CHASE
2

'Bella' I whispered to myself. Not sure why she had intrigued me, caught my interest which never happens. Something about her looked familiar. She reminded me of her. Her hazel eyes, long brown hair. Pink lips, thin face. Petite body. She reminded me of her. She said this room belonged to her sister. I wonder if that was true. I wonder if the sadness that was visible in her soft features were genuine. Humans had a habit of trying to lure me into a trap. Maybe she was a therapist or a doctor or an undercover cop. She looked too young to be either of those but looks can be deceiving. And I was not one to be deceived.

The knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts that were filled with Bella. My usual nurse walked in to hand me over my pills. Her long blonde hair and her big blue eyes really pissed me off. She always strutted around like she was on a fashion show. One day I'll have to remind her that she's in a Psych Hospital. 'Good morning Mr Ashworth!' Her squeaky voice greeted my ears, as it did, every morning. 'You look awfully moody today.' She winked. The type of wink that says 'come and fuck me.' Just like every other human, she was being deceived by my looks. Humans are stupid. I eyed the pills in my hands before I placed them in my mouth. Being careful not to swallow it when I drank the water. I wasn't stupid. In fact, I was very much smart, smarter than they'd ever be. Once she's out, I'd spit the pills out and crush them on the corner of the wall, they never caught on. A cleaner came in to vacuum this room every other day so all evidence would be sucked up into the vacuum and gone from this room.

'Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow' the blonde turned her back to me to leave. Suddenly my mind went on overdrive and all I wanted was to get Bella to come visit me again.

Bella.

BELLA.

She's untrustworthy.

She doesn't want to see you.

You have to try.

Try!

'Bella!' I almost yelled, the voices in my head faded away as I spoke out her name. The blonde stopped and turned to face me. 'Veronica, my name is Veronica Mr Ashworth.' She looked disappointed at the fact that after three months of being here, I hadn't learned her name. But it wasn't her name I was calling, I wanted Bella. 'She visited this room yesterday. Tell her to visit again.' I spoke through clenched teeth. I didn't like speaking to these people. I liked the peace and the quiet but I had to, I had to see her again. 'Oh..' the blonde looked even more disappointed now. She opened her mouth to object to my request but then she shut her mouth again. Good choice. 'The girl that came by yesterday. Miss Corleone. Sure, I'll deliver the message.' And with that, she disappeared out the door, leaving me with my new found information about Bella. Bella Corleone. That was her surname. All I knew was her full name yet I wanted to know more.

Hours passed by, I knew that she was going to come. Something told me she would be here. The voices in my head had been on a rampage since I set eyes on her. I didn't know whether I wanted her to come or wanted her to stay away from me. But when the door unlocked, I knew damn well she was here. I sat up on the bed and watched her walk in. Her hair fell over her shoulders like silk, I wanted to touch it. I wanted to cut it.

'Hey again.' Her voice sounded like lavender and velvet. I could listen to her speak all day.

Or you want to kill her.

I don't want to kill her.

She's judging you.

Shut up!

Grabbing my head in my hands, it was throbbing. Just her mere presence was making my blood boil. 'You ok Mr Ashworth?' I could hear her step closer to me, concern evident in her voice. I didn't want her too close. I was afraid I'd hurt her.

Strangle her.

She's going to call the guards.

She's a cop.

She's a lie.

Stop! Stop!

Everything was blurring out, voices filling my head, making my veins come to life as I felt them pulse beneath my skin. I had wanted her to come back and yet here I was, wishing she never stepped foot in this place. I didn't want to hurt her, but I did. I didn't even know her. 'Chase.' She whispered as her delicate fingers touched my skin. The voices in my head vanished, my fevered skin cooled down as she carefully rubbed my arm. My mind eased at her voice calling my name. Something inside me turned and my heart rate steadied. Lifting my head, I looked up at her. There she stood, her soft brown orbs staring into my long lost soul. 'It's ok, calm down.' She smiled, a genuine smile that held a hint of concern. Why would such a human be concerned for me? I didn't understand, maybe it was fake, whatever it was, it worked and I had calmed.

'Bella.' Her name came out rough on my tongue, I didn't know why I kept saying her name but somehow it seemed to be the only thing I managed to say so easily. 'Yes?' She removed her hand from my arm and studied my none existing expression. 'Are you in pain?' She crouched down, clearly I had looked like I was in pain but I wasn't. I felt nothing. I never felt a thing. It was just voices, thoughts, endless amount of thoughts. 'No.' My voice came out empty. I wasn't use to having conversations with people. I didn't like being questioned either.

'Just before, did your head hurt?'

'No.'

'It looked like you were in some sort of pain.'

'No.'

'Is the word no the only word you know?'

'No.'

She giggled at my response, I wasn't sure what she found funny but the sound of her small giggle made my stomach sink. I watched her as she took her bag off and sat down on the floor, her back pressed to the bed. 'Not much of a talker huh?' She lifted her head and looked up at me. 'No.' Was the only word I could reply with, which made her laugh again.

She's laughing at you.

You're a joke.

No!

I growled internally, the voices creeping up again all the while I stared at her. She picked up on my gaze and looked away from me, her laugh faded and she focused on her bag as she fiddled with it. Pulling out a box of what seemed like cupcakes. 'For you.' She held the box out for me to take. I eyed the cupcakes, not sure to take them or to ignore her. 'I wanted to thank you for letting me take a look around yesterday, it meant a lot.' She gestured for me to take the box, when I didn't make any move, she placed it on the bed. 'So you wanted me to come by again today but you don't seem to want to talk.' I could feel the uneasiness she felt, I knew it wasn't easy for her to be here with me. I'm sure she knew I was a murderer. I'm sure she must've been afraid, truth is, I didn't want to talk, I just wanted to watch her, study her.

It'd been about five minutes and we'd sat there in silence, five minutes and I'd already analysed every inch of her. Five minutes and she said 'would you like me to leave?'. 'No.' Once again, the only word I managed to get out. Why couldn't she just sit there and look pretty. Why did she have to talk a lot.

Because she's nervous.

You scare her.

She doesn't like you!

I closed my eyes and inhaled her scent. She smelt sweet, like something I'd want to devour. Fisting my hands by my sides, I pushed away the thoughts that were running wild in my head. 'What happened to her?' My question caught her off guard. She looked even more uncomfortable now, maybe even sad. Clearly the topic of her sister was a sensitive one for her. She glanced at me for a split second and smiled then looked back down at her hands. 'She took her own life.' Her voice was barely a whisper but I heard her, I'm sure she didn't want me to hear her. A part of me wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her it's ok but another part of me didn't care. People die. It happens.

'Would you like me to visit again?' She broke the silence once again, most likely changing the subject too, even though there wasn't much discussed about it. I took my time and thought about her question. I wanted her to visit again. I just didn't understand why. I stayed quiet, maybe her visiting wasn't such a good idea. I mean, she had no purpose here.

She can be your toy.

Make her come back.

Play with her.

I tensed up at her touch again, she rubbed my shoulder this time. Almost as though she could too, hear the voices in my head. A small smile filtered across her features and she stood. 'I'll see you tomorrow Mr Ashworth.' She picked up her bag and walked out of the door. I wanted to tell her to never come back, to stay far away from me but I kept my words to myself. I was here for one reason and one reason only. To finish off what they started. To end it once and for all. A distraction, I could not afford. But a toy to play with? Maybe.