The Writers' Circle

It was late august, the sky was a mystic shade of scarlet, birds were singing and the gentle buzz of electricity filled the air. Kay was lying in her bed half awake, usually at this time of year she would have taken her daughter and husband away for the week, but not this year or even the next for that matter, something terrible happened that summer, something Kay was never going to forget. 

Every day she was reminded of what happened just seeing her reflection. On that auspicious Saturday in July Kay, her husband Matt and Daughter Alexa were as usual in the garden, the weather in Manhattan at this time of year was spectacular. Alexa was 7 that month, a tall girl for her age, she had brilliant blue eyes and curled golden hair that fell just beyond her shoulders, she liked the wooden swing that her dad had built her,  Chris had spent a whole week making the garden Alexa's, she had swings, a tree house and they had a pool.

Alexa was in the tree house when the man had let himself into their house; he crept silently upstairs and quickly hid himself inside her wardrobe and waited. It was getting dark out side and they were all having a tea party with Alexa's teddies.
"Time for the teddies' bed don't you think love?" Kay smiled. Alexa shrugged and wriggled away, Kay seized her daughter, tickled her and carried her and the teddies inside, while Kay took Alexa to her room Matt made her a cup of warm milk and two Jaffa cakes, he took them up and stood in the door way of her room admiring his family, Alexa tucked up in bed and Kay beside her reading to her, her favourite bedtime story "Willa and Old Miss Annie".  He carefully set down the milk and Jaffa cakes on the bedside table opposite the wardrobe. The parents left the room, leaving Alexa to drink her milk and go to sleep, they retreated to the living room and curled up on the settee together and switched the television on.

Upstairs Alexa was then drifting off to sleep, the man in her wardrobe checked his watch, 8pm it glowed, he had another hour or two until the household would all be asleep, he adjusted himself so he was more comfortable and slid the knife out of his pocket, it glistened in the crack of light flowing in through the gap in the wardrobe doors, he ran it along a gloved finger and smiled to himself, tonight was his night and he would make sure she never forgot who he was. 

Kay loved this time of the evening, the house was quiet and she had her time with Matt, she pulled him close to her, he kissed her softly, running his hands down her back. It sent shivers down her spine, he rose taking her hand and leading the way up the stairs, as he lay her down on the bed her eyes sparkled in the dim light from the hall way. she whispered softly in his ear, he slid his hand under her blouse and unclasped her bra,  he kissed her again, harder this time and pulled her close she could feel him through his jeans, she took the top of his trousers in her hands undoing the button as he kissed her, caressing her body with his hands, she removed his jeans while he slid the silk blouse down off her shoulders revealing, what he would call her perfectly hand sized breasts, for a moment they laid there naked on the bed, entangled in each others bodies he pulled her close and push himself against her, moving to the faint hum of music of the television.

The whole house was silent, only the drone of electrical appliances filled the air. The man in the wardrobe stirred, creeping out he tucked the knife into his belt and entered the master bedroom, silently he removed the handcuffs from the bedside table and carefully secured them around Matt's wrists and to the bed post, moving surreptitiously to the other side of the room, he drew a second pair of cuffs from his rucksack the metal chinked together as he cuffed Kay's wrists to the bed, she tried to turn in her sleep, and awoke to find herself face to face with the killer she had been hunting for the past six months. She tried to scream but he stuffed a rag into her open mouth, Matt awoke startled by the muffled scream of his wife, realising he was unable to get up, he started to struggle, the man reached into his rucksack and pulled out a bottle of chloroform and a cloth, he dabbed the cloth on the top of the bottle and firmly held it over Matt's mouth and nose until he passed out.  Kay's wriggling and struggling made her wrists started to bleed, the man removed his coat and got on top of Kay pinning her to the bed, she squirmed, he moved to her ear and whispered, "I am him, I killed those women, you know I did, I am Jason Bailey," and ran his tongue down her neck. He took a gloved finger and ran it across her cheek, his hand moved down to the front of her nightdress; he removed the gloves and laid them on the bed side table. Jason removed is trousers and pulled up Kay's night dress he, forced him self upon her, she struggled and tried to kick him off, he used his hand as a guide and pushed himself inside her, she writhed as he thrust inside her over and over her muffled screams woke Alexa, the little girl ran into the bedroom to see why her mother was crying she saw Jason huddled over her and ran as fast as she could down the hallway and down the stairs to the front door, which she found to be locked, she cried and cried and hid herself  sobbing in the cupboard under the stairs. 

