Chapter 1 The Knife
Amilio Tiger was watching all over. He was as silent as a tiger trying to sneak around; so quiet so no one would hear him. He crept around his mother and father’s room. In his left hand a knife and in his right hand a letter to whomever found the bodies of his parents. He watched them sleep peacefully for a couple of minutes. All that Amilio ever thought about was how much he hated his parents. They both favored his sister Elizabeth over him and had asked him, many times, why he couldn’t be more like her. Of course nobody understood him, because he had the un-curable disorder, Autism. He always looked normal, but his behaviors were way different from a normal child. He had tons of challenges such as processing information, language delays, he couldn’t interact very well, and his self-esteem was very low. No matter what age, he would always face these terrible and troubling factors of Autism that made him different. He began to ponder in his weird way, and then got an excellent idea.
He wondered if he should kill his sister first and let his parents suffer losing her, while he could turn and run away. “No I want them to all suffer.” He said in a whisper. Then it came back to him, his 11th birthday party, one of his worst memories. His parents didn’t buy him a present and for no reason at all, they had given Elizabeth a wonderful gift. The feeling of his mother just in his presence made him want to stab the living life out of her. After ten minutes of staring at his parents evilly, he silently took the knife and leaned over his mom.
Amilio gathered his feelings of disgust for his mom. And in a quick lift of his arm, stabbed her deep in the stomach. Blood splattered everywhere as he dug the knife in. He stabbed her repidiatley, over and over. The sheets were soaked with the cruel, rippling pools of blood. His mom began screaming the blood curdling scream of help. She could feel her own heartbeat fading out of her hands. Just as she thought she might be able to gather up enough strength to tap on Amilios dad, Amilio took the knife out of his mom and stabbed her in the neck. She made a little squeal like a pig and died. He laughed at his mother’s death. "Hahahaha, mom that’s what you get for being a terrible mother!" He was about to kill his father, when Elizabeth walked into the room simultaneously.
“Dad Watch out!” Elizabeth yelled, but it was too late, Amilio had already killed his next victim with a horrid slash to the heart.
“I’m going to stab you Elizabeth; you’re going to die just like them!” He yelled running toward her with anger and frustration.
“No I will not die and I will never give up!” she yelled as she ran for her life. She contemplated in her head, why would her little brother do this? Was he jealous, maybe of how much attention she got? She began to tear up with the bitterest tears; she loved her little brother dearly and knew he was a wonderful person no matter his disabilities. That minute she stopped running, and so did Amilio. “Amilio how could you do this, to our parents?” Elizabeth questioned.
“Don’t pretend that you don’t know why I’m going to kill you, and why I have killed our parents.” Amilio told her with lots of emotion pouring out.
“No I’m confused, why would you want to kill this family, we all love you dearly.” Elizabeth cried.
“No, our parents think I’m a pile of moving trash.” Amilio said with one tear barley slipping out of his eyelid.
“Why would you think that?” Elizabeth asked perturbed.
“Well first of all, they always want me to be more like you, and give you a present on my birthday; I never get anything!” Amilio yelled. Elizabeth pondered, she was the only one who loved Amilio. Her parents would always push him out of the picture and put the spot-light on her. She felt her brother’s pain and great agony.
“Even if they don’t love you, I always will.” She cried at the top of her lungs. Amilio felt his heart begin to crack, but he would not stop here, he was always the kid who was never accepted into our society. He decided that she was lying, because nobody loved him or acknowledged his existence in the world. “Amilio please I really do love you, don't go through with this.” Elizabeth pleaded.
“Go upstairs and gather everything that you can carry, I will give you ten minutes to run, and after that much, I will kill you.” Amilio said gritting his teeth together.
“Don’t do this!” She exclaimed. She felt so under-pressure, Amilio was the finest brother she ever had, and now he was a top notch killer. It was like Elizabeth didn’t know him anymore, and he certainly didn't know her.
“Go now or die.” Amilio spoke in a calm, but creepy voice. Elizabeth ran upstairs as fast as a cheetah trying to get away from the bigger cat, the tiger. Amilio stared at her while she ran out; he was the predator, while she was the prey. When Elizabeth got upstairs she peeked into her mom and dad's room. They had already been hunted and laid dead flat on the bed. Her father had tried to escape, but he didn’t run fast enough. He never had the tiniest chance of surviving.
Elizabeth saw a pool of blood, and in that pool of blood, there was a mysterious note. She picked it up and would find out the secrets of the note later. She remembered then that she only had ten minutes to gather her belongings. It was so scary, she never thought she had to ever think for her own self. Before she exited her mother’s room she grabbed their wallets and a couple of prized possessions. She even grabbed a couple of photos, because they were now all she had left of her parents.
Elizabeth took off like a lightning bolt to her own room. She picked out one of her favorite bags; it had all of her friend’s signatures on it. Her friends were so thoughtful and courteous. They would always remember the date of her birthday so they could give Elizabeth one big present every year. She'd always be so charmed by them. They were like family, and now she wouldn’t be able to see them again. The main thing on her mind was to get any sentimental or valuable items, get out, and ride her horse to safety.
She contemplated for a while, “What should I bring with me, besides the few things I already have?” She looked around her room. “My Guitar, I need that.” Elizabeth said to herself while being hare-footed. She also grabbed a couple more items: a journal, a story that she was working on, her water canteen, 200 dollars that she had saved up, a sleeping bag, 3 music books, a drawing pad, and supplies she could use for making art. She stuffed all the items into her bag (except the guitar that would be ridiculous) without even the slightest predicament. She looked around her room, it was very gloomy. The curtains would be closing forever and she would never see another day in this very room.
Why did things have to go this way? She believed that every dilemma could be settled peacefully without violence. What had this world come to? Maybe Elizabeth should try again and investigate the case with Amilio, which could theoretically turn things around. There was a low probability that talking would turn things around though, because her brother had autism and wasn’t very good with conversations (as you could tell.) Autism was probably the reason he did this, because Autistic people can never think straight about their decisions. Elizabeth was going to give it a try anyway, even if it didn’t work; she had a shot. The most unfavorable thing that would happen is her brother would stab and kill her, like her parents. Let’s just say she didn't want to think about what her death would be like, it would probably be very painful and full of misery.
“Elizabeth, you have two minutes to get out of here or else there are going to be large consequences if you don't hurry!” Amilio shouted like an all mighty god, which frightened Elizabeth. Instantaneously she rushed out of her room taking only the few very valuable possessions she had. Life was never going to carry on the same way again. Halfway down the steps Elizabeth saw Amilio holding the knife, in throwing position, while she rushed down the stairs. When she finally made it down she just stared at Amilio with a frightened face. His eyes looked just of the ones of a cold blooded killer on the rampage.
“What are you going to do without me, you’re just a kid?” Elizabeth said throwing the question out there.
“It’s ok, I’ve got it all under control.” Amilio said making Elizabeth’s heart pound at a very unsteady rate.
“You cannot possibly survive, you need help and I can get you help.” Elizabeth said kind-heartedly reaching out her hands. “It's not too late, it’s never too late.” She smiled a warm smile. (Actually it probably is too late.)
“You don't understand and never will, it is way too late to change me. I am already a mass murderer.” He paused. “Give it up and go while you still can, if you don’t you are doomed to the bad side that will take over.” He grieved. “Get out now Elizabeth, get out!” He yelled with malice. Nothing, but madness was left down to the core of his heart. Amilio pointed the knife at Elizabeth ready to throw at any given moment.
“But it’s not too.....” Elizabeth was about to say late when Amilio interrupted, “Don't bother.” Elizabeth decided to let Amilio choose his way. No matter what she said, he was not going to be persuaded to change, so she gave in to his cold, hard heart.
“I will go because I can't change your state of thinking, but one more thing you must know is.....” She paused for a moment, “I have loved you and mom has loved you forever, I am disappointed about the decisions you have made for just a little misunderstanding.” Elizabeth turned around and casually strolled up to the front door. She said nothing and was pretty low-spirited. That was the end of talking to Amilio Tiger. Her life had just made a pretty dramatic change that was bound to happen sometime anyway. She was like a butterfly coming out of metamorphosis and was totally clueless of the world around her. Who knew Amilio, her marvelous brother, would come out of his shell and express his feelings of pain.
Amilio was an enemy that must be avoided at all costs. Who would be his next victim that would bring heartache to this small town? Elizabeth dashed across the field to the stables as fast as she could get there. She opened the creaky door and slid right into the stable where her horse would be waiting. “Mystic we’re going on a long and treacherous journey.” She said while calming her horse down. Mystic was still in shock from the hair-raising screams that she had heard from the house.
Elizabeth brushed and saddled Mystic up for their journey. “There you go girl, you’re all fixed up and ready to get a start to the nearly endless journey we will take the rest of our lives.” she soothingly added. She mounted Mystic scared as ever and thinking about where she should go. She didn't know if running away could help her escape from the darkness that Amilio was. Would she ever escape from the dark abyss that was teasing her with light? Like her mom always said, “The grass is always greener on the other side, but it is hard to get to the other side. You’ll know, Elizabeth, when you are on the green, because that is when wherever you go you are happy and content.”
Elizabeth missed those very words of her mother always calming her. She would never hear those single words again. “Mystic...” She paused, “Am I ever going to be in that green field my mom promised?” She asked Mystic knowing she would never get an answer. She trotted Mystic out of the stable and to the wide open. She noticed how easy her escape was and that was very peculiar. Was Amilio about to creep out and finally catch his prey? Whatever he was going to do she didn't want to stick around and find out. “Ya!” She yelled as she hit Mystic on the side making her gallop. She had a plan to get out of the middle of nowhere and go to where she was born; Colorado. It was a far journey, because she currently lived in Nevada, but the trip was not impossible. Elizabeth was determined to make it and that was the only assurance she really needed.