Chapter 5 - A muffled voice

A short silence after the sound of simple and soft words composed of a stuttering and somewhat fearful sound, Chloe stared at Cristian with a trembling and somewhat peaceful look, on the other hand, Christian was a little dumbfounded and open-mouthed, his face showed confusion and his lips remained sealed.

"Well... It's fun.

Cristian's words carried some kind of strange bitterness, something somewhat unreal, it was possible to say that it was not any kind of common sense, however, something caught Chloe's attention, her curious eyes stared at the boy deeply in search of answers.

"Where are you seeing fun here?" Ruby asked, who will just arrive. "I can only see a crowd with nothing else to do taking advantage of a dull game.

Ruby's words affected those who were present in that circle, yet everyone kept quiet while Cristian began to get visibly upset.

"See if you don't meddle where you weren't called." Cristian said with a nervous look turned to Ruby.

"I'd normally rather ignore you, but I won't tolerate this." Ruby countered, returning her nervous gaze to Cristian.

A negative aspect began to form around a possible argument was about to begin, however, before anything worse could happen a hand reached out towards Cristian, noticing that strange gesture he turned his eyes to Chloe who was clearly asking him to hand her his piece of cake, The girl with a sweet look stared at him calmly.

"What are you doing?" Cristian asked as he stared at Chloe.

"You... You don't have to do that.

[Chloe is recessed.]

Cristian's eyes for a moment changed tone, so at the same time a new silence formed in the crowd, on the other hand, Ruby stared at Chloe as she tried to understand what the girl intended.

"Whatever, I don't have time for this idiocy. Cristian said as he turned to leave and dropped his piece of cake on the floor.

Watching Cristian evade the crowd made Ruby feel somewhat thoughtful, but that wasn't what caught her attention the most, she soon turned her eyes to Chloe and came across the girl staring at the cake on the floor, her eyes seemed a little intrigued, she then turned her eyes to her own cake and noticed that she still held it, something about it made Chloe thoughtful and confused.

"Thanks for your help, but you don't have to do it for me." Alice said she was seen coming out of the pile of cakes, her eyes staring at the floor sadly as she moved around hiding her face.

The girl passed everyone in silence as she was accompanied by their gaze, Chloe just watched her and something seemed to weigh on her heart, she felt a kind of tightness in her chest that was soon forgotten when she saw Ruby staring at her, her eyes crossed and both were silent, Chloe felt a strange nostalgia when she saw Ruby, a charm and perhaps an admiration, however, she does not know the reason for it.

"You...

Before a conversation could begin between the two of them, a door opening sound was heard, Chloe and Ruby turned their gaze to see a person with a television head entering the room.

"Very well! Who's ready for a long day of learning?!

That strange figure took everyone's attention which made Chloe and Ruby ignore each other for now, so they both went to their seats and calmly waited for the start of class.

During the course of the class Chloe felt a strange sensation, something suffocating, an emptiness grew inside her and she didn't quite understand what that feeling was, she looked around covertly trying to understand what was happening, but her questions had no answers, at the same time that a strange feeling of bitterness weighed on her mind, Bob seemed to become a dense mass that warmed her head and she felt his eyes sting and watering.

"You don't have to try so hard, Chloe. A voice echoed through the girl's ears, this voice was accompanied by an agonizing sensation that ran through her body.

Chloe's eyes began to darken, her vision became blurred and she began to pant, breathing became difficult and she started to get dizzy, her hands ran over her body as she searched for something until she finally found her sun pills, she then grabbed one and tried to take it towards her mouth, However, before she could take the pill a strange memory came to her mind, she began to feel the warmth of a hug coming from her back, even if there was no one present, she then heard fragments of new words in her ears.

"It only relieves your distress, it makes you docile and nothing else, fooling your head won't make you better, don't you think?" These were the words that reverberated through Chloe's ears.

After absorbing those words that Chloe didn't quite know where she had heard from, a strange feeling of comfort took the girl, a relief ran through her body and after taking a deep breath she began to clear her mind, her previously cloudy eyes began to focus again the weight and warmth that Bob generated in her head disappeared as if it were just a daydream of her mind and she noticed that the class had already ended, Chloe couldn't tell how much time had passed since then, she was confused and apprehensive, but something caught her attention.

"How long will you stay there?" A male voice asked next to Chloe.

