The Eyeless Jack

CHAPTER 1

The wind was Crisp, Cold enough to make You Choke Kate put in her pockets to keep warm as she walked through the City.

The City was Covered in filth, A plastic bag blew past Kate in a rush. There were chunks of glass bottles scattered around the side walk as she walked. It was a bad neighborhood, but it was only temporary.  At least thats what Kate told herself. The City was brutal, a dog-eat-dog kind of City. Kate kept to herself as She came near a crowd of people. She listened in on their very private conversations.

"And then he claimed he was only 'a freind' and I had nothing to worry. about," One man would say, "then a week come round, I cime home to find out she's  been cheating the whole time, so you know what I did?"

The other man laughed, "What did you do?"

"I hooked up with her sister."

"Oh Damn."

"I know right? her sister was hotter anyway."

Kate took in what they said, she didn't know them but by looking at them and hearing them laugh she could tell they were most likely in collage or fresh out of high school.

It made kate think about when she was in school. Her highschool years were Tough, no friends, and no one she would talk to.  Instead, Kate would draw. She would. Write stories and draw characters from the stories she would read or make up. There was no one but her; Just Kate and her imaginary freinds.

Kate looked ahead to cross the street to her Small Appartment. There was no cross walk so Kate always had to run across the street. Once the coast was clear she dashed to the other side. After moments of Sorting through keys, she was finaly welcomed with the familure suroundings of her quite home

Kate Lawrence lived alone, But it hasn't always been like this. She used to live with her younger sister. They both hated their parents so they agreed to get a place together. Then One dark day, before her sister could even move all the way in. Her Sister was pernounced dead. Her Sister- Gabriella Lawrence- was found dead in the back yard of their old town house. Her body was found with many slash marks. The marks covered every serface of her hands and throat. Her Stomic had the worst of it. Her stomach was completely gashed open and latter it was fount that both of her kidneys were strangely missing. The Police and investigators searched the yard, the house, everywhere. But no one was able to locate Gabriella's kidneys.

Kate was there during the adtopsy, that is when they found the kidneys missing. An officer By the name of Arlo Winstan had noticed that the kidneys were surgically removed. "The insition was to precise to be an accident," He said, "The cut was too small and thin to be from a knife." The way Sr Winstan phrased it always stood out in Kate's head.  After about 8 months of searching, Edventuly, the Killer was uncovered. The Strangling Stranger was his streat name. A Serial killer whose been known to slash throats. And with beeing a pacient in a hospital before the years he started killing, He was the perfect person to be Suspeted. But even after the 2 years of her sister being gone. She still wasn't satisfied that The Strangling Stranger was the culprit. Gabriella did have cuts and strain marks on her neck but that dosn't mean that he was the one who did it. It fit too perfectly yet the whole thing was full of too many questions and no answers.

Kate rememberd her own fear from that night. The killer being on the loose. Her constant worry would overwelm her. If they could kill one family member someone else in her family could be next.  Could She be next? It wasn't just the fear but the saddness that would weeped in. Her only sister. The only person she let get close, was killed. It all happened 2 years ago, but Kate Couldn't help but grieve. To Kate it felt like only yesterday that they would play outside together with the neighbor's kids and try not to get into trouble. It was just Kate, Kate's imaginary freinds, and Gabriella.

Kate Sliped into something comfortable. It was part of her day to day cycle after a long day's work.

For Kate work was boring. The minutes would seem like hours. She would sit in front of a computer screen all day typing out progress reports of the big business company she worked for. It was all charts and numbers at work. She never really felt a connection with anyone there. All the freindships she had with co-workers was mutual. There was casual banter and trips to the coffee machine during breaks, but nothing that Kate really felt connected with. It was just Kate, Kate's imaginary freinds and Gabriella.

Kate clalasped onto the sofa and flicked on the TV. The sunset peaked into the room kissing the room the same sade of sherbet ice cream. She flipped through the channels not finding anything interesting to watch and after a wile she began to dose off.  Just then, a sudden hard knock was heard on her front door to her apparent. She half way jumped out of her skin. The knocking continued seemingly getting louder.  Kate looked to the window, the sun had gone down what looked like hours ago. Kate lived on the third floor and she didn't know that many people who would ever visit. So who would bother her at this hour?

9

The knocking got louder and faster. with every blow.

Kate wanderd to the door and looked through the peep hole.

"Who's there!" Kate demanded

"Uh, Your- your neighbor, Rick?"

Kate Cracked the door open.

"What do you want? Is there another mail mix up?"

Kate didn't know Rick all that well, Rick was there way before she had moved in and he looked older then her. The only time Kate would talk to him is when there was a mail mix up or when passing in the hall way.

"I uh, just wanted to give this back to you." He Explained. He put bis hand through the crack of the cloor. In his hand, a pendent dangled, smacking against the wall as it swaye back and forth.

"You uh, you droped it this morning," Rick continued, "So I thought you would like it back." Kate Snatched the pendent from him

"Thank you." Kate smiled, looking at the pendent.

Yeah, I thought you might need it. The, uh the numbers inside the crystal looked important."

Kate nodded and wrubed the sleep out of her eyes, "Numbers?"

"Yeah, you know you shine a light through the top of the crystal and the numbers show through."

Kate opened the rest of the doors and locked eyes with Rick for a moment. "Show me!"