His oppression

Who It Is

Chapter Five: WHO IT IS

I figured out by now that the police couldn’t possibly help me in this case. The situation is rather unworldly and I’m really growing concerned for my sake. If everything turns out to be a huge hoax and I’ve been played with, I’m not even going to think for a second and just grab my things to move back to my parents. When I tell you I’ll go back to my parents, it really means something when I don’t even want anything that has to do with them anymore. They send me back to reality. Instead of moving elsewhere, I could have saved up money again if I lived with my parents but then again, I received a load from my grandmother.

I can reconsider my decisions again.

The stupid doll was really getting on my nerves and I’ve been contemplating whether or not I should approach a priest to have it exorcised, whatever s**t you call that thing when you attempt to shoo the demon out of a body or something. Or better yet, I’m giving the cursed thing to them if they can do anything about it. I just don’t want it in my life anymore!

At the moment, I was driving to the nearest church in the city. When I tell you there were many churches around, take my word for it. I believe some of them are just ploys to cover up illegal doings. What I mean by that is that the building itself is just a facade. How can there be so many churches in the city? Think about that.

Lucky for me, there was a priest just casually exchanging conversation with someone on the patio of the building. The doll was lying in the back seat and I swiftly took it when I got out of the car. One look at the doll again, it already gives off an abnormal vibe. At broad daylight!

“Hi, can you please help me?” I went direct with my advance, I really didn’t want to beat around the bush. “It’s about this doll.”

The man, whom I assume was a priest due to his attire, smiled at me warmly. “What can I do for you, ma’am?”

“I got this doll from my storage space a couple of weeks ago--”

The door was open.

Someone standing in the middle of the aisle. A tall and broad-shouldered man. But this time his facial features were clear as day. I could see no emotion present. He has his hair slicked back, no strand was out of place. His eyebrows were bushy, slightly slanted at the end; lips are thin and skin as pale as a blank canvas. But what made me really curious was how he dressed.

“Ma’am?”

One edge of his mouth curled upward. His arm rose and he gestured to me to come towards him.

He looked like the doll itself.

Was he the strange man in my apartment too? Is he the one f*****g with me all this time!?

“Ma’am?”

I snapped back to reality when the priest had put a hand on my shoulder, shaking me slightly. Swiftly, I removed the hand and entered the church but the man wasn’t standing there anymore. Frantically looking around, I spotted him walking out of the door on the farthest left and so I followed suit.

He was seriously going to get a piece of my mind!

Something suddenly came up in my mind and it was the thought that I convinced myself that I was apathetic. If I was, I was really going down without a fight because I am not going to be bothered by this occurring. I really am. My everyday routine has been ruined because of it. I don’t like change. Who likes change? Especially when it’s an unpredictable one. I would change by choice.

“Hey!” I yelled out in frustration, throwing the doll toward his direction. “What the hell is this prank!? It’s not f*****g funny!”

His back was facing in my direction and it pissed me off how he couldn’t even look at me. He’s probably trying to hold the laughter for getting this kind of reaction from me. He sees this as hilarious!

“Is this supposed to be humourous?”

That got me to pause. The frequency of his voice was beyond terrifying that it literally sent shivers down my spine.

It felt like everything was in slow motion when he finally turned his back around and I got to see his face up personal. I first thought when I saw the doll, it was crafted by a skilled toy-maker because it really resembles human attributes but then I saw this man and I cannot begin to comprehend what I was currently feeling.

“I have been trying to capture your attention, dear Aria.” his voice alone can cause someone to get lost in a trance.

It was deep and mysterious. Like a voice that you’ll hear from film trailers. It’s very distinguishable. 

“Huh? Why?” I asked, slightly looking behind me if the priest went after but the door was closed and I don’t remember closing it. “Look buddy, I can’t help you with whatever business you’re on.”

“Oh, I’m very certain you can lend me a hand. You’re the person most suitable for this kind of… work.” he puts his hands at his back whilst taking slow steps toward me. “I can’t be wrong.”

“Sometimes instincts tell you otherwise.” I countered, folding my arms against my chest.

His face looked amused but he laughed it off.

Even his laugh tells me otherwise. I shouldn’t be too trusting. Who knows what I can get myself into.

“Oh you’re such a delight,” he took a good look at the doll, picking it up from where I threw it before handing it to me again. “As you can see, I’m cursed.”

“I don’t see that.” I responded too quickly.

“You’re the only one who can see me. You’re the only one who can feel me. I know you do, dear Aria. I have been patiently watching you.”

“What do you mean I’m the only one that can see you?”

That took me by surprise, really, but at the same time not at all. The look that the police was giving me- I knew that, they think I’m going crazy. That’s why the help that I wanted from them wasn’t anywhere sincere at all. And I understood now.

I’m in some kind of reality show! Any other plausible explanation for this, I’m willing to accept. 

But what this man was trying to convey was just utter bullshit to me. There’s no way that I’m the only person that can see him and that he’s cursed. It really smells suspicious to me.

“You’re the only one that can see me. And no matter how much you try to take me away from you, I’ll only come right back to you.” he spoke with a small smile. “I just need you to do something for me and I will leave you be.”

“What is this something?” I sighed, eyebrows furrowed.

“I can’t do anything else but to talk to you and I’m grateful I met someone who can understand what circumstances I got myself in.”

“Just please, cut to the chase.”

I’ve been wondering why the priest hadn’t come to escort me out or whatever.

“I need you to help me lift this curse up.”

“Ah, yeah. No thanks. Maybe father over there can help you.”

“No, you’re not understanding!” he walked toward me and grabbed both my hands in his large ones. “No person can see me, only you do and only you can help me.”

“Look, the only thing that I can understand is that I don’t believe you and I don’t believe I’m the right person capable of that. So, please stop being a burden and let me live my life.” I spoke like I usually do with other people, frankly and harshly. “If you’re cursed, go to a witch or something. You’re in the church, find someone else to do your work for you.”

His once begging eyes darken for a moment and I don’t know if I f****d up by saying that- that my life will be in more danger than before. I told you I could get into trouble with how I spoke to people.

“I really don’t think you’re understanding the dilemma here, Aria.” his once gentle voice transitioned into a much deeper and unsettling. “I’m bounded to you. You found me. Wherever you will go I will follow.”

“You’re never going to leave me alone?” I asked, swallowing the lump from my throat.

“Not unless you rid of this curse, then I shall leave you be.” he replied, a small sigh escaping his lips.

I’m one to think over my decisions before finally coming into one in the end but that usually takes me time. Do I really need to decide now?

“Hey, what if this turns out you’re actually lying to me? That you’re just teaming up with a bunch of people to pull this elaborate prank?”

He looked at the doll, caress its attire before looking back at me. Sensing something, his eyes wandered behind me and I turned around to see what it was. The priest was standing in the doorway, a look of genuine confusion in his expression though managed to stay calm.

“Who are you talking to here?”

A frown was suddenly carved upon my lips, now understanding the position I was in. Hesitating to turn my back around to see if Mr Old Guy was there, my eyebrows met in bewilderment.

He was still standing there with his solid figure.