Voices in My Head

Chapter 10: Pieces

The ride was eerily quiet. Not that I was that aware of my surroundings. I was too busy paying attention to the voices messing with my head.

Len.

There's another personality.

I tried to hide my shaking hands in the pocket of my hoodie. I don't think anyone noticed my weirdness. Well, I think Dante did cause he keeps looking at me strangely. But that guy is always strange.

I'm getting off track. How could there be another personality? Wait a minute. Could there actually be more than him and Raiden?

"We're here."

Rushing out the car, the fresh air made it easier to breathe.

I tried to put all thoughts with Raiden and Len out of my mind. I tried to keep a blank mind, become completely numb.

I'm here to fight, not kill. And it's better that I feel nothing than have my emotions in turmoil so I don't make another fatal mistake.

I took a deep breath before following Dante, Phantom, and two other guys walk to the front door.

Phantom pulled out a metal tool. After a few seconds, the door opened. He stood back to let the rest of us in.

I found it weird how Dante wasn't even trying to be secretive. He had his hands in his jacket. It seemed as if he was taking a look around the building, if his gun wasn't on his hip and the building wasn't so eerily quiet.

The sound of footsteps cut through the silence and surprisingly, made the place even more eerie.

I was reminded of a horror movie when you know that the character is walking to their doom and you are standing there telling them not to open the door.

The light in the elevator was bright, making me squint a little. It was awkward with all five of us in there. I wedge myself in a corner; Phantom was near me.

Dante looked unbothered by the atmosphere thick with tension. He stood there, looking bored.

I started rubbing my left wrist, wishing I had my headphones, my music to calm myself.

Finally, the doors opened, and everyone piled out. We walk down the dim hallway, arriving at huge double doors. I was starting to get a feeling this was an underground lab or something.

Again, Phantom moved to the front of the group to open the door. It was a keypad on the right side of the door. It took a few seconds for the doors to slide open.

I watch, unable to take my eyes away, at the damage that followed afterward.

The people who were in there was surprised and scrambled to defend themselves from the shots that made them fall to the ground. Only a few were able to fire back before they too were shot down.

I stood there, detached, not wanting to get involved. Stood there watching, not able to do a single thing to stop the damage.

I know I'm supposed to fight but watching this, I just couldn't. My body froze up, unable to do a thing.

Two guys swung their fists at me and on impulse, I dodged their attacks and swung back, knocking them out cold.

Blood splayed on the walls. The furniture was turned over and destroyed. Dante and the two guys held no emotion as they made it rain blood.

I saw that Phantom didn't participate in the one-sided massacre. I wonder if he was forced to be in the gang too.

Dante dragged over a guy, matted with blood, and dropped him in front of me. He held the guy's head up, and I was forced to look at his shocked and hopeless expression.

I looked at Dante, at his merciless eyes.

"This is what happens when you betray me." His voice was void of emotion, void of mercy, void of any shred of humanity.

I realized this was Henry.

"Let this be a lesson that you can never escape me, no matter how well you hide or how well of a fighter you are."

And then he took his gun and put it on the side of Henry's head. I watch as Henry's eyes closed, silent tears falling down his cheeks.

I looked away as Dante pulled the trigger.

"Never forget this lesson."

Dante and the other guys started walking away. I was left alone. I dropped to my knees. I covered my mouth with my hand as I forced the bile down.

Unwanted memories threatening to take hold of me.

I saw flashes of brown hair entwined with blood. Blank eyes staring up at me, the same ones that haunted me in my nightmares.

I hate Raiden, but in this aspect, he's a better person. He never went that far with his opponents, like Dante did. He always beat them until they are on the verge of death, loved spilling blood, but never did he killed people.

Unlike me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking up, I saw Phantom.

"Henry was also an elite member. His skills were on par with Dante. He thought he could be the best. Dante proved him wrong when he defeated Henry in a match. Henry, angry and humiliated, joined a different gang to prove he could defeat Dante."

"...And this was the consequence of such a decision." He sounded mournful, as if he was wishing he could have done something to help but knew he couldn't do a single thing.

I realized two things then.

First, Phantom reminded me of myself. Of being forced to do something because there was no other choice, no way out.

And second, the voice sounded oddly familiar for some reason. I just don't know why.