Chapter 1: 7 Months Passed

CHAPTER 1: 7 MONTHS PASSED

It has been seven months. It has been seven months since the reaping of Kevin’s heart. It has been five since the reaping of Britney’s. Three since Wendy and Lando, and only one since Laura. Five souls in seven months. It has been slow lately too. The average Heart Breaker would have taken fourteen people’s lives in seven months, two for each month and usually one male and one female. Not exactly fourteen but somewhere around there.

Ben wakes up and gets out of bed like any Heart Breaker should. 6:00 on the dot thanks to his internal clock. He jumps into the shower just long enough to wash off, and his breakfast has all the nutrients for the day. Which is even less for him due to Heart Breakers not requiring as many nutrients as humans. He combs his hair, grabs his clothes and heads out the door.

When walking around outside he just tries to enjoy the night air. A strange thing considering that Heart Breakers are never preoccupied with the weather. Usually they don’t care whether rain or shine, they just try to get their job done. Right now Ben’s job is simply to search for Heart Swallows. When and if he finds one then he jumps right into the routine. Select, seduce, and finally do away with. This is the daily routine. This is the only routine.

Right now Ben is perusing around sector 18. His sector along with a few other Heart Breakers like Gail for example. Not to mention, Gail and Ben aren’t the only Heart Breakers in sector 18. They are both Heart Breakers that reside in each’s respective age groups. Ben resides in the body of a twenty-two year old so he will pursue Heart swallows residing within young men and women four years younger, and four years older (with exceptions). The latter of which is harder to obtain the blessing of one’s heart.

Gail resides in the age group for near Middle aged women and men. He resides within the body of a thirty-five year old. He will pursue women six years younger and six years older also with exceptions. The Heart Breakers do get paid for their work but it is really only payment to be able to continue their work. Enough money to pay for bills and the little bit of food they be using. And then their miscellaneous fund. A fund that is there expressly to pay for dates and things such as that for people who have Heart Swallows.

So Ben does usually have a lot of money on hand despite his crappy one bedroom apartment. Ben sits inside of his “favorite” coffee shop in name only when in reality a Heart Breaker could care less what coffee shop he is in. The whole “favorite” coffee shop thing is usually just a conversation starter. And he goes there so that if it is ever suspected by somebody with a Heart Swallow that that particular coffee is indeed his favorite or not then employees or other dedicated costumers can assure that he comes almost every day (which he does almost every) and any suspicions if there ever were any for some reason would be cleared. A little silly but you have to be ready for anything. After all, humans can be unpredictable.

He sits in the coffee shop drinking his usual latte sitting at his usual spot (if available) and pretends to read the newspaper. So yeah… this is his/her daily basis. Going day by day while waiting for a new Heart Swallows host to pop on by since a Heart Breaker can tell at a glance who has a Heart Swallow. Ben feels an odd momentary sense of boredom as he looks out the window. He is then alarmed when he realizes that was the emotion he was feeling, the emotion of boredom.

Heart Breakers aren’t supposed to have feelings in the first place. A trend that has been slowly but surely ending but that doesn’t change the fact that it isn’t natural. In fact that is the very reason they aren’t told where they come from when they awaken as a Heart Breaker. If they were told then it would surely end their ability to be a Heart Breaker which they are told would end the meaning of their current existence.

Heart Breakers are former humans, a little fact that even they don’t know. If they did it is said that not only will they lose their ability to change genders due to the knowledge of what gender they were through a newly formed mental block but it is also said that knowing you were once human effects your ability to kill another human. And only good people are resurrected to be a Heart Breaker. Good people are the only ones allowed but that isn’t the reason. A reason no Heart Breaker had ever discovered. A reason that no Heart Breaker was ever told. Perhaps a reason no Heart Breaker shall ever learn.

“The whole world is gray.” Ben says to himself before sipping coffee.

