Control | Moon Knight

4.0

The balance between life  and death is a delicate matter. It requires perfection in order to  thrive, but in the case of Cleo Hassan, there lies a flaw. A girl born  with an incomplete soul, of whom by all rights should have entered the  afterlife, yet cheated death and gained immortal life through the  Goddess Cleopatra. Her very existence is unnatural and invites chaos.  The power she holds was meant to be a gift to honor the Macedonian  Queen, not to be given to a low-born Egyptian girl.

In  the case of Marc Spector, and by default, Steven Grant, their death was  reversed by the power of the gods, and as such, had the balance that  Cleo lacks.

She is the living, breathing embodiment of chaos.

Her sword lay underneath her bed, where it has dwelled since the battle in Cairo. Cleo has not worn her armor, nor even fought since that day. She wants desperately for a normal life, yet wakes up every morning in a pile of sand, one that grows larger every time.

Ana lays on Cleo's lap, curled up and purring as she watches a movie with Steven sitting beside her on the couch. Their eyes are locked on the screen and Steven's head rests on his girl's shoulders, each time he inhales getting a whiff of her Chanel perfume.

But as the third act begins, Ana wakes up. Her skin crawls and back arches as her eyes open. She begins yowling as her head turns to the front door of the flat, where she instantly hops off of her human's lap. Ana hisses at the wooden door, her tail straight and her ears bent.

" What's Ana trying to tell us?" Steven wonders as he lifts his head up, " Y'think she sees something? Or is she just trying to tell me to leave?"

" It's not you, my love," Cleo assures as she kisses the side of his head, " She does this sometimes."

From her spot on the couch, Cleo stands up and walks toward the front door to see what her little cat could be up to. She undoes all the locks and opens the door, but this time, Ana doesn't move. She continues hissing at the empty hall, as if staring the enemy in the face. Cleo pears out of the flat. She looks to the left, then looks to the right, only for her nostrils to flare up in disgust, prompting her to shut the door.

" Someone must have given their dog a bath," Cleo remarks as she walks back to the couch, " It stinks of wet dog."

" I didn't know dogs were allowed in the building," Steven utters with a tilted head and furrowed brows.

Cleo only shrugs off the encounter and returns her focus to the movie, for she doesn't remember what the policy is, the very policy on the lease she signed that states the only pets not allowed in the building are dogs.

As the movie continues playing, a subtle change in the atmosphere begins to take hold. The air feels heavier, as if laden with invisible tension. Cleo can't shake off the nagging feeling that something is amiss. She glances at Ana, who has resumed her place on the couch but remains alert, her eyes fixed on the hallway. An unsettling silence descends upon the flat, broken only by the faint sounds emanating from the movie. Cleo's gaze drifts to the mirror hanging on the wall opposite the couch. A shiver runs down her spine as she catches a glimpse of movement in the reflection, but when she turns to look directly, there is nothing there.

The film reaches its climax, and the tension within Cleo intensifies. She can't shake off the feeling of being watched, the prickling sensation crawling up her neck. Her mind races with questions and doubts, but she tries to dismiss them as mere paranoia. She squeezes Steven's hand, seeking reassurance in his touch, but even he seems subtly on edge. A sudden gust of wind rattles the windows, causing Cleo to jump. The lights flicker briefly before stabilizing, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Ana's ears twitch, and she emits a low growl. Cleo's heart pounds in her chest, the fear within her escalating.