THREE: The GraveYard

DISCLAIMER: SELF-HARM AND MURDER ARE IN THIS SERIES.

Kit sat on the bench in his school cafeteria.

His head sat on his hand, he was tired, and couldn't sleep at all the night before because he was thinking about how Aya could have exposed him.

His eyes closed, he hears someone sit next to him, his right shoulder, centimeters away from hers.

Aya Kurose.

As usual, a hysterical laugh from the monster. “I should've brought popcorn!”

“Do you not have any friends?” Kit asks her, his tone tired and annoyed.

“Are we friends?” She asked sarcastically.

“No.”

“In that case, I have no friends. But you don’t either, so I’m gonna be around you from now on.” Aya explains to Kit.

2 awkward teens sitting next to each other on a table in a cafeteria at school, with everyone there chatting except for them.

This was a formula for catastrophe.

When the bell rang Kit looked at Aya. “You have work today at The Hourly Times today?”

Aya simply nodded to his question.

The only normal part of that whole conversation was the ending.

Hours passed, the final bell rang.

Friends chatting about going to the arcade.

People on calls.

Others were arguing.

But with Kit, a tap on his right shoulder, he looked back.

Aya was there. “Are you going to work?” She asked him.

Kit simply shook his head, it was 3 pm and work is at 5 pm.

“I’m going to my apartment.” He replied.

“Can I come to your place?” Aya asked.

The Monster chuckled.

Kit just nodded and sighed, annoyed, and tired.

They arrived at the apartment building, Kit lazily waved at the receptionist.

They entered the elevator. It was silent. Kit leaned against the wall. Aya just looked around all curious.

“Why do you even wish to come to my apartment?” Kit asked out of curiosity.

She shrugged.

Kit opened the door for her.

“You can use the kitchen if you wanna." Kit told her.

As he went to his room, Aya decided to sit on the balcony, overlooking the whole of Brooklyn.

Kit laid on his bed, scrolling through the camera settings that he had memorized thousands of times already.

After a while he got up, went to the balcony where Aya was.

He opened the balcony.

He took a photo.

Click.

Click.

“It's nice isn’t it?” Kit asks her, as he leans on the glass railing.

She nodded.

Kit checked his phone. “We should probably get going.” Aya simply nodded at Kit.

As they went back to the lobby of the apartment and out onto the sidewalks Aya asked. “Where are your parents?”

Kit clearly felt bothered about the subject. “I believe they're dead.”

“Sibling?” She asked.

“Not to my knowledge.” Kit responded.

“My mother is on death’s front door. But she hasn’t knocked yet.” Aya told him.

They arrived at The Hourly Times building. They went to the top floor and knocked on the boss-man’s office door. He signaled them to enter.

“Odoka, go to the alleyways of all the vigilante killings, take Kurose with you, she’ll learn a thing or 2.” The boss told them.

The Monster laughed hysterically.

Kit didn’t like that idea, but he needed to keep this job, so there was only 1 option.

Kit walked out without saying a word, Aya just followed.

“Does the boss know you're the vigilante?” Aya whispered to Kit.

Kit simply shook his head.

An alleyway was the place where Kit scored his first body.

“Andrew C. an accidental murder who many believe grabbed a boy or girl who people think is the vigilante. But the vigilante of course killed Andrew but possibly manslaughter. However, the vigilante continued his killing spree in this pattern so many assume this was his first body, others think that he didn’t cause this one.” Kit explained the first victim to Aya.

They photographed the place.

The Monster laughed. “Why are you telling her all this, you want her to betray you!”

Kit heard The Monster and ignored it.

The next area was just outside a warehouse.

Aya had been silent the whole time. She understood this was likely very hard for Kit to do.

But then Kit took her to a graveyard.

“A bunch of the victims were buried here. I think there were 54 people buried here.” Kit explained.

The Monster saw it on Kit’s face.

Kit was about to have a mental breakdown on the spot.

Aya took a photo.

There laid 54 people here.

540 nightmares.

540 days since the first murder.

Since the first regret.

Since the first time Kit has thought of doing something where he would never return.

When will his life end?

When will he feel numb to these deaths?

When will he forget?

Never.

He will never forget.

Because even 6 feet under, in his grave, he will be reminded of these murders.

He is suffering the torment of these murders.

And now here he stands.

In a graveyard made by him, and him alone.