(Ding) The bell above the door to the coffee shop went off. There was this weird sensation Ben was given. It felt as if a Heart Swallow host had just moseyed on in. He turned around to see who it was and to his surprise it was just a normal girl. Nothing out of the ordinary. There wasn’t a Heart Swallow in her, and she herself wasn’t anything special to look at. It made Ben feel uneasy because his gut was wrong. He was intrigued.

Ben pushed back his seat as he looked at the girl. He stared almost intently at her to the point where the other regulars took notice. Yeah it wouldn’t be the first time he had ever approached a lady in the coffee shop before (being a Heart Breaker and all) but it was the first time he seemed genuinely interested. He started walking over to her as she stood in line. She ordered her coffee and as it was being made for her. She stepped off to the side as Ben followed.

Ben walked beside her with his arms folded as he leaned up against the wall. She looked at him briefly and gave a somewhat half-hearted smile before looking back in the other direction. He didn’t know what it was about her but he still had the gut feeling that the girl had a Heart Swallow. He observed her for a second. She had a sweater on, and was a bit meaty but not chunky, more muscular. She had brown hair that was back in a ponytail.

“Excuse me?” She asked with Ben just staring at her. “That’s just a tad creepy.” She said using her thumb and index finger to express a measurement of the little bit of creepy she was referring to.

“Ah! U-uh sorry!” Ben said not knowing how to respond. “My name is Ben. And you are?”

“Sorry fella, but the normal introduction ship has sailed.” She said. “You’re going to have to do a hand stand while drinking a latte in order for me to give up my name.” She said with Ben just looking at her thinking “why the hell?”

The coffee shop worker brought over the girls coffee and as she set it on the table the girl grabbed it and held it in front of him. She gave him an expectant look to take the coffee. He just stared at it for a second. She then put further emphasis on him taking the coffee after she raised her eyebrows and held the coffee out further. Ben finally got the hint and took the coffee. It may have been twenty-five years since Ben was first turned to a Heart Breaker but he still has a hard time with social queues if not said outright.

“Now it just so happens that I ordered a latte! First you will start off with the hand stand. Then once you have that down you will pick up the latte and chug away.” She said to him, and to Ben it seemed fairly simple.

Ben rolled forward a little as he then pushed himself up with his hands and stood on his hands without wavering in the slightest. The girls jaw almost dropped just at the sight of him. Ben then reached for and whilst upside down picked up the latte. As Ben started to tilt it he prepared for the coffee to flow down his tongue. The lid then plopped off as hot coffee smacked him in the face, he fell down on his head and plopped to the ground with everyone gasping.

He sat up rubbing his head. As the gasps of the coffee shop goers, and the girl subsided, there was a brief awkward silence. The girl then looked at him with a blank stare as Ben looked back. Then a small smirk, and faint cracking noise happened on the girls face as she cracked up with light laughter. She was holding her stomach with both hands as she laughed. For the rest of the coffee shop goers they just went back to their business.

“Hahaha! I can’t believe you did that silly!” The girl said. “Good thing you’re okay, I would have felt terrible.”

“Of course I’m okay.” Ben said as the girl laughed even harder.

“Hahahaha!! “Of course I’m okay.” Hah ha, you’re funny.” The girl said as she held out her hand for him. “My names Sarah.”

“But I failed. Why?” Ben asked.

“Failed!? Ha, I didn’t actually expect you to do that at all. You earned my name at the very least. I just thought I’d offer the challenge, you wouldn’t accept it and I wouldn’t have to continue to talk to you but you know? You are pretty interesting.”

Ben just looked her then pulled himself up using her hand. Sarah then told him that he may want to get a towel since his face and jacket are covered in coffee. He looked at himself then asked the girl at the counter for a towel as she went to the back to get him. Sarah then waved goodbye while saying “I will see you around Ben!”

