She leaned towards the laptop to view the footage on the laptop. She moves her fingers on the laptop keyboard and presses the play button to start the footage.

The time in the footage was 10:10 pm...

The security camera footage captured a mysterious girl standing outside a building at night. She was in a black hoodie and mask, endeavouring to hide her identity. A glimmering bracelet adorned her right wrist. As she made her way towards the building, accidentally her bracelet got snagged in a tree, but rather than trying to free it, she left it behind, letting it fall to the ground.

The footage ended.

"Why are you showing me this footage?" Anna says closes the laptop and holds it out to Michael.

He takes the laptop from her and says softly, “Anna I want to know if you saw this girl in your school?

"Sorry, Michael, but I can't tell you because the footage only showed his back," Anna spoke to him, hiding her nervousness.

"Why am I so nervous? Stay calm, Anna! Stay calm, Anna!" she murmured.

“Oh, I see. Then, please take a look at this footage,” he said and once again held the laptop towards her.

She clutches the laptop from him and presses the play button to start the footage. As she was watching the footage, her facial expression changed to one of mournful fear.

Michael glances at her and says with confidence in his eyes, "So now you can remember who it is in the footage. Am I right Anna?"

Two days ago.............

Michael slides into the driver's seat and presses the start button, the low hum of the car engine filling the air. Just as he's about to pull out of the driveway, a sudden notification pings on his phone, breaking the silence. He reluctantly pulls over to the side of the road and reaches for his phone, his curiosity piqued. With a quick swipe, he unlocks the screen and sees a message from Joseph, his eyebrows furrowing as he reads the words on the screen.

The message was "Michael I have sent the location of a place. Please come here now!"

"But why? Does something happen?" Michael sent him a message.

Just then Joseph's message emerges on his phone screen. The message was "I will tell you but please come quickly."

"Okay,"

Michael looks up the location on the message and activates the navigation system. The automated voice guides him, instructing him to turn right while moving towards the destination.

He again started the engine of his car and drove the car towards the location.

After half an hour of driving, Michael reaches the location. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he saw Joseph surrounded by a crowd of people outside the building.

“Hey, Joseph why did you call me so early?” Michael says, scratching his head.

"I know you're used to it by now. Another person has been killed," Joseph said dejectedly.

Blood poured out of Michael's face.

"When will he decide to stop killing innocent people?" Michael's words burst out of his mouth.

"Yeah, I too am tired of his constant crimes," Joseph sighed.

As they made their way through the bustling crowd, they weaved and dodged, finally reaching the imposing entrance of the building.

A guard stood at attention, and Michael approached her with purpose. "Did you happen to notice any unfamiliar faces entering the building yesterday?" he inquired, his eyes narrowing with determination.

"No sir. I didn't see anyone suspicious." The guard answered his question.

Then suddenly something clicked in his mind and he said uncertainly, "Yesterday, a girl came here wearing a black hoodie. She is quite suspicious."

Hearing this, Joseph's face turns pale in shock, while Michael's hope is rekindled.

“When did you see her and was she wearing a mask?” Joseph exclaimed.

"She was not wearing a mask when she was right in front of the building, but she wore a mask as soon as she entered the entrance of the building. And I can't tell you exactly the time. Probably around ten o'clock. Guard, he said.

"Did you see her face?" Michael says and his eyes shine with hope. He never expected it, but now he hopes he can get closer to the serial killer.

"Sorry, I couldn't see her face." He added, “Maybe the CCTV captured him.” The guard said. “Okay, great Joseph go and check the footage of 10:00 and I go to check the body. Michael said.

As Michael is about to leave, Joseph stops him and says, "Wait! Michael. Do you know the apartment number and floor?"

"Oh, sorry. I don't know. Can you please tell me?" Michael says quickly.

"20th floor and apartment number is 223."

"got it!"

Eager to move forward, Michael moves towards the elevator, repeatedly pressing the 'Up' button. An impatience builds within him, knowing that something is waiting for him in that apartment. As the doors open, he steps into the elevator and selects the 20th floor.

As the elevator doors sealed shut, Michael's mind was consumed by the unsettling message he had received following Joseph's last communication.

In a haunting flashback, he could vividly recall the moment when the navigator system's commands were interrupted by a sudden buzz from his phone. Pulling over, he fumbled to unlock the device, only to find a cryptic text from an unknown sender.

With a sense of foreboding, he tapped on the message and was met with ominous, bolded words that seemed to leap from the screen: "HEY MICHAEL, I LEFT SOMETHING FOR YOU AT THE APARTMENT IN THE BUILDING YOU ARE HEADING TO!!!"

The blood drained from Michael's face as he finished reading the eerie message, a shiver coursing down his spine.

Back to the present time, Michael's eyes were fixed on the head panel of the lift. On the head panel, one by one, the numbers of the floors were switching their positions on the panel. He had never felt so cold in the lift in his entire life. Then the head panel shows the 20th floor and the elevator opens its doors. He came out of the lift and started looking for the apartment number.

“Where is Apartment 223? He muttered.

Then suddenly his eyes set on an apartment. The door of the apartment was already open. He walks towards the apartment and sees that the apartment number is 223.

He entered the apartment and closed the door behind him, a heavy silence filled the space. His gaze was immediately drawn to the hallway, where he spotted the lifeless form of the victim stretched out on the floor. With cautious steps, he approached the body and noticed a note lying nearby. Yielding down, he gets the note, his hands trembling slightly.

Unfolding the paper, the words leapt out at him, written in a tone that sent chills down his spine:

Dear Michael,

I trust you're the only one to find this note. As promised, I've left something for you within these lines. You see, my next target will bear a name starting with the letter 'L'. You must be curious, so I'll leave you with a clue—this individual shares a connection with my previous victims. Best of luck.

Yours truly, your serial killer.

TO BE CONTINUED.................

I hope you enjoy this chapter. So don't forget to leave a vote on this chapter and drop a comment.

Have a wonderful day :))