Guilty Pleasure

Esuta97 · Post time 2018-10-22 20:10:43

Edited by Esuta97 at 2018-10-22 20:14

*This story contains parental abuse and murders, if don’t like please don’t hate me or just don’t read (⊃д⊂)*

Breathe in. Breathe out.

There is nothing scary about school…

Not at all…

They are just living-thinking corpses…

Grandpa said that I could just imagine everyone to be corpses, their talking are just my vivid imaginations...

Aesop clenched his hands that are starting to sweat. He is starting to hyperventilate. This happens always. To him school is just, HELL… He wants to work with the dead just like his grandfather instead of dealing with the living. His legs are shaking, they refused to take another step ahead towards the school gate. The 18 year old boy hid behind the school gate, contemplating whether to go or to skip school again this week…

“Mom and dad won’t let you off this time.”

“Do you want to go back to the cellar?”

The voice inside his head said smugly. He didn’t know when did this little voice in his head started to manifest and telling him what to do but he really hates it. Although it is true that he would have a hard time if he went back at this time.

At the same time he tried to take a step forward, someone patted his shoulder, the poor anti-social teenager jerked and nearly let out a scream. “Hey, are you okay?” the person asked, their voice filled with worry but Aesop didn’t think much, his whole body screamed fight or flight. He shoved the person with all his might and ran off towards the opposite direction from his school.

Pant…pant…pant…

His lungs screamed for oxygen as he slowly stopped to catch his breathe. His frail body cannot take intense exercise…maybe he should take walks in the night where the air is cold and crisp, peace and silent from the city life. He was born and raised in a small village before his family wanted to live in the big city. His parents expect him to be a successful businessman or at least have a decent job in the city while he is extremely anti-social. The stress his family gave him made him even more of a shut-in. The only person he was comfortable with was his grandfather. His grandfather makes a living with his funeral business and he taught Aesop how to handle dead bodies and how to make them pretty again. He was quite good at it too, he could restore a body that is mutilated badly to its original look that it looks like a person that is just in a deep sleep. His parents found out and he was banned to see his ‘cursed’ grandfather, as they called him. The bringer of death. Occasionally, little Aesop would snuck out from the window to see his grandfather. After his grandfather’s death, he was left with his tools for funerals, the skill to restore corpses back to their original look and an old picture of him and his grandfather. Then, at the age of 18, Aesop was dragged to the big city with his family, to the hell-hole he hated so much, to the life where he needed to talk to people to live and he hated it.

While reminiscing his bittersweet childhood, his legs unconsciously guided him towards a shop, a very dark shop. He didn’t recall that there was a shop at the middle of a dark alleyway but here he is, in front of a shady shop in the middle of nowhere.

Where does this shop get its customers? The teenager thought.

He knew that in the back of his rational mind he shouldn’t go in some kind of unknown and suspicious shop but as if an invisible force is guiding him, he walks into the shop. The shop itself was dark but for some reason he could see clearly the inside of the shop. The shop, or he could make out, is some kind of photograph studio or some sort as there were photos hanging on the walls of the shop. The wooden walls looks like they are about to give in due to low maintenance and oldness, the floor creaks under the teenager’s weight. This place can be one of Aesop’s ideal resting place if not for the eerie photos of people bearing into his soul. He swore that they look very much alive than normal photos. He took photos too when he was a child but none this…real… as if the owners’ souls are bound into their own photos. He went towards a photo with a troubled-looking…nurse? She is wearing a nurse outfit with a syringe in hand. He noticed small word cravings on the frame.

‘Emily Dyer. Doctor. Taken at The Red Church. 19 Oct.’

Aesop absentmindedly traced a finger on the cravings of the frame.

“I won’t touch it any longer if I were you.” a male voice spoke behind him. The voice sounded young but it magically draws you in. Aesop dismissed his last statement and sort out his nerves and turned to the man. If this was private property he will need to apologize to the owner, ignoring his body pleas of running away. He could clearly see the man in front of him. The man wasn’t really tall but was still taller than him, he couldn’t make out his face because it was concealed under a plain -smiling faced white mask. The only thing that bothered him was the man’s hue - he was in black and white hue, even his skin was a light shade of gray, his expensive looking coat which supposed to be good in color is black and gray. There was little black lines that look like cracks adorned his figure. The man just gave Aesop the chills although he couldn’t see his face.

“So-sorry… I-I didn’t mean to intrude… I…”

“No, don’t be sorry, young man. You did nothing wrong, there is nothing wrong with curiosity.” The man chuckled softly, a pleasant yet poisoning tone, “It won’t get you killed here.” his last statement made Aesop shuddered, he didn’t know if it’s the fear he felt or the feeling of excitement that he met someone alive yet seemed dead. It’s almost as if he is facing a monster that came from the dead into this world of the living. He took a step back as the man walk towards him until he hit the wooden wall. The man stopped a few inch in front of him, if it’s the normal situation, Aesop would hit anyone who come this close to his comfort zone… but that only applies towards the living and this man in front of him didn’t emit any living presence so the smaller man just stared at the mask, a tinsy-bit wishing that he could see the face behind it. The man caressed Aesop’s cheek, his touch felt icy cold yet comforting that made him lean a little towards the touch.

