The Renfield Syndrome by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 35

With her plate number scrolled on the back of his hand, Caspian walked to the front of the building, where Reuben was waiting with his car quietly idling. Knowing how perceptive he was, Caspian put both hands in the pockets of his jacket. When they got home, he would write it down in one of his school notebooks and wash the ink from his hands. Having what he needed, he later sat in front of his computer, and finding a searchable database connected to the Motor Vehicle Department, tapped in the plate number. As if by magic, the teacher’s profile came up with more information than he needed. Now, he had to formulate a plan, and again, using the internet, he was able to bring up a photographic map of the neighborhood she lived in. The image was also useful in determining how he should approach her property, where he should hide, and which door he should wait at—perhaps a window. Caspian avoided printing anything out as he was concerned that if he became the subject of a police investigation, there would be no evidence to uncover. But after the deed was done he would clean any traces of his work from the computer further destroying any evidence of criminal activity.

Studying the map that glowed on his laptop display, Caspian traced out the route he would take as he made his way around the teacher’s house, making certain that those living close by would neither see nor hear him. It wasn’t simply remaining quiet that was important; it was becoming invisible. The only decision left was when to strike. Naturally, this would be done at night when he had the best chance of moving unseen, and to make sure his next victim remained quiet, Caspian would bring a hammer. One hard strike and unconsciousness was guaranteed. However, in spite of the usefulness of this tool, Caspian wanted his target somewhat conscious to experience her death. All he needed to do was strike her hard enough to daze her and the monster would do the rest.

The night he chose was Saturday. Caspian surmised that the teacher would be out on that night, as teaching can often be a stressful profession and she might need to blow off some steam. It was also November, and the days were significantly shorter. This meant that he would be able to use the cover of darkness for a longer period of time. When the night finally arrived, Caspian made the excuse that he was going for a long walk to clear his head. Knowing how troubled he was, Reuben nodded and asked that he be back by eleven o’clock. As he was unable to find a hammer, he would resort to using a fist-sized rock. In that part of Fulton County, rocks of that size seemed to be strewn everywhere, so finding one should not be difficult.

The teacher’s house was on South William Street, and approaching cautiously, Caspian circled it, and consistent with the map he found, he discovered the easiest means of entry was the back door. What made access even easier was the fact that the door had been left unlocked. Glancing around, Caspian saw that the windows of the surrounding houses were dark and the driveways of many were empty. Evidently, everyone was out on the town that night. This was the perfect night to let the monster loose. Once out of its cage, it would do what time and trauma had trained it to do, not just to kill but to maim, to ruin, leaving almost nothing behind that resembled anything human. At the same time, while she was still conscious, Caspian would scold her for how she treated the people she was supposed to be teaching. He didn’t even know her name, but that wasn’t the point. There had to be consequences she needed to experience, and it would not be pleasant. In fact, as death is often regarded, it would be the last earthly experience of what Caspian thought was a sad, pathetic life. Before her consciousness faded, she would feel every moment of pain, and Caspian would feel every moment of satisfaction knowing that the life he was ending would never torment anyone again.