The Reaper's Child

The man was very aware of the envelope in his coat pocket. Today especially, it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. It pressed against his side and served as a constant reminder of what he was about to do. Today especially, he felt like every pair of eyes was trained on him.

Today.

Today Dr. Rollins was going to meet him. He was going to come face to face with someone he only knew as Rellik. He was going to hire this Rellik, whoever he may be, to do a certain job that needed to be taken care of. One that went against every moral bone in his body.

It had taken Dr. Rollins a long time before he decided to look for someone to hire, and after extensive research, Rellik seemed to be the only one suitable for the job. He was supposedly the best. Clean, efficient, and followed instructions to the letter. Yes, he assured himself, Rellik would get the job done.

Someone with such a select set of skills was hard to find, and Dr. Rollins had known from the start that it wasn’t going to be as easy as leafing through a phone book. Only few people knew of Rellik’s existence, and it was very hard to get them to admit that they did. After sifting through countless websites and following up bad information and dead-end leads, Dr. Rollins found himself smiling. He was pleased at the level of difficulty, and utterly enjoyed the game of pursuing what seemed to be only a ghost. He took it all as a profitable sign. He was by no means a master at this, but he knew that this guy was good, and if he was hard to find then he’d be hard to track.

After copious amounts of time and effort were spent, Dr. Rollins was able to contact this Rellik. It had taken him two days to work up enough courage to call. Why did it have to be a call? Why not an email? Phone calls were too informal, weren’t they? Emails could be tracked, he reasoned, holding the phone. Rellik was probably busy, and most likely wouldn’t answer. The call would go straight to the machine, and then he could just leave a message. His scenario seemed to satisfy him, but still left his mind heavy with thoughts. The chase was over, and holding the number and instructions in his hand, he was reminded again that this was not a game. It was time to get down to business.

The phone rang three times before someone answered. The voice was burly and deep, like that of someone who did blue-collar work. Did this classify as blue collar? Dr. Rollins wasn’t sure.

He explained that he needed someone for a cleaning job, and recited an address. It wasn’t his address. It wasn’t an address at all, but a series of numbers expressing the true meaning of the work. Even after he hastily rattled off the digits, looking around in case anyone was watching, the man’s voice on the other end remained dull, uninterested. Like he had done this a hundred times before, and chances were he had. Their conversation was short, and ended with the man scheduling an appointment with him the next day.

Today.

Today the man was going to meet Rellik, and the sheer thought sent ripples of fear throughout his body. He wondered what this Rellik would look like. He had tried and failed to find a picture, or anything that would clue him in on what to expect. Dr. Rollins pictured a brawny murderer, someone almost animal like, ready to kill at his employer’s command.

What do suspicious people wear in order to blend in? He questioned to himself that morning while shifting through the clothes in his closet. He had never thought about it before, and his brows crinkled with frustration, upset with the fact that an invisibility cloak had not yet been invented. Everything looked different now. Every piece of clothing that he picked up suddenly had a big target on the front, as if to say, “Hey, look at this guy. He’s doing something illegal!”

Dr. Rollins was nervous to say the least. Even before he left the house, his clothes were moist with sweat. He stared at himself in the mirror, checking for metaphorical targets, anything that could give him away, and patted the pockets gently. Two envelopes, filled with everything he was instructed to bring, were safely hidden away in his coat pocket. No one would suspect a thing.

And yet, he was anxious. With every step, every minute, he felt like someone was watching him. He looked into the eyes at those passing by and was convinced that they knew. They knew what he was planning to do. Tension hung in the stagnant city air. His steps were quicker, lighter. He kept his head down as he rushed through the throng of pedestrians, bumping into people as he made his way through the concrete jungle. He spotted a police officer leaning idly against his cruiser at a corner, and immediately turned to look the other way, imagining police cars squealing to a stop in front of him. Officers would emerge with handcuffs and arrest him on the spot. If they found out what he was doing he’d lose everything, and someone as respectable as him would not do well in jail.

Wiping a bead of sweat off his forehead, Dr. Rollins found himself frozen at the crosswalk. He was scared out of his mind. Only one block separated himself from his decision, and it all felt very surreal. His breaths were heavy as if he had gone running, and he was certain that the city was suffocating him, threatening to squeeze the life out of him before he reached his destination. Useless adrenaline swirled around helplessly in his veins. Swallowing hard, Dr. Rollins took an uneasy step forward, not sure if what he just experienced was nerves or a minor stroke. Did he even want go through with this? No, he decided, he didn’t. Not in the slightest. But he couldn’t back out. It was either eat or be eaten in his world, and by no means was he about to be eaten.

