First things first, let me make this clear: since I woke up in this body and realized I'm no longer human, I've done everything I can to avoid scaring the people around me. At first, I thought about running away the moment I left the forest, but where exactly could I go? The reality is simple and unavoidable: I'm no longer human.
Even if, by some miracle, I managed to escape from the organization, I couldn't go to public places anymore. I'd probably have to hide in some secluded forest or something like that. That's why I quickly discarded the idea of running after Laura pulled me out of the forest. Since then, I've been trying my best to appear harmless — though, of course, with a few tricks up my sleeve.
If you've been paying attention to how I've been acting and the decisions I've made so far, it should be pretty obvious… but fate, sometimes, likes to be ironic. Just when I need to show my strength, that one action makes me look like some sort of cosmic entity or something. I mean, just look at the scene around me — it's nearly impossible to think of anything else.
(I'm really screwed now... Even though I managed to hide that I was the one who defeated that giant octopus at Base 17, I won't be able to cover up the fact that I'm far from as harmless as I seemed at first)
I looked around, trying to gauge the reactions of the people, but every time my eyes met someone's, they started shaking. If they were armed, they'd instinctively point their weapons at me, almost like it was a reflex, not a conscious decision. It felt more like an automatic response, almost like muscle memory, than a deliberate action. That's when I realized for sure: everyone was afraid of me.
In the end, I decided to ignore them for now. It's not like I could change their minds anyway, after all, I can't even speak. Sometimes, this language barrier is really frustrating. Even when I try to write, the words come out distorted, with strange characters, completely unreadable to a human. The weird thing, though, is that I can understand them perfectly.
"Fascinating! To think you're capable of something like this! The more I learn about you, the more I want you!"
I decided to ignore the old man's ramblings. Anyway, it's not like he was going to say anything useful. As a precaution, I activated my eyes, probably now glowing with the colors of the rainbow. One reason was that I could see myself clearly, but the main one was to observe the reactions around me.
The expressions of fear and terror on people's faces were unmistakable — wide eyes like prey who just spotted a predator. Honestly, I still didn't know how to feel about that. I was there to save them, but for some reason, it felt like I was the one intimidating them.
Anyway, I still couldn't see anything when I looked at the old man. It was almost as if his body was translucent to my eyes, unlike the others, who, no matter where I looked, always showed the characteristic glows of their weak points. The only explanation that made sense for him not having any weak points was that this wasn't his real body — or something like that.
(...if that's the case... why not just kill him? That would probably solve almost all our problems)
At the moment that idea came to mind, the being that resembled me began to move again. As always, its expression remained blank and monotonous. The snakes coiled around Graham's arms lifted him, suspending him in the air, while all the soldiers in the room aimed their weapons at me.
This probably happened because of the sudden movement of the being that resembled me... But, as you know, that thing moved on its own. Although I considered killing the old man, it wasn't like I'd just do that right there, in the middle of everything.
"Don't shoot! That's an order, lower your weapons immediately!"
I momentarily deactivated my eyes and turned toward the voice, stopping the soldiers who were now focused on me. I looked directly at Victor, who seemed to notice my gaze and turned to face me. Our eyes met, and we stared at each other for a few seconds. I blinked quickly, and, surprisingly, Victor nodded. Seriously, why did he nod? Did he understand something just by looking into my eyes?
"Heh... looks like this is the end of the line for me. I don't see any way to escape this time. Well, I guess it's not such a bad ending. My family was killed by an anomaly, and now I'll share the same fate"
(...what the hell is this old man talking about?)
No, seriously, he started talking to himself, and his words were so melancholic? Or rather, why the hell does he think he's going to die? This body is just a clone or something, the real one must still be around somewhere. Why is he suddenly so melancholic? I honestly had no idea, but I wasn't interested enough to try to figure it out.
Speaking of which, I really would prefer to give him a quick death. Honestly, I don't want him to stain the whole place with his blood. After all, I literally live next door, and a bloody murder scene definitely wouldn't be pleasant to see, especially when you sleep, eat, and even play near it.
I'm not sure if the being understood what I was trying to say; in fact, I didn't give any specific command. If I had to describe my thought, it would be something like "a death with little blood" or something along those lines. But whether it understood or not, the being acted.
From his back, the characteristic black smoke began to condense, growing and expanding until it took on a defined shape. It resembled the other serpents, but it was much larger, with a size that seemed capable of swallowing an entire person with ease.
I'm not sure if the being interpreted my thoughts as a signal to act, but, aligning itself with my idea of a "bloodless death," the serpent, formed entirely of dense smoke with eyes glowing an intense red, began moving toward Graham.
It slithered across the ground like a shadowy entity until it stopped just inches away from him. Then, it raised its massive body, revealing its true imposing size—seen from this angle, the creature was undeniably much larger than Graham. Slowly, it began to coil itself around his body.
Graham's face twisted as the snake coiled around him. While this was something anyone would usually avoid, I just kept watching. To be honest, I didn't feel anything but a morbid curiosity about exactly how Graham would die. In the next moment, the snake, now fully wrapped around his body, opened its grotesque mouth and began to swallow him alive... Honestly, I'm not sure if this scene is less disturbing than seeing Graham being torn apart.