Jason got up off Kay replaced his trousers and started towards the stairs, Alexa trembling in the cupboard trying to keep quiet as she could, 
"Little Alexa, where are you hiding I won't hurt you," he called, he heard the shuffle in the cupboard, "fine," he thought to himself, "At least I know where she is," 
He turned the key in the cupboard door and locked Alexa inside, and marched back up the stairs to the master bedroom where Kay was sobbing and pulling at the hand cuffs, Matt was beginning to come round from the chloroform. Jason had to work quickly if this was all going to go to plan, he un cuffed Matt's wrists and dragged him off the bed to the top of the stairs where he threw him down, after reaching the bottom of the stair case, Jason attempted to pick Matt up, he was heavier than he thought, he resorted to dragging the half unconscious man across the hallway in to the living room, and recuffed Matt's wrists around one of the chairs he had arranged. Three chairs for the family. Jason left the room and returned upstairs to collect Kay, she was more alert than Matt so Jason had to do this with pristine skill, he retook his previous position on top of her pinning her down;  he wasn't going to rape her again, not yet anyway, he took the key from his pocket and freed her wrists she punched and clawed at him, but he was holding her down too strong,  he raised his fist high above his head, she thought he was going to hit her, she tried to hide her face. He was reaching for the bottle of chloroform he had used earlier on Matt, he put the tiniest dab on the cloth, he didn't want her completely unconscious, he wanted her to know everything he was doing to her and her perfect little family. 

 The cloth pressed over her face she tried not to inhale the fumes, she couldn't hold her breathe much longer, giving in to him she took a deep breathe and the chloroform took effect. She was almost unconscious but not quite, it just prevented her making any sudden movements that Jason had not predicted.   He moved off her, but as he leant over to pick her up, she instinctively, lashed out and took Jason by surprise he flew back into the bedside table, his head struck the corner, he was dazed but it didn't give Kay much time, she tried to stand up it was impossible, she no strength from the chloroform, Jason got himself to his feet grabbed Kay by the wrists and twisted her arms behind her, as she would have done on capturing him, every time she got close to catching him, he led her away again.  He pushed her through the doorway to the stairs she struggled as hard as she could with no prevail she stopped, thinking that maybe if she can gather enough strength she could overpower him. He pulled her down the stairs and in to the living room, he dragged her towards the chair in front of Matt's, Jason had arranged them so the chairs that Matt and Alexa would sit on would be facing Kay so she could see what he did to her precious family, and so they could see what he did to people who tried to catch him.

He threw Kay onto the chair, and recuffed her wrists around the back of the chair, Jason left the room and went into the kitchen and fixed himself a drink, raiding her cupboards until he found a glass and an unopened bottle of whisky. 
"I'm so sorry," Kay tried to whisper through the gag to Matt,
"It's not your fault love, you were only doing your job," he said drowsily.
Alexa could hear muffled sounds from outside of the cupboard, she called out still sobbing, "Mummy where are you? I'm scared." 
She heard the key turn slowly in the lock.
"Don't you touch her you bastard," Kay tried to shout but was muffled by the gag. 
He turned the key back in the lock and stepped back away from the cupboard.
"I am in control, I will do what I please, you couldn't even stop me before what makes you think you could now?" he smirked, he sauntered over to Kay and pulled down the gag, took her face in his hand held her firmly, pressed his face almost to hers looked directly into her eyes and said, "You can't stop me, when I am finished you will have nothing left."
And at that he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her, she recoiled and tried to move away.  Matt was becoming more alert and tried to get out of the handcuffs, Jason took the knife from his belt, the blade gleaming in the light and pressed the blade against his face, not quite cutting him, Matt flinched and tried to edge away from the menacing blade, Jason took the knife and pushed the tip of the blade into Matt's chest.  He clenched his fists and tried not to show how much it hurt, he couldn't let her see him like that.  Jason's eyes gleamed as he skilfully sliced into Matt's torso; you could see the shear enjoyment in Jason's face, and the fear in Matt's eyes.  
He turned to Kay, and pressed his face to hers and whispered, "This is because of you and your fault not mine."   He refrained from running his tongue down her neck, and pulled away.  The deep red blood trickled down across Matt's chest meandering around the muscles in his chest. Jason stood back and watched, his eyes mesmerised by the flow of the ruby liquid.  

