The Smiling Killer

Alone sweat drips down my brow. I hide behind an old tree weathered with age. Laughing, he is coming to find me. The blood won't stop flowing from my arm. He stops, the laughing it stops. “Come out.” he says slowly in a sick voice. I hold my breath. My breath trying to escape but I keep it in. Like a warden keeps it prisoners. “I have a wonderful surprise for you.” he says in his vile British accent. My hand digs into the ground, the dirt inviting itself into my fingernails. No more taunts from the man he stays quiet as do I. Our silence is louder than my moans of pain and his laughs of death. Clap. I hear from the darkness. “I have an idea when I say Marco you say Polo.” what a sick idea. Why would I answer? He's insane. “Marco.” he began to say “Marco.” I look up at the moon wondering if I can make it. “Oh Marco” he says with a chuckle. “Marco?” He's getting closer and I can hear it. I began to stand up but I'm like a baby learning to walk for the first time. My legs feel like flys and springs. “HELLO MARCO!!!” the man jumps out from behind the tree with glee. I stumble but run as fast as I can. I can see knives around his waist and one in his hand. I continue to run my adrenaline pushing me forward. I look back instead of running after me. He has climbed the old tree. And jumping from one tree to another.

My fear ever obvious. The man jumps tree to tree catching up to me. His laugh fills the void. He takes out two knives and jumps for me. He misses just barely. My ankle has a small cut from the blade. I run with my only goal to keep moving. I came across an old house in the middle of the woods. I opened the door before blocking it with a dresser from the living room. I ran into the bedroom. I hide under the bed. And pray to whatever God will listen. I hear knocking on the barricaded door. Then silence. My arm is still bleeding the agonizing pain I feel it feels never ending. Then I hear an axe as it tries to break down the door. More swings make more noise. And finally I hear the slamming of wood planks and footsteps on the floor. “You really are the king of hide and seek aren't you?” his laughter returns. My life is going to be cut short. He throws the axe down the hallway right into the bedroom door. He walks slowly, taking his time. He drops a vase off the shelf in the hallway. His tall shadow makes it to the door before him. “It was fun wasn't it?” he says standing in the arch of the door. “I'm walking to the bed.” he said with an audible grin. I know he can see me. I cry with that revelation in my head. “I look under the bed” what a cruel and evil narrator. He grabs my leg firmly. “And I hold your leg before pulling you from underneath the bed. He does as he says. And we finally see face to face. He is wearing a suit vest and a mask over his mouth with a smile. He stares at me, his cold eyes drilling into my skull. “Polo” he shakes my head. He grabs a knife from his waist. My life at the end of the blade. It goes through my cheek. My mouth fills with blood. The last words I hear “Remember to smile.”