BBDW 1 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland


Section 1 (UNEDITED)

Psychopath.

Most serial killers fall under this category, and most of them carry out bizarre crimes for sexual pleasure or satisfaction. Because they cannot empathize with other people’s feelings, they inflict terrible pain upon others, but they don't feel any sympathy or compassion for that. They in fact enjoy it and even feel positive emotions in the act itself.

What distinguishes them from ordinary criminals is that they have nothing rationally abnormal, and their problems are limited to ethical things. It can also be considered as a ‘morally-disabled-person’, and psychopath does not equate to low intelligence, rather, they have average or sub-intelligence. In reality, a serial killer with great intelligence, such as Hannibal Lecter, rarely exists.

Typical psychopaths include Jack the Ripper of England and Ted Bundy of the United States, who liked to describe their crimes in detail with a sparse moral sense. But one thing to remember is that even though the term psychopath has recently started to gain attention, it has existed for a very long time…..

“Actually, the term psychopath has started to gain attention recently, but it’s been a while since the term appeared. When was it? Maybe it's in the 1800s?”

“Really?”

“And, although it’s interesting to hear that psychopaths have grown in numbers, that’s a curse, right?”

“Well. It might look like that. So?”

“When you say that I’m similar to you, you mean I'm a psychopath too?”

“Oh, you're right.”

“I’m not happy about it.”

“I'm not saying that to make you happy.”

“Ah- let's quit.”

Alvin smiled quietly in front of Jude, who spit out in a fed-up tone and waved his hand lazily. Jude was sleeping to make up for his lost sleep and in a short moment, got a call from his Chief and was told to run to work immediately. With a look on his face that is, a face of great annoyance, Jude sighed as he glanced at the pale bluish-grey eyes in front of him.

“Hey, hey. I’m getting pecked at by the Chief, I’m telling you. ‘Because you caught him, try to dig something out of him somehow! It’s annoying to be pestered by the media!’ That's what it's like. But what else am I supposed to do? You got caught anyway. So, let's just say you're saving a tired cop and tell me about the rest of the dead bodies that you hid.”

“You’re saying some weird thing. If you know the term psychopath, you know their characteristics. I don’t sympathize with other people’s feelings and have little interest in them. If that’s what you’re saying, wouldn’t it be improbable that I’d tell a body-hiding-place out of sympathy for your situation?”

It was a polite, quiet and unceremonious speech. Jude clicks his tongue - I don’t have to go to the movies to watch bizarre horror movies in the summer. Why would you watch The Silence of the Lambs? A bona fide Hannibal Lecter is sitting in front of me. Like in the movie, the mutilated bodies that come out with bloodbaths are essential, and cannibalism is optional.

‘There are few serial killers in the real world like Hannibal Lecter. If they were that intelligent, they would become a prominent person in society.’ – recalling the words of a professor of criminal psychology he once heard, Jude scratched the back of his head in annoyance. In a case involving a guy like this, of all people, just why do I have to be the one to put a handcuff on this guy. Rather than being scared or disgusted, I first thought, “Why did I do that?” Since then, this serial killer in front of him has refused any interrogation with other detectives but only admitted Jude to talk to him. Recalling that as soon as he arrived at the station, the Chief grabbed his shoulder with his bloodshot eyes and said, ‘If you don’t dig anything, I’ll put you in a full week of overtime work,’ so he could only nod in a resigned manner.

“…… I should’ve left the handcuffing to Tim at that time…”

As he groaned out, Alvin smiled. The curve of his eyes bent gently. It was a smile that seemed innocent at first sight. Alvin Jones, a serial killer who failed to heat up the world and eventually panicked. He was only 24 years old this year. The fact that he, who graduated from Columbia University and had a decent job at a financing company, was the real culprit of the recent series of serial murders in New York – with the number of cases reaching sixteen – had once terrorized people. He was really ‘normal’, with a perfect job and income, a composed, and really amiable young man.

