Broken Dreams

Chapter Six-Of Killers and Saviors

The pain slowly subsided as Kristin drifted into consciousness. The face ofthat stranger loomed in and out of her memory. Voices became clearer as the haze cleared.

"Mr. Bruce, maybe the cops should get involved." He shook his head violently in the negative. "No. If he can haunt me in my sleep, then there's no point." I had to admit he was right. Who or whatever this guy was, the whole of the military couldn't stop him. "It's like a hydra. You cut one head off and it grows another…" Dave's gaze became one of interest. "You haven't tried that, now have you?" "No. I have a mind to, though."

Brent had been listening intently to our conversation, and now his worry increased. "What are you talkin' about? Is this guy or thing after anyone in particular?" Dave looked up quickly and glanced around. "No. He wants to ruin me. I saw something that I shouldn't have."

"Like what?" Brent's curiosity shown in his crystal blue eyes as his superior straightened up. "Well, I had started having odd dreams about this dark and musty chamber. Later the dreams progressed to the point where there was a solitary candle in the centre I guess. Then this face loomed up in the darkness, and a horrible scream was heard." Brent stared intently at this man in front of him. "Have you gone insane? I mean hearing voices and stuff nbody else can isn't a good sign." "You should be the judge. I don't know if I am."

"No. He was convicted of murder a couple years ago. He murdered his son by allegedly draining him of his blood, separating the body parts, then burning them. You're not crazy, at least I don't think so." His sigh was one of masked frustration and worry. "Well, that's one positive vote. Only about a million and a half to go. Plus the shrinks have to say so."

Kristin stirred slightly In Brent's gentle arms. She seemed to not notice someone was cradling her head, though it was quite obvious. "Huh? Where am-am I?" She shifted oddly as Brent stared down concerned. "You fainted so suddenly. All I heard was that he was here. You fell over, and your neck was injured. There was blood… I didn't know what else to do." His gaze fell on her in an oddly affectionate way, but her scowl was evident.

"Oh come off it, Kristin. I didn't know what else to do. If you had hit the floor, I would have ran into the wall in guilt, even if you're gonna kill me for catching you." Her lips were caught between a look of disdain and a smirk. "Brent, you're a hopeless romantic."

Meanwhile outside the shelter of the band room, the dtranger shrank into the shadows. 'How does this bastard know about my past? How does he expect me to think highly of him when I know that him knowing of my current charges will place me in severe danger! Curse the day I thought nobody would guess that I was an escaped convict!

-Flashback—

"Oh o-oh god!" The sceams of a shattered mother filled the peaceful street. On the floor of the basement were the burned fragments of her son's clothes, skin, and bones. "Hell, I knew my husband was acting strangely, but I never noticed that he took a personal interest in my son's misfortune!" She pulled the remains of the sixteen-year old toward her, with the eerie feeling that she was being watched aside from the prying eyes of the police.

"Mam, we'll need to examine the burned fragments of your-"

"My son will not be poked and prodded after death!" Tears streamed out her deep green eyes as she tried to fend the police off. "Look, we need to do this to determine the death of him. If he was burned post-mortem, then that'll establish an MO. That'll lead us toward catching the murderer." She stared at the burnt fragments in her hands, and then to the officer who extended his hand," The girl's hoping he could help this distraught and grief-stricken woman out of this troubled time. She with reluctance began speaking in a muffled tone distorted by choked sobs. "I know who did it. You don't ned any lab to figure it out."

"Who was it, mam? Are you sure you know?" "Every mother knows her son's killer, especially when it's her husband who smells like fuel oil."

A few days after the body was discovered, She ordered a funeral ASAP. While the father was being held in prison, awaiting his trial, she received a single package from him. A white rose.

-End Flashback—

The white rose was clearly not a symbol of regret, though she included it in the bundle of flowers that were laid at the foot of the stone. "How can I be able to not punish this bald creep for finding out info that could destroy me! I'll be sent right back to the steel cage without another word, but I'll also be able to bust out with more rage!" The girl that had just escaped, she was the perfect target. However, she would be the hardest person to reach. It seemed that both the stupid senior and his superior were protecting her. No matter. There were others to feed upon. All there was left to do was to figure out how to lure them into his painful yet hopeful grasp.

"Brent?

"Yes?

"Where is he? What is he going to do?" Kristin glanced nervously around the now emptying room. The bell had rung only two seconds ago, and it was already abandoned. "Will he try it again?"

"What exactly did he do? Did he do what I think he did?" Dave's voice shook with the fear that he was right, the fear that his prophetic vision had indeed occurred. "Start from the beginning, go on."