DEAD2: Confessions of a Killer

by meepsie

Prequel to DEAD. The story behind the murderer. Tells the tale of one quite night in one quiet house when one girl got involved with the wrong man.

Confessions of a Killer

Dedicated to:

Rebecca Rowland

For inspiring the title of the story and for always putting up with me.

Mrs J Norman

For teaching me about framed narrators in my English lessons.

Danielle Segar

For inspiring parts of the story and for convincing me to continue writing.

Taylor

For being such an avid reader and supporting me in all of my writing.

Chapter 1

I have worked in this business now for eighteen years and I have never heard of a man so horrific! Today I have been assigned to a special project, an investigation into what happened on the night of the 13th October 1998. It has been over a year since the incident but we finally caught the culprit. A man aged in his late forties. A repulsive and despicable man who took the lives of 5 young girls in the most disgusting ways!

"Taylor, you're with Crawford on this." My Super states. I agree reluctantly, inside I am cringing! Crawford is forceful and nasty and I believe that isn't how we will get the truth from this guy. I believe it will be a long and hard process but still eventually it will spill from him. Unfortunately, Crawford is impatient and doesn't like hard work. It will be difficult but I will manage. If we get this guy to tell us what happened then it might mean a promotion for me.

"Taylor, he's ready for you." Another officer pats my back and continues, "Good luck!"

"Thanks." I reply though I really don't think I'll need luck. I need a miracle!

I enter the interview room which is white with a large one way mirror built into the right wall. There is a CCTV camera in the left top corner just in case. The forty-eight year old man sits silently in the chair behind the desk which holds the tape cassette and my notebook. His hands are cuffed behind his back like all criminals we hold in this room however he is also cuffed to the chair which has been nailed to the floor for security purposes. I lock the door behind me. If I need assistance then the men in the room through the mirror have keys to get inside. They will be watching our every move so that Crawford and I are safe. I notice Crawford stood against the wall near the door facing the murderer with his arms folded and a strange glimmer in his eyes. He himself has three teenage daughters, two of which are now the same age as the ones this guy murdered. I worry he will take things this guy says personally.

The guy is only forty-eight. I am ten years younger then him and looking so much better then him! His aged face has deep set wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. Obviously he was a smoker, probably still is by the look of his yellow fingers and teeth. His hair makes him look about sixty because it is totally grey as if he was born with white hair. He is also starting to become bald. His eyes are very striking, as is his skin. Both are extremely pale. He nearly looks like an Albino.

I sit down opposite him and Crawford joins me. There's a long pause before I eventually start the tape recorder and I begin by stating the time and who is being interviewed like how we were trained all those many years ago. I pause looking directly at the man. He isn't looking at either of us but is staring at the tape slowly turning around in its case. I continue.

"We have strong evidence which places you at the scene of the crime, do you mind telling us what happened that night?" He doesn't answer but blinks and continues staring. Crawford sniffs.

"Mr Stafford. It's pointless refusing to speak. We already know you were there. Without your confession it'll be life-imprisonment. If you'd been caught in the next state, it would've been the chair so count yourself lucky and work with us! Mr Stafford?" Nothing. I try a different tactic but nothing works, he never looks up but watches the tape recorder, continuously spinning.

We're in there for at least three hours before Crawford blows! That's pretty good for him.

"Talk! This damn charade won't last long! You can't stay quiet forever!" He pauses and sits back down. He places his nose between his fore-finger and thumb. "I need a cup of coffee, you want anything Paul?" I glare at him, I didn't want this man to know my name but now thanks to Crawford, he does! I answer through gritted teeth.

"No thank you."

"Okay." He says unaware of my mood towards him. He stands and walks from the room. I watch him leave and then make a note of his absence on the tape. When I look back at the man I see his cold dead eyes are staring straight at me. They are startlingly white as if he was blind even though tests show he has perfect sight. It gets better in the dark. I recoil slightly. He smirks, this unsettles me.

"Why did you murder those girls?" I have asked this question twelve times already and I don't expect him to answer but he does.

"Children are easy targets." He states in a low and rather creepy voice. I'm taken aback. This is the first thing he's said today. It's the first thing about the murders he has said at all! Maybe I am finally going to get some answers! He blinks.

"So are you admitting that you killed those girls?" I ask slowly. He doesn't answer and I become slightly frustrated. I was so close!

"You murdered Anne Thatchet, Louise Parson, Penny Lou Samper, Charlotte Brookes and Nicola Harper on the 13th October 1998. Did you not?" I persist. Crawford sits next to me, I didn't notice him even entering but I did identify the shift in the man's posture. He is now looking back down at the tape. I make another note of Crawford's presence and then try a completely new tactic which I think he wasn't expecting. Crawford is of course confused as he always is when it's not full on questioning.

"Your first name is Michael right?" I ask

He nods.

"May I call you Mike?"

"I prefer Mickey." He says quietly.

"Okay Mickey. As you already know my name is Paul and this is Collin." He glares at me the same way I glared at him and this makes me smirk inside. Serves him right.

"So now that we all know each other a little better there's no reason to keep any secrets from each other, right?" I know I'll regret saying that. "So why don't you tell us-" I'm cut off by Crawford.

"What will this accomplish!" He angrily asks forcing himself not to have another little outburst.

"Nothing. I won't tell him what happened that night." Mickey says. There's a long pause.

"What do you mean by that?" Crawford asks bitterly.

He doesn't reply again but I know in my gut that if I get rid of Crawford then we'll have the truth about that night. We need to speak to the Super about this. I am about to stop the tape when he speaks again.

"You have children don't you Collin?" He sneers as he says Crawford's name.

Crawford remains silent but grits his teeth.

"I'm guessing two or three." I am confused, how could he possibly know that? "Where as you," he looks at me, "you don't have any kids yet. A wife. You have a wife though... Maybe."

"Yes." Crawford stares at me wide-eyed. "I have a girlfriend who I am going to ask to be my wife. How could you know that?"

"I didn't, I got yours wrong. But not yours…" His sentence trails off. His attention is back on Crawford. "You're still married with… three children and your marriage is going through a rough patch but you're staying together for the children's sake." Crawford exhales deeply and storms out the room. I stop the recording aptly and exit the room too, but not before getting a glimpse of Mickey's broad grin which stretches across his face evilly. He is beginning to really creep me out!

I find Crawford in the toilets taking deep breaths in and out leaning over the sink as if he was going to be sick. I make my way over to him and ask him if he's alright.

"Alright! Alright? That man knows everything about my family! What if he escapes and kills them?" He's panicking. "I can't do this, I'm sorry Paul but I'm going to pull out of the questioning."

"Its okay, it's understandable. We'll have to clear it with the super mind." He agrees and we make our way to his office and ask him. I feel like I'm back in school asking the Headmaster for something! I'm praying in my mind that he will allow me to investigate this alone and funnily enough he does! I asked for a miracle and I got one! From now on this investigation is all mine and I believe things are looking up. It'll get the answers we need!

Chapter 2

It's been three days since last seeing him and when I walk into the interview room alone he looks extremely happy.

"Where's Collin?" He asks smirking.

"He pulled out of the investigation for his own reasons."

"Aw… shame." He says sarcastically. I'm beginning to really like this guy but alarm bells ring in the back of my mind. I sit across from him and begin the tape saying what has to be said before asking my first question.

I ask, "Do you want to explain what happened that night of October 1998?"

"I don't think we know each other well enough yet."

"Huh?"

"Well you know nearly everything on me but I only know two things about you. It's a little unfair don't you think?"

"I guess so but it's my job to research you. And it would be unwise for me to tell you personal things on myself." I reply.

"But you told me things three days ago. What's changed now?"

"I read up on the rules." I reply smiling sarcastically at him. I sit back in the uncomfortable metal chair. He smirks back happily I know what I am doing is unprofessional but I prefer to go for the 'good cop' way of things with this guy instead of just interrogating him. I don't believe full-on questioning will work with him; he's the type of person who will just become more and more stubborn.

Hours pass and we just chat, like we are long departed friends who have just met up after years of separation. I have found out nothing new about him. Maybe this technique isn't working. Maybe I should try being the bad cop. But then again it is not in my nature to act like that. I wouldn't know what to say or say so I stick with what I'm already doing.

"Nah, I just had a shit childhood"

My ears pick up. His childhood; maybe we can learn something more from this. I don't want to sound too cop-like but I try to encourage him to carry on.

He laughs, "So I've finally got your full attention."

"You had it before too, now please continue…" I'm desperate to know more, and I know it's obvious but I don't care.

"Fine. My mother was a whore, literally, I was a bastard child and I've never known my father. I bet he's long gone now though. I don't give a shit about him anyway!

"My mother once brought this man back to the flat when I was six and they had sex in the room next to mine, then afterwards he paid her and just left. I had heard everything and it made me sick. She just gave me a hug and went straight to bed. I couldn't sleep properly for weeks afterwards and every time she touched me I felt unclean. She eventually just stopped noticing me altogether, she didn't care. Around the age of nine I had to cook for myself and I even tried to find work but who in their right mind would employ a nine year old? Times were shitty but we managed. I helped as much as I could but it was never enough. My mother began drinking just after I turned ten so all our money was going to her damn alcoholic beverages, we were soon seen as outcasts and had to move. But we had no where to go so we went to a hostel which was one of the worst places I've ever spent time in. I was about eleven and mum was still drinking and sleeping around for cash. The place we lived in only had the one room, so whilst she was… busy, I had to wait either in the public lounge or the outside in the pitiful garden and afterwards, I was forced to sleep in the same bed as my mother and the previous guys excretions. I fell in with a bad crowd and began drinking myself. That's also when I began smoking." He pauses for a long time keeping his eyes low as if ashamed.

"And then one night when I was twelve, nearly thirteen, my mother brings home this drunken old guy and they crawl into the bed I'm already sleeping in. I felt then together, in – in each other. I crawled out of the bed and hid in the closet until it was over. But then the closet doors opened and the guy was stood there. He smiled the most awful grin at me. It still sends shivers through me to this very day. He took my hand and threw me on to the bed next to my unconscious mother. He climbed on top of me and I cried, I wailed for someone to come and help, I screamed for my mother to wake up and make it stop. He went in rectally and all I remember is the feeling and the pain and the screams which echoed through the night." He stops again. I'm speechless.

"He left without paying. The cunt. My mother never knew what had happened that night. I could never bring myself to tell her, I felt so contaminated. I began to develop anger problems and mum stopped bringing guys home with her but began solvent abuse and self-harm. I got angrier and angrier until on day it just burst out of me… I killed her."

"You killed your own mother!"

"I poisoned her with weed killer. I poured it in her drink one night, studied her as she wolfed it down without a care in the world and then watched intently as her fragile body slowly thrived in pain and her soul ceased to exist. It felt so good. So thrilling! Everyone just assumed it was a drug overdose; there was no autopsy, just a quick burial which I was told I couldn't attend. I was fifteen. They believed I was too pathetic, too innocent." He squints his eyes in disgust however there in a small notion of sadness deep in the back of his eyes. As the seconds pass the look of sadness grows on his face until his features are over-whelmed with the look. He speaks once more in a very quiet tone, "there's not a day goes by that I regret killing her… I just couldn't stand it anymore."

I splash cold water on my hot face. I rub my eyes and blow the excess water from my mouth. He murdered his own mother! And he admitted it. We had no idea he had done that as well. He had now unknowingly lengthened his sentence, and even if he said nothing about the 1998 murders we still had this evidence to keep him locked up for life! At least now we know exactly what he is capable of and also, he is more likely to talk now that he has shared this information with me.

When I eventually return to the interview room he is staring at the paused cassette tape singing a soft lullaby to himself.

"What is the lullaby you are singing?"

"It's what she sang." By this I am guessing he means his mother but the way he said it suggests someone else.

"Who?" I ask. He doesn't reply.

That was the last thing he said to me that day except for when the police officers were returning him to his cell.

He called back to me from the corridor, "don't forget the tune Paul, it's important that you don't forget the tune."

I was fully intrigued by this comment and spent all that night memorising what he had sung.

I feel my girlfriend in my arms and a sharp pain in my stomach. I grunt slightly. She is elbowing me awake.

"What?" I grumble drowsily.

"You're humming in your sleep."

"What?"

"Humming. Some strange lullaby tune or something." I remain silent, worried that the tune is revisiting me in my sleep.

"Paul?" She asks concern dripping down her throat, "are you okay?"

I nod and hug her tightly finding more comfort in it myself then she does, "I'm fine," I try to control the wobble in my voice. "I'll try and be quiet so that you can sleep. I love you."

"Love you too." She yawns and within minutes is back off to sleep, snoring quietly through her nose. I try to concentrate on her rather then the strange little niggling feeling of fear which is crawling around inside my head.

Chapter 3

I yawn and excuse myself. I got very little sleep last night after the whole Mickey is very quiet today. I think something happened to him last night that he is not happy with.

"What's wrong Mickey?" I ask.

"How long have you and your girlfriend been going out for?" He changes the subject.

I pause. "Just under a year."

"And when were you going to propose?"

"On our first year anniversary."

"How did you two first meet?"

"Um…" I have to think about that "It was outside a Nursery. She was picking up her friends kid when he ran out into the road. I saved him. She asked me for a cup of coffee and we just clicked."

"So really you were her savour?"

"I guess so." I'm beginning to realise what I am doing.

"And what would she do if she knew you were answering all these questions?"

There's a long pause between us. I'm very cautious now. I realise just what I have and regret every word of it!

"Hey," he laughs, "you were the one who said no need to keep secrets from each other."

I wince. I just knew that was going to come back and bite me in the behind!

"I'm uncomfortable with the amount of questions you are asking."

"When's your birthday?"

I do not answer.

"What's your star sign?"

I remain silent.

"What are your sexual fantasies?"

I'm shocked. Why would he want to know something as private as that?

"Come on, I answer the questions you ask me. Why not vice versa?"

"Because I am a police officer under the law and you are a criminal up for questioning!" I can not hold back my rage. He grins at me. He knows he has gotten under my skin and he likes it. That must be his game. To play with people's minds. He's not just a murderer. He's a psychopath!

