Thanks guys! Some will be up today, sorry for delay. It's kind of boring to start, but a murder at the end. It's long too, so I'll get that up in a couple of hours or so.
And, the killer strikes again. Having trouble figuring out how to describe the battling emotions. If you have any ideas or comments on how I'm doing it now, please post in the feedback thread. It would be great help! Stuff maybe out tomorrow but the next few chapters are going to be about emotions, Chris, her training and community reactions. Any ideas/comments on those, post them too. Besides that... Enjoy!! Chapter 18 "Please! Help me! I, I was coming to meet my friends and they're dead!! They're dead!!" I faked a sob, speaking in a panicked voice. "Please, I don't know what to do! There's... There's blood! Everywhere! And... And...." "Miss, I'm going to need you to tell me your name and location," a man said calmly. "Kerri Cadwell. I'm at the old tunnel on the north side of town. Bridge Lane. There's so much blood..." I said as almost an after thought. "I have officers on their way, Miss. Please stay calm. Can you describe to me where you are standing?" "Yes... I think so. The tunnel, there's a bathroom nearby. I went to the tunnel to look for my friends but they weren't there. So I came to check the bathroom. I opened the door.... And there they are." "Where are you now?" "Outside the bathroom." "Did you enter the bathroom and touch anything, disturb it by any chance?" he questioned understandingly. "I think so yes. I'm sorry. I was propping my bike up while opening the door. I think I stepped in some blood.... I'm sorry." "It's ok Miss. Just be sure to stay away from the building. Please don't touch anything else." "Ok." My voice was soft, I had calmed my act down. The man continued to question me about how I was doing, if there was anyone he wanted me to contact, my age. I kept answering, until the police arrived. "Um, sir?" I asked. "Yes Miss?" "The police are here now, can I talked to them now or stay here?" "Oh, no. Go ahead. They'll take your statement now." "Thank you." "Your welcome." My hung up and felt my heart jump. Killing someone didn't put my nerves on edge, but talking to the police did. I had asked for Chris and Zadie to come pick me up, and I saw them arrive as the police approached me. "Kerri Cadwell?" A handsome officer asked. "Yes. That's me." "I'd like to ask a few questions if you don't mind." He had gorgeous green eyes and short blond hair, framing a small face. "Yes that's fine." I saw Zadie sprinting towards me over the officer's shoulder. An officer tried to stop her but she just ran around him. As she reached me she embraced me in a tight hug. With a small smile, I let her squeeze all the air out of me. When she finally let go, I was caught in the much softer but just as passionate hug of Chris. Once they both managed to let go the officer started to question me, after first asking Chris and Zadie to not interrupt my story. I told him my story. I had left Zadie's and went to grab some food because I was hungry and had some time before I was to meet my friends. Upon arriving, my bike chain decided to fall off. I managed to fix it and went to grab food. But Mary had texted me to hurry up, so I left and went to meet them. I hadn't realized how long it had taken me to fix my chain and that I late to meet them. When Zadie texted me, I was getting ready to leave the store and come here. I said I was leaving. I then arrived and found them like this. The officer thanked me, and then confirmed what I had said about Zadie. He left, and I was caught an another hug by Chris. This one was more desperate, to just be close to me. I hugged him back, resting my head on his shoulder. "Oh, KC. I'm never leaving you again..." He whispered in my ear. I nodded and we hugged for a few more seconds before he reluctantly let go. "KC, we need to get you home. Can you leave?" Zadie asked, concerned. I I started to answer. "I.... Well...." "That's a no Zadie," Chris said helping me out. "Got it." Zadie walked off, over to a few officers. Chris put his arm around me and led me to a nearby bench. We sat in silence and I started to cry. The tears ran down my face slowly at first. I thought is was my acting, but I slowly began to realize they were real. And I didn't know why. I let them run... It felt like something was telling me to. Zadie came back and started talking to Chris. I tuned them out, and focused on Kiyoshi, my next target. Kiyoshi Mori was an excellent cook, cellist and runner. And the perfect target. With his parents out if town for a month, I had all the time in the world. Someone was shaking my shoulder. Turning around, I found it was Zadie. "Come on. Let's go." She helped me up and led me to the car. --------- We went straight to my house, and without