Sam West - Home Intruder

If ever there was a stereotype of a serial killer, it sure as shit wasn’t him. He was Mr Charm-Personified. Mr Handsome-As-Fuck.

And now they were going to die.

“You don’t have to do this,” Ed said calmly. “Just walk out the door and we’ll pretend this never happened.”

Jason Jacks stared at him, his expression unreadable. Ed tried not to flinch with the gun trained on his face. The sound of his wife’s soft sobbing reached his ears, but he did not look at her, refusing to break eye contact with Jason Jacks as if that would somehow attest to his masculinity and save them.

“They have weapons.” Linda said helpfully. “Ed has a knife tucked into the back of his jeans and Jaz is holding one behind her back.”

Jason Jacks turned to look at her, like he had only just noticed that she was in the room with them.

“Thank you, Linda.”

“How do you two know each other?” Jaz asked.

How, indeed.

Jaz wiped her soggy eyes on the back of her hand. In that moment he was so proud of her for reigning in the tears, and for the briefest of seconds their eyes locked. He nodded his head ever so slightly in approval.

Be strong, baby. Can you do that for me?

“It doesn’t pay to air your dirty laundry in public. I was watching last night. I saw you go to kiss Ed, Linda. I saw and heard everything. And then I followed dear Linda and her lumbering boyfriend home. Or ex-boyfriend, I should say. They were so busy arguing they didn’t notice the man right behind them. ”

“It was you over on the cliff path,” Ed said. “I knew I saw someone.”

“Indeed. And now, we’re all going to play a little game. But first of all I’d like you both to lay the knives on the table. Come on, chop chop.”

The man waved the gun at him and Jaz. Jaz was the first to act; she removed her hand from behind her back and took a step towards the table, dropping the knife onto it with a clatter.

The bastard turned the gun back onto Ed.

“Get on with it or I’ll cut your wife.”

Ed’s blood ran cold.

I will fucking kill you for this, he thought when he lay his knife on the table.

“Very good, now we can start the game. Tell me Edward Sullivan, do you love your wife?”

Ed glared at him, a fireball of hatred burning inside his chest. “Yes, I love my wife.”

“With all your heart?”

Ed looked at the man, and he looked at the gun.

“Yes, with all my fucking heart. What the fuck do you want with us?”

The anger was burning out of control, he could feel it.

“This is your last warning, Ed. Be nice.”

Ed took a deep breath in an attempt to still his wildly beating heart and reign in his temper.

“You’re looking very beautiful this evening, Jaz. Are you auditioning for a wet t-shirt competition? We can all clearly see your tits.”

Inside, Ed seethed. His wife’s state of attire had been the furthest thing from his mind since she had entered the kitchen, but now it was pointed out to him, he realised the fucker was right. The thin material of Jaz’s dress clung wetly to her body, entirely see-through in places.

For the briefest of seconds he was angry at her for coming down here blatantly underwear-less and with the wet dress plastered to her lush body. Her nipples were clearly visible, straining the flimsy, almost invisible material.

“Please don’t hurt us. We won’t tell, will we Ed? Please just go…”

Ed knew his wife’s pleading wasn’t helping any. Playing into the shitty situation and making things worse. The high pitched quality to her voice threatened to spill over into hysteria and he threw her what he hoped was a stern look.

Suck it up, baby…

“As I was saying,” Jason continued, casually pointing the gun at the three of them in turn. “I like to think of myself as bit of a love guru, if you know what I mean.”

Ed didn’t. And by the looks of his wife’s terrified expression, neither did she. Linda just looked curious and not at all frightened.

What is it with her? Why isn’t she frightened?

Because she’s fucking nuts, is why.

That fact scared him almost as much as Jason Jacks did.

“So the thing is, I would like to test the love you have for your wife, Ed. And the same for you, Jaz. I’ve never done it like this before, not with a bona-fide love triangle. Tell me Jaz, do you think you love your husband more than Linda does?”

Jaz didn’t reply, she was sobbing softly. Linda watched her cry with her head cocked to one side, her eyes gleaming with some inner madness that Ed couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

“I love him more, Jason,” Linda said with the simple self-assurance of a young child.

The hairs on the back of Ed’s neck stood up on end at the plaintive quality to her voice. A sudden rush of hatred for the woman coursed through him. In that moment he felt with cold certainty that he would do anything to protect his wife from these two loons.

He would fucking kill the pair of them in a heartbeat.

“Well, dear Linda, that’s what we are about to find out. But we’re not starting with you. We’re starting with Ed.” Jason turned his full attention to Ed, his blue eyes glinting with the kind of mirth that would leave any sane person terrified for their life. “Ed, I want you to choose between two simple tasks. Cut off Linda’s little finger or tell your wife that you hate her.”

“ What? ”

Give me that fucking knife, was his first thought.

But it was fleeting, and no real competition to his inherent decency.

Jason instinctively homed in on the cutlery drawer and opened it. He pulled out a long bread knife with a serrated blade.

“Well? Which is it to be?”

Ed regarded him levelly. “You evil cunt.”

“Watch your mouth, mate .”

Ed glanced from his wife to Linda. Both looked terrified. A small part of him revelled in Linda’s suddenly pale complexion.

Yeah, so you should be scared, bitch .

He turned his full attention to his trembling, quietly sobbing wife.

“I hate you.”

She managed the tiniest of smiles which gladdened his heart.

“I hate you too.”

“Enough!” All three of them flinched. “Enough of this fooling around. Let’s get the games started . Jazmine, it’s your turn. You can cut off all four of Linda’s fingers on her right hand with this knife, or you can come over here and give me a kiss.”

Ed saw red.

“You fucking bastard! We’re not playing your sick games anymore.”

“Do you have a death wish Edward? Because I am more than happy to oblige you. I will start with your wife, of course.”

“Ed,” Jaz said softly. “It’s okay, I love you. I don’t want to hurt Linda. I don’t want to hurt anybody. But I love you so much, I’d do it for you.”

“Hey! I’m right here, you fucking bitch.”

Ed ignored Linda’s indignant squawking.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. There isn’t a choice, is there? We both know this. I love you. ”

As he spoke, a plan of action hatched in his mind. A crap one, albeit, but at least it was something. If the bastard was pawing his wife, then he would be vulnerable.

Oh yes, bring it on.

“That’s more like it. Come to Daddy, baby.”

Jaz’s face visibly blanched. She glanced at Ed, as if seeking reassurance. He nodded slightly, imperceptibly. His heart sunk down to his trainers when she went to him.

Jason Jacks grabbed her, drawing her close to him. When the man planted his mouth on hers, Ed felt sick to his stomach. He watched the unfolding, nightmarish scene, tears stinging his eyes.

“I wouldn’t have done that to you,” Linda said. “I’d fucking kill anyone before I’d let another man touch me.”