My Angel Of Death

plip... plop... plip...plop...

In those few seconds of quiet, after being pushed to my knees, all I listened to was the sound of blood drops hitting the floor. I attempted to find the source and moved my foggy vision to my left and found it dribbling from the wicked arm that kept me in a chokehold from behind and then to the other arm, to my right, holding a sharp ax right beneath my chin.

When abruptly the front entryway was forced open. I lifted my eyes from the sharp instrument and everything went so quickly with police officers dashing into the passage blocking it, holding their guns in our way, yelling orders at my assaulter to drop her weapon down and free me, which only made her raise the ax edge deeper into my throat and to make it worse, I felt like I was going to pass out or vomit at any moment because of the sharp pain striking my head and the terrible scent of fresh blood everywhere.

That's it. I'm going to die...I'm fucked...how did I end up in this situation? My day started normally. Why is this happening to me?

Ignoring everything around me and like a dying man, I started to recall my day and the last few hours of my normal life.

*****************

beep beep beep

My alarm clock began hollering at me to wake up, which I already was a couple of minutes before. I took my hand out from beneath my sheets and reached for it, squeezed the button to turn it off, and looked at the digital screen that showed 5:00 am like each day.

You would ask who would willingly wake up at 5 am every day. Well. I do, and I've been doing this for decades. Most of the time I don't even need an alarm to wake me up, but I keep it just in case.

I rolled out of bed, stretching my arms up to the ceiling while going straight to the washroom, beginning my morning schedule; the one I repeated so much I can do with my eyes closed. I washed my face, wore a match of clean pants and a hoodie, picked up my phone and AirPods, and went outside for my regular run. Running, I listened to a podcast about mindfulness and well-being passing by the same trees, same lake, same neighbors, and same dogs. Everything and every day were always the same but this didn't really bother me as I liked my routine. I liked my safe zone where I can control everything in my life and know what tomorrow will bring to me. Adventures were never my thing. I always wanted and worked for a steady life.

I was always like this even as a child and that's why I was continuously the best in everything, the first ranked in my class and sports festivals. The primary to wrap up school, and also the one with the highest GPA in college where I graduated with a brain research doctorate in criminology, human behavior, and mental disorders.

My life was in order and I was satisfied with it, I had a great job at a mental well-being care center and soon enough I would be appointed to be in charge because clearly, I was the leading fit and I had an enormous reputation across the country with my nickname "the mind-reader" I was known to be exceptionally sharp and able to get to people's head effortlessly and fix them if we can put it that way. Obviously, my financial status was excellent. I could afford everything I needed and I have a fiancée which is suitable wife material... at least I hope so because my parents and everyone keeps telling me how lucky I am.

Despite everything I was good at, social skills weren't really one of my talents, which is weird for a psychologist whose job is to spend hours interacting with people but like I always said, patients were different. They are people I study to give advice and medications to and I was really good at my job. Normal people, on the other hand, found me cold, boring, controlling, and too calculative, which is not true because I can be very funny, but they just don't get it so at some point I just stopped trying to make friends.

Reaching my apartment, I did my daily workout in my mini gym, took a shower, and wore my clothes: a white shirt, blue navy pants, and white shoes. I was having breakfast with a cup of coffee while scrolling through today's news when something caught my attention: a headline.

Killer woman manslaughter 16 men finally arrested.

Thoughts started stumbling in my head; How the hell did one woman do that much damage? Why did she do that? Why so much rage? I am sure she is not normal or wasn't in a normal situation...is it possible that...

I stopped my psychological questions and theories when my phone rang and Julia's name showed on the screen. I looked at the time. It was still 7 am and my fiancée was never a morning person, so I answered worried something happened.

"Good morning baby" she answered in her high-pitched voice.

"Hey, Julia is everything okay?" I asked in anticipation of bad news.

"Yeah sure, why wouldn't it be?" She questioned with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"No...I mean...you never call me this early so I just assumed something happened" I explained pouring myself more coffee which I will need soon.

"Why are you always like this? Can't I call my fiancé when I want to? Am I an annoyance to you?" That was it. That's why I needed more coffee because, by the time this conversation wraps up, I will have a killing headache.

"No of course not, I am sorry for the way I spoke I was just surprised because you don't usually wake up at this time," I defended myself with my regular monotone voice taking a big gulp of dark beverage.

"Ah...yes I decided to start waking up early and have a healthy and steady lifestyle, just like you baby. If we're going to live together, I might as well share my morning routine with you..." She started raining on me a bunch of words I wasn't focused enough to catch any of them. Looking at the time, my patience faded with the disturbance of my morning and I interrupted her "that's really good Julia I am proud of you! but you should do it for yourself and not for me because it doesn't bother me as long as you don't disturb my morning." I tried my best to emphasize the last words for her to get the hint that I wanted to end the call but in vain she picked up where she left off, telling me about what she had done since she woke up.

