Months had passed and there was much change. The government poured money into the Gardai after crime went to the top of the political agenda after public anger reached boiling point. The gangs and gang warfare that were destroying the lives of ordinary Dubliners were finally brought under control.
Nobody was in any doubt that the drug dealing business was still alive and well, but hundreds of arrests had put dampeners on it, and more importantly, finally put a stop to the tit-for-tat killings that had plagued the city since Billy’s death.
But “The Ripper” hung over the entire country like a dark cloud. Kids would now taunt one another with the threat that they would send “The Ripper” after them and their families.
The ghastly beast had further evolved; he was now a family annihilator. The unfortunate Gardai who were called to the latest scene of horror were all traumatized afterward; one quit the following week; another was found hanging by his wife in the garden shed.
The latest victims were found in a desolate house on a lakeshore close to Mullingar. This time it was a married couple and their five children. Both the kids and the husband were forced to watch as The Ripper performed his usual signature of rape and mutilation of the woman before they had their throats slit in turn. In a cruel twist, it became apparent that the youngest was the last left to die.
It brought a sense of horror to the entire country, which had never before even imagined such savagery. Not only were women now openly told not to go outside alone, kids were locked in their houses and neighbors made sure to do night calls to everyone in the locality, to try to ensure evil did not come knocking.
Then the newspaper messages started. Nobody was sure if they were really from him, but the bloodstains that accompanied them matched some of the victims. Some said that the newspapers shouldn’t have published them, but they claimed it was in the public interest and in any event, they attracted huge morbid interest.
They mostly took the form of taunting the general public and jeering the efforts of the Gardai to catch him. It terrified the general public and destroyed the morale of the force.
Wherever you go I will be watching you; your wife and daughters will be mine. Those pigs wouldn’t catch a fly.
Have a beautiful woman? I can fix that!
It was now international news with extensive coverage on news channels throughout the world; The Ripper was almost certainly soaking up all the attention with glee; almost certainly relishing the pain, suffering, and fear of others.
Sean was living a nightmare; once he had seen those photos of the kids with their throats slit, he couldn’t take anymore and went out sick from work. The emotional pain and guilt that he was feeling turned him towards the drink. His accident was nothing compared to this.
Then his relationship quickly crumbled. Sean didn’t blame her; he was unable to explain his despair or why he preferred drunken oblivion to her warm touch. In truth, Sean just wanted to be left alone to wallow in his misery and so he shut everyone else out of his life too.
Laura hated the Traffic Corp as much as she thought she would, deriving little pleasure from catching speeding motorists or drunk drivers; when there was real police work, she could be doing. Her days were long and monotonous; at times she found herself longing for a fight to break out or for someone to try and steal a purse in front of her. Alas not; she constantly found herself surrounded by mostly law-abiding citizens, much to her chagrin.
To make matters even worse, she despised the colleagues she found herself working with; they were just so dull and conceited. She doubted any of them had ever broken a law or cheated at a game. She could no longer pop in for a quick cup of tea at the station and had been feeling quite depressed and isolated for quite some time.
This wasn’t the life she wanted or had done so much training for. Her life had been on such a better trajectory until Billy’s death. At times she even considered quitting the force but it had always been her dream, she couldn’t just let it go.
Then one ordinary Wednesday morning, she met Jack while he was on patrol. They talked and talked, there was so much to catch up on. Jack now had a steady girlfriend, which made her heart sink a little as her love life was still dismal, and he was loving his work. Laura lied and told him that everything was fine with her, but he sensed something was wrong and gave her some words of encouragement.
Then the conversation inevitably turned to Sean and how he was, which was not very good at all. Jack told her that he hadn’t seen Sean in weeks, that he had gone really down-hill since his relationship break up.
“I think they might be over. From what I hear, he has gone into a real downward spiral so I can’t blame her. The rumor is that he’s drinking heavily every day. Perhaps he’s already worked his last day,” Jack said in a downbeat tone.
Laura made a mental note that she must go see him. In truth, she really missed him, which was not something she would have expected. Sure, he probably wasn’t the most honest of guys but there a bit of a lovable rogue about him; it pained her that his life had become so wretched.
That was the last topic of their conversation and with that, they parted ways but not before she got Sean’s eircode from him. Laura then watched him walking off into the distance; anything to prolong the time before she had to return to her drudgery.
Her shift ended at seven and when she got into her car, she immediately put Sean’s eircode into the GPS; she might as well strike while the iron is hot. Forty minutes later, she was outside his house. Strangely, she began to feel nervous as if she was doing something wrong. But she gathered back up her courage and headed for the doorbell. She rang it once, then again wondering if he was even at home. But then she heard some rumblings from behind the door and a few seconds later, the door slowly opened and a very tired, haggard Sean appeared.
