text: Mr. Hendrick was driving home from work alone at night in his old silver Corolla. Hanging on the rear-view mirror was a bottle of liquid perfume that he shakes once in a while to get the scent running. Sarah put it there because she said that his car reeks of cigarettes. He always plays “Pink Swimsuit Lady” by The Headlooms on his way home, a song he often heard when he was a kid. The road home was dark as there were no streetlights. The only source of it was from his headlight. While swaying to his favourite song, in the beam of his headlight, he saw a girl who looked to be in her teen years waving frantically on the side of the dark road, signaling Mr. Hendrick towards her. From his perspective this is oddly suspicious. *A girl? At night? In the dark?* He thought. But her face was in a panic. He couldn’t ignore her if he wanted to. What if it is a matter of life and death? “What’s wrong?” He asked when he stopped near her. “My fr- friend,” she gasped for air. “He’s injured. Can you please help me?” “Where is he?” He asked, turning down his music volume. “He’s in there,” the girl pointed over her shoulder. It was the woods. She was pointing in the woods. “In the woods? What are you kids doing in the woods at nigh-” He stopped. “Alright. I’ll call an ambulance.” “No please!” She shrieked. “We need to get him to the hospital now! Waiting for the ambulance would take forever! Please help me!” “Alright- alright, I’ll help,” he surrendered. He got out of his car with the engine running. “Hurry, lead the way.” He followed her in the woods. He could hear his car whirring getting farther and farther until it fades. “How far?” He asked. “Not far, just ahead.” “Oka-” He was hit by a blunt object on the back of his head and fell on the ground not completely losing consciousness. “Ah! What the fu\*k?” He grunted and another blow from the object rendered him unconscious. He felt his body being dragged. He felt them tying his hands above his head on a pole. His eyes were heavy, no matter how hard he tried he could not open them. He heard people talking but their voices are muffled, the side effects of being hit on the head. “Are you kidding me?!” a boy’s voice said. “He’s the only one we got! It’s a slow night,” the girl replied. The one he encountered before. “That’s Sarah’s dad. How am I gonna look at her face after this,” the boy said. “The good thing is you don’t have to ask for his permission when you want to marry her,” she said. “A- Alan? Is that you?” Mr. Hendrick said. Gathering all the strength he has to open his eyes. He saw two people talking in front of a small bonfire. He recognised the boy’s voice. It was Alan. Sarah’s boyfriend. “Hey Mr. Hendrick. Sorry but this is a huge misunderstanding,” Alan replied. “Wh- what are you doing in the woods?” Mr. Hendrick asked. “Where are my clothes?” He realised that he was bound naked on the pole, except for his underwear. “Sorry for the misunderstanding Mr. Hendrick. I’ll untie you,” Alan replied. “No you won’t,” the girl said, pointing a dagger towards Alan. Alan raised both of his hands and backed away from Mr. Hendrick. “What are you doing, girl. I came here to help you,” Mr. Hendrick said wearily. “Sorry it had to be you, but you’re a father and we need that right now,” she replied. “You needed a father?” he said, unimpressed. “Do you tie all your daddies like this?” His wits coming back to him slowly as his mind got clearer. “No,” Alan interrupted. “We need your... heart...” “My what?!” Mr. Hendrick exclaimed. “Well, you’re a father and we need that. See, the ritual said that we need a virgin’s blood, a mother’s liver, and a father’s heart.” “Why are you explaining this to him?” the girl asked frustratingly. “He deserves to know.” “He doesn’t need to know this. He’s gonna die anyway.” “Why don’t we talk about this?” Mr. Hendrick interjected. “Nope. The longer you talk to him the more attached you’re gonna be. I’m gonna end this now.” The girl sprinted towards the quarter naked man led by the dagger in her hand but was pushed aside by Alan. “What are you doing?!” The girl screamed. “We already got the virgin’s blood and mother’s liver. This is the last one!” “Oh god, the two missing persons cases. You two were behind it?” Mr. Hendrick gasped. “Poor little Anna Karin and Mrs. Durden!” Alan and the girl kept their mouths shut and stared at the ground. “I want to be famous,” the girl said meekly. “What?” Mr. Hendrick asked. “I’m doing this because I want to be famous!” “You want to get famous for being a murderer?” Mr. Hendrick asked in confusion, cocking his head. “No, the ritual we’re doing is going to grant us wishes. And that is my wish.” “Oh god. What about you Alan? What’s your wish?” “I... I want to be rich,” he replied. “So I could take care of Sarah.” Mr. Hendrick looked at the little murderer in awe. “That’s kinda sweet. But you know what’s not sweet? Killing Sarah’s father.” Mr. Hendrick said. “Come on, let me go, Alan.” “I don’t know, I’m scared now. What if I let you go and you rat me out to the police? I don’t want that.” “I won’t do that, I promise. Just untie me and give me back my clothes and get me the hell away from her. If people see me in underwear with an underage girl, people are gonna talk,” he pleaded. “I’m twenty,” the girl said. Mr. Hendrick just looked at her. Not replying to that statement. He turned his head looking at Alan. Alan was in deep thought. Wondering whether he should let him go or get his heart. In Alan’s head right now, he’s making a mind map of pros and cons of letting Mr. Hendrick free. He would get Sarah all for his own if Mr. Hendrick was out of the picture. But he will feel guilty for the rest of his life. He would get his wish and become rich and maybe that’ll soothe his guilt a bit if he spends some of his fortune on Sarah. His mind is set. He’s gonna kill Mr. Hendrick. “Give me the knife.” The girl handed the dagger gladly, smiling an evil smile. Alan walked closer towards Mr. Hendrick. “Wait. Alan. Please. I’m begging you. Please. Who’s gonna take care of Sarah when I’m gone?!” Mr. Hendrick panicked. “I will,” Alan replied. Mr. Hendrick screamed in pain as Alan struck the dagger in his chest. He then proceeded to carved around the heart, snapping the rib cage protecting it. Mr. Hendrick was in excruciating pain. Alan was surprised that he had not passed out. Until he does. In front of them were the blood of a virgin, a liver from a mother, and a heart from a father. They both held hands while chanting gibberish. “Hey, where did you say you got this ritual from?” Alan asked the girl in the middle of a chant. “Wikipedia.