The Rivals Adrian Belfast sat transfixed in front of his computer working on his latest creation. Adrian was an aspiring writer. He had been writing now for a little over five years time, and the progress that he had made was evident. He went from writing nothing more than pointless drivel to some really compelling pieces of literature, at least he'd say so. He was especially drawn to the fantasy and horror genres. The piece that he was working on at this moment actually happened to be horror in nature. To say that Adrian was a driven lad would perhaps be a bit of an understatement. He relished the opportunity to share his works with others, which is why he joined an online writer's community. Just about everything about Writers Of Tomorrow.com resonated with the college student; from the private email accounts to the way reviews were handled. Even when getting spammed, Adrian would look the other way as if it wasn't that big a deal. As long as he was improving his craft, nothing else really mattered. Then something happened. It was a regular day, just like any other day. Adrian was surfing his newfound writers community for some good fiction to read when he chanced upon the work of a fellow named Lucas Slaughter. Upon reading Lucas' bio, Adrian discovered that Lucas attended the same university as he did and was also interested in reading and writing horror fiction. Adrian's interest was piqued. Upon further inspection of his bio, Adrian noticed that Lucas was one year his senior. Well let's see how good this cat really is, thought Adrian to himself. And so Adrian busied himself reading over the work of Lucas Slaughter's, and to his utter and complete astonishment, the cat--as he so eloquently put it--turned out to be quite the writer. His stories, thought Adrian to himself as he continued to read through a work of Lucas', they are so full of the inexplicable and unexplainable. Raw emotion fills every corner, every crevice. The man is a poet if there ever was one. How could he possibly get this good being the age that he is now? It was a mystery to the young Adrian Belfast. It would take years to develop this kind of talent, thought Adrian to himself. Where did it come from? Indeed. It seemed to Adrian that Lucas had matured well for someone his age. I must meet him, he thought to himself. So Adrian busied himself with writing a review for one of Lucas' horror stories. He praised it wholeheartedly, saying that it was some of the best--if not the best--unpublished fiction he had ever had the chance to read. But while one side of Adrian could not help but to heap praise upon praise on the works of Lucas Slaughter, another side was seething. It's unfair, thought Adrian to himself, as he pounded the desk with his fist. How can he be so good, at such a young age? Then the thought came that perhaps the problem lies not with Lucas, but with himself. Maybe it's not him, thought Adrian to himself. Maybe it's me. Perhaps Adrian Belfast doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Lucas Slaughter, he thought. Now the young Adrian drifted into a long and lasting depression. His face fell into his hands all while the computer screen still shone with the works of Lucas Slaughter. Adrian fell asleep at his desk. He was glad to put such a devastating night--in the intermediate years of his aspirations to be a writer--behind him. Adrian had discovered that Lucas was on the journalism team at the university and was set on meeting him after he finished going to all of his classes. Adrian had three classes to attend, Speech 101, Math 113, and English 150. All through those classes, however, his focus was intensely on meeting Lucas. He could care less what was going on in class when there was someone out there--and so close, mind you--who commanded the English language like Lucas did. Finding the journalism room was easy enough. Adrian had walked past it a number of times in his tenure at the university. When he got there, a number of individuals were huddled around in a circle discussing issues relevant to the newspaper, such as politics, rate increases in tuition, and things of that nature. A lone young male stood from his seat to question Adrian. "Can I help you?" said the unknown young man. Adrian was at first at a loss how to form what he wanted to say. He then summoned up enough courage and spoke. "I'm hoping that you can. I'm looking for a Lucas Slaughter," said Adrian with a bit of uncertainty. "That's me," said the young man. "I'm Lucas Slaughter." Adrian's first impression of Lucas were that he was an incredibly good looking young male, with nary a blemish on his white cheeks. I guess that's something else he's beaten up on me with, thought Adrian to himself. He was quite disgusted with his perceived impotency. "Could I talk to you for uh--oh I don't know--a few minutes?" Lucas looked around at his group for approval. No one seemed to object. "Yeah sure," said Lucas. "I'll be right out." Adrian waited in the hallway for Lucas to arrive. He had not practiced in his head what he wanted to say. The thought had come earlier on that perhaps spontaneity would be