[OLD] Deep Underground

17. Noise

A metallic creak rang through the darkness.

I stood still, my breathing so quiet that it was almost nonexistent. I looked around the room carefully, as though daring the noise to have been made by what I thought it was. The darkness didn't help my search from where I stood, but one thing was almost completely certain.

Nothing had changed.

So what had made that noise?

The room was exactly the same. Not even the dust particles that floated lazily through the still air had been disturbed. The only changes were my own footprints on the dusty ground. Then I heard it.

It was so quiet, but it was definitely there, that it was more like a feeling of it being there, than actually hearing it. It seemed to come from nowhere in the room, but at the same time it echoed off the walls, as though it had come from myself. But it wasn't me.

It was quiet, almost nonexistent, but at the same time it gave me a slight headache. As though someone was screaming directly into my ear. I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to get rid of the slight migraine it had created. It felt like someone was applying pressure to the sides of my head in an attempt to squeeze something out. Or force something in.

I heard it stop, but I knew it was still there. Still continuing. Whatever it was. I couldn't exactly identify it.

I opened my eyes and lowered my hands from my face. I frowned. I was no longer in the basement. Instead the room I was in was my former boss's office, Mr. Thonwac.

He sat at his desk, the room neat and tidy, typing quickly on his laptop. I heard a door shut and looked slightly to my left, only to realize it was I who had shut the door. I turned toward Mr. Thonwac just in time to see him look up from his computer and notice me.

"Ah, there you are. I am so glad you could make time to attend this meeting," Mr. Thonwac told me with a smile of someone who wore it for pleasantries, before getting into the more serious topics of business.

I heard myself respond in a voice that was not my own.

"As was I. With the current outlook of business I was afraid that we would have to reschedule yet again." The voice that seemed to come from me was clearly male, and felt strangely familiar. I walked forward and sat in a small, yet comfortable, chair in front of Mr. Thonwac's desk.

Mr. Thonwac smiled at me and I watched as his hand discreetly slid under his desk. There was a small click and then I heard the clang of two familiar metallic doors hitting the ground on either side of the room. Mr. Thonwac's expression became more serious. He cleared his throat.

"I believe that we may now speak freely without the fear of being overheard," said Mr. Thonwac. I nodded my head in agreement. Mr. Thonwac's smile dropped. His eyes became darker, as though they had seen things they were not meant to see.

"How many?" I heard myself ask. Mr. Thonwac took a few moments before replying.

"Four," he said simply. The air seemed to grow heavier with the simple number.

"All in the same year?" I asked. Mr. Thonwac shook his head, slowly. It was as though he dreaded talking about this, whatever this was, but knew it was important.

"Don't tell me..." I trailed off, as though I myself dreaded the answer.

"A month." The two words seemed to hang heavily in the room, as though carrying hidden weights. Invisible chains. See through burdens. Mr. Thonwac looked grim, having delivered the news.

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, as though I could not form words. Finally, I managed to form a small sentence. A question. One word.

"Who?" I asked quietly. Mr. Thonwac pulled out a simple folder, which he proceeded to flip through for a few moments before responding.

"The daughter. Three friends. Two were male. One was female." Mr. Thonwac looked up at me. His eyes were troubled. "The speed is increasing. I fear we may have to recall them."

I heard myself inhale sharply.

"What would he do if we recalled them? You know he wouldn't go down without a fight. He might bring it to court, or do something worse," I stated, fear evident in my voice. Mr. Thonwac sighed.

"I don't know, but they're dangerous. Too dangerous. We must get rid of them before they cause any further damage. We can't have a repeat of what happened the first time." Mr. Thonwac also sounded nervous, but at the same time his tone left no room for argument.

"What about you? What about your employees? What about... her?" My voice lowered on the last word.

Mr. Thonwac seemed to become suddenly more tired and worked down. He could even be described as fragile. "I am no longer of any importance. They already got what they wanted just by taking my hard worked, broken heart. Now the tables have turned. Their lesson will be learned. As for my employees, I will have to dispose of a few of them. If he got his hands on them... who knows what would happen? So... I'm going to fire them. As for her? We can only hope she makes the right choice."

I sighed and ran a hand through my short hair. I heard myself speak again.

"You can't just give up!" I protested. Mr. Thonwac chuckled, but it seemed sad and forced.

"I don't have a choice. Now why don't you make this easier on the both of us and do what you came here to do?"

Everything was silent for a moment. I spoke again.

"How did you know?"

Mr. Thonwac smiled, but his eyes were filled with disappointment.

"You forget who started this in the first place."

Silence once again gripped the room, lasting for what seemed like several hours, but was only a few seconds in reality.

"Be quick about it," Mr. Thonwac said. I rose from my seat, walking toward where he sat, behind the desk.

"Sorry, but I can't do that."

Mr. Thonwac just sighed.

"Don't forget that your actions will have consequences. If someone were to find out, you would be caught."

I chuckled, a dark laugh.

"No one will find out."

"Don't be so sure about that."

I watched myself pull something out of my pocket. A syringe. I walked up next to him and inserted the needle directly into his neck. Mr. Thonwac didn't even flinch.

"You won't be able to tell anyone."

Mr. Thonwac's eyes began to close, as though he were extremely tired.

"I'll come back."

"Oh I know you will. That's why I'm putting you in the one place where you'll be able to watch and follow, but never speak freely again.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, but I would. How ironic. The creator falls to his own creation..."

"You'll never get rid of me. Not as long as they are here."

I chuckled."

"Watch me."

Mr. Thonwac's eyes closed, hiding his glare from view. I watched myself walk around to the other side of his desk and press the button that had activated the two metal doors. They retreated, and two employees came into the room. Their faces were blurred to me.

"You know what to do."

They nodded before proceeding to grab Mr. Thonwac's sleeping body and drag him out of the room.

I chuckled, but it was not merry. That simple laugh was filled with madness.

"Bye Scott."

I stood still for a minute.

"Bye Y/N."

It filled my ears again, that terrible thing, and my vision seemed to blur and blacken for a moment. When I regained my sight, I was back in the basement, but I wasn't alone.

I slowly raised my head to be met with a piercing, glowing robotic gaze.

Did you catch the song reference? :3

Word Count: 1357 words