a word to Zadie or Chris I went upstairs. I walked into my closet and threw the combat bag into the corner. Moving a few shirts here and there, I found what I was looking for. It was a small roll of leather. Inside where ten shinning throwing knives. They had been a birthday present from my other mentor, Kenzo Kimura. Wicked sharp, they were perfectly balanced. It was a Kunai set, handmade by the best Kenzo could find. I took all ten out and put ten in their sheaths. I then tucked them in my pockets, my socks, my shoes an anywhere else I could safely hold them. I still had my gloves on, but I need a coat because of the wind picking up outside. My beautiful tab overcoat would do. I put it on, and it covered some of the obvious knife outlines. Donning some fuzzy boats, I went downstairs. Zadie and Chris were in the kitchen. I walked in and gave each a silent hug before turning and leaving. "Hey, babe. Where are you going?" Chris asked stopping me. "Out. I need some air." "No," Zadie demanded. "It's too dangerous." "I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. I need time to think," I protested. "Can't you do that here?" "No. Too many distractions. I just want to be alone with my thoughts and nature." Zadie knew I need the time. "Fine... It's 4. Be back by 5:30, no later," she finally agreed. "Alright," I agreed. "Take care, KC. Call us if you need anything," Chris said with a hug. "Will do." I smiled and hugged back. I left the kitchen and went to the hall closet. I grabbed a beanie and scarf before leaving. The scarf got tied around my face, covering everything below my eyes. The beanie covered the top of my head. I checked the mirror; you couldn't recognize me. The wind nipped at my eyes as a cold front was settling in. I walked the few blocks to Kiyoshi's house. By the time I got there I was freezing. I walked up to the house, all bundled up, and knocked. With an apron on, Kiyoshi peered out the window at me. I pulled my scarf down a bit so he could see who it was. His face lit up and he let me in. "Hey! How you doing?" He asks happily. Only about 5 foot 4 at 16, he was already a bit odd. His wonky smile and constantly messy black hair added to it. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, Kiyoshi had a spatula in one hand. "Good. Alright. You?" I followed him into the kitchen. "What are you baking?" "A dinner for Reika. She's coming over later instead of my tedious aunt. She's been dropping by every night to check up on me." "What time?" I teased. "At 7 o'clock sharp," he replied. "Aww, how sweet of you." I grinned. "Yeah, yeah. So, what caused you to drop by?" His back was to me, stirring something or another. "Eh. Need someone to talk to..." A silence feel between us. Kiyoshi put his spatula down and turned to watch another sauce simmer. My beast started to growl. My heart jumped a beat and I struck. Reaching out, I cupped one hand over his mouth and another around his arms, pinning them to him. His scream was muffled by my gloves. I banged his head against the counter, knocking him out. When he awoke, I had him duct taped to his living room wall, arms and legs spread. My coat lay on the ground. I stood across the room and watched him struggle. I flicked a knife across the room, lodging it in his thigh. He screamed into his apron tied around his mouth. The knife from my boat struck his shoulder. One by one, I flicked my ten knives into Kiyoshi. Each one represented a different emotion as I threw it. His chest, my love for Chris. His arms, my respect from my two mentors. His thigh, my understanding for loss of myself. His foot, what morality I had left. His stomach, the longing for another kill. His shoulder, the burden of my lust I couldn't share. His shin, the pleasure I got from kills. His hand, the lives I carried. His head, my confusion about myself. I watch him slowly bleed out, the white walls being soaked in blood. As I watched, I thought. I still could understand. I felt like a presence was telling me to do this. Something inside of me wanted me to do this. I was a good person though! Why was did I latch onto the lust? I couldn't understand. Knowing I was a killer and that it couldn't be helped, that wasn't enough. I wanted to know why. After about 20 minutes of staring at his body, battling my emotions, I removed the knives one by one. I washed them and my hands, and hid them once again. Using his spatula from the kitchen, I wrote "THREE" next to him. He was suppose to be my third kill. But the other accidentally came first. I closed it in his fist before leaving. Sadly, I walked out of the house and though about his date that night. Poor Reika. It had to be done. Three kills in one day. I think I deserved a rest. It was almost 4:30, nowhere near 5:30, but I headed to my house anyway. I need sleep.
