Backwards by Seven

"412"

The room is shrouded in an everlasting darkness. A darkness that seems to expand forever in all directions. ''Drip. Drip. Drip.'' The lukewarm substance falls from my lips onto the black and white checkered floor. I have accepted who I am and there is no turning back. However, I wasn't always like this.

"1000"

Me and new my friend, Kayzel were obsessed with the manga, Toukyou Kushu (or Tokyo Ghoul). This was the manga that brought us together as friends. I would just see her around school. I never had the interest to talk to her until I heard her talking about the series. There was chapter that was released had to do with the main character, Kaneki, getting captured and tortured by the masked ghoul, Jason. Kayzel specifically loved this chapter. We would spend all night talking about the series, but no matter what, she would always refer to that torture scene.

"Hey! Did you read the latest chapter?!" I impatiently hounded.

"I did! Kaneki is so cool! Not as cool as Jason though. You already know Jason is my favorite character," Kayzel casually responded.

"He was pretty crazy," I laughed.

We talked for hours, sharing theories, ideas, and our favorite parts. I truly loved this part of my week. After talking until the crows called, Kazel eventually grew tired.

"I'm gonna hit the dusty trail," Kayzel yawned.

"Same here," I responded, "I have a test later today."

"Well, good luck with that," Kayzel giggled, "What's 1000 minus seven?"

This was our thing, we loved to throw quotes from our favorite series at each other. Even if it didn't fit the context.

"993," I chuckled and hung up the phone.

"979"

Three weeks passed and I felt myself growing closer to Kayzel. Spending all night talking and even hanging out with her at school had my heart racing for her. We shared the same interests in almost everything. However, I was afraid. The thought of getting rejected and losing my now closest friend was just too much to bare. I thought that I'd much rather have her as a friend rather than lose her. That was my decision.

"Hey! How about that chapter?!" I questioned.

"It was okay," Kayzel said with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" I asked her with a friendly tone.

"Stop doing this to me! Please..." Kayzel pleaded.

"What are you talking about, Kay? Tell me," I reassured her.

"Just forget it," Kayzel finished, "Bye."

What was it that I did wrong? She seemed hurt, but what did I have to do with it? Could it have been that she felt the same way?

"951"

A month passed and I haven't seen or heard from Kayzel since that last phone call. At this point, I was convinced that she hated me and wanted to cut all ties with me. So, I got a girlfriend. Her name was Eileen and she was Kayzel's best friend.

"Have you talked to Kayzel lately?" I asked Eileen.

"Yeah, why?" Eileen questioned, "Do you still like her or something?"

"N-No, I--" I started.

"Well good! Because you're mine," Eileen flaunted, "Not Kayzel's."

"Why are you getting jealous for? She's my best friend too. Why won't she talk to me?" I murmured.

"Oh, well, she has a new number," Eileen informed, "Here, I'll give it to you."

After getting off of the phone with Eileen, I proceeded to call Kayzel. ''Beep-beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep. ''I dialed her number. ''Ring. Ring. Ring.''

"Hello?" her sweet, soothing voice relaxed my soul.

"Hey! What happened to you! You just disappeared!" I hollered.

"Yeah," Kayzel laughed and relaxed at the sound of my voice, "I really missed you."

"I missed you too," I responded and smiled.

"We should hang out some time! You know, catch up," Kayzel offered.

"Sounds like a plan!" I agreed, "When are you free?"

"I'm pretty busy this month... Next month, I should be open," Kayzel giggled, "I can't wait to see you again. Hey!"

"Yes?" I asked.

"What's 1000 minus seven?" Kayzel responded.

"993," I smiled with a sigh of relief.

"923"

The month ended fast and soon enough, plans were made with Kayzel. Honestly, I didn't love Eileen. I only loved Kayzel. I only wanted Kayzel. Eileen knew this and forbidden me to go see Kayzel. She knew how much of a match we were. She knew how much we loved each other.

"I'm telling you that you're not allowed to go!" Eileen shouted.

"Why?! You know we're just friends!" I shouted back.

