Chapter 8: He Knows I’m Dead, Right?

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: He Knows I’m Dead, Right?

"Julian, that man... he’s so scary. He’s staring at me."

Behind me, Erin said, trembling as she hid behind Julian.

I glanced back and breathed a sigh of relief. The creep wasn’t staring at me; he was staring at Erin Whittaker.

He seemed to be glaring at Erin with rage, but he didn’t say a word.

"His name is Asher. He’s from the nearby orphanage. I caught him once for snatching someone’s steamed bun. He’s probably not a bad person," a police officer spoke up for him.

I shook my head frantically. "No, he’s the murderer!"

The police let go of Asher.

Asher scrambled up from the ground, looking disheveled. His legs were so long that his pants didn’t cover his ankles.

I saw shocking scars on his calf, like burns from an electric shock.

I was afraid he would kill again, but even though I was terrified, I still followed him.

He walked up to Erin Whittaker, his voice hoarse.

It was that same ravaged voice...

"It was you..."

Erin Whittaker stared at the man in shock, her whole body trembling.

I stared at Asher in shock too. ’Does he know Erin Whittaker deliberately lured me there?’

"Mr. Fletcher, if you have any news concerning Cecilia, please contact us as soon as possible. Sorry to disturb you this late," the lead officer said apologetically. "My name is Zeke Shaw. Here’s my number."

Julian grunted, took the card, and led Erin away.

Watching Julian walk away, Zeke spoke, "Investigate this Julian and Erin Whittaker. His relationship with Cecilia is definitely not that simple."

"Zeke? How could you tell?"

"Would you know if your sister had a mole on her chest, or a birthmark on her pubic bone?"

"That’s just... perverted..." The junior officer’s jaw dropped in shock. "He... he looks so respectable."

"So, get to it!"

...

I didn’t go back with Julian. I didn’t want to see him and Erin Whittaker anymore.

I followed Asher, watching him limp away, hoping to find my own body.

He dragged his injured, festering leg to an abandoned orphanage and deftly climbed inside.

I followed him in, my breathing ragged as I looked around.

’This is it.’

’The place where I died!’

’He brought me here and then killed me.’

This place, this is the first crime scene of the serial murders.

I followed Asher closely, hoping to find my body.

But he didn’t go to the murder site. Instead, he entered a dilapidated dormitory building, went into a small room, and curled up in a corner.

The room was a mess, cluttered with junk.

But it was clear this was where he normally lived.

This was an abandoned orphanage. I drifted through it for a long time, but I couldn’t find the basement where he committed the murder—where I died.

No wonder the police couldn’t find it after searching for so long.

CRASH! The orphanage’s iron gate was suddenly smashed open by a car.

Asher came out cautiously, watching the uninvited guests.

I stared in astonishment at the person getting out of the car. It was Julian.

Erin Whittaker was also in the car, trembling.

"That’s him. I don’t know if he’s the murderer, but he’s the one who’s been following me these past few days."

Erin Whittaker hadn’t exposed Asher in front of the police; instead, she had told Julian.

And Julian hadn’t called the police, choosing instead to bring people here to "warn" him.

Asher tried to run, but Julian’s buddies had already cornered him. They started beating Asher with clubs.

"A beggar like you thinks you’re worthy of lusting after our Erin?"

"Hey, so this is the guy who looked down on Cecilia Caldwell? For a beggar, you’ve got high standards."

Asher curled up on the ground, protecting his head. It was obvious he was used to being beaten.

Julian walked over, squatted down in front of Asher, and showed him a photo of me. "Have you seen this woman?"

In that moment, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, he suspected... that I was already dead.