Killing Mind - Editing

Part Five

The night drew closer as Marcus got out his car and approached the homeless man who sat begging on the ground. He looked to be in his late thirties with bedraggled brown hair. Every now and again he would shiver. A black hat sat a few inches in front of him with a couple of cents inside. There was no one else around.
Marcus walked over to him and the man looked up. He had a glint of hope in his eyes when Marcus got out his wallet and flashed a wad of cash.

"Hey man. Twenty dollars should do you for a night at the homeless shelter. Come on I will help you up."

The man didn't say much apart from a thankful mumble as Marcus bent down. As he got hold of the man he reached around in the inside of his black jacket and grabbed the knife.
Quickly he pulled the man closer to him as if to help him up and stabbed him in the chest. Before the man could cry out for help Marcus covered his mouth with his arm to muffle the noise. Still no one was around.
He stabbed him twice more to make it three before leaving his body to collapse on the ground. Marcus stood up and looked down at what he'd done.

A wave of fear washed over him. He stood motionless until he heard voices coming his way. Quickly he walked to his car, got in and started the engine. He looked back over his shoulder and saw a couple aproach the body. A scream filled the night as he drove off home.

When he pulled up outside his apartment he felt nauseous. He got out of the car as vomit gushed from his mouth.

I just murdered someone.

The realisation was starting to sink in.
When he got inside he ran to the bathroom and was sick again. He stripped off and got into the shower.
The temperature was hot so he put the setting to the coldest it would go.
Sinking down to his knees he sobbed uncontrollably.

Thoughts whirled through his head.

I did it for a reason.
I was told to do it otherwise someone would get hurt.
I had to do it or else I'd lose Billy.
It was the right thing to do.

But he was full of regret.
How on earth could his OCD have such a hold over him?
He was letting it control his life and he couldn't stop it.

It was 10:00pm and Marcus was sat in front of the TV in his dressing gown. Every now and again a tear would roll down his cheek.

I have to talk to Billy.

Of course he couldn't talk to his best friend Billy, he was a police officer!
He felt isolated and alone. Sick and twisted. That was what he was.
He went to the bathroom to find his pills.

As he reached for them he glanced at himself in the mirror. All he could see was a monster. He slapped himself across his face as if to awaken the beast and release it. But he knew that it wasn't that easy. He got into bed to sleep as he felt weak. That's all he could do right now.

The warehouse was gloomy.
Blood splattered the walls and floor.
In the centre of the room was a body hanging from the ceiling.
A rope was tied around the neck which was attached to a hook.
The head was covered with a black hood.
Marcus walked over to it with the knife in his hand.
As he drew closer the smell of rotting flesh filled his nostrils.
The body was of a man.
He was dressed in old soiled clothes.
Three stab wounds lay behind the dark shirt.
Dried blood stained the areas.
Marcus took hold of the left shoulder and sliced the neck in two.
The body dropped to the floor with a thud but the head stayed swaying on the rope.
He pulled off the hood.
Billy was staring at him through glassy eyes.

It was 3:00am. Marcus shot upright in bed. Sweat was pouring from his body and the sheets were wet.
It was only a dream.
He went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, downed it and returned to bed.

The alarm rang at 7:00am.
He didn't feel hungry and didn't even fancy a coffee.
Only his prozac. When he got to work he felt as if all eyes were on him.
Brooke and Cara stood by the water machine and stopped talking as he walked past.

Does everyone know what I did?

He went to his office and sat down.
Taking a few deep breaths he managed to calm himself.
He'd not long logged into his computer when Rick stormed in.

"Hey! What happened yesterday?"
Marcus hesitated, what did he know?

"With the estate? How much was the estimated price in total?"

"Oh it was two million I think."

"What do you mean you think?"

Cara appeared in the doorway and passed Rick his coffee.
"Thanks sweetie." He looked back at Marcus.

"I hope you checked everything. We can't mess this up. I want you visiting the next estate tomorrow."

"I will go back over my notes now."

"Good!" Rick walked out and slammed the door shut.

Why did he always have to do that?
Marcus returned to his computer.
But instead of checking his notes he'd got from yesterday he searched the San Francisco news website.

Thankfully nothing was on there about the murder he had committed last night. He still couldn't comprehend how he had committed such a horrific crime. That poor man had done nothing to him. It wasn't even self defence. Suddenly his cell rang. It was Billy.
Panic filled him as he answered it.

"Hey man. How are you doing?"
Billy had a concerned tone to his voice.

"Hello. Not too bad thanks how are you?"

"Not bad. But not good either. Last night a couple reported a body found outside the convenience store not far from yours."

Marcus froze. "Oh shit... man."

"Yeah. It wasn't that gruesome but still pretty messed up seeing as it was a homeless guy that was targeted for no reason. There were no signs of struggle but forensics are still checking him over. Be careful around there at night man."

"That's awful. Yeah I will be."

"You sure you're alright? You sound odd."

"Yeah I'm just shocked that's all."

"We are too man. There hasn't been a murder so close to home in over two years. Anyway I gotta go. We still on for tomorrow?"

Marcus was playing with a pen and noticed he'd drawn a strange doodle on a pad of paper. "Oh yeah sure. Drinks at our favourite bar. See ya then."

"Yeah man see you tomorrow." He hung up and put his cell down on the desk.

When he looked down at the pad of paper he was disturbed by what he saw.
He screwed up the piece of paper and threw it in the bin.

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