Alastair



The year was 1838 and Alastair Sawyer walked down the cobbled street of Scotland holding the hand of his ten year old sister Aldia. Alastair smiled down at the young girl with his storm grey eyes who hopped from stone to stone giggling to herself.

“Careful” Alastair chuckled as Aldia stumbled slightly on a large stone gripping Alastair’s hand tighter.

“I’m always careful” Aldia pouted.

“Then how did you get that scrape on your knee?” Alastair teased.

“Fine I’m not always careful but neither are you” Aldia replied.

“No one’s always careful Aldia. Everyone stumbles or makes mistakes even if you’re the queen” Alastair said.

“Ali?” Aldia tugged on his hand causing him to stop and look down at her.

“Yes?” He asked crouching down so he was level with her.

“Can you promise me something?” Aldia asked.

“What?”

“Promise you won’t leave me” Aldia whispered tears filling her green eyes.

“Why would you think I would leave you?” Alastair tilted his head to the side.

“Uncle Martin and Aunt Helen left me when I stayed at their house. I just don’t want you, mommy or daddy leaving me” Aldia sniffed.

“Aldia I promise I will never leave you. Ok?” Alastair smiled. Aldia smiled back at him and nodded before wrapping her arms around his neck. Alastair stroked her hair and stood up so she could wrap her legs around his waist to carry her back to their house. Later that night Alastair left for a walk and stopped an hour later by an alley. He turned his head when he heard giggling and saw a man and a woman kissing each other against the wall. Feeling slightly jealous of them he sighed and was about to leave until he noticed the back entrance to a kitchen open slightly.

Alastair felt something inside him telling him to go grab a knife. Complying he walked to the ajar door and opened it before slipping in and grabbing a large, sharp kitchen knife. Alastair glanced at his reflection in the knife before gripping the hilt tight and going back outside. The sound of his shoes against the cobble broke the couple apart and made them look to him.

“Get lost” The man growled. Alastair had his head looking to the ground and when he looked up he had a sinister grin on his face. The woman became nervous and so did the man when Alastair pulled his hand around from his back and held the knife by his side.

“Wha…what are you doing?” The man stuttered backing into the wall with the woman as Alastair stepped over to them

“Why should you be happy when I can’t?” Alastair said before he swiftly sliced the man’s throat. The woman screamed before he sliced her throat making the sound come out horsed. Blood from their necks sprayed out and coated Alastair’s face. The body’s dropped to the ground and Alastair took a step back before realizing how good it felt having done that.

Crouching down Alastair lifted the man’s shirt and carved a 1 into his abdomen before looking to the girl and slicing her dress open and carving a 2 into her abdomen. Before he left Alastair grabbed two jars from the kitchen and filled them with water before going back over to the couple and crouching down again. Alastair left the alley holding two jars in his hands with the hearts of the couple and the bloody knife tucked under his arm.

Two nights later Alastair felt the want and need to kill again so he grabbed a bag and gloves before leaving with his knife. A month later the mist of the dark gloomy night ghosted along the floor as a choked out sound echoed around the dark alley. Alastair grinned as the body of an 18 year old girl slid down the wall lifeless. He picked up his knife and crouched down before lifting her shirt exposing her abdomen.

Alastair skilfully carved a perfect 19 and also carved the words ‘You’ll never catch me’ across her abdomen. Once he was done he stood up and left the scene while pulling on his coat. The next day in the newspapers the headline caught Alastair’s attention ‘The butcher strikes again’ making him smirk to himself. He paid for the newspaper and looked at the main article. ‘The body of an eighteen year old girl was found butchered in the alley beside Burke and Hare early this morning.

The girl’s body had the words ‘You’ll never catch me’ carved into her abdomen along with the number 19. The girl’s heart was neatly removed from her chest suggesting that the killer is a surgeon who knows what he’s doing. Scotland yard are asking people to come forward if they have or know any information at all about the unidentified girl or the killer.’ Alastair walked back to his house shaking his head at the name they gave him.

