!" Leo responded.

  I turned back to the sink and squeezed the sponge in soapy water.

  "You like time travel movies?" Mr. Marino said.

  "Not just movies," I said with a smile. "All that time travel related." And I wasn't lying. I really like them. Stein's Gate, Terminator, Your Name.

  But I didn't suggest watching a time travel movie to enjoy them. I wanted to study them. Specifically, to learn how they got back to their original timeline. I know movies aren't the most reliable sources but it's time travel. No one had written a paper on it because no one actually done it. And even if someone did, I doubt I would be able to understand the scientific jargons used on scientific papers. Or even google it since there's no internet in this place.

  "So how are you feeling?" Mr. Marino asked.

  That made me turn to him. "Fine, I guess."

  "That's good to hear," Mr. Marino said. Meanwhile, he added seasoning to the pot and started stirring. I turned back to my plate and started scrubbing. It was just rice and hotdog so there really isn't anything that sticks.

  "You slept okay?" Mr. Marino said. He spooned the soup and began blowing on it.

  "Yeah..." I said as I put my plate on the dish drainer and started on my fork and spoon. That drug really did put me to good sleep. Like with the cultists. There wasn't even any nightmare again.

  That's when it hit me. What if I tell him my entire situation but pretend it was a nightmare? Then maybe, he can give me some advice on what the hell I'm supposed to do next. Then I can have someone to talk with about what the hell happened to me and not be put to sleep!

  "Actually," I ventured. "I had a nightmare." I finished with my silverware and put it in the drainer. I turned to Mr. Marino, looking to see if he needed any help.

  Mr. Marino smacks his lips after tasting the soup. He put in more salt. "Wanna talk about it? Might help you feel even better?"

  I walked up to his side. In the pot was an orange-yellowish stew with cubed potatos, cubed carrots, bell peppers sliced into strips, green peas and chopped chicken thighs and drumsticks.

  He put the lid back and set it to simmer. I started telling him my "nightmare" as he chopped up some hotdogs. I gave him a brief summary of last night. But as soon as I mentioned that some of the kids were dead, his hand went still.

  "Wow," he said. "Major Coleman really scared you, huh?"

  "Big time," I said. "So if you were in that situation, what's the first thing you would do to get back?"

  "And why would I want to get back?" he said.

  I blinked. "Because your friends and family are back there, waiting for you. Because you don't belong in this timeline." It was so obvious that I couldn't help but get a little worked up.

  He took the lid off and scrape the sliced hotdogs off the chopping board and onto the stew.

  "Maybe so," he said he then reached for the spatula and started stirring the pot again. "But the way I see it, this new timeline, you were given a second chance. Where all your friends are all alive and all that nasty stuff never happened."

  He put the lid back on. "And, according to you, you took the place of the original. So no harm no foul. So why wouldn't I stay? Had it been me?"

  He started washing his hands. "But what do I know? I'm just a cook. I don't really get all that sci-fi stuff."

  Since I was finished with my dishes, I thanked Mr. Marino for the meal and went out to head to the movie theater, with my mind starting to doubt the urgency to return home.