"Hello"

Short Story by: Sydney Carton

"I thought that I could have them. No one pulled me back and told me no. No one tried to interfere. You never stopped me. I was… above them. Above them all and above you."

The man's eyes were peculiar. They stayed gazing at one point long enough for the onlooker to frown and then, when they moved, they kept moving. Going here and there and up and down and side to side. When his gaze landed on someone he wanted, they seemed to envelop the subject. Capture whatever it was and submerge it into his own soul, owning it through all means. He owned them with his eyes and his body. Through life and death.

"I preferred the young boys. You know, they're more… alluring. It's like plucking a flower that has not blossomed. Your curiosity to see what it will become forces you to extract and observe. I extracted them from their lives and their families and observed their metamorphosis. Their transformation from bud to flower. From child to man."

When he spoke, one portion of his mouth opened enough to make words, as though he felt it necessary to use half of his consciousness to satiate others. As though he thought that half was enough and too much.

"If I could not find a suitable boy, I moved on to the next best: women. But not just any women, it had to be soft and pliable girls in their twenties. No others would do. I was so captivated with their skin, as you know. Sometimes, I dreamt of it falling off and just dripping down, like thick liquid. I tried to recreate that with heat and other conditions, but I just couldn't get it right. If only I had more time."

At this moment, his eyes were locked onto the leg of the table, widened slightly. His hand was resting near his mouth and his knuckles would brush over his lips. His mouth was open, just a little and you could hear his breath. He was remembering.

"One time, when I was young, I experimented with a grown man in his forties. He was handsome and something about him just forced me to take him. I cannot give you an exact explanation as to what captivated me but after the sloppy… experiment, I found that I did not enjoy grown men. Something about their ignorance. You see, they think they know me. And by thinking that, they believe that they can challenge me. It only proves their foolishness and if there is one thing I absolutely despise, is foolishness. I cannot afford to be a fool and I hate all interactions with fools. Sadly, there are too many in this world. Tell me, would you still be disgusted of me if I took fools instead of boys and women?"

His eyes started to dart around again, and his eyebrows furrowed. He had asked a question but knew that he would not receive an answer. He crossed his legs and chuckled.

"I wish I could have taken you. Oh, you would have been so perfect. I know I said I don't enjoy grown men, but you would be my only exception. I would have loved to watch you. To touch you and consume you. God, that would have been the pleasure to top all pleasures. I'm getting goosebumps just imagining it. Maybe I can dream about it when you're done."

His eyes connected to the man in front of him, hoping for a reaction.

"You'll get to dream plenty after this. Now that you've finished saying your cheap words, they're waiting."

The man stood up and grasped his arm, dragging him out of the room. Although, he was more escorting him than dragging. He took him to a room and sat him down, then strapped him down. He went through all the preparations himself. Then, with a murmur, he asked.

"Any last words?"

The man smiled, hugely and his eyes, for once, stayed normal.

"Goodbye, father."

And with that, the liquid was plunged into his veins and everything disappeared.