I woke up normally. The sun was already timidly beginning to peek through the cracks in the window. My body felt heavy, surely from yesterday. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to clear my mind, but the images of the previous night, the deaths I had ordered, kept coming back, like a persistent echo. I couldn't get them out of my head. It was too tempting.
I sighed and got out of bed. I looked in the mirror and saw myself, like every day: the same person I'd always been. I just had to keep up the facade, get on with my life, and everything would be fine.
I took a quick shower, tried to clear the heaviness from my body, and got ready for the day. I dressed quickly, opting for comfortable but school-appropriate clothes. I forgot that I had to act, pretend that everything was fine, as if nothing had happened. I just needed to stay calm.
I left at the appointed time, walking a little further. Sofia and Nico were already waiting. They didn't know anything, of course, how could they? I smiled when I saw them, trying to hide my feelings. Sofia, with her light black hair and contagious laugh, greeted me as always. Nico, always so relaxed, patted me on the shoulder. Everything seemed normal, but something inside me told me I couldn't trust anyone.
"Are you okay?" Sofia asked me as we walked toward the school, obviously the question was innocent.
"Yes, everything is fine," I replied, with a smile that I knew seemed genuine, but inside I felt like I was burdened by an invisible weight, as if it were all a lie that was about to fall apart.
When I got to school, I tried to act as if nothing had changed. All classes passed without incident, but my mind was still stuck in the unease from yesterday. I don't know why, but every time I looked at someone, I felt as if the world was watching me from a different angle, as if I had done something irreversible, something that could be discovered at any moment.
The feeling grew as the day progressed. My instincts were more alert than ever...it wasn't paranoia, it was something deeper, as if someone was stalking me. Something inside me told me it wasn't just my mind playing tricks...every time I turned my head, I felt like I was being watched...every time someone stared at me, an electric current ran down my spine.
It was during recess that the pressure calmed me down. I sat on a usual bench, with Sofia and Nico by my side. They were talking about something trivial, as always, but I couldn't concentrate. My gaze drifted to the corner of the courtyard, where a group of students were laughing... everything seemed so normal, but inside I felt as if a shadow was surrounding me, a shadow that was lurking.
Suddenly, I heard a noise, a dull, distant sound, as if someone were walking on dry leaves, but I didn't see anyone. I felt a presence behind me, but when I turned around, there was no one there. I tried to calm down. I knew something wasn't right. The feeling of being watched wouldn't go away.
"Is something wrong?" Nico asked, nudging me. His voice seemed so distant, as if it were coming from somewhere far away.
"Nothing, I'm fine," I answered quickly, forcing a smile. Luckily, things calmed down a lot. I got home, ate, and afterward, I watched the news. I assumed the orders I'd placed would appear.
The following days fell into a routine that seemed normal to me. Every night, I coldly investigated criminals, their names, their faces, their crimes. I entered them one by one into my watch, making sure each death looked like an accident, a fortuitous event.
The weight of my actions began to become a part of me, as if it had always been there, hidden deep within me. Despite this, I maintained the facade: I laughed with Sofía and Nico, pretended to pay attention in class, lived my life normally. I hope it lasts forever.
I glance at Sofía out of the corner of my eye, hands in my pockets, feigning nonchalance.
"Hey... is your dad still the chief of the Police Department?"
Sofía turns her head with a slightly surprised expression.
"Yeah... he's still in the position," she pauses, frowning slightly.
"Why do you ask?"
She sighs softly, having expected that reaction. I shrug and smile slightly, trying to downplay it.
"Just curious."
Sofía parts her lips as if she's about to say something else, but pauses for a moment before letting out a small laugh.
"Curiosity?" Knowing you, that sounds suspicious. He looks at me with squinted eyes, trying to read between the lines.
I manage a calm smile, though I feel the weight of his gaze on me.
"It's nothing, really, I just thought I'd ask."
Sofia nods slowly, but seeing her expression, I can see that she has a certain distrust, something strange about her.
"Hmm... well, he probably reminds you of your dad."
My expression changes for a fraction of a second, barely perceptible. I shift my gaze toward the street, the lights of the cars reflecting in my pupils.
"Yeah... I guess so."
I exhale softly, as if trying to break the tension in the air.
"I think I shouldn't have said that, excuse me."
I press my lips together, feeling a slight shiver run down my spine. I say nothing for a few seconds, letting the silence speak for me, finally speaking.
"It's okay."
Sofia watches me silently, as if she wants to say something else, but decides to let it go. She sighs and kicks a stone on the ground.
"So what else? It can't be that's all you wanted to know."
