Body Count

For whoever reads this, I am sorry. My name is Matti and I need to tell you why I died or the truth of what happened to us. I don’t know, all I know is I am one of many who are known to be cursed and my curse is to kill or be killed I guess. It’s complicated let me start from the beginning.

On the day of my Eighteenth birthday, I discovered a number floating above my head. It read one thousand. I thought I was still dreaming when I looked in the mirror and when I asked my parents they couldn’t see anything. It was only when Trina, my twin sister, came to breakfast did we realise that we both had it and could both see each other’s floating number. We had no idea at that point what it meant, or the truth behind it but honestly I found it cool. I think I figured it was some point score that only me and my sister could see and that we should try to increase it by doing something special each time. I mean, we was born on this global centennial celestial event where apparently all the planets and moons aligned in the solar system. It was something that I was told happened and that those born on that day was special but no one ever explained why. At the time, I guessed it meant that I could see point values or some score. Trina ignored it and I thought it was cool. The day went on normally. We walked to school and we saw other people have different numbers, all of them was pretty low but I couldn’t work out the system.

Three months later, I still didn’t understand it. The numbers for some increased by one or two, ours remained the same. Trina couldn’t explain it either. One day, I was taking Trina to the doctors as she was concerned about weight gain and some illness. Honestly, I joked that she was pregnant but she denied having a relationship with anyone so that can’t be true. Then I saw them. Another person with a high number. It wasn’t quite one thousand but it was still the highest I had seen. When I tried to show Trina, the person had disappeared. Trina pushed aside and thought I had seen a few numbers together as people where close. I thought maybe she had been right. We continued to the doctors office where I saw some double figure numbers but nothing compared to the high number I had seen before. I still didn’t know what to make of it all. Anyway, after some tests Trina was pregnant and I had to explain that she wasn’t giving birth to a god. She confessed that she had fooled around with Trey, her ex-boyfriend, and didn’t think it mattered but obviously it had. She was about five months pregnant. I mean the shock was that she didn’t look it. It just seemed like she’d put on a little bit of weight but after a week and a berating from our parents, the bump began to show. We couldn’t hide it and I persuaded Trina to tell Trey regardless of what she wanted to do. Trina and Trey got back together, saying that they don’t know why they broke up. Trey was nineteen and was in university on the other side of the country. Trina had originally said that she didn’t want to do the long distance thing but I wasn’t sure. That’s when the drama hit. Our parents and Trey’s were arguing and Trey wanted to drop out of university and honestly I couldn’t take it in the house anymore.

I found myself escaping by going on runs or just finding myself out and about. That’s when I started hanging out with Kira. She was Trina’s best friend and we found common ground with hiding from the drama of the pregnancy. We constantly went on walks together and found ourselves going on little adventures. She was my confidante. It was on one of these walks that I finally met the person again, or should I say they finally met me. Arcane was tall and had bright purple hair. I remembered it from the day we went to the doctors. Kira and I were walking to the shop for Trina’s craving, blueberry pancakes and a store bought hot dog, when I was grabbed by Arcane. I turned and was in disbelief when they said my number and there’s. “Eight hundred and twenty six, your’s still one thousand? Dude?” I found myself in stunned silence, and I didn’t know what to say. “Sorry, I should introduce myself. I’m Cane but I’d rather be called Arcane. I guess it’s a cool nickname. I don’t have much time to talk now but let’s swap numbers incase you ever was to chat.” They hadn’t me their phone and I found myself typing my number in without question. I placed my name in and they rang me. “I’ll text you, one thousand.” They smirked and gave me a one finger salute. They began walking backwards as Kira started to berate me. I didn’t understand the issue really. I needed to know what Arcane knew about the numbers and I couldn’t tell anyone but Trina without them thinking I was crazy.

