One Month Later

A month had passed and there was no sight of the hooded man. The peace and tranquility that usually encapsulated the town had returned.

More evidence discovered proved Hardy to be the one who killed my mother and me. But I was still uneasy...if he was the murderer, why wasn't Death here?

Over the past month, we had heard from local news articles that Elijah was still in a coma at a nearby hospital. I visited him once but never went back again. It broke my heart to see him that way.

Skylar was still missing and local law enforcement had seemed to give up the search for her. They interrogated Hardy for hours about her whereabouts but he insisted that he had no idea what they were talking about.

Over the past weeks, I had spent a lot of time at Carter's house as Janelle. We spent countless hours talking and writing and I felt closer to him now than before I died.

I fought the urge to tell him who I was and run into his arms daily out of respect for Elijah. It felt wrong to be with Carter after his near-death experience.

I didn't know how I managed to be so in love with two boys at the same time but it was a shitty feeling. Choosing one meant hurting the other.

I wanted to wait to make my decision to tell Carter who I was after I got more memories. But after that night, I received no more painful headaches, meaning no more glimpses from my past.

It was a blessing and a curse. One part of me was glad for the incomprehension, but the other part yearned to know the full truth about my life.

I had learned to let myself become satisfied with just that.

Lizzie ended up telling our grandmother about our current "otherworldly" state and she went ballistic. We watched my grandmother beat Liz with a newspaper on the video call and I couldn't help but laugh.

After grueling questions on her part, she finally believed Liz.

I swiveled in the office chair in Carter's room and watched him as he slept peacefully. He was exhausted from spending hours at the hospital with Elijah.

I admired the way that he cared for his brother. Not many people would visit someone like that every day for hours on end.

I saw that it was almost 8 am and stood up to wake Carter. This was always the time he got up to go see his brother.

As I stood up I bumped my leg against the desk and knocked down a few notebooks and a book.

I winced as I looked back at Carter to find him asleep and picked up the items I had dropped.

I looked back down at the last item on the floor and sighed as I read: 'American Psycho'. I was beginning to hate this book. Over the months that I stayed here, it always seemed to find its way into my hand.

Even before I died, Carter would always try to get me to read it.

A wave of curiosity passed through me as I picked up the book and sat back down on the chair.

I hesitantly opened the book to the first page and before I could read any words, the worst headache I had ever gotten thumped against my forehead.

I winced as I rubbed my head to relieve the pain but it was useless. Slowing down my breathing, I attempted to relax but it was useless. A kaleidoscope of images passed through my mind and I shook in the chair as a memory appeared.

I laid against Carter's chest as he read the book to me. He had been begging me for weeks and I finally obliged when he promised to get me ice cream.

He read the book with ease, not to my surprise. He could tell me the entire story with the book shut and he wouldn't even stutter.

I cringed at the language used in the book and shook my head.

"I don't like it," I muttered.

"We're on the first page." He said in a baffled tone.

"Ugh. Can I just have a summary to see if I want to continue?" I begged.

"The book is about a man who lives a double life. By day he's a wealthy, charismatic, businessman and by night he's a serial killer."

I nodded as I took in his words and leaned away from him. "Yeah, no that sounds boring. I'll have to pass on the ice cream."

Carter scoffed at me and shook his head. "Boring? It explores the psychological and social elements of what makes a man into a killer."

"Well if we keep talking about this book...I'll turn into a killer." I deadpanned as I picked up the book and read the summary on the back.

"I mean just look at his name," I said with a small laugh. "How couldn't he be expected to become a serial killer with a name as lame as Patrick Bateman." I teased.

A serious face remained on Carter's as he looked at me blankly.

"That's not funny." He said.

"I mean it just sounds stupid, okay? I couldn't be scared of this dumb shit."

"Are you sure about that?"

My eyes widened as I tried to catch my breath. Tears flooded my eyes as I realized what this meant. I stood up to leave the room but before I could I fell to the ground with a thud and another memory passed my mind.

I pulled against the rope that bound my legs and a sob made my body convulse. I looked back at the man in black as he removed his white mask.

"Carter please!" I begged. "I won't tell anyone anything. Just let me go."

He laughed as he took a seat beside me. "You think I'm letting you go?" He asked as he shot me a chilling grin.

The hairs on my neck stood tall as I looked into the green eyes that used to look at me with such adoration.

How didn't I see it? I asked myself that question countlessly during my captivity, yet there was no answer. I was just too naive.

All the notes and secret Instagram profiles with his anagram. Bateman. It was so obvious that I had completely overlooked it.

"This could have all been prevented, you know?" He asked as his left eye twitched. "All you had to do was be with me. I would've kept you completely in the dark about this side of me."

I remained quiet as silent sobs flowed out of me.

"You could've been the Evelyn to my Patrick." He said as he moved a large kitchen knife from me to him. "Well maybe without the cheating." He said in a cheery voice as he looked up at his ceiling.

"But you just had to be a selfish bitch and try to be with Elijah after I confessed my love to  you." He said with a smile.

What a fucking lunatic. How had I managed to never see this side of him? The words love is blind never hit me harder than these past months. I've been trapped here in the four walls with this monster I used to love.

"I'm sorry." I sobbed.

"No need." He said as he moved towards me with duct tape in his hand.

I shook my head and begged him to stop but he held up a finger to his lips. "Shh, shhh. I'll make this as painless as I can. You've been in enough pain these past months, Aaliyah. I'd keep you alive but I'm afraid you still haven't learned."

He ripped a piece of the tape and I moved my head to avoid it but he grabbed my chin,  turning my face to him.

"Stay still." He threatened.

He placed the tape over my lips and I let my body fall limp against the restraints. There was no use in fighting him anymore.

It was too late for me.

The door suddenly burst open and Officer Hardy walked in. Feeling hope fill my senses I screamed through the tape and let tears fall down my cheeks.

"Why isn't she dead yet and what did I say about doing this in my house, Carter?" Hardy said calmly.

"Oh, just one time won't hurt dad. If you'd like, you can help." Carter said as he held up another knife on the nightstand.

The officer eyed the knife for a moment before slowly reaching out to grab it. "Maybe just this once." He whispered.

An alarm ringing in the room interrupted me from the memory. I watched in horror as Carter rose from the bed and stretched his arms as he yawned.

He adjusted his glasses and smiled as he looked around the room.

How could someone so evil and deeply disturbed sleep so peacefully?

"Wow, Janelle. I've been so used to you waking me up every day that this alarm is painful." He said with a laugh as he stood up.

I remained on the ground with my knees to my chest, just watching him with shock and panic. I felt disgusted with myself for the feelings I had for him less than ten minutes ago.

"Janelle." He called as he walked around the room.

I stayed quiet and watched him slowly look around the room until his eyes landed on the 'American Psycho' book on the floor.

He laughed as he picked up the book and flipped through the pages.

"So now you know, Aaliyah."