Marlena sat at the table of her penthouse suite, a coffee mug in her hands, smiling as she thought about the vile, evil things she had only recently gotten away with. She had just got back from another quick errand as well: murdering Douglas Williams in cold-blood.
"Oh, Douglas," Marlena whispered with a smile, "If only you knew how painful it was for me to kill you. I have so many bruises on my body. And my face! Oh!" Marlena shook her head in disgust, "To think you'd actually hit a woman. And a family friend, no less! Old coot! You deserved to die."
Marlena laughed coldly as she set the mug down and got up to look at the mirror. She had to apply extra foundation in order to cover up the hideous lump that was across her cheek, given to her by Douglas' fist. She had to admit, the man still had some strength for his age, but not quite enough to worm away from her.
"Now, as long as no one poked their nose into our business and saw what happened, I don't have to kill anymore, which is a relief because I'm getting too old for this shit." Marlena laughed at that thought and sighed, shaking her head again as she walked toward her cup. Picking it up, she made her way to the terrace and stopped at the railing.
Looking out at the city below, she smiled and reminisced about the eight murders she had committed so far and then grimaced about the one that was being blamed on her: Victor's.
"Damn whomever killed that old man," Marlena cursed, "That wasn't my doing. I'm a lot more professional than that."
Marlena also thought about her daughter's current flame, Shawn-Douglas, accusing her of the killings. She was surprised that the young man could even think outside of the box, considering that, at one point, he was way off base, rabidly accusing Rex of the murders. Of course, Marlena managed to play off of the boy's suspicions by leaving her clothing in Rex's closet after she had killed Maggie on that Halloween night, but still...
"Oh, Rex," Marlena whispered, "I'm so sorry about Cassie. But that little slut had to die. If she had told the truth to anybody, I would've been caught. And even if I did give birth to her...that doesn't mean she has any more of a chance to live than if she were my own flesh and blood."
Marlena smiled and closed her eyes, taking in the cool spring air.
* * *
It was the night of Caroline Brady's wake and someone had been poisoned. That someone had simply been walking to try some of the Brady Pub's delicious clam dip to satisfy her hunger. That someone was simply minding her own business. And yet, that someone was counting on being poisoned.
Marlena picked up the carrot stick and dipped it into the white substance, coming up with a generous amount on most of the vegetable. She raised it to her lips and looked at it. at first hesitant, Marlena knew exactly what was going to happen to her. First, the drug would kick in, making her feel drowsy, light-headed. It would make her feel like she was floating in midair, a sort of soaring feeling that only certain illegal drugs can do. Then she would feel that feeling escape her as she lost control over most of her body.
Plummeting to the floor would be the first step, she anticipated. I'll fall and everyone will be worried for my safety. John will carry me up to a room where the good Dr. Lexie will administer her good drugs on me. Of course, it won't be that easy. These drugs, they're designed to put up a fight. I'll stop breathing. My heart will stop. They'll think I'm dead.
But if I know Lexie, she'll do everything in her power to save me.
And she will.
And I will magically come back to life, everyone will feel sorry for the dear Dr. Marlena Evans Black, and will think she is the next victim on the Salem Stalker's list.
And, just as the woman anticipated, it happened. What only seemed like a few minutes to her was, in fact, almost an hour. She opened her eyes, after finally being stabilized by Lexie. And she cried, saying that she was scared and that she wanted him to protect her.
But what Marlena did not expect was what happened as she weakly made her way toward a restroom. For a moment, she paid no heed to Cassie who just stood there by the dip, staring at an empty table. And, for a second, Marlena chose to take care of bodily needs...until she saw Cassie's head rise up, as if shocked by a sudden burst of power.
Marlena's eyes widened in shock.
Don't you do it, dammit. Don't you dare even think it! I don't want to have to kill you too, you little bitch!
But Cassie did. Her arm slowly went up to her face, as if she had just had a revelation, and Marlena watched as Cassie turned slightly to reveal a face filled with shock and horror. Cassie could not see her spy, but Marlena watched every bit of Cassie's reactions like a hawk.
"Dammit," Marlena whispered quietly as she pounded against a wall, "I knew it was too good to be true."
Marlena then watched as Rex and Tony neared the young woman and they all walked out together.
And Marlena scowled, knowing that her next job would not be too far along.
