Chapter 7: "The Prey"

Hannibal stood on the side of the street, his cigarette hanging from his lips, the smoke travelling upwards out of his nostrils towards the stars. He walked over and leaned against a light post, watching for his prey. He looked briefly up at the building Lillian had just walked inside and quickly jerked his head back as he watched a shadow on a window. He squinted his tired eyes as the shadow ran a brush through their hair and walked around the small room. He smiled as he recognized the outline to be Lillian's.

The curtains were drawn but the light was the perfect font for her silhoutte. He continued to watch, wishing he was there with her. Wishing he was able to quench this thirst that he had for her. His curiosity was drawn to why she had so vehemently denied her friends visiting her at work, yet he did not want to ask her, afraid he would illicit the same reaction. He did not want that Southern anger pointed at him, by any means. Her sensitivity and intelligence made her anger even more pointed and sharp. He found himself only wanting to please her and to make her life easier.

He quickly turned from her shadow as she began to peel of clothes to get into bed. The gentleman in him overrode his desire, but he told himself that perhaps in due time he would see her in that light. It was at that very time the door to the building opened and Hannibal turned his head to see the exact person he'd been waiting for.

"Well, good evening, Charlie."

Charlie's cocky stride ceased and he looked with shock at the doctor, standing against the street lamp. Charlie found the doctor to have a menacing quality about him. Perhaps it was that he dressed in all black, with a nice black leather jacket. Or that his hair was dark hair was slicked back, making his chiseled face even less inviting to one whom he did not favor.

"Good evening, doctor. Good to see you again." Charlie muttered and began to walk away. Hannibal flicked his cigarette to the ground and quickly followed Charlie down the sidewalk. Charlie continued to look behind him and watch the doctor's stride as it briskly matched his and he came up beside him.

"I would like to speak to you a moment."

"Oh, yes. If we could whilst walking. I have to be home soon." Charlie sputtered. His palms began to sweat deep down in his pockets and he could feel his breath becoming short.

"I do believe it will only take but a minute. This looks like a wonderful place."

Hannibal harshly grabbed the man's arm and threw him into a deserted alley way, damp and dingy with a strong odor of trash. Charlie was hurled against the wall with a small thud as his shoulder hit the wall.

"Oomf." Charlie stumbled forward from the impact, and Hannibal immediately backed him up against the wall. Charlie began to struggle until the gleam of a blade shone in the moonlight.

"Doctor-?"

"Please, don't interrupt. I'm sure you've already surmised that I was not quite pleased with your little display of overflowing testosterone earlier towards the young Lillian. I do believe that is just how you are and I have accepted this to be the case. But I cannot allow you to continue acting this way and this seems to be the only way I can rid the earth of the filth you spew"
Before Charlie could protest, the blade sliced his throat and all that came out was a gurgle.

"Oh, yes, I know. But to proclaim innocence is still denial, you know. Denial is the number one cause of death these days, if you haven't heard." Hannibal continued talking as he circled around the collapsed body of Charlie as a pool of blood formed. Hannibal stooped down and began removing Charlie's suede jacket. Charlie coughed blood up into what normally would be his mouth, but instead it came as a thick stream out of the perfectly straight line across his throat. "Ew." Hannibal scrunched his nose up and shook his head. "Such a filthy man, you know." He mocked his suffering in a most uncaring way that made Charlie's last thoughts go towards Lillian and wonder what the doctor's plans for her were.

Hannibal glanced down at the body as it stilled and watched Charlie take his last breath. Hannibal lay the jacket open and began his ministrations on the corpse. He tucked away his prizes into the suede jacket, wrapping it up into a bundle to carry under his arm. He quickly walked to a puddle and began washing the blood off of his hands and his blade. The blade was once again tucked safely into his jacket and he rose just as he heard the brakes of the cab squeal to a halt outside of the building.