Chapter 1

• INTRODUCTION.
• The night was breezy, it was an Indian summer without a doubt as he watched from the bushes. There in the car two lovers were making out as the widows were steamy. He would have loved being out here with a woman if there were any to be trusted. His mother had made sure to teach him at such a young age never to trust a female. The night she left with his older sister and leaving him behind to a drunkard who was only a sperm donor not a real father. Yes she made sure where he stood in her life. Worthless garbage. He held the pistol close in his left hand and his face was covered before moving towards the car. The car was the only vehicle out here in a small town in Kentucky. Once more he made sure the two was wrapped up in each other and not a care in the world. He quickly moved to the car and fired his pistol killing the young man and injuring the young girl. He didn’t let her scream not that anyone would hear them. He wasn’t an amateur either. No witnesses. Don’t leave any evidence and always clean up. He wore his gloves as he drug the female out of the car. His hands wrapping around her throat as she tried fighting him off but he didn’t give her a moment to recover. Even after she no longer moved he still held on making sure she truly was dead. He didn’t take any jewelry only money. He left nothing of his at the scene. Normally he went after young females that were alone. Tonight however he decided he needed a new ride till he got to another state. His ride was still hot from another state. He had already ditched it two days ago into the river. He looked at the young man probably in his early twenties, “Buddy I just saved your life. You will never know heart ache that this bitch could have cause.”
• He wanted to stomp on the woman because she reminded him of his mother. But he knew he had to leave as little evidence as possible. The FBI were already too close to where he was last time so this time he had to keep things different from all his other crimes. He wore plastic gloves making sure his skin was not transmitted onto her skin. He had already burned his finger prints a few years ago when he first time he committed murder. He had raped her but made sure to clean up after himself. Each time he got better and better. He quickly put on the tags onto the new ride and would throw the old tags into the river in the next state over. The shoes he wore were two sizes too big as he did another once over before leaving. The bodies he shoved into the ditch below. Everything was made to look like a robbery and that it had gone wrong. He didn’t turn around only heading South. He had spent many years looking for his mother and sister. They would be the last murder he commit. Once they were dead then he would be done. He had already been to eight different states and already had killed twelve young girls and tonight would make three guys. Those girls looked too much like his mother and sister.
• “I am coming for you momma. You cannot hide from me forever. When I find you I am going to kill my sister and you are going to watch. Because you picked her over me. I was your little boy and you left me with him. Enjoy what time you have because once I am done with you. You are going to die slowly. Like I did every night when you left me with him, mother.”
• CHAPTER ONE
• MIRROR MIRROR
• Karen Rosewell ran down from her apartment to where her scooter was located. She was late for work and overslept even after setting her alarm. She had quickly showered and changed into her waitress outfit where she worked for her uncle and his family. They were nice enough to let her work for them considering she had moved from Georgia to Arkansas while she figured out what she was wanted to do in life. She was supposed to go to college but her family fell on hard times so she went to work for her uncle and sent her parents some money till her parents could get back on their feet. She had went to a trade school and found a program she could take at night. She would graduate in a year or less and be able to go back home and be a welder. She was able to find a cheap apartment and between working as a waitress at night. During the day, she worked at a grocery store as a cashier so she could attend night school three times a week. She arrived at the bar only fifteen minutes late but was able to catch up and get the food out and not miss a beat. It was Friday night and already the place was getting crowded. Her uncle Richard was a Marine but he wasn’t as tough with Karen as he was with his own children. Like his son Alex who was in the National Guard but mainly worked as the bar manager. Alex and Karen were both twenty-two but they were so different. Alex was popular and was the All star football player. He was six feet and two inches and his sandy blond hair and green eyes and light tan skin had the girls yearning for him. His smiles showing off his dimple melted the women hearts. Karen on the other hand had Espresso colored hair which was curly and a pain to take care of. Her skin was practically pale if she went to go swimming she would come out looking like a lobster. She wasn’t tiny even though she was a size twelve she felt much bigger. She was five feet and ten inches and other girls snickered because she was a klutz at times. Her mother was also tall but petite and most of the females in her family were thin. She on the other hand struggled with weight, Since she had been working two jobs and going to school and always on the go. She had managed to lose sixty pounds. Her friend Gretchen was working the bar tonight because she finally was promoted to working the bar. Now that another waitress had been hired who was already picking up more tales then Karen. Tasha Steele was short and perky and knew how to work the job. Karen saw her cousins Alex and Martin trying to win Tasha’s attention. Tabitha Moore who was Alex’s girlfriend was seething but she worked the bar as a professional and only her eyes revealed her jealous emotions. Jimmy Harris who was the bartender who trained the others to work the bar didn’t get caught up in the drama as he trained Gretchen about making drinks. Karen grabbed the drinks and brought them to the table and shortly brought their food. By twelve the last call was called and everyone by one was cleaning up the bar and making sure everything was up to her uncle’s standard.
