Daniel woke up to darkness, in a chair with his hands tied behind his back. Not the best of ways to wake up.

A single light bulb exploded to life above his head, blinding him for a moment before his eyes adjusted.

“Sorry. I should have gave a warning,” said a voice behind his ear.

Daniel could smell him. He reeked of cigarettes, hard liquor, sweat and body odor. He knew that mix of stink anywhere. It sickened him just how many times he ran into it. Enough for him to carefully peel away each layer. Maybe he was just neurotic about these things.

He stepped in front of him, head tilted to the side, like his neck was broken and it was dangling off his shoulders by just his skin and sinew. His face was covered in stubble and who knew the last time he took a bath or changed his clothes for that matter. Greasy long-sleeved shirt, stained pants–a good pair too if the bastard had just taken care of them.

“You seem calm.” His cracked lips remained opened, his tongue visible, pressing against the back of his front teeth.

Daniel smirked, more amused by the words than disgusted by the sight. “It’s an illusion, I assure you.” He strained a little against his restraints. “What is this? Rope?”


“Too cheap for a pair of handcuffs? Really?”

The knife came from nowhere. Their faces now inches apart. Daniel winced, not so much from the blade pressed against his neck, but the reek of the man’s breath.

“You have a lot of nerve! Being so calm! After you ruined everything!!”

“What? Ruined your fun with that hot little thing? Barely seventeen I bet.” Daniel chuckled softly, remembering her, how she had run off looking just as afraid of him as the killer who was about to rape her and be his fourth in a string of murders. This piece of shit in front of him now was responsible for all of them. She had good sense, that girl. One of the few times he ever felt good for saving someone. “Heh. I think you’re confused.”

“Oh? Am I?” Spit flew into his face, the knife really digging in now. This was losing its fun.

“Yeah. You are.”

Daniel kicked out, heel digging into the serial rapist’s nuts. His filthy face turned blue as he fell back and landed on his ass. Obscenities were screamed, barely comprehensible threats made, but it was getting late. Time to wrap things up.

The rope turned to ash and Daniel stood, straightened out his suit jacket and pulled out a cigarette.

“See, you think I ruined your little killing and raping spree.”

The poor excuse of a meat bag looked up at him from the floor, looking as pathetic as a seven-year-old school bully pleading to his mommy. He didn’t mean to pull the little girl’s hair and force her to eat dirt. It wasn’t his fault.

Daniel smirked and lit the cigarette without a lighter, taking a deep drag.

“It’s not your fault you’re messed up. You’re addicted it. It’s how you shoot up. Get high. But you’re not the only addict.”

He knelt down in front of the cowering man, smirking in his face, lit cigarette between his lips.

“You get off killing and raping pretty little girls. I get off on…this.”

Daniel snapped his fingers.

The explosion took out the light bulb and the room, leaving nothing but darkness.


Just how he liked it.