The Nail-Ripper

Oh how I love seeing the true side of people, I can know if they're scared or happy or angry, for me it's like a superpower, knowing how people really are. So there he was, on my table, tied up by leather belts. When he woke up, of course, there came the begging, my favorite part. “please, sir. Whatever you think I did, I swear it wasn't me”. He cried out. I smiled, almost laughed, really “I swear” ?. He thinks I don't know what he did. Oh wait, of course, my mask. I had a spider-man mask painted black, then dark brown tape around it, so now I can tell why he doesn't remember me. So I took it off, his face changed, in almost like a second as well.

“What's wrong, dad? You look like you've seen a ghost”. I muttered. He looked pale, so pale for a second I thought he had died.

Spain, it’s a nice place, nice views, nice people, well some of them, nice beaches, it was a good change for us, for my parents. So we moved there. I was about sixteen at the time, we moved to a place in Barcelona named Tarrasa. Moved into a nice house, on a hill. It was nice, because it didn’t make us look rich, or poor, just neutral. My relationship with my younger brother was ok, I was like every older brother at the time, I would listen to Pavement or Ice Cube. Sometimes I would find my brother listening to my record player, I would get mad because he’s in my room, so I’d tell him to leave. That was basically our relationship, but I still loved him, alot. My mother, she was a good mother, from what I can remember. Back when during that time, she would tell me stories of what people are capable of, like torture, she would tell me, if people are really nice, they are probably just being manipulative. I know she was just protecting me. So I learned how to read people, and I do it very well now. One year later, I was seventeen turning eighteen, well I turned eighteen, it was my birthday, and my dad tried to kill us all. I didn't get much, for my birthday, the only thing I got was a spiderman costume. I put on the mask. For a split second, I could hear my ears ringing, I stared out into space, because I could see my father in the kitchen, he set the cooker on fire, we were in the living room, my brother and mother we facing their backs to him, so I was the only one who could see. He came over so I yelled, “Mum!”. But it was too late, he hit both my mother and brother in the head with a baseball bat. The window behind me was open but again he smacked me with his fist. I woke up and found myself on the floor, my mother and brother burnt, like burnt chicken, I had a burnt mark on my ribs, it was not a bad thought, not as bad as them anyway.

A few years later, I found my new home. I found a rich man, not too rich to be famous, but rich enough to use his phone publicly and publicly say, he’s retired and moving far away. Oh did I not mention I killed the man? Well why would I be sharing the house. Anyway, I had made some plans to hunt and kill bad men, my main goal being my father, So I installed Snapchat on my phone. It was an app for teenagers but of course there were monsters, monsters trying to feel children, so I had to stop them. I added a guy by the user of Hey_Its_Me23343, told him I was fifteen, and wanted to meet older guys, so he told me he was forty. And told him to come to my place. 

I could hear the bell ring, “must be him” I thought. I put on the spider-man mask my younger brother had given me but I had changed it, I put dark brown tape around it. I hoped my plan would work. “Soy Hey_its_Me23343!” I heard him shout in Spanish, I slipped a note under the door, saying “Espera un momento, ahora voy” Meaning, “wait one moment, now I’m going.” I told him this to get more time, I put on my gloves, and went around the back, I was going to sneak up on him. 

I could not believe it, I saw him, he looked oddly familiar. He was bald, around average size,wearing a large coat, maybe trying to hide his identity. I put on my headphones and played DARE by Gorillaz. I was getting stressed about this, I didn't want to get caught, the feeling of humiliation in front of all those people as the judge tells you how bad your life is going to be in a few minutes, who would want to be my lawyer? after what I’ve done. But at the time I could only think about all the disgusting things I would do to this man, and he deserves it, oh he did though. But after feeling the music, I got calm. Snuck behind him with a bat, all I could hear was the music fading and then his breath. I called out for the man, he turned, his face dropped. The sickening crack of the bat when it hit his skull, sending a splatter of blood, Bones from his nose were flying in all directions. The sickening thud of the impact of his knees hitting the floor, spitting out blood, then the impact of his head hitting the floor, all I could hear was the man trying to breathe, but it

was hard for him.  The only thing I could think at the time was disgust, for not hitting him harder.  While he was gasping for air, I grabbed my clear plastic roll, and wrapped him up from toes to neck, like a big fat burrito. 