Ben waved goodbye as he waited for the towel. There she went, Sarah the ordinary brown haired girl. That then made Ben wonder. Why did he approach her? Was it really his gut? His “gut” as it is often referred as isn’t really literal. It is that innate sense that every Heart Breaker has. The ability to detect a Heart Swallow wherever it may appear and in whoever. So for the life him/her, Ben/Brea does not understand why he/she even approached Sarah in the first place. The girl then brought the towel but Ben had already left.

Ben was walking back home. As of late Ben has been acting very strangely for a Heart Breaker, and he knew it. He didn’t quite understand the way he was feeling but it was a familiar sense to him. He realized that he was starting to gain some humanity. First the sympathy from his victims and then his approaching Sarah with no proper reason to. He decided to call it a day when he saw Gail leaning up against a wall in the direction of his home.

“What’s Gail want?” Ben thought to himself.

“Calling it a day already!?” Gail said with a smirk.

“Of course… I need some time to work out my next move and I do that best at home.” Ben said to Gail and Gail knew that was a lie.

“I’d say. You seemed really confused kid, what with Sarah and everything. How cute, you may have found yourself a little human pet.” Gail said with a smirk.

Ben couldn’t explain why but the words coming out of Gail’s mouth really pissed him off. Not because there was anything special about the girl in question but because it felt like a jab at Ben and his recent actions. Actions that Ben himself/herself knows to be strange, and that is why it bothers him/her. He tried to ignore Gail and walk past. As he walked Gail just watched for a second. Then the smile on Gail’s face grew bigger.

“Don’t worry Ben, your secrets safe with me. I’ll never tell anyone how much of a human you’ve become.” Gail said laughing as Ben jumped right back in a ball of rage as he grabbed Gail by the shirt while holding him up against the wall.

“Calm down Ben, people are looking at you.” There were fewer people out than usual but it still created a scene. With several people looking at the situation and whispering back and forth to each other it still compelled Ben to calm down.

“I’m sorry… I know you’re just testing me but I honestly can’t hold in my emotions.” Ben then thought about it.

A Heart Breaker has no emotion, and if said Heart Breaker ever begins to develop emotions he/she is supposed to learn to control them and keep them under wraps. But Gail keeps provoking Ben with taunts and always checking up on him. Keeping tabs on him. Now Gail stands before him and has the audacity to request Ben calm down after provoking him.

“Why!? Why are you taunting me?”

“Listen up kid, I don’t want you to be “suspended” from being a Heart Breaker. Because when a Heart Breaker is suspended, they just die. And you my friend are by far the most interesting thing going on in the world of the Heart Breakers right now. Hell as far as I can tell there has never been a Heart Breaker as deep in emotional contemplation as you.” Gail told him.

“I don’t get it… are you a hindrance or are you helping me!?”

“Ironically a little bit of neither but also both. I don’t want to see you go because of your situation but it’s because of your situation that you may be suspended or go over the deep end that you may be gone in the first place. So I devised this little plan to help you by hurting you. I’m going to push you into water and have you learn to swim out of desperation.” Gail said. “I’ve been at this a bit longer than you so I’d say you should just trust me.” And with that Ben decides he’s done with Gail for tonight.

How can you control your emotions? A question that Ben/Brea has been asking himself/herself a lot lately. Why does he/she even have emotions that can be tapped into? Another question that Ben/Brea has been asking himself/herself. It is becoming apparent to Ben that the Heart Breakers are more like humans than he initially thought. But then he thought that that couldn’t be right. It wasn’t that they were like humans but it was something else. But he couldn’t quite figure it out.

Then in that moment a girl walked past Ben. She was a lovely, slender Asian lady with long, thin, and soft black hair. She had a Heart Swallow burrowed within her. And judging by the fact that she had to be right next to him for him to notice, the Heart Swallow must be only a few hours old. This was something Ben couldn’t ignore. Ben didn’t notice it but this time it was something else that compelled him to do his job and it wasn’t his hard wired programming as a Heart Breaker but more of an obligation, like it was his duty. The wrong way to do the same job in the same fashion.

