My eyes flick yet again to the cracked open door. It's been more than four hours since we put her things in her room and since then, nothing. She wasn't kidding about being quiet. If there wasn't the light coming from her side of the house I wouldn't even know someone else is in here with me. 

I find myself being curious so I leave the TV on and go see what she's doing. I push the door more open and there she is, her back to me, she's sitting on the bed. Books and papers with notes everywhere around her. But she doesn't seem to focus on them, she's looking outside the window. I can hear her sniff very quietly. 

Okay, nothing for me to see here. Why did I come here anyway? 

I try to retreat back but the door screeches and the noise startles her. She quickly turns around to see me between her door, hand on the handle. Her eyes glassy.

Great, another point for me, way to look like an old creeper. 

But to my surprise, she lets out the breath that got stuck in, wipes off her tears and smiles at me.

"Wow, you move like a ghost. Do me a favor and stomp a little or something next time."

I crack a smile too. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. You were just so quiet in here. Thought you fell asleep with the lights on or something."

"Yeah, I wish. I got this test tomorrow, I've been studying like crazy but I still don't get some things. I wanted to go through it one more time but.." she trails off.

"Test, huh. So you still go to school then?" I ask, why didn't I ask what she's doing before again? She's quick to answer.

"Yeah, I do, don't worry though. I do have a job too, I will pay you the rent. No problem there."

"Oh no, I wasn't worried about that." I study her for a moment, she looks very young. And I realize I didn't even ask her how old she is, crap. Well, no sense in making that interview now. "You okay?" I ask her in the end.

"Yeah." She nods quickly. "Thanks though, for asking."

I look around the room, it seems like she hasn't really unpacked yet. "Go to sleep. You won't learn anything from staring at the window, you'll just be tired."

"Yeah, you are probably right. I'll just put these on the desk," she says as she gets up, gathering all the papers. Her eyes find mine. "Good night, Daryl."

Okay, time for me to leave, gotcha.

"Night." With that, I close the door. I need to sit with her and ask her a few things, but it can wait 'till tomorrow.

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When I get up next morning I see her car is gone, so are the spare keys from the hook by the door I pointed out to her yesterday. It's fucking 5:30 am when the hell did she leave? I turn to the kitchen to make a coffee just to see that there is a pot already made. Huh, guess having a roommate has its ups, I'm thinking while fixing myself a cup.

When I get to the auto shop I see Merle is waiting for me again. He's smoking and watching me like a hawk. The interrogation starts before I get out of the truck.

"So? How'd it go?"

"Good," I answer with a shrug. At least I think it went pretty well.

"Fuck me, I was sure she'd run away the second she'd see your ugly mug." He tries to joke, but I can see he's actually relieved and somewhat worried at the same time. He continues as we walk.

"She's from around here?"

"I guess."

"So how old is she?"

I shrug again. "I don't know, looks young."

Merle looks at me sideways and tries again. "What does she do?" Another shrug from me and Merle stops in his tracks. "Did you ask her anything at all you dumbass?" He smacks me upside the head before I have a chance to duck.

"What the hell? What does it fucking matter where she's from or what she does? She's there, problem solved." He stares at me for a few moments, then shaking his head his eyes drop to the ground and I hear him muttering something but not loud enough for me to get it, I don't care either so I turn around and walk the rest of the way inside, alone. Asshole.

When I get home from work Lumen's not there yet. So I grab a beer, turn the TV on and wait.

During the day Merle didn't bring it up again, but he didn't have to. I know he's right, he always is. It's annoying but it doesn't change the fact I should have talked to her at least about some things before giving her the room. The last thing I need is a house full of her girlfriends having sleepovers or worse her worried parents looking for their little girl and find her living with me. She did look like she left somewhere in hurry. 

It pisses me off that I didn't think of that yesterday. Well, I can always kick her out. But I need the cover, so I better make this work.

I'm on my third beer and she's not home yet. I check the clock, almost 8 pm. It is Friday night, she's probably out with her friends or something. Just as I think that I hear her car outside. It stops and a few moments later the door opens and in she goes, arms full of bags. 

She looks tired but gives me a small smile anyway. With a quiet "hi" she continues to the kitchen as I nod a greeting. I hear her moving around, most likely putting away what she brought.

"Come sit with me for a bit when you're done!" I call after her.

"Okay!" she calls back. I look at the almost empty bottle in my hand.

