A/N: Again, I'm terribly sorry for not working much on anything for the past week or so. I get extremely lazy…I start working on something…then I get bored with it and work on something else….so I have about 3 half-chapters for various projects…and today I finally got a whole chapter done….a brand new story involving stuff from my language arts classes, Yami no Matsuei…which is my favorite new anime…and just…parks in general…I love them as a setting. But anyway…if you guys want me to update anything, any story at all…or start something new…I get lazy so you have my e-mail address and just sent me an e-mail saying, "Stop being lazy and get to work, bitch!" That'll totally work…I promise. XD And I won't be offended at all…I get told I'm a bitch all the time…and it's probably true. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Yami no Matsuei, Obasan, A Good Man is Hard to Find, and wherever else these plot concepts came from. Oh, and the characters don't belong to me either…they're from star ocean. Oh noes, that leaves me with nothing:o

Killer without a face

Disappears without a trace

-Me

Another body. It was the third body of the week, the second one that same day. It all fit the maddening pattern that baffled the police. One dead on Monday, two dead on Tuesday. On Wednesday there would be three. This deadly game was played everyday with its weekly pattern and it had gone on for over three months. The police still hadn't caught the infamous Clockwork Killer. The bodies would turn up in random locations, never in the same place and never at the same time of day. They all died of different causes, some by a gunshot, some of a stab wound. A note was placed beside each body in a pale pink envelope. The note thanked the victim's family for the sacrifice and noted that an organ had been removed.

Nobody had ever seen one of the murders taking place, but everyone was paranoid. Anyone seeing anyone remotely suspicious had called the police and reported seeing the killer. The police were running ragged chasing after all the tips and they still had no idea what the killer looked like. Churches were meeting on Mondays. It was mass hysteria.

Fayt Leingod had no idea why he was walking alone in the late afternoon. He knew about the murders and it wasn't that he didn't care. He didn't want to die, but maybe he felt safe now that Tuesday's victims had both been found. But what if the murderer was already searching for Wednesdays' victims?

Fayt shivered and wrapped his coat tighter around his body. It was late autumn and the yellow leaves were swirling around the ground in the light breeze. It was quiet. Nobody was around. The silence was usually calming, but tonight it just unnerved Fayt. He cringed as the leaves crunched under his feet, breaking the overpowering quiet.

Fayt had a sudden disquieting feeling that someone was watching him. He jerked his head up and looked around swiftly. Nothing was there except the fallen red and gold leaves.

The sun was beginning to set over the park. Fayt left the sidewalk and walked across the crisp grass. He settled into a park bench and stared at the purpling sky. A faint smile crossed his face.

The wind picked up, billowing Fayt's jacket around his shoulders. He tightly crossed his arms over his chest, clamping his coat closer to his body. He huddled into the park bench for warmth. A strong gust of wind blew Fayt's bluish hair into his face. By the time he had brushed his hair out of his eyes, something had happened.

A light shone out from between the densely packed trees. It was a small light, but steady and unmoving. Fayt was deathly afraid, but at the same time, he was drawn towards it by his curiosity, a sick fascination with finding out if it was dangerous.

Fayt wove his way through the trees, nervously looking around the trees for anything out of place. He was surprised to have stumbled out of the forest and into a small clearing. He cautiously walked into the open space to examine the small run-down shack in the middle of the clearing.

"Ah, you're here," a masculine voice whispered behind him.

Fayt whirled around and pressed himself up against the shack, his eyes wide with fear. No one had been around for miles. Where had he come from?

The man stepped forward, indifference to Fayt's fear in his crimson eyes. "I live her you know. You're trespassing." He gave Fayt's trembling form a sharp look.

"S-sorry," Fayt whispered, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. "I won't bother you anymore. I-I'll go right now!" Fayt turned to escape but the stranger caught his wrist.

"You're not leaving," he said in a low threatening tone. The deepening twilight created sinister shadows across his face.

Fayt yelped. "No, let me go! Don't kill me! He started to struggle.

The hand tightened around his wrist. "Who said anything about killing you?"

"But…you're the Clockwork Killer, aren't you?" Fayt's forehead creased with confusion.

"Of course I am," the man said pleasantly. "But I won't kill you, at least not yet. You're going to entertain me first." He pushed Fayt towards the door.

Fayt screamed and clawed at the killer ineffectually. He merely frowned and showed Fayt against the wall. "Don't fight me or it'll be so much worse for you. If you cross me, I'll make you wish that I had killed you outright."

Fayt tensed as the killer pinned him against the side of the shack with his body. The man lifted Fayt's arms above his head and tied them to a lantern on the above the porch.

He stepped back and examined Fayt with a slight tilt of his head. "Beautiful. I might keep you like that forever."

"No!" Fayt wailed. "You'll burn my arm off!"

"Too bad," The killer snarled. "You submitted to me when you took up my invitation."

"What invitation?" Fayt asked fearfully.

The killer looked surprised. He pulled a small postcard out of his black trench coat and waved it in Fayt's face. "You didn't get this?"

"No, I just felt like taking a walk tonight and the light made me curious." He tried his best to glare fiercely at his captor, despite the helplessness of the situation. "I think yu have the wrong person."

He killer smiled wickedly. "No, you're definitely the right one. And for me to call you even without an invitation…it's even better than I expected. You were drawn here, weren't you?"

Fayt sighed in defeat. "Yes, I suppose so. I was curious. I didn't know there was a house here before."

The murderer smiled. "There wasn't. And there won't be one after I'm done. It's all part of the wonderful plan. Now, I'll let you come inside with me and if you behave yourself, I won't have to use my chains to keep you confined. Rope hurts less." He chuckled appreciatively at Fayt's fearful shiver.

The killer tugged Fayt down from the lamp, his wrists still bound tightly. He smirked at the small burn mark on Fayt's arm. "Such a shame to mar such beautiful skin. But it's all your fault anyway." He tugged viciously on the rope. "Let's get inside before I change my mind."