Gulf felt his anxiety rise but it all started to make sense, how did he miss so many clues. He slammed the wheel. Tul, if Tul was the killer he was also the stalker. He was able to be around them untouched, he had been working for the station for 2 fucking years!
Gulf swerved again stepping on the gas, he needed to make sure before he told anyone. His phone lit up and Saint's name appeared, Gulf cleared his throat and answered "Hello?"
"Gulf where are you? "
"I came to run an errand real quick why?" He couldn't put anyone else at risk "Did you need something?"
"I was going to ask you for a ride home, I needed some clothes before I went back to Zee's place and him and Mew aren't back yet"
"Don't go to your place alone" Gulf tried to keep his voice calm "I'll be back like in 1 hour are you okay waiting for me?"
"Yeah, I mean Zee may be back by then but if not we can go together "
"Okay yeah stay there don't go anywhere okay?"
Saint felt a bit of apprehension at Gulf's insistence to stay put "Gulf is everything okay? Where are you? What errand are you running?"
"Came to pick up something for Mew I'll call you in a bit okay? Don't worry!"
Saint bit his lip "Okay.. call me if anything okay?"
"Okay! Bye"
Gulf hated lying but if he was right and Tul was the killer Saint was safer at the station than any other place, he would ring the alarm if he confirmed it, the son of a bitch had to pay for hurting Mild.
—-
He pulled up to the seedy neighborhood and got down , the sun was beginning to set. He walked down looking at the shabby houses, trying to find his house but the numbers had either fallen off the dirty walls and were too crummy to be able to tell what they were. His phone rang and he paused. Mew's face lit up his screen.
"Hey are you at the station?" he said sounding tired, Gulf was sure he was, he had been out since the previous night with only 4 hours of sleep.
"Hey, no, sorry I'm running an errand for Saint"
He didn't want to lie but he had no idea if his hunch was wrong.
"I'm on my way there want me to wait for you so we can go together?"
Gulf smiled "Okay, I should be back soon okay?"
"Okay, see you soon"
"Bye" he felt a tug at his heart but ignored it, it was for his own good,he didn't need to know for now. He looked down at his phone and saw the unread notification he had. He had ignored Nida's text earlier because he didn't want to lie to her, the fact that her friend could be in the hands of a serial killer wasn't exactly news he wanted to deliver anytime soon. He saw a lady eyeing him from her porch and decided he would ask.
"Hello" he said politely approaching her.
"Let me guess you're looking for Tul's place" the lady chuckled "he sure is popular these days, first those two men, then one came back alone and ran out of here like his house was on fire and now you" She said eyeing him suspiciously.
Two men? Ran out of here? Gulf froze. Mild? Could it be Mild came here realized Tul was the killer and Tul.. "Can you describe the man that ran out of here?"
"Short, pale, funny looking" Gulf's anger was rising slowly.
"Can you point me to his place?" The lady eyed him again and shrugged she pointed her wrinkly finger at a blue door across from them. Gulf nodded and made his way there he knocked but no one answered. His patience was running thin, he tried the knob but it was locked, he glanced back at the lady who was still watching him but he had reached a point where he didn't care anymore. He took a step back and kicked the old door, it swung wide open, he heard the lady yell at him but he ignored it.
He walked into the place and it reeked of alcohol, how anyone could live in this stench was beyond him, he flipped the switch and looked around, there were no family pictures no feeling of home to the place, he walked to the first door and the smell of alcohol became stronger the room was scattered with empty liquor bottles.
The next door was the bathroom, he walked to the last door and hesitated. He was sure Tul was the killer now but this would cement it, he braced himself. He opened the door, the scent of lavender wafted through the air from the dark room. Gulf felt the wall for a light switch and flipped it. He stood petrified at the sight. There was pictures of him everywhere. The room was filled with them, the walls the ceiling. He felt his head spin at the sight of him sleeping next to Tul completely unaware.
