Cursed | JJK | ✓

A Pattern

(Turn on the media for an immersive reading experience.)

White curtains were pulled shut over her windows and the sunlight that still penetrated in, cast an eerie faded glow in her room. Red markers crumpled up sticky notes, and pieces of newspaper cuttings littered her hardwood floor. Her bed was unkempt, bedsheets and clothes sprawled over the top and her laundry was yet to go in the wash.

Rea stood staring at her walls that were covered in newspaper clippings and red marker writings angrily scribbled over yellow sticky notes. A huge map was hung to the side, five pins pressed against 5 different locations. A 6th pin was in her hand and Rea traced the lines on her map until she reached a specific point. The WHX was where the recent crime had taken place, and Rea pushed down the pin against the site, the same place she had been to yesterday night.

The huge feather was also on the wall, pinned snugly against all the clipping of the recent victim, Amelia Jones. She was a 60-year-old grandma, living her retirement life peacefully with her cats when Choker struck. Choker was ruthless. He killed just about anyone. From college students to elderly individuals, to young 5-year-olds. Choker killed them all. There was no distinction. No mercy.

She had theorized that they were all connected somehow but she could never figure out what it was if there was one. Even the locations were all picked out randomly and all of them never had anything out of the ordinary going on in their lives. 

What was it?

What was the reason?

Was there even one?

Rea didn't know. The past few months, she had been restless. Vague dreams haunted her every night. Preternatural phenomenons were now a part of her daily life. Rea didn't know the reason. She didn't stop to find them. She was probably going crazy. She didn't care.

Often in her nightmares, he would come. He was always smiling in her dreams. The same familiar dimpled smile. The same one that once felt reassuring, but now, they just pained her. It pained her like a knife thrust through her heart. Maybe he meant to say that it was okay. Maybe he had come to say that she should let go, but Rea couldn't. She wouldn't.

It was her constant reminder of what she had to do.

The names of all of Choker's victims were on the left, written in the order of their crimes down a list.

Arthur Miller
Namjoon Kim
Darius Scott
Rosaline Woods
Emma Willson

Now she had yet another name to add to the list. Picking up one of her red markers from the floor, Rea scribbled down the last name.

She took a step back. Closing her eyes, she muttered a silent prayer heavenwards for all the people who were unfortunate enough to end up there. They will be missed.
She slowly opened her eyes to the list on her wall. Her brows furrowed when she found something peculiar and when the realization struck, her brows shot up and she gasped. Subtle tremors took over her frame and Rea leaned down on her bead for support as her legs lost their strength. For there among the list was a pattern. A pattern only she would know...

A rthur Miller
N amjoon Kim
D arius Scott
R osaline Woods
E mma Willson

A melia Jones

Andrea...

Rea drew back from her bed.

No.

It can't be...

Rea ran out of her room, her entire form violently shaking from the realization. Hands pressed against the walls for support, Rea climbed down the stairs. Cold sweat dotted her forehead and her throat had gone completely dry. Shaking, she stepped into her kitchen, and pulled open the refrigerator, she took out a bottle of cold water. She gulped down half of its contents, poured the rest over her head.

It can't be. It can't be.

She violently shook her head. She pulled down her hair and screamed.

No. It just can't be!

Her refrigerator door closed shut, and there, on the door, was a sticky note she didn't recognize.

I know who the Serial Killer is.
Meet me at the rooftop of bldg:1004
Today @ 5 pm.

A/n: And we meet our anonymous stalker!