Talk with you

The lights were dim.

Blood poured from Aaron’s wounds like a floodgate ready to break.

“So this is how it ends?” he muttered. “Didn’t think my anger would get me this far.”

A soft laugh echoed from the far end of the room.

“Your anger didn’t get you shit.”

Aaron slowly lifted his head. A dark silhouette sat across from him. He couldn’t tell if he couldn’t see the figure because of the darkness… or because of the blood loss.

“Who are you?” Aaron asked weakly. “I thought I killed everyone.”

“Nah,” the voice replied calmly. “You didn’t. There are a few things you can never kill… and I’m one of them.”

The figure leaned forward slightly.

“So tell me… you think what you did solved all your problems?”

“Yeah,” Aaron said through gritted teeth. “All my issues are finally gone.”

The silhouette shook its head.

“Aaron, you and I both know that’s a lie. What you did didn’t solve anything. You just started a chain of problems you can’t even begin to comprehend.”

Aaron coughed, blood slipping from the corner of his mouth.

“Well… in that case… I died trying.”

“No,” the voice snapped. “You died being an idiot.”

It leaned forward more now.

“I’ve watched you your whole life. And you actually had something going for you when you kept to yourself.”

Aaron let out a weak laugh.

“Oh yeah? Getting beat on, cussed out, put down… yeah, that sounds like a great life.”

“But it didn’t break you,” the silhouette replied. “You brushed it off and kept moving. Most people don’t know how to do that.”

Aaron shook his head slowly.

“I got tired of it. And when this shit popped off, what was I supposed to do?”

“Swallow your pride and keep going,” the figure said coldly. “Now look at you. Bleeding all over the damn floor.”

Aaron forced a grin.

“At least I showed the world I’m not someone to fuck with.”

“No,” the voice snapped. “You showed the world you’re a dumbass who wanted to get killed.”

The silhouette leaned closer.

“Your life could’ve been long. Prosperous. But you shortened it because you cared too much about what people thought of you.”

The voice softened slightly.

“I saw the tears. I saw the lonely nights. I felt the frustration. I was there for all of it.”

A pause.

“And what made me smile… was watching you wake up every day like it was a fresh start. You didn’t carry yesterday with you.”

Aaron exhaled slowly.

“Well… apparently I did.”

“No,” the silhouette replied. “Eventually, you did.”

The tone hardened again.

“And honestly? I’m pissed off. You could’ve actually been someone.”

Aaron stared ahead.

“Well… this is who I am.”

“No, it isn’t,” the figure said immediately. “The fact you told yourself that and believed it is fucking crazy.”

Aaron blinked, struggling to stay conscious.

“Wait… you said you watched me my whole life. Why didn’t you stop me?”

The silhouette let out a short laugh.

“So now it’s my fault you turned into this?”

Its voice sharpened.

“Let me tell you something—you’re in control of your own damn life. No one else.”

Aaron’s voice trembled.

“If I control my own life… why is it so hard to be the person I want to be?”

The silhouette leaned back in its chair.

“You try to be the person you want to be. And if you ever actually become that person…”

A slight smirk formed.

“…you’ll still have something left to chase.”

“No I wouldn’t,” Aaron whispered.

“Really?” the figure replied calmly. “Then answer me this… why do you always strive to be better?”

Aaron sat there in silence, staring at the shadow.

“Anything else?” the silhouette added. “Because I’ve got a rebuttal ready for all of it.”

By now, the blood pooling beneath Aaron would’ve needed a mop. His skin had gone pale, ghost-like, and his vision flickered in and out like broken headlights.

He took one final breath, gathering what little strength he had left.

“Who… are you?”

The silhouette smiled.

Then it stood and walked toward him, stepping beneath the dim light.

The face was revealed.

It was Aaron.

But not this version.

This one was clean-cut—wearing a fitted three-piece suit, hair slicked back, eyes clear and focused.

He looked down at him calmly.

“I’m the person you could’ve been.”

Aaron’s head slowly dropped.

And his world went dark.