Midnight Oasis: Thaddeus Beaumont

Prologue

"Even covered in bloód, you're still so beautiful. A perfect picture in red."

She was now lying on the floor like a broken doll, arms twisted wrong, head relaxed, and those wide open, glassy eyes staring blankly. Her bloód spilled out in slow waves, crawling across the cold tiles, soaking her dress and painting the ground beneath her.

Ahh. Beautiful.

I stood over her, breathing steady. This moment... it always felt like the first hit of a drug.

Sharp. Pure. Addictive.

"Look at you," I whispered, kneeling beside her. My voice was low, almost affectionate. "You trusted me, didn't you? You really thought I'd be different."

A soft laugh escaped me, barely a sound. "God, you were easy."

I slid my gloved hand across her cheek, tracing the shape of her face as if she were still alive. Her skin had started to cool, but that didn't matter. What counted was the warmth of her bloód spreading beneath her.

That's what satisfies me.

"Do you know what's funny?" I murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You won't even be the last. Not by a long shot."

I leaned closer, lowering my voice as if telling her a secret. "They'll find you in the morning, you know. And they'll look for answers, dig through your life, search for clues, for someone to blame." I smiled, small and sharp. "But they'll never find me."

The gloves made sure of that. No prints. No evidence. Every detail was handled. Perfect, as always. I reached into my jacket and pulled out a plastic sheet, wrapping it around the things she'd touched. The wine glass. The table edge. The door handle. Piece by piece, I erased her trust in me, leaving no trace it had ever existed.

"You gave me everything," I whispered, wiping down the last surface. "And now, it's gone. Just like you."

When I finished, I stood up slowly, I tilted my head as if I'm admiring the scenery. "You make death look... beautiful."

I bent down again, my gloved hand resting gently on her cheek. "Goodbye, sweetheart." My words came out softly, almost like a lover's farewell. I let them linger in the air between us.

Then I stood up straight, peeled off the gloves, folded them neatly, and sealed them in a plastic bag. No point in getting careless now. Everything had to be as flawless as her trust in me had been.

I pulled on my jacket, adjusted the cap low over my eyes, and gave the room one last, satisfied glance.

"Thank you for tonight," I whispered to her. "You were perfect."

With that, I slipped out the door, using a small tool to lock it without making a sound. The cool night air greeted me as I stepped outside, leaving everything behind.

No one saw me. No one ever does.

With each step, a rush of excitement filled me. The thrill of knowing she was gone—and I wasn't. It was perfect. The world was still spinning, people were still sleeping in their beds, and no one had any idea what I'd done.

"Not bad," I murmured to myself, a grin spreading across my face. "Not bad at all."

They'll find her soon, but they'll find nothing else. Just another body in a pool of blood. Another unanswered question. And me? I'll be gone by then. Moving on the next.

I smiled to myself as I disappeared into the night, my mind already focused on what was next.

After all, the fun had only just begun...