* * *
Thanksgiving morning.
Marlena awoke to the sound of her alarm clock in the master bedroom of her suite. At first, she could not remember why she had set it so early, rising out of bed slowly, her nightgown wrinkled and disheveled across her shoulders. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed and, in an instant, her eyes grew wider. She chuckled lightly as she almost instantly remembered her reasons and reached for the alarm clock.
"Oh, Cassie, Cassie, Cassie..." Marlena mumbled, "You'll be my fifth, sweet girl." Sliding out of bed, Marlena took care to walk easily as the poison and Lexie's drugs were still going at it with one another in her body. However, that did not deter Marlena as she still had more than enough strength to take care of business.
Humming, Marlena walked to her walk-in closet and stepped inside. Going to the very back, she dug around until she recovered an opaque suit cover, colored black with a silver zipper down the front. Unzipping it revealed a black hooded sweatshirt and black jogging pants. Marlena smiled and zipped the cover back up, walked out of the closet and placed the entire thing on her bed.
Slipping out of her nightgown and wrapping herself in a towel, Marlena looked back at the outfit one last time before smiling and heading into the shower.
* * *
"Hello, Cassie. How's that sleuthing going for you? Planning on solving any mysteries?"
"What do you want?"
"Now is that any way to say 'hello'? Oh! And here I thought you loved me. I guess not, huh?"
"You know what? It doesn't even matter! I'm not going to let you win!"
"Win, lose...Cassie, sweetie this isn't a game we're talking about. It's your life. And honey, your time's just about up."
"Shut up, bitch! I'm going to the cops right now and tell them that you're the killer!"
"Heh ha ha ha! Oh, Cassie! You're so funny! Ha ha ha! I'm gonna miss you!"
* * *
She was watching her, sitting calmly at a table with a newspaper in front of her face, casually looking from the side of the local article from time to time to catch a glimpse of the young woman that sat nervously three tables away, sipping incessantly at her latte. The young woman looked around every now and then, but not enough to notice that her stalker was only a few tables away from her. If only she had looked closer, she would have found her...
"Here's your change, ma'am," the waitress said as she set a white piece of paper down and two tens on the table. Marlena looked up from the paper and smiled warmly, taking one ten in her sweatpants pocket and handing the second bill to the female server.
"Thank you so much for your service," Marlena said.
"Thank you, ma'am," the waitress said with a genuine smile and walked away.
Marlena watched as the waitress walked away and then turned her attention back to Cassie, who was also preparing to leave her table as well. She watched as the young woman placed two dollar bills on the table and then gathering her purse and cell phone, began to walk away. Marlena stayed stationary for a moment, following Cassie with her eyes. When the young woman reached a certain distance, Marlena neatly folded her newspaper and began walking naturally as she slowly followed Cassie.
Eventaully, Marlena discovered that she was being led. She realized that Cassie figured something out at about the time when they passed that Italian Bistro. Cassie had stopped and looked around for a moment and then started again.
"Observant," Marlena whispered as she continued to follow Cassie into a less populated area, "But not very smart, Cassie."
Suddenly, Cassie came to a complete halt in the back alley of one of the buildings. Marlena realized that the alley led directly into the Salem Square where many people were preparing for the festival activities. It was only a short run away, a perfect escape if need be.
"You really thought I would walk into some stupid trap like that, Marlena?" Cassie asked as she turned around to face her surrogate mother, "You should know better."
"That's the thing, Cassie. I don't," Marlena replied as she stood two yards away from the young woman, "So tell me. What should I know? Huh?"
Cassie tried to put on a brave face but it was clear that the young woman was scared. Her hands shook as she dug into her purse and produced a cell phone. "I've already called Roman. He's on his way to the station, which is where I'm going. It's over, Mom," Cassie said with a tinge of sarcasm in addressing Marlena as such, "Your little killing spree is over! You're not going to frame my brother or hurt my family anymore!"
"And which family would that be, Cassie?" Marlena asked, "The one that you lied your way into or the one you and Rex are actually related to, because...ha! I just don't know these days, sweetie."
"Don't call me that!" Cassie yelled, "You're not my mother!"
"Oh, Cassie! How could you say that? Of course I am! I've always been!"
Cassie looked at Marlena with confusion.
