I do not own anything related to Hannibal, either thru television, or written books. Everything belongs to Thomas Harris and Bryan Fuller. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!
Hannibal is a gritty, provocative, seductive, murderous bloody show. My chapters contain scenes of violence, sex, drugs, language, triggers and sometimes hard to stomach scenes. This story is rated M.
Chapter Seven
Song(s): Love Me Like That (Carly Rae Jepsen feat. The Knocks 55.5 VIP Mix), Dissolved Girl (Massive Attack)
Slamming the door to her bedroom, Oliveah Adler paced to the window and threw it open all the way to the warped wooden top and stuck her head out. The alley below was empty as usual, though her ears picked up a faint meow before resting back into silence.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to open her mouth and let out a scream so loud to shatter the windows of the town house across the way.
Hannibal Lecter knew what I wanted to do to that woman
Stepping out of her dress, she left it balled up on the floor and grabbed a tank top and yoga pants.
"He can see right through me," she muttered as she threw her hands up to her hips and closed her eyes.
You have dark and vicious thoughts Oliveah, you have ever since childhood. Try as hard as you may to hide them, but you are a mirror to those trained to see
Rubbing her tired eyes, she looked at her alarm clock and sighed that it was only ten-thirty. Hearing a soft knock at her door, she nearly jumped out of her skin as Andrew opened the door in nothing but a pair of boxers.
"You left your phone in the bathroom and there was one call" he mumbled half asleep, holding out her mobile.
Taking it from him, Oliveah remained silent as her housemate closed the door.
Too tired to even inquire about my dinner with Doctor Lecter? I'm sure I'll get the Spanish Inquisition in the morning
Hitting the speaker phone, she sat down at her white antique writing desk and listened to the voicemail message.
"Hi Oliveah, it's Abigail. I was wondering if you could come see me at the hospital tomorrow? These women here are driving me fucking crazy and that journalist Freddie Lounds really wants to me to sit down with her but I'm not sure…"
Deleting Abigail's message, Oliveah sat still as she clicked her tongue against her teeth.
"I'll help you Abigail" she spoke as she slowly pulled open her desk drawer and laid her eyes upon Hannibal Lecter's business card. Setting her phone down, she reached into the drawer and took it up with light fingers. Moving a sharp edge against the skin of her bottom lip, she pressed it deep and with a quick swipe, felt the sharp sting of the cut.
"You are a dangerous man Hannibal Lecter, I can feel it, and even though you hide it well, I can feel it" she whispered, tearing up his card into four pieces before letting them fall from her fingers.
…
She had never known her father. From what her mother had told her at an early age, the asshole had not been much and had never given her a penny in child support. She had never seen a picture of her father and could only imagine that some of her fair looks had come from his blood and genes. At the age of eight, her mother had remarried which brought a whole new atmosphere into the two-bedroom downtown Toronto household.
Mixed drinks and weed had always been present in the Adler household, but after the arrival of her stepfather Tom, the drinks and drugs had become deeper and darker. Most days, eight-year-old Oliveah Maru Adler had to go without dinner, but the child knew from an early age that she had to take care and fend for herself.
Rolling over, Oliveah muttered in her sleep as her pillow fell onto the floor.
"If your deadbeat father was around, you'd be gone kid." Sitting at the kitchen table spooning cold baked beans into her mouth from a small can, Oliveah ignored her stepfather as he took a large bite of his hamburger.
The man was a loser from the start.
A loser who owed more money than what was brought into the household.
"Guess what little girl, your mother has been shopping around for someone to dump you on, and when she finds someone who will have a use for you whatever use that is, you are fucking gone."
Sitting straight up in her single bed, Oliveah gasped and threw her eyes to the window, feeling the heaviness deep in her chest. Holding her breath, she felt lightheaded and was glad when neither Andrew nor Tyler busted through the closed bedroom door. Wiping the back of her hand against her sweaty forehead, she spied her pillow on the floor and reached over to pick it up.
"God, it's been years since I've dreamed of that asshole" she whispered, closing her eyes, and focusing on the silence around her.
"Please God, please let me sleep tonight…"
Opening her eyes, her arms felt heavy as she tried to flex her fingers against the wooden armchair.
