VERTIGO
He watched her pick up the gun and slide a single bullet into the cylinder. Breathing steadily, she put the weapon to her head.
The bridges had collapsed a few days earlier, as the chaos spread like wildfire. The dark island, disowned by the rest of the world, belonged to Jeremiah now. It was beautiful, left in smoking ruins, his to rule. Ecco had been close enough to see it with her own eyes, shivering with anticipation, because the canvas was now blank and ready for its true purpose. She would help him paint it all red. But first there was work to do, starting with a .38 caliber.
"Let me prove myself." She had already done it so many times– but it had just been the beginning. She was going to lead the cult in his honor.
Pulling the trigger, she never looked away from his eyes, standing in front of him in the darkened room. With the click from the empty chamber his eyes turned more curious, waiting for her next move.
Almost hypnotized with that grey gaze, calm in her determination, she pulled the trigger again. The sound made her nerves stir with impatience and her heart beat faster. Death was waiting, to see if she would face it. Oh, she did. She was welcoming it, daring to go further than ever before. It was her turn now.
Click.
Something flickered in Jeremiah's eyes, a trace of his past self, the man who was always concerned about her well-being and who frantically would have told her to stop. But he didn't. An expression was playing in the corner of his lips, that sparkling interest with the hint of bared teeth, that made her insides turn and stir. She was ecstatic to see it focused on her.
Click.
He was the world, her audience. He was Jerome and Jeremiah. The walls behind him were all black, the floor was red, and it all fit together like a puzzle. She felt a sting of pity for everyone who could not experience this moment – this gift. She refused to let go of his gaze, pressing the barrel against the base of her skull.
The next time was different. Her body felt it before the bullet had even left the chamber and she accepted it with her eyes wide open.
Two pieces of metal slammed together inside of her head with the force of a colliding train.
PING.
A loud buzzing exploded inside of her skull, a warm delicious rush on the side of her neck, and she lost her breath, smiling as she stumbled backwards. It wasn't like flipping a switch, more like cracking a shell completely open, walking the very last distance and taking the plunge. She had been slipping for too long.
He held her gaze steadily and there was nothing left to fear, nothing at all.
A bubbling laughter left her for a moment at the thought of the bee swarm poking at her brain. The sharp ringing sound in her ears grew in intensity, ping ping ping. Her body grew heavy, as if gravity had made a violent turn and suddenly pulled her down with force.
In those slow moments, the images flashed by so fast she missed all the details, all those early years before Jeremiah, before devotion and purpose, as she died in front of his eyes. Everything from before disintegrated into nothing.
Ecco 496 - tell me, little miss proxy – her apartment with the tea set she got from her grandmother – daddy is not coming back! - drinking tea with Jeremiah in the bunker - I can be very persuasive – Jeremiah's hand - Ecco, it's me – a sharp blade against her face - that's how I'm going to transport you - a graveyard and an open grave - my sweet Ecco - Isabelle-
She collapsed against Jeremiah's chest, her hands clenching and unclenching in the smooth fabric of his suit, the blood smeared on it coming in and out of focus as her vision blurred. His arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her upright. His gloved hand moved to her neck, stroking her sticky hair out of the way.
Smiling wide, she rested her head against his shoulder as her limbs gave in.
"I did it, J…"
"Shhh." He lowered her onto the ground. Somewhere above her, his white face floated, blurry. Heat spread on the inside of her head. Oh, how marvelous red! The room was darkening in the edges and she felt the searing burn inside of her skull, the tearing that once and for all marked the end of her life.
She smiled weakly at the man above her, seeing the look in his eyes - pride. His fingertips grazed her neck as he held her.
"I can't wait to meet you again."
.
.
Waking up felt like a dream.
She moved one part of her body at a time, stretching out her limbs and listening to the loud, satisfactory cracking of her joints, flexing her fingers. Reaching up a hand to neck, she felt a bandage. A wide smile spread across her face when she shook her head, listening as if expecting the bullet to move around.
She felt it clearly, a presence inside her head that lingered like the blurred vision on her left eye. Ripping the bandage away, she moved to stand up from the bed.
Jeremiah's followers looked at her differently when she moved throughout the hideout - avoiding eye contact when she turned her head in their direction, seeming eager to please. The doctor who had cared for her didn't attempt to stop her from getting up.
When she found Jeremiah, he was bent over his desk in his main room, studying blueprints. He looked up at her and studied her in a way that made chills run down her spine. Then he gave her a slow smile – their smile.
"Long time no see." There was an expectation there, a game. "How's that bullet doing?"
She watched his eyes carefully, already breathless. "Never been better, Puddin'".
He met her halfway when she walked over to him, delirious. She took his hands in hers, hearing his breathing grow rough as he inspected the bared wound. Unable to focus her gaze, she reached up to come closer to him.
She stopped when she caught the reflection of herself in the mirror behind him.
Her face was streaked with blood, but it wasn't hers. She found the same color underneath her nails. Standing chest to chest with him, his low chuckle rung in her ears.
"I need more recruits. You have quite the appetite."
She flashed all her teeth, wondering how much time she couldn't remember.
"Leave it to me, Boss."
Ping.
Ping.
Ping.
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