"I mean...I may not be your mother by blood, but it's my feelings here," she continued as she placed a hand over her heart, "That matter to me. Oh, Cassie. I'd die before I'd ever harm a hair on that beautiful head of yours. You should know that."
"Then why did you frame Rex?" Cassie yelled, "If you really care about me, why would you do that?"
"Oh, Cassie..." Marlena said as she began to break down, "I-I don't know. Why am I killing all of my friends and family? Why am I acting like this...this vicious monster? I don't have the answers to everything! My God..." Marlena held a hand to her face, "What have I become?" she looked up at Cassie, "D-do you realize I woke up with the intention of killing you this morning?"
Cassie's face seemed to grow pale upon hearing this.
"I-I was going to but I...I don't know. I just can't. I can't kill my baby girl. I don't care if you're not my real daughter. I still love you and I only want to protect you, not hurt you."
Cassie's face seemed to soften upon hearing this. She tucked the cell phone away in her purse, watching as Marlena's tears moistened her fair skin.
"My God, I'm sick!" Marlena whimpered as she fell to the ground, her face in her hands, "I need help!"
Cassie was, at first, unsure as to whether or not to approach the woman. But something within Cassie told her that this woman, a woman that, for a time, she thought was her mother, needed comfort from someone. Anyone. Cassie began to believe Marlena, watching as the grown woman cried her eyes out in what seemed to be genuine emotion.
And then she stepped forward, slowly, with one step. And then another. And another. Until Cassie was in front of Marlena, and then next to her, and then embracing her tightly, hoping that she could comfort her true mother, in her mind, as much as possible.
"Thank you, Cassie," Marlena whispered through whimpers and sobs, "My sweet girl."
A hand reaching for the paper, a black handle slightly revealed in the light of the day.
"Oh, mom," Cassie whispered, "It's gonna be al right. We're gonna get you the help you need. I'll help you. We'll all help you. Ton...Daddy and Rex and me...we'll all help you."
The hand draws nearer.
"Thank you, Cassie," Marlena says with a sniffle.
The blade rises from the newspaper beneath the daily comics.
Cassie cries out in pain. A sharp, distinctive yelp that echoes in the alleyway and nowhere else.
"Thank you for being such a stupid BITCH!" Marlena yells and pulls out the blade from Cassie's back, only to stab the defenseless young woman in the left breast three times.
Cassie attempts to scream, but Marlena holds a hand to her face and manages to maneuver her legs on top of Cassie's so the woman cannot kick outward, all while continuing to stab the woman in the abdomen, slashing her ruthlessly as crimson blood spews out of her body.
"There's only one 'sweet girl' in my life," Marlena says in between grunts as she stabs Cassie in the chest again, "And it's not you, girly."
Cassie's screams have reduced to a whimper, her once flailing arms falling to her sides as she begins to lose consciousness. Tears readily appear in her eyes as Marlena stabs her several more times in the chest, tearing out pieces of vital organs with each retraction of the blade.
Marlena sighs heavily as she lifts herself from Cassie's body, taking her hand away from her now slightly parted mouth. Marlena notice's the once clean girl was now covered in her own blood, multiple stab wounds lining her body and freely bleeding with more of the dark fluid.
Cassie's eyes managed to look toward Marlena as the young woman whimpered, her whimpers a miracle considering the murderess nearly tore apart her lungs.
"Not so confident now, huh?" Marlena whispered as she looked down at her latest victim.
"...w-why?" Cassie managed to whisper in a gurgling voice, a sign that she was drowning in her own blood.
Marlena laughed delightfully, looking at the blade of the knife and shaking her head, her flowing blonde locks striking the air defiantly. "Does it really matter? You're going to die anyway."
And, almost as if Marlena's words willed it, Cassie began to choke, her eyes widening as more blood flowed out of her mouth. There was a clear sound of gurgling, as if the woman was drowning in a pool of water. And then, she was still, her body finally remaining stationary as her eyes closed for the final time.
Marlena looked at Cassie for the longest of time, looking at the girl that she had just killed. She studied her features: long, brown hair, fair beautiful face. Marlena closed her eyes and sighed, shaking her head slowly.
"I had to do it..." Marlena whispered, "I had to do it..."
