Diary of a Killer

1.

"Home sweet home, Sal." Henry Fisher pulled their blue Honda (I don't know cars sorry) into the parking lot of Addison apartments, a rundown looking brick complex with hasty landscaping and foggy windows. The gloomy sky outside wasn't helping the mood, and Sal couldn't help but grunt in response.

He wasn't looking forward to moving, but his father had said it would be a good "transition" for them. Sal snorted.

Henry noticed his sons hesitation and sighed, putting the car into park and looking him over. "I know this is hard for you, son, but this is our chance to start over. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Sal stayed quiet again. Not what he always wanted, he thought bitterly. He didn't want to leave his mothers birthplace. He didn't want to run. He wanted to stay. But his father ultimately decided what was best for them. Sal had no input.

The door was still locked. He side glanced at his father, who was looking at him expectantly. "Sure, dad," he said. "Can we start by unlocking the car?"

Henry sighed, unlocking the car and popping open the trunk. Sal moved to help, but Henry shooed him away. "The owner said he would send out a few hands to help. Why don't you and Gizmo go find the room, okay?"

As if on cue, gizmo hopped out from his car seat in the back, walking with the confidence of someone who owned the place. Sally followed him slowly, approaching the door to the complex and ringing. A chipper male voice answered. "Hello?"

"Hi. This is Sal Fisher. My father and I are moving in today." He glanced down at Gizmo, who looked slightly offended at not being mentioned as part of the party.

"Oh hello!" The man exclaimed happily. "Yes, welcome! Come in! Your keys are on the table in the lobby. Please, help yourself. And welcome to Addison Apartments!"

A buzzing sound emitted from the speaker, and the door made a "click". Sally pulled it open, seeing two sets of keys on the table right where the voice had told him. He grabbed one and left the other one for his dad. "Floor 4" the key said on one side.

"You must be the new folks." A female voice said.

Sal looked up suddenly and saw a tall woman with dark brown hair and a orange jumpsuit peering at him. She had on a warm smile, and her hazel eyes seemed to glow, despite the dust in the air clouding his vision. Sal didn't know why, but he felt at ease with this woman he had never met. He recognized this feeling.

It was like standing next to his mother.

He shook his head, trying to form words in his brain. "Uh, yes. Hi. I'm Sal. My father and I just moved here." He kicked himself mentally. Of course, stupid! She knew that.

She smiled brighter. "I'm Lisa. I keep the place clean around here." She gestured to the mop in her hands. A slight "clang!" by the door caught their attention. "Does your father want any help?"

Sal turned around and saw his dad struggling with his suitcase and Gizmo's pack. He ran over to grab the bag, and turned back to the nice woman. Lisa. "Sure.."

She set down her mop and held open the door so the two men could carry the bags inside. Henry smiled at her after they had successfully set the bags on a moving cart, shaking her hand. "Henry Fisher. Nice to meet you."

"Lisa Johnson." She said in return. She stared at the bags. "If our elevator wasn't such a piece of junk, I'd say we could get you up to your floor in one trip. Maybe my son can help." She turned to Sal. "He's about your age, I believe."

"Sal is going to be starting high school in the spring." Henry boasted proudly.

"Oh, yeah? My boy, too." Lisa said.

Sal turned away, letting the grown ups have their talk. He carried his backpack that contained his few belongings he wouldn't let part from his side; his gearboy, an extra mask just in case, and his moms jewelry. He twisted the charm bracelet around on his wrist, remembering the words his father had said before they left. "If ever you get sad or lonely, just remember, she is always right here. In your heart." Then he placed the bracelet in sals hand and had started packing again.

"Sal..."

Sally spun around. His father and Lisa were still in deep conversation, neither one of them looking towards him. He turned, trying to find the source of the voice. It didn't sound evil, just sad. "Hello?" He said softly, in case his dad heard.

His father thought sally had a problem with talking to himself, no matter how many times Sal had explained he could hear and see things other people couldn't. He figured this was the case, and wandered off a little farther away from the grownups. "I'm here."

A figure of a man appeared in front of him. He had a ripped brown T-shirt on, faded blue jeans, and long dark hair and hazel eyes, like Lisa. He smiled sadly, reaching out for Sal. Sal flinched, and the man stopped, frowning. Then realization seemed to cross his face, and he sighed sadly. "Of course. It's this day. You wouldn't know who I am."

"Who are you?"

"That's...not important." The man said, shaking his head.

"Are you related to Lisa?" Sal asked, going off the only hunch he had at the moment.

The man recoiled, as if he had been slapped. "Lisa.." he went silent, staring off into the distance.

"Look, I just moved here. I'm not sure my dad would let me ever go outside if he knew on the first day I was already talking to ghosts." Sal said, glancing behind him back at his dad. When he had turned around, the man was gone. He looked around a little before a soft voice whispered behind him,
"I know. I shouldn't have come here. I just wanted to see you again.."

He whirled around, expecting the man to be right behind him. But once again, he was alone.

He shivered, about to speak again when Lisa and Henry came around the corner. Henry has a bright smile on his face, and Sal decided to keep his mouth shut. It had been far too long since he had seen his dad that happy.

"Lisa has decided she and her son will help us move in today. Isn't that sweet of them?" Henry said.

"Very.." Sal murmured. He was still slightly shaken by the ghost. He apparently had said he knew him already. He "missed him." Sal was confused. He had never seen that man before in his life.

"Um, Miss Johnson-" he started.

"Please, call me Lisa." She interrupted. "Mrs. Johnson makes me sound so old."

"Uh, okay. Lisa. Have you um....lost someone recently?"

Both adults froze. Lisa went pale, while Henry whirled around and glared at his son. "Sal! That is an inappropriate thing to ask. Apologize!"

Sal flinched, shaking his head. "I-I, I'm sorry! I was just-"

"It's alright." Lisa said softly. "Yes, I did. I lost my husband." She went silent a moment, all three of them standing in awkward silence waiting for the elevator. "Why do you ask?"

Sal gulped. "No reason...."

The elevator dinged at that time, saving all three of them from having to continue their conversation. A young boy with long dark hair and hazel eyes similar to Lisa's stepped out.

Sal fainted.