There was a cold feel in the air. Jack shivered as wind blasted him. He shook his head, letting the locks fall back in place. He panicked, what am I doing? Why am I here? He drew closer to the apartment, the knife in his pocket felt heavy. “I’m just checking up on her,” he whispered to himself for reassurance, “She said she wasn’t cheating on me, and I’m just making sure… Right.” As he walked up the stairs he chanted, “It’s not like I don’t trust her, I’m just checking on her. Yea, I completely trust her.” He drew closer to her apartment, and raised his fist to knock but then paused. What if she’s in there with a man? What if she’s not? Will she be mad at me? No everything is going to be okay. But jack couldn’t bring himself to knock as he drew his fist back. Finally in defeat he rifled through his pockets and pulled out the spare key she had given him. He surveyed the landing and panicked when he saw a couple on the other side. He quickly unlocked the door and ran in, closing and locking the door behind him. Hide! I have to hide! He ran into the bathroom and hid himself in the tub. Wait, why am I hiding? It wasn’t as if those two would know me. Chuckling to himself he began getting out of the tub when he heard the door beginning to unlock. He ducked back in. It’s her and she’s with someone. He grit his teeth, “That cheating bitch!” He slid his hand into his pocket and gripped the knife.

As his fingers curled, reason came back. “What’re you doing? You don’t know if she brought a guy, she might have brought a friend, or a relative. Calm down before you do anything stupid!” His conscience berated him. He settled back into the tub as the front door unlocked, he heard the two giggle and the dropping of shoes.

Voices filtered in through the walls, “Where’s your boyfriend?”

“Oh he’s at work, don’t worry about that babe. He doesn’t even know I’m cheating on him, he believed my whole act when he confronted me. He’s like a puppy, so easy to charm.” The two laughed, and Jack could only see in red. She was cheating on him and even playing with him! He waited in anticipation as he heard the bathroom door open and the light flicked on. He peeked around the shower cover and caught a glimpse of his girlfriend. He quickly hid, not her first, the guy first. He breathed quietly and waited for her to leave.

Finally she left and he could hear them move further into the apartment. He heard another door shut and knew they were in the bedroom. He could hear them faintly, the breathing, the squeaking of the bed, and the pleasure. Anger boiled within him, how could she do this to him? I thought she loved me, he thought, why is it not me in that room? What did he do wrong?

He brooded, letting his anger grow within him as the door opened, his breath quickened as he saw the guy. He slowly pulled out the knife and stood up. He waited for the guy to finish pissing and as he turned to leave, Jack rustled the cover. The boy’s head snapped towards Jack’s direction and looked with fear at the shower curtain. Seeing nothing, he turned to leave again and Jack rustled the curtain again, harder this time. The boy lunged an arm at the curtain and Jack grabbed it. Yanking he practically threw the boy into the wall. He heard with satisfaction a crunch from the boy’s nose. Jack quickly stepped on the boy’s throat to prevent screaming. “You okay babe?” The girl’s voice called. Jack flushed the toilet, “Oh okay, hurry up! I’m ready for round two.” She laughed.

Jack turned to the boy and looked at the fear on his face. Blood dribbled out of his nose, down his chin, and circling his neck to patter on the ceramic tub floor. “I hope you had fun with my girl you bitch.” Jack breathed as he knelt down, “Fuck I hope this was the best fuck you ever fucking had, because it’s gonna be your last.” Jack slid the knife across the boy’s throat, starting at his right jaw line and sliding to the left jaw line. A line of blood followed his blade, ad once he was finished, all it took was a quick severing of the esophagus for the head to hang. He felt triumphant, he killed the threat, and now he could go back to his normal life. But soon the adrenaline faded and the sound of blood rushing faded from his ears and he began listening to the blood rushing into the drain. What have I done? The blood felt warm and slick on his fingers, like oil. He felt vomit coming up and he quickly rolled out of the bathtub and threw up into the toilet. He coughed and went to the sink to wash off. He stared at himself in the mirror and stifled a scream. The jugular had sprayed blood all over him, and the puke around his mouth didn’t help the image. He tried to wipe the blood off, but his hands were bloodied and it didn’t help. What have I become? Why did I do this? “It’s her fault,” he whispered, “It’s all her fault.” He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and picked the knife back up and left the bathroom. He slowly walked to the bedroom.

He slowly opened the door to hear the girl say, “Hey baby what took you so long?” He stared at her back as she laid on the bed, her feet in the air, her head turned towards the headboard, focused on her phone.

“He had to go,” Jack answered, “Said to tell me to tell you that he’s saving a spot for you in Hell.”

She turned around panicked, “Oh my god Jack what did you do?” She turned to dial the police but Jack quickly stabbed down, piercing the phone.

“Shhhh,” he sat down on the bed, his arm restraining her from running and his hand preventing her from screaming. “Calm down, I’m not going to hurt you, shhhh.” He pulled the knife out of the phone, “You didn’t let me finish my sentence, I’m not going to hurt you, I’m just going to make you suffer as much as possible.” He swung the knife and clubbed her with the handle butt. It glanced off her forehead and dug into her eye. She bit down on his hand but Jack kept her mouth covered. Panicked, he drew her in close, and could feel blood, tears, and eye fluid wetting his shoulder. He hugged her, “I’m so so sorry. What have I done?” He cradled her head in his hands and stared her in her one eye. “I can’t do this, I don’t want to. I’m sorry, I’m just so angry, but we can move past it. But only if you promise to be mine, and mine only.” He kissed her but she kept her jaws clamped shut. Tears welled up in his eyes as he drew back, “Why won’t you love me back? Why can’t you? I just want to love you like I used to and have you love me like you used to.” He kissed her again but she kept her jaws clenched. “Is it because of him?” Jack asked angrily, “The boy who stole your lips?” His hands tightened on her cheeks, and as she opened her mouth to scream, he swooped in and kiss her again. As he pulled away his teeth clenched onto her tongue, “Da boy who stole your tongue?” He bit down and pulled, chomping a piece off. “Well it’s my tongue now!” He began hacking her apart, “And these are mine, and these! ALL MINE! You belong to me!” He stopped swinging and slowly began laughing as he embraced the mutilated corpse. The arms and legs were on the bed and the organs were splattered across the floor and wall.

Days passed but no one caught the killer, Jack sat through the funeral, constantly checking his phone and smiling. He put the sad boyfriend act in front of the audience, “I can’t believe what has happened to her. Butchered to the point we can’t have a open casket. But we all know what you look like. An angel.” He wept and everyone wept with him.

Along with her parents he received condolences and blessings, “Isn’t it terrible? The police still haven’t found her head!” A mourner told him, and he nodded and cried along. After the funeral he was driven home by the girl’s parents. He bid them farewell and good wishes, they were going back home. He went into his house and called, “Honey you miss me?” He walked into his room and planted a kiss on her head, “Because I missed you.” He hugged the skull,

“I love you, Lily.”