Bogleech.com's 2017 Horror Write-off:

Tenderfoot

Submitted by CinnamonRoach

I sluggishly open my eyes, head pounding. It felt as though I had been hit with a ton if bricks. My face was pressed against something cold and hard, and I was laying on my side. Trying to move my hands to push myself into a sitting position revealed that they were bound behind my back. The room was only dimly lit by a few candles, which may be why it took me a while to realize I was laying in the middle of a chalk pentagram. "What the..." I said to myself, discovering that I was not gagged. What kind of amateur kidnaps someone and doesn't even gag them?? My captor must either be exceedingly stupid, or very confident that our location was remote enough that if I screamed I wouldn't be heard. Just then, I hear footsteps behind me. Ah, that must be my captor then, just out of sight.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" I ask, tone even.
There is silence for a moment, then a reply.
.. You're awake..." "Obviously." I roll over to get a better look at my captor. He's an adult man about my age. He had blond hair and blue tinted glasses that hide his eyes. He is just wearing a simple t-shirt and pants, not really matching the 'demon summoner' aesthetic that the markings on the floor would suggest. "I am awake, and I asked you a question. What. Are. You. Doing?" I glare at him sternly. He seems startled, perhaps because I was speaking as though I was in a position of power, despite being bound and rolling on the floor. A tactic I employ often; people tend to defer to those who act confidently, regardless of the actual power they may possess.
"You're... Not reacting how I expected." He shook his head. "Uh, anyways, I'm summoning a demon..." "I see. Have you ever summoned a demon before?" "... No, but-" I cut him off. "Then how do you know you can? How do you know they exist? You're willing to kidnap me, and I assume murder me, on a fools errand?" He laughs softly. "I don't particularly care about you." "Of course not, I didn't assume that you would. I was reffering more to the risks you are posing to yourself, mainly, police discovery and a lifetime in prison." "Oh. Well. That's why I have to summon a demon see I... I killed some people, kind of uhh... Impulsively so I don't know how else to hide the evidence." I sigh. "Well I can tell you right now that this is not the way to do it. I can help you if you untie me." "What? No. Help me from there." "... Fine. At least put me in a sitting position. It's dreadfully uncomfortable laying on the floor."

He wavered uncertainly. "Don't be a coward. I can't very well do all that much to you tied up like this." Her nods and kneels besides me, pushing me up to a sitting position. I smile at him in response.
"Thank you. Now then, please describe who you killed, the manner in which you killed them, and how you left them." "... Why are you so confident that you can help me..?" My captor said suspiciously. I laugh manically, then flash him a wild grin. I see him take a step back fearfully. Good. "You, greenhorn, have bagged yourself a serial killer." He grimaces. "Oh oops." I laugh. "'Oops'? Oh, you are a fool to have made this mistake. Yet, somehow exceedingly clever. How did you do it? I'm always so careful..." "I don't have time to explain... The police-" "Ah, yes, the police. I can shield you from them. You are like a newborn babe, so blundering, yet I see potential in you. And, frankly, I don't want to die. So, release me and I'll take you under my wing, hmm?"
"Um... Okay, I guess... Do you.. Promise you won't kill me if I untie you?" I smirk. This man really was a fool, to trust a killer at his word. "I promise." He pulls out a knife and walks behind me. There is a moment where I fear he may be planning to stab me, but I soon feel him cutting that the rope around my hands, until finally they are free. I entertain the possibility of actually training this young fool. It would be less lonely to have a partner in crime, and perhaps I'd be able to pull off more complex and more beautiful murders if I had assistance. However, introducing a new person, especially such an inexperienced one, posed a significant risk. He could easily be captured and made to talk, or even betray me willingly at a moments notice. The risk factor was exciting, but I do not want to sacrifice my art. Once my hands are free, I reach into a concealed pocket on the inside of my suit jacket and pull out a knife. Quickly, in one smooth motion, I twist around, lunging at the blonde with my blade like a striking serpent.

He dodges back, and my blade misses him entirely. I look at him in surprise. "Well, you have better reflexes than I thought." "You tried to stab me!" "Well, I had to test your instincts. If you didn't have good reflexes you would have posed too much of a risk to me and my art." I cut the bonds at my feet myself. "Your... Art?" "Yes, the art of murder. It's quite beautiful is it not? All the ways you can do it, the stories you can tell through it... It's a much more versatile medium than tend to think." "Oh. That's cool. I just kind of kept sticking people with a knife until enough blood came out that they stopped moving." I grimace. "Well... That is one method... Rather crude if you ask me, but everyone has to start somewhere I suppose..." "Hey... You've been untied for a while and haven't tried to stab me again!" I stand, and put an arm around his shoulder. He stiffens nervously, in stark contrast to my relaxed pose. "Of course not! You passed my test, so we are friends now." Maybe I really would train the little sapling after all, or I would kill him in a moment when he was less on guard. Either way, he was safe in my arms for now. He relaxes some, and turns his face to look up at mine, smiling. "Really? That's great! I don't really have any other friends, so that's good to hear."

I hold the shorter man a little tighter against me, giving his shoulders a squeeze. "Ah, no one to notice if you went missing then?" My heart beat fast in my chest. What a fool to be so candid with me! Perhaps he trusted me because I shared his murderous inclinations, and he never had someone to relate to on that matter before? I had to admit I did feel some kinship with him, though not enough that I would act as foolishly as he.
"That's correct!" He answered in a chipper voice. Oh, my sweet summer flower, that is not something you tell a serial killer. I couldn't help but find his strange mixture of innocence and corruption intriguing, even alluring. I would have to render him into an artwork that truly reflected the beauty and complexity of his personality; a piece I must consider for a while before beginning. For now I would take the splendid creature along with me, studying him until the perfect idea came to me for how to use this perfect canvas. "Excellent. We shall disappear easily into the darkness then, like shadows in the night." I put my knife back into my pocket and lift up the smaller man in my arms, carrying him bridal style. "Oh!" He cried out in surprise, though he put up no resistance. His face turns a shade pinker as he looks up at my face. "What is your name, by the by?" I ask sweetly. "Emmit," he breaths. "And you?" "You may call me Ky. Now come, Emmit," i say, taking a few steps. "Let us leave this place for somewhere safer where we can start our new life together." "The exit is that way," he breathed, pointing. I head that way, excited for this new adventure and the artworks it will inspire.