"Okay then, I'll make you a deal. If you answer one question bout yourself then I'll tell you about the girls. I'll tell you everything. My motifs, my choice of weapons, my secret desires. Everything." He drags the last word out to emphasize the meaning of it.

The gap now is at an unbearable length. I consider his proposal deeply.

"The truth?"

"The hole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God!" He's deadly serious. I consider it more.

"Okay." I nod. "One question for every single detail."

He smiles and pretends to think though it is clear he has already set a question ready for me in his mind.

"Ah, I have one." He smirks at me, "what is your deepest and darkest fear?"

That's it? I expected something much more gory or unexpected at least! I could easily lie about this. However he seems to read my eyes because he tells me that if he is going to tell the truth then I must too. So I tell him.

"Being buried alive. Or drowning."

He beams at me giddily. "Great!"

"Now it's your turn. What happened that night that you murdered the five girls on Starling Street?"

"No no no. A story always starts at the beginning, you can't just skip to the good bits otherwise it would make no sense." He stops me, I cringe when he says 'good bits'. He stares at me for a bit waiting for me to prompt him to start.

"Go ahead."

"She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her silky long blonde hair, her slender figure and perfect face, her beautiful emerald eyes, her magnificent long legs and of course, her remarkable smile. She had the voice of an angel. Charlotte really was the perfect woman. True she was only 16 and I 47 but age doesn't matter. Not when you get to my age anyway.

The first time I met her was around the 31st of July. We met over a chat room, I knew that she was 16 and she knew that I was 47. We were totally honest with each other. She told me the area that she lived in and I did the same, we were practically at each others doorsteps so I suggested that we meet up. It was nothing to be suspicious of, just two good friends deciding to meet each other and perhaps watch a movie at the cinema. She seemed uncertain so I told here that there was no rush and she could take however much time she wanted to reply with an answer. If she wasn't comfortable with it then we could meet at a completely different time. She agreed to that and so life went on. I found a new routine for my life. Straight after work I would go to the computer to check if she was online, I was beginning to become obsessed and I knew it but I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't stop thinking about her, what she looked like, what her personality in person was like, if we'd get along as well as we did over the internet. I was anxious to say the least but she made me feel welcome when I was talking to her. She made me happy and made me feel as if I was normal and wanted.

Then one night she sent me a message saying "I want to see you…now!" She soon went offline and I had no chance to ask her where. So I thought of everything we had spoken about and she had often spoken about her friends and the park down and around the corner from her house. I knew the park well so I grabbed my coat and headed straight out. It was a warm summer night and as the fireflies danced around I felt a strong emotion was over me. I was about to meet Charlotte, I wasn't nervous, I wasn't worried about my appearance, I was filled with a strange emotion instead. It was an emotion that I had never really felt before. Fulfilment. I was about to meet the girl who made me feel complete. That's when the apprehension kicked in.

I immediately made my way to the play area. She had stated that she and her friends often went there to hang out so I thought it might be the first place she'd go. It was.

As I sat solemnly on the swing looking across to the graffiti-covered slide a girl of 16 came out from behind the full summer trees. She was dazzling. Her long bright blonde hair shone in the last remaining light and tears fell from her beautiful emerald eyes. I slowly rose to my feet in an awkward stance, scared of what to say to her. She wiped a tear from her rosy cheeks and came to a stop in front of me. I was just about to introduce myself formally when she whispered in a sad and delicate voice.

"Can I stay at your place tonight Mickey?"

I agreed of course. I wasn't about to leave this goddess of beauty who had obviously decided to run away from home to sleep in the park like a common day tramp. I took a small bag from her that I suspected held the things most important to her, placed a comforting arm around her shoulders and took her back to my house. It was a mess and I had to sort out my room before I could even let her into the actual house. I left her in the porch whilst I sorted everything out.

"You can have my bed; I'll sleep on the couch tonight. Are you hungry? Do you want me to make you a meal? I'm not very good at cooking but a micro-waved meal will be fine wont it?" I joked trying to cheer her up. She giggled quietly not even looking my way once. I knew what she was thinking. Was this a big mistake? Should I really be here? Will he send me back to my parents? But I had no intention of making her do something she didn't want to do. It was her choice and if she wished to stay in my house for more then one night then she was more then welcome to! I wasn't going to stop her from doing something she wanted to do. I wasn't her father, I was her friend. She understood that, no one else does though.

We spent that night watching ITV's programmes which I never usually watched but I did it for Charlotte because she was upset and I wanted her to be happy. The beginning uncomfortable feelings soon disappeared and I never breached the conversation of why she had run away afraid that she might have returned to the saddened and scared state she had arrived in. I loved the time we spent together but that night as she slept quietly in my bed I found that I couldn't get to sleep. It wasn't just the sofa, I had slept on it before, but it was Charlotte. The thoughts that entered my head. I couldn't stop myself. I lay awake all night just thinking of her. It was a long night, but not the longest in my life.

Chapter 4

The following morning brought new sun and new company. Of course it was still Charlotte but over night she had changed, transformed. When I woke up I heard pans and dishes cluttering in the kitchen. My back ached but I ignored the pain. Curious to know what the noises were I slowly made my way towards it and when I opened it, I found Charlotte still in her night clothes cooking bacon, eggs and toast. Not only for herself but for me too. I had wanted to save the bacon for later in the week but I was so surprised and happy by the gesture that I found myself uncaring of it. I stood in the doorway in utter shock for a while until she turned around and saw me.

"Hi Mickey. I'm making you breakfast. I'm sorry for not asking first but I wanted it to be a surprise." She poked the eggs and continued, "and by the look on your face I at least got one thing right." A warm place inside of me began to bubble with glee. She stated, "I just wanted to show how thankful I am that you let me stay last night! I was so caught up in my own world that I never thought of you having to look after a teenage girl. I'm sorry." She served the food and I finally moved from the doorframe to the table. She sat opposite me and in the early morning sunlight I couldn't help but note just how flawlessly beautiful she was. We ate and talked and eventually she told me that she'd be returning home after her school day finished. I was disappointed but remained neutral in the matter. I actually suggested that she go home in the morning but she refused saying that she wanted her parents to worry, to suffer. I didn't argue even though I should have, because I knew what she meant!

So we said our goodbyes and she promised that she would visit again and we would meet under less stressful issues and I laughed and she left and that was that. We would continue to talk on the chat room but I was sure she would never return to my house. Well at least that's what I thought.

It was the same bright day around 5:00pm when I heard the message on my computer. It was her. She was asking if she could stay over again. I agreed ad told her to meet me at my place. I did a quick search around the house for anything undesirable and binned it. She arrived within minutes. Crying, fully packed for a long stay. I opened my arms to her and she placed her head on my chest. It felt so right being with her. We were meant to be together. I knew it, she knew it and as I held her an overwhelming feeling of love descended upon me. I knew deep down in my heart that no matter how much people sneered at us being together, it was meant to be. We fitted together like a jigsaw!

I helped her with her stuff and I finally braved the question I had feared to say. What had happened? She at first stated that she didn't want to talk about it so I left it at that however soon she sighed and began her story.

"There's this boy at school called Joe and he's in the 'cool crowd' and I really like him but he never notices me. Except one day I wore some make-up and he noticed me but my dad had a go at me saying I was too young to be wearing make-up and I was just like what the fuck dad? I'm sixteen years old, I know swear words, I think about stuff that I shouldn't think about, all the other girls in my year wear it and it's really none of your fucking business so piss off! I didn't actually say this to him but I did argue back and he grounded me 'cause he was angry with me. I wasn't really bothered by that, I told my friends Nicola and Penny and they said they'd help me so for the next couple of weeks I did what I was told and played being the 'good girl' for a while until I gained his trust again. When he ungrounded me I asked if I could go to Penny's sleepover party and he said sure but we were actually going to Joe's friends' eighteenth birthday party. He would never have let me go if I told him the truth!

"So yeah, my dad dropped me off at Penny's and Nicola and Louise joined us there. Louise brought all the make-up and Nicola brought all the hair stuff and we got ready and Penny let me borrow a kinda slutty silk dress of hers and I looked so good and then when we arrived at the party Joe greeted us with his friend John, whose birthday it was, and he said we all looked nice and he let us in and we all went our different ways and the Anne came over to me and said that Joe was checking me out and I was so happy so I played it cool and he eventually came over. He said I looked hot and I blushed and he said it was cute when I blushed and I was so giddy! He gave me a glass of some kind of alcohol, I'm not sure what it was but it burnt my tongue. Then we went to sit on the sofa but it was crammed full so we went outside and sat on the stoop. We chatted for ages and things were getting more intense between us and he was so close to me that I could feel his heartbeat and I was slightly tipsy. But then my dad's car pulled up outside the house. It was a catastrophe! He brought all my friends back home and told their parents and I was so embarrassed and I screamed at him when I got back, that's when I came to yours."

She paused and wiped a tear from her eyes.

"And then today when I got back my mum hugged me but he shouted at me and called me a slut and unholy and said that I could never go out ever again and I cried and shouted at him and he said I was a selfish bitch and he slapped me so… I'm back here. Please let me stay over the weekend. I don't want to ever see him again! I promise I'll sort myself a place to stay after this weekend but I just need to stay somewhere while I sort myself out. I'm so sorry Mickey."

There was a silence between us. Then I hugged her close to me and let her weep in my arms as I quietly said, "You can stay as long as you like. I don't mind."

Friday night we spent it watching movies. We sat together on the sofa like a couple does, she sat in my arms. Holding hands. I got an erection but managed to keep it under control. It wasn't until midnight when we finally retired to my bed. I didn't sleep in it of course but she did and I lay out a small pile of sheets for my own bed. When she was asleep I sat up and watched her. She was so peaceful!

The following day I let her go out with her friends saying she could stay out as long as she wanted to. Still when she was leaving she turned to me and asked,

"Are you sure?"

I replied, "Yes! I'm not your father! Now piss off." She smiled at me and I smiled back. It was a strange relationship we shared but one that I cherished. I always felt happy around her. And I even worried when she didn't come back before midnight. It was five past one before she returned slightly tipsy. I welcomed her in pretending I had been watching the end of a film and not worrying about her.

She was a bit drunk and slurred, "Aww you were worried 'bout me, weren'cha?" whilst clinging on to me for support. She fell asleep on the sofa so I took her upstairs and placed her gently on my bed. She felt so fragile in my arms like a beautiful crystal.

The next morning she woke up with a hangover so I gave her some paracetamol and left her to recover but all the time that we were apart I was thinking of her. The hangover ceased before lunchtime so we ate lunch together. She received a text message and then giggled to herself. She glanced up at me and cautiously asked,

"There's another party tonight and Joe asked for me to come. Can I go?"

I rolled my eyes and replied that she could do whatever the hell she wanted but the truth behind my eyes was that I knew that he was bad news. Sure I was jealous, he was her age and he obviously had the charm and the looks for her to like him but he would never be good enough for her! She clapped her hands together excitedly and said she'd be going Louise's around ten o'clock. I said fine and cleared up. I didn't see her for another hour until she came rushing down the stairs in a blind panic. She said she had nothing to wear and stressed over the fact that she'd be going to the party in something they'd all seen before. I didn't see what she was fussing so much about, I don't know whether that was because I am a man or just because she is a teenager but it seemed to really matter to her so I smiled at her and suggested we went shopping. She agreed.

So we hopped on the bus and went to the Mall and it took a very long time for her to pick something she liked. We spent at least half an hour in every shop we went in, me sat in the waiting area as Charlotte chose whether or not she actually liked the dress she had picked to try on. Eventually however we found something she liked and I ended up buying her a pink clubbing top which was long enough to pass as a dress. She hugged me and we returned back to my house by bus again. She rushed straight back upstairs whilst I made our dinner. I called her down and she already looked fantastic to me! And to think she was going to beautify herself more when she went to her friends' house. We sat together and silently ate our dinners. It wasn't until much later that night that something of any… interest, happened.

Chapter 5

I had stayed up all night busying myself until she came home. I was tired but the nerves kept me awake. I wanted her to come home safely and in one piece. I was just about to make another cup of coffee when I heard the front door slam shut. It was three o'clock in the morning and I knew it was definitely Charlotte. So I ran out into the hallway.

There she stood; leaning across the door with tears rolling down her face ruining her overused. A rip down the right side of her new top as if someone had grabbed her and torn it. Her hair was frizzy from the rain nonetheless even in her manner of distraught, to me, she still looked beyond beautiful! She ran into my arms and tears fell on to my chest soaking my shirt.

I took her into the living room and sat with her on the couch. She held me tightly and my heart raced in my chest. I cooed softly to her trying to calm her down and eventually her sobs ceased and all that was left was a tired, sad girl making little sniffing sounds every now and then

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" I asked.

She nodded and began her story, "He used me, he only wanted to have sex with me but I wouldn't let him and then he became all nasty with me and said that I was a self-centred, gullible bitch and a daddy's girl and a wannabe slag and I stormed off but he chased after me and forced me against the wall. I hit him but he was so strong and he forced his tongue down my throat and I felt sick and when he eventually pulled away I told him so he stepped back but I threw up all over him which made me feel better but now I feel so rough and I felt dead dizzy. He told everyone and they all laughed at me so I ran away from there. He's a dick and I hate him and I hate all boys!" She paused and looked up at me. "You've been so kind to me. Why can't everyone be like you?" She hugged me again and I lightly kissed her head without her noticing thinking to myself: I knew this would happen. I shouldn't have let her go but then if she hadn't she wouldn't have learnt anything.

Eventually I told her that she should brush her teeth and have a shower and then go straight to bed and get some rest. She agreed and left me alone to control my thoughts on the downstairs sofa. I heard the tap running as she brushed her teeth. And then the shower being turned on and the curtain being drawn and then there was a long silence before I heard a faint calling. Charlotte was calling me. I ran upstairs without haste and flung the bathroom door open. Before I knew it I was staring at Charlotte's delicate, fragile, smooth body. She stood in the centre of the bathroom fully naked without a care in the world. I wondered for a moment if she was drunk but she steadily made her way towards me and learnt up to whisper in my ear.