"Can you help me please?"
Hearing her own slurred speech, Oliveah rolled her head against the back of the tall chair cushion and licked her lips.
"I will help you my dear, but you must be serious in asking for my help" the accented voice whispered from her left side. Feeling light fingers against her wrist, the sensation went down to the centre of her stomach as the man came into focus in front of her.
"Say the words Ms. Adler, and I will become a part of your life."
Blinking to clear the cloudiness in her eyes, Oliveah focused on the man's dark burgundy eyes and watched as he moistened his lips, staring at her own. Leaning in close, he gently pressed his lips against hers.
"You belong to me forever," he smiled as Oliveah felt her own lips widening into a grin.
"Help me Hannibal."
…
Port Haven Psychiatric Hospital, Baltimore MD…
9:36am
"I am Doctor Alana Bloom's assistant and have signed in before to see Abigail Hobbs a number of times" Oliveah confirmed as the heavy-set nurse at the desk shook her head.
"You have no professional credentials to show me and for all I know, you could be someone hired by the press to take pictures. Sorry, but I won't sign you in to see her."
Staring hard at the seated woman, Oliveah clicked her tongue against her cheek.
"Would you at least let me leave her a message? No harm in that is there?"
Sitting in her car, Oliveah thought of jumping the low end of the fence just as the furious tapping of fingernails sounded off against the window next to her.
"JESUS CHRIST!"
Jumping in her seat and hitting her elbow off the door, Oliveah turned around and watched as Abigail Hobbs ducked around the back bumper of her car and pulled open the passenger side door, keeping low to the ground.
"I don't think anyone saw me" she hissed as Oliveah turned over the car engine and threw it into gear before Abigail had the door fully closed.
"Just stay low until we clear the driveway." Hearing her own voice, Oliveah gave a little smile as she felt her heart thumping loudly in her chest.
Like an escaped convict
"How did you even know I was here?"
Sitting upright in the passenger seat, Abigail searched out the passenger window and only reached for her seatbelt after the Civic had left the facility a good ten minutes behind.
"The halls echo, and I was sitting on the landing with a notebook" she spoke, fastening her seatbelt and running her hands through her loose hair. "I actually thought you were going to get into a fight with that nurse" she grinned, turning on the radio and flipping through the frequencies before settling on a pop song.
"I see."
The car fell silent of conversation as Carly Rae Jepsen's "Love Me Like That" began to play over the speakers. Driving along E Fort Avenue, Oliveah parked the black Honda in an empty parking spot and grabbed her grey mittens from the back seat.
"Here, we are going for a walk."
…
Riverside Park, Baltimore, MD…
"I told one of the Supervisors that I was not feeling well and wanted to have a long nap, so I don't think they will report me as missing until dinnertime," Abigail spoke as she turned up the collars of her jean jacket.
"I appreciate that. The last time we were out I had nine missed calls from Doctor Bloom and one from Doctor Lecter questioning if you were in my company. I lied and said I was with housemates," Oliveah spoke as she and Abigail began walking across the frosty grass.
I'd say in another two weeks, the snow will be staying put
"I want to ask Doctor Bloom how long she is planning to keep me in that hospital. I feel like she doesn't know what else to do with me," Abigail frowned as Oliveah shoved her cold hands into her jacket pockets.
"You're not an artifact Abigail and neither Doctor Bloom nor I see you like that. She wants to make sure that…" Oliveah began as Abigail cut her off.
"She wants to make sure that I won't snap on anyone in the real world and gut them like my dad" she muttered, shaking her head in an attempt to clear the image.
"Abigail, listen to me. No one thinks that you are anything like your father. He was the monster, you are not a monster, you are a survivor and damn it, you need to start thinking like that if you want to cut your time in half at the hospital" Oliveah spat, hoping to force her words into Abigail's brain.
"I do try, on my own I try. Those therapy groups want me to get in touch with my inner demons and let them out. But my demons are tied to my father. He's dead, and I am not." Walking in silence across the grassy path, Oliveah's eyes followed a young man throwing a tennis ball to a yellow Labrador.
"Maybe in twenty years, I'll be considered "normal."
"Have you thought about your future? University or college?"
"The only thing I have thought about is changing the color of my hair."
