Oblivious To The Shadows

Chapter One

I have an uneasy feeling about tonight as I slide down against the nearest tree trunk. I've done this more times than I'd like to admit and yet something in the air is haunting me tonight. I sigh as the sound of the wind slipping through the leaves, calms me and I lay my head back against the tree looking up at the moonlight sifting through the leaves barely lighting this clearing in the forest. I grab my duffle bag and pull out a file.

"Clifford Burns" I whisper to my myself. According to this he was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life in a mental facility when he claimed insanity. Unfortunately that was the only conviction he ever got, a string of unsolved murders followed this guy wherever he went and they could never get anything to stick to him. At least this time, its somebody who deserves it. I shove the folder back in the bag when I hear snapping twigs and shuffling leaves. His heaving and panting getting louder as he gets closer.

"C'mon just a little bit closer." I whisper quietly and as if on cue a loud snap followed by the sounds of his screams. "There it is." I sigh getting up out of my hiding place and grabbing my bag. He sees me as I start heading over. I clunk my bag next to him and open it up.

"Thank god!" he screams through clenched teeth. His leg is caught in the bear trap blood is pouring from the teeth and his leg is thoroughly broken.

'I wouldn't start thanking god just yet' I say pulling out my tools, a tray and cooler.

"What are you doing?" he asks his eyes filling with panic as he looks at me pulling out knives and sharp instruments.

"It's probably best if you don't know." I pull out the gun and start attaching the silencer. His eyes go wide and he stares at me a while his face in a state of shock. He snapped out of it in a few seconds and starts pleading with me.

"Wait, please wait we can talk about this." he begs his hands stretched out towards me like they'll shield him from the bullet.

"Unfortunately we can't" I sigh again cocking the gun and pointing it at him. "You have something I need and I'm going to take it from you, and you won't survive, the good news is I can't say you don't deserve it." I say with a small smirk that doesn't reach my eyes. I stare at him as he pleads with me offering me the world and the sky to release him.

"I'm sorry."

Bang. He slumps back into the dirt and leaves the silence filling the air. I start cutting him open and taking what I came here for when someone creeps out of the shadows.

"Took you long enough, you let him go on forever." He says with slight arrogance.

"I'll let you do it next time then." I spit back cutting a little bit rougher than I should. After a minute of working in silence I shove the organ into the cooler. "That's what I thought. Just get rid of this body."