Seira

I pointed my knife at him threateningly.

"You chased us back in Twilight Alley. My friend almost got killed because of you! You killed that poor woman and you were gonna kill us too!"

"What? What are you talking about? I don't know how that knife and that hoodie got in there. Come on Seira, someone is obviously framing me here," Ed tried to sway me over.

"How am I supposed to believe you? You weren't at the Summer Gala, you have evidence against you and now I have also realized that you kind of look just like that murderer," I casted my eyes down his physique to make my point.

"What the total fuck. Those are serious accusations Seira, do you think I am capable—," he paused when he saw my unconvinced face. "I did not kill whoever it is that you think I killed and those are not mine!"

"Then whose is it?" I yelled.

I notice him slowly walking towards me and paused almost one meter away from grabbing the knife, "I don't know! Someone must have put that in my car. You said you were chased at Twilight Alley right? I was there—," I sprayed his perfume in his eyes.

He screamed in agony and I opened the car door to escape.

I ran towards the street and luckily a taxi drove just in time for me to get away.

Adrenaline slowly left my system and I suddenly feel faint and dizzy.

The car ride did not help with it at all and I fainted.

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I woke up and was shocked when the room looked so unfamiliar.

The walls are a modern shade of gray and the furnitures look plain and neutral.

The crisp white sheets even smell neutral. It smells comforting and cozy. Just like the smell of the Earth when it rains.

I can't help but snuggle and caress my face with the sheets until I am rudely interrupted.

"Good evening squeakers."

Only one person calls me that.

My cheeks burned as I think of how he had caught me smelling his sheets, "Nice bedroom Leo."

I grinned to mask my embarrassment.

He rolled his eyes, "Can you tell me how you ended up in a taxi unconscious?"

I stiffened and I quickly jumped out of the bed to my feet.

"I found the murderer."

He shook his head, "Excuse me, what?"

I covered my mouth as realization tore through me.

I didn't tell him about the murder.

"Wait, no, this is one of the things you kept from me from that night," he interjected.

Leo crossed his arms, "Let me guess, both of you are connected to the Face Flayer murder on Twilight Alley?"

My jaw dropped.

"Well, not exactly. We didn't do anything to her! It was that evil man we saw him do it—," Leo stopped me with his hand.

"Okay, I get it. Actually, no I don't get it. How the heck did you keep this from me? Do you know how crazy I think I feel now finding out that you were on the verge of death?! That you are a witness in a brutal killing?!"

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm a coward and I'm stupid. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I just....got so scared Leo. It's my fault Scott got his injuries. He got hurt trying to protect me and no matter how hard he screamed for me to escape or get help, I just stood there and waited for my selfish freaking ass to understand what was going on while he suffered under the hands of that sadist! And now I couldn't even thank or apologize to him because he doesn't want to talk to me anymore," I sank down and hugged my knees.

"And because of my problems, I couldn't help with the justice that poor woman deserved right away," I added.

"And what will you do now?" Leo asked.

I plopped my head on top of my knees, "Apologize to the woman in this position until my knees go numb because I deserve to be tortured. Do you have any idea for a torture method that best fits me?" I looked up. "Because I am willing to be punished until I can rot in hell for my sins."

"I would love to punish you but stop overreacting and let's go report what you're claiming to the police."

I stood up in shock, "You'll help me? You're not mad at me anymore?"

He glared at me, "No, I'm still mad but I'll help you because it's the right thing to do and justice is more important than silly ramblings about being tortured. So let's go."

I couldn't stop feeling warm inside and in just a few minutes, we have arrived at the station.

Leo and I are inside a dark room only illuminated with a low hanging light bulb in the middle.

Yes, we're in an interrogation room.

Sitting opposite next to us is a dark skinned woman, she's the detective working to expose the psycho criminal behind the Face Flayer murders.

"Let's skip the introductions shall we? So, what tell me what you know."

I looked at Leo and he nodded at me.

"I'm a witness to the recent Face Flayer murder in Twilight Alley. Uhm, when I saw the murderer he looked like he was quickly trying to put that woman inside a bag. She—she didn't have the flesh of her face anymore and she tried to get our help but the man saw us. He killed her, chased us, and injured—," I paused and Leo touched my shoulder in a comforting manner.

"He injured Scott Kaneko. He was trying to let me escape."

The detective nodded, "Why are you with Mr. Kaneko?"

"We just had fun in the arcade together. If you aren't convinced, you can check the CCTV cameras."

"So I guess you don't know the woman but have you at least seen the face of that man?"

I scrunched my eyebrows together, "No, it was dark and he was wearing a hoodie and a mask."

"Anything else?"

I bit my finger.

"Oh! Just this afternoon I discovered a very suspicious person. I caught him with what I think is the same knife and hoodie from that night."

The detective looked outside the glass disguised as a mirror.

"Can you please identify him?"

"He's Eddie 'Ed' Green. He's my employer's boss. Mr. Conway's cousin," I gestured to Leo.

"Where's the knife and hoodie now?"

"I—I dropped it when I escaped the vehicle."

She crossed her arms, "Okay. Are you aware of the Face Flayer before the incident?"

I scratched my head, "No, no I don't. I just moved back here this summer and I don't watch the news that much."

After hearing what I said, the detective pulled a folder out of a drawer in the table.

"In this folder is a compilation of the Face Flayers victims. Most of them are females in their early twenties with quite similar appearances and they're all brunette. Only one victim was male and he was found together with a female. The murderer you got lucky to escape from? He's a professional serial killer. He's smart and he already evaded the police for months. I believe that this is a rare slip up and I think it is a miracle that you both got out alive," she explained.

She opened the folder and handed it to us, "If you have weak stomachs, a sink is just around the corner."