Canvas of Shadows

5

Knock, knock, knock.

As if on cue, Lucas Manning was at my studio door.

Before he could speak, I greeted him warmly, "I've decided to give you the interview."

Lucas was taken aback, momentarily lost for words.

Taking a deep breath, I confided in him, "That Christmas, I narrowly escaped death. When Charles Linden had his hands around my neck, I uttered a prophecy, and he let me go. I didn't think much of it then, but 18 years later, I realized its significance. It was time for the prophecy to come true."

"Start from the beginning, take your time," I sighed, pouring us both a glass of water. "Please, have some."

He cautiously watched me drink first before taking a sip himself.

The interview began, and Lucas outlined Charles Linden's background, "Serial killer Charles Linden, responsible for numerous female victims over the years, his spree tracing back to the '80s. The police kept the details under wraps until after his execution, which is when rumors of his 'moment of conscience' linked to you emerged."

"Indeed."

"It's implausible that 'it was Christmas' and 'a sudden change of heart' were his reasons for sparing you."

"Why so?"

"We looked into Linden's childhood. Raised by his mother after his father's death, they were kidnapped, and unable to pay the ransom, his mother was killed. He grew up alone, moving away to work. Such traumatic backgrounds are common among psychopaths."

I pondered for a moment, "Linden mentioned something similar to me."

"Did he confide in you, or did he see you as an ally?" Lucas pressed.

"We were strangers, our meeting purely coincidental," I clarified, keen to distance myself from any wrongdoing, "I'm not his accomplice. I've done nothing wrong."

"So, what's your point in mentioning his childhood?" I redirected the conversation.

"It's to show he had no concept of home or Christmas. For him, seeing others celebrate could have fueled his rage, making the 'Christmas' excuse even less plausible."

I nodded in agreement, "I understand. 'No home, no Christmas' resonates with me. I'm an orphan, abandoned at birth, with no family of my own."