“Hey Ali” Aldia chimed leaping on him as he came in the door.

“Hello Aldia” Alastair smiled down at her.

“Where were you last night?” His mother asked as they walked into the kitchen.

“I was working late I apologize” Alastair replied.

“Don’t be late again” His father growled. Alastair nodded and went up to his room quickly before shutting the door and locking it behind him. He pulled his knives out of his bag by his side and wiped the blood off them before placing them neatly back in a black and gold coloured box starting from smallest to largest.

Next Alastair pulled out a large trunk from under his bed and opened it before placing a jar with the girl’s heart in it next to the other eighteen hearts swimming in blood clouded water. Alastair looked over his equipment and pulled out his scalpel which he uses for carving the numbers and letters in his victims and looked at his reflection in the shiny metal. Sighing he put the scalpel back into the box before closing it and putting it into the trunk before sliding it back under his bed.

Alastair stood up and walked out of his room to the bathroom across the hall.

Aldia skipped up the stairs and heard the creaking of the bathroom door. Curiously Aldia tip-toed over to the door and looked through the crack seeing Alastair staring at his reflection before running the tips of his fingers over the 4 long scars running diagonal on his face, starting on his forehead going over his left eye down over and past his nose stopping slightly onto his right cheek. Aldia tilted her head and saw Alastair take off his gloves only to reveal bloody hands which he cleaned till all the stained blood was down the drain. Aldia gasped catching Alastair’s attention making his head snap to the door. His features softened and he dried his hands before going out to her.

“Aldia” Alastair said gently crouching down in front of her.

“Why….why did you have bloo….blood on your hands?” Aldia stuttered afraid.

“I’m the one who found that girl in the alley this morning. Aldia you cannot tell mother or father. Do you understand?” Alastair lied. Aldia sighed in relief thinking he was innocent and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I won’t” She whispered. Alastair smiled and patted her back before standing up with her still attached to his neck. Alastair walked down the stairs carefully while Aldia wrapped her legs around his waist so she wouldn’t fall.

“Sooo I was thinking we could go out to dinner tonight?” His mother suggested once they were in the kitchen.

“Why?” His father asked.

“Well it is Alastair’s 21st birthday tomorrow so I thought we could go out as a family” His mother shrugged.

“There is no need” Alastair spoke up.

“Why not?” His mother tilted her head. Alastair felt his father and Aldia’s eyes on him but he kept his gaze on his mother.

“I do not think that it being my birthday tomorrow causes need for us to go out. I do not like people making a big deal out of me is all” Alastair replied.

“Ok” His mother sighed.

“We can still go out mother I just do not want it to be about me” Alastair added. His father scoffed and turned back to his newspaper.

“Do you have a problem with what I said?” Alastair asked.

“You say you do not want it to be about you yet all week everything has been about you” His father replied.

“Explain on how this past week has been about me?” Alastair stressed tempted to grab the kitchen knife and slit his father’s throat.

“You’ve been coming home late every night, you have more money than your job pays and you keep buying items and keeping them from the rest of us” His father explained.

“That to me sounds like my business and not all about me. I do not have to tell you what I purchase if I do not wish to do so” Alastair gritted out as Aldia went over to their mother.

“I as your father have the right to know why you lock your room when you’re not in there, how you come home wearing gloves when you didn’t leave with them and how you have a spot of blood on your collar” His father stood up. Alastair looked to his collar and cursed himself on the inside when he saw a single drop of blood.

“It is my blood. I cut my lip last night.” Alastair kept calm.

“You know what I think? I think that you’re ‘The Butcher’ everyone’s been talking about” His father sneered.

“Harold!” His mother exclaimed in shock.

“Think about it. Every night he has gone out a body was found the next day and he comes home late” His father defended.

“Alastair is not a killer!” Aldia cried.

