Chapter Twenty-Four: Bloody Date Night:

Katsumi clicked his lighter in his hand. “Ready to do this?”

Miki giggled. “Yes!”

The couple turned to their latest hostage. Ever since that kill three nights ago, they had to see what their special could do.

“I want to see it again!” Miki said. Katsumi kissed her on the lips.

“Me too,” he whispered. She walked over to the bound-up victims. Her lips curved into a smirk.

“Who’s going first?” she asked. The gagged victims shook their heads.

“Oh come on,” she cooed. “Don’t make us draft someone.” Her finger moved back and forth between the four bound victims. She savored the fear in their eyes. Miki put her hands on her hips.

“Oh well,” she said. “Looks like I’ll have to pick.” Her finger settled on a skinny boy her age. “You!” The poor soul was dragged by his ankles by Katsumi. The couple stood over their victim, grinning. He held his lighter and she held her nailed bat above her head.

“Ladies first,” Katsumi said.

“Gladly,” Miki said back. She gave her boyfriend a quick kiss before bringing down the bat on the victim’s head. It took one hit to splatter the box. The lid clicked open and the fog rolled out. Miki squealed as the victims’ eyes widened.

“Yes!” she shouted. The dark purple ooze ate all but the victim’s bones, bits of clothes, and glasses. Their remaining three victims watched horrified when the ooze cleared away. Katsumi howled, clapping his hands.

“That’s beautiful!” he shouted.

“Hey baby,” Miki said.

“What?” her boyfriend asked. She turned around, grinning like a cat.

“What happens when a person’s alive?”

“What?”

“You know…” She turned to the hostages, smiling. Katsumi grinned.

“Ah! How much blood will we need?”

“No idea.” Miki picked up Katsumi’s knife and walked over to the other male victim in their group.

“Yes,” Miki said. “You’ll do perfectly.” Katsumi held the man over their box.

“Ready baby?” he asked.

“Oh yes!” she yelled. His girlfriend took her knife and ran it down his neck. The blood slowly dripped into the box’s lid. Katsumi looked at the small puddle.

“Think it needs more blood?” he asked. Miki tilted her head.

“Maybe,” she said. She gave the victim another cut on his arm. More blood landed on the lid.

“Get deeper!” Katsumi shouted.

“But where?” his girl asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s see… Uh…” Miki spotted the man’s stomach and stabbed him without a thought. Two more stabs gave them enough blood. The box clicked open and the fog floated out. The victim’s eyes widened as he felt himself slipping away.

The woman and child hostages watched panicked as the ooze consumed the half-dead victim. Miki and Katsumi laughed as the box closed up. They turned back to the remaining hostages. Katsumi clicked on his lighter.

“Who’s next?” he asked. Miki walked over with the bloody knife in her hand.

“I choose…!” she shouted.