“Laura, is that you?” he asked rubbing his eyes as if only wakened from a slumber.
“Eh yeah,” she replied, not quite sure to make of the state that he was in.
She then explained how she had met Jack earlier that day and it had made her wonder how he was getting on. Sean looked somewhat puzzled but invited her into the kitchen nonetheless. Her first impression was that the place had been hit by a bomb; the place was a terrible mess with grime and dirt everywhere. The only order apparent in the place was in the rows of empty bottles dotted around the place.
Sean, perhaps anticipating her dismay explained that his housekeeper had quit three weeks ago and that he was still looking for someone to replace her. Laura thought that was far from an adequate explanation, but kept hum; he obviously wasn’t in a good place.
The kitchen wasn’t much any better than the rest of the house but Laura nervously sat down on one of the chairs, hoping that she wouldn’t encounter any nasty surprises. Fortunately, she didn’t.
“So how have you been?” Laura asked, saying it as more of a conversation starter than anything else. She was already pretty sure of the answer.
Sean looked around at the kitchen and replied, “Not too good to be honest.”
Laura gave him a moment or two to collect himself and then slowly, but surely, he let it all out explaining how everything had just become far too much for him. Of course, he couldn’t just tell her the truth, so it was a somewhat doctored version of it, but it was straight from the heart nonetheless.
The relationship break-up was the final straw, not that she could be blamed. He made the mistake of becoming his work, in this case by “The Ripper” in particular. He would come home and lash out for no particular reason or just drink himself to oblivion. So, one day he came home late from work as usual and she along with all her belongings were gone. Her mobile phone was on voice mail and he did leave messages each day for a week till he received a solitary call in reply telling him that they were finished and not to contact her again.
Then everything just seemed so pointless to him; he stopped going to work (he was currently on sick leave) and looking after himself. The last person to abandon him was his housekeeper who used to come in for a few hours per week to look after the place. She thought that the paralysis was the problem and that he couldn’t accept his new life in the wheelchair; probably better she thought that.
Laura felt a pang as he relayed the story; many Gardai would have a very similar story to tell. The only stable relationships they seemed to be able to have were with their fellow colleagues and that was nearly always frowned upon, especially in its earliest stages.
For a moment she wondered what to do or say next, struggling to find any words of comfort. Instead, her practical nature took hold and she just started cleaning up. Sean, who was slightly taken aback at first gradually, followed her lead. For two hours they toiled leaving Sean surprised that his mood lifted somewhat as progress was made.
Of course, there was still plenty left to do when they finally stopped from exhaustion. Laura, almost without thinking, offered to come back in a day or two to help finish the job.
“Are ya sure?” Sean replied, not quite sure what to say. He wanted her to return; this was the best he had felt for quite some time but didn’t want to be a nuisance either.
She was sure, she wanted to do see Sean again whatever the pretext. So, two nights later she returned and finished the job. Then she started to call around every second night and ring him every other one. Sean was unsure what to make of it and couldn’t decide if she just a concerned friend or if there was something more growing between them.
He wasn’t even sure what way to feel about it. He was not the person mentally or physically that he was when they slept together. Not as self-confident as he was back in those old days but also an emotionally deeper person who was no longer interested in just having a one-night stand or losing a close female friend just for sex.
Then again, maybe it was just friendship, in which case he didn’t want to end up looking a fool. No, better just to put it to the back of his mind; she was too pretty and smart to be interested in him long term. Anyway, she still had a boyfriend.
But Laura herself was also noticing that her feelings for him were growing. He was a release from the drudgery in other parts of her life, something that she looked forward to every day. It was when she started to dream about kissing him that she knew something had fundamentally changed. At first, she thought it was just a once-off, not to be repeated but then it became a regular occurrence.
Then, she thought; why not? Sure, she had no experience of having a relationship with a paraplegic, but she knew he was a good man. Strangely, she would never have thought about a relationship with the old pre-accident Sean but everyone changes, including herself.
Of course, she wasn’t even sure that Sean felt the same way. Perhaps, it was him that only saw her as a friend. During quiet periods, she agonized over what to do next; she pondered if she should make the first move. It was something that she had done previously in her life and she just didn’t want to let the moment pass and he finds someone else.
So, there they were in his sitting-room about to watch a movie; it was a thriller but that was of little consequence. Laura was sitting on the sofa and Sean in his manual chair beside her. Laura was nervous but she knew now was a good time to act. At first, she just casually mentioned that she had become single a few months prior before saying nothing for the next few minutes.
