The Hawthorn Reaper

People. I absolutely despise them. All they do is lounge around and complain their lives. But me, I am one of the best students in my classes, I work at a restaurant and am excellent at it, I rarely ever complain and I participate in extra curricular activities.

There’s not to much of my day I get to myself. But when I do I usually play my PlayStation—I love yelling at the pathetic people, listen to my music, take photos of the beautiful world around us—I mean I kind of have to, its dying, its not going to be beautiful for much longer, of course there’s homework and at night me and my best friend go... hunting.

Not to brag but I have dubbed myself, ‘Assassin’ . It’s fitting, really. Now for Spence, he dubbed himself, ‘Predator’ which I think is very fitting for him.

“Time for work”., I sighed out, grabbing my keys and work clothes which were hanging off a hook.

I like going to work, mainly because I come across a lot of people and I get to have my selection of who’s life I want to take. It’s so fun to pick out the pathetic peasants.

“You better be up. ..''., my bedroom door opened and father walked in. He looked at me and scoffed, shaking his head., “...Good, I thought you were going to be a lazy bum, playing video games for the rest of the day”.

“Do you think you could knock sometime, father?''., I asked nonchalantly.

I wish I could kill him. But I can’t, if I do, the police will be on my ass and I can’t have them stop me.

“Anyway, your mother has—''.

"Step..mother”., I corrected, preparing for a beating.

“Son...''., he warned, putting down his briefcase and cracking his knuckles., “...I told you not to—''.

Ok, here we go. What am I going to get today? A black eye? Bruised jaw? Broken nose?

“Good morning!''., Jenny beamed, walking into the room. Father took a few steps back from me, putting his arm around her waist.

Ah, another person I want dead. She thinks she better then everyone else, acting all nice.

“How did you sleep, honey?''., she smiled, walking over.

I stood there stiff and straight like someone squeezed me inside a tree stump as she wrapped her arms around me. She’s a hugger, ugh, I hate it so much.

It lasted a few more excruciating seconds before she thankfully pulled away and stood back next to father, still with a stupid beaming smile on her face.

“Fine”., I shrugged my shoulders, looking my father straight in the eyes.

“How about you go serve it up and we’ll be out in a minute”., he smiled at her, kissing her head.

Jenny walked out of the room and he made sure of it, peeking around my door. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, his other hand gripping my hair, forcing me to look at him.

“She is your mother and you will respect her as much”.

I rolled my eyes and shoved him away, rubbing the back of my head.

“I just turned 18 and you’re married to a student who is only 22. There is no chance that she’s my mother and she will never be”.

A sharp stinging sensation erupted in my cheek as father’s hand whacked me. You fucking prick. I rubbed my cheek and glared at him, wanting to wipe that stupid smirk off his face.

“She’s loves you, like your stupid mother never did. ...“., that hurt more then I’d like to admit to myself. “...At least she’s around”., he said through gritted teeth.

My mind started to swell with a great amount of anger and my hands began to shake. Have to calm down. Have to calm down. Have to calm down. Killing father is off limits...at least for now anyway.

I tapped my fingers on the side of my leg, my jaw clenching. Just calm down.

“I need to get dressed for work. ...“., I sighed deeply, clearing my throat., “...Get out”.

He shoved me back and scoffed, picking up his briefcase and muttering something under his breath that I couldn’t quite hear.

I grabbed my backpack, putting a spare change of clothes in there as well as my phone, knife, ski mask and optional neck gaiter. I took off my bed clothes and held my arms up, taking a sniff of my my armpits, dismissing it with a shrug my shoulders.

“No foul odors, no need for showers”., I muttered getting my work clothes on.

I looked in the mirror at my finished outfit and smirked, nodding and straightening my bowtie.

“I must say I look good in one of these”., I muttered.

I put one of the backpack straps on my shoulder, putting my apron on the other and grabbed my black boots, starting to put them on.

“I think I’m going to stay with Spence tonight”., I muttered, exhaling deeply.

To be completely honest, I have my own apartment. I stay there some nights when I need to let the mask down, I mean I can’t exactly be myself here and keep what I want in my room, knowing father just comes in whenever he feels like it, I swear the prick doesn’t know the meaning of privacy.

Spencer’s parent situation is worst then mine if you can believe it, so he stays there most days, I mean its his apartment more then it is mine. Make no mistake though, it is mine.

I walked out of the room, feeling a sharp pain in the back of my head. Father walked past me, looking back at me with an angered expression.

“Pathetic excuse for a son. ...“., he muttered., “...You look like a bloody faggot”.

My stomach churned and my hands started to shake as they tapped the side of my legs, trying to keep my anger contained. Well, I still think I look good, it not my fault he looks like a wet rag. I sat at the kitchen table and Jenny placed a full plate in front of me.

The plate contained eggs, sausages and hash browns. As much as I dislike Jenny, I have to admit, she’s become a good cook. Apparently she has been taking a few cooking lessons to improve it. Mission accomplished..I guess.

“Now make sure you eat all of it. ...“., she smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder, I’m assuming to show a motherly approach., “...And tell me what you think”.

I shook her hand off and scrunched my nose up at her, shrugging my shoulders.

“Don’t tell me what to do, Jenny. ...“., I muttered, shoving some eggs in my mouth., “...You’re not my mother”.

She jumped at a loud bang, even though it didn’t scare me, my head whipped to father, who’s hand was flat against the table an angered look on his face as he glared at me.

“Well anyway, I’ve got to go. ...“., I stood up, continuing to shove food in my mouth, finishing off the eggs., “...I’ll see you tomorrow”.