The words caught Chloe's attention, as soon as the girl turned her eyes to the side she came across Cristian who stared at her firmly, their eyes crossed and she noticed that he was a little different from earlier.

"About earlier, thank you for preventing me from starting an argument with Ruby." Cristian said as he turned his face to the side. "Well, that's it, bye."

Cristian then turned to leave, Chloe noticed the boy walking away and she felt she had to do something, she quickly got up and caught up with Cristian holding the sleeve of his jacket, this caught the attention of the boy who turned his eyes to her wondering what Chloe was doing.

"Do you need anything?" Cristian asked confused.

The boy looked at Chloe holding his jacket with one hand, his face was somewhat restless, his sweet look was mixed with a somewhat strange expression.

"Can you let go of my jacket?" Cristian asked as he stared at Chloe.

Chloe then let go of the boy's jacket and retreated back a little, her eyes turned to the side and she looked for some way to interact with Cristian.

"You're kind of weird, aren't you?"

[Chloe is offended.]

At the same moment Chloe's sweet face changed to a bored look, this change of tones caught Cristian's attention who let out a slight laugh.

"yes, you're really weird. Changing the subject, I'm going for a walk with some friends, do you want to come along? Cristian asked.

[Chloe nodded.]

Cristian then left the room accompanied by Chloe, however, someone watched them leave, a person who seemed even more intrigued than Cristian.

So time passed, it was like another normal day.

Chloe began to get closer to Cristian and understand the boy better, although she did not delve into his personal life.

Even though he is a bit of a reclusive person, Chloe did not dislike interacting with him.

The days after Chloe started her school life passed even faster than she could think, she wasn't in such a hurry for her school environment, yet she liked the people around her.

One day, while walking through the empty corridors of the school after another end of class, the girl noticed a strange crowd, Chloe observed four people who started to start an argument.

"You're very communicative out of nowhere, right?" You asshole. Cristian asked.

"Why will it be on you idiot?" You've been having even more ridiculous attitudes lately than before, it seems that you need a babysitter to put sense in your head. Andy countered.

The discussion started to get heated, the girl followed the unfolding from afar while thinking about what she could do, while looking for answers in her thoughts something began to bother Chloe, her mind began to generate intrusive thoughts that she didn't quite understand and voices began to take her ears.

"You don't have to do anything, you don't have to worry about it, just roll your eyes and walk away, you don't need them." A strange, agonizing voice ran through Chloe's ears. "Leave everything behind, you don't have to worry about anything else."

Chloe began to be taken by an unparalleled agony, her breathing became heavy as she also listened to the argument intensifying among the group, she put her hand on her chest while trying to breathe better, the voices began to disappear giving way to a ringing in her ears, the girl felt as if she was sinking into limbo.

"You can't get carried away, guide your own path Chloe, fight it." A female voice caught his attention.

Chloe then opened her eyes and noticed that she was now in the center of the group, everyone had stopped to see her, both were confused as they tried to understand what she was doing there.

"Are you okay Chloe?" Ruby asked. "You're a little pale.

[Chloe is confused.]

"Screw it, I'm leaving." Cristian said as he turned his back and left the place.

"It's really funny how good you are at running away from things. Andy said in a provocative tone.

At that moment, Cristian turned to start a new argument, however, he came across Chloe in front of him, her hands were together in front of her body, she was somewhat trembling and her gaze was afraid.

"No... Do it. Chloe said in a trembling voice.

Chloe's words directly affected Cristian, he retreated briefly and his gaze became an abnormal mix of emotions, he then clenched his fists before turning again to leave, quickly Chloe tried to try to follow the boy, however, a hand held the girl's arm, she then turned her eyes back and came across Andy holding her.

"Don't get involved in that, Chloe. What he does or doesn't do is his problem, don't try to understand this kind of people. Andy said. "He's not worth your time.

A silence hung for a few seconds before Chloe gently pushed Andy's hand away.

"You're wrong. Chloe said.

The girl then turned to her goal and went in search of Cristian, those who stayed had different types of reactions, however, they chose to turn their backs on the two and go their ways.

Chloe didn't take long to find Cristian, he was alone in a room, his eyes were fixed on his cell phone, something was keeping him very entertained to the point that he didn't even notice Chloe's presence, so the girl approached him slowly while focusing on his face.

Cristian's eyes had a sad and peaceful countenance, on his cell phone there was a photo of him with two other people, Chloe stared at the photo and saw the figures, one of which was a woman who instead of his head had a box of cigarettes and the other was a man whose face was a dark gray mass that didn't even have a mold.