"Shower with me." I stared at her. I felt so many different emotions during that minute that I stood there before I suddenly felt Charlotte's hands on my body and it snapped me from my trance. She had unbuttoned my shirt and was now slipping it from my torso. She began to undo the buckle on my belt so I helped her and slid from my pants and my underwear. Suddenly we were both there. Stood naked with each other, staring deep into each others eyes, as if all time around us had stopped. I was worried, excited, nervous, happy, confused and joyful in one second.

She took my hand and walked me into the shower. The water rained down on us soothing my beating heart and heaving chest. She placed her delicate hands on my waist whilst moving one step closer. I looked down at her in shock. I couldn't believe this was going to happen. She was so young and innocent and that appealed to me! Her eyes were fixed just like her mind was. It was obvious that nothing I said or did would stop her. So I didn't try. I let her move closer again and she leant up to kiss my cheek. I stood motionless, still in shock but when her lips touched my skin something within me took over my mind. I knew what was happening and what I was doing was wrong but it felt so right, like it was meant to be. I placed my hands either side of her face, pulled her head towards mine and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She kissed back and moved her hands around the small of my back. I moved my hands down her back and began to kiss her neck. The water streaming down on my face scolded the thoughts within me. I heard her sigh slightly from pleasure and I continued down until my hands were on her behind. She wrapped her legs around my waist. I held her up and decided to move it into the bedroom. I turned the shower off and carried her to the bedroom where I gently placed her on the end of my double bed. I pulled away looking at her again. She didn't look scared. She looked determined and most of all, happy. She lay down placing her arms above her head and I climbed on top of her. I kneeled at the end of the bed with her legs in between mine and looked at her again. Her body was so perfect. Her figure was perfect. Everything about her was perfect.

She sat up with concern filling her eyes. One hand was placed on my cheek whilst the other held her up. We kissed again and together fell on to the bed. I knew what was coming so I tried to make it as painless as possible. I didn't want to hurt her or force myself on to her. I heard her gasp deeply, sucking air in through her clenched teeth, her nails sinking in to the flesh on my back. I slowed the process down but continued in to her. A low whimper escaped her lips as she scrunched her eyes tightly. I didn't know whether to stop or not but then a small smile played gracefully on her lips and a groan of delight danced into the air. She relaxed and I continued, constantly wary of her movements. If I was too rough with her or whether or not I hurt her. Her arms moved down either side of me to my behind which she clutched and forced me to fuck her. I was glad that she wanted this and that she was telling me that she wanted this otherwise I would have stopped. She wailed with excitement as I made love to her, gently at first as not to hurt her and then harder until I was at my usual pace. She wrapped her legs around mine and screamed my name. I enjoyed myself so much. She took her hands from my behind and placed them on the back of my neck again. We kissed forcefully, our tongues playing together in the excitement of it all. It was then my turn to gasp as she bit bottom lip gently and smiled at me. I smiled back at her and then she moved slightly and nibbled on my ear. I rolled my eyes with delight and continued. She was a virgin I could tell by her inexperience but she did it so well. We moved onto other things. We each moved down each others bodies. She kissed mine and messed with my chest hair until she reached the bottom. She looked at me because she didn't know what to do so I talked her through it. I gasped and clung to the sides of the bed as my toes curled and uncurled with the pleasurable feeling that rushed all through my body. After I came I couldn't move for a couple of minutes as I regained my consciousness from the joy-filled heaven I had just been in. She returned from the bathroom looking worried, I laughed and told her that it was perfect. She smiled at me and sat on the edge of the bed. I looked up at her and whispered in her ear that it was her turn. For the first time that night, she looked scared. I soothed her gently with my voice, holding her in my hands, kissing her chest gently, slowly moving down her body feeling her tense more and more with each kiss that I gave her. I reached the bottom and searched her with my tongue. I felt her grab the railings at the other end of the bed and heard her gasp heavily again. She remained tense until I had finished when I slowly made my way back up her body, finishing by kissing her on the lips. We stayed in the bedroom until the early morning light. She lay in my arms and I held my lover tenderly.

Everything seemed so perfect. How was I to know what catastrophe lay ahead?

Chapter 6

I lay quietly remembering and smiling to myself about what happened. A sudden rush of pleasure flew through me causing my mouth to form a large smile and my eyes to snap open. It was then that I realised something was wrong. My arms were empty; Charlotte was no longer lying on my chest, she had gone completely and I heard no noise from downstairs. The house was completely empty. I knew it deep down but I was in denial.

I pushed the heavy duvet to one side, leaping out of bed; I rushed to the door and searched every room of the house shouting out for Charlotte to reply if she was still there. But I heard no reply and found no traces of her still being there. It was then that my mind would let me accept the fact that she had gone.

Instead of my futile attempts to chase her down in the house which of course she was not in, I ran straight to the computer in attempt to catch her online. However she wasn't on – not that I had expected her to be – so I sat until lunchtime at which I made myself a quick sandwich to kill the hunger which raged through my body. I then went straight back to the computer and waited until 5 o'clock when she came online.

I clicked on her name and immediately typed.

"Where are you?"

There was a very long pause. Then she typed.

"This is her friend Louise, I dunno who you are or what you did to Charti but why don't you piss off and leave her alone?"

I suddenly found myself writing, "look here young lady!" I was just about to type more when I realised what I had just sent. There was an extremely long pause as I guessed Louise was drilling Charlotte for information on me. Then without warning I received an email and Charlotte went offline. I sat bewildered before deciding to open the email I had received only moments ago.

It lay before me on the screen. Saying:

"Mickey. I am so sorry for running away from you like that but when I woke up in your bed… in your arms I was so scared of what would happen if anyone found out what we'd done. If my dad finds out he'll kill you for sure and I'm sorry but we can't continue like this. What we did was wrong and you could go to prison for it. We need to stop talking. It's the only way that this will work. I won't reply to you if you talk to me online again. I'm sorry but that is just how it is supposed to be.

Charlotte x"

I stared at the digital page for only seconds before a tear fell across my face. After what had happened last night I thought that she loved me. Surely she still did, because as she had said in the email, I could go to prison for having sex with an underage girl so she was only trying to protect me. But I didn't need protecting. I needed her, and that night, I could dare sleep. Instead I spent the whole night planning how I could see her again. Possibly speak to her if she would let me. I could hang around the playground next Friday and wait until she arrived with her friends after school like she had said she regularly did. Or I could visit the two schools nearby to see if she attended either of them. I doubted either of these would work therefore I tried neither but sat in front of the computer screen for hours on end. Day after day. Only leaving when absolutely necessary.

I spent about three days following this unusual pattern and order of things. My old routine was completely shattered and I found myself not going to work any longer. A warning came to my house but I ignored it. Charlotte was more important. After another 3 days a new letter was found in my mailbox, it was my last and final warning. I thought deeply about this and decided that I couldn't lose my job otherwise I wouldn't be able to pay for the luxuries in my life. My house would eventually be repossessed and my belongings taken from me to repay my debt. Therefore the following day I put on my work shirt and went. However all day my mind was on Charlotte and I made many mistakes that I was called to the bosses office. He asked me if I needed time to 'regroup myself' and I agreed knowing that if I let this continue any longer then I would eventually be fired anyway!

So I had one week vacation time and all I did was sit by my computer praying that by some miracle she would come online and speak to me. She never did. I did not speak to her when ever she was online because I knew she would ignore me so I waited patiently for her to speak to me again.

Then on the 11th of October her name flashed and a message was sent from her to me.

Chapter 7

She was speaking to me again. I was so happy but also very concerned. She sent her message, it read:

"Mickey, I have something I need to tell you."

There was a pause so long that I knew she wanted me to prompt her but I wasn't sure what to say so eventually I just wrote.

"Yes?" Just to show that I was there.

"I'm not sure how to say it properly…"

I waited. She began typing again.

"I think I'm pregnant."

The shock that overwhelmed me was so great that I felt the room spinning around me and I felt myself toppling to one side as if I was about to faint. I steadied myself with the computer desk to find that Charlotte had put my name as a question several times over. To check if I was still there or not.

I could have answered in so many ways, anger, disappointment, shock but I didn't feel any of those emotions. The shock had passed and now I just felt unbelievably happy and contented. I so dearly wanted to see her again therefore the only words I put were.

"Meet me."

She asked, "Where?"

I offered, "My house."

But her immediate response was a harsh no so then I let her choose and she said the park and I agreed. Quickly turning my computer off, I hopped down the hallway, leapt out the door, locked it and left.

When I arrived at the park playground there was a mother and her two daughters playing by the slide and Charlotte in her school uniform looking utterly lost on the swings. She looked at me with despair etched all over her face and I immediately knew that this conversation was not going to be a good one.

We stared at each other for some time until I coughed nervously and suggested that we go somewhere a little more private to talk. She nodded and followed me out of the playground and down the hill to a small pond. This was a very secluded part of the park so we sat down on a bench and opened my mouth to speak but Charlotte spoke first.

"I'm so scared."

"Why?" I asked stupidly placing my hand on hers; she shifted in her seat so I took my hand away and looked at her seriously.

She didn't look at me but said, "Why?" In shock of my happiness, "Because I'm 16 and I had sex with a guy who is 30 years older then me and now I'm pregnant!"

"Are you sure?"

"I took two tests this morning. I'm sure."

"Two tests? Sometimes they can give a false reading."

"I also took two last night and one midday." She stared at me coldly, "I'm sure."

"Oh." We sat in silence for a while. It seemed as though Charlotte was very stressed and it was obvious that she had been crying but I seemed not to notice at the time because a baby was starting to grow inside her belly. A child. A little human that I had created. I'd never felt so happy in my life! I couldn't stop myself form blurting my next sentence out.

"I'm so happy Charlotte. Just think, something so delicate was made by that one night we shared together. I can't wait to hold it!"

"Hold it?" She stood up and nearly screamed "No! No Mickey, I'm not keeping it!"

"What?" My voice suddenly turned very dark and the sky was clouding over.

"Mickey I'm getting rid of it." She stared at me. I remained silent, shocked at what she had said. She continued, "I'm only 16! I can't I just can't."

"But…"

"What did you think Mickey? That I was going to keep it and turn away with you and we could live happily ever after? No." Her voice began to soften. "I can't Mickey. It's just wrong and it'd never work. Never. That's why…" She paused and turned away from me. "That's why I'm deleting my account on the chat room and I never want to hear from you again Mickey. I'm sorry."

I was in such shock. I slowly stood up and made my way towards Charlotte. I couldn't imagine my life without her. The past week had been torture enough. She stared at the pond and at the feeling of my hand on her shoulder she began to run away. I ran after her, grabbed her arm and swung her around to face me. She looked petrified but I kissed her nonetheless. Pressing our lips together in a hard embrace, holding her tightly in my arms, she tried to refuse at first but soon gave in and kissed back. We held each other in what seemed to me to be our last moment on earth. I was soon left alone in the large park feeling beaten and angry.

I went home and found myself in a state of loneliness and self-pity. Crying was all I could do but as I ran out of tears I angrier and angrier. For I had been so happy even though it seemed a life time ago and the sudden change to utter and complete sadness had left its mark on my brain and no longer yearned for Charlotte herself. But I yearned to hurt her. To make her feel pain she had caused me! And then, that is when it awoke. The hidden hunger of so long ago awoke from its slumber and wanted blood; fresh blood for it had been started of it for so many years. All my mixed emotions caused me to retreat into my subconscious and I as a person no longer remained but my demon had found its way to the surface and now had control of my thoughts, my actions and all I could do was agree to it and let it do what it wanted. And it wanted blood, so much blood, Charlotte's blood.

Chapter 8

The sky was dark when I awoke from a fitful slumber. I was myself again but he was nearby, close to the back of my brain so that I not only heard my own thoughts but his too. It was an extremely strange feeling but somewhat comforting too. To know that I wasn't alone in my time of need but then that was strange too because I was alone. It was just me and my demon – who I actually decided to give a name; his name is Jack – both of which are me as a human so technically I was alone. But I didn't feel it.

I decided that if I were to survive without Charlotte then I had to take my mind off her but it didn't work, all I could think of was our first kiss and our last and how they had been so different. Our first, a tender and gentle meeting of the lips, so warm and passionate but soft and caressing. Our last, a forceful and tight crunch as if at any moment she would have flown away into the morning sky. I had thought of this many times over but now it seemed even more relevant, I wasn't sure why.

The day passed in sections, when I was doing something the time would go naturally but when I wasn't, I would find myself sat by the computer praying that Charlotte would come online one last time but she didn't and that was that but I wouldn't let it be. I reminded myself constantly what she had done. She had killed my baby – or was going to at least – and with the baby had killed me inside. I wouldn't let her get away with it. I couldn't let it happen. I decided to do something about it, and that is when Jack took over.

He took me out of my house, down the street and into the park. It was 3:15pm and I knew exactly what he was up to. He'd be looking out for Charlotte. To see if she came to the park with her friends. However after seeing her I was unsure of what he would do next. Would he confront her? Would he make me confront her? In such a public place? Surely not! Even he had more sense and pride then that. So I waited with him behind a set of birch trees which looked directly at the playground. We waited for about five or ten minutes until we heard a gabble of girls laughing and giggling. There were five of them, including Charlotte. I didn't notice the other girls; I was only concentrating on Charlotte. Jack however, took in the other girls' every detail. I never noticed at the time that this was strange; I was too busy trying to control myself. I shrank even further into myself, into my subconscious, letting Jack do anything he wanted.

He watched them behind the set of birch trees as one by one each girl departed until there were only two left. Charlotte and another blonde who was very well developed for her age. Jack waited until they decided to leave and then made his move. At first I thought he was going to jump out of the bushes to scare them but he walked near to them on a parallel walkway. Close enough to hear what was being said but far enough away not to be noticed. I listened too. Noting Charlotte's elegant voice against her friend's nasal tone.

"So, everything is set."

"You know I'm surprised your parents are letting you have a sleepover at all!"

"I know me too!"

"But whatever! And they're gonna be gone?"

"Yep all night, so we'll have the house to ourselves."

"Awesome! We could have a house party."

"God no! Duyah know what my dad'd do if he found out! He'd kill my! And if not that then he'd defo disown me!"

The both laughed.