I was in my garage, I put plastic rolls everywhere, even the table in the middle, I did not leave any evidence. The man was tied to the table, I had to use belts, one for each arm and leg. I finally knew who he was, a monster.  “please, please don’t hurt me, sir”. He said, he knew how bad he messed up, he probably didn’t know, his life was in danger. “What’s your name, sir”. I called out, “it’s, um..” He took his time to think, maybe he wanted me to not know him, he probably thinks I’ll know his record. “It’s Michael, Michael Bardot.” He said, that name reminded me, like I knew him more than I already did. This was getting dark, because now I know he probably has a family, but what should I care, he’s a rapist. “Do you have any family, Michael Bardot”. I asked him, in disgust, I need to know who will know in his family will also feel disgust for knowing they lived with a rapist. “I have no family, I killed them in a fire, I burned the house”. Is this a coincidence, my father did the same, only I lived to tell the tale. “My father did the same, mr.Bardot, Only I lived, But now I really know who you are”. I took off the mask, and his face dropped. “What’s wrong, dad. You look like you’ve seen a ghost”. I told him, the fear in his face, I loved it. “I thought you died”. He replied, he would now know what will happen to him, he will suffer. “I’m so sorry”. Came the begging. “You see, I just can’t help myself, I did it for the money, your mother was rich”. He cried out. How disgusting can one man get? “O you see, Bardot, I also can’t help myself”. I turned on the tv, it was already the news. “Breaking news, the Mossos d'Esquadra(the Barcelona police) have found seven new bodies in the parc natural of “la sierra de collserola”. The Nail-Ripper has been on the loose for five years. For those who don’t know who he is, before The Nail-Ripper would dismember his victims, he would rip their nails out while they were alive then, he would toss the bag full of body parts in the sierra forest. This mother fucker is the most brutal serial killer in spain, we warn you to watch out and if you find anything useful, please contact 112.”

 “what good times” I shout out loud. The sweat coming from Bardot's face was unbelievable. “Please don’t hurt me” He cried out. “Have mercy on me, son”. Now my face is dropping, son? That is a first. “So now you’re calling me son?” I should kill him, I thought, no one would even notice if he became missing without a trace, maybe I should even carve my nickname on to his arm. As I opened my eyes.

The only light coming through the window was the red moon. I could feel the adrenaline running through my veins as I quietly moved towards the blade.

I picked up the knife, I felt the sharp end of the blade as I poked it with my finger, but I was wearing clothes of course. As I walked over to the future rapist all the bad memories of him came. I let him watch this time, so I didn’t knock him out. As gave out a big breath, bringing the knife towards his arm. He gave out a scream but I couldn't care less. The sound of the blade scraping on his flesh was delightful. The pain was surely bad for him, but I didn't care less. This was my moment. My chance to bring my fame to the police on a next level.

As I finished, I stepped back to admire my handiwork. “The Nail-Ripper'' was on his arm, a symbol of my power and control against the police. They should be dealing with guys like him, but it's okay, because I’m here to do it for them. A shiver of excitement ran down my spine as I felt something for once. 

This was it, the time to do it, the question was, how? I know, I’ll slit his throat, end it, for once. I stepped back into the shadow as I watched him suffer. My hands were sweaty, but I needed to do this. I walked up, his eyes locked in with mine, “I’m not sorry for this” I said. The feeling, putting my knife across his neck. “please, please, son” He begged, “I’m not your son” I said. Blood flew everywhere as I cut his neck, he screamed a lot, but again, I didn’t care.

After ending his life, I stood up and felt regret, like I should’ve done more, more hurting. So, I began to cry. I really regretted it. I got up, and ripped his nails out, one by one. Put 'em in my pocket, for later. But, what now?