A spider's whimper

Mysterious Arrival(5)

The woman's smile blossoms, radiant and genuine, illuminating her face like sunshine breaking through clouds. With a touch of boldness, she extends her hand towards Imp, her delicate fingers reaching out to meet his. Imp's heart skips a beat as he observes the stark contrast in size between their hands. Her hand is petite and delicate, dwarfed by his own much larger one.

A surge of exhilaration courses through Imp's veins as their hands touch, his fingers enveloping hers in a gentle embrace. He can't help but marvel at the difference in scale, the way her hand fits so snugly within his own. It's a physical reminder of their contrasting presence, a tangible symbol of their connection.

The woman's touch sends a jolt of electricity through Imp's being, his senses heightened by the sheer intimacy of the act. He savors the softness of her skin, the warmth that radiates from her touch. It's a moment of vulnerability and trust, a silent exchange of unspoken promises.

As she tries to wrap her fingers around his hand, a playful smile tugs at the corners of Imp's lips. He watches with fascination as her delicate digits struggle to fully encompass his own. The size difference between them is undeniable, yet it only serves to amplify the allure of their connection.

Imp's gaze lingers on their entwined hands, captivated by the sight.

"I must say, you have a verryy weird name, my good sir" she said. "I'm Penny."

"Well, let's blame my old woman for that, It's very nice to meet you, Penny, cute name." Imp hums appreciatively, purposefully making eye contact and watching Penny blush again and duck her head, breathing in.

Imp's mind drifts momentarily, contemplating the attention Penny might have received in the past. He wonders if she has experienced this level of fascination and desire before. A part of him imagines that such attention has been scarce, making it all the more effortless for him to capture her trust.

"Well, it's your name so we can't really do anything about it.Its nice to meet you too,Imp." Penny grins, so genuine. Its like she's dangling herself in front of Imp, begging the man to ruin her.

"By the way, mind if I join you?" Imp asked. "Maybe we can eat and talk more about your Report. My treat also."

Penny smiles and nods, the poor thing. She has no idea whos sitting across from her. "Great! What would you like, I'll go up and order for us."

"Oh, uh, maybe a burger and a cola?"

Imp smiles and nods before getting out of the booth and making his way back to the bar.

While Imp waited for the bartender to prepare their food, thoughts swirled in his mind as he contemplated his next move. With various possibilities at his disposal, he weighed the options carefully.

One path involved inviting the woman to accompany him home, indulging in a passionate encounter before ultimately ending her life.

Alternatively, he considered the prospect of ambushing her on her way home later that evening. Lastly, he pondered the idea of playing a patient and strategic game, biding his time for a more opportune moment.

Imp recognized the potential messiness of the long game approach, particularly if he was seen with his victim, as that could make him a witness to his own crimes. However, he also relished the intense satisfaction derived from witnessing the trust between them shatter into fragments. The sight of his victim's face transitioning from initial hurt to disbelief, just before Imp truly began his malevolent actions, evoked an unparalleled sensation that he considered the ultimate pleasure.

And Penny, he thinks, really is worth the long run. With that in mind, he smiles to the bar tender, grabs the two plates from the table with one hand and two plastic cups of water with the other, and makes his way back to the booth in the back.

Penny grins widely at him, and reaches out for the plate in Imp's hand. She has to use both hands. Imp sits down across from her, and slides over a cup of cola.

"Thank you for the food!" Penny said, biting into her burger.

"You're welcome," Imp smiles, biting into his own fry.

***

"And oh, well, he kills people with a bowie knife, that's how he kills his victims," Penny explains, finishing off her burger. "I'm gonna be honest, I think the fbi is stupid for letting a killer run free even now."

"Why a bowie knife?"

"Well, based on the reports and some 'witnesses' he does kill his victims with it, and they even said that he leaves it after killing." Penny said. "And the evidence, it's all right there. but I they say that the fingerprins are 'gone', so maybe I understood why law enforcement doesn't find that guy yet right away."

Imp is impressed. The woman knows what she's talking about. Sure, a few details are wrong—but for a kid to get everything from just by looking at the reports and articles, at her laptop, she's good.

"And finding a evidence for him was a pain in the ass," Penny continued, rolling her eyes. "I think i spent like three to five days alone just researching for this s**t. Just now, it's just doesn't make sense."

"Did you now?" Imp asked, amusement tinting his tone.

"Well, I had to, haha. My job." Penny exclaims, grinning. "I want the report to be as accurate as possible. I want no mistakes."

"And what did you learn from your research?"

"He's weird, from the reports his victims are all appeared to be r***d. I guess he just r***s and kills at random, and his 'signature' is to leave his 'weapons' behind. But—since his method of killing changes up so often. It's probably why he's not been caught yet, the police can't predict his next move."

"You sure know a lot about that killer," Imp smirked, leaning forward. Penny blushes a little, ducking her chin and waving her hand back and forth like she's brushing away a fly.

"I'm a reporter, it's what I do." she excused. "I gotta know a lot about what I'm reporting. And also, it's fun."

"But, are you scared?" Imp can't help but ask. "Of the that Killer?"