Perking her ears up, Oliveah grinned.
"We can get you a box of dye if you'd like?"
Slowing her pace down, Abigail nodded her head.
"Can we do that this afternoon?"
…
3 hours later…
Oliveah checked her review mirror and was thankful that no phone calls had come through her mobile from Alana Bloom.
Or Hannibal Lecter.
Driving back to the hospital, her eyes moved onto Abigail's lap as she cradled a plastic drugstore bag consisting of two boxes of dark red hair dye, some Rimmel makeup, and a pair of fake black rimmed eyeglasses. Changing one's physical appearance was a quick way to try and gain the upper hand and control and Oliveah felt positive that Abigail was beginning to see the light at the end of the long long tunnel.
"I really appreciate this Oliveah."
Hearing Abigail's voice as it broke through her own thoughts, she nodded her head.
"I once thought of dying my hair light pink before I came to Baltimore" she spoke as Abigail let out a laugh.
"I couldn't do that."
"Hmm, you'd be amazed at what you can do. Abigail, can I ask for your opinion about Doctor Lecter?"
Catching Abigail's small smile before she turned to look out the passenger window, the young girl cleared her throat and pushed the plastic bag down to her feet.
"Doctor Lecter has helped me through a lot."
"I…know that he was with Will Graham at your house in Minnesota" Oliveah confirmed.
"He saved my life. Had he not applied the pressure to stabilize my neck, I was told that I would have bled out in less than two minutes" Abigail spoke, keeping her voice steady.
"I'm not looking to push you Abigail, I just want to know…"
"You want to know if he is the right Psychiatrist for you?"
Feeling her breath hitch in her chest, Oliveah narrowed her eyes and swallowed. "You've spent time with Doctor Lecter. What I want to know is, do you trust him?"
Nodding her head immediately, Abigail Hobbs licked her lips.
"I trust him with my life, and I trust him with everything that I have left."
The car settled into silence once more as Oliveah made a right turn.
"What makes you think I need to see a Psychiatrist?" she muttered, feeling the young girl's eyes on her face.
"He says that he sees many similarities between us."
The man seems to have the upper hand over me
"But he's not your Psychiatrist Abigail, Alana Bloom is."
"He's…more like a father to me. A real father. Someone I can ask for advice and find guidance."
Shaking her head, Oliveah was confused.
"I don't understand."
Shifting uncomfortably, Abigail moved her boots against the plastic and folded her hands in her lap.
"I…I can't tell you"
Hearing her words, Oliveah thought the worst.
Jesus Christ, he's not abusing her is he?
"You can't tell me? Abigail, what has Doctor Lecter done to you?"
She knew that Abigail had been over to the doctor's household once before without Alana Bloom, but she had never felt that take advantage vibe from him. Not even when she had visited his home for a solo dinner.
"He hasn't done anything to me, nothing like that, he is nothing like that…" Abigail spouted. "I just, I promised Doctor Lecter that I would never tell anyone. But, I want to tell you, I need someone else to know besides Doctor Lecter because I can't deal with all this on my own."
Okay, this is getting to be too much
Pulling the car over onto the gravel side of the road and nearly sending it into the ditch, Oliveah gutted the ignition and spun around in her seat to face Abigail.
"ABIGAIL, WHAT HAS HANNIBAL LECTER DONE TO YOU?"
Taking a deep breath, Abigail Hobbs steadied her nerves and took off her seatbelt.
"You know that Nicholas Boyle was in the house after you left to go outside and get Doctor Bloom," she began, as Oliveah heard her voice starting to crack.
"Well…he attacked me and I…I had my father's hunting knife in my hands and I stabbed him. He, his eyes, I stared into his eyes as he died on the floor carpet" she whispered, catching Oliveah's wide eyes.
"Abigail…"
"Doctor Lecter buried Nicholas Boyle's body to protect me."
…
The Honda Civic was silent as Oliveah drove down the gravel road leading away from the Port Haven Psychiatric Facility.
Doctor Hannibal Lecter, world famous former surgeon and leading psychiatrist in the city of Baltimore, Maryland was an entirely unknown man inside and out Oliveah noted as her mind flashed back to his home the night previous…
(Flashback)
"I'll tell you what you would have done; you would have plunged it deep into her chest and I think you would have enjoyed it."
