Silence and darkness encapsulate the bedroom as Chelsea sits upon the edge of her bed, with her face buried in her knees, her hands resting upon her head. All the while trying to ignore the voice within her mind, speaking to her.
"Really now, Chelsea, I'm sincerely confused why this is alarming to you. It's not like we killed someone. You just happen to have created a split personality within your mind as a self-defense mechanism."
Tears escape her eyes as she quietly whispers to herself, repeating a single sentence.
"I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy."
Within a slight agitation, the inner Chelsea protests this annoying sentence.
"Will you just shut up and calm down for a second and listen to me? I'm inside your head, stupid!"
For a moment, the chanting of that single sentence stops as she's shaken from the fact that the voice actually can break her thought pattern and again shows her that it's more than capable of having full-blown conversations with herself.
And this voice within her has a will of its own. All it lacks is a body... or... used to lack a body... or does it mean that this new life form in her head really was created out of fear, anger, frustration, isolation, neglectfulness, and the fact that a giant robot tried to kill her.
Is it really out of the question that this thing in her mind... could be temporary? A mental breakdown and a form of trauma?
"Finally, you shut up. Thank you."
The tone of the inner Chelsea is now relieved, and it's becoming relevant to the outer Chelsea that it would appear, this... inner Chelsea... her emotions are linked together.
"You were seriously starting to make me freak out here. We already have gone through more than enough pain together, and I honestly want to show you that I honestly can really help you."
Within an instant, she takes a deep breath. Closes her eyes and speaks the words.
"No... I don't want your help. And I don't want you bothering me. This is my body and my everything. I didn't agree to this... whatever this is."
The voice within her mind laughs and speaks to Chelsea.
"Fine, fine. I guess the name Two-Face isn't going to be our title. But that's alright, in time when you need help most. When your time of need begins to show, and you are at your lowest point, I'll show up and save you. I am far more than you can imagine. Because I know what I am, but you... an empty shell. Being pushed around and taken for granted by your ex-boyfriends. Or being attacked by jokers and gang members."
In protest, she responds quickly, thinking that this is an argument that can be won by either side.
"This isn't your life; it's mine. You can't do this to be."
With a final few words, the voice explains the situation so that Chelsea can actually comprehend and understand the gravity of the problem.
"This isn't a debate Chelsea. It's not up for negotiation. No medication can silence be. No therapy can be rid of me. If they hurt you, we both feel the burn. They cut you or kill you; that means I die as well. And I will never let that happen. When the time comes, I will protect you. Until then, I'll keep silent and allow you to process all this and accept the situation for what it is. Eventually, you'll adapt and learn to live with me."
With those final words, Chelsea understood that her predicament is instead... complicated... and too much for one person to take on... without breaking down in tears.
...
The gunmen look upon the security guard attempting to figure out the passcode for the fifth time. His hand trembles as the digital display again read (wrong password).
He feels the barrel of a 45 caliber magnum pressed against his left temple.
The criminal speaks to the guard in a final cold voice that indicates that this security guard's life... is about to end.
"Looks like you don't even know the password to open the vault."
Closing his eyes, the security guard takes a deep breath... awaiting his final moments on this planet.
The gun's hammer is pulled back, and we hear it click into position.
"I love that you put up a little bit of a fight. It makes this so much more satisfying to do."
From out of the darkness, a voice speaks to the criminals from the shadows.
"Then you're gonna love me."