Two blue-collar workers sat in a cramped office space.Out the window, a book lift passed by, slightly covering the sun's illumination. The sun's warm rays hit the back of a clean shaven man with slick back hair. His eyes stared intently at the shaggy blonde man in front of him. The rage in his disposition was apparent. Despite this though, he continued to sit with his hands folded and said nothing. Making him out to be stoic, fierce even to the blonde man, who at this point in their relationship, understood that silence was not a part of his love language. A water cooler sat in the corner of the room, blocking the door, though the jug was missing. The blonde man turned his attention to it.

“Ahhhhh~”

He fanned himself exuberantly while letting his tongue hang from his mouth. 

“Got any friggin 'water in here Ed’s? It’s boiling!”

He pointed to the water cooler while smirking.

“What?! Couldn’t help yourself!? Ha!”

“ . . .”

The blonde man’s smile died down as well as his chuckles. He averted eye contact with the man.

A mess of knocked over plants, boxes, staplers, and seemingly important files were thrown about the place, including a family portrait of the man, with his wife and daughter who was no older than two. The wifes face looked particularly stern, and at odds with her position in the family portrait. Though her daughter and husband had no problems smiling cheerfully. Their smiles especially brought attention to their inherent beauty.  Despite the family's beautiful almond shaped eyes, the glass of the portrait reflected a crowd of flies hanging above the ceiling. Their irksome buzzing was deafening. 

“ . . . “

The clean shaven man reached within his desk, retrieving a small remote. The blonde man’s eyes followed his every motion indignantly. His own anxieties were beginning to squeeze sweat from his glands. The air conditioner in the corner of the room made an even more obnoxious noise as it struggled to even turn on. The man repetitively pressed the remote, increasing the flurry of air from the machine, eventually making its way to the flys. Several fly trap strips hung from the ceiling, which shockingly, no fly had been ensnared in, until the wind pushed dozens of them into each trap. 

The blonde man with his shaggy hair, and baby blue eyes stared up at the ceiling curiously. He seemingly for no reason, lost the anxieties he held onto before. As his almond eyes were fixated on a faint red liquid on the ceiling.

“ . . . “

He remembered the man's eyes were still on him. He immediately turned around to return his gaze.

“So like, uhhhhh.What’d you call me for Ed’s?”

“I’ve been calling every single one of you, as a matter of fact, Andrew. Have some self awareness why don’t you.”

Not a single trace of warmth, or playfulness could be found in his tone.

“Okay….”

“But… I’ve called you, specifically a question… Involving my wife.”

“Your wife? What about her?”

“…”

Edward paused, looking down at his desk with despair ridden eyes. He let out a frustrated sigh.

“I know what you two have been doing Andrew.”

“… What?”

“… But. Because I know why, and how, and where, I’m willing to let you off. But I swear to GOD. If I didn’t know better about you I would’ve dumped your body at the sight in the Bronx alive.”

“WHAT?! Ed’s what the hell’re you talkin’ about? I never slept anywhere near your wife!”

“STOP WITH THE LIES ALREADY, DON'T YOU THINK I'M TIRED?! I'M SAVING THE MAN WHO MADE ME HIS CUCKOLD.”

“We’ll I'm flattered you think I could pull Somethin’ like that off, but I’m tellin’ you the truth I-“

“YOU CAN EITHER COME PEACEFULLY, OR STAY, THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS!”

Edward hissed at Andrew, not caring who could hear his outburst.

“A-are… Are you firin’ me…?”

As soon as the word “fire” escaped Andrew's lips, Edward instinctively lifted him out of his chair, grabbing him by his collar roughly. Edward extended his arm preparing to punch him, until he briefly looked up at the ceiling, causing him to pause. As Andrew opened his tightly closed eyes he attempted to follow his gaze, though Edward paused on Andrew, letting go of him, plopping both of their rears back in place.

“Don’t…. Don’t pretend to be a victim. Just shut up. Shut the hell up…”

“Ed’s- Please, just answer me! Don’t resort to fightin’, I’m at a loss! Why do you think your wife had an affair with me of all people?!”

He rubbed his head anxiously.

“Guys like me..? I went from havin’ no job, no home… I was just a bum off of the street, and I woulda stayed that way. But that all changed until you helped me out, so I’d never, never!”

Andrew slammed his fist onto the table.

“I’d never disrespect you like that!”