"He can see the darkness in people, because he has very much the same inside of him" she spoke out loud in the car in a shaky voice.
Abigail Hobbs killed Nicholas Boyle, be it accidentally as he broke into her house, but she has killed a human being. She is worried that she is turning into her father.
She is scared of what she has inside of her; just like I am.
Pulling over onto the road shoulder, Oliveah put the car into park and stared at the wheel, feeling a strange sense of calmness and certainty. She wouldn't tell anyone what Abigail had done and said. Abigail had acknowledged to her that no one knew of Nicholas Boyle's fate except Doctor Lecter and she found no interest in going to the police with what she saw as a violent break in by the brother of one of the victims who intended to do harm to Abigail without proof that she was at fault.
Doctor Lecter on the other hand…
Turning over the ignition of the car, she drove all the way home with his image planted firmly in her mind as she chewed on her lip.
"Who are you Hannibal?"
…
North Clinton Street, Baltimore, Maryland…
Tossing her keys onto the wooden table, Oliveah slipped off her jacket and shoved her grey mitts into the closet before kicking off her Tom shoes. Standing still, she heard no voices from the living room and thanked god that she was alone. Climbing the steps to her bedroom, she stood in the doorway and stared at the emptiness of the room.
"God Abigail, how are you going to survive what you've done?" she spoke out loud, spying the torn white pieces of Hannibal Lecter's business card in the waste basket. Moving over to her bed, Oliveah fell back and closed her eyes…
"You are holding the knife in your hand Oliveah, run your finger along the blade to feel how real it is," the man's accented voice spoke against her ear.
Feeling his breath against her cheek, Oliveah rubbed her thumb against the stainless-steel blade and felt the deep sting as blood began to run down her wrist.
Touching his finger against her bloody wrist, Hannibal brought it up to his mouth and sucked it clean.
"Why did you taste my blood?"
Hearing her words, the young woman raised her eyes and fixed upon Hannibal's face as he smiled.
"A sincere form of flattery Ms. Adler. An intimate gesture" he spoke, placing his hands over hers and guiding the knife towards the unconscious man's thigh.
"Now, run it through HARD!..."
Feeling the scream ripping through her throat, Oliveah threw her eyes open and held up her hands anticipating the sight of blood.
"A dream, a nightmare" she breathed, rubbing at her temples as she saw the day had fallen to twilight outside her window.
…
2 days later…
The doctor had been on her mind constantly ever since Abigail had revealed to her that she had killed Nicholas Boyle.
"If I go to him, what will happen to me?" she wondered, eating the last bite of her cheerios.
She had felt an attraction to Hannibal Lecter long before she had had her first real conversation with him in his office. Something deep down within her drew a connection to the doctor. A connection that she felt strongly to the pits of her stomach. His words, his mannerisms, his thoughts, his perceptions…
"All mirror my own."
Taking her dishes to the kitchen, Oliveah stood at the sink and taped her fingers along the edge.
"You're going to have your wish Doctor Lecter; you're going to have your session with me."
…
687 Bayshore Ave – Suite 200, Baltimore, MD…
Slowly climbing the carpeted stairs towards the second floor, Oliveah ran her hand along the wooden banister and tried her best to listen for any voices.
I don't think there is anyone renting the offices downstairs she thought, reaching the top stair and spying Hannibal's office door closed.
How do I know if he is with a patient? Do I knock? Is he even here?
Walking around the waiting room, her eyes glanced over the framed artwork but her eyes couldn't focus on anything for more than a few seconds as she took a deep breath.
You should leave Oliveah…
Hearing the front door downstairs close with a loud slam, Oliveah took a step back and nearly stumbled into two chairs as a black man appeared on the top stair. Holding his coat over his arm, Oliveah avoided his eyes and took a seat in the chair behind her silently thanking that Hannibal Lecter had not been the man climbing the stairs.
If this man is here, he must be with a patient
Feeling eyes staring intently, Oliveah raised her own and felt a shiver down her back.
"Are you a patient of Doctor Lecter's?"
Hearing his question, Oliveah shook her head just as she noticed his ear.
