The Perfect Mask

Chapter 4: Next Target

I've never been one to act impulsively. Each move is planned, calculated. It's what keeps me safe, what keeps the police from ever finding me. But tonight, I can feel the edges of my control fraying. The itch is growing, and I need to do something about it.

I scan the streets, watching the people who pass by, looking for someone who catches my eye. It's always the same. They never know I'm watching them, that I'm already imagining what their last moments will be like.

And then, I see her.

She's standing on the corner, waiting for the light to change. There's nothing particularly special about her brown hair, average height, wearing a simple black dress. But something about her draws me in. Maybe it's the way she glances around nervously, like she knows someone's watching her. Maybe it's the way she clutches her purse a little too tightly.

Whatever it is, she's perfect.

I follow her for a few blocks, keeping a safe distance, making sure no one notices me. She doesn't suspect a thing. None of them ever do.

She turns down a quiet street, away from the main road. It's almost too easy. I quicken my pace, closing the distance between us. My heart pounds in my chest, not from fear, but from excitement. The anticipation is the best part the moment before everything changes.

I move closer, close enough to hear her footsteps echoing in the empty street. She's completely alone.

Perfect.