The righteous win and the evil lose. Good always prevails, so where am I in the great balance?

The time for self-reflection over and my mind at ease, I resign to sleep.

Chapter Four

Daybreak has brought me closer to an understanding. I am the checks and balances of nature. I am what remains of them which is not hard to believe, as corrupt as the world is. I am its newest role model. And here I am, alone-

Cut off abruptly, mid-thought...I hear scattered bits of....Spanish? What is that? Quickly peaking from out of the cabin of the boat, I catch a glimpse of movement at the treeline of the beach. I duck quickly out of view.

I crouch, uncomfortably, only to find the discomfort dissipates, replaced with adrenaline. Fight or flight? I look agian toward sounds of splashing. A man has begun swimming, creating significant distance between the beach and himself. A woman runs across the beach to follow and slows as she nears the water's edge. She stops.

They seem to be aged at twenty years or so, athletic and in the nude, meeting my parameters like a decently aged wine. Rising to be seen atop the boat, I stand and wave to her a slow 'hello.' My heartbeat is in my ears.

No. Her heartbeat is in my ears. Fight or flight has been confused with another primal urge, the thrill of a hunt. The tan brunette smiles a greeting and takes a step in my direction, but I smell her hesitation before she realizes it herself and she pauses mid-stride.

A modest fifty yards apart, our eyes meet. As a doe to headlights, I have frozen her in her tracks. I watch her eyes as they slowly gaze down my form. Her eyes widen and lock at the sight just past my waist.

My senses perk. I listen as the man continues to swim, completely unaware. Only seconds have passed. Every muscle in my body waits patiently for the sake of timing. Her look is not of puzzlement but of something else. As vivid in my senses as if I were licking her face, I can taste her fear. Does she know this dance? Will she allow me the first move?

A new sense of calm quickly paces my adrenaline enriched heart. My breathe controlled, shallow now and slow. As I exhale, my muscles constrict in anticipation of movement.

I take a quick glance toward my water-locked friend and observe his thought process. Even at so great a distance, I see his realizations evolve as he is enlightened with the current predicament.

Looking to her, he slowly follows her gaze. His mind immediately registers what she has known for several seconds, yet she still remains statuesque. He's a hundred yards or more in distance from her, she's in shock and I have a knife.

Timing is to be marveled upon yet never forced, patience. I run full force toward my newest friend as she makes a fledgling attempt to run to the water and a false sense of safety.

What a great sport has fallen into my lap on this beautiful morning I think to myself, as I close in on my kill. She got no more than a few yards into the ocean and a wave mockingly washed her to my feet.

Taking a final glance at the man swimming to her aid, I serenely smile in his direction and I begin to make short work of her. Once he has reached the shore to save her...I'll have finished her just in time to greet him.