Chapter1

Frederic O’Connell was a successful journalist, who wrote mostly about the biggest and nosiest criminal cases of Ney York City. His articles were famous and he was always the first to get fresh information from first faces of the investigation leaders. He hated his job, for every single day he would spend hours describing bloody murder scenes, giving away to the public knowledge the whole truth about the cruelty of human brain. He hated his job because behind all those murders stayed miserable and stupid reasons like jealousy, money or long-time hatred and longing for revenge. He couldn’t stop wondering why the human race is destroying itself with such a great pleasure and effort, at times the creativity of those murders made him feel shocked and amused at the same time. He hated his job but that was the only thing he was good at. He knew all the criminals, maniacs and robbers of NY that were known to the local police. Frederic could probably become a successful detective if only he wasn’t so fed up and disgusted by the entire situation he was witnessing daily. He had no friends; he was living alone in a small rented apartment, which had all necessary appliances for a single man. Frederic hated luxury, he always thought a man needs very little to feel happy: good breakfast, good wine and a good cigar.  He never longed for the company of all those beautiful women who would be happy to spend an evening and why not a night with the smartest and brightest brain in NY.

However Frederic had an old friend, who was the only soul on this planet that knew him, and by saying knew him let’s understand the whole meaning of this expression; he knew all his habits, likes dislikes, all his problems, hardships and happy moments. His name was Jack Black.

Frederic and Jack were friends from early childhood. None of them remembered how they became friends and when. From the earliest memories that Frederic has he has been friends with Jack. They grew up together, went to the same school and to the same university. Jack was 37 years old just a year younger than Frederic.

Jack used to visit Frederic every Friday. It was an old tradition. They would drink wine and discuss Frederic’s articles. Jack’s opinion was very important for Frederic; he always looked forward for their meeting, so as to find out what Jack thinks about his last article.  Jack would talk and discuss them with a great excitement; he knew that Frederic admired him, his way of debating, his philosophy and his outlines. Not once Jack was the source of inspiration for Frederic and he would use the best cites from his speech. Jack never minded it. Although having a vibrant   brain, he would never dare to show himself to the public, for long time ago in a fire that burnt down a part of the university campus Jack couldn’t escape. He was taken out by a fire fighter half burnt. Everyone thought he wouldn’t survive, however he did. But 70 percent of his body was forever distorted. Since then he never went out in daytime, and the only person he kept in touch with was Frederic. His life was ruined so he dedicated himself to Frederic and to their friendship.

It was Friday. Frederic was expecting Jack. He was reading his own article about a criminal who was hiding from the police for 10 years and finally was caught in the church. A woman recognized him and called the police. He didn’t even show any opposition. When asked why he came to the church he said that he was forgotten by the police, his name wasn’t in newspapers anymore, he lost the meaning of all his life, for once his name was terrifying the city and now he was praying to be caught and arrested, thus he would be in newspapers again. Frederic couldn’t understand what was happening in the brain of that man. Was he insane of was he genius? Probably Jack would answer.

It was totally dark when jack finally showed up. Frederic greeted him. Every time he saw Jack he had a terrible feeling of pity and he knew he mustn’t show it because it would hurt jack’s pride. They were never talking about jack, never discussing his problems. It was always Frederic, his articles and their philosophical debates.  This time, Frederic was full of questions. Why a man would kill to become famous? Why a man would wish to terrorize an entire city?

As jack sat down and had his glass of wine, he started reading the article:

“ Once again NY dwellers were shocked and signed with relief after a serial killer L. S. was coughed this morning in the Church on the morning mess. The murderer accepted his guilt and is eager to tell the police all the details of his violent killings. Strangely enough the killer told the police that he was bored with the routine and he wanted to become famous. This was an unexpected explanation for such violent killings, however the investigation will spread light on this case, which made the whole city whip for the 6 victims.

   I suppose, nowadays to become famous we have more peaceful ways. What were the real motives for those kills and why the killer wasn’t found earlier? Those are questions that must be answered. People should know the truth, and the justice will finally triumph, at least for this sick and lost soul.”

-Not bad; concluded jack.

 -So he gave up himself? Else the police wouldn’t ever find him!! Oh human nature is the biggest riddle that will never be solved. I keep on wondering, why people go for such extreme steps to be different? Why do we want to differ so badly?  Frederic, this person isn’t crazy, he is sane, he thinks he creates he has wishes and he knows how to reach them. He doesn’t care what the price he would pay is, and he made others to pay a higher price. What is a human life? We are miserable with all our yearnings! Frederic, look at the picture of this man �"said he pointing at the newspaper first page where the murderer was in hand coughs- look at his face, he is happy, he got what he wanted, and you gave it to him with your article. It is a case that made a huge noise, he is enjoying, he is happy…

Frederic was shocked! He couldn’t think of it. He would never wish to make that man happy, he wished now that his article was removed and no one ever would know the name of that killer. He realized it just now, Jack was right.

-You are right Jack, I was stupid, I shouldn’t have written this article…

Jack put his hand on Frederic’s shoulder; he was wearing lither gloves but a part of his wrist was visible. The hand was all burnt, the skin was red and it was mixed with his flash. Frederic remembered the day of the fire, he was in another room, he ran away, he didn’t help, he felt guilty….

-Fred, you were doing your job, every one of us does their own job, we mind our own business, we suffer our own hardship, and each of us is mistaken and is unhappy in their own way… Probably, we are so taken by our own sufferings that we never notice that right next to us there is someone who suffers million times more, someone who has the reasons for suffering; sometimes it is good to compare Fred…

Frederic looked up at his friend; he never saw jack’s face since the day of the fire. Jack was covering his face and was always wearing a hat, he covered whole his body, even in summers he had to wear long sleeve sweaters, hat and gloves.

-Yes jack you are right, how sad! Our life is one big tragedy and we are left alone in dealing with it.  We are weak creatures, walking through the pages of the book of our lives, we never stop to look around and see that everyone is struggling day by day to make their lives a little brighter. But why, Jack, why do people would chose to kill? What could be the moving motives for them? Don’t you think these people might be sick?

-Sick? Fred, we are different, and our ways to brighten up our lives is different too. This serial killer wasn’t caught for ten years, unless he wished to be caught, he has brilliant brain!

-He kills people! He is a criminal, how can u call him brilliant?

- Being a killer and being stupid isn’t the same, Fred.

- Probably it’s true.   More wine? We have a lot to discuss tonight, Jack I need your brilliant brain to inspire me…