Killing Mind - Editing

Part Eighteen

Marcus had lost the two most important people in his life. How had he let this happen?

Of course he knew. He'd been dumb and selfish. When Billy left he sat down on the couch and stared blankly at the TV screen. He didn't know what to do with himself.

The body parts were still in the apartment and the smell left a bad odour. It smelt like how he imagined a morgue to. The dead flesh of the deceased. It spread around each room and filled his nostrils.
But he no longer gagged.
It was as if he was accustomed to the smell. Perhaps he'd dispose of them another time. He was planning on dumping them somewhere but he had other things on his mind.

Marcus went to sleep and didn't have a nightmare. He no longer had trouble sleeping and wasn't plagued by horrific images. His OCD and anxiety had gotten worse though.
Everything he did he had to do three more times. Even small things like turning the tap on and off.
Sometimes he wouldn't be able to stop.

A day had passed and he stayed in bed. He would have to call in sick at work tomorrow because he couldn't face going in. His cell had beeped once but it had only been Cara.
She wanted to meet him for a drink next week but he knew that wouldn't be happening. He hadn't heard from Melissa since he last saw her.

Several times he had called and messaged her but to no avail.
Part of him was angry that she called the police and told Billy.
But part of him understood why she did it. The bit that upset him the most was the fact he had been getting on so well with her recently.
Although they'd only known each other a short while he had fallen for her and he hated to be apart.

How long would they have lasted?
For however long Marcus had kept his secret for?
Maybe they would have got married and started a family?

Marcus knew that would never happen to him.

It was Monday and Marcus had to decide what he was going to do.
He called into work but Rick insisted he came in because they were short on staff and Marcus had a new property to analyse.
Maybe if he went in it would take his mind off things.

When he got there Cara greeted him with a smile and asked how his weekend had been.
He made little conversation and wanted to get away from her.
Rick burst into his office like usual not long after he had arrived.

"Hey man. Well done on the sale of the last two properties. This week I'd like you to go just on the outskirts of town to visit a new estate."

Marcus thought of where he'd be later on this week.

"Sure."

"Sweet! You know you are looking pretty rough today." He turned and slammed the door behind him.

Marcus went onto his cell and read through old messages that him and Melissa had exchanged.
He missed her.
The smell of her favourite perfume, the texture of her hair, her soft touch and of course her smile.
It made him feel deeply unhappy.

Marcus hadn't heard from Billy either. He guessed he was giving him a wide birth and time to think about what he would do.
If Marcus was to leave the state he wasn't sure of where he would go.

The only place he could think of was his cousin in Texas.
He was five years older than Marcus with a wife and three kids and said he was always welcome to stay.
But how would he feel about letting a murderer sleep under his roof?

Marcus had no other options.
Unless he faced jail.
That's what he deserved.
How could someone like him be allowed out in this world?
He wasn't himself anymore.
Every time he saw his reflection he looked more and more disturbed.

Flashbacks of each of his victims deaths would race through his mind.
The shrill screams that filled the night. With each life he took he felt more powerful.
But as soon as he killed Carter that feeling had gone.
He felt worse.
After work he went home to sleep.

It was D day.
Marcus called in sick again and Rick understood and said he should stay home to rest.
He lay in bed with thoughts rushing through his mind.
In the evening he decided to call Melissa one last time.
He knew she wouldn't answer so he left a message.

"Hey Melissa. I know you don't want to talk to me and I get it. I'm not mad at you for telling on me. It was the right thing for you to do. I'm just calling to say bye. You won't be hearing from me again. I want you to know how much I care about you. How much fun I've had the last few weeks with you. I love you Melissa. Goodbye." He sighed and hung up.
Tears welled up as he realised he'd just admitted his love for her.

He hadn't told anyone that since his ex girlfriend.
Marcus Daniels rarely fell in love!

Next thing he did was write a note to Billy. It read 'Hey buddy. By the time you read this I won't be here. I just want to say thanks for everything. You've helped me with a lot of things and I'm so glad to have been able to call you my best friend. I wish you all the best with Kiana and Sasha. I love you man.'

Marcus telling two people he loved them in the space of an hour?
Something was definitely wrong.
The Marcus Daniels people knew and loved had gone.
He couldn't take this anymore and felt ashamed of himself so he went into the kitchen to get some rope he had in a drawer.

Marcus tied it to the curtain rail and pushed a large table beneath it.
He wished Billy hadn't taken the gun from him. Standing on top of it he made a loop with the rope just big enough for his head. He put it around his neck and wished he had done things differently.

How quick and effective would this be?

He had researched how to do this a while ago when he was extremely unhappy so he hoped it would go to plan. After counting to five he stepped off the table.

The rope tightened around his neck and compressed on his carotid arteries.
Oxygen and blood failed to reach his brain. Because of how he fell with such force his spinal cord snapped.

His legs began to jerk and his eyes bulged out of their sockets.
Death came as quickly as his victims had.

Everything went black and his life ended. No white light or pearly gates.

Marcus Daniels was an ordinary guy from San Francisco.
He had had a great life although he'd been battling his demons for a long time.
Sometimes he felt like giving up but he thought he was bigger and stronger than that.

Unfortunately Marcus wasn't.

The tragedy could have been avoided but in the end he couldn't win the war he was at with his mind.

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