A/N

Here we go… chapter three. Took me long enough to write.

I just wanted to thank the four people who reviewed my last two chapters! It means a lot to me and kept me craving to write more.

Although this chapter isn't as interesting as the two before, it was fun to write (and hard… oh so very hard to write as well).

The Dead Teach the Living

Chapter 3

Ignorance is Bliss

Sunnie glared upon the man in front of her. Distaste was the word that crept to her mind as she was forced to watch as the male indulged in his snacks. She didn't know eating could be so… unclean… savage even… his actions reminded her of an animal more than a human.

His lips sucked on his fingers obnoxiously, saliva sticking out every which way and that as he refused to eat with a utensil and chose his grubby little fingers instead. He would just dip them back in the jam… then gulp it down his throat… each time trying a new way to get the mixture to his stomach. There was hanging it off his fingertips and letting it drop from half a foot high into his open mouth, tossing it into the air and then trying to catch it in his mouth… and the latest one which was to lap his fingers repeatedly creating a spine-chilling sucking sound.

They were on the first train to Chicago, after having spent 20 dollars on jam, which Sunnie had paid for, they had bought tickets and now were waiting for the arrival from Las Vegas to Chicago. Well… not directly to Chicago… they would have to get off at Arizona and a few other states but all in all it would take about 27 hours. It wouldn't be that bad… no… not at all… not if she was traveling alone. But traveling with this maniac and his slurping… it was… horrid.

They were in their own closed off area… a small encased room. It held about 3 people at most, with red bench seats at either end. A window about 1 foot by 1 foot out looking the night, although for the moment it was closed… a single light hanging above and a collapsible table in the middle. It wasn't flying first class of course, but it would do.

Sunnie abruptly snatched the jar of jelly form BB's hands. At first… the male had not noticed it was gone from his grasp as he tried to dip his fingers back into the jar but found it stolen. His face immediately became deadly as his gaze drifted to Sunnie, swinging daggers in her direction.

"Can you stop with that?" she scorned him for his impolite manners. "Okay…" Sunnie huffed. She stood from her seat and paced back and forth in the boxed in area. "Let's focus." She ordered.

"I guess I'll just start from the beginning." She started. "I was working on the case since about a year ago…" The female was interrupted.

"Let me stop you right there." BB had his gaze on the jelly as it moved back and forth his eyes following it. Once the female came within arm's reach, the male snatched the jelly from her grasp, tucking it under his arms and cradling it as if a newborn child. He still glared at her, but held a smug grin on his lips. He continued eating.

"Hey!" Sunnie complained. "You've been eating for the past hour! That's your fourth jar!"

"A-are… you calling me fat?" questioned the man. His gaze lifting up, confusion in his eyes.

"Well if you keep eating like that… you will be!" she replied.

"I didn't know you could be so insensitive." BB frowned. "But anyways… we cannot work on the case." He commented.

"And why not?" Sunnie lifted her eyebrow.

"Simple… snack time always comes first." He replied easily.

Sunnie huffed out a pout. She bit the inside of her cheek, gnawing at it in irritation. It was like dealing with a child… a serial killer child at that. She plopped down back on the seat, arms folded crossly, and her face glaring at the passing scenery. They had 3 more hours left on the train. That is VALUABLE time! Time that should be used carefully… not eating jelly.

Her squinted gaze drifted lower as she peered at the crouched man who ate jelly furiously. Her eyes landed on his glowing red eyes as she watched them dart back and forth, from his hands back to the jelly. They were unusual features to say the least… red… unnatural.

Sunnie scrunched her nose at the thought. Red crimson eyes, they were… creepy… they probably scared off a lot of people. It even scared Sunnie, and she had seen a lot in her days, but red piercing eyes… that was something she had only seen from BB.

"Staring isn't polite you know?" BB commented casually without lifting his gaze to look at Sunnie. He simply continued eating the jelly.

Sunnie huffed out a grunt, not really caring about the fact of her getting caught in the act. "What's with your eyes?" she leant forward to stare at them better. Her elbows leant on her knees as her back bent forward as she was now at the same height as the male. She looked directly at him, not particularly staring at him, but his orbs.

His eyes stopped the rapid movements as they crept up to meet the dark blue eyes of Sunnie. They struck her in an uncomfortable way, but she still kept their locked gaze. She was no longer staring at the crimson color, but himself, his personality, who he was. He titled his head slightly to the left, having the black messy bangs fall in that direction.

"That was rather rude." His black eyebrows indented. "How would you like it if I asked you the same thing pertaining to your looks." He paused, his eyes then looking her up and down. She had changed since they got on the train, buying cheap clothes at the General store they had stopped at. She wore a black graphic T that spelled out the word 'Love' in red scribbles that resembled the marks of a blade and black tights to go with it. She also took the liberty of buying BB a new green T shirt and some black shorts, although he didn't seem to like the selection.

BB's gaze met Sunnie's again. "Example… what's up with your hair, Ms. Kutter? What is up with your stained clothes? What is up with your breast…?" Sunnie interrupted him.