He blinked rapidly, he took a deep breath he needed to focus. Now it was confirmed Tul was the stalker he needed to find clues that could lead him to Oni or any of the previous victims confirming he was the killer as well. He packed his emotions in a box and put them away. He looked around the room, he saw the bucket of roses in the corner and walked towards it. The roses were between grey and black. They were almost finished tinting. Black Roses, he was the killer. Did the fact that he was getting roses ready mean he was almost done with Oni?
He glanced up and saw the polaroid pictures. He felt the color from his face drain. The why he was killing victims who had nothing in common had been answered. Gulf closed his eyes for a moment trying to calm the anxiety he currently felt, he began putting the victims in order in his mind.
Kanya, Arisa, Nissa, Aoi, Ireshi, Lawan, and now the last know victim Oni. His eyes flashed open and he stared at the polaroid pictures. 'K-A-N-A' was clearly the first word, the nickname his mother had given him tenderly was once again being used for a sick purpose ' I' followed and the new word forming was clearly love. 'L-O had already been taken.
Gulf felt a rush of fear engulf him. V was next. No he wouldn't , he couldn't.
He quickly pulled out his phone the image of Tul's disgusting smile on his face as he met Nida today flashing in his brain, he read the message she had sent earlier.
Going to Oni's place to see if she left anything there that could help, let me know if you have any news- Nida
Gulf felt his heart drop, attached to each polaroid from a white thread a key hung. He could only assume it was a key to each victims place. Even Lawan who had not been wearing her own clothes had one. This explained why it never looked like the place had been broken into.
He quickly dialed her number and prayed she picked up, if he had read the message earlier he could have stopped her. He didn't even think she would go by her place. It kept ringing but soon it went to voicemail. His panic increased, his heart was hammering away. He quickly typed a message.
Nida it's important call me right now, I think I found Oni-Gulf
He got a instant reply.
Oh? Really where?-Nida
Gulf's breath caught. That wasn't Nida and he knew it, she would've called right away. His hand began to shake.
Call me, I know it's not Nida- Gulf
His phone began to ring and he answered.
"Kana.." Tul's voice whispered.
"Where is she? Give her back right now!"
There was a chuckle and the tone on the phone changed "Who are you to demand things from me?! Huh? You're the one that ignored Tul's love and now you want to demand shit?"
Tul's love? Why was he talking like he wasn't Tul!? "What do you want?" Gulf said in a calm tone. He was trying to think he needed to find Nida but if he pushed Tul too far he would hurt her without a doubt.
He heard a whimper and a soft tone reply came through "All I wanted was for you to love me, I know we are meant to be, but he came in between us and now.... well he will make him pay"
He will? Who's he!!! Gulf was getting more and more anxious by the second, he was insane, meant to be?! They didn't even know each other!!
He heard a chuckle and Tul's dark tone came through the line "He's going to regret getting between you and Tul and then you will realize you and Tul need to be together forever"
It finally dawned on Gulf he was talking to 2 people, that's why he had always felt certain aspects of Tul didn't fit him, he had two personalities within him. He lowered the phone for a moment thinking he took a deep breath and put the phone back to his ear.
"If you let them go I'll leave with you"
There was silence on the other line and Gulf's heart began to pound harder, was it the wrong move? He was trying to appeal to the softer side he tried again "Ins't that what you wanted Tul? Me? Didn't you want us to be together? So stop killing now I saw your message I know you love me, let them go and we can leave together"
"Okay.." came the soft toned reply "We don't have to kill anymore"
Gulf took a deep breath.
"Don't play games with me Kanawut" the dark tone replied "I'm not as gullible as Tul, where are you? Have you told anyone about me?"
"Your house, your room, No I didn't"
He chuckled "Okay I'll send you an address you'll find a burner phone on the top drawer of my nightstand , get rid off yours don't try to trick me or they both die you know I'm capable, come alone and we'll decide things once you're here"
"Okay" Gulf looked around for any piece of paper he could find and wrote down a message for whoever came here next.
"I know how long it takes to get here, if you're one minute late I'll start whipping this arrogant little bitch"
Gulf felt his rage increase. He was going to kill him, he was going to kill him even if it was the last thing he ever did.
