The Devil Walks Among Us; Book l - Completed 4/21/22

Rest in... Pieces

Michael glanced at the clock on the stove after coming in from the barn. Satisfied that it was almost four a.m., he knew it was time to make his move.

Usually, Mia slept until around eight o'clock in the morning, so he knew he was on a tight leash when it came to getting back before she figured out where he was. He stalked back into their bedroom, seeing Mia fast asleep in their bed, still in the same position. Ella was sleeping soundly too, her little chest rising and falling as she took steady breaths. Walking into the closet, Michael pulled a secured tote from the floor that had been nestled behind the hanging clothes, opening it to reveal his mask and coveralls. Satisfied with The Shape consuming him, he had changed into his familiar attire, now looking at Mia through the holes of his mask, the only sound he was able to hear was his own breathing.

Looking down at Ella in the bassinet, he gently tucked the blanket under her arms, hoping she was warm enough before he exited the bedroom and towards the kitchen, his gaze going directly towards the knife block.

With his favorite weapon in hand, he exited his home into the cold and early a.m., hoping to finish his hunt before dawn.

*

Relieved to see Ravenwood Drive on the street corner, he knew he was close. The neighborhood was silent as all of its residents were still sleeping, maybe even some starting their day as Michael was sure it was closer to five in the morning by now, maybe almost six...

Seeing the house number as 305, he knew it was time to end a life he had been waiting for. He looked up to the second story, seeing a dim lamp illuminating through the closed curtain. He wasn't sure if it was Karen or Allyson at this point. Either way, he was after one of them and knew he didn't have the challenge of a man of the household to assert dominance with. Piece of cake. 

Keeping his footsteps silent, he walked behind the house, looking for entry. The back door wasn't unlocked, but something was telling him to wait.

He stood at the kitchen window, seeing the time on the stove to be six a.m. instead of what he assumed. The black sky was almost a dark shade of blue as the sun began its ascend into the sky. Keeping an eye on his surroundings, the silence of dawn was interrupted by the sound of creaking wood and a slight thud. Someone was walking down the stairs. Tilting his head, he saw a young girl - Allyson, approach the kitchen. Her hair in a ponytail with a light pink sweatshirt and a phone in her hands, the device wrapped with what looked like headphones. He watched her as she bit away at her small breakfast, putting the headphones into her ears and toying around on the phone before walking towards the back door, Michael stepping out of sight to come up with his plan of entry.

She stopped at the doorstep, feeling no sense of danger as Michael had no intentions of taking her life.

Not this time, anyway...

She looked to dial on her phone, holding the microphone built-in to her headphones close to her lips. "Mom? Are you awake? It's six." She said after a few moments.

Allyson's lips tugged into a smirk as she knew her mom was lying about being awake. "Well, I'm sorry you can't wake up on time!" She giggled. "I'll call you again in a half our. I'm going on my run." She said, shutting the door behind her, but leaving it unlocked for her return.

Michael watched her walk away, looking both ways before crossing the road and to the sidewalk to begin her exercise. Michael then made his move, his grip on the knob silently opening the door, examining his new surroundings of a quiet home. Quite clean, too, but not for long. He then heard the pipes groan as water had been turned on, indicating to him that a shower was being operated. Using the additional noise to move in silence, he made his way to what he assumed to be Karen's bedroom.