“Tell that to my art teacher because he gave me a C-.” She sighs. “That’s the lowest mark I’ve received from him and I know it’s because of those stupid rumors. Part of me wants to tongue Stacy in front of him and shame him for being a homophobic asshole.” She huffs and I want to go fuck him up the ass and then kill him. My first kill was after someone called me a faggot. It wasn’t that the word offended me; I don’t care if people think I’m gay or straight. I don’t care who people fuck or don’t fuck, it was him thinking he could insult me, intimidate me. He was a useless drug-dealing piece of shit who wasn’t worthy of my rage. I regret being careless that night but I couldn’t control the need in the moment. I’d suppressed the urge for so long. It’s a surreal moment when the only thing that makes sense to you is your own voice in your head telling you to kill.
“Ryan.” Cereus says my name and shakes my shoulders to gain my attention. “Where did you just go?”
“What do you mean?”
“I said your name four times and you were just staring into space.”
“Sorry. You know, homosexual relationships are banned in Iran, but the country carries out more sex change operations than any other nation in the world except for Thailand.”
Her brow furrows and she lets out an awkward laugh. “Okay?” she says.
“Come on, I need to get back to the realtors office and sign the paperwork.”
I walk around the empty space after signing the contract and paying a year’s rent in advance to make them look the other way when I couldn’t provide references. They happily gave me the key and the name of a removal company that give good rates. I don’t need a removal company; I have nothing to my name. I need to shop for basic crap and the idea of actually doing that makes me want to punch a wall. I have no clue about this shit, Cereus can have that job.
I take a trip to the address I found for Doctor Jenna, just to get a feel for what kind of place she owns. It’s a nice little two-story house with a white mailbox and a garden gnome. I pick up the decorative little man and debate taking him just because I can, but a glint catches my eye and I see a key embedded into his feet. Her spare key? She works in a hospital full of serial killers and rapists so she knows the danger of being so careless. I take the key to get it copied.
Isabella has been blowing up my phone, and the urge to call her and tell her to come here so I can slice into her some more is overwhelming, but I have to control these cravings. I’m being watched by Blake, and Jodie’s death will already be rattling feathers. It’s as if the world wants me to kill because my phone lights up again with Isabella’s number. It’s good to be out of that place. I feel almost normal, as normal as I can, anyway. A rap at the front door draws my attention. I’ve been here all of five minutes and only Cereus knows the address.
Swinging the door open I come face to face with a petite blonde. Her light green eyes look up at me expectantly.
“What?” I bark making her flinch.
She squints her eyes at me. “You need to move your car.”
I look to where she gestures and notice a red Ford nearly kissing my bumper with its own.
I bought a car so I don’t need to take the train anywhere. I hate using public transport; they’re peasant wagons.
“Why? I live here now.”
“I don’t care. That’s my parking space. Yours is around the back, so move it.” Her hands go to her hips, and someone who hadn’t killed for smaller offenses would maybe take heed of the feisty little brat, but she has no idea who she’s spouting off at.
“No, I don’t think so. You park around the back.”
I slam the door on her and relish the yelp she makes. Her fist hammers on the door. She’s pissing me off. I swing the door open and refrain from pulling her inside and gutting her.
“Please move your car. It’s been a long shift,” she says.
“Then go park your car and go to bed.”
“Do you realize there’s no lighting back there? Anyone could be lurking. Do you know how dangerous that is for a woman?”
I move forward, crowding her with my frame, and lower my head to her ear. “I know how dangerous I am and yet here you are, provoking me.”
She inhales and steps back. Her eyes scan my face for truth. She must see the darkness lurking inside me because she backs away. It appears to have no effect on her bravery though because she inhales and says back
“Fine. Fuck you very much and welcome to the neighborhood,”
I slam the door and continue the tour of my new dwellings.
I could have bought a bigger, classier place but I wanted somewhere off the beaten track where Cereus could visit and I could decide where and what I want to do from here on out.