——-
Meanwhile
Mew dragged his feet and walked into the station feeling the drain of the day. Zee looked the same, they were both exhausted. They made it into his office and were surprised to find Saint sitting there he was bitting his nails and looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulder.
"Babe?" Zee called from the doorway "Is something wrong?"
Saint got up quickly "Have you talked to Gulf?" He asked Mew
"Yeah about 30 mins ago he said he would come back here so we could leave together, why? What's wrong?"
Saint released a breath he didn't know he was holding, maybe the whole Mild thing had gotten him wound up "Nothing my paranoia acting up" He walked up to Zee and pecked him on the lips "Hey babe" Zee hugged him tightly
"Geez get a room!" Mew said teasingly
"What did you send Gulf to get anyways? Not even a title yet and you have him as your errand boy already" Saint teased back
Mew stopped and turned to look at him "What do you mean? I didn't send him anywhere he said he was running and errand for you.."
Saint's smile faded before he could say anything his phone beeped, he saw Gulf's name appear. He opened it and felt his stomach turn. Gulf had sent his current location. He recognized. It was Tul's house.
"What's wrong why are you trembling" Zee asked hugging him.
Saint looked at Zee and his phone beeped again. He looked down again
Trace me & don't stop -Gulf
He gripped his phone tightly "I - I .." his phone beeped again
KILLER- Gulf
Saint dropped the phone and tears began to run down his cheeks, his worst fears were coming true. "Gu-Gulf" he choked out
Mew took a step toward him and picked up the phone he dropped. He read the messages and felt his heart drop. "What the fuck is going on?!!"
"Tul" Saint said sobbing again "Tul is the killer"
Mew looked at Saint like he had gone insane , but then it made sense. Tul had turn up out of no where at the last crime scene, he seemed to have a weird liking to Gulf and if Gulf was right , if his stalker and the Killer where the same person ... "Where is this location Saint?!"
"Tul's house" he whispered back. Mew felt his heart start to hammer furiously in his chest. He turned around and grabbed the keys to his car and walked out the office.
——
Mew pulled up to the location and was shocked to find a patrol car on site Zee and Saint were right behind him. He walked towards the officers and pulled out his badge "What's going on!?" He asked
"It's you!" A lady that was talking to the officers yelled pointing a finger at Saint "You came here with that short guy who ran out of here!" The lady cackled "and now another one showed up and kicked the door open and left like nothing"
Mew turned to Saint "Me and Mild suspected Tul had bad intentions towards Gulf so we came here to find more information... Mild must've come back on his own and found out the truth so Tul tried to kill him.."
Mew turned to the police officers "Close off the area this is part of an ongoing investigation " he turned to Zee "call for back up now we need this place turned over" Mew was trying to keep his cool but he couldn't help the fear that was flowing through his veins.
He began walking toward the house and Zee caught up to him and handed him a pair of gloves "They are on their way and Saint is checking on the trace" Mew just nodded he hated that Gulf had decided to do this on his own, but he understood the fear he had of someone else getting hurt. He walked into the place and frowned at the overwhelming smell of alcohol. He walked towards the room that was open and froze.
"What the fuck?!?!" Zee exclaimed behind him.
What the fuck was right, the room had Gulf plastered all over the walls, he saw the pictures of Gulf sleeping in his boxers and frowned "This sick son of a bitch.." he looked at the ceiling and felt his rage triple Tul was in bed with an obviously sleeping Gulf. Mew wanted to tear it down immediately but held back.
"Mew" Mew turned to Zee who looked like he had seen a ghost he was holding a piece of paper in his hands. He walked towards him and noticed the polaroids. He looked at the message that was being composed by the photographs.
Zee pulled his arm and handed him the paper , the look on his face made Mew even more nervous. He looked down and blinked.
He has Nida. I have to stop him. I'm sorry
He reread the words because he wasn't sure if this was a nightmare or not. Suddenly droplets of water began to dampen the paper in his hands and he couldn't understand why his vision was blurry.
"Mew.." Zee said softly, he lifted his gaze to look at him "N-Nida? My Nida?" Mew whispered softly and Zee nodded.