The Squad

Looking down into the night, I didn’t see anything which meant whatever it was might be around the front of the building. From my place on the top floor, I should be able to see fine, but if it was indeed a person out there, they might have a better shot at me from their vantage point since the moon was so high.

‘Stop borrowing trouble Roxy; it could’ve been an animal or something. Or another homeless person looking for shelter for the night.’ I don’t think so, though. I’d staked out this place for weeks when I first got here, the way I do when I move to a new city, and no one has been using this place. It’s too far from the city for those who need the hustle and bustle of the city to survive.

I should just roll over and go back to sleep since I needed to head out before daybreak, but conditioning and a strong sense of distrust for the human race wouldn’t let me. I have to see who or what is out there before I let myself relax. It’s a sure bet that I wasn’t going back to sleep here tonight anyway, so I might as well get a move on.

I made my way through the dusty building to the other side, erasing my footprints as I went. It’s something I always remember to do even though I’m not expecting anyone to find this place or connect it to the murders; there’s no reason not to be careful.

I found a window and looked down, and my heart stopped. There was a car driving away; I could only make out the back of it as it turned the corner and disappeared. My heart raced sickeningly in my chest as I moved back away from the window. Who was that? What were they doing here at this time of night?

I tried to remember my steps when I left the cop’s house. Had anyone seen me, had someone followed? No, I’m sure of it, and I’m doubly sure that no one knows me here. What were they doing here? Maybe it had nothing to do with me. Did someone get lost? A drug deal? None of that made sense. This place has been desolate since the late nineties, everything that was of use had already been stripped and was long gone.

It could be a drug deal sure, but even so, that was too close for comfort. I made my way back towards my spot and sat down on the sleeping bag. A look at my watch showed that I still had a few more hours before it was time to leave, but there’s no way I’m going back to sleep now, not as wired as I am.

I sat with my back to the corner up against the wall and kept my ears and eyes peeled for any sound while I counted down the minutes. My mind drifted to what I had to do next, and the thoughts kept me fully awake. The easiest part of my quest was over. I’d dealt with the men and women who had a hand in giving me over to the life that had destroyed me. Now it’s time to go end the cushy lives of the ones who’d reaped the benefits of the sick twisted fate that had befallen me and so many others.

I’d already started the groundwork. While I was hunting my prey at night, I’d been tormenting the others during the day. It’s amazing what the power of suggestion can do to the human mind. I started off slow. Just a blanket email to all the parties involved with a cryptic message that hinted at their secrets. Nothing too open, of course, just vague enough to make them wonder.

I’m sure they’d forgotten about me by now, that they’d think I was too scared to even look in their direction. No doubt they’d think that after the horror of what they’d done to my young life that I’d be nothing more than a drugged-out junkie somewhere doing who knows what for my next fix. It’s usually the life of anyone they discarded in the past.

Of course, they’d made sure to get them well on the way to that path by drugging them into addiction before casting them off. But me, they’d had other plans for. Too bad for them, I got wind of those plans and had made my escape. It had taken me five years to get here, five years in which I’ve suffered knowing that the others I’d left behind were enduring, but it’s almost over, I’m almost there.

I’m going to save every last child that I had to leave behind. And then I’m going to go look for the others. The others like me who’d grown too old for their games, the ones who’d been sold into prostitution either on the streets or to some brothel somewhere. I’m not going to stop until I’ve saved them all.