A Secret Conflict Part IV
The Voices In My Head
By Hyper Angel
The house was deathly silent that evening. Barret had escorted Elmyra into town to buy a few things, leaving Vincent, Cloud, and Tifa alone in the villa.
While Tifa and Cloud sat in the den, chatting about thing things that held little meaning to Vincent, he had quietly gone upstairs. The two seemed to take no notice as he trudged up the wooden stairs without a word.
Vincent pushed the door of the bathroom open, though the whine of it's dry hinges loudly announced his action. He ignored it anyway unfastening the clasps of his cloak and tossing it onto a chair that sat alone and forgotten in a far corner as he stepped in.
He ran water in bath tub, he could still hear Tifa and Cloud talking from below, their words still clear within to his ears even though of the distance. He silently finished undressing out of the rest of his clothes as the tub slowly filled with water.
Turning the water off, he stepped in. Sliding carefully into the water, Vincent uttered a low sigh.
He slunk down further into the soothing water, closing his eyes languidly as the water washed over him. His raven hair billowed up around him from underneath the water, clinging back to his face the instant he arose up. He pushed it back automatically, leaning back against the tub's edge with a wan lament.
The tranquil silence of the room gave his mind a chance to wander through several thoughts, most of which he had pondered over many a time before. Though as he lie there, perfectly still within the water, staring blankly up at the ceiling.
All at once, a high pitched whine filled his ears, growing in intensity as the second back. Vincent put his hands to his ears on impulse, but the screeching noise within his head continued. He reeled from the horrid wrenching of the loud whine. It seemed that just when the loud resonance it had in his head would never cease, it stopped altogether without warning. Again, not a sound met his ears.
.
It's odd really. The strange voice hissed, it's warped tone loud in his mind even though nothing had been said out loud.
You've become so good at fooling them all….even yourself. Another laughed desolately from somewhere above. He looked around, though no one else was there in the room with him. For a moment, only the soft dripping of the faucet met his tired ears.
Oh, don't bother looking. It crowed airily. All that matters is what has to be said.
Yes, yes. It had to be said! A second agreed jovially.
Such a fool. Thinking you can hide it…Heeheehee-!! Another snorted, giggling insanely.
"Listening to reason with a voices in my head…." Vincent muttered, resting an arm over one side of the tub. "Now I know I've lost it…"
You think so? The first said, sounding on the verge of laughter. Now why is that?
Don't you know? Don't you know?!? Is it true?! Is that it? Is it?! The other cackled in a mad chant.
"Why should I care?" Vincent whispered, slouching down further. "It's my own business to know that."
Haha. Well, answer this. The first voice cooed. What face lies….behind the mask?
Yes, what? What is it?
You know! Just say it-!
"Mask?" Vincent repeated, sitting up. "What is that supposed to mean?"
The voices all broke into gales of harsh, contorted laughter at once. You don't know?! Ha! You're better at it than I thought!
And all at once, the voices spoke at once; their voices slurring together into a dull roar of taunts and musings.
Yes, so true! To fool even yourself!
So well! So good! Heehee!
Will you realize when it happens? Will you know then? And then what-?
Haha! Your own secret prison!
Your own secret conflict!
It's too sweet! It's too good! I love it!
Ooh, if the rest only knew! What would they think of you then?!
Vincent narrowed his eyes with annoyance, flickering from corner to corner in hopes of finding the mounting number of unseen accusers.
Heh. Why don't you just admit it?
Yes, say it!!!
"Admit what?" Vincent sneered, turning he head the wall in hopes of shutting the crazed noise out.
That you are….
The door swung open quite suddenly, the familiar loud creak announcing the arrival. Cloud walked in, though he jumped back in the exact instant he stepped into the room. At once, the voices all stopped. Once again there was silence again for a split second, before Cloud took notice.
"Whoa!…Vincent….!" He yelped. "S-Sorry." The startled mercenary bolted back out into the hall, the door still hanging wide open.
Vincent dimly acknowledged him, reaching blindly for the towel left lying in the floor.
"It's alright." He said mechanically, grabbing the rough cloth quickly as stood up from the tub, wrapping it around his waist as he stepped out. "I was just leaving anyway."
He knocked the bath's drain open with his foot, the water quickly receding away as he turned for the door.
He glanced around again, searching one last time for the unseen voices' owners in vain. There was nothing. With an annoyed scoff, Vincent left and walked towards his room. Cloud withdrew back a little further as he passed, thinking the action was intended towards him. As Vincent walked past the stairwell, Tifa emerged from below suddenly. Apparently not noticing he was walking by, she slammed into him quite roughly as she clear the stairs and rounded the corner.
She was sent reeling backwards onto the floor, though Vincent was left unscathed. Tifa winced softly and turned her gaze upwards.
"Oh! Vincent!" She cried out in a tone somewhat louder than it needed to be. Quickly, the woman recomposed herself and got back up to her feet, brushing the dust from her skirt she turned to face him.
"I'm really sorry!' She apologized briskly. Her cheeks flushed a bright red with anxiety as she spoke, though the fact that Vincent wore only a towel most likely could have been the reason also. Vincent paused for a moment, though quickly continued on down the hall and past her. Tifa turned as he did so, uncertainly looking him over as she had probably expected a response.
Vincent gave her barely any attention as he brushed past her, walking by as if in some deep trance. As he turned the door handle to his room, he stopped abruptly. Slowly, he cocked his head back. "Tifa," He said listlessly, his voice was low and monotonous. "Y-yes?" She replied shakily.
"…Just don't worry about it."
He slammed the door before she could utter another word.
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To Be Continued…..
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