“… Then Andrew… Why? Why did my own wife come bawling to me about it? Huh?! Why would her conscience bother her so much she felt she was gonna die a second time?!”

“… You’re lyin’! I know this shtick, and you know it’s not true!”

Wait. Die? He thought for a moment. Maybe it was a slip of the tongue. But things weren’t adding up. 

“And what’s this"why " and"how " stuff about?! What do you mean “why” and “how”?”

“... Just answer me this… Were you attacked- scrapped- maybe even bitten last night. Just answer.”

Andrew paused for a few moments recalling the events of last night. The first thing he recalled was going back to his apartment, alone, eating a kids cuisine for dinner, alone, playing League of Legends, alone, and then going to sleep. There was nothing even remotely exciting.

“No, Ed’s. I just went back home. That was it.”

“...I know you’re both dead men!”

Edward began to shake violently. He shifted his arms  underneath the table, to dig his fingernails into his interdigits.

“THAT'S WHY I'LL TELL YOU ONE MORE TIME. IT'S EITHER YOU STAY WHERE YOU ARE NOW, OR GO PEACEFULLY. And I promise you Andrew… If you stay I won’t. THEY won't hold back, I swear to christ. SO BE HONEST, THERE’S NO REASON TO LIE. THEY CAN HELP YOU.”

“Ed’s… Call me stuff, but answer me… what the hell is this dead man thing?”

“…”

Suddenly the air conditioner stopped. The traps from up above on the ceiling stopped. It was at that moment that the hideous buzzing of the flies still fighting to stay alive returned to fill the silence. Edward dug his fingernails further into his interdigits causing blood to jut out. 

“Ga… AHA… AHHAHAHHA…. AHHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!”

Edward fell to the floor clumsily. He began pounding his desk while laughing blaringly, though some teared sobs could be heard in between these laughs.

“Damn! DAMN! DAMN….”

He lifted himself from the floor and sat down, adjusting himself.”

“Damn. So. You’ll be staying?”

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He’s going crazy. Andrew thought as he looked at Edwards' now narrowed, lifeless eyes. This couldn’t be some elaborate joke, could it? No. It couldn’t. Not even he would, not to Andrew. 

“Course. Forever and ever with you, buddy.”

He chuckled awkwardly while hoping for a more usual response from Edward, but nothing. As his laughter died down he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“But like, seriously. Ed’s… What is this? This… This isn’t you…”

Andrew held onto the back of his neck while rubbing himself softly.

Edwards brows furrowed. He leaned closer to Andrew, whilst taking in every single last one of his facial features. It was as if at any moment he would once again grab him by his collar and beat the ever loving snot out of him. Andrew sweated lightly, but pretended to remain nonchalant.

“Heh.”

Edward chuckled cockily, he leaned away from Andrew.

“You’re a convincing liar, “Andrew”. You’ve nailed that part down at least.”

“The heck is that spose to mean?”

Andrew asked a bit antagonistically, though he tried to best soften his eyes so as to not pick a fight.

“...”

Edward once again rummaged through his desk, angrily pulling miscellaneous objects such as a bop it, uno cards, and candy from his desk drawer. 

“It’s just like how you first got this job, Andrew. If you can remember. It’s all a luck game, isn’t it? Like how you found me, and got a job. I need to find you.”

Andrew stared at Edward with a pensive expression.

“Wrong context buddy, that was five friggin years ago!”

He stuck up his finger in a lamely authoritarian way. His voice grew higher, speedier and with more nasality as if he were imitating a more professional accent.

“That was old Andy- Old Andy is old Andy, this here Andrew of Twenty twenty five has ZERO obligation to follow the same ol’ philosophies! Understand?”

He turned his head slightly to the right while staring at Edward with his upper lip puckered upwards, exposing his slightly yellow gums and teeth. His brows were furrowed in a way that made him appear confident as he continued to wag his finger with a lot of shakiness.

“Understand!?”

“...”

Edward began to chuckle softly, which then turned to uproarious laughter once more. Andrew  laughed alongside him this time, as he was trying to establish a more casual tone. He pointed at Edward while struggling to get a word out.

“D-d-do ya remember how that guy's face was made up Ed’s!? Like he needed to shit!”

“It… It was the third week I hired you- him, wasn’t it…? When we were working over on Washington Avenue…?”

“Yeah… Guy just couldn’t mind his goddamn business and got so riled up over nothing’!”

