Chapter 6
930words
The doorknob turned fully.
Owen curled up in the narrow drawer, heart hammering against his ribs, nearly choking him. The sickeningly sweet floral stench hung thick, making his head swim. Pink mist seeped through the drawer cracks, carrying that nauseating sweet-rot smell.
The door creaked open.
Wet footsteps squelched into the room.
'Tap… tap…'
Each step trampled Owen's frayed nerves. That cold aura—rust and formaldehyde—drew closer, bringing with it absolute stillness and indifference.
The Night Patroller! Inside the room!
Rule Six: [DO NOT LOOK AT THEM]! Owen squeezed his eyes shut, burying his head between his knees, trembling uncontrollably. He felt it hovering near the desk, its ice-cold gaze piercing through the thin drawer, boring into him.
Time froze. Each second stretched into eternity.
The footsteps stopped.
Just when Owen expected to be dragged out for 'cleaning'—
'Rustle… rustle…'
A faint sound rose—like countless tiny vines crawling across smooth floor.
That suffocating floral stench suddenly intensified!
'Ugh—'
A muffled growl—strangely rhythmic—came from the Night Patroller. Not anger… more like a warning? Or revulsion?
The wet footsteps spun toward the door, quickening!
'Bang!'
The door slammed shut!
The Night Patroller… left? Driven away by the floral scent?
Owen could hardly believe it. But beyond the door—no movement, just that spine-chilling rustle and the strengthening floral stench.
The Garden's infiltration! Even the Night Patroller feared it!
But that didn't help him! The scent and vine-sounds closed in on the drawer! The pink mist seeping through grew thicker!
What now? The drawer only blocked sight—it couldn't stop the mist!
The Employee Handbook still clutched in his hand! It had 'unlocked' the drawer!
Worth a shot! He pressed the handbook against the drawer crack like a shield!
'Hum…'
The handbook's cover again emitted that faint gray light—like dusty glass with one clean corner.
A miracle!
The pink mist hissed and dissipated when it touched the gray light—like steam hitting hot iron! The nauseating floral stench mostly vanished!
It worked!
Owen nearly sobbed with relief, pressing the booklet firmly against the crack. Though faint, the gray light stubbornly held back the invasion.
'Rustle… rustle…' The vine-sounds lingered outside, seemingly confused by the drawer's aura, not forcing entry.
Time crawled by.
Minutes? Hours? Impossible to tell.
The rustling gradually faded.
The sickly sweet stench ebbed like a tide.
The funeral home's disinfectant and aged sandalwood reclaimed the air.
Owen slumped against the drawer wall, drenched in cold sweat, gasping for breath. Alive… for now.
He carefully shifted the booklet, creating a small gap to peek through.
The intern room stood empty. The pink mist—gone without a trace. Only a faint, barely perceptible sweet-rot smell proved he hadn't imagined it all.
Trembling, he pushed open the drawer, crawled out on all fours, and collapsed against the cold table leg.
He'd survived…
He stared at the gray booklet. Still plain, no text on its cover, but that life-saving gray light wasn't imagination. This thing… more than just a rulebook?
He opened it. The rules remained clear. But after Appendix A's description of 'Regular Departments,' he noticed an additional line of extremely blurry, almost unrecognizable text:
[…'The Garden'…not within the facility…source of contamination…eliminate…]
The writing was so faint it nearly vanished from sight.
'Source of contamination…' Owen murmured. So 'The Garden' was even more terrifying than the Night Patroller—even the system labeled it a 'contamination source.'
He forced himself up on shaking legs. The task wasn't finished! 'Moonlight Sonata'!
He rushed back to the second-floor lounge.
Everything remained untouched, the record player standing silent. He picked up the 'Moonlight Sonata' vinyl, took a deep breath, placed it on the turntable, and lowered the needle.
Melodious, soothing piano notes—tinged with melancholy—flowed like moonlight, filling the small room and seeping into the silent corridor.
Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata,' first movement.
Owen leaned against the wall, eyes closed. His frayed nerves found unexpected solace in the familiar melody. He pictured Client 044's relieved smile as she faded from the mirror.
Was this music meant for her?
The song ended.
The record player stopped automatically.
Owen opened his eyes.
His phone vibrated once. No signal, but still working. The screen lit up:
[Task: Client 044's Last Wish List - Completed.]
[Processing rewards…]
[Obtained: Minor Spirit Perception enhancement (improved ability to sense abnormal auras).]
[Obtained: Employee Authority Points +10 (90 points needed to upgrade to 'Junior Employee').]
[Obtained: Special Item - 'Faded Photograph' (stored in employee locker).]
[Note: The locker is located on the right wall of the intern room, accessible with your work badge.]
[Warning: Cognitive Contamination Risk slightly increased. Please strictly adhere to Rule Four.]
A weak heat surged through Owen's mind—like dusty glass being wiped clean—sharpening his perception. Simultaneously, he felt something hard and square in his pocket.
He pulled out the 'faded photograph.' Old, worn edges, blurry image. A young couple in what looked like a park. The man's face was unclear, but the woman… Owen's pupils contracted! The woman from the mirror! Client No. 044!
On the back, elegant pencil handwriting read: [Oak Haven Park, beneath the old oak tree.]
What was this? A clue? The start of another task?
Before he could ponder further, the electronic voice returned:
[Intern Owen Grant, please return to the intern room within 5 minutes to receive your next work assignment.]
Another assignment? Already?
He checked the time: 3:40 AM. Only 20 minutes until mandatory departure at 4 o'clock!
He stuffed the photo back in his pocket and raced to the intern room.
As he reached the desk, the familiar 'click' sounded.
The second drawer silently slid open.
Inside lay another black envelope.