"Grab a beer for me from the fridge, will you? You can have one too if you want, I don't mind."

"Sure." I hear her reply. Yeah, having a roommate definitely has its ups, I grin to myself.

I look up at her when she approaches the couch a few minutes later. She has my beer in one hand and a soda in the other.

"I don't really drink," she explains giving me the beer. Well, let's hope it's by choice and not because the law forbids her to do so. Choosing the other side of the couch, she sits on one leg facing me, waiting. Right. Where do I start?

"How was the test today? You did okay?" 

She looks surprised by this question. "Yeah, I think I did. I won't know for sure 'till next week, though." There is an awkward pause after that. 

I'm thinking about what to say next and she's watching me curiously. It's not like I'm making small talk every day, or any talk ever for that matter. Well, here goes nothing.

"So... I take it you go to the Winston College here?" 

She nods with a small smile and glint in her eyes.

"What subject?" I ask, playing with the bottle in my hand.

"Nursing program," she answers and her smile grows.

"A nurse, huh? Started this year?"

She cracks then. "Is this supposed to be the interview you forgot to do yesterday before you gave me the keys to your house?" She burst in waves of giggles after that.

What the hell? I shoot her a look. There goes my good mood, now I'm pissed off again. She must see it because she lifts her hand in a wait a second gesture and tries to calm herself down.

"Sor- sorry." She takes several deep breaths and tries again. "Sorry, I meant no offense, but it was funny, you have to admit that!"

"No, I don't!" I don't have to do anything you stupid bitch. I glare at her and she shuts right up. Her eyes go briefly to the empty bottles on the table before me, then back to me.

"I really didn't mean to offend you. You are right, we should get to know each other at least a little if we are going to live together."

"Answer the fucking question then," I all but growl at her and she starts to fidget in her seat nervously and after clearing her throat she asks.

"Wha-what was it again? The question, what was it you wanted to know?" I hate when I have to repeat myself. I take a deep breath and slowly as if talking to an idiot, ask again.

"I asked, when did you start your program? Was it this year?" Her lips make a thin angry line hearing my tone but she answers regardless.

"Yes, I did start this year."

Shit!  "So how old are you? Is it at least eighteen?" I snap at her.

That s just great. That won't be suspicious at all, a guy in his late thirties living in the middle of nowhere with an underage girl. What if she's some fucking runaway. Maybe I should just kill her and look for a new roommate. Could be she hasn't told anyone where she stays yet. 

My eyes slide to her and I can see hers starting to fill with tears as she's looking back at me, she takes a deep breath then and starts.

"No, I'm twenty-three actually. You know what else I am? I'm fucking out of here," she says it quietly but the tone is so hard she could be as well shouting. She stands up and goes on. "I didn't leave one bipolar asshole only to live with another one." And with that, she hurries to her room muttering over her shoulder. "I'll just pack my stuff and be out of your hair."

What? What just happened? Did she just call me a bipolar asshole? She's one to fucking talk! 

I stand up too and march after her. When I get there I see her furiously stashing her papers in her bag. 

She turns and yelps when she sees me in the doorway. Gripping the bag in her hands tightly she shouts. "What!?" 

I open my mouth to shout back but I shut it up when a single tear roll down her cheek, her lower lip starts to quiver and I can see she's positively scared now.

What do I do now? What if she did indeed tell someone she's staying here with me. Fuck! I take a deep breath and let it out while leaning against the doorframe, my hand goes through my hair in frustration. This is exactly why I live alone! So I don't have to deal with anyone in my house on daily basis! She's here for barely a day and it's a fucking disaster already. I don't even know why I got so pissed before anymore. 

I look back at her, she didn't budge from her spot and is watching my every move. I look away again. I have to make this right, somehow. But what can I say to make it right? After a few moments, I look back at her and just try the only thing that comes to me.

"Well, I guess this is where you tell me that I'm doing something that makes you uncomfortable and I stop, right?"

Her eyes go wide. Shit! Not the right thing to say then. I'm trying to come up with something else when I see her blink several times. Her expression transforms into one of disbelief. She opens her mouth, then closes it again, and continue to do so, just like a fish but in the end, she whispers.

"Are you for real right now?"

Well, at least she doesn't look so scared anymore. That has to be a good sign. Right?! I take a step into the room and see her stiffen. Or not. I stop where I am and close my eyes. I should get some kind of award for this shit. I need this, I need this, I need this... I repeat in my head like a mantra.