I know I should be touched by the attention and all, and maybe I am behaving like a dick right now but trust me, it is not the first time she decides to do something life style changing and try to keep up with it for more than two days. So right now she was just screwing with my schedule which she knows is important to me.

"Julia," I said in a firm voice, interrupting her mid-sentence trying my best to control my emotions and end this call "You're amazing, you should keep it up, but right now I have other things to do. We can talk later ok?"

"Oh...I'm sorry, I forgot how everything around you is more important than what I have to say" she spat after a brief silence.

Oh Hell No. I was not going to have this argument first thing in the morning. I had to come up with something that will get her off my back for the rest of the day.

"Julia. You know I would love to listen to what you have to say for hours but I have a lot of things to do right now, I have to go to work" She answered with a no-convinced Uh-huh so I used my secret weapon " What about you come to my place tonight? We can have dinner and you tell me everything you want to say"

"You're serious?!" she gushed "You only let me come over on your day off!"

Yes, and I had a reason for this. My job requires me to spend hours listening to people keeping them in check so coming back home to listen to more whining was torture. However, I would rather sacrifice my night than drag this stupid argument for days to come listening to her crying screaming that I don't care enough, and then her friends lecturing me. No, I wasn't going to live in this hell again.

"yes, dead serious" I confirmed.

"OH MY GOD, I'm so happy!! can I sleep over too?"

Fuck no I said dinner only..."Yes sure," I answered cursing myself.

"Yeyyy thank you, baby, see you tonight bye!" She hang up sounding excited and I growled in frustration looking at the ceiling. It's going to be a long day.

I finished the rest of my breakfast, checked myself in the mirror, wore my jacket, put my laptop and files in my bag, and went to my car. Arriving at my office at 8:00 am like every work day, I sat in my chair, opened my bag, and placed my laptop on the desk checking my schedule for the day when a caregiver who was also my right hand knocked on the door and stepped in after I gave permission."Good morning doctor" she saluted me walking towards my desk and placing the papers I must sign.

"Good morning Alice. Thank you. Do I have any sessions this morning?"

"No Doctor not until noon...but..." she stopped talking looking at the door then at me.

Sensing her distress I asked "Is everything okay?"

"Actually doctor..." She came closer to me talking in a low voice. "There is a strange man that came by yesterday night asking about you but you were already gone at that time. This morning he was already waiting outside of the building even before we opened the doors, do I let him in or ask the security to escort him away?"

I gazed at the hallway where the man was supposedly waiting for me and then back at Alice."Very well. If he is so eager to see me it must be an emergency. Let him in."

She nodded and went outside inviting him in. Meanwhile, I grabbed my recorder and turned it on, then placed it under some papers beside me just in case I needed any proof of this conversation. I was too paranoid sometimes I even wonder who is more deranged: me or my patients.

A few minutes later, a tall large man stepped inside my office. He had dark hair with some white in between, obviously, a middle-aged man, a big crooked nose which I think had been broken too many times, cold dark eyes, and wrinkled skin; not just from his age I remarked, but also from the constant stress. He walked towards me, the way he did it was like a drum's beat: steady, calculated, and clean. I stood up taking his handshake, his hands were really rough, covered in dead skin and calluses; he had distinctive marks on his right palm which I can assume came from holding a riffle with his finger on the trigger for long hours, for many years. To add to this, his face and hands were tanned but he wasn't from the wrist above. No mistake, this man was a warrior maybe. Military.

I came back to the present when he cleared his throat. Shit! He caught me eying him like a weirdo. Fuck me and my stupid habit of noticing the little things and building theories.

"Good morning Doctor O'brian, I'm commander Ainsley. Thank you for having me."

Commander? Like in military commander? Okay...I expected something like this."My pleasure commander. How can I help you?" I answered, gesturing for him to sit down. From his way of speaking and the confidence he has, he doesn't look like a retired or traumatized person, so he is surely not here for therapy. Great. Why would a military force want to see me?

"So doctor, I will get straight to the point." he announced "We heard you were the best of the best in interacting and explaining these crazy people's behavior. Everyone calls you the mind-reader?"

Crazy...people? Did this guy seriously just threw away my years of learning about more than a hundred different human mental diseases, just for him to label them all under the word crazy? God give me patience. I will just pretend that was a compliment.

"Yes I am an expert in mental illnesses and abnormal human behaviors but I still can't get why would you need my help, commander," I replied honestly which didn't bother him as he continued.

"Before I answer any of your questions, I need to tell you that all that is going to be said in this office is really confidential and you cannot tell a soul about it. Do I have your word on this doctor?" he inquired and I barely could stop myself from looking at the papers beside me where my recorder was, trying my best to sound sincere in my answer.

"Yes of course commander, you have my word."

He scanned me searching my face for any lies and then proceeded to talk."Did you hear about this morning's news doctor?" he asked, bending closer to me like he was telling me a secret.

"yes" I affirmed.

"Then you must have heard about that crazy woman we arrested who killed 16 men." I nodded wanting to know where he was getting to, "We're going to need your help to talk to her."