I smile sideways, regaining my usual tone.
"Is it so rare that I'm interested in something?"
Sofia crosses her arms with a playful smile.
— Not weird... but suspicious—
I didn't respond, I lightly took my watch out of my jacket pocket, checking the time.
— Okay, Sofi, I have to go now—
Sofia approached me and put her arm around my back.
— Take care, Johan—
I headed over, walked lightly, I'm in no hurry, opened the door, headed to the room, locked it, and grabbed my notebook, thinking about how I could access the "secret" site of the Los Angeles Police Department. His father was the chief. I prayed he didn't have a password on his PC. If he did, I'll have to figure out how to deactivate it somehow. Exactly 2 weeks passed, 02/03/2023. I'm still doing my usual routine, changing the world for the greater good. I still haven't agreed to assassinate the world's leaders or dictators. I had thought about it, but it's It was very risky to do so because of my situation. Besides, I don't know how much technology is hiding us that is more advanced than the average in the world. I limited myself to only killing criminals, also from other countries, outside the American continent. Of course, I used a fairly strong VPN so as not to be discovered by the people who on the internet call "the elites." I also didn't have to kill people I know. I wanted to do it, but it's also very risky. I ended up with my plan to enter a secret site of the Police Department. Sofia's father, whom I know very well and who also considers me part of his family, was not going to be present tonight, so I had a good opportunity to access Sofia's house without making too much of a fuss. It was 3 minutes away. I could go behind the house and go unnoticed.
03/03/2023 Friday 2:12 am
Nico had gone to Sofia's house last night. He left around 1 am. He had been waiting since at least 300 meters, hidden with a hood and a garnek, not covering my nose, I waited patiently behind a house, lying on the grass, it was already a minute past the estimated time, I went slowly without making any noise I had to go up and climb to the office of his father's office that luckily for me the window is almost closed so I can open it slowly, luckily the computer was not disconnected, I turned it on and to my surprise, it does not ask for any password, I accessed and waited until it was fully loaded, seeing something on the screen that made me hold back my laughter.
Los Angeles Police Department system. I easily entered the site, grabbed my cell phone, and began recording and taking photos of the entire system for at least eight minutes: data, files, lists of wanted criminals, classified information... everything was in front of me. I felt a mix of excitement and adrenaline, but my tranquility was interrupted by a noise coming from downstairs.
I hid behind the door, feeling my heart race. Footsteps were getting closer; I prepared for the worst, but the door never opened. I heard the bathroom door close, then another door close. It was Sofia. She took a deep breath, returning to her senses.
The next day, the routine continued. I got up early, went to school, and right there, taking advantage of the lack of cameras, I grabbed a wrapper and, feinting, entered more names on my watch, thanks to my cell phone on my lap: ten more in California, another in San Diego. I was accumulating deaths at a worrying rate, but I couldn't stop.
That night, while I was checking my cell phone, a video caught my attention. It said that every electronic device was connected to the secret government, that nothing went unnoticed. I knew it, but I don't know if a VPN would solve this, and I doubted it... so someone could be watching me right now. I laughed out loud, who was going to catch me? NO ONE!!! ABSOLUTELY NO ONE!!! "I screamed in my thoughts." I realized my left pupil had turned red. I laughed even louder. Thank goodness this house has a noise-cancelling system that lets out outside noise. No one was going to hear me, no one is going to discover me. I am the new change in the new world of the future, a hope for good, for evolving as a race.
March 25, 2023
11:38 PM
Sofia asked me to go out with her to a park for a while. It was a holiday, so I readily agreed.
That morning, while cleaning out my attic on a quiet Saturday, I discovered several boxes of family belongings. Curious, I opened them. Inside, I found books, a photo album, and old objects.
I opened the album. The first photos were black and white, dated 1946. Relatives I'd never met. I flipped through the pages until I found pictures of my childhood: my parents, my elderly dog... and Sofia and Nico playing at a fair when we were kids.
Tears flowed uncontrollably.
Am I doing the right thing? Shit...
Was I being a murderer?... But sacrificing several things for something better, remembering the words my father said when I was little.
DAMN IT... WHO WANTED IT TO END LIKE THIS?!! DID MY PARENTS WANT IT TO END LIKE THIS?!!!
I picked up the watch and reviewed the rules. My eyes fell on rule number 26: "If you wish to disassociate yourself from this watch, you may do so, but you will forget all your memories of it."
I thought about it for a minute, struggling internally. I didn't want to end up as a murderer, but...
A button appeared on the screen. I pressed it.
The watch disappeared from my hands.