Time went on and I began texting Arcane. I didn’t go out with Kira as much but I had some investigating to do. Arcane believed that the scores on others where different than ours. That there’s increased and ours decreased with every person we lay with since turning eighteen. I asked if they had really been with that many people and Arcane told me that one person could count for multiple. Honestly, I was jealous. I mean, my love life was non-existent and there was my sister who was pregnant and my new friend who had been with a lot of people. I pushed it aside and thought it was just stupid teenage anxiety. Eventually, Arcane and I began meeting up for coffee and discussing what was actually going on. Arcane had found a diary from someone who had seen floating numbers and had read it. They gave it to me, and I took it home. I kept planning to read it but I was kind of obsessed with Arcane telling me about it instead. We kept meeting and I found myself getting upset every time Arcane’s number decreased. I couldn’t explain why at the time, but I felt a burning sensation in my cheeks.

It was eight months into Trina’s pregnancy, six months into the curse, when Arcane invited me out. We had gone for a meal in the local sushi place and everything was fine when Kira showed up. She kicked off and moaned at me for ignoring her. I’ll be honest, I hadn’t realised I had until then. She stormed out. “Dude, you do know she’s crushing on you?” Arcane asked. I shook my head. I had no idea, when did that even start. I stood up and was about to go after her to apologise and tell her I didn’t feel the same, when Arcane stopped me. “Hey, don’t forget your coat, it’s cold.” I was thankful and began blushing. I ran out after Kira and we talked. She denied a crush but accepted my apology. I gave her my coat as she began shivering and she found a hip flask on the inside pocket. She smirked at me and before I could do anything, she took a sip. It wasn’t mine, had Arcane put it in there for us later. Suddenly, Kira slumped to the ground and began convulsing. I called an ambulance and unfortunately an hour later Kira was pronounced dead. I ran to the bathroom and wiped away my tears, I noticed my number had decreased. At the time, I questioned why but eventually it clicked. Before I left the bathroom, I messaged Arcane. I apologised for not returning and promised to pay them back next time. “No worries. I got the bill. Oh I left something in your coat. Drink up! Enjoy!” As I left the bathroom, the police pulled me aside and asked me questions. It turned out that Kira had been poisoned and that the specific chemical was used it a long of unsolved murders recently. I explained everything apart from the numbers. I told them about Cane and how he went by Arcane. How he had placed the drink in my coat and how it was intended for me. After some tests, and ghosting Arcane, they matched the chemicals up. Arcane was the murderer the only problem was that they couldn’t find them in the database. There was no fingerprints and my description didn’t match anyone. The police told me they would put in witness protection and that they would find Arcane through footage. I asked for a little time before they did anything to get some things sorted with my family.

I told Trina everything. Kira had died two weeks ago, and Trina was now heavily pregnant. I needed to see Arcane one last time. I needed to know why and against all advice, I messaged them. “Hey. Let’s meet up. In fact why don’t we do a sleepover type of thing. I know where not kids but it could be fun. I’ve got a room booked at the Montblanc hotel, let’s hit the clubs and stay the night.” I didn’t want it to but I felt my heart flutter. I shook it off and remembered everything that had happened. The night arrived and I made my way to the Montblanc. I checked into the room earlier than we had planned to meet up and got myself ready for Arcane to arrive. Arcane was surprised to see me when they arrived. “Hey, you look good. Ready to party?” I held up my hand and shook my head. I checked the clock. “No? Then what do you…” At this point I kissed them. I couldn’t help it. I just went for it and they didn’t pull away. We stopped and I could see the smirk on their face. “I guess I need to stop calling you dude.” I then noticed their eyes glance to my number. I thought Arcane had seen it earlier but I guess not. “One less? Who?” I waited to reply. I needed to hold off telling them for as long as possible. I shook my head. I shrugged my shoulders and sat on the bed. Arcane came closer and leaned in. “You must know the truth by now. Who was it? Why didn’t you drink from the hipflask?” They leaned into my neck and kissed it gently. “Come on tell me. I promise I won’t be jealous.” I turned my head and felt my phone buzz in my hand. I had left the screen up but my hand covering it. I parted my fingers and saw Trina had messaged. One word. ‘Now!’ I turned to Arcane and leaned in. I dodged another attempt at a kiss and whispered into their ear. “Kira.” They froze and I stood up and made my way to the door. Arcane turned and opened their mouth to speak when I opened the door. The police sprung in and read them their rights. Trina grabbed me from the doorway and we was escorted down the stairs. We sat in a police car whilst Trina gave me the low down and the riot act and called me all sorts. My plan had worked. I had set some alarms on Trina’s phone with titles that explained what to do. I had messaged her a number when I checked in so she knew where I was. Trina’s pregnancy meant she was on her phone and there wasn’t a delay. I had it timed down. I wasn’t going to let Arcane get away with murdering anyone else. I knew that our numbers decreased when we caused someone’s death. I had caused Kira by giving her my jacket and Arcane’s number had constantly decreased. I didn’t understand the lower numbers or why they increased but I was happy to stop Arcane. I had zoned Trina out when I felt her hands grab me. Her water had broke. In the police car with the only person near us, a young officer who didn’t have the keys. Panic set in.

