DESPERATE

24

When a man in a cop uniform barged into the house, Randall darted into the kitchen and concealed himself. He felt a throbbing pain in his head from the blow that had knocked him out.

The Andera family's fears subsided when they saw a cop enter their house. They hoped their ordeal was finally over.

"Please, Officer, help us. Our kidnapper is still here. He's crazy and violent. Hurry and untie us. Watch out for Randall; he might attack you," Jillian pleaded with the bewildered man in the cop uniform.

The man in the cop uniform scanned the room and spotted a fire poker near the fireplace. He snatched it and assumed a strange stance. He swung the poker as if he were dueling with an invisible opponent. The Andera family exchanged worried glances; something was off.

After several minutes, he paused and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That was fun. Did you know that I used to be a champion fencer? I was so damn good at it."

Dionah lost her temper. "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? We don't give a damn about that. We need you to rescue us. Can't you see we're being held hostage against our will?"

The man in the cop uniform furrowed his eyebrows and glared at her. "I don't like your tone of voice, young lady!" he snapped. "I love this cop uniform. I wear it every Halloween as a disguise. People always fall for it. They think my plastic gun is real, too." He patted his fake weapon with a smug grin. "Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a real police officer. But they said I didn't have what it takes. It really pissed me off. My wife told me I'm nothing but a born loser. She married me out of pity, not love."

Dionah felt a chill of fear as she realized the man was not a savior, but a lunatic. She glanced at the others, who looked equally terrified and confused. They had been hoping for a miracle, but instead they got a nightmare.

The imposter continued his rant. "Do you think I broke into your house to rescue you? Hell no! I heard you idiots scream for help while I passed by your house. Someone told me Tom lived here. I want to scare the hell out of him and teach him a good lesson. Where's the scumbag?"

With a trembling voice, Jillian sobbed. "A small man named Randall murdered my husband."

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Randall? Who the hell is Randall? That's the most ridiculous story I've ever heard. A pint-sized psycho killed Tom. That's hilarious!" He burst into a loud and annoying laughter and pounded his knees.

Gail pleaded with the imposter, her face pale and wet with tears. "Sir, please, we're telling the truth. We have to get out of this house, or Randall will kill us all."

He was ranting and raving, smashing everything in his path. "Where is your husband? He ruined my life! He stole my Leann from me! They were having an affair! She was everything to me. He convinced her to send me to a madhouse. She lied to the doctor that I was suicidal. I wasn't. I was just heartbroken. They locked me up with the crazies. I lost my mind there. I escaped to get my revenge on Tom and get my Leann back!" he shouted, his voice hoarse and angry.

The Andera family trembled with terror. They were trapped with two maniacs who wanted them dead. "I told you it's Randall who murdered your wife and my husband," Jillian whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Tom killed my Leann! He took her away from me before we could start a family," the imposter wailed, pulling his hair in anguish. "Where is he? Where did he hide her body?" he demanded, his eyes wild with grief and rage.