"The Confessions of a Serial Killer"

04 April, 09:00 am

*Alice's POV*

The following Morning of Alex and Max's murder, I was released from the cell. Barry confirmed that I was in the confinement of the cell at the time of the murder so, I was ruled out of the suspects' list, but I was not out of the case. Alex and Max were murdered in the exact same way Viktor was murdered, strangled with fishing wire, tied to a faucet and a huge cross mark on their front; exactly as it was written in that damned book I found in the damned box.

It was the reason why I was sitting in front of Chief Julia Summers' desk, arms folded in front of me while she studied the different documents related to the case, including my book.

"The delivery boy we found unconscious, hidden in the Turner's garden bushes, doesn't remember even a single thing about the killer, much less his face." Julia sighed in agitation. I rested my elbows on the desk and leaned forward towards her.

"If Alex and Max were alone at the house, why did the killer bother to play fancy dress rather than just going full-on killing spree?" I questioned. I knew I didn't have enough brain to solve a murder case but my questions egged Julia to think, so I thought of it as helping.

She pondered over it for a bit, then came up with something, but dropped it before voicing her thoughts. "What was it?" I urged, but when she dismissed it, I told her even stupid ideas can come out to be important leads, so she agreed to tell me.

"Maybe the killer is weak, I mean physically, so he knew he couldn't take two basketball players in a one on one fight. So maybe he dressed up to fool them or something? Distract them?"

I hummed, this could be the case. "Our killer could be a lanky person, or straight up psychopath who wants to play with the victim before devouring them you know?" I laughed, but seeing Julia's serious expression, I shut up.

"Psychopath serial killers aren't rare, Alice." She said, interlocking her fingers before placing both her elbows on the table, resting her forehead on her fist.

"Do you think he could have had help?" I wondered. "Maybe," she muttered, without lifting her head and closed her eyes. I was left staring at her tensed figure, or the cold office around it.

"I think I know the killer, but don't know who it is," I said more to myself, not intending her to listen, but I guess she heard. "What?" she looked at me with furrowed brows, making me squirm.

"I mean, not really know who it is, but how their mind works." My face contorted in a weird expression, which she ignored, and went back to thinking with her eyes closed.

"Why don't you just read the next chapter already?" I suggested but that kind of pushed it.

"Do you think it is children's games, Alice? I have 3 dead kids and their parents at my throat for finding the culprits. I don't have the time to be reading stupid books!" She retorted, and honestly, I was taken aback, but I knew it was her stress speaking so I decided to keep my cool. "Hey, you did find the first three murders exactly as it was written in that stupid book." I tried to reason, but she still looked furious.

"First one's accident, two is a coincidence but three is pattern." Her brows relaxed, and she seemed to ponder over what I just said. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. I noticed baby hair coming out of her French braid.

"Maybe you should go back to school Alice," she said picking up the phone on her table. A few minutes after she ended the call, a cop came to her office with my stuff and pulled at my arm making me stand up. I stood up hesitantly, but he tried to pull me out of the office.

"Hey, wait," I called out, but he didn't leave me. "Julia, Julia!" I tried but in vain. "Read the book, I'm telling you! Read the damned book!" with that, I was dragged out of the police station and a police vehicle dropped me back to where I was picked up from two days ago.

As expected, all eyes were on me when I entered the hallway. I had missed the first two lectures; still, Julia made me go to face this. I could hear the not so generous remarks spat at me for spending two nights in a jail cell. I could see their vicious glares accusing me of killing a fellow schoolmate. I couldn't do anything about it though, I couldn't change their views, so I just walked across the hallway with my head hung low.

I barely made to my locker unharmed. Maybe a few of them didn't think I was a murderer, but they were nowhere to be seen. Not even Heather, whom I'd been searching the moment I stepped inside. I quietly opened my locker to take out my books, and I shook from the sound of the bell ringing.

Although I dragged myself to my class and took a seat, my mind didn't leave the police station. Julia had asked me what else I had found inside the box, but I didn't tell her. I didn't tell her that there was a black folding knife inside the box too, which could be the knife used to cut the huge cross on the victims' bodies. That is exactly why I didn't tell her.

I know the killer was there to kill both Alex and Max at the same time because they both attacked at the same time whenever they did, whether it be basketball or when they bullied me. I found the box for some reason; maybe the killer sent it to me for some reason, for me to know something that I can't figure out quite yet. I shook the thought out of my mind, trying to concentrate on what my teacher was saying, but failed miserably. I kept thinking about what had transpired in the last few days. Eventually, I gave up and rested my head down on the table and closed my eyes.

It shall pass. It all shall pass.