“Hey miss… a little late to be walking outside alone don’t you think?” Ben said.

“It’s only 7:30” the Asian lady said back to him while pointing at her watch.

“True but it gets dark early this time of year so I was just concerned is all.” Which was Ben’s rebuttal.

They talked a bit about daylight savings time, and Ben walked the girl home, and made sure that he got her number, and her name which was Kelly Park. He has set the seeds. Now he just has to stick with it until the Heart Swallow is ripe for the picking. He felt this subtle uneasiness in his stomach after talking to Kelly. He felt sick because he actually enjoyed his interaction with her, and he knows how this is going to end.

“Phew… ah…” Ben let out a few sighs of relief.

“I can go home for the night finally. I wonder how my other prospect is doing.” Ben said.

This “other prospect” that Ben refers to is James Born. It is another person that Ben has been with the past week, only as Brea instead of Ben. James had work today, 2nd shift so that is why Ben went Swallow today hunting instead. Ben walked into his dreary apartment. He heard the couple in apartment 03 fighting again. He could hear as the woman would get slapped and punched. Ben got closer to the 03 as he walked. And as Ben got right in front of the door he just kept walking, paying it no mind.

Most days Ben would ignore the fighting as other occupants of his apartment building would just wonder what was wrong and or hide in their rooms. But for some reason on every other day while walking past 03 Ben would get this sharp pain in his heart, like what was going on in their was wrong, like it concerned him. He didn’t understand why considering how it isn’t a Heart Breaker’s directive to meddle in the affairs of humans who aren’t a target. Who do not have an IT in them.

When Ben got to his room he walked right in without closing the door and laid right in bed. He could often care less about leaving his door open. He feared nothing the human had to offer, and to a further extent he didn’t even think about the dangers of the human world. And he was known around the apartment building for this little tick. And this tick would be a problem too if “Brea” had lived in the apartment building as well.

Brea as Ben’s female persona is known for the same tick, and lives in another (Yet nearby) apartment building. In regards to his Brea form she has had to deal with men coming in and trying to pull something inappropriate but it didn’t end well for them and now she too experiences no problems. Heart Breakers while known as humans by other humans are always known to be strange when not on the job.

This is a problem that is often ignored by others thanks to the good looks and charm of the Heart Breakers whether in their male or female forms. They are often seen as socially awkward to a degree but possess enough charm, and wit to have them shine through with people in the end. For example: Ben’s interaction with Sarah today when he was able to impress her with a hand stand then make her laugh when he actually tried to drink the coffee while upside down. It is social situations like these that allow a Heart Breaker to do his/her job.

Ben could feel his mind drifting as his consciousness waned. His eyes shut and it was lights out in the room but his mind thrived as his brain lit up. Dreams it would seem have taken over. He lay in a bed of water. It was so lucid that Ben didn’t even know he was dreaming, nor would he remember the dream when he woke up. Not vividly at least, but that idea is what would stick with him. Effecting him ever so subtly at his core.

He lay there in a bed of water. His eyes would occasionally lift open in that bed of water and each time they did there was a thin layer of shade set atop his face. The sunglasses (which were rather expensive) sat there while protecting his eyes from the sun. He sipped on a fruity beverage that was pungent with alcohol. Poolside there was a black haired beauty. She sipped on that same drink. Ben sat up looking at her, and as he looked she smiled. He smiled back at her. It was a picture perfect moment.

But the picture wasn’t properly framed. It was just a moment with no photograph in sight. A dream that felt as though it were only seconds had ended, and without knowing it an entire night had passed. Ben sat up. Every night was like that with many of the dreams recurring dozens of times. There are good ones at times, but also not so pleasant ones. But none of it matters. Ben never remembers any of them. They leave him with a faint emotional connection despite not remembering the contents of each dream and a bit of angst.

“Huh…” Ben said as he rubs his head.

