The chain rattled against the hardwood floor as she moved around in her space. It scraped against my thoughts that she was scratching my floor.
The audacity of some people.
The lights had been turned out two hours ago, so she should have been asleep.
God, she was worse than the cat. At least she behaved when I went to my bedroom.
Chain links rattled against the floor once again, prompting me to roll out of bed and shuffle to the doll room.
Fine, I guess if she wasn't going to sleep, then neither was I.
I opened the door, standing against the sill as I slid the sconce dimmer up just a smidge.
Her eyes were blazing in the low light, but there was no anger. She held my gaze for several seconds, having blinked only once. The chain was resting against the mattress with the U-lock still securely wrapped around the bedpost and her ankle. I closed the door behind me and walked to the center of the room.
She casually shifted her stare to my new position first. The chain twinkled as she then also moved to face me. Her legs were crossed over in a tight manner, meaning she had to use the bathroom. I sighed and grabbed the key that I kept around my neck. She rubbed her ankle before following me to the bathroom after I set her free.
I stood by the door allowing her to conduct her business unwatched.
Not that I wanted to watch.
I was a psycho to some, but there was a limit.
Besides, God knew women liked their privacy.
After a few seconds, a bad word flitted through the door. I beat a knuckle against it, asking her what was wrong. She opened up just a crack, but I could see the embarrassment burning into her face anyway.
She cleared her throat and quietly whispered that she was in need of a particular product, of a particular brand, and she needed them particularly now.
Excuse me?
Did I have errand boy stamped on my forehead?
She sharpened her look, inspiring me to roll my eyes and give in. I asked her to wait there, then brought back a pen and pad for her to write down a list of what she needed.
In the six months that she had been here, this had never been a problem.
I almost couldn't believe that I was letting her give me a list.
She slipped the pad back to me and walked back to the doll room where I reattached her shackle. Eloise lifted her head from the sofa as I crossed through the living room to grab my coat and car keys.
Women, always peeing or bleeding, or shooting out a baby.
This was why I preferred the dolls over the live ones.
It was close to midnight, and the lights in many of my neighbors' homes were still on. The frigid night air was brisk against my exposed skin.
It reminded me of when I'd take my walks in the woods after a kill. Six months had passed since I had focused on a new target, and had spent that time trying to keep my identity hidden, and Maria's life a secret.
There was so much speculation out there because her bloodied mannequin hadn't been found yet. Obviously I could not drain her or it would ruin my 6 months of work. Still, I had to do something to throw them off the trail or conclude that she was dead. Perhaps if I collected enough blood over several weeks and... well, she was on her period. Maybe I could - ugh no that was so unsanitary and disgusting.
I would just have to bleed her like brakes.
Jenny was not making it any easier for me or Adrian. All she did was ask questions and call me at all hours of the night to discuss theories.
I didn't know I would be unleashing an avalanche of texts when I gave her my number. I just wanted to know all that she knew so I could keep an eye on her.
I pulled into the Walgreens parking lot that was just down the street from my home. One cashier—a young boy of about nineteen years—was standing at the counter.
His eyes were dull with sleepiness and boredom. I failed to acknowledge him while grabbing a basket, and made my way to the aisles.
Hundreds of packages were sitting on the shelf, each one looking the same as the last. I glanced down at the brand she had written down: Playtex Sport. What, was she about to go into sport mode?
The package was at the end of the aisle next to the other very similar, if not identical boxes. I grabbed a couple, looking at the graphics on the box. Super absorbency versus regular absorbency. Of what, the blood? Was there a difference in how they bled?
One was scented and the other unscented. I looked at the list, she hadn't specified. But what did she want? What was better? I looked down either end of the aisle to see if anyone could help. Ghost town.
Fine. I'd have to figure this out myself.
I looked back at the packages reading the additional information they provided. Not too light, or heavy. Perfect for normal flow days. Then the other package said they were recommended for heavy flow.
I looked back at the list. She also hadn't specified the level of her flow.
On the back was a diagram of the tampon. It looked like a sperm. I chuckled to myself, before reading the information on the diagram.
It had a contoured tip, the tampon, a barrel, a string. What was the string for? Okay, it also had a plunger, what in the hell? 360 degree sport level protection with flex fit. An ache throbbed behind my eyes.
I rubbed them quickly, returning to the information on each box. Whatever. I grabbed two of the super absorbency packages then looked towards the smaller pink boxes.
She wanted something called Midol, too. There was Midol and Midol Complete. Which-no, not about to do this again.
I threw it all into the basket, then searched for the third item on her list. A rack with women's cotton briefs was up against the wall. I grabbed a couple of packages, then moved onto the last item on her list.
A razor.
Okay, this I knew. I went off to the aisle I knew contained all the razors and stopped in front of the brightly colored displays. My confidence was shot the moment I saw the various choices, each one doing something different.
My god, it was just to remove hair, what was the damn difference?
I grabbed a blue razor, ignoring all its features and brought everything to the counter.
The young man groggily rang me up and charged me my total.
$60 for just these items? That was ridiculous? You couldn't even reuse this shit.
When I'd passed along a few twenty dollar bills, he gave me my change and the plastic bag containing products that he hopefully didn't think were for me.
I drove back home, going straight for the doll room. Maria was sitting on the floor, her knees to her chest. I raised up the lights setting the bag down in front of her. She shielded her eyes with her hand before picking up the bag. Maria ripped open each package, asking to be taken to the bathroom again.
She walked ahead of me, but my eyes diverted to the mattress. The sheets were stained.
Disgusting.
I walked her down, growing suddenly guilty for her appearance.
As punishment, she hadn't been allowed to shower or change clothes for three months.