“I applaud for your bravery Aesop.” the mention of his name made him jumped.

How did this man knew him?

Seeing Aesop’s puzzled face made the man chuckled lightly again. “Don’t worry about the small details, the question is why are you here?” the man leaned in, the smaller man swore that if it isn’t the mask, he would definitely feel the latter’s breathe. Aesop unconsciously swallowed a lump in his throat.

“The only ones that can find this place are either those who consciously wanted to erase someone or people who are unaware that they are silently wishing for the ending of someone’s life. Now, my little Aesop, which one are you?”

The soon-to-be embalmer furrowed his brows, deep in thought. His calm actions amused the photographer. After a few minutes of thought, “Sorry…I don’t know… I-I just wanted to find a peaceful place…” soft words muttered under the smaller man’s face mask. Aesop didn’t noticed the eerie smile concealed under the man’s mask.

“Your wish is my command, since you don’t know, then I’ll give you a special service.” the man laughed, the laugh was hollow and masked with hidden intentions. The whole shop started to shake and the space started to distort. Aesop was too occupied in balancing his footing to see that color had return to the man in front of him. His cerulean eyes glint in malice and amusement, he will make Aesop his for the taking. Not everyday you see such a weird yet amusing teenager, much like his vanished brother…but his brother is more on the cheerful side.

The distortion vanished and so is the shop, leaving Aesop standing on concrete cement of the alleyway.

“You can call me Joseph, my little Aesop.”

A voice rang from the nothingness around Aesop, it sounded familiar to him somehow…where? He can’t recall. He look up at the gloomy sky, it looks like the sky is resonating with his feelings somehow. The feeling of hopelessness and despair that he is back to his original world, back to the reality and the need of dealing with his parents’ scoldings about missing school again. School must had called them by now. He sighed tiredly as he dragged his weary legs back home.

Just as he thought, his parents scold him and locked him in the cellar again. ‘Reflect on your actions!’ they said. The young male situated himself in the darkness, he curled himself into a ball. He didn’t mind being in the darkness, he liked the darkness and the dampness to be honest. His thoughts wandered off towards the man, Joseph, to be exact. What makes himself so drawn towards the man anyway? The smell of the non-living? Or the sense of excitement to be taken away from this world? Aesop inhaled the damp and dusty air the cellar has to offer.

What does he wished for?

He wished for peace and serenity.

Is that all he wished for?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

He can’t decide.

What did Joseph said before the space became distorted?

Something about a special service?

What does that mean?

Aesop soon let his thoughts lulled him to sleep. In his dream, he could see a figure in front of him, long silver hair and cerulean eyes that didn’t seemed to be from this world. The figure wore a similar outfit like Joseph, only with dark blue color and golden embroidery. To be honest, it really suits the man. The man smiled and placed a finger in front of his mouth, shushing Aesop to keep silent before walking away towards the staircase of the cellar. With a click, the door opened and he went out. Aesop was too groggy to make up what he’s going to do. He soon heard people screaming, moaning in agony, he couldn’t comprehend what happened. Someone’s screaming his name and another second everything became dead silent…

The young man continue drifting further into dreamland, unaware that the figure is back and standing in front of him. Face cracked, broken and pale. Their eyes hollow and black, staring at him in amusement before vanishing in thin air.

“My little Aesop, time to wake up. I have a little surprise for you.”

Just as the voice died down, the young man stirred in his sleep before eyelids fluttered open, revealing a pair of tired black onyx orbs. The first thing he felt was a cloth draped over him, shielding him from the damp air in the cellar. He pulled the covers away, at the same time wondering who would do such nice thing for him. His family sure didn’t really cared much, they did put a blanket over him the first time he was locked in the cellar but as time goes by, the act of kindness is no more, just annoyance and maybe a little hate for a stubborn teenager. The warm wind from outside the cellar door blew in and he took a whiff of the smell of iron. He stood up abruptly, regretting it soon later as dizziness kicked in. He stood there for a while before heading towards the light. The cellar door that was supposed to keep him confined in the cellar was open, swaying slightly as a small breeze blew. Aesop followed the scent of iron towards the living room and he was ‘welcomed’ with a horrible scene. His family was mutilated and their body parts were all over the place, blood splattered on the walls and the new curtains that his parents forbid them for dirtying it, now, was painted red. Aesop could see his sister’s shocked face as her head was severed from her body, those eyes that once looked at him in annoyance, now void and hollow. His parents’ eyes were gouged out from their respective places and placed on the plates, the family was about to have dinner when the killing happened. The young man exhaled the breathe he didn’t knew he was holding. His mind trying to comprehend whether this is reality or just a stupid dream. He closed his eyes, praying that all of this was just a stupid dream and he’ll wake up in the dark, cold cellar once again.

But does he want to wake up in the cellar?

Yes…

No!

