Step, step, step.
"I expected a more welcoming expression, shouldn't you be happy we meet again?" remarks Aayn, standing some distance away from Charlotte and facing her.
Her eyes roll up and they lock gazes.
"You should feel honored, you know. You are about to be the first human to ever be killed,"
. . .
Charlotte doesn't utter a word, her glare piercing through him.
Though he has a great urge and desire to seek to satisfy, Aayn squints his eyes just a little. His instincts raising his guard even higher.
Something is off . . . about her. She has this air of dread around her, and he lets his rational pilot choose a more cautious approach.
"Fine then ─" he sighs, "─ I guess I won't be having some fun like before, I'll just dive straight into the main course," he says, as if compromising with himself, as he walks around her and keeping an eye on her.
Her eyes follow him whenever she can see him.
Aayn starts doing some constructive work around her using different advanced equipment, a sensation of caution, dread and anticipation keeping him on edge.
Those two could return at any time. The gamble . . . the high!
"This is surprisingly better than what I had planned, thank you!" he says to Charlotte, "Truly a brilliant and fascinating experience. Unexpected, but very pleasant."
"It is a shame though, that I couldn't use the set I already had prepared," he muses, humming as he works.
He places a rock somewhat behind her.
This is where her blood and head will splash to.
He raises both his hands in a square and starts to look through it as if it is a camera and starts walking around in search of a good angle.
"Yes, yes, yes . . ." he murmurs, checking different angles. He then stands in front her, again some distance away with his hands facing her.
Charlotte continues to glare at him.
Aayn starts walking back slowly, until perfection stops him.
"Aah, yes, there it is!" he looks around and finds the perfect spot. He places a clean blanket on the ground and then rests his sniper on it. He looks through the scope and then to the spot itself, and then back again.
"Ooh, perfect!"
"What's all this for?" demands Charlotte loudly.
Aayn hears her from afar. He leaves the sniper and gets a little bit closer.
"This world is cruel, but that doesn't mean it has to be ugly. I would like my first human kill to be memorable! It is a waste the first one ever was not as beautiful as this, but I suppose I had to make do with that tartly setting. Also, I never got to taste that beat and it was for a deal, so I guess I won't count it. I wonder how this one will feel like, this might become a compulsion I can never resist!"
"I wonder if the dead have a different flavor to them!" he takes in a deep breath, "Anyway, try to smile for the painting!"
He turns around and heads back to the sniper. Getting comfortable on the blanket, he looks through the scope, and a moment of bliss comes over him.
Charlotte's face relaxes, and she finally smiles for the first time ever since she lost her body.
"Good girl,"
His finger presses against the trigger.
Bang!
The bullet travels perfectly straight, heading towards Charlotte's forehead at an angle.
Splash!
The bullet goes through cleanly and completely through her head, blood splashing on the walls behind her.
Her eyes close, a calm beautiful painting with the lights of a flying creature from above and the ashes passing through.
Aayn experiences a sensation like never before.
Truly such I can't find words to describe it, extreme in its vastness yet calm, like a still ocean. Unlike the wavy pool before.
Through the scope, he saw it.
Meaning, beauty, pain, calm, perfection.
He leaves his scope and lays on his back.
"And this is only half the experience, I might not survive going through till the end, yet I must!" he smiles.
He needs a breather before continuing with the main course after the masterful event.
Charlotte's head continues to bleed out, not a hint of life to be observed.
"I shouldn't wait longer otherwise the meat might lose some of its freshness, I'll need to start cooking and prepare the table,"
"I wonder how I should cook the first one? It has to be something worth as much. Oh, choices, choices!" he hums, getting up and cleaning his sniper quickly and efficiently.
"I'll add some candles and wine is a must, of course. Maybe I can invite some esteemed guests over," he muses, still humming.
"Oh, who am I kidding!? I want to eat her all by myself," packing his things, he starts walking towards Charlotte's head.
"I'll need to clean the meat first, and the rinse the blood out. Maybe I can do something fun with the blood actually, with a brush maybe?" he says, looking down at the lifeless head.
He grabs her by the hair.
. . .
"Just kidding,"
. . . that doesn't sound like the voice of one person . . . but more. It isn't her normal voice.
Aayn looks down as she opens her eyes again and this time, one of them has turned fully black with green pupils.
Darkness flows from her hair, covering his left arm fully. He tries to move away but cannot, his arm is entrapped.
Crash!
Something crashes nearby.