Dream Catcher

The Final Chapter

The blow of his fist felt like a hammer against the side of her head. Dani fell back, unconsciousness claiming her before her body could hit the floor. When she awoke, she was bound and gagged to her bed.

Her bedroom was dimly lit and a sizzling fear burned through her as she heard the soft notes of Beethoven playing softly around her.

"The walls of these apartments are so thin that I have to be careful. Don't worry, the cops next door already left. It's just you and me now, Dani. We're finally alone. Oh, how I've longed for this moment. I've been watching you for such a long time. Did you know that?"

She watched him eye the knife he held in his hand, "You're probably surprised to see me.

Dani mumbled something behind her gag.

"What was that? You never would have guessed it was me?" he asked. "Are you really that surprised?"

She nodded and he caressed her face with his gloved hands.

"Shall I tell you a secret?" When she didn't respond, he continued anyway. "Your neighbor Derek is my half-brother. Or should I say was? He's no longer living, is he? I had also been watching him for a long time. I originally had planned to kill him. He and his friend always came to the diner so I started coming with Belcher. But then something amazing happened. Something totally unexpected. I met you."

Dani watched Freddy close his eyes and inhale the music that was softly playing as though it were giving him strength. Possibly life.

"Belcher's going to be so sad when he hears of your death...but I saw you first. In my heart, I had already called dibs. Do you know how difficult it was to pretend to be a strung out musician? I had to though. If I wanted to continue my quest for the perfect heart, I had to. There's something about you that I just can't get enough of. It almost pains me to have to do this, Dani. Almost."

Dani was mumbling behind her gag, struggling to move away from him. Freddy clucked his tongue, "I'll take away the gag if you promise not to yell. Shall I show you what will happen if you scream for help?"

Dani felt the knife prick her skin before pressing the cut deeper into her flesh. Sweat broke out on her brow and she screamed into the gag at the pain he was giving her.

"Don't worry my love, I won't do it again unless you scream. I'm a very fair man. Do you promise?"

Tears were streaming down her face. She nodded.

"Good girl," he removed the gag and quickly kissed her lips. Dani was too stunned to react. "There's something I have wanted to ask you but you said you have something to say so I'll let you go first. I am a gentleman after all."

Dani started to lick her lips but stopped when she remembered he had just kissed them. She looked up into Freddy's crazed eyes and shuddered, "Why are you doing this? Why me?"

"Why am I doing this? Well, you could say it started with Adam and Eve. Adam gave his rib for a woman only to have him trick him. To betray him. Perhaps that's why women always betray the men they claim to love. My mother betrayed me. She was an alcoholic that only cared about her next drink."

"I-I'm sure she loved you. You were her son," Dani said, looking around for anything she could use as a possible weapon.

"Me? Not at all. My brother, Jackson? That's a different story. He was her favorite. He used to play the piano and she loved it. I learned how to play the piano to please her but she didn't care. She wouldn't give me her heart."

"Jackson?" Dani repeated, remembering Tammy call Derek Jackson.

"You knew him as Derek. My mother loved him enough to free him but she kept me with her. It was hell. All the while she kept asking me for Jackson. She loved my older brother. Adored him. Probably not as much as her booze...but it was enough. She let him live with his father when he was seven and pretended like he was adopted. I wasn't so fortunate. I was left behind. Do you know what it's like to grow up starving for a mother's love?"