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Authors: Angel Lawson
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Warring odors assaulted my senses and it only took a moment before I found a smudge on the sidewalk. I wiped my finger over the dark stain and sniffed the coppery blood.
The police hadn’t found a body, but a girl was reported missing. Searching the surrounding areas thoroughly, I came up empty, too.
Examining the area, I stopped near a wooden fence separating yards. Scratch marks were gouged into the top of the fence. I spread my fingers over the lines, matching them to my own razor-sharp nails and leapt easily over the six-foot high obstacle. My feet landed in the soft grass next to a handful of other footprints. At the very least, this guy was of similar height and size. I sniffed the markings and caught a whiff of his scent. So the Predator had been here. What did he do with her body? I wondered. After finding nothing else useful, I decided to head east, following the pattern I had formulated.
As I traveled I opened my mind to the noises of the night. Passing homes, I heard the sounds of families having dinner and children playing outside enjoying the warm weather. I overheard an argument by two lovers, one bitter over the betrayal of the other. Most of it was mundane, people worried about bills or work or relationships. After all this time I'd become numb to the day-to-day worries of humans. I attempted to respect their privacy when possible, but tonight I was listening for something else.
The Predator.
I'd heard him before. Several times in fact, but I was always too late. He seemed to have a sense of when to move on, of when I was coming. I'm not sure if he knew I was on to him yet or if it was a coincidence. I felt like he knew. He was elusive, always one step ahead.
There were others with him, at least that was my theory. Their voices changed and often combined with the victims, making them hard to identify. Everything about this predator and his accomplices was one step ahead of me. I was fast. He was faster and unfortunately, deadlier.
So, tonight as I walked, I listened for his voice, for the clues I needed to find him before another unsuspecting victim stumbled onto his path. If all went according to plan, I would catch up to him. The pattern fit and my research was flawless.
Oh shoot, I burned the bread….mommy, Jane hit me on purpose…I'm sorry, I really am….Oh. My. God. You will not believe what I just heard…
Humans. Nothing they said was ever of much importance. My thoughts turned to Ms. Chase and I wondered where she was at this moment. Had the worker called her for a date? Had she made plans to see him? Again, I was irritated by my fascination with her and determined I had to move past my obsession.
Did you watch Fallon today…I'm going to the store, do you need anything…please, please, whatever you want…
My mind perked up at the last one and I narrowed my focus. The voice sounded distressed. Low growls echoed in the night.
Do you want my money? Or my car? Here, take my keys…..please…
I zeroed in. They weren’t far. Less than five miles away, if my calculations were correct. I inhaled, catching his scent, mingled with hers. She smelled salty—like sweat and her heart beat erratically. Not only from fear but exhaustion. Tiny, but important clues. I couldn’t be positive but I took off in the direction of the nearest park. It fit his pattern. An educated guess was better than nothing at all.
“Don’t do this...please…oh my god.” Her voice rang through the night, clear as a bell.
His reply was gravelly, snide. “ Don’t be afraid…you’re part of a bigger plan. Remember that.”
I came to the entrance of the park and read the wooden sign.
Lullwater Park
Jogging Trails
Hours 6:00 AM-Dark
The sweat and racing heart signaled the woman was probably a jogger. I tore through the darkness in the direction of the trails. This was the closest I had come to him, the closest I had been to stopping him from continuing his terrorization of this community. I heard her
The police hadn’t found a body, but a girl was reported missing. Searching the surrounding areas thoroughly, I came up empty, too.
Examining the area, I stopped near a wooden fence separating yards. Scratch marks were gouged into the top of the fence. I spread my fingers over the lines, matching them to my own razor-sharp nails and leapt easily over the six-foot high obstacle. My feet landed in the soft grass next to a handful of other footprints. At the very least, this guy was of similar height and size. I sniffed the markings and caught a whiff of his scent. So the Predator had been here. What did he do with her body? I wondered. After finding nothing else useful, I decided to head east, following the pattern I had formulated.
As I traveled I opened my mind to the noises of the night. Passing homes, I heard the sounds of families having dinner and children playing outside enjoying the warm weather. I overheard an argument by two lovers, one bitter over the betrayal of the other. Most of it was mundane, people worried about bills or work or relationships. After all this time I'd become numb to the day-to-day worries of humans. I attempted to respect their privacy when possible, but tonight I was listening for something else.
The Predator.
I'd heard him before. Several times in fact, but I was always too late. He seemed to have a sense of when to move on, of when I was coming. I'm not sure if he knew I was on to him yet or if it was a coincidence. I felt like he knew. He was elusive, always one step ahead.
There were others with him, at least that was my theory. Their voices changed and often combined with the victims, making them hard to identify. Everything about this predator and his accomplices was one step ahead of me. I was fast. He was faster and unfortunately, deadlier.
So, tonight as I walked, I listened for his voice, for the clues I needed to find him before another unsuspecting victim stumbled onto his path. If all went according to plan, I would catch up to him. The pattern fit and my research was flawless.
Oh shoot, I burned the bread….mommy, Jane hit me on purpose…I'm sorry, I really am….Oh. My. God. You will not believe what I just heard…
Humans. Nothing they said was ever of much importance. My thoughts turned to Ms. Chase and I wondered where she was at this moment. Had the worker called her for a date? Had she made plans to see him? Again, I was irritated by my fascination with her and determined I had to move past my obsession.
Did you watch Fallon today…I'm going to the store, do you need anything…please, please, whatever you want…
My mind perked up at the last one and I narrowed my focus. The voice sounded distressed. Low growls echoed in the night.
Do you want my money? Or my car? Here, take my keys…..please…
I zeroed in. They weren’t far. Less than five miles away, if my calculations were correct. I inhaled, catching his scent, mingled with hers. She smelled salty—like sweat and her heart beat erratically. Not only from fear but exhaustion. Tiny, but important clues. I couldn’t be positive but I took off in the direction of the nearest park. It fit his pattern. An educated guess was better than nothing at all.
“Don’t do this...please…oh my god.” Her voice rang through the night, clear as a bell.
His reply was gravelly, snide. “ Don’t be afraid…you’re part of a bigger plan. Remember that.”
I came to the entrance of the park and read the wooden sign.
Lullwater Park
Jogging Trails
Hours 6:00 AM-Dark
The sweat and racing heart signaled the woman was probably a jogger. I tore through the darkness in the direction of the trails. This was the closest I had come to him, the closest I had been to stopping him from continuing his terrorization of this community. I heard her
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