The café bell that hung lazily above the door chimed as Dr. Rollins entered. His heart stopped when two people by the counter glanced up at him, and he was certain that they were on to him. They knew what he was here for. They were going to call the police and he’d be thrown in prison for the rest of his life.

Dr. Rollins took a ragged sigh of relief when their eyes returned to what they were doing. Just your imagination, he thought hastily, wiping his sweaty hands against his jacket, No one suspects a thing.

With a nervous huff of air, he surveyed his surroundings, wondering where someone doing such dangerous business would sit themselves. There was a booth near the front door, but it was already taken by a few men enjoying their lunch break. The counter was almost empty, and the bar stools welcomed him with open arms, but Dr. Rollins felt that they would be too informal. He avoided the window seats, fearing a shootout with police officers and glass flying all around the little building.

In the end, he sat down at a tiny table near the back. Here, he thought, barely anyone can see us, and I can make a getaway through the emergency exit if things go wrong.

 He kept his hands folded on the small table and tapped his foot nervously. A waitress came over and asked if he was ready to order, but he quickly shooed her away. Why did Rellik want to meet here? In this café? It’s much too public, he thought unhappily, rubbing his tie absentmindedly. It worked so much differently in the movies. The clandestine rendezvous were almost always held at night, in fog covered alleyways or ominous cemeteries. The employer would hand over the money and never see the person he paid again. Not even after the job was done.

But this café was very much alive. The sun shined brightly through the windows, and almost all the booths were full. Music played through old speakers, children laughed, couples embraced. Dr. Rollins had never come to this café, and on any other day he might have enjoyed so much life and beauty.

But not today. Today he almost despised it. What was Rellik thinking? This was no place to hold such an important meeting.

Dr. Rollins’ eyes darted from face to face. A pack of teenagers were in the corner laughing. One boy split off from the rest and ventured bravely over to a girl sitting alone at the counter. He leaned over and tried a pick-up line or two, but the girl quickly shot him down. Dr. Rollins winced at the action, as if he could feel the rejection from across the room. The girl, who seemed unaffected by the encounter, returned to her book while the boy walked back to his friends, a little less confident then he was before. And Dr. Rollins couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene, reminiscing about the old days when he was a young man with hopes and dreams for love and riches.

He observed the rest of the café with interest. There were people at the bar, most of them reading a newspaper while enjoying a cup of coffee. Did he have coffee this morning? He couldn’t remember. There was an old couple a few feet away. The older man reached across the table to touch the woman’s hand, and Dr. Rollins knew then that they had been together for a very long time. An old television that hung on the wall flipped through its limited selection of fuzzy channels, and by the door a mother inhaled her coffee with a strange satisfaction. This was probably her only break today.

The bell that hung at the top of the door jingled, and Dr. Rollins eagerly turned towards it, expecting Rellik. Instead, it was two business men. Dressed in well-tailored suits, they entered the end of the long lined and chattered away, their voices fading into the orchestra of sound around them.

This was no place for their deal, and he wondered what it was going to look like when Rellik stomped in. Huge muscles protruding from a tight shirt, tattoos littering his body, and he was probably going to be carrying a weapon. Here, in this café, Rellik would attract unwanted attention. The teenagers would stop laughing, the people at the bar would set their drinks down with wide eyes, the old couple’s smiles would crumble away with horror, those watching the staticy television would look up in fear, the mother would clutch her children protectively, and the line would all but disappear.

And they would watch. They would stare with a terrified curiosity as Rellik made his way across the now silent café. They would listen as he and Dr. Rollins discussed their arrangement. Then someone would call the police. There was no doubt in that.

He took a deep breath. No, he couldn’t leave. Not yet. He had to do this. He had to stay. This needed to be done. Five minutes passed, and he tapped his fingers on the table fretfully.

Ten minutes passed. Dr. Rollins was getting angry. How dare this Rellik stand him up? After all the work he put in to find him? He searched the café once more. No one in here looked remotely dangerous. The only ones that could possibly be Rellik were the two business men, but he was positive that neither of them carried any weaponry at the moment. What if Rellik wasn’t who he said he was? What if he was an undercover officer, looking for people like Dr. Rollins?