"Oh, Sir, your ear is bleeding" she spoke, noticing that the man's ear was not just bleeding, but mangled.
"I recognize you from the Meyerhoff, you know Hannibal Lecter do you not?"
"I…"
Watching the man walking towards her, Oliveah quickly thought of the items in her bag, but came up empty as to what could be used quickly as a weapon.
"Stand up now, and I won't break your neck."
…
"Report Tobias for what?"
Pushing open the door, Tobias firmly gripped Oliveah's neck with his free hand and squeezed his fingers into her skin hard as he kicked the door closed behind him. Standing still in the middle of the room, her eyes fell upon a short man who sat cradling a box of tissues in his lap.
"Tobias?" Franklin questioned, confused as he slowly stood up from his chair.
"I came to say good-bye Franklin" Tobias spoke as Oliveah flinched with searing pain before letting out a sharp gasp from the back of her throat.
"What do you mean good-bye?" Franklin questioned as Hannibal Lecter stood tall, his eyes falling onto Oliveah's face as he kept his arms tightly at his side.
Franklin's eyes suddenly went wide as he noticed Tobias's ear and the dripping blood. "Oh my god…OH MY GOD! Is that your blood?" Franklin panicked as his eyes fell onto Oliveah.
"I just killed two men. The police came to question me about the murder" Tobias began as Franklin began to wring his hands together with nerves.
"Who is this girl Tobias? Who are you, did he kidnap you?"
Remaining silent, Oliveah refused to take her eyes off Lecter's face as he remained silent.
"Okay, you have to give yourself up right now" Franklin spoke as Lecter took a few tentative steps backwards.
Keeping her eyes on Hannibal's, she watched as he slowly held out his left hand and flexed his fingers, summoning her to his side. Feeling Tobias's fingers relaxing against her neck, she quickly walked towards him as Franklin stepped aside to offer a distraction to his friend.
"Leave out the private door," Lecter hissed as Oliveah bumped into his arm. Roughly pushing past, she ran to the private exit and wretched hard on the door handle.
Shit, it's locked.
Reefing hard on the handle, she had no idea that Tobias had wedged a chair before climbing up the front office staircase.
"This plane, is going down. Let it have a controlled descent. We can get you back up in the air again. There's rehabilitation for everyone..." Franklin began as Hannibal cut him off.
"Franklin, I want you to leave right now."
"STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE FRANKLIN!"
Hearing Tobias's gruff words, Hannibal shifted his interested eyes onto the man, catching sight of blood steadily dripping down his shot ear. Spinning around on her heels at Tobias's loud shout, Oliveah pressed her back against the door and watched the three men who stood in the middle of the elegant office.
"You've done a horrible thing and…I know that you wished to God that you didn't; but you did and there's nothing you can do to change that. The only thing you can change is your future. Right?" Franklin spoke, turning around and looking to Hannibal for support. "You're probably scared; you probably feel like you're all alone."
"I'm not alone" Tobias growled as he took a step forward.
"That's right you're not alone! Nothing has happened in our relationship that you and I can't…"
Feeling her mouth drop, Oliveah watched as Hannibal Lecter calmly walked up behind Franklin and snapped his neck with ease, letting him fall hard onto the hardwood floor.
He just killed his patient…
"I was looking forward to doing that" Tobias spoke, slightly irritated as he glanced down at the dead man's body that rested at his feet.
"I saved you the trouble."
Hearing Hannibal's words, Oliveah remained as still as she could as Tobias shifted his eyes to her direction.
"And what about your little… girlfriend?"
Feeling her face drain, Oliveah sucked in a sharp lungful of air and pressed her back firmly against the blocked door as she stared straight into the eyes of Hannibal Lecter. His dark eyes spoke silently to her like a lion ready for the pounce and the tears of flesh of bone. Deep down, he was a killer, and everyone in the room was fair game.
Including her.
Gripping the door handle behind her, Oliveah watched as Tobias flung aside his coat towards the blue Victorian style sofa. Holding her breath, she watched as the man began to swing a wire at his side just as Hannibal backed up to place some space.
