DEFYING MY MATES

6 Days

Nowadays, I wonder what is normal.

Does a killer on the loose wandering around looking for its next victim sound normal?

Or getting tortured by someone on a daily basis?

Definitely, YASSS Girl.

Flashback:

The last few days have been hectic due to the famous psycho of Rosemore. I visited the crime scene for the veracity of the murder and obviously, to find substantial evidence for my article. The back- to-back murders with almost no clues, no intent of murder and most importantly no murder weapon, is giving a headache to the local police. People are cooperating with the cops as much as they can. But, the investigation is still going nowhere.

The first 2 victims were nowhere to be found. Dead or alive. No one knows. The last 3 were murdered right in their home, including the recent one too.

The only thing that connects the victims is their resemblance to each other. Brunette with curly waist-length hair, blue eyes, almond skin tone and single women. It’s so crazy out here that women with such characteristics are using colored lenses, cutting their hair shorts and using self-tanners. That’s what they are doing to avoid being a victim. Hoping it would work for them.

But, yesterday’s scenario proved otherwise.

Nina Marshall, F-26, was murdered brutally with a rough knife-like weapon in the broad daylight. Her body wasn’t found till her best friend got worried when she didn’t come to her job and visited her on the way back home. She found the body shredded like a chicken breast on the kitchen counter. Her friend’s scream got her neighbors' attention. And, they called the cops.

Luckily, I was around that area and I got there as soon as I could. The kitchen looked like a horror scene out of a movie. It was hard to imagine a measly human body could consist of that much blood. Her ribcage was ripped open with her heart missing like the rest of the victims. And, probably due to the brutal attack, her intestines were out in the open, on the floor.

Cops couldn’t even bear to watch the crime scene, let alone investigate it, even though they have already experienced it a couple of times. But, I guess no one can get accustomed to it. And, for those who knew, it was worse for them.

It was hard to imagine someone with so much hate to do such a terrifying thing to anyone. She didn’t deserve it. I might not know her, but I know she didn't.

But, the golden question was why the first 2 victims' bodies weren’t found till now. Did the killer want to conceal the murder? And, if that was his intent, why did he target his next victims in their homes and leave their bodies as it is? Why not hide that too, like the previous ones? Was he kind of challenging the cops or was he some type of sadistic who found it amusing?

Guess only he/ she has the answers to these questions.

These times of uncertainty and danger were like a noose around the neck of Rosemore people, tightening with each passing day.

And, all these things were taking a toll on me. I was getting obsessed with a case which wasn’t really healthy. However, I have had enough of everything that's been going on since I came here and I thought being out would do well for me.

Because why not? Early morning walks are the best thing to clear one’s head. Fresh air, greenery, a little exercise with no one around to disturb this sweet mental peace that I’m harbouring right now as I walk around the park near the forest. Perfecto! Isn’t it?

But, no.

It seems nothing is ever going to be right in this town.

There was almost no one except a few student volunteers. I had my headphones plugged in with Britney Spears- Criminal playing on while I mumbled a few high pitched lines. I thought of taking a quick break, you know, sitting down on a bench and enjoying this little moment by myself.

My eyes were closed while my head was laid back on the backrest. When I had this feeling as if someone was staring intensely at me. I don’t know, I just knew when someone did that to me, call it a sixth sense or whatever for a matter of fact. But, it was what it was.

Looking around, I found no one suspicious looking for its next victim, if I may say. Did I tell you I too had a resemblance with all those murder victims? If not, then who knows, I might be the next. I know I should have been afraid, but somehow I wasn’t. Nonetheless, I was cautious of people around me.

Everything seemed fine. Until this fine young student, in his teenage years, jogged towards me and I didn’t mind it at all. I mean he wasn’t doing anything suspicious. How would I have known what would happen next?

He just stopped suddenly in front of me like a robot doing nothing, just watching me intently, which I found very alarming. But, I waited for him to do something. Didn’t want to assault a student who was maybe trying to flirt if that was his way of flirting? I mean who knows, young minds work differently even though I wasn't that old, just 24.

He grinned out of the blue from ear to ear, which was scary with all the things that had been happening. Even though I knew something was wrong, very wrong here.

“Are you okay?” I inquired, mustering up my courage while I tightened my fists just to be cautious if I needed to take him out, which might be challenging, as he was a bulky guy. Damn!! His manly traits.

“I’m. But the golden question is, will you be? But, I have to give it to Levi. She covered her tracks very well. But, I can see you now. And, you can't hide from me ever.” He stated ever so slowly in a threatening manner which short wired my pea-sized brain for obvious reasons.

Firstly, I don't know the guy. Secondly, I was new to this town, it’s been like 4 months since I have settled here. And thirdly, my social circle is not even a circle. It’s like a dot, a social dot, so there wasn't a chance in hell for me to offend anyone with my sharp tongue.

So, why would he even say that to me?

All sorts of things were running in my head. Before I could word out my thoughts he went back to jogging as if he never threatened me a couple of minutes ago. I wasn’t furious at that moment, I was confused and curious.