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he failed to notice someone sit down in front of him.

“Dr. Rollins,” she greeted, nodding formally.

Dr. Rollins shook his head, bringing his mind back to the present. “Yes, can I help you?” he asked, his eyes still frantically scanning his surroundings. No Rellik yet.

The girl remained seated in front of him, making Dr. Rollins frown. Couldn’t she tell he was busy? What did she want?

“My name is Rellik,” the girl stated casually. “I’m here about the job?”

“What?” He almost choked. What did she just say?

The mysterious girl didn’t respond. Instead, she greeted the waitress that approached him before and ordered a mocha latté with extra whip. He had no idea what kind of drink that was.

She watched the waitress leave, and after a moment of silence, turned her attention back towards Dr. Rollins, “Sorry about the late appearance,” she motioned to the bar stools. “I had to watch to make sure. I hope you understand.”

Was this a joke? This girl looked like she belonged behind a desk instead of a gun. She was pretty enough, fashioning a black shirt and ripped jeans, and when she turned her head, he could see the sunlight reflect off of the different shades of brown in her hair. What were they called again? Highlights? He wasn’t sure. She blended in with the rest of the café, almost melting away into the beige-painted walls. Dr. Rollins hadn’t even noticed her existence. His eyes had skipped right over her, but she had been there the whole time. Watching.

And he knew the reason he hadn’t seen her was because he hadn’t been looking for her. Dr. Rollins was frantically searching for a killer, a bulky man that could easily send terror into your bones with just one look. But here, in this café, a simple girl sat in front of him. Not only was Rellik female, but she was young. Younger than the waitress, she looked like she should be in the midst of taking college classes and frivolously shopping downtown, but instead she was sitting in front of him, willing to do something that he could never do himself.

“Is this a joke?” he questioned cynically as the waitress returned with the girl’s strange order. This child couldn’t be Rellik. Dr. Rollins pictured a bloodthirsty animal, not some schoolgirl.

“You’re not the first to ask that,” she laughed to herself, sipping her drink thoughtfully, “and you certainly won’t be the last.”

“You can’t be Rellik,” he hissed quietly, looking around to make sure no one heard. What kind of game was she playing? He wanted to storm out of the café. He wanted to slap this girl in the face for even claiming to be Rellik. He couldn’t hire someone just a few years older than that of his own daughter, could he?

The girl didn’t bat an eye at his anger. “Maybe I’m not.” His eyebrows lifted to her statement, and she suppressed a taunting laugh. “Well I mean, I am Rellik, but it’s not like you have to believe me. The fact is, you have a job, and I’m willing to do it.” Her words hung in the air for a moment, and she propped her elbows up on the white tablecloth. “You’ve found your reaper, Dr. Rollins. Now what’s your next move?”

Her statement was so matter-of-fact that Dr. Rollins was surprised, and ultimately silent. How dare she talk to him that way? How dare she say that he was looking for a reaper? Someone as lowly as her had no right to accuse him like that. Did she have no respect?

But after a moment, he realized that it wasn’t her words that sparked fury, but Rellik herself. He’d have no problem if she was the big, muscular killer that he pictured before, but she wasn’t. It insulted him to hear such condescending words coming from someone so young. And as much as he’d like to deny it, she was right. For months he had been convincing himself that what he was doing was right, but the fact was that he was sitting across from the person who was going to kill for him. She was a reaper, and he needed to accept that.

“Fine.” He said sternly, swallowing the irritation that he felt before. “You’re hired.”

Her solemn façade dissolved. “Great,” she leaned back in the chair, a smile playing across her lips. “Now, do you have the envelope?”

He was reminded again of the package burning a hole in his pocket. Here goes nothing, he thought, silently sliding the envelope across the table.

Rellik received it cheerfully and proceeded to tear it open. “What are you doing?” he gasped, his arms reaching out across the table to grab the manila package.

She leaned away from his outstretched hand. “What?” she snorted, motioning to the rest of the café, “Who’s watching?”

She was right; no one was even paying attention to them. The businessmen had left, the mother was collecting her children, and more people ventured in through the doors. Life in the café continued on without them. It was like they weren’t even there.   

“So who is he?” Rellik asked, examining the various pictures.

“Why do you need to know?” he said shortly.

“Well,” she sifted through the files, “If I’m going to kill him, I think I at least deserve to know who he is.”

She had a point. Dr. Rollins took a deep breath. “Anthony Tucker. He’s my business partner.”

“Ahh,” she nodded thoughtfully, examining a paper that had Anthony’s daily schedule printed on it. “Why does he need to die?”

She was asking too many questions. An ordinary professional killer would just take the envelopes and leave, but then again, Rellik was clearly not the average killer.

And in the end, she deserved to know. If Dr. Rollins did what she did, he’d want to know too.

“We can’t run our corporation together anymore, and Anthony is planning to take over. You have to understand, Rellik. I put my life in that company. Everything I’ve ever done has been for the greater good of it. If he takes it away then I lose everything.” he coughed uncomfortably, “But if he…passed, then the company would be handed over to me as a sole proprietorship.”

Society seemed to think that every CEO was filthy with mistresses and money laundering, but Dr. Rollins was an honest man. There were no hidden motivations with him. Politics and greed didn’t exist in his world. He had simply built his corporation from the ground up, and with it came the wealth and power of such hard work. But such wealth had corrupted Anthony, who decided to seize full control. He never wanted the situation to spiral out of control so quickly, but Dr. Rollins had become a desperate man who was fighting to survive the cut-throat world that he lived in.    

A silence hung in the air between them, and they sat quietly, listening to the mixture of laughter and music produced by the oblivious world that went on around them.

“You know something, Dr. Rollins?” Rellik said, sipping her cup. “An interesting thing in my business. You find out what kinds of things drive people to do this.” She ran a hand through her brown hair. “Power, hate, pride, greed…” she paused. “Love. I don’t get many people doing it for love anymore though.” A mischievous grin flashed across her features. “I guess that’s a good thing, right?”

“Right,” he agreed, smiling at how lighthearted their conversation was. And though he wasn’t sure what exactly he thought about her, he found himself enjoying this twistedly fascinating girl.

Rellik stared off into the distance, taking another drink of her mocha, which was almost halfway gone by this point. “But it’s the ones that do it for love that are the most passionate.” She closed her eyes, breathing in the steam that rose up from the white mug. When her eyes opened, they stared at him unflinchingly. “Do you love anyone, Dr. Rollins?”

“Yes.” His wife was so incredibly lovely. He knew he was going to marry her from the moment they met, for she was everything he ever wanted in a woman. He smiled at the thought of his wife, the only woman who still put up with him after all these years. She had wanted to come with him, but he had told her it was a business meeting. She had asked if it was about Anthony, and he reluctantly agreed. She had no idea what he was doing, and he was planning to keep it that way.

Rellik continued to gaze at Dr. Rollins. Her hazel eyes bore deep into him, and he thought for a quick moment that perhaps she could read his mind. He wondered how someone as delicate as this girl would have the capability to kill. “Do you have someone, Rellik?” Surely she had someone, he thought. Her personality alone would be enough for any boy to fall in love with. Her looks, which were stunning, would be just a bonus. Maybe she had a life outside of killing, maybe she had someone waiting for her at home, and maybe she lied to him about their meeting too.

Rellik stared out the window, caught in a sudden memory. “I used to,” she said after a moment of silence, her eyes gleaming with a strange sorrow that he did not understand. His previous assumptions about having someone waiting for her were wrong, and he realized with a sad thought that no one was waiting for her. No one at all.

Rellik’s head tilted to one side, smiling. “Your wife, Lola, she’s home today, isn’t she?”

“She was caught up in some old sitcoms when I left her,” he laughed, nodding. “Wait.” His expression began to change into that of worry. “How did you know that?”

“I do my research,” she stated nonchalantly, glancing over his shoulder at something outside.

“What?” the connection that he thought he formed with her earlier had shattered, and his mind raced with concern for his wife.

“Relax,” she chuckled. “Mrs. Rollins is fine. Consider it leverage.” She winked. “In case you don’t hold up your end of the deal.”

And he tried again to justify Rellik’s actions. She’s young, he reasoned, so people probably underestimate her. He himself still undervalued her, and still wasn’t sure if this girl could get the job done. If she was finding leverage, then somebody somewhere didn’t hold up their end of the bargain, and someone probably died as a result of it. He decided that he would stay true to their agreement, but only if he was sure she would complete the task properly.

Dr. Rollins pictured Rellik, this skinny girl, standing over his wife, killing her the way she would kill Anthony.

“Speaking of which,” she leaned forward, folding her hands on the table. “You have my first payment?”