"Okay okay!" The female sprang back up from her crouched position, a slight blush on her scowling face. "I get it…" she glared at the door. "How about this…" she pondered on how to rephrase the question. "Why do you have red eyes BB?" her voice was sarcastic in tone.

"Much better." BB agreed with a small nod of the head. "I refuse to answer though." He continued eating his jelly, his eyes though stayed locked on Sunnie.

"W-what? Why not?" The blue eyes scowled in BB's direction.

"I do not ask you personal questions." He answered simply. "Therefore, you do not ask me any."

"Uhg… fine… whatever." Sunnie huffed out in defeat. It was pointless trying to get an answer out of him. "Is snack time over? I want to get started on the case." She asked sarcastically.

"Ehh…" BB sighed. He placed the glass jar of jelly on the table. "I suppose so…"

"Finally!" Sunnie felt a grin grow on her lips. "Okay… where should I start?" she asked.

"I would assume at the beginning." He remained straight faced while speaking. His awkward posture was broken when he stretched his limbs out with a groan and repositioned himself to sit like a normal human being.

Sunnie felt her grin disappear at his words. "Well then…" she began, taking an inhale preparing for her long speech. "The first murder occurred on November second of last year. The victim was Morris Still. A 35 year old man who lived in the rejects of Las Vegas. He held a part time job as a taxi driver… divorced… had no kids. A nobody." Sunnie explained. "He had no relations to the other victims..." she was interrupted with a comment.

"Okay… Morris Still…" he muttered to himself. "Hmm… I need a paper."

Sunnie muttered an 'oh', her hands reaching into her pant pocket searching for a paper and a pen. All she could find though was the receipt from the store and a barely usable sharpie. She passed it to BB as she watched him scribble things down on the paper. Wonder filled her mind as she was curious as to what he was writing down.

"Please give his exact address…" BB instructed.

"Mmm…" Sunnie thought for a moment. "35 Maple street, Downtown Las Vegas." Scribbles followed her answer. Bb's head nodding in response.

"Who found the body?" he questioned.

"The neighbor… her name was… umm… Corey Loff." Sunnie answered, feeling a little prideful for remembering such an insignificant thing. More scribbles. "What are you writing down?" Sunnie questioned him.

"Cause of death?" BB ignored her question.

"He was stabbed to death… 32 marks left on his body. But there was also many other methods of torture." Sunnie blinked as she leaned over while talking, her eyes trying to see the paper BB was writing on.

"Mmm…" BB responded.

As the writing came into vision, Sunnie felt her mouth fall agape. She froze at the letters posted on the paper. A deep… loathing, irritated scowl formed on her lips. She growled out a terrifying hiss. Her hands grasped the paper tightly, shredding the ends and crumpling it. BB watched as she stole it from his grasp as she read it more closely.

'Things to get…

Jam.' That was the only thing on the list that was not crossed off.

'Clothes… food…' and other necessities were scribbled away from existence. Sunnie gasped in horrific irritation as she crumpled the paper in her grasp and threw it harshly to her feet. She plopped face first into the bench her muffled screams being no more than a whisper.

"DAMNIT BB!" she exclaimed when she lifted her head to scorn him. "Can't you focus for one second?!" she stuffed her face back in the pillow. Before BB could answer, Sunnie thrashed out her harsh words. "Don't answer that…" came the muffled voice through the red cushion. "Uhg… I'm going to take a nap." She flipped over to the other side, facing the wooden bench with her back to BB. "Good night!" she spat out. Her eyes closed soon after.

BB felt a smug smirk grown on his lips. He lifted the jar form the table and continued to eat its contents. 'Finally…' he thought in his head. It was all a convoluted plan to get her to quiet bothering him about his eating habits… the fall asleep thing was an added bonus. He ate his jam in silence for the remainder of the ride.

November 2nd 2002

At this time, BB was incarcerated at the Las Angeles Jail, L was now preparing for the trial that would put BB behind bars for eternity with the help of Naomi Misori. While some of the world begins to settle into a pattern once again, some continue on with other struggles. In specific terms, the city of Chicago, Illinois.

This city had recorded 656 murders as of last year, meaning that in the year of 2002 about one to two murders occurred every day in Chicago. November 2nd was no exception, leaving a victim in the wake of a killer.

The morning had started out as beautiful as the others in that month. Bright, peaceful, full of potential for many. As most were heading off to school, starting the first day of a job, or even having a stroll in the park… some were haunted by the images and horrors that had occurred the night before.

Sunnie Vaughn took long strides as she strolled across the concrete sidewalk. She lifted up the yellow tape that surrounded the perimeter as she ducked under with grace. Her eyes ignored the people around her as she trotted across a miniature green lawn and up to some stairs. When her feet fell to the door of the apartment she took a sip of her coffee before opening the door and entering the crime scene.

It was a one bedroom apartment. Bland. It was bland indeed, this man seeming to have no personality. All the walls were bare, covered with nothing but blood splatters. Furniture was few in inventory as only a two seater love seat covered the kitchen and living room. A bookshelf filled with encyclopedia's and nature nonfictions lined the south wall. As you walked in you felt a fear of emptiness, a cold and very unwelcoming awareness.

