“Ok, what do you want from me?”

“Your life”

“It isn’t going to work that way. I-“

“I will determine how this is going to work,” he said.

Pensively he leaned forward in his seat before standing.

“I am in control. Me. You are but a small...insect beneath my foot. And I will...eliminate you as soon as I desire.”

He took a few steps forward and paused.

“There seems to be something you do not understand. See, I don’t think you fully comprehend the situation you find yourself in, Sean Patrick Howard. Your time is running short and you need to simply come to terms with that. I know it can be confusion and most certainly you are feeling a bit of denial. This is normal, in my experience. But believe me, the sooner you accept your reality the easier this will be for you. You must simply accept...your...fate.”

“You are fucking insane, dude. You need serious help.”

Sean felt his heart pounding like he had just run a new PR for a 5K, his breath just barely under control as sweat gathered on his brow and upper lip. He clasped his hands together behind the chair to which he was bound.

“You are not in your right mind at all,” his voice quivered.

“I am in control...completely.” He took a medium-sized knife from the table beside Sean and held it up to the light and directed its reflection onto Sean’s face.

It was at this moment that Sean turned his attention to the duct tape that was tightly gripping his wrists together. He began to twist and pull with what limiting range of motion he had while also trying to limit the appearance of his effort.

“You can try all you want, Sean. You’ll be dead before you free yourself. How does that feel, huh? How does it feel to be so near to your own death? From my point of view, I find it rather exhilarating.”

Sean sensed the light on his right cheek and then it disappeared. He looked at the man as he made his final approach, proudly holding the blade upright. His face tightened and looked focused.

“I know I am near death, and I am scared. That is for sure. Have you ever felt such a level of terror?”

“I’ll ask the que-“

“But I am not dead yet. In fact, I am beginning to wonder what it feels like to be on your side of that knife.”

Sean felt a spark of confidence as he spoke.

“Have you ever been on the other side of the knife? I can only imagine the thrill you are having right now. Look, you’ve got me. There isn’t anything I can do. I’m bound to this chair and am helpless. You got me. I concede it all. You’ve won. All that is left is for you to do away with me as you wish, to garner any thrill that you seek from it. Then what? Indulge me as my last request - what are you going to do after you are done with me?

He stood there quietly, listening to Sean. No one had ever confronted him in this way before. He found the challenge intriguing and even intellectual. As far as cold-blooded killers go, he was still very amateur.

“How many times have you done this?”

He smiled glibly.

“Enough.”

“I am getting the sense that you haven’t done this very much, sir,” Sean finally declared.

“I said enough!”

“I think you are scared.”

You shut your fucking mouth, you shut your goddam fucking mouth!”

Sean relented. The confidence was receding, but still felt he had a foot in the proverbial door.

Sean had nothing to lose. “I think you are scared,” he mumbled.

“I don’t give a fuck what you think.”

“Yes you goddam do! The reason we are both here is that you have some fetish about what I am thinking in this moment! You just told me that!” You care what I think right now and you are scared because you know that I am on to you! Dude, you aren’t good at this.”

Let me go and trust that I won’t squeal. Now there is a thrill for you.”

He paused, walked behind Sean, and cut him loose.