Here you go. Feedback would be wonderful. Enjoy! Chapter 19 As I walked around the corner to my street, I saw Chris walk out of my house. Looking grim and troubled, he slowly walked to the sidewalk and looked around. He spotted me and walked over. For me, he gave a gentle smile. "Kerri, back so early?" He asked concerned. "I thought. Now I want to rest." I embraced him, sighing and closing my eyes. My head rested against him chest and I listened to his heartbeat. "Alright, c'mon. I'll walk you back." He walked next to me, arm around my waist. We reached my house. After he opened the door for me, Zadie appeared with a knife in hand and was ready to stab us. "Oh. Sorry. Thought it was... You know." She held the door for us. "Thanks Chris." I hugged him and then slowly, my mind foggy, walked to the living room. "She'll be ok soon, I promise," I heard Zadie tell Chris. "I hope so. I really miss my old girl." They exchanged goodbyes before Chris left. I flopped onto the couch and switched the TV on. News, news, news. All on the murders. I changed the channel until I found one of the many criminal justice shows, about murders or serial killers. This one was based on behavior analysis of serial killers. Pulling up the info, I found that this episode was about a serial killer in Washington, who forced his victims to kill themselves by torture. Intrigued, I kept watching. Zadie walked in after a few moments. "KC," she started. "Nuh-uh, hold on. The have a witness," I said, cutting her off. I was completely absorbed. When the commercial break came on, Zadie sat down next to me. "How are you coping?" She asked. She didn't try to sugarcoat the facts, but spoke outright about them. "Not well." "I'm sorry. I really am. No one should have to deal with this at their age. Or, at all really." "But I am." She paused. "And for that, I'm truly sorry." I stayed silent. "I've been in your position, seeing my friends die beside me. Their corpses after they've been mutilated by bullets and knowing there was nothing I could have done." She spoke not just to me but to herself as well, like finally make peace about it. "The thing is, at the time, I thought I could've done something. Shot faster, spoke quicker. I battled with that for a long time. "You need just need to accept it. You'll go into grief. Everyone does. Just talk to me and I can help you through. I've been there." My mind screamed in protest when she said that. She hasn't been where I am and never will be! I killed them. They didn't just die, they died by my hand. I wasn't in grief either, and knew I wouldn't be. I had never had any remorse for killing them, I had been planning this for months. "Have you?" I managed to keep my voice level. "Yes. Not exactly where you have, but very close," she replied gently. "No, I don't think you have," I said, slightly annoyed. "Oh, KC. Of course not, not at your age, not in this environment. I've just seen my friends die and thought about the person who took them, and why anyone would do such a horrible thing." Zadie wrapped her arms around me. "That's all? That's all you have to say about the killer?" I was getting angry. "No. My friends were taken in battle, in a war setting. I knew the person who did it didn't want to be there as much as I did. But for you? I don't know what to say. These people, murderers. They need to get help, they need to stop and they need to understand that they're hurting people. But most have medical conditions. They can't control the impulse." "Is that what you'd tell them? That they just need to stop? That's it?!?" I stood up. "No, of course not! What's gotten into you Kerri? I'm not going to speak to you like you're a killer! Because you aren't. And you don't deserve that." Zadie looked shocked and hurt. I sat back down, my emotions confused. "I'm sorry Zadie, I just can't figure my thoughts around," I said slowly. "I'm upset about the killings and the killer. I want to understand why they would do that." "KC, no one but them understands themselves. Why they do what they do, I can't tell you." "I want to know though! Why someone would be driven to do that, and how they would feel about doing something like that- compared to a normal person." I was serious, I wanted to understand. If I couldn't understand myself, I wanted to know what another thought if me. "I have nothing for you. And can't tell you," Zadie admitted sadly. "Oh, ok...." "Kerri, it will be alright in the end." No it wouldn't. I knew it wouldn't. The end would be bloody, heartbreaking and upsetting. Because I didn't know how to stop myself. I bet I could control it for awhile... But not for ever. And more people would die unless I could figure my self out. "C'mon," she said grabbing my hand. "Let's just watch the show." She flipped the mute off and the show started again. We sat together, and I stopped thinking about the killings. We laughed together and cringed together. At the end of the episode, a new show started and Zadie started to flip through the channels. I jumped up and ran to grab an apple. I heard a sharp intake of breath. "There's been another murder," Zadie said grimly. I bit my lip and it rushed back to me. The emotions from the day hit me all at once. All the ones from Kiyoshi's murder, my talk with Zadie, the other murders. They all hit my and I collapsed in a heap on the floor, rocking back and forth. "I don't understand... Zadie, please... Help me understand..." I murmured. Zadie gazed sadly at me on the floor. "I don't know... I don't know KC. I don't know either...."