"Well if you're just friends, why can't I come?!" Eileen interrogated.

I remained silent.

"Exactly!" Eileen proudly said, "Fine. You can go, but I want you to tell her that you and I are dating."

"You haven't told her?!" I questioned.

"I didn't want to hurt her feelings. Everyone knows that she's crazy about you," Eileen responded.

Tomorrow was the day that I got to see Kayzel again.

The next day, Kayzel and I walked around our favorite stores and spots around town. She reached and held my hand. Her skin was so soft and warm like silky cream. Me, still being in love with her, I allowed her to hold my hand. That night we ended with a dinner and catching up.

"That's really what happened!" Kayzel laughed and placed her hand on my arm, "I really did miss you..."

"I really missed you too," I said and found myself gazing into her eyes.

"What?" Kayzel cutely asked.

"I actually have a confession," I said and removed my arm from under her hand.

"Me too," Kayzel interrupted, "I love you."

"I-I love you too," I nervously laughed.

The night finished and I took her home.

"916"

A week passed and I found myself in a quarrel. I some how ended up in between, dating both Eileen and Kayzel at the same time. I tried juggling the lies, my words crossing teeth and jumping lips. Eventually, Eileen asked me, "Did you tell Kayzel?"

The answer of course was no, but I had to tell Eileen yes. To this day, I regret that mistake.

Eileen called me.

"Hey," she said but I knew she wasn't talking to me, "So, what do you think about us dating?"

"He's dating me!" Kayzel responded.

I wanted to say something but I knew it would only make things worse.

"He's been dating me! Ever since you left him alone," Eileen snorted.

"I only left him alone because you told me to!" Kayzel started to cry.

"Oh, look at little crybaby Kayzel," Eileen teased.

"You know what? Fine. Fine! You can just have him," Kayzel sobbed, "Never talk to me again, Eileen."

"You're so pathetic! Go kill yourself!" Eileen scoffed.

"Maybe I will!" Kayzel bawled and hung up the phone.

"What the hell is your problem?!" I shouted.

"Whatever. Go over to her then. Just know that if you do, you and I are done! You hear--" before Eileen could finish, I hung up the phone and darted to Kayzel's house.

Ding-dong. I rand the doorbell and waited. One second. Two second. Three second. Ding-dong. One second. Two second. Three second. Finally I gave up and decided to try again some other time.

"832"

Three months passed and I still received no word from Kayzel.

"664"

Six months have passed and I was taking asleep.

Ding. My phone goes off.

"Come see me," I read the text, "From Kay."

I rolled out of bed and slipped my shoes on. I took a walk to Kayzel's house. The door was wide open. I walked up the stairs to her room. Her room reeked with the smell of the cologne that I used. To my surprise, her room was filled with pictures of me. Some taken with my consent, however, most without my consent. Kayzel wasn't in love with me, she was obsessed.

"Do you like it?" Kayzel giggled, her once cute giggle becoming frightening.

"Kayzel, what are you doing?" I asked.

"I want you all to myself," Kayzel giggled again.

"You can't do that," I argued.

"Oh?" Kayzel questioned and held a towel to my mouth.

My eyes started to bare weight as my vision blurred. My head was light and I could feel my muscles giving in. Thud! I hit the floor, my eyes wide open shit.

When I awakened, I found myself chained to a chair in what seemed to be Kayzel's basement. I tried to move my hands. Ching-ling. No use. I tried to move my legs. Ching-ling. No use. I looked around, the basement was completely hidden in shadow, the only light source was from the dim shining light from above me.

''Click. Clack. Click. Clack. ''I heard the footsteps around me. As the person slowly entered the light source, I figured out what had happened.

"Kayzel! What are you doing?!" I shouted, "Where are your parents?!"

"I want you all to myself," Kayzel responded as she cracked her knuckle. I remember seeing Kazel wearing the exact same mask that Jason wore in Tokyo Ghoul, "I ate them! They gave me strength! I had them all to myself! Now, I want you all to myself!"

"Let's talk about this! Please!" I begged.

