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creepswrites · 8 months ago

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RED CHRISTMAS | Billy Lenz

this story was one of my favorites to work on that never got as much attention as i had hoped so... here's hoping a rewrite will do it some good! as always, i'll link the original here if you want to go back and see what i've previously done for this story :) jsyk i will likely do something with billy x reader in this universe later if this rewrite does well!!

BILLY LENZ + SORORITY GIRLS

SUMMARY: Her sorority sisters always teased Jess for being an affectionate person. She was sympathetic and cared deeply about people. So seeing Billy cry felt wrong. Like it wasn't something he'd meant to do nor had he in a while, which broke her heart a little. She didn't know his past but if he had nobody looking for him, no idea how he got here, and acted out emotionally then…

Maybe he didn't have anybody at all.

WARNING: child abuse & neglect, graphic violence, talk of abortion

From within the shadows of the messy closet, Billy stood squeezed into the shadows. Green eyes bore holes into Claire Harrison, watching her every move as she packed her bags in preparation to leave for the holidays. Christmas was coming and many of the sorority girls had made plans to leave - Billy knew this, had heard them talking through the floor or on the phones. Sneaking in hadn't been difficult in the first place, not for him anyways. Attic windows were rarely locked. He'd only been here for a few days though, which meant the girls were still unpredictable. But that was fine. He could change that easily.

People were predictable when they were afraid.

His phone call earlier had really rattled them all, especially Claire. He'd been calling the sorority house for a few weeks but only just recently snuck in, a bold move he didn't normally go for. There hadn't been any rhyme or reason to choosing these girls though. Maybe parts of them reminded him of Agnes, of his mother, or of something entirely different. But here they were and here he was.

The little girl in the park had been an accident. Just an accident, he swears. She'd caught him sneaking around and he had to kill her or else he'd get into trouble. Billy didn't want to be in trouble. Mother would get angry and then she'd–

The sound of Claud's meowing had Billy jolting back to the moment, his breath hitching as Claire gravitated closer and closer to his hiding spot in the closet. His heart began to pound as she reached inside to grab one of her many dresses just as he lunged for the girl's throat. The two stumbled to the floor and the force of the landing knocked the wind out of the poor girl and she was knocked out cold. Billy stared at her, feeling his whole body shake as he crawled up her body to examine her face.

Plain but pretty. Brown hair, big sad eyes, and cheeks flushed from exertion. She reminded him of–

Billy sat back on his knees, his hands trembling violently as he buried his face in his hands, fingers sliding up to grip at his hair. Whimpering, he shook violently as he waited for the adrenaline to come down. With still-shaking arms, he lifted her up into his arms like she was something precious and fragile before creeping towards the door.

He could hear the girls downstairs chatting and laughing, which he took as his cue to escape. The attic door had been left open to make his transition easier. Billy was stronger than his lankier appearance let on, making it easy to lift the girl up into the attic and slide the door shut behind his feet.

The attic was dark, dusty, and quiet. Just the way he liked it. The wooden planks on the floor gave him tiny splinters for him to yank out with his teeth, cobwebs covered all the old boxes and props, and the window panes that somehow weren't cracked were cloudy from years without cleaning. It felt just like home.

A sole, wooden rocking chair had been set up by the old window, creaking as the slight draft swayed it back and forth. Billy sat Claire down in the chair, tying her torso and limbs to it. He wrapped a cloth around her mouth to prevent her from screaming if she awoke and did his best to ignore the way his hands shook. She definitely looked like how–

Mama had to be in her usual spot, Billy thought to himself as he began searching for the doll he'd stolen borrowed stolen from the little girl in the park borrowed. Right by the windowsill with Agnes, just like he remembered. Giggling to himself, he set the ratty, bloodstained doll in the girl's lap.

Despite her resemblances, Claire was softer and kinder than his mother had been. He'd heard the way she talked to her friends or her boyfriend. Warm and loving, accurate only to the version of his mother that Billy had invented in his mind. She was always sweet and good to Agnes, he remembered that clearly. He remembered sitting at her feet just like this, watching her rock the baby by the window as the snow fell.

But Billy always made her angry, always in her way somehow. He remembered the way her face would twist and contort whenever he so much as entered the same room as her. As though simply asking to share her space was an insult that Billy could never hope to apologize for. She would scream at him, cursing him for ever being born, and laugh when he began to cry.