“Yeah. Nothing.”

He cleared his throat. His face quickly reverted to his more deadpan expression.

“All I did was sneeze on him a little! He’s an inspector, I know! But he didn’t have to inspect my gosh darn privacy! Ya know?”

“...You can quit pretending now. Dead man.’

Andrew’s eyes narrowed. As they did, the same red liquid from up above dripped on him, causing him to jump as the cold liquid fell down his body, quickly evaporating to steam. Andrew looked at the steam with great shock, whereas Edward stared unimpressed.

“As expected.”

“What?! What!? What even-”

“ENOUGH.”

Edward swiftly withdrew a taser from his desk!

 “SAVE IT YOU DAMN FAKER-!”

DDDRZT!

Edward dropped a taser on the floor while wagging his fingers intensely. Andrew at first was prepared to run out the room until blood began to run from Edwards index finger to his wrist.

“AH, CHRIST!”

Instinctually, Andrew reached out to Edward with a look of worry about him. Though he pulled back. He remembered that this was not the construction site. There were no eight story buildings to climb. No banter between coworkers, or tools being shared occasionally. No. This obviously involved his LIFE. From the red liquid, the mess in the room, and the taser, Edward was off his rocker! And at any rate, he had to be calm. As the man standing before him needed serious psychiatric evaluation! He clenched his toes against the rubbery texture of his sandals, readying himself.

“Heh.”

Andrew had retorted mockingly. Edward furrowed his eyebrows once more.

“Look- Totally don’t mean to be disrespectful or nothin’ Ed’s- But let’s be honest here, alright? You know you could have fired me a long time ago if you wanted too. Comin’ in late to work, the graffiti incident, the fact I don’t wear shoes…”

Edward’s attention shifted downwards briefly. Of course, Andrew's bare toes were exposed for all the world to witness. There was Mr Big and hairy, Mrs slim and extra hairy, and the little kids who for whatever reason, didn’t have any hair. The toes Edward had become well acquainted with day in, and day out…

 “It’s all the “nonsense” that you gotta deal with, cuz you know at the end of the day, that I have the best work ethic… And…”

He reached into his pocket, bulling out a band aid.

“I’m the most prepared!”

He winked cheekily at Edward. 

“I don’t CARE!”

Edward smacked the bandage out of Andrew’s hand, catching him off guard. Why didn’t that work!? He thought, completely unable to sense any reasoning as to why his goofy antics couldn’t even be entertained! Surely they were still close friends even in this state, weren’t they?!

Edward grabbed Andrew by his collar fiercely while pulling him closer and closer, to the point where Andrew nearly went over the desk!

“You think you can fool me?! I Knew him LONG before you even had the chance to steal him!”

“A-AH! NO SIR!”

Andrew playfully dropped to the floor catching Edward off guard. With body grovelling below Edward, he swiftly took the taser from under his desk.

“FoRGiVe ME!”

Edward then striked Andrew in the face with one decisive kick. Andrew flopped backwards as he felt his nose breaking under the immense force Edwards foot unkindly bestowed upon him.

“AHHHHHHHHH! WHAT THE- WHAT- AHHHHH!”

He held his face. Blood began to run from in between his fingers. There was no strength to be mustered from Andrew. He continued to scream while rolling around on the floor. Edward looked down pitifully for a few moments. Though he pushed those emotions aside as Andrews screams intensified. He knelt down to Andrews level while attempting to wrestle the taser away from him.

“THIS AIN’T YOU! IT AIN’T EDS- AHHH!”

While fighting for the taser Andrew accidentally pressed down on the trigger, sending intense shockwaves throughout Edwards body..

DZZZT!

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“Now!”’

Without any warning, a shrill, nasally voice entered the room. The ceiling’s tile was moved to the side, as the red liquid from a water jug poured down on Edward. while Andrew continued electrocuting him!

“GPEHEGPPFG!”

Edwards' muscles twitched as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. As he fell, the water jug from above came crashing down as well, falling next to Edwards limp body.

“Ah Christ!”

A woman with a bob cut,  glasses, and a lab coat peaked her head from the ceiling, alongside a balding lanky man who oddly resembled Wallace Shawn stared down at Edward with shocked expressions. Andrew looked up at them and was in great pain.

“T-Thank god! Thanks for helping me- Please! This man isn’t well! HELP ‘IM!”

