Dr. Jameson's room was a small, cramped space filled with oddities. A giant stuffed bear sat in one corner, a cracked mirror leaned against the wall, and a stack of old books sat in the corner.

In the center of the room sat a large desk covered in papers and bottles of ink. He was sitting behind the desk, scribbling away at a piece of paper.

He never looked up as I opened the door and walked in. "Ah, my dear friend," he said without looking up. "Please, have a seat." 

Black roses sat pretty in the middle of a marble table, catching my attention. I sat beside the plush all-black sofa and wondered if this was his favorite color. 

"What can I help you with today?" The doctor's beady eyes peered through his glasses, causing my high-pitched laugh to fill the room. However, the expression on his face let me know that he was not amused at my laughter.

"Miss, what is it that you find so funny?"

"I am sorry, I am just.."

"Just what?" his tone was becoming unsettling for my taste.

"Never mind that! I am here for my 2 pm appointment." 

"Ah, yes! You must be Max." Pushing his desk chair back, he rose to greet me properly, extending his right hand, and I couldn't help but notice that he was well over six feet tall.

He directed me towards the examination table, and I laid down as he began to prod and poke different pressure points on my body. "Any pain in these areas?"

"No, nothing out of the ordinary." 

I had been seeing another doctor for years since I was a child. But when my parents died in a car accident, I had no one to take care of me. As I turned 18, I was thrust into the world of adulthood. Suddenly, I found myself responsible for my own affairs; no longer would my foster parents be there to take care of me. I was on my own, struggling to make ends meet. So, I had to move away; leading to having to also find a new doctor. 

"Well, everything seems to be in order." He made some notes on a piece of paper before setting it down and walking over to the window. "How has your week been?"

"It's been okay, I guess." After that, I didn't really want to talk about my week. It had been pretty crappy, actually. First, I'd gotten lost on my way to the grocery store and walked for hours before finally finding my way home. Then, my cat got sick, and I had to take him to the vet. And to top it all off, I'd gotten a parking ticket because I parked in a handicapped spot. Not that I'm handicapped, but I was in a hurry, and no other spots were available.

"Just okay?" he asked, still looking out the window. "Anything interesting happen?"

I thought for a second before speaking and realized I hadn't answered him when he turned around and looked at me with an expectant expression. "Well, I did get lost on my way to the grocery store the other day."

"Oh?" He sounded genuinely interested. "What happened?"

So, I told him about how I'd gotten turned around and walked for hours before finally finding my way home. He listened intently, asking questions here and there.

By the time I was done, I felt like I'd known him for years. He had a way of making me feel comfortable, even though we'd just met.

"Well, Max, you've had quite a week." He walked to his office door, and I could hear the locks twisting. 

"Well, I am happy that you are here, Max," an evil grin was plastered across his face lifting the wrinkles that shouted his age so gracefully. He was old, and his face sagged with frustration, but today he had the look of fresh botox. Dr. Jameson stared at me for a moment, his eyes piercing my soul. I felt like I couldn't move, like I was frozen in place. Then he started to speak, and his voice sent shivers down my spine.

"You know, Max, I'm glad you came to see me today."  He took a step closer, and I could feel his breath on my skin. "Because I'm not going to let you leave."

I tried to scream, but no sound came out.

"You see, Max, I've been watching you for a long time. And I know what you're capable of." He took another step closer, and I could feel his hands wrap around my throat. "You're a killer, Max. And I'm going to make you pay for your crimes."

I gasped for air as his grip tightened around my neck, and everything went black.

***

My hands and feet were bound to a steel chair when I came to. The air was damp and cold. Right away, I knew that I was in a basement somewhere. 

"Why are you doing this, Dr. Jameson?" my yells echoed, bouncing off the walls.  

He came into the light, his white coat stained with blood. "Why?" he asked. "You know why." 

I shook my head no, trying to jar some sense into myself. This couldn't be happening. I had only gone for a consultation...

He leaned in close, his breath hot on my face. "You will die today, you naughty girl."

"I AM NOT A KILLER!"  I screamed as Dr. Jameson slapped my face. That's when I heard the whimpers coming from the corner of the room.  

She was gagged, and her hands were tied to a bedpost. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she looked at me with pleading eyes. 

"Please," she mouthed. "Help me."

I tried to set myself free, but Dr. Jameson punched me, causing me to wince in pain. "What do you think you're doing," he said. "You will watch to see what will happen to you next." 

"Nooooo, please don't, please," the lady pleaded, backing further down into a ball on the floor.  

"Why?" I asked him. "Why are you doing this?" 

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow as if I should know the answer to that. "You killed my son," he said simply. 

I shook my head, trying to deny it even though I knew it was true. I had killed his son in a car accident. It had been my fault. Something told me not to have all of those shots of whiskey at the bar, but I did, and like a fool, I thought I could make it home, which was only a few miles away. 

"And now, you're going to pay," he said as he pulled out a knife.

With a cold, gleaming blade clutched in his hand, he stalked toward the terrified woman. I struggled against my bonds, but it was no use. I could only watch in horror as he cut her open with merciless strokes, spilling her crimson blood onto the floor. Her screams echoed through the room as he plunged his knife deep into her chest, ripping out her beating heart. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the gruesome scene, but even when I thought it was over, I could still hear her agonized moans ringing in my ears. 

And when I opened my eyes again, there she lay - mutilated and disfigured beyond recognition - staring lifelessly up at me from a pool of her own blood. At that moment, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

"And now, you're next," he said as he turned to me with the bloody knife. 

I was paralyzed with fear. This was it. This was the end. There was no escaping now. 

Dr. Jameson suddenly untied me and pushed me towards the door. "Run," he said with a sadistic glint in his eye. "Try to escape if you can." 

I hesitated for only a second before I started running. I could hear his footsteps behind me, but I didn't dare look back. Instead, I ran as fast as I could, but eventually, he caught up. 

"Did you think you could escape?" he asked as he grabbed me by the hair and pulled me back towards the basement. 

I screamed and fought against him, but it was no use. He was too strong. He dragged me back into his basement. 

I could feel the doctor's eyes on me as he prepared to carve into the next victim. I tried to shut out the screams, but they echoed through my mind like a nightmare. 

"You're going to watch," he said coldly. "And you're going to learn."

The screams continued as the doctor cut into the woman's flesh. I tried not to look, but I couldn't help it. The sight of all that blood and gore was horrifying. And then Dr. Jameson turned to me, holding up a piece of raw meat. "This will happen to you if you try to escape again," he said. "Now observe, just as I watched my son take his last breath, thanks to you!" 

NM