best in this situation and Adrian had succumbed to it. Lucas came out of the classroom in a short while. He had his backpack strapped along his shoulders. "So--you wanted to see me?" "Yes," began Adrian. "I did. My name's Adrian, Adrian Belfast. Look--I know that like--we're total strangers and all, but I just had this incredible desire to want to get to know you." Here the expression on Lucas' face was one of bewilderment. He had no idea what Adrian was trying to say. Adrian saw this and sought to correct it. "Perhaps it would be best if I started here then: I'm a writer, and last night I saw some of your writings on the Internet. Now--" "--Ah, so that's where I recognized your name from," said Lucas with a sigh of relief. "You're Adrian Belfast, the guy who sent a review to my short story last night." "Yes," said Adrian. "Well, put er there!" said Lucas as he reached for Adrian's hand. Adrian was a little put-off by this but shook his hand anyway. "Hey, look here, that was some awful nice things you said about my story. I was especially moved when you said, 'In my opinion, this should be in print.'" "Yes, well--it was a really great story." "So," began Lucas as he elbowed Adrian in his rib cage, "you got any plans for later on tonight?" "Tonight?" began Adrian. Adrian hadn't anticipated this. He only wanted to get to know Lucas a little, possibly get him to look over some of his writings to offer a suggestion here or an evaluation there. Adrian was silent for a short while. Acting impulsively, he thought, might prove to be the way to go. It's always a good idea to keep your enemies relatively within reaching distance, he thought. "Nothing," said Adrian Belfast. "What did you have in mind?" Adrian was online again. He was currently looking over even more of Lucas' works. One story, in particular, caught his interest. It was about a young man who walked unseen to the human eye, but not by science, mind you. It was through social conditions. Incredible, thought Adrian to himself. If I could only manage to secure a fraction of the talent of this here gentlemen I'd be set for life. Adrian, though, didn't have too much time to read through stories on the Internet. He had to meet Lucas at the journalism room at 7:00. Lucas--it seems--was putting on a recital at the edge of town and he wanted Adrian to partake of his glory. What an egotistical son-of-a--that won't help matters much, thought Adrian to himself. It was 6:45. Adrian had to get ready. Lucas had inquired if Adrian had a shirt and tie, and of course a nice pair of pants. Adrian did--in fact--have quite a few of them. He put on his favorite ensemble and headed out of the door of the dorm. There was a few mischievous youngsters in the hallway, one young man chasing another here, another young man spanking another young man with a towel there. Adrian made it to the journalism class with time to spare. Lucas was waiting for him. "I see you made it," said Lucas. "Yup," said Adrian. "I sure did." "You ready to go? It never hurts to be early." "Sure," began Adrian. "We can leave now if you wish." Lucas led Adrian to a brand new--at least it looked brand new to him--baby blue Porsche. "Wow," said Adrian. "This is your car?" "Yeah," said Lucas, grinning from ear to ear. "You like it?" "'Like it?'" began Adrian. "I've always wanted to drive in one of these babies." "Well, tonight you'll get your chance," was Lucas' reply. To say that Lucas pulled out of the parking lot speedily would be an understatement. He commanded that baby blue Porsche with such speed that Adrian was concerned for his safety. He quickly buckled his safety belt, something he never did upon entering a vehicle. But--as they sped along--Adrian began to notice the rather pecuiliar way Lucas was able to handle the vehicle, even at such inflated speeds. This too--like many other things--piqued Adrian's interest. "Aren't," began Adrian, "aren't you worried you might get pulled over?" "Taking this route?" was Lucas' reply. "Trust me, the cops don't waste their time cruising down these streets." And so Adrian Belfast and Lucas Slaughter made their way to a posh recital hall at the edge of town. There was quite a good number of people there. Lucas--it turned out--was not the only person who would be performing at this recital. There were two other individuals. An acquaintance of Lucas' mentioned this to the pair as they mingled, something Lucas was so inclined to do. He was also quite instrumental in getting Adrian to open up to some of the guests. One lady, in particular (a Mrs Parker) talked endlessly with Adrian and Lucas (though predominately Lucas) over a variety of things pertaining to the arts. The time eventually came for the performances. Adrian was quite excited. He had--in his younger years--studied some piano, but he had long since given it up, on account of how difficult it was to learn the instrument with any kind of adeptness. The first two performers were quite good, Adrian decided. The first performer played a few pieces of Chopin for the audience, while the second performer played some Beethoven. Both selected Etudes. Adrian had heard the