Chapter 23

"So the plan is to attract the suspect and see who it is, Anais here will play the bait and we will keep watch around with our weapons and armors ready to use," Eliana's voice brought me out of the wonderful feeling I had; I was strangely attracted to Claude and it didn't feel bad.

"It won't work."

"If you keep denying every suggestion I give, then we won't do anything."

"The suspect has high intelligence, which means he is likely a human or a humanoid monster," I replied, my eyes on the ground. "You can't just come and fight him when he had all those girls inside trees, from cases that were closed three years ago to cases that were closed recently. He is a serial killer and he is used to this."

"What makes you assume he is a man?"

"Simple," the detective rubbed his chin. "It's obvious. Girls won't come to a forest like this unless they are in a group or with a man to feel love. He must be someone charming to win everytime. I think it's human but he has something that allowed him to bury the bodies inside the trees. I previously saw someone having a strange device; it might be the case here. Personally, I don't believe in vampires and such. They are folklore legends. I believe in what my eyes see and I saw someone using a strange device."

"What did it do?" Claude's smile didn't fade from his face not even for a second; he looked like someone watching a show.

"It turned a banana into ashes in one second. It was certainly strange because you can't turn a banana into ashes in a second."

"Maybe you dreamt about it. You always have weird dreams, Mark," Alexandre approached us after talking to some officers around.

"He is around six foot. The body was well-buried even when the victim was around sixty-five inches, which means he is tall, which means he is agile. He might be even fast since he was never caught and assuming he had a device that made him bury the corpses entirely… He must be strong to lift an object like that. Of course, that if we assume what the detective said. Though I am not perfectly fine with the idea; the suspect isn't a normal being in person; he might be someone else's experiment or…"

"We can't theorize a lot, Anais. I have better experience than you and simplifying things works for the better," she put a soft hand on my shoulder with a grin. "I used to be like you; going overboard with my imagination but I was disappointed. The world doesn't move like that. There is an explanation for everything and all the cases I investigated until now, had clear scientific explanations."

I listened to their plan and went along with it, being confidently sure it wouldn't work. A sense of surreal settled over me as Eliana led through the woods, deeper and deeper, until the others weren't visible. I was the bait and I didn't like it but I had to help and this was the only thing I could do.

I ought not to be walking. I ought not to be dead. I had to act like I was taking a stroll in the forest while waiting for the supposed-to-be criminal. As I lived, breathed, felt the touch of the garments over me with every step I did, I realized it was nice being a human. The world was much more fascinating and I see why the moon goddess insisted on a limited time on Earth.

She didn't want us to feel enamored by the beauty of life, like the dead who gazed upon life desiring it with all their strength but couldn't get it. We were spirits and our very nature couldn't let us survive on Earth; we needed the moon energy and the Earth had faint amount of it.

I was prepared to shag everyone, for really I couldn't resist the urge to go around and explore the forest. I must remind myself that I had a mission and time never waited for anyone. Everyone waited prepared and the culprit didn't come out even when night decided to present itself before us. I returned and they all did. I was dropped in the streets by Mark like a rag; he said he had something he was interested in doing. I bet he had appointment with some girls.

"Darcie, are you free tonight?" I picked my phone and called the only one that could keep me company.

"Of course. Are you in Montmartre?"

"Yeah. I thought we could start feeling better, you and me… And leave our quarrel behind. I am ready to forgive you. I know I might sound absurd and different from the one you usually talk to and lived with all your life but-"

"Get your reading for only 1 Euro. Don't be shy! Who knows what might help you?" I stopped when I heard the sound of a woman shouting for people to care about her business.

Tarot reading! Huh? My friend was a huge fan of tarot reading and she was quite proficient in it. I remember how Elodie pushed me to read my past, present and future.

However, she didn't want to tell me what they said; she excused herself as she wasn't good but I knew how it was, she saw something bad and was careful about my feelings. Should I try to see what she saw?

"Anais!" Darcie's voice was shouting at the other side of the line. "Stop saying meaningless things. I was in the wrong and you are right about being upset with me. I know how I ruined even my apology," she laughed. "I will come. Where are you? Let's forget about all that but I promise, I will never doubt your words and listen to others. Still, I am quite confused how I listened to Claude."

"I think I will be home tonight. I am tired. I will bring dinner. Don't cook!"

"Too late for that! What a pity! I was hollowed in my room all day! Have a good night outside! Don't come early. Go and enjoy yourself."

She hang up on me and I was left speechless of her kindness. Elodie was like that too; she always pulled and pushed me to something I wasn't comfortable with. I was despicable. I called her to come and pushed her away. She wasn't my friend… She belonged to Anais.

"Can I have a reading!"

The woman turned to me happily. She clasped my hands between hers and smiled at me. Her attire was different; she had those Arabic traditional clothes yet it was different from them too, like indian, like…

"Of course, my dear. I am here to guide anyone who seeks answers. Shall we get going? Follow me! We are located deep inside the alley."

I followed as she turned away and rushed to a tent that was shaped as a cone. It was darkish purple and the woman inside was old with a crystal ball on a round table; everything was put as to show mystery and revelation, even the light only showed a part of our faces.

The woman who guided me left attracting other customers and I stared at the old woman waiting for her to speak. Her wrinkles were so deep, showing how time never left anyone young. Reminding me of the little time I had and that I mustn't distract myself from my goal.