Page 29 of Tormented By Regret

Grateful for the dim lighting that cloaked me in shadows, I made a beeline for the nearest exit, my senses on high alert. As much as I was honored by the attention i was getting, I wasn’t done yet with what I had set out to do. And until then, I couldn’t afford getting caught.

As I stepped out into the cool night air, I scanned the dimly lit parking lot. There, nestled amongst the rows of cars, I spotted my ticket to freedom – a sleek black sedan. With practiced ease, I approached the vehicle. Years of incarceration had honed my instincts to a razor's edge. Within a few minutes I was sliding into the driver’s seat and firing up the engine. A sense of grim determination settled over me as I disappeared down the road. With every mile that slipped away beneath the wheels of the stolen car, I felt a glimmer of hope guiding me towards my next kill.

Turning on the radio, an old song blasted through the speakers as I remembered the last few moments I’d spent with my Lucy. I'd practiced my moves on pillows, and then finally got get my hands on a few willing victims that I’d taken to practice on.

It was gruesome at first, not knowing what to expect. Each woman struggled and fought differently, which made it a well-rounded learning experience. So, by the time I got to Lucy, I was able to use all the skills I’d perfected, on her. But killing her was sweeter, more pure, more intimate. How easy it was to dig into her first artery, the main one that ran along her thigh. I remember how smoothly the blade had slid into her lung, right beneath her ribcage. But it wasn't until I'd sunk it into the side of her throat and kissed her, right as she gave her last breath, that I found myself to be completely satisfied.

I'd left her lying there, naked and on display for them to take pictures of my beautiful art. And then I'd walked back to the bar to make the anonymous call to the police. With a sweet little message to an old friend. A whisper of my presence in his darkest hour.

I laughed as the signs pointing south appeared along the roadside. The laughter becoming maniacal as I sped the car down the dark road. I knew where he'd gone to and who he was with. A pretty little thing too. I remembered as the employees at The Raven Inn spoke so highly of her. Told me how smart and special she was, how proud her parents were of her. She was everything he had taken from me, and I was going to strip him again and again of it all, until I’d push him to take his own fucking life. And then, right when he’s about to pull the trigger, I’d be there for that moment too. Joining him in his release.

POWERTRAIN

The woods felt desolate and dreary as I ran through them, barefoot and with the mist thickening around me. Visibility was near zero, the branches obscured by the heavy fog. Every step was agony as sharp twigs and bark tore at my feet. Another scream rang out, causing me to whirl around, darting in another direction, unsure of where to go.

Then, a voice called out my name, familiar yet chilling. A man's sinister laugh echoed around me, disorienting me.

"Lucy! Lucy, where are you!"

My panicked scream joined the cacophony of terrifying sounds. Lucy's tortured cries filled the air, sending shivers down my spine, nearly paralyzing me in fear.

Ignoring the pain in my feet, I pushed forward, the sound of trickling water in the distance urging me on. But the dense mist continued to obscure my vision, leaving me stumbling blindly.

"You'll never find her," the man's voice whispered in my ear, and I jerked in surprise, losing my balance and tumbling down what felt like an endless abyss.

I lay there, feeling utterly helpless, my body battered by rocks and branches. And then, I saw her, lying just in front of me. I reached out, desperate to help, but she lay motionless. Her breaths were still, her eyes wide with a silent scream, blood staining the leaves and dirt around her.

In the distance, a faint ringing sounded, like a phone. I scrambled through the dry leaves, searching desperately for it. I needed to call for help, anyone who could come for us.

The ringing was distant yet persistent, as my head throbbed with pain. I struggled to keep my eyes open, but exhaustion was pulling me under.

I could sense my eyelids fluttering, but this time, they were fighting to wake up.

The ringing pierced the quiet of the night, jolting me awake. It took a moment to register—it was my cell phone that was ringing beside me. With a groan, I reached out and accidentally knocked it off the nightstand, cursing loudly enough to disturb Whisper, who remained fast asleep beside me.

Rolling over, I grabbed the phone, squinting at the bright, glaring screen. It was three in the morning, and Hoax's name flashed with three missed calls. A sense of dread settled in my stomach; I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation.

I braced myself as I stepped outside, cursing at the crazy weather. The brisk wind hit me like a cold bucket of water, and I hugged my arm around my chest for warmth as I returned the call.

His voice came through on the second ring. "Shit man, I thought you'd never answer."

"Everything alright? The sun's not even up yet, Hoax." Whatever had him up at this hour wasn’t good.

I could hear him tinkering around on the keyboard in front of him. I pictured him back at the clubhouse, a mess full of empty Cheetos bags lying around him while he swiveled around in his gamer chair. He was always glued to those damn computer screens. The man needed pussy, stat.

"Are you sitting down?"

"No, I'm freezing my ass off."

"Why?" I blinked at the question, slowly remembering that Hoax had an ADD problem that made him lose track of things if he didn’t focus. After a long pause, my frustration kicked in.

Through chattering clenched teeth, I responded. "Because I'm standing in my boxers outside so as not to wake Whisper. Now fucking talk."

"Ahhh, man. I got shit news, brother."

That dread now settled in my chest. The dream came back to me, Lucy's eyes screaming for help, stayed with me."

"Keep talking," I urged him, a deeper coldness flooding through me.

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