"Well I'll see yah tomorrow at your house Charlie! Love yah!" The other girl turned and began walking down a side street.

"Don't forget THE CANDY!" Charlotte called out after her.

The other girl turned to face Charlotte, smiled and replied, "Of course not! How could I?" They both laughed again and then Charlotte was left to walk home on her own.

I heard Jack thinking then, I didn't understand at the time what he was saying because he slurs a lot, like a drunk but he was saying that it was perfect. Parents would be out of town and children alone for the evening; Charlotte was leading us right to her house. At the time I had no idea what he was planning but I went along with it because there wasn't a lot else I could do.

As we drew closer and closer to her house I became angry again, I was unsure why but I knew the feeling that churned in my mind, the rage inside me was only contained by Jack's soothing tones saying that all would be released soon but now was not the time, store the energy he said. All would come to one simple outcome. I wasn't sure what but I had a faint idea of what that would be. However my idea was wrong, I thought that we'd confront her and she would apologise and say that she was wrong before and she would keep the baby and we could live in a little cottage by the sea but that was wrong. Oh how wrong I was, how blind, childish and foolish that was. Jack had much bigger plans and although I didn't know at the time what they were. I was curious to find out. Oh so very curious.

Her house was quite large, a detached house with large welcoming windows. I saw a black iron fence surrounding it to keep predators out… to keep me out. I watched as Charlotte bounced up the steps to the large dark brown door. I wanted to just stay there all night but Jack forced me to the back of the house. To explore the unknown. He searched the windows and doors being as discreet as possible. He checked if the drainpipe was steady and strong. I wondered why but I didn't ask. Jack was extremely volatile and I was actually afraid of him. Furthermore, that specific day, I was too tired and couldn't be bothered with his odd mood swings.

He soon ceased and allowed me to take control of my body. I sat watching what I thought was Charlotte's window for at least an hour before I heard the front door bang shut. I slid back to the front of the house to see Charlotte taking the trash out. She glanced up in my direction and I had to slink further down in to the undergrowth to stay hidden. Unfortunately whilst doing so I stood on a small branch which crunched in pain beneath my foot. I wished it pain and cringed, hoping that she hadn't heard it but it seemed as if she had and now was heading my way! I shuffled across the garden until I hit the wall; I stayed perfectly still hiding between a dark green garden shed and a large conifer bush. If she turned around at that moment she might have seen me but thankfully she didn't. I was able to run behind the shed and around the wall back to the street before Charlotte had time to turn around. The experience gave me such a thrill in the pit of my stomach and somewhere deep down I knew, I knew that I'd be experiencing it again, sometime very soon.

Chapter 9

The following day I didn't wake as myself but Jack took control from the first moment that my eyes opened. He planned and waited acting casual which made me weary of him. He remained calm even when I bothered him with questions which was not his usual reaction. I was tired. Jack told me that I hadn't slept well but I didn't understand. How could he know that? He told me that he hadn't slept much either yet the excitement of tonight kept him going. I wondered what secrets tonight would reveal. Jack said that I should remain awake until at least after dinner. That way my sleeping pattern wouldn't be affected. It seemed sensible to me but I ignored his words because I knew he was up to something and I wanted to know what.

Within the time that he had first awoken within me and now I had grown to know him. He wasn't one for hiding his feelings. In fact he would often show them to me with no warning of their appearance so I would commonly be caught off guard by his odd mood swings. He became angry when I asked too many questions. He was volatile and rude; sarcastic when in a good mood; taciturn when in a bad mood but generally just plain offensive. He hated when I didn't do as he ordered first time and he would strike me when I didn't obey his instructions, of course causing pain to himself, but he said it was worth it to see me put in my place. He scared me. He scared me so much that whenever I felt his presence nearby I would shrink back and willingly let him take my place as dominant ruler of my body. Just so he wouldn't beat me! He was so brutal, and so very cunning and devious. He held secrets I could never hope of finding out. His mind was like a cavern of hidden memories. But I never ventured into the cavern because I was afraid of what I might find.

Lunch time passed and I sat at the dining room table watching Jack with curiosity. He began to draw and I knew he was secretly sending mean glances my way, so afraid of what might happen I turned away and instead watched the television which mumbled background noise out of its small speakers. He looked up at me and grinned.

"Are you nervous?" He asked with a mocking tone in his voice.

I replied simply, "No."

He looked back down at his drawings, "You should be."

"Why?"

He stood up picking up his picture at the same time. Then he strode across the dining room to the kitchen area. He returned dropping his picture in front of me. I stared at it in shock. It was so graphic! So morbid! So shocking!

Charlotte lay in a pool of her own blood with an unrecognisable lump of a baby lay beside her with its umbilical cord wrapped intricately around its neck. It looked as if it had been… woven by hand. Nature couldn't be that cruel! Only another human being could tie something around a neck like that. Tears blurred my vision and that is when I saw the other figure, stood in the shadows holding a glinting knife in his left hand. He was shrouded in darkness but covered in blood. Then I recognised the man. I gasped. It was me. And in scratchy black pen, Jack had written "TONIGHT…" I glanced up at him wide-eyed and filled with horror. Who was this man, this monster that lay inside me?

He grinned at me like a Cheshire Cat and from behind his back; he pulled out a beer glass I had finished earlier. I stared at him completely under his spell! I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I just sat there with his disgusting picture in my shaking hands and watched as he raised the bottle high above his head and smack me across the side of my head with the glass bottle. I heard it smash, the tiny shards clattering as they hit the floor. I felt myself fall and hit the ground, a line of blood tickling as it fell across my forehead to the ground. My vision blurred and soon went blank and then I heard another thump. But after that I don't remember anything."

There is a silence.

I wait.

He doesn't say anything.

I nearly burst. I have listened to his story. I have waited all this time to hear the truth from him and now he suddenly stops talking and says he doesn't remember anything! He lied to me! Tricked me into thinking I'd get what I want. He said he'd tell me everything about October 13th! He hasn't told me anything!

"That's it?" I ask angrily.

"Like I said. I was knocked out. I don't remember anything after that." He stares at me defiantly.

I stare back. Furious.

"Honestly. That's all I can remember." I know he's lying. He stares at the spinning tape recorder. "If I remember anything else, I promise you'll be the first to know about it," He smirks at me, "on my Mother's life!"

I growl, "your Mother is dead."

He smiles and plays the fool, "oh yes. That's right isn't it?"

I could strangle him. I was so close! And now he's playing with me. Toying with me like a ragdoll that he can just throw aside. But I will not be cast aside like all the other toys in his life! I stand up, fury in my legs, propelling me up.

"You'll not get away with this. I will get what I want from you whether you want to give it to me or not!"

He grins, "You see, there is an animal in you too."

I stand back, stunned by his words because I know that they are true! There is a rage inside me that I can not control and whilst talking to this disturbed man it has slowly found its way to the surface.

"Now if you don't mind I'd like to get some sleep tonight at least." He nods towards the one-way mirror in the wall. Two prison officers come in and unchain him from the chair. He looks at me expectantly and I stop the recording as I have been taught to do always. He smiles and then walks out of the room humming the same lullaby he sang a while ago. I find myself repeating it over and over again.

I sit down, place my head in my hands and sigh heavily. I was so damn close!

Later that night I am looking through the evidence files. It is nine o'clock at night and I should have been home about an hour ago. I decide to call my girlfriend.

"Paul? Where on gods green earth are you?"

"I'm still at work. I'm sorry honey. I'm going to be late tonight."

A hint of sarcasm touches her voice, "you don't say."

"No I mean. Really late." I sigh again "We cam so close to a break through today."

I hear her sigh too, feeling my anguish.

"I'll see you later tonight. Don't wait up for me,"

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye." I click the phone off and sit back down by my evidence table. Photographs taken of the victims and the crime scene fill most of the table but there are other things too. Hairs, fibres that had been sent to forensics for analysis, a footprint mark. We had gathered so much evidence and yet it still took us a year to find him and he had been there all the time.

I didn't know what I was looking for but my mind knew and it was set on finding it. I shoved most of the photos back in their bags impatiently. Still furious from before. Then emptied another bagful of evidence on the table.

This was evidence from Mickey's house. For the trial that had long since been and gone. He had been found guilty thanks to my colleagues' hard work but we still needed to know exactly what happened that night!

I searched through the evidence for countless hours, reading through everything twice. Waiting for my mind to wake up and say, that was what I was looking for but it never did. The night was long and tiring.

Then in the early hours of the morning I saw something different amongst the thousands of photographs that were strewed all over the table. The top corner of it was just poking out of the pile. It was a hand drawn picture.

A girl, a baby, a knife, blood and a shadow exactly how it had been described. And beneath the picture in black scratchy biro were the menacing-looking words of a maniac, "TONIGHT…" At least now I knew that Mickey was telling me the truth. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I would get my answer.

Chapter 10

I had a whole big speech prepared. I had worked on it all night and had only managed to get two hours sleep at the most. Nevertheless after eating a small unsatisfying breakfast and splashing cold water on my drained face, I was ready to face Mickey again. With evidence and speeches to accompany me. I was ready and I knew – from the bottom of my gut – that by the end of today, I would have my answer and all the details to send this man to hell!

As I strolled in to the interview room awaiting a solemn starring Mickey, I was shocked to find that Mickey was looking up directly into my eyes with an ecstatic expression on his face.

"I remembered." He said simply.

I forgot everything that I had prepared. Everything.

"Last night whilst I was sleeping, it hit me straight on and I remembered everything!" He stared at me, genuinely happy. I couldn't believe this. I had worked so hard last night and now I couldn't remember a word of it. But then I didn't need it now. He had remembered! It had been like at a snap of his fingers and the memory floated back by command. I wish life was always that easy. In spite of everything, for now, Mickey remembering was enough to keep me happy.

I sat down immediately, dropping my folder of evidence on the ground next to me.

"Tell me Mickey." And then he began again. I listened intently.

"When I woke up it was dark and I felt a sharp stinging pain in my right temple where the glass bottle had earlier shattered into my skin. The street lamps had long since turned on and the air had a certain chilly crispness to it that night. Every step I took was not one of my own. I had been chained back to restrain me from whatever was going to happen tonight. I couldn't believe that I had been so reckless and naive. How could I have ever trusted him? I blamed myself. But there was nothing I could do now. He was in full control and he was ignoring all of my begs and pleas.

Jack continued walking in the darkness of the park as he chose to stay away from the light of the street lamps on the sidewalk.

He walked at a leisurely pace but I knew that he couldn't wait inside. I couldn't believe it when he stopped at the local Bargain Booze to pick up a beer. He seemed so calm and at-ease, peaceful to day ironically.

As we came back on to the street, we walked two blocks down and then, there before us stood Charlotte's house. Its big windows now were dark and hollow like carved out eyes, starring blankly down at me. Accusing me. Jack saw them differently to me. I thought they were menacing but Jack said that they were inviting. As if no one was home and we could just sneak through the glass with no hassle at all. Its big brown door firmly locked and sealed for the night guarded the premises. As best it could at least. The iron fence looked ominous in the pale moonlight; casting long shadows across the sidewalk in front of the house.

I pleaded with Jack to stop but he ignored me and smacked me squarely in the jaw to shut me up. It worked. I remained quiet because I knew what was coming and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was inevitable! I sat quietly and let Jack do whatever he needed. How ashamed of myself I am!

Jack walked across the street and around the back of the house keeping a constant eye on the only window with a light on. They were in there. Charlotte and her four un-expecting friends. How could they ever know that they were going to die that night?

Jack slowly crept to the Patio Doors and tried to push them aside but they were clearly locked. Jack pressed his face against the window, peering through the glass, searching. There were keys on the table beside the doors and he thought if he could only just break the window then he could easily grab the keys and sneak inside but no, it would make too much noise and catch too much attention. Instead he searched the other side of the house and his heart leapt with excitement. There along the south-facing wall was an open bathroom window. Lay open, only slightly but wide enough to slip his hand in at least, with its frame wide enough to fit his broad shoulders through, as easy as a cat-flap! He buzzed towards it in anticipation. He reached up and grabbed the window just under the inner-frame to see if he could wiggle it any further open. It seemed to be solid but with one small swift crack it flung open completely. Jack waited for a moment before he clambered inside.

Once inside however he didn't know what to do. Could he just go straight to the girls or should he spy on them a little? He couldn't make a decision however suddenly hearing the sounds of voices coming closer he crouched down and waited intently listening to them. They were coming closer, from upstairs coming down the stairs, closer to the door, outside the door as Jack held his breath, now the voices were fading, moving away from the door but could still be heard.

One girl said, "Yeah but I don't expect her to do anything about it. I mean seriously!"

The other girl murmured something and then the first girl continued,

"I shouldn't really be telling anyone, I promised I wouldn't but you know, it's like HUGE news and you're like my oldest friend so I know I can trust you."

"With you're heart and soul." They giggled and returned back upstairs to where, Jack presumed, all of the other girls were. That's when Jack decided that he had to do a bit of exploring; to get a 'feel' of the place; to know where everything was. Just in case.

He exited the room and came out in to a long corridor, directly across from him lay a laminated set of stairs leading to an upstairs balcony. If the girls are upstairs then I should stay downstairs, he thought to himself. I heard every word. Words I didn't want to hear, words I had to block out, but it didn't work. Jack wandered to the left, an open door led to a kitchen which was large, white and very clean. The cold laminate flooring shined in the darkness and metal gleamed in the room. There were no radiators so the room seemed freezing in the night sky but Jack thought perhaps when food was being prepared by oven, the room would gather and store heat in the various cubby-holes that echoed in the walls like Morse code.

Another doorway led from the kitchen to a wide open dinning area. Along table with four chairs sat around it dominated the centre of the room. The dining room was nearly as light as the kitchen but things didn't seem to shine in this room. I could tell as the walls whispered to me that a lot of harsh words had been exchanged here in the past. Jack exited through another door that led back out on to the corridor. He looked to his left and saw a small door in the wall, it was locked when he tried to open it and rattled a bit too loudly so he decided to leave it alone. At the other end of the twisting corridor were closed double-doors with glass panels, as Jack strolled quietly passed the stairs towards the glass doors, he noticed yet another closed door which he expected led outside to the opposite side of the house that he entered in. He expected it would open out in to a walkway which followed the side of the house to the front garden, or perhaps it lead to the garage. He wouldn't dare touch its smooth panelled wood however, because it might trigger an alarm. Instead he moved towards the glass doors. He turned a sharp corner and suddenly found himself facing the large oak front door. It loomed above him with a certain sense of power over him, but Jack smiled at its ominous presence as he knew that it couldn't harm him, it was only wood after all and he had already got passed its defences. He was inside the house unnoticed; no one could stop him now!

