Dexter: St. Bernard part 1
From the Author: Watching the new season of "Dexter", I became interested again in the stories of this character. Decided to give it a try myself. The events told in the tale below are one which precede "Dexter: New Blood". And I am having fun creating it…thanks for looking, Z.
************** Life on a Sled ***************
So, this was how his life was going to go. Progressing from town to town. Going from place to place. Starting over. Not because of a desire to seek new employment, that did happen, but rather to remain anonymous, hidden, unexposed. When he felt a little heat, such as a stranger's glance maybe lasting too long. Or, a slight hint of recognition in someone's eyes. Or maybe just a feeling of uncomfortableness, whether warranted or not, he would decide to pack things up and leave.
"Still, the fear of being discovered never does depart. It haunts me."
Dexter Morgan was having his own thoughts as he parked his vehicle and opened the door to exit.
"That's because you're a monster."
There was that voice again, in the back of his head. A voice that he was very familiar with.
"Okay, here we go again," he was thinking. "The moment I begin to do a little self-analyzation she has to show up."
"Damn right I do," the voice said. "I'm always here and I always will be. Especially when I know that you're not going to be truthful to yourself…or be totally subjective. Not properly anyway. That's why I'm friggin here. I'm your conscious you moron." There was a pause. "Dexter Moron, Hey that has a certain humorous ring to it." She laughed.
Dexter Morgan (Jim Lindsay or whatever name he had picked out for himself this time), had these inner bouts with her. And she would make an appearance wherever she knew when he was going to sugar-coat something about himself. So….that's when she would decide to come out and play.
"You are not going to just go somewhere and leave your past behind. Only a crazy person can do that….well maybe you can then."
Dexter knew who and what he was, and…he had come to terms with it. That's when she usually slipped into his mind. His sister Deb. She would remind him that although he'd come to terms with the kind of person he was, if others knew…..then 99.999 percent of the world's population would not want him in their town. They would consider him as much a psycho as the crazies he had hunted down. It didn't matter that he had stopped years ago. The urge still lingered. And she knew that he couldn't change who he was. Even though he had this foolish notion that he could run from his past. Change his identity and maybe find a place where no one knew who he was. Start a life anew. Was he nuts?
Anyway, here he was, in the small town of Iron Lake. Barely a spec on the map. Somewhere well off the beaten path. A new place. Actually he's been here for a while, a little over a year. It was nice and peaceful. Countrified one might say…..with a population of 2,760 in Mid-winter, give or take. And a bit more to that during the summers.
Yeah, it was a great place to live and a good place to rest his brain. But he couldn't escape Deb, or the pictures in his head?
This morning he was headed to the post office. He would pick up his mail and then a few other essentials at the general-store before returning home. Living out in the sticks, as they say, could be a little lonely. However, Dex was used to living in this way. Most of his life he'd been lonely. That's what being a "Mortal Defender" does to a person. Forces one into life of solitude. Being with your own thoughts much of the time. Well, that was only if Deb wasn't introducing herself into his brain. Sometimes he welcomed her insight, her advice. Other times….she was just a pain in his ass.
"Mortal Defender, is what you're calling yourself now? Like some kind of comic book hero? Wearing blue spandex and championing the average Joe?" Deb laughed again.
"No Deb that's not true." He said aloud. "I see myself more as "The Dark Knight". Defender of justice. Enemy of the bad guy….that kind of thing."
Suddenly he stopped, and he looked around. He didn't need to have anyone hearing or seeing him talking to himself. That wouldn't be good. Most of the time his conversations with his sister were kept inside his head. Especially with the kinds of things they talked about. Still, from time to time the debates with Deb did become more vocal.
"Besides, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that stretchy blue stuff. I'd die before that ever happened. You know that Deb."
She giggled.
"I would die myself if I ever saw you wearing that." She laughed. "…even if I'm already dead."
The crunch of the four inch snow cover underfoot reached his ears, and the gray of the overcast sky above matched the color of his exiting breath.
He made his way to the first step leading into the Post Office. Then, just as he reached the door it opened and a nice looking young woman exited along with her young daughter.
"Good morning Mr. Lindsay," the little girl said. Dexter looked down at her. He then looked up at her mom and then back down to the little girl.
"Well, good morning Sadie. How are you today," he asked?
"Fine," the little girl spoke. "Checking on my letter to Santa. Making sure that he got it. Hadn't heard back yet though."
This tickled the serial killer.
"Well, I'm sure that he is a very busy man this time of year," Dexter smiled. "But not too busy to read a letter from the prettiest little girl in Iron Lake."
Both mother and child smiled and they held the door open for him to enter.
"Thank you," he offered as he went inside.
It was nice to live in a town like this. A town where people still felt safe enough to allow their small children to speak to strangers. Well almost strangers. Sadie Townsend and her mother Kate had known him a while now. Nine months maybe. And their comfort level around him was growing….as well as the comfort levels of other townsfolk around.
Yes, he was happy here. But just as darkness comes with the end of each day….he never knew if or when things would change. Living on the run was never fun. And just like Santa, moving around from town to town on his sleigh. He never stayed long. And accepting the hospitality of new people, if only for a short while. Well that he did missed. It was like living on a sled. Never able to stop. He blended, did his thing, took in the scenery a while, and then move on. Trying to find a place where he could live a normal life without looking over his shoulder. That was tiresome. That's how he felt.
However, maybe this time and this town would be different? Maybe his desire to take vengeance on those who were able to evade and dodge justice would fade. Or maybe it wouldn't? He would give Iron Lake a chance to become his home. He felt that he was already on his way. Starting a new life may just happen for him this time?
Dexter stepped up to the open window of the mailroom and asked the official if she had anything for him.
End Part 1