Chapter 15 Who do you want? By. Ex Habit
Jackie
When Will and l had arrived at Amherst Hospital, we were immediately escorted back to speak with Griffin. I was anxious for what the meeting ahead would entail but hopeful that Griffin could shed light into the evolving story surrounding the Cult of Creatio.
I was hyper aware of the looks we had been receiving since first entering. First from the receptionist as we checked in, as well as the guards escorting us back to Griffin and even the other patients of the asylum.
The legend behind Griffin Whitley was notorious but only time would reveal if the legend was founded in reality and facts. What I couldn’t figure out was how the asylum staff knew we were going to see him.
I was also hyper aware of how similar I was to Griffin’s victims. Our eyes, our ages, our hair, everything was the same.
I knew I had to be extremely careful but I thought that I could maybe use it to my advantage as well.
Hopefully he would be more willing to open up to Will and I because of these similarities.
“Just through these doors.,” the young guard who had been escorting us through the asylum, stated as we were buzzed through another locked door. “We had to separate him from the general population yesterday. He was acting… erratic since we told him he had visitors coming.”
“Erratic?” Will asked, concern marring his face.
The guard looked at Will, seeming perplexed. “Yes, he was excited to meet Ophelia James.”
Before the statement had even left the guards mouth Will was positioning himself in front of me blocking me from the guards view.
“I really think I should meet with him alone.”
“Will, it’s okay. He can’t do anything here. He’s probably just excited about having a visitor, not me specifically,” I replied as I urged him to continue walking.
I didn’t fully believe it myself, but fake it ‘til you make it, right?
Will sighed as he fell in step next to me. “You have to promise me that we will leave if he gets too personal or forward with you. This man murdered six women, Jackie, all of whom looked very similar to you. You can’t get hurt, not on my watch. I won’t allow it.”
I huffed a laugh at the alpha male that was showing from Will.
This man was an enigma. He could switch from being so kind and sweet to those around him, to fiercely protective and unmoving at a drop of a hat.
The simple act of his hand at my lower back as we continued down the hall towards Griffin’s room set my skin aflame.
I had never been so affected in someone’s presence as I was with Will, and it was becoming more and more difficult to hide my feelings for him.
Especially if he kept pulling the stunts he did earlier when trapping me in the bathroom.
If it wasn’t for Bec’s interruption, things would have turned out much differently.
Slowly the guard came to a stop and turned to us. “He’s right in there.” The guard pointed to the nondescript door to our side, “I will remain outside the door, which will remain open while you are speaking. If he begins to grow agitated, I will end the interview immediately. Understand?”
“Yes,” Will stated.
“Understood,” I responded at the same time.
Slowly, the guard opened the door.
Within was the young man I had only heard stories of.
He was tall, around Will’s height, but extremely lean.
His black hair was stringy as it laid against his forehead.
He seemed nonthreatening initially, but a closer look at his face proved otherwise.
He held a ghastly smile along his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and seemed to be whispering to himself as we entered the room.
“Ophelia Jacqueline, I am so glad you finally made it. I have been expecting you for quite some time,” Griffin greeted as he sat along the edge of his bed, which sat on the far wall from the door. “Please come in, I am excited to discuss the matter at hand.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Griffin,” I stated as Will and I entered the room. It was then that Griffin seemed to finally notice Will’s presence as a scowl crossed his face as he looked at the man.
“I wasn't aware that we would have company today.” Griffin’s gaze remained fixed on Will as he spoke.
“Griffin, this is my colleague, Will,” I stated as I gestured towards Will beside me.
“Colleague,” Griffin scoffed and turned back to me. “His presence is inconsequential to what we need to discuss today.”
I looked at Will for comfort, immediately feeling uncomfortable from Griffin’s leer that was directed my way.
I had subconsciously begun leaning towards the man who was acting almost as my bodyguard as he stood taller than I had ever seen and maintained what I could only describe as a look of utmost displeasure towards Griffin.
I knew with Will standing by my side, Griffin could do nothing to me. Will would simply not allow it.
I squared my shoulders, using Will for confidence and refocused on Griffin. “Yes, I wanted to discuss the sigil that you marked your victims with.”