Oh my god
Lunging himself at the doctor, Oliveah stared with wide eyes as her heart began to race at the unbelievable scene unfolding in front of her. Keeping her back pressed firmly against the locked door, she watched as Lecter expertly ducked out of harm's way before being kicked in the chest. Pushing the ladder into the wire wielding man's path, he grunted loudly as Tobias stepped back and swung the wire over his head.
I have to get the fuck out of here!
Feeling the panic rising in her chest, Oliveah spun around and heaved on the door with as much strength as she could and swore loudly as she threw her fist into it. Spinning around, her eyes fell on Hannibal as his arm was being awkwardly pulled by the clasping metal wire.
I can't just leave him here to die
He won't die Oliveah, you know he won't die here today
Shaking her head, she bolted around the wooden desk just as Hannibal threw a punch that missed the face of Tobias taking them into a spin. Feeling her shoes slipping on the wooden floor boards, Oliveah let out a scream as Tobias picked up one of the glass side tables and swung it hard against Lecter's body. Hearing the shattering of the glass, she felt herself go down hard onto the floor and the searing pain of the tiny shards embedding into her palms and arms. Throwing her head up, she felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest as Hannibal roughly pushed Tobias away towards his desk. Watching the two men fly over the edge, Oliveah felt the scream in her throat…
"HANNIBAL!"
Hearing a loud groan, she rose to her feet and felt the shards around her knees as she watched Tobias stab a golden letter opener into Lecter's leg. Moving to the fireplace, she knew she was risking her own life by getting involved and not running out the door. Being in such close proximity to Tobias she expected him to turn around and stab her with the letter opener and the few seconds she had, she knew she had to make the most of them.
Her life and another life depended on it.
Ripping one of the fire-pokers off the iron stand, she gripped the long rod as she prepared to stab it through Tobias's neck just as Hannibal grabbed a pen and jammed it hard into Tobias's arm.
"OLIVEAH, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"
Hearing Lecter's shout, Oliveah found herself face to face with a bloody Tobias and as he raised his fist to her, she felt Hannibal's strong arm roughly shoving her back against the fireplace and out of the way. The glass embedded in her hands brought tears to her eyes as she fell back against the wall and watched through cloudy eyes as Tobias delivered a hard knee to Lecter's head before kicking him squarely in the chest.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Breathing heavily, Tobias turned and set his eyes hard on Oliveah with purpose. "Don't worry my dear, your turn is next" he smiled as Lecter barred his teeth.
"Not before I take a piece of you myself." Hearing her own voice, Oliveah felt the glass shard that she had picked up fall from her fingers and crash to the floor as she stared into the bloody face of Doctor Lecter from across the room.
Help me Hannibal
Her eyes never left his as he gracefully stepped aside the library ladder and pulled Tobias's arm through it with a sickening crack. The man's scream echoed off the walls of the office as Oliveah smiled.
Kill him
Watching Tobias stagger towards Lecter with his broken arm hanging limply down his side, his eyes went wide as the Doctor threw his fingers into the man's throat with precision halting any words and disrupting his breathing. Falling to his knees, Tobias grasped at his throat and looked to Oliveah as she brought a finger across her neck.
Her eyes followed the back of Hannibal as he limped towards a large stag statute that sat on a small wooden table against the wall. Raising the stag above his head he gave her a final look as he brought it down with a heavy sickening crack over Tobias's head.
Two.
That is two people that he has killed in this room.
In front of you.
"Noooo…" Breathing hard, Oliveah tried to move away just as Hannibal limped over to her. Grabbing her arm, she winced as her feet nearly gave out with the incredible strength for a man that had just fought for his life.
"Go home I will come for you later" he seethed as he roughly pushed her away towards the closed office door.
"My hands…"
"I SAID GO OLIVEAH!"
Hearing his yell, Oliveah winced as she opened the office door and made her way down the stairs on shaky feet.
Keeping his eyes firmly trained on Oliveah's back as she rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs, Hannibal moved towards his organ and began to hit select keys that sang out in a classical melody. A musical piece that sang out from the very depth of his soul.
…
North Clinton Street, Baltimore, Maryland…
Patting her inner palms with a face cloth, she was sure that all the glass had been removed and was about to apply band aids when a rap of knuckles sounded against the bathroom door. Knocking the bottle of hydrogen peroxide onto the counter, Oliveah swore under her breath and tried to steady her voice.
