The Carter Hollow Murders

Arthur Knightgale / "The Painter" - Exposure Scene

User: 8Umbra

Is Miss Arabella the one that finds my last piece of art, I never held ridiculous illusions about my own ability to scape and Arabella has had her eyes on me since the very beginning, seems fitting then that is her then who finds my last picture. I have no regrets really and I had so much fun with this little game, is that not what a matters?

I make my way out of the gym taking note of the horrified look Bennett and Arabella share, Miss Blackwell declaring they had to find me stating I was "The Painter". I always like that name, a reporter in my hometown chose it but I have forgotten his name.

I see the commotion out in the yard, students sitting around each other and taking out books, Arabella runs around the campus asking a group of students if they have seen me, which they haven't.

I can only imagine the myriad of thoughts that clouds each and every mind, some of them indeed suspected and for that I can't blame them, emotions have never been my stronger suit and sometimes I simply cannot react like I'm supposed to.

I walk amongst the less crowded parts of the school following Miss Blackwell as she frantically searches for me, a curious game of cat and mouse.

I know this is the end for me, either I end in jail or dead for me it is the same displeasing outcome: my life or my freedom it means the same to me.

For the first time in a long way I know not what outcome this will have, when I left that note for Arabella it was purely out of spite and not because I am that confident in my own abilities.

There is however something I did not lie about: I do love teaching and, rewardless of how it ended, I will always treasure my time in Carter Hollow.

Finally Arabella comes to stand near the parking lot, looking around herself frantically as if she could spot me from the place she stands.

My footsteps make no noise as I approach her, she never sees me coming, none of my victims ever did. I grab her from behind, placing and arm around her neck and the hand that holds the knife against her cheek.

"You won't get away with this, I know who you are!" She trashes against me, one of her hands clutching at my arm in a vague attempt to relive the pressure.

"I know that Miss Blackwell, I also know that killing you will not stop the police from going after me but by god it will make wonders for my emotional stress." I accommodate my face on top of her shoulder scenting her shampoo, it has a soft texture to it.

"You know Arabella? I would have loved to make you my last piece." I growl at her ear listening carefully as footsteps approach us, no doubt Bennet began worrying for her.

"Ari!" He calls out making me smirk at the slight desperation that grips his voice.

"Here!" I call out for him, he rounds the corner with more speed than before, a police officer trailing behind him. The officer sees me and withdraws his weapon immediately trying to find an angle that will threaten me and not the victim Bennett stops dead as soon as he rounds the corner.

"Hello there director." I use the hand that holds the knife to wave at him, he looks at me in mute horror.

"Adam..." Trails Arabella clutching tighter at my arm but I don't react, not even when her fingers are sure to leave bruises against my skin.

"Everything's going to be fine Ari." He explains taking careful steps forward as if I were a deer he was trying not to spook.

"Not everything." I respond eying the officer who talks into the radio strapped at his arm, most definitely asking for reinforcements, his eyes make brief contact with mine and I can see all the fear behind that little cop facade, he must be a rookie.

"Oh Ari, you would have made a beautiful angel" I continue talking even as cops begin to fill the place around me, "a vengeance angel, I could have used your skin to form wings."

"Let her go!" One of the cops shouts but I don't bother trying to find out who it was.

"I would have made your head bow in prayer and carved your eyes out so you could never open them again, oh you would have made the most wonderful cries!" I place the knife against her neck a little more forcefully drawing the first drops of blood.

"Drop the knife!" Demands a different voice than last time, I can hear the officers rearranging their postures, holding their guns just a little more tightly but they don't have a clear aim and I know that.

"I would only strip the skin, leave the muscle exposed but not the bones, it would have made you so beautiful." I draw a thin line along the length of her neck, not pushing just painting a line. She lets out a small sound that could have been a whimper had she not been too stubborn for such a sound.

I put the knife securely against the uninjured side of her throat reaching inside my jacket slowly, carefully.

"Don't move!" Warns another cop, this time I do look up maintaining eye contact with a man that looks much too tired for his age. I take a paint brush out of my jacket slowly, showing I mean no more harm and everyone relaxes just a little.

I press the brush against her injury and Miss Blackwell winces, I smear the tip in 'human bean juice' staring at how the liquid rolls down the hair of the brush all the way down to my hand, the last brush on my arsenal.

I place the brush inside the only pocket her coat has, "think of me each time you see a painting." I let go of her dropping the knife, her hand flew at the injury on her neck, her body turning so she could glare openly at me.

The cops and the director rushed at my side but before they could get to me I give a pronounced reverence, "I had so much fun Ari but at the end all games must come to an end." The cops hold me by the arms while I bow, bending my wrists at an uncomfortable angle, placing the cuffs far tighter than it's necessary, they also seem to think that two cops are not enough to escort little old me so I get assigned a whole squad for myself, I feel honored.

As they escort me I yell one last time to Arabella, "enjoy your victory Ari but don't forget there is one last player on the board."