Ambiguous Voices (standard:drama, 2695 words)
Author: Nathan K	Added: Nov 19 2000	Views/Reads: 5080/2762	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A murder is commited. A man is caught. He starts making accurate predictions to a psychologist. Is he crazy or gifted?

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

phone, "Psychology dept please". The other keeps watching Knell, his 
almost hypnotic eyes. He is looking straight into the mirror, showing 
that he knows they are there. This makes the observer uneasy. Even 
though the killer is in a locked room, and the observer knows he is 
heavily armed, the stare of the killer made him feel so uneasy. He 
finds it hard to look at him, but he can't look away. 

A tall, thin man enters the outer room. " Hi, I'm Edward Chertowe,
Psychology".  "Wow, that was quick!" Says the guard, " We were 
expecting a wait". " Well, the less time he is in there the more useful 
response I will get." Edward has been a behavioural Psychologist for 13 
years. He was the best they had, the best they would ever have. He has 
a patience that connected with criminals, giving him the trust he 
needed to extract what he wants.  This is always his main goal. He 
loves his work, and because of his devotion to it, it is all he has. 
Edward enters the room. " Hello Mr Knell, I'm Dr Cheryowe, call me 
Edward." Knell is thrown back by his warm opening, but he has heard it 
all before. Edward moves the chair from one end of the table and places 
it closer to Knell. "Tell me about the reasons for killing two men 
today"  Edward talks more softly than the man before, he knows it 
works. Knell leans forward, " I told the other guy, they tell me to do 
it, I am told to do these bad things, It is not my fault, I am gifted, 
I can see things." Edward leans away, " Listen, we can help you". Knell 
shakes his head and laughs out loud, he looks Edward straight in the 
eyes, with the type of pent up frustration which is visible in every 
muscle in his body. This is the laugh of a mad man. " What if I'm not 
mad? Ever thought of that? What if I am more gifted than anyone you 
have ever met.  Just imagine being me, can you understand why I'm so 
frustrated? I know what I have is real. You're going to write a report 
saying that I should be put under observation, in a high security 
building, but just for a minute consider the fact that maybe this is 
for real." 

" I think maybe you need to get some sleep,  we will talk tomorrow."
Edward gets up, slides his chair under the table, turns and walks 
towards the door. Just as Edward is reaching for the handle of the door 
Knell starts laughing again. Edward turns to face him. " What's funny 
sir?". Asks Edward  "tonight you will see". Knell whispers " What?" 
asks Edward. Edward wants to leave the room, but fears that leaving now 
is somehow too early. " In all the disturbed people you have talked to 
have you ever considered that one of them might be genuine, is it so 
hard to believe that someone could be in touch with something greater 
than anyone else?" says knell, very quietly, as if to bring Edward 
closer to him. "Well" says Edward, " no, not at all, and don't get me 
wrong sir, but you wouldn't be normal if you didn't think you were 
special, goodnight". Knell ducks his head and closes his eyes, now 
louder than the last time he says "Tonight, a girl will ask for your 
help, you won't help her, she will die, you are not a bad person, and 
it doesn't matter that you don't help because it is the right thing, 
she needs to die, although she doesn't know it."Edward laughs " You 
need help sir, I'm going to make sure you get it". 

Edward, turns and walks out of the room, it feels strange to turn his
back on Knell, even though he is heavily detained, it still feels 
strange.  As if he is right behind him, breathing on his neck.  As if 
he could whisper to Edward. Edward is the type of person who can forget 
his work.  It is essential in his job. He talks to the most dangerous 
people that society holds. It doesn't bother him. It never has.  He 
thinks it never will, but today, it did. Although he was only with 
Knell for a few minutes, it had an affect. Something in the back of his 
conscience says that this man is different. Different to the type of 
insanity he usually encountered. As he drives home along the half lit 
roads of the busy city he can't help thinking about the girl that Knell 
mentioned. Why would she need his help?. Was Knell playing mind games?. 
Every little part of his training tells Edward that this is the case.  
However, something much stronger and powerful than thirteen years of 
training tells him Knell is different. Edward arrives home still 
thinking about the day's events. He lives in a tall apartment block, on 
the 7th floor. In bed his mind is still there.  Even more disturbing to 
him is the vision of Knell's piercing blue eyes, as if they were still 
on him. Sleep is evading him. 

