The Second Victim (IX)
06:04 P.M.
Cruz Mall Parking Lot.
July 20th, the year 2018. Friday.
She felt the tears in her eyes coming right away. The person took one step again, and Katrina saw his feet right beside her. Katrina looked at her cautiously as she heard Mina bellowing over the phone.
"Katrina held on there, we're coming!" Mina screamed over the other end of the line that made so much noise. The person turned his head around slowly. He gripped the handle of the sword with his rubber gloves. Katrina's breath quickened as she lowered down her cell phone beside her. The mask covered his entire identity. It made Katrina wonder who this person wanted her killed.
The song in the background that was playing over the radios was much more creepy than she thought. It felt like it's used to scare the children that didn't want to sleep early at night. Katrina felt her whole body shaking. She was out of breath in no time as the song progressed over the radios. It gave a chilling atmosphere through her spine as she listened to every word of the song.
Tili-tili-bom
Quickly close your eyes
Someone walks outside by the window
And knocks on the door
Katrina wanted the ground to succumb to her when the person crouched down in front of her. She hunched her breath. She observed how the person quietly set aside the long and sharp Katana's sword over his side. He placed his left hand on one of his raised knees. He raised his other hand to remove the dandelion hood over Katrina's head.
Katrina felt another set of tears coming as she froze in her place. The person traced the side of her forehead, in particular the temples. Katrina moved her head drastically away from the touch. It stunned the person, his right hand left hanging in midair.
He can't believe that Katrina would do that in annoyance. Katrina heard a snicker on the other side of the mask as she averted her eyes to the person again.
Tili-tili-bom
The night birds are chirping
Now he is inside the house
To visit those who can't sleep
"Who are you?" Katrina hissed as the person right in front of her rotated his head slowly and she knew he was fixing his gaze on her. Katrina mustered up the courageousness she had left to say those words. Even though the fear was succumbing to her every second. She wished that Marcus and Mina could find her right now.
The person crouched down still and didn't even move an inch. Katrina observed his physique. She can't even identify if it was a woman or a guy because of how large the black hoodie was.
Katrina closed her eyes as she shivered right through her place. She panted as she draped her arms over her shoulders and soothed it repeatedly. The dandelion hoodie she was wearing was now useless for the worry that she might be dead any minute now.
He's coming... He's already closer
She heard another shout from the phone. She glanced over there, but something unexpected happened. The person immediately picked up Katana's sword from his side. He placed the sharp edge towards the line of her neck. Katrina felt the cold metal right on the line of her neck. She leaned her head back on the car itself.
One move of her neck would mean death. The Katana's sword was touching the middle part of her neck. If the person wielded it through her neck, she would be dead in a matter of seconds.
The person didn't move for a second until he moved his hand over Katrina's side and picked up the cell phone. Katrina licked her bottom lip as she screamed so that Marcus and Mina can alert to what was happening to her.
Tili-tili-bom
Everything in the night will mute
For you, he sneaks
And like that, he catches
"Please, please, spare me! Please," Katrina pleaded. He pushed the sword a little towards the line and Katrina decided not to move an inch. She can now feel the shallow cut brought by the sharp and thin edge of the sword right through her neck.
"Katrina! Katrina!" Mina shouted over the cell phone. Marcus yelled over the walkie-talkie. He asked about any officers who were surrounding and patrolling the Cruz Mall. The call ended abruptly as Mina gasped an extensive amount of air as he looked out of the window.
The person threw the cell phone away from them. Katrina closed her eyes as she prayed some miracle could happen. She regretted a lot of wrong deeds she did in her life. The person hoisted her arms and stood her up. Katrina felt like her knees became weak like jelly. She couldn't stand alone because of the sword that was threatening to cut her arteries.
He's coming... He's already closer
Katrina closed her eyes for a full minute as she felt a few drops of blood spilling out of the cut. Her breath quickens as she knew that this moment would be the last time she would see her life again.
"Is it fun to kill?" Katrina muttered. The person was still holding the sword still on her neck. They were inches away from each other. If Katrina stood with her head straight, the sword would wield through her.
She swallowed and felt the fresh blood coming out from the cut. It was oozing its way towards her dandelion hoodie and Katrina didn't even want to wipe it. If it is her destiny to die this day before her birthday, so it would be. All she could do was to accept fate, she can't change it.
"Is it fun killing someone who is innocent?" Katrina mumbled as the song still flourished over the speakers. The person who was riding these parked cars was still inside the mall. That not everyone can save her from this moment. It perfectly portrayed that this would be the day she would die.
"Is it something you are proud of? Killing someone who had to get on with the battle of life and have nothing to do but to step on everyone's reputation? If you will kill me now, just kill me. Don't make it so dreadful," Katrina hissed. She glared right through the person wearing the black hoodie. She saw how his breath quickened, as if he regretted doing it.
Tili-tili-bom
Do you hear someone close?
Hid behind the corner
And pierces with a glance
The person withdrew the sword from her neck. He wielded it deep through her left abdomen as fast as lightning. Katrina was so astonished by what he did as she widened her eyes and felt the unbearable pain in her abdomen.
She took a step back as the person retrieved the sword from the insides of her abdomen. The blood spurted out from Katrina's abdomen as she held it with her left hand. She coughed a lot of blood from her mouth as she fell down on the ground.
Tili-tili-bom
Everything in the night will mute
For you, he sneaks
And like that, he catches
She stared at the stained blood through her dandelion hoodie. Katrina gasped for air as she stared right up at the person.
The person grabbed the handle of the Katana's sword right through his gloved hands. The crimson blood spilled through the tip and stained the floor.
He's coming.... He's already closer
Katrina was gonna say something towards the entrance of the parking lot. The person looked at it. He quickly dragged Katrina's body out from the ground. He hoisted Katrina up in a haste as she tried to remove the tight grip of the person from her shoulders. Because of the deep wound, she felt like fainting.
The person put the sword right through the sides of his jeans. He placed a handkerchief over Katrina's mouth. Katrina can't help but inhale air as the person tightened his hold on the handkerchief. He anxiously stared through the door and he saw the two guys searching for Katrina.
Katrina felt the numbness inside her as she closed her eyes in deep slumber. The person retrieved a bracelet from the insides of his jacket. He let it fall intentionally in the stained blood on the ground.
"Katrina! Katrina!" Mina's voice resonated over the confines of the parking lot. The person hoisted her up to his shoulders. He ran head straight towards the other side of the parking lot with no one seeing, even Mina and Marcus.
Marcus reached the red car first, and there were bloodstains on the ground. He froze right in place as he saw another bracelet on the side.