Won’t it be nice if this all is a reality?

No…

If it was, then I would be free!

Aesop started to hyperventilate again, he is still picking up the scent of blood around him. This is reality, his reality. The reality he create because he stepped in that shop and met Joseph. HE silently wished all of this to happen. The more he thought about what he did the more hard it is to breathe. Aesop clenched his chest, hoping that the pressure can make his lungs take in oxygen better, instead it became worse as he fell on his knees, coughing and trying to cling to every breathe he could. He thought of everything his grandfather told him to do in panic attacks.

“Try to think of the most comforting thing that you like to do.”

“Things… that I like to…do…” he started thinking of the things he would want/ like to do in this situation and like magic, the panic attack slowly subsides as he regained his control over his body, eyes that were always scared and timid immediately turned hollow and cold. Hands slowly supporting his weight as he stood up, legs wobbly as he walked towards his room. He opened his bedroom door, revealing a dark room with the thick curtains heavily guarding the windows from the invasion of sunlight. People would call his room stuffy but it is just the way he liked it, but this isn’t the reason he came into his room for. He came for his tools. The tools he inherited from his grandfather. The tools to restore the death, as they say, but it was just to make the dead presentable to their family members during funerals. Aesop, since at a very young age, fancy pretty things, human and animals included, maybe that’s the reason that made him the perfect future embalmer.

“Must make them beautiful…they can’t attend funerals looking like that…” a small smile graced his features as he gathered his tools and put them into his coffin-like suitcase. Step by step he went down the stairs. As he reached the living room with dismembered body parts of his once alive family scattered everywhere, he put down his tools and started working with the nearest family member - his sister. Thread and needle worked their miracle as he sow back his sister’s body parts one by one without flinching or making a mistake. All needlework was that of a professional. After finish ‘restoring’ his sister, he proceeded to his mother and then to his father. After a few hours, all three mutilated family members of Aesop is as good as new. They didn’t look like they had been killed in a gruesome way. They just look like they are in a deep sleep that none of them are going to wake up from. Aesop then went to clean the blood that was splattered everywhere, he knew what cleaner to use so that none of them will leave stains.

Joseph watched the little embalmer worked his miracle. His timid and scared personality from their first encounter all gone without a trace. Now, replaced with a more colder personality which sends Joseph in a state of ecstasy. Such a precious yet deadly human he had found and he really wanted to keep him for his own. He decided to meet the young man again, he wanted to know more about Aesop and what made him this way. The click of the camera sounded and he went out from his ‘world’, his very own sanctuary where his youthful self was still preserved. In the present state, his figure was black and white and cracked. He didn’t like it but he wanted to see Aesop’s reaction in witnessing him without the mask he wore when they first met.

As predicted, the younger male’s eyes were wide in astonishment when he saw Joseph. Instead of screaming and running away, Aesop suddenly closed in their distance and looked at Joseph with a glint of excitement in his eyes which was…quite different from what the photographer had imagined. He regained his composure and smiled at the smaller male, “Shocked? Amused or fear?” he asked softly, a finger slowly taking off Aesop’s face mask, eyes taking in those plump lips of the latter.

“Beautiful…” a soft, breathy voice muttered.

Well, Joseph certainly wasn’t expecting this.

People usually called him a monster in this form but this kid is just full of surprises.

Hah, a weird, anti-social kid with weird taste in beauty.

Joseph chuckled walked away from Aesop and towards the bodies he killed just a few hours ago. They really looked like they were just sleeping, nothing like the state he purposely left them in. Mutilating peoples was never his style but maybe he could let it slide just to see the little embalmer work his magic again.

“Tell me, what do you feel now? Pain, sorrow or just excitement?” Joseph questioned, he wanted Aesop to express his feelings more so that he can learn more about him.

“None of the above. I feel nothing except of the fact that now they are presentable during their funeral.” Aesop smiled fondly, not at his family, but the fact that he did a good job of making them ‘beautiful’ again.

Deep inside, Aesop knew that he can never see his living family again, he knew that he should be mourning about their unfortunate death and that he should be arrested for the fact that he brought calamity to them… Tears long buried under the stares and scoldings he received from his family since he was little. In the midst of his sorrowful childhood, he learned to feel nothing so that he wouldn’t experience lonesome and sorrow ever again.

Maybe, just maybe, in the near future, he will take his embalming skills towards another level.

Maybe, he could see his family again and apologize to them that he took the dark path.

“Shall we paint the night red?”

Ah, now he remembered why Joseph’s voice sounded familiar. He was with him since the beginning. Since the first time his grandfather took a picture of him and Aesop using an old camera. That’s where the voice inside his head started conversing with him. He didn’t care anymore, this surge of adrenaline made him not wanting to turn back from ‘restoring’ the many ugly deaths Joseph’s victim would experience.

He would make them ‘beautiful’ again.

Wonder if Joseph will let him in the peaceful and quiet place of the photograph world or not?

Either way, both killer and restorer would continue to enjoy this guilty pleasure they found in each others presence…