"He's definitely not a human but a monster who brutally kills people and takes their heart."

"Yeah a monster of our creation"

"Why our creation? We were not the ones who turned him into a monster. It's his mentality that got the best of him"

"You don't understand Guss, in some ways we did play with his mentality and made him into a monster. A very greedy one to be more specific."

He's been killing people for 5 years now. People's heart is what he is after. No one knew what the heart collector looked like, he was never seen but rarely heard and when someone did hear him, it didn't always turn up good for them.

The heart collector was somewhat different from the rest of the serial killers ever recorded, the heart collector had no alibi as such, HC killed people whenever he felt like killing and the city crime specialist assume HC to be a psychopath who's obsessed with people's heart because basically he killed people for their red fleshy hearts.

" He's such a hard catch. After all this late night investigations and all I thought we might actually catch him" sighed a tall police man who looked as if he will pass out anytime soon with dark heavy eye bags under his eyes.

"I told you so, he's someone not to be messed with Peter" said the scrawny photographer who was busy taking pictures of the house where earlier an old man was killed and his heart taken.

"When I catch him I m gonna burn him alive" snapped tall Peter angrily banging on the table near him.

Tomato juice dripped down Graces blond hair. She walked down that same boring hall with her head hung low. She stepped out of the school territory and walked down the busy streets where everyone was busy in their own world. It was kind of weird but Grace always felt joy whenever she walked down those busy streets filled with strangers. 

Grace's POV

"Don't worry darling soon I will make you pure."

Today is my unluckiest day, hopefully no one noticed me but it was a close call.

Who is he? No one actually knew about my secrets other than Edwin and Edwin is never the type to play a prank on me. And his voice was intimidatingly hoarse and deep unlike Edwin's voice.

What did he mean? the unknown guy when he said he will make me pure. It was as if he knew my secret. What if he's an undercover cop? No! undercover cops have more important things to do, besides why would the under cops chase after an unprofessional pick pocketer like me when serial killers like heart collector is freely killing people.

I can never forget that voice between the crowds. The voice that stood out the most, the whispering voice sending chills all over my body, my bad I didn't get to see him though.

I will have to ask Edwin to share his pocket money with me for now. I m short of money to pay the rent and no way the cranky old owner is letting me off that easily.

......................

I was wearing a red gown in a red room. Everything in the room was red except for the glass showcase and then I heard him, his whispering voice once again but I couldn't see his face I could only see the silhouettes of his perfect body and I woke up feeling all sweaty in the middle of the night.

Who is he? Why do I hear his voice? The voice that creeps me up but at the same time soothes me in a strange way somehow.

"Edwin why are you always loaded with money ?" I asked Edwin the sleepy head who was at the time falling off his chair.

"I told you about my rich grandfather who is living outside the country who basically looks after me and always send me lumbsome amount of pocket money" Edwin said while playing with his pencil.

I don't know how I met this guy. Edwin doesn't speak much and he's literally dumb but thank to his handsome appearance and a good heart, he has girls fawning all over him. He's a popular guy actually but he's never the type to hang onto his pride, he knows how to keep himself low key.

I still remember that day when I lost my parents, when I had no one to cling onto. Edwin came to me didn't say anything but he wiped my tears and made me feel good. Since then he has always been with me. He supported all my decisions, always made me feel special. I don't know about him but I think I m sooooo in love with him even though I hate this kind of things I can never hide my feelings I have for Edwin.

"Stop staring at me Grace, or else I might get the wrong idea" laughed Edwin mischievously.

Grace quickly looked around pretending to be cool but inside she was burning red. Thank god unlike most of the girls Grace didn't blush that easily.

"Duh I was not staring at you Ed, I was just staring at.."

"At what exactly" teased Edwin.

"The guy next to you" Grace sighed a heavy breath of relief at least she came up with an excuse to save herself from the embarrassment. Grace didn't want Edwin to know how she felt about him.

"That guy, seriously Grace I think I m more capable for you"

"Don't say that" Grace stormed off angrily.

Edwin never doubted Grace's feelings for him. He always teased Grace and in a way it always made Grace happy. Edwin's sweet demeanor and smile could set on Grace's mood for the whole day but no Grace didn't want to feel that anymore because deep inside Grace knew Edwin could never be hers. Edwin was someone else's before her. Edwin had a loving girlfriend. Grace never loved the thought of her being the third wheel between them.

And honestly Grace hated it, why can't Edwin just look at her as a girl rather than a friend?

"Wait Grace, I am sorry, I am sorry thousand times" begged Edwin chasing after Grace.

Suddenly Grace stopped the half way.

"So you forgive me" smiled Edwin.

"No look at this announcement Edwin! it says

whoever catches the heart collector, they are gonna get rewarded with oh my gosh! 1,000,000$"

"Grace you are not doing this right?!"

"Oh hell I am gonna do this, this reward will make my life"

"You don't have to do this Grace"

"Why?! do I have to get your permission for this one as well?"

"No it makes you seem like you love money more than anything else" Edwin shouted angrily.

"Yeah right Edwin, its very easy for you to say because you are so filthy rich and by the way I thought you knew I love money more than anything else" shouted Grace trying not to break down.

"Moreover Edwin I am catching a bad guy, a freaking monster who's a menace to our society and actually its a good thing I am doing this"

"Grace in a way we are all monsters,

I don't get you sometimes there are people who take care of these things. No one asked you to be a hero." Edwin left angrily leaving Grace who was shocked with Edwin's sudden outbursts. Grace has never seen Edwin look so angry and scary before.

"No matter what even if it means to fight you Edwin, I will still have to catch the heart collector. And its not about the money. I hope you understand"

"Its too dangerous for her, why is she so stubborn? Can't she see that I m worried for her?"

"Don't do this Grace, don't get yourself trapped"