Blood lined the south wall next to the book shelf where it looks like the body was slammed against, the carpet also having blood being bathed in a curvy path that led to the bedroom. Sunnie paused for a moment before walking towards one of the already 6 people in the apartment. The said person was Milo Jackson, the crime scene photographer.

"Hey…" Sunnie muttered before she took another sip of her coffee. The brown curly haired man spun his neck around to look at Sunnie.

"Good Morning." He responded formally to the person he knew as Detective Vaughn.

"So… what happened here?" Sunnie ushered him for a briefing, dark blue eyes squinting at the crime scene tape that lined the bedroom. A flash of bright white light busted out as the male took another photo before answering.

"The guy was tortured… that's obvious." He took a breath before slightly spinning to the right to point at the kitchen. "He was knocked down in the kitchen… tried to crawl away before he received multiple blows to the head. The attacker began to sever off the toes and fingers with a kitchen knife. After that they boiled part of the body in water causing scarring on the left side of the victim's torso. Other marks are on the body but have yet to be identified yet. He was then dragged to the bedroom where the attacker stabbed him 32 times in the chest and throat leaving him to die." He nodded his head to the open door of the bedroom.

"Hmm" Sunnie hummed as she narrowed her eyes. "Got any fingerprints yet?"

"Were dusting the place now, but nothing so far." He answered.

"Who was the guy?" Sunnie inquired.

"Morris Still. There is a folder being prepared at the station." Sunnie hummedas she was prepared to continue forth when the photographer spoke again."There is one more thing though."

"What's that?" Sunnie tilted her head.

"The killer left a message… it's in the bedroom." Milo's voice slightly cracked.

"Mmm, okay then." Sunnie nodded at the man's direction before walking over the bloodied spot on the floor and over to the bedroom door. Her head leaned in to spot the two men who were already working in there. One dusting the knife, and the other gathering things from the man's room. Sunnie could hear their whispers as they conversed with each other. The blinds were filled with dust as they were closed and only let in cracks of the light rays. The bed was messed up and leaned against the right corner of the wall, while on the left was nothing but stacks of papers that had now been stained with blood. The body of Morris Still was lying almost unrecognizable near the foot of the bed.

But over all the things that dark blue eyes could have locked on in the room, her eyes settled upon the most unsettling part. It made her skin crawl and her mind hear every heart beat. She gulped down the fear in her throat as she tried not to be wavered by the sight.

Written with the victims blood was the message the police photographer had spoken of. On an empty wall, where the light was refusing to touch… was each word written with a scribbled and wavering hand.

'Mortui vivos docent' which was Latin for…

'The Dead Teach the Living'

Sunnie felt her eyelids flicker open reluctantly. They blinked a few more times before being met with the light that the sun blared off upon her face. She blocked her delicate eyes from the rays with her hand as she took the three steps that led up to the front door of the hotel.

The cab she had just stepped out of drove away almost silently as the city bustled around them. The two had completed their journey from Las Vegas to Chicago as they were now at the hotel they had rented out earlier that week. Sunnie opened the clear glass doors with her free hand.

"Thank you." Sunnie heard the voice of Beyond Birthday call from behind her as he walked past the female and trotted into the hotel lobby.

"Yes, please. Go on ahead!" Sunnie spat out in a fake joyful tone as she walked beside BB to the elevator.

The receptionist nodded her head in their direction as BB pushed the button that soon lit up to indicate the elevator on its way.

'Bing' The sound resounded in the quiet room as the two walked onto the moving box.

Sunnie tapped her fingers against her sides as she waited for the box to arrive at floor 7 which was only moments away.

Pause.

Something was out of place.

Wait.

Sunnie felt a slight chill run down the nook of her back.

Listen.

Blue eyes opened wide as a feeling suddenly had overcome her. Her throat stopped the slightest sound of a murmur as she became dead silent… silenced by fear.

Look.

Her eyes glanced around her. But… there was nothing but BB and herself.

Think.

Sunnie curled up her sweaty palms as the feeling of uneasiness increased. It was as if someone was watching her.

Act.

Sunnie took two reluctant steps to her right as she gazed behind her. She could feel a presence… it was like feeling that your mom was watching you as you swept some money from her purse.

A gulp was sent down the female's throat as she tried to ignore the feeling. She shook her shoulders to rid herself of the fear. It was a strange feeling… but her eyes told her that there was nothing wrong. Nothing to be so cautious of… nothing that could harm her.

But, as Sunnie didn't know … eyes can be deceitful.

Beyond Birthday narrowed his deep crimson daggers. His eyebrows indented and his mind rattled in his many complex thoughts. As Sunnie turned back to face the doors of the elevator he slightly tilted his head to the right in curiosity, something he was uncommonly known to do.

How had she known? There was no way… she was only human of course. It was impossible… but then again, by now… Beyond should have known that the impossible was very much possible in his world.

His eyes remained locked on Sunnie for the rest of the trip to the hotel room. He had to watch her every move and stay one step ahead of her.

A/N

Thank you for reading my loves! And don't forget to review! :D I always could use feedback on how to improve.