Dead Souls

~a JtHM fanfic~

Leila

It was 2 a.m. and I was finding it quite impossible to fall asleep. I got up, rather irritable I couldn't force myself out of consciousness. I didn't want to sleep. I didn't like sleep. If I didn't have to sleep, I rarely did it, but I needed rest for work. Stupid work. Who's idea was it for the bookstore to open at 7 a.m. 7 FREAKIN' a.m. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. Might as well wake myself up. A zombie that can't sleep... heh. I decided to walk to the 24/7 convenience store and grab 3 citrus energy drinks. It was going to be a loooong day.

My headphones blasted Skinny Puppy, a band I liked very much, as I walked through the chill night air. It felt as if a storm was brewing. I smirked. Storms were nice in retrospect. I enjoyed them as long as I could stay indoors. A frown crossed my face. I could be freakin' trapped at work during it. Ahh, life. Bittersweet life.

I walked through the doors of the 24/7 and froze. The cashier lay on the counter, eyes wide open, and oozing disgusting life-matter. I raised an eyebrow. "Yuck. Keep your fluids to yourself." I walked to the back to grab my energy serum and found a thin man, about my height, pacing back and forth with a machette. He wore a black long sleeve shirt with black and white horizontal stripes on the sleeves. It clung to him as he breathed heavily, trying to gain his stamina back. His black and silver cloven-toe boots glimmered in the light, no trace of blood on them whatsoever. There was no blood on him at all, either... It was like he just... defied evidence. I wouldn't say he was ninja-like... ninjas are weak. He was... simply swift and impossible to trace. I guess he saw me studying him because he coughed awkwardly and walked over to the Brainfreezy machine. I grabbed my drinks and walked over to the cash register. I walked behind it, behind the bloody guy, and searched for bags. I found one and gently put my drinks inside, aware of the stupid security camera staring into my soul. I sighed and pulled out my wallet. Just because the cashier was dead, didn't mean I wouldn't get in trouble for stealing. After I had paid and shoved the wallet back into my pocket, I walked back out into the night air, satisfied with my purchase. Then, a thought stabbed at the back of my mind. You don't find it strange that that random guy just slaughtered that guy right before you came in? He could have slaughtered you too. I shrugged. He didn't and that's all that mattered to me. I wasn't selfish, but if the guy did something to get him killed, he didn't deserve the sympathy. Besides, if I died right now, I wouldn't really mind. My life is pretty boring. Death would be a fairly interesting experience. It's not like I touched anybody's life. "Hey!" A voice called behind me.

Johnny

"You should go out, Johnny. You seem restless and being home all the time can make you go stir-crazy." Reverand Meat's voice rang out in my head, I looked out the window, pleased with the sight. No people. No animals. Just a now graying sky, full of twinkling silver stars, dying in the distance. Must get closer to that universe. The only way would be to enjoy the night. I could use a Cherry Brainfreezy. A smirk formed on my lips. I had made my decision.

As I walked through the misty, night air, I admired the perfect imperfections in the sky.

I walked into the 24/7 to find a bald man standing at the counter. He looked rather tired. Probably sick of hs job. I wandered toward the back of the store to find the Brainfreezy machine. I smiled. Those were one of the very few things that filled me with true happiness.

I grabbed a cup and held it under the dispenser, but as I pressed the button, nothing came out.

Oh, what a sad sight. Oh, to be truly satisfied. Fuck.

I flew to the bald man of pure evil. "YOU. YOU did this! WHY?! What did I ever do to you, you sick, twisted individual?" The man stared at me in confusion. "Um...we shut off the Brainfreezy machines at 2...," His idiotic voice droned on. "No. That answer is incorrect. The correct answer was, "We never shut them off, my good man." But NOW the correct answer is, "I'm going to fucking PAY for what I did!""And with that, the blade collided with his poor, sick, sad skull. Maybe 10 times? Maybe 20. I had lost count. My rage had finally died, along with his screams. It's all fun and games until that person dies and can't feel the tingly sensation of pain and whatnot anymore.

I clicked the machine on from the counter, and walked back over to the Brainfreezy machine. I sighed. What now? I thought to myself. You're supposed to be happy, now, Nny. I looked down sadly. The memories of me never getting what I wanted as a child came flooding back to me, vividly. The image of me crying in my bedroom, my back against the door.

"But daddy, you're never home..."

I stared into the dark void in the sky from the window. Tears threatened to break, when I suddenly heard the bell ring. A customer. I froze. If they even so much as mutter a "hello" to me...

It was a young woman, around my age, my height. She had black, razory hair. She wore dark eyeliner and a slight smudge of black eyeshadow, circling tired, emerald eyes. She was wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt, black skin-tight jeans, and dark grey and black boots that went just below her knees, like mine, with straps and buckles, also like mine. Although ours were slightly different. Hers were normal toed boots, mine were cloven-toed and had silver on the toes. She looked different from any girl I'd seen. I don't mean different in a way that would earn her a label. She didn't look like all those "goth" Nine Inch Heels fans. She had an individuality about her. She didn't follow.

She looked irritated and exhausted. "Yuck. Keep your fluids to yourself." She muttered to the dead, bald cashier man. I smirked, stifling a chuckle. She had a darkness about her that was dare I say... attractive. I mentally slapped myself. WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING? She's a human... humans are VERY unpleasant. I crossed my arms. You're human too... She studied me for a while and I had to turn away. Before I said anything to her. Or worse, before she ended up in my basement. Anything that makes me think, or feel, deserves to be obliterated. I filled up my Brainfreezy cup and put the lid on, and the straw in the cup. Oh, good, I thought, as I saw her turn and leave. She got a ways away when a thought struck me. I walked towards the door and saw her leaving as my mouth betrayed me. "Hey!" She turned, her eyes shining in slight annoyance. Oh, no... Don't be like THEM... She stared at me expectantly, a slight smile forming on her lips. "Your secret's safe with me." She said, jokingly rolling her eyes, and smiling at me knowingly, before turning around to continue her walk. I smirked. She was... intriguing.