To his right was a small closet and to his left the glass panelled double-doors. He gently pushed one open and its hinges squeaked softly, he paused, waited for movement above him but there were none. He continued into a large, spacey, light living room. The sofas were set out diagonally against the walls to face the television above the authentic stone fireplace. Some small family photos sat on the mantelpiece and Jack couldn't help but look at them.

In the centre of the mantelpiece was a family photo, Charlotte, he mother and father sat on a rock over-looking the Niagara Falls. Each person as happy as the next. Taken possibly a couple of years ago after all Charlotte didn't look all that different to how she looked then. The one to its right was a small blonde child I guessed was Charlotte. She looked only a toddler and adorable. Jack picked it up and stroked her smiling face gently, I absolutely loathed him then. He smiled to himself, placed the photo back down and moved along to the next photo. It showed a new woman around the same age as Charlotte's father, her mother sat next to this woman and they looked to be laughing. The next one along was her father looking extremely serious and professional in the photograph. He stared over the top of thin rimmed glasses which were perched on the tip of his nose perfectly. The picture made him look stern but playful. Jack wondered what he looked like now, or how he would look when he saw his daughter's mangled body in all its honour and glory. I reacted and Jack dropped the framed photo, it smashed on the laminate flooring and Jack swore under his breath and then ran to an empty cupboard. We heard footsteps on the balcony above the stairs. They came down the stairs and into the living room.

"Hello?" It was Charlotte. My body trembled. Jack peeked through the gap in the closet door. Charlotte was dressed in some pale blue pyjamas which stated, 'I'm not a morning person!' Her beautiful long hair was tired back into a high taut ponytail and the side-fringe had been plaited and was now clipped back too. She walked around to the photo, picked it up and wiped the dust from its unbroken glass. She checked for any other damage, then after placing back in its original place, she headed back off up the stairs.

Jack found his way from the large cupboard and shut the doors, he was furious with me but to my luck didn't pursue the matter, knowing that - most likely - I would make more noise. So he let it drop. However he did take a needle from his pocket, undid the cap and in one swift motion, jammed it into my leg. It hurt so much! I felt the fluid mixing with my blood. It was a horrible feeling. I nearly screamed aloud but he placed his hands over my mouth and whispered in my ear.

"It's about time you took that nap you wanted. I don't want you spoiling the fun. Sleep well." He let go and watched as I staggered around, feeling utterly drowsy, it had been some sort of sleeping drug.

My muscles tensed and then became so flaccid I fell in to Jack's arms, I had become totally and utterly useless. He lay me on the ground and moved away. I was paralysed; I couldn't move anything, not even a toe. Nothing. My eyes began to droop and soon enough, without my sanction, I was asleep, and Jack was left to his own devices exploring the house once more.

Chapter 11

There's something strange in front of me. It's a chest. A padlock keeps it firmly locked. Al light from above shines directly on to the chest. It is antique and dusty, but the lock is brand new and shiny against the dark mahogany wood and leather of the chest. The edges are frayed and coming away showing something white inside. I kneel down beside it to see what lies inside but the surrounding shakes and I am knocked over by its intensity.

My eyes shot open. Jack was just entering the staircase, I tried to move but I couldn't, the effects of the drug hadn't yet worn off. I felt drowsy and a sudden feeling of nausea overwhelmed me. Jack placed his hand over my mouth and whispered menacingly in to my ear.

"You're best to remain still and silent, there's a strong tranquiliser in your blood and it could kill you if you move too much. Be a good boy Mickey and stay silent." I felt like a child again, unable to move against the strong barriers of adulthood. Unable to voice my opinion, completely trapped in a world of my own.

Jack continued walking up the stairs until he reached the landing. A balcony over-looking the stairs reached around the whole middle sector of the house shaping a square with a hole in the centre. Four dark doors led off this hall, only one had a thin strip of light beneath it. We cold hear the girls laughing and giggling and gossiping, so oblivious of what was to occur that night. I felt so defeated; there was nothing I could do. Nothing.

To my surprise, Jack didn't head for Charlotte's door but instead quietly made his way to the door to the right of him. He opened it gingerly half-expecting it to creak at the hinges, but to his luck it remained silent. Jack stepped in to the room and closed the door behind him. It was pitch black in this room so he reached out his hand and felt his way along the wall until he felt a cold ceramic basin. I decided that this was an upstairs bathroom and when Jack was satisfied with his knowledge of the room he made his way back to the door careful not to knock anything over. He waited a moment before carefully reopening the door and stepping through back on to the landing. He made his way to the next door along which was opposite to Charlotte's room.

It was her parents' bedroom, a large oak four-poster bed sat centre stage in the room whilst an audience of wardrobe's sat against a wall facing the end of the bed. I heard the tiny pitter patter of rain beginning on the window. Jack smiled and decided to leave this room intact. He left the bedroom and moved on to the next room which seemed to be a storage room. All that lay in there were cardboard boxes, piles and piles of cardboard boxes. I found no interest in this room but Jack seemed to analyse every detail about it. How much space was between each box; where each box was positioned and whether or not it was closed. Again when Jack was satisfied with his knowledge of the room he moved back towards the door, but he did not leave, instead he sat besides the radiator and waited. I wondered what for.

I could feel the warmth of the radiator passing through my clothes and on to my skin. However as time slowly passed the radiator cooled down until it was frozen and I was shivering. Jack looked at my watch; it was 2:26am. He pressed his ear against the door but could only hear his own volumised muffled movements. He moved like a snake as his hand slithered up towards the doorknob, feeling the cold brass handle, his fingers grasped it and turned it slowly. When he tried to pull, the door made a large cracking sound. I jumped out of my skin whilst Jack simply cringed. We both paused waiting to hear movement, but nothing stirred in the house. Jack persisted and opened the door wide enough to poke his head through the gap. Long dark shadows cast themselves against the walls. The light from beneath Charlotte's door was now turned off and Jack smiled to himself. He returned to his sitting position by the radiator closing the door quietly behind him.

I knew what was coming now, I knew that I couldn't do anything to stop him, but I didn't understand why he was still waiting. Was it just to torture me? Because if it was then it was working! I tried to ask him but my mouth wouldn't work. Whenever I tried to speak my throat constricted, my tongue remained still and my mouth wouldn't move, no words came from me only very low inconceivable groans of nonsense. My mind went into overdrive. Horrible images of what was to come entered and ran inside my head. I wanted to scream out to make them stop but I couldn't, my body wouldn't let me. Jack wouldn't let me. I felt so useless!

It was 3:00am before Jack moved. Three was not the magic number that night. Jack stood, forcing me to follow suit. He placed his left hand on the door handle and slowly pulled the door open; it creaked but not loud enough to alarm anyone. He walked out the door but and closed it behind him, which is when I noticed that he was wearing gloves, he had been wearing them all night but in the panic and confusion I had not realised before. He focused his fully adjusted eyes on Charlotte's door, walking menacingly slowly towards it. I followed unwillingly. He turned suddenly staring coldly right through me.

"Mickey." A softer touch entered his eyes while he slurred almost too quietly for me to hear, "You're going to see a lot of things in here, are you sure you don't want me to help you sleep?"

I was outraged! Was he mocking me?

He smirked at me and pulled another needle from his pocket, "I'll help you," he came closer, "out of the goodness of my heart."

I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout and cause as much noise as I could but the liquid was already in my system and my head was swimming with confusing distracting thoughts. However my eyes never fully closed, I was still aware – in my drowsy state – of what was going on.

Jack pressed the left side of his face against the door and listened for movements from inside. Nothing. He placed his hand on the doorknob and carefully stepped inside where my real life nightmare began.

Chapter 12

Her eyes fluttered slightly as she slept. Jack was lay beside Charlotte watching her sleep. He had managed to enter the room unnoticed, slip across the room and lay down on the floor beside my love. A tear escaped my eyes but Jack wiped it away immediately, determined and focused on his prey.

There was sudden movement from across the room and Jack reacting to it suddenly became perfectly still. He watched as a girl with long curly auburn hair that reached down to the centre of her back sat up. She was, as I faintly recognised her, one of the girls that had been at the park. I wanted to tell her to run, to escape what was inevitable but I couldn't. All my organs seemed jammed and out of place. My heart was literally in my mouth.

The red head rubbed her eyes and looked around the dark room. I felt Jack tense slightly. Nervousness getting the better of him for once. The girl beside her, who was the other blonde that me and Jack had followed now stirred.

In hushed tones they spoke to one another.

"Something wrong?" Asked the blonde drowsily.

"Dunno." Replied the red head. "Louise?" Her voice had become even more hushed and urgent.

"Yeah?"

She paused, "If Charlotte only invited four people to her sleepover… Why are there six people in the room?"

"What?" Louise bolted upright.

Within seconds Jack had moved from one side of the room to the other, blocked the doorway, pulled out a thick blade from his pocket and hid his face from the screaming girls with it.

When the girls eventually stopped screaming and all of them were fully alert, Jack banged on the light revealing himself to them.

Charlotte, huddled with her petrified friends was the first to speak. "Mickey?" She asked in amazed shock.

Jack smiled slightly and took the knife from his face. "Mickey's not here right now. Would you like to leave a message?" He teased.

I could have killed him. I was screaming in my head wishing and praying that somehow they could hear me. Just for one tiny way to communicate with Charlotte. To warn her, to tell her and her friends to run for their lives but there was nothing I could do. Nothing I could say.

Jack moved away from the door holding the knife tenderly in his left hand beside his body. Charlotte stood up bravely against him. Her pathetic friend cowering behind her.

"Mickey… Why are you here? What are you doing in my room? In my house?"

"I told you, Mickey isn't here. He can't answer your questions right now. He's… pre-occupied."

"Then who are you?" She asked mindlessly.

Jack swapped the blade from his left to his right thrusting out his free hand. "I'm Jack."

A look of confusion crossed her face which suddenly turned to defiance. She stared at him, then the blade, then his left hand.

"It's the wrong hand." It was visibly clear that she was shaking now. "You shake with your right hand."

"You'll take whatever hand you're given girl!" He spat at her. She began to shake more.

"I want to talk to Mickey."

"Charlotte." A long haired brunette warned her.

"I know what I'm doing Penny." She stared at Jack even though it was clear that she feared the hell out of him. She repeated, "I wanted to talk to Mickey."

Jack, in a moment of mercy, actually let me talk to her. However all the previous thoughts now disappeared and I was left as a nervous wreck. All I could do was brake down, cry and apologise to her over and over and over again.

"Mickey?"

"Charlotte, I am so sorry!" I wept.

"Mickey. Tell me what's going on."

"I… I…" I knew that as soon as I mentioned Jack's plans; that would have been the end of her life so I remained silent. "I can't tell you."

"Cant tell us! Why not!" The blonde – Louise – demanded.

"Mickey, please!"

"Charlotte, I fear what will happen."

"What do you mean? Who is Jack?"

"He's… he's…" I couldn't get my words out properly so I whispered, "He's evil."

She stared at me in horror as I broke down into tears.

"I love you Charlotte. I…"

Abruptly I was back in the darkness and Jack had taken control again. He wiped his face of my tears and muttered under his breath. "That damn boy, uh."

Charlotte was now slowly backing away towards her glass balcony doors side-glancing at her four weeping friends. When Jack noticed her he immediately smirked swapping the blade back to his left hand.

He spoke cruelly, "That's enough blubber time for now don't you think?" with no affection in his voice at all. He took a menacing step towards them.

The girl I recognised as Louise whispered, "He's completely changed."

"Split personalities." Ventured Penny. Her long hair which was scraped back in to a high ponytail now feel out of place slightly causing a few strands of loose fringe to fall into her face.

Jack glanced at her with ominous eyes and she immediately shrank back. He smirked and took another portentous step closer. The blade twitching in his hand as his heart rate slowly began increasing as did the excitement and the gleam in his eyes.

There was now an eerie silence between them all, quite like the quiet before the storm. It only lasted a short time however because before I knew it Charlotte was screaming for them to go out on to her balcony and jump; the girls were panicking and rushing to the locked doors – which Jack had made sure that they were jammed shut before lying down – crying out in confusion and Jack was slowly making his way towards the group. Steadily but surely. Blade still twitching in his hand. What was the point in rushing? He would drag this night out for however long he could.

He reached out and grabbed the first girl within reach. It was a small short haired brunette who had gone unnoticed by me until she was screaming and kicking in Jack's strong grip. He returned to the door and held the girls' hair in one hand with the blade tight to her throat in the other. She shrieked catching the attention of the other brunette, Penny.

"ANNE!" She cried out in anguish.

All the other girls immediately ceased attacking the balcony doors. They turned to face Jack and his petrified victim.

"So, now that I have your attention, I think it'd be for the best if you all remain calm, quiet and do exactly what I say."

"Piss off! Louise yelled.

Anne sobbed as she felt the blade etch closer to her throat. Louise then stayed silent.

"You best learn to keep your trap shut bitch." He sneered directly at her. Charlotte then stepped forward. I cried out in silence for her to stop.

"Please. I don't know why you're here, but I know that your battle isn't with Annie. Please don't hurt her."

Jack stared at her for a long time before laughing heartily.

Saying, "And what sort of authority would that leave me with if I didn't?" He smirked, "Trust me; I'll make it as quick as possible." In one smooth slick motion the blade had left a long thin line of blood across Anne's throat. He let go of her and she crashed down to the floor with a wide-eyed expression of utter shock and pain painted on her face. Her deep red blood soaking into Charlotte's fluffy cream rug.

Penny began to weep, cradled in the arms of the red head. Louise had gasped and now stood as still as stone, terrified, staring at the new corpse of her dead friend. Jack knelt down and wiped his blade on the back of Anne's pyjamas.

