The room froze in time, each child's breath hanging in the air as Richard Norman's chilling presence penetrated the sanctuary of Sacred Virtue's Orphanage. Miss Agatha's warm smile, once a comforting beacon, faltered as her eyes met his.

Kai, who had led the prayer moments ago, stood rooted to the spot, his young heart pounding with a mixture of fear and disbelief. This was a nightmare made flesh—a notorious serial killer in their midst.

Standing before them was a tall lean man with long unkempt hair, wet from the rain. His rugged features bear the harsh imprints of a life spent in the shadows, shaped by the trials of his criminal past.

For a suspended moment, the world held its breath. The very man they had seen on the news was now a chilling reality in their midst.

"Children, stay close to me," Mrs. Agatha whispered, her voice laced with concern. She had doubled the security after witnessing the news, but it seemed inadequate in the face of this threat.

"Oh, what's with the faces, little ones?" Richard said, a feigned expression of hurt on his face. But they knew it was a facade.

He paused, letting the tension linger in the air, then continued, his voice dripping with eerie charm, "You're making it seem like I'm not welcome here."

"You aren't. Why are you even here?" Kai spoke with a shaky boldness, attempting to mask his fear. His voice quivered beneath the surface.

"Oh? From the looks of it, you already know who I am?" Richard responded, feigning curiosity. "I'm quite intrigued, really. What gave it away? Was it the uniform?"

He took a deliberate pause, a wicked smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"Or perhaps it was the stains of blood."

Richard then began to laugh

'He's gone mad, he's absolutely crazy "

The words flashed through Kai's mind, racking his brain to find a solution for this mess

Minny slowly grabs onto one of Kai' s hands and squeezed tightly Kai could feel her trembling

Miss Agatha finally spoke, addressing Richard with a tone of caution

" please disregard the boy's impulsive outburst and forgive me for asking but.."

She paused choosing her words carefully

" Why are you here?, if u seek refuge we'd be more than willing to help. but you must understand, this is likely one of the first places the authorities would... "

" I don't plan on staying long" Richard interrupts with an unsettled calm.

"Oh well, if you want money I happen to come from an extremely wealthy family

I would be more than happy to provide..."

" I don't want your money" Richard interrupts her again

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Mrs Agatha continued with a hint of fear

"well if it's neither refuge nor financial assistance you seek, then what is it you truly desire"

Richard stayed silent for a moment, his gaze locked onto miss Agatha's finally he spoke "from what I see, you're a woman of faith, much like my mother." His voice grew reflective, so allow me to pose a question, Miss Agatha. Do u believe in salvation, even for someone like me?

" Yes " she began, her voice gentle yet firm, " I believe that faith teaches us redemption for anyone, regardless of their past actions. We are all capable of change and finding the path to salvation".

A hint of cynical smile flickered across Richard lips as he mumbled softly, "That's what I thought "

He paused briefly before continuing, he's voice contemplative, "I came here on a whim, you know. After stumbling upon this building, I simply wanted to move away... Until I heard it- a sound I hadn't heard in a long time- laughter, the laughter of children. It struck me as odd, so I started observing this more closely. What I found was almost unbelievable. A place meant for the lost and broken, filled with so much happiness and laughter. "

Richard's disbelief was evident in his expression as he recounted his observations

" I wanted to witness it in person"

Richard admitted, his voice carrying a hint of something darker beneath the surface

After a slight pause, he continued, his tone growing chillingly calm, "And... I want to destroy it with my own hands."

A hushed gasp rippled through the room as his words hung heavy in the air. Richard's gaze bore into Miss Agatha with unsettling intensity.

"I want to squeeze the happiness out of every single one of you," he declared, his voice now filled with pure madness and malice. His eyes flickered with an eerie, malevolent light, casting a shadow over the room.

"Happiness and laughter shouldn't exist in this world," Richard muttered softly, his voice tinged with bitterness. "That's the exact same thing I told my mother before I..." He trailed off, the weight of his unspeakable actions hanging in the air.

He fixed his gaze on Miss Agatha once more, his eyes filled with a haunting emptiness. "So, I ask you again," he said, repeating the question he had posed at the start, "do you believe that there's still salvation for someone like me?"

This time, Miss Agatha couldn't find the words to respond. The profound darkness that Richard carried with him left her speechless

The orphans in the room exchanged terrified glances, their youthful innocence grappling with the sudden menace that had infiltrated their sanctuary. Whispers of fear and disbelief echoed among them as they instinctively huddled closer together, seeking solace in each other's presence.

Kai felt his heart race as he processed Richard's chilling words. Despite the fear gnawing at his core, a surge of determination welled up within him. He couldn't let this maniac destroy the haven they had found under Miss Agatha's care.

In a swift and daring move, Kai's hand darted to a knife that lay unnoticed on the nearby table. He gripped it tightly, his knuckles turning white. With a quick well executed motion, he hurled the knife toward Richard, aiming to incapacitate him and protect the children

The room erupted in chaos as the knife sliced through the air, its trajectory aimed at the threat before them.

The knife lodged itself into Richard's shoulder, and yet, he didn't even attempt to dodge. Blood began spilling out, staining his clothes, but Richard didn't even flinch.

"Same as always, I guess," he mused coldly, a grim smirk on his face. "I don't feel pain."

Suddenly, his gray eyes began to glow a malevolent blood red.

"I don't feel... anything," he declared, his voice devoid of any human emotion.

In an instant, Richard dashed with superhuman speed toward the one who had attacked him—Kai. Before anyone in the room could react, he delivered a powerful kick that sent Kai crashing through the wall. The force was so great that the next moment, Kai's unconscious body lay outside the orphanage, getting drenched in the pouring rain.

"Kai!!!!!!!!!!!" Miss Agatha's anguished scream pierced the air.

Richard merely continued, his tone chillingly composed, "Well, he's dead."

He scanned the room, his eyes devoid of any remorse.

"Now then," he taunted, his voice dripping with malice, "who's next?"