The Devil In Disguise

The Devil's Gift

Gianina's eyes fluttered open, her head pounding as she slowly came to. A dull ache throbbed through her body, and she blinked, struggling to make sense of her surroundings. The world around her felt cold, dimly lit, and unfamiliar. Panic rose as she realized her wrists and ankles were bound tightly to the chair she was sitting in.

As her vision adjusted, Gianina took in the scene around her. She was in Rufus's living room, tied up, and directly across from her sat Rufus, also restrained, his face pale and tense with confusion and fear. Next to him, his father, Mr. Cameron, was slumped forward, still unconscious, his head lolling slightly.

Then, she saw him.

Just a few feet away, lounging comfortably in a chair, was the figure she'd come to fear most. Dressed in the familiar all-black suit and red devil mask, the killer sat with his arms folded, watching her. In one hand, he lazily twirled a knife, the blade glinting in the low light as he waited, almost as if savoring the look of terror and confusion spreading across her face.

"Good evening, GG," he drawled, his voice a smooth, mocking tone that sent chills through her. "Merry Christmas. I thought I'd give you a gift tonight—a little storytime, if you will."

Gianina's heart pounded, every muscle in her body straining against the ropes. She glared at him, barely able to keep her voice steady. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded, the anger in her voice barely masking the terror beneath. "Why kill my friends? Why do any of this?"

The killer chuckled, tilting his head as he looked her over. "Ah, always so eager for answers, aren't you? Well, tonight, you're in luck. I think it's time you finally understand what all of this was for."

Gianina's heart thudded painfully as he leaned forward, his voice taking on a sinister, almost playful tone. "It all started with my father. A man whose life was ruined... by people like you."

Gianina froze, her mind racing as the killer's words hung in the air. Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs as she tried to comprehend his statement, but the fear swirling in her chest was almost paralyzing.

The killer sighed, tilting his head as though disappointed by her silence. "My father was a good man, GG. A family man. But people like you and your friends' families painted him as a monster."

Gianina's throat tightened, the story striking something deep within her. "Your... your father?" she managed to whisper, trying to piece together what little she knew.

"Yes," the killer replied, his voice dripping with bitterness. "Your parents tried to save a family, didn't they? Tried to be heroes. And they paid for it. Just like my father did."

It clicked painfully in Gianina's mind—the man her parents had tried to help last year. He had been convicted of manslaughter and worse. And they had died trying to help him.

The killer continued, his voice cold and unforgiving. "They said my father was a drunk. Said he was a monster. But none of it was true. He went to prison for something he didn't do, GG. For trying to protect my little sister." His gloved fingers tightened around the knife as he continued, the rage simmering in his voice. "He was assaulted and left for dead in that prison. All because of lawyers like Destiny's parents and people like yours."

Gianina's blood turned to ice, and she felt as if the room were closing in on her. The revelation struck her like a punch. "So you... you killed them... because of that?"

The killer chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "Oh, Destiny's parents deserved every second of it. But Destiny? She was a part of their lives, a part of the family who ruined mine. I wanted them to know exactly what it felt like to lose everything. Destiny was collateral—a reminder that actions have consequences."

A sob caught in Gianina's throat, revulsion clawing at her chest. She stared at him, horrified by the twisted logic driving his revenge.

"And Jamie?" she choked, almost too afraid to ask but needing to understand the depths of his madness. "He was innocent. He... he didn't know anything."

The killer's posture tensed, his tone growing colder. "Innocent?" He leaned forward, his gaze intense. "Jamie was far from innocent, GG. He was clever, always snooping, always asking questions. He figured out who I was. He thought he'd uncovered some grand conspiracy and was going to blow everything up, but I couldn't allow that. He had to be silenced."

Gianina's mind spun, her stomach churning as the killer's twisted reasoning unfolded before her. She remembered Jamie's curiosity, his relentless questioning, and his research into the murders. But she had never thought it would lead him to this fate.

The killer tilted his head, studying her expression. "You don't seem surprised, GG," he murmured. "Did you know your precious Jamie was putting his nose where it didn't belong?"

Gianina fought back tears, refusing to let him see her break. "You... you didn't have to do any of this," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You could have just walked away."

"Walked away?" The killer laughed, a sound devoid of warmth. "Oh, GG, if only it were that simple. But you see, revenge is a powerful thing. It doesn't let you just walk away."

She swallowed, fear threading through her voice as she dared to ask about the next name. She assumed this was Cal but she was so confused. How could Cal's father have died in prison when his mother and father were still alive? "And Jordan? She... she was your girlfriend. How could you..."

His expression darkened, the air between them turning heavy and charged. "Jordan," he said, a note of contempt creeping into his tone. "Sweet, careless Jordan. She was the reason my sister suffered. Jordan was supposed to watch her that night, but she was too busy with her own life. She left my sister alone with my uncle, the real monster. And he... he molested her."

Gianina felt a wave of nausea, her horror deepening with each revelation. "She... she didn't know. She wouldn't have—"

"She should have been there!" he snarled, his voice filled with venom. "She was supposed to protect her. But she failed. And because of that, my little sister's life was destroyed."

The reality of his twisted, vengeful logic clawed at Gianina, leaving her feeling hollow and broken. She thought of Jordan, of the carefree girl who had once been her best friend, the girl she had trusted with everything. Jordan had been flawed, yes, but she hadn't deserved to die.

"And Rufus?" she whispered, dreading the answer but unable to keep silent. "Why do you want to kill him... and his father?"

The killer's mask seemed to glint in the dim light, his voice laced with mockery. "Oh, Rufus. My dear cousin." He glanced toward Rufus, who was staring back, wide-eyed and horrified. "That's right. Rufus and I are family. His father is my uncle—the same uncle who ruined my sister's life."

Rufus's face turned white, his body shaking as he processed the twisted truth. "No... no, that can't be true," he stammered, his voice breaking.

The killer's voice dropped, a dark satisfaction coloring his words. "Oh, it's true. We share blood. And his father shares in the guilt."

Gianina's mind raced, horror and confusion warring within her. The killer's actions, his madness—it all stemmed from a desire for revenge, a need to punish those he held responsible for his pain. But the cost had been unimaginable.

She glared at him, her voice shaking with rage. "You've done all of this, killed innocent people... just for revenge? You're a monster."

The killer leaned forward, his mask inches from her face. "I did it for you, GG. To show you the truth. To show you that loyalty, love, all those pretty little ideas you cling to—they're lies. I wanted you to see the darkness in the people around you, to know that no one is truly innocent."

She felt a shudder run through her as he raised the knife, his tone almost affectionate. "And that's why, my dear, you're next. Tonight, I'll give you one final gift—the truth, wrapped up just for you. The real face behind the mask."

He reached up, his fingers poised to remove the mask, and Gianina's breath caught as dread clawed at her heart.