"What I meant is... look, I told you yesterday that I've never lived with a girl. But it's not just that. I'm not used to dealing with women. I work in a garage, all guys. I grew up with only my father and my brother, I don't date much, as a matter of fact, I've never even had a steady girlfriend... What I'm trying to say here is that I'm not used to watching what I say or how I say it. And I'm not used to making small talks either. But I really want you to stay here."

I blurt all that and now I chance to open my eyes. She doesn't seem tense anymore, good. The bag is hanging loosely from her right hand and she looks at me like I grew a second head.

"I honestly don't know what to say to that," she says eventually.

"You don't have to say anything really. You just stay here and I'll leave, to... cool off, clear my head, sober up, whatever. And we'll talk tomorrow. Are you free on Saturdays?"

She still stares at me but slowly nods.

"Cool, we'll talk in the morning then, yeah?"

Another nod. Yes! I thank the God I don't believe in.

"Okay then, see you later." With that I turn around, go grab my keys and leave.

I need to see something die.

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I don't know how long I've been driving around, but it must have been awhile, it seems to be late. I park by the curb and look around. I can't see any people on the streets anymore. Damn! I wait for a bit, but nothing. I am about to start the truck again and go back home when I see someone stumbling out of the bar across the street. 

Two guys and a girl. It's dark enough on this side for me to watch them without being noticed. By the door of the bar, though, there are two lights so I can see them just fine. 

One of the guys puts his arm around the girl's shoulder while the other lights a cigarette. They are laughing and as they turn in my direction I recognize them. It's two of the frat boys from the party last week at the quarry. 

Assholes, thinking they're better than everyone else, like their shit doesn't stink. Well, it does, I'll have a proof of that fact soon enough.

For now, I just watch them. They are walking like they own the street or something. They turn left where I know is a parking lot. No windows around it as far as I know. 

I decide to wait a little more and not too long after they disappear around the corner I can hear a car starting and a few moments later I see a Corvette leaving, it has a roof folded and only two people are in it. Excellent! I watch the car speed up and when it's out of the sight I start the truck and drive the little distance to the parking lot. 

As I draw nearer I can see the other guy standing by a car, finishing his smoke. Dumbass doesn't even look up when I stop the truck near him. He's just making this too easy for me.

I put my gloves on, get out and check once again if anyone is around. Not a soul. I walk around the bed of my truck, stop to open the back of it and take the bar I keep there among other things. I leave the back door open and continue in his direction. 

Hearing the noise, finally, he does look up. When he sees who it is, he gives me an uninterested glance and puts down the cigarette. He turns to his car while searching his pockets for the keys.

No time like the present, right? 

I quickly move behind him and whack him on the back of the head. He goes down instantly, but I'm expecting it so I'm fast to catch a hold of him around his torso. I drag him to my truck, put him to the back and roll the bed cover above him before I gag him and tie his arms and legs.  It's done in a matter of seconds.

I drive into the woods as far as I can with the truck. I leave it at my usual spot and continue on foot, carrying the guy on my shoulders like a buck.

When I reach my spot I think about the last girl that I had here. I shouldn't have thrown her into the river, she'll come up too. Merle tells me all the time to be more careful. I'll have to find a pit or something. 

I tie him to the tree like I usually do, take the gag out and go back to the truck to grab the light and a beer from the icebox I keep in there. The fog is heavy today, it always looks like the spotlight illuminate half of the forest when the fog is this thick. It doesn't really though.

When I come back I see the guy is still out, I hope I didn't hit him too hard, I'm not in the mood to wait all night and killing someone unconscious is no fun.

I hang the light, open the beer, take a mouthful, and slap him on the cheek couple of times. Come on, wake up.

It takes few more minutes but in the end, he stirs and his eyes finally crack open.

I move a bit back, to lean against another tree and watch him. He blinks, trying to focus. It seems I did hit him a bit too hard because he seems to not see properly. It can be the dark too though.

Painful groan pulls me out of my thoughts. He's turning his head slowly, first to the left then to the right until it goes in my direction and his eyes find me. Guess he can see fine after all. I think as he's staring at me, confused.

"What the fuck?" He's trying to grasp the situation. Tugging on his hands he realizes he can't move them and looks up, seeing them tied to the tree he uselessly tugs again. He tries his legs then, the same outcome there. His wide eyes snap back to me, the fast movement is followed by another pained groan.