Ben feels strange again. He doesn’t decide to just ignore it this time and decides he should go speak with Cromwell. Cromwell is the person who oversees the Heart Breakers. He is in charge of what Heart Breaker will be in which area and the age group that that Heart Breaker will pursue. He is the decider for lack of a better word. You would think that as the one and only head of the Heart Breakers that he would be much busier.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact it is known that Heart Breakers may eventually develop emotions and logical confusion but it happens on such a small scale that even if all of them went to Cromwell he would be able to handle the work load. So on top of that it is also rare that any of those Heart Breakers wouldn’t be able to either control and or stamp the level of emotion trying to take over on their own.

Ben realizes his problem. Ben realizes what is happening and the thing that scares him the most is how natural it felt. He needed to go to Cromwell at this point. Even though seeing Cromwell for something like this puts you on Cromwell’s watch list. A watch list that Cromwell keeps constant tabs on to ensure that a Heart Breaker is stable and taking care of the job at hand. With the way each Heart Breaker is divided into his/her own individual quadrant. And if a quadrant is gone unsupervised without the knowledge of Cromwell, then a Heart Swallow will most definitely mature.

When a Heart Swallow matures they become a being of devastating power. Instilling fear, even into the stoic minds of the Heart Breakers, requiring Heart Breakers to team up to take them out. Though it has been hundreds of years since a Heart Swallow has matured into a Heart Fiend. Many of the Heart Breakers of today have never seen a Heart Fiend. They have never had the opportunity to. Even Ben has never seen one having only been a Heart Breaker approximately twenty years.

The Heart Fiend is a nasty creature that can’t be seen by the public eye. He is an entity just like Heart Swallows themselves and is much deadlier than five premature Heart Swallows combined. It is slender yet hunched back. Four talons on both hands. This is the only description that a Heart Breaker is given. They are told that if they see one to keep their distance, but to keep tabs on it until backup can arrive. However if a Heart Breaker allows the Heart Fiend to be created through his/her own personal feelings, it is his/her duty to confront it and soften it up before another team of Heart Breakers takes the creature on with a bit more of a tactical approach.

This code of ethics is to ensure that that particular Heart Breaker dies. This will make impossible for that particular Heart Breaker to make the same choice twice. The reason for such protocols has to do with the sheer fact that the Heart Fiends’ are far more deadly than their physical description will ever allow a Heart Breaker to understand without encountering one. Heart Fiends devour human souls to survive.

Heart Breakers rarely die. When they do however they usually die at the hands of a Heart Fiend. Heart Fiends are far more sentient than Heart Swallows. Heart Swallows are run off of pure instinct and are far more sluggish even when they exit a human heart prematurely. Ben has dispatched dozens of prematurely built Heart Swallows that have been dubbed as Heart Swallow IIs. Due to the danger that the Heart Swallows, and Heart Fiends pose to humanity, Cromwell needs a watch list of that nature to ensure all Heart Breakers are competent.

“So what you are telling me is that you keep getting these off and on emotional surges that, though they have not affected your work as a Heart Breaker, you fear that their naturalism may turn into a hindrance later on?” Cromwell restated to Ben/Brea who had started talking to Cromwell already.

“Yes sir.” Ben said with a lack of emotion.

Cromwell stroked his beard. He walked around his circular office as Ben remained seated. The whole room was a massive library all around in a full 360 degree angle, not including the door and the lone window on the opposite side as the door. Cromwell stared meticulously at the faded lettering on the spines of many books. He reached towards the shelf to grab one. He blew the dust away, then peered the book open.

“I honestly must say that I have not yet encountered a Heart Breaker in your condition. I suggest asking several other Heart Breakers how they’ve dealt with similar issues. None of which will be a severe as yours of course but it is worth asking.”

“Thank you Cromwell, I think I’ll give that a shot. But that still isn’t helping me much. That’s vague, I was kind of hoping you could tell me what’s happening to me.”

