Chapter Two

The change was easier than I'd expected it to be. Moving from the big city to the barely populated country seemed almost... natural to me. These new victims would be much easier to get to. All I would have to do was imitate the noises of an injured animal.

I'd been here for three nights, and already that had never failed.

No one was going to miss these people. They all lived alone on their farms; they should have anticipated their fates.

It had taken me a few nights to find a place to rest during the day, but eventually I'd found a large corn field that I could easily hide in if anyone were to stumble upon me.

That's where I was now""lying in the field, looking up at the few wisps of clouds in the clear blue sky. It was a warm Summer's day. The cicadas were out, chirping merrily. As crow cawed nearby, bringing one corner of my mouth up in a smirk. [i]They know[/i], I thought. [i]They know who I am and what I do.[/i] The second corner of my mouth rose up as I smiled""then began to laugh hysterically.

I don't know what brought up this bout of laughter. Maybe it was the relief of leaving the city and all those familiar faces.

I laughed and laughed for what seemed like hours, ceasing only when I heard the snap of a nearby branch.

I sprung to my feet and dove into the corn, all silently, and all in a split second. The silence was unnecessary, though, for the next second a girl rounded the corner, music playing so loudly in her ears that I could make out each individual note of Beethoven's “Moonlight Sonata.”

She was tan with blonde hair down to her waist. Her eyes were closed as she hummed along with the song.

I watched her as she strolled along through the corn field, almost not breathing for fear of being discovered when she passed right by me.

“I wonder...” she murmured to herself, stopping a few feet away. Then, without any hints as to what she was going to do, she turned her music off and crawled into the corn.

I felt my eyes widen as she seemed to look right at me, but her eyes just continued to wander. I continued to hold my breath until I felt as if I would pass out""then I released it slowly and silently as she turned away.

I was a little shocked that she didn't notice me; shocked, but relieved.

My relief came too soon, though, for her eyes widened and shot back to me as I was beginning to relax. She opened her mouth in a silent gasp and let out a small yelp, but didn't scream as I'd expected her to. She did, however, looks as if she was going to throw up. I guess I should have found a place to was off the blood from the past few nights....

I sat there, frozen in my own form of silent horror at being discovered. I hadn't even considered what I'd do if I was caught, hadn't once stopped to think about what might happen.

“Oh my god...”she murmured, inching closer to me. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I looked down at myself, taking in my blood-stained clothes, dirt- and blood-covered fingernails, and bare feet.

Before I could think of anything rational to do, I stood up and ran. I ran like hell was on my tail; I ran like I'd never run before.

The girl didn't come after me, didn't even call for me to stop. I pumped my arms back and forth as my feet thudded against the hard ground over and over again. I ran into the forest that neighboured the corn field and ran deep into it's heart.

I let out a cry of frustration at myself""How could I have been so [b]stupid?![/b]""and punched a nearby tree, my fist burying deep within the wood.

“God [b]damnit![/b]” I screamed, pulling my hand out and punching the tree again""and again, and again, until my hands resembled something close to a bloody pulp.