Alex hasn't killed anyone, and I've been here two months. I've cleaned the place up, and Alex even bought paints so I could paint the basement. Nothing was in it but broken empty boxes, spare parts for the cabin and things they've smashed. Alex comes everyday after school and helps in some way, so shouldn't his parents be suspicious he's visiting so much? I mean, I've rarely ever seen him go out this much, and when he does its for something his parents want him to do.

He came to fix the door to the basement and to take the cot out. It's almost winter break, which means he's probably going to stay here for two weeks. Tyler says he always disappeared during that time. I look at him as he puts new hinges on the new oak wood door. "Shouldn't your parents be suspicious you come here this much?"

"They came while you were asleep two days ago. I locked your door so they wouldn't come in and see you but uh, they like what I do to the place so they don't mind. My dad even offered to fix the windows," Alex laughs, walking to me and holding my waist, my face an inch or two from him. My face goes red as he smirks. "What do you want to turn this place into?"

"I-If you asking if I want to make it a sex dungeon you're so wrong in the head," I push off of him, holding the paint roll that was covered in orange paint. I turn back to the wall I was painting and continue the act as Alex laughs and pulls out the cot from the small room.

"So what are you thinking of turning this room into?" He asks as I bite my lip. He was going to turn this into a sex dungeon.

"I don't know. I just don't want it grey." I shrug my shoulders as Alex hums, pulling the cot all the way outside then walking back into the basement.

"Why don't you make it your room."

"I like Tyler's."

"Doesn't it remind you of him?" Alex lies down on the concrete floor and looks at me.

"Well, yeah," my voice is small. I take in a deep breath, moving to another wall. "But I like that room, and we can switch if you want."

"I'm fine with mine."

We fall into a silence. He's killed people. Why am I so calm around him? Because I know him, he's sweet and kind and talkie sometimes. He's an all around amazing guy you'd never suspect of killing anyone, I guess that's why no ones guessed it's him. He's too nice to even suspect it's him, but I guess that's the perfect cover. "Do you even have emotions?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You kill without think of it."

Alex laughs and leans on his elbows as I look back at him. "I have emotions. I'm compassionate about you."

"But don't you feel remorse a-and guilt about your friends that you killed?" The worlds fall out of my mouth like I've said them before.

"Do you want to know my stages?" He chuckles and I hesitantly nod, sitting on the plastic covered floor. I want to make it wood or carpet. I want to make this place as nice as I can, since I'll most likely be living here forever, with the small amount of high school knowledge I have. "Well first I have anger, because someone hurt you. When I kill them and I get home, I don't feel anything I'm just, gone. I feel nothing, but when I get in bed or finally relax that's when guilt kicks in, then remorse and depression and everything I should feel about killing someone, but then I don't. I suddenly don't feel those emotions anymore and I can only think about how happy you'd be that they're gone."

"But I wasn't happy."

"I see that now, so that's why I haven't killed River." He looks at me as I suck on my lip.

"How...Why was it Washington?" I look at him as Alex studies me.

"That school trip, I don't know it did something to me to see you so happy about nature that made me happier and fall in love with you. I kind of told Tyler two weeks after that trip, and he threatened to kill me if I tried anything, he'll the way he threatened me was the way he died," he laughs and I gulp, holding my knees to my chest as I put the paint roller in the roller board. "What else you want to ask before I have to head back home?"

"When were you in Kansas?"

"Grandpas funeral."

"Oh," I mutter and he shrugs. "A-Are you staying here for winter break?" He nods and stands up, helping me up and holding my hands.

"If you don't mind it anyway."

"I-I mean," I suck in a breath, pulling my hands away from him. "I want things to get done. Like getting floorboards or a carpet down here and fixing the table in the kitchen or-"

"Make a checklist and I'll get me and my family to do it," he laughs and I sigh, and nod.

"What if I want to help?"

"Well you can't, and you'd have to stay in Tyler's room and not move." I bite my lip and nod as he pulls my head and kissing my forehead. I tend to bite my lip more often that I'm here. I don't know why I haven't left, but something in my is telling me to stay.

Like I deserve to be here and to die here and no one would know unless Alex wants it. I think I'm developing Stockholm Syndrome, but I don't want to escape. He leaves the basement and smiles at me before turning into the living room and walking out. I turn to my laptop on the tarp and put on Pandora and blast music then continue to paint.

I finish every wall and look at the small door before I paint over it. I open it and look inside, pulling the string that turns on the light and crawl inside, looking at the empty small space. It was only wide enough to hold two cots, so it's small. Nothing else is in here so should I board it up, I think I saw wood outside. I stand up and pull on a hoodie, walking outside and grabbing a few places of wood before turning and my eyes meeting with crystal blue.

"River?"