What if that’s where the ex-girlfriend’s daughter attends?
The incessant inch propelling up my back while flashes of Fester standing outside of the high school, searching for a victim, overcome my vision.
Oh, fuck it.
I am a controlled man, but also an impetuous one. I give in, jerking on the ignition to start the car. It would take me no time to grab him and give him a little strangle and be on my way back to the police station—with time to spare.
My fingers tense with anticipation as I turn the steering wheel onto the side road, leading back toward the downtown high school. Before long, I’m pulling up to the side of a home with a For Sale sign on the opposite side of the high school back lot. I immediately spot Fester, still lurking inthe shadows beneath a large tree, his disguise anything but appropriate as he’s dressed oddly in tan colored clothes.
Of course he’s still there. He’s on the prowl, stalking his next victim.
Sliding a baseball cap onto my head and flipping up my black hoodie, I then reach into the back to grab a syringe from my bag, preparing to give him a quick injection. I get everything ready, then leave the car. I tuck both hands in the front pockets of my sweater while scanning the perimeter of the forest and parking lot.
As I get closer to Fester, I notice he’s still standing in a shaded and secluded part of the park. As soon as I see there’s no one else around, I break out into a slow jog with my feet barely contacting the ground. Reaching for what I need, I take the syringe from my hoodie pocket and pop off the cap, then approach him from behind.
“Hey,” I say in a low voice, getting his attention.
As he turns, I jam the needle into the side of his neck. Dazed, he stumbles back unstable on his feet, and I hook an arm around his neck, bracing his fall to the ground, then flip him against the side of the car. Only a few seconds later, his limbs go limp.
“You’re just going to take a little nap.” With hesitation, I slightly release my hold and deadlift him into the back seat of his car.
After a quick search of his pockets, I find his keys to the car. Sliding into the driver’s seat, I head to an older part of the high school. Growing up around here, I’ve gotten used to many areas downtown. Built in the 1980s, many of the buildings are no longer used or abandoned, making it the perfect place to carry out this solo project.
I drive the car into a shaded area full of overgrown bushes, and a quick glance confirms the area is hidden enough for us to remain unseen for a while. I slide Fester’s limp body from the backseat and wearily carry him to the door. With a swift kick, the rotted wood swings open. I walk pasta devotion of love carved into the wooden wall, which will only last until the school finally tears this building down.
I spot an open area in the corner of the room. Dropping Fester onto the concrete, the sound of bones hitting the floor fills the air. The impact to his back wakes him earlier than I’m expecting.
I reach for the handcuffs in my bag, then kneel to bind him to a long pipe protruding from the ceiling. Once secure, his eyes peel open.
“Hello.” I smile. While crouching down beside him, my body buzzes with excitement. “Sorry you had to wake up like this.”
“What is going on?” he slurs, his eyes darting around the rundown shack. When he realizes that he’s chained and I’m holding a gun, he shouts, “Who the fuck are you? Let me go!”
“Oh, sorry about that, Fester. Where are my manners?” I extend my arm for him to shake it. “I’m River.”
He jerks at the metal cuffs. “How the hell do you know my name?”
“I followed your case two years ago.” I rise to standing. “Quite the situation you got yourself in. She was only a kid.”
“The little bitch who said I took advantage of her?” he spits. “She came onto me.”
“She was fifteen, you sick fuck.”
“Not when she looked like that,” he spits.
“I rub my chin then squat next to him. “Wasn’t she drugged too?”
He clicks his tongue, possibly getting agitated. “What do you want?”
“For you not to hurt anyone else.”
“So how would you make that happen? Are you some type of rogue cop or something?”
“Oh god, no.” I shake my head. “I’m far from being a cop.”
“Then what the fuck do you want?” He’s growing angry. “Why am I here?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Well, you see Fester…” I lower myself to face him once again. “I haven’t been able to take part in my extracurricular activities lately, which is making me a little restless. And lucky for you, my friend, you have the honor of fulfilling that need today.”