Excuse me? He wants me to speak to her. He can't be serious...was he? no fucking way this is happening. I stared blankly at him for a few seconds before speaking again "I'm sorry commander but...isn't this too dangerous?"

"Don't worry doctor, we will provide you full security. Plus, she is under control. She is as dangerous as a caged puppy." he stated with a confident smile which only made my worries escalate.

Yeah...a caged puppy that can kill 16 people I thought.

"I don't think it's a good idea commander. I am not used to interacting with this type of patient" I denied his request, praying he will just take this answer and leave me alone.

"What do you mean you are not used to it? You are always around them," he noted, raising his left brow incredulously.

"Yes, I have patients suffering from depression, anxiety, amnesia, trauma, autism....but none of them is obviously a sadistic psychopath who would snap my neck and drink my blood without a care, that's what I mean!"

Sensing my irritation, he frowned, displeased with my answer."Don't you have enough confidence in your country's security system, doctor?"

Pulling the patriotism card, are we?

"Don't take my vigilance the wrong way commander. I never said that, but I still don't understand what I can do about her. Scientifically speaking, her mental status is incurable"

"We never asked you to cure her doctor, we only want you to speak to her and try your best to break her by finding her weaknesses and making her corporate with us."

he's joking, right? break her? know her weaknesses? What the hell does he think my job description is? I'm not a detective. My job is the total opposite actually.

"Commander please, you are asking for an impossible job. Psychology doesn't work like this."

"Listen, doctor, I don't care what you do or how you do it but you must make her speak. We tried to break her physically but it didn't work, we must try mentally and if you don't cooperate I will have to accuse you of threatening national security by helping a criminal keep silent."

Did he just say he tried to break her physically? And did this asshole just threaten me? Shit...I may get away from it with a good lawyer but that is going to ruin my reputation and my pure white criminal record. I can't have this now. Not when I'm so close to becoming director...fuck.

Seeing my hesitation, he crooked a victorious smile that I so badly wanted to punch to wipe off his face."Fine, I will help..." I sighed, "but under two conditions," putting my index finger up "One, you must keep me safe no matter what, and two" putting my middle finger up, "if it doesn't work you leave me alone and stop blackmailing me."

"Of course doctor, thank you for your help!"

Sure...like you left me any other choice.

"Shall we?" he invited, gesturing to the door and It took me a moment to understand what he meant. "Wait, you mean right now?!"

"Of course doctor, the earlier the better."

"But I can't. I have many patients I must tend to today."

"Just assign them to another therapist. Let's go." he insisted, turning his back and walking away, not allowing me to say any additional word.

fuck I hate this guy. The sooner I get rid of him the better. I thought to myself, packing my things, picking up the recorder, and placing it in my pocket. Passing Alice, I asked her to take care of today's sessions while going after the Grumpy commander.

Sitting in the commander's passenger seat, I looked outside of the window where rain was intensely pouring, thumping on the glass, lost in my thoughts.

Should I just open the door and throw myself out?... No... I would never make it. Is it late to back out and just become the country's enemy? I have a bad feeling about this, like every muscle in my body is telling me to run away from this situation. fuck this shit! I should have listened to my father to just become an architect where bloodthirsty killers are nowhere to be found.

I was too busy with my inner conflict that I didn't take note of the car pulling into a stop adjacent to the capital's primary detainment prison. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I have never even gone to a police station, so entering prison seemed exceptionally overwhelming and I felt my legs become jelly, refusing to move an inch. The building was huge and gray, dogs were barking loudly, guards were everywhere patrolling and I could even hear some people shouting and screaming from behind the walls.

"Doctor, we're here. Please step out of the car." Ordered the commander, looking at me impatiently. I refused to obey and stayed fidgeting in my place which made him step out of the car, turned around it as he came to my side, and opened the door."Doctor, please don't make it more difficult than it should be. We already agreed on this."

"You mean I agreed after you blackmailed me" I corrected him "and you know what? I realized I was too much of a coward. So no thank you. There is no way I'm going to step inside this hell... you will have to drag me."

He looked at me for a long minute, standing under the rain clenching his jaw, waiting for me to change my mind and move my ass, but I stayed in place looking stubbornly forward. A sign that I won't retreat from my words."As you wish doctor." he declared and I sighed in relief, happy to go back to my normal life.

While I was enjoying my brief victory, he reached for my seatbelt, unfastened it quickly, yanked my arm, and dragged me out. I looked at him with wide eyes and my mouth agape, throwing him a surprised look."Hey! stop this!! You can't do that!" I cried and he ignored me like I didn't even exist while dragging me to the front huge door.

Once inside, we were searched for any weapons or sharp tools, then I was stripped from my phone, wallet, and recorder. The commander peered toward it watchfully and looked at me; he was furious, that's for sure. I gave him a fake grin and a shrug, he muttered something under his breath that sounded like we will talk about this later and moved forward.

After all the procedures were taken care of, we walked to a block with a sign written on it "highly dangerous individuals". I stopped in my tracks, reading it over and over again until the commander walked inside asking me to follow him. Thinking about turning around and running away, I took a deep breath and stepped in walking closely behind him.

Everything was calm in there. Too calm if you ask me. It gave me the creeps. All I could hear was the sound of chains rattling and a few suppressed voices and screams. We strolled down the corridor passing many cells that I didn't dare turn to look at, anxious I would see something that will give me nightmares, and those few seconds until we reached the cell in question felt like hours to me.

Stopping in front of an automatic bar door, the commander ordered the guard to open it with a simple nod and he proceeded to lift a switch on a panel beside him on the wall among many others numbered by order, each one opening a different cell. The bar door opened to reveal a second metallic door that the other cells didn't have which the guard opened using a set of keys. There, inside the dimly lighted room, I saw a scene that will forever haunt my soul.

A few meters in front of me was a large cell much bigger than the other ones. A woman was standing with her arm chained crossed on her chest wearing a straitjacket, her legs were also chained to the wall. She held her head down and had a metallic muzzle on her mouth like she was some kind of beast. I frowned in disgust, hating what I was witnessing. It was too much, even for a dangerous killer like her.

When the door was fully opened and the light hit her face, she lifted it up looking directly at me. My breath didn't escape my lungs. Her features were mesmerizing indeed, even with half of her face covered, she was much younger than I anticipated with her dark long hair, white-pearl skin, and her eyes... particularly her eyes were astonishing, she was heterochromatic: she had one brown nectar eye and one green-blue which was gazing into mine. The only ugly thing about her was her smile which I could see even through the muzzle on her mouth. She had that sick sadistic kind of smile and she was flashing it at me, obviously amused by my presence.

I felt the commander's hand on my back pushing me lightly to enter the cell. Hesitantly, I took a few little steps inside while her eyes never left me, trailing my every move, still with the scary smile on her face. I kept walking inside until I was told to sit on a chair opposite her. "Alright doctor, do what you have to do. We will be waiting outside to give you some space."

I turned so fast my neck should have snapped "Wait! What do you mean by this? Are you going to leave me alone with her?"

"Don't worry doctor, nothing will happen and even if it does, we will be nearby prepared to save you. Just do your job and we will do ours, okay?" he stated, not waiting for my answer, walking away and closing the door, leaving me behind.

As soon as the door was shut, I heard evil giggles coming from the woman in front of me and I turned to face her. She was looking at me, clearly making fun of me. I looked at her face, then at the floor when I couldn't keep eye contact.

Shit...shit...shit...shit...I just want to be done with this shit. I am even willing to listen to Julia's whining all day.

"What is it doc? Are you afraid of me?" She asked, breaking the silence, always with that creepy smile on her face.

I lifted my head to look at her with wide eyes, blinking a few times. I never expected her to talk to me first and noticing that she has a deep and calm feminine voice actually made her even scarier."N-no...I'm not.."

"You sure about that? Because you look like you're going to have a breakdown." she spat laughing at me.

"Yes I'm sure" I answered, ignoring her comment and turning on my work mode, "My name is doctor Alexander O'brian. I am a specialist in human mental disorders and I came here today to speak with you. May I know your name?"

She scanned me from head to toe then slowly looked back into my eyes "Is that their plan?" she asked sarcastically "Don't make me laugh! Do they really think that therapy is going to make me speak?! They are delusional. I think you are cute doc, but that won't be enough to make me spill the tea."

I tried my best to keep my cool and asked my question again taking out my notepad and pen "Can you give me your name please?"

She looked at me displeased, maybe because her teasing didn't work and she was used to being in control, but she quickly smiled again and answered."You want to know what my name is? Awww that's so sweet. You can call me daddy because when I free myself I'm gonna fuck you all like bitches."

"Listen..." I began with a deep sigh "You better give them what they want to get them off your back because they are annoyingly clingy"

"Ohhh...it looks like you really like the commander! He's charming, isn't he?" She mocked, laughing out loud.

"Yes, very charming. He literally dragged me here."

"Really? Then you are not here to serve your country and play the hero while earning some extra cash?"

"Not really. Believe it or not, I'm here because firstly, that asshole blackmailed me into coming here and secondly I am not that excited to go home and hear my fiancée complain about her broken nail." I could see her siren eyes widen for a second, probably taken aback by my honest answer. That made me believe that she was lonely most of the time and didn't have a friendly conversation for a while. I decided to try this approach when suddenly she broke into a hysterical laugh.

"You're something else doc, I may even consider keeping you alive when I get out of here"

"Wow... thanks!" I answered half smiling, not adding anything else.

"Call me Ezra," she said out of the blue after a few minutes of silence.

Ezra?....that's a rare name. But for some reason it suited her.

