…
…
…
!!!
Jay jolted awake with a gasp, his breaths erratic and uneven, his bedsheet soaked in a puddle of his own sweat. He bolted upright, the familiarity of his room not enough to slow his heartrate. The sheets were tangled between his legs, probably from all the thrashing he was unconsciously doing trying wake himself up from that dream, though Jay didn't want to refer to that agonizing experience as some dream.
For a moment, he stared into space, his fingers digging deep into his bedsheets as he struggled to ground himself back into reality.
Then the pain hit.
His right hand shot to the side of his neck while the other moved to shield the wound on his far back, his palms urgently pressing down where the knife had previously pierced through. Jay started to cough uncontrollably like he was suffocating from the blood that clogged his throat.
The phantom agony flared so vividly Jay felt like he could do nothing but pathetically anticpate carrying the injuries to his waking moments. The memory of it atleast. However there was nothing of the such. No wound, no scar, no bleeding. Nothing except gasps came out of his jaws.
Unfortunately, that didn't stop his stomach from lurching. Jay stumbled his way to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before discharging vomit until his throat burned and his eyes began accumulating tears.
He slumped back against the cold tiles, his head dropping against the wall, his forearm pressed over his mouth to forcefully control his breathing to a calm.
AHHHH- FUCK!
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!
ARE NIGHTMARES—
are nightmares—
supposed to-—
Jay tripped back to the toilet, heaving that last part of yesterday's dinner.
How do normal people handle that?!?
He groaned, managing to pick himself back up slowly and stood face to face to the bathroom mirror. It reflected an awful mess: dark circles smudged underneath veiny bloodshot eyes, the mole underneath on his left cheek standing out more than usual in contrast to his pale and exhausted face. Jay splashed cold water on his skin, the temperature difference driving him to shake and clench his teeth towards the sudden stimulus.
I'm acting like a fucking kid. It's just a nightmare… I gotta move on with my day.
Breakfast was a distracted affair. The eggs were cracked with much more force than nesecary, the shells splitting between his fingers and flaking out onto the pan. And in between every quiet moment the dream would replay in his head without his consent. Burning his first piece of toast didn't help improve his mood either.
Am I too stressed out recently or what?
Jay wanted to pinpoint a logical conclusion the the nightmare. It felt unfair that he had to experience something so traumatising that was outside of his control. Except none of them were able to explain why. Everytime Jay would close his eyes to concentrante or think, the crimson gaze of his killer would always find him within the darkness.
His visus made him so-
Jay gagged again.
That and the feeling of holding that girls hand stayed with him. Her expression towards him, her plea for the attacker to not stab him. It felt awfully familiar like deja vu though Jay knew for sure he never met her a day in his life. He couldn't describe the feeling he felt despite it feeling abnormally familiar.
He let out a pained whisper.
Jay: "What a great way to start the day."
The shift dragged long, like time was stretching thin just for today. The mundane duties of working the register and stocking wasn't of any help either. Jay's manager was always fussing over the bread rack like a devout follower, every loaf must be perfectly aligned. Earth's god was Fibolo, the god of bread which meant that any disrepsect to bread meant bad omens or curses. He always thought that it was weird to have a god for bread but what can he do about it? However, worst of all, the nightmare kept replaying. The scenes were vivid and the sensations even more realistic, the experience like some kind of infinite time loop that Jay wanted no part in.
Then pleasantly enough, the bell above the door chimed. Jay didn't look up immediately but something, maybe instinct or more likely paranoia, whispered to him to lift his gaze. Scuffed, black dress shoes, then the dark pleaded trousers, then the plain white button down with a beautiful silver necklace, all donned by a man of short stature. A leather messenger bag slid in beside the man as he settled by the booth by the window.
Corpo slave huh? Guess i'll be there in a couple years so I have no right to judge.
Jay unclenched his fist as he approached the man for his order.
Jay: "Good afternoon, my name is Jay, I'll be the one serving you today. Anything I can grab for you right now, maybe a coffee and I can spin back for the rest of your order?"
The man smiled as he continued to look at the menu filled with all the exotic grains you can think of. He didn't immediately acknoledge Jay's precense but after an awkward moment he looked up.
Male Customer: "Yes, that will work."
The customer finally looked up, meeting Jay's eyes for the first time. The man had young features but his face had awful amount of wrinkles. Though that wasn't the detail that spiked Jay's pulse.
