14th August 2019

RENEE

"Hey, you," I peeked into Noah's room, where he was busy with his laptop, looking slightly crazy with the fast typing and clicking and random music blasting from it. I'd left him alone for few hours, giving him much needed time to connect the Spirit Internet with the Earthly one.

"Hey babe," Noah replied swiftly. I smiled, it had been a while since he'd called me that.

"How is it going on? Any progress?" I asked, thinking about how obsessed he'd been with connecting the Internet.

"I'm on level 54 in Candy Crush, man this is hard," He frowned at his laptop.

"Candy crush? You're playing a game?" I asked, slightly annoyed. "And I thought you were busy with... Oh..."

Noah grinned up at me, "Almost there, Ren."

"You connected it?" I questioned in a hushed whisper, gaping at him.

Noah nodded, and I was so excited I gave him a kiss almost immediately.

That explained why he was playing a human game. He had successfully connected the two Internets, proving that he was truly a genius.

"You see, every object on the Earthly Realm has an imprint in the Spirit Realm. Like you, for example. Your Spirit self is always anchored to your human body."

"But, the internet isn't an object," I pointed out.

"Exactly. The internet isn't physical. It is a concept, that exists in the mind. Which is why the Earthly Internet belongs to the fourth dimension. Which is still a part of the Earthly Realm."

"You've connected it then?" I asked excitedly.

"Yup," Noah flushed with pride. "I can access the Earthly Internet, but I don't think anyone on Earth can access the Spirit stuff yet, since they don't know where to search."

"So, can the LOLtube gang post videos on their channel?" I asked.

"No, heavy data like pictures and videos can't be sent just yet. You can send only text." He explained. "Don't worry, I'm still working on it."

The door opened, and Daisy, Simon and Violet tumbled in.

"Sorry for eavesdropping," Daisy grinned. "But... Congratulations for uniting the internet!"

"Thank you so much, Noah!!" Violet beamed at him. "I was dying here without social media!"

"I may be dead, but I can still respond to my fan texts and DMs," Simon cheered.

"Can you please show us how it's done?" Daisy held out her phone and Noah explained the procedure. It involved visiting a series of websites that led you to the Earthly Internet. Noah added that he had designed these websites himself.

"You're truly a genius, man," Simon clapped. "We should celebrate this achievement."

Noah's grin widened. "You mean like a party?"

Violet nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, a party would be amazing!"

So that's exactly what we did.

One last night together before chaos was unleashed.

*****
14th August 2019

That evening, all of us decided to walk up to one of the icy cliffs, sit around a campfire, to commemorate the day Noah united the internet. Even Shay and Isaac joined us, since they were equally proud of Noah.

"So, here's my next question, what do you prefer being, Human or Spirit?" Mike asked after a while, with a bright intoxicated grin, courtesy of the drink in his hand.

Yes, Shay brought out her secret stash again.

"Human!" Simon and Daisy chimed simultaneously, chinked their glasses, and gulped it together.

"I think being a Spirit is more elite," Violet mused, and Noah groaned.

"Trust me Violet, that's exactly what the ISA think," Shay answered heavily.

"I want to be a Spirit too," Clover said excitedly. "Being a human clouds my Sight."

"Spirit for me too, man this is awesome," Mike cheered, making fake sparks fly out of his hand.

"I want to be a human," Noah grinned. "I miss the physical reality."

"Exactly!" Shay nodded, before gulping down her drink. "Although, I would enjoy being a Spirit if the ISA weren't around."

"That's true," Isaac replied quietly. "I like being a Spirit, I just don't want the ISA around."

"I want to be a Spirit," I admitted finally. "I think I can help out more people this way."

"That's true. Selflessness is a quality a Spirit should possess," Noah nodded.

"Fine, here's the next question," Daisy yelled. "Dogs, or cats?"

The LOLtube gang and Clover preffered cats, while Noah, Shay and I preferred dogs. Isaac didn't like animals, so he said neither.

"Our cat glows in the dark," Mike announced proudly. "Here, I'll show you guys."

He fumbled at his phone, before turning towards Noah, who was sitting next to me.

"Can you show me how it's done?" He asked, and Noah nodded eagerly, teaching Mike how to open LOLtube.

"You are the perfect guy to date my sister," Mike remarked, as the page opened. "She's also a huge nerd like you are."

Noah looked flattered, and I smiled, Mike's words were a relief to hear.

"What's this?" Clover leaned over Mike's shoulder, pointing to a new video.

Noah's face slackened. "It says that Mike is... Dead?"

Wait what?

Possessed Mike was now dead?

"What?!" Mike yelped, startled, as all of us gathered around Noah, who began to play the video titled, "MIKE DURVONT DEAD."

"Mike Durvont, 18, popularly known as Jeff Catcher on his YouTube channel LOLtube, was found dead in his apartment. It has been estimated that Mike has committed suicide an hour ago, and the police are still investigating the scene."

"He killed me?" Mike yelled in disbelief. "Who does he think he is?!"

They showed pictures of Mike's fancy apartment where most of the LOLtube videos were shot, and a video where possessed Simon, Daisy and Violet were crying.

"His friends are devastated, stating that Mike was heartbroken due to his break up with his girlfriend, Clover Hayes. We have tried to contact her, but she is reportedly in the hospital, still healing from her accident."

I looked up to see Clover biting her lip, "He's framing me for Mike's death. No wonder they took a video of me fighting with Mike."

I swallowed. I wondered what my parents were thinking, and if they thought I had anything to do with it.

"Cloves, let's go to the Earthly Realm," I muttered. She nodded readily.