Seeing my confusion she continued talking."Ezra like in Ezrael, the angel of death in the bible. I am not really a religious person but once an old man I was beheading called me this, so I kept the name cuz I liked it"

I was startled when she blurted that out so casually like she was talking about the weather, and felt goosebumps running down my back. Right...Beheaded.I forgot I was talking to a psycho for a second. Now I understand why the name suited her perfectly.

Clearing my throat, I continued talking like what she said didn't affect me "Alright Ezra...Would you answer some of my questions?"

"It depends. Do you want to know what my zodiac sign is or my body count?" She teased.

"Not precisely. But I wouldn't mind if you want to tell me" she dropped her smile and exhaled, speaking in an exhausted voice.

"Listen doc...I am touched that you want to befriend me to squeeze the answers out of me but do you seriously think this is going to work on me?" she questioned, throwing at me a mocking grin "Let me give you a piece of advice: your best shot is to try and hypnotize me cuz I'm a stubborn bitch ha ha ha. Do you have this stupid pocket watch that you'll force me to look at?"

Ouch...she saw right through me. Not that it was that hard to tell, but she is quick-witted.I have to be more careful. Urghh what am I doing? She is impossible to have a discussion with. Nothing is working with her so far, she always finds a way to avoid the questions. I am stupid for even trying this way. Psychopaths are the most difficult people to read. They are masters at manipulation and faking emotions, and that fucker of a commander wants me to find her weaknesses! He obviously doesn't know that one special trait all people like her have in common is their overconfidence, they all think of themselves as invincible Gods, and nothing will break her.

But still, I will keep asking my questions and see how she reacts.

"Why did you kill these people?" I inquired, referring to the 16 men she killed yesterday.

"Because I felt like it." she snarled, losing interest in the conversation.

Irritated, I asked my second question" How are you feeling right now?"

"Bored," she complained while yawning to show me how much she meant it.

Bored...really? If I was in your place I would be anything but bored. But again, feeling empty and bored is also a common trait of anti-social behavior. I closed my notepad and placed my head in my hands thinking about what I should do. Obviously, I was getting nowhere.

"Are you going to cry?" she asked with her teasing voice back, replacing her bored one.

And she changes moods very fast. One more psycho trait to add to the list. Actually, the only thing I learned today is that she does have sociopathy and some level of psychopathy for sure. Which I already knew before even meeting her.

"No, I won't" I grumbled, rubbing my temples.

"Come on doc. I don't like to see you like this, it breaks my heart," she choked a laugh and added, "tell you what, if you convince them to give me some water I may answer some of your questions. How about that?"

I lifted my head from my hands and looked into her beautiful eyes trying to read her intentions. It can't be that easy. Is she trying to trick me? Anyway, it's just water and I can't believe they are not giving her any, that's too cruel even for someone like her.

"Very well. I will try to speak to them." I announced, getting up from my chair.

"Thanks, doc, you're too kind..." I nodded and turned my back, taking a step forward when I heard the rest of her sentence " ...and naive." she said it in such a dark low voice that my body froze in place. Right after, I heard the noise of fabric being torn apart and I knew without looking that she had just gotten rid of her straitjacket somehow, followed by the metallic noise of the chain that she worked fast on getting rid of.

I turned around slowly and saw her squatting, trying to open her leg locks with her now free hands and her muzzle off. She was holding a small piece of metal she must have been hiding somewhere on her body since the beginning. She lifted her head up, her sick smile now on full display without the muzzle hiding it. That was by far the scariest moment of my life. I wanted to scream for help and run to the door but my brain didn't comply. I kept staring at her.

A few seconds later, her legs were free and she took a step forward opening now her free mouth to speak "Seriously doc, let me give you some life-saving advice, never ever turn your back on a person labeled as a highly dangerous individual" she emphasized on 'ever' followed by a laugh. That made me snap out of it and run to the door, knocking on it hard and screaming for the commander to get me the hell out of there.

I heard movements from the other side of the door and the sound of the many locks being unlocked fast but before the door could fully open, I felt an unbearable pain striking my head from behind. All strength left my legs and I found myself hitting the floor hard, I couldn't move, my vision was starting to blur and the only thing I was able to see clearly was this woman towering above me, holding the muzzle she used to hit me, saying a few words my ears could barely catch.

"Be a good boy doc and lay down for a while. I will come back for you later" she winked at me before kicking the door hard enough to dislocate it, dashing outside like a hurricane.

I laid there on the cold floor, admiring the ceiling for a few minutes. All I could hear was screaming, hitting, gun shooting, glass shattering, and more screaming. My stupid survival instinct told me to urge myself up and attempt to get out of there before she comes back to me like she promised she would.

I attempted my best to thrust myself up and then dragged my feet to stand on their own. I scarcely had any balance but I managed to walk outside of the cell to the corridor, where bodies and blood were all over, sprinkled on the gray walls and the floor, hell! even on the ceiling! And there were cheering voices and snarls coming from the detainees within the other cells. I looked around looking for my assaulter and regretted quickly my choice to walk out.