Rather when the customer finally turned to face Jay, it was the starkly pale eyes that deeply contrasted the intense red of his iries. The color captured the afternoon light like a bottomless black hole that seemed far too uncanny.
Jay's eyes dilated aggresssively, goosebumps poking through his skin as he took a sudden step back.
No, no fucking way.
He had to compose himself but also to make sure he's not over or underthinking his situation.
Mag is capable of anything but this feels too far logically to make sense… that was a dream afterall. This has to be a mere coincidence. The customer has no murderous intent nor the same piercing stare. Just… oddly similiar eyes.
Jay tried his best to grab onto anything that could reassure him that this man… is not the same man if you can even call him that.
Jay: "I- I'll need a name for the order."
An accidental stutter slipped by, the man chuckling in response. Jay's reaction on the contrary was much more serious. His eyes were locked onto him, trying to find any detail that could signal that he could be a killer.
Any twitch.
The way his facial featuers moved in his expression.
Anything.
Inoue: "A little nervous aren't we? Just put Inoue for me, thank you."
Inoue's warm smile paired with his eyes was an eerie combination. Jay forced his shoulders to loosen and took a step back closer. If he couldn't find any leads from just his sight alone then he had to inquire further. Jay was that desperate to reassure himself.
Jay: "Yeah sorry, I'm still new to the job. Inoue… sounds foreign, are you passing through as a tourist, headed somewhere nearby or here for work?"
Jay lied as naturally as he breathed. He had been working at the bakery for years. It would be suspicious for a long term worker to be nervous on a routine order.
The man hummed softly, not responding then suddenly twitching, his gaze never once leaving Jay.
Inoue: "Work trip. Had a little time before a meeting later tonight. Might as well see what a local bakery has to offer."
He tapped the menu once, his attention still on Jay's face.
Inoue: "While you're still here, add a buttered croissant as well."
Inoue handed Jay back the menu, his tone was light and conversational but even while Jay jotted his order down it felt like he was constantly pinned down by a stare.
Jay took a long breath in.
Who the fuck just twitches like that?! What's wrong with this guy?!
He internally screamed at the odd behaviour, not letting any of his anxiety leak out. Externally, he had to to keep roleplaying as the bakery's employee of the month.
Jay: "Sounds rough working this late."
The comment was casual and offhanded but Jay intended it to be prying.
He needed information but at the same time he had to ensure he didn't appear suspicious or to accidently antagonize him. On the slim chance if the latter had occurred, Jay would be greeting the goddess of the afterlife instead of waking up in a pool of sweat.
Inoue's smile didn't waver, failing jay's expectations but it instead stretched wider like he was suddenly excited to answer.
Inoue: "Gotta clean up after my juniors. Although it gets annoying sometimes, I think it's the best part of the job. That's how they learn!"
Inoue let out a quiet laugh which Jay politely reciprocated.
Jay: "That's what my boss always says as well! Anyways, I will be right back with your order!"
Inoue nodded as Jay turned to leave, another abrupt twitch leaving his body that Jay caught from the corner of his eye.
His answers sound normal. He's foreign anyways maybe the twitching and stuff is normal too. Am I stressed over some normal guy with red eyes?
Jay soon returned with his croissant and stared from a distance. Maybe he could find some other clues that Inoue was the same man that killed him and the girl in his dream. Though the reality was much more disappointing. Inoue simply ate his food and left. That was it.
Just sipping on his coffee, browsing his phone while intermittenly taking bites out of his croissant. Much more uneventful than anticipated. Really took his time. Tipped far too much.
Looks like he makes a lot at his job.
His fingers traced the edge of the table, where Inoue's plate still sat. The ceramic was still warm.
Jay wanted to Inoue to be a normal dude but then there was the girl. What if he was really after her? The fact that Jay had never met her before and yet she knew his name. She tried to warn him of Inoue so she likely wasn't someone harmful.
Was it some strange consequence of my dream? Was it even supposed to make sense in the first place?
The memory of her softly repeating his name to him replayed in Jay's head. Then the feeling of pain and suffocating darkness showed up like they were bundled together. Experiencing that once was more than enough for a lifetime Jay thought. He wanted nothing to do with that feeling, the feeling of his body giving out. The feeling of drifting off somewhere holding the hand of -
Jay looked at his palm, opened and closed it repeatedly as if the action could help him remember some long lost memory. For some reason, Jay felt like he knew the girl. Like somewhere deepdown they had history but he dismissed the thought dismissed quickly like all his other muses. It was probably cause she was too pretty to forget.
Mag can do some extraordinary things but some prophetic dream feels too far fetched, especially for someone who can't wield it. I might just be sick in the head.
A sudden pat on Jay's back interuppted his thoughts. He stood frozen in place.
!?!?
Then a tall fat figure that could only resemble his boss circles to the front of him.
Jay's boss: "Hey are you good? You're sweating a lot Jay, usually when i pat your back to ask you something you turn quick but why are you ignoring me, do you think you're funny or something?"
Jay: "Yeah I'm alright, do you need anything?"
Jay's boss: "Nothing much, just wondering why you took a name for that short guy's order. You don't usually do that."
Jay: "Seemed like something a good waiter would do, just wanted a bigger tip."
Jay boss: "You're one greedy fellow huh?"
Jay shrugged as he fans out the bills from early in a money spread, garnering an eye roll from his boss who walks away seemingly annoyed.
Jay exhaled sharply, restuffing the bills back into his pockets as he places his headphones back to where they belong, shuffling to the right melodic instrumental to calm him down while he did the dishes. But instead of soothing him this time, the music only made his frustration boil over and he tored them off to the side.
Hopefully we never meet again.
By the time Jay had clocked out, the evening sun sprinkled the city landscape in a soft tan that made everything a tad bit more beautiful. Fresh aired filled his lungs for the first time in hours. It was like the universe was doing everything it can to reassure Jay that everything would be alright. Well, that's if he took a different route back home that is. His feet somehow developed a mind of their own and created their own plans despite Jay's wishes.
His sneakers scuffed against the cracked pavement, hesitation prominent in his reluctant movements. The alleyway beside the bodega was still a few blocks away. The decision to go was stupid. It could even be called obsessive on the more extreme end.
I'm just gonna go to prove myself wrong… if she's there I'm just gonna run.
Jay readjusted his glasses, his fingernails slightly grazing his nose.
If she's not, I can finally let go and move on.
His pace began to quicken, his frames slipping back down as he strided, his anxiety spiking in anticipation of the worst. The sidewalks were busy but not too crowded, allowing Jay to drift past groups of people one after another as his shoulders brushed against the cityfolk.
A couple argued on what takeout they should get mentioning the bakery that Jay worked at. A close-knit family chattered about their son's dreams as they walked back home from the park. A halal cart that Jay frequented packing up his stall after a long day of work. All of these people were experiencing their own lives at their own pace, and were somehow connected to Jay. But Jay didn't care enough to bother with his surroundings. Not right now atleast. To him, all of these people didn't matter.
His eyes were fixed on the corners ahead, where he cut left, then right, then right again, peering down each street with an expression so tense that he resembled more like a block of stone rather than some teenage kid. The air resistance pushed back his disheveled hair as his strides turned into a jog, then into a full-on sprint. His paces began to echo along the street shops as onlookers stared in curiosity at the fearful boy.
Jay pulled out his phone, the time reading 8:04. Unaware of the approaching curb, he trips over the obstacle skidding his palms and rashing his knees. Yet he gets back up again like nothing happened.
As Jay turns the final corner, jumping over the strays that blocked his path, he peeked down the dark hallway beside the storefront.
She was…
…
…
Not there.
No girl slumped on the sidewalls. Nor there was any blood that was seeping into the concrete.
It was empty. Nothing.
Jay let out a large sigh. All of the pent of thoughts within him were all released simulatneously, a wave of relief causing his strained limbs to drop back down to their natural position. He pulled out his phone, his thumb gliding across the screen.
8:05 PM.
A laugh bubbled up in his chest but before Jay could burst out in the middle of the evening crowd, he clapped his hands on his face, startling the surrounding strangers.
See? It was nothing afterall.
The sudden drain of tension from his physical cut off his thoughts of the girl and her blood and…
his bloo-
As the thought of his own death intrudes upon his mind again, Jay let's out a an instinctual gag and covers his back with a palm, his fingers spreading out to cover as much surface area as possible.
In the end, it was just a dream. A bad dream, but still just a normal dream that normal people would go through. They could get messy. It's something you can't control.
Jay returned the phone back into the left pocket of his musty sweatpants, now drenched in sweat spots that discoloured its grey. The walk home felt much lighter now now that there wasn't an impending doom awaiting him after he got off work. His headphones retreated back to the top of his noir bangs as he started humming the melody. It was the most off-key hum you could think of but Jay couldn't care less.
Jay: "hmmm the hmmhm opennnnnnn~"
Guess he just had weird eyes huh?
Jay reflected on his brief meeting with Inoue, his long stare, his calm rehearsed responses. Then he caught a glimpse of himself on the glass window of a nearby souvenir shop. Dark circles under his eyes, even messier hair than usual if that's even possible. He looked like complete shit.
That explains the staring atleast…
Jay's face morphed into one of disgust as he shook his head while crossing the intersection. The solar warmth has finally descended below the horizon, the evening air cooling off his earlier cardio underneath the shine of the moon that finally peaked out. The trip home today felt a lot shorter than usual, his apartment only a couple of blocks away now.
Hopefully tonight won't be a repeat of the last two nights… I'm not sure what I would do if I couldn't lucid dream anymore and had to dream of bullshit instead...
He could practically already feel the water pressure from his shower massaging his back, imagining the warmth of his blankets coiling around his abdomen or how tonights baguette would go so well with the pate he bought last weekend. Jay's steps quickened, the culminating exhaustion in his bones making each step feel like a small victory towards a grand reward that he has been vying for his entire life.
The streetlamps shimmered as dusk merged into the inevitable end of the day, lighting up the way to Jay's home that came into view. Everything was the same as he left it. From afar, he could see his chipped mahogany wood, the fire escape sign that constantly flashed red, and the small little brown birds that always perched on the nearby railing. Everything was perf-
Then his vision tilted.
His hum died.
His breath sped up.
Everything the same as he left it. Well that's what Jay assumed when he turned the corner.
Except she was there.
Not alone in the alleyway, not hidden somewhere where Jay could've missed her. Instead the frail girl was sprawled on the pavement in the middle of the road, one arm outstretched as if she'd been reaching for someone as she fell. Her hair threaded with those ghostly white locks fanned out around her like ink in water.
And unfortunately, just like the vision before… the wet shine of crimson was pooling beneath her, staining her fingers that dragged on the street and the palms that held her wound.
She left a red smear on her cardigan before going limp, her skull dropping to the earth.
No….
no…
no, no, No,
NO, NO, NO
Jay's voice was raw, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
He was wrong.
Fuck…. Fuck!
His mind raced, the feeling of adrenaline invading his body once again like it had missed him all day. Several thoughts surfaced that clicked some of the puzzle pieces he wanted to solve in his head but he decided he could worry about them later.
Right now he had two options: run and leave her to die, This options give him a slim chance of escaping if Inoue wasn't nearby. Second, he could try to help her again and risk getting slaughtered.
Fight, flight, or freeze.
Jay scanned down the street of his apartment and it's intersection, looking for any evidence of movement, or a sign of those damn bloody eyes, or a hint of mag essence in the air.
But the road and its surrounding were baren, void of life. Other than the bleeding girl, the setting was far too peaceful for Jay's liking.
Thus Jay chose the obvious and safest option: flight.
He picked up his feet and started to run, hoping to get past her to his building before he was spotted. She was the only thing between him and safety.
It was only 50 metres away afterall. A quick sprint would easily take less than 8 seconds.
However, as he got closer to the wounded girl, his hips stopped listening to his desperate desire to run, followed by his thighs, then his calves as he dropped down beside her, only an arms length away from the dying beauty.
Move Jay move!
I have to get the fuck out of here!
But as he glanced at her familiar face, her fair skin far too pale under the pearly streetlamps, the memory of her calling out his name before sharing their last breaths echoed within Jay's weak spirit.
Jay's eyes circled once again on his environment.
Still nothing.
He stared at her face for a moment longer, her rosy lips slightly parting as they drew in weak breaths, her long lashes oscillating against the soft draft. Jay harshly squinted his eyes shut, trying to block out the source of his stress that laid in front of him.
But that only made it worse. In the void of his own mind he could only visualize her fading face and her desperate shaky voice and her cold fragile fingers.
How much good karma am I gonna get for this?
The thought was bitter, the kind of dark humour that he defaulted to when he tried to reframe his selfess actions. Jay slid his forearms underneath her slim, feeble frame as he tied his hoodie around her abdomen. He swiftly posted back up on his feet and held her close to his body with the upmost caution. To Jay, it felt like any small change in pace could cease her breathing.