She walked toward me as she raised my head by my hair, "You know the rules," Kayzel haunted as she pulled out a pair of pliers from her side table, "I wan't you to count backwards from 1000 by sevens."

"1000..." I started as she buckled my left hand down, "993... 986... 979..."

She then proceeded to rip my finger nails half way off with her pliers. She did this so that my nails had no problem growing back quickly. As she tortured me, she had me continue counting down by seven to keep my consciousness

"643"

Three weeks passed and she left me down in the basement. She would occasionally feed me, but just the bare minimum to survive. Out of all the torture, the solitude was the killer for me. I started to hallucinate and hear voices. The numbers that Kayzel had me count down stuck to me and as I hung my head, I quietly murmured the numbers to myself.

"Oh look at you, honey," a woman voice said and grabbed my face.

"Mother?" I asked and looked up to see my mother's face, "Help me Mother. Jason is going to get me."

"There there," my mother said and placed her hands over my eyes from behind me.

"Mother. It's dark, Mother!" I shouted in fear, "The monsters will get me, Mother! Save me, Mother!"

"Your mother isn't here," Kayzel giggles, "How far did you count?"

"643..." I groan, "636... 629... 622..."

Kayzel reclined the chair that I was seated on and placed a cloth above my face. She then water boarded me, the feeling of drowning was frightening. The darkness was an additive to the fear.

"I don't hear you counting!!" Kayzel shouted.

"615..." I coughed, "608... 601... 594..."

"419"

Eight months passed of the same routine. Different torture.

"Oh Mother, what shall we do?" I asked.

"What do you want to do, my son?" she questioned, "Look at your hair... it's lost it's color due to the lack of melanin."

"I want to be with Kayzel forever..." I sadistically smiled.

"There is only one way to do that. You know this is true," she grinned and manically laughed, her laugh matching mine.

"May I start with you, Mother? I want to be with you forever too!" I shout and lunge at her, devouring ever inch of her and leaving the bones behind.

"412"

The room is shrouded in an everlasting darkness. A darkness that seems to expand forever in all directions. ''Drip. Drip. Drip.'' The lukewarm substance falls from my lips onto the black and white checkered floor. I have accepted who I am and there is no turning back.

''Click. Clack. Click. Clack.''

"How far did you count?" Kayzel asks as she prepares her knives.

I remain silent as I look down.

"Oh? Being quiet today huh? No matter, today is the day you officially become mine. No one else can ever have you," Kayzel giggles, "I'm going to enjoy eating you... I'm going to do what Jason couldn't do to Kaneki. I will eat you."

Kayzel releases my restraints and I make my move. I dash toward Kayzel's body, wrapping my chains around her neck. She stabs me in my leg, several times, causing me no pain. I release the pain and grab her wrists, breaking them like twigs as I sit on her waist.

"Kayzel... what's 1000 minus seven?" I inquire as I play with her knife.

She remains silent as she shakes in fear.

"Not so tough now, huh?" I ask and break another bone in her arm, "I'll ask again. What's 1000 minus seven?"

"993..." she quivers and screams as I break more of her bones, "986... 979..."

"Say Kayzel... I too want to be with you forever... So it's okay if I eat you, yes?" I eloquently speak and bite into her flesh, "Just as Kaneki said, 'Foul tasting. Like fish intestines on the verge of expiring.'"

Gulp.

"0"

About a year later. The rain falls hard as thunder pops and lightning crackles beneath the clouds. I walk through the shadows to a familiar house of the past. My friend is here and I would like to be with her forever.

"Who's house is this?" Mother asks.

"Yes, do tell," Kayzel questions.

"The one who started this all," I say and climb to the window.

The lights are off in the room and I stand there in the shadows, waiting.

"615..." I mumble to myself, "608... 601... 594..."

The door swings open and she stands there, staring at me.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"Eileen..." I sadistically smile as the thunder flashes behind me, "I would like to be with you for forever... Just answer me..."

"What?" Eileen ponders and steps back in fear as chains fall from my sleeves.

"What's 1000 minus seven?"

Gulp.

Written by: ```

Inspired by: Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul