Chapter 1
As he walked down the stairs, his eyes lingered on the drops of blood that trailed through the house. He hadn't known him, the man he killed, it was simply another job, like the rest, a leaf in the wind like so many others that had died before him. They were all just jobs. Job's like these were simple once you knew how to approach them, once he slit the man's throat he put him in the bath of ice so he could then harvest the man's organs. Carrying the cooler that occupied the man's kidney's he reached the door. As he opened the door with a creak his mind began to wonder to a particular thought, why these people? Why them, why such a gruesome a death? He wasn't complaining or anything, but the questions seemed to bug him. But hey, wasn't job to know, he was just the one they hired to do their dirty work. He got into the car pulling out of the driveway, this job was a good one with good money too. He could probably afford to get himself through MED school with that money, he might actually become a professional surgeon.
Wasn't what you would expect, is it? A hired serial killer, having dreams and ambitions. Wanting to do well to get himself somewhere in life. But everyone needs a living it doesn't matter who you are. We're only human. He thought of it as practice, cutting people open and removing internal parts, soon he would be doing it without needing it to be messy or illegal, not when he passed MED school. That thought put a smile on his face, he'd only ever wanted to become a surgeon and help people, it was ironic really how he had to kill people in order to pay for the education to do so. With the thought of helping people still floating around in his skull, he looked up at the rear view mirror to see a photograph. She only looked around seven and she was his world. Her soft brown hair and deep blue eyes, she always had her mothers looks. He thought about his daughter, she was probably still tucked away in bed, oblivious that her daddy had whisked away to preform his gruesome deeds. Part of him was doing it for her, so they had a better place to live, maybe one day be able to pay for her to go to college. She was the only thing he had left, the only thing he cared for more that himself in his life. And if she ever found out about this dark part of his life, he would have nothing else to care for. He would be a complete and utter monster in her eyes. And he couldn't let that happen.
Reaching his own home, he got out and put the cooler in the freezer out back. Taking a quick shower to wash the blood off, he relished the thought of taking his daughter to school. He hardly ever did any more, her mother, his ex-wife had gotten most of the custody, but she was in hospital due to an unfortunate 'accident' and he had gotten to look after his daughter until her mother was well enough to take care of her again. He knew it was a horrible thought and it should never be vocalized, but the deep, dark and selfish part of him wished that she wouldn't get well. That he could take his daughter to school everyday. As soon as the thought had enter his mind he pushed it back into the depths of its core, never to be seen or vocalized. After changing into fresh clothes, he decided to check on his daughter. He went upstairs towards his and his daughters room, but was stopped by a small shape huddled on the stair case. He froze as a pair of ocean blue eyes stared at him, the stains of old tears still marked her rosy checks.
"Daddy?" She whispers, "where have you been."
"Shhh" he whispered back in the most soothing voice he could manage, "I just went out to get some toilet paper, can't have no toilet paper can we?", she shook her head, "Now, there's a few hour's until school, wanna watch some cartoons?" she nodded enthusiastically.
He picked her up and carried her around his hip towards the living room and set her down on the couch. The two sat there, watching a kids show and the smile on her face made him grin. As she sat there her hair mused from tossing and turning on her pillow, the tear stains still visible and her eyes still glassy and filled with sleep he could never imagine a day with out her, his precious princess. Soon, he thought to himself. He sighted and set out to get her ready for school as she stared at the television too distracted by the cartoons to notice her fathers absence.
Nodding to the other parents on the way to her classroom, he took notice on all the ways people interacted with each other. On a typical day at his 'work' he was always alone, a one man job he always thought. But he missed the company of others. Letting go of his daughter's hand, she kissed him goodbye and skipped up to her friends, talking about the new Barbie he guessed. Today, unlike other days, he didn't have any plans, he was free to rest on the couch and search for new clientèle. As he continued to search he looked outside and saw the chilly wind blowing through the trees. He remembered in winter, when he use to drop Willow off to school. They would walk side by side,she would be dressed in her little duffel coat and red wellies. He sighed and continued to search until he heard the light pinging sound and checked his emails to see a new assignment from his bosses...
He watched his daughter run through the fount door and bolt towards the living room to watch cartoons. He placed her school bag on the table and started to unpack her stuff. He heard the talking from the TV float through the halls to the kitchen and he turned his head towards the sound. It didn't sound like kids shows. He shrugged it off thinking that it was probably adds. Signing a note that had come home in Willow's bag he herd her shriek excitedly.
"What is it, Willow?" He asked intrigued by her sudden interest in whatever she was watching.
"Daddy, daddy look!" Her voice was filled with delight as the show continued to please her.
"Why don't you tell me sweetie? I'm busy signing one of your notes"
"Your on the tellie!" She squealed in joy. His head snapped up in surprise, why was he on the television? He walked cautiously to the living room thinking his daughter must have mistaken someone else for him, but she was right. There was a picture of him getting into his car outside of..no...no...this cant be happening he thought, he was outside the house where his his latest 'job' had taken place. He'd been caught, someone has seen him. And under the picture was a caption; BE WARNED! MURDERER ON THE LOOSE- If seen, contact your nearest police service and DO NOT approach.
"Shit."