"Where the hell am I? What's going on? Hey, I know you! You've been at the party last week, right? Don't just stand there like that, cut me loose!..."

And here we go again. He's trying to sound tough, but he's failing miserably. I just tune out and let him stew a little. When I bring my hand up to take another swig of my beer he notices my gloves and it seems to change his mood entirely. Like as if only now he realizes how screwed he is.

"Look, man, whatever I did that pissed you off, I apologize okay? We can work something out!"

Not so smug now, huh? Asshole! I finish my beer, leave the bottle by the tree I've been leaning against and then I go to him. I have the talk with Lumen tomorrow so I have to cut our time together short. 

He starts to panic and is furiously tugging on his restraints. "Wait, NO!, WAI-" 

I grasp his neck with one hand and pin him to the tree. He tries to get out of my hold by moving as much as he can to the left, then to the right so I punch him in the stomach, just under his ribs where the solar plexus is, with my free hand. 

He stills and tries to take a deep breath reflexively, but he just chokes. I punch him again and grip his neck with both my hands and squeeze. His eyes, staring at me start to bulge out. I watch closely as I keep the hold. I wait for it and wait some more until I can see it, something in his eyes just died. 

There! Now he gets it. That he's not going to get out of this. That he's going to die here. 

I add more pressure, his body thrashes around and suddenly he goes limp under my hands. One quick move and I hear a crack signaling I successfully broke his neck.

It's like a weight was lifted from my shoulders and I take a deep breath, and again, and again. I wish I could store this moment and just go back to it whenever I want.

When I feel the buzz leaving my body I look around. It's too dark to search for the pit now. So I cut the ties and hide the body under a bush nearby. I'll just come back sometime tomorrow. It's not like people ever come here.

When I turn to the driveway leading to my house it's late night or rather an early morning. 

As I come nearer I can see Lumen's car, meaning she's still here and I can feel myself let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

I don't even look around on the way to my room and I pass out before my head hits the pillow.

The night did turn okay after all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When I wake up I can see through the window that the sun is high in the sky.

Guess I slept in. I'm trying to get my brain to work when I hear a noise from the kitchen. What th- oh, right, Lumen. Okay, let's have this out of the way.

I get up and go to look for her. Maybe she made a coffee. I need a coffee first before this talk. Or I just need some more time to think about what I'm actually going to say. I have no idea.

I leave my room but immediately stop in my track and double take. What the hell? This is not right! Something is off with the place! I look around the space from the part that is my living room to the right where is the kitchen. There stands Lumen a coffee pot in one hand a cup in the other.

I narrow my eyes at her while she's looking back at me. She looks away first. I watch her fill the cup, get another one from the cabinet and she fills it too.

Clearing her throat, she asks, "How do you take your coffee?" 

I ignore the question and ask my own. "You've been cleaning here?"

"Well, yeah, it helps me think."

"You touched my stuff?"

She shakes her head quickly. "No, I just got rid of the mess, I didn't move any of your stuff, it's just arranged."

I take one more look around. I'll check later. "Black, sugar."

She blinks. "Excuse me?" she asks slowly.

I motion to the cup still in her hand. "The coffee, I take it black with sugar." She looks down at it like she forgot she was holding it. But then she starts moving, adding sugar to my coffee and milk to hers. She sits on one of the stools by the counter and looks expectantly at me. So I leave my spot before my door and go sit with her. I sip on my coffee, but before I even start to form something in my head she's talking.

"Last night, I was thinking and... You don't really want a roommate, right?"

I want to deny it but she beats me to it.

"You don't really need the money either, do you? You wouldn't make the rent so cheap if you did."

I open my mouth to talk again but she holds one hand up to stop me and continues.

"I don't care what your reason for this is. I was thinking about it yesterday, a lot and I decided it's not really important." She looks down at her hands which have been playing absently with her cup, she then looks up.

"Look, the thing is, I don't really have a family to turn to for help, or friends for that matter. I managed to finish high school and since then I was working my ass off trying to save the money so I could go to this nursing program. But the only reason I was able to start and make it through this year was thanks to the fact I didn't have to pay the rent where I was staying. So I really do need this room. I seriously doubt I will be able to find something this cheap and even with the job at the clinic, I'm sure I will be forced to drop out again." She takes a deep breath.

