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Patricia followed much like a lost puppy as Rune moved back and forth to her truck. The honest truth was she didn't know quite what to do. It seemed Rune had the same idea of going while a clean getaway was at hand but she'd never partnered up with someone in an escape. Always she had fled in to crowds by herself, disappearing before a single digit could be pointed her way. "But Officer, I saw a strange girl with the man just hours before..." Yes and the strange little girl was gone now wasn't she? Like a doll, you say? Are you so sure, Mister Hotel Clerk?

Her eyes slid to the side to look at Rune, nose wrinkling the slightest at the question of her age. A lady never told. "I'm asth old asth you think I am," was her stoic reply. Whatever that meant, she'd stick by it. Patricia had stopped aging physically at sixteen though her body had never developed due to lack of hormones. She'd never even gotten her menstrual cycle. As a child she had to cut open her thigh near her pelvis to simulate the monthly "curse" just to stop her mother from taking her to doctors.

Getting in the truck at last, she buckled the seatbelt and crossed her ankles primly, hands neatly in her lap.

"Anywhere but here isth fine. I wasth due to leave here soon anyway. Two weeksth isth generally my cut-off point. Much longer and," she paused, hesitating, "thingsth get unpleasthant."

It wasn't just being caught hacking away at flesh and bone she had to worry about. She'd sensed it for a while that someone was tailing her, watching her every move and following her from town to town. Why, she hardly knew. It didn't even matter. Point was, caught was caught and that was the last thing she wanted right now.

[[OOC: I'll have the profile up either later tonight or tomorrow, depending on when I can finish the picture. As for Rune, just keep going the nice-nice route. Catch more flies with honey and all that good stuff. She'll bite.]]

"You could say that," she answered softly, head down and eyes focused on her hands. They were blood-stained just the least bit and she could feel it drying under her baby pink nails which were filed down to an ever so subtle point. Not enough to break skin should she grasp too hard, but enough to warn. Patricia wondered if staying this vague would help her case in any way or if perhaps coming up with a sob story might be better. Rune was asking too many questions for her comfort anyway.

At the next question her stomach readily answered for her and she felt something inside roil as well, screaming and clawing its unhappiness. She shut her eyes, trying to will it back in to its cell.

You promised! YOU PROMISED!

As soon as we leave this woman.

You're going soft. Just like with him.

Screams filled her head and she felt phantom hellfire lap at her skin lovingly and she shuddered visibly, bright green eyes opening to nothing ahead of her.

"Famishthed, actually," she replied at last. That wasn't far from the truth. She hadn't eaten anything for maybe a day or so from sheer genuine lack of hunger. As for what she'd really wanted, well she'd gone even longer. Eyes sliding to Rune, she studied the woman's face, reading discomfort there. No real surprise there. The woman had seen her murder a man, though she believed it was entirely self defense.

"Are you going to turn me in?" The question was casual, but to her it held enough weight to sink a ship. If this woman was going to the authorities about what had happened back at the motel, Patricia needed to bolt now.

"Probably not..."

Those two words echoed in Patricia's head over and over, unsure of whether to take them as a sign she was safe or that she'd toed the line too close and her next move could determine a more definite answer. As she thought she worked her bottom lip between her teeth, scraping layer after layer of skin until she tasted the copper of blood. This was lapped up eagerly before she sucked the bottom lip in and just nursed the wounds.

The truck stopped and she broke out of her thoughts again, watching dumbly as Rune exited, instructing she stay put, and went inside the convenience store. Without hesitation she clicked free the seatbelt and put her hand on the door to exit, but paused.

"You're going to land us in a loony bin, I hope you know that."

Patricia looked at the side mirror, seeing the unhappy reflection. She returned the expression. "I can make decisthions without you, you know."

"If it hadn't been for me you'd still be married to that brute Terrian. Probably knocked up with your third child by now, too."

"I had that taken care of."