And the blond psychiatrist kept repeating that to herself as she dragged Cassie's body to the nearby square where the young woman would give the people of Salem a surprise they would not soon forget.
"Oh, Douglas," Marlena whispered with a smile, "If only you knew how painful it was for me to kill you. I have so many bruises on my body. And my face! Oh!" Marlena shook her head in disgust, "To think you'd actually hit a woman. And a family friend, no less! Old coot! You deserved to die."
Marlena laughed coldly as she set the mug down and got up to look at the mirror. She had to apply extra foundation in order to cover up the hideous lump that was across her cheek, given to her by Douglas' fist. She had to admit, the man still had some strength for his age, but not quite enough to worm away from her.
"Now, as long as no one poked their nose into our business and saw what happened, I don't have to kill anymore, which is a relief because I'm getting too old for this shit." Marlena laughed at that thought and sighed, shaking her head again as she walked toward her cup. Picking it up, she made her way to the terrace and stopped at the railing.
Looking out at the city below, she smiled and reminisced about the eight murders she had committed so far and then grimaced about the one that was being blamed on her: Victor's.
"Damn whomever killed that old man," Marlena cursed, "That wasn't my doing. I'm a lot more professional than that."
Marlena also thought about her daughter's current flame, Shawn-Douglas, accusing her of the killings. She was surprised that the young man could even think outside of the box, considering that, at one point, he was way off base, rabidly accusing Rex of the murders. Of course, Marlena managed to play off of the boy's suspicions by leaving her clothing in Rex's closet after she had killed Maggie on that Halloween night, but still...
"Oh, Rex," Marlena whispered, "I'm so sorry about Cassie. But that little slut had to die. If she had told the truth to anybody, I would've been caught. And even if I did give birth to her...that doesn't mean she has any more of a chance to live than if she were my own flesh and blood."
Marlena smiled and closed her eyes, taking in the cool spring air.
* * *
It was the night of Caroline Brady's wake and someone had been poisoned. That someone had simply been walking to try some of the Brady Pub's delicious clam dip to satisfy her hunger. That someone was simply minding her own business. And yet, that someone was counting on being poisoned.
Marlena picked up the carrot stick and dipped it into the white substance, coming up with a generous amount on most of the vegetable. She raised it to her lips and looked at it. at first hesitant, Marlena knew exactly what was going to happen to her. First, the drug would kick in, making her feel drowsy, light-headed. It would make her feel like she was floating in midair, a sort of soaring feeling that only certain illegal drugs can do. Then she would feel that feeling escape her as she lost control over most of her body.
Plummeting to the floor would be the first step, she anticipated. I'll fall and everyone will be worried for my safety. John will carry me up to a room where the good Dr. Lexie will administer her good drugs on me. Of course, it won't be that easy. These drugs, they're designed to put up a fight. I'll stop breathing. My heart will stop. They'll think I'm dead.
But if I know Lexie, she'll do everything in her power to save me.
And she will.
And I will magically come back to life, everyone will feel sorry for the dear Dr. Marlena Evans Black, and will think she is the next victim on the Salem Stalker's list.
And, just as the woman anticipated, it happened. What only seemed like a few minutes to her was, in fact, almost an hour. She opened her eyes, after finally being stabilized by Lexie. And she cried, saying that she was scared and that she wanted him to protect her.
But what Marlena did not expect was what happened as she weakly made her way toward a restroom. For a moment, she paid no heed to Cassie who just stood there by the dip, staring at an empty table. And, for a second, Marlena chose to take care of bodily needs...until she saw Cassie's head rise up, as if shocked by a sudden burst of power.
Marlena's eyes widened in shock.
Don't you do it, dammit. Don't you dare even think it! I don't want to have to kill you too, you little bitch!
But Cassie did. Her arm slowly went up to her face, as if she had just had a revelation, and Marlena watched as Cassie turned slightly to reveal a face filled with shock and horror. Cassie could not see her spy, but Marlena watched every bit of Cassie's reactions like a hawk.
"Dammit," Marlena whispered quietly as she pounded against a wall, "I knew it was too good to be true."
Marlena then watched as Rex and Tony neared the young woman and they all walked out together.
And Marlena scowled, knowing that her next job would not be too far along.
* * *
Thanksgiving morning.
