A Waste of Paint

"What do you mean?" He sat on the table in front of me with his legs crossed. I wasn't expecting to hear that, but I wanted him to talk more. "Care to explain first?"

"Iseul's the reason why we can't break the curse. That bitch has been doing things behind our back ever since she became one of us. She's nothing but trouble, just like you," his eyes were bloodshot and I frowned. I didn't talk.

"We've been seeing her doing things like what she did to you. Getting summoned every night, begging for help to break the fucking curse, but, no. You're not actually helping, boy. That woman is toying with you, using you, and wasting your precious life. You heard that right, you are no doing anything at all." He exclaimed with his head nodding.

He sounded mad, but I tried my best to calm myself and think rationally. My bloodshot eyes were fixated on his too.

"Why is Iseul doing that?" I asked.

"She would always target tourists on this island. Once she sees an artist holding a pencil or brush? She will immediately grab that opportunity. You're most likely her victim when you get here! This is why people on this island never painted at night, because there are abusive souls like her!"

"Why?" I asked again.

I couldn't recognize my voice, and I was getting frustrated. My feet's shaking unconsciously, and I even gripped my hand. I wanted to push this man away but he's just air.

He let out a deep sigh. "She loves it when people look around hundreds of galleries just to find artwork related to her. She wants to be the main character, boy. Listen, she wants people to think of her and you are completely being manipulated by her."

I nodded my head and looked away. "She did this to others too?"

"Yes! That's why she has a big name, although she's just a ghost! That bitch craves attention and laughs whenever artists get obsessed with drawing her. You're just one of the hundreds of artists she victimized. I took this opportunity that you grabbed a pencil because you're doing too much, and wasting your time here. It's getting out of hand, you might even get in trouble, boy."

I pursed my lips. "So you're telling me Iseul is just using me?"

He nodded his head and even gestured with his hands. "That's what I'm trying to tell you! You're nothing but a toy to her. She's just playing around, trying to get your time, energy, attention, and compassion, for Pete's sake."

"I'm trying to break the curse. To set her free, to set everyone of you free. Why should I stop? I'm getting closer to the truth." I shook my head.

He laughed and stood up, crossing his arms. I looked at him back, but he looked serious.

"Listen to me. There's no way to break a curse that's been existing on this island for almost a century. We will always exist; anima perdutas will always exist on this island. We accepted the fact that we are now just lost souls. This is the reality, boy, and it is fucking perfectly fine with everyone."

Just like Thai said, he is one of the souls who accepted their faith.

"But there are few like that woman, who never accepted that and continued searching for her new victims on this island. She never listened to us and became an even more pain in the ass."

"I don't believe you." I hissed.

"Oh, yeah? What about the time she never appeared when you were summoning her almost every day? She didn't appear because she knows you're into her. You are into her, Chavez. You will always make her your subject, which is a success for her. Look at your paintings and sketches! Everything's just focused on her! Damn it," he was desperate to convince me.

I became... confused.

"I don't believe you. Stop this nonsense." I whispered. My hands felt so... cold.

He massaged his head, walking back and forth. He looked stressed, but I was too! I'm literally having a hangover, and he's telling me things like that. I am definitely trying my best to think properly, not trying to let my emotions interfere.

"You won't believe me? I know one of her tricks is to make artists give in, to make them desperate to help her so bad."

I gazed at him again.

"She pulled out a show in front of you, right? The one where she had so much blood all over her face, then her body. She's trying to convince people that she's in big, big trouble. But no... she's just craving for that fucking sympathy because she couldn't receive that when she was still a human!"

I covered my face out of frustration. Her image flashed inside my head again. The one where she was bleeding. Her face screamed for help. She needs help, and she's in trouble.

All of those... were just for show?

"If you're trying to break the curse, let me tell you this, kid: Stop already. You're wasting your vacation. Us lost souls are okay with our state; stop being so desperate to help us. We don't even need that."

"Shut up already," I said while covering my face. I felt tears pooling in my eyes.

"Go away, and let me think straight." I was catching my breath with all the information that he'd told me. I don't know what to think.... I don't know how to think.

"I'm not lying to you, Chavez. I'm saving your ass from that bitch. You must stop if you love that precious life of yours. Everything that I said is true; it's up to you to decide if you'll let her toy with you."

Alright, I get it now. He can stop persuading me. I've had enough. I wanted to push that soul away, but I just waited for him to go. I don't want to ask for his name; I don't want to remember any lost souls again.

"I'm disappointed to see her portraits in your safe. She successfully deceived you."

"I know... I know... just go the fuck away already." I can't believe I'm crying after hearing everything that this soul was saying.

She's toying with me, using me, and wasting my time. There's no way to break the curse. That's what the man was telling me over and over again.

"You're wasting so much paint for a bastard." he added.

Stop it already, I've had enough.

"You painted someone evil as your subject several times. What a waste of talent."

I know, okay? I get it now.

"Stop painting her, painter."