Serpentine

      Inside a quiet, clean home. It is well taken care of and shows that Vincent is doing well financially. The front door swings open. A scrawny size male, brown hair with glasses and a fashion sense of gunge era teen is revealed. Katie, brown skin and a smile combined with big eyes that could draw even a married man to think twice, followed.

           “...then that's when my dad decided it would be funny to push me into the deep end.”

Vincent takes a step in before letting Katie through. He shuts the door behind her.

           “I agree with him,” Katie proclaimed just to annoy Vincent.

           “Seriously?”

           “Well yeah. How else are you going to learn how to swim?”

           The two walked deeper into the home.

           “So you think nearly drowning your kid is the way to go?”

           “Probably not the best way, but it worked right?”

           Vincent suspiciously responded, “Don't ever take me on a cruise.”

           Katie starts to take a look around the home. She nods her head in approval.

           “Nice and so clean. You sure you’re single?”

           Vincent chuckled, “You want to take a seat on the couch?”

           Katie accepts and moves inside the living room area as Vincent goes towards his kitchen.

           “Want a drink?”

           “A water would be fine, thank you.”

           Katie moves around the coffee table and gets comfortable on the couch. Vincent soon approaches with two glasses of water. He hands Katie one then sits himself the opposite end of the couch as to not put off any kind of unwanted closeness. Possibly scaring Katie and making her feel uncomfortable.

           “So what drove the last girl away?”

           Vincent hesitant to answer, “Not quite sure. After a while it kind of seemed as though she was looking for a way out.”

           “So if you could tell she wanted out, why not just end it yourself?”

           “I was enjoying it. I was happy. But I did leave the door open for her. All she had to do was change her ways and she could have left a lot sooner.”

           Katie curious, “What do you mean change her ways?

           “I presented her with two options. She could either stay and we could continue doing the whole routine thing, or she could stop being the way she was and leave.”

           “So you didn't want to be the bad guy? You wanted her to be the one to end it...right?”

           Vincent smiled as he shrugged his shoulders before taking a drink of his water.

           Katie gave Vincent a glare before taking a drink of her own.

           “Well what about you? What happened with your last relationship?”

           “Simple. He wasn't cutting it. So I cut him loose.”

           “Vicious.”

           “I wouldn't describe me as vicious. I just knew we weren't right, so I didn't want to waste our time.”

           “I can respect that.”

           Katie then straightened herself up in a more dominant approach, “Look Vincent, I’m a girl who knows what she wants. Is that something you can handle?”

           Vincent nervously laughed while Katie inched her way close to him. Vincent’s breaths became deeper, his palms sweating. His heart was beating out of his chest more and more as the distance shrunk.

           Katie leaned in for a kiss. Forgetting the cup of water was still in her hands, the liquid quickly spilled over Vincent. He jumped immediately to the edge of the couch wiping off his clothes.

           Katie feeling embarrassed, “Oh my God I am so sorry.”

           Vincent smiling as he rose to his feet “Excuse me, I have to go to my bedroom real quick. I'll be right back.”

           Just as Vincent headed to his room, with his back turned to his guest, Katie glanced at the kitchen counter. A kitchen knife sits out of place.

           After the quick glance, Katie turned back to Vincent with a slight smile.

           “I'll be here waiting.”

           With a small laugh, “Were you trying to down me?”

           “I was teaching you how to swim.”

           Vincent reached his bedroom door, took a look at Katie and gave her a smile just before entering.

           Almost immediately, Katie softly rises to her feet and glided to the knife. She then gently swiped it before heading quietly into Vincent's bedroom.

           Screams and thrashing of furniture can be heard from down the hallway. It was not long before the loudness came to an end.

           A short silence followed before Katie walked out the room. She is spotted with Vincent's blood. In one hand she's carrying the bloody kitchen knife. In her other, what appears to be Vincent's wallet. She continues to the kitchen where she dropped the knife in the sink and began washing the blood from her hands and the wallet.

           Katie held a satisfied smile throughout the entire time. Once done washing, she simply took the wallet and exit the home of Vincent.

           The door closed behind Katie as she leaves.

           After a few seconds came and went, voices could be heard and the door opens. Vincent is revealed with Katie.

           “...then that's when my dad decided it would be funny to push me into the deep end.”

           Vincent takes a step in before letting Katie through. He shuts the door close behind her.

           “I agree with him.”

           “Seriously?”

           “Well yeah. How else are you going to learn how to swim?”

           The two walk deeper into the home.

           “So you think nearly drowning your kid is the way to go?”

           “Probably not the best way, but it worked right?”

           “Don't ever take me on a cruise.”

           Katie starts to take a look around the home. She nods her head in approval, “Nice and so clean. You sure you're single?”

           Vincent chuckles, “You want to take a seat on the couch?”

           Katie heads towards the couch as Vincent goes towards his kitchen.

           “Want a drink?”

           Katie takes a seat on the couch.

           “A water would be fine, thank you.”

           Katie moves around the coffee table and gets comfortable on the couch. Vincent approaches with two glasses one water and the other a soda for himself. He hands Katie her water then sits himself the opposite end of the couch.

           “So how are you liking it so far in the little time you've been in town?”

           “Honestly, it doesn't feel like there's much to do here. Kind of just feels limited here, you know?”

           “Yeah I know exactly what you mean.”

           “I don't know, maybe I haven't spent enough time here to really discover much.”

           “Well that just means you have to challenge yourself and find a way to change that routine.”

