Crossing His Path

Everyone was getting more and more on edge, women and girls of all ages and background were getting slaughtered nearly daily and the investigations weren't progressing one bit.

Despite someone having spotted a man leaving the scene of a recent murder, walking away at a slow pace into the nearby woods, police was unable to locate him, even when deploying extensive measures.

It had gotten so bad that even the army had started patrolling the streets, particularily at night but not only, the attacks were happening at every hour of the day and seemingly anywhere as well, sometime happening in public areas, where dozens of people were moving around.

All in all, it was a disaster and the authorities were getting smeared and criticised on every occasion by the media.

Still, Marina's friend still wanted to go out for some reason, she herself felt reluctant but she was pretty much dragged out.

The classes had now been completely canceled until further notice, and the police was advising everyone to stay indoors, even though that hadn't stopped the killer from acting before, it was like no walls or locks could keep him out for long.

It was likely that this advice would soon become mandatory, so Marina's friends wanted to at least see each other before then.

The group of three settled on the terrace of a small restaurant they liked but unlike her two friends, Marina was more focused on the few people walking around.

"Gosh Mari, calm down, no killer is going to attack you here, it's broad daylight with lots of people around" said an athletic-looking girl with tanned skin, her eyes were a piercing hazel and her brown hair was tied in a ponytail.

The blonde couldn't comprehend how Narissa could be so relaxed, the killer had already butchered well over a dozen of girls already, from a fifth grader to a granny just in this city and it was widely believed that he had already did it in various other places before.

There were even talks that eerily similar murders had happened a year ago on another continent, if anything the murderer was apparently doing nothing but this.

"Honestly, I am quite anxious too, I took a look at the murders and with how frequent they are, people are saying that there are either multiple killers or that he doesn't sleep at all, he moves around the Oliver super fast and keeps on killing..." remarked the third college student there, a meek girl called Gabrielle.

She was dark-skinned and wore small glasses, she was obviously quite worried, as she was wearing her typical expression of nervousness, an awkward smile.

"If you two are so scared, why don't you come to my place until everything is over? My dad is so paranoid that he had a bunch of reinforced doors and stuff installed and if it come down to it, I'll put these beauties to work" she said as she flexed her arms, which weren't even that muscular.

"Well, I don't mind since I am in an apartment by myself but what about you Marina? Will your parents agree?" asked Gabrielle, apparently ready to take up on the offer.

"I... I don't know" she responded absentmindedly as he her gaze and attention were grabbed by something in the distance.

Her two friends noticed that she was staring past them and turned to look at what could have possibly made her so focused.

Walking down the street slowly, a man wearing a light grey suit minus the jacket, his shirt was a clean white and he was perfectly tidy.

He looked like a business man with messy, but still charming jet black hair.

Narissa raised a brow and then snickered.

"Dumbstrucked or something Mari? As handsome as he is, I think he might be a bit old for you" she said with a smile.

The man passed by them without even looking in their direction, his expression was quite placid, as if his head was in the clouds.

"Did you see this?" asked the blonde.

"Yeah, you stared him down for quite a while" shyly remarked Gabrielle.

"Hey, not that, seriously, did you not see it?" she asked again.

"Well, I didn't size him up like you, sure, he is super handsome, tall and all but I don't think-"

"I mean his eyes, they were totally purple, a dark shade of purple! Isn't that like, not possible? How come I never heard that there was someone in this city with such an alien feature? Have you two ever seen this guy?" spoke Marina, the town was big but not that populated, it was mostly bustling when it was summer, since people would converge on the beaches.

As such, most people knew each other.

"Nope but maybe he is just a tourist?" Narissa shrugged her shoulders.

"Coming here with all of the murders and police patrolling everywhere? What a horrible vacation..." Gabrielle readjusted her glasses at the thought of such a crappy idea of a vacation.

"That, and also, who dresses like this for holidays? He looks like he is ready to work a high-end job" Marina looked back but the man must have taken a turn, because he wasn't in sight anymore.

"Then he probably got here recently, with all that's been going on, it isn't improbable that no one mentioned his weird eye color, since everyone is focused on the murders instead" Narissa came up with a logical explanation but Marina simply couldn't get this man out of her mind and it was easy to see.

"In any case, think about my offer, unless you want to ask for protection from your prince charming" smirked Narissa after a bit but Marina didn't any funnt reaction as she just stared at her, this sort of thing only work on their mousy friend.

"I'll probably be able to convince them, I just need to tell them that I'll be safe and they'll conclude by themselves that it will be best for me to be at your place since your dad has installed some additional security" explained Marina.

"A real evil genius" commented Narissa.

"Hum, by the way, could you two accompany me to my apartment to get my stuff?" asked Gabrielle being scared to go on her own, even more so since most of the people in her building were also college students but they had left the town to go back to their parent's home unlike her.

"Sure"

"No problem" responded her two friends.