Maniac on the Loose
Page 5
Dr. Grimm pulls back harder on the neck tie. It is buried into Dr. Clark’s neck. His fight begins to weaken as Dr. Grimm pulls the tie even tighter. He no longer fights Dr. Grimm, but instead frantically scratches at the tie with both hands and then becomes weaker before his arms finally drop and his eyes bulge wide as his body goes limp.
Dr. Grimm, lets go of the tie, grabs Dr. Clark’s limp body and sets it onto the floor.
Looking down at the dead body, he becomes appalled and covers his mouth as he distances himself from it.
Huffing and puffing he begins to pace, but stops when he eyes the body again, collapses into his office chair and tries to catch his breath.
He looks down at the picture of his ex-wife and daughter, shattered on the floor.
CHAPTER 10
FRIDAY
Afternoon
Max walks out of the bathroom and puts his hand on his belt.
MAX: Now where were we?
Max stops. His expression changes to one of subtle surprise as he looks closer at Melissa.
Her eyes are wide and lifeless.
MAX: Shit.
Max puts his hand on her neck feeling for a pulse.
MAX: She must have gone into shock and died.
Max slowly turns to Alex and flashes his evil grin.
MAX: She’s still warm though.
Max smiles as he begins unfastening his belt, but stops when he hears a thud coming from the hallway.
He looks at the hallway and then to Alex.
MAX: What the hell was that?
ALEX: I don’t know.
MAX: Is there somebody else in this house?
ALEX: No.
Max thinks for a moment.
MAX: I’m gonna go look. And if I find somebody else in this house, I’m gonna gut them like a fish…
(He moves his face closer to Alex’s and roughly grabs him by the throat)
…and then I’m going to come back here and decorate this room with your intestines!
Max gives Alex one last glare before he exits the bedroom and walks into the hallway.
He stops and listens. He hears another bumping sound ahead of him. It appears to be coming from a closet in the hall. He stands outside the closet, slowly turns the knob and opens the door.
A dead body falls out of the closet onto the floor in front of Max. The body is that of a thin, balding man in his late 40’s. Dried blood, stains his face.
MAX: (Surprised and confused)
What the hell?
Max’s expression changes to one of extreme pain. His body twists slightly. He winces as he turns his head to see where the source of pain is coming from.
Alex’s face comes into view holding an expression of rage. He makes a stabbing motion with his arm causing Max to grimace harder and slump forward.
Max coughs, spitting up blood as his body weakens and falls forward, leaving an image of Alex standing with a snarled expression of satisfaction, chef’s knife in hand, dripping with blood.
◆◆◆
FLASHBACK
WEDNESDAY
Early Morning
John Bromley…the man we knew as Alex…stands in a back alley.
He is wearing a patient’s uniform with the words “Madisonville Psychiatric Hospital – Patient 111737” stenciled on the left breast.
John looks around.
There is a construction site nearby. He studies a tool bag housing a hammer and some pliers among other things. He cautiously picks up the bag and brings it with him as he peers around the corner.
John sees a man in his 50’s walking down the street. He is on a cell phone. More importantly, he appears to be roughly the same size as John. He is wearing a white dress shirt halfway unbuttoned. His neck tie is untied and he is carrying a briefcase with a sports jacket draped over it. He is agitated.
John ducks into a small alley way as he eyes him.
AGITATED MAN: (Speaking into the cell phone)
You just bite your tongue and listen to me! I’ll be home when I’m home!
(Pause)
I’m the head of this family!
John listens to the man and presses his head against the brick alley wall. He imagines the many times his father said those very words to him.
He winces.
AGITATED MAN: I’m giving the orders here!
John grits his teeth. Those were the last words John’s father had said to him before John buried a hatchet into his skull.
AGITATED MAN: Just make sure dinner is on the table when I walk through that door or you can find yourself a new husband!
The agitated man turns his cell phone off and mutters under his breath as he walks down the alley way.
As he reaches the corner of the small side alley, John Bromley reaches out, grabs him by the shirt and wheels him around pinning him against the building wall.
AGITATED MAN: HELP! HELP! Somebody help me!
Bromley throws the man to the ground.
JOHN BROMLEY: Shut up! Shut up!
AGITATED MAN: Somebody help me please! Help me!
Bromley reaches into the tool bag and pulls out a pair of pliers.
As the agitated man continues to plea for help, Bromley shoves the pliers into his mouth, grabs hold of his tongue and rips it clear out of his mouth.
The agitated man, gurgles as his mouth spews blood.
Bromley, grabs a hammer out of the bag, lifts it up into the air and brings it down hard.
◆◆◆
FLASHBACK
WEDNESDAY
Late Morning
A thin, balding man named Alex, sits in the kitchen of the large, white, Victorian house.
