Chapter 3 A night in the street

I finished my domestic assignments by 8 PM just as my mistress had threatened. It's dark outside and the time of the night you hardly see a soul outside most especially due to the recent attacks of robbers and serial killers. Other strange occurrences likewise happen, it's night and the time for criminals to roam about seeking one evil or the other to do. I kept praying in my heart that Bianca would not be as good as her words. I lingered around after I completed my work hoping that she would ask me to stay for the night since it was already dark.

"What are you still doing in my house, I thought you were done?" She roared like an angry lion, picking up a stick and I got chased out. "Do you think I was joking with you earlier when I said you won't stay in my house?

I fell on my knees pleading hard for her to let me in. "The street is dark and dangerous Ma'am, I might possibly be attacked by some robbers or rapists."

"Who cares about you or what happens to you." With this she slammed the entrance door of the apartment against my face, left a little and I would have fallen off the eight steps in front of the front door of the house due to the shocking sound the door made against my ears.

In tears I walk slowly out of the compound and into the streets. I remember the spot I slept last time I was forced to sleep outside. It was located not far away from Bianca's apartment. I sat on the floor of the verandah embracing my knees with my hands, sobbing, till I fell asleep I didn't realize it again.

While asleep, I felt something like a warm tap. At first I thought it's in my dreams till a second and third, similar to the first woke me up. I shook at the sight of the man that stood tall in front of me in the darkness, my fear is the same as seeing a ghost although I don't know who's standing over me, it might even be one or a

person worst than that. My body vibrates with terror, I could be viewed as a little frightened mouse before a giant cat.

"What are you doing here?" The deep voice of the man startled me, I wish the ground would just open and swallow me up. If in the day I'm scared of some strangers, talk less of a deep darkness like this. I can't even see the face of the one standing before me, only his physique which is huge and muscular. From his voice, he's a young man.

I couldn't reply to his question of fright, with the speed of lightning he grips my neck pulling me up against him. I feel I'm going to have a heart attack the next moment, who is he and what does he intend to do to me?

"I can do whatever I wish to you right now!" His voice is domineering and the aura around him deadly and strong. He pulls out what feels like a handgun out of the side pocket of his trouser and presses it hard against my head. "What are you doing here? Answer me!" He paused and breathed heavily. "One pull of the trigger and you'll be gone forever!"

"Please...please...I wasn't allowed to stay inside the home, that's why I'm sleeping outside." I really cried my eyes out while saying this, there is no ordinary person that wouldn't take pity on me at this point. When I left home I had great thoughts that before I completed my work here, I would have saved a sufficient amount of money for my wellbeing and to support my parents, little did I know that this' what I'd be facing. I moaned in pain and agony at the thought of losing my life when I'm just at a young stage in life with numerous dreams to be fulfilled.

"I'll not kill you!" He dropped the gun slowly down and back into his pocket. "I'm a serial killer but I wouldn't kill you!" Hearing this, my heart skipped. Was I so close to death, I have been hearing of stories of serial killers and how they have been murdering without mercy, even babies and pregnant women. These people had no mercy, I'm just amazed at how this man had pity on me. I have to be grateful, it's an advantage on my part.

"Thank you," I muttered. More especially I thanked the Divine for saving me, I looked up to heaven in gratitude. Now tears of gratitude filled my eyes rather than tears of grief. Aside from this, I don't know who is standing before me and I don't have the courage to ask him, I just wish he wouldn't change his mind nor do some other evil to me. Tears streamed down my face, thank goodness it's night and he, whoever he is can't see it.

"What brought you here?" He demanded again, this time his voice had evidence of sympathy and interest. Can a serial killer be merciful? This' something I've never heard before.

"I finished work late and my mistress would not let me stay in her house, I have no way to go, my home is far away and I was left with no other option but to stay here till morning." I responded politely, in as much as I knew that this action of mine was risky, I would never accept if he offered to give me accommodation. It's possible he might say come stay with me for the night but I don't even wish this, it's not about refusing him, he might harm me in the course of my refusal.

"You're such a young girl to stay out here at night, it's really risky for you. I can offer to protect you here till morning, I don't have a home either. My parents died when I was young and I've been living in the streets for seventeen years now." I gasped when he said offer. I thought he was gonna offer me accommodation for the night to which I don't truly desire. I was even more amazed when he said he had been living in the street for seventeen years. How old is he? He must be a young man but from his stature I see him as a grown up man, from his voice as well.

I wish to ask him how old he is and how he gets to survive but he speaks before I even get to complete my thought like he's heard what I imagined inside me. "I'm twenty-three, my parents died when I was seven from where I went to live with my aunt who so much maltreated me, I stayed with her for months until I couldn't bear it any longer. I had to run away from home."

Same case like I'm facing with my heartless mistress. "So can we be friends?" I got puzzled, my eyes widened in surprise. The fierce nature in his voice had faded away and a calm, gentle tone got replaced with the former.

How can I be friends with a serial killer? Is this one actually different?