♪ Hush little child 

I hear your sounds of fear

But the your time is already near.

You can hide for a moment

But your life, you no longer own it.

Your death is the final component.

I just wanted to play a little game. ♪

The song echoed off the dimly lit walls of the hallway. It was a peaceful melody, but the lyrics would chill one's spine in these circumstances.  The hall was empty at this hour, as most were asleep. Except three.

A predator, her prey and an innocent soul.

♪ La la la ♪

Strolling down the hallway, dressed in ripped, blood-stained attire, I menacingly twisted a lengthy piece of fabric between my clenched fists as I hummed along.  I didn't feel anything. Just emptiness, emptiness, emptiness. And a sick sort of pleasure that came from the thrill of hunting one's prey. Yet tears continued to stream down my cheeks as memories of the night a decade ago played in my mind.

I will kill him.

♪ Little child, do not run

The fun has just begun  ♪

My bloodlust grew stronger with each step I took.

♪ You will be on your knees praying with the nuns ♪

I will kill him.

♪ You are a pawn in my game ♪ 

I will kill them all.

♪ All knives cut the same ♪

And then she would finally rest forever. It will only be proper.

♪ La la la ♪

I turned a corner and saw him. Leisurely patrolling the mansion.

♪ I found you ♪

I broke into a sprint, and before he could sense my presence, wrapped the fabric around his neck and pulled.  He tried to scream out but all that came out was a strangled gasp. His eyes bulged from their sockets, but I tightened the cloth enough to stop circulation, making his face turn blue.

I grinned looking at him, a feral glint in my eye. Then something clicked inside me.  I loosened the fabric slightly, and he coughed, gasping for air. I watched as his lungs struggled for oxygen and slowly began to fill. He stopped struggling, knowing his end was near. As if he could feel my gaze on him, his head lifted, his pupils trembling with fear.

I smiled wickedly down at him, baring my teeth.

His breathing slowed and stopped. I let go of the cloth and let him fall to the floor, letting him choke. Tears still trickled down my face, but I did not care. He deserved this after all the torture he put me through. This was for my sanity.

I lifted his lifeless head and smashed it into the wall.

There was a sickening crunch! and the sound of a body hitting the hard pavement. I looked down and wiped away some blood trickling down my chin, grinning at the sight before me. I licked the blood off my hand. I felt alive again.

♪ La la la ♪

I was never meant to be like you, Lucia. The bloodier it is, the better.

The smell of death and decay filled the surrounding air. I kicked Thomas' body, ignoring the pain that coursed through my feet at the contact. I wiped the blood from my cheek that was mixed with the tears.

♪ Let us play together ♪

I picked up one of Thomas's arms. It flopped lifelessly next to the corpse.

♪ I want to play ♪

A hand clutched at my wrist.

♪ What a lovely voice. But I'm afraid you must silence yourself ♪

Shock coursed through my veins. But before I could recover, I was pulled into a nearby room. The door slammed shut and I was pinned against the wall, a soft and smooth hand covered my mouth while a dark form pressed against mine.

Light shone through the windows, illuminating my captor. I stared into those deep brown eyes. I had seemed them somewhere. I bit into his hands, ruining their texture. He hissed but didn't budge.

Huh. How admirable.

Blood dripped onto my lips and I ran my tongue over my lip, tasting the coppery liquid. 

My eyes glinted with desire. How delicious.

He pushed himself even further against me and leaned forward, forcing my forehead to bump against the cold wood. I studied his features. Chocolate brown eyes were framed by an auburn fringe.  A sharp jawline made it difficult to look anywhere else than into those eyes, which now seemed darker somehow, more seductive. He had an average appearance. But his aura was something I craved.

Death.

My lips rose into a smile as I remembered who he was. I lifted my hand and traced his jugular, causing him to flinch.

Oh, how I wish to cut this open.  To rip his heart and devour it like the wolf. I closed my eyes and imagined how it would taste. I heard him take a sharp breath and felt his chest vibrate beneath me. I opened my eyes and met those beautiful eyes again. They seemed almost...afraid?

Shouts outside the door brought my attention away from my captor.

Balls. They found him.

I closed my eyes and listened to the commotion outside.  I heard footsteps pounding down the stairs, followed by a crash and a yell of pain. My captor pressed his lips against my ear.

I heard them coming closer.

They were already here. Will I get caught?

My breath hitched. I couldn't get caught.  If I got caught, they'd kill me, because they'd realize that they have no reason to trust a murderer like myself.

I closed my eyes and listened.  They were going past this room. One by one, they passed through.  I waited until all had gone by before sighing in relief.

I felt the man lean back and remove his hand. I breathed heavily, my eyes wide. There was silence between us, then his hand slid up to my face and he wiped the tear tracks away gently. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words never came out.

"You're safe now," he said softly.

Safe? I will never be safe. Not with so much blood in my past.  I'll always be hunted like a wild animal. A freak to be feared. A freak that needed killing. A murderer.

Enough.

I bent down and knocked him off his feet.

He yelped in surprise and reached his arm out, I dodged and he fell with a thud. I straddled him and put my hands around his neck.

"Who are you?"

He tried to shake me off.

"Answer me!" I snarled, tightening my hold.

His struggles became weaker, but my grip remained strong.

"Answer me!" I shouted, shaking him violently.

"Please-" he choked out. "Don't kill me, Mercy Benedict."

Shock coursed through my veins.

How?  He knows about me.

He knew, and yet he still dared ask for mercy.

Death didn't scare him.

Not a bit.

My grip loosened and he pushed me off him. He sat up and stared at me with pleading eyes. His skin was pale.

I should just kill him. But what if someone else knows? What must-

Everything went black.