Guro, Claire Eleonor S.

SED 151

The Man Behind the Mask

Source: Google Images

“May 24, 2003, 8:47 a.m., Ms. Hannah Anderson, 34 years old, and 2 children, 12 years old and 9
years old, both female, were found dead with multiple stab wounds on the heads and body inside
their property…...”
I heard him say but I just couldn’t bear to hear anymore words. I can’t continue to open my ears
and hear my wife’s death and my children. My eyes were swollen but tears just keep pouring down
from the nightmare I had through that night. I felt my whole body was shivering until I heard the
lawyer called my name.
“Mr. Richard Anderson. With all due respect, I just want to ask what happened the night before
the day the police discovered your murdered family? Where were you and how were you able to
survive?” he spoke with firmness in his voice and seemingly await my response. Even though my
body was shaking, I still gave effort to open my quivering lips and spoke.
It was about 5:00 in the afternoon when I was out from work. After half an hour of driving, I
reached home. I parked my car in front of the house and walked towards home. When I opened
the door, I saw my two little girls playing with their dolls. As I walked inside the house, I knew
my wife, Hannah, was cooking for supper for I can smell the food from the kitchen. I quickly set
down my things and went to the kitchen. She was already setting the foods on the table. I hugged
her at her back and kissed her on her cheek but she remained silent.
“How was work?” she asked.
“Still the same. What ‘bout you? I heard you were promoted?”
“Ah. Yes. Just earlier this morning.” She replied as she finishes setting the food. “C’mon, let’s
eat… Sheena, Molly, dinner’s ready.”
We finished the food and got ready for bed. Hannah was a bit cold today but it wasn’t new to me
anymore. For the past 8 years of our marriage, we really had it rough.
Hannah was preparing for bed when I heard her phone rang and a text popped from the screen. It
was from her boss, congratulating her with her promotion and asking her if she liked it. She picked
her phone swiftly and from the looks of it, she was texting back. I felt something was stinging my
chest and I felt the heat was rushing towards my head.
“I thought you were not in contact anymore?” I asked Hannah with a firm voice.
“We were... But things just can’t be helped. He’s still my boss.”
“But we already talked about this Hannah... You can’t just do what you want.” I spoke as my voice
was starting to raise.
“I’m doing my best already Richard… for our children! I don’t need your control... If you hadn’t
gave me such rough living that time, I should have been happy... With you!”
Then suddenly, a slap broke down the argument. I had slapped my wife on her cheek yet no distinct
pain was showing from her face and no tears was forming from her mad eyes. After a while, she
quietly went to bed and closed her eyes as if nothing happened. The words that went out of her
mouth pained me that my hand quickly moved for itself and that happened. We went to sleep
together on the same bed, yet with heavy hearts and distant to each other.
The night was deep and quiet when I heard Hannah outside the room talking with someone. It
disturbed my sleep. I slowly opened my eyes and checked the clock, it was only 2:05 am. I got out
of bed and quietly checked out my wife. She was talking with someone over the phone. She was
crying and as if begging for something. I couldn’t hear clearly what they’re talking about but a few
moments later, Hannah stopped sobbing and I saw her smile, and she spoke. I may not hear what
she said but I clearly saw she was telling “I love you” over the phone. I got enraged with anger
and when I was about to walk towards her, I heard a crash from the window. Someone broke in
our house! My wife screamed and attempted to ran towards the room but she was suddenly pulled
back using her hair. I heard her muffling and calling for help. I came into my senses and made the
courage to ran towards my wife and see the intruder. I saw him. A man wearing a black jacket and
pants, and a black mask that covers his face. He has a knife beside him as he choked my wife to
death. I tried to stop the man but he was too strong! He could even use his right hand to slash the
knife to me. I was being wounded for I saw blood rushing down my body but I couldn’t feel the
pain. My mind was blank and all I could think of is the desperation to save my wife from this man,
not until he used the handle of the knife to smashed it on my head. I fell down the floor and I just
couldn’t move! Even though my sight was blurry and spinning, I still forced myself to keep the
murderer at my sight. I saw him – stabbing my wife over and over again. I wanted to scream but
no voice was coming out of my mouth. Then he stood up and went to the rooms. I knew the killer
killed my daughters as I heard both of my daughters screaming. I forced myself to stand but all I
could manage to do was crawl, until I lost consciousness.
I heard footsteps as I gain my consciousness. I felt my body ache, but I could already move. I
opened my eyes slowly and saw the man pulling my wife and my daughters outside. Tears fell
from my eyes and I enraged in anger! I ran towards the man and manage to pull out the mask he
was wearing.
“He was Barry! He killed my wife! He killed my children!”
“So, you mean Barry, your wife’s boss, was the one you saw who killed your wife?”
“Yes! He did!” I cried as I spoke.
“And you’re saying that you took the knife from him and stabbed him?”
“Yes, I killed him.. In return for killing my family!”
“But Richard, there was no sign of someone breaking in your house and no window was broken,
unlike what you have said..”
“NO! That’s not true! I saw everything!”
“And Barry, there’s no trace of him in your house. You were the one that was discovered with a
stabbed knife in your left artery. You stabbed yourself Richard. And the wounds around your arms
and face were from the scratches of your wife’s nail. I knew you were under depression because
of your wife’s affair and it must’ve triggered you leading to hallucinations, Richard. I knew it
would lead to schizophrenia. I should’ve acted more early. I’m sorry Richard.”