The woman stared at Andrew blankly while talking into a mic in the front of her lab coat pocket.

“Plan B.”

“W-What!?”

“Eliminate the dead man!”

Andrew couldn’t believe his ears- But he didn’t have too, because the hundreds of oncoming footsteps did! His body like Edwards felt glued to the floor. His nose is still broken. As he struggled to get up, the woman and lanky man began to make their way down to him. Dead man? What Dead man? Who’s dead? He’s just a man- so WHY! Why is this happening to him!? WHAT will happen to him!? What could he possibly do to remedy any of this…!?

“. . .  No. . . “

The woman and the lankier man dropped to the floor, standing over Andrew with handcuffs.

“NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! YOU’RE WRONG! YOU’RE WRONG! YOU’VE GOT THE WRONG MAN, DON’T YOU GET IT!?”

The lankier man who resembled Wallace Shawn stopped. The woman's eyebrows furrowed at the man's hesitance.

“What’re you doing?! Don’t believe a word he says, he’s trying to weasel his way out of this!”

“But.. That look in ‘is eyes…”

Said the man in a hushed tone of voice.

“It’s true! I’m NOT a dead man-Or whatever the hell- He was- I swear it…”

A memory flashed of Edwards reaction when the red liquid had touched him before. He briefly looked at Edward’s body.

“Can’t you tell from the steam coming off of his body when you poured it all over him!? Who else but a dead man, HUH!?”

“Hm. And here I thought Mr Andrew Campbell was supposed to be a good liar…”

She smirked.

“We have evidence for Mr Matthews' humanity. You on the other hand chose to stay. Something no real dead man would have wanted. Had you denied the affair, and admitted the encounter with the dead man like the real Mr Campbell would have, maybe I could have believed you… BUT NOPE! You’re just DEAD!”

“I- That last part just ain’t- I FEEL PRETTY FRIGGIN ALIVE DOWN HERE!”

“It doesn’t matter. He just showed undeniable proof of your true nature… What reason would you have to lie?”

The door was then knocked down. Ten armed soldiers marched into the room surrounding Andrew, though some walked towards Edward in an attempt to resuscitate his unconscious body. The woman looked down at him while smirking mischievously, whereas the man stared down at Andrew with sympathy for his situation

“Permission to kill him here, ma’am?”

Asked a man with a strangely static and distorted voice.

“No. At the lab…”

She licked her lips.

“I’ve been waiting for a new testing subject~! It’s not every day you have such a supple and young dead man waiting for you to just…AGH!”

She began to hold herself out of sheer excitement as she imagined countless experiments to put Andrew through.

“Very well then.”

As the soldiers began to close in on Andrew, his entire life began to flash before his eyes… Was this really it? Out of all of the times he could have died, he really had to go and die in a place like this? Next to the construction site!? Edward- He liked Edward, was a FRIEND to Edward, but now… Now he was going to be his downfall- His killer. There was nothing- nothing- NOTHING THAT…. Until he realized… Being a dead man wouldn’t be so bad…

“GAH!” 

With all of the strength ANdrew could muster, and with intense precision he swiftly dodged the ankled of the soldier and scraped Edwards pinky finger.

“OH CRAP!”

“MONKEY!?”

Every single soldier kept their gun aimed at Andrew’s young supple body, some pinning him down while yelling profanities at him, as if that would help him to calm down. 

“FEHEHEHE! FEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEEE!”

He laughed maniacally, causing both scientists to back away.

“YA DUMBASSES! I AM A DEAD MAN! THE DEADEST DEAD MAN! I’VE CLAIMED EDWARDS BODY NOW! IF YOU KILL ME I WILL POSSESS HIM- AND ALL THOSE WHO DARE POSE EVEN A SINGLE THREAT TO ME.”

“W-we can kill you easily!”

One of the soldiers yelled timidly.

“OH? AND LET AN INNOCENT MAN DIE!? I DON’T THINK HIS FAMILY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT!”

THe room fell silent. Both scientists gathered around Edward, observing his cut.

“... Yeah. The cut is deep.”

The male scientist nodded slowly.

“He could possess him.”

“...What do you demand?”

The woman asked in pure defeat. She wiped the saliva from her mouth, and stared down at Andrew with much less fanatical eyes, but with more respect.

“Let us leave. NOW.”

He stood up causing everyone to back away. Yes, he thought. Maybe pushing this narrative wouldn’t be such a bad thing…