She wasn't yelling now, Billy focused back on the little doll. He was in control now. His mother and sister were gone. He was in control now.

"Little baby bumpin', daddy's gone a-huntin', gone to fetch a rabbit skin to wrap his baby Agnes in…" His scratchy voice sang out into the dirty, dusty space. He pushed gently on the chair to rock it slowly and fixed his eyes to wear the girl's shoes scuffed at the floor. Mother never let him look at her, he reminded himself.

Hearing the muffled sounds of voices coming up the stairs, Billy lifted his head slowly. He listened to doors close, likely just the girls disappearing into their rooms, and crept towards the attic door. He knelt to press his ear to it, nervously humming and chittering to himself as he did.

Calling the sorority house had been stupid, Billy hissed in his mind. "Stupid, stupid Billy," he whimpered, banging his head once against the door, wincing when it rattled. He never should have done that, so impulsive and stupid, said Her voice in his head.

"Hello, Peter?" A soft voice trickled through the cracks of the door. Billy froze to listen better. "I just want to talk to you." The girl - Jess, he recognized - was talking to her boyfriend. Peter had only been over to the house once, on Billy's first night there, and he despised the man. So rude and repulsive to look at. Always talked down to the girls and thought himself the smartest in the room always.

Billy opened the door just a crack to hear better. "Nothing's the matter, I just need to talk to you. In person. It's important." Jess said with a small sigh. Billy didn't need to see her face but he could picture her exhausted eye roll. Barb had been on the receiving end of that look one too many times. But he knew what Jess was talking about.

He'd already heard Jess talk to Phyl about the pregnancy.

A part of him wanted her to get the abortion too. Recalling his own childhood, remembering Agnes' life, he didn't want to see Jess turn into his mother. Though he could stand to see her annoying boyfriend meet his father's demise - dead in a river, body not recovered for three weeks. At that point, he and his mother had been halfway across Canada, away from it all.

Maybe it would do Jess some good to embody his mother just a little bit.

"Peter, it's important!" Jess insisted, frustration now evident in her town. "I'm not telling you over the phone because this needs to be in person, don't you get that?"

Billy didn't feel in his own body as he crept down the ladder, landing on the ugly carpeted floors with a soft thud.

"Peter-!" Billy heard the phone be slammed down as she angrily hung up. He crept towards the banister of the stairs, staying crouched down as he observed Jess wrap her arms around herself. She threw herself against the couch with an exasperated huff. "The nerve of that man…" She grumbled, arms crossed in frustration.

She noticed movement on the stairs and lifted her head, expecting to see one of her sisters.

Both Jess and Billy jolted in surprise when their eyes met. "Oh, are you from the party?" Jess asked, not noticing the way Billy's breathing picked up. "You should head home, it's late." She rubbed her tired eyes for a moment and then paused. "Unless, um, you're keeping one of the girls company?"

Normally she didn't mind whatever boys her sorority sisters invited but something about this guy staring was… honestly creeping her out. He looked dirty and startled but not outwardly dangerous at least. Lord knows they had enough on their plates with The Moaner calling every other night.

Billy hadn't moved nor blinked. She could see him and that made him real… Did she know about Mother in the chair upstairs? Did she know-?

"Hello?" Jess called softly, getting up off the couch and approaching the stairs slowly, like he was a startled animal. Her expression morphed from confusion to concern as Billy just nodded quickly, chewing on chapped lips like he was struggling not to smile.

Surely she knows, Billy whimpered quietly to himself as he began to yank hard on his hair. She's only asking to see if he'll lie and then she'll-

"Do you need help?" Jess's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts and his head snapped to the side to meet her concerned face. She was crouched beside him now, a look of quiet worry to her that reminded Billy of his social worker.

When had she come up the stairs?

"Help." He repeated, mimicking her tone effortlessly.

They both startled at that. Alarm bells were ringing in Jess's mind but she ignored them, reassuring herself that everything was fine. "Do you know where you are?" She asked gently, looking him over for head injuries.

Billy hated that look. He quelled the urge to dig his fingernails into her neck by digging them into the thick fabric of his sweater sleeves instead.