           “I just haven't been able to break out of this repetitiveness that I've been stuck in.”

           “Well it's never too late to change and escape it.”

           “That's the goal. I just need to find some motivation.”

           “Maybe someone who just takes your hand and forces you out of town?”

           “I don't know...maybe. But then again, kind of sounds like a serial killer to me.” They began to both laugh.

           “Yeah you're right... Well maybe a serial killer is just what you need in your life then.”

           “At least my life wouldn't be so boring.”

           Vincent smiled before taking a drink from his glass.

           Katie gave Vincent a glare before taking a drink of her water.

           Vincent finished his glass and began to remove himself from the couch as he started to head towards the bathroom.

           “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom real quick and I'll be right back.”

           Just as Vincent headed to the bathroom, with his back turned to his guest, Katie glanced at the kitchen counter. A small extension cord sits.

           After the quick glance, Katie turned back to Vincent with a slight smile.

           “I'll be here waiting.”

           Vincent reached his bathroom door, he took a look at Katie, gave her a smile just before entering the room.

           Once again, after Vincent disappeared, Katie was on the move. She rose to her feet and worked her way to the cord, claimed it and headed quietly into Vincent's restroom, which he left unlocked. Katie tightens each end of the cord around her hands before entering.

           After a few short seconds, struggling sounds gave noise. A shower current can be heard being ripped down. The breaking of glass and pounding against the wall.

           Suddenly a thumping sound and the struggling noise ends.

           A short silence is followed before Katie walked out the room. In one hand she holds Vincent's wallet as she counts the money inside.

           Katie holds a satisfied smile throughout the entire time as she flows through the living room and exits the home of Vincent.

           The door closed behind Katie as she leaves.

           A moment passes, voices made and the door opened. Vincent and Katie.

           “...then that's when my dad decided it would be funny to push me into the deep end.”

           Vincent takes a step in before letting Katie through. He shut the door close behind. This time Katie seems a bit off. She notices something strange but can't quite figure it out.

           She continues to take a look around, “Odd. I feel as though I've been here before.”

           Vincent continued with no curiosity and moved passed Katie.

           “Hope not, that would be a bit strange.”

           Katie began to shake off the feeling and followed Vincent inside.

           “You want to take a seat on the couch?”

           Katie headed towards the couch as Vincent towards his kitchen.

           “Want a drink?”

            “Do you have any water?”

           Vincent answers with a smile, “Water it is.”

           Katie moved around the coffee table and gets comfortable on the couch. Vincent approached with two glasses one water and the other a soda for himself. He hands Katie her water then sits himself the opposite end of the couch.

           This time around we see a rosary on the coffee table. Katie examines with her eyes before turning to Vincent.

           “So are you like one of those annoying people who push their religious beliefs on everyone?”

           Katie smirks at Vincent as she takes a drink. Vincent sits with a slight smile, “No. I don't push anything on to anyone. Do I make suggestions on how to look at things differently? Yes.”

           “You believe everything you read in the bible?”

           “I am a firm believer with my own thoughts as well.”

           “How about the afterlife?”

           “What about the afterlife?”

           “Do you believe in a Heaven and Hell? Do we hang with God for eternity if we're good? Do we burn in the underworld if we're bad?” Katie asks mockingly.

           “I do believe in resting eternity with the Lord once we ascend from Earth. I also believe we are punished for our sins.”

           Katie and Vincent give each other a quick stare down, both with a slight smile. Katie outdoing Vincent.

           “What do you think about the Devil?” Katie curiously asked.

           Vincent's slight smile begins to fade. That is until he begins to speak again, his half effort smile then reappears, “I think he's a serpent. He earns your trust, then swiftly puts the knife behind your back when you're not looking.”

           Vincent smiled before taking a drink from his glass.

           Katie gave Vincent a glare before taking a drink of her water.

           Vincent finished his drink and began to remove himself from the couch and started his way towards the hallway, “Excuse me, I have to go to my office real quick. I'll be right back.”

           Vincent headed to the room, his back turned to his guest, Katie stares at the kitchen counter. A hammer sits, ready to be used.

           Katie turned back to Vincent with curiosity.

           Vincent reached his office door, takes a look at Katie, gives her a smile just before entering.

           Katie rises but this time with hesitation. With uncertainty, she makes her way to the hammer.

           As she lifts the hammer up, Katie takes a look at the rosary. Before a second thought hits, she makes her way to Vincent. She gains her kill, her newly found finances, and exits the home.

           After a few seconds pass, voices and the door opens. Vincent slides in with Katie close behind.

           “...then that's when my dad decided it would be funny to push me into the deep end.”

           Vincent takes a step in before letting Katie through. He shuts the door behind her.

           Katie notices immediately that something isn't right.

           Vincent walks right passed Katie almost not paying mind to the woman.

           As he begins to walk deeper into the home, Katie stalls to follow but eventually does so.

           “So Katie I have to ask...” Vincent stops and turns to Katie who in reaction stops in her path, “how are you enjoying the ride?”

           Katie confused, “What do you mean?”

           “You didn't think you could just roam around murdering, stealing and not be punished for it, did you?”

           Katie, nearly her breath taken away, “I...I don't know what you're talking about.”

           “You will. Get comfortable, I can tell it's going to take a really long time for you to change your ways.”

           Katie's eyes widen. Vincent smiles greatly, “Want a drink?”

           Katie turns and runs out the home. The door fast shutting behind her.

           Immediately, voices, “...then that's when my dad decided it would be funny to push me into the deep end.”