“How do we know you’re not the killer who is trying to pin the accusation on me?” Alastair countered.

“Please. Me? Kill people?” His father barked a laugh.

“You are capable of overpowering someone and you know your way around a knife” Alastair shrugged.

“ENOUGH!” His mother yelled making the two look to her.

“Just can’t you go one day without arguing?” She begged. His father growled and walked back over to his chair where he sat back down and resumed with his newspaper.

“I apologize for my words mother. I did not like how he was accusing me of murder” Alastair stated.

“It’s ok Alastair just please no more serial killer talk” His mother sent him a smile.

“Sooo can we still go out tonight?” Aldia asked after a few minutes.

“Just as long as it’s nothing to do with my birthday then yes” Alastair looked to his mother who smiled slightly and nodded. Going back to his room Alastair sat on the edge of his bed and ran a hand threw his slightly long raven black hair before looking to the edge of the trunk that was slightly visible. Sighing he went to the bathroom to have a quick shave and shower to get ready for the night ahead not knowing that one second was going to change his life forever. Alastair walked between his mother and Aldia with his father to the far left of him. The sound of his mother’s high heels on the stones echoed around the barely populated street.

“Not many people out tonight” His mother commented.

“They fear ‘The Butcher’” His father shot him a glance.

“I’m not scared of him” Aldia said acting brave trying to impress Alastair.

“I doubt ‘The Butcher’ would kill you. You’re too adorable” Alastair ruffled her hair.

“I could take him” Aldia pouted.

“I bet you could” Alastair sent her a small smile. His father eyed him cautiously and looked ahead to see a couple walking hand in hand. Alastair sighed and looked down at the street hiding his jealously so no one would notice. During dinner Aldia was telling Alastair about a trick her friend taught her before demonstrating it for him.

“Very good Aldia” Alastair praised smiling warmly at her making her feel proud. Alastair neatly cut up his meat with his knife making his father narrow his eyes at him.

“Why do you do that?” Aldia asked.

“Do what?” Alastair tilted his head.

“Make everything so neat?” Aldia gestured to the meat.

“I just like everything to be neat” Alastair shrugged. After dinner when they returned home Alastair grabbed his knife and bag and placed a jar to the side before grabbing his black gloves and sneaking out of the house by his bedroom window. He walked until he saw a man smoking by the docks.

“Smoking kills you know” Alastair said startling the man.

“So what?!” The man snapped exhaling the smoke.

“To bad you won’t get to have another” Alastair smirked pulling out his kitchen knife. The man tilted his head at him before backing off slightly dropping the cigarette.

“Hey” The man held his hands up while Alastair carefully placed his bag down and advanced on the man. The man let out a shout for help which is when Alastair lunged and swiftly sliced his throat.

“I love when they scream” Alastair grinned crouching down next to the body before cutting the man’s shirt off his body and carving a 20 on his abdomen before cutting open his chest and carefully removing his heart. He stood up with the heart in his hands dripping blood all over the grey concrete beneath him when he heard the sound of a gun being cocked. Alastair snapped his head towards the sound and wasn't surprised when he saw his father aiming a gun at him with a disgusted look on his face.

“I knew it” His father growled stepping closer.

“Bravo” Alastair said sarcastically.

“You’re a monster!” His father yelled before firing a round into Alastair’s chest sending him back into the wall. Alastair felt the cold wall at the back of his head and placed his hand weakly over the hole in his chest gushing blood.

“I’m sorry Aldia” Alastair whispered before he felt his vision black out and his head hit the concrete. The next thing Alastair felt was the warm air hitting his face with a slight breeze. Groaning he sat up shakily and looked around to find himself in a forest.