"No." He said through gritted teeth, eyes locked to the floor as he stood up in such a fluid motion that it reminded Jess of a cat.

He wasn't supposed to be found. He hissed, white-knuckling his hair and yanking with a muffled grunt, trying to ground himself. Why had he climbed down, what was he doing, everything was going to be ruined-

Jess shot up to take his wrists, clearly alarmed. "It's alright," she soothed, tugging on his sleeves gently in hopes he'd move his arms with her help. Billy watched her with wide, fearful eyes and it tugged on her heartstrings just how fearful the man looked. "I want to help."

For a second, Billy believed her. Jess seemed kind and concerned for him. His eyes flickered back and forth between her eyes as he let her guide his hands to his sides.

"Do you want something to drink? Maybe sitting down will help." Jess kept her hold on his wrist loose as she guided him down the stairs towards the kitchen, uncaring of the scratchy feeling of the strange man's sweater.

The kitchen wasn't anything phenomenal - plain but useful, currently decorated to the nines for Christmas like the rest of the house. It was a dingy white from years of use and the floor had been smoothed down in patches that were commonly used. The piping was poor and the dishwasher often broke. But it was functional.

Jess busied herself with making hot cocoa as her guest sat down in one of the old dining chairs near the doorway. His eyes bore holes into her in a way that made her skin crawl.

But he was interesting. The green turtleneck he wore reminded her of Peter a bit but the messy, dark brown curls set him apart. Green eyes were slightly obscured by hair and they darted aside whenever she attempted eye contact. He looked like he was covered in dirt and dust, like he'd been crawling through the attic.

Something about him made her feel equal parts sympathetic and afraid.

She sliced into the warm cinnamon coffee cake Barb had made and snagged one of the bountiful candy canes from a nearby jar. They'd been set out for the party but few people had actually taken one. For such a staple of Christmas, they weren't very popular. But Barb's cake was, as there were only a few slices left on the cake tray. She drummed her fingers anxiously while she waited for the hot chocolate to warm up in the microwave. As a last ditch effort, she began humming a soft melody to try and ease her nerves.

His gaze never left her. She could feel it the entire time.

Finally, everything was ready and she brought the assortment of treats to the little dining nook table where her impromptu guest sat, chewing anxiously at his knuckles as she approached. "Here you are," she joined him at the table while setting things down. "We have marshmallows and whipped cream if you want that too. I wasn't sure of your preferences."

Billy gave the food a once-over before deeming it safe. He'd seen her prepare it and it was unlikely that it would have been fed to guests if it was full of rat poison. His stomach churned slightly at the memory of his mother's cooking. So he took the offered fork with a shaking hand and began to dig in like a man starved. Which he was, technically.

Jess, meanwhile, watched with concern as he dug in. "Well, I didn't think Barb's baking was this good." She chuckled nervously. "Do you, um, know your name?" A part of her was very worried the man had some time of head injury or amnesia that was causing him to act this way - wild, out of control, whatever it was. It was too snowy out to take him anywhere but she'd brave the icy streets if this man needed medical care.

He froze and stared at her again though his gaze no longer unsettled her. But he seemed afraid of her, which troubled Jess. "...Billy." He stammered before busying himself with the cake again.

"Billy." She repeated. Billy liked the way her voice sounded - smooth and gentle, like a fireplace that warmed the whole house. "Well, it's nice to meet you Billy. I'm Jess."

Setting the fork down on the now-empty plate, Billy tilted his head curiously. "Jess," he mimicked her voice back.

She startled, giving him an amused smile. "Yes. And- And do you know how you got here, Billy?"

He stared at her blankly for a long, very awkward pause. The only sound was the soft rustling of plastic as Billy unwrapped the candy cane and stuck it in his mouth. "No." Which wasn't a total lie. He didn't know how he got here but he remembered the moment he realized where he was.

Jess nodded along, drumming her fingers again. A nervous tic Billy picked up and began to do as well against his leg beneath the table. Mirroring people was the best way to put them at ease, in his experience. It made him easier to relate to, easier to understand. People didn't look at him as weirdly when he reminded them of themselves.

"I see," Jess said with a troubled look on her face that made Billy's stomach churn. "Well, is there anyone I could call? Someone who may be looking for you?"