songs before, and had even attempted to play them. He clapped his hands at the conclusion of each of their respective performances. Then it was Lucas' turn. He came out from behind the stage, looking oh so confident, or at least that is what Adrian perceived. He took his seat and immediately began playing Prokofiev's Piano Sonata #1. Adrian was quite familiar with it. He had tried to master it many times. But this fact was far from his mind at the moment, for Lucas' playing was breathtaking. It was an incredible performance. Lucas showcased another amazing talent. Adrian was again torn by two emotions: one was wonder and the other was disgust. He must've been playing since he was three years old, Adrian thought. At the conclusion of the piece everyone erupted into riotous celebration. Lucas' next piece was Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C Sharp Minor. It was his concluding piece, and an apt one at that. He performed it well enough, but what really stood out for Adrian was the fact that Lucas was playing the piece exactly as Rachmaninoff himself played it, right down to pitch, tone, and anything else you wanted to throw in there. Adrian was able to decipher this because he remembered listening to Rachmaninoff's recording over and over again in his younger years. This is amazing, thought Adrian. Everyone gave Lucas a standing ovation at the conclusion of his performance. Adrian made his way to the entrance of the recital hall, awaiting Lucas' return. He then noticed he and Mrs. Parker heading toward him arm in arm. The trio continued their conversation about the arts from earlier. Finally, it was revealed--through Mrs Parker--that Lucas had been adept at playing the piano for only a good three years time. "--Three years?" broke in Adrian. Mrs Parker turned and looked toward Adrian, in a startled manner really. "Why yes, my young Adrian. But he's quite the virtuoso, isn't he?" He's been playing the piano for just three years, thought Adrian. He was aghast. Lucas was busy smiling to himself and chatting it up with Mrs Parker to pay too much attention to the expression on Adrian's face. After a time, when the crowd began to thin out, Lucas mentioned to Mrs. Parker that it was time for him to retire. "Well, we really ought to be going, Mrs. Parker," said Lucas to the old woman. "It was really nice meeting you," said Adrian. "You too, sweety," was Mrs. Parker's reply. The duo left the recital hall. There wasn't too much of anything of importance being discussed in the ride back to the university. However, Lucas did mention how grand it was to play in front of everybody and the like. Adrian mostly stared out of the window, replying with "uh huh's" to just about everything that Lucas would say. However, it just so happens that after a short while, a thought came to Adrian and he had to air to his newfound buddy and rival. "Lucas?" "Yes, Adrian?" "Umm--how long have you been writing?" "Huh? Oh, a little over three years." "Three years?" "No. A little over three years. Why do you ask?" "Uh huh," was Adrian's reply as he placed his face in his hand. The two got back to the university speedily, on account of Lucas' incredible proficiency for driving at such extreme speeds. Lucas mentioned how they had to hang out again, and said that he knew a club on the westside of town that would be perfect. "You wouldn't happen to have any plans for tomorrow, would you, my newfound buddy and pal?" said Lucas as he patted Adrian on the shoulder. "No, I'm free tomorrow too," said Adrian, trying to smile, but not quite being able to. A lie, he guessed, would probably be detected. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow, at the same time." And with that, Lucas left, throwing his keys into the air and catching them again. Adrian entered his dorm. He immediately began fumbling under his bed for his diary. He had a lot on his mind and he was determined to express it using the written word. What he wanted to say came out smooth and fast, with hardly a misstep. I met someone new today. I met a young man whose named Lucas Slaughter. He is--my rival--in every sense of the word. I must best him! It's true, I will admit that he is currently on another level than I. It's as if his progress as it relates to all things considered delicate and time consuming--in the simplest sense--is extreme. But my dear friend Lucas has plenty to fear. I will concede that his talent is extreme, but I can be just as--if not more--talented than he. This I am most sure of. I made a decision late in the evening. I'm going to take up piano again. I was formerly engaged with the instrument for many years until I decided to give it up, but Lucas' playing has reawakened that desire. I want to beat him at his own game. I will defeat him. This is the pledge I make to myself. Adrian placed his diary back under his bed, yawned, and fell asleep with the quickness. The next morning came, and--as it so turns out--Adrian didn't have any classes to go to that day. So he mostly filled out the day on the Internet reading more of Lucas' stories. He was currently engaging in a plan of attack. He'd