Immediately, an excruciating pain shot through my head. I screamed loudly, clutching myself with both hands, banging against the wall. But within seconds, the pain faded. I felt... empty. As if something had disappeared from me.
But instantly, I remembered why I wanted to enter Sofia's house. I had spoken to her yesterday.
And I felt calm.
..................................
It was getting good. Apparently, I was the first carrier to play his cards right with the clock... how boring—a seemingly female voice spoke.
Hey, Sea, aren't you coming to play or do something with us?—a seemingly male voice spoke.
—Since your fun is over, can we change?
—I'm not coming in. I'll go to the dimension where the humans are—--
......................................
Night had fallen when Sofia came to my house. I went downstairs and opened the door. We greeted each other with a smile and walked together toward the park. We talked about trivial things as the fresh air enveloped us.
We sat on a bench near a dark area of the park. I looked toward the dark part with curiosity. I had visited this place many times, but something drew me there this time. I grabbed my cell phone flashlight and took a few steps.
On the floor, a rugby ball lying forgotten in the dirt, I thought of Nico, who played that sport. I bent down to pick it up and called out to Sofia, but there was no answer.
I frowned and quickly left the dark area, but suddenly, I felt a strong blow on my shoulder. I didn't have time to react. Everything went black.
When I woke up, I tried to move immediately, but my body wouldn't respond. My limbs were tied tightly. The darkness enveloped me completely.
"HELP!!!" I screamed with all my might.
There was no response, not a sound...
A click interrupted the silence, and lights suddenly turned on, momentarily blinding me. I blinked several times until my vision cleared. In front of me was a door made of a strange material, completely smooth and with no visible handle.
I turned my head and saw Sofia beside me. She was also tied up, but, unlike me, her mouth was covered with tape. She hadn't woken up yet.
"SOFIA!" I screamed desperately, trying to free myself.
The metallic sound of a mechanism activating alerted me. The door in front of me began to open slowly with a mechanical whir.
From the darkness, a tall, thin figure emerged. Her feminine silhouette stood out in the cold light of the room. She was wearing a completely black suit that covered her entire body.
My heart raced, pounding against my chest. Sofia was still unconscious.
The figure took another step forward. Her suit began to disappear in a matter of seconds, as if disintegrating into thin air, revealing her face.
My breath hitched.
"You... are... Janet..." I spoke fearfully, haltingly.
I couldn't say anything else. Fear completely took hold of me.
Good night," Janet said in a calm voice, as if this were just a conversation.
Sofia, who had just woken up, looked at her, her eyes filled with confusion and terror.
"Janet?" she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.
Janet watched us with a neutral expression before sighing.
"They sent me to capture you," she said bluntly, "and that's you. It's because of your father. I knew him and worked with him for 10 years. Something happened... I'd say it was strange, and in the end, the department decided you would be the last one.
In fact, I think you could be useful to me, but as for your friend..." she looked at Sofia, "I can't leave any loose ends. This is confidential. There wouldn't be time later."
Sofia sobbed, her face soaked with tears. I felt despair strangle me from the inside.
"I understand you, Johan," Janet said with a slight sadness in her voice. "You lost your loved ones... I lost them at a young age too. I know what that pain is."
He pulled a pistol from his belt and calmly chambered a few bullets, as if he'd already made a decision.
"Please!" I stammered, feeling absolute panic.
Sofia closed her eyes, trembling.
Janet turned the gun and pointed it at me. I squeezed my eyes shut.
Nothing happened.
My breathing stopped for a second. Then, I heard the gun turn again. A gunshot.
I opened my eyes quickly...
Sofia had been shot in the head.
"SOFIA!!!" I screamed her name in desperation.
Tears sprang uncontrollably from my eyes. I struggled with all my might against the restraints, but it was useless. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't save her.
Janet looked at me calmly and, in a gentle voice, said:
"I'll take you somewhere. Just obey the instructions you're given."
I felt the restraints loosen. I had freed myself, but my body was shaking with anger. I couldn't let her get away with this.
Sophia was... dead.
My hatred clouded my judgment, and without thinking, I threw a punch with all my might.
She dodged it effortlessly, and before I could react, she hit me in the shoulder, staggering me. Then, a kick to the stomach knocked me to the ground, knocking over a small table and a chair in the process.
There it was... the gun, my heart pounding and my breathing labored. I took it and pointed it directly at Janet.
I fired.
Nothing.
"Calm down, or I'll have to kill you," she said calmly.
I ignored his warning. I didn't give a shit about anything he said. I pulled the trigger again.
Then the last thing I saw was something black enveloping me, before everything faded into darkness.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------