Page 64 of The Art of Being a Psychopath

“This isn’t over a fucking review in the newspaper, I can tell you that much. This is about so much more than fucking words in print. This is something else entirely.” He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth as he regarded the wall one last time, then snapped, “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

Alex charged through the living room, as if he expected S.K.A.M. to be waiting in my kitchen where he was heading. He was fired up and ready to take him out with his bare hands, but he wouldn’t find him there. S.K.A.M. possessed much more cunning than that. He didn’t linger at the scene of the crime. Not in a way that he’d get caught. He danced in the shadows, revelling in the misery he caused.

Cautiously, I stepped further into the living room, and as I glanced around, I noticed a small, shoe box sized blue box with a pink bow on top, sitting on my windowsill.

Oh fuck, this wasn’t going to be good.

My hands shook as I reached forward and took the lid off. I was scared to see what was inside, but at the same time, I had to look.

Was this another body part?

A piece of Sirius Bell he thought I needed to see?

It wasn’t, and relief flooded through me, but it was short-lived.

Inside was a Barbie doll, completely naked, with cuts slashed into her plastic body. Around her neck was a piece of string, twisted to look like a noose, and her eyes had been scratched out with something sharp, probably the tip of a knife. Inside the lid of the box, written in the same red ink as the coloured paint on my walls, were the words ‘Tick Tock, Emma. Your time’s almost up’.

It was another reminder that he was coming for me.

I couldn’t bear to look at it a moment longer, and I really didn’t want Alex to see this, so I put the lid back on the box and picked it up, sliding it into my bag. I wanted to keep this to myself. I don’t know why, but I did. I had to collect evidence against this man, but I had to be careful who I shared it with.

At that moment, Alex came striding out of the kitchen with purpose, his face flushed red with anger as he struggled to contain his fury.

“There’s no sign of forced entry that I can see,” he snapped. “The back door is locked, and the windows haven’t been tampered with. Downstairs looks secure, so I need to check upstairs.”

I wanted to say, ‘There won’t be any signs of forced entry because he’s done this before’. But I stood there dumbstruck as Alex headed for the stairs. Then he stopped and turned to face me.

“Are you okay, Emma?” he asked, genuine concern shining in his eyes. His own anger had taken him over, I knew that, but seeing the empathy he also had for me in that moment meant something. Maybe Alex wasn’t like other guys. I really hoped he wasn’t.

“No, I’m not okay,” I stammered, trying to hold in my tears. “But I’ll be all right. I won’t let him get to me.”

“He won’t ever get to you. I’d die before I let that happen.”

He put his arms out and pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly as I stood with my hands limply at my sides, letting him. Standing in his arms helped to ease the sensation of a million bugs biting and scurrying over me, burrowing under my skin and making my flesh crawl. The pain was still there, but it felt less visceral knowing he was here too. I was so fucking glad he was here, because if I’d seen this on my own, I’m not sure how I’d have coped.

I felt him kiss the top of my head and my skin prickled as warmth flowed through me. Then he sighed and said, “I’ll find him, and when I do, I’ll make him pay for this. You have my word. This stops, today.”

I was silent for a moment, stuck between a world of horror, and one that whispered promises of love and protection. Wishing I could release myself from the shackles of one reality, to fall headfirst into the other.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “Throughout this whole ordeal, it’s felt like no one is listening to me. No one’s taking it seriously.”

“I am,” he replied. “I’m taking this deadly seriously.”

We stood holding each other for a while, lost in thoughts of revenge and whatever this moment was, and how it could manifest itself in the future.

“Thank God you didn’t listen to me, leave me on the street, and drive away like I wanted you to.” I spoke the words that were swimming in my mind without giving them a second thought.

He kept a tight hold of me as he replied, “I told you, I’ll always be here for you, Emma.”

I closed my eyes, wishing that this could be different. Willing those painted words on my wall to disappear. Wishing I could disappear too or get a rewind button so I could go back to the night of the gallery and change every single thing I’d done. Well, maybe not every single thing.

Alex loosened his hold on me, then took my face in his hands, using his thumb to brush away a stray tear that’d fallen.

“You’re going to be okay,” he stated firmly. “No one’s going to hurt you. Not ever. Not while I’m around.”

I nodded and reluctantly, he let his hands fall to his sides. “Let me check the rooms upstairs, then we’ll call the police.”

“The police won’t care,” I told him.