Prologue: Brianna's POV

point of view of a killer...

"Of course, I knew I could do it. But, alas, I was still nervous!" she told me, and at that moment I remembered I had wanted to kill her. Not only that! I wanted her to suffer. Terrible. Painful. Death. And, I would, of course, enjoy every moment. It's not clear why. I just hated her. She, a prodigy of most anything, I'd wanted to kill since the third grade. I'd been planning the great killing since then for six years. Of course, she's thought I'd been her friend for six years, as she would say.

   "Don't you think, Bri?" she talked to me in her condescending voice she had reserved for the lesser, the invalids, for me.

   "Oh, but, of course," I spoke in dark tones, even as I was this gleeful. Finally, after six years, it was time. She would die. And I would live peaceful forever more. "It will be great."

   "Oh, thank you, Bri," it spoke. "And, um, good luck in...whatever you do."

   Die! Die! Die! "Why, thank you, Liv," I used all the politeness I could muster.

   I had it planned out since I was eight. Step one: Invite her over for a sleepover.

   "Say, Liv, how would you like to come to a sleepover at my home?" I asked.

   "Sure, that sounds like fun!" she reported back to me.

   Step one complete. Step two came tonight. I could hardly contain my excitement.

***********

At six thirty, my mother had set out everything needed for a fun sleepover. A knock was heard at the door. I answered.

   "Oh my god! Hey, this is gonna be so much fun! But, my mom says I have to be back by four tomorrow to practice for my piano recital at six. Did I tell you I'm an expert pianist? And at fourteen! Can you believe it?"

   "I can't!" I feigned happiness and surprise. I actually could believe it. She was supposedly a child prodigy, duh. She was an idiot sometimes.

   "So, I can only stay till three tomorrow, okay?"

   Ha-ha! Little did Olivia and her mother know she wasn't coming back home. She, after all, was to die tonight. I laughed at the thought. "Yes, that would be okay," I spoke aloud.

   Step two: Tell her to start the movie while I get the "popcorn".

   "So, what are we gonna do?" she asked.

   Time for step two. "Well, you will go in my room and start the movie and I will make the popcorn."

"Okay," she told me.

   Six fifty two. I returned from the garage with four medium sized ropes. I hid them in my jacket.

   "Where's the popcorn?" it asked.

   "We're out. So sorry," I told her insincerely.

   "That's fine."

   I proceeded to watch three movies with her. I had time. I waited.

************

   After the third movie, I stood up and said, "I have a surprise for you." Now it was time for step three: Tie her up, limb by limb. "Close your eyes."

   "Okay, gee, thanks," she said as she closed her eyes. How naïve she was. 

   I grabbed an arm, and tied it to the bed post. "Brianna, what are you--?" she asked as I tied her other arm to the bed post.

   I grabbed a leg, tying it to the bed post.

   "What's going on?" she gasped as I finished tying her other leg to the bed post.

   "All done," I spoke happily.

   She opened her eyes. "What is this?" she asked appalled.

   "Hold on, I'm not done!" I said quickly. "Your real gift is coming up!"

   "I don't care, Bri! I wanna go home! Now!" she hollered.

   Step four: Grab the knife.

   I returned to the bedroom holding the knife.

   "B-Bri-Brianna? What are you doing?" it cried fearfully.

   "Hold still," I told her.

   Step five: Kill her.

   "NO, STOP!" she screamed while I laughed, and stuck the knife into her. She squealed in agony while I laughed at her misery. I held the knife in a while longer, then pulled it out, cut her stomach open, and let her bleed.

   My mother walked in. "What's happened? What have you done?!"

   "I STABBED HER AND LET HER DIE!" I laughed.

   My mother stood there for a second. Then, she spoke. "Well done, I'm proud of you."