"I'll be out in a second Tyler."
"Actually it's Andrew, we wanted to know if you're still coming to Nico's for pizza?"
"Um, I think I'll pass but thanks" she spoke with as sturdy as a voice as she could as she winced with the pressure of the face cloth in her palm.
"Ok, we'll see you later then" he spoke as Oliveah remembered Hannibal Lecter's words from earlier in the day…
"I will come for you later"
Shivering, Oliveah rose to her feet and looked at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her complexion was pale and her hazel eyes were dull as she stared at herself. Pushing her bangs out of her eyes, she turned on the faucet and dipped her lips down to the steady cold stream. Moving out of the bathroom, she stood silent on the top of the stairs and listened for her housemates and was thankful to hear silence. Walking down the stairs, Oliveah grabbed her Canada Goose coat and shrugged it over her shoulders as she stuffed her house keys into the pocket.
Closing the door to the blue brick townhouse, her booted feet crunched beneath the frosty grass as she descended the three steps to the sidewalk. Turning right, she began to walk towards Patterson Park just as a tall man slowly exited out of a dark Bentley, shoving his hands into his peacoat pockets.
…
Patterson Park…
Walking past an elderly couple out for a stroll, Oliveah gave a weak smile as the woman smiled and parted her lips.
"Beautiful evening for a walk on a crisp night" she spoke, clutching her husband's arm as Oliveah remained silent. Spying an empty bench, she wiped the light dusting of fresh snow off and sat down, pulling up the collars of her coat against her cheeks. Staring straight out across the lake, her ears picked up the sounds of approaching footsteps crunching beneath the grass and halting to stand behind her.
She didn't need to turn around to know who was standing behind her.
Breathing in the cold night air, Oliveah felt her pulse quickening as the man behind her remained silent.
"You…saved my life today Doctor Lecter. Whether you intended to or not" she spoke softly as the man behind her parted his lips.
"Ms. Adler, you were witness to a situation in my office that threatens my freedom and my life" Lecter spoke firmly as Oliveah shifted slightly on the bench.
"You were defending yourself. That man Tobias was going to kill you and then he was going to kill me. You did it out of self-defense."
"And my patient?"
She knew that he would ask this very question. And she couldn't give him an answer.
"Doctor Lecter, you saved my life. I swear, I will never tell anyone about your patient."
It was all she could say.
She had watched the world-renowned Doctor simply walk up behind Franklin and snap his neck with no hesitation. Her life was now in his hands; and it was his choice if he wanted to believe her words. Hearing a ting sound against the back of the bench, Oliveah spied out of the corner of her eye the silver metal twine that Tobias had swung around resting on her shoulder and hanging down the side of her coat.
Sucking in a deep breath, she said nothing as the twine slowly made its way against the side of her exposed face before nestling against her bare neck.
Feeling the cold metal against her throat, Oliveah closed her eyes.
"If you knew anything about me Hannibal Lecter, you would know that I am not afraid of death at all. I most welcome it."
Hearing the young woman's words, Hannibal paused and watched as she made no effort to fight back.
How interesting I find you Ms. Adler
Letting go of the twine, Hannibal allowed it to fall down the side of her coat and rest on the bench wood.
Keeping her eyes closed, Oliveah could hear the snow crunching as the man who had stood behind her literally holding her life in his hands, walked away from her without a word. Looking at the twine that rested beside her, she stared hard as laughter erupted from a young couple that was walking down the path towards her.
He is giving me a choice.
He is placing his trust in me just as he asked me to place my own in him.
Who are you Hannibal Lecter? What do you see in me?
Gathering up the metal twine in her hand, she rose from the bench and walked across the snowy path to the edge of the stone wall surrounding the lake.
I watched him kill a man for no reason.
I watched him kill a second man in self-defense.
He saved his life and mine.
He didn't kill me.
He let me live.
Why?
Shivering, she took a deep breath and with all her might, threw the twine as far as she could into the water. Breathing heavily, Oliveah stared at the dark water for a full five minutes before she turned around heading home on foot as the cold Baltimore night bit her wet cheeks.
…
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