Hours by Trina’s side as her birthing partner and she gave birth to a little girl. Trina named her Crystal but gave her Kira’s name as a middle name in her honour. I watched as she held her new baby and as Trey rushed into the room after returning from university. I looked and I noticed Trina’s number. It read one thousand and one before fazing into a question mark. I made a note in my phone and let Trina have her moment with my niece.

Another three months had passed. Life was happy and I had read the diary Arcane had given me. I knew the truth. The original writer had discovered that they were cursed after being born on the celestial event. That after their own findings anyone who were cursed and any victims just seemed to disappear after a year from the start of the numbers. There wasn’t much more before the year was up. I discovered that those with low numbers increase because they have caused a death, ours decrease when we have caused a death and the only survivors seemed to be those who have managed to kill the total of one thousand or those who have caused the death of other number bearers with their total coming off their body count. I realised why Arcane had targeted me but had also kept killing others. They had me as a safety net so that my total would decrease theirs to zero. They kept killing because they had feelings for me. I mean that was proven by the numerous letters they had sent me, and the diary I had found from their phone which I had took on the night. They tried to kill me when Kira died because they believed Kira could take me away and they would lose me/their safety net. I knew the secret. I knew the truth but I didn’t find anyway to stop the curse. The only thing I found was a note in Arcane’s phone. It explained that bringing new life into the world before the year is up is also a way to stop the curse. That meant that Trina was safe. So I stopped looking. I stopped caring and accepted that one day I would just be gone.

It was the night before our birthday and I had left notes, videos, everything I can to show my love to my family. I hoped that they remained even if I never. I was about to write my final letter when I got a message from Trey. Trina had handed him Crystal and just walked out without saying anything. Trey came and picked me up after dropping Crystal off with his parents. After remembering that I never removed the tracking app that linked mine and Trina’s phone as a last resort incase things had worked out on the night of Arcane’s arrest. Trey drove us to it’s location. During the trip, Trey revealed that he knew about the numbers. Trina had explained everything and had convinced him when she revealed that he had the number three above his head. He had accidentally caused three deaths during a car crash and felt guilty. He explained that she told him that I was going to disappear if I didn’t hit zero or bring life into the world. I questioned how he knew this and how Trina knew this. She had read the diary. She knew something that I didn’t.

We pulled up and saw Trina’s figure stood in front of a glowing white figure. “I am Celestial. I am Stellar. I am Elysian.” With each introduction, the white figure changed form. I ran out of the car and stood next to Trina. “Doing this will end the curse for all, but at the cost of all cursed and everything brought from them, including yourself and your child. If you wish to continue, tell me who do you wish to challenge?” I tightened my grip on her hand and tried to drag her away. I wasn’t worth all those possible lives let alone Trina’s nor Crystals. I could hear Trey begging her to stop from a distance but seemingly unable to get closer. “I repeat. Who do you wish to challenge?” Trina turned to me and opened her mouth. “I… No, we challenge the original. We challenge you Celestial!”