The Deal Of Playing God

Chapter 3

~3~

I didn't want to have to be the one to kill Mia. She was a brave, strong girl who had plenty of dignity...unlike me.

The other girls, well...let's just say that I don't know how long it'll be before they give in.

Mckenzie had more hope than Rachael - that was a fact. She also seemed more strong and had more willpower.

We each had our separate rooms. Mckenzie had the attic because she knew Rachael wouldn't have been able to handle it. Rachael got the room across from mine. It was small, but she didn't seem to care about that. She was far too busy worrying about the people she would have to kill.

That brought me back to the way He had been acting. When he met us at the door of the bathroom, he looked a little sick. Sympathy was what he was trying to fight down, but his eyes gave it away. Tears were playing with the corners of his eyes as he tried his best to look normal. But no, he couldn't fool me.

It was around midnight that I heard the quiet knock on my bedroom door. I had been lying in my bed, fighting off sleep.

"Who is it?" I called as quietly as I could. It took a second before the answer came.

"It's Rachael." she said back and opened the door.

In the darkness, I could see only her eyes and the streaks of tears down her cheeks. She ran to me and I pulled her up beside me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, getting concerned.

"Mia. She was my best friend." she whimpered and buried her wet face into my shoulder. I stroked her hair out of her face.

"I'm sorry." I said back. My thoughts turned to sympathy, as my feelings turned to guilt.

What had I done? I killed her best friend brutally right in front of her! My life had become a routine of murder, so I hadn't even thought about their family's and friends. They had to witness it on tape, over the news. They would want me dead, along with all the other family's I had destroyed.

And what about my family? Did they hate me just like the others did? Or did they believe that I was being forced to do this?

I began to cry. I had become a monster. I lost all knowingness of good and bad. Teenagers all around this area were so scared to go outside, that they began to carry guns with them.

Rachael realized that I was crying too and tried to comfort me. "Stacey, it wasn't your fault! It's His! He forces you to do it!"

I shook my head. "I could've convinced her to stay. I could've helped her like she helped me!"

I could tell Rachael didn't know what I meant, but I didn't explain.

~~~~~

Back at home, the police were going crazy. The captain was going insane as well.

"We have to find Stacey Collins! I have no clue how she's picking these kids up, but we have to work harder!" he screamed to his team.

They were frustrated, all of them were. They had spent the last three years trying to track down the teenage serial killer, and none of them had luck. They could've figure out how she was abducting the children. No one had seen her since she went missing, yet, the videos managed to find their way to news stations. It was like she wanted the world to see what she was doing.

Once, they had tried to stop the news from playing the videos, but it seemed like the only way for people to understand just how dangerous she had become.

There was a new video. One that had just been broadcasted. This time, it was the death of Mia Maison. There was something different this time, and it gave two sets of family's hope.

Mckenzie Wims and Rachael Simmons were still alive. Stacey had spared them, after quite some talk. Of course, you couldn't hear what they were saying because of the window that the camera was behind, but you could tell that there was a deal made. The reason Mia had died, seemed to be because she refused to go with it.

Stacey's family was hated by everyone. Stacey's father, who had a small job before Stacey's disappearance, had been fired because no one wanted to have to look at him and know what his daughter is doing.

They had a police car parked on every block of the town, but still, Stacey managed to kidnap more teens.

~~~~~

In the morning, I woke up to a smell that was foreign to me. It was an attractive smell that dragged me to the kitchen after I pulled myself into my breakfast suit.

"Good morning Stacey! Bacon and eggs this morning!" He said cheerfully. Then he nodded his head to the hallway. "Wake up the other girls please. Then we can eat."

I did as he asked and went to wake up Rachael. "Rachael, it's breakfast time! Make sure you get dressed into the clothes in the drawer labeled: Breakfast!"

I woke Mckenzie up, too, and gave her the same instructions. Then we all sat down together to eat our delicious breakfast.

"Smells good!" I cheered and pulled up my usual seat.

The other girls looked at me with great confusion. They couldn't understand why I was making such casual talk with thus crazy man. I guess I was just used to him, I mean, it's been just over three years that I've been living with him.

"Thank you Stacey!" he said back with a smile. One that I rarely ever saw. I could tell he was just putting a show on for Mckenzie and Rachael.

After our meal, we parted to our rooms. We were trying to avoid each other as much as possible. No one liked to be reminded that we had afternoon "chores" to do. We were looking for any possible distraction to get the activities out of our minds.

I spent my afternoon painting. He had got me paints for my birthday. At first, I had refused to use them, but at the moment I was glad to have them.

I painted a flower, the one that grew behind the body shed. I had planted it as a tribute to all the people who had died in my "den."

It was a lily, my favorite flower. It glowed radiantly when the sun hit it's rare petals. To me, it was as beautiful as it could get. My only hope, was that the people who died would agree with me.

Forgiveness seemed to be my only aim these days. I prayed that one day, I could be free and be loved. And I could only do this if I knew that I had been forgiven.

A knock interrupted my thoughts.

"New Shipments! Get the others and go outside!"

Dread washed over me. This would be their first murder, and the first murder was always the hardest. Would they be able to take it? I guess I'll have to find out.

I walked into Rachael's room without knocking.

"Get ready. We have a job to do." I said without emotion. Fear flooded over her face.

"No, Stacey I can't!" she cried. I shook my head.

"This is your only means of survival. I'm sorry Rachael, but you don't get a choice."

Tears streamed down her face as we climbed the stairs to get Mckenzie.

Mckenzie wasn't as dramatic as Rachael, but she was still really scared. We made our way to the back door before I stopped them.

"Wait. I want you guys to know that this will be scary and really sickening on the first time, but it gets better - trust me. If you want to live, do what I do. Be aggressive and don't show your fear or they'll try to kill you first. Got it?" They both nod. "Okay, good. Let's get this over and done with."

Then we open the door.