His thoughts were drifting, he felt elated. His mind wandered and he felt almost out of touch with reality. Colors and little speckles of light littered his vision. His body felt light as if he could fly. Slowly, he made his way across the street.
The building was the same, save for the blood on the wall that had dried up. Everything was still there, the chairs and furniture and the dim lighting. Everything was still intact, everything was as he left. He breathed.
Did I really…
Yes. Yes you did.
But I didn't mean to.
You had to. She insulted you.
What does that have to do with him?
He was asking questions.
I just reacted.
You did the right thing.
His feet led him to the outside, where the setting sun cast a ray of colors and warmth over the horizon, the snow beginning to melt with the warming temperature. He closed his eyes for a while, just letting the wind blow through his hair and into his body, where he felt his fingers curl into his hands.
I am here. In this place.
Her name, her face, her voice, everything came back into his mind. He wanted to scream, for his rage and anger wanted to get the best of him, he knew that this wasn't right though, he shouldn't let his emotions get the best of him.
I keep talking to myself… I keep answering myself… is this normal?
Ray hid the knife… and I'm so glad that he did. I feel so much better about everything. That shower I took really helped too. I'm glad that everything is over.
"Excuse me?"
He turned his head slightly, a man walking up to him rather authoritatively. The man wore a badge on his shirt and Max instinctively swallowed.
"Hi, I'm Detective Wanabe." The man shook Max's hand.
"I wanted to ask you a few questions about the recent murder that took place just last night?"
"How can I help you detective?"
Keep calm. He doesn't have evidence.
"I just wanted to ask a few questions… did you know the man who got killed? His name was Yukihiro Takashi."
Max shook his head soundly.
"No, I didn't know him at all."
"I see." The man wrote down a few scribbles on his notepad that happened to be in his breast pocket as well. Max eyed him carefully, feeling his heart beat a little faster in his chest. This guy didn't have any evidence did he?
"Were you here at the time of the incident?"
"Not at all. I was at my friend's house. He lives nearby."
"I see. And are you familiar with this area?"
"Not in particular… I'm just here visiting. My dad lives a little further away from here, and I was just in the area to visit my friend like I said."
"So what brings you here today?"
Max froze, as the question caught him off guard. He stumbled for words before the detective pocketed his notepad and sighed, his breath coming out in a little cough.
"Damn this cold… it's starting to warm up, which is good." He said, looking back at Max. Max smiled feebly and watched as Wanabe turned back around and walked back towards a car that happened to be parked in the distance. Max swallowed.
He's going to be around this area for a while… maybe I shouldn't come back.
But… he is invading your space…
I know that… well it isn't my space…
Yes it is.
Slowly Max began to feel an icy cold vein over his heart. The vein twisted and engulfed his heart slowly, Max feeling that tingle of chill down his spine. He breathed out heavily, and closed his eyes.
The room was empty as he strode in, Max's eyes dull and his heart feeling ever so icy cold. He enjoyed the sensation really, and he had one woman to thank for everything he felt now. She was the one who enabled him to have such power.
I never knew I could be as strong as this. Never.
He tilted his head to the side and walked past the couches and towards a door. He peered down into the darkness that he now welcomed with open arms, gradually making his way down with a flashlight until he came upon the power box. His fingers found a switch and he flicked the lights on, the dim lighting making him smile from ear to ear.
This is perfect.
The musk stank in his nose and the walls were strangely covered in egg cartons, perfect for blocking out sounds. The room was filled with nothing but a few tool boxes and a couple of chains, but something about this room perked his interest. He looked around a few times for something out of the ordinary, and eventually his hands came upon a brown bag that was carefully hidden in the tool box that was on the bottom of one of the red shelves. Upon opening the bag he found a small key and a pair of handcuffs.
Slowly Max turned his head and began to wonder about the room, its previous owners, and even why the building had been abandoned in the first place. he licked his lips and without hesitation he tapped on the wall with his fingers.
No sound came from his tapping, but he could see that one portion of the wall was not covered in egg carton. The wall was concrete and covered in egg carton but one section was still visible, a small section that was painted light blue and had a strange arrangement of bricks.
Max gazed at the wall for a few seconds before tapping his fingers against the concrete, hearing a hollow sound. Getting excited he tapped on the wall more, and eventually his fingernails traced a hollow outline of a box that he gripped onto. He pulled slightly and the brick came out almost halfway.
Pulling on the brick now, he realized that the hole in the wall covered a portion of what seemed to be a safe. Max began to work now, pulling at the bricks one by one until he found himself face to face with a large brown safe, with a single lock.
He pulled the key out of his pocket and thrust the key into the lock, hearing the click almost immediately. His heart leapt into his mouth.
