"11:50. Get ready Kevin , we're closing down in ten." Kevin was just like your everyday man. Average friends, average family, average style, average life. But just like anyone commonplace, he was very fixed in his views. He worked in a beautiful art museum next to a river, being the security guard to close everything down by night. He was strolling the halls with the other voice , his manager Gregory. Gregory was a wise elder, a man of many sights and many views, but as you age, you tend to see things from more than one perspective.
"Mr. Gregory, what's up with this new exhibit we got here?" Kevin was speaking about a painting they were walking upon, with a crusted burgundy figure payed upon its canvas. "That ones called The Imitation", Gregory replied. "Why is it so big? And what's up with that nasty, crusty paint he used?"
"Well, the painters name is Chancellor Rambue, and that paint your speaking on is his blood."
Retching came from the deepest part of Kevin's stomache. "Are you serious! That's disgusting!"
"Well , the artist had killed themselves in the process, bleeding out." Kevin looked in disbelief. "He killed himself ? Wow. How ungrateful." The eyes of Gregory peirced Kevin, staring threw his soul. " What a rude thing to say!" "How so? Life is precious?" "Well Kevin, not everyone has lived the same life as you." Gregory then turned his attention to his watch seeing the hands at 12:00. "Welp, time to close down, security". Kevin perceived the insulting tone in his bosses voice.
As Kevin went to close the museum, he couldn't help but think of The terrifying piece of art. Kevin had been sad, but had never had the thought of the route of no return. "What an immature choice", he thought. Finally, he reached The Imitation, his brain and curiosity coming full circle. Kevin looked around then looked at the art. "Why do it, huh? Did pain get you off or something?" He giggled allowed at his own joke. Darkness consumed his eyes, only for light to flood back in. The light flickered a few more times before cutting out.
Kevin felt a creeping sensation, whipped his flashlight out with cat like reflexes. He looked around, seeing nothing but near exhibits and the encapsulating dark. "splat splat". He turned and looked for where the mysterious noise came from, but nothing. He then caught the disturbing piece of art in the background, but there was no art. He ran to the canvas, and his bravery that got him his job flooded threw the tears in his eyes with realization that the canvas had became pitch white, missing its center piece.
"Split Splat." Kevin hadn't a chance to react as he felt a slimes presence run down his shoulder. He turned to see a human like caricature , except distorted by oozing blood slowly dripping from him. It's face had no features, but somehow Kevin felt naked in its view. Kevin knew he had one option, so with the lowest part of his vocal chords, he pushed a scream.
This meant nothing, however. The glob raised its hand, then lurching it across Kevin's face, leaving a glob of slime to cover Kevin's mouth. Kevin could feel his body being overwhelmed as the creature slowly started to attach itself upon his body. Suddenly Kevin felt himself leave his body, almost as he had left reality itself. Everything was fading to black.
Kevin suddenly opened his eyes to an unfamiliar view. A child's room, one he had never seen before. It was a all white room with minimal toys, broken hardwood floor, and a popcorn ceiling. Voices started to erupt beyond the door, and Kevin couldn't swallow his curiosity. He got off the mattress he slept on that layed across the floor, and couldn't help but feel he got smaller. He walked to the door, halve his own size, and opened it. It lead to a decrepit hallway, pictures falling upon the cracked walls.
Once down the hallway, he walked up to the living room, matching the rest of the house. He entered to see a man and a woman arguing, the man big and grisly, the woman small and petite. "You listen to me!" The man scream at her with such intensity, panic started to swell in Kevin. " I listen to whoever I chose to!" "Yeah my mommy does what she wants!" It was the voice of a child, only Kevin had said it. He was confused as ever, not even feeling the need to open his mouth when he said it. "You shut your mouth!" Kevin felt another sting as the blood gushed from his nose, and tears arises in his eyes. "Leave my son alone!" The woman jolted at the man, but he grabbed her by her neck and threw her. He then sat and took a gaze upon the destruction. " look what u made me do, son!" He then swung at Hevin, making his head ring as he fell to the ground unconscious.
Kevin opened forcefully as he woke up in a classroom, feeling a sudden emotion weight, a darkness consuming him. He had awoke in a classroom. The students were all in there teens, and the class was nicely decorated. Kevin then looked to his right, catching a reflection, but not his. A young with a short stature and black, curly hair appeared instead. " Chancellor Rambue, please come to my desk." That name ran through Kevin's head. What was happening was coming to consciousness, and all he could do was watch. His body arose and he walked over to the teacher, feeling a slight ease. " Mr. Rambue, I'm very excited for your piece, I think it just might win." This was Mrs. Garretson, and Kevin started to remember her as a sweet kind mentor who helped Chancellor threw his hardest times.
" you think?" Kevin couldn't even control his own voice. " Yes, especially since you dedicated to your mother." All of a sudden Kevin vividly remembered Chancellors mother dying to his father, feel and Indescribable pain in his stomach and heart. That memory made him sick, but somehow he held his emotions inside. " Yo chance, I like this lil piece of art you got here." It was Justin, Kevin remembered, the kid that bullied Chancellor after he had accidentally broken his phone. " I wonder what some water would do?" " don't you dare Mr. Woods". It's was to late however, the art was drenched, and Chancellor's only thing tethering him ruined. Kevin fell to his knees his pain overtaking his body, overwhelming him, grabbing him and pulling him deeper. " ended up jus like my phone," Justin antagonized. Suddenly Kevin felt his body start to collapse, and soon he fell into unconscious.
Kevin's sight fazed in and out as he became semi conscious. He felt a searing physical pain in his wrists and looked down to see them leeking blood all over to floor. Kevin looked up dazed to see the canvas, and upon the canvas was the figure, but this time he had eyes, blood shot and yellow, with a smile and row of jagged teeth. Under the figure were the words now you know. Kevin contemplated on these words as a freeing sensation took over, Kevin seeing white. "Split Splat"
The next day Gregory entered the museum. Looking for Kevin to explain why he reacted the way he did. He seen one of the janitors walk by, so politely stopped him. "Have you seen Kevin, per chance?"
" who's Kevin?" Gregory thought this was weird, as the janitor had met Kevin. " you know? Tall guy, brown hair?" "Never seen him." Gregory left and moved along on his search, but noticed an exhibit through his peripheral. He walked up the the Canvas, only to see a caraciture of Kevin, except his face was missing. then looked to the exhibits title to see the words, " I know now".
Kevin, like many others, caught himself upon a cycle of misunderstanding of another human, a hateful critique of ones art. What he did not know, however, that art and life have an undeniably cohesive bond, and they often merge with each other. But in the Midnight Sphere, you'll always find life imitating art.
