Punishment And Love Don't Mix

Hiding in Plain Sight

I stare smiling at the wanted poster. No picture. Unsurprising. They also have only found 16 of the bodies. Lazy cops. I stare for a little longer before pulling the straps of my backpack up onto my shoulders and push my way through the crowd gathered in the square. Hundreds of people surround me, yet no one recognizes me. I don't even have to cover the jagged scar across my face, these people hide it for me. The square is packed full of shoppers, all searching for the "perfect price". Idiots. Not one of them has realized that all the prices are the same. Five dollars for any type of sandals, nine dollars for a quart of milk, twelve for a full gallon. Stupid people. I know there are some in this crowd, people who also see through the scams and stupidity of others, but those people tend to go to the bigger markets up town. Better for me I guess. I shove my way through the crowd, heading to Camilla Hotel on the south side of the square. I've been camped out in that hotel since my first kill. Dakota Liniam. Big time "tough boy". Acted all tough. Made fun of my scar. Made fun of my sexuality. Made fun of my gender. That is, until March fifth. I followed him back to his house. He lived a little ways north of town, near the train tracks. He was too busy talking to some dealer to notice me. His stupidity was his downfall. He was at his door, and had just unlocked it when I shoved him inside. He cracked his head on a table and while unconscious, I tied him to a metal chair in the garage. I gagged him with his own sock and beat the living hell from his mouth. Blood seeped through the sock and started dripping on his clothes. After it was clear I had broken a couple of his teeth, I went to work on his stomach, pummeling it with my bare hands. His eyes had watered and tears streamed down his cheeks. I had no remorse for him. I grabbed a knife and proceeded to remove his ears. His screams were muffled by the now bloody sock. I then stabbed and remove his left kneecap and his right thumb and fire fingers. Then, I stuck the knife deep into his intestines and twisted. He squirmed and twisted in pain against his bonds, but there was no breaking them. I kept twisting and twisting, letting the blood run down the knife. I only stopped when Dakota's head hung forward and his pulse had stopped. I remembered all this as I walked into the lobby of the hotel and went to the elevator. I pressed the button for the 4th floor and the elevator shot up. I stepped out and walked to the end of the hall, room 409. I opened the door and welcomed the scent of jasmine and mint.  Home sweet home, I thought as I threw my backpack to the ground and passed out onto the bed. I was asleep before my head hit the fluffed pillows.