It was a kind of family photo, Cristian seemed to like that photo, although he didn't have a very good face about it.

"Did you follow me here?" Cristian broke the silence as he hung up his phone and hid Chloe's face. "What do you want?" I don't need your help for anything, not even better, it would have been better if you hadn't stopped our discussion.

Chloe didn't know what to say, she was silent for a few seconds as she looked at Cristian, watching calmly she noticed that he was not well, his face even if hidden snubbed it.

"What's wrong?" Won't you say anything? Cristian asked as he turned his eyes to the girl. "Did you follow me here to make fun of me too?"

His face showed a bitter countenance, he stared at Chloe who reciprocated him with a curious look, so it went on until the girl raised her arm bringing her hand to his head and caressing her subtly.

"What are you doing now?" Cristian said as he grabbed Chloe's hand and took it off her head. "I don't know what you mean, but you'd better stop. Cristian spoke with a clearly bothered look.

"You... It looks sad. Chloe retorted, as she pulled Cristian's hand down and held it with both hands.

"This has nothing to do with you." Cristian replied and turned to leave. "Just mind your own business, it's best for you."

Even after hearing those words Chloe knew she couldn't accept that, she then held Cristian's hand even tighter preventing him from leaving, this gesture caught the boy's attention who soon turned his eyes back.

"Let me go." Cristian said with a fixed gaze.

"I... I want to help. Chloe said, fixing her eyes on Cristian's eyes.

"Help me?" What could someone like you do to help me? Cristian said with an annoyed look, he then stretched out his other arm and grabbed the chain attached to Chloe's choker pulled it towards him coming face to face with the girl. "You're someone even sadder than me, how would someone like you help me?!"

At that moment when their eyes met, Chloe felt as if her soul left her body, she felt her legs lose strength and her voice was lost in stutters, she felt a chill run down her spine and her mind going blank.

After listening to all that, Chloe was lost, so something strange started to happen, Bob's eye started to glow, a bad feeling ran through the girl's body and she noticed something strange as a black mass formed around Bob and started to go down the girl's head, she was scared by that but couldn't move, she just watched as the black mass wrapped around her and Cristian who didn't seem to notice it, so Bob consumed them completely.

"You feel pain, anguish, fear, even so, you insist on wanting to continue, this step you want to take may be your last, this is not a path you will be able to walk Chloe, sooner or later you will realize that, at that moment there will be nothing and no one else who will be able to save you, it will just be the two of us, Me and you, together forever.

He said a dark and distinct voice, a voice that entered the girl's ears anesthetizing her completely, her eyes could only see a gloomy vastness with a clear distant glow, that place seemed to consume Chloe, she realized that she couldn't stay there for much longer, desires and sensations that she didn't want began to enter her mind.

"Don't get carried away by him, Chloe. A soft voice entered her ears, a familiar voice that calmed her spirits. "Go Chloe, you still have a lot to do, this is not your place, don't let everything happen again."

The voice made Chloe move in the middle of that gloomy vastness, effortlessly she began to walk, letting go of the black mass that consumed her and moving to the only source of light that existed in that place.

"What's causing you to have this abnormal willpower?" Don't you realize that it's no use? You are getting carried away by useless thoughts. A dark voice said inside Chloe's head.

Even though she was contaminated by that intense negativity that only saddened her, a second voice gave her the strength to continue.

"We already know how it ended once, we can't let it happen again, can we Chloe?" - Said a sweet and soft voice.

Chloe then grabbed the light source and pulled it close to her chest hugging her, at that moment the sphere of light shone brightly pushing away the existence of that dark environment.

The strong light blinded Chloe who closed her eyes firmly until the silence gave way to calm and fun music, Chloe didn't quite understand what was happening, forcing her eyes a little she opened them and observed a room, she didn't recognize the place despite looking familiar, in subtle movements she was lifted slowly, In this way she noticed that she was lying on a bed, her movements were uniform and uncontrollable, staggering she noticed a mirror, approaching unintentionally she noticed something strange in it, her eyes were still blurred as they tried to focus on the reflection.

The image that was revealed to Chloe made her even more confusing, she looked smaller, but it wasn't just that, she was no longer herself at that moment, the image that Chloe saw in the mirror was of Cristian when she was still a child, it was then that the girl noticed, she was in Cristian's body.