I jumped right back on my feet and sprinted towards him. Grabbing his shoulders, I pulled him back hard to stop him, which he did, but I think I pulled him too hard. Because in the next second he fell flat on his butt. Ooops.

“What the….?” ‘Oomph’

“Why would you do that?” he asked, annoyed, ready to curse me as he looked up right in my eyes with blazing anger. His button nose was red due to the cold weather as he squinted his eyes at me.

“You tell me. What the hell was that? You can’t hide from me and shit.” I asked, a little vexed, with my hands on my waist. Giving a no bullshit look, just to give an extra effect, which certainly didn’t work on him.

“What the f**k are you talking about? I never told you s**t. I don’t even know you. Why in the world would I talk to you?” He said, matching my tone as he stood up dusting off his track with his palms.

“Okay. Okay. I get it now.” he said, standing straight as he gave me a mini smirk or I might have imagined it.

One second he was aggravated and the next, he was chuckling like a fool. Is he bipolar or what?

“You get what exactly?” I asked, confused and irritated with the little game he was playing at.

“That this is your lame way of getting me to talk to you. Sorry to disappoint you. I have a girlfriend. But, if you want to bang sometime... then sure. Why not? I won’t mind having a hot piece of you.” He said, biting his lips in a not so sensual way, more like failing horribly at it. I could imagine him salivating at the thought like a dog with his tongue hanging out. And that was just gross.

“Excuse me. Are you being serious right now? You …you know what …. Just ...just leave it. Did you speak to me when I was sitting right there?” I said, pointing my index finger towards the bench where I was sitting.

“I don’t even know you, girl. Why would I?” he huffed at me like a little boy and went back to his jogging.

I stood there for a couple of minutes watching him run back to his squad and get busy with the volunteer work. I was thinking of any possible explanation for what just happened a few minutes ago.

Maybe he was just pranking me. I mean that was what I could only come up with.

Even though it was a little too intense for me. I shook that memory out of my head and trudged back home as fast as I could.

However, it crossed all the lines when whoever that was followed me to my home.

I was in my office, working on my manuscript. It was almost finished, I just needed to check up on a few things. I was almost done when my phone started ringing, breaking my flow in the process.

Trudging towards the phone lying on the couch, I flopped on it, bouncing a few times as it was really hard to resist that mushy appearance of the couch. Chewing the mint flavored gum, I picked up the call without even looking at it.

“Hello!” I asked, blowing the bubble-gum bubble.

“6 days. That’s all you got.” Some man said on the line, chuckling to himself on the phone as if he cracked the funniest joke of the century.

“Excuse me. Who the …?” s**t!! f*****g piece of s**t!!

That’s all he said before he hung up the f*****g phone. I would have thrown it against the wall if it wasn’t that expensive.

Yes, my life was weird, but one could handle only a handful of weirdness at a moment.

But, this wasn’t the end.

After the call, someone threw a stone wrapped in a white cloth with a single letter ‘D’ written on it. I quickly sprinted outside the house to look for the culprit. Obviously, I didn’t find anyone and I don’t know what the message ‘D’ meant.

It has been like hell these past 4 days.

It happened over and over again like a non-ending cycle. I would get random threatening calls and, later, a letter. But, I had to give it to him. The culprit was kind of creative with all the messages. The technique was never the same. Sometimes, I would find it with a headless doll, or written on a bunch of balloons stuck outside of my window, or on a cloth alongside a painting just outside my porch.

But, it was really scary because if someone could get his hands on my personal number and my address, then it wouldn’t be that hard for him to break in. I called the cops on whoever that was. I wasn’t going to take any more chances than I had already taken, as I let it off the hook the first time, thinking it was a mere joke.

The cops had no clue who was behind the threats. It was a dead end just like the murder case.

It’s been too peaceful since the last murder. I wonder if the one behind the threats is the same person who committed all those murders. Of course, I don’t have substantial evidence and it was just my wild imagination. But, who knows?

It definitely wasn't someone I knew, because I would have known the second I heard his voice. So, obviously, he was someone unknown.

Till now, I have got 10 letters. I don’t know if I need to have more letters for it to make sense or not. But, today is the fifth day. I wonder if tomorrow is my last.

My parents don’t know anything. I haven’t told them. I mean how I can make them understand something that even I don’t have a clue about. They will probably think it’s just one of my episodes. It might be a foolish thing, but I just can't have them looking at me as if I’m going to break like a fine china doll.

Nonetheless, I’m maintaining a log book in case something doesn’t go right.

So, yeah. Here, I’m sitting on my dinner table with all the letters spread across it. I have ‘I I O Y D E U L W L’.

I know it doesn't make any sense, at least not to me. What can it be?

I love you? Yeah, how a romantic way to propose to me or shall I say torture?

Luckily, the clue doesn’t have a V. Or, I would rather die than be with a psychopath.

When suddenly it clicked, it did have a ‘YOU’, so the rest of the letters made ‘WILL’ and ‘DIE’.

Oh, f**k!!