Prologue

In retrospect, he wondered if perhaps he should've listened to the rumours and, like everyone else, never entered room E-33.

E-33. Eerie-thirty-three. Or, as people liked to put it, E-6. 3 + 3 6. 666 was for the . They said that the room was haunted by a who committed .

Well. That's what was said at least...

He, being the lucky, responsible and the best I-can-beat-the-teachers-in-smarts-and-maturity guy in the school, had been sent to fetch a set of keys that had fallen onto the floor and got kicked under the door. The room had been locked, so he was entrusted with the keys to open it and then return both sets of keys to their rightful places.

Easy enough, right? That's what he had thought...

The soft click of the lock turning was heard, and he pulled the keys out and opened the door. Looking up from the doorway, his eyes widened as he saw a standing by the window, about to jump.

Her hair was platinum blond. From what he could tell from behind, she was a first year, wearing a very old school uniform that was a dark purple. It was all one piece, and the skirt was cut off just short of the knees to allow for a black lace underskirt to be shown. Underneath that was a very thin white silk skirt. She wore light blue leggings that matched a bit of a cuff on her sleeves, and to top it all off had clean button shoes that were black.

Shoes that were on feet currently on the window sill.

"Wait!!" He called, springing forward in a burst of panic-shaded adrenaline.

Just as she was about to fall forward, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back, not caring that she was pulled into him and that he, in turn, had backed up against a desk harshly.

The held still for a moment, then slowly turned. "You saw me...?" A faint voice asked. "You touched me...?"

Now that she was facing him, he saw that it was indeed an old school uniform. On the front was a design of a white cross, right by the neck. There was also a small layer that wrapped just around her shoulders, with some black lace there as well. Stunningly wise indigo eyes with a hint of surprise in them stared up at him.

"Why'd you stop me?" She asked.

"I didn't want you to jump and die." He answered bluntly. Is she suicidal?

"I wasn't really going to die. I can't; I'm already dead."

I'm already dead.

Tezuka's amber eyes widened somewhat behind his glasses. "You're what...?" He took a closer look at her. Yes, now that he saw her against something other than a clear sky, she was rather translucent...How did I conclude that so calmly? He wondered vaguely. He was pretty sure that about now, someone should be panicking. Then again...he was Tezuka.

The window slid shut by itself and the thin, dusty white curtains were drawn. The door also closed with the slightest of creaks and a click. He didn't need to turn around to know that.

"I said...I'm already dead. A ghost. Spirit. Not-living-anymore." She was also floating two inches off the floor, and now went to his eye level, which made her a foot off the floor. "Not many people can see me. It's rare that I find someone who has a bit of a 6th sense." She folded her hands neatly in her lap as she proceeded to sit in midair. "Those that do come in here, claim there's a ghost, and then they're gone. That's why no one comes in here anymore."

Tezuka sat down on top of one of the few desks left in the room, and rubbed his temples. He was going to get a headache from this, he was sure. "...So why haven't you left to a different classroom, if no one will come in this one?"

"They can't see me. It's hard on a soul, being there but never seen...never heard..." She sighed. "Besides, this is where I died. If I leave here I'll have to attach myself to someone, and be stuck with them until they come back to E-33. Not a pleasant prospect, if I don't like the person."

She gave him a smile. "So what are you doing here? You had the keys, so there must be a reason."

He stood, inwardly berating himself for forgetting. "A set of keys was ally kicked under the door..." He debated looking around the very dusty and dirty room. His spot was basically the only clean one. Looking back at her, he asked politely "I don't suppose you've seen them?"

"Yes, I have." She answered cheerfully, reaching into her skirt pocket to pull out the keys. She passed them to him. As his hand brushed hers he noticed how chilled it was.

"Thank you." He said, turning to leave.

"Will you come back sometime?"

He hesitated at the pleading question. Would he? Should he?...Yes, he should. "...Yes. I will."

She smiled brightly. "I'll have the door kept unlocked. I'll be waiting."

He looked back once as he made to close the door behind him, to see her solitary form floating there, amidst swirling dust and sunbeams, alone. Looking so lonely.

Thinking back on how she had looked then, the first time they'd met, he was glad that he had entered E-33.