???

I stumble towards my apartment in the dark. I ignore the disgusted stares people throw at me as I move, wanting nothing more than to get home as quickly as possible. Why don’t you just give up? The voice says, sounding a bit amused.

It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real. I mutter to myself, trying my best to keep myself sane, trying to believe that all this isn’t real. But the voice doesn’t seem to care about what I think.

I am real. Whether you believe it or not won’t change that fact. The voice repeats for the umpteenth time. It seems to take delight in reminding me that it is very much as real as I am. I pay no attention to the seemingly harmless voice, repeating my mantra. It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real…

You know, it says, most people would be glad to have me. I can give you power, the type of power you only see in movies. All you have to do is give yourself to me. It’s not that hard - “Shut up!” I shout, causing a few people to look my way worriedly. I ignore the looks as I hurry to my apartment. I refuse to agree to let this thing take over me. I do not know why, but some part of me feels like letting it have its way will be the biggest mistake I will ever make.

The world shifts around me and I stumble once more. I smile bitterly at myself. I had thought I could drink the voice away; actually, I think I was just using the voice as an excuse to drink. Either way, drinking did not make things any better. Just like things hadn’t gotten any better for the past few weeks. Instead, the voice just seems to get stronger and stronger. It once left me for a day, but after that, it has stuck closer than my shadow. I’ve tried thinking of how I got it and maybe through that figure out a way to get rid of it, but my memories of the event are blurry. The only thing I can remember is a kind man with glowing green eyes and alcohol, which doesn’t help me much.

I enter my apartment building and stumble towards my room. I notice someone standing in front of my room and unconsciously slow down. A feeling of dread begins to surface within me as I look at the familiar back. The person turns to look at me and I feel my heart drop to my stomach. It is the landlord. I push away my fears, forcing a smile unto my face as I do my best to look presentable. I walk towards him, even as I begin to fear that my time here is up.

I try to be considerate but you tell me to shut up? Tsk tsk tsk. You humans have no respect these days. In the old days, you’d have been honored to even have me glance at you. Do you think I can’t force you to do what I want?

I ignore the voice as my landlord focuses on me. “Good even-”

“Are you drunk?” His eyes narrow as he looks at me and I immediately fall silent, not knowing what to say. A few seconds later his look changes to one of pity and he lets out a small sigh. “I came here to tell you that you can’t live here anymore. You have to move out within three days.” And just like that my world comes crashing down. What I feared the most has come to pass. Tears begin to gather in my eyes as I silently stare at the landlord, not knowing what to say.

“Please…” I begin but he shakes his head.

“I’m sorry but I can’t allow you to stay here anymore.”

At this point, I know that no amount of begging will change anything. Still, I can do nothing but beg. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and he will give me a few more weeks. I try to open my mouth but for the first time in my life, it refuses to answer. It feels like some unseen force is clamping it down. Beginning to get terrified, I try to move other parts of my body. A few seconds later I get my answer, my body refuses to listen to me anymore. Fear grips my heart.

How does it feel? The voice asks gloatingly, to lose control of your body. Not nice is it?

I begin to feel claustrophobic and start to panic. Let me go, I tell it.

The voice doesn’t hear me. Think of this as your punishment for maltreating me.

Let me go! I scream inside. Again the voice doesn’t seem to hear. Let me go let me go let me go let me go let me go…

“What are you doing?” the landlord asks, looking suspiciously at me as a creepy-looking smile slowly spreads across my face. Then a voice that isn’t mine comes out of my mouth, just as a tear drips out of my eyes. Please let me go.

“Why don’t we have a little chat Mr. Landlord.”

Leave me alone, please!

The landlord takes a step back and pulls out his phone, immediately dialing 911. The smile on my lips widen as the voice speaks again. “Try as much as you want. There’s no one to help you.”

PLEASE!

“The number you are trying to call is not available. Please try again later.” the phone says.

The voice lets out an amused laugh. I told you before. I was only asking out of courtesy. Now, you have to wait until I’m done.

Please, leave me alone. I plead with it.

It’s too late for that now.

“You really should be more considerate to the poor.” My mouth says as my hand reaches out to grab his neck. His eyes are wide with terror as he watches me, frozen. He opens his mouth to plead when my hands clamp tightly around his throat cutting off his words. My hand drags him towards my apartment with inhuman strength. My mouth opens one more time. “Let’s correct that bad habit of yours.”

Leave him alone. I say as an unprecedented terror rises within me. The voice ignores me. Leave him alone! I scream in my head. I struggle to gain back control of my body but it is all futile. I can feel my body, I can even feel my muscles exerting themselves as I try to take back control but still I can’t move my body. My body drags him into the apartment and closes the door.

A few hours later I finally regain control of my body as the voice goes silent. My arms and legs are trembling and my tears are long since dried. I stare at the body on the floor in front of me, remembering the words the voice said before leaving. You better take care of the body before the police come. I only delayed the call he made earlier and in five minutes it will get through to the cops. If you haven’t gotten rid of it before then, you are on your own.

My mind remains blank for some minutes as I stare soullessly at the body. The landlord is the same as when I saw him earlier, with the only difference being he wasn’t dead earlier. A normal person wouldn’t be able to see anything wrong with the body but after what I have witnessed… I shudder involuntarily as I remember what it did to the body. Again, I remember something it said during its ‘treatment’ of the body: Remember, this is all your fault. You should have let me have my way earlier. Let this be a lesson.

I stare at my still trembling hands before taking a deep shaky breath and getting up. I have to get rid of the body and get out of here. I can'tgo to jail, I just can't. With my mind numb and somewhere else, I get up and get to work as tears stream quietly down my face.