Deadly Secrets *Completed*

Chapter Thirteen- Snatched

Chapter 13 -  Snatched

One month ago

Taking a cigarette out of the pack, Ryder slightly tapped the filtered butt with a steady rhythm against the table, he then put the cigarette between his lips and lit it up with his gold lighter. He deeply inhaled a puff of smoke, exhaling in a long, slow breath and watched as thin wisps of fog swirled into the air before disappearing. He had thought long and hard about continuing his relationship with Layla and after he'd convinced himself, he came to the conclusion that it would be better for him in the long run if he cut off all communication with her. Tonight's date proved that she would keep insisting he tell her more about himself. Some things were better left buried. Like certain Dolls in his forest; the special ones. 

Too many questions could arise if they made their relationship official. 'Why wasn't he answering his phone? Text? Where did he go to so late in the night? Why did he change his clothes? Why did he smell of alcohol and looked disheveled?' He just couldn't have that. He could not take that risk. Ryder swiped the remote control from the table and flicked the television on. He watched as the news anchors stressed how important is was not to be walking anywhere alone, especially if you were female, and to keep a can of mace on your persons at all times. He shook his head and sneered at their level of stupidity. Mace couldn't stop him from sneaking up behind his victims and sending them into a Chloroform coma. Still, even as he watched them warn all of Poughkeepsie, he couldn't keep himself focused on their words, he couldn't keep her out of his mind. Taking a drag from his cigarette, he stood up, exhaling a steady stream of mist and ran his fingers through his hair before snubbing the butt out, turning on his heels, and walked into his closet to change his clothing.

He spent the night cleaning his cellar from top to bottom. His mind was crawling with toxic memories and the only way to keep his mind distracted was to clean with precision when the urge arose. Some may call him OCD, he called it being careful. Winding his music box up and sitting it on the table, he took a seat on the stool and allowed his exhausted body the rest it needed. Soon enough, dawn broke, which caused Ryder's body to burn with a turmoil of emotions he couldn't shove down. He had one day left. One day until he could get his hands on her. 

Ryder pulled a cot out and placed it in the middle of the cellar before he plopped tiredly down onto it. He folded his arms behind his head and crossed his booted feet, staring up into the eyes of his Doll Collection, calm enveloped him in its cool embrace. He would wait here until Monday came. And it couldn't come soon enough.

***

Monday came, and with it a sense of urgency, an anxious feeling rolled around in the pit of his stomach. Ryder wanted to play with his new soon-to-be-toy. Every crucial detail played around in his mind. What he wanted to do to her... Where he would take her, claiming her for his own sick sadistic pleasure...What he would do to her... Everything needed to be perfect. This was one of the moments of all moments. She will lead him to him. He knew he wouldn't be completely satisfied with Lillian. His demon would not allow him to be elated. At least not completely. No, to satisfy his darkness wholly he needed to hunt down 'the man.'

He was going to do everything he had ever done to his other victims, to the man, but first, he wanted to watch him suffer by taking away the thing he held most dear to his heart; his wife. Ryder needed to lure him out and the way to do that was by slaughtering Lillian, and leaving a message only the man would understand.

He was lucky he had learned the man's name by rifling through his Mother's purse for cigarettes. There, folded and tucked away in her 'not-so-secret' compartment of her shopping-bag-like-purse, was his name and address for a follow up booty-call. The man even had the audacity to write it as such. Ryder was livid, panting heavily just remembering it. The incident was still so fresh in his mind, even after all this time... it still felt like yesterday. He would never get over that night. He would never get over the fact that this man had taken away his dignity, his pride, his innocence... his very soul. This man was responsible for turning Ryder into what he was today. He had unleashed the darkness and let the demon in, allowing it to ravage and maim his mind, condemning his soul to Hel. Who would he be today if that night never happened? If his Mother hadn't brought home a monster to sleep with, who would he be? The saying, 'Don't lie with the Devil and expect to come out unscathed' came to mind. His Mother would get what was coming to her soon enough. Vengeance knew no bounds.