fifteen

Tears streamed down her face as she desperately pulled and clawed at my wrist, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...please just let me go!" Her words were broken up by sobs and I could see she was close to giving up. Leaning down, I blew against her ear smiling at he scream that left her. "The cloth fell out," I stated, pressing it back into her mouth as she struggled. "Aw sweetheart, don't you know your struggling and begging makes this more fun for me," She cried out again, squeezing, her eyes shut. "If you do that, I'll have to cut your eyelids off," They still remained tightly closed, tears barely squeezing out of them

Her friend was wailing by Ximena on the ground, calling out tattoo's name; Christy. I could hear my blood gushing through my veins like waves in a blood-red sea. Sweat and cheap perfume filled the small alley-way making it hard to breathe. My limbs were trembling through the thrill of having two people under my control. Under my power. A human is really too easy to break, Whether it's their will or their life.

"Now, be a good girl and open those eyes wide," She looked up at me, and I could see the flickering light behind her eyes slowly burning out, singing into a clear mass of burning smoke. She knew she couldn't escape, and that made me extremely happy. Gently brushing the tip of the knife against her cheek, I took pleasure in watching her blood meld into the silver, creating a glossy coating.

Her eyes widened and I took my chance, my knife met flesh, soft and pudgy, and made a satisfying squelch as the tip of the blade sank deep enough to make my victim scream. The blade fit tight in her eye socket as if it had found the perfect knife block. Wrapping my fingers around it, I twisted, hearing snaps and cracks before digging the knife in further. Her mouth was tightly clenched around the cloth, mumbled sounds I'm sure were supposed to be ear-splitting screams being suffocated by its grasp.

Blood gurgled and lept out of the wound like people from a sinking ship, her palms slapped against the concrete floor and her body convulsed in my grasp. Her actions spoke louder than her screams, 'I'm not giving up yet.'

"Very well," Ripping my knife out of its place, I heard a distant scream and realised it must have been the second girl. She had seen the white mound of blood and muscle attached to the blade, cords of nerves and fibres hanging off it like entrails. "My, what pretty eyes you have," I grinned, eyeing the other, "I might just keep them."

I dug the blade into the other one, flinching at pink hair's scream. "Ximena shut her u-"                          She wasn't listening, her body was splained out on the concrete, two patches of crimson spread across her shirt. "fuck!" The other girl had a fucking knife. "Bitch!" She flinched back, sobs heaving her body, "Leave her alone!" She roared at me, tears flowing down her cheeks. An accusing hand trembled in my direction and I couldn't help myself. Within seconds I was in front of her. My hand gripped onto her wrist and she cried out. I added more pressure, watching as her tan skin turned a pale white under its constraint. More pressure. A loud snapped echoed and I dropped her hand, admiring its now limp form and the ugly green and blue blotches painting it.

Looking over at Ximena, I could see the rattling of her ribcage and that strange sense of relief flushed over me again like a bucket of cold water. "Right, let's finish this," Christy was huddled by the wall trembling and murmuring against the cloth. Looking down at her she felt like a small child. "Are you done?" Her rapid mumbles stopped, all of her movement stopped. slowly she raised her head and I caught sight of my butcher knife, wedged into her eye. Her lips were blue against the red of the cloth and I started to notice the chill of the night. My adrenaline had been so aggressive that I had barely felt a thing. She was facing me, an empty gash and a knife handle stared back at me. Cautiously, she nodded before lowering her head once again.

"Very well," The game was no longer fun when the participants weren't giving it their all. With a swift yank, I had returned my knife to its rightful place in my hand and gained a new edition to my collection. Emptying the soft flesh of the eye into a container with her second one and with a final slash her throat was open and emptying its contents. admiring my work, I was shocked into action when sirens surrounded the alleyway. "Shit," Stalking over to pink hair, I gripped her throat turning her to face the flashing lights. "You reckon they'll save you?" Sobs and screams rambled out of her as she began flailing around in their direction.

Doors opened and the crackling of radios went off, "So close," I whispered in her ear. I caught a glimpse of horror and realisation as it flittered across her face before I slashed her throat, that expression permanently frozen in time. "And for good measure," I knelt down to dig her eyes out when a voice blasted through the small space. "Put the girl down, and we won't shoot," Smiling, I glanced up at the policeman from the day of the fire. Light cut through the darkness, illuminating my face and the girls on the ground. "Bit late for that don't ya think?" I held up my knife that currently housed her left eye. Clacking sounded and I knew they were aiming their weapons. If the man recognised me he said nothing, just took a moment to survey the situation. "Sir, please surrender there is nowhere to run," I scoffed, casually sliding the organ into my container of goods, Sir huh? That's a first.

"I don't think I will, you see...I haven't quite satisfied myself yet," More clacking and shuffling.        "Hold your fire!" He yelled, hand out in a firm gesture. I have an advantage, well at least I think I do. There's a hidden door a few metres behind me. If I can grab Ximena and get there before they shoot me, I should be fine. I've just got to catch them off guard.

"Wow, you're certainly the generous type," I commented, brushing my knife off on my jeans. Oddly enough I didn't feel particularly panicked, this felt like a game, a very fun game. If I lost, I die or become imprisoned for life, if I win, however, I better about thirty officers and the real game begins. I just had to pass the first stage.

Through the beaming light, I couldn't make out their faces, this was a problem, however, not a fatal one. "No, I'm just not the type to shoot first and ask questions later," I smiled, knowing full well they could all see it. "Yes, the dead aren't particularly good communicators, that's why I tend to favour them." There was a pause.

"Well, it would be nice if you could listen to what I have to say," What a jackass.

"Why's that?" I was getting bored with this pointless small talk.                                                                     "Because if you don't you'll end up going to prison for a very long time," A chuckle escaped me, "I just killed two people, and mutilated one in front of the cops, I don't care if you're the fucking judge whisperer, I'm going to jail for life," There was another pause as he processed my lack of co-operation.

"Look, I'll bargain with you," I spoke, glancing at Ximena in my peripheral vision, chuckles ensued, they clearly didn't think I had the means to be making demands. "I'll surrender, unarmed, if you arrest me unarmed," Dropping my knife to the ground, I kicked it away, before turning my pockets inside out and removing my shoes.

"Don't you think that sounds a little dodgy?" He asked, voice crackling over the loudspeaker.       "Just don't wanna be shot is all," This should work as long as they're certain I don't have an escape route. "If it makes you feel better, you can bring a knife, I won't try any shit," I just have to outrun a man with a knife, its a better option than a man with a gun. When I duck around the corner, none of the back-ups will be able to hit me so they shouldn't be a problem.

"Very well," The sound of velcro being torn apart echoed like skin from bones and I delighted in the shiver that cascaded down my spine. His holster fell to the cement with a 'thud' and I took this as my opportunity to retrieve Ximena. My first footstep back synchronised with his forwards, and metal rattled as back-up took aim. "I'm just getting my acquaintance," They didn't slacken, Their muscles remained taunt, barrels pointed directly at me. Luckily Ximena's limp form was right in front of the small corner where the door was located, the perfect escape route. Kneeling down, I hoisted her into my arms, dry blood flaking off onto my skin.

"Acquaintance?" He asked, taking another few steps forward, handcuffs in tow.

"More like gracious servant," I replied, sending him a grin, "A very useful one at that, that's why I couldn't possibly leave her behind," He stopped for a moment, unsure of what I meant.

"Well, it appears I've won round one, I look forward to the future challenges you'll provide me with, I'm rather bored." With that, I ducked around the corner, disappearing into the door, leading to the back of the brothel, The sound of yelling and footsteps breaking out behind me.