Again, his insides churned. "No." His voice was muffled around the candy cane, obscuring the way he mimicked her accent. Smooth, a nice cadence to it. She sounded like some of the ladies in his mother's TV shows from Europe. British, maybe?

Jess frowned and Billy's heart pounded. He'd given the wrong answer, said the wrong thing, now she would-

"Billy!" His mother's shriek grated on his ears. Agnes was sobbing uncontrollably in her arms, a poor two-month-old thing that was barely more than a bundle of blankets.

A twelve-year-old Billy stood in the center of the kitchen, head hung in shame. But his guilty look didn't calm her wrath nor did it earn him sympathy from his stepfather sitting in the living room just a few feet away. "Yes, mother?"

"I told you I don't have time for chores with Agnes around now! So why am I seeing dishes in the sink and a mess on the table?" She spat at him, trying and failing to soothe the wailing baby.

Billy frowned. "I-I didn't know, mother. L-last week you said-"

A harsh slap hit his face in record speed, leaving him whimpering and near tears. "I know damn well I didn't just hear backtalk from you, Lenz. Bane of my damn existence, why the hell can't you be more like your sister?!"

"Because she is a baby." Billy said plainly, keeping his eyes on the floor in a futile attempt to not anger her further.

He didn't know, at the time, that was the wrong thing to say.

"Billy?" Jess's voice shocked his system, making him yelp in surprise when she reached across the table and placed her hand over his. She was looking at him with worry again and it made him want to rip her face apart. "Are you okay?"

Billy lifted his head, blinking slowly. Her face appeared blurry for a moment and it wasn't until he blinked that he felt tears fall down his cheeks. No words came out and he didn't move an inch.

Jess did though. She rose from her chair while still holding his hand and got him to stand. Despite the height difference, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

The sensation made Billy want to throw up. Voices of his mother shrieked in his head to stab her, be done with her. Jess had clearly seen too much and now she had to be–!

"You can sleep on the couch for the evening," Jess said, unaware of Billy's internal turmoil. "In the morning we can talk about what to do. It's too cold out to think of going anywhere at any rate." She offered him a small smile as she stepped away and back into the living room like nothing had happened.

Her sorority sisters always teased Jess for being an affectionate person. She was sympathetic and cared deeply about people. So seeing Billy cry felt wrong. Like it wasn't something he'd meant to do nor had he in a while, which broke her heart a little. She didn't know his past but if he had nobody looking for him, no idea how he got here, and acted out emotionally then…

Maybe he didn't have anybody at all.

"I'll go grab some blankets and spare pillows from upstairs. Make yourself comfortable!" She called over her shoulder before ascending the stairs towards the little closet at the end of the hall. As she was retrieving the blankets, she felt a cold breeze brush against her and make her shiver. Looking up, she noticed the attic door was open. "Honestly, Barb and Phyll should've shut this when they were done getting decorations," she sighed loudly while closing the door. "We'll all catch colds leaving it open like that."

When she came back downstairs, Billy had made himself comfortable on the couch, staring blankly into the fire and only looking up when she'd called his name. "I brought you things," she said before passing him the aforementioned pillows and blankets. The candy cane was still in his mouth.

The sight was a little ridiculous, she smiled to herself while watching her strange guest make a little pillow and blanket nest in front of the fire with such tired eyes. Yet still so much energy untapped and withheld in them.

She reached out without thinking and brushed a lock of brown hair away from his face, making them both freeze to stare at each other, neither daring to move. Jess cleared her throat. "Um, if you'd like to shower, I may have some spare clothes ups-"

A knock at the door made Billy let out an ear piercing scream, like he'd been stabbed. The candy cane - now sharpened to a fine point - was brandished like a weapon as he stared at the door.

Jess had let out a surprised yelp herself in unison with Billy. "It's alright, it's alright," she soothed immediately while trying to breathe her heart rate back down. "It's probably just some late night carolers." Billy stared at her with a horrified look and she gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll go send them off, don't worry."

When she went to the window to peel back the curtains, she found a very familiar man standing there, only waiting another second before knocking again impatiently. "Peter?" Jess frowned before looking back at the couch. Billy had retreated into the kitchen, now stood tucked behind the doorway like a frightened child. "It's alright, it's just Peter. He won't bother you." Leave it to Peter to show up at the worst times, she thought to herself as she unlocked the door. First he tells her to wait until tomorrow evening and now he's suddenly very interested in what she has to say? Honestly, it felt like he loved that piano more than her sometimes.

