More Than One Way

Chapter Twenty-Six- Ah... I See

"Who the hell are you?" 

Everyone except the detective, who Anti recently figured out was called Abe, seemed to know Boss Bitch- er... 'Red'.

"Celine? What are you doing here?" The colonel asked gently. 'Oh. Well, I guess I found out Boss Bitch's name.' As the others broke the news to Celine, Anti just kind of lingered a few feet away, not wanting to stir up any more drama in this shit show. 

Suddenly, with a flash of lightning, they were in the room where the corpse should've been. 'Okay... What the fuck?' Celine explained about the word 'murder'. 'Ah. So, this whole thing IS linked to magic. AND both of the dead people are here. Fucking perfect. Chances of survival totally aren't plummeting.' Anti noticed everyone teasing the word 'murder' and smirked, mumbling, "masochist." Just before the butler said, "Marco!"

"ENOUGH!"

Once again, it seemed the lightning transported them somewhere else. Anti sat at a table now. Being the only one with enough of a brain cell to realize what just happened.

"I'm going to commune with the dead." 'Wait... I thought Celine was smart?!' 

"That... Doesn't sound like a good idea." 'For once, I agree with detective creep.' 

"Well, it's a good thing I don't need your permission." Anti felt himself smirk slightly, 'this is why she's Boss Bitch.' "BUT YOU! You've been awfully quiet through this whole thing..." Celine glared at Anti, and he shivered, but noticed- thankfully- that since she was alive, her eyes weren't red and she didn't have an aura. 

Apparently, that was everyone else's cue to start insulting him. Except for the colonel and sweet Damien... Was what Abe said a compliment or an insult?

"But I feel I can trust you. I sense you have a greater part in all of this." Anti almost snorted, he didn't have a role at ALL! He was just witnessing something through... Someone else's eyes? "Will you help me find an answer?" Anti hesitated for a split second, before shrugging and giving her a thumbs-up. "Perfect." 

Anti followed Celine and Damien up the stairs, feeling bad for Damien. "Just be careful!... You too." Anti gave him a reassuring smile. "We'll be fine." Anti went after Celine. But he didn't believe his own words. His heart felt like it would explode... He came here KNOWING that Celine and Damien were DEAD! From so long in the future! This was so far back in time Anti felt like he SHOULD be able to help more! But he could only go with it. Witness.

"Now, I'm sure this must be unsettling for you, being thrust into a series of unfortunate events..." That hit too close to home. Anti bit his lip, 'Oh, you have NO idea...' But even so, her words were a bit comforting.

And with that, it began. 

But everything he saw, he'd already seen... Except-

"Employees come and go..." An old man with a shovel was talking to the butler and chef. 

And with that, it ended.

"What'd you see? Something useful? Someone?" Anti nodded, "A man with a shovel..." He croaked out. "What? That doesn't answer anything! GO BACK!" Anti flinched as she slammed her fists on the table, Abe quickly coming to his rescue. 

Abe dragged Anti off to the employees, demanding answers about a man with a shovel. "Well... It could be our groundskeeper, George, but he only works on weekdays!" The butler tried- but, unfortunately, it seemed Abe was decent at his job- Abe went on to question the chef. 

Throughout the little argument about George, Anti, of course, had other things in mind. 'WAIT! Celine and Damien are alone right now-!' Anti whipped around, prepared to run back to the room, when the siblings emerged- scolding the others for using the word 'murder'. 

Anti calmed upon seeing them, turning back to Abe after Celine and Damien agreed to stay inside and look more. "...Partner, you too." Anti's blood ran cold. 'I... I can't leave them alone! They-they'll...! But what can I say?! Think quick! I... Uh...' Too late, he was being dragged off to the garden. 

'Dammit! Ugh... Boss Bitch... You and Damien BETTER stay safe... Please... Don't make me witness your deaths... Knowing I could've at least TRIED...'

'Don't make me responsible for another friend's death.'