I redid this about four times before finally settling on this. Please tell me what you think about how it's done, does it make sense, what to change etc in the feedback thread. If enough people want it redone, I might redo it. More soon, more action in the next chapter. Enjoy! Chapter 20 I was mentally and physically exhausted. Everything ached, from my mind to my muscles. Zadie had moved me to my room where I now sat. Thinking. I couldn't even describe how I felt. I just couldn't. There were so many things I felt and then even more upon that. Clearing my mind, I made an effort to straighten myself out and organize my thoughts. "Confused," I murmured to myself. I was definitely confused. Mostly, about myself. Why I wanted to kill, why I thought it necessary, why I had this urge. However, I was also confused about why the police had no leads. I wasn't perfect. I must have left something behind, something to connect me or narrow down the list. I was confused about that too. And then Chris. I was confused about my feelings for him. He is like a brother, my best friend but he is incredibly good looking. I don't blame myself for kissing him... I love him. But I don't know what our relationship is going to be like now. I just hope that doesn't change too much. I was confused about my reactions. I was upset about killing people but I couldn't understand why. Mental, I didn't really see anything wrong with it, it didn't bother me. But sometimes, physically I was upset. My body was upset by the killings, like my consciousness was battling with itself. Literally, a demon and angel. I had a part of me completely undisturbed by killing people and yet another side horrified by the fact. And I couldn't control it, sometimes I was more inclined to kill than not. I was also angry. I knew I was a killer, and it angered me that no one else could recognize that. I mean, that was fine because I couldn't be caught. But, I was angry that no one thought of me as a killer. Why couldn't I be? And yet, at the same time I was happy. Happy that I could kill freely with no pressure of being caught. I was happy because I could also continue being a regular person without having to avoid certain people or act a certain way. But, while I was happy that I wasn't about to be caught, I also felt stressed and pressured. I was stressed about the killings, about making them perfect. And pressured about who to kill, and to kill faster. Because it felt like an animal inside me, trying to force itself out of me. It felt like that was the killer, the killer inside me. This beast that had always been inside me, preparing my mind to do this. My mind turning on my morality, what made me human. I knew that I could control this... Thing for now. I grabbed a ribbon off my headboard and started to play with it, making it dance and twist around my fingers. I knew there were other things driving my lust to killing but for some reason, this was what I felt was the leading cause. This beast inside me, this killer. And as much as I tried, I knew I couldn't escape it. It was part of me. Not that I wanted to escape it though. It was helping me, even if not in the most beneficial way. My killing had improved. It was like another mentor to me, mentoring me in a slightly different art. It was controlling my killings, making sure they were precise and well done. But last murder was sloppy, and that was, again, why I was angry. I thought my killer was a creation I had made to satisfy my lust to kill. But now I realized it was why I killed. Because part of me always wanted me to kill, to be a killer. It was controlling my urge, and as long as I followed my urge I shouldn't be caught, right? Because maybe the urge is based off of my knowledge, what my mind takes in and stores away. It is forming a profile of its own, reflecting on my knowledge I don't realize I have. And then, my beast feeds off of that, slowly crafting my plans to kill. When perfected, it is then that my mental self finally recognizes them. Yes, yes! That must be it! My breathing quicken as I was coming to a conclusion. I was a killer, and yet it was hidden inside me. It drove my thoughts and actions of killing. It brought into playing knowledge I didn't know I had and using that, crafted my killings. I trusted it to make the right choices and followed through what it told me to do. The urges were controlled by this beast, and by following my urges and it's plans I could never be caught. I did what it said, acting like I should, cried when it wanted and everything would be perfect. Then I doubted myself. What if I kept killing, and the beast never quelled. Then what? Would it started to physically take control? Or would my moral side finally step in? But I pushed that away, it hadn't come to that. I stood up and started pacing now, my mind running back over everything I had said. It worked, it made sense. I knew now why I killed. And how to control it. As long as I continued doing as my beast wanted me to, I couldn't be caught. I ran my tongue over my lips and smiled.