There she was, at the end of the hallway, out of breath and covered in blood which I was sure wasn't entirely hers, standing on what remained of some guard's body, holding in one of her hands a fucking ax that she must have got from the broken glass box on the wall usually used for emergencies.

Unable to keep my eyes on her, I looked elsewhere, searching for a way out mumbling to myself. "Who's the dumbass who thought putting a sharp tool on full display in a place packed with psychos was a good idea?"

I was too lost looking at the chaos around me hoping for my freedom that I didn't notice that she had turned around and now had her eyes on me. I locked my eyes with hers and she smiled at me again but now with a face colder than ice stained with blood.

She's a monster. No way she is human...fuck...I should have just played dead.

Suddenly we heard loud thuds at the main door, someone was forcing it open. Both of us were looking towards it when a loud voice shouted from the other side ordering her to surrender right now or they will have to shoot her dead. Then we both slowly locked eyes again and I knew at this exact moment that I'm going to die here.

In a second, she passed the hallway and stood next to me. She kicked my legs forcing me on my knees, took me in a chokehold from behind, and pressed her sharp ax into my throat, just before the main door was broken open and more than ten police officers holding their guns towards us stepped in, screaming orders at her to let me go, which only made her grip around me tighter.

And that's how, folks, my life from this moment on changed to the point of no return...

"DON'T MOVE!"

"DROP YOUR WEAPON DOWN NOW!!'

"DON'T MAKE ANY ABRUPT MOVE OR WE WILL SHOOT!!"

"FREE THE HOSTAGE AND WALK AWAY HANDS IN THE AIR!!"

loud shouts erupted from every angle bringing me back to the present where I was still a hostage to a crazy woman with an ax on my neck and dozens of police officers pointing their guns at me. But what irritated me the most at that moment wasn't the whole fucked up situation. It was the commander whose face I recognized among the officers in front of me.

Why the fuck is he still alive? She killed all these people, so why wasn't he among them? I am so close to taking this ax and throwing it at his ugly, proud face.

To my surprise, Ezra's reaction was a sadistic laugh, like she was having the best time of her life, followed by her voice shouting at me: "Get the fuck up!!" before undoing her chokehold on my neck.

was she giving up? I didn't take her as the easy quitter.

I stood up slowly and before I could take a step forward I felt the metal pressing on my neck from behind again, but this time she was standing behind me at arm's length wielding her weapon pressing the sharp lame under my right ear and taking our difference in height and length into consideration, I understood what she was trying to do and panicked.

This crazy bitch was using me as a human shield!!!

By instinct, I tried to move away only to get the sharp tool pressed harder into my neck breaking my flesh, with a thin line of blood dripping."If you move without me telling you to doc, I will make your head roll off your shoulders in a second. Okay?" She snarled with her usual teasing low voice and I stayed glued in place gulping loudly and casting a side look at one of the dismembered bodies on the floor.

She will definitely decapitate me if I piss her off...I better enjoy the fact that she didn't kill me yet and do what she says.

"SIR...HANDS IN THE AIR NOW!!" Shouted one of the police officers in the front pointing his gun directly at me because obviously, I was covering the psycho behind me.

I looked at him in disbelief. "Who?... Me?!"

"SIR, I REPEAT, PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR. NOW!!!"

"You can't be serious!!! I'm the one who's in danger here!!!" I yelled back at him losing my mind.

"Doctor please do as we say, we are trying to keep you safe" intervened the commander with his annoying confident voice.

"Oh really, are you?! If that's so then you must have noticed that you have been doing a crappy job up until now!" I mocked him not giving a damn if he was a commander. I'm a dead man anyway and that angry comment of mine earned me mocking giggles from the monster behind me.

Yeah great...she's having fun at my expense...

"Doctor please comply with us!!!" Ordered the commander frowning at me.

If I get out of here alive I'm definitely going to sue him and do my best to destroy his life.

Giving up my tries to argue further, I lifted my arms up. Never in my life have I been that humiliated and treated like a fucking criminal when I am actually the victim.

"PRISONER 40086 DROP YOUR WEAPON AND SHOW YOURSELF. HANDS IN THE AIR NOW!!!" continued the officer.

I am so sick of all the shouting and nerve-wracking atmosphere. Can someone just kill me and be done with it?

"Hey doc, I need you to take five slow steps backward. Don't move any muscle other than your legs' and do not panic. As a reward, I will get you out of here in one piece. Understood?" She whispered behind me, only for me to hear.

five steps back?...why was she going back to her cell? I have a bad feeling about this. But ironically, I trust her words of getting me out of here safely much more than the commander. Plus, what the hell do I have to lose at this point?

I nodded lightly and took a step back praying that those idiots won't shoot me."DOCTOR DON'T MOVE" threatned the commander.

"Doc don't stop" called the voice from behind.

