The posters were so inviting. “See the amazing Hamlet,” Egbert Willingham read aloud to himself as his bright green eyes scanned over the large bolded words on a poster. His hot breath seemed to fill the chilly air around him, visible by a puff of fog. He smiled softly to no one in particular as he walked along the snow covered sidewalk, looking around in boredom. After only a couple meters of walking, the large glass doors to the high school appeared before him, shining brightly from the stream of lights hung around them. Egbert walked into the school, not too many people were around so he headed to the back area of the high school, toward the stairwell leading to the back of the auditorium stage.

The auditorium was slowly filling with people from all over town of Mexia. Everyone attempted to escape the cold frosty air outside, in a slow and anxious file into the warmth of the building. Children, men and women crowded around, trying to see the play of the century; Hamlet. The massive auditorium was decorated in dark shades of red and brilliant gold. As everyone settled down, the lights dimmed and the music of the play begin, the orchestra started out with a grand opening. Everyone began to go silent throughout the auditorium.

The curtains began to pull back, actors and actresses were set out on the stage along with props, the dramatic expressions and intense opening scene seemed to captivate the audience.

Egbert could hear the loud voice of an actor, echoing through the auditorium. He stood behind a black curtain, his long black wool coat and his shaggy black hair seemed to allow himself to blend into the curtain. With all of the actors and actresses busy, he quickly grabbed a mask that was sitting upon a chair behind the main backdrop curtain. He secluded the mask within his large coat as he ascended the stairs, going to the main floor of the school. No one was out of the auditorium, so getting into the balcony seating area was easy for him.

The door shut quietly behind Egbert as he entered the balcony. He looked around, seeing a beautiful young woman sitting by herself, he went and sat beside her. The female looked over to him with curiosity but then her slightly pale olive colored cheeks flushed a soft rosy pink, not expecting such a handsome young man to sit beside her. Egbert smiled his signature 100 watt charming smile to the female, knowing that wooing this female would be quite easy. She seemed to just melt into his charm as he softly talked to her, making casual small talk. After a little while of no chatter and watching the play, he looked around, seeing that since they were the only ones in the back row, no one would see his next move. He pulled the mask out from his coat, the movement seemed to catch the attention of the woman beside him. With a dazzling smile he told her that he was an actor in the play, which the woman bought easily.

With a fluid movement he swooped down and kissed the woman, cupping her neck to hold her face to him. Swiftly, he pulled a knife out from his coat. This was the most thrilling part to him. Feeling the slick steel moving through the muscle, the sickly sweet feeling of blood trickling down from the wound, staining everything in red. The thought thrilled him, motivating Egbert to push the knife into the female’s windpipe. He could feel the sharp intake of breath the female took as the knife cut her only supply of air. He thanked the female in his mind for having such long thick hair which covered the knife, unseen by those around them. He kept the females lips to his until she stopped breathing, her last breath rigid and sharp. The metallic taste of her blood filled his mouth, which signaled to him that it was time to go.

He placed the mask upon his face and escaped out of the balcony. Still no one in sight so he continued on his way out of the school. The play had about 2 minutes left until it was through. Perfect timing. He had disappeared around the side of the building, headed to the broken back road just less than a mile away from the school’s parking lot. The fog and swirling frost covered him and his tracks in the darkness of the night. He was just past the parking lot when he heard a loud, blood chilling scream from the building. People began to rush out of the building. The sight of the people scattering like a confused flock of birds caused a wicked smile to form on Egbert’s lips. He hadn’t taken the mask off, it gave him a rush of power and made him feel wicked, satanic and satisfied.