The Deal

I sit up in bed, my heart pounding as I stare into the darkness of my tiny flat. The voice, the one that's been guiding me, is still echoing in my mind. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead.

"Who are you?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly. "I need to know."

There's a pause, a moment of silence that seems to stretch out forever. And then, the voice speaks again, its tone hesitant. "My name is Theodore Robert Bundy," it says. "But most people know me as Ted Bundy."

I feel the blood drain from my face, and I grip the sheets tightly. "Ted Bundy?" I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper. "The serial killer?"

"Yes," the voice says, its tone heavy with regret. "I know my past is... difficult to accept. But I'm here to help you, to guide you in solving these crimes."

I shake my head, my mind reeling with confusion and horror. "No," I say, my voice rising with each word. "No, this can't be happening. Why would a serial killer be helping me? This doesn't make any sense!"

Bundy sighs, and I can almost feel the weight of his guilt pressing down on me. "I've been tasked with helping people solve crimes," he says. "It's my way of purging my sins, of making amends for the horrible things I've done."

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the panic rising in my chest. "But why me?" I ask, my voice shaking. "Why did you choose me?"

"I didn't choose you," Bundy says. "I was assigned to you. I don't know why, but it seems that your strong will to solve mysterious crimes played a role."

I close my eyes, my mind spinning with the implications of his words. A serial killer, tasked with helping me solve crimes? It's too much to process, too much to accept.

"I don't need your help," I say, my voice firm despite the fear coursing through my veins. "I don't want anything to do with you. Just go away, leave me alone."

But Bundy is insistent. "It's not my choice, or yours," he says. "I have to stay with you until something is resolved. Until the crimes are solved and justice is served."

I bury my face in my hands, my thoughts racing. How can I trust him? How can I work with someone who's caused so much pain and suffering?

But then I think back to the woman, and how Bundy's guidance led me to save her life. As much as I hate to admit it, he has helped me. And if he can help me solve more crimes, bring more criminals to justice... isn't that worth the discomfort of having him in my head?

I sit in silence, my mind reeling with the revelation that Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers in history, is the voice in my head. The very thought sends shivers down my spine, and I can feel the bile rising in my throat.

"This is insane," I mutter, running my hands through my hair. "I can't work with a serial killer. It goes against everything I stand for, everything I believe in."

Bundy's voice is calm, almost soothing. "I understand your reluctance," he says. "But you have to trust that I'm here to help. I've been given a second chance to make things right, to use my skills for good."

I shake my head, laughing bitterly. "Skills? You mean the skills you used to murder innocent women? How can I possibly trust you?"

"Because I'm your only hope," Bundy says, his voice firm. "You've been searching for answers about your parents' murder for years, and you've gotten nowhere. But with my help, you can finally uncover the truth."

I pause, considering his words. As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. I've been stuck in a low-ranking job, chasing leads that go nowhere. If Bundy can really help me solve this case, can I afford to turn him away?

But the doubts still linger, gnawing at the edges of my mind. "How do I know you won't try to manipulate me?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly. "How do I know you won't use this as an opportunity to hurt more people?"

Bundy sighs, and I can almost feel the weight of his guilt pressing down on me. "I know I can never undo the things I've done," he says. "But I'm not that person anymore. I've been given a chance to redeem myself, and I won't waste it."

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. The idea of working with Bundy still feels wrong, like a betrayal of everything I stand for. But if it means finally getting justice for my parents, can I really say no?

Minutes pass as I wrestle with the decision, the silence broken only by the sound of my own breathing. Bundy waits patiently, giving me the space I need to come to terms with this new reality.

Finally, I speak, my voice barely above a whisper. "Okay," I say. "I'll work with you. But I have some conditions."

"Of course," Bundy says. "Name them."

"First, you don't make any decisions without consulting me first. I'm in charge here, not you. Second, if I ever suspect that you're trying to manipulate me or hurt someone, I'll start to completely ignore you. If you are really trying to redeem yourself, that would not be ideal for you. And third, once we solve my parent's case, you leave me alone. For good."

Bundy is silent for a moment, considering my terms. "I agree to your conditions," he says at last. "I won't let you down. We'll solve this case together, and bring the perpetrators to justice."

I nod, my jaw clenched tight. It's not a perfect solution, but it's the best I can do for now. And with Bundy's help, maybe I can finally find the answers I've been searching for, the truth about my parents' murder.

But as I lie back down, trying to quiet the churning of my thoughts, I can't shake the feeling that I've just made a deal with the devil himself. I toss and turn, my mind racing with all the ways this could go wrong. What if Bundy is just using me as a pawn in some sick game? What if he's not really here to help at all?

I take a deep breath, pushing the doubts aside. I have to trust that this is the right path, that working with Bundy is the only way to get the justice I've been seeking for so long. But even as I drift off into an uneasy sleep, I can't shake the feeling that I'm walking a tightrope over a pit of vipers. And one wrong move could send me tumbling into the darkness below.