The Figure

CHAPTER 3: "Relentless Seeking"

     The next day, Lucius wakes up and does his morning routine. After he does his routine, he immediately starts to seek answers about David. He opens his computer and opens the folder of the files he transferred from the USB. He opens the last file which talks about a man named James Walter. "No noise will distract me this time," he says.

     He begins to read James Walter's file. The file says, "James Walter was a man known for his arrogant demeanor. A lot of people hated him for how he treated others. He always had rude remarks for everyone. He sometimes would physically harm someone if he wanted to. Due to all of this, he became isolated and untrusted by all. Despite that, James remained with his high ego."

     After reading that, he starts to hear noises around him but he decides to ignore them. He continues to read James Walter's file. "After a few years, he started to see how people no longer want to be with him yet he thought that they only did that because they knew how he was the supposed "Alpha" of the company. Out of patience, his company fired him and he angrily left. He tried to find a new job but his attitude was well-known in the area which made him unfit at all companies. He started to become desperate and would accept any jobs yet he had no luck."

     He continues to read but he feels breathing on his neck. He tries to continue reading the file as he ignores the tainted face of David staring at him beside him. He reads, "After a few days, his attitude started to change but not the good way. Many people claimed to see him screaming over someone to get away from him even though no one is there with him. Some heard him David's name, a student who killed himself after being bullied severely by four students including James. People started to notice how he looked insane and hypothesized that David is haunting him. In the end, James was delivered to a mental hospital thanks to the pity of his kind neighbors where he killed himself using a knife he stabbed himself with right after breaking into the kitchen of the facility. Others claimed that David did this but others denied it. His sudden mental drop and death are yet to be known."

     After reading the entire thing, he hears David say, "It's your turn, Lucius." Lucius is suddenly dragged to the kitchen and he spots David holding a knife. His tainted skin, his bloody forehead, his rage-filled eyes, and his slightly ripped apart student clothes make Lucius afraid. Suddenly, David leaps and tries to stab him.

     Lucius stops the knife from stabbing him but David tries to hit him again. Every attack starts to get closer and closer to his heart as Lucius starts to get tired of resisting his attacks. At one point, the tip of the knife is dangerously near his chest as David ominously laughs at him. He is about to give up and stop resisting but a voice in his head encourages him to stop it.

     "Don't let him win! Don't let it win!" the voice says. "Why should I stop myself from accepting my consequence?!" Lucius says to his head. "I deserved this," he adds. "You had enough consequences. You need to let go!" the voice says. "Let go of what?!" he says. "Let go of the past!" the voice replies. With all of that said, Lucius starts to feel immense power inside of him and the knife starts to be farther away from him as he pushes it away by its handle. David starts to scream in disbelief but in the end, the knife is thrown and hits the wall of his house. The ghost suddenly disappears and Lucius stands up.

     "I'm sorry, David. I failed to be good to you. Please, I'll atone myself," Lucius says but David horrifyingly screams, "Your death is what is needed!" "You murderer!" he adds. The ghost starts to fill the house with screams filled with hatred and rage which causes Lucius to lay down on the floor as he tries to cover his ears to stop the screams. Tears start to slowly drop to the floor as Lucius starts to break down. He looks at the knife located in a solid brown wall below a window with a clock located above and decides to try to end his life.