prologue draft

I am eighty days away from death, and this pervert lady is going to write it all down. At least, that's what she said before she appeared in the bathroom while I was taking my lovely shower. Not to mention the fact that she almost made my journey a lot quicker by talking while I was rinsing the shampoo off my face. I almost tripped on the damn bath-tub.

"Cover yourself." She glared.

"You barged in here, woman." I smiled. "Get out."

"Quirky, aren't you? You talk big for an average guy." She rolled her eyes.

"Get out."

"Do not deny me, mortal. Let us see if you--"

"Yeah, yeah. How about you wait outside so we can talk about your little joke?"

I answered while giving the most half-assed smile I could. Normally, I would've called the cops just like I did when a lady destroyed my lock and demanded money. It's a good thing she's beautiful and no one would take care of our child, though. Good times. I rinsed my body with a towel and looked myself in the mirror. Never change, me. Never change.

"Right. So what's up with me and my three months of bliss?" I chuckled as I ruffled my hair.

"You still think this is a joke, don't you?" She shook her head. "Let me repeat this again. You are about to spend your last eighty days being miserable, and I'm going to write it all down."

"I'm as fit as a fiddle, darling. You don't scare me." I said, putting some clothes on.

"The principle of equivalent exchange. Are you aware of it?"

"Of course I am. It literally explains the whole thing on the title. Trading with equal value?"

"Precisely." She nodded. "The sins you have committed in your lifetime has been so grave that the Gods themselves decided it was time to take you early. To balance it out, they reduced your time and sent me to deal with you."

She sighed, opened her velvet black book and started writing. Her black gown glittered as she moved the hair covering her face. Pale, triangular face shape. Long, wavy, raven hair paired with violet eyes. Well, that's gorgeous. And unusual. Why the hell did she wear a black gown in the middle of the afternoon? And how did she enter my room?

"How I entered through your room is unimportant." She continued on scribbling.

"You're reading my mind now? Just who exactly are you?"

"Sit."

My body began moving on its own as if a switch flipped inside my brain. I tried to make it stop by tensing my muscles, but it did nothing. Instead, a jolt from something mysterious stopped my actions. My movement became a lot more harder to control. More hurried. The next thing I knew, I was sitting on the bed close to her. She closed her book, and my head turned.

"Here's what's going to happen." The unnamed woman stared. "You are to spend the rest of your days under my command. How you do things is up to you, but you will comply with absolute obedience once I say so. Defiance shall not be tolerated."

"You are not gonna do shi--"

"Hush."

Her right palm lighted an amethyst glow as she raised it, and my mouth closed. Shit. Shit. Shit. This bitch is doing something crazy..... Okay, shit. Just relax, Casey. You've been through worse. I nervously smiled, and she raised an eyebrow. Her expression turned serious, then it came. A sensation comparable to a sharp blow started on hammering my skull, while my stomach and lungs felt like they were getting squeezed. My vision became hazy, my muscles felt shaky, and sweat dripped from all over my body.

"Casey, isn't it? Nice name." She glared. "Do you want to try me?"

"Okay! Okay! You win!" I panted. Bitch. "Argh! Fuck! Stop the damn thing, please!"

"Say sorry for calling me a bitch."

"Fuck you! Argh! Shit! Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

The nameless woman smiled a cruel smile, and the pain gradually diminished. My body collapsed to the carpeted floor, and my eyes twitched. I gasped for air like it was the last thing in the world. Shit. I'm still alive. What just happened? Did she really do that? Shit. Just who the heck am I dealing with here?

"You are dealing with a force of nature. That is all you need to know." She stated.

"What the hell do I need to do before you leave me alone?" I asked, and she smiled. Damn sadist.

"By now, you must be aware that I can read your thoughts. It would do better if you stopped using such vulgar language. Saves you the trouble of getting... punished."

"Just tell me what you want, damn it!"

"I need you to right all your wrongs before the time ticks away. Since you are so stubborn, I shall state it again. Compliance is mandatory."

She waved her hand and showed a series of pictures. A newborn child, a burning house, and an orphanage. Strip clubs. Lots of them. A body bag getting buried in a forest. An unfinished book. Selena and her child. A blonde woman with emerald eyes. Wait... These are all my memories. How the heck? Just what is going on right now?

"Stop pretending like you are not aware, Casey." Her eyes glowed. "Denying everything shall not save you this time."

"What?" I gulped. Shit. She knows this, too?

"I know you want to accomplish... certain things. I shall help you, for that is the principle of equivalent exchange."

"...For free?"

"I am manipulating your thoughts and actions now, am I not?"

She replied as I laid down on the bed. Everything was as still as the morning, unlike my thoughts. If what she said is true, then I would never get the chance to travel abroad. That means no more weird food. No more sights to see. No more... stuff to do. What about the other foreign ladies I'll soon meet? Who's gonna take care of them? And my future kids? Their mothers won't birth by themselves. This is bullshit. Maybe I can charm her into--

"Do not even think about it."

Her slender fingers snapped, and that same damn headache went back again. My ears buzzed, and tears welled from my eyes. Everything from the neck down felt like I was getting shocked. Pressure constricted every fiber of my muscle as if I was taped on the bed, and jolts from within my body made it twitch. Well, this feels like shit. I might as well take a nap.