Please don't make me regret this.
The distance was just 20 metres but every step felt like a mile, time warping to a speed where Jay dreaded having made such a stupid decision, his nerves getting the best of him.
Please.
The stairwell creaked underneath the weight of the two and each time the metal let out the noise, it made Jay shudder hoping no threats were able to hear their existence.
Please.
Atlast making it to the door, he looked back for any traces to his apartment and reassured himself as he slowly transferred her to his left arm as his keys dangled from his right, the lock clicking causing jay to flinch again.
I don't want to die.
Jay entered his safe haven and promptly spun to lock the door. He lowered her onto his couch with more care than he's expected of himself, recoiling at the sight of her head slowly rolling over to her side before collapsing to his knees as he tried to calm his breaths.
I made it.
He looked over to his unexpected guest, seeeing that blood had seeped through his hoodie as well, dark and sticky. His hand extended towards her instinctly to touch her, like he was reassuring himself that she was real and lingered their for a moment before he forced himself to focus once again.
His father left him a singular healing salve stashed at the back of the closet for emergencies, but he would've never expected he would had to use it and for someone else other than him nevertheless. Jay scavaged through his disorganized closet and grabbed them, his fingers fumbling with the lid in his haste.
Mag items were extremely rare, but a healing item is basically unheard of except for royalty or elite dreamers. There were probably only a handful of them on each planet atmost. Jay wondered how his dad got something as valuable as this for him. He thought it sucked having to use such a priceless item but a life was at stake here.
Though Jay was selfish, he had his limits. He reasoned that he wasn't a dreamer so he probably wouldn't need to use it anyways, nodding to himself at his conclusion.
He untied his hoodie from her waist and lifted her cardigan to expose her wound. The gash was too deep for comfort and showed no signs of clotting. Jay pressed the salve to her hole as it hissed on contact, the faint release of healing mag slowly knitting the torn flesh together, twines of each ends merging into one another.
Jay: "Stay with me."
Jay let out a soft murmur, hoping he wasn't too late. It was his first time being this close to an injury as severe as this and it made him realize how dangerous dreaming really is. He couldn't even fathom what kind of mess this girl got herself into for someone as lethal as Inoue to attack her.
Eventually after most of her cut has closed, her breathing evened out slightly, the harsh gasps stabilizing into something quieter.
Looks like we got through the worst.
He stayed kneeling at her side, one hand resting lightly on her chest, worried the second he looked away the steady rise and fall of her ribs would disapear. The room now smelled like iron and some foreign greenery, the sharpness of the healing item sticking to the air. And in the midst of everything, he just stayed their staring at her, occasional glances at the door and then the time.
8:49 PM.
9:02 PM.
9:26 PM.
He counted each exhale and inhale, each action had Jay's full undivided attention. And when her brows twitched he would freeze, believing that she was recovering but in the end she still wouldn't wake.
This close, her details stood out even more. The faint curve of her neatly kept brows, the snowy pale softness of her skin that complimented her hair. The girl's features were so light and silky that they seemed to be completely unrealistic for anyone to possess. Her elegance was entirely out of place and Jay caught himself gawking unintentionally.
I gotta get my shit toogether.
He checked the bandage, the edges still faintly warmly from the residue mag. Thankfully, there was no fresh blood.
Jay's lungs let out some air as he ran a hand through his hair, the blood from her wound transferring to his face before resting his forearm atop his knees. She looked fine for now. But Jay on the other handed was the complete opposite. The last thing he would want would be the girl waking up and thinking he was in some crime scene. He couldn't look that bad in front of her. She was gorgeous afterall.
Making his way to the shower, he stripped off his crimson-crusted tanktop and tossed his makeshift bandage hoodie to his already overflowing hamper.
The warm water that should've massaged his back did nothing to ease his mind and the knots he had scattered across his body. Though it did a staifsactory job at washing away the dried grime and lively adrenaline. As the last drop of water trickled out the showerhead, Jay's mind was planning for dinner. It was one of his favourite parts of the day afterall and for the first time, he was sharing this special time with someone else, though the circumstances surrounding the meal weren't ideal. Losing that much blood could kill any normal person. He needed something easy and nutritious given her state.