"Don't touch her!" Charlotte bellowed.

Jack looked up surprised. "You're a feisty one you are. Mickey was right to fuck you."

"What?" Penny asked quietly but still shocked by the news.

"I wish I had…" He grinned. "Hey maybe tonight, I might get the chance." He winked at her and in a moment of disbelief and complete deep down rage, I reacted. Jack dropped the knife and Charlotte took that chance.

Chapter 13

She came running towards him with rage filling her beautiful eyes and tears streaming down her cheeks.

Jack overpowered by me for once stumbled around slightly, fighting me off he regained his composure; by which time Charlotte had began to reach down to the knife which lay aimlessly on her carpet floor beside Jack. Her friends gasped and gaped at her feeble attempt of a fight. Jack immediately reacted kicking her squarely in her jaw. She reeled over backwards and tripped over Anne's limp body sending her crashing to the floor. Jack pounced on her picking up the knife as he passed it. In the blink of an eyes Charlotte was pinned to the ground by Jack's severe weight. His legs straddling her body. She thrashed her legs wildly as she tried to escape his grasp.

Jack pocketed the knife and used his hands to keep her arms from uncontrollably attacking him.

He smirked at her. "I wonder, was Mickey gentle?" His head cocked to one side, a wide grin crossing his face, "I don't know whether it's in my nature or not, kindness isn't something I usually use." He smirked again.

"Get off me you bastard!" She screamed.

"Be quiet whore! You're giving me a headache." He mockingly placed one hand on his forehead. Charlotte fought back using her newly free hand to punch him in the stomach as hard as she could. When he doubled over – his head landing in the centre of her chest – she smacked the side of his head momentarily disorientating him so that he fell to one side and she had a chance to roll the opposite way and get up.

"Get out!" She yelled at her friends. They all turned and started banging on the balcony doors again. "No! The door!" She pointed at it but before they could reach it, Jack was kneeling in front of it wiping the area that he had been hit, blade back in hand.

In a low growling tone he muttered, "You'll regret doing that bitch."

They all stopped immediately. Charlotte backed away slowly.

Jack's eyes turned to slits as he looked up at them all; Penny gave out a small shriek of fear. Jack loved that. He raised his finger at her, slowly turned it over and made a gesture for her to come forward.

"Come here." He said blankly.

"Penny, don't." Louise stood in front of her slightly. An admirable thing to do for a heroine in a book, but she was no heroine and this was no book. It was too real to be imagination.

"I wont say it again girl." He dropped his fingers and arm.

"A-Are…Are you going t-t-to… k-ki-kill me?" She stuttered fearfully.

"Ah, no doubt about it my dear." He replied.

Penny whimpered quietly.

"What have we done to deserve this?" Louise broke out.

He shrugged, "I'm bored."

Louise broke down in to tears. Charlotte tried to embrace her friend but met a cold comeback as Louise pushed Charlotte away.

"It's all your fault!"

"How?" Nicola cut in quietly confused.

"Shut up Nicola!" Her attention was immediately drawn back to Charlotte. "If you hadn't fucked this guy in the first place then we wouldn't be here right now! You are a slut, exactly as Joe said! You are a whore who can't keep her knickers on and if it weren't for you then I'd be safe right now! Safe and happy and warm watching TV with Amanda and John!"

Her little outburst had shocked everyone, even Jack, but he just enjoyed the show as charlotte shook her head in disbelief and anguish.

"I never meant to hurt anyone." She stared at Louise." I thought I was lucky. Someone loved me for who I really was for once. He made me feel special Lou. Why can't you understand that?" She shed tears. "You were the only one I truly trusted. You've been my best friend from Kindergarten and now, only now you tell me what you really think of me?"

They stared at each other for a long time before Jack started laughing.

"I knew tonight would be fun but I never expected this!"

"You're a sick bastard! Who is just as lonely as hell!" Louise turned on Jack. Venom stinging her words.

"Actually Mickey keeps me good company. Takes care of me. He's a good boy, forgetful, forgiving, unbelievably gullible and easily led. A good boy."

Charlotte glared at him.

"He loved you Charlotte."

Her eyes became full of pity.

"He really loved you, but you broke his heart. You broke his heart."

"Why, because I left you?"

"No."

"What was I suppose to do? I made love to a man twice my age who now turns out to be a maniac and got pregnant with his child! I'm only 16! I couldn't have a baby, I can't have a baby! I'm not… I don't…"

"I don't care." Jack laughed smugly. "But he did. It tore him apart inside, et vioála, releasing me!" He smiled warmly at her but there was coldness to his eyes. "So really I should thank you for being so self-centred and reckless."

"You're a monster."

"And you're a selfish whore but you don't hear me complaining."

"Go to hell!" Louise ran at him from no where. She had managed to wander unnoticed around the room until she was parallel with Jack. Now… she leapt.

Chapter 14

Charlotte screamed out running towards the brawl between her best friend and Jack. Louise was surprisingly strong. Jack had been taken so off guard that the knife had been flung across the room and he had been pushed to the floor. Louise now scratched at his face like a wild alley cat! Within seconds Charlotte was also on top of him, beating him with the raw bare skin on her hands. Although he fought back, he knew that he was fighting a losing battle.

All of a sudden, I could feel the pain being afflicted on my body. I could taste the hot sticky blood which dribbled from a scratch on my cheek to my mouth. It tasted disgusting and smelt like hot iron. My stomach felt hard against Louise's heavy blows but stung so furiously that I yelped. I close my eyes and curled up into a ball. Still, I didn't stop them. I deserved every bruise that was pounded into my skin; nothing except death could make me forgive myself for one minute, for believing that lunatic within me.

Suddenly the pain was gone and I opened my eyes to find that Charlotte and Louise had stopped kicking me. Nicola was now stood behind them, something silver glistening in her right hand. I tried to speak but blood impaired my speech. I coughed up blood and struggled up to a kneeling position, coughing vigorously.

"Charlotte." I whispered.

"Here." Nicola said holding the glistening object out to Charlotte. She took it from Nicola and walked slowly towards me. I lay my head back praying for death. Perhaps if I died, Jack would die with me!

Arms were all of a sudden flung around my neck causing my eyes to snap open. Charlotte was hugging me! I knelt motionless. Wishing that this feeling of total serenity and bliss would never disappear.

She whispered quietly, "I've not had the abortion yet." My heart lurched. "I could keep the baby."

"Too late." Jack smiled coyly. I screamed silently. However surprisingly it made a sound in my throat, a strange croaking noise.

Charlotte leapt away from me.

"My my Mickey. We are getting stronger aren't we?"

I glared.

"Perhaps it's about time for another drug dose."

"I know that I can control you now and there is no way that I'm going to let you hurt any of those girls. I was wrong to trust you. But now I can see you for what you really are."

He mocked me. Wiping a pretend tear from his cheek he said, "Oh what a moving speech… and what am I?"

"A monster. A killer. A lunatic."

"Don't you get it Mickey?" He smirked. "I'm part of you. All that I am originated from you. See the irony?" He laughed.

"No because I am in control now." My voice wobbled.

"Oh really?" He grinned and slapped me across the face. Charlotte gasped.

Penny whispered, "He's insane."

"Who's in charge Mickey?" He struck me again. "Who's in charge?" I remained silent. He leant in closer. "I won't ask again."

"Mickey!" Charlotte said with panic sleeping in her voice. "You're in charge Mickey, don't let Jack take control. It's your body. Take control."

"Shut up!" Jack turned and slapped her sending her sprawling to the floor.

I burst, "DON'T TOUCH HER!"

Jack suddenly pulled another needle from his pocket. He started making his way over to Charlotte and the other girls. She scurried backwards. In a moment of panic and confusion I forced his hand to my arm. I felt the sharp sting of the needle and the dull pulling sensation of the liquid entering my blood stream. Jack turned and looked at me shock covering his face. I began to feel drowsy again. Then his face changed to a large sly grin.

"Good boy Mickey. You did exactly what I wanted you to do." He patted my head. "So predictable and unwillingly loyal." He turned back to Charlotte and that's when I blacked out once more.

It wasn't much later when I woke up again. Too drowsy to do anything except like before, awake enough to see and understand. The walls had been covered in blood. Another dead corpse lay nearby; it was who I believed to be Penny. Her blood-stained hair covered her contorted face. Three deep red holes sat in her clothing leaking out blood even though she was long since dead. I looked up and noticed that the lights had been switched off again. I wondered where everyone was. Had they escaped? I prayed that they had. But then I was far too low in hell to reach God.

"Ah Mickey." I jumped. "Nice of you to join us again, just in time for the start of the show."

Jack emerged from the shadows with Charlotte bound and gagged by some sort of rope he had found. He leered at me whilst her bent down pushing his face only inches from hers. He kept his hand firmly gripping the back of her hair so that if she moved, her hair would at least be left behind. Tears streaked her face, smearing black blotches of mascara under her eyes; they dribbled down her face like black runny ink. I wanted to wipe it away and kiss her until she smiled. To take her to a place far far away where it was only me and she could feel no pain and everything was always happy. But then, that wasn't life. This was. There was nothing I could do. Once again!

"Enter the mad house." Jack pushed Charlotte to the floor and bent down after her. "On display tonight we have three distraught girls. One," He pointed at Nicola who sat on a chair near Charlotte's computer and had a noose-shaped rope looped around her neck. "Following a master. Right?" He patted her head; she shrank away from his touch. "Another awaiting her turn." He looked towards the bed. Louise lay unconscious beneath it in the same state. "And of course the main attraction." He bent down and licked Charlotte's salty tears gently. I shivered. She tried to scream through the gag on her mouth. "Voi là thing of résistance, behold the beauty. Even if she is a whore." A hurt expression crossed her face. He continued, "You must stick around for the final event."

I wanted to strangle him. Instead I watched helplessly as he threw Charlotte's head in to the floor making her shriek in pain. I watched her crying for a long time. Charlotte had been so strong when I first met her and now she had been torn to shreds, not even that. I had to stop Jack, no matter what.

He was walking towards the door again searching for something but I was unsure as to what. Then he found it. A switch. He clicked it on and Charlotte's bedroom ceiling fan started spinning slowly. Gradually building speed. He turned to face Nicola who stared at him in horror. He grinned and slowly began to turn the speed up. Nicola began to cry.

Chapter 15

A thin string was attached to the end of the rope around Nicola's fragile neck. It began to wobble as the spinning fan chewed up the string mercilessly. Nicola screamed in panic. Jack watched intensely. Charlotte tried to move to help but was forced back hardly to the floor by Jack's heavy foot. The fan span faster. The rope began to rise slowly. I couldn't believe that this was happening! Surely he wasn't planning to chop her head off with an automatic fan… was he? It wouldn't work like that would it? Nonetheless, even as all the different scenarios played out in my mind the rope wrapped itself more and more around the top of the swirling death game. The space between the fan and Nicola's neck decreasing by the second.

My eyes scanned the room for a knife, a pair of scissors, a nail file, anything sharp that I could cut through the rope with. But the room had been striped bare of any sharp or potentially dangerous object. Only basic furniture and bits and bobs of hair and facial accessories remained. Things that could cause no harm whatsoever. Of course. That's when I remembered the knife in which Jack had brought with him. But I knew immediately that it would never work; Jack would know what I was doing in an instant. He would stop me with no effort at all.

Nicola was being forced to stand now. The actual rope had begun to twirl around the fan. Nicola cried out for help but no one was going to save her. No one could. Her eyes flicked from the fan to the glass balcony doors to me and then back to the fan. The fan started to rattle slightly as the rope began to strain around her neck and eventually lifted her off the ground. Spinning in a mirror image of the fan and kicking her legs wildly in attempt to reach the ground again, the rope slowly knotted tighter around her lean neck. The fan began to make strange noises as if it was under a lot of pressure. It squeaked and rattled and groaned under the stress. Nicola gurgled in response. Her face portrayed an expression of complete panic and horror. Her eyes were wide and barely blinking. Her mouth was shaped and moving like a fish out of water. Her whole head was shaking with the fear of definite death and the pain of the rope which curled tightly around her tender neck killing her slowly. Jack grinned as he watched her dying. A satisfaction smiling on his face. She reached the top and the fan screamed out. Nicola let out a few sob-filled gasps, yearning for air that would never fill her lungs. Then her body fell limp, left whirling majestically in circles in the centre of the room.

I watched in horror. Charlotte let out a muffled sob and closed her eyes. Jack let Nicola swing for a few moments before he decided to turn it off but even when the fan had stopped, Nicola's body moved in an eerie echo of her death. Jack sighed. He leant down next to Charlotte again.

"Look at her Charlotte." He said quietly. When he noticed that she wasn't looking however he yanked her face with one hand so roughly that she was forced to look at her dead friend.

He coughed lightly, "Such a shame int't?" He stood up and pulled the knife from his pocket.

"I should get her down from there really shouldn't I?" He looked pitifully at Charlotte.

Charlotte glared back, broken.

"She might get in the way." He cut the rope between her neck and the fan. Nicola's limp lifeless body fell to the floor with a hard hollow thump. Charlotte flinched.

Jack stated mockingly, "Oops sorry." He shrugged. "Not like she could feel it anyway." He laughed cruelly.

Charlotte screamed out in frustration through her gag. She writhed on the floor for a moment before giving up and lying motionlessly on the carpet. Exhausted and beaten, there was nothing else left or her to do but weep.

"Quite a show aye Mickey?" Jack winked at me. He then kicked Nicola's body out of the centre of the room, shoving her with the tip of his shoe under Charlotte's desk.

"Now that she's out the way, what should we do next? Next attraction or fill in?" Jack raised his eyebrows at me. He was waiting for a response. But I was unable to speak. Still drowsy from the drug that he had forced on to me.

"What's that you say? Fill in? Alright then…" He found his way back over to Charlotte. I tried to move but I couldn't.

"Please stop!" I slurred incoherently.

"What? I can't understand you Mickey." He toyed with me. "I'll do whatever you ask but I can't hear you properly."

"Stop stop! Please!"

He smirked, "Chop? You want me to chop her fingers off?"

Charlotte cried out.