This place…
Slowly the lock turned and the door to the safe opened. Max could feel the ice in his heart build and grip at him, a smile crossing his face.
His fingers ran over the shiny black machines that lay in front of him, and he swallowed, feeling more than empowered.
This is truly… amazing.
A few small vials labeled different letters were on the bottom of the safe, Max turning them about to see what they were. Red liquid was lined with a sort of yellowish looking substance on the bottom.
Different blood samples…
Max stood back up now and his brain worked a mile a minute. He slowly pieced everything together.
This place was a torture chamber… all these things, all these weapons and knives and guns… even these handcuffs… were meant to torture people…
His eyes lined the floor of the room and as expected he found that a few smears of dried red were still in a few spots. His eyes dimmed and he sighed, cracking his neck a bit.
"Guess I have to clean this place up… before I use it."
He finally set the mop aside and lit the furnace, basking in the warmth of the fire. The room was neat now, free of cobwebs and dust. The floor was clean and as he kicked the bucket to the side he gazed into the mystical embers, checking his phone to see the time.
Almost midnight.
The warmth provided him with comfort and he felt strangely at home in this place, having not forgotten that he needed to close the door behind him lest the detective rear his head again. Max knew the importance of this place, and he intended to keep everything a secret.
Whoever was here before…. Clearly had something planned… but this is my place now… this is my home. This is where I will live. I will be here… I have warmth… I have shelter… I have myself… I don't need anybody else…
His mind suddenly clicked and he blinked twice, shaking his head.
No… no I need…
She came running to him, her breaths coming out fast and hard. He saw her coming from a mile away and he felt his heart twist with that curious sensation he had felt before when he saw her. Slowly he smiled at her pleasantly, Miriam smiling back at him tenderly.
"It's so late… what did you want to show me?"
The moon was shining down upon them, illuminating her face in such a beauty that Max had never seen before. He had waited for her by the pier, where he had dropped the man into the ocean. Max felt along his scarf and eventually looked her in the eye, speaking.
"Miriam… I wanted you to see this."
The cold nipped at them both as Miriam approached him carefully, taking a place beside him on the pier. She looked around for a bit before asking.
"See what?"
Max smiled at her, coming closer to her.
"Look closely now… see up there?"
He pointed towards the stars, twinkling in the dark night. Miriam lifted her head high and she looked, Max seeing her eyes dart back and forth in search of whatever she was looking for. He held onto her shoulders now, pointing to a distant star in the sky.
"See that one? That's the big dipper."
"It is?"
He nodded, his heart slowly melting away and warming. She was the first person he thought of to be his accomplice… the first person he thought of when he woke up… and the last person he thought of when he went to bed… she was always there in his mind.
I want to make you happy. How can I do that?
"It's so beautiful… I can see why you called me so late now."
Max breathed out and nodded again, speaking softly.
"I know… I wanted to… just see you smile… you seemed really… happy the other day and I wanted…"
His words died as she gazed back at him curiously, Max feeling a blush erupt from his cheeks. Miriam continued to gaze at him until her cheeks erupted in red too.
"I uh… I thought you were still…"
"No. Not anymore."
The cold air whipped around them and Miriam clung to her coat, covering herself as much as possible with her arms. Her blue hair waved majestically in the wind, Max finally coming to her front.
"Why do you wear your hair up?"
She tilted her head and looked up at him.
"Because… I don't know. I just do."
His fingers slowly came up, Max feeling Miriam freeze before his touch. He felt along her cheek and towards her earrings, and then he aimed for her hair tie. His fingers worked to undo the band and let her hair flow freely, the hair covering her shoulders rather nicely. Max gazed at her now, his eyes softening.
"You know… you look better like this."
You give me peace. You can ease my mind… you aren't the voice in my head… you're the one who makes me calm. You're my control.
"Thank… you…"
She turned away from him now, covering her face.
"Max I… I know I was really rough with you in the past… we had our fights and we argued… and look at you… taller than me now and so much more…"
"You are the same too." Max replied, reaching out to her.
"You're a woman Miriam… you're more than I ever thought you could be… and no matter what's happened… you've always stuck by me…"
The wind picked up again and he saw her shiver slightly, Max feeling his feet drag him closer to her. His heart was now screaming at him, and his mind was not speaking at all. He felt the wind push them together, the cold of the air turning into sweet warmth as he embraced her.
"I like that Miriam."
He could feel his veins pulsating with a sensation he never wanted to let go of. He was paralyzed with a beautiful sensation that ran through his veins and soared into the sky; he lost himself inside of her, where everything seemed like nothing to him.
She was his everything.