His leg is propped up on the kitchen table. He is holding up a copy of “Bra Busters” and masturbating vigorously. His leg convulses and bumps a coffee cup, knocking it off of the table and sending it shattering to the floor.
ALEX: Dammit!
Alex…the dead man who fell out of the closet...stands, wipes his well lubricated hand off onto his shirt and bends down.
He begins picking up the pieces of the cup, when something catches his eye. He looks at the front door of the house. Through the window, he can see a man walking around on his front porch. The man is wearing a white dress shirt with a sports jacket.
Alex wasn’t expecting any company and doesn’t recognize the man. He gets up, fastens his pants and makes his way for the door.
Alex opens the door and steps out onto the porch.
John Bromley stands staring at him.
ALEX: Hello?
JOHN BROMLEY: Hi.
ALEX: What can I do for you?
JOHN BROMLEY: What’s your name, sir?
ALEX: Alex.
JOHN BROMLEY: How long have you lived here?
ALEX: (Still unsure about this, but answers anyway)
About ten years or so.
JOHN BROMLEY: That’s a long time to live in one place. Do you agree?
ALEX: Not really. The house I lived in before this was my home for over twenty years.
JOHN BROMLEY: Really? And what caused you to leave there?
ALEX: A job.
JOHN BROMLEY: Do you live here with your family?
ALEX: No, I’m divorced.
John shakes his head and lets out disgusted sigh.
ALEX: Uh, excuse me, I don’t mean to be rude, but are you conducting an interview here?
JOHN BROMLEY: (Smiles)
I don’t believe in divorce myself.
ALEX: I wish my ex-wife’s attorney felt the same way.
JOHN BROMLEY: Once you are married, there is no way out. Other than death of course. God forbid. Ah yes, family. That’s what it’s all about.
ALEX: Let me try this one more time. Who are you and what exactly do you want?
JOHN BROMLEY: You’ll have to forgive me. You see, I used to live here when I was a younger. It’s my home.
(Smiles)
It will always be my home.
(He runs his hand over a flowered pillow si
tting on a wicker chair)
I must say, I do admire the décor. I expect the inside is just as nice.
ALEX: I like to think so.
JOHN BROMLEY: Did you decorate it yourself?
ALEX: Oh, no, no. My ex-wife did all this before she left. I decided to keep it though. The women really love it. In fact, I’ve come to think of this place as my own private beaver trap.
Alex lets out a cackle. John, is not amused
ALEX: So you used to live here?
JOHN BROMLEY: Yes. Home sweet home.
ALEX: Interesting. I’m a historian. I have a record of all the families who lived here before me.
JOHN BROMLEY: (Nodding)
Ah.
ALEX: Did you know that the Bromley’s used to live in this house?
JOHN BROMLEY: The Bromley’s?
ALEX: You know John Bromley?
JOHN BROMLEY: The name sounds familiar.
ALEX: John Bromley. The serial killer. He used to live here with his parents and his three sisters. He killed his parents and his siblings with an axe two weeks after moving out of this house. Apparently he wasn’t too thrilled with his father’s decision to move the family.
John begins to grind his teeth.
ALEX: He then eluded authorities and eventually got married, if you can believe that! Even wound up having a daughter! From all accounts he was a text book husband and father, before he decided to chop them up too. Apparently they weren’t the perfect family he had hoped for.
John tries to fight back the memories of the axe sticking out of his wife’s head and how it took three solid hacks into his daughter’s chest before she finally stopped screaming.
He takes a breath and quickly collects himself.
JOHN BROMLEY: The past never did interest me much. I’m more of a future man myself. You can’t live in the past you know?
ALEX: I don’t live in the past. I just find it interesting.
JOHN BROMLEY: I don’t. It’s all about the future…and right now.
ALEX: Other than myself, and the Bromley’s only three other families ever lived here. And judging by your age, I can’t see that you fit the description of any of them.
JOHN BROMLEY: Is that so?
ALEX: What’s your last name?
JOHN BROMLEY: Bromley.
ALEX: (Laughing)
That’s a good one!
John Bromley is not laughing and Alex notices this.
ALEX: (Stops laughing)
Bromley?
(Pause)
Are you related to John Bromley?
JOHN BROMLEY: (Deep thought)
Hmmm.
(Pauses)
I’m pausing because I’m not really sure how to answer that question.
ALEX: Why is that?
JOHN BROMLEY: Because, I am John Bromley.
Alex smiles. This has to be a joke…right?
John Smiles.
Alex starts to chuckle a little bit, followed by John doing the same. Suddenly John’s face goes straight. Emotionless. Alex stops laughing. He finally realizes he is indeed standing face to face with the serial killer John Bromley.
Alex turns and runs back into the house. He tries to shut the door, but John kicks it back open before it can latch. John grabs a nearby shovel sitting on the porch and quickly follows Alex up the stairs.
