Prologue for a Psychopath

�Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins.�- Ayn Rand

This is where the fear began. In this small field, looking into green eyes. It became a part of me, spreading out to my legs and outstretched arms. I felt as if I should drop the gun I held in the snow, but I knew that’d be unfair to Danielle. I forced a smile and she smiled back, prepared for her departure.

“Thank you, Rachel.”

She didn't look like someone who took pictures of eviscerated animals covered in her own blood. Falling flakes settled into her hair and clumped on her eyelashes. She didn’t seem to mind as she closed her eyes, appearing to be in rapture.

The girl standing before me was my best friend for years. She had a morbid fascination with death, especially in her photography. Her images often depicted birds slain in satanic rituals and objects covered in her own blood. We continued to live like normal friends, despite her darkness. I loved her too much to abandon her because of her quirks.

When I first discovered her pictures in the darkroom, she only laughed and called me silly. She asked me what was wrong with taking pictures.

"Why are you…doing this?" I asked, tossing the image of a decapitated swallow at her feet. I was disgusted and hurt that she kept this from me.

Danielle shrugged. "Everything about life and death intrigues me. Don’t you ever wonder what happens after your existence fades? I know where death will take me and plan to go there. Soon. And these places…they are fascinating, too. The woods have a sort of tragic feel. Maybe I will take you there some time."

That was my first hint at her insanity. Later, I would find out that she wasn't crazy, but more insightful than most people I knew. She told me things I didn't want to hear, things I couldn't have imagined, and freed me from my naiveté. I also learned what she was capable of, and what she never wanted me to know.

“Do you still love me, even though I’m not human?” she’d ask, a rare show of vulnerability in her words.

“Of course,” I’d immediately answer. “I don’t care if you’re some metaphysical being. I still care about you.”

Danielle’s hands curled around the hem of her shirt. “What if I hurt you?”

“You wouldn’t hurt me.”

It was true. She’d never purposely hurt me. She cared about me, too, and even though she knew her people were harmful, she would try her best to keep me safe.

“Well?” Danielle opened her eyes to see what was taking me so long.

Killing her wasn’t as easy as I assumed it would be. I thought I’d just pick up this gun and shoot her without remorse. The memories stopped me from pulling the trigger; her concern and love for me as she told me things I didn’t want to hear. She knew her people were tearing me apart, yet she stayed with me.

As I held the gun in my freezing hands, I didn’t know what to think anymore. Danielle pouted like a small child, grabbed my wrist and pulled the gun barrel to her heart. In an absurd panic I cursed myself for not bringing gloves. As her pleading green eyes stared into mine, I came to a decision.

My finger squeezed the trigger.

Author's Note

So this is the beginning and I need some help. I've edited this with the help of others, but I still don't feel it is up to par. Con-crit, please!
Some other notes, I love listening to music when I write and one of the songs that is inspiration for this book is Cellar Door by Escape the Fate. I also listen to Sleepless by Kate Havnevik. And there are more, but I don't want to bore you.
Another influence is Animal Farm by George Orwell, which is one of my favorite books. The main inspiration is the character Moses the raven who promises a wonderful afterlife to the animals. This is a sort of "what if" book. What if that place really existed?

Reviews

[runaway smile_<3]

I think the story is good, but instead of telling us some of it, I think you should show us. Like this part, for example: "Then again, why would I want to save her? I was the killer. I would like to say it was an accident and that I didn't mean to, but the truth was not so clean-cut." The whole, "I would like to say it was an accident and that I didn't mean to", I think that should be fixed up a little more. I don't know, I think it really shows kind of a sketchy character; I think if you fix it up she would be a lot more solid. You've got an amazing story, I'm amazed. Great job.

[nostal]

REALLY COOOL. Nice job.

[EliLies]

This is blissful.
This inspires me.
I'm dying to read more.