We bid a hasty farewell to Mike and everyone else, and I mentally prepared myself for what I would face in the Earthly Realm.

*****

14th August 2019

Phyllis was waiting anxiously at my bedside, holding a dozen ringing mobiles in her hand.

"Renee, your brother..."

"Phyllis, I know," I swallowed. I took my phone from her hand, and noticed my dad calling me.

"Hey da-"

"Mike committed suicide?!" Dad demanded, his voice strained. "Renee, what... how?"

"Dad, he didn't kill himself. He was possessed when that happened," I tried to explain amidst my tears.

"He's left a note, saying that he's been depressed, and..." Dad fumbled for words.

"That's fake. I just saw the real Mike, my brother Mike laughing away," I tried to explain.

There was a short pause, before dad spoke.

"Renee, come back home."

"Dad, I..."

"You can't save Mike anymore, because he's dead. I don't want you to stay in that old lady's house anymore."

"Phyllis has nothing to do with this!" I replied angrily.

"Your mom was right, I've let this get too far," He spoke rapidly. "I've trusted you too much."

"But, Clover is alright..."

"Exactly. Your job there is done. Now come home," He told me firmly.

"I... Okay Dad, I'm coming back," I answered helplessly.

I heard mom yanking the phone off dad's hands, and she hissed, "Are you happy now? Your brother is dead, your friend is in the hospital, and still you think hiding yourself is important... Yeah, and you even lied to me about a fake astronomy camp..."

"Mom, I'm sorry-"

"Sorry? Is that going to bring your brother back alive?"

Tears rolled down my cheeks. My parents were blaming me for Mike's death, which wasn't even my fault.

I knew that I was testing their patience by staying here. I had to go back home as soon as possible, and hope that the ISA wouldn't find me.

They cut the call soon enough, and I began grab my stuff from the room, and stuff it into my bag.

"You're leaving?" Phyllis asked me sadly.

"My parents want me back, Phyllis," I sighed. "Now that Mike's... dead..." I swallowed, trying to contain my tears.

She rushed forwards and pulled me into a warm comforting hug.

"He didn't even do it, Phyllis, he was possessed the whole time, a punishment for telling Clover the truth," I wept bitterly.

"He isn't possessed anymore," She told me softly. "And he's in a good place, isn't he?"

"Yeah, I guess," I said, thinking about how he was actually happy in the Before Realm.

And then we fell silent, me trying to wipe my tears, while Phyllis went to get me a cab.

*****

15th August 2019

I was really afraid that the ISA would be waiting to capture me the minute I reached home. That leaving Phyllis's house would ensure that I was doomed.

And yet, I had no choice but to leave.

"Ren, the ISA isn't going to catch you, not when the media is swarming your house," Noah informed me telepathically.

"The media is at my house?" I asked surprised.

"Well, duh. Your brother is dead, and his fans from all over are there," Noah explained.

I was stunned. I had no idea my brother was this famous.

"Even then, I think we'd have to turn ourselves over to the ISA, Noah," I told him, nervous at his reaction.

"Yeah, I think so too. We should turn ourselves in right after his funeral, when everything has quietened down." Noah agreed.

"Wait, are you sure?" I asked him doubtfully.

I heard Noah chuckling on the other side. "I'm positive, Ren. We can't drag this any longer, not when your human life is waiting for you."

I spent the next few minutes, asking Noah when we would turn ourselves in, what would happen next, and what I had to do after being captured. I found our plan to be pretty solid, we had literally thought about everything.

All that was left was for me to put it into action.

I reached the house at dawn, surprised to see the crowds thronging in around my house and all across the street. Hundreds of fans had gathered, holding up posters that said 'R.I.P JEFF, We will miss you,' and things like that.

Jeff, they said. Apparently no one wanted to use Mike's real name.

When I entered the house, I saw my parents sitting in the living room. They were surrounded by police officers, who were questioning them as per protocol.

"You must be, Renee Durvont?" One officer asked me, as I walked in.

"Yes," I answered, and I saw my parents looking at me, my mom giving the tiniest head shake.

She didn't want me to tell the officers that he'd been possessed.

"Mike left this suicide note," The officer told me. "Can you tell us what it means?"

He handed me a piece of paper, with Mike's handwriting in it. Something about it told me that Sir Johannes had written it.

Hi Clover,

I hope you're fine. You must be, cold hearted people like you are always fine.

I've been so lost in the past few days. Your love was the only thing that was guiding me through life. And now? Without you, nothing seems worthwhile in life anymore.

I hate you, Clover Hayes. I hate you from the bottom of my heart. You are the real reason for my suicide.

Goodbye.

He blamed Clover for the suicide? Poor Clover who had been stabbed and put into a coma?

I found my anger resurfacing, and it was extremely hard to maintain a calm exterior among the police.

"Renee, we hope you can answer our questions," The police officer said kindly.
"Is Clover Hayes really the reason for his suicide?"

"Clover was stabbed by Mike, and the car accident was staged," I told the officer.

"Why would Mike stab her?" The officer asked.

"He... He wasn't right in the head," I said, knowing that I couldn't say anything about him being possessed here.

"Is that why she broke up with him? Mike friends have a video of them fighting..."

I nodded. The police's story seemed to make more sense than my own. Possessed Mike was just spiteful, and wanted to make life harder for Clover.

"Thank you Renee," The officer smiled. "We have concluded that Mike suffered from an undiagnosed mental disorder which resulted in his suicide. He was also depressed as his girlfriend had dumped him for valid reasons."

"Sounds about right, officer," I smiled, thinking about how this made more sense to the media than anything else.

And before I had to face my devastated parents, I went up to my room, ready to start my plan.

*****