I went inside to check on her. She slowly flickered her eyes open.

She smiled a little.

Chris: I know you hate me.

“I don’t.”

Chris: Why?! I stabbed you and tried to kill you!

I shouted not knowing why she said so.

“If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn’t have brought me here. Chris, bearing all worries and problems alone does nothing except making you weak.”

As I heard her, I was reminded of Jane. She told me the same thing.

“That’s what she said to you, right?”

Chris: What?

“She is wrong. You are not a weak person.”

Chris: How can I believe that you are Jane when I already met one?

“Even if you don’t, you’ll see for yourself later. I let you hurt me so that you don’t hurt yourself or anyone else. I’m already ruined, Chris. I don’t want you to make the same mistake I made two years ago.”

Chris: I do want to believe you but how can I?

“Don’t force yourself. You will, sooner or later. Just promise me one thing.”

Chris: What is it?

“If Jane asks you for anything, don’t give it to her. And get rid of anything she has given you.”

I slightly nodded.

“Now go home and rest. Don’t worry about me. My friend will come and take care of me.”

Chris: Fine.

I went out and got home with a cab.

Chris: My car is all broken. I’ll have to buy one soon. I don’t even have my phone.

I immediately went and bought a phone for myself to help me contact Jane.

Just as I was going to call Jane, I saw a call from an unknown number.

Chris: Hello?

Jane: Oh, Chris. Where on earth were you? I called you so many times!

Chris: Sorry, I kind of had an accident. I meant to call you soon.

Jane: Accident?! Are you okay?! Should I come to your house?!

Chris: Hey, calm down. I’m perfectly fine and you don’t need to come over.

Jane: And what about your car? It sank already, right? You’ll have to buy a new one.

I furrowed my eyebrows a little.

Chris: How do you know my car ‘sank’? I didn’t mention water.

After a moment of silence, she spoke up.

Jane: Um…I-I think I might have to hang up now. I’m pretty sure I heard the doorbell ring. Bye now!

Immediately after this, she hung up.

Chris: It…seemed weird.

“You don’t need to worry about it.”

“I guess so…”

“I hope you didn’t take that girl’s words seriously, right? If the wound was just a bit deeper, she would have died. But good job…she can’t disturb you for some time now.”

“Yeah, I think so. How much more do I have to wait? What would I get if I keep doing as you say?”

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

I slightly scoffed at her play of words and said:

“I know, never mind.”

I headed to my room. Though it was time for lunch, I wasn’t hungry so I didn’t care to cook any food. I went and lay down on the bed with a heavy sigh.

For some reason, I couldn’t get that girl out of my mind. Her words kept repeating in my mind. “Chris, I don’t want you to make the same mistake I made.”

Chris: What mistake am I making?

I thought out loud. I got up and picked up the photo of Satan from the table beside my bed.

Chris: What could it possibly mean? Am I devouring someone…or am I being devoured by someone?

I was brought back from my thoughts when the doorbell rang. I got up and opened the door.

Before me stood two police officers with a stern look.

“Are you Mr. Chris Royston?”

Chris: Yes, I am.

“Did you have a friend called Sam Chartlon?”

Chris: Yes, I do. Is something wrong?

“We needed to inform you that…”

He stopped and glanced at the man next to him.

“….he was found dead in the lake behind your house.”

I was speechless. Tears welled up in my eyes and my chest ached.

Chris: H-how? W-when?

I barely managed to sputter out some words.

“According to our report, he was strangled last night and then thrown into the lake. We still can’t identify the fingerprints on his neck. Do you suspect anyone?”

By now, my cheeks were already wet.

Chris: Thanks for informing. And no, he…didn’t do anything wrong to anyone. Does his family know?

“Yes, we already informed them.”

“So, now we’ll take our leave. We’ll contact you if we get anything else.”

Said the other officer. They then left.

I collapsed on the ground crying and shouting uncontrollably after closing the door and rested my head on the wooden door behind me.

I brought my knees close to me and buried my face in them.

Chris: Why is everyone leaving me?! What have I ever done to anyone?!

I put my hands on my face.

“That’s it. Let it all out. You still have me. Now do you know why at some point of life, you should turn a bit selfish.”

“He left me, alone.”

“The more you care about someone, the more you allow them to hurt you. See? Your best friend left you pained.”

I got up and went to my room. I took out a photo of Sam and me from the drawer. We looked so happy together.

Chris: We graduated together, we laughed together, we cried together. But why am I doing everything alone now? How can you betray me?

“And now, someone killed him.”

Chris: He had no enemy…

“You don’t need an enemy to kill you. It could be jealousy, envy, or simply…some sicko.”

Chris: Maybe…

TO BE CONTINUED...
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