“Oh, right,” Dr. Rollins stammered, surprised by how quickly she changed the subject, not offering any clue as to how much she really knew about him. Again he reached into his coat pocket, but this time he pulled out a small, plain white envelope. She received it graciously, tearing open the top to reveal a row of neatly folded bills. Her fingers brushed over the stack, counting them silently in her head.

While she did that, Dr. Rollins studied her bag. It was a sorry excuse for one, he decided. It swayed a few inches above the ground, the strap hung lazily over the chair. It looked overused and worn down, and he figured she’d need to buy another one soon. There were no visible tears or holes, but he knew it was nearing its expiration date. He was curious as to what was in it. For all he knew there could have been a loaded weapon hidden under the thin fabric. Or gum. Girls her age liked gum didn’t they? Either way, the shabbiness of the bag made him wonder.

Rellik continued to drink her coffee happily when Dr. Rollins noticed a book poking out of the unzipped bag. “The Great Gatsby, huh?”

“It’s a good read,” She confirmed, taking it out and flipping through the pages. “I mean, you’ve got to do something while waiting for clients, right? I’m almost done with it.”

Dr. Rollins studied the book, unsure of where he recognized it. “Wait a minute. You’re the girl, the one by the counter.” And suddenly his mind whirled with memories of a girl rejecting the adoration of a hormone-driven young man. She returned to her book and Dr. Rollins was able to glance at the girl’s cover. It was the same book that Rellik was holding now.

So he noticed her after all, he just didn’t realize what he was looking at. “You shot down that boy pretty coldly,” he said jokingly.

 “He was alright. But by no means was he fit to be my own personal Gatsby.” She realigned her bookmark, amused that Dr. Rollins had observed the scene.

“You know he dies in the end.” Dr. Rollins said, motioning to the book. Considering the fact that he was paying her a staggering amount of money, he had the right to spoil the ending of a book or two.  

Rellik stroked the cover, cracking a grin. “Don’t we all?”

Dr. Rollins was amazed by how she seemed to find a deeper meaning in everything. Her witty comebacks somehow always managed to sound philosophical on some level, as if she was both young and old all at the same time. He was captivated by how she managed to be a mixture of both reckless and wise, yet still have enough charisma to keep him guessing.

 And now that his pockets were completely empty, he felt a weight begin to lift off of his shoulders. Their deal was almost over. He would meet with her once more, after the job was done, to pay her the other half. He wouldn’t see her again after that, and the memories of today would fade away into a dark secret that would never see the light of day. Being a simple business owner, he never thought he’d have skeletons in his closet, or anything to hide at all for that matter. Now he had this, and all he could do was pretend it never happened.

 “So.” She stuck the small envelope into the manila one. “Let’s get down to business, shall we?” he watched as she carefully resealed the larger envelope and tucked it inside a shabby-looking bag that hung off of the back of her chair. “So this cleaning job, you want it spotless, right? No mess whatsoever?”

She was so horribly blunt that Dr. Rollins thought cops were going to burst in and arrest them both, but he realized that even though she was direct, Rellik was smart. Her words were so clear and frank that the people at the other tables probably overheard, but they had no idea what was really going on. Rellik was clever.

“Um,” he started, looking around. “Yes. Very clean.” His foot began to tap nervously again.

His sudden adrenaline spike made Rellik laugh. “Calm down, will you?” She giggled. “I knew it was you the moment you walked in. You’re so damn jumpy. I’m surprised the cops didn’t pick you up on the way over.”

Dr. Rollins didn’t know that his actions were so obvious, and the realization made him even more nervous. He laughed a bit. “Sorry, I’m not as experienced as you. When I called you on the phone…” his voice trailed off. The phone. His forehead creased in thought. “When I called you, there was a man on the other end.”

“Oh,” she said, pleased that he remembered. “That was Chuck. He schedules all my appointments.” No one had ever asked her about Chuck, and she downed the rest of her cup victoriously. “So, Dr. Rollins, this cleaning gig. It’s an accident right? No one did it? Just an accident?”

He looked at her, puzzled by her words. But just as she began to raise her eyebrows playfully, a light bulb somewhere deep in Dr. Rollins’ mind went off. “Yes, just an accident.” Anthony’s death must be an accident.

“Okay,” she nodded, and Dr. Rollins watched as she rubbed the mug with her napkin, erasing any evidence that she was there at all.

And this action sparked Dr. Rollins’ curiosity. “Rellik,” he began, and she glanced up at him questionably, “why do you do this?”