After a bit of a jiggle of the tricky handle, it opened. "Jess! Leaving me to freeze out there? After I came all this way?" Peter huffed dramatically, shrugging off his jacket and pushing past Jess into the sorority house like he owned the place.

Jess crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "I didn't think you'd be coming. After all, you made it quite clear you needed rest for tomorrow."

"Well, you piqued my interest," Peter said with an insincere smile. "'sides, I can't sleep if something's on your mind. What's going on?" He frowned as he took her hands in his, swinging them lightly. Jess could tell when he must've noticed Billy based on the anger on his face. "Who's THIS?"

Jess glanced over her shoulder and Billy now stood in the doorway properly, sharpened candy cane gripped like a knife as he glared the other man down. If looks could kill, Peter would be ash at Jess's feet. "That's Billy," she sighed, "He's from the party we had earlier."

Peter huffed. "So what's he doing downstairs with you all alone?" His concern was grating and Jess just shut her eyes to mask her exasperation. "Jess, sweetie, if this man's bothering you, just say the word and I'll-"

"Pig bitch." Billy grumbled under his breath, barely audible.

But Peter spun on him instantly. "What did you say?"

"Nasty, filthy, PIGGY BITCH!" Billy shrieked at Peter before stuffing the candy cane back in his own mouth and retreating into the kitchen, clicking off the light to hide in the darkness.

Peter's threats were like white noise as Jess stared into the darkness of the kitchen. That voice. That phrase. Only one person she knew said that. The Moaner. The horrible, awful Moaner on the phone who had been calling them almost nonstop and he was in their house. Had been in the house for who knows how long. And she'd fed him and offered to let him spend the night?!

She felt like she was going to faint.

"Jess, do you need me to kick this guy out for you?" Peter looked down at her, horrified. "This guy's a psycho, clearly. Which one of your sisters even invited him?"

None. Because he wasn't a guest. But Jess didn't say that.

But now she had a choice to make: tell Peter about the phone calls, the Moaner, and how for the past week Billy had been calling their house and disturbing them all with his snorting and screaming and sexual innuendos. Or. Or she could tell him about the baby. Ignore Billy's antics for now and tell him she wasn't keeping the baby.

Jess took a slow, deep breath before taking a seat on the couch and continued weighing her options. If she said something about Billy, Peter may try to pick a fight with him. A fight she was uncertain he'd win. Her boyfriend wasn't exactly scrawny but if Billy intended to make good on his promise of killing them, then she wasn't sure about his odds. But something about Billy felt like a walking contradiction of himself at every turn. He screamed about how 'nasty' they all were yet cowards in fear when Jess offered him food. He yells bloody murder at a knock on the door but squeals like a pig over the phone.

The psychology major in her was suffocating her to learn more. It was like the perfect opportunity had fallen into her lap and she needed answers. Billy came here for a reason, surely, and he didn't seem intent on killing them. Was it a cry for help? Something more?

She had to know.

So Jess steeled herself and let out the breath she'd been holding. "I'm pregnant."

Peter's eyes went wide for a moment before a delighted grin spread on his face, making Jess's stomach sink. "Well, Jess, that's wonderful!"

She shook her head. "No, it's not. I don't want it, Peter." She'd been afraid of this reaction, silently hoping he'd be as opposed to having it as she was. "I'm planning on getting an abortion soon."

Peter stared at her like she'd grown two heads. "What?"

Her arms crossed over her chest in attempts to mask how bad she was shaking. "I'm not keeping it."

A painfully long silence passed as Peter joined her on the couch, staring her down with a scornful look. "Jess," he said, voice eerily calm, "Listen to me very carefully. You are not going to abort that baby."

Jess turned to him with wide eyes. "Excuse me?"

"We'll get married and you'll keep the baby. It'll be perfect!" Peter smiled like he'd come up with the perfect answer. But all Jess felt was nausea.

"Peter, I don't want that. I have things I want to do, a degree I intend to earn, and things I want to do with my life. I don't want to play housewife for you with a baby I don't want and put all my plans aside." When she stood up to walk away, Peter grabbed her wrist tight. "Let me go-!"