“What?” Alastair muttered standing up only to stumble and lean against a tree for support. He weakly looked around and tried to figure out where he was only to realize he wasn't in Scotland anymore. Alastair placed a hand over his chest and felt no bullet wound or even a scar to prove he was ever shot in the first place. He looked to the ground and saw a white mask with an emotionless expression lying where he woke up. Curiously he bent down and picked up the mask before turning it over in his grip. Alastair put the mask over his face and strapped it on before standing back up. He looked back to the ground and noticed a knife and note lying there.

"2013" Alastair muttered to himself reading the note. Shrugging he put the knife down the side of his black leather belt and began walking. Alastair walked for about an hour before he came to an empty road. He looked both ways unsure of where he was or which way to go. A few minutes later a car sped by him making him fall back from surprise. He began panicking as he had never seen anything like that before. "Where the hell am I?!" Alastair said to himself before he took off into the forest at a quick pace. Suddenly he stopped and froze before shaking his head and looking around. He heard laughing nearby and grinned before grabbing his knife. Alastair followed the sound and found 2 teens camping in a clear area. He quietly crept up behind the teens and gripped his knife tight before he pressed it to the girls throat while placing his hand over the boys mouth to keep him from screaming.

"I am going to ask you some questions and you are going to answer them. Do you understand?" Alastair growled.

"Yes" The girl squeaked with tears flowing down her pink cheeks.

"Good. Where am I?" Alastair asked.

"Ohio, America" The girl replied.

"What is the date?" Alastair gritted out.

"July 8th 2013" The girl choked out.

"Impossible" Alastair muttered to himself before he slit the girls throat and snapped the boys neck. He felt his heart pounding in his chest at the thought of never seeing his sister again so he let out a scream of anger. Alastair suddenly froze again and fell backwards at the sight of the two teens. He began to panic as thoughts raced through his mind on if he was responsible for the deaths. Shakily Alastair stood up and backed away before backing into someone. He froze and turned around only to be met with a creature with mouths on his torso.

"AHH!" Alastair let out a scream and fell back before he froze again and shook his head. He looked at the creature and stood up before grabbing his knife.

"What is wrong with me?" Alastair asked.

"I gave you life" The creature said in multiple voices.

"Why me?" Alastair growled gripping the knife tight.

"I've been watching you for years. The one who gave you those scars was one of my own" The creature grinned.

"I feel different" Alastair commented meaning his sudden changes of personality.

"A simple side affect" The creature replied eerily.

"Who are you?" Alastair asked looking up at him.

"I am your worst nightmare" He replied before everything for Alastair went black. Alastair woke up in a dark room and looked around before spotting his mask beside him. He slipped it on and stood up before walking out of the room cautiously. The halls were dark red and almost no light shined in on them making it hard for Alastair to see. He cringed when he heard the screams of men and women echo around the corridors making him want to get out of there fast. Alastair cautiously opened one of the doors and found himself in a room where a young woman who couldn't have been over 22 was strapped to a metal table with a tray of scalpel's, knives and other torture devices laid out. He backed away from the sight but suddenly froze and shook his head before taking in the sight once more.

A sinister grin spread across his mask and his face before he shut the door and moved over to the woman who was sobbing behind the gag. Alastair began to torture the woman in every way he knew how until the door slammed open and the creature who brought him back stepped into the room. After a month of torturing people Alastair became tired of being ordered around by a creature who's name he knew not. So one night he gathered his knifes and ran for the forest. He walked around aimlessly for days his personalities changing quicker and becoming more deadly. Alastair grabbed his knife and sat against a tree before letting out a deep sigh.

He brought the knife up to his throat and pressed down hard before slitting across letting his blood pour down his neck and torso. Alastair's vision became dark and he fell to the ground dead. What Alastair did not expect was that he woke up in another part of the same forest in his bloody clothes and his knife beside him. He let out a scream and fell to his knees. Suddenly he began hearing static and looked up and through the tears he saw a tall man in the distance watching his every move. Alastair watched the man before grabbing his knife and following him deeper into the woods hoping to find some answers on how to control his rage and why he is the way he is.