Abduction [l.t. a.u.]

X. eleven days

Chapter 10:

Marabella

We have had Emma with us for eleven days now and honestly I'm not sure how she's still alive. The internal conflict I had going on when we first got Emma is now over. The little angel I had on my left shoulder, unfortunately, was brutally murdered by the little devil that I harbor on my right shoulder.

One thing I've learned over the past eleven days is that Louis was right about everything. Torture has a different kind of high than actually killing, but it all works the same. You'll try as many different things as you can to try and get the same high as you did the first time. It never actually works, but sometimes it can come pretty darn close to it.

Tomorrow is the day that Emma has to die and, unlike how I felt when we first got her, I'm completely okay with it. I actually hope that Louis lets me help him. We haven't had anymore discussion about her death since the first day, but I fully intend to ask him about it today if he doesn't bring it up first.

I have changed so much in the past four weeks it's unreal. Four weeks ago, I was completely terrified of the Lakefront Killer when I seen him on TV. I probably even had nightmares about him; I don't remember. Now though, here I am, sitting across from him in a booth at a small diner in Colorado talking about where to head next. He is now my friend. Never did I ever think I'd say that about a killer, but now I am one myself so it's not that bad. He hasn't hurt me since we got Emma. Probably because of Emma, but still it's nice.

It took me a while to warm up to him, but once I realized that we was right about the murder and torture, something clicked in my mind. I now know that he just wants some company, and he thinks of me as a friend as well. He is only trying to help me out and share the thrill with me. I do know that he was originally going to kill me, but he didn't. I'm not entirely sure why, all I know is that he said there was something special about me, and for that, I'm glad.

"So I think we should head to an irrelevant state next," I said after forking a bite of pancakes into my mouth.

"Like which one," Louis asked as his took a bite of his bacon.

"Wyoming," I said. "Nobody ever talks about Wyoming. Like, nothing interesting ever happens there. We could change that," I shrugged.

"Good idea, Bella. I don't think I've been there yet," Louis winks at me. "Perfect place to pick up a new one."

"Speaking of which," I lowered my voice, "how are we going to get rid of the one we have now?"

"I told you when we first got it that you could choose what happens to it if you want. I hadn't expected you to change this much since then, but I'm glad you did," he smiled. "We could be the perfect duo. And nobody would ever know."

"Why didn't you think I would change?" My heart fluttered at his last words though. We could actually be the perfect killing pair.

"Even though I could tell that you liked hunting the first time," I smiled at him trying to make up code names on the spot, "I could also tell that you completely hated yourself for it. I was hopeful that you'd just let yourself break loose and let the darkness consume you." He reached over and briefly touched my hand with his, "I can't begin to let you know how thankful I am that you did."

"I just got a little carried away sewing," I laughed. "Then I knew that I liked it, so if you don't want to kill me anymore, I think we could hunt together."

"You know, I actually had huge plans for you at the beginning, but now I have no desire at all. I actually think you could help me. If you do change your mind though, the ultimatum still stands, so don't be running off on me." He sounded like he was joking, but I know that he's serious. It's okay though because one, I don't plan on leaving him anytime soon. He feeds me and clothes me and eases my homicidal urges. And two, I don't think I actually care about my family anymore. After all, they gave up on me after only two weeks.