There was no time to think anymore.
No time to worry about ghosts, embarrassment, or whatever nightmare my morning had turned into.
I moved on pure instinct.
I quickly got ready.
Fixed my hair as best as I could.
Tied my shoelaces while half hopping around the room.
Grabbed my books, shoved them into my bag, checked my wallet, and most importantly, made sure my phone was in my pocket.
I didn't look back.
I didn't care what or who was left inside the room.
I just ran.
By the time I reached the bus stop, my breathing was uneven and my legs felt slightly weak.
I bent forward for a second, hands on my knees, trying to calm myself
Five more minutes and I would've missed the bus.
Standing there, waiting, I finally had a moment to breathe properly.
As my heart rate slowly returned to normal, I looked around.
The morning rush was the same as always.
People were busy.
Some were staring at their phones, scrolling endlessly.
Some looked half asleep.
Others were talking on calls, clearly annoyed.
Everyone seemed to be in a hurry.
That's when it hit me.
Busy mornings are the same for everyone.
No one had the time to stop and wonder if a six-foot-tall ghost was lurking behind them.
No one was thinking about whether some angry spirit had latched onto their back.
They were too busy dealing with things they could see.
Deadlines. Messages. Traffic. Life.
I don't know if I'm blessed or cursed to be able to see ghosts.
Sometimes I think it's one. Sometimes the other.
The world has always followed its own rules.
Some are known to everyone some are not.
Of course, they are taken in different context but who cares.
One of the most widely spread is-
"Energy can neither be created nor destroyed,"
"Only transformed from one form to another."
And so, after death, we become ghosts.
Good or bad doesn't matter.
It happens to all.
After that, the Soul Eaters take your soul.
I'm not sure they actually eat souls.
The name feels dramatic.
But I'm also not sure if they don't.
I've never met one before.
Maybe their work has something to do with karma or the next life.
Just a guess.
Being able to see ghosts doesn't mean all the secrets of the universe suddenly open up to me.
If anything, it just gives me more questions.
But the real problem isn't any of that.
It's the overpopulation.
Agh.
Just clutching my hair and shouting wouldn't even come close to how frustrating it feels.
Ghosts are everywhere.
Everywhere.
So over populated.
I don't know which world is in charge of managing them.
Heaven, the underworld, or something else entirely.
But whoever it is, they're either extremely lazy or severely understaffed.
Every one out of five people have a ghost attached to them.
And if the ghost isn't latched onto a person, then it's roaming around aimlessly, completely lost.
Most of them are low-level ghosts.
That's probably the only reason the world hasn't completely fallen apart.
They don't have much consciousness.
They can't speak.
They can't make sound.
Can't even touch or disrupt the world in any meaningful way.
They just stick to people.
A few hours or a few days.
Sucking the smallest amount of energy from their host, just enough to barely survive.
People don't even notice if anything is wrong with them.
These are the most harmless ones.
I call them "Dumbo Ghosts."
The problem starts when their stay becomes too long.
That's when corruption sets in.
In simpler terms, they become evil.
I glanced to my side and noticed an office man standing a few steps away from me.
He looked tired. His shirt was slightly wrinkled. His tie wasn't straight. He kept checking his phone like he was expecting something bad to happen.
That's when I saw it.
A ghost was latched onto his shoulder.
It had curly green hair, messy and uneven, like it had been pulled out and stuffed back randomly. Its eyes were sunken deep into its face, dark and hollow. Its fingers dug lightly into the man's shoulder, almost possessive.
The ghost leaned close to his ear, murmuring continuously.
"The boss… it should be you…"
"Bad… hurt…"
The fact that it could speak meant it was already a higher level than the Dumbo Ghosts.
The most common symptom is overthinking.
Not immediately dangerous, but noticeable.
The man sighed loudly and rubbed his face. His eyes were tired, almost glassy. His fingers trembled slightly as he scrolled through his phone.
"Haa," he muttered to himself. "I thought at least today I wouldn't have to do any work. Now I have to deal with this too."
The ghost tightened its grip slightly.
I let out a long sigh without realizing it.
"That's a long sigh you had there."
"Huh?"
I turned.
There was a middle-aged man standing beside me, smoking a cigarette. He looked oddly calm, leaning back with one hand in his pocket.
Since he was smoking in a non-smoking area and no one was saying anything…
Ghost.
But the way he stood, the way he looked, it could only mean two things.
"Died recently?" I asked quietly.
He smiled a little. "Nice guess, kiddo."
Thank God.
I relaxed slightly.
If it was the other option—
"Don't worry," I said casually. "The Soul Eaters would be coming to take you."
I immediately distracted myself from that thought.
"Soul Eaters, huh?" He smirked
He looked at me, then turned his gaze toward the road.
The place was full of ghosts.
Some wandered aimlessly. Some stood still like statues. Others followed people without even realizing it.
Ghosts don't lose their consciousness immediately after dying.
I remembered the three ghosts from the morning.
They must have died recently too.
First, they lose their figure.
Then their ability to touch.
Soon, they can't speak or make any sound.
And at last, they lose themselves.
Their consciousness.
"Haahaa," I said awkwardly. "I guess it's just a matter of luck."
Before I could say anything else, I realized something.
Shit.
People were staring.
Some were looking at me strangely.
Others had taken a step away.
A few whispered among themselves, clearly uncomfortable.
From their point of view, I was talking to thin air.
Thankfully, the bus arrived at that exact moment.
I didn't think twice.
"Gotta go!" I said quickly.
I rushed inside the bus, avoiding eye contact with everyone.