The reflection laughed, a harsh, high-pitched sound. "You hesitated. He would have pinned you down and torn you open from stem to sternum. Or don't you remember?"

She'd locked the hotel room from the inside and slid the latch in place as well. But he'd managed to bring that all down with just his own force and he was coming after her, rage and hate in his eyes. Alcohol on his breath meant he'd be more violent than usual and considering he meant to deflower her tonight she knew she'd either die or wish she had.

The gun was at his chin but her hands were shaking. She was frightened. Oh, sure she'd fired at paper targets for 3 years but this was a person. A living, breathing, frightening person. He laughed, daring her to pull the trigger. She wanted to, but she kept hesitating.

Something in the mirror reached through.

Patricia shook the memory away, rubbing her face with the heels of her hands furiously. To anyone looking in the truck it would seem she was crying and trying to mop up the torrent of tears.

The seatbelt clicked in its holster once more.

She took the items given her, saying a quiet 'thank you' before she cracked open one of the cold bottles and drank. The icy liquid slid down her throat, trailed her esophagus, and settled in her empty stomach which rumbled again, causing her to shudder. Capping the bottle she held on to it dearly, fingernails scraping the plastic and making it crackle ever so softly.

The question was one she knew was coming, everyone asked, and she had a story all lined up to tell that would make any bleeding heart weep in sorrow for the poor dear. Considering the circumstances, though, she figured dialing back the drama would be far more believable and might win her freedom, for the time being.

Her mouth opened but when she looked to Rune she saw the woman's eyes glazed with tears and staring in to a void of nothing despite the fact she was managing driving pretty well.

Ghosts of the past, indeed. Perhaps even Saints had their demons.

Waiting patiently she saw Rune finally break from whatever memory she'd been visiting and wiped at her eyes to hide her own tears. "I'm looking for help," she said at last. "The policthe can't help me; it'sth not that sthort of problem. Sthome yearsth ago I lostht sthomeone to a tragedy and now they're after me."

Her eyes went down to the bottle. Her nails had ripped the label to shreds.

"The policthe can't help because no one believesth me. I thought I could find what I wasth looking for alone, but thisth... person... won't let me get very far."

Something inside her head kicked at something and she felt a drop of blood fall from one nostril, joining the rest of the blood on her dress.

"I can't go home. My parentsth wouldn't understhand. I'd be either locked up in an insthitution or forcthed to join a convent." Her hands shook now, nails scratching harder. This wasn't far from the truth. She was a monster in her own right but something inside her was making her worse, making her sloppy, and she feared losing her calculated cool and ability to hide amongst the flock to this sickness and mindless depravity. Once she had thought it a blessing, the kick she needed to become who she'd always been destined to be, but now it was a burden and a curse.

And I know, that now and forever, they'll never be able to separate JEKYLL from HYDE...

"If I went to the copsth it would be the end. I'd be blamed for everything. All sthignsth point to me."

[[OOC: Merry Christmas! biggrin Hooray for talking about cannibal lolitas on a joyous holiday!]]

A nail punctured the side of the bottle, thankfully where there was only air and nothing to come spilling out. Not that it would matter. She'd have to burn this dress once they stopped somewhere. Thankfully she had a change of clothes and enough from that man who assaulted her to buy at least one other outfit. It wouldn't be what she wanted, as Patricia had expensive taste, but it would be better than going around in a blood stained dress and having the police trail her and link her to that town. Even if she claimed self defense, a simple swipe of her DNA or fingerprints and she'd come up as a missing person presumed dead. Then there would be the issue of what happened to her husband.

Rune really did ask too many questions.

"I don't think they mean to kill me, justht hurt. It'sth more a persthonal vendetta than anything to do with the law." She didn't know someone else, someone far more real, was after her as well. For all she knew right then they were dead and buried the way she had left them. "But like I said, they can't help. There'sth... too much sthaying I'm resthponsthible for thingsth."

Not that she wasn't, but Patricia was looking for some sympathy, not a one way ticket to a lethal injection.