Griffin smiled. “Yes, I knew that would get your attention. It’s from the Cult of Creatio.”
I was taken aback by his candor. Griffin seemed so composed and put together.
You wouldn’t initially guess that he was a literal serial killer.
It did bleed through in small ways. In the ways his hands twitched, unable to remain still.
His eyes also darted around the room constantly, only making eye contact when speaking.
“Do you mean the media’s attention?”
“No, Jackie. Yours,” Griffin explained as he stood and walked towards the desk in the room. He pulled out a notebook and handed it towards me. Will intercepted before I could take a hold, upsetting Griffin.
“That wasn’t for you,” Griffin spat at Will.
Will shrugged in response as he began to flip through the pages of the notebook.
“Is there something in there you would like us to see?” I asked, trying to break some of the tension between the two and get some answers from Griffin.
“The sigil,” he responded, still glaring at Will. “I wanted to show you how I perfected it, I made everyone perfect it. If it wasn’t perfect, you would not have come. I needed you to come.”
“Why?” I asked, confusion swirling in my mind.
“Did you know I was missing for a time before the murders?” Griffin asked, ignoring my initial question and retaking his seat on his bed.
I looked to Will to see if he had confirmation of this. Will shook his head very slightly, indicating he wasn’t sure what Griffin was talking about and continued to look through the notebook.
“You disappeared?” I asked.
“That I did, but disappearance is not the word I would use to describe my time away,” Griffin responded, finally moving his glare from Will and meeting my eyes.
His direct attention was very unnerving. Griffin’s eyes felt empty and devoid of life. They reminded me of my parents.
“No? How would you describe that time?” I inquired as I took a seat in the desk chair and positioned myself across from him. Will followed suit and stood behind me as he leafed through the journal pages.
“I was home, watching and waiting for the individual who would go next,” Griffin explained as he relaxed further onto his bed.
“You say you were home?” I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees..
“Not the home you think. The one where we all go. That’s where I was. I was home. My true home. I understand you will be there shortly. That is what I have been told.”
“Who told you I was going home soon?” I asked, perplexed.
Did he mean I would be back home in Eugene or back to San Francisco? Maybe Utah?
“Joey, of course. Who else?” Griffin explained as he looked directly into my eyes with an unwavering expression. “It was while he was taking his turn in our home.”
I felt Will tense at the mention of the young boy.
I was clueless as to how Griffin knew of their previous interaction with Joey.
It must have been some sort of ploy to try and get under our skin.
As far as I was aware, Griffin wasn’t supposed to have any access to the outside world.
There was no logical way he could happen upon the information about Joey’s disappearance or our involvement with it.
The only explanation was that Sarah must have shared the details when meeting with him.
“How do you know Joey?” I asked, trying to hide the concern in my voice.
“The same way you do, of course,” Griffin began. “Us three, we’re connected. Joey and I had our turn. It’s your turn now, Jackie.”
I opened my mouth to respond and continue to question when Will grabbed my arm.
“Jackie, we need to go now,” he stated firmly with no room for argument.
I looked at him, confused as to why he sounded so alarmed.
I was taken aback by the stone cold expression he held and the storminess of his eyes.
He was speaking to me but glaring at Griffin, his hand clasped around the journal so tightly his knuckles were turning white, his jaw ticking under the tension.
“What’s going on?” I asked Will.
“Now, Jacqueline,” his voice was gruff and left no room for argument.
“You can’t speak to her that way!” Griffin yelled as he stood, now toe to toe with Will. “I worked hard to bring her to me.”
“What is going on?” I asked again, confused how things had escalated.
Will handed me the journal in response. I flipped through the pages quickly while Will and Griffin maintained their stare off. It was when I flipped to the next page that I understood.
There were drawings of me.
Dozens, maybe even hundreds.
Every one depicted me in various circumstances.
There were some where I was simply walking down the street, in others I was sleeping, in most it was just me smiling.
The most unnerving part was that the drawings took place in my home, in my bed, in my office.
There was no denying that these drawings were based on potentially real moments.