read through a story and write down those things that stood out the most, such as characterization, plot, setting, and so forth. He'd also pull up one of his stories on the computer and compare the differences between the two styles. Presently he shook his head in despair. A head to head comparison between the two authors revealed much in the way of just how much more developed Lucas was to Adrian. Adrian also planned to ask Lucas for some pointers on how to succeed at writing. He'll be assisting me in his own demise, thought Adrian to himself as he chuckled. Night fell quickly and Adrian had to pull himself off of the computer in order to get dressed for the night's festivities. He quickly took a five minute shower and then put on his favorite sports wear, a basketball jersey and some matching shorts. He exited his dorm and made his way to the journalism class. Lucas was waiting for him. "Ah, my good buddy and pal Adrian," said Lucas as he slapped Adrian's hand for five. "You ready to party?" "You know it," was Adrian's reply. The two made their way to the baby blue Porsche and just like that they were on their way to another night of thrills. Adrian remembered from Lucas' antics yesterday that it would be best to buckle his safety belt. Lucas--he noticed--was carefree in terms of his safety. Wouldn't it be something if he flew through the windshield, he thought. I bet that would get his attention, the irresponsible son-of-a--. He caught himself. With the way Lucas was driving, it didn't take him long to make it to the club. The club, as it has been mentioned, was on the west side of town. There was quite a lot of people there. However, Lucas didn't have too much trouble finding a parking space. "Get ready to meet some of the prettiest girls you've ever seen," said Lucas. "Right," said Adrian. Perhaps now wouldn't be a good time to inform his newfound buddy and rival that he'd never been on a date before. He sighed to himself, low enough that Lucas couldn't hear it but loud enough that he could. The pair entered the club. There was a great intermingling of people inside of the club. There was some dancing, some sitting at the bar ordering drinks, and some sitting at the many tables. Lucas led the way to a section of the club that wasn't completely populated with individuals. The two took a seat. "I'll go fetch us some drinks," said Lucas. "Umm--ok," said Adrian. Now would perhaps be a good time to tell him that he'd never really been keen to drinking alcohol, but he held his tongue. Adrian took in the scenery. He noticed early on that there really was quite a lot of good looking women in the club. A good many of them, though, seemed to already be talking to men. Adrian did catch sight of a table of all females who seemed to be chatting amongst themselves and paying no attention to anyone else. I wonder if they're lesbians, Adrian thought to himself. Just then Lucas came back with two beers in his hand. "Here ya go, buddy," said Lucas. "Thanks," was Adrian's reply. He sipped the drink and produced a disgusted look. Lucas, however, was too busy checking out all the women to notice. Adrian thought that this would be a good time to ask Lucas about any suggestions he might have for improving his craft. "I was thinking, Lucas, about my writing. What kind of suggestions would you have for a budding writer like myself?" "Well, what kind of stories are you interested in writing?" said Lucas as he drank some of his beer. "Like you I'm also interested in the horror genre," said Adrian. "Ah yes, the much maligned horror genre. You know, the critics don't look so favorably on us horror writers, save for the works of Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe." "Yeah," said Adrian. "It's like that with the fantasy genre too. Tolkien doesn't get the respect that he deserves." "Well, I don't know too much about the fantasy genre," said Lucas. Finally something that he's not well-versed in, thought Adrian. What a relief. "But if you're looking for advice you've come to the right place. The first thing you've gotta keep in mind is that you have to read and read exhaustively. I was reading horror stories way before I started writing them," said Lucas. "Uh huh," said Adrian. "I read from time to time." "See, that's your problem. You read from time to time. I read everyday. Everyday I'm discovering some new magic by an author, and not just horror authors mind you." Adrian made mental notes of everything that Lucas said. If only he knew the quagmire that he was getting himself into he'd retract all of his statements, thought Adrian to himself. Inwardly he was mocking Lucas. He had even managed to put on a small smile. Finally Lucas finished giving advice and his beer as well. "So," began Lucas, "you spot anybody that you're interested in?" Adrian wasn't prepared for this. He just sat there dumbfounded for a second before Lucas pressed the matter even further. "Come on, man. There has to be somebody who's number you'd like to get." "Well," began Adrian, "those girls sitting at that table over there seem attractive enough." "Aww yeah," said Lucas. "They're hot. Let's go