3.33am.Edward sits bolt upright in bed. He never woke at this time,  he
can feel something coming. Loud footsteps running down the corridor 
outside his front door, not near him, but he can hear them.  They are 
getting louder. In the confusion of his wake he cannot remember the 
prophecy of the day before. Although he still felt disturbed, he 
doesn't know why. He lies back in his bed, hoping that the panic 
stricken footsteps will go away.  He knows they are close, very close. 
They come to a stop close to his door, Edward thinks to himself that he 
is dreaming, he isn't. 

BANG, BANG, BANG, the footsteps have reached his door, and whoever it
is, wants to come in. The untidy noise cuts the normal silence of the 
night like your biggest nightmare coming true. Edward turns on the 
light, and waits. He sees the shadow under his door move away, and the 
footsteps become more distant again, and eventually disappearing. 
Edward was scared, it is not a feeling he is used to, but eventually,  
he goes back to sleep. 

He wakes at 7.45am.  This morning is different.  His alarm clock usually
awoke him at 8.15, but footsteps, and commotion outside his door have 
again awoken him. He briefly thinks about the night before whilst 
putting on his robe and walking towards the door, he feels safe that 
the events of the night before were a dream. Opening his door he sees a 
detective from his station taking a statement from his neighbour. He 
approaches the detective. 

"Hey Harry, what's going on?" The detective looks up and instantly
recognises Edward. " Morning Mr Chertowe, you live here?" "Yes" answers 
Edward. The detective continues " There was trouble here last night, a 
man who lives on this floor was heard having an argument with his 
girlfriend just down the hall from here, she was heard running, I'm 
sorry to tell you this but she was found dead just outside the 
building.  The boyfriend is missing. By what the person next door says 
they were arguing over the fact that she had been seeing someone else, 
I think this is case closed as soon as we catch up with him." 

Immediately Edward's thoughts turn to Knell. Had he foreseen that this
girl would need Edwards help? Was it a huge coincidence? Had Knell been 
in touch with the outside world and set him up? The question that is 
mostly troubling Edward is, could he have helped this girl?  Edward 
knows he probably shouldn't, but he can only think about one thing. 
Talking to Knell. He arrives at the Psychiatric holding facility just 
after 8.30am. He had never been nervous about interviewing a subject 
before,  but this is different. " I'd like to see Knell" He tells the 
guard. " I'll have him bought to the interview room, would you like 
someone present?" The guard replies. "No", replies Edward. "I'd like to 
talk to him alone, and by the way, did he make any calls outside? Any 
visitors?" The guide studies Knells file that is on the table in front 
of him. " No sir. The last person to talk to him was you, yesterday, no 
visits, no phone calls.  Edward walks into the interview room. 

This one is different to the interrogation room he had been in the day
before.  This is dark, with grey painted bricks. It is cold, every 
single sound makes an echo.  It is lit by a single light,  hung just a 
few feet above a tatty looking table. The door opens. In walks Knell. 
He looks even more hypnotic than the day before, and he is still 
smiling. " She came didn't she?" says Knell, taking his seat. "Listen,  
I don't know what you're up to, but just tell me how you knew that girl 
was in trouble?". Knell Laughs "Like I told you yesterday, I wish I 
could answer that, but I don't know who or what tells me these things". 
Edward is panicked. " I think you are a deluded mad man". " You do? 
Even after what I told you came true? Just remember what I said, what 
if I'm genuine? Ever thought of that? I can see further, sometimes I 
see something definite, sometimes it's a blur." 

Edward doesn't want to believe him, but sees his point.  The normal
reaction of society to a person who claims to see the future would be 
that they are not genuine. Edward imagines it was him who could see the 
future, and how frustrating it must be that no-one believes you. " Ok, 
just say for a second I believe you, tell me about what's going to 
happen to me".  Asks Edward. Knell looks him right in the eyes "You 
don't want to know". Edward doesn't want that response. Although he 
doesn't really believe anything Knell says, he knows that pure 
curiosity would make him seek more, and Knell was right about the girl, 
could he be right about Edward? "Tell me, I need to know" says Edward, 
fearing the response. 

"It's bad" smiles Knell. " What is it?" Edward is agitated. Knell
replies " Well to be honest this seems strange to me too. It is a 
strong, strong feeling, so it will happen, and I can't wait until it 
does." Edward doesn't like the tone in Knells voice, " Please tell me, 
I need to know" Knell moves towards Edward.  He leans on the table with 
his elbows.  Edward knows this is when he will tell him. Knell looks 
through Edward, as if he is transparent and he is looking at the grey 
brick wall behind him. 

Knell whispers, much more softly than he has before, but still retaining
the element of cruelty in his voice. "You will die soon. I know this 
because I will be there. I am your killer" 


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