01Smile
Ch. 7: Borrowed Time; The Devil's Hand Killer
A/n: I'm writing a sequel!!! Jimmy makes a deadly cameo. (We ALL remember Jimmy...) Sadly, this is the last chapter. This takes place four years after Squee's death.
'Come home, Jezey,' Johnny thought. His wife, Jezebel, was late coming home from a writer's club meeting. She was never late. Johnny turned. His four-year-old son, Todd, was watching him.
"Go to bed, Todd," said Johnny.
"You said I could stay up until Mamma got home," the little boy said.
Johnny rubbed his temples with his fingers. He got the whole 'father' thing down, but it was the habit he had of making promises he couldn't keep that pissed him off.
"You mother's later than expected. Go to bed,"
Sighing, Todd obeyed his father. He walked into his bedroom and angrily slammed the door.
Johnny looked out the window. He saw a young woman walking down the sidewalk. She stopped under a streetlight and waved at him. Johnny waved back. Jezebel had a habit of doing that, but it was mainly so she knew if Johnny was still up. She prepared to walk foreword, but was stopped by a man dressed in black. Johnny could hear the man talking to Jezebel.
"Hello, Doc," he said.
Jezebel looked puzzled.
"I'm not a psychiatrist anymore. Do I know you?"
The man sneered, his face hidden behind a mask.
"You should, you personally saw that I was locked away. I'm out now..."
Jezebel backed away.
"Keep away from me! I'm armed!" she said, nervously pulling a small bottle of mace out of her purse.
Johnny sped down the stairs. He pulled out the knife he had strapped to his boot.
"Oh, I don't need to fear that," said the masked man, smiling wickedly.
"Because, I'm not going to kill you from close range," he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Jezebel. Jezebel's eyes widened in fear. Johnny crept up behind the masked man. The man heard him, however, and kicked him in the stomach. Johnny fell to his knees; the knife fell from his hand.
"Ah, your husband, right?" asked the masked figure, not moving the gun away.
Jezebel gasped.
"Ah, I remember you! You're the one who clamed to sent by..."
Johnny looked up just in time to hear the crack of the gun being fired. He saw Jezebel slump to the ground. She was dying. Johnny raced foreword, kneeling next to his wife. Blood trickled down her mouth. She choked.
"Johnny...Remember the movie 'City of Angels'?" she whispered.
Johnny nodded.
"The scene when the little girl died, and the angel asked her what her favorite thing in life was?" Johnny asked. Jezebel nodded.
"It's real..." she gasped.
Johnny felt tears fall down his face. Blood was pooling around the two of them.
"What are you going to say?" Johnny asked her. Those words made him start sobbing.
"My...favorite thing...in life was...you and our son..." Jezebel whispered. She coughed.
"Jezebel, please...don't go. I can't raise Todd all by myself...I need you," Johnny said, holding her hand.
"Squee says hi..." Jezebel muttered.
Johnny sniffed, only to break down sobbing again. He death of his brother was still fresh in his mind. Jezebel began singing weakly.
"My reflection
Wraps and pulls me under
Telling me wants us to be
Bathed in Brena
Guide men safely in
Worlds I've never been to..."
Jezebel stopped, her body went rigid in Johnny's arms. She had died. The killer was standing behind Johnny. Johnny rose, turning to face his wife's murderer.
"You mother-fu-" Johnny could not think of a decent insult.
"You killed my wife!" he screamed.
The killer smiled, he pulled off his mask. Johnny gasped.
The man was horribly deformed.
"She ruined my life!" he snapped. Johnny knew that voice.
"Jimmy?!"
Jimmy laughed, but it sounded like a low growl.
"Ah, so the artist remembers the student,"
Johnny shook his head; he rose to his feet, the knees of his pants saturated in his wife's blood.
"I thought I killed you," he whispered.
Jimmy glared.
"I'm living off borrowed time, I was locked away by that bitch you call a wife! She locked me up. Signed the papers herself. I've lived off revenge. I wanted to kill her, then you, because of what you did to me years ago. Only then will I die happy," he said.
Johnny felt lightheaded. He picked up the knife.
"So, you think I'll succumb to your will and let you kill me?" Johnny asked.
Jimmy smirked, he pulled out one of his own knives.
"No, I know that you're the type of person who'll go down in flame and glory,"
Johnny glared.
"You'll pay for destroying the one thing that made me happy," he said.
Jimmy smiled. He twirled the knife skillfully in his hands.
"To the death, then?"
Johnny nodded.
"To the death,"
Johnny made the first move. He lunged at Jimmy. Mmy jumped back, sending Johnny into a trashcan. Jimmy grinned.
"You're losing your touch. What's the matter, fatherhood too trying?" he asked.
The color drained from Nny's face.
"How did you know I have a child?"
Jimmy blinked, as though he was surprised by the question.
"I know all about you. So, tell me, how was your wife in bed?"
Johnny lunged at Jimmy again, this time, planting the knife into his shoulder.
"You prick. You've been stalking my family and I, haven't you?! HAVEN'T YOU?!"
Jimmy grinned, the expression was slightly tainted with pain.
"It's better to be the right hand of the devil, than in his path," he said.
Johnny's eyes widened. He read news reports of a killer, who always wrote that same phrase on the walls of his victim's place of death...He'd write it in blood...
"You...You're the Devil's Hand Killer?!"
Jimmy sighed.
"So, you are smart. Yes, I am the Devil's Hand Killer, as the media calls me,"
Johnny overruled him.
"Why?! Why my family? Tell me now, you little fuck!" he said, extracting the knife from Jimmy's shoulder.
"You're whole family is living off borrowed time," he said.
"It's my job to end it all. Your son nearly died from heart complications at birth, you came back because neither heaven nor hell could take you, and your wife overdosed twice on her medication, and she was brought back by your brother, after you stabbed her."
Johnny wanted to ask more, but he didn't want Jimmy to run. He had to kill him now. Nny looked back at his wife's body. Her eyes were open; her facial expression was one of pain. Johnny felt his anger rise.
"I am going to kill you," he vowed, turning back to Jimmy.
The disfigured killer's eyes narrowed.
"Try," he said.
"Go on, take a slice at me."
Johnny growled.
"I'll do more than that," he sneered. He rammed Jimmy's head on into a brick wall. He bound the disfigured man's hands together with a shoelace.
"I will never forgive you, Jimmy. NEVER! You stole the most precious thing in my life from me. My wife may be dead, but I will not allow you to harm my son!" he said, his eyes burned with utmost loathing.
Johnny found himself crying, weeping for Jezebel, and for his son. He only prayed that Todd was not watching. Anger turned to loathing as Johnny saw Jimmy smiling. He showed no remorse for killing Jezebel, only because he felt none. Johnny could hear the doughboys returning.
"Kill him! You have a reason! KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"
Johnny screamed.
"OKAY!!!"
Johnny brought the knife down, planting it in Jimmy's chest. He pulled the knife out, and Jimmy's beating heart came with it. Nny immediately threw the knife to the ground. He gagged. His stomach felt as though it would cut itself open.
"Oh Christ..."
Johnny knew he was going to be sick.
"Oh sweet mother Mary..."
He turned and vomited into a trashcan.
"What has turned me into this monster?" he asked himself aloud. He wiped his lips with his sleeve. Sighing sadly, he picked up his wife's body. He shouted for Todd to get in his room. Johnny stepped inside his house.
"Stay in your room, Todd. Don't come out until I say so," he said, gently laying Jezebel's body on the couch. Johnny picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, Mom? It's Johnny..."
Johnny had found Brenda Casail's name in the phone book a while back. He choked back tears. He wasn't sure if he could get the words out.
"Jezebel's dead. She's been murdered,"
A/n: Oh god...I've seen Frailty too many times...
Ch. 7: Borrowed Time; The Devil's Hand Killer
A/n: I'm writing a sequel!!! Jimmy makes a deadly cameo. (We ALL remember Jimmy...) Sadly, this is the last chapter. This takes place four years after Squee's death.
'Come home, Jezey,' Johnny thought. His wife, Jezebel, was late coming home from a writer's club meeting. She was never late. Johnny turned. His four-year-old son, Todd, was watching him.
"Go to bed, Todd," said Johnny.
"You said I could stay up until Mamma got home," the little boy said.
Johnny rubbed his temples with his fingers. He got the whole 'father' thing down, but it was the habit he had of making promises he couldn't keep that pissed him off.
"You mother's later than expected. Go to bed,"
Sighing, Todd obeyed his father. He walked into his bedroom and angrily slammed the door.
Johnny looked out the window. He saw a young woman walking down the sidewalk. She stopped under a streetlight and waved at him. Johnny waved back. Jezebel had a habit of doing that, but it was mainly so she knew if Johnny was still up. She prepared to walk foreword, but was stopped by a man dressed in black. Johnny could hear the man talking to Jezebel.
"Hello, Doc," he said.
Jezebel looked puzzled.
"I'm not a psychiatrist anymore. Do I know you?"
The man sneered, his face hidden behind a mask.
"You should, you personally saw that I was locked away. I'm out now..."
Jezebel backed away.
"Keep away from me! I'm armed!" she said, nervously pulling a small bottle of mace out of her purse.
Johnny sped down the stairs. He pulled out the knife he had strapped to his boot.
"Oh, I don't need to fear that," said the masked man, smiling wickedly.
"Because, I'm not going to kill you from close range," he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Jezebel. Jezebel's eyes widened in fear. Johnny crept up behind the masked man. The man heard him, however, and kicked him in the stomach. Johnny fell to his knees; the knife fell from his hand.
"Ah, your husband, right?" asked the masked figure, not moving the gun away.
Jezebel gasped.
"Ah, I remember you! You're the one who clamed to sent by..."
Johnny looked up just in time to hear the crack of the gun being fired. He saw Jezebel slump to the ground. She was dying. Johnny raced foreword, kneeling next to his wife. Blood trickled down her mouth. She choked.
"Johnny...Remember the movie 'City of Angels'?" she whispered.
Johnny nodded.
"The scene when the little girl died, and the angel asked her what her favorite thing in life was?" Johnny asked. Jezebel nodded.
"It's real..." she gasped.
Johnny felt tears fall down his face. Blood was pooling around the two of them.
"What are you going to say?" Johnny asked her. Those words made him start sobbing.
"My...favorite thing...in life was...you and our son..." Jezebel whispered. She coughed.
"Jezebel, please...don't go. I can't raise Todd all by myself...I need you," Johnny said, holding her hand.
"Squee says hi..." Jezebel muttered.
Johnny sniffed, only to break down sobbing again. He death of his brother was still fresh in his mind. Jezebel began singing weakly.
"My reflection
Wraps and pulls me under
Telling me wants us to be
Bathed in Brena
Guide men safely in
Worlds I've never been to..."
Jezebel stopped, her body went rigid in Johnny's arms. She had died. The killer was standing behind Johnny. Johnny rose, turning to face his wife's murderer.
"You mother-fu-" Johnny could not think of a decent insult.
"You killed my wife!" he screamed.
The killer smiled, he pulled off his mask. Johnny gasped.
The man was horribly deformed.
"She ruined my life!" he snapped. Johnny knew that voice.
"Jimmy?!"
Jimmy laughed, but it sounded like a low growl.
"Ah, so the artist remembers the student,"
Johnny shook his head; he rose to his feet, the knees of his pants saturated in his wife's blood.
"I thought I killed you," he whispered.
Jimmy glared.