see if we can get those digits." The duo headed for the table populated with the women whom Adrian wondered if they were lesbians. There was three of them. All though--seemingly--were taut toward Lucas and none were interested in Adrian. At least at first. "Hiya, ladies!" said Lucas. They replied in kind. "My name's Lucas. What's yours?" "I'm Donna," said one. "My name's Crystal," said another. "And I am Edith," said the last. "You ladies having a good time?" said Lucas. "Oh yes," said Crystal. "This is one of our favorite spots around town." "Let me introduce you to my pal and buddy here. This is Adrian." Adrian waved hello to the trio. They responded in kind. "It's nice to meet you," said Adrian. "The feelings mutual," said Donna. Lucas then took over the show. He asked the ladies what school they went to and all of them said they went to Summit University, a school that was located in a suburb of the city. He then went on talking about how he was on the journalism team, and how he had a baby blue Porsche, and how he played piano, just about anything that he could think of that would attract them he spoke it. They were quite interested in what he had to say. Adrian, on the other hand, was quite disgusted, with himself and with Lucas. Just who does this guy think he is, he thought. He then rolled his eyes when Lucas mentioned that he was an aspiring writer. What a load of crap, thought Adrian. "You know, ladies," said Adrian, "I'm an aspiring writer too." "Really?" said Donna. "You two are like two peas in a pod." "Yeah," began Lucas. "Adrian's great. He's a great guy to be around with." Too bad I can't say the same for this glory hog, thought Adrian. Finally, the moment of truth came: would Lucas be able to get their numbers? "Ok ladies, I think it's about time we headed on out of here, I've got class in the morning. But I'd love to get back in contact with either of you. How about we exchange numbers?" "Well," began Edith, "I already have a boyfriend, but I'm sure Donna and Crystal wouldn't mind." And so thus it was that Donna exchanged numbers with Lucas and Adrian exchanged numbers with Crystal. "I'll definitely give you a call," said Lucas. Donna smiled. The two waved good-bye and left the club. "Well," said Lucas, "that went rather well wouldn't you say?" "Yup," said Adrian. "See? There wasn't anything to be afraid of. You were a little timid, weren't you?" said Lucas. "How--how did you know that?" said Adrian who was a little soft-spoken. "Oh, I could read you like a book, my dearest pal and buddy," said Lucas with a smile. "But don't worry, you did well." That's only because I wasn't allowed to talk, you knuckle head. The trip back home seemed a little unusual to Adrian, because Lucas appeared to have something on his mind. To put it plainly, he wasn't his normal cocky and brash self. I wonder what's bothering him, thought Adrian. The two made it back to the university unharmed, despite Lucas' antics. When the car finally settled to a stop, Adrian thanked Lucas for another eventful night. He also said that this need not be the last time they hang out together. "We definitely have to do this again," said Adrian as he opened the car door. "Adrian," began Lucas, "sit down for a second." He was dead serious and that disturbed Adrian. "Why?" said Adrian. "I just wanna--you know--talk for a little while, about something important." "--Ok," said Adrian. "What about?" "Listen, Adrian, there's something I have to tell you--" "Ok--" said Adrian. "I'm listening." Oh great, here we go, thought Adrian to himself. I wonder what this could be. Is he bisexual, thought Adrian. Oh my God I sure hope he isn't about to come on to me! "It's something I've never told any other human being before--" said Lucas. "--Ok," said Adrian. Oh great, here it comes, thought Adrian. Lucas seemed at a loss for words. Clearly this was something big, otherwise he'd be able to just come right out and say it. "Go ahead," said Adrian, cringing. "Adrian I'm--I'm not like you." "--Ok," said Adrian, trying not to show his discomfort. "Adrian I'm--I'm not human." Adrian just looked at Lucas for a short while. Not human, he thought. Give me a break. "Nice one," he said. "You had me thinking that you were bisexual and all, but I have to give you props on the joke. It was classic." Adrian then began to open the car door again but Lucas beckoned to him once more. "Adrian, I'm serious," he said. Adrian sat back down. "--Ok," said Adrian. "You can't be serious, right? How can you not be human. You look like a human. You act like a human. How can you not be a human?" Lucas was looking lowly towards the ground. "Me looking and acting like a human has come from many years of me perfecting the art of a chamaeleon," said Lucas. "--Ok," said Adrian. "Prove it then. Prove to me that you're an--an alien." He could hardly believe what he was saying. Of course Lucas was a human. Lucas looked up at Adrian and for the first time Adrian saw a humbled spirit in him. "Fine," said Lucas. "I'll prove it." Lucas quickly looked around to see if anybody was watching him, he then closed his eyes and spoke these words