Double Vision

27

027. rene .

mar. 23, 2024.

4:44 p.m.

"Fuck you!" I shouted, gripping my wallet as Ryan laughed at me. $500 down the drain. I'm never going gambling again.

I sourly smacked five hundred dollar bills in his hand, glaring at him. 

"Pleasure doing business," he smiled smugly at me. "I'm gonna order another drink. You want anything?"

"Nah." I shook my head. "I'm gonna use the bathroom."

I stormed off, feeling the weight of my foolishness bearing down on me like a heavy cloak. As I entered the dimly lit restroom, the harsh fluorescent lights flickered above, casting eerie shadows on the tiled walls.

I approached the sink, splashing cold water on my face, trying to wash away the frustration and regret. My reflection stared back at me, eyes filled with disappointment.

"Why do I keep doing this to myself?" I muttered under my breath, the words echoing in the empty bathroom.

If the bathroom isn't empty I'm going to shoot myself in the face.

I dried my face with a paper towel and took a deep breath, resolving to learn from my mistake this time. No more impulsive bets, no more reckless decisions. It was time to take control of my life and my finances.

Okay, that's a lie.

I looked up at my reflection in the mirror, blinking as a chill went down my spine. I fucking hate the cold. The lights flickered slightly. I don't like this bathroom. 

"Oh, fuck no," I muttered, heading for the door, running smack-faced into the wall. I staggered back, gripping my head. "What the hell?!"

"Did that hurt?" a soft, childish voice spoke from behind me. 

I furrowed my brows, turning around. It wasn't until I looked down that I saw a young girl looking up at me with a worried expression, her hand covering her cheek. I had to take a moment to process the sight before me.

She had very long, light brown hair pulled back into low pigtails, although they seemed extremely loose. One of her eyes were blue, and the other eye was completely missing. 

"I—" I stammered, crouching down. "Are you lost? This is the men's bathroom."

She shook her head. "I'm not lost."

I furrowed my brows. "Where are your parents?"

She shrugged, her hand still clasped over her cheek. 

I felt a pang of concern and confusion. Here I was, dealing with my own problems, and now this young girl seemed to be in some kind of trouble. I glanced around the empty restroom, wondering how she had ended up here alone.

"Are you hurt?" I asked gently, gesturing to her cheek.

She shook her head again, but didn't remove her hand. Instead, she looked up at me with a mixture of fear and uncertainty in her mismatched eyes.

"What's your name?" I asked softly, trying to keep my tone reassuring.

"Lavinia," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But don't say it. You'll die."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Don't say my name."

I stared at the girl, perplexed by her ominous warning. Her words sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt a growing sense of unease.

"Why not?" I asked cautiously, trying to mask my escalating concern.

"Bad things happen when people say my name," Lavinia replied, her voice airy. "Their head starts hurting really bad. Then they fall over and die."

Aneurysm. That has to be an aneurysm. Holy shit. "Can you come with me? I'll give you a place to stay."

She shook her head. "The last time I followed a man, he stabbed my eye out."

I blinked. "..oh."

"You looks familiar." she pointed at me with the hand that wasn't covering her cheek. "Are you a policeman?"

I nodded. "I am. You can trust me."

"You're not supposed to be able to see me." she stared at the ground, her face hidden, removing her hand from her cheek. "I can't let you leave now."

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. The situation was spiraling into something far beyond my comprehension. A young girl with a chilling warning, a missing eye, and a sense of foreboding surrounding her presence. And now, she was implying that she had some kind of control over my actions.

"Look," I began, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rising panic. "I don't know what's going on here, but I need to leave. I'm here with my friend, I can't stay here with you."

She tilted her head, studying me with her mismatched eyes, a glint of something unreadable in her gaze. "You can't leave," she repeated softly. "Not until I say so."

It was then I noticed the dark red skull imprinted on her cheek, glowing slightly.

The sight of the glowing skull sent a wave of terror coursing through my veins. My instincts screamed at me to run, to get as far away from this strange girl as possible. But something held me rooted to the spot, a sense of dread mingled with a morbid curiosity.

"What... what are you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible above the hum of the flickering lights.

Lavinia's lips curled into a chilling smile. "I'm nobody," she replied. "But I can be somebody if I want to be."

Every fiber of my being screamed at me to flee, to leave this place and never look back.

But I couldn't move. It was as if an invisible force held me in place, trapped in the gaze of those haunting eyes.

"Please," I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. "Let me go. I won't tell anyone about you. I promise."

"Don't misunderstand me." she waved her hands in the air. "I don't want to hurt you. Just don't say my name, and you'll be fine, I think. Call me number two."

I blinked. "Okay...?"

"Leave the bathroom." 

I turned around, heading for the door, my feet feeling heavy. I didn't hear her footsteps following behind me, but the cold air behind me was still there, so I knew she was following me.

I turned my head slightly to get a glimpse of her, almost choking on my own spit as I saw her floating above me from behind. I cleared my throat, snapping my head forward.

"You're going to go over to the friend you came here with." she said from above me. "Tell him you have to go."

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest as I made my way back to the bar where Ryan was sitting, obliviously sipping on his drink.

"Hey, Ryan," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "I, uh, I gotta go. Something came up."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, looking at me with a confused expression. "What? You just got here."

"Yeah, I know, but..." I trailed off, glancing nervously around the casino. Lavinia's presence seemed to hang in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating me with its eerie energy.

Ryan shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "Alright, man. Catch you later, I guess."

I nodded, barely able to muster a response as I hurried out of the bar, feeling Lavinia's gaze burning into the back of my skull with every step.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way." Lavinia said before grabbing my shoulders, and my eyes widened before everything went dark.