Alex’s screams of death can be heard as a notification rings on a laptop computer sitting on the kitchen counter.
The house goes silent. A blood covered John Bromley walks to the laptop, curious about the notification ring. He leans in and looks closely at the website. It’s an internet dating site. In bold letters it reads: “Hello Alex, you are logged on. Meet the woman of your dreams now!”
John smiles.
◆◆◆
FLASHBACK
FRIDAY
Afternoon
Melissa whimpers as Max pulls off his outer shirt revealing a tan t-shirt and begins to undo his belt, but freezes when he hears a cellular phone ringing in the attached bathroom.
He looks at Alex suspiciously, refastens his belt and walks to the bathroom door.
MAX: I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere.
Max enters the bathroom and shuts the door behind him
John Bromley works his hands from the duct tape. He quickly leans over to Melissa.
JOHN BROMLEY: I’m loose! Are you going to be okay? Can you move?
MELISSA: You’re loose! Oh, get me out of here! Hurry!
He begins to untie her hands, but stops occasionally as he talks to her.
JOHN BROMLEY: I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you Melissa. Do you feel the same?
MELISSA: (She speaks in a loud whisper)
Hurry Alex! He’ll be back soon!
JOHN BROMLEY: I felt an instant connection with you. I think we share the same morals and values. I think together we could create the perfect family.
MELISSA: What? Hurry, untie me!
JOHN BROMLEY: Do you feel the same? Do you want the perfect family? We can do it! We can create the perfect family together as man and wife!
MELISSA: Alex…..
JOHN BROMLEY: Will you marry me Melissa?
MELISSA: What? Alex, untie me! Get me out of here!
JOHN BROMLEY: Will you marry me? Will you!?
MELISSA: What are you talking about?
JOHN BROMLEY: This is your last chance Melissa. I can’t let anyone else have you.
MELISSA: Alex, please….just get me out of here!
JOHN BROMLEY: (Picking up his pillow and guiding it slowly toward her face)
I’m sorry it has to be this way Melissa. It could have been perfect.
MELISSA: Alex! No!
She screams, but it is quickly muffled due to John Bromley forcing his pillow down onto her face with aggression.
His face curls into a snarl as he smothers the life out of Melissa.
CHAPTER 11
FRIDAY
Afternoon
Dr. Clark is pale. His lifeless eyes stare up at nothing.
Dr. Grimm dusts the room with a feather duster. He stops, takes a breath and glances back at Dr. Clark’s dead body. He begins to pace back and forth.
DR. GRIMM: Oh boy.
He runs his fingers through his thinning hair and begins to dust again, more energetically.
DR. GRIMM: Just clean. Clean! Everything will be alright.
He stops and looks back at Dr. Clark again.
DR. GRIMM: Alright. Okay, gotta get organized. Umm. Okay.
He bends down and straightens up Dr. Clarks crumpled jacket.
DR. GRIMM: What am I going to do? What am I going to do?
He starts to starts to pace and jumps when he hears a knock at the door. Dr. Grimm snaps his head around toward the sound, his eyes bulging with fear.
There is another knock.
Dr. Grimm looks around panicked. He freezes, and physically makes himself smaller in his attempt to be quiet.
DR. LEWIS: Franklin, I know you’re in there. I just heard your voice a second ago.
DR. GRIMM: (Clenching his fists and whispering)
Shit!
DR LEWIS: (Knocking again)
Franklin, open the door!
DR. GRIMM: Uh. Just a minute!
He looks around frantically trying to think of a way out of this. The knocking continues.
DR. LEWIS: Franklin! What are you doing?
There is a small throw blanket on the back of a chair. Dr. Grimm moves quickly to grab it and in the process knocks a pencil holder off of his desk which makes a loud bang.
DR. GRIMM: Dammit!
The knocking continues and gets louder and more frequent.
Dr. Grimm grabs the pencil holder and places it back on the table in an attempt to make it nice and neat. He then takes the blanket and tries to cover Dr. Clark’s body as best as he can.
DR. LEWIS: Franklin, let me in and we can…comfort each other.
(She waits a moment and knocks again)
&nbs
p; Franklin!
Dr. Grimm opens the door and launches himself out of the office swiftly shutting the door behind him. He tries to play it calm, but is not successful. His speech is rushed and panicked.
DR. GRIMM: Oh, hi Kate. How are you!
Kate looks suspiciously at Dr. Grimm.
KATE: What’s going on? You’re acting strange.
DR. GRIMM: Nothing. Nothing at all. Uh, everything is fine, why do you ask?
DR. LEWIS: Do you have a girl in there?
DR. GRIMM: (Genuinely surprised by the accusation)
No!
DR. LEWIS: It’s that bimbo from accounting, isn’t it?