What made them even more perplexed was that the same childhood abuses usually suffered by serial killers were not observed in this young man. Although his parents died early, he grew up in an “ordinary” family and became self-reliant early. There was no sign of abnormalities anywhere, whether childhood animal abuse, incendiary inclinations or problematic behaviour in school. With a silent and neat impression, blue-grey eyes that seem harmless, and pale blond hair with a neat style, he was polite and got along well with anyone. Of course, until several bodies were found cut, torn, mutilated and stabbed in his basement.

“The reason I said I’d only talk to you, is not just because you arrested me.”

“Huh? Then why?”

“It was you who knew where I was going to be.”

“Oh, it was.”

“How did you know?”

With his arms folded, Jude recalled what was going on at the time of his arrest. Although the bodies were found in the basement, Alvin had already foreseen a police visit. When he fled, and while the other police were searching for a reasonable hideout, Jude took his gun and headed with his partner to the place where the crime was supposed to have occurred. There, Jude was able to stop the last victim from being killed. Alvin Jones, who was choking a woman’s throat, raised both hands with a faint smile in surrender.

“That’s…… because I’ve read it somewhere before. Psychopaths don’t stop their crimes simply because of the suspicion of the police. So I went there.”

“But honestly, you don’t think I’m going to go around casually killing people to the point where my crime is discovered, right? But how could you be so sure?”

“Hey, I wasn’t so sure. I just thought maybe, and left. If I was sure, I would have dragged a bunch of cops.”

“There wasn’t a hint of nervousness in your eyes when you saw me. No hesitation, no fear.”

“That’s, I’m a detective? Could it have been once or twice that I aimed a gun in front of a criminal? And in that kind of precarious situation?”

“Do you want me to tell you the truth? At that time, if you and your partner had any fear or hesitation in your eyes, I would have killed her. A single knife can kill a person blandly. If I needed a shield, I could use the woman in front of me.”

With his eyes drooping, Jude sighed again. How many hours do I have to talk to a guy who recites these words like a textbook? At this low salary? Why me?

“But there was nothing in your eyes. It was calm. "I have to catch this guy". It was simply that. Like watching today’s TV show and saying, “I’m going to watch this today”. There was nothing else. No anger, no fear. At that moment, I thought I should be taken away.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you.”

“You’re not much different from me. You act like you’re full of emotions, but more than half of them are imitations, and you don't really have deep sympathy for others. You are not indifferent when you get hurt, and it’s not like you’re a cop because you have a sense of justice. It’s just "because it’s work". You didn’t become like me, well, is it because it was troublesome?”

That smile again. Shrugging his shoulders, Jude answered insincerely.

“Yes, I did it because I was lazy. Now let me know where you hid the bodies.”

“I've been watching you ever since. You hardly mean what you say. Worrying about others, and complaining too much about your own situation, it is mostly just a cover-up for others. So it got interesting. What are you hiding inside, Detective Jude.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not a complicated person to hide anything. I can’t do that because my head will hurt. If I was that smart, I would do something else. Now, let me know where you hid the bodies.”

“You know what? I like you, detective.”

“Yes, thank you. Now, where did you hide the bodies.”

“No, you’re not kidding? Really? It’s my first time saying I like someone, but you’re so cold. I’m hurt.”

“Yes, be hurt. Where did you hide the bodies, please tell me.”

Only a clear laugh rang once, and there was no more talk. Jude, who rested his chin on his hand for a moment and looked at the sculpted face with as much eager gaze as possible, soon got up from his seat with an “Arghhh!” shriek and temperamentally pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

“Tim? Tim! Come on in! No, I don’t care! Do you think I’m gonna change anything? Am I a profiler or a professional counsellor? Send the expert, the expert! Just tell the Chief what I’m saying."

Behind Jude, as he was walking to the doorway, calling out as if imploring, a quiet, unmatched voice rang in his ears.

“Detective.”

“I mean, directly to the chief……why? Is he going to talk?”

The young man smiled once. When Jude felt a little tired of the smile, Alvin said and smiled a little more intensely.

“See you again.”

“Just repeat exactly to the chief!”

I’m sick of it! - Until Jude, who shouted at his cell phone was completely out of sight, Alvin never blinked his bluish-grey eyes.

*        *        *


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BBDW 78 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland

BBDW 80 [END] [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland

BBDW 10 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland

BBDW 59 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland

BBDW 2 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland