WARNING: MURDER

Chapter Five

Tonight, was the night Lauren Mallory was going to die.

I was already prepared, dressed to murder with all skin that was able to be used covered. The paint overalls were in the attic and had belonged to Renee before, long ago when she had gone around and painted the house over a decade ago. They were a little baggy on me, but they would still be able to be worn without any issues.

The latex gloves had duct tape to the ends of them to keep them over the overalls. My dark and thick hair was covered by a shower cap, and I made sure to add the extra bags over my boots. Charlie was out of the house and was in Seattle because his police academy friends had recently gotten married and had asked Charlie to come up to see him and his new wife. So, it was perfect timing to do so, especially since Lauren wasn't at school today because she had a nasty flu.

Pulling one of the wooden boards off of the floor of my bedroom, I reached in and grabbed a glass phial for me to collect some of Lauren's blood for when I would eventually pour it into the painting. I also grabbed one of the thickest knives that had been in the kitchen back in Phoenix before I put the wooden board down and went downstairs so I could go through the back door of the house. The last thing I needed to do was to be seen going into the woods and it was dark enough out for me to sneak into the woods. I couldn't use a flashlight, that would attract attention.

Leaving the house and the property, I went through the woods and stayed not too far away from the outer edge of the woods that went onto backyard properties. I had already known that Lauren's house was about two miles down the same street as mine, to the left side of the property.

It was a quick in and out, Lauren would be knocked out by some cold medicine most likely and would be weak in her sick state. I would go in, slash her throat and collect some of her blood before stabbing the knife through her heart and keep her pinned against her mattress. Her parents were out of town so they would come home and find their daughter ruthlessly murdered.

Reaching the nicely decorated house with two stories, I slowly made my way forward to the back porch of the house. I could notice how her parents had made sure to keep the house in pristine condition.

The house was a good bit newer than Charlie's house, which meant that Lauren's parents could have done two things: moved from another part of the town to this house when it had been built or owned the property to begin with and got rid of the original house before building their dream home. There was no secrecy on how the Mallory's were the second richest family in town, behind the Cullens (no one could even imagine the money they had).

I barely paid attention to how everything was in better condition than Charlie's house.

Besides I was here to kill Lauren, not decide to sneak in because I needed inspiration when it came to interior designing. I was glad that the key they kept under the back door rug was still there and unlocked it, slowly entering and making sure to shut the door quick but quietly enough that she could barely hear it, that was if she could hear what was going on down here.

Slowly moving through the house, I was thankful that the house wasn't too cluttered with furniture and knick-knacks. Everything was placed in a certain place for style and there wasn't anything that was just sat there and forgotten about for a while like it would have been at Charlie's house or even at the apartments and houses Renee would rent when I was growing up.

I moved quicker and both were grateful that the stairs that led upstairs were carpeted and not at the same time. I would end up falling onto the stairs and breaking my neck, instead of stabbing Lauren through the heart after cutting her throat.

It would be comedic justice, and no one would mourn me if they had learnt what went through my brain, those urges that were deep within me, demanding they be let out.

Even Charlie would learn to hate me, to be disappointed in the fact that his daughter was not bathed in angelic light but in demonic flames. Renee would probably try and write a book about her experiences with raising me, while Phil would claim that he knew he probably would have been a future victim of mine.

Reaching the second floor of the house I noted how there was a light on in one of the bedrooms, maybe Lauren had a television in her bedroom on a dresser and she had been watching movies or television shows.

Or maybe she had a table lamp that was lit but that wasn't of my concern, her bedroom faced the woods and not the front yard or the sides where other houses could look into the room.

In fact, there was a little bit of a conversation going on, which as I came closer, I noted how it came from a movie.

Jessica wasn't here, she would have been collateral damage.

The both of them would have been murdered ruthlessly, but though she irritated me she did not warrant me needing to kill Jessica too. She was just a bubbly person; Lauren was a straight up bitch and had basically claimed she would have preferred it if I had died instead of being rescued by Edward when Tyler's van went to hit me.

Reaching the bedroom, I opened the door completely and noted how there were many athletic trophies that were hanging on shelves. There were pictures of her with her sports teams and there were even a few equestrian awards she had received. I had to be impressed by this, because I knew if it weren't for the fact that she was sick she would put up a good fight. She might even pull off my shower cap so my hair would end up being pulled out.

Lauren was lying motionless against her bed with her bedspread half over her and half off. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing deeply, every now and then she coughed. There was some Nyquil that was off to the side which let me know that she passed out. I was glad that she was sick, all I was here was to kill her and not torture her.

Slowly I made my way towards her, the carpet muffling my footsteps. I pulled out the knife from the pocket of my painting jumpsuit and smiled as it glinted from the light that came from both the television and the lamp that was lit. I knew that the blood would be so beautiful when I would pull it out of her. I would always remember this, and I would look back at it fondly.

Bringing the knife up I sliced her against her throat and smirked when she opened her eyes and peered up at me. I reached the glass phial up and collected some of the blood. She was so weak from the medication.

I reached into another pocket of mine and pulled out a cloth so that I could clean off the blood. Then I reached the knife up over my head and let it fall down and stab through her heart. I made sure to embed the knife deep enough that it punctured through her back and into the mattress.

I left the house behind me and went back to Charlie's house. I made sure to take off my clothes carefully and went upstairs to put them on the floorboard where I had put the knife and the phial. I soon found myself in the shower and washing away the blood that had come and hit me a little bit. I smiled warmly the whole entire time, the whole murder flickering through my mind like my favorite scenes from a horror movie.

The next day I woke to a note that was sitting next to me on my nightstand. I could tell that it was written in Charlie's handwriting and picking it up, my eyes took in what he had said.

Bella,

I want you to know that school is canceled today. One of your classmates was found murdered this morning by your friend, Jessica Stanley. There will be a memorial tonight at the high school for her. At 5 0'clock.

-Charlie

I smirked as I stood up and went upstairs into the attic where I found some of my canvases that I had put up there the last time I had stayed here, so they were a couple of years old. I sat them on the attic floor after I pulled out painting sheets so I could cover the paint along with the blood I would be using from the phial that contained Lauren's blood.

Going downstairs I opened my closet and pulled out some of my oil paint cans that were still in the back and carried them out of my bedroom and up the stairs into the attic. I sat them down in the order of most use to the least use. I pulled out the phial of Lauren's blood and dribbled it across the plain canvas, my eyes lighting up as I saw that beautiful crimson blood spreading across the canvas. I brought my hands down and began to spread the paint in different swirls and directions.

Soon I was caught in a maelstrom of emotions as I painted an accurate depiction of Lauren with her head decapitated and her holding it above her throat. I made sure to spread the blood mostly where the blood would be in the painting if it were in normal paint. I stuck my tongue sideways in my mouth and focused immensely on the painting, only for me to hear the sound of Charlie's voice radiating downstairs on the first floor.

Dropping the paintbrush, I stood up and went downstairs, knowing that there would still be Lauren's blood that was on my hands, but it was layered in multiple oil paints. Charlie was at the top of the stairs when he saw me coming down from the attic steps. His eyes took me in, before realization came over him as he remembered how I always enjoyed painting in my spare time.

"Oh, you were painting. I was wondering what you were doing," Charlie confessed as he came closer, his eyes zeroing in on me as though he was trying to make sure that I was actually painting and not doing something that was sketchy.

"Yeah, when the creative juices are flowing you can't help but answer them."

Charlie gave me a confused look before he nodded his head, telling me he was going to take a nap before he would get ready for the memorial that would happen at the high school. I didn't want to imagine what Jessica had gone through when she had come into Lauren's bedroom and saw what I had done. I couldn't imagine what Charlie had dealt with, but I didn't regret what I had done. It was only a matter of time that someone would piss me off enough for me to murder them in this town. Lauren Mallory just happened to be my first victim.

I went back upstairs into the attic and continued painting for some time before knowing that I needed to take a shower before getting appropriately dressed for the memorial. I went downstairs and took a shower before changing into proper mourning clothes. I was almost tempted to dress up as the mom in The Sixth Sense that had poisoned her daughter to death and wore red during the funeral and the reception at her house. I knew it would only have raised eyebrows, so I didn't do that.

Charlie came downstairs where I was waiting for him in the living room awkwardly in my mourning obsidian dress. I didn't own that many dresses, even when I lived in Phoenix, but this dress was always there in the back of my closet because I knew that eventually someone I knew would die and I would need a mourning dress.

I couldn't just look disrespectful at the funeral, whether it be someone who was important to my family, or whether it being that I had ended up being the person who caused the death of the person. It would be disrespectful anyway for me to attend the funeral and I knew that it was disrespectful that I was even going to attend the memorial for Lauren.

The drive to the high school didn't take too long, the whole town seemed to be going into the gymnasium. I noted how Mr. and Mrs. Mallory happened to be looming by the doors dressed in their best mourning clothes, clothes that looked as though they were worth more than an average amount of townspeople's clothes put together. They were both good looking, which didn't surprise me, and I knew Lauren would have been really pretty if she had smiled and was an actual decent person.

Slowly making our way towards the gymnasium doors, I made myself look as though I felt horrible about being here. I shouldn't be scanning over everyone around me, noticing how people reacted at the memorial. There were some that weren't wearing the best clothes, but it just proved they didn't have that much money in their lives. There were others that were dressed the nicest they would ever dress, since they wanted to look their best and show support towards Mr. and Mrs. Mallory.

When we reached Mr. and Mrs. Mallory, I noted how Mrs. Mallory had a tissue in her hand and how there was makeup that was smeared across the tissue. Her makeup that was still on her face wasn't put on her any better, she would need to touch up her makeup soon. She was like any other mother when it came to this, especially when her daughter was murdered at seventeen.

"Chief, it's good that you're here. Thank you for coming," Mr. Mallory said, since it was obvious that his wife just couldn't stop crying or making sorrowful sounds. She wouldn't be able to say anything during the memorial.

Entering the gymnasium, I wasn't surprised with the fact that they had a projector screen that was on and showed Lauren's name written in cursive. There was a beautiful photograph of Lauren from when she was a baby and was wrapped in her mom's arms. There were no other children (I would later find out that Lauren was an only child so not only did they lose their only daughter they lost their only child).

Finding a spot on the bleachers I fought the urge to sigh as I sat down. I made sure to smooth down the skirt of my mourning dress and not smile at anyone around me. I wasn't supposed to be happy that I was here or want to be friendly. I would have rather been at home watching some random television shows or catching the tail end of a movie that was on one of the programs. I didn't want to be here and act more human than I was.

I glanced around the gymnasium, my mouth falling open when I saw the Cullens coming through the gymnasium doors that were propped open. I knew what the teenagers looked like and Dr. Cullen, but I had yet to see what the mysterious Mrs. Cullen looked like. She was the second shortest female in the family and shared the same bluish white skin tone as the others and the same golden irises. Her hair was a caramel hue and was wavy against her shoulder blades.

All the Cullens were dressed in black, as was expected in a dreary setting like this, but their clothes were the most stunning. They made all the clothes that were currently in the gymnasium look as though they were worn out hand-me-downs that needed to be gotten rid of.

The gymnasium dipped down ten degrees, or at least it felt like that, because people glanced over at the Cullens with glares. It was apparent that although they liked Carlisle and Esme, they found that they were still outsiders and shouldn't be here. I was the exception, because of the fact that Charlie was my dad. They never tried to become friends with Lauren, so that meant they shouldn't be here. They never tried to be friends with anyone for the three years they had been living here.

The Cullens went to a section of the bleachers that was empty and wasn't a good spot to look at the projector slide show that most likely would be playing before long.

They all sat down, and I could tell that Edward seemed a little uncomfortable being here, he looked as though he was trying to focus on something or clear his mind. Alice Cullen scanned the area around them before her eyes landed on mine. She craned her head to the side and studied me for a moment, her lips pressed tightly together, the dark plum color making her resemble more undead vampire than just a normal healthy skin colored person wearing dark lipstick.

I tried to keep myself from looking at the Cullens, or at anyone too long.

The lights in the gymnasium soon went out and the projector played the memorial slideshow from when Mrs. Mallory learnt she had become pregnant with Lauren all the way to her last picture she had taken with her parents before they went on a business trip. There were sniffles and tissues up against eyes to clean away the tears that were falling down from tear ducts.

By the time the lights went back on I was sitting as still as a statue without tears falling down my face. I didn't feel uncomfortable when everywhere I looked there happened to be people that were crying. Even the little children were crying because their parents were crying, and they didn't know what to do when their parents were crying (who would take their children to a memorial for a teenager unless you were a family friend or actually a part of the family?).

Charlie had redness to his eyes, allowing me to know that he was quietly crying along with everyone else. I knew he must have thought he was a failure of a cop to not see the signs of someone possibly stalking her and wanting to kill Lauren. He probably felt as though he wouldn't be worthy of his badge until he would catch the murderer and put them behind bars.

I couldn't help but wonder what he would have done if I calmly stood up from my spot, went down the bleacher steps and over to the microphone where Lauren's loved ones were giving speeches about Lauren. I would take the microphone away from whoever would be trying to say something but was bubbling the whole time without anyone being able to hear what they were saying before I would turn and look at Charlie. Our eyes would meet, and I would simply say that I had been the one who had murdered Lauren Mallory.

