Better Off Dead (Kellic) ✔️

18: Vic

**Vic's POV**

Ever since I 'got back into my body' as Kellin had so oddly put it, I felt a bit weird. Everywhere I went it felt like I was being watched. Even when I went outside the house. It wasn't Kellin, his presence felt different. Whatever this was, was just plain creepy.

Of course I didn't tell Kellin about it. I didn't want to give him another reason for never using that thing again.

I liked being around him, probably way more than I should have. The time I got to spend with him, on the other side I guess I'll call it, was very pleasant. We actually talked about life and laughed about random things.

Kellin told me that he never really had friends, but I didn't understand why not. He said it was because he's a freak, but I actually found him really fascinating. I hung off every single word as he spoke about how he would get into research for his books, and how he even found such weird things in the first place.

He thought he would bore me with it, but I thought it was amazing.

The even more amazing part about him was his smile and his enthusiasm when he spoke. I guess you could say that he was pretty passionate about his work. Even if it didn't get the attention and praise he felt it deserved.

He'd occasionally ask me to tell about myself, but I kept managing to turn it back around on him. I just loved hearing his voice. And I knew with what I was going to do next, that my thoughts and feelings for this boy were out of my control.

I sighed as I put the dial of the strange machine on 360, making it 6 hours. I placed the gear onto my head, making sure the straps were tightened just enough, and listened as the gears started to twist and turn on top of my head.

After the strange shock that went through my body, momentarily making me feel like I couldn't breathe, I was suddenly standing in front of my own body again.

"That does not look charming, dude." I murmured, putting a finger under other-me's jaw and closing my mouth as I sat there lifelessly. It was still weird staring down at my own body like that, or even touching myself for that matter. But what wasn't weird about all of this?

I made my way upstairs and walked down the hallway, running straight into Kellin. "Dude!" He exclaimed, dropping the iPad that I had given him. Then his eyes went wide with realization. "You didn't." He gasped.

I scratched the back of my neck, laughing nervously. "I uh, kinda did."

Kellin groaned, facepalming himself. "You're so stubborn."

Yep, that I was.

"Well fine, let's talk then." He mumbled, bending over to pick up the iPad. "My own computer isn't here anymore, and my accounts have all been erased, but I was able to find a website with lore about the machine you just had to use again."

"You did?" I asked, ignoring his slightly annoyed tone, exactly as he showed me the website. I quickly scanned the page, seeing not much but photographs of writings on old parchment paper. At least it was English, but I had no idea what it all was supposed to mean. Kellin was sort of the expert here. I sighed a little. "Well that doesn't look sketchy at all." I then muttered as my eyes fell on some sort of list of instructions.

Kellin laughed, taking the iPad away from my vision. "I know right, but I'm kinda used to the whole sketchiness. There's a few reviews of people who claim to have experience with this machine, but I guess I can read up on that later."

I frowned questioningly. "Why not do it now?"

"Well I'm guessing you're here for me, and not just to see me wandering around your house and reading up on creepy supernatural stuff... am I right?" A smirk slowly spread across his face.

Was I really that transparent?

Well I suppose it was only obvious. Why else would I want to be a ghost, right?

Just as I was about to say something, I heard something strange. It was the same kind of noise that the machine made whenever it brought me to the other side, but it sounded different. This noise sounded hollow, kind of like an echo, I guess? And like there was an eerie wind nearby.

The noise became louder, until suddenly a dark figure flashed up behind Kellin. I was about to grab him and pull him away, but by that time the figure had already disappeared again, along with the strange noise.

"What the hell was that?" I breathed, a little freaked out.

Kellin gave me a confused look. "What was what?" He asked.

I looked at him, my hands still holding onto his upper arms. He had obviously no idea. "Did you not hear that?"

He slowly shook his head.

Damnit. What the hell was that?!