"I'm living off borrowed time, I was locked away by that bitch you call a wife! She locked me up. Signed the papers herself. I've lived off revenge. I wanted to kill her, then you, because of what you did to me years ago. Only then will I die happy," he said.
Johnny felt lightheaded. He picked up the knife.
"So, you think I'll succumb to your will and let you kill me?" Johnny asked.
Jimmy smirked, he pulled out one of his own knives.
"No, I know that you're the type of person who'll go down in flame and glory,"
Johnny glared.
"You'll pay for destroying the one thing that made me happy," he said.
Jimmy smiled. He twirled the knife skillfully in his hands.
"To the death, then?"
Johnny nodded.
"To the death,"
Johnny made the first move. He lunged at Jimmy. Mmy jumped back, sending Johnny into a trashcan. Jimmy grinned.
"You're losing your touch. What's the matter, fatherhood too trying?" he asked.
The color drained from Nny's face.
"How did you know I have a child?"
Jimmy blinked, as though he was surprised by the question.
"I know all about you. So, tell me, how was your wife in bed?"
Johnny lunged at Jimmy again, this time, planting the knife into his shoulder.
"You prick. You've been stalking my family and I, haven't you?! HAVEN'T YOU?!"
Jimmy grinned, the expression was slightly tainted with pain.
"It's better to be the right hand of the devil, than in his path," he said.
Johnny's eyes widened. He read news reports of a killer, who always wrote that same phrase on the walls of his victim's place of death...He'd write it in blood...
"You...You're the Devil's Hand Killer?!"
Jimmy sighed.
"So, you are smart. Yes, I am the Devil's Hand Killer, as the media calls me,"
Johnny overruled him.
"Why?! Why my family? Tell me now, you little fuck!" he said, extracting the knife from Jimmy's shoulder.
"You're whole family is living off borrowed time," he said.
"It's my job to end it all. Your son nearly died from heart complications at birth, you came back because neither heaven nor hell could take you, and your wife overdosed twice on her medication, and she was brought back by your brother, after you stabbed her."
Johnny wanted to ask more, but he didn't want Jimmy to run. He had to kill him now. Nny looked back at his wife's body. Her eyes were open; her facial expression was one of pain. Johnny felt his anger rise.
"I am going to kill you," he vowed, turning back to Jimmy.
The disfigured killer's eyes narrowed.
"Try," he said.
"Go on, take a slice at me."
Johnny growled.
"I'll do more than that," he sneered. He rammed Jimmy's head on into a brick wall. He bound the disfigured man's hands together with a shoelace.
"I will never forgive you, Jimmy. NEVER! You stole the most precious thing in my life from me. My wife may be dead, but I will not allow you to harm my son!" he said, his eyes burned with utmost loathing.
Johnny found himself crying, weeping for Jezebel, and for his son. He only prayed that Todd was not watching. Anger turned to loathing as Johnny saw Jimmy smiling. He showed no remorse for killing Jezebel, only because he felt none. Johnny could hear the doughboys returning.
"Kill him! You have a reason! KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"
Johnny screamed.
"OKAY!!!"
Johnny brought the knife down, planting it in Jimmy's chest. He pulled the knife out, and Jimmy's beating heart came with it. Nny immediately threw the knife to the ground. He gagged. His stomach felt as though it would cut itself open.
"Oh Christ..."
Johnny knew he was going to be sick.
"Oh sweet mother Mary..."
He turned and vomited into a trashcan.
"What has turned me into this monster?" he asked himself aloud. He wiped his lips with his sleeve. Sighing sadly, he picked up his wife's body. He shouted for Todd to get in his room. Johnny stepped inside his house.
"Stay in your room, Todd. Don't come out until I say so," he said, gently laying Jezebel's body on the couch. Johnny picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, Mom? It's Johnny..."
Johnny had found Brenda Casail's name in the phone book a while back. He choked back tears. He wasn't sure if he could get the words out.
"Jezebel's dead. She's been murdered,"
A/n: Oh god...I've seen Frailty too many times...