• “Hey Karen why don’t you join us at the dinner. My treat.”
• Gretchen knew Karen was trying to get by and she too worked two jobs so she knew Karen’s life. Plus Gretchen had a baby girl. This weekend she had a fee weekend and tonight she wasn’t in any hurry to get home.
• “Gretchen I can’t let you.”
• “Look you hardly eat anything and I know you work hard trying to lose weight. For one night have a splurge and you can go walking in the morning. I am not in any hurry since my parents are taking my daughter to the Mountains and won’t be back till Monday.”
• “You guys are going to the dinner too?”
• Tasha asked with a smile on her face.
• “Yes. Just going for a burger and soda. Why you want to come?”
• “Sure. My brother is coming to pick me up in a few. Mind if he comes and join us?”
• “That would be nice. What is his name?”
• “Gergory. He just got out of the Army and is looking for a job around here. We just moved here a year ago.”
• “I am new here too.” Karen said but Tasha only smiled and turned back at Gretchen, “Where is this dinner?”
• Karen got the hint and smiled at Gretchen letting her know it was okay as she followed them outside. She hadn’t counted her tips but she also knew the new girl had taken her tables too.
• “Hey Karen can you come here please.”
• Her uncle called her as the others were leaving the bar.
• “Yes uncle.”
• “The new girl if she does what she did tonight again I will fire her. You got to stand up for yourself more.”
• “I just figured she needs the money too, uncle.”
• “Here, is the money the table that was yours left for you. I called Tasha on what she did and moving her to runner. Melissa is coming home tomorrow so she already said she would help out waitressing until I find someone else. She is going to the trade school for nursing. Why don’t you try that?”
• “I am sorry I cannot stand the sight of blood.”
• “Yeah. I never could stomach that either. Oh about earlier about your time…”
• “I am sorry uncle it won’t happen again.”
• “I was going to say I am changing your time to come into work. Mainly, so you are not dead on your feet. Just be here by six okay.”
• He handed her over a hundred dollars but she knew he put a little more there to help her out. He always told her that her working as hard as she did she deserved a little help. She would count her money once she got home but for now she got on her scooter to meet everyone at the dinner. She took out a twenty and went inside to see everyone from the bar there eating and laughing. Her cousins were showing off by arm wrestling and by the looks of things, Tabitha and Alex had already made up. Gretchen waved at Karen when she came back she saw Tasha and the girl looked a little embarrassed.
• “I just want to say I am sorry for being rude to you and I didn’t know your circumstances. I am also sorry that I stole your tables tonight. I am sure your uncle told you he is moving me to being a runner.”
• Karen only smiled, “It’s okay. Let’s move forward okay. Has the waitress came by yet?”
• Karen didn’t want to make waves when the older woman came by to take their order. As Karen was about to say hers, her cousin Alex shouted, “Just get her a salad.”
• Everyone burst out laughing but Karen could feel her face feeling hot. She only smiled and looked to the waitress, “I’ll have a cup of coffee to go and bacon, egg and cheese biscuit please to go as well.”
• Alex and Martin cracking up even though the others had laughed. Then they saw Karen appearing hurt. The laughter ceased but Alex didn’t get the memo. Gretchen was pissed as she stared at Alex, “Weight can always be loss but stupidity is forever.” She said as loud as she could so that the others could hear. Then she looked back at Karen, “Don’t leave because of them.”
• “I am not. I am tired. Plus, tomorrow I have laundry and then swing by the bank. I may get to sleep in a little but you know busy life as always.”
• “Yeah I know. I got this bill go ahead and we will catch up later.”
• The waitress brought everyone their food and Karen after grabbing her bag and left with her coffee wasn’t paying attention and walked into the guy nearly falling backwards but he caught her by her hand. He was at least six feet and six inches with blue eyes and dark brown hair.
• “I am so sorry.” Karen again embarrassing herself to no end.
• “Way to go Karen. We are raising money for a seeing eye dog for her.”
• That time Tabitha smack Alex on his shoulder as Karen left without saying anything. She had spilled the coffee on herself and left the bag on the floor. She didn’t think she had gotten the stranger but she wasn’t going to wait around and start crying in front of everyone either. She left on her scooter and didn’t turn around until she got to her apartment. She brought her scooter inside and locked the doors behind her. She sat down and started crying until she saw she had a message on her answering machine. She pressed the button and she heard her mother’s voice that she missed so much.
• “Hey darling, great news. Your daddy has started a new job at the prison a few weeks ago. It pays a lot better than his old job. So you don’t have to send us anything else. Your older brother and his wife moved back in a few weeks ago. Jeremy and Alice will also be working at the prison. So between their income and then your father’s income. We are going to be okay. They took the basement apartment. I know it was your grandfather’s but they needed the space especially for their young son, Tristen. We are going to be working on the barn so when you come home you will have your own space and you can do your welding there as well. Okay little girl, call me tomorrow I know you are busy but you are in my prayers.”
• She sat down and counted her money and saw that she had made three hundred dollars and putting everything into her jar she counted out nearly a thousand dollars. She would make sure tomorrow that her mother and father didn’t need her to send anything because if they didn’t she was going to buy some groceries instead of just buying bologna and eggs and bread and drink powder. She put the money back into it’s hiding place and looked over her bills. Her rent and power and water came to four hundred dollars. She didn’t have cable just the basic plan for her land line phone. She had a small television and dvd player that she had for entertainment. She put in a funny movie and then headed to the shower. She may not had a lot but she got by. She shopped at thrift stores and since she had lost weight she was able to get some decent clothes till she got her student grant money. Her father didn’t feel comfortable allowing his daughter staying in a cheap place so he had given her .38 revolver for her to use a protection. She had been using guns since she could remember. She kept her revolved under her bed where her father had fixed a place for it to be kept.
• It was two in the morning before she felt tired finally and dozed off to her favorite comedies.
• 2❧
• Back at the dinner Gretchen told Alex that he was a piece of shit for being so cruel to his cousin.
• “How dare you treat her like shit. Seriously you know she came here and works her ass off and all you can do is give her shit.”
• “Hold up. You are not my mother Gretchen.”
• “I am so thrilled I am not your mother because I would have slapped the shit out of you in a heart beat. You owe her an apology.”
• “Not my fault she is clumsy ox.”
• “Babe seriously you are heartless.” Tabitha spoke up. She was tired of his shit too.
• “Fine. I will bring the cow some breakfast and coffee.”
• “You are such a douche you know that right.”
• Alex and Tabitha left putting a few dollars on the table for the older waitress. She had cleaned up the mess which wasn’t much because most of it went on the young girl.