There would be silence at first and then mayhem would erupt around us. My eyes would stay focused on Charlie and one of the other police officers would arrest me before taking me to the police station. I'd end up being sentenced as an adult and either given life without parole or the death penalty. It wouldn't really upset me to be honest if this would have happened, after all I had already killed Lauren and there was no way they could bring her back to life.

"Bella."

I brought my eyes up and noted how Charlie and other people were standing up to leave, enough for me to awkwardly move to get up too. I went down the stairs of the bleachers and towards the propped open gymnasium doors only for me to see Jessica Stanley making her way towards me, she probably had a matching dress like Lauren's. I could see them both having matching clothes since they were little, even though they had met each other until after Jessica moved here from California in third grade.

"Hi Bella," Jessica greeted me, one of her hands was in a death grip of a tissue. She had done the smart thing and wiped away any makeup that might have already been on there because there wasn't any makeup ruining her face.

"Oh, hi, Jessica. I'm sorry about Lauren, I know–"

Jessica brought her hand up as though to tell me to be quiet. I kept my lips pressed closed even though a part of me almost seemed to seethe at the thought of her greeting me and then signaling that I should be quiet. Still, she was wanting to talk to me at her best friend's memorial and since I was the said murderer, I needed to be patient and polite to her. Not wrap my arms around her throat and squeeze her windpipe until it would break.

"Um…I was supposed to dress shopping with…Lauren–" cue a couple of sniffles– "and Angela for the Girls' Spring Choice Dance next weekend. I still am going with Angela, and I know that Lauren would want me to go shopping even without her here…so do you want to go up to Port Angeles with me and Angela next weekend?"

I opened my mouth to tell her she could turn around and walk back to her family, only for me to growl inwardly in aggravation. "I'll go dress shopping with you. I'm not going to the dance, but I don't mind helping you find the perfect dress."

In the corner of my eye, I could see that Alice and Edward Cullen were in the lineaments of the bleachers, to the side, conversing with each other. I still didn't know why they and the rest of their siblings and parents had decided to come to this memorial. They obviously stuck out like a sore thumb in this town, but it was very obvious that they weren't completely human so that meant they would have to come to events like this so there would be no raised eyebrows.

Arms went out and wrapped around me, enough for my fingers to twitch a few times. I really, really wanted this girl off of me or I swear to–

"Oh, thank you! That means the world to me! I'll text you the details," Jessica informed me before she pulled away from me and went in the direction of where her parents were. I noted how she had a brother and sister, one of them in elementary school (the boy) and the other in middle school (the girl).

"You're a good friend, Bells."

I let my eyes flicker away from the direction of where the Stanleys were to Charlie standing awkwardly next to me. I had completely forgotten that he was still with me. Kind of a good thing that I didn't yank Jessica away from me just now or strangle her to death. If I were to kill her, which to be honest I really just knew it was a bad idea since she was my last victim's best friend, it would be in bad taste to kill her during a sad memorial for our fallen classmate and her best friend.

"Yes, so they've told me," I mumbled, the last part, as I rolled my eyes on the inside, wishing that this was a different event for me to do that.

Too bad I had to be careful in Forks, even though this town was kind of slow to be honest if the Cullens were still hanging out and playing human for the past two years.

I mean they were obviously not human; the golden eyes were too unnatural. They clung around each other and were dressed as though they were in an haute couture occult cult, which wouldn't surprise me if there were some kinds of cults like that out there. The Cullens might be the ones that were in charge of the whole shebang.

Going back to Charlie's house, I got out of the police cruiser and entered the house.

Charlie stayed outside, he most likely was going to be sitting on the porch swing smoking a cigarette. He always tried to claim he wasn't a big smoker, but he smoked more than he said he did. Cigarette smoke was potent and clung to breath, skin and hair and anything else it could touch. I should know, I smoked a couple of times back in Phoenix, but I didn't think Charlie would enjoy it if I came outside and sat down next to him on the porch swing and lit my own cigarette.

Instead, I did what any normal teenager did. Check on my portrait of Lauren's dead body, which was painted with the blood of her. It would be done soon, and the demons that were in my head had gone quiet. I had pleased them for now.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Update 2 of 3.

Yes, we have finally committed murder. I hope that you were satisfied with the murder scene. It's the first time that I've ever written a murder scene before. This is my first horror work ever and I'm very proud of it. I decided to rename the fanfiction KILLER QUEEN. I thought it was more appropriate.

as always: Twilight doesn't belong to me

Bella doesn't meet Aro until chapter 19. I know that's a long way in the future, but I'm not finished with little miss murderer yet while she's still human. She can get away with all the murders she wants in the future as the main queen of Volterra of course, but her favorite ones will be when she was human.

-Emmy