I felt like I was stuck between two sides: the supposedly good one in front of me and the bad one behind me. I was hearing the voices in my head opposing each other. I had to make a choice, either step back to the dark side or forward to the good one. My body had already made the decision and obeying the voice behind me like a good dog, I took a second step back and a third under the eyes and the yells of the police.

Four....and five...

I stopped after the fifth like she asked me to and waited for the worse to come. Suddenly, she pushed me towards the officers and stepped away from me quickly running to the left wall.

"DON'T MOVE!!"

"NO STOP HER!! SHOOT HER!!"

Everyone started shouting and opened fire in her direction. I stepped away quickly dodging a close bullet and turned around to see where she was so eager to go.

NO!! Tell me she isn't going to. Before I could finish my thoughts, she had already reached for the control panel and pressed a button. Just like that, red lights enveloped the entire block with loud alarm sirens going off and all the automatic door cells moved to open the path for the most dangerous people in the nation.

We all stared at the scene unfolding in front of us with horror, all the prisoners started to get out cheering, yelling, and attacking the officers and guards. It was total chaos. I stood there with a pale face, my mind going blank. Why is this happening to me? Why?

I heard screams and looked in front of me, locked eyes with one of the criminals. He was 6'4, his body huge with muscles covered in tattoos, and his right eye was left with a nasty scar. He threw me a dirty look and walked fast towards me as I stumbled backward trying to find an escape. It was true that I worked out every day and I was in a good shape but I never had fighting lessons, so even with my 6'2 frame and few muscles, I had no chance to win a one-on-one fight with that beast.

Cornered against the wall, I lifted my arms protecting my face, and closed my eyes, bracing myself for the impact, when I heard a swing slashing the air and a loud thud of a body hitting the floor. I opened my eyes, slowly looking down, and saw the huge gangster laying on his stomach with his face crooked to the side. There between his eyes, an ax was planted and waterfalls of blood were gushing out forming a red pool around him.

I know one person with an ax as a fetish weapon around here.

The demon in question showed herself. She passed in front of me casually, walked towards the body, took her killing instrument, and strolled back standing beside me."Come on doc, let's go before someone else decides to make you his bitch" she said gesturing me to the building's door where many criminals were fighting with the guards.

"You're joking, right? No way I am going anywhere with you!" I announced firmly, taking a step away from her.

"As you wish. But in my humble opinion, it will be better if you had to deal with only one psychopath rather than fifty" she noted, smiling at me.

Is this day never going to end?

"Fine...let's get the fuck out of here"

"Sure doc. Stay behind me and don't try to be a hero" she warned me, turning her back to me and walking fast.

Trust me, I don't intend to...

I trailed behind her observing her hitting, slicing, and breaking everyone that came in her way: guards, police, criminals, It didn't matter. They all had the same fate. She was a beast, a killing machine. I can't believe she's human and a woman at that. She took some blows to her face and body, I would have passed out on the spot if it was me, but she kept fighting. She even dodged bullets, somehow always knowing where they will land before they left the gun. She was simply amazing, out of this world.

I can't believe I'm calling a mass murderer amazing. The blow I took to my head must have caused some brain damage.

We moved forward jumping, dodging, and hitting until we finally got to the building's main door. There were more than twenty prisoners fighting to get out. They charged at the guards hitting some of them and got a rain of bullets in return, even some of the criminals managed to dislocate metallic bars from the cell doors and use them as weapons. It was a massacre.

Ezra on the other hand, just stood there, balancing her bloody ax on her shoulders watching, not showing any interest in joining this war."Why did we stop?" I asked, intrigued by her sudden change of heart.

She answered without looking at me, annoyed by my question "why would I do anything if there is this bunch of brainless monsters doing the hard job and taking bullets on our behalf? let's just wait for the show to end and then, we can make a run for it"

Well, that's interesting. She is not only a sadistic killer after all, but she is also strategic, and calculative and doesn't take unnecessary risks which only makes her more...deadly.

"Are you teaming up with criminals now doctor?" a loud voice asked from behind and we both turned around to face the commander whose eyes were blinded by rage, breathing hard with many bruises all over him, and his clothes torn apart.

"Wow you look like shit, big guy!" she snarled, grinning, still with her deadly weapon on her shoulders.

"YOU!! it's all your fault you crazy bitch! Once I get my hands on you, I will gladly kill you to save humanity from your kind" she didn't flinch, still looking at him dead in the eyes, daring him to come closer "And YOU!" he added, moving his eyes on me "You are going to jail for a very long time, first for recording a highly confidential conversation, second for disrespecting a high ranking military leader many times, and third for helping a criminal escape!"

"You got the last one wrong commander." Ignoring the going to prison part I corrected him "Technically speaking, she's the one helping me escape"

He growled like a wounded animal aiming his gun at our faces "Now both of you move to a cell and lock yourselves inside or I will blow both of your brains out and pretend it was an accident"

The psycho beside me gazed at him teasingly, "The only thing that's going to explode is you, big guy, if you don't take it easy"

"BOTH OF YOU! MOVE NOW!!" he warned shooting at the floor a few inches away from us.