“Well you just told me what’s happening to you…”

“That’s not what I mean Cromwell and you know so. I know that you have encountered cases with the same likeness to mine, so surely you must know what the root of those other cases were!” Ben said to Cromwell with a very small hint of anger.

Cromwell looked back at Ben with a persistent gaze. The kind of gaze a parent would give to their child to indicate that they were in trouble. Ben’s eyes widened, for he had realized that he lashed out at Cromwell. Though he wasn’t in trouble, he still felt this uncomforting sense as he realized that he was not himself/herself. But Cromwell pondered as he looked at Ben. Pondered that Ben may in fact just be being himself.

“I understand you are upset due to the nature of your situation and it is causing you some temporary frustration as well as confusion. But if there was anything TO tell you regarding your problem that the odds are I could NOT. This based on the requirements to being a Heart Breaker.” Cromwell informed him.

“Requirements? What are you talking about?! I am already a Heart Breaker!”

“That is true but that doesn’t change the fact that if I tell you… you can no longer be a Heart Breaker. It may affect your work ethic and I would be forced to hunt you down and strip you of your power. Hopefully there is no need to remind you that that would kill you in the process!” Cromwell continued to inform.

The room grew very silent at first, but as the silence persisted the small amount of anger between the two faded. All that could be heard was the ticking of an old grandfather clock that sat on the wall near the bookshelves. The two re-established eye contact. Cromwell sat on the border of both human and Heart Breaker so it was natural for him to grow angry. But Ben however was out of line. Not that any Heart Breaker laws were being broken by his behavior but it was still very troubling.

Heart Breakers as I’ve mentioned before are very calm, and usually very stoic creatures normally. They have a very unnatural disconnect from humanity that gives them these features. Whilst at the same time they have an odd link to humanity through the past that allows Heart Breaker’s to charm humans, along with their human appearance.

Though that disconnect to humanity they hold is what allows them to do their job in the first place. It is so they are unable to form any conscious decisions when taking down their prey as a Heart Breaker. Being able to make decisions without allowing something trivial like personal feelings getting in the way is essential. This is why Cromwell is worried.

“Listen to me Ben. You must understand that there isn’t much I can do for you. You’ll probably have to wait it out.” Cromwell told him. Ben then became very troubled.

“Wait… “There isn’t much I can do for you” is what you just said. Are you insinuating that I do need help? That there is a problem?!” Ben asked nervously.

Ben came to simply ask what was happening to him. He never thought that there may be a serious problem with his behavior. And how Cromwell said that there may not be much that can be done worried Ben. Does this mean he is on that famous Heart Breaker watch list? The infamous watch list for rogue or “defective” Heart Breakers. Ben felt so dumb for even coming. If his “problem” persists then Cromwell may very well have Ben put down.

“Thank you for your help Cromwell. I think I will be going now.” Ben said as he nervously turned toward the door with sweat starting to leak near his hairline.

“Take care of yourself.” Cromwell said as Ben left.

Ben walked incredibly fast to get through those old Victorian styled halls. He was almost out of Cromwell’s castle. On top of that he didn’t sense any hostility but he was still worried. This could only mean that Cromwell isn’t ready to take Ben/Brea out of commission just yet. It was a very subtle line out of Cromwell’s mouth but that doesn’t change the fact that Ben picked up on it. Ben walks passing several visiting Heart Breakers on his way when he finally stops at the front door.

“Why the hell did I come here!? This was a very bad idea! All I did was put myself on Cromwell’s radar!” Ben thought to himself as he leaned against the wall by the front door as he gasped with heavy breaths.

Ben was driving back home. The whole time he was thinking to himself that it was a wasted trip. No, beyond that he was actually thinking it was counterproductive. He kept wishing he could just go back in time. An odd thing for a Heart Breaker to feel for sure. The night sky was dark and he had to get back to his sector by morning. He had a hot date with the dazzling Asian lady, Kelly Park.