Marlena awoke to the sound of her alarm clock in the master bedroom of her suite. At first, she could not remember why she had set it so early, rising out of bed slowly, her nightgown wrinkled and disheveled across her shoulders. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed and, in an instant, her eyes grew wider. She chuckled lightly as she almost instantly remembered her reasons and reached for the alarm clock.
"Oh, Cassie, Cassie, Cassie..." Marlena mumbled, "You'll be my fifth, sweet girl." Sliding out of bed, Marlena took care to walk easily as the poison and Lexie's drugs were still going at it with one another in her body. However, that did not deter Marlena as she still had more than enough strength to take care of business.
Humming, Marlena walked to her walk-in closet and stepped inside. Going to the very back, she dug around until she recovered an opaque suit cover, colored black with a silver zipper down the front. Unzipping it revealed a black hooded sweatshirt and black jogging pants. Marlena smiled and zipped the cover back up, walked out of the closet and placed the entire thing on her bed.
Slipping out of her nightgown and wrapping herself in a towel, Marlena looked back at the outfit one last time before smiling and heading into the shower.
* * *
"Hello, Cassie. How's that sleuthing going for you? Planning on solving any mysteries?"
"What do you want?"
"Now is that any way to say 'hello'? Oh! And here I thought you loved me. I guess not, huh?"
"You know what? It doesn't even matter! I'm not going to let you win!"
"Win, lose...Cassie, sweetie this isn't a game we're talking about. It's your life. And honey, your time's just about up."
"Shut up, bitch! I'm going to the cops right now and tell them that you're the killer!"
"Heh ha ha ha! Oh, Cassie! You're so funny! Ha ha ha! I'm gonna miss you!"
* * *
She was watching her, sitting calmly at a table with a newspaper in front of her face, casually looking from the side of the local article from time to time to catch a glimpse of the young woman that sat nervously three tables away, sipping incessantly at her latte. The young woman looked around every now and then, but not enough to notice that her stalker was only a few tables away from her. If only she had looked closer, she would have found her...
"Here's your change, ma'am," the waitress said as she set a white piece of paper down and two tens on the table. Marlena looked up from the paper and smiled warmly, taking one ten in her sweatpants pocket and handing the second bill to the female server.
"Thank you so much for your service," Marlena said.
"Thank you, ma'am," the waitress said with a genuine smile and walked away.
Marlena watched as the waitress walked away and then turned her attention back to Cassie, who was also preparing to leave her table as well. She watched as the young woman placed two dollar bills on the table and then gathering her purse and cell phone, began to walk away. Marlena stayed stationary for a moment, following Cassie with her eyes. When the young woman reached a certain distance, Marlena neatly folded her newspaper and began walking naturally as she slowly followed Cassie.
Eventaully, Marlena discovered that she was being led. She realized that Cassie figured something out at about the time when they passed that Italian Bistro. Cassie had stopped and looked around for a moment and then started again.
"Observant," Marlena whispered as she continued to follow Cassie into a less populated area, "But not very smart, Cassie."
Suddenly, Cassie came to a complete halt in the back alley of one of the buildings. Marlena realized that the alley led directly into the Salem Square where many people were preparing for the festival activities. It was only a short run away, a perfect escape if need be.
"You really thought I would walk into some stupid trap like that, Marlena?" Cassie asked as she turned around to face her surrogate mother, "You should know better."
"That's the thing, Cassie. I don't," Marlena replied as she stood two yards away from the young woman, "So tell me. What should I know? Huh?"
Cassie tried to put on a brave face but it was clear that the young woman was scared. Her hands shook as she dug into her purse and produced a cell phone. "I've already called Roman. He's on his way to the station, which is where I'm going. It's over, Mom," Cassie said with a tinge of sarcasm in addressing Marlena as such, "Your little killing spree is over! You're not going to frame my brother or hurt my family anymore!"
"And which family would that be, Cassie?" Marlena asked, "The one that you lied your way into or the one you and Rex are actually related to, because...ha! I just don't know these days, sweetie."
"Don't call me that!" Cassie yelled, "You're not my mother!"
"Oh, Cassie! How could you say that? Of course I am! I've always been!"
Cassie looked at Marlena with confusion.