I took a few steps back while she laughed loudly, not moving from her position "Hey doc, I think your buddy here is actually serious" she stopped laughing abruptly and took a deep breath before adding, taking her axe off her shoulders and pointing it in the commander's direction "You want to play? Sure, let's play. I still have some time for a little game"

Oh shit...this is going to end badly. She's strong but he's twice her size and armed with a loaded gun.

"Hey Ezra, I don't think it's a goo-"

"Doc just shut up, sit aside, and look pretty. I will be right back" she muttered, before charging at full speed toward him.

She jumped, taking the axe in both hands but unfortunately, slicing the air after the commander moved away just in time. He tried to shoot her but his gun met the sharp edge of her tool and went flying. He decided to use his strength against her and grabbed the ax trying to pull it away from her. She was about to give in until she raised her leg in a strong kick that landed just under his chin. He took a few steps back trying to balance himself again and dodged right in time before Ezra's ax hit his neck. He was able to land a strong jab in her face that made her fall on her back, he moved fast above her to try to pin her down but she raised the ax holding the wooden haft with both hands creating a barrier between her and the commander.

This is bad...this is really bad. I have to do something and as I was thinking of anything that may help us in this situation, I heard cheering. I looked back to see that the others were able to force the guards away as they began to rush out. I turned again to search for that crazy girl and she was still on the floor trying to fight that big asshole.

Should I just leave her here? It's not like we're friends or anything. But still...I wouldn't be alive without her and she will definitely haunt me for the rest of my life if I leave her here. To add to this, I'm already accused of helping a criminal escape... Fuck it.

I looked around, scanning the space around me when my eyes zeroed in on the broken gun that the commander used a few minutes ago. I walked slowly to grab it and advanced with precaution behind him, he was still pushing Ezra down. I hit him on the back of his head with every ounce of strength I have left. He fell forward, landing on her and she pushed him away quickly and stood up looking at me blankly.

"What are you still doing here, you fucking idiot?" she asked annoyed.

"Is that how you say thank you normally?"

She looked furious after I threw this little joke and took a step forward, pushing the haft of her ax into my chest "Did I ask you to help me doc? Didn't I tell you not to play the hero? Don't think of me as your partner or anything, understood?" I nodded and she looked at my face for a second before passing me, and walking to the door "Come on, move your ass"

I should have just left her here.

I followed her outside where the prisoners were still fighting with the rest of the guards."It looks like the backups are still not here. That's good. Now let's get the hell out of this shithole" she remarked, looking around, walking towards the main building, not to the front huge door where everyone was gathered.

I run after her, shocked by her behavior "Hey! where are you going? The exit is that way!"

She answered my question, walking faster "Don't you think I already know this Genius? They will never be able to pass that door before the backups arrive, so we are taking a short cut"

I didn't dare to ask her what she meant because I felt like she was going to slice my throat open. We walked to the main building where there were very few guards who Ezra didn't take a lot of time in getting rid of. They obviously didn't think that someone trying to escape will actually go there, so the security was really bad and after taking a few stairs and hallways, we got to a locked back door that she broke open with her ax. We walked outside, stepping into the parking lot where the commander parked his car this morning and I found myself wondering how would any criminal know about this exit.

"Let's take this car. It looks nice and it has a military badge on it. No one will dare stop us" she claimed, walking to that asshole's car.

"Hey, I think you got me wrong. I am not going anywhere with you farther than this" she ignored me, trying to open the car's door which wasn't locked because clearly, the commander was too busy dragging me along to do so and then looking at me with her exceptional eyes, she said in a serious tone "I wasn't actually asking you doc, I am taking you along anyway. I didn't have a pet for a while. You might as well keep me company"

"Wait what? I am not your pet and I don't have to do anything you say!" I snapped, taking a step back.

"Is that so? Come on doc. Stop making it hard on yourself. What the fuck do you have to lose, huh? Your life ended today because when everything settles down, they will come for you, especially the big guy, and you will go to jail. And let's be honest, you will never survive there" she chuckled, getting into the car and searching for the wires next to the gas pedal.

"Y-yes...m-maybe you're right...but I-I would rather pay for my actions than spend my life running away" I stammered in a trembling voice from my different emotions rising and Instead of her answering me, the car did. A sign that she succeeded in starting it.

Seconds later, she emerged from the car and walked towards me."Doc you're starting to piss me off and trust me, I am not that cute when I get really angry. So drop your morals bullshit and get in the damn car"

"No" I denied her firmly.

She sighed deeply before adding in a whisper "The hard way it is..."

I didn't have enough time to proceed with what she meant before she lifted her arm and hit me in the face with a heavy tool, knocking me out on my back...again. In less than an hour, she has hit me twice on the head but this time, with a fucking wrench only God knows from where she got it and while drifting to unconsciousness, her face was the last thing I saw and I prayed that I will never see it again.