• “Why does Alex give Karen so much trouble?” Tasha said this while sitting next to her brother who had been bumped into by Karen.
• “They use to be close but when he lost his baby fat and started playing football and other sports. He just changed. Karen is really sweet girl. She came here to work so that she could send her parents money. Her uncle needed help to run the bar and Karen took the job.”
• “I am sorry I didn’t know.”
• “Just don’t repeat it. She doesn’t ask for handouts and she is very particular about talking about this matter. She is very humble.”
• Gregory only got a glimpse at Karen and already he liked hearing about her, “Does she have a boyfriend?”
• “No. It took me three months to get her to open up to me and she is very shy. I don’t even know where she lives.”
• Gregory listened a little more about this girl Karen until he looked at his watch.
• “Are you sure Richard is hiring?”
• “Yes he is looking for a bouncer.”
• “Hopefully I can get some work plus I hope I get to meet this Karen.”
• “I don’t think she is your type brother.”
• Tasha didn’t say that in front of Gretchen who paid her check and left the dinner.
• “What do you mean she isn’t my type?”
• “You can have anyone and I agree she is kind of large isn’t she?”
• “I am sorry I didn’t know I was still in high school. Karen didn’t look half bad and not every female has to be a size two either.”
• He lead the way to his muscle car their dad had given him. After they left a stranger came to the dinner in a motorcycle and came inside and ordered some food. He had ditched the car three towns over and managed to buy a motorcycle that tags were not from around here. He ordered some coffee and reading about the town as he enjoyed his coffee. He had stolen some more money right before he came here. The gas store clerk was missing his brains and after he had taken what he needed he set the place on fire destroying everything that tied him to the scene. The body count was growing he knew but soon he would find out if his mother and sister were here and if not a girl would pay for what his mother did. And He would be going to the next town then to the next till he caught up with his mother and sister. His hazel eyes glaring at the waitress she was much too short to be his mother. His mother was five feet and eight inches. This woman was too old to be his mother and too short as well. She would live to see another day as he ordered breakfast. He needed to find a cheap motel and by the looks of Woodland Creek he sure would find something. His MO was to stay no more than two weeks and be back on the run again. He knew he was going to change things up again so that the FBI would be caught off guard. That was fine by him. He was getting tired of strangling the women. He had stole a hunting knife from the gas station so things would be switching up pretty quick.
• “Doris where is a decent but cheap motel?”
• “Three miles down by the bar called Rascal.”
• “Thank you.”
• He decided that when he left this town this was the dinner to get some cash because it didn’t look like anyone here would put up a resistance. Especially once they were dead.
• He thought to himself bye bye Doris you have two more weeks to live unless someone else is taking your place. He smiled as he left the dinner and when he was outside he laughed. This joint would be easy pickings.
• “You’re not from around these parts young man. Just visiting or passing through?”
• “I am just on a road trip ma’am.”
• “It’s nice to see young people getting out and learning about this country. See any places you like best?”
• He was getting annoyed that the older woman was asking too many questions. He knew however if he didn’t act polite that she would remember a negative person a lot quicker then someone who was at least kind.
• “I was just returned from North Dakota.”
• “Nice country up there. Well okay sweetie here is your ticket.”
• He just put down a ten dollar bill and smiled, “Keep the change.”
• He put his leather jacket back on before stepping outside. He went down to where the bar was located then finding a room for at least a few days. He would checking out the area and learning the layout of this town called Woodland Creek. While he was here he would do exactly what he always did and find her first. He wondered if his mother was a praying woman now. If she was she would need a miracle to save her from what he planned to carry out if or when he found her and his sister.