"I mean...I may not be your mother by blood, but it's my feelings here," she continued as she placed a hand over her heart, "That matter to me. Oh, Cassie. I'd die before I'd ever harm a hair on that beautiful head of yours. You should know that."
"Then why did you frame Rex?" Cassie yelled, "If you really care about me, why would you do that?"
"Oh, Cassie..." Marlena said as she began to break down, "I-I don't know. Why am I killing all of my friends and family? Why am I acting like this...this vicious monster? I don't have the answers to everything! My God..." Marlena held a hand to her face, "What have I become?" she looked up at Cassie, "D-do you realize I woke up with the intention of killing you this morning?"
Cassie's face seemed to grow pale upon hearing this.
"I-I was going to but I...I don't know. I just can't. I can't kill my baby girl. I don't care if you're not my real daughter. I still love you and I only want to protect you, not hurt you."
Cassie's face seemed to soften upon hearing this. She tucked the cell phone away in her purse, watching as Marlena's tears moistened her fair skin.
"My God, I'm sick!" Marlena whimpered as she fell to the ground, her face in her hands, "I need help!"
Cassie was, at first, unsure as to whether or not to approach the woman. But something within Cassie told her that this woman, a woman that, for a time, she thought was her mother, needed comfort from someone. Anyone. Cassie began to believe Marlena, watching as the grown woman cried her eyes out in what seemed to be genuine emotion.
And then she stepped forward, slowly, with one step. And then another. And another. Until Cassie was in front of Marlena, and then next to her, and then embracing her tightly, hoping that she could comfort her true mother, in her mind, as much as possible.
"Thank you, Cassie," Marlena whispered through whimpers and sobs, "My sweet girl."
A hand reaching for the paper, a black handle slightly revealed in the light of the day.
"Oh, mom," Cassie whispered, "It's gonna be al right. We're gonna get you the help you need. I'll help you. We'll all help you. Ton...Daddy and Rex and me...we'll all help you."
The hand draws nearer.
"Thank you, Cassie," Marlena says with a sniffle.
The blade rises from the newspaper beneath the daily comics.
Cassie cries out in pain. A sharp, distinctive yelp that echoes in the alleyway and nowhere else.
"Thank you for being such a stupid BITCH!" Marlena yells and pulls out the blade from Cassie's back, only to stab the defenseless young woman in the left breast three times.
Cassie attempts to scream, but Marlena holds a hand to her face and manages to maneuver her legs on top of Cassie's so the woman cannot kick outward, all while continuing to stab the woman in the abdomen, slashing her ruthlessly as crimson blood spews out of her body.
"There's only one 'sweet girl' in my life," Marlena says in between grunts as she stabs Cassie in the chest again, "And it's not you, girly."
Cassie's screams have reduced to a whimper, her once flailing arms falling to her sides as she begins to lose consciousness. Tears readily appear in her eyes as Marlena stabs her several more times in the chest, tearing out pieces of vital organs with each retraction of the blade.
Marlena sighs heavily as she lifts herself from Cassie's body, taking her hand away from her now slightly parted mouth. Marlena notice's the once clean girl was now covered in her own blood, multiple stab wounds lining her body and freely bleeding with more of the dark fluid.
Cassie's eyes managed to look toward Marlena as the young woman whimpered, her whimpers a miracle considering the murderess nearly tore apart her lungs.
"Not so confident now, huh?" Marlena whispered as she looked down at her latest victim.
"...w-why?" Cassie managed to whisper in a gurgling voice, a sign that she was drowning in her own blood.
Marlena laughed delightfully, looking at the blade of the knife and shaking her head, her flowing blonde locks striking the air defiantly. "Does it really matter? You're going to die anyway."
And, almost as if Marlena's words willed it, Cassie began to choke, her eyes widening as more blood flowed out of her mouth. There was a clear sound of gurgling, as if the woman was drowning in a pool of water. And then, she was still, her body finally remaining stationary as her eyes closed for the final time.
Marlena looked at Cassie for the longest of time, looking at the girl that she had just killed. She studied her features: long, brown hair, fair beautiful face. Marlena closed her eyes and sighed, shaking her head slowly.
"I had to do it..." Marlena whispered, "I had to do it..."
And the blond psychiatrist kept repeating that to herself as she dragged Cassie's body to the nearby square where the young woman would give the people of Salem a surprise they would not soon forget.