Obsession

Serpent: Chapter 55

Ray Olsen had clocked out of work two hours before his shift ended.

The Sherriff had come to visit him at his place of work to deliver a bomb of bad news. She was worried about his safety even though she now looked at him differently after confirming, through a thorough investigation, that he had abused Josh for years and it might have contributed to a psychological break that brought out his obsession with Gabriel and triggered a killing spree.

She had half a mind to get in touch with a judge who might be able to find a loophole, or work something out to have him punished. But Josh was already headed for a lifetime in prison, and Ray was alone, now.

Alienated and frowned upon by most of Shaw for his gross abuse toward a child. For his singlehanded participation in the creation of a monster that had terrorized Shaw for weeks.

Ray, honestly, thought it was over. He was rid of that abominable child once and for all and he would never need to worry about another day going by where he had to look at that boy or watch his back because Josh had become so unpredictable – out of control – in the weeks leading up to his arrest.

Ray had noticed that change in Josh. He no longer possessed control of the boy. He didn't know what Josh was thinking – the boy seemed to have grown immune to fear and reprimand. He rarely spent time at home, and when he did, he was silent, distant, and cold, such that it sent a shiver through Ray just thinking about the lack of emotion on Josh's face.

Those cold, dead eyes.

He knew, based on what Regina had told him, that there was a chance that Josh would come home. And when he did, Ray would be waiting for him.

Before six o'clock that evening, Ray had stopped by the church. He ignored the judgmental and disgruntled glances from the few churchgoers who had come in to pray and took a seat at one of the pews closer to the front near the dais. He clasped his hands together and hunched forward, closing his eyes as he said a silent pray for God to watch over him in the coming days.

He felt it like a dark cloud hanging over his head. A heavy weight pressing down on his shoulders. A firm and crushing grip squeezing his chest.

Josh was coming back home.

Ray did not stay long at the church. He left after about twenty minutes and hightailed it home, carefully making a round of the house and checking the doors and windows for signs of entry.

Nothing.

He went inside and did the same, checking all the rooms, and under and behind anything that would serve as hiding spots. When the search proved futile for an attacker in hiding, Ray locked the front door and went to his collection of firearm, setting a gun in each room.

Then he kicked off his shoes, grabbed a beer from the fridge and settled down for the evening. He was sure he wouldn't be leaving the house tomorrow. It was fine if it was deducted from his pay.

It was better than chancing a run-in with that maniac.

**

Paranoia crept in like the darkness creeping in over the horizon.

Slow but certain.

And like the darkness of night that touched and consumed every surface, the unseen dangers of an inky blackness growing more alive with each passing second, the paranoia continued to mount until it became a living entity of its own.

Ray's mind was slowly crumbling under the pressure – the knowledge that Josh was somewhere around – and he was probably watching. He was probably getting a high off of watching Ray succumb slowly to a maddening terror.