The Forgotten Ones

Chapter 7: The Neet

"I don't think this is one of those situations you should compare." Elias said.

"Sure, but the way I see it, pain can be used in two ways." She held up her index. "One, a crutch." She added another finger. "Or two, fuel. The strong use the latter. Rocco gave up and instead uses others pity as fuel to be an asshole."

"Sometimes being an asshole is the only way to get by." Eli replied. "Anyone who's been through hard times understands that."

"I suppose." Harley rose her head high. "But he's still an ass."

"Not denying that." Eli chuckled, and Harley grinned, patting his back.

"You'll fit right in. Now come on." She ushered him towards the rest of the group. "You're missing all the juicy details."

Soon after approaching the table, Elias realized he hadn't missed anything. The four of them spent the last few minutes trying to get Sunshine to correctly pronounce the name.

"God! It's La-Mort-Noire!" Rocco shouted at Sunshine. Rainbow boy attempted to repeat after him, but his accent proved to be too strong, and Rocco shook his head. "Fucking hell man."

"It's French." Harley stepped up. "Cut him some slack."

It wasn't until now that Elias made the connection that the name wasn't English at all, and he had no idea what it really meant. "What's the English translation?" Elias asked.

"The Black Death." Bausy replied with a scoff. "Some big headed, money hungry journalists made it up. Even compared him with Jack the Ripper and gave it a french spin off."

"Cool, right?" Harley bounced, rasing her brows at Elias, giddily. "They say Jack was never caught. He just disappeared."

"That won't be the case here." Bausy sat up. "La Mort Noire will be caught and everyone will know his face. I don't care how long it takes. I will find him."

"Yeah you will." Harley gave her a pat, and Bausy took in a breath. "But it won't be easy. Hate to say it, but he's smart and unique in a way."

"What do you mean?" Elias asked, and Bausy's lost gaze snapped to his eyes.

"Most serial killers have a standard way of doing things; stick to the same routine to avoid error, but he doesn't. He...evolves."

"Evolves?" Sunshine asked.

"Yeah, for lack of better words. Here, look." Bausy grabbed a journal from the center of the table, flipping through pages until she stopped on a picture taped inside of a girl with short brown hair. "This is Paige Johnston. She was strangled." She turned to the next page, showing a blonde girl. "This is Adalynn Gilbert. Also strangled." She flipped to the next page and Elias recognized the face. "This is Holland Mercci."

"Strangled." Elias said and Bausy paused.

"Exactly." She nodded. "Now last year..." she flipped back a couple of pages. "Quinn Phelps, strangled. Paula Dunlap, strangled. Elle Statman, strangled-"

"They get it." Harley said.

"Right." Bausy flipped again. "But then, it changes. After Elle Statman, Racheal went missing next. Racheal was drowned, and the next girl, Leslie, had her throat slashed, and Madison was completely obliterated-"

There was a loud slam against the table as Rocco stood abruptly; his chair scraping the floor. Everyone watched as he stormed off outside. It was silent for a moment until Beverly suggested. "Maybe not say the names."

Bausy sighed. "Lets just say she was overkilled. They had to have a closed casket funeral."

"He's killed the same for the passed three years." Porter added. "It's a pattern."