Rellik opened her mouth to respond, but not words formed. No one had ever asked this question before, and she was left utterly speechless.  

Sure, clients have asked how she was going to do it, or when, or where, but no one had ever asked why she was doing it. His question stumped her, and left her mind winding in impossible circles, trying to find an answer. Out of the hundreds of jobs that she’s done, out of all the people that she had to meet with, none of them cared. None of them were concerned about who she was or why she did this. None of it mattered to them.

And by no means did Dr. Rollins know what he was doing. He had formed some kind of friendship with Rellik, and something about her was indescribably pure. He wanted to know what would cause such a brilliant human being to do such a thing. He wanted to know why.

“I talk about what makes people hire a gun like me, but the real question is what drives people to become me? To kill for a living.” She bit her lip, trekking through things she’d never talked about before. “Desperation is what brought you here today, Dr. Rollins.”

“And what brought you here, Rellik?”

She took a deep breath, and he noticed this was the first time she looked uncertain. “Someone took away everyone I loved.” Her voiced sounded sad, and Dr. Rollins didn’t see a trained killer sitting in front of him, but a child. “And when you’ve got nothing left, you’ve got nothing to lose.” Her eyes were empty, and he imagined her soul would look similar, hollowed out by a tortured past, and raw with unexplainable hate. “I did it for revenge, Dr. Rollins, and as for doing it now?” she paused, “My father always told me if you’re good at something, never do it for free.”

“You don’t have to keep doing this,” Dr. Rollins urged quietly, picturing his own daughter sitting in front of him.

“Someone needs to,” she shrugged. “Someone needs to be the reaper.”

“It’s not your decision to change someone’s fate.” His words were angry, and he was convinced that this child could never destroy a human being. She didn’t have the capability to kill Anthony. It was all a trick, a horrible joke.

“No.” Her eyes flicked up to look at him, and the sadness that was once there twisted into a fiery taunt. “It’s yours.”

That’s when Dr. Rollins remembered what he was doing there, in the café. He knew that he was wrong. He was hiring this reaper, after all. And he realized then that even though she was much younger than he was, she was wiser. Looking into her eyes, he knew that she had seen more torment and pain than he could ever imagine.

“What you do,” Dr. Rollins said worryingly, “It’s dangerous.” He felt like a father lecturing a child, and came to terms with the fact that he was chastising an assassin about morals. He was a hypocrite, but he couldn’t help himself. She wasn’t going to get the job done, he was sure of it. She was just a child after all.

“Only if you don’t know how to play the game.” Rellik smiled, the impish grin that Dr. Rollins was so fond of played across her features. “And I never lose.”

What Dr. Rollins didn’t understand was that this had been Rellik’s way of life for a long time, and one afternoon in a café wouldn’t change that. In a way, it was all she had left. It was the one thing she knew how to do and do well. He needed to swallow his pride. This was her life, after all. And he had absolutely no control over it. So after a short pause, Dr. Rollins smiled back.

She scribbled her name and number on a napkin and slid it across the table, “Contact me at this number if you have any further questions,” she said, standing up and slinging her patchwork of a bag across her shoulder. “Goodbye Dr. Rollins. I’ll be seeing you again soon.”

He watched her exit through the doors, taking a right and striding confidently down the sidewalk. Her shabby bag bounced against her rhythmically as she disappeared into the misty city streets, vanishing in the infinite amounts of traffic and people. He wondered where she was off to. Another client, maybe? Perhaps she worked up an appetite and went to get something to eat. Café food wasn’t a substantial meal anyway. Did she have an actual job? Waiting tables or babysitting? Dr. Rollins couldn’t picture it. Maybe she just went home, wherever that was, to lie down on a couch and watch some television. Kids her age loved television.

She was long gone, but Dr. Rollins remained at the table, gazing at the napkin with astonishment. How could someone so innocent be littered with such darkness? He didn’t know why he felt so fatherly towards her, but he couldn’t shake off the sad look she had before. Doubt grew inside of him, fighting against his decision to hire her.

He spent a long time staring at the napkin, thinking about the day’s events. After a while his mind began to rearrange the letters of her name, and all uncertainty in his body vanished. He smiled to himself, satisfied that their paths crossed, and because of it Anthony would be suffering. Rellik would get the job done, he decided. He read her name again, but this time he read it backwards.

Killer.

Yes, she was clever.