I walk over to my bed, lay down, and try to fall asleep.
After a while, I drift into unconsciousness.
"John..."
A strange voice whispers.
My eyes snap open, and I find myself standing in an endless, empty place.
The ground beneath me is covered in a shallow layer of water, reflecting a dark, cloudy sky.
"Where am I?" I ask.
"It doesn't matter... does it?" the voice replies.
"Come out."
My voice is firm.
A body begins forming in front of me, rippling into shape from the water itself.
When it finishes... I see myself.
"W-Why are you me?" I ask, unsettled.
"Because we share the same body," it answers calmly.
"But I'm me. There can't be two of me... can there?"
"This doesn't matter right now."
Its voice is cold. Hollow. Familiar.
"What do you desire?" it asks.
"Revenge," I answer, without hesitation.
"But why do you desire it?"
"Because those things have killed innocent people. I can't stand that."
"Yes... but how will you achieve your goal?"
"I don't know. I don't care. I'll find a way."
"And how do you plan to fight without a plan?"
"I said I don't know!"
"What do you desire in life?"
"...I don't know."
There's a pause.
"Why did you let her die, John?"
My heart stops.
"There was nothing I could do."
"Yes, there was."
"There wasn't!"
"Stop lying to yourself. You just wanted to get rid of her. You don't let anyone close because you're scared they'll get hurt. You think you're better than everyone. You think you can save the world with a rifle and blind rage."
"Shut the fuck up!"
"Why are you reacting? Because it's the truth? You're not a hero, John. You're not even trained to survive. Remember when you were a kid? You were kidnapped, held hostage. Your parents called the cops, and yeah, you were saved. But that's not what you wanted, was it? You wanted more. You wanted the army to come. And when one cop walked through that door... you just wanted to die."
I tremble.
"You don't belong in this world. I despise people like that."
"But we're the same!" I shout.
"I'm the part of you that knows the truth. But you don't want to hear it. You want to believe in your fake little wall of hope. The world's broken, John. You can't fix it. You're a fool. And you deserve a slow death."
"Go fuck yourself!"
"Time's almost up. But I'll see you again."
"Wait—wa—"
I jolt awake, heart pounding.
Light floods through the half-open blinds.
I rub my eyes.
"That was... fucking weird."
I sit up, and that's when I notice it.
A small cross necklace on the bedside table.
It wasn't there before.
Something about it feels... important.
I pick it up and hang it around my neck.
Wearing just a T-shirt and shorts, I step out to the balcony.
The forest stretches out before me in every direction. Calm. Still.
I head back in, change into some better clothes, and climb up to the roof.
I scan the area.
Nothing. Quiet.
I look up. The sky is clear... but then—
A small red planet sits in the sky, distant, glowing faintly.
"Wait... when was that there?"
I squint.
It disappears in the blink of an eye.
"Must've been my imagination..." I mutter with a yawn as I climb down.
But that red little planet…
It's not imaginary.
And it's coming.