God's Hand

Once Arthur heard the rank of the Priest in front of him, he wanted to ask him a thousand questions.

But before he could speak, the man who called himself Pure had left the murder scene, leaving a bloody trail behind him.

Shortly afterwards, Arthur hurried his way out as well, leaving Mario's corpse in his wake.

He made his way over to find the body of Drowner, who had been killed by Pure downstairs, but there was nothing of the man to be found.

All he could see was a fishbowl shattered on the floor with a goldfish lying dead in a small puddle of water.

He wondered if it could have been Drowner's artefact.

High-rank killers must have a method of getting rid of bodies... Mother Lucy had mentioned how she cleaned for me after I killed the runner.

At that moment, Arthur realised that he did not yet know what Lucy's rank was.

For some reason, he felt like he had too much respect for her to ask.

When I get back, I need to learn more about her.

No... not just her.

I need to learn more about the entire world of serial killers.

———

By the time Arthur hitched the train back home, it was midnight.

He couldn't help but walk with a guilty step.

He was still a rookie serial killer who was unable to control his nerves, but he tried his best.

Constantly he reminded himself that the small towns, such as Hamesborough and Hendonshire, were hardly cared about by the rest of the world.

The government's military and investigative units had their sights focused on the locations that seemed high risk.

The death of Mario would definitely be spoken about in the news, but they wouldn't tie the crime to a specific serial killer.

He also realised that in a way, he had done the town a favour.

His taking Mario's life had led to the death of Drowner.

If they managed to find the man's corpse, then perhaps the town would be more focused on that.

However, that brought about another question.

Pure.

Who was he, why was he there, and what was his goal?

He pushed the thought to the side for the time being as he arrived back at Lucy's Orphanage.

The window to his room was unlocked, which allowed him to creep back inside without waking anybody up.

This gave him time to dispose of his clothes and weapon, before changing into a pair that he felt comfortable sleeping in.

Finally, Arthur entered his bed and took no time to fall asleep.

Killing was tiring work.

———

Arthur awoke the next morning, his sleep interrupted by a nightmare that he seemed to forget.

He was used to it now. Ever since his first kill, they had never stopped coming.

The biggest problem was that every time, he awoke with his bed drenched in his sweat. Losing all of his body's water left him dehydrated.

With quiet footsteps, he climbed out of bed and made his way towards the orphanage kitchen.

The corridors were dark and empty. A setting which he had taken comfort in recently.

After pouring himself a glass of water, downing it, and pouring himself enough, a sudden chill ran through his body.

It felt like a draft of wind had entered through an open window behind him.

Arthur turned.

He was no longer the only person in the kitchen.

Sitting at the table, wearing a sleeping gown that struggled to cover her cleavage, and one hidden leg crossed over the other, was Mother Lucy.

She wore a smile on her face, and her blonde hair was wet, as though she had just bathed. Her blue eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, as they beamed at him.

Arthur was flooded with a mixture of emotions.

"My sweet child." Mother Lucy said softly. "Your work in Hamesborough is done?"

Arthur drank down the other glass of water nervously before answering. "Yes. Mario's been dealt with... and Drowner was caught in the crossfire."

Mother Lucy's eyebrows raised. "Oh?"

Arthur made his way over to the table and slumped down onto the chair beside her. Her eyes remained locked on him at all times.

"Drowner came to hunt me but was killed by a third party. He was a priest with the Title of God's Hand."

Mother Lucy's eyes suddenly went wide. "You met God's Hand?" She asked, to which Arthur nodded his head. It was clear that Mother Lucy was familiar with him.

"Perhaps you have not heard about his work. After all, he doesn't usually operate in this country."

Arthur remained silent, allowing Mother Lucy to elaborate. However, he couldn't help but lose focus every time his eyes glanced down at the window of her gown, which revealed to him her large breasts.

"He is from the Afrocan continent and has committed murders in many of its countries. His victims have all been other serial killers, and their corpses are often found crucified upside down on the faces of churches. Thus, earning himself the title: God's Hand."

This made sense to Arthur. After all, the man had killed Drowner in an instant.

But if he targets other killers, then why didn't he kill me? Was it simply because he believed I was a brother of his religion?

"Then what's he doing in Ingland?" Arthur mused. "This is far from his normal zone."

"There could be many reasons," Lucy responded. "It's common for serial killers to relocate themselves, depending on their goals."

As she spoke, Mother Lucy made her way over to the counter and poured a glass of water for herself.

Arthur noticed that she used the same glass that he did, not caring that he drank from it only moments before.

In a way, it was like an indirect kiss.

He found himself watching her as she placed her red lips on the glass and drank.

At that moment, he couldn't help but enquire.

"What is your goal?" He asked bluntly. "We were all visited by the Judge, and invited to join in on his game. But after taking your first life, you don't have to continue. The headaches go away."

Mother Lucy looked at him with the corner of her eyes.

"So why, Lucy? What motivates you to continue killing."

Mother Lucy placed the cup down and turned to face Arthur once more. Her familiar smile spread across her face.

"Well, the answer is simple, Arthur. I continue to kill because i enjoy it, and would like to become the greatest female serial killer in the world. That is why."