Coffee and Cream

Watching Death

EMRYS

I've never denied the darkness inside me. In fact, lately, I've been embracing it like a second skin. It's liberating—like dropping a mask and finally breathing fresh air. Darcelle has always been drawn to that darkness, but tonight, I decided to show her just how deep the shadows go.

We were lounging around in my car when I casually asked her, "Would you like to see a life being taken?"

She laughed, like I was joking. Her eyes twinkled with amusement, completely unaware of the weight of my words. "Sure, why not?" she said, her tone playful.

I nodded, hiding a smirk. "Alright, buckle up."

I drove her to the grocery store where she worked, parking in a spot with a clear view of the entrance. The headlights beamed through the dark night, making the glass doors shimmer every time someone walked in.

"Why are we here?" she asked, confused.

"Staking out," I said simply. "Point out someone you hate. Any regulars that tick you off?" I glanced at her, enjoying the little flicker of confusion that flashed across her face.

Darcelle thought for a moment, chewing her bottom lip. "Yeah... that lady in the white top." She pointed discreetly, narrowing her eyes.

I followed her gaze and saw the middle-aged woman walk in with her oversized purse slung over her shoulder, like she owned the place. "Got it," I said, nodding as if this were a routine thing. I turned to Darcelle, noticing the shift in her posture. She was starting to look nervous, unsettled. Good.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice shaky.

"Just wait," I told her. I reached out, stroking her cheek softly to calm her. "You'll be fine. You'll see."

I got out, telling Darcelle to give me a minute. I walked to the lady's car, avoiding the cameras with precision. It was almost too easy. I tinkered with her car, something quick and undetectable, and then casually walked back to Darcelle.

"All set," I said with a smile as I slid back into the driver's seat.

We sat in the car for what felt like an eternity, but really, it wasn't long. The woman came out with a grocery cart full of bags and popped open her trunk. She loaded her bags and started her car, driving off into the night like nothing was wrong.

I tailed her at a safe distance, waiting for the inevitable. Darcelle fidgeted beside me, her hands twisting in her lap. "What are we doing?" she asked, her voice small.

I glanced over at her. "Just wait. Watch."

A few miles down the road, her car sputtered and came to a halt on a deserted stretch. Perfect. She got out of the car, confused, and opened the bonnet to see what was wrong.

"Stay here," I told Darcelle, and before she could protest, I grabbed the knife from my glove compartment and stepped out.

The woman was bent over the car, inspecting the engine. She didn't even notice me until it was too late. I grabbed her from behind, stabbing her over and over, my arm moving with mechanical precision. Her blood sprayed against the metal of the car, soaking her white top, turning it a deep crimson. She gasped, choking on her own breath as her life drained away.

"Say hi to Darcelle's parents for me," I whispered in her ear as she collapsed to the ground, her eyes wide, frozen in terror.

I wiped the blade on her shirt and walked back to the car. Darcelle was standing outside now, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Emrys, what the fuck... I didn't think you'd actually do it."

I laughed softly, getting back into the car. "Get in. We need to go." I kept my tone calm, detached. No panic. No rush. I was in control.

She climbed in, still shaking. We drove in silence for a while before she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought you were joking. I didn't want you to actually kill her."

I kept my eyes on the road, my fingers tapping the steering wheel. "You knew I wasn't joking the moment we left that parking lot, Darcelle. Don't play dumb."

She was trembling, her voice breaking as she asked, "What do we do now?"

I shrugged. "We move on. That's what we do. If someone pisses you off, you tell me. I'll handle it. But don't ever react. Don't let it get traced back to you. And no one close to you, no one you've ever spoken to. We, my ladybug, are death. The grim reapers."

We pulled into my driveway, the security lights illuminated the high-tech defenses I had in place. This house was a fortress. No one would ever catch me.

Darcelle looked shaken as she stepped out of the car. I handed her a glass of water once we got inside. "How are you so calm about it?" she asked, her voice a bit steadier now but still laced with fear.

I lit a blunt, inhaling deeply before passing it to her. "It's not my first time," I said, watching her with intense focus. "How do you feel?"

She hesitated, taking a shaky drag. "I feel scared."

I tilted my head, studying her. "Underneath the fear. If you weren't worried about getting caught, how would you feel?"

She took another hit, her leg bouncing nervously. Her eyes met mine. "Excited... powerful." She exhaled, the smoke curling around her lips. "Like, for the first time, I felt like the predator, not the prey."

I smiled. "I knew you'd like it."

"How?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Because," I leaned in closer, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I feel like you were made for me."

The words hung in the air between us. She stared at me, her fear slowly melting away into something darker, something more twisted. I knew she was hooked. I knew, deep down, that this wasn't the last time she'd feel that thrill.

We went upstairs and took a long, hot shower together, washing away the blood and the adrenaline. Neither of us said much; we didn't need to. The water sluiced over our bodies, warm and soothing.

Too tired to do anything else, we fell into bed, Darcelle curling up beside me, her head resting on my chest. I pulled out my phone and joined a work meeting, my team's voices buzzing in my ear as I discussed project updates, all while biting into a sweet and sour chip, the faint residue of cocaine still lingering on my nose.

I was calm. I was satisfied. I was death, and so was she.