Chapter Four

Time has no meaning, for Alex, it is irrelevant. He has never put too much emphasis into time and now as he paced casually through the once blond beauty's home, he was calm and in no hurry. Walking through the kitchen, he passed back through, retracing his steps into the foyer where he left the crumpled body. He usually didn't spend a lot of time lingering at his victims house, the smell of decay was not untouched by time and it would soon creep up and make an acquaintance with his nose and that was one thing he hated; the smell. The stench of blood always left a sour taste in his mouth. So he didnt want to be here too long.

He needed to find a trace, there must be something. Something to trigger the event once more.

"The girl, who is she?" He thought. He ran his fingers slowly across the counter where the bottle once was. "Where did she come from?"

Obviously she was gifted and from what he had just seen more than the woman he was in accompany with. It made no sense, this was not how they came to him. He normally found his victims when he was led by his gift, and the static buzz he hears in their voice only confirms they are his next target. He was with his game, there was no reason for another to make an appearance. This was not his doing. Something else drove her here. But what?

Pacing slowly he glided his hand back and forth over the counter recalling when the air had changed and when she had first made her appearance. From what he allowed to surface she had a light brown hair with small curls towards the bottom. He didnt get a good glimpse at her eye color but her face looked young maybe between the ages 17 to 20.

Depending on the girls gifts sometimes the static and the buzz were overwhelming to his ears. When she appeared the static and buzzing took on a whole new life of its own and was accompanied by a ringing sound.

Was he too hasty to strike first before allowing the transformation to complete? No, he never made mistakes, this was the right action. He had no choice but to rush her. The sound was worse than nails on a chalk board.

Alex was a hunter and for the sheer love of the game he would take delight in tracking down his new adversary. She would have to be taken down quickly but he loved the challenge.

As the excitement grew in him at the thought of his next adventure, he took a deep breath and allowed his mind to wander. Only one thought managed to sooth him... Alice. His beloved he would find her, embrace her, and wrap his fingers around her throat. This time she would not escape. It would be magical.

He thought back to how he met his beloved Alice, the thoughts always soothed him.

Six months ago Alex was in a car accident. Being that he was a safe driver and always obeyed the rules of the road, the accident was not his fault. He even drove under the posted speed limit. That day was no different. Before his life alteration, he was a paid photographer taking photos for whoever was the highest bidder. His job was not without merit he could honestly say he enjoyed what he did.

That day the sun was beating down and the temperature was perfect, so the pictures he decided to get were for his own collection. The location: Garden of the Gods. Not only did the name draw you in but its appearance any day of the week was stunning. The mountains painted with the metallic brown over the lush landscape, and then, when the sun hit the scenery just right, it was as though it had been an image perfected by the gods themselves. It was easy to be transported to a time when the earth was more new than it is now. Garden of the Gods was his Narnia.

Keeping his pack light he took nothing more than two ham sandwiches, some chips, and a 16oz bottle of Fiji. Before his best friend left he had recommended that water and Alex has yet to regret it. Also making sure to grab an extra battery for his camera and his tripod he was set for his adventure.

He managed that day to get some great photos of the mountains, lizards, and even a hawk that had landed on a nearby rock where he had set his base camp. He also managed to take another photo of the bird as it had taken off into pre-flight. A great action shot to add to his small collection. The day had been perfect and he could see no better home than the one he had made for himself in Colorado. When dusk set in and before the darkness consumed the landscape, he packed up his gear and placed everything neatly in the back of his car. Because of the poor lighting and sharp turns he kept his car at a steady 25 mph. That didnt stop the small Ford Ranger from plowing into the left drivers side headlight. With the force of the impact it sent his car straight down the steep embankment.

He doesn't clearly remember how long he was stuck in the ditch or how he survived such a long fall, he also doesn't remember the ride in the ambulance.

He does, on the other hand, remember meeting her. The girl who changed his life and made his destiny clear to him... Alice. He knew he could revel in that moment forever. The moment his eyes first laid sight on her beauty. Instead he faced away from the foyer and headed toward the front door. The smell of the blood and decay was already starting to make its drastic appearance and he could feel the taste creep up the back of his throat. Even though the smell would hinder anyones mood, he remained relaxed. There was nothing left of the mystery woman and that was just fine. He knew she would come again and next time he would not be as surprised. Feeling reassured of his destiny, he exited the home and made his way down the road where he left his car parked at the end of the block. He got behind the wheel and started the engine. Turning the fan to face him and erase the remnants of the traces of blood he tasted, he took deep breaths and allowed his mind to wander. Thinking of this mystery woman. How far would he have to go to find her? Where was she? Well it didn't matter he would find her, maybe she appeared to him to bring him closer to the one he lost. Maybe she's in the same area. Maybe... Since the tragic death of his parents Alex didn't have to worry about money so he was free to travel to the ends of the earth.

"If thats what it takes." He thought. "Game on."

With all the thoughts racing through his mind, and even with so much yet still to do, Alex was relaxed. He took a deep breath, and sighed in relief not for the small victory now but for the one he had assured himself was soon at hand.