Twisted Roots

All Rights Reserved ©

Summary

Twenty-year-old Zaccai Morningstar is looking forward to a peaceful summer vacation in his picturesque hometown before heading off to college, with his only problems being choosing a major and dealing with the awkward situation with his best friend. Yet, his plan for a carefree summer ish Twenty-year-old Zaccai Morningstar is looking forward to a peaceful summer vacation in his picturesque hometown before heading off to college, with his only problems being choosing a major and dealing with the awkward situation with his best friend. Yet, his plan for a carefree summer ishattered when a long-standing family curse rears its head. Now, Zaccai has 18 days until his 21st birthday to fulfill a daunting task: to kill 18 people and cross them off his list, to escape the curse's clutches and his protect what is dear to him. As the clock ticks down to his deadline, Zaccai is thrust into a race against time. Crossing off names from his deadly list forces him to face his greatest fear, literally stepping out of his comfort zone. Zaccai must find a way to outwit law enforcement, Janisse Kōre, the local boy genius and his best friend, all while plotting to carry out his gruesome murders. If he fails, he loses what is most dear to him and destined to suffer the same tragic fate as his predecessors. Zaccai's 21st birthday is riddled with a deadly counter. Why was adulting so hard?!

Status
Ongoing
Chapters
1
Rating
n/a
Age Rating
18+

Prologue


A funny thing about murder is that it becomes easier with each killing, much like learning to ride a bicycle.

Initially, training wheels are necessary, you need to start by balancing on the bike while pushing with one foot. Then, you can start adding in pedaling. As you become more comfortable, you can practice turning, braking, and shifting gears. Eventually, you will be able to ride the bicycle without training wheels and they will be discarded.

Of course, committing murder is much more complicated than riding a bicycle. For one thing there is a process to a perfect murder, and for me, murder is much easier than learning to ride a bicycle ever was. I never did get a handle on riding a bicycle; by fault of my own making; I didn't have anywhere I needed to go to put in the effort to learn, so I never learned at all.

But try I did, however no matter how hard I tried. It just wasn't meant for me. but as it turns out, killing someone has never when I had enough motivation is not at all a challenge.

It's a strange feeling, knowing that something so natural and effortless that comes to me without me trying, is something so evil in itself. I never wanted to take another life, in fact, it would never have occurred to me in a million years, but it's funny how life can change so quickly, without you noticing, the signs, my natural talent for killing; I would never had become aware of them, had it not been for the ones have to kill.

That is why the people I kill deserve to die; they have to so that I can pursue the life I want to live, so I can be happy, had they not been who they were; I would never have had to kill anyone, it was their fault that I had to kill them and I won't sacrifice my happiness so that they might live when they themselves are the reason I have to kill in the first place, because of their lack of concern for other peoples lives; especially his.

It's not my fault that they are so ruthless and selfish. I'm just doing what I have to do to survive. I don't enjoy taking their lives, but their deaths serve a purpose, it's the only way to keep him safe. His life is too precious to give away. I will always protect him, no matter what. After all, his survival is the only thing that matters. I will never let anyone take away what is most important to me. Nothing will stand in the way of his survival.

Ultimately, hell is indeed on earth, and we're all souls trapped within its layers. But even so, I will find a way to make it through. I'm determined to protect him, and I won't give up until I succeed. Even if I have to face death itself, I will do whatever it takes, to get my happy ending, after all for him I had become a bad man.