My Sadist King

He let me borrow an old, hooded jacket of his--one he had owned as a teenager. My nerves skyrocketed as I watched him strip off his work uniform and change into an outfit strikingly similar to mine. We looked like twins--dark jackets, dark jeans, dark shoes.

He placed a blindfold over my eyes as he led me out of the house and into the car. The seatbelts clicked, the engine revved, and gravel beneath the wheels crackled. Five minutes had passed before he took the blindfold off. We were driving through the main streets of a town I hadn’t recognized. The sun was preparing to go to bed as Kieran weaved stealthily through the roads. I stole a glance of a car’s license plate. We were still in Arizona.

“Where are we?”

He had just lit a cigarette and scoffed, smoke spitting out of his lips. “Are you really asking me that?”

I looked down at my hands and picked at the dirt beneath the nails. I could still feel myself shaking. I wasn’t able to tell if it was excitement or anxiety that ate away at me. Before the night was over, I was set to commit murder to please my king. It was my first kill. My first crime. My first act of true freedom.

There was a bag of weapons in the back seat, knives and all kinds of sharp objects hidden between the black fabric. When I had chosen my prey, I would get to choose a weapon, too.

Aside from the thoughts of how I would kill, I began to wonder who I would kill. Kieran pulled off into a moderately filled parking lot and shut off the engine. Silence ensued and soon after, I began searching for who would fall victim to my hand.

“Kill someone that you can read,” Kieran said, as if overhearing my mind. “If you can understand what that person’s like with just a moment of observation, then you can have that connection with them.”

“What connection?”

He rolled down his window and tapped the cigarette in between his fingers. “The connection you feel when you take their soul from them--the joy that their last moments pour into you.” He licked his lips. “They’re giving themselves to you when their faces go blank… Their soul becomes yours.”

I wanted to tell him that he was wrong. Weren’t people always thinking of their loved ones and the life they lived as they slipped into death? The last things people would want to think about would be the what they enjoyed--the things they would miss.

The sun rolled behind the horizon as minutes passed and the city was simmering in darkness. The streetlights flickered on and the crowds began to disperse. We sat there, looking for that perfect prey. It was all up to me. With all the countless people passing by, I didn’t feel that “connection.” They all seemed dull and insignificant.

“It’s almost been two hours since sunset,” Kieran said. “Why haven’t you chosen someone yet?”

“I’m waiting for that connection.”

He was already on his fourth cigarette. “You don’t wait for it. It doesn’t work that way... You look closely.” He pointed subtly at a man in a suit walking to his car two rows ahead of us. “That man, look at him. What can you assume about him?”

I leaned forward in my seat and stared at the man carrying a briefcase while loosening his tie. He seemed stressed--needing a drink or two. It was obvious he had a bad day at work and couldn’t wait to go home and relieve the weight on his shoulders “He’s tense,” I said. “He seems upset. Probably a horrible day.”

“How are you going to approach him?”

I blinked nervously. “Probably in an innocent, distressed way. Ask if I can borrow his phone to call my mom or something--test his kindness and patience.”

“What do you want to do with him?”

I thought for a split second, crossing my arms. “I want to bring him home, like you do with yours,” I said, gazing into his eyes. “But I’ll kill him if he picks up on my act.”

“Perfect,” Kieran said. “That’s the one.” He reached into the back seat and plopped the bag into his lap, unzipping it. “Pick your weapon wisely. And quickly.”

I gulped as I scanned over the choices I had. It felt like a dream--preparing to kill a man. My fingertips swiped up a switchblade. The weapon was fast and easy to hide.

I opened the car door and stepped out. “Kelly,” Kieran called as I shoved the knife into my back pocket. I looked at him through the open window as I shut the door. “If you tell him that you’ve been kidnapped, then I’ll kill him myself… And then you. It’ll take me less than ten seconds.”

I nodded, sighing and stepping towards my victim, rehearsing my lines. I drew nearer as the man placed his briefcase in his back seat and I forced my eyes to tear up. He didn’t notice me as I approached him in the dim, orange light of the light posts. He was undoubtedly handsome, only a few years younger than Kieran. “Um, excuse me,” I barely whispered.

The man paused, turning a moment later. His slick, blond hair and green eyes were unbelievably stunning, causing a brief hesitation. “Oh,” he replied, watching a tear slip down my face. “Can I help you?”

“Someone stole my phone and I need to call my mom,” I said with a shaky voice. “I was supposed to call her an hour ago… Do you think I can borrow yours?”

“Of course,” the man said, reaching into his pocket and handing me his phone. I shot a look down at his left hand--no wedding ring.

I dialed my own cell phone number, knowing that I would get my voicemail message. “Hey, Mom,” I said. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you earlier. Someone stole my phone and I didn't have any change to use a payphone.” I began to sob, adding to the effect. “Can you please come get me? I’ll be where you were supposed to pick me up. I love you, Mom.”

I hung up and handed the man his phone. “Thank you so much.” His facial expression rang a bell--I had won him over. “Do you need a ride somewhere?” he asked. “I have a full tank of gas. Since your mom isn’t answering, I figured you would be waiting a while.”

“You don’t mind?” I asked, seemingly grateful. “You don’t have to.”

“Come on,” he said with a smile. “I’m sure you don’t live far.”

I looked back at Kieran’s Camry, seeing him release a puff of smoke from his lips. “Okay,” I replied, walking over to the passenger’s door. I got in, minding the folded blade in my back pocket. The stranger buckled his seatbelt and brought the vehicle to life. The engine hummed softly as he toggled with the air conditioning, turning the knob all the way to the red end.

“Thank you so much for this…” I said. “I really hope you aren’t expected anywhere.”

The stranger smirked. “No. It’s just me tonight.” He laughed as he warmed his hands in front of the vents. “Actually, it’s always just me. So it’s no big deal.”

His loneliness made him look desperate. In a way, I felt bad for him but shut it all down immediately. I was going to kill him tonight. I had to kill him. My king was watching me from high up in his throne. I couldn't fail him.

“I’m Kelly, by the way.” I held out my hand to his.

He took it willingly and shook it, replying, “I’m Josh. It’s nice to meet you, Kelly.” His eyes remained on me as I shifted in my seat. The look was unreadable. It was just… a stare. “So, where are we heading tonight?” he eventually asked. His wording caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. Where were we going?

“Home…” I said, laughing nervously. “Aren’t we?”

Josh laughed again, nodding his head. “Of course. Just give me your address and I can put it into my phone.”

I sat there, gazing through his windshield like an idiot. I had no address to give him, so what would I tell him? He was going to see right through my charade if I messed up. I slipped my hand into my back pocket, out of his sight, and clutched onto the switchblade.

“Sorry,” I replied. “I just moved in, so I don’t exactly memorize the address.”

“Oh… I see. You don’t want me to know your address.” He chuckled. “It’s no big deal. Is there a shopping plaza nearby that I can drop you off at?”

“Yeah!” I slowly moved my hand out of my pocket. “It’s the, uh… what do you call it,” I mumbled. He stared at me, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. He parted his lips to speak, but the bottom corner of the switchblade had already collided with his head, forcing it back into the driver’s window. He groaned and placed his hand over the reddening bump on his forehead.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he shouted.

“Serving the man I love.”

One more strong hit did the trick. His face crashed into the steering wheel and he fell unconscious. I cradled his forehead in my hand and pushed him back into an upright position, chuckling at his gaping mouth.

A knock on the window caused me to jump. I turned and saw Kieran standing there, bending over to peer at me through the glass. I rolled down the window and smiled up at him.

“Well done,” he said, caressing my cheek. “Let’s bring him home.”