Human Again (A Jeff the Killer story)

13. The Date

Emilie's pov

He's gone. He's finally gone.
Good, I couldn't feel well with him around me. All the things he has put me through since I've met him.... It can't be worse. At first, he scared me so much, he even tried to kill me more than once. And now, he's leading me to the worst place ever. I could have been raped! What is wrong with him for god's sake? And then...he killed that man. He saved me, true. But I know he doesn't care about me at all. He just wanted to kill someone in front of me. To make me see. To make me feel what he feels when he does it.
And the body...why did he make me look at it like that? I was so close to it! I can smell it...the blood, the death. Everywhere on my clothes, on my hair. I will never be able to forget this, I know it. He's such a....I can't find a word to describe him. I thought I was going to win the game, to save my life. But in the end, he just keeps me alive, to only make me fall. To make me become like him, a psycho. To become insane by all the games he's going to play on me. I know it, I'm so trapped in his games. And there's no turning back now.

I stare at the clock, to notice it's already 3 a.m. Tomorrow is Wednesday, and I have to prepare for univ really soon. I know I won't be able to go to sleep after all I've seen today, so I get up and go to the bathroom instead. I need to take a shower so badly. I still feel the man's hands on me, and I can smell his blood, the picture of Jeff's kicking his head over and over again still replaying on my head. I feel so dirty right now, I need to get all that dirt off me. The more I clean, the more I feel bad and dirty. So I clean harder, again and again, before bursting into tears in my shower.

**************

I'm now in the cafeteria of the university, eating my salad alone in the corner. The first period was boring, but it kept my mind away from my thoughts, and that's all I'm asking for.

I'm surprised to hear my phone vibrates, alarming me that I got a text. Well, as you know, I don't have any friend here and my friends in France can't send me texts – because it's too expensive. I'm surprised to see that it's a text from Peter. I remember giving him my number the first day I met him in the cafe, but we never really chatted with this. We chat a lot at work to be honest.

"Hey what's up? Just thinking of inviting you to the cinema on Saturday. You okay? Just say yes!    Peter"

I smile to myself. I was going to get up and do the victory dance but suddenly remember I'm still in the university.
A date! That's my first date since a long time. I reply fast to him, accepting his offer. Oh my god. That's really happening! I kind of guessed he was often looking at me and caring for me since some weeks now, but I didn't know he wanted to have a date with me! I'm so surprised. Finally, there's something to cheer up my disastrous life!

"Have you heard that 4 more people have been found dead some days ago?" One of the two girls eating near me suddenly asks her friend, taking me out of my thoughts.  "That's terrifying! My brother told me that permanent smiles were curved on the victims' faces. Disgusting! Can you imagine that? I'm so scared, Helena."

The other girl is too shocked to reply to her friend. I can see how she freezes, her fork full of pasta  only 2 cm from her mouth. It's already the third time I hear that kind of conversation today. Since I've last meet Jeff, he has killed more people, as innocent as the family he killed some days ago. I can't help but feel guilty for these poor persons. If I wasn't so weak, maybe I could try to prevent him from killing. Maybe I could go again to the cops. But I know I'm trapped. What can I say? "Yeah, I've known him for 2 or 3 weeks, I even went to a bar with him, but you should arrest him!" No, no...impossible. I'm trapped since that deal, and he knows that. If I tell the cops about him, I'll have big problems too. Problems I'm trying to avoid.

************

Saturday afternoon is finally here. Nothing special happened since the day I saw Jeff, but I won't complain. I hope he has finally decided to leave me alone this time. He might have found a new girl to terrorize. Poor girl! But if I'm free of him, I'm the happiest girl in the world. It's the first time since a very long time that I get up with happiness. A date... It's been so long! I had a boyfriend for more than a year some years ago, his name was Marc. But since him, nothing ever happened again. I haven't found the right boy to love yet.

I take my breakfast rapidly, already thinking about the upcoming date. Well, it's not really an official date, I know. We're only going to the cinema after all. Plus, I don't have a crush on him, I just think he can be a good friend. But hey, I'm so happy to go out! And who knows, I might like him someday.
I take my shower quickly after cleaning my dishes. I choose to wear a simple jean and a white tank top, with my ankle boots. No need to wear girly clothes just to go the cinema. I don't even know what kind of movie we're going to see. And he already knows me a lot, no need to impress him.

At 2 p.m, I finally leave my place, but I don't forget to lock the door and window this time. I just have to take the bus to go to the cinema, which is not far away from the university.
In less than 25 minutes I'm already there, waiting for him. A lot of couples are hugging in front of the cinema, and children are here too with their family. Even with this happy atmosphere, I can't help but feel tensed. I guess that's normal with all I've been through these days. I need to relax, Jeff has disappeared from my life for good. So relax Emilie, okay? Nothing's bad is going to happen today.

Suddenly, I see Peter running in my direction, his hair is a mess and he's sweating. I can guess by his face that he ran all the way to come here in time. Knowing him, I'm sure he has overslept.

"Hey Peter." Is all I say when he finally arrives in front of me, breathing rapidly.

"Hey Emilie. I'm so sorry I'm late, I just... That's not my...The bus..." He can't even finish his sentence, as he's out of breath. I just laugh so hard at that moment that his stressed face changes when he hears me and he laughs too. I'm sure we look like both idiots at that moment, but the whole situation is so funny.

"Should we come in?" He asks, his eyes full of tears because of the laughing session.

I accept and we enter the cinema, which is quite impressive. I've never been to a cinema that huge. I can see more than ten screening rooms, even just at the entrance.

"So, which movie do you want to see?" I ask him, before heading to one of the counter.

""Trapped", the new horror movie if that's ok with you." He simply answers, his eyes full of hope.

I can't help but feel anxious. Watch a horror movie now, plus with this title, is like reminding me how my life has become so bad. But I can't refuse, and I'm just paranoid after all. So I accept. He pays for the two tickets and I thank him. When we enter the room, I can't help but feel someone watching me, and a cold wind on my back. I quickly turn around, only to see strange glares from the people behind me.

Good, I'm really becoming crazy.