I sat on the sofa and turned on the TV.
12:00 a.m. news report.
Another frightening news, another victim raped and done away, and the police was doing everything to dig the serial killer out. However, no one was caught yet and women living in this area just kept dying. The news was making me annoyed. In fact, people definitely would be annoyed if the news was always about death. I turned off the TV, and took a book from the shelf to read.
Suddenly, the telephone rang.
" Hello..." I spoke.
" Hello, miss. It is so good hear your voice." the man spoke like he was in a hurry," I am the sheriff from Bamborg police station. It must have been a hard time for you recently. We have already confirmed that the criminal is living in this area. However, he is a very professional murderer, so we...um...yeah. I am here to remind you to look out for anyone who is suspicious. Maybe those guys who walk very slow and always look around. You must stay calm and call the police if you encounter anyone or anything strange. You have to lock all the doors and windows, and maybe put a knife beside you when you sleep. Wish yourself a good night, miss, it is hard to sleep in these nights."
Such an annoying man. I sat on the windowsill and looked up to the peaceful sky. It was so peaceful here, so why I should worry about it.
I would have a good sleep tonight, I promise myself. Then I continued to read my book.
After a while, I looked up from the book to rest my eyes. Then I caught a glimpse of someone walking towards my house.
My neighbour, John, was walking towards here in a quick pace. However, my eyes were focusing on his right hand.
He was holding an axe in his right hand.
Oh gosh, he is here! The rapist, the murderer! He is here! I will be the next victim! Millions of voice screamed in my head.
I quickly turned off the lights and wrapped myself under three layers of blankets in the bed. I felt my whole body trembling vigorously.
Knock! Knock! John must be at the doorway now.
" Hetty, open the door! I know you are in there! Open the door, Hetty! Hetty!" I stayed under my bed even if he was banging the door. Then, the shouting stopped. Is he going to break the door? I asked myself. However, for a while, there was nothing but silence.
The peace before a storm.
Then I remembered that I didn't lock the backdoor up. How can I be so careless? I gripped my legs tightly, hope he will not know it.
A tall and thin silhouette appeared in front of me, and his right hand was holding an axe. I started to regret why I didn't put a knife beside my bed. Then I screamed as loud as Death's laugh. I expected him tearing off my clothes, rape me and cut my head into half. Instead, he just looked at me with his large and curious eyes.
We stared at each other for a while, then he broke the silence.
" What are you doing, Hetty? Why are you trembling?" He asked.
I didn't answer him, but my eyes did. I was looking at his axe.
He immediately understood and put the axe down on the floor, " Sorry if I scared you. Um, sheriff Tang just called me, saying that the killer should be living in this area, and he told me to watch out for suspects. I thought of you, like, you need protection. So I bring the axe with me here to, um, protect you."
He walked slowly next to me, and held my hand. Both hands were full of sweats. I looked up to him and saw him smiling.
My body started to turn back to 'normal' mode, and I wasn't trembling much.
Then a scream from the house next to mine. It was Celia's scream, and this scream seemed to have put a knife into my heart.
John released his grip, picked up his axe and said, " Hetty, stay here. I gonna check check on Celia."
I nodded and he walked out of my house.
After he was gone, I looked out of a window in the kitchen to see what was going on in Celia's house.
All lights in Celia's house were turned off. I opened the window, trying to hear something.
Nothing but coldness from outside passed through the gap.
I shivered a little bit.
Then the door of Celia's house was opened, and a man walked out of it. His clothe was dyed with blood and he was holding an axe in his right hand.
But that was not John, but Jack, another nighbour.
Jack the ripper?
The man stood outside the door and looked around. Before I had time to hide myself under the window, he noticed me. He sneered and broke the window next to me with his axe. He then climbed through the window easily and looked at me like a predator.
At this moment, I still couldn't believe the murderer was actually Jack. He was a very nice guy. He would help you as much as possible if you told him your problem. He talked to ladies like a gentlemen. And he got such a beautiful smile and eyes that you would fall for him as soon as you see him. If I was still single now, I would have made him my boyfriend.
However, the cruel truth stood in front of me, making me helpless and hopeless.
I wasn't afraid now at all, but stunned.
" I know what you want to say, miss." Jack said with an evil grin, " you want to ask why am I so different from the me you know. I would like to tell you, I am Dracula. In front of people, I am a nice person, however, after the sky goes dark, I change back to my real self. There is no need to lie to myself, and I would do whatever I want. Let me give you some advice, never judge someone based on their appearance. However, it would be useless to you, because you would have been dead before the sun rises."
" You are crazy!" I yelled at him.
" I know that." He said with a shudder." Now take off your clothes, and tie yourself on the chair (he threw a rope to me). Don't make me do that myself, I don't want you to suffer unnecessary pain before your death."
I took the rope with trembling fingers and sat down on a chair beside me.
I looked at the demon in front of me and said, " maybe I should have reminded you something."
"what?"
" that I have knives in my kitchen."
I quickly picked up a knife behind me and stabbed the knife in his heart. His eyes were wide and surprised.
" Why? How come?" He asked hoarsely.
" A person with a knife is not enough to defend herself without bravery. I have both, so I can kill you, you son of a bitch!"
He wanted to speak something but life was being drained away from him quickly. He slumped on the ground as his blood dyed the floor red.
I sat beside Jack, the ripper's dead body and thought,
What would happen if other victims found their courage to fight back?
