5

"The un-sub's victims were primarily blonde males.."

4

"..in their mid-thirties."

3

"Clearly the pattern indicates that.."

2

"..the un-sub possibly killed to remind herself -"

1

It's as if Professor Flint had been mechanically programmed to turn to his wrist watch at the strike of four sharp, and then turn back to the students with a flat look on his senile face.

"Lecture is dismissed for today."

Tahlia had been counting down every second, yes.

It was quite unusual for someone like Tahlia Meyers, to fret about a school assignment, yet there she sat, not ignorant to the foreboding feeling starting to stir in the pit of her stomach.

"Tal?"

She looked at Jace, his light eyes glimmering. "Ready?" He asked, his tone excited.

It baffled Tahlia how anyone could be remotely excited to stay in the same room as a killer, an insane one at that.

She was quick to nod.

Yet, every bone inside her body screamed liar.

The only thing keeping her barely composed was the fact that Jace's patient too, had turned out to be in the sanatorium.

Jace, taking notice of the nauseating look on his friend's face, wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Lighten up Tal, you're worrying too much."

He's right, she thought, frowning.

It was merely absurd paranoia that was eating her up.

She took a deep breath.

If everyone can do this, so can you.

You need to.

She looked at Jace right in the eye with newfound confidence. "Let's go."

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Turns out she had managed to check her newfound confidence at the gates of the sanatorium.

The asbestos letters that spelt out the institution's name seemed too shiny and new for the contrasting huge structure behind it.

The ornate architecture that adorned the building suggested that it had seen, at least, a complete century.

The perfect setting for a stereotypical horror movie.

Tahlia had expected the asylum to be crowded with students like them, but eerily enough, the hallway was pretty much soullessly empty except for her and Jace.

"Stop doing that." He hissed.

"What?"

"Shivering."

She clenched her hands into fists to help with the erratic chills running down her body, suddenly all conscious.

"There's nothing to be scared of Tal, you just watch too much American Horror Story." He incited, earning a playful glare from her.

Her anxiety was off the charts today, a kind of unusual, inexplicable panic building up inside that she hadn't quite felt in many moons.

There was something indefinable in the air.

Insanity, perhaps?

Although Tahlia, in her mind, kept chanting everything is fine with every step towards the front desk, she couldn't help but instinctively keep close to Jace.

"Hello!" The woman behind a computer beamed, her chirpy voice a massive contrast to the noir ambience of the building. "And how can I help you?"

"We're second years from Westfield University." Tahlia mused and handed both of their files to the woman. "We had this assignment-"

"Ah, yes." The woman interjected, never taking her beady eyes off the files. "You've signed the documents and agreements, haven't you?"

Both Tahlia and Jace nodded together, as the lady flipped through the file.

"Okay," She started as she looked up, "So you kids will be allowed an hour, every three days with your patient. Oh, and also we have been instructed to not disclose much information about the patient except for a psychiatric diagnosis. "

She explained, then proceeding to call a man, who looked like any trace of happiness had been drained from his life.

"Your patient is Gloria Alvarez." She said to Jace, then pointing at the gloomy man, "Jordy will take you to her room, 147."

"Gloria Alvarez." Jace repeated to himself, smirking at Tahlia, "Another lonely babe who could use some Jace time."

She rolled her eyes while he nudged her and left with the nurse who was giving them constant stink eyes.

The cheerful lady then turned to her. "I'll take you to room 159, Logan Hunt."

As she read the man's name out loud, her facial features contorted for a millisecond.

What Tahlia couldn't figure out, was why it looked like it had been out of fear.

The lady led her down the bright hallway, into another dim lit one.

The starlight was mocking the atmosphere. Tahlia could clearly feel the pace of her heart picking up, as she treaded past room number 157.

She had an infinity of questions that were clouding her mind at the moment, but a deep feeling inside the pit of her stomach prevented her from forming any legitimate sentences, as she walked down the hallway.

Not even a painful few seconds later, she was standing right in front of room 159.

"Do you have any pencils, pens, razors or any sharp objects as such?" The lady, whose name she had learned was Michelle, asked solemnly, her hand extended out.

Tahlia plainly nodded.

She reached into her bag pack, digging for the pens, and handed them over sombrely.

"Try maintaining as much distance as you possibly can."

Michelle said gravely, handing a small device with a square button to her. "This is a panic button. Not to alarm you, but if anything happens, press this if you need help, okay?"

Tahlia nodded sharply. The fact that there was a possibility of anything happening, just aided to the drumming of her heart.

Michelle must have noticed the tinge of fear that had settled on her features, so she placed her hand on her shoulder, smiling.

"Don't worry honey. Regardless of the violent history, he is stabilized and harmless for the most part while he's in there. He doesn't say much either." She reassured.

Did it help with the panic building inside Tahlia? Probably not.

"They have their supper in about fifteen minutes, you can go ahead introduce yourself, help him come around. But you start officially from Friday." She said while proceeding to swipe a shiny black card on a screen that was beside the door. The door instantly parted a little.

This is it.

Michelle motioned for her to go inside. Tahlia thanked her quietly and pulled the door open further, stepping into the dark room, sealing her fate.