The sobs from the cupboard had silenced, Jason tapped the door with the knife blade, Alexa stiffened and tried to move further back into the cupboard, wriggling between boxes and hiding her face. 
He slid the key into the lock turned it stiffly, moved his hand to the handle and turned it slowly, half expecting the little girl jump out at him, but really he knew she wouldn't, he liked to let his mind invent what could happen, it helped him in his plan of attack. 

He inched the door open and peered inside, Alexa could hardly be seen underneath all the boxes she had hidden herself behind. He opened the door fully and stepped, inside Kay was shouting and screaming at him to get away from her daughter, of course Jason was going to take no notice of her. He stepped further inside, moving boxes and piles of clothes out of the way. Alexa was sobbing silently and shaking uncontrollably; he reached towards her and held a firm grip on her upper arm, and pulled her from her hiding place. He fastened her hands behind her back with makeshift cable tie handcuffs. And lead her to the chair next to her father and opposite her mother, the girl's body trembled as he attached her to the chair. It was early dawn and birds had begun singing, Jason was glad they had no neighbours within 20 blocks, Kay's screaming got louder and more volatile. Jason turned and pointed the blade at her face; she had a beautiful face, he touched the tip of the blade onto her left eyebrow, she silenced as he began to trace and outline on her face, he wasn't pressing hard as to cut her, he finished his trace and returned to the left eye brow, this time he pressed harder. The blood trickled down her face and over her eye, he took the cut almost straight across her left eyebrow and a sharp downward movement as he reached the bridge of her nose, the knife followed the contours of her face and with great dexterity and a quick flick of his wrist did a quick loop de loop movement across her left cheek. 

Tears had mixed with the blood running down her face, sobbing at the horrified face on her precious Alexa, thoughts rushing through her mind 'what if he was going to do this to Alexa' she couldn't let happened she winced as the cuts on her face stung and the blood trailed all the way down her face and neck to the neck of her nightshirt. 

Jason stepped back to admire his work and proceeded in wiping the blade on his trouser leg, to clean off Kay's and Matt's congealed blood. He turned and looked towards the kitchen door and made his way towards it, as he went past Alexa he held the blade just close enough to scratch the surface skin on her cheek. He turned to observe Kay's reaction, she struggled more and more to get her hands free; tired and in pain her wrists were red raw but she still carried  on she could watch him hurt her little girl again, it was just a scratch this time, but she knew deep down that he had far more planned. He turned back and continued his journey into the kitchen and fetched the key to the hand cuffs and almost immediately returned to release Kay, but before she could even stand up Jason took a fist and struck Kay across the face knocking her to the floor in sobbing blood soaked mess, each time she tried to get up he smacked her down again and again, she lay there for a while Jason's jeering face peered down on her she closed her eyes and huddled into herself for a while, Matt was getting weaker as he lost more and more blood Jason uncuffed him, but he had no strength to even fight for his own life let alone Kay's and Alexa's too.  Matt fell to the floor beside Kay his eyes glazed and blinking he mouthed to her "I'm so sorry I failed you." And closed his eyes, Kay tried to speak back to him but no sound would come out, her face beaten and bleeding brought tears to her husbands closed eyes. She reached out and touched his arm and he held her hand tightly squeezed it and let go. Jason still standing above them like the ever looming vulture and kicked Matt clean in the ribs, he was coughing and spluttering, blood flowing from the wounds on his chest, Jason kicked Matt so he was face down on the floor and pressed a massive army boot on his back pinning him down and he took the blade out again and instead of his skilful slicing, he plunged the knife deep into Matt's muscular back Matt writhed in agony, Kay and Alexa flinched shutting their eyes simultaneously.  