She caught Jack's attention. "Let's see what Charlotte thinks." He ripped the gag from her mouth. She spat at him. He slapped her.

"Bitch." Then he wiped the gunk off his face. "Dirty dirty bitch." He lent in too close for my liking but there was nothing I could do.

Charlotte whimpered.

"Guess what. I have a time machine. You can go back and change the past if you want. Tell Mickey you'll keep the baby so I would've never been released or you can go back to before you even met him and block him from your friends list or before that even to when this all started!"

"No, because you're just…" She burst in to tears.

"It's alright." He gently kissed her cheek. "There there, no need to cry." He patronised her whilst smiling at me constantly. He caressed her hair and wiped a tear from her face, then he tasted it. Charlotte wasn't watching, she was still crying but a look of horror and confusion crossed my face.

He fluttered his eyelids passionately and whispered, "Ah charlotte, your tears disdain me. You have no idea just how hot for you I am right now."

Her eyes snapped open and she stared at him.

He laughed, "You thought Mickey had come back?" He cocked his head to the left and rolled his eyes. "He's pathetic. He's a no-body. Nothing of any use or worth."

"He's ten times the man you'll ever be!"

"He can't even get over a few sleeping pills!"

"He cared for me and loved me and whoever you think you are, you are not Mickey!"

"I don't want to be Mickey." He smiled. "Mickey is broken and pathetic and can't be helped by anyone, just… like… you." He pushed her down with his hand on her chest. "See… pathetic."

He stood up and went over to Charlotte's bed. He was going to collect Louise.

Chapter 16

Something swift and energetic kicked out tripping Jack from beneath the bed. It came out and vanished so fast from sight that I thought that beneath the bed lay something more vicious and animal-like then Louise but soon I realised that it was just her.

A long spindly arm, a hook of a hand had grabbed Jack's ankles so unexpectedly that it had tripped him up sending him sprawling across the bed. Within seconds Louise had clambered from her hiding hole and was now wrapping the noose around Jack's neck.

"You dare move and I wont think twice about killing you." Louise spat at him.

Jack laughed loudly.

"What are you laughing at?"

He turned his head to look directly at her. Smiling, he said, "There's a part of me in everyone. Just need the right moment to bring them out."

After a brief pause she shouted smacking him squarely in the jaw with the palm of her hand. It sent his senses AWOL. His head lolled to one side and his jaw fell loose. Blood began to stream from his nose filling his mouth with the rich liquid. Meanwhile Louise used the rest of the rope to bind his legs and hands behind his back.

She ran over to Charlotte who pleaded for help and stared up at her best friend in total admiration.

"I'm sorry Charlotte." Louise fumbled with the ropes which knotted tightly together reluctant to budge around Charlotte's wrists. "I didn't mean what I said before, please…"

"I don't care!" Charlotte half-laughed. Tears filled her eyes with the prospect of escape.

Louise paused momentarily smiling.

"Get me out of these quickly. He's waking up."

"Why couldn't you've done it with a sane guy?" She mumbled furiously attacking the ropes.

"Well he was sane when I met him!"

Jack began to regain his conscious state. He moaned through a viscous throat. Spitting out the fragments of tooth and blood from his mouth, he rolled on to his side and waited for his eyes to focus again.

"Nearly there nearly there nearly there." Louise panted flicking her head between Jack and Charlotte's hands. The ropes finally began to move and within seconds hung loosely around her weak wrists. "FEET!" She shouted as she moved down to undo the knots around her legs.

"How did you get out of yours?"

"Nails." She held up her hands quickly. Where long beautiful manicured nails once perched, shabby jagged claws now squatted. "And sharp teeth."

Charlotte giggled, "We always said your fangs would come in use one day."

"Never thought they'd be used for this though!"

Suddenly they heard Jack roar in fury. He mumbled curses about the girls as he fought and rocked manically to free himself from the knots Louise had naively tied. Both girls turned and looked at him in shock then began screaming and fumbling and panicking with the ropes. Louise gave up trying to undo them and instead wrapped her teeth around the thick plait of hessian fibres and began to chew. However it was useless. Whilst her back was turned Jack had struggled loose and had untangled one of his hands from the constricting refinement. Now he attacked the rope around his feet. Charlotte didn't know where to look. At her maniac ex-boyfriend crazed to break free and kill them or her friends' horror and panic-stricken face as she bit and clawed at the rope which now dug deep burns in to her fragile skin.

A noose dangled between the girls. They stopped.

"Nice trick Barbie." Jack murmured. I could see hatred and rage fuming in the pupil of his eyes. I could hear it bubbling in his stomach ready to burst out and ravage on the meaty flesh of Louise.

Before she had the chance to turn around – before Charlotte even had the chance to look up – the noose was slung around Louise's slender neck. Louise made pointless attempts to get her finger in between her neck and the rope to pull it away. Gasps and breathless squawks were heard coming from the pit of her throat but air was short and would not fill her lungs as she desired it to do. Her eyes were wide staring at Charlotte yearning for help. Charlotte immediately reacted and slung out her fingernails like cat claws making contact with Jack's right arm. Three deep red scratches quickly formed on his arm and he yelped in pain. She tried again but this time missed. Nonetheless she had still caught the attention of Jack. Instead her flung Louise to the floor like a ragdoll and attacked Charlotte with all his strength.

She was knocked back down to the floor again being pinned down by his heavy weight. However she tried with all her strength to hit him, disorientate him or whatever she could to get him off her.

Meanwhile Louise lay on the floor behind them with her hands cradling her bruised neck gasping the cold stringing air in to her empty lungs. Tears poured from her eyes as the lack of oxygen had thrown her body and mind totally off sync.

Jack clutched a handful of Charlotte's silky long hair, lifted her head off the ground and with a sneer of disgust, smashed her head back down. She shrieked and flinched and fought back. However after Jack had repeated this motion a few times over her body fell limp and all I could see was the bruised and pain-filled expression on her face. She spluttered in pain and tried to curl up to protect her head. Louise was now gaining more conscious. Still coughing, she sat up and surveyed the scene before her. She glanced around the room for anything to attack him with; her hands slowly reached up to her neck and found the rough skin of the rope. She took it off her head and stared at it. She looked at Jack who was now whispering ominous words in to Charlotte's ear. Could she really kill him with his own weapon? Could she kill anyone at all? She doubted herself at that moment. Her eyes wandered the wreckage which had been Charlotte's room. Her eyes suddenly fell upon Nicola's dead body. Anger began to fill her eyes. Distress, fear but mainly anger. She rose to her feet rope in hands ready to pounce.

"Get away from her."

Chapter 17

Jack turned slowly at the sound of her deadly voice. "Are you still not dead yet?"

"Get away from her now."

He noticed the rope gripped tightly in her hands and smiled, "What are you going to do Barbie? Strangle me?" He laughed, "You'd be lucky. You don't know how, there's a technique to it you know."

"Get away from Charlotte."

"Where are your manners? Didn't your parents ever teach you please and thank you?"

"Get away from Charlotte now!" She ordered gripping the rope even tighter.

Jack stood up slowly. He didn't look scared but I was sure that he was intimidated by her.

"Look, you've already tried that trick once, you and I both know that again it will fail so what's the point?"

Louise remained silent but tilted her head down, keeping her eyes on Jack as she gripped the rope tighter evermore.

Jack placed his hands in his pockets and shrugged nudging the carpet with the tip of his shoe.

"What now Barbie?"

She remained motionless.

"Are you going to kill me?"

Her eyes flickered.

Jack smiled ominously. "No." He drawled. "You don't have the guts do you?" Jack began to walk towards her taking one hand out of his pockets to caress her cheek.

She flinched and looked terrified but didn't do anything to stop him.

His lips lightly brushed hers. What was he doing? More then that, what was she doing? She just stood there gripping the rope whilst he kissed her and slid his other hand to her neck. I watched in horror. Something cold and metallic faintly touched the back of Louise's neck but before she could react and snap out of her trance the missing blade which Jack had had all along was dug deep in to the side of her neck. She gasped as it's sharp edges ripped through her oesophagus and slicked her nerves in two. Jack leant back and grinned. Charlotte bolted upright. Eyes wide, mouth open. Louise crowned Jack with the noose as a feeble attempt to take his life as he took hers but it simply fell around his neck loosely. Louise spluttered and cried and mumbled incoherent pleas for help. Jack licked her tears, moved away and in one swift motion, ripped the whole right side of her throat apart.

Charlotte screamed.

In a moment Louise's head had hung unnaturally by her shoulders until she collapsed to the floor, dead. Blood sprayed on the remaining white areas of her carpet. Charlotte scurried to Louise's side crying uncontrollably. Clutching on to Louise's pyjamas searching for any remaining signs of life. Her tears completely blinded her. Her best friend had been murdered before her very eyes whilst trying to protect her. I could see the anguish in her eyes. I could hear the despair in her voice as she sobbed wildly.

Jack stood motionless besides her running his left forefinger along the sharp edge of the drenched blade. He loved the feeling of the wet substance under his nail. He caressed the blade like he would with a lover, silently. Watching Charlotte gave him such pleasure as she grasped Louise and cried non-stop.

Eventually breaking the silence, Jack said, "So… just us left."

Charlotte bit her lip and rested her head lightly on the drying corpse of her friend. She whimpered lightly but would not turn to look at him. Eye contact meant that he could read her reactions. She knew at this point that he enjoyed seeing her in despair and didn't want to give him the satisfaction of that. So she simply just lay her head down and wished that she would wake from this horrible nightmare. If only it had been a nightmare.

Jack took one step closer and tilted his head to one side. Waiting in silence. Charlotte wouldn't stop weeping. In one night she had lost all of her closest friends and now she knew that unless she found some way to attract attention or some form of help, she would be next to die. There was no reasoning and certainly no stopping this crazed psychopath in her room. After a long time had passed Jack's patience finally ran out.

"Charlotte?" He placed a blood-soaked hand on her shoulder. In response she immediately span around and shoved his hand off furiously. Her once beautiful emerald eyes burned hot red with disgust. They left marks on his skin. Jack contained a smirk and knelt beside her.

"Please Charlotte." He reached for her hand. "It's me… its Mickey!"

"Mickey?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

I felt like screaming. I wanted to leap out and yell at the top of my voice to warn Charlotte of Jack's cunning disguise but he had become omnipotent and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I could feel a great weight pressing down on my chest. It was unbearable but I managed to remain conscious.

"Mickey?" Her eyes began to water. "Is that really you?"

"I don't have long Charlotte." He lied.

"Why are you doing this?" She cried in to his lap clutching desperately at his arms.

"You hurt me Charlotte."

"I can keep the baby, I haven't aborted it yet!"

"He wont let that be Charlotte. He's taking control Charlotte!"

"Fight him! Mickey please!"

Jack pretended to be in pain in his head. Meanwhile the pressure was still ever pounding on my chest crushing my ribcage slowly and painfully. He grabbed his head, rocked from side to side and cried in mock pain. Charlotte grabbed his arm for support willing him to fight Jack. But he was Jack. How could she not see that?

He sighed heavily and then looked up at her. She waited.

"I think he's gone."

"He's gone?" She looked amazed. "Seriously? You did it Mickey!"

Jack wrapped his arms around her and once out of eye contact he winked at me. I struggled to get free but it didn't work. The pressure on my chest just grew. I was finding it difficult to breathe now.

"We have to get out of here Mickey."

"I love you Charlotte."

"What?"

"I love you. So I'm going to hand myself in." I wanted to warn her so much, to yell at her that he was lying. "But before I do." He placed his hand on her cheek tenderly and leant in for a kiss. She flinched but didn't move away. I believe that on some level she knew that it wasn't Mickey.

"Mickey we have to leave."

"Perhaps before I leave to give myself up to the police for you, we could…"

Sense finally hit her. "You've got to be joking me right?" A look of horror crossed her face. "I'm in a room with blood everywhere, "her eyes filled, "my best friend is right next to me dead and the guy that did it whether it be intentional or not wants me to have sex with him? No!"

Jack stood and walked to the door.

"Then I guess I have nothing to do but…" turning back slowly he glared at her. Her expression and hope dropped, "…do it without your consent."

She stared. He sneered maliciously.

Chapter 18

A long silence pursued. Charlotte didn't try to escape, I guess she realised that there was no use. Jack would win. No matter how long it took. He knew that he had control over everything now. Charlotte didn't even argue when he ordered her to the bed. She blinked away furious tears and stood solemnly. Taking several heavy breaths in she stepped over the multiple carcasses in her room and sat at the foot of her bed never daring to make eye contact with him.

Once Jack had confirmed that she wasn't going to run he made his way over to her. Charlotte bit her lip with tension and flinched away from him as he placed his hand on her leg, the knife still in it. Jack surveyed her from head to toe exploring every inch of her with his vulture eyes. I wanted to kill him. How dare he touch Charlotte. The scumbag! But I was struggling to breathe and could think of nothing but survival. Instinct had kicked in even though it would have been better for me to give up and die right there, my instincts kicked in and I could do nothing about it. I truly was useless.

Charlotte turned away from Jack in disgust. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't fight him off but I guess she was being smart. That's what he would've wanted, to battle and win. It was part of his game. Part of his fun. Instead, she was sat as still as possible letting him run his slimy blood-soaked fingers across her delicate skin sending shivers down her spine.

Soon his hands were under her top caressing her breasts and undressing her, his lips on her skin, biting her neck causing her to cry out but still remain still. In one swift motion he ripped her top off revealing her to his devilish festering eyes. He opened his mouth and went as close as he dared go to her mouth. Exhaling softly as she began to cry silently. However, instead of kissing her he licked her cheek where a tear was falling gracefully. She grimaced and clutched her arms. He smiled and moved his hands to her bra clasp.

I heard a whimper escape her lips as he fumbled to expose all her beauty. He moved his lips down her body until they reached her chest. Bra now undone, he ripped it from her with his teeth and pushed her down roughly. She inhaled loudly as her head hit the wall but still didn't move. Straddling her now, he stroked her bare stomach with the point of the blade. More whimpers escaped from between her lips. Jack smirked. Despite her lack of fight he still enjoyed the look or terror on her face. He leant on top of her and whispered in her ear menacingly.