Thanks for feedback, but please try to post in the feedback thread. Thanks! Sorry for wait, reached a kind of Writer's Block 2 chapters up and didn't want to post till I sorted it out. Enjoy! Chapter 21 Now that I understood, I looked furiously for a paper or notebook of sorts. Next to I my TV, I spotted a small flip notebook. I picked it up and went in search of a pencil. There was a pen on one of my shelves. It'd do. I furiously wrote away on the pad, going through page after page. A knock on my door interrupted me. Sitting on the notebook, I answered. "Come in," I said. It was Zadie, her face emotionless. "The boy killed was Kiyoshi Mori, that mean anything to you?" She asked solemnly. I nodded sadly. "Yes. He was the boyfriend to Reika, a friend of mine I guess you could say." I paused and sighed. "I don't know what to say anymore. There's been so many kills. It almost seems normal." "I know. But never think this is normal. Or any kind of killing. It's not normal, alright?" I nodded. "Also, promise me you won't be killed. I don't need your mother to kill me." I gave a small smile. "Alright." "Kenzo Kimura is coming tomorrow, you've been warned. Now. Get some sleep, it's been a long day for you." Zadie gave me a sharp look and closed the door. I finished writing and changed into my pjs, replacing all my knives. Deciding I wanted the notebook close to me at all times, I put it under my pillow. Climbing into bed, I quickly fell asleep. My dreams reenacted my kills, from Jade to Kiyoshi. They almost felt real; I could see the blood between my fingers, I could hear them scream all around me. But as my dreams continued, the kills started to blend together. I could hear only one constant, scream. Blood continually rained down around me. The body before me kept changing; it spasmed horribly and howled before switching to another victim. I didn't feel like myself, I could have sworn something was controlling me. In my dream, I madly laughed as I stabbed the bodies, over and over. I felt trapped in my own mind. Suddenly I wasn't the killer anymore. I was outside my body, watching myself do the killing. It was like a sick horror film being played in front of me, of myself. I cringed as I saw the horrible form of myself. A scream ripped through me and I woke in my bed. My sheets were scattered around the room; tears and sweat ran down my face. I sucked in a shaky breath, and tried to swallow. My throat was raw and dry; the saliva got caught in my throat, throwing me into a fit of coughs. I needed water. Standing, my legs felt weak. None the less, I walked slowly downstairs and helped myself to some water. It felt cool and relaxing as I had glass after glass. The clock on the wall said it was 3 in the morning. I needed more sleep. The water helped. I felt more relaxed and calmed. My breathing was slower and my mind was starting to things into perspective. I started to talk to myself. "It's just a dream. Calm down. It's not like that at all. You aren't like this." Even as I tried to convince myself it was ok, I knew it wasn't. Somewhere in my mind, I was like that. That psychotic killer. But that wasn't who I was now, or who I wanted to be. But I still knew part of me was. I used the counter to balance for a few more seconds, taking in deep breaths. Determined not to let the dreams bother me, I trudge upstairs and fell back into bed. Not bothering with the sheets, I just laid down. I curled up and was quickly asleep. My dreams were calm and controlled, nothing like the monsters before. When I awoke again, it was almost nine, Monday morning. My stomached growled and I was tired but I headed downstairs again to grab some food. The heard talking in the front hall. Looking around the corner, I saw to my delight Kenzo Kimura. A short Japanese man, he always had a huge grin on his face. It lit up even now as he saw me. I ran and embraced him with a hug, towering over him by a few inches. I only saw him a few times a year, and when I did he usually stayed at my house or Zadie's for a week or so. I had tons of questions for him and I saw he had a few for me too. Zadie noticed as well, before I could speak. "Kitchen, you two? I think we have some catching up to do and the front hall isn't the best spot. Someone also looks a bit peckish," she added with a look at me. I couldn't help but smile. Zadie knew me too well.