Jack the Baker

The pink haired girl closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door.

I had been waiting by the window for hours, for that stupid little girl to go to bed.  I crept up to the house, dressed up in all black and a ski mask, silent as the night itself.  All I had to do was sneak into the house, grab all the valuables and get out.  Simple.

I had been scoping out this house out for weeks now.  I know where all the cameras are set up. No one, but an old man and his pink haired granddaughter lives here.   He won’t wake up.  And even if he does, I pat my silenced pistol concealed in my jacket.

I dodge though the yard avoiding the cameras. I creep up to the front door. I pick the lock and I’m in.

The house is as nice on the inside as I thought it would be, though it is dark so it’s hard to tell.  I start looking around for anything valuable.  Nothing, but vases too big to carry.  I look into the kitchen.  Jackpot.  The kitchen is a mess with cupcake batter, but is also stockpiled with nothing but the best cooking utensils.  Rows of the most beautiful knives.  The old man must be a collector.  I slip the knives into my bag.  I see a metal door with an old fashioned lock.   This must be his safe room where he keeps his money.

If I could only find the key, my eyes close in on a bookcase.  An obvious hiding spot.    I look though the books, there is a My little Pony storybook, a children’s cookbook and an anatomy book.  One book is hollow.  I open the book and find the key.  Success, it fits the lock.  I put down the book and walk through the door.

In the room sits a lot of metal chests and jars.   My greedy heart is beating at a mile per minute I just hit the mother-load.  No more robbing houses, or kidnapping.  It’s all over. I get to retire.  I open one of the chests.

And I horrified at what I find inside.  “What the hell is this!”  I yell as I stumble away from the contents of the chest.  It was full of jars upon jars of human organs.  Kidneys, hearts and I don’t know what else.

“Well well well, it seems you’ve discovered my little project,” said the old man.  He’s standing at the entrance, supporting himself with a cane, blocking my exit knife in hand.  I pull my gun on him.  “Old man you just brought a knife to a gun fight,” I say shakily.  The old man flicks his hand sending the knife though the air impaling itself into my hand.  I yell out in pain as I drop my gun.  The old man pulls out his next knife.

“Well it seems I haven’t lost my touch at all,” Jack the Ripper said with a smile.

I lay bound, gagged and blindfolded up on the floor, the stone cold against my skin.  I can hear the sound of water dripping.  So thirsty.  Why did I decide to rob this house of all places?  Why did I decide to become a thief?  I should have stayed in school.    I could have been anything I wanted.  If I never got Rose pregnant.

But then I would never have had Katy would I?  The only ray of light in my life.  So such a shy kid, But so full life.  Eleven years old in two days.  Or maybe it was today.  I can’t tell how long I’ve been in here for.  Am I missing her birthday?  Is she worried about me?  She should be.

I’m never gonna get to see her again am I?  Why did I decide to become a thief?  I should have stayed in school.    I could have been anything I wanted.  If I never got Rose pregnant.

  I hear soft footsteps approaching.  That maniac, he’s gonna pull my arms off one at a time and drop me off in a ditch somewhere.  I struggle against my bonds.  Hopeless.  I should just give up now.  I probably deserve this.  I’m no good.  I’m a terrible person.

I hear a creaking sound.  The door opening?  The old man’s come to finish me off at last I guess.   Maybe it’ll be quick.  I doubt it.  All I can do is sit here.  Damn it.

Footsteps coming toward me I brace my body, not that it will do any good.  He’s right next to me now.  He stands there for a second.  And then he speaks.

“Are you ok, Mister?”  Says the sweet voice of a little girl.

“Whmm?” I try to say.

“Hang on lets get this gag and blind fold off you.”

I feel a pair of tiny hands tugging at my blindfold and gag.

“Katy is that you?”  I ask

“Who’s Katy?” said the girl.

It’s the granddaughter of the ripper.

“Why are you helping me?”  I ask.

“I don’t want grandpa to kill you.”  She says simply.  Still trying to untie my knots.

Sounds like a good reason to me.

“What’s your name?” I ask

“Enough about me, lets get out of here.”  She says

The two of us sneak through the basement trying not to wake the old man.   We walk in silence, well I walk in silence, and the girl is humming some cheerful tune like this some sort of game.  It’s at this time that I get a good look at this little girl, she’s wearing a pink dress and she can’t be any older then twelve.  She does look a little like Katy, with the pink hair, but different eyes.   Not hazel but shocking blue eyes, like her granddad.

“Grandpa left your bags in the kitchen.”  Oh yeah the knives.  I guess I can still grab those on the way out.  Some water would be nice too.

  “Don’t worry about grandpa waking up.  He said he doesn’t wake up during the day, just at night.  You could scream and he still wouldn’t wake up, trust me, I know.”

Well that’s good to know.  Maybe I’ll be able to grab more stuff on the way out.

“In all honestly, grandpa has probably forgotten about you, he’s getting old ya know.  Doesn’t have time to play with me anymore either.  Just sits and reads now a days.  Leaving me to cook and clean to my self I just made a new batch of my super special cupcakes and-”

“Yeah that’s great kid,” I say not caring in the least.

At last we’re in the kitchen.  My bag is on the countertop next to a new batch of cupcakes.  I look at the cupcakes greedily; I haven’t eaten in days “You mind if I have one?”   “No, not at all take one, take one, and have some water too”

I grab one and take a bite out of it.  It’s a weird flavor for a cupcake.  Kind of bitter sweet.  I chug down the cupcake and about three mugs of water.

“Aren’t you gonna have one?”

“No I just ate.”  She said reading a page from her cookbook.

“Suit yourself then.” I say in reply

After eating I go to stand up I stand up to leave. I turn to face the girl to thank the girl.   I’m feeling kinda light headed.

“Are you feeling all right Mister thief?  You probably ate too much to quickly.  Lie down on the counter you’ll feel better in a minute.”

The room begins to spin and my legs begin to wobble.  I feel like I’m going to faint.  Then I remember the cupcakes.  “Why?” I manage to say as I fall to the floor.

The last thing I hear before I pass out is the girl signing,  “ You could have at least passed out on the counter.  Now I have to lift you up there.”