He headed towards the kitchen, setting his mind on a light and hearty pasta, full of nutrients and carbohydrates to rehabilitate her condition. His fridge was remarkably sparse, only greeting him with with a handful of vegetables that were a little too ripe and a variety of sweet pastries that he often took home from the bakery. Though he was a reliable cook, Jay often was far too tired to prepare food for himself, especially after a long shift where he would much rather munch on some leftovers. The contents wasn't much but Jay decided it was better than nothing atleast.
He filled a pot without thinking, setting it on the burner as he angled himself to the sink to wash the vegtables. His motions were automatic, the muscle memory especially useful at a time where his mind was all over the place.
While dropping the pasta into the boiling water, Jay drew 3 conclusions on his current situation.
First, the dream he had yesterday was a vision of the future, though not an exact one considering the girl was hurt in front of his apartment, not the alley. Second, the outcome of the dream isn't set in stone considering that he's not dead on the floor right now, so it cannot be some kind of prophetic dream where the outcome is predetermined. Third, he doesn't have many options on what to do after she wakes up. If she was taken to a hospital, then it would be likely that Inoue could find her as he knows that she's injured. He could also try to buy her some time before she escapes but they are far too out matched in terms of strength so a meeting would mean certain death.
If only the Path Order would do something about this!
Dreamer scuffles are encouraged by god, they are nesecary while climbing the steps to heaven afterall. Although there are laws in place regarding assault and murder, the prosecution of such fights between dreamers is far too difficult and vague on smaller planets such as Earth where Pathwalkers have less authority compared to other populations.
Did I make the wrong choice?
Then some slow drums brought Jay back into a healthier headspace. Leave the Door Open played low in the background, the vocals rolling soft and unhurried through the kitchen. The beat had a lazy sway that seemed to stretch the seconds out and helped mellow Jay down.
Knife to board.
Chop.
Chop.
Chop.
Each movement fell neatly into rhythm, the world narrowing to heat and sound.
He kept things simple. Pasta could be gentle if you treated it right, like you should everything else. The vegetables hit the pan with a quiet sizzle, oil barely shimmering. He stirred without rushing, cooking the greens down slow until they wilted and collapsed into themselves, breathing in time with the music, the steady thump beneath it easing a tightness he hadn't realized he was holding the entire time.
When the pasta slid into the water, he stirred once, just enough to keep it from sticking, then turned back to the tomato sauce. He loosened the last of it with a splash of starchy water, folding the vegetables in until everything moved together. It was interesting to Jay how the sauce would stick to the pasta after adding the water, just a chef's curiosity seeing the magic happen in real time.
He tossed it through the pan, letting the sauce cling where it wanted to, then plated it neatly. Two bowls for her, one for him. Just in case. For some reason, he felt like she would be the type to have a big appetite. He just couldn't shake off that sense of familiarity that he held deep down.
Then the doorbell rang.
Jay's nerves spiked again as he reached for his phone to pull up the camera feed, though deep down, he had a feeling that his luck would run out. Despite his hopes, he was met with a familiar figure. A man, short in stature, business casual attire standing with an unnerving stillness and a dreadful stare. No mask this time, but he still possessed those damned scarlet eyes.
He stood frozen, immediately thinking of a way out. Though he didn't want to reach this conclusion, there was no other reasonable explanation. Inoue was the same masked person in his dream, there's too many coincidences for him not to be.
There's no way he would know I was hiding her, right?
But his walls were paper thin so his music has definitely leaked outside and his blinds were far too translucent to hide his occupancy. Ignoring the doorbell would probably make him more suspicious.
If he didn't open the door, he could always force himself in anyways. Those pupils belonged to an unstable killer who would do anything to satisfy his bloodlust afterall.
Jay clenched his fists as he stepped towards the door. He took a deep breath in, preparing for the worst before giving the door just the slightest opening, just enough for his eyes to peek through the gap. On the spot, Jay mangled his expression to one of irritation, rubbing his eyes like his precious beauty sleep was rudely interrupted.
Jay: "The hell do ya want?"
He feigned a rough, raspy croak, as he looked down on the shorter man. However, against a man who could easily put ten holes in him at any moment, Jay wasn't sure how much his stomach could twist until he couldn't keep up this facade anymore.
Jay: "Oh shit, wait you're the dude from earlier… what do you want? Did you follow me home or something? It's fucking midnight man."
Jay creaked the door open a bit more to show himself leaning on the sidewall, trying to sell the act of a bothered teenager.
Fortunately enough, it seemed like Inoue bought this false front Jay managed to conjure up, his smile unfaltering and his posture unanswered.
Inoue: "Ah, very sorry for the late bother. I did not mean to disturb you. I have an urgent matter and wondered if you had any leads."
Jay: "Leads?"
Inoue: "Perhaps, have you seen a girl around here? White hair. A bit taller than me. I saw a large pool of blood nearby and unfortunately I think that might be related to her."
Inoue lifted his hand to a small couple inch gap above his skull, demonstrating a rough size comparison, his gaze sublty averted to the small gap in Jay's doorway before returning to him, like he was invading his home with suspicion.
Inoue: "She's my little sister and she went missing recently. I am asking around for any evidence so I can find her."
Jay: "hmmmm."
Jay nodded, just to show his understanding of the situation and feigned to be in thought but in reality he was instead focusing his attention towards the terribly awkward phrasing and logic that Inoue used. No contractions. Formal language. Evidence to find her… far too out of place. He called the injuired girl his younger sister but the girl was quite a bit taller than him, and she seemed to be in her teenage years, the age gap much to large with Inoue seemingly in his late 20s in the very least. It just didn't simply add up.
Jay: "Nah man, no idea at all, sorry."
He stammered out the apology quickly and started to shift his weiight back into his home to close the door shut. Jay wanted nothing more to do with this terrifying man. His motion was deliberate and refined as he turned around but-
then the knife was there.
The blur of silver targetted his lower back, a movement so fast it seemed like it broke the law of physics. Jay's body moved before his brain could even process the danger, like his body fully understood the consequences if the blow were to land. His back slammed into the wall as he twisted his body, carbon dioxide forcefully expelled out his lips.
Inoue aimed at the exact same spot that first incapacitated Jay in the alleyway and it seemed like his body learned a lesson even if his mind didn't quite catch up yet. Instantly, Jay's hands moved to cover up where he narrowly avoided the stab and reflexively gripped on the phantom wound.
Unfortunately, the encounter was far from over.
Inoue: "Wrong answer."
The attacker murmured to himself as he readjusted his grip on his dagger.
!!!!!
Now as Jay's mind finally caught up, this time he decided to go with the flight reaction rather than the fight. Unfortunately for him, like last time, his legs decided to lock up.
The first weave was out of pure luck, Inoue's speed and strength that he derived from his mag turned him into a walking weapon. For someone like Jay who had no such possession of such power he was simply prey. Even if his legs would listen to him, Inoue would catch up in an instant and place several holes throughout his backside in a flash.
Every crevice in Jay's body knew that it was over.
Thus Jay simply stared at his murderer, both past and present as the jagged edge shot towards Jay's neck.
It was an unfortunate end to his mundane life. He had a couple of regrets like not seeing the end of One Piece or getting a girlfriend but there's nothing he could do now anywa-
A petite hand slammed into his shoulder.
Jay was knocked down to the side with great force, crashing into his laminate flooring as his palm peeled from the friction. The impact shook his conciousness momentarily and he had barely any time to make sense of the situation before a white figure barged into his vision.
She had a fierce expression, her luscious pale locks fluttered across her face like a flock of doves as she forced her ladylike fingers towards Inoue, his eyes widening.
Her fingers split apart symmetrically as the girl thrusted her palm forward, causing the air to rip apart as the sound of thousands of mirrors shattering echoed alogn the walls of his apartment. A beam, about the size of a soccer ball, was unleashed from her fingertips, its blinding white laser fragmented with prismatic edges, like sunlight through an abstract stained window.
It illuminated the night sky as the raw force penetrated through Inoue's chest to the night sky, melting him away before it expanded in diameter, capturing Inoue's entire self as he disintergrated into the background.
The beam cut of abruptly, a loud static disspated into the atmosphere as the light levels returend to what they were before.
There was no scream nor resistance. He was simply there one second before and simply not there now.
The girl staggered as her knees hit the floor with a thud, faceplanting into the floor in front of Jay. Her shoulders trembled as her oppressive breaths indicated her overly exhausted figure.
But despite her condition, she was smiling. Atleast it looked like a smile from where Jay was as he could only see the right side of her face, the front of it was too busy making out with his floor.
He stared at her in shock and disbelief. The girl's white hair, now streaked black as if the colour had bled into it, curtained her pretty face. He looked at his missing doorway where there were only burn marks left over, then back at the his guest who had left those very burn marks and saved his life.
Jay: "…"
Injured girl: "…"
Jay: "Huh?"