"Come on Charlotte, I know that you're better then this." He nibbled on her ear. Then continued, "You're a feisty girl. Bite me, hit me, punch me, scratch me, whip me, rip me to shreds! I know you want to."

Her face revealed all her secrets but she remained still.

"No?" He asked innocently. "Then we may have to take it up a notch." His left hand now moved down from her stomach and released the clasp on his pants. His right hand held the knife precariously at her throat. Whilst his lips and tongue searched her firm breasts. He wiggled out of his pants and ran his hand up and down her right thigh. She scrunched her eyes as his hand went below the waist and under her pyjama bottoms. He felt hi sway around her pelvis like an expert and moved his other hand down and tore through her pants with the knife. Her knickers were red with white polkadots. Jack took them at the crotch and ripped them from her. She was fully exposed with no aid to help her, all she could do now was endure it and wait for a blissful end to it all.

Things began to get a lot rougher after that. Jack clawed at her and bit her ignoring all her screams and shouts for help. He forced himself in to her. She coughed and spluttered with pain. I couldn't bear to watch anymore. I closed my eyes but still I could hear her screaming and crying out in agony. I could hear Jack's orgasmic grunts. I could hear the bed as it groaned with the pressure and the movement. I wanted to stop it all. I wanted to blow the house up and kill us all. But just like Charlotte, I was completely isolated and victimised in this situation.

It was a long time before I could bear to open my eyes again. Jack was now by her side moving his knife up and down the left side of her body creating dark lines of blood where it had been. She was curled into a ball clutching her torn genitals sucking in deep breaths of air through gritted teeth. The pain had been too much for her to bear. I could tell as the bed was now soaking in blood from her. She coughed some more and wept. Jack sighed and wrapped himself around her. She tensed as he did.

"Well that was disappointing."

I understood by her facial expression that she wanted to spit at him but she controlled herself.

"You know that I drew a picture before. Mickey knows it." My eyes widened. "I thought it was pretty good… artistic. I'm just wondering if I can recreate it in real life." I shook my head. I begged him not to.

"Haven't you hurt her enough?"

"Mickey you're back!" Jack mocked me. "I missed you."

"You've made your point Jack. You've caused enough havoc in her life to scar her forever! Please just leave her alone."

"What's the point in going to a show if you can't stay long enough to watch the grand finale?"

"You're merciless."

"Thank you." He chuffed proudly. "Now Mickey, behold the final act." He grabbed her wrist. Put the knife to her arm. She finally began to struggle but it was no use. His grip was too strong. Running the knife roughly down the centre of her inner arm, he smiled whilst she screamed out in pain. He let go of her and then repeated this action on his own arm. He then made four horizontal lines across the vertical one and wiped the blood off the blade on to the bed sheets.

"As a reminder Mickey. A reminder of what you did here tonight." He turned back to Charlotte who was tending to her wound.

Pointing the knife in her direction, he said. "Spread your legs."

"What?" She asked.

"Spread. Your. Legs."

Chapter 19

"No." She refused clutching her knees to her chest.

Jack moved like a panther towards her. His speed was phenomenal. His knife was now rested just under her chin. She dared not move.

"Do as I say Charlotte or you have no idea what I'll do to you. But I can promise that it will be painful." He sneered in her face.

"Oh my god." She bleated and blubbered, "Please don't."

Jack placed his hand on her left knee and then slowly put his other on her right. He stared directly at her, in to her soul, then grinned spitefully. He ripped her legs apart causing her to shriek out with pain and shock. He stripped her of any remaining dignity she had as he leant down and felt her with his tongue roughly. She gasped and cried out and tried to struggle. But he pulled back immediately, held her down with one hand and plunged the knife in to her. More blood oozed from her new wound as she wailed and howled at the top of her lungs. Something in her voice was quite animal. He turned the blade and felt something pop. She bawled. I cried out but Jack wouldn't stop. His face portrayed nothing but joy and malicious fun. Charlotte bled out and continued screaming and crying as he turned it the other way. I couldn't watch!

I could hear her screaming in agony as she was torn apart below; Jack chuckling cruelly as his imagination became reality; the metal grinding against her bones and the splattering of blood on a saturated bed cloth. I could smell the heat of the fresh blood and the iron in it. I wanted to block everything out. Everything. But I couldn't.

When I turned back to Charlotte, she was covered in seeping holes and smeared with crimson blood. Her breathing was laboured and her head spinning. Jack turned to me and made a wistful smile.

"She's all yours Mickey." He finally released me as I ran to her side. She had begun to shake and cough up blood. Tears welled up in my eyes as I sat beside her and picked up her frail perfect form in my arms. I was finally back in control but there was nothing I could do to help. I didn't call an ambulance because I knew that he injuries were too bad and would kill her before they arrived so I thought it better to just be by her side to help her as best I could. So I grabbed my jacket off the floor and covered her innocence under it.

"Charlotte." I sobbed.

She blinked.

"I'm so sorry Charlotte, I'm so sorry." I rocked her back and forth cradling her wear limbs in my strong arms which were caked in drying blood. "I'm so sorry." I kept repeating it.

She sneered at me fluttering her eyelashes as dizziness struck her. "Like I would believe you, bastard." She coughed more blood and spluttered, "I hate you."

Tears fells pathetically from my eyes. And although I knew that Jack had gone, I knew that he was still watching me from inside myself and I knew that Charlotte thought that I was him.

The look of pure hatred contorting her beautiful features killed me inside. Jack had stolen the only precious thing left in my life. There was no point in living anymore. Just no point.

She whispered her final words, "I hate you." Then she was gone. Among the dead along with her friends and I did nothing to stop it. I hated myself; I wanted to use the knife to slice my own throat. I cried in to her chest and rocked back and forth for a long time, hating myself, hating Jack, hating everything I am. It took most of the morning for me to move from that spot but eventually I cleaned up and left. Nothing to it."

I feel as if I want to throw up but I have to continue this investigation. I swallow the phlegm in my mouth which leaves a disgusting after taste.

Eventually I gain enough courage to ask, "Why didn't you kill yourself?" with a shaky voice.

He shrugs.

"Where did you go?"

"Back home."

"What to just live a normal life? How could you live with yourself knowing what you'd done?" I began to yell. I have to calm down. I have to leave the room now! I say standard procedures to the tape looking down at it to stop it.

I stop dead.

The tape isn't moving. The centre isn't rotating which means…

"It's not recording." Mickey drawls.

I glance up at the huge grin smeared across his face. He's known all along.

"You knew all along didn't you?"

"Do you really think I would've told you if not?"

I twitch.

"Paul, I'm not stupid." He lies back comfortably. His posture and security confuses me... then it dawns on me like an epiphany.

"You're not Mickey. You're… Jack?"

"That's the name."

"You tricked me."

"It was so easy. Did you really think you'd been talking to Mickey all this time? I think it was rather brilliant myself although I was a little unsure about telling you about myself. It thought it might've given the game away but I guess not. You're just as dumb and pathetic as that Crawford guy. Useless and pathetic like Mickey."

"You bastard."

"There I am!"

I grip the arm rests to control myself.

"I see myself in you; you're like a project which I can work on. Say, do you think we could get your fiancé involved? She could play the same role as Charlotte did." He grins madly.

I leap from my seat across the table punching him squarely in the jaw. He laughs. I punch him again and hear a whistling from the mirror watch-room. I continue to punch him breaking his jaw, nose and blacking both his eyes. I punch him in the stomach winding him but he continues to laugh so I keep punching him letting out all my fury on him. But it's not enough. I want to break his neck. I am gripping my hands around his throat when I hear the door swing open behind me. They are coming in and dragging me off him as I start to strangle him. As soon as I let go his head flops down, a string of bloody saliva dangling from his busted bottom lip. He looks a state and I can not believe that I did that to him. I immediately cool as the guys unlock him from the chair.

"We need to get him to the hospital straight away." They drag him from the room and I am left bewildered by my own actions and thinking non-stop about the consequences which will follow.

I am put under suspension and sentenced to an eight week anger management course. Immediately after they took Jack away they inform the Super of my behaviour and immediate action was taken. I am waiting around aimlessly in the public area of the prison waiting for any sort of news on Jack from my friend George. I know Jack will do something. I only hope that they took my warning seriously. I told them that he has been lying to me all this time and that he is extremely good at it. But I'm not sure whether they'll take advice from me anymore. After all I am on forced sabbatical now.

Suddenly George's grim face appears behind the glass. I stand and calmly make my way over. I prepare myself for the worst.

"He's escaped Paul."

"What!"

"We don't know what happened exactly; I mean the ambulance crew and two officers just called in to say he's escaped. We don't know how long ago but we're guessing about half an hour ago."

"Half an hour!"

"Paul, he's on foot and he is in pretty bad shape."

"I told you he was lying! I told you. Where is he? Where did they lose him?"

"Paul you know I'm not permitted to say!"

"Please George!"

George bites his lip and then whispers in to the glass. "He's around the Kezington area."

I run out of the prison. I knew it. He's escaped… he's escaped!

Epilogue

Tired of running, gasping for breath and tripped by his own two feet. He fell. Tumbling down a mud hill, autumn's recently deposited leaves rolling with him. The bare trees shook as lightning pierced though the darkening night sky. He landed in a ditch half filled with rainwater. He lay still for a few moments as his mind caught up with him before pulling his weak body out of the cold muddy water and spluttering for air. He tried to stand up but fell once more face down in the dankness of the ditch. The recent rain pour had made the ground treacherous and running didn't help. Once more he tried to stand up. Successfully this time. He caught his breath and began to run again. Rain began to pour heavily making large pools of water gather in front of him. He tried to dodge them but failed a couple of times, stumbling, falling, yet always picking himself up again.

He wouldn't be beaten. He had come so far; he had to carry on even if it meant death. He wouldn't be caught again. Not after he had just escaped! He would run until his legs fell off if that's what it took and even then he wouldn't give up. He was determined. Determined to escape. Determined to break free from the grasp of the law.

Dusk was falling upon the sky now. He knew he had to find somewhere to hide. An abandoned house, a shed, a stable or a barn. Anything! He just had to hide. He heard a bird high above in one of the fir trees that surrounded him. He looked up and realised it was beginning to get light much too quickly. If he didn't find somewhere right now then he was in trouble. But he was in the middle of nowhere, he would never find anything, not here, not on foot, he was too far from civilisation!

Abruptly his thoughts were thrown from his mind by the sudden fall he encountered. He felt weightless for a couple of seconds until he felt his back smack water with a mighty thwack! A painful shock weaved through his back and into his arms and legs then vibrated back to his head sending a wave of head rush to his brain. It had felt like someone had thrown a million pins directly at him at high speed. They had penetrated his skin with no difficulty. He gradually floated up to the surface. It took a while for his mind to set back to its usual pace. However when it did he was amazed by what he saw. He was swimming in a pool of water with only one ray of sunlight coming from where he had fallen through the thick woodland ground. The cavern he was within was minuet but extremely tall, it must have been at least seven, eight or possibly nine feet high. It was completely covered by water except from a tiny gap to the right of him. It was raised out of the water by just a couple of centimetres. He studied it for some time before deciding it was a wide enough gap to fit through. It might of been a bit of a squeeze for him since he had very broad shoulders. But a human could defiantly fit through there.

He swam over towards it and hauled his weight out of the water. The sudden weight on his weak arms made his face scrunch up in agony. He placed one foot on the ledge and hauled himself up. He tried to look through the gap but it just lead into eternal darkness. An everlasting path of claustrophobia. He stood in the arch for a second or two. Just deciding whether to go in to the black unknown and be safe or go back outside to the light dangerous familiar grounds. What to do? How would he resolve this? However after a long think he decided to carry on. He knew that he would never climb that eight foot rock face. Especially not right now. He was exhausted from the run and the struggle of the battle to get away.

He had escaped a home he had grown to despise. He had lived so long in that certain home that he had forgotten what it was like to enjoy life. He had gotten use to a certain routine that being away from it now felt strange. But he would never go back and he would never be caught!

He grabbed the archway of rock with his fingers and pulled himself inside. He took in another deep breath before sliding through the hole and stepping into darkness. His eyes went blank and whenever he tried to focus on something all he could see was thick blackness. Still, he kept on moving. Shuffling one foot in front of the other. They could be here any minute searching for him. So he kept on moving.

He slid his hands across sharp rocks and cautiously stepped forward. He had to use his other senses since sight had abandoned him. He listened out for any sound of a search party. Men's voices shouting, dog's barking. He felt his way through endless tunnels that were becoming smaller and smaller by the minute until they became so small that he had to crawl to stop his head from hitting the roof of the tunnel! Eventually though he felt the walls curve outwards as if there was another opening ahead. He lay himself down and felt for the ground to the opening. He couldn't feel it. Maybe it's just out of reach, he thought. So he then turned himself around and lowered himself down ready to feel the floor any minute. But it never came. He was hanging by his fingertips from a ledge that he had no idea how high up it was. It could be just a small drop or it could be a massive drop, one that would send a shock through his body and make him laugh or one that would send a shock through his body and kill him. He couldn't really go back. He didn't know his way back for starters and he would never be able to pull himself up off this ledge. Not right now anyway and he couldn't exactly hang around waiting to regain his strength. He had only one option. That unknown hole. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. After thinking about the few happy childhood memories he had, he let go!

Firstly he felt like he was falling, of course, because he was. He felt the gravity pulling him down and he felt himself gaining speed. Until he reached his terminal velocity and that's when he felt like he was soaring. Flying. He closed his eyes and imagined himself floating above rooftops and chimney pots. He looked down at the people below as he flew above them, silent and unnoticed. He felt the wind in his silver hair and the cold specks of water vapour as he flew through dense clouds. It felt wonderful to be so free. It became soothing being so utterly out of control. He wished he could fly forever.

Abruptly though, his dream was shattered out of him by the giant shock of agonising pain that shot through his wrist and in to his arm. The sudden pain sent waves of nausea to his head. He felt the world spin around his head before giving up and falling in to a deep and painful unconsciousness!

He lay motionless but still breathing. He had cuts and bruises all over his body and a broken wrist. However those would heal. In a matter of time. It all came down to whether he would ever wake up. That was his true concern!