Double Vision

36

036. viraliya .

apr. 14, 2024.

4:05 a.m.

I stumbled out of my bed, rubbing the one functioning eye I had as I turned on the bathroom light. God, I need water so bad. My throat is so dry. 

I ignored the ache in my back, the uncomfortableness induced by my back brace only making it worse. I gazed into the mirror, filled with self-loathing as I stared at myself with this stupid eyepatch on. I look ridiculous.

"It hurts less if you put something cold on it." a soft voice said from behind me. I furrowed my brows. There's no one in the mirror. I whipped my head around. Still no one.

"The gun. Touch it." the voice said again. Despite my confusion, I scanned the bathroom, my eyes landing on a gun in the dusty corner of the room. I bent over, wincing at the pain in my back, pressing the tips of my fingers to it. 

My eyes widened as I turned around. A girl, who looked no older than 15, stood in front of me. She's wearing a dark pink ballgown, almost purple, the same shade as the ribbon in her hair, and her dark curly hair is pulled half up half down. 

And of course, the red skull on her cheek I know all too well.

"Greetings." she smiled gently at me, tilting her head to the side. "I'm not here to hurt you, so please don't panic."

I blinked, stepping backwards. "I know you're an apparition. What do you want from me?"

She sighed, moving her hair out of her face. "I'm not here to kill you, or take your soul, or anything like that. I just want help." she stepped forward. "That of which doesn't require killing people, or anything of the sorts."

I furrowed my brows, "and I can trust you because..?"

"My sister is the apparition bonded to Aneri."

My jaw dropped. For a few moments I didn't even have any words. "You're what?!"

"Shh." she pressed her finger to her lips. "My name is Morana. I'm sure you're already aware you'll die if you say my name, so call me Number Three."

"Do you know who Aneri is?" I narrowed my eyes.

"No, but I know where my sister is. She's attached to Aneri, so it won't be hard to figure out who." she hovered above, sitting on the top toilet and resting her head on her hand. "Bond with me, and I'll help you. If everything goes according to plan, you won't have to kill anyone, and the only one dying will be Aneri."

I raised my eyebrows, quickly nodding before I even had the chance to think about it. "Bond with me. I'll help you, I swear."

A grin formed on her lips, and he chuckled softly. "So eager to help, and you don't even know what I want?" she leaned forward. "Tell me, Ms. Morandi, do you know how to kill an apparition?"

I winced at her using my last name. "No, I don't."

She smiled. "You have to destroy their Yorishiro."

I nodded, absorbing the new information. "And that is..?"

Morana leaned in closer, her eyes intense. "It's their anchor to the living world, their source of power. Without it, they're just dead. Absolutely nothing. Inferior."

I swallowed hard, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "And how do we find it?"

Morana glanced around the bathroom, her gaze lingering on the mirror. "It's usually something deeply connected to their past, a sentimental object or a place of significance."

"What's her—"

She cut me off, placing one of her cold hands on my shoulder, sending a shiver down my spine. "Her name is Harshita. I can't tell you what her Yorishiro is, but I know who you are. Surely you can figure it out." she gave me a sly grin. "You've already touched her Yorishiro, so you'll be able to see her."

"I already—" I frowned in confusion. "What?"

"When you're discharged from the hospital, return to work as normal. Whoever you see Harshita following, is Aneri. I'll be forced to follow you since we're bonded, but I'll hardly be a bother."

I tilted my head to the side. "Is there not a price to pay?"

"Kill Harshita after you kill Aneri, and I can rest easy."

I stared at Morana, feeling a mix of dread and determination swirling within me. The weight of her request hung heavy in the air, but the thought of finally putting an end to Aneri's reign of terror gave me a glimmer of hope.

"Alright," I finally said, my voice steadier than I expected. "I'll do it. But on one condition."

Morana raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"I need your word that no innocent lives will be harmed in the process. I won't become the very thing I'm fighting against," I asserted, my resolve firm.

Morana's expression softened, and she nodded solemnly. "You have my word, Ms. Morandi. No innocent lives will be sacrificed. We'll find another way."

With a sense of determination settling in my heart, I nodded back. "Then let's do this."