Chapter 3: A Painting

[K: Hey, C, have you played Lovey-dovey Suplex 2?]

[C: No. Honestly, I don't think I'll have the leeway to play games anytime soon.] I respond.

[K: Another vision?]

[C: Yeah. It's actually why I wanted to talk to you both. And, yeah, A, I know you're there. Stop lurking.]

[A: Hi!]

[K: What did you want to talk about?]

[C: I want some advice. You see, I had a vision of this girl in my class, Cassidy. Here's a drawing of her.]

[C: Attachment Image]

[K: She's quite beautiful. I'm jealous. Also, are you sure this isn't you? C, as in, C for Cassidy?]

[C: I'm a boy you dipstick! And no matter how much you want to make me a girl, it won't happen.]

[K: Oh, so you can have death vision powers, but I can't have the power to genderbend people? It'd certainly make talking to boys easier... Man, I want a boyfriend.]

[A: You two are a comedy routine. ｡ﾟ(ﾟ＾Д＾ﾟ)ﾟ｡]

[C: Shut up.]

[K: Be quiet.]

[A: Soz, don't hate me! ( ＞Д＜;)]

These two are my best friends. While I have no friends in real life, the internet was a different situation altogether. Anonymity. These two knew basically everything about me. How I was viewed out school, my family situation.

They're probably the only reason I haven't broken under the pressure. Because here, in this chat room, is a safe place where I can get everything off my chest. It's probably the only one.

[C: Don't worry, we could never hate you. But, can we get back on topic, please?]

[K: Right. Life or death.]

[A: (^_^;)]

[C: Anyways, she's sort of like me. A loner, except for the fact she has a friend and loving family. But, this makes me confused on why anyone would want to kill her, or why she would die.]

[K: Wait, she get's murdered?!]

[C: Attachment Image]

[A: Those are pretty bad.]

[K: That's a terrible way to die...]

[C: I also looked into her history, and she doesn't seem to have any enemies. But I do think I might have a lead.]

[K: If you have a lead, why are you talking to us?]

[C: Well, for one, I want to keep you two in the loop. And two, I want to know how I should approach it. Do I need to list more?]

[K: Point taken. That was a pretty stupid thing to ask.]

[A: Anyways, what's the lead.]

[C: Well, just because SHE doesn't have any enemies, doesn't me her father does. He's a successful co-owner of a restaurant franchise.]

[K: Okay.]

[A: I see.]

[C: So, how should I do this? Should I tell her father anonymously, or just shadow her for a month? Both seem like pretty crappy options, but I don't have any better ideas. Cassidy or her father won't believe me, and for the second, I might get caught. There's also the chance that from wherever I'm watching her at, I won't get to her in time, hell, I might even die myself!]

[K: We definitely don't want that to happen.]

[A: Yeah! If either of you died, I wouldn't know what I'd do...]

[C: Same.]

[K: Same.]

[K: You know, I just realized we didn't even react at how C said an option is stalking her.]

[A: So what? It's for her own good.]

[K: I know. It just felt a bit weird to me.]

I didn't type anything. In all honesty, it has never felt weird to me, stalking another person. It was normal. Though her words made me realize how far from normal I really am.

I know it's wrong. Other people think it's wrong. But it doesn't feel wrong, strange, weird, creepy, however you want to put it, to me.

I let out a deep sigh as I massage my neck, simultaneously leaning back into my chair. These thoughts are useless, but it did put into perspective how much my family really fucked me up.

[C: Not really strange considering how often I do it.]

[K: It shouldn't feel normal.]

[C: I know.]

[K: Do you really?]

[C: I probably don't. But, well, that's normal for me I guess. Anyways, talking about what I should or shouldn't feel, doesn't matter. Because someone will die if I don't do something.]

[K: You're right.]

[C: Any thoughts A? You've been silent for a while.]

[A: Could you, like... kidnap her for a month?]

[C: What a great idea! I'll go do that right away.]

[K: The sarcasm is big with this one.]

[A: Way to make a girl feel stupid.]

[K: It was pretty stupid, don't fool yourself.]

[A: Lol.]

[C: No, I'm... actually considering it.]

[K: Wait, wut!?]

[A: Srsly?!

[C It's not a bad idea, really. If I can somehow convince my family to help me... you know. They're pretty proficient at what they do.]

[K: This is seriously so wrong.]

[A: I sort of agree with K.]

[C: I'm not doing it! Just... considering the possibility. Plus, since she was murdered, who knows, maybe my family did it?]

[K: ...]

[A: ...]

[C: I mean, think about it. It makes sense that she might've died because I saw the vision and tried to protect her by enlisting my family's help.]

