A Trip

When he had awoken the following morning, he jumped into a sitting his body covered in sweat and short of breath. Touching his arms before his whole body, he finds himself to be tangible and not an illusion. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath trying to steady his breathing. Rubbing his face while yawning he throws it all up to be a bad dream.

Looking around the room he found himself sighing, the dream no matter how much he would hate to admit it hit him hard in the heart. The voice's words echoed in his mind, "...A new way of life."

"If the others could see me now they would be at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. The kid they dreamed would have an amazing future is wasting his life away on a dream he may never achieve." Aster comments to himself while reminiscing about the past words of classmates.

"One day you'll be rich...One day you'll be king...One day...One day... Sentences that start with one day are sentences never to believe; we are only as good as we are today, tomorrow's life is not comparable." He continues to talk to himself trying to find clarity with his latest dream.

"So pessimistic, without dreams of tomorrow how are you supposed to wake up from the day before?" The voice from his dream was back talking in his mind,

"Who's there!?" He shouted in confusion,

"You already forgot about me? That hurts Aster; here I had saved your life too."

"You mean last night wasn't a dream?" This was too unbelievable this wasn't a fantasy world there weren't supposed to be spirits or ghost here, they were meant as legends for stories alone.

"Now get up! You need to get to work, after four years of being here you need to make up for lost time."

"What happens if I don't?" With his question, he couldn't help but imagine the book he had been trying to write. It's not like he will die if he doesn't follow this spirit's words or something... Sometimes things are genuinely only legends.

"You'll die of course... Now stop wasting time! 20 push-ups!" The spirit commanded,

"WAIT WHAT! This is all just a dream... There is no way this is real life." He wasn't going to risk the validity of the statement as he got into the push-up position. From years of no nutrients and not staying in shape, Aster was having a hard time after ten push-ups half the necessary amount.

"Is this what you believe to be the best of your capabilities? You only see yourself in this room with no definite future? You can do better!" The spirit reprimands him as his body shakes while lowering himself for the 11th and 12th reps.

Being unable to push himself further he falls to the ground his shoulders in unmovable pain. "I can't do anymore. My body isn't built to do such intense training!" He was complaining yet there was no shortness of breath as he spoke.

"You are calling this your limit? You aren't out of breath, nor is every muscle in your body sore! We have only just begun, now fifty crunches!"

Aster was about to continue to lay there, but upon remembering the ghost's threat of death, his body was rejuvenated to go straight into crunches. Unlike the push-ups, Aster had met his limit precisely at fifty completing this single stage.

Expecting the spirit to shout out the next training, thankful there was a knock at the door before it started. Rushing over he finds the landlord there, "Hello, Mr. Kys" he greets.

"Mr. Ryou there is a call for you at the front desk." Mr. Kys made the conversation short. Aster was excited for a moment, but upon relieving the only person who could call for him, he sulks his way to the front desk.

Picking up the old fashion phone he hesitantly said, "Hello?"

"ASTER!" The voice was an older woman,

"Hi, Mom is it that time of year again already?"

"Yes, now I expect everyone here for Christmas, unlike last year where you skipped out on us."

"You know why I did. Something about Dad hating me."

"That ancient history! Don't worry about it? Right honey?"

"NO!" The voice was a masculine and dominant the opposite of Aster's mom's voice which was quick, sweet, and seemingly naïve.

"Exactly, the car will be there after the snow clears up. Bye!" Without giving Aster a chance to reply his mom hangs up.

After thanking Mr. Kys, he returns to his room, grumbling to himself before deciding like every other year he won't go.

"You don't have a choice." The spirit spoke,

"On what?" He questioned freezing in place having already known the answer before he asked.

"You're going home for Christmas."

"No, I'm not. My family hates me I'm a disgrace to their so-called perfect name. It why I don't even use my actual surname anymore."

"Well too bad but you don't have assay on the matter. I wear the pants in this relationship and what I say goes! You're going home and going to reconnect with your family!"

"Since when were we in any relationship? Can't exactly date a spirit. 'Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend Spirit.' They'll ship me off to the loony bin faster than I can write a book." He is in complete shock before replying not precisely sure of how should even have responded to such a misleading set of words.

"Whoever said anything about me being your girlfriend? Have you been alone that long that you will date the first girl that talks to you? I'm more a partner than a girlfriend! Also, who said anything about having to introduce me to anyone? Even if you tried to, introduce me to people, only you can see me! You seriously need to stop misunderstanding things!" The spirt reprimanded him.

"Whose fault is that! Either way, whoever is right or wrong here doesn't matter as I'm not going to visit them for Christmas." Aster counters trying to start writing; being with the spirit helped him begin his story.

"You don't have a say. You are going, if you want to or not. As punishment for disagreeing with me, fifty more crunches!"

"If I don't?"

"You'll die. Didn't we already go over this? Such a short memory! Now get to it, or it becomes sixty!"

'Dying in the snow that night might have been a better fate!' He doesn't voice this complaint, immediately starting his crunches hoping not to forget what he was about to write. After so many years he was about to begin his book, but this spirit got in his way.

"Oh silly me I never introduced myself, I'm Lilith, and our fates are now connected! Treat me well!" Hearing her active voice, he couldn't help but picture a little girl bowing to him. He shakes the thought away after remembering that this energetic girl is putting him through hell.