Geof had a passion for cruelty. His blood ran thicker and deeper than any other human being. His resilience to situations that had presented themselves in the past, were not aiding him now in the future.

Psychotic, Psychopathic, Schizophrenic, he had been labelled them all at one time or another. The basic facts were not admissible as clear cut evidence. His view of the not guilty verdict that he had placed upon himself, did not wash with a humanitarian society. His morality was far different from that of any other man. To kill was something of an necessity, just as necessary as it was to breath in and out. It was for such similar acts of preservation, that he felt compelled to punish others for their weaknesses. He felt that they were victims of their own making at which point they had become vile to him. His sole aim, to ride himself of those he felt he had been violated by in passing his own judgements, and serving them their sentences.

This particular evening, he took the subway across town travelling to meet an old friend, who he had not seen in almost fifteen years. Harry had been his best friend and next door neighbour during his time at school. He had moved to New York after graduating from law school, taking a job with the District Attorneys Office. Geof had moved to Boston to fill a position at a local rag, but had recently got an offer to work for , " The New York Observer."

On the journey, Geof contemplated his victims in the past. They had been at random, and he had been unaware that they would become his victims, until the very moment they had displayed signs of being under pressure. He remembered distinctly a young business woman, smartly dressed with dark long hair tied back, and the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. She had approached him at a bar, and offered to buy him a drink, which he had readily accepted. She was slim and attractive, and seemed very in control of the situation she had initiated between them. Or so Geof thought. They had talked for hours about work and previous relationships, until her bleep interrupted the flow of conversation. She had excused herself to use the pay phone. Geof watched her as she mouthed several sentences to the person on the other line, and watched her face crease up with frustration as she became more animated in her body language. She began to hurriedly tuck a piece of stray hair behind her left ear. When the conversation ended, she sat back down shaking a little, and still nervously tucking the piece of hair behind her ear. Geof remembered his feelings of violation at the stress she was displaying in this ritualistic behaviour. She had weakened, and was out of control. He had , had to take control of the situation with only the most sensible of solutions.

Detective Jeb from Homicide division, had been at the scene of the crime. He had taken the details of what he had witnessed before him. A female corcasion in her late twenties, bound by her arms outstretched and head turned to the left to the radiator in her apartment. Her head had been shaved and a sock put in her mouth. She had burns to the left side of her head and upper body, as the radiator had been left full on.

Geof got off at his stop. He found the nearest phone booth and called Harry's office.

" Harry Epsteins Office, how can I help you?"

Must be the secretary, Geof thought.

" I'm an old friend of Harry's, just tell him its Geof Beck. He'll Know."

Self Preservation

"Hello Geof old pal, long time no see. Where are you, I can hear a lot of traffic in the background?"

" I'm in your neighbourhood, and thought I'd drop in to see an old friend."

" Well, Geof lets have lunch in town. I'll get a cab to pick you up."

" Harry, what is that tapping noise I can hear?"

" Oh nothing Geof, I'm just tapping my desk, it's just a habit of stress I guess."