Chapter 7

It’s been about two months since Zach left. The school was just getting over Mark’s death. I know I should be a little more supportive, I mean I did know Mark, but I couldn’t stop worrying about Zach. No one knew that Zach was the one that killed Mark. Everyone just thinks that it was a freak accident. Trent compelled everyone to think that. People kept coming up to me asking where Zach was. I couldn’t bring myself to answer them. Trent keeps telling me that he will pop up somewhere and when he does, he’ll go get Zach and bring him back. We haven’t heard from him. It’s the hardest thing to do know that he’s out there and in trouble but not being able to do anything to help him.

 

My dad and Kathy were watching the news, like they always were. I was just going to pass through the room but today it was the international news and they were talking about a series of murders within London. That caught my attention and caused me to stop dead in my tracks. Anything with murders was something that I stopped to listen to. I had to know if it was him. Apparently, these victims were all mulled by some sort of animal and drained of blood completely. “Zach!” I whispered.

 

“What was that Katie?” My dad asked.

 

I shook my head. I had to get to London to try to save Zach but Dad would need convincing to let me go to London right now with Zach murdering everyone. “Nothing Dad. Umm I was wondering my political science class is going to London for a trip and I needed some money to go.” I’m not even in political science but Dad didn’t know that. All he knew was that I needed money to go on a school trip.

 

“I don’t know if I like the idea of going to London right now. Not with everything that’s going on.”

 

“Dad, he won’t-“ I almost said that he wouldn’t hurt me but I couldn’t tell my dad that Zach was the killer. “Dad, I’ll be careful. Please.”

 

It took some convincing but I finally got him to agree with me going to London. Only he thinks that it’s a school trip and I’m going alone. 

 

 

I landed in London and I checked into my hotel. It was huge. There were pillars on the outside and when you went inside there were these hugely, detailed paintings. It was beautiful. My bed in my room was a king size bed and the mattress was so soft that I almost fell asleep and I wasn’t even tired. The floor was so soft that it felt like I was walking on sheep. I was taken out of my day dream when I heard the crowd outside scream. I ran downstairs and saw a little boy, maybe six or seven, crying over a man that was completely mulled by an animal it looked like. “Where are you?” I whispered to myself.

 

The people were going crazy. They were all shouting. “WE NEED TO FIND WHO DID THIS AND KILL HIM!” Just then someone grabbed my neck and waist from behind. I don’t know how I knew but I knew that it was Zach and not Jenna. I think I knew it because even though he didn’t have any humanity I felt that safe feeling that I have always felt when he held me. The police saw it and went to try to shoot.

 

“Don’t shoot!” I yelled. “He won’t hurt me.” I didn’t actually know it but I was hoping that he wouldn’t hurt me.

 

“How do you know that I won’t hurt you? I’m not the guy that you’re in love with anymore.”

 

“No, but that guy is still down inside you somewhere. I’m not going to give up on you Zach.”

 

He turned to look at me. “Do you even care about your own life? Jenna is here with me. She will kill you and I won’t stop her.”

 

“Then she’ll kill me and get my power. But I’m going to die knowing that I was doing my best to get you away from her. I know who you are Zach and it’s not this person. Don’t be this person.”

 

His cold, blank stare flinched a little. I could tell that I was getting to him. Then he shook his head. “You obviously don’t know the real me then. I am this person so I’m going to continue being this person.” Just then he turned and he was gone. Talking to him was like talking to a brick wall. Nothing that I was saying was getting to him. Not even a little. I was hoping that it was, but I was wrong. This is going to be harder than I thought it would.

 

“We have to find him.” The police yelled. They started to run toward the way that Zach went.

 

“Don’t bother. He’s probably already out of town by now.”

 

A police officer came up to me. “Do you mind if we ask you a few questions about the suspect?” He asked. I was kind of in a state of shock. I hated seeing Zach like this. I didn’t know what I could do to help him.  I didn’t want to have them catch Zach because not only were they physically not able to. I wanted to try and get him to let his humanity show.  

 

 I shook my head no anyways. I knew that if I wanted find Zach, then I needed to have the police think that he was just a normal serial killer even though I knew better. I went down to the station with them. They were all running around trying to figure out where Zach might be. I seriously looked like a bomb just went off and everyone was on high alert.

 

They brought me into a quiet room. I think they could tell that I wasn’t in the mood for a lot of people. They had the lead investigator come talk to me. He brought me some coffee and asked me just a few questions. “You’re Katie, right? You’re the one that knows the suspect?”

 

I nodded. “His name is Zach. We dated for a while.”

 

“When did you guys break up?”

 

“He’s not doing this by himself, you know. There’s someone who is controlling what he does and making him into this monster. He’s really sweet gentle guy.”

 

“Katie, I know you may think that he’s sweet and gentle, but look at it from our perspective. He has killed more than 10 people within the month. He needs to be stopped.”

 

“Then let me stop him. I can get him back to the way he was before she made him the way he is now. She’s the real monster and she’s just trying to get me to give up on him. I’m not going to give up on him.”

 

“Who’s the real monster, Katie? All we know of is Zach and his killings.”

 

“He’s only killing because she’s not letting him control it. He needs to come back with his family and get it under control. His family and I are the only ones who can help him.”

 

Just then the door busted open. “There you are Katie!” It was Trent. I don’t know how he knew I was here but I’m glad he came when he did.

 

“I’m sorry who are you?” The investigator asked.

 

“Sir, I’m sorry. I’m Katie’s older brother. Since Zach broke up with her she’s been kind of dead set on saving him from his new girlfriend. I will make sure she gets back home safely. Thank you.”

 

“She can’t leave. She’s our leading witness.” Trent walked up to the investigator and I could tell that he was going to compel him.

 

“Let Katie come with me and forget you even met her.” The investigator nodded. And I got up and left with Trent.

 

“Katie, are you freaking crazy? You could have exposed Zach.”

 

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. Just seeing Zach. It set off some sort of nerve that I didn’t know that I had. He just didn’t look like himself.”

 

“That’s because he isn’t himself, Katie. You’re extremely lucky that he didn’t kill you because Zach with no humanity won’t hesitate if you try to get in his way again.”

 

“That’s the thing. He did hesitate. The old Zach is still in there. We just have to get him out.”

 

“Katie, Jenna wants you dead! Zach is under Jenna’s wing. If she finds out you’re here, then she could compel him to kill you and he will do it. There’s nothing stopping him anymore.”