Lunatic Fringe

Chapter 2

ALEISTER

The following letter was received by the (Name Omitted) Police Department and was addressed to (Name Omitted). Although authentication is impossible, it is believed to be the last known correspondence of Aleister Quinlan.

 Dear (Name Omitted),

             I know you’re looking for me. Given how much I’ve been on TV the last week, that’s probably an understatement. I see where you do most of the talking to them, so I’m sending this to you. My name is Aleister Quinlan.

            Writing a letter is pretty chickenshit, but a face-to-face is impossible, for obvious reasons. I’ve seen phone calls traced on TV, so this’s all I’ve got. Probably a way to track the letter too, but I’ll be long gone by the time that happens. I wouldn’t waste the time, but I don’t want to tell you how to do your job either.

            This isn’t a confession. If you’re looking for that, you’re going to be disappointed. I didn’t do it, but I don’t expect you to believe me. You don’t know me. I mean, I know you’ve read my files and all, but you still don’t know me. What’s in those files is a part of it, but it’s not the whole thing. If you’re waiting for me to tell you all of it, you’re also going to be disappointed again. I don’t have the time to go through all of it; really don’t have much desire to either. If you’re smart enough, you’ll find out anyway.

              See, this is what it’s about. The past. My past. So many have already paid for it. Susan and all the others. That’s what I can’t make you understand. Christ, even I thought this was all behind me. That’s the thing about Hell, though. It never really forgets you were there. It‘s patient. And it waits to welcome you back home.

              I can’t think about all that now. This probably went down the way it was always meant to. Even when it was going good, some part of me knew it couldn’t last. I just didn’t want it to happen to Susan, to Jessica. Fuck, to all the others either. I thought I’d be the one to pay, but they fucked me out of that too.

              I have to ask you to do me favor. Something that might be impossible: STAY OUT OF THIS! A lot of your people and people who don’t deserve it are going to get hurt or killed. I’ve got enough on my shoulders without adding to it. That’s why I ran, why I’m out here. This’s mine to deal with.

              Detective, you might think you’ve seen it all, that’s there nothing you can’t handle. You have to believe me, the one’s responsible for this are the worst there are, and they’re everywhere. They’ve called me out. The only way to stop this is to answer them.

              You’re going to find out things about me. Things not in your police reports. It’s nuts, but what isn’t now? I spent a lifetime trying to keep them down, but I need them again. Even now, I’m trying to fight it, but I’m not fighting that hard. Pretty soon, I’m going to be gone. I’m going to let them take me. They know what has to be done.

              If you see Dr. (Name Omitted) , tell him I’m sorry. Tell him that we’ll try and keep Him down as long as we can. No promises, but we’ll try.

              If you don’t believe anything else, believe this: everything I did or will do is necessary. The only way.

Aleister Quinlan.