Rune's next words surprised her and she turned her head, looking the woman over for any sign it was a farce or some path to deceit. She was genuine.

The truth.

The truth was she was a 23 year old who had been responsible for murder since before she could read. The truth was she ate human flesh for pleasure, delighted in the taste of human blood, and gore excited her in ways that a Playboy magazine did for some men. The truth was Rune should probably put a bullet between Patricia's eyes, dump the body at the nearest police station, and drive until her gas tank was empty.

She wasn't going to know the truth.

"I promisthe to be asth honestht asth I can." Her legs were crossed, which was good enough for her.


[[OOC: Oh geeze, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you're alright.

EDIT: Also, would it be alright to bring in the other characters or should we wait?]]

Patricia followed much like a shadow, saying nothing but observing everything with eerie precision. Her eyes trailed the pavement, the walls, the counter, and finally the woman who spoke to Rune. Ears tuned in she received a snippet of information she was sure Rune did not exactly want her to have. So she had lost her parents. The very mention of it seemed to bother her and Patricia filed this information away for later use if need be.

The lying was something she was used to but it was still surprising to think this practical stranger was willing to shelter her and bring her to a place full of memories that scratched at the soul. A part of her itched to know just how far she'd take her current path of deceit to save them both, but it wasn't an itch she'd go after yet.

As they left to go to the room Patricia sized the woman up, feeling her stomach growl again. Under normal circumstances she did not kill women, it was against her personal code. However she'd gone much too long without a decent meal and seeing how meaty this woman was she couldn't help but lick her lips.

The woman had mentioned a 'Tom'. Perhaps he could be disposed of. Of course that left a problem. Rune obviously knew these people.

But if Tom should be a bad boy...

Patricia entered the room and said something about a shower, locking herself in the bathroom shortly after. The mirror inside was much too large to cover with any of the given towels and her last tarp had been used ages ago. So, standing there before the sink, she saw her reflection fully. Or what was meant to be it, anyway.

In the mirror was an exact replica of Patricia except the bangs were combed in such a way to hide the eyes from view. The reflection's blue dress was covered in more blood and even torn in certain spots as though she'd been through war. Patricia put her palm flat on the glass and the reflection did the same, only her fingers came through and tightened around Patricia's hand.

"It's been so long since you've let me out. You're growing weak."

She couldn't bear to look forward and instead stared at the faucet. "Thisth won't be clean."

"When is it ever, Cia?"

"Don't call me that."

"Why, because he did?" A trickling of laughter echoed out. Patricia winced.

She pulled away her hand and the reflection let go but did not fade. She never did. Undressing she took a scalding hot shower and changed in to an ivory frock with long, puffed sleeves. When she glanced at the mirror the reflection wore the same dress tainted black. Patricia exited the bathroom and grabbed her bag once more, excusing herself for a walk.

Part of her felt sorry for Rune, being strung along this way. She was obviously a nice person trying to do something nice for what was obviously a not so nice young woman. Instead she'd been mixed up with a killer who fed on the flesh of her own kind. She imagined it wouldn't be long before she'd have to give up the ghost and kill Rune to save herself. It was a pity, she rather liked the idea of being taken care of again.

The walk had been fairly uneventful as there was not much to see in the area save for a patch of woods nearby. Rain was coming, which had Patricia looking to get back to the motel because of all things she did not have an umbrella. That had been used some weeks earlier for, well, let's just say the thing broke. The umbrella did, too.

Crossing the parking lot, she saw an older man who was roughly middle-aged with an overhanging beer gut, bald patch on his head, and more body hair than should be legal to show anywhere. He was walking beside a younger man closer to Patricia's age who was puffing away on a cigarette, looking very pleased with himself. A hand from the older man came out and swatted the younger playfully on the butt and the latter grinned mischievously. Near enough, Patricia took a large breath and smelled the raunch stench of sex coming from the both of them. One thin brow quirked upward slightly but she knew it was not her place to judge such a thing.