“Yeah, that’s right, go spend the night with your stupid little friend”., father said loudly, making sure I heard him.

“Steve!...“., Jenny whacked his arm., “...Stop it!“.

I got out to my shitty second hand Toyota Prius and into it, placing the food on the passenger seat and chucking the backpack in the back. Like a switch, my anger unhinged itself and I started to continuously hit the steering wheel, yelling every swear word under the sun.

My phone started to ring and I stopped cursing out father, clearing my throat and letting out a deep sigh. I put my keys into the ignition and reached in the back, getting my phone out of my backpack. I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes, seeing that it was a FaceTime call.

It’s Ana. She’s my..friend...I guess. It’s what’s normal teens do, they develop meaningless relationships that will go away in three years. I guess I’ll just have to suffer in silence.

“Hey, Jules!...“., she beamed.

Ugh. That stupid nickname got stupid the first time it came out of her mouth.

“...Do you wanna hang with me? There’s a new diner over on Berry, it’s a full on 80s style!“.

Her excitement disgusts me. Why is she always such happy person? What’s there to be happy about? Literally nothing.

“I’m sorry, I have to work tonight”.

Oh, uh..right. An apologetic smile.

“Aw, you have such a cute smile, Julian. ...“., she beamed at me.

I know I do, you don’t have to tell me...although, I suppose it’s nice to hear it.

“...Ok, so when are you free next?“., she asked, starting to walk it seems. She looks to be outside somewhere.

“Uh, well I’m free tomorrow afternoon. ...“., I said as I started the car, using my other hand to put my seatbelt on., “...I have to go, I don’t want to be late for work”.

“Ok, well bye-bye, Jules!“., she beamed, waving quite aggressively.

I quickly hung up and sighed deeply, putting my phone in the little compartment and grabbing a sausage off of the plate, starting to drive away.

Hanging out, what could be worse. Last time I hung out with Ana, she made me go with her to a fair, I really do not want to repeat that. But she said it was just a diner so I suppose I can put up with it.

I arrived at work and promptly got me and my belongings out of the car, seeing a man with a fuck ton of papers, walking towards my place of work. Wait, I recognise him. That’s Aubrey’s brother. The girl me and Spence killed two days ago.

Alright, remember, act calm but sad for her and the family.

“Hey, Aiden!“., I called out to him, giving him a wave.

Alright, dial it down, Julian. That doesn’t look sad.

“Hey, mate. Do you think your boss would mind if I put this up on the window?“.

“I’ll do it if you like?“., I suggested, shrugging my shoulders.

“Yeah, that would be great, thanks man. ...“., he smiled, handing a few over and cleared his throat., “...Hey, do you think she’s going to be alright? The police think she just run away, but I know Bre, she’s not like that”.

I looked at the photo of Aubrey and smiled, the sweet, sweet memory filling my mind.

“Spence, right there”., I muttered, pointing her out.

I looked at the figure in front of me and heard an unsure ‘uh’ leave Spence’s mouth.

“Isn’t that your classmate, Aubrey?“., he asked.

“What’s your point?...“., I shrugged my shoulders, getting my knife out of my waistband and the masking tape out of my hoodie pocket., “...That’s never stopped us before”.

A chuckle left his mouth and a prominent grin etched into his face as he grabbed out his knife.

“Let’s get to it, shall we?“.

She got closer and closer and I gripped the handle, launching at her and jamming it into her stomach, quickly covering her mouth as she let out a pained scream.

“There’s an alley a few feet away”., Spence muttered, pointing over to it.

“Yeah, come on, let’s drag her over”., I sighed out, removing my hand form her mouth.

A loud gasp escaped her mouth and she coughed, starting to sob out a plead.

“Please, please!...“., she begged., “...I don’t want to die! I’m only 18, I’ve got—“.

I listened to her pleads and nodded softly, getting a strip of masking tape and planting it on her mouth, wiping the blood off on the inside of my shirt and sticking it back in my waistband.

“Come on. ...“., I grabbed one hand and Spence grabbed the other., “...Let’s get you in that alley”.

Muffled screaming came from her as she kicked her feet violently, throwing her body around.

“I must tell you...“., I spoke singsongy, gripping her wrist hard., “...every time you move is an extra stab wound”.

Just then she stopped throwing her body around, but that of course did not the screaming and pleading, jeez she’s annoying. We pulled her into the alleyway and we both grabbed our knives out.

I made sure to look Aubrey in the eyes, I like to see the fear in them as well as the life leave them. We both started to continuously stab her in the chest, watching the blood spill and spatter everywhere. I put knife to the side, taking off my ski mask and the tape on her mouth, revealing myself to her.

“Hello, Bre”., I grinned, resting my hands on each side of her.

I watched as her eyes widened a little and tears stream down her cheeks as she looked me in the eyes.

“Ju..Julian?...“., she coughed and I gripped the knife, waiting for her to say her last words., “...Why?..Why are you...doing this?“.

I picked up the knife and swiftly swung my arm across, slicing her neck. I exhaled deeply and grinned as I watched the blood pour and squirt out.

“Come on. ...“., Spence cleared his throat and stood up, pulling me up to my feet., “...Let’s get out of here”.

“Julian?...“., Aiden shook me., “...Hey, where did you go?“.

In a delightful memory.

“Sorry, I just got lost in Bre’s photo. ...“., I lied, smiling at it again., “...She’s a good friend of mine, I hope she’s ok, I really do”.

A sad smile etched into his face and he nodded, patting me on the back.

“Thanks, mate. I’ll see you around”.