“Why don’t you come sit beside me on the sofa? Be more comfortable than sitting on the wheelchair?” she asked innocently.
Sean was a bit surprised by the request but nevertheless quickly transferred from his wheelchair onto the sofa besides in an effortless, quick maneuver. It was something that he actually practiced quite regularly to keep fit in his spare time.
They were now side by side and unbeknownst to each other, both their hearts were beating ferociously. Sean sank somewhat into the seat, which leaned slightly onto Laura. He apologized awkwardly but she told him not to worry.
The film itself turned out to be a bore but neither of them mentioned it, silently enjoying the excuse to be physically close to one another. Laura tilted her head onto his shoulder, enjoying the moment but all the time wondering how to advance matters.
Meanwhile, Sean was in two minds about what to do next, still not quite sure that his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. Laura was a good friend, and he didn’t want to lose that by doing something stupid.
Laura sensed that the film was coming close to the end and knew inside that this was the opportunity she had been waiting for and that she couldn’t let it pass.
“This film really has been terrible, has it?” she said matter-of-fact, looking directly into his eyes after lifting her head from his shoulder.
For a few moments, they gazed into the eyes of the other, before slowly moving their closer together. At first, their lips only met briefly but then Laura took the initiative, opening her mouth and slipping her tongue into his. This continued for a few minutes but the positioning was awkward, so Laura whispered into his ear for them to go to his bed.
Sean tried to appear confident but a million different thoughts seemed to be zipping through his mind. Since the accident, he had only been with the one woman and she had had a very similar disability to his own, their lovemaking consisted of things above the waist. For instance, should he take Viagra for her pleasure even though he would feel nothing and be unable to ejaculate?
Then he remembered that it was Laura that he was going to be with, not some strange woman that he had just met that was going to laugh at him. Laura, in fact, had already done her own bit of research on the subject, expecting that the penis would not be the focus of attention and was willing to learn. She knew what she wanted and that was him.
Sean got on the bed first, then Laura climbed on top of him after taking off her clothes. Once more they began to kiss passionately, their hands roaming over each other. They were both desperate to give pleasure to the other. Laura had done her research and knew that in cases of paralysis, new parts of the body can become used to bring pleasure so she spent time sucking on his nipples, which led to a tingling sensation running through his body. In return, he used his fingers to rub her clitoris bringing her to orgasm, then another.
After, a half-hour they collapsed into each other’s arms, fatigued by their exertions. This was an intimacy that neither had experienced hitherto in their lives; a feeling of full acceptance and love.
The next morning Laura had already left for work by the time Sean had awakened from his slumber. But this time it was very different from the old days, he knew by the note left on the small bedside table that she would be back and hadn’t regretted what had happened.
It was true, she did return later that day; there was no pretense that what had happened was anything other than the blossoming of a relationship. That relationship had a profound, positive effect on both of them.
It provided the stability that Sean needed to turn his life around. He now looked forward to each new day rather than in dread. His health gradually improved from greatly reducing his alcohol consumption and he rang the station to say that he would be returning to his post.
It was something a huge part of him dreaded, he knew it would mean bringing “The Ripper” back into his orbit. Since he had gone off sick, he had made sure never to watch or listen to the news, he had clung to wishful thinking that “The Ripper” would simply disappear in time. But he was stronger psychologically now and knew he had to and could face his demon once more.
Laura too felt benefits from their relationship that were not as obvious to a third party, but was just as significant; it was like she now had something that she never knew she needed. She now had a sense of stability and emotional support at home that built a solid foundation for her to take on the outside world. There was nothing that she liked more than to awaken each morning and gaze at his handsome face; sometimes she liked to place her hand on his hairy chest and feel the beating of his heart.
Then while at the drudgery of her work she could daydream about the cozy night in that lay ahead later and how he would nibble at her ear while they sat on the sofa. It wasn’t one thing that made the difference, it was the cumulative effect of a myriad of little things that might have seemed insignificant at first. She just wished it hadn’t started in subterfuge when they first met.
It wasn’t long before her happiness started to have positive effects on other aspects of her life. Soon she had received word that her stint in the Traffic Corps was coming to an end and a new Challenge in Narcotics lay ahead.
It had been too long. Infamy is a curse. Now when I came across a potential victim, they would look over their shoulders at just the wrong time, be part of a group or take other extensive security precautions. It was incredibly frustrating and I could feel incredible anger swelling up inside me, growing greater by the day.
Yes, I had never before had such influence, over so many others but my heart panged to see terror and fear in their eyes. For it to be up close and personal; for them to know that the timing of their deaths was entirely a matter for me alone and just as importantly, I would be the harbinger of how much they would suffer before it came.