"Tommy," cooed the younger man, tugging at the older's shirt, "when are you going to call it quits with that cow of yours? I'm tired of meeting places like this and having to run." The cigarette was dropped and he kissed 'Tommy' on the mouth heavily, making them both moan.

The older man shuddered pleasantly. "Jacob I told you; I can't. My wife's been so good to me, and besides we signed a pre-nup. I'd have nothing left..."

Now this piqued Patricia's interest. A cheating husband. She'd always been sure her own would have cheated on her given the chance. Perhaps he had during their years of engagement, she didn't know. It never had been about affection, though. The simple fact was she wouldn't have let him live if he had taken another woman to bed. Well, she hadn't let him live anyway.

Going around the truck they were beside, she waited at the passenger side until it was unlocked and slipped inside while the two shared one final kiss. Jacob came around the same side just as Tom slipped in the driver's and neither man noticed the slip of a woman until the doors were shut.

"Hey, who the hell are--" Jacob was cut off when the barrel of a gun was shoved in to his cheek. The young man began to tremble and Tom looked at the two with horror, color draining from his face.

"Drive." She ordered Tom.

The key fumbled its way in to the ignition. "W-where?"

"The woodsth. Oh, and I'd sthep on it if I were you, dear. My trigger finger tendsth to itch real easthy."

The truck pealed out of the parking lot and Tom easily was doing 60 in a 40 zone as he found a trail in to the massive lot of woods. Several times he almost crashed in to a tree for his eyes kept looking to the frightened young man and her, who was calm as could be with an unreadable expression. Finally they went as far as she wanted and she ordered him to stop and both of them get out the car. She fished in the truck bed and found some cable and a few other things, binding both men's arms behind their back with the cable and making them walk, side by side, further in to the dense woods.

Eventually she had them stop and she told Tom to wait by an oak tree as she took Jacob aside. There was a wet spot on the thigh of Jacob's pants. She sighed, getting him to kneel and petted his dark hair almost pityingly.

"I'm sthorry, dear. I justht don't need you." She told him. Before he could ask her what that meant she shoved the butt of the gun between his lower cheeks and pulled the trigger. Blood, guts, and what must've been some dinner exploded from his mouth along with the bullet. The body fell forward and Tom screamed, tears streaking down his fat cheeks. Patricia looked to him next, using the clean part of Jacob's shirt to wipe her gun clean. "Tsk tsk, naughty boy. Cheating on your wife. Didn't I sthee a photo of kidsth in the officthe? What would they sthay if they sthaw you thisth way?"

"You monster!" He shrieked.

"No need for namesth, Tom."

"Why couldn't you have just killed me?! He did nothing!"

She tilted her head slightly. "Oh don't worry, I'm killing you, too." Taking out a hunting knife she'd found in the truck bed, she began working on cutting away all Tom's clothes as he sobbed and went on about his dead lover and please oh please have a heart to which she replied, only medium well and oven roasted. Finally getting him down to nothing, she took a handful of his 'jewels' and twisted, causing him to yelp. "Now, stheeing asth I don't have much time, you'll get lucky. I'm going to casthtrate you. You'll bleed out roughly in stheven minutes, very quick. It will hurt though."

Tom spat in her face. "I hope you burn in Hell."

"I'm very sthure I will, sthir." The cut was clean and he was dead within the time allotment she gave him. Using the same knife she began cutting away at the body with a surgeon's precision, taking the cuts she knew to be the tastiest and trimming away the orange-yellow fat and skin before building a small fire and cooking the parts over it.

--

Two hours later, the rain fell in waves and Patricia walked back to the motel, soaked to the bone and looking very pleased. What blood there had been had long been washed away by the rain. Entering the room she was sharing with Rune, she went to the bathroom once more and dried off as much as possible before she went and curled up beside Rune on the bed, falling asleep with an angelic smile on her face.

[[OOC: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Also Happy New Year. <3 ]]