The confinement was pitch dark, with not a single source of light. She contemplated calling out for anyone when the door slammed behind her, making her jump and drop her things all over the floor.

She couldn't help but let out the exasperated sigh that formed on her lips, as she bent down to gather everything, cursing her clumsiness. She reached out blindly, trying to get a hold of her files and that button.

"My, my. We haven't even had the pleasure of meeting, and you're already bent over on my floor."

This time when Tahlia jumped, she let out a small shriek as well, landing on her butt.

She tried scrambling away from the source of the voice, dragging her body instinctively behind, until her back hit the hard metal of the door.

The veil of darkness had shrouded her vision in its entirety, but the startling rasp in the voice was quite enough to make her want to run far away from that place and never look back.

And just as her eyes started adjusting to the darkness, the small lights on the ceiling flickered to life, illuminating every single thing inside the room.

Every single thing, including the figure, that sat on top of a desk only a few feet away from her.

That's when she saw him.

The first thing she noticed were the striking blue eyes. They were stunning, the most saturated shade of cool blue she had ever seen.

For a moment as if, Tahlia wondered how many oceans had been discovered that could compare to the blue in the eyes of the man. Below it, a fairly chiselled face. That man was sickeningly beautiful.

It took a second for her to break out of the hypnotic trance she never even had the chance to realize she'd fallen in.

"M-Mr. Hunt..?" She called out, regaining her composure and finally standing up.

The man's narrow eyes never left her, following her every move, like how an apex predator watches its prey.

When he didn't say a word, Tahlia took it as her cue to continue.

"I..uh..hi. I will be- uh, you are assigned..for a project.." She trailed off and turned her gaze away, realising she wasn't going anywhere with the muddled stuttering mess.

The azure pair of irises continued to watch her wordlessly, making her shift uncomfortably under his intense stare.

She took a deep breath and started again, "Mr. Hunt, I'm a crim-criminal psychology student from Westfield University and I have been asked to..observe..you for an assignment. I thought you were told.."

In a split second, the man hopped off the table, making Tahlia back up against the door more, if possible.

The horror built it it's way up her throat as she realized this criminal wasn't even restrained.

As he made the first step towards her, she involuntarily shrunk back.

"Stop, just- just stay back. Please, or I'll call for help." She mumbled anxiously, waving the panic button in her grip around.

The man continued to take small steps towards her, until he was just a mere few inches away from her.

His eyes, akin to the clearest skies Tahlia had ever set her gaze upon, peered into her stark ones keenly.

As if, trying to make out her breathing pattern.

"Observe me, huh?" He smiled.

It is known that a smile is nothing but a small indication of pleasure in human nature, a harmless little deed.

But maybe it was in the way that the corners of his mouth tilted up, that screamed deranged.

His smile was pure crazed.

She shook her head, "T-that is not what I meant, I'm sorry if I hurt your fee-"

The sound of his chuckle cut her off.

"Hurt?" He quirked a brow whilst still laughing, "I don't get hurt, silly kitten."

Suddenly, she could swear, within a moment all mirth was gone from his face; as his tone grew sombre.

"I hurt people. Especially pretty girls like you."

Her stomach lurched.

Everything that had been taught to her, everything Tahlia had prepared for, all gone. With just one look.

She tried her best to ignore what he had just said, along with the dangerous proximity between the killer's body and hers.

"Mr. Hunt, please. All I need is to just do my project and, I'll be on my way and you can- can do whatever is it that you want."

"What is your name?" He said, peering down into her eyes once again. That man had to be at least eight inches taller than Tahlia's 5'5 frame.

Her breath hitched in her throat. She parted her lips to form words, but her mouth went dry.

The man raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Ta-" She paused to wet her dry mouth, "Tahlia Meyers."

His pale lips stretched into a smirk. There was no telling what would happen next, so she chose to remain quiet.

"So tell me, Ta-Tahlia Meyers.." He leaned into her closer, making her shrink back more against the door. "..What do you want?"

The fact that his breath was fanning her neck was not helping the situation very much.

"I-"

"Lunch time." A loud voice said monotonously, opening the door and almost pushing Tahlia down.

She whipped around quickly to meet the face of the grumpy nurse who'd escorted Jace from before. But she didn't care. Tears of relief poked at the inner corner of her eyes.

Clutching her files in her hand tightly, she ran out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her, not giving a second glance behind.

But the question, you see, is how long can you run until your problem creeps up on you from behind?

✴✴✴

This is the last and only time I will address this.

I get a lot of comments saying this book is too similar to, or reminds people of another popular psycholove book on wattpad.

Here's the thing.

I can't promise you that it won't remind you of other books of the same trope you may have read- there's 7 billion people in the world and they're bound to have some similar ideas.

What I can however promise you, is that you will never find yourself thinking of those other books as you read on.

It's too rushed to judge a book by it's first 2-3 chapters, therefore i ask you to please read further and you'll see for yourself how this book is nothing like you've read before.

And by the way, as mentioned before, this is inspired by The Silence of The Lambs, which if you don't already know, involves a young female FBI newbie who interviews a serial killer, where he agrees to answer her question only if she answers his'.

There you go, this concept wasn't invented by a wattpad book. Just sayin.

xx

a very angsty ash