"So what I suggest is, that you just tell me the rules of the house and I'll follow them. You want to know something about me, ask away."

I just stare at her. I can't remember the last time I was stunned into the silence. Have I been ever? I go through everything she said again in my head as I pick up the forgotten coffee. I take a small sip, shifting my eyes, I'm looking at nothing particular.

Do I have some questions for her? She pretty much answered everything I was interested in knowing. She's twenty-three, no family or friends I'd have to worry about. And a bonus, she doesn't care I don't really care for having the company. So no forced conversations in the future. I feel a smirk forming on my face. This is fantastic! I look back at her, she's watching me, eyes wide, biting her lower lip, still playing with her mug nervously. She might be the best roommate I could ask for.

"You are a clever little bee," I tell her, still smiling. "I'm really not much of a people person, so you do your things, I'll do mine and we'll get along just fine." Then I remember. "Oh, but I was serious about the home made meals. I wouldn't mind if you'd share once in a while."

"That's it? No other rules?" she asks carefully as if she didn't believe it.

"No. Wait, yes, only one though. Don't touch my hunting gear. Ever."

She gives me a quick nod. "Okay, sure, I wouldn't touch it even if you didn't tell me not to. I didn't even see it." She looks around searching for it.

I point to the door in the corner of the kitchen. "It's in the basement, now that I think about it, don't go down there. There are car parts and stuff everywhere, you'd break your neck tripping over something." She looks from the door back to me and nods again.

"What do you hunt with?" she asks, then adds quickly. "If you don't mind me asking."

No, I don't mind, suddenly it's not hard to talk at all. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"A crossbow."

Her eyes go wide again but now in surprise. "A crossbow? That sounds cool. I mean, everyone can shoot at things with a gun. A crossbow feels somehow more personal, more skilled. I don't know... sorry, I don't even know what I'm talking about. I don't hunt. Never been to..." She trails off.

Yeah, but you get it right.

"So." She stands from her spot. "For the homemade meal, I'm going to put something together now, for a lunch, you want some too?"

My smirk turns into a full smile. "Sure. Thanks." With that, I stand up too and go to take a shower. This talk went a lot easier than I thought it would.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'm looking down into the pit. After the comfortably quiet and very good lunch, the girl can cook, I went for a pit hunt and finally, I found one I like, after few hours of searching. It looks it'll do. It's not that far from my spot and still in the parts of the woods where people just don't go because it's easy for them to get lost here. The signal here sucks and because the sound doesn't carry here, no one would hear them call for help. 

I grew up in these woods. I did get lost here only once when I was still a kid. But since then, never. 

I try to drop a rock into the pit to see how deep it is. Not as much as I would like it to be but it's still okay. Maybe I could buy a lime...

I go to collect the frat boy's body and throw it in. I hear the tell tale sound of it hitting the bottom. Okay, this went well. I go back to my truck and go to Merle's. I found some missed calls from him from last night. Guess he was worried, he always worries. Trying to tell me what to do, giving me pieces of advice. I don't know why though. I've been doing this for years now and it's not like he actually knows how I do it or when... my thoughts go to today's morning. Well, that advice seems to turn out okay.

I spend the rest of the day with Merle. We have a few beers, I tell him what I found out about Lumen and not to worry. He looks satisfied with what I've told him about her and the rest of the time we don't touch the subject.

Now I'm almost at the house. I see the faint light from the living room/kitchen. Looks like Lumen is still up. When I walk inside she looks up from the couch and when she sees me, she reaches for the control and starts to get up.

"I'll go to my room."

But I shake my head, I'm in an excellent mood. "No, stay if you want. I'll just grab something to eat."

She smiles and sits back down.

As I'm going through the fridge I can hear the TV late news.

- ... the police continue to search for the serial killer supposedly responsible for a murder of 5 young people that were found in this area. According to psychological profile, that has been made on the basis of the collected evidence, the killer is a man in his late twenties or in his thirties. He most likely lives alone and generally doesn't seek the company of other people, including dating and other forms of encounters with women. The police opened....

I look up and see Lumen switching the channels. She looks at me and when she sees me watching her she asks.

"Sorry, did you want to listen to the news? I can change it back."

The smirk that formed on my face moments ago turns into a real smile.

"No, you put on whatever you want."

Life is good.

I hope you enjoy the story. If you do, feel welcome to push that little star to let me know, or better yet, leave me a comment ;)