Split

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain" ~ Aaron Eckhart

The sirens rang in Daniel's ears as he walked towards the bright yellow tape covered in the words, Police Tape: Do Not Cross. Right as he reached the cautioning tape, three bulky men stepped in front of him. The men stood at least a foot taller, but this didn't frighten the red head in the least. The young officer quickly flashed his badge as their eyes widened and got out of the way. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel spotted his younger brother, Zane. He noted that he'd have to talk to him before he left.

Looking away from his brother, Daniel started to head up to where his fellow officers were talking to a young lady as she sat in the ambulance shivering. He continued past three paramedics who were hovering over the reported body. Taking a quick glance, Daniel found that the man's intestines were put by his neck and the head that had been cut off was in his stomach. His eyes kept trained on the body for a few seconds more. So bea-...no, don't think that. Shaking off the weird feelings, the usually cheerful man continued towards the others. The story that she girl was sticking with wasn't very much help at all.

"I already told you, I was at the club and decided to take a smoke. I headed over to this side of the road because they wouldn't let me smoke over by the club and found...that," the girl, explained. Apparently her name's Lu, and the cops have been questioning her since they arrived.

After about fifteen more minutes, the police decided that it was best to let everyone return home for the night and to finish everything in the morning. Before heading to his car, Daniel jogged over to his brother who was waiting at his own police car. After reaching his brother, an awkward silence fell over the two as they sat against the hood of the police car. It had been a few week since the siblings had seen each other and Daniel's pregnant wife was not helping the worry that Zane held in his heart.

"So...has he...ya know..." Zane started, but couldn't find the words.

"Come out?"

"Yeah, that."

"No, not that I know of at least. I mean, the only time he could have come out was around six p.m., and I don't think he could have done anything that bad in a few hours..." Daniel continued, looking away from his brother, trying to convince himself that what he said was truth.

"I hope you're right...we don't know what he's capable of anymore, Daniel." Daniel only nodded, leaning off the car. The tense conversation had now ended and the two siblings went their separate ways.

Daniel calmly walked through the darkness back to where his silver jeep was waiting. Starting the engine, he jumped into the car to leave. Before he fully closed the door, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye hanging out of the sun visor. Pulling down the visor, a note floated down to his lap.

Hey you! Did you find my little surprise near the club? I do hope you enjoyed it, and sorry that the work was sloppy. You started to wake up so I didn't have time! Anyways, do have a good night's rest. We can't be tired for tomorrow's surprise, can we?

Daniel's hand started to shake as his eyes started to tear up. "How could he do something so...vile?!" he thought to himself. Daniel threw the paper out and started to rush home, hoping that the writer of the note didn't come out any time soon.

After a few minutes of driving, Daniel noticed something in his rearview mirror. Lights. Daniel's thoughts immediately started to panic, but he soon started to calm down as the lights disappeared, heading off onto another road.

Being that his home was still a little a bit farther, Daniel picked up the speed. Another few minutes of peace passed until Daniel took the car to a sudden stop. The reason he'd stopped his car? Someone came onto the road.

Fidgeting with his car door, Daniel finally made it out on the road. Trying to get to the front of his car as quickly as he could, he stumbled to the ground. Picking up his now hurt body, he look towards the front of the car. A man stood there, but something was wrong. His head wasn't on his neck, it was in his stomach. It was the man from the crime scene.

Daniel slowly backed up, his head shaking, "I just didn't get enough sleep, it's not him. It can't be him!" Daniel's slow steps started to turn into a run as he went back to the car. Scrambling inside, he started the car again and pushed full force on the gas.

The car jolted forward into the man, but once the car touched him he disappeared. Daniel sighed as he slowed down a bit so he wouldn't get a ticket. "He was messing with my mind again...I'm fine"

Daniel slowly, but surely, made it back to his small house without anymore disturbances. The little white house he was entering was now known as his home. His wife decided that she wanted a small house to raise their child in and this was the closest one near both of their jobs.

Daniel finally closed the door as he let out a deep breathe and ran his hands through his bright red hair, his green eyes opening wide. Daniel shrugged off his jacket and headed to his bedroom. He slowly opened the door, trying not to wake his wife. Quickly slipping into the room, he shut the door.

Only moonlight from the window lit the room. Carefully, Daniel stepped towards his sleeping wife. Her breathing was light, her chest rising and falling in time. Daniel smiled a bit and put a hand on her stomach where their baby laid.

"That's our little baby girl Ariana, she's ours..." he whispered. Daniel slowly bent down and kissed his wife's head, then dressed for bed.

Daniel slipped into the bed and wrapped his arm around her waist. This is where he belonged, with his wife and child, no where else. Sleep quickly overtook the man as he slipped into a deep sleep.

Or so he thought.

The next morning, Daniel let out a small sigh as he knew he would have to get up soon. "Better now than later," he thought. He slowly sat up and stretched, letting one of his hands run through his messy hair. But something wet caught between his hair and his hand.

Slowly bringing his hand back down, Daniel looked at the substance. It was dark red and smelled very metallic. He knew exactly what it was and his mind started to go every where.

Daniel looked towards his sleeping wife who had covered her whole body in the sheets during the night. He started to shake her, trying to wake her up.

"Ariana! Wake up!"

He pulled down the blankets and what he saw almost made him gag. His wife didn't have a head, well at least not one on her neck. Her head was sitting in her stomach, just like the man from the crime scene. After a few minutes of shock, Daniel's eyes widened. "Where's the baby?!"

He looked around the room for the supposed to be unborn. After a few seconds of crazily searching, he noticed the bathroom door was slightly opened and the lights were on. He took a few steps towards the door, then quickly opened it. The sight was unbearable, his eyes started to water.

In the sink lay his baby. He slowly stepped towards the sink, then noticed a sticky note on the mirror.

Did you like the surprise? I worked hard on this one! Now we don't have to worry about those two, do we?

Daniel slowly walked out of the bathroom, heading back to where his now dead wife laid. He kneeled down next to the bed and just sat there a few minutes. Soon tears started to pour out of his eyes, and that lead to a full blown crying session.

Suddenly he stopped and raised his head, a dead look on his face. He wiped away the tears in disgust. His eyes now dark and dull

"You're so weak Daniel. If only you had listened to me, we could have gotten along much better. But now we can do what we want, well what I want, without you being upset. You should be thanking me. You're so welcome!" A sadistic smile overtook the new man's face as he looked at the wife's dead body as if it was a piece of art.

The man now talking wasn't Daniel. No, it was someone else. This was the end, his other half was out. Daniel's gone, and Michael is here.