A web of deception

Chapter 7

Lilah knew she had to be smart and careful if she was going to get away with murder. She had to plan her kills with precision, and she had to make sure she was ever vigilant in covering her tracks. So far, she had been successful; eight kills and no one the wiser. But sometimes, taking a life wasn’t enough, and that’s why she now found herself in the basement of her parents’ house, preparing for her ninth kill.

This target was different. He had taken the lives of 22 other young girls and 16 boys. He was a much bigger monster than the people Lilah had previously gone after, and that made this kill all the more personal. After careful research into the man’s lifestyle, she had determined that the best place to strike was right beneath her parents’ noses.

Gathering the necessary tools for her mission, Lilah silently made her way down the stairs and into the basement. She had to be as precise and methodical as possible, ensuring that she didn’t make a single mistake that could eventually lead to her arrest.

Once she had everything set up, she waited. Hours and hours, she waited for her target to show up. When he finally did, she made her move as quickly and silently as possible, thus ensuring that he was unable to prepare for his own fate.

The act of killing the man was harrowing, and it took her all her strength to finish the job. When it was done, she threw the body in the ground and ran back upstairs, her heart pounding out of her chest. She ran to her bedroom and quickly changed out of the bloodied clothes before hiding the bundle in her closet - just in case someone ever made it that far.

And while the feeling of triumph flooded her veins, Lilah was broken. All she had done, all she had accomplished... it had been for naught. Because while she had managed to take out a monster, she was failing miserably when it came to her own family.

It was no secret that her parents struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. Lilah had watched helplessly as they succumbed to their own personal Last Days, yet she was unable to help them. No matter how hard she tried, her efforts were fruitless.

The guilt of not being able to save her parents, coupled with the guilt of her murders, weighed heavily upon her soul. How could someone like her be a serial killer and a loving daughter at the same time?

Nevertheless, Lilah was determined to keep fighting. She was determined to keep going. She would not be defined by her past. She would stand up and take responsibility for her actions, and she would move on bravely with her head held high. For her loved ones, for herself, and for all the ones she had taken down in the name of justice.