• While he was here he knew to stay within the shadows and not draw attention to himself. He would have to wait till Monday to check out the computers and look up the people in this town. He knew the newspaper online and canvas areas that he remembered his mother had once taken him and his sister. He remembered that night so clearly when his mother and sister left. He hugged his mother before he went to sleep. By morning he went to look for his mother and sister and their things were gone. His sperm donor wasn’t home because he worked at the local body shop. He looked through his mother and sister to find nothing of their belonging. His father came home that night and he didn’t cook supper because he was coming to terms his beautiful mother only took his sister. His father raged that night because there was no food and his son, he had gotten a beaten of lifetime. Six years later he had enough of his father’s beatings and waited for his father to be passed out drunk. He took the sledgehammer and began slamming it against his father. Over and over until he was worn out. He only showered and as the blood washed off he realized at that moment. He was going to make her pay as well. They did this to him by creating a monster. He wanted them all to pay and make others suffer because no one rescued him from his tormentor. So yes he had many years of experience on how to make someone pay for all the pain.
• 3❧
• She heard her alarm going off. The time was nine and she was covered with blankets and she didn’t want to get up and out of bed. It was laundry day and it was the one day she didn’t have to work two jobs just go to the bar and get ready for church in the morning then go to the cafe for six hours. Tonight the bar would stay open till one because they had a band playing. She ran the water for a hot bath and gathered all of her clothes to be washed. She allowed herself to soak until she knew she really was wasting time. Karen grabbed a sandwich as she dressed and finally called her parents. Her mother didn’t answer but her father did. He was just coming in from pulling eighteen hours shift.
• “Hey sweet pea. Thank you for helping us those months we were struggling. How are you today?”
• “I am good. Just tired. I’m a month in my welding class. Even though I am only doing night class, I am ahead. Do I need to send any money today?”
• “No sweet pea. Between your brother and sister-in-law helping with some of the bills and my last paycheck. We almost back on track now. You should be receiving a little something in a couple of days to say thank you for helping. I know your uncle really needed the extra help as well. I am sorry sweetie. I need to get some shut eye. Your momma took Tristen to the park so that we can get some sleep. You want to call her around four this afternoon. She should be back by then.”
• “Alright dad. I don’t have to be at work till six tonight so that would work out.”
• She left for the laundry mat downstairs and brought a book to read. Karen thought about adding internet to her expenses at least then she could watch some television and maybe listen to some music. Then again she could get a used console and a game to go with. She hadn’t exactly splurged since she had gotten here. Her father was fired from his management because the job went somewhere else to save the company money. Her mother couldn’t work full time because of her injuries. So when her uncle called and told them that he needed help he came and picked her up to help him work. Once she had saved enough money she got her own apartment. It only took her a year to get the money together since most of her money had went to her parents. She mainly left because Alex was giving her a hard time. They use to be close friends but things had changed. Now he got a raise out of name calling her and when his parents were not around he was even more cruel. Her parents had sold her truck she had down in Georgia for eight thousand dollars. She only took three and let her parents have the rest. She could have gotten more for her truck but her family needed the money. Once the clothes were done she went to buy groceries which she had done in forever. She actually had two bags of stuff luckily the apartment came with appliances otherwise she would have been screwed. It was noon and she made a decent meal for herself which she had missed. After putting the leftovers away she decided to go jogging down by the park. It was a beautiful day and things were looking good for her. Finally she felt the problems of yesterday melting away. She put on her sunglasses and just jogged as she listened to her tunes she had downloaded a few years back. By the motel, he finally woke up to start his day with a beer when he looked outside and saw a female jogging. She was built and kind of reminded him of his mother.
• Her dark curly hair was much like his sister though the young woman was nearly pale where as his mother and sister were more tanned. He couldn’t help but watched where she was going and when she disappeared. He went to look at the map of the area and saw that a park was nearby. He would check the park out later and get the feel of the area around him. He had found the one that would take his mother’s place in case he couldn’t find his mother. For now it was time to work out and then he would get breakfast. He had a ritual each day he would do sit ups and push ups because it had been too long since he had been to a gym. He would clip his nails to the nib and always before he left an area he would clean his room making sure there was no trace of him of his existence here in this room or this town.