Jason grabbed Kay by the wrists and pulled her up to him, she resisted but he pressed his face close to hers, "I told you that this would happen, I tried to warn you, you would have thought you would stop hunting me after that hooker in Montana, but no Kay the wonder woman has to catch the bad guy," he snarled sarcastically and threw her arms down onto her lap. Kay recoiled away from him, sliding back as far as she could she leant against the sideboard and caught her breath. Alexa's terrified little face trembling and tears rolled down her cheeks as he past her on his way to the kitchen, while his back was turned Kay scrambled as fast as she could to the draw in the sideboard and retrieved her police issue PX4 Storm and slid it under he sideboard behind her before Jason noticed what she was doing. This was one of those times she wished she had kept the pistol loaded; failing that next time his back was turned she would make a dash for the silver box on the top of the display cabinet, but by the looks of it, it wasn't going to be anytime soon, as Jason returned to the living room kicking Matt's limp body as he past, and made himself comfortable beside Alexa, she stiffened as he put his arm around her shoulders and placed the free hand grasping her face, pulled her forwards so she could see her father's body and mother's bleeding face, and said huskily "This is what happens to mummy's and Daddy's that don't listen to me," he turned her towards him, "are you going to listen to me?" he looked at her intently awaiting an answer,  she tried to turn away from his icy stare but his hand held her fast, she spluttered and coughed before replying timidly, "You're a bad man, I don't want you here, go away leave my mummy alone," and she sobbed again.

Kay attempted to stand, struggling she got to her feet, stumbled, muttered " You get away from her creep!" and lunged towards him, he struck her across the chest, it winded her and knocked her back down against the display cabinet. Right where she wanted him to push her, she smiled to her self. "What the hell are you smiling at you bitch?" Jason promptly stood up and marched into the kitchen and filled the kettle and switched on the power and waited, Kay took this opportunity to grab the silver box of bullets, she slid the box under the sideboard behind her and with her hands behind her back started to load the magazine, her hands trembled as she heard the click of the kettle as it boiled, the steady pouring sound echoed through to the living room, her hands trembled more and more, the sound of footsteps getting closer, the rhythmic splashing of the water in the bowl he was carrying, Kay grasped the pistol and had her finger lingering over the trigger in anticipation, Jason stepped into the door way with the bowl of boiling water in his hand, Kay whipped her hand out from behind her and pointed the pistol at him, but before she had time to fire he had dropped the bowl splashing the boiling liquid on himself, Kay and Alexa, he pulled Alexa from the chair and held her close to him, he reached for the knife on the floor, Kay couldn't get a clean aim at him without hitting Alexa, he pressed the knife to her throat. Kay's aim wobbled as she was becoming more lightheaded, she got a clean aim and fired, but it was too late he just angled himself so the bullet passed straight through Alexa's forehead; Kay screamed and fired again, shots speeding into Jason's chest and head. She sat sobbing tears and blood running down her broken face, she had killed her baby; Jason had taken everything from her and forced her to take the life of her only child.  Kay slumped against the sideboard still clutching the pistol in her shaking hands, just sitting there hours passed by slipping in and out of consciousness Kay, stirred by the doorbell. She glanced dazed towards the clock on the wall, 7:30am, she held her grip tightly on the pistol in her shaking hands, the doorbell rang again, this time more furiously, Annie stood at the door, "What an earth is taking her so long?" she thought to herself, Annie peered through the window in the door, darkness filled the hall way, she illuminated the hall way with the police issue flashlight, she saw the tiny slumped figure of Alexa leaning against the stairway, she peered closer spotting the blood she panicked, took out her own pistol opening the front door with her free hand, sliding silently into the darkened hallway. She moved quickly towards Alexa, but upon seeing the tiny bullet hole in her forehead, stopped and listened tears pricking in her eyes, Kay moved slightly in the room next door, Annie turned towards the sound and moved silently towards the doorway, Kay still holding the pistol clasped in her hands, finger still on the trigger, Annie appeared around the corner, Kay's finger pulled on the trigger and fired, she sobbed firing over and over again at Annie, the dull blank shot echoed throughout the house Annie walked closer into the room shocked at what she saw, took Kay in her arms and the sobbed together. Annie released Kay and stepped outside to call in the CSI's and NYPD on her cell. Annie came back into the house put her arms around Kay and lifted her to stand, blood and tears still running down her face, with Kay leaning on Annie they made it outside avoiding the body of Kay's precious daughter. Annie sat Kay in the passenger side seat of her car and she slipped into an unconscious sleep, Annie held her until the unmistakable sound of sirens and flashing lights came into range at the end of the block.