CHAPTER THREE

Find a beauty, the voice had said but right now, Kevin was in a whirlpool world of his own. He could not believe his eyes at what he was seeing but decided that he probably had hit his head really hard to an extent he was beginning to see things. He decided that he would get him first and get some sleep and so by the morning when he wakes up, it would all have cleared out. The time already was a quarter past eleven pm and he had managed to sneak out of the storage and made for the elevator immediately. Luckily he was the only one in there but more awkward for him was the fact that the moment he stepped out of the laboratory building, Kevin was pretty much shocked to see Jean and the other ladies. They were staring at each other's phones and gigging. He needed no soothsayer to tell him that it still was his video they were watching. 

He needed to get a cab but apparently with them standing out there, it would be really impossible for him. Kevin decided on walking away from them. He was just coming out when he tripped on a stone right outside. He managed to find his footing but the sound got their attention.

"Hey sissy hole, I thought you left already?" Jean called out to me.

He felt really ashamed of himself as he could not begin to even imagine what the rest would say as they were already laughing at him. Clearly, he was going to be the biggest joke of the century simply because of all that had transpired that night. He did not want to look at them and was not interested in seeing what the numbers in his head would have to say about Jean and her minions.

Kevin walked for a really long time quickly through the near lonely road. He could not get a cab now as it was dangerous for the cab drivers to pick up passengers in places where there were no bus stop. He surely as hell was in for the longest and most painful night of his life as he moved on quickly without stopping. Some places where he would pass had dogs that would bark into the hollow night and make to attack him. Yet, Kevin kept walking. He was very sweaty and by the time he reached his home, it was really late and his feet hurt like crazy. He was barely walking properly and then went inside through the narrow corridor.

As he tried to open his door, his nosey neighbour opened her door to peer at him with her glasses. 

"Kevin?" she called him softly.

"Hi, Mrs Potts." he greeted her with a really sad smile but then something happened. Through his exhaustion and dizziness, he was seeing numbers running and blurted out a laugh at one of her facial measurements but he was barely seeing her now. She looked confused probably at him now.

"Boy, you look like hell. Get your act together." she said and slammed her door quickly.

She must have gotten scared with how he was looking. Kevin barely noticed her go inside as all he heard was the sound of her slamming her door. She was a mature woman and lived with her husband. The old guy was a naval veteran and both their kids were married now. Kevin finally entered his room and managed to lock his door. Staggering he tried to make his way to his bedroom when he fell after tripping on his chair. He fell down right there on the spot and that was it. He was sailing smoothly to sleep in his full wears.

It was the sound of his alarm that woke him up and he sat up. Man, he reeked of sweat. He could not believe he had actually slept on his full clothes including shoes and glasses. Speaking of glasses, his pair was at one side and it seemed that one of its side had broken. This was bad and quickly he kicked away his shoes and the odor from his stocking was definitely rancid. He threw that off his foot and looked around his house, it was a mess. He was still looking around when it happened again suddenly jolting him up.

"Host awake... you have 64 hours left to find a beauty or pay the ultimate price." the voice in his head said.

Kevin gave a shout as he held his head.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" he screamed holding his head.

"Keep it down, bullocks!!!" a neighbor screamed 

He took in deep breathes as he tried to calm himself. Clearly, this thing was just not about to leave and he certainly could not go to the hospital as all his life, he dreaded the place after what happened to his mother. They eventually had sent her remains even after she died to the laboratory to be explored as she was a scientist and his father approved. That actually explained his bad blood with his father. He was working in this lab in hopes to retrieve whatever was left of her. How could be go to an hospital and explain that he was seeing things and hearing such voices. He could not and he preferred staying out here alone and minding his business.

"Hello... voice in my head. Can you hear me?" he asked softly and rather tentatively.

"Hello Kevin." It said and he nearly jumped. This had to be the most amazing thing ever.

"What's the ultimate price?" he asked.

"Death." It said.

Wait a dang minute, if this was accurate then it would mean he would die in two and a half days if be does not complete his mission. What does it matter? He was all alone. The least he could do would be to at least give it a try and see where it leads.

"Challenge accepted." Kevin said.

"Level one, first trial. Look around and talk to an intelligent girl." it said to him.

Kevin prepared rather quickly and then found glue to hold his glasses together and was out in a jiffy. He got outside and the moment he started seeing people especially women, the numbers began in percentage again. He started taking a stroll when he happened on a painting showroom. He felt the nudge within him to go inside the place which he did. There were lots of women in there and each time he looks at anyone, he could see the percentage of their beauty. 

He recalled how he looked that morning when he stared at his reflection in the mirror, his face was discolored and his lower lip broken. Not to mention his swollen nose bridge and of course, his awkward look as a full time nerd. He was not confident but he was carefully looking around for a lady he could at least try to get into a conversation when he saw one.

Her details calculated and he realized that she was at 30% beauty but 75% intelligent. He decided he would give it a trial. He walked up to her.

"Hello," he said to her. 

She turned to look at him from head to his toes before looking away like he did not exist.

"I just want to talk to you." he said to her.

"You're beautiful. Can we hang out?"

Now she glared at him.

"You know I expected that you would take your perverted self away but clearly your brain is too compact to read simple body languages. I wonder who let you in here, perv." she said angrily and walked away.

That was close and seeing people were starting to stare, Kevin decided to leave. He was just approaching the door when the voice spoke again.

"New skill unlocked. Master of painting." it said.