Dear all,
I don’t usually start by introducing my piece, but this week I did. The thing is, I think that this is the darkest piece I’ve ever written. And so, before anyone starts reading, I want to assure you that it is all fiction, and, yes, it is dark, so beware. I hope you like it though.
For Trifecta; word of the week: APPEAR
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On the outside, I appear normal. Many people do. But what is normal, really? Normal clothes? Normal behaviour? Does a cheap suite, a pair of glasses and a briefcase hide a murderer? Does getting out of the house at eight in the morning, with a mug of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other hide the deep lust of a killer?
Well, it does. Neighbours – people – need very little to perceive normality. A smile, a nod, a well-mannered ‘Good morning,’ and they are happy. Bought. Sold. Taken in.
Who cares that there are ten bodies hidden in my backyard; as long as I go to church every Sunday?
Who cares that I stalked, lusted over, and raped every single one of those blonde corpses in my garden, as long as I host a barbeque every other Saturday?
See? Being normal is easy. I am normal.
Sandra's scribbles 
Well written, Sandra. Your words caused a flutter to rise in my stomach.
*Blush* Thanks for telling me, Cathrine. Glad you liked it.
Thanks for the warning. You’ve been reading the news too much because it is so true of many sociopaths.
That’s were the inspiration came from!! I was shocking myself while I was writing it — now I remember; I took that news about the British soldier who was hacked to death very badly… Phew. Thanks for the brain wave, Ann!
The psychological make-up of a sociopath, or psychopath can be interesting as a foundation to a diabolic character. 🙂
I would actually love to write a longer story, maybe even a whole novel from this kind of POV. Haven’t got down to it yet, though.
I love the idea, well written.
Thanks, Rois.
Great writing – I think you didn’t need the introduction! Very thought-provoking, and even useful. It is almost important to ‘know’ or at least be aware how these people think, but very nice touches also!
Thing is, the minute I finished it and read what I had done, I couldn’t believe it; it felt like it was coming from no where; so, at the time, I thought I should put in a tiny disclaimer.
Thanks a lot for your comment, Mr Pirate, sir.
Thank YOU! PS here is a challenge I co-run, please join in…! http://yepirategunn.weebly.com/2/post/2013/05/ligo-haibun-challenge-3105-0606.html
Gosh, I’m terrified of Haikus! I will try it out though – push my limits. When does the challenge close?
It’s weekly, from Friday to Friday – haiku is nice! The key is to keep it simple, which many don’t and then get all mixed up. Don’t worry about silly things like syllables. With your style of writing I think it’ll be a nice haiku – just simple and no need for a story in the 3 lines at all. Thank you so much for joining in, means a lot!
This is exactly how I would like to the first page of a great thriller…. Normality is so much about appearance, and also the opposite is true. He must be a murderer because he folds his milk-boxes before putting them in the trash… (which I have read once)…
I’ve read your comment this morning, but had no time to reply. Since then, though, I kept thinking how to elaborate this into a novel…still thinking in fact. Thanks for reading, Sir Bjorn.
spooky! I like the way the character talks in a very “matter-of-fact” tone. no remorse there!
best,
MOV
Nope, none from this one. Thanks for your comment, MOV.
It’s so true that we too often look in all the wrong places for evil and I loved the implication of the last line, that his kind of evil is now the norm.
Thanks for catching on that one 🙂
And this is why the neighbors always say, “he was the nicest guy. We never suspected a thing.”
Exactly! 🙂
Nice disclaimer! 🙂 Imaginatively dark. Loved it!
Thank you 🙂
I majored in psychology in college so I find sociopaths quite interesting (but terrifying, too.) That’s the thing about ‘normal’ – it’s not easily defined. Abnormality is not always obvious (take serial killer Ted Bundy, for instance…he was hard to catch because he blended in so well.) Similarly, this also translates to trying to explain ‘stranger danger’ to children. You can’t tell by looking who is dangerous. (And it’s made even more difficult by the fact that ‘everyone is stranger until you talk to them’, as my older son pointed out.)
I’m glad this is fiction and that you don’t have bodies buried in your backyard. If you ever moved, the new owners might be a little freaked out by that 🙂
I don’t have a backyard, but don’t go too close to my walls 😉
That is creepy >__<
I my gosh, I creeped out Draug! :O
~~Shud-d-d-d-der! Creepy and worthy of never inviting another neighbor over for coffee.
Don’t let the handy man go inside either, you never know!
Now I’ll be paying closer attention to my neighbors. This is genuinely creepy.
Thank you for linking up!
Thank you for the prompt 😀
What a terrible thought, taken out to the very edge!
I wonder if that’s the reason I don’t like barbecues…
Haha 😀 Yes, could be.
and here I’m always getting agitated over my weird neighbors! ha!
Love this Sandra! Sometimes I find expressing the darkness helps to exorcise it (especially when the headlines are particularly awful). Great job with the prompt!