The Truth About Him

As the front door quietly closed behind her, with the lock clicking shut, the room was left in silence. A pin dropping could have been heard even with the sound of the rain gently pattering off the windows in a calming fashion. Eilidh watched the hypnotizing downpour from where she stood, her breathing shallow.

However, the quiet she took comfort in was soon interrupted by O’Malley, her ginger tomcat, crying out from his cat box.

“I know, baby. It’s strange for the both of us,” she replied softly, taking a deep breath before stepping further into their new home to begin unpacking, starting with O’Malley.

The 22 year old put the TV on for background noise as she opened boxes and moved her beloved items around the pristine apartment. Though after a half hour, her attention was taken hostage by the television as a newsreader updated the world on the most recent of happenings.

“…two more bodies have been found. The victims, Andy Roberts and Michelle Davidson of Paisley, were discovered early this morning in their home by a neighbour. The police have stated that they do believe it to be the work of The Hacksaw Murderer, making a total of 6 victims in the past 5 months. We can now join Gordon Mackenzie at the couple’s home…”

Another killing. Eilidh ran to the bathroom just in time to throw up, her stomach churning and her mind racing as the images which had been burned into her memory swarmed. She heaved again and again, spewing out the contents of her stomach until there was nothing left.

The young woman flushed the toilet and immediately brushed her teeth. She hated reliving that night, but she was constantly burdened by the disturbing memories, whether it be in her everyday life or in her dreams. They wouldn’t stop haunting her.



After a couple hours of unpacking, her apartment becoming more homely, she decided to order pizza for dinner. Eilidh wasn’t one of those stick thin girls who could eat anything and everything without putting on an ounce of weight. She was curvy, a UK size 16, but she was fit and toned and loved to swim. So, when she liked to indulge in some not-so-healthy food, she knew she would have to do a few extra lengths in the pool.

It only took the pizza guy 20 minutes to show up at the main door, buzzing in. “Um…I have a pizza for Rosie Anderson?”

Eilidh replied, “yeah, just come on up.”

She never told people her real name, not since the incident. The police had told her that she should start a new life, get away from Edinburgh and maybe change her name. She did as they said, apart from changing what her parents called her. It was the one thing she needed to stay true to herself. But when it came to making orders, reservations and little things like that, where she really couldn’t trust people, she would call herself Rosie.

A couple minutes later, there was a knock at her door. Once she grabbed her purse, she opened the door and found a greasy looking guy holding her pizza.

“How much?”

“He looked at the receipt which was taped to the box, “£6.50.”

Pulling out a £10 note, she handed it over to him, telling him to keep the change before taking the food and closing the door. She walked through her open-plan kitchen and living area and settled the pizza box on the coffee table.

“O’Malley, dinner time!” she called as she set out fresh food in his bowl, the smell bringing him to her, then settled herself in the living area.

Once Eilidh had devoured her dinner and was comfortably nestled on the large couch with her cat lying next to her, it didn’t take long for her to fall fast asleep. But it was while she was in dreamland when the memories would consume her every thought, making her relive the night she most certainly wanted to forget; the night she witnessed The Hacksaw Murderer slaughter her family.