Psychopathic Instincts

Chapter 12

Jane! Jane! It's okay!" Someone was saying. Jane was still screaming. Mike took hold of her shoulders and shook her hard. "Jane, it's okay!" She looked around. MacKenzie and Susanna were standing behind Clair looking frightened. Clair's face was pale and concerned. Mike tried to help her up because her legs felt numb. "Did you see him?" She asked Mike. He let her sit on a chair in the room. "See what, Jane? We came in the room because you were screaming. What happened? And what happened to your arm?" He asked concerned. She took a rattling breath. "Clair... I." She stopped and looked at Mackenzie and Susanna's frightened faces. She stood up and surprisingly her legs supported her weight. "No Jane. Sit down." Mike tried to say but Jane shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I came here. I'm just being a burden to your family, Clair. I... I have to go." Jane said and walked out the door and down the stairs. Mike tried to shout at her to stay but she ignored him. Clair was following her everywhere. "Jane, talk to me. What is going on? At least let me clean up your wound." Clair said, blocking Jane's way to the doorway. She pulled Jane down on the couch next to her. "I don't want to get you involved, Clair. I just need to... To leave. Please." She said softly. Clair looked both concerned and puzzled. Jane knew that Clair wanted to object and say Jane must stay but instead she gave Jane the keys to her car. "Take it. Use it until you can get a car again. But on one condition, don't ever think you're a burden again. And if you need any help at all, Mike and I will do anything to help. I promise." She said. Jane thought that the trouble Markus Clang caused 21 years ago was over but she was very wrong.

She drove home in the dark. Surprisingly there were quite a few people walking on the pavement and all of them turned and stared at Jane's car as though they had been waiting for it. Finally, pulling up in front of the house, to her horror she found the front door slightly ajar. She knew she shouldn't go inside and should call for help but she didn't want anyone's help, nor did she need anyone's help. Feeling reckless, she walked quietly to the kitchen where she took a knife to use as a weapon. A scratching noise was coming from upstairs. Slowly and quietly, she crept up the stairs but unfortunately the 6th step to the top creaked under her feet. The noise stopped and Jane held her breath, her heart pounding against her rib cage. There was nowhere to hide, if the intruder came out now she would be the first thing he would see. Seconds passed that the apartment was completely silent. But luckily the intruder thought nothing of it and the noise continued. It was coming from her bedroom. She reached out her hand to push open the door, her heart beating faster very second. Unfortunately, the door made a creaking sound and the intruder stopped dead in his tracks and turned slowly around. Jane stood her ground in the doorway, staring at the him. He was wearing a dark jacket and hood that shadowed his face. Neither of them spoke, each trying to decide what to do next. Suddenly, he ran at her and Jane, caught off guard, was slammed into the wall. The man then tried to run down the stairs. Jane staggered up and followed him. He was a few steps down the stairs when she jumped on his back, causing both of them to fall down the stairs. The man jumped up but Jane pulled his leg and he fell again. She jumped on top of him, holding the knife above her head. She pulled down his hood revealing a heavily tattooed man. He had a long scar across his face. He spoke to her in a heavy accent though she was not sure from where. "Please. I came here to help you." He said holding his hands up in a surrender. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" She asked coldly. "I know you have been experiencing strange things. I can sense the presence. I was not going to help you but now I see you truly need assistance. I do things for a fee you see. Or at least I did." He said. She stared at him, confused. She did not know what to believe. He did not want to hurt her, he wanted to run away. "Why were you in my room?" She asked angrily, not lowering her knife an inch. He looked in his late thirties but it looked as if stress had gotten the better of him. There were deep bags under his eyes and his bald head was covered with a tattoo that looked like a demon. Its yellow glowing eyes stared into her hazel ones. Staring deep into her soul. "I was looking for a picture of you. Usually those who sold a soul have a blurry spot in their pictures." The man's voice brought her back to reality. She stared at him. Clearly he knew she was confused because then he said, "If you can lower your knife and get off me, I can explain everything." She slowly lowered the knife and stood up but still watched his every move. He got up and walked to the living room without an invitation. Jane cautiously followed. She entered the living room to see him seated on the couch waiting for her to sit as well. He stared at her as she came in and gestured to the couch opposite him. How peculiar it was that she was being asked to sit on her own couch. She sat down, not taking her eyes of his scarred face. "So what were you talking about? What deal and what about blurry pictures?" She asked slowly. He took his time to answer, almost as if he was scared to answer. "Someone made deal with him for your soul." He said and stared at her to see her reaction. "Who's him?" She asked but she had a feeling she knew what the answer was already. He took even longer to answer. The sound of the tree's leaves rustling outside was the only sound they could hear. Then he spoke in a deep, low voice, "The devil himself."