Intoxicating (Ticci Toby FF)

III

It's been 10 days, 12 hours and 45 minutes.

And he still hasn't showed up. Not once. Natalie hasn't heard the usual window taps in so long that she was now questioning if they were there in the first place. But that's stupid, Toby was real and there was enough proof of that on the news right now. After the police found that dead man's body, the one that Toby killed, everyone freaked out. It was a sloppy murder, messy, public and still he managed to get away. No traces. The police were dumbfounded and resorted to questioning everyone within a 5 mile radius from where the murder took place. That included Natalie.

The first time the young cop showed up at her door, she almost started crying right there and then. Not because she was scared of what he'd find out, but because she had to relieve the events of that horrid night. It is truly so traumatizing for someone to be put in that situation and expected to act normal, like it never happened. All Natalie could think about was that night. The knife against her skin...she could still feel it, the cold unforgiving blade against her throbbing skin. Every second of the day she could feel the disgusting's man warm icky breath on her face. She could see him ready to end it all...but then...it was gone. The man was gone. And instead of him stood her late-night guest. The feeling Natalie had when her eyes met Toby's was incomparable, the comfort she felt right before he exploded at her...Regardless, she knew she was safe then. When she saw him there, she knew he waited, he chose to wait and then he came for her.

Or maybe she's just delusional since he is nowhere to be found now. Perhaps he was laying low, trying to get rid of the police on his back. But that wouldn't explain the new murders showing up in the town nearby. Or what if he was so angry at her because of the incident that he chose to disappear? Maybe Toby was so disappointed and enraged that he abandoned her. His words echoed through Natalie's head every night as she waited for him. "You're weak" , he had said with such disgust and pity that it shattered her heart. And then he turned around and vanished. He left. Shouldn't she be happy then? He was gone and she could live her life like normal again, apply for college and have a boyfriend. So why wasn't she happy?

Truly, all that Natalie has been doing these couple of days was research and research about her serial killer. Anything she could get her hands on, she read. She wanted to know where, how and why. But unfortunately for her, Toby was a very mysterious person. There was nothing to be found on him, no identity, no background. Hell, the police tied the murders to him just because of the pattern, the hatchet marks, otherwise they probably wouldn't have even known it was the same killer. It was so peculiar how he managed to always get away, how he was always one step ahead.

Funnily enough, she wasn't scared. On the contrary, she was worried. And it was infuriating. She couldn't be worried about the same man who made her life hell. Who held threats over her head and took advantage of her situation. He was a dangerous, clever murderer and Natalie needed to understand that. But he was also Toby...the same guy who every night would visit and she'd heal. She'd heal and he'd tell her stories. Of what he did, of others. She never was told explicit information on the others, but Natalie knew of their existence. She knew Toby worked for someone, he did what he did for a purpose. Him and many more. Sometimes if he was in a very good mood he'd caress her face while she patched his wounds up. Tell her she was pretty, thank her. But that didn't happen so often. Most of the times meaningful glances were exchanged, he'd look at her in ways that were worth more than a thousand words. He saw her. So truly, what was she to do?

Surely the answer wasn't go on a date with the young, handsome police officer who questioned her. But when he's so charming and funny? When he showed up at her house with flowers and asked her out? Of course maybe they didn't know each other and maybe she couldn't trust him. But even her mother praised him: "He's such a nice young man. Successful.", she'd say. How could she say no?

So there she was now, in front of a fancy coffee shop wearing a pretty purple dress and a new jean jacket to keep her warm. Staring inside the shop, Natalie was unsure whether to step in and face her date...or go back home and wait for Toby, as she did all those late nights, with hope and worry. But Toby wasn't there. He hasn't been there for more than a week. And Peter was. So she went in.

Looking around the busy coffee shop, she spotted him. Peter was sitting down at the table in the right corner of the shop, next to the window. He looked up at Natalie with a smile that made her weak in the knees. Smiling right back, she walked over and greeted him.

"Well, hello stranger", she said in a playful tone, looking into his bright green eyes and wishing so desperately they were brown. Scratch that, she wasn't going to think about Toby now. Natalie made up her mind to have a wonderful time. To enjoy this handsome man in front of her. A very successful man with a great career, a great hairdo and that could guarantee her safety. He was a cop by lineage. He could literally keep her safe and away from all of Toby's threats. So then why was she anxious to be with Peter? Why did she compare every gesture and action of Peter's with the killer's? No...she had to forget. She wasn't going to fail this.

And she didn't. The date went amazing. So amazing that he scheduled another and she accepted. She said yes to a second date with Peter because she liked him, definitely not because all she could think about was Toby and she needed a distraction. Anyhow, the coffee was good and he was a nice sight so it was a win in Natalie's books.

As she got back home and night arrived, her palms got sweaty and her stomach was all in knots. She was afraid, not of the fact that there's a possibility a full on murderer could show up at her window, but of the chance that he wouldn't. So the girl waited. Minutes turned into hours and hours turned into daylight, and he wasn't there. 2 more days had passed and it was officially two weeks since Toby's last appearance. Coincidently, it was also time for Natalie's second date.

As she was getting ready, the girl turned on the TV for some background noise. Peter was supposed to pick her up and take her to a nice restaurant for dinner. And just as she put her heels on, the TV got her attention. The news were on, and as she glanced to read the headline, Natalie froze in her movements.

"22 year old ambitious police officer Peter Dawson found dead this morning. Suspect is believed to be the hatchet serial killer roaming around our town."

No...this couldn't be real. As she stared at the moving pictures the girl couldn't hear anything anymore. It was like she was under water, with only her thoughts reverberating. "He killed Peter. Toby killed Peter. Why would Toby kill Peter? Toby is back. Toby is back and the first thing he does is kill Peter. What the fuck is happening? "

Natalie's head was filled with all these question that still remained unanswered. She couldn't process the fact that Peter was dead by Toby's hands. Was it her fault? Did Toby see them together and got angry? Did she just kill a man by associating with him? Sure maybe Peter wasn't the greatest guy alive but she didn't think he'd deserve that just for taking someone on a date.

Suddenly, Natalie was broke out of a trance by a rough, familiar voice coming from straight behind her.

"You look nice, angel."

It was Toby. She knew without even turning around. She'd know him anywhere. Her heart was beating out of her chest and she could feel her knees giving out. The smell of citrus and smoke overwhelmed Natalie as she turned around and faced the man. Inches away from her, he stood with his mouth guard in one hand and a bloody hatchet in the other. He was smirking. Peter was dead and he was smirking. What was more disturbing was that Natalie wasn't thinking of Peter anymore. As soon as her eyes met his she had one thought and one thought only. Toby was back.