The hunting ground is heaving. Bodies moving to loud metal music being pumped through the speakers. Obnoxiously loud and set to lights and lasers that drown their senses, medicating the meat sacks as they forget their troubles and claw at tonight’s fleeting freedom. They’re living in the right here, right now…. and right now all there is to do is dance, relax, have fun, let go.

They’re safe from the big bad wide world… or so they think.

The sweat glistening on a beautiful girl’s shoulder catches my eye as I glide past her, my tongue ever so briefly connecting with her flesh… just a taste… she doesn’t even notice that the hunt has begun.

Leaning against the bar I order my drink and people watch for a while.

The beautiful girl dances like she’s worshipping. Desperate, passionate and lost in the moment. I can’t take my eyes off her. Tears roll down her cheeks as she screams the words to herself, from her soul, “Take hold of my hand, for you are no longer alone. Walk with me in Hell.”

Just in time, he arrives. Easily spotting me through the crowd, he grins, my kindred.

No words are exchanged, there’s no need. We are deeply connected, it’s in the blood. Enveloping me in his arms, we share a moment of quiet appreciation and togetherness. The calm before the slaughter.

Tonight I won’t hunt alone.

We’ve got something special planned, something very special indeed. We just need the final piece.

Ordering himself a drink, we stand side by side. His eyes already focused on the prey. We drain our glasses and share a kiss… it’s time.

Slipping into the crowd we begin to move with them, enjoying the music and basking in their energy. Bodies grinding against one another, spangled happy faces, blissful and free.

I’m the first to reach the girl, brazenly sliding my hands around her waist and pulling her against me. There’s no resistance, she’s flying, eyes closed. She smiles with her whole body, positively pulsating from her, from her high, it’s intoxicating, inviting me in. I lean in and kiss her hard, she tastes so sweet, so ripe. She’s perfect.

I feel his arms around us both, the girl hesitates ever so slightly… I place a firm hand around her jaw, turning her mouth to his. They kiss as I bite at her neck… not yet… not yet. We lure her deeper, hands roaming over her skin as she ignites and begins to melt between us.

This part has always been so easy for us. Primal instinct leading us through the hunt, the poor girl never stood a chance. None of them did.

He and I exchange a knowing look. “Let’s go,” I sneer, taking the girl by the wrist, we leave. Desire burning so furiously through her veins that she’s lost all inhibitions. Fuelled by lust, our little lamb to the slaughter. Our final piece.

Our pace is swift. We are eager to finish our creation. Oh how I can’t wait to see the expression on our little darkling’s face…

“Make a wish birthday girl, it can be anything. Anything in the whole wide world and I’ll do it for you.” She rocks on her heels and swooshes her tutu as she contemplates what to wish for. I see her eyes light up… she stoops, blows the candles out and beams at me.

Cautiously she ventures, keeping a watchful eye for Daddy and his teaching fists.  She’s always so authentic for me. “If I may please Mama. If I’m allowed to ask for a thing, as it’s my birthday… I wish… I wish for a music box. One that plays the music I like, NOT the silly frilly tunes you usually get. They are BORING!” she wrinkles her nose, then gives me a wide smile “Please Mama?”

I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head, “Your wish is my command little one”.

Now we are so close.

My grip on the girls wrist tightens as we get closer to the house, she yelps a little as my nails begin to dig into her skin. He leaps at her, hands around her throat effortlessly stealing her air, “Shhhh…” he soothes as she loses consciousness.

Silently we move around the house to the basement. Blade knows not to bother us down here. She’s such a good girl. Oh how I can’t wait to see her face!

The huge wooden box stands magnificent before us, doors wide open, so much beauty held within. Naked, drugged, gagged bodies adorn the inside walls. Held in place by steel restraints built into the wood. Held by their necks, ankles and wrists. Displayed perfectly.
There’s a stunning young tattooed boy on the left hand wall, a punky alternative girl with bright pink hair and nipple piercings on the right, and a large bearded muscular man stretched wide against the back wall.

In the very middle of the box is a cross.

Working quickly we strip the girl, positioning her carefully within her steel restraints, upon her wooden cross… the final piece.

Our beautiful crucifix.

We stand back and admire our magical gift. A wish come true for a very special girl.

They begin to come round, attempting to shake the stupor from behind the restraints, muffled cries escaping their gagged mouths… it’s time!

He bounds back up the stairs to collect our little one.

“Everybody, it’s almost show time! I do hope you behave! It MUST be perfect!” I clap gleefully as I hear them coming down the stairs, gently closing the music box doors and smiling at the colourful starry paintwork adorning the entire box.

“Now my darkling, I promised you a music box, just as you wished… this is for you,” handing her a small remote control and stepping to one side, I allow her to explore.

Her eyes wide, mouth open in wonder she takes in every single detail. Reaching for the handles she turns to look at her Daddy and I. “Go ahead, open it up!”

She throws the doors open, her delighted squeals fill the air and startle her music box bodies. With the touch of a button the cross begins to rotate slowly, it’s just perfect.

She claps and dances, skipping and twirling from one strung up pretty to another, running her fingers over their struggling, squirming, screaming skin, tearing the gags from their mouths with eager fingers. Stopping dead at the beautiful girl in the middle.

“Oh! She’s so pretty!” she says stroking her face as those beautiful tears begin to fall again, this time from terrified eyes.

Blade notices the collection of shiny knives, scalpels and needles laid out neatly on the floor, she looks at me, “Mama?” she asks.

“Make the music you like sweetheart… make them scream.” I tell her, “go ahead.”

Taking the knife she turns her attention back to the girl. “Shhhh don’t cry. It’ll only hurt for a minute,” she whispers as she begins to fill the box with music.