The scene, though brief, lasted about fifteen seconds. It wasn't exactly quick, but it didn't drag on either. Inside the room, everyone present seemed more surprised and anxious than scared. Surprised, because, let's face it, it's not every day you witness something like this. Anxious, probably wondering if they'd be next.
Not that this was really going to happen, of course. I mean, I definitely don't intend to do the same to the others. To be honest, I wasn't even planning on that old guy getting swallowed whole by a snake made of black smoke.
By the way, now that I think about it... I just killed someone, didn't I? Strangely, I don't feel guilty or anything like that... in fact, I really don't care about Graham's death, after all, he was just a clone. But, come to think of it, my indifference to death probably makes me seem even more terrifying to the others.
After devouring Graham, the enormous snake dissipated like smoke, vanishing into the air. Strangely, the only thought that came to my mind was something like, "... I think it's over." Then, I looked at Emily, who was lying on the ground, her wide, glazed eyes fixed on me. One of the black snakes smoothly slithered toward her.
Emily had fallen to the ground from a light shove caused when the snakes grabbed Graham's arms. So, I figured it would be best to help her up... not to mention I felt a bit guilty. The soldiers once again aimed their weapons, but their arms were visibly shaking. The fear on their faces was unmistakable.
"What did I tell you? No shooting without my order! Stay calm, she won't harm us... probably"
Victor reassured them again, and although it seemed effective, was that "probably" really necessary? Anyway, his words left the guards in the room visibly confused, but also relieved. To be honest, if I were in their place, I'd also avoid any confrontation, considering that, just moments ago, a giant smoke serpent had devoured someone alive.
Pushing my thoughts aside, I calmly watched as the smoke serpent approached Emily. She was naturally scared, but, curiously, her expression showed more curiosity than fear. Slowly, the snake coiled around her and lifted her, just enough to help her stand, without lifting her completely off the ground.
As she was lifted, Emily gently touched the surface of the snake. I didn't understand why, but something about that contact seemed to surprise her deeply. Even after the snake set her on her feet, Emily remained lost in her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the other serpents moving around the room, as if she were trying to unravel something important.
Anyway, Emily seemed to be okay. But, now that I think about it, Graham's death was a bit disappointing, wasn't it? I really expected something more dramatic, maybe an intense fight involving his main body or something like that. However, contrary to what I imagined, he didn't even react.
As I got lost in my thoughts, one of the snakes gently placed me on the ground. As soon as I touched the floor, the being that resembled me stared at me for a few seconds, blinked its eyes, and then transformed into smoke, returning inside me... What the hell? This thing caused all this mess in the room and now expects me to clean it up alone?.
Thinking about it, looking at the reactions around me, I probably should head back to my room. It's not like I didn't notice everyone's watchful eyes, probably not knowing what to do now that we're alone. Anyway, my room is on the other side of the broken glass.
Lost in my thoughts, I turned toward my room and calmly walked, ignoring the stares I received. However, I couldn't help but wonder how things would unfold from now on.
After all, I killed Graham, and he seemed to be someone important within the organization... or at least I think so. The truth is, I don't really understand how the hierarchies work, so I can't say for sure. Well, I guess Emily will take care of everything.
***
(POV - ???)
"... It seems like we've lost contact with another one... From what it looks like, they were probably killed. I guess, in the end, we'll all end up facing the same fate"
In a dimly lit room, a man with a tired appearance, gray hair, but still maintaining a relatively robust physique, continued reading and stamping papers on his desk. Although this should have been, in theory, a sad moment, for him, it was nothing too unusual.
"Although I hesitated to admit it, it's true that everything happened exactly as you predicted... but, it seems, you don't look very satisfied with the outcome"
Throwing the words into the air, the man looked toward a dark corner of the room, where the only light came from the moon. There, sitting in an armchair, another man was gently flipping through the pages of a book, immersed in his reading.
The man behind the desk didn't mind the silence. He knew that "that person" was like that, acting in this way. Despite being mysteriously enigmatic, the man was still too valuable an ally to waste — at least until his own objectives were achieved.
Silently, the man in the chair closed the book and turned his eyes toward the man behind the desk. His eyes, incredibly empty and lifeless, reflected one of his most notable features.
"Life is a series of consequences... this was just another one. However, it's not like I'm indifferent to it. It's impossible not to mourn the loss of a companion"
From the man's perspective, despite the word "companion" being said, it sounded more like "pawn" than "ally" In the end, both men in the room were using each other, and that was clear to both. Still, this dynamic worked — for them and for the others.
Still, the man's curiosity couldn't be contained, and he decided to ask the man who looked exactly like him — the same gray hair, robust body, the same expression — like the man who had died in one of the organization's laboratories.
"Anyway, I don't think it matters. We got valuable data thanks to him, so his death won't be in vain. We're closer to our goal... But I wonder: what exactly is your goal? What are you trying to achieve? Don't you think it's about time you told me your next move?"
The man sitting in the armchair didn't answer the question. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the window, contemplating the moon for a few seconds. Then, he calmly stood up, grabbed his coat from the small coat rack next to the armchair, and began walking toward the door. However, as soon as his hands touched the doorknob, he stopped and turned his gaze, as if something had made him hesitate.
"A goal... I wonder if I ever had one. Right now, I think all I want is just to observe"
Those were the last words of the man before he left the room, leaving his other self alone in the dark, dimly lit room.