Terrible Fates (BEN Drowned story)

Chapter 5

[I'm nervous that I'm gonna mess up my schedule already. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ]

Stay Creepy, My Friends!~

Chapter 5

Reese's POV

It's been a week since that strange incident with that weirdo who came through Hunter's TV. Ever since, I've always been asking my brother if he's experienced anything weird. He tells me nothing is wrong, and I believe him, but I keep getting worried. I haven't played the Majora's Mask game since then, either, and Hunter is wondering why I'm shying away from it. I keep promising him I'll play, but (thankfully) homework has been keeping me from that.

I haven't told anyone about this. Not even Artem, who is usually my go-to guy when it comes to talking about things I can't talk about with Hunter or Mom. I usually vent to him about how bullshit people are at school, and just people in general. He always agrees with me because he thinks the same. This time I can't. I know he'll think I've gone crazy or I've taken drugs, which I would never do. The drugs, that is. Not sure about the crazy part...

Whenever I come across a TV, or any device with a screen, I keep expecting something spooky to happen. It's a good thing I barely use my phone for anything other than music, or else it would be hard to look at. I'll even anticipate that reversed tune to play from somewhere, haunting me.

Under all of this paranoia, I know that my behavior is utterly stupid. I mean, I'm still alive, so that's something to appreciate. But nothing about the experience was remotely scary except for the whole 'crawling-out-of-the-TV' thing. That stranger, Ben, looked like a fucking doof, but it's his eyes that catch me off guard. They've been showing up in my dreams, those eyes, yet strangely enough they don't associate themselves with nightmares. Sometimes I compare what happened last week with what my dad has put me through in my nightmares. Honestly, my dad is far more scarier than a blonde-haired, red-eyed, slipper wearing Link-rip-off who reeks of weed. I'm being an idiot, but it is better to be wary.

"Soplyak," Artem called to me. I looked up from the desk to spot him walking into the office. He was beginning to remove the uniform as he said, "I will have to leave early today to meet with a friend. It's an urgent meeting so I have to go now."

"So, I just lock up for you?" I asked.

"Yes. Make sure all of the equipment is turned off, all lights out, tools put away--."

"I know the procedure, ruski," I interjected and he flashed me a narrow glance.

"Anyway, don't put yourself in any danger, okay? That beast still hasn't been caught yet. Keep an eye out for anything strange, and you know to run to the training room--."

"I've got it, Art. Don't worry."

He sighed as he pulled on a jacket and grabbed his keys from a drawer. When he stood in the doorway, staring at me, I went ahead and saluted him off. All he did was nod and walk out of the office. He left through the garage to his car parked on the side, and from the office I could hear him drive away. It was just me now.

The silence bothered me since I'm so used to having Artem doing work outside in the shop. But the thought of leaving early on a Friday was enough comfort for me and allowed me to finish up my paperwork. After my diagnostic sheets were completed, I put them in appropriate files and left the office.

The shop was quiet, save for the noise of the outside world beyond the garage. I went ahead and double-checked that all of the machines were off and unplugged, organized the tools again, cleaned the worktables, then grabbed a broom to sweep all of the floors. As I swept, my mind trailed off to that stranger, Ben. For a moment, I stopped and stood still, thinking hard. I want to figure out how the hell he came through the damn TV, and why. I doubt I'll have any chance to encounter him again, unless I play Majora's Mask. Summoning him back is a possibility, but what if there are negative consequences next time? Is he the only thing that can come through? Will he actually do something to me? The longer I have that game in the apartment, the more unanswered questions begin to stir up.