[K: Wait. So you think because you saw the vision is why she dies? Being able to see the future is too complicated.]

[C: Don't like powers now, huh, K? I mean, just imagine the complications your supposed Genderbend power could do. What happens if a boy you like, actually LIKES being a girl more than a boy?

[A: You're still on that?]

[K: You just ruined my dreams C. (T_T)]

[C: Happy to help. Anyways, currently I see four options.

A. Continue to Stalk her.

B. Inform her Father.

C. Kidnap her with the help of my family.

D. Do nothing.

What do you guys think? I personally don't like the last two. Especially D. It's basically washing my hands of the situation, that just doesn't feel right by me.]

[K: Try B, but do A just in case.]

[A: Yeah. What K said seems to be the best.]

[C: Alright. A wait and see approach. Not bad.]

[C: Sorry for suddenly throwing thisnonto you guys, but... as you know, I don't really have anyone else to go to.]

[K: That's what we're here for. We know you'd do the same for us.]

[A: Yeah! What she said!]

[C: I need to get going now. There's a person I should get to watching.]

[A: See you!]

[K: Bye.]

*****

I walk along the pavement. I began walking to clear my mind, at night it was always so peaceful and quiet. There was really no better time to clear a messy head.

But then, out of the corner of my vision, I see an ever so familiar structure. The old warehouse. It feels as though I couldn't escape it these days. It somehow turns up one way or another on every one of my outings, which were more frequent than I liked to imagine.

After all, I really only take a walk to avoid hearing their screams. Taking one walk a day was far too often. I barely saved one person a month.

'Can I ever make up for it?' I ask myself. This endeavor seems all but impossible.

I frown as I stare at the building. I remember the oppressive feeling it radiates as worse when I was younger. I remember the inside being so full of dust and scrap, the stale air filled with particles of specks weighing heavily on my lungs.

I don't know if I subconsciously walk here, or if it follows me. The sensation of something calling me, no, screaming for anyone, to help, appears in my head as I take one step forward.

I do not know if something is actually shouting for help, or if it's my own terrified thoughts yelling at me to get away from here. The feeling of my eardrums pounding alongside my heartbeat being the only sound, all other outside noises drowned out.

'This is stupid,' I tell myself. And even though I know that, I take another step forward.

The double doors look wider than I recall, the building appears to tower above me, stretching forever into the seemingly endless sky...

I take another step forward, the delusions my mind forming to prevent me from overcoming my fear not stopping me. 'Why am I not stopping?!' I question in fear, wanting nothing more than to turn away and leave.

I might have thought that, but I know why. Something compels me, I'm drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

And I realize why as I take one more step forward.

"-elp!" It's faint, a barely noticeable voice. For a second I thought it's my mind playing tricks on me, that it's just a delusion, but that isn't it.

There really is someone screaming for help. 'Don't tell me she's... still screaming?' I remember that poor girl. But I shake my head, no. I couldn't be her.

Letting out a deep, shaky breath, I step forward.

And then another.

Finally, I'm standing before the doors after what felt like forever. I reach out a hand, and grasp the knob. I twist my hand, and push the door open. It creaks open, sounding like a pig squealing.

What it reveals is a pitch blackness. Gulping, I hesistantly step forward. My foot steps past the threshold of outside, and the inside of the warehouse, and...

A dominating silence overwhelms me as I enter. I can not even hear my heartbeat, or the sound of my very breathing. The quiet and darkness fully envelops me.

'I need some light,' with that thought bursting with ingenuity, I grab my phone which is resting in my pocket, and shake it. The flashlight turns on after a few shakes.

With the light on, I examine the inside of the warehouse. It's nearly exactly as I remember. The one thing different... is that there are footsteps revealed because of the floor that's caked in dust.

'Looks like a male, why was someone here?' I wonder.

Taking a step forward, I jump at the booming noise that echos out, originating from my footstep as the soul of my shoe crisply presses against the floor. It resounds like thunder, being the only sound I can hear.

'Jesus christ...' I carefully take another step, it being two times quieter than the previous. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Who's there?!" I hear someone shout. Shining the flashlight in the direction I heard it, I begin to follow the footprints which led off into the distance.

*****

It took a little while before I managed to find what was calling for help. It's... a painting of some kind?

'Is there a speaker?' I assume.

'It's certainly not bad, there's an aura of melancholy that I get from looking at it, unfortunately... it's incomplete,' I appraise it carefully.

"Hm." Setting my phone screen down so the flashlight's light bounced off the ceiling and slightly illuminates the surroundings, I pick up the painting.

'Why would someone leave it here?' I frown.

May as well take it home.