Double Vision

15

015. benjamin .

feb. 29, 2024.

4:44 p.m.

"Hurry up."

"I'm trying."

Helena lurked in the corner, and I could feel her glaring at me. "What're you gonna do, now that Lyra's working with the police? Surely you'll be executed soon."

I turned around, staring at Helena with an annoyed expression. "She's too hopelessly in love with me to let that happen." I put my pencil behind my ear. "Worst case scenario I have to kill her."

Helena raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You really think Harshita would allow that?"

I kissed my teeth, leaning back into my chair and folding my arms. 

"You're a lot different than when I first met you, you know," she floated behind me, whispering in my ear, giving me the chills. "You were an innocent young man a month ago. Now you've killed, hmm, how many people? 477,896 people? You're getting close to 500,000, Benjamin."

"Make that 477,936." I handed her a sheet of paper. 

She narrowed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "You have no remorse, do you?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"A more human approach would be to have some sense of guilt." she said, crumpling the paper before it vanished, shifting her gaze to the clock.

"I left my humanity behind a long time ago, Helena. It's a luxury I couldn't afford," I replied boredly, gazing at the clock ticking away the seconds.

Helena chuckled, the sound sending shivers down my spine. "Luxury or not, you can't escape the consequences forever. Even if you're never caught, I'm still going to be the one to kill you."

I scoffed, my fingers tapping on the desk. "I'm not planning on being a victim."

Her eyes gleamed with a mix of amusement and disdain. "Humans who think they can surpass apparitions never fail to amuse me."

The room was dimly lit, with the only source of illumination being my desk lamp. The ticking of the clock echoed in the silence.

"I've seen countless like you," Helena whispered, her voice almost a hiss. "Men who believe they've transcended humanity, only to find themselves ensnared in the web of their own darkness."

I leaned forward, locking eyes with her. "I don't plan on being ensnared."

A sudden chill swept through the room. Ever since Helena appeared I've been aware the boundaries between the living and the dead were blurred. Helena's presence did nothing but make me cold all the time.

"Benjamin," she said, her tone dropping to a low, almost guttural pitch. "Surely you're aware you're going to die one day. The same way all your other victims have."

I raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "So? Almost all of them drop dead anyway. It'd be a blessing."

"You have no idea," she hummed.

I glanced at the clock. 4:59 p.m.

I opened my phone, going to my contacts. Jason Gustavs.

Calling...

He picked up. "Hey. I'm kinda busy right now, I'm on the job, can I call you back later?"

"I just need a minute at most." I grinned, holding the phone on speaker in between me and Helena.

"Sorry, I really don't have ti—" he coughed, and I heard a thump.

Helena's laughter echoed throughout the room.

As Jason's voice faded away, replaced by the unsettling laughter of Helena, his co-workers yelling could be heard in the backround.

I hung up, blocking his number.