She had tried to attack me and that was just not proper guest behavior.
Her hair was incredibly disheveled and heavy with oil. Her dress was torn and fraying at the ends and sides, and now she was bleeding.
She'd grown docile since her punishment, though, so it had worked.
I stopped her in the hall, opening a cabinet to grab a white fluffy towel and washcloth.
She stared up at me confused, as I placed the items in her arms. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but I shook my head and sent her into the bathroom.
My sleepiness had left me already, so I spent the next thirty minutes sitting outside of the door, listening to the water run. There was a limit, but listening to her shower was not part of that limit.
When she shut the water off, I scampered down to my room to grab a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants as well as fresh sheets. We met each other in the hall with a cloud of steam rolling out of the bathroom.
Her hair was drenched and dripping.
I gave her a sharp look, urging her to dab the ends of her hair with her towel. I shifted my eyes away from the sight of her bare, wet skin.
You feel nothing. Don't be so weak.
I handed her my clothes and told her to meet me in the kitchen when she was dressed. She nodded, closing the doll room door behind her. I crossed the living room into the kitchen with Eloise following behind me. I filled the kettle with water, setting it on the stove, then threw a tea bag into a mug.
Maria entered the kitchen just as the kettle began to whistle. I asked her to take a seat while I poured the boiling water into the mug, then placed it in front of her. She timidly slid it closer, keeping her eyes low on the table top.
"Did the underwear fit?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Drink your tea, it'll make you feel better."
She nodded again, curling her fingers around the handle.
"You're allowed to speak to me, Maria." I reminded, growing irritated.
She cut her eyes to me, igniting that anger that had been extinguished for months.
"Maybe I don't want to speak to you." She retorted.
"You could say thank you. I did go to the store for you." I️ told her.
"You're right Kristopher. Thank you so much for kidnapping me and then going to the store to buy me tampons. You're a regular gentleman."
"You're welcome."
Her glare sharpened, causing me to smile.
"I take it those are the hormones." I said.
"They're not hormones!"
Tears welled in her eyes as her nose wrinkled, and a squeak passed through her lips.
What had I gotten myself into? The plan was to kill her and now she was sort of a pet.
"What can I do?" I asked. I was disgusted with myself. Here I was catering to her, a hostage. But then I reminded myself that I would have done the same for Mia or Abigail, or any of the other girls, and the purpose of keeping them was to protect and care for them.
"Can I have the cat?" She whined.
I lifted her up by the arm and walked her back to the doll room. She tried her hardest not to spill the tea as she tripped over her feet. Eloise scampered in behind us, wanting to be part of the action. I picked her up in a cradle hold then placed her on the bed next to Maria as she lied down. Eloise curled up near her stomach as I bent down to reattach the chain.
"Please don't." Maria said.
"I have to." I reminded.
"Kristopher, listen to me."
Maria sat up, placing a hand over Eloise's body so she wouldn't move.
"I have been here for six months. I haven't tried to hurt you or run away since that last time, three months ago. I shouldn't have to be tied up when all I do is sit locked in this room. Please Kristopher, for once in your life, trust someone." She snapped.
"And you want me to trust you? Why should I trust you?" I asked. "You've tried to kill me twice since we met."
She took to her feet and walked up to me. I tried to stand my ground, but suddenly found myself pressed up against the wall.
The scent of my shampoo was emanating from the top of her head. My t-shirt and sweatpants were hanging off her body, clearly too big for her.
"Don't pretend those instances weren't warranted." she said.
I rolled my eyes.
"Kris, you let me get this close to you and you can't even move. You're willing to drive to a drugstore at midnight to buy me feminine products, and you're willing to make me tea and share your cat with me. I mean something to you, Kristopher."
I brushed a few fingers against her cheek.
"Go to sleep Maria, you're just a dirty little secret."
Something flickered in her eyes, but my observation was cut short by the sudden ringing of my phone. I reached into my pajama pocket and pulled it out, spotting the name on the screen.
"Look, it's your old pal Jenny." I told her.
Maria's eyes slid to the screen, then she turned them back to me.
"Are you romancing her?" she asked.
"What do you care?"
"You better not be flirting with her. I will kill you this time if you hurt her."
I chortled. "Are you jealous?"
Maria snorted, rolling her eyes.
"Please, you're a bad date that just won't end." She shot.
I cocked a brow.
"As I recall, you accepted my invitation to come back to my place. A strange guy that you didn't even like somehow still got you into his house. Tell me, Maria, were you that desperate to get spread out like an appetizer?"
Her hand shot up to slap me, but I caught her wrist, just inches from my face. She shoved me into the wall shooting daggers from her eyes.
"As if I would ever lie down with a piece of shit like you."
"When was the last time a man undressed you?" I asked.
"When was the last time you've had a woman that wasn't dead?" she retorted.
"I've never had a problem getting a woman into my bed."
Maria laughed, sighing airily.
"Please, I know you're keeping me here with the idea that one day you'll get me into your bed. But I've been here for 6 months and still you can't bring yourself to kill me or do anything to me. You're pathetic. You will never have me, not even in death." She said.
"I don't need you Maria, not when I have Jenny throwing her underwear at me."
I ran my eyes over her before meeting her gaze again.
"And she looks a lot better in my clothes than you do."
I shut the door, holding onto the knob just a little tighter.
Against all instinct, the door went unlocked.
Surprise!
I wanted to give you guys a present today <3
And yes, there will be an update on Friday too :)
Maria is alive!
Although Kris kind of roasted her... and she roasted him.
Who won?? Lol
Is he actually messing around with Jenny, or did he just say that to hurt her?
How was this chapter?
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