The Psycho Is Innocent | ꪜ

Chapter 13: The Tape

          Ariel read the note, 'Listen when you're alone, don't and you'll regret it ;)' it said, the smiley face at the end staring back at her sinisterly. She slammed the locker shut and stuffed the recorder into her school bag, swearing under her breath. "So this is what we're doing now, blackmail? Let's see how good you are," her eyes narrowed towards no one in particular, hoping that they would see that nothing could sway her.

Past

"Why do you answer to the name Jet?" Ariel asked, curiosity getting the best of her. She speculated the reason as to why but thought that it was insensitive to say it out loud, so instead, she kept it to herself, waiting patiently on his answer. "Jet Marshal, that's my name, love! Best baseball player in town, obviously handsome, charming, witty," he flashed her a toothy grin, "I go by many names: Tobias Aspen, Ricky Morton. You call it, you get an answer to the one that's appropriate at the given time. I shouldn't be telling you this but what the hell? What's there to lose? It makes things interesting."

Ariel ran her fingers through her hair and leaned back in her seat, "so what should I know about Jet Marshal?" His hands slipped off the steering wheel as he closed the space between them. "If I tell you, I'll be in big trouble, little mermaid." The nickname suddenly sounded foreign coming from his lips, as if it weren't reserved especially to him. Ariel's head was beginning to ache as she tried to fathom all the possibilities for this situation so for her own sake, she diverted from the topic. "I think I should head inside now."

"Before you go, do you want to be my girlfriend? I think you and I would make a lovely couple." Ariel ignored the fact that he already asked a few hours ago and instead she nodded her head in agreement, "yeah, I think it'll be interesting." She responded. He sported a giddy smile once again, a dimple she never realized until now formed just beside his mouth as if it were a new feature suddenly added onto his face to correspond with this bubbly personality. "By the way, I never got to tell you this but don't worry about the jersey, what happened wasn't your fault, plus it was always yours to keep."

Ariel smiled, although they truly never discussed what happened with the jersey, she didn't miss the fact that he worded it as if it were their first time speaking of the ordeal in general. It didn't seem as if he were clueless solely because of the fact that he purposely persuaded her into calling him Jet by not answering to Tobias and now bringing up an altercation that happened a week ago. Ariel wanted to play along with his game to see how far it would go until she figured out the truth behind his weird behaviour.

"Ariel, you agreed to be my girlfriend right?" She nodded her head slowly, "well I haven't dated any girl before because it's always been a complicated situation. But there's just something about you that no one can shake off. I mean don't get me wrong, you're not everyone's fan but we like dangerous games because everything lately has been boring. Don't worry about my rambling though, we'll figure it out." Weirdly enough she understood everything he just said.

He etched his face closer towards hers, "I like you, Ariel. And after today I can confirm it is not only of pure interest but an actual likeness." She brushed back a strand of his hair and smirked, "you talk a lot don't you, Jet?" He nodded his head vigorously, "it's my specialty." He responded, barely getting a second to simmer in his words before Ariel's lips met his. She kissed him softly, mostly out of curiosity to see how he would react. And as expected he jerked back in shock at first as if questioning his next move before he finally gave in.

He kissed her hesitantly, his hands hovering above her waist, unsure of where to lay it down. Ariel caught each and every movement even as her eyes remained closed. Tobias was confident, his love language was touching. . .intimacy. He's snarky, slightly cocky and charming amongst a list of other things. This was definitely not Tobias Aspen because the moment their lips would meet his hands would be all over her as if she would slip from his sight in a matter of seconds.

When she pulled away he was dazed: lips parting, eyes fluttering, heart palpitating in his chest as if it had just run a marathon. His face was a reflection of adoration, happiness and what seemed to be regret. He touched his lips then chuckled in astonishment. It's not as if he were trying to hide the fact that there was something weird going on with him but no longer could he hide it even if he changed his mind and decided to try. This kiss was enough of a revelation for Ariel. She ruffled his dishevelled hair, "I'll see you, later. . .Jet."

Present

    Ariel closed the door behind her and trekked towards her bed, the tape recorder barely hanging by her fingertips. She set her bag down beside her feet and sat at the edge, knowing that even if she got comfortable, whatever was on this tape would most likely rip away any effect that her plush mattress could give her. She turned on her television for background noise and finally decided to click the play button.

At first, her ears were met with the sound of faint music, muffled by what Ariel suspected was a closed room possibly with someone standing on the other side recording. It went on like this for a few seconds before it became eerily silent but as she listened closely Ariel could hear the soft and steady breathing of someone. She gritted her teeth anxiously as something clicked, like a door handle. The silence was now enveloped by a song Ariel once loved as a child, but as she listened to it distorted, plagued by static and an unsteady pace; she no longer loved something that once brought her so much joy.

"You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town. He's making a list and checking it twice. Gonna find out who's naughty and nice, Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees when you're asleep. He knows when you're awake, he knows when you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake! O! You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I'm telling you why, Santa Claus is coming, Santa Claus is coming, Santa Claus is coming to town."

Santa clause is coming repeated like a mantra, over and over again, becoming more distorted as the once sweet voice morphed into the epitome of atrocity. However, even as it continued, she couldn't prepare for the blood-curdling scream that suddenly ruptured through the recording followed by painful cries, grunts and pleading. Ariel slapped a hand over her mouth as someone began to cackle. It started out softly but gradually grew into a sadistic burst of laughter then it went silent as the tape suddenly cut off.

Bile climbed up the edges of her throat and as if it were instinct: she turned towards the television whose main purpose was simply meant for comfort. The news reporter rambled about the death of Maria and Kayla whose bodies were found by a stray dog discarded in a ditch at the end of the town.

They had been raped and bludgeoned with a bat, left for dead. Ariel's eyes darkened as she listened to the reporter's shrilling voice. Anger gnawed at her pale flesh, hoping to break free, to be let out so that it could stop. So that it would no longer be contained by someone fighting to understand her own emotions.

"Seventeen year old Tobias Aspen was arrested a week after the remains of fifteen year old Kayla Mammoliti and Seventeen year old Maria Jensen of Manchester Central High School were discovered in a ditch–"

She watched silently as his image flickered across the television. The dim lights flashed across her face in a mirage of colors, brightening the dark room with a soft glow. Ariel Campbell sat frozen in her spot, unable to comprehend the reality of her life now. She sunk her nails into her skin as his mugshot flickered across her dark dilated irises. Blood began to pool beneath her sharp fingernails but she hadn't reacted to the pain seizing her arm.

She was done. She was done playing games. She was over having Tobias labeled as the monster when the real monsters slept beside them at night. Ariel Campbell had one goal in mind:

She was going to prove that the psycho was innocent.

No matter what it took.

No matter who she hurt.

~~~