"Twinkle, twinkle, little knife,
let me end your fucking life!
I'm gonna cut your vocal cords,
so you'll shut the fuck up!
Twinkle, twinkle, little knife,
let me send you to paradise!"
That night, the hallway leading to the basketball team's locker room felt more suffocating than usual. It was as if the area was forbidden, shrouded in an aura of uneasiness. The dim, flickering light added to the oppressive atmosphere, starkly contrasting the distant sounds of laughter and music coming from the prom in the main hall.
"Bzzt… bzzt… crk…"
The hallway's single light fixture sputtered and buzzed, barely functioning. Its flickering left the corridor momentarily plunged into darkness before it weakly illuminated the space again. Each flicker cast long, menacing shadows on the bare walls, as though something sinister was lurking just out of sight.
Tap... tap... tap...
The sound of measured footsteps echoed faintly across the cold, grayish-white tiled floor. The noise was distant, almost drowned by the muffled revelry of the prom. Yet in this area, it was as though the air itself carried a deathly chill, heavy with foreboding.
At the end of the hallway, the silhouette of a man loomed. He stood motionless, his back to the weak light. His tall frame was shadowed, but in his right hand, he held something long and sharp, glinting faintly.
Before him lay two lifeless bodies, their necks and lips brutally slashed. Blood pooled around them, its dark crimson hue staining the pristine floor and dripping onto the man's polished loafers.
A cruel, satisfied grin occasionally crossed his lips as he basked in the horror he had created. His expression radiated perverse delight, feeding off the suffering of the lifeless figures at his feet.
Suddenly, a faint, desperate whimper pierced the oppressive silence. The man slowly turned his head toward the source of the sound. Behind him, another man sat bound with zipties at his wrists and ankles, his mouth sealed with duct tape.
Tap… tap… tap…
The killer's footsteps echoed louder as he approached his captive. His narrowed eyes gleamed with malice, studying the trembling man who sat mere steps away. His sinister grin widened as recognition dawned.
"Devan Aliansyah," the man cooed mockingly. He crouched down, leveling his face with Devan's tear-streaked one. Devan turned his head, avoiding eye contact as his entire body shook with fear.
The killer clicked his tongue, his sneer razor-sharp.
"Oh, don't be a coward. Look at me, Devan. Let me see those beautiful ocean eyes of yours," he taunted, grabbing Devan's jaw and forcing his head to turn.
Their eyes locked. The man's gaze was alight with unhinged glee, a madness that relished in his victim's terror. Devan froze, silent tears streaming down his face as his body betrayed him, paralyzed by dread.
The killer's grin widened. "What are you so scared of? Me? Oh, come on. I'm your friend, remember? Rejoice! Tonight you'll be free, I'll eradicates all of your suffering."
Devan remained mute, his voice trapped by the overwhelming fear. His athletic build, usually exuding strength, now seemed frail and powerless.
Leaning closer, the killer whispered menacingly into Devan's ear.
"I'll help you…to truly be free," he hissed, before ripping the duct tape from Devan's mouth.
"ARGH! You psycho! Let me go, Liam!" Devan screamed, his voice cracking with panic.
But the outburst only made Liam roll his eyes in irritation.
"God, you're so loud. Maybe this will shut you up," he said, dragging the blade across Devan's lips, slicing them from ear to ear into a grotesque smile reminiscent of the Joker.
Liam cackled with delight.
"Look at that! You're so much more handsome now! I love your new face, ahahaha!"
Devan sobbed, his cries of pain interspersed with desperate pleas.
"Liam… please… I'm begging you… don't do this…"
But the words only seemed to stoke Liam's irritation further. He began humming, his off-key tune chilling in its eeriness.
"Twinkle, twinkle, little knife, let me end your fucking life. I'll cut your vocal cords, silence you forever right."
With a swift motion, Liam's knife slashed through Devan's vocal cords, silencing him forever. Blood gushed out in thick spurts, splattering across Liam's face and clothes. Devan's gasps turned into choking sputters as he writhed in agony, his life force draining rapidly.
Grabbing a fistful of Devan's hair, Liam slammed his head to the ground with a sickening thud. He grinned once more, the same malevolent smile that had haunted Devan from the start.
"You're number three, Devan Aliansyah," Liam whispered, watching as Devan's body gave one last, weak shudder before going completely still.
He was dead.
And Liam? Liam was just getting started.