very loudly. "Hung ching gon nee larl vo wacun!" Adrian was beyond startled. What kind of language was that? Could it have been spoken in an alien tongue? Adrian wasn't too inclined to believe it. "I," began Adrian, "I--I need more proof." "Fine," said Lucas. "You want more proof. Here's your proof." Adrian now found himself staring at a blue skinned man with sharp pointed ears. He could scarcely suppress a scream. "Shh, quiet!" said Lucas, as he changed back. "I don't want anyone else to know!" "Why are you telling me all this!? Why me!?" "Because--I've always wanted to be able to share with someone who I really am, and I haven't been able to do that--that is, up until now." Suddenly, it began to make sense to Adrian. The reason Lucas excelled so well at what he did was because he's been around so long to perfect it. "So," began Adrian, "that's why you're so good at--at writing, and music, because you're an--alien?" Lucas nodded. "How old are you?" "Very." "Ok then," said Adrian, who was feeling a little more comfortable around him, "how long have you been on this planet?" "Hmm," began Lucas as he stroked his chin, "about seventy-five years." "Gee," said Adrian, "you're old." "Yup," said Lucas. "But now you have to promise me something. Promise me that you'll never tell anybody about this. Do you promise?" "I promise," said Adrian. He didn't even need to think about. Who would believe him anyway? "Well," began Lucas, "this has certainly been an interesting night. How about we go bowling tomorrow? My treat." "Sh--sure," said Adrian. "Why not." "Good," said Lucas. "I'll see you tomorrow at the same time." Adrian was alone in his dorm looking at the stories of Lucas again. But now he was looking at them with a newfound perspective. So the reason he writes this well is because he's been doing it for so long, thought Adrian. But that's not fair. He's cheating. He shouldn't be allowed to cheat. No one should. I can't cheat, why should he be allowed to? His mind was working in overdrive. Clearly he's going to be published one day. And what about me? Certainly I'm good enough to be published, right? But how would the public perceive my writings in comparison to Lucas'? My work would be inferior. I can't have that. I won't have that! But what could I possibly do? It's not like I can stop him--or can I? No one would be the wiser. I've only known him for a few days. How many people would be the prime suspect in the murder of someone they've only known for a few days? I mean, thought Adrian to himself, the guy proved that he's not human. What if he's checking us out? I might be defending the earth from a possible invasion. The odds were heavily in his favor. Someone like him shouldn't be allowed to live--someone so gifted. I must do this. Thus, Adrian went to his closet and pulled out a knife that he had received from boyscouts camp one summer long ago. He headed straight for the dorm administrator's office. "Hello," said the female administrator. "How can I help you?" "Hello," said Adrian. "I'm looking for Lucas Slaughter's dorm number. Do you think that you could maybe help me with that?" "I can," said the administrator. "It will only take a second." In truth it took about thirty seconds. The administrator had to type in the name Lucas Slaughter and the information had to be processed. Finally she told him to go to dorm number 314. "Thank you." "You're welcome." There were students in the hallways. Adrian wasn't concerned about anyone catching a glimpse of him committing murder, but he did stop to think about something unforeseen: what if he has some one in there with him? Finally, he came up with the idea that he'd just came to Lucas' dorm to ask him to speak in that alien tongue again, because he was so fond of it the first time, which was a lie. When Adrian made it to Lucas' dorm he discovered that the door was unlocked. Typical, he thought. Well, I bet he didn't foresee this doom, thought Adrian to himself. He opened the door, incredibly slowly. No one was down the hall on either side. Lucas was lying there, in bed. Adrian walked inside. He then locked the door. He made his way to Lucas' bed. "Good-bye, you egotistical son-of-a--" He took the knife and slit Lucas' throat right then and there. Lucas convulsed, but his eyes remained closed. Red blood oozed from the wound. His blood is red, Adrian thought. Maybe it's just because he's in chameleon form. Lucas stopped convulsing. He checked his pulse. Lucas was most definitely dead. He smiled to himself, wiped off the knife on his bed sheets, and hurriedly made his way out of the dorm. "The case regarding young Lucas Slaughter," said the reporter, "is still pending as police have yet to name a suspect in the murder. In other news..." What I did I did for the safety of the human race, thought Adrian. And, for my own profit. I couldn't possibly let him best me. Adrian thought himself completely justified, that is, up until a thought came to his mind that he didn't foresee. But wait a minute, what have I done, thought Adrian to himself. What was I thinking? God help us. 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