The Psychiatrist: Trilogy to The Doll Collector

Chapter 11: Maria

I just couldn't get over how much Kris looked like his father. It was like staring into the future... and it was a little terrifying. Kris was sentenced to life here without the possibility of parole. He'd grow old in these halls, and I guessed so would I.

The realization deflated me. The outside world wouldn't exist for me anymore. I would be a prisoner, just like him. No. You chose this life and you will stand by your choices.

I shut the office door and sat in my chair. It creaked with my weight as I leaned back for comfort.

The excitement in the hallway had ended the moment Kris was dragged away. Trent had kept his eyes to the floor the entire time he was being walked and seated in my office. His file was sitting atop my desk with a special post-it note on it that read: WARNING. I hadn't seen that one before.

It was written in red ink and capital letters, so I could only imagine that that meant I was going to read the most horrific crimes ever committed. Trent Marner remained silent, eyes to the floor. His behavior didn't project much confidence, so perhaps he regretted his crimes.

I reached out and slapped a heavy hand on his file and dragged it towards me. The sudden sound had no effect on Trent Marner. Not a flinch, no acknowledgement. It reminded me of how Kris behaved when he was ignoring me or being indignant. I flipped over the top of the manila folder and picked it up to bring it closer to my face. My glasses were in my room, so this would have to do.

Trent Marner had been convicted of 16 counts of murder, 16 counts of cannibalism, and 16 counts of torture. He had done all that to 16 girls ranging from the ages of three to seven.

My stomach churned and my muscles coiled with disgust. I forced the reaction to cease before it showed up on my face.

He was the poster child for evil, psychotic monster.

Kris already hated this man for the crimes he had committed against his family. The crimes that brought Trent Marner here would inspire such an abhorrence in Kris, that he would likely murder his own father. The thought sent me in a small tailspin. This man had no idea what was coming to him. Kris could never know, but I already knew the word had likely spread about why this man was here. Cannibals weren't safe in any prison, and he would certainly face punishment here.

I shut the folder and looked back at him. The feeling of revulsion was rising in my stomach as bile burned in my throat. He was depraved, loathsome, nauseating. He deserved any punishment he got.

"Trent, have you anything to say regarding what's in your file?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"If you're looking for remorse, doctor, you won't be getting it from me. But if you really want something from me, I'll give you something." he replied.

It was the first I'd heard him speak. I was thrown off by how deep his voice was. It made me uncomfortable, almost feel dirty.

But the confidence, it appeared only when he was spoken to directly. It was an interesting defense mechanism. So unassuming on the outside, but now his maniacal tendencies were lighting up his eyes like a storm. It was likely how he lured his victims into his trap.

I brushed it off and held my ground.

"I'm sure you've been asked this a lot, but please, enlighten me as to why you killed those girls the way that you did."

"Why did you become a psychiatrist?" he replied, in the most obnoxious way.

"Insatiable desire to help others." I answered truthfully.

"That's why I killed those girls the way I did, insatiable desire to kill others."

I saw where Kris got his attitude from, however it grated against my nerves when it was coming from Trent. He was riding the last one, and we'd only been speaking for less than two minutes.