So, I had to cast my net that bit wider than hitherto and seek out a victim that would be particularly vulnerable. It was difficult and took some time but eventually, I found her. I realized that with almost the whole country on edge, it would be best to seek out a target who lived on the margins of society and who would never in their darkest nightmare expect me to come knocking at their door.
Then I remembered that in my youth I had seen a television program about hippies who tried to live solely with what nature provided, growing their food organically and the like, and without modern comforts such as electricity or running water. They would have no CCTV cameras or those pesky neighborhood watches; they were exactly what I needed at this point in time.
There were surely people of those persuasions still around, it was only a matter of figuring out how to find them. It took me a while to think of it but then I thought they’d surely sell some of their produce and at least some of them would surely use the internet to do so. The rest was only a matter of time and that was something I had plenty of.
So, I searched and searched trawling through various websites to find her, the next object of my affections. It was difficult. At times I even wondered about terrorizing the copper instead, but I needed to save him for the future and it would be glorious indeed.
The first two targets turned out to be a total waste of time. I arranged to meet them at a parking lot; of course, I never actually showed up. No, I lurked in the background and carefully followed them back to their place of residence wherever it may be.
One was guilty of what could only be called false advertising – and they say that I’m the devil. I should have known when I first saw her in the distance. She was very overweight, large breasts with long flowing red hair and freckles. Her face even turned a deep red when I failed to show. But I wasn’t the only party guilty of deception; as I followed her, I learned that her vegetables were far from the organic variety. Of much more serious concern were all the security precautions such as the electric fences and cameras that surrounded the farm. Her male companion looked like a brute best avoided also.
The second target looked far more promising at first. She was slim with long, black hair with torn, shabby clothing and was accompanied by a slight man. Immediately, I felt that I was on the right track and felt an immediate tinge of arousal.
There was no sense of anger when I failed to show up, just a quiet resignation. They got into their ramshackle car, with me following in the distance. The journey went from the outskirts of a town to a remote rural area and down a narrow lane. Then my excitement quickly turned to disappointment. They were from a commune, I immediately put on the brakes. It was a large community; their homesteads set out in the center of a large field, with only the one way in and out. This was far from ideal, from an attack perspective and already, I could see that I had been spotted in the distance. There was only one thing for it and that was to turn the car around and try again.
Then finally the perfect target fell into my lap two weeks later. I followed the same routine as before. She was haggard, scruffy and scrawny with greying, shoulder-length brown hair. Her face was one of despair when I failed to show up to purchase her produce, which made me chuckle.
I wondered where following her would lead me to, but I need not have worried, she led me to a picturesque paradise, the perfect place for an assault. On one side there was a lake and on the other a forest, which would be ideal for reconnaissance. Then I left knowing that it was too soon. Much better to come back in a month when the online communication would be lost in a sea of other ones.
It was the longest month of my life, there was just nothing else on my mind than tearing her to pieces, night and day. Then the time was up and it was time for the preparations to begin.
The forest proved to be as useful as I thought. Each night I observed their comings and goings. She was part of a family of seven. Fortunately, the children were young and would cause little difficulty even if they had not been malnourished and weak. The man was very thin and gaunt, I couldn’t see him putting up much resistance.
The night before the attack, I brought my equipment and hid it close to the house, which was the routine that I always followed. The thrill of the hunt was almost becoming too much but I knew that the ultimate release would soon be forthcoming as I masturbated looking at the house of my twisted affections. I closed my eyes and imagined the terror on their faces; it would be magnificent.
Finally, the moment that I waited for had arrived. They never saw it coming and put up almost no resistance. There was no television or radio in the house, so I can only assume they had not heard of my previous exploits and presumed that if they complied with my demands, they would survive the night.
With a knife to her throat, the man meekly did my bidding tying up the children and then himself. She begged me to rape her outside away from their eyes but I wanted the audience.
I could hear their squeals behind me as I ripped her off her clothes and entered her, then their gasps of horror as I plunged my knife into her. This time I could do as I pleased and follow through on my full routine.
When I finally looked back on them, I could see that they finally saw me for the monster that I am. Somewhat disappointingly, they had resigned themselves to their fate and the final child, like a good boy lifted his head before I slit his throat.
The euphoria of the kill lasted for days as I constantly replayed it in my mind. It had been perfect and it was spoken about wherever I went. It felt like I had reached out and metaphorically wrenched the heart of everyone in the country. The only slight concern I had was that this was my nadir and never again would I fly so high. The next attack could not possibly be as good.
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