"No, listen to me!" Peter practically snarled, voice oozing with malice as he glared her down. "You don't get to decide-"

"SHUT UP!" A shrill voice called from within the kitchen. It was the only warning before a glass cup smashed into the side of Peter's head, breaking into shards that scratched his cheek as they fell like a waterfall to the carpeted floor beneath their feet. Billy stumbled out from the darkness armed once again with the candy cane. He started babbling nonsense, running his hands through his hair and grinding his teeth as meaningless words fell from his mouth. "Shut your NASTY, disgusting, greedy mouth!" Billy hissed as he clutched the makeshift knife, growling like an animal as he tried to hold himself back.

He wanted Peter dead. Nasty, stupid Peter who wanted to ruin a poor girl's life with a disgusting, ugly brat. A mistake, a burden, another Billy Lenz.

Peter recoiled with a cry, clutching his face as blood oozed down his cheek. Jess checked him over for any other injuries before turning to Billy. "Billy, stop, you don't have to-!"

She didn't get the chance to say anything more, since Billy interrupted her with another eat-splitting shriek before he bolted for one of the throw pillows and began to stab into it with the candy cane over and over. Feathers flew everywhere and tears streamed down his face nonstop. He grit his teeth to keep himself from sobbing.

…

"Billy, don't!" His mother pleaded and sobbed as he struggled with her on the floor, rolling in the wrapping paper and ribbons that had been tossed aside once the gift was unwrapped. Blood already began dripping on the carpet from Billy's hands, staining the soft beige a dark red. "Billy, sweetie, it's alright-!"

Her hands were futile to stop him. He was clever now, sixteen this time and unable to stop his own crying. It wasn't his fault. She let out a grunt as Billy pressed the sharp tip of the candy cane closer and closer to her face. It wasn't his fault. Her gasp of horror as it hovered over her eyeball. It wasn't his fault. He closed his eyes and, with a bloody squelch and a cry of agony, he dug the candy cane into her skull. Hot blood got everywhere as it fountained out almost comically as her eyeball burst.

When she stopped gurgling, he stumbled towards the kitchen to grab the frying pan, tossing aside the eggs and bacon that had been cooking on it just before he'd slammed his stepfather's face onto the hot stove. He limped back to the living room and stared the woman down with a deadpan face. She looked crumpled and ruined, like a bloody rag that hadn't been washed.

He raised the pan over his head like a baseball bat and swung down.

…

"Billy!" Jess called out, wrapping her arms around his chest and pulling him away with a groan. "Billy, what's gotten into you?"

"He's a psycho, Jess!" Peter screamed, still clutching the cuts on his cheek. They weren't thick, more just grazed than anything, which was lucky. "He's a psycho and he's going to kill you!"

Billy flailed around, dropping the candy cane in the fray. "Stupid, ugly, DISGUSTING Billy!" He shrieked out in a high, nasally voice while trying to shake out of Jess's hold as she dragged him across the floor. His sobs wracked his body and made it hard to fight back.

Jess shook her head, lost in her confusion. She acted on instinct, kneeling beside Billy and pulling him in for a hug, letting him wail on her back with his fists and alternating between biting at her shoulder and trying to scratch at her. This, shockingly, wasn't new to her. She'd volunteered at a few special needs schools before and had worked an internship at a nearby hospital. This type of behavior made everything click in her head about how to help.

So she stayed there, running gentle fingers through matted hair and shushing him. "Easy, easy, it's okay," she soothed gently.

"Jess. the hell are you doing?! Get away from this guy, let's call the cops!" Peter roared and making Jess flinch.

"No, it's okay," she insisted, still holding onto Billy as he wailed on her. "It's okay Billy, you're okay now. Everything is going to be alright." She repeated over and over, smiling as the man began to settle in her arms, whimpering and sniffling.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Peter whispered in horror as Jess continued to pet him.

She really, truly, did not know.

…

"I'm pregnant!" Constance Lenz beamed at her boyfriend with all the joy of a little girl on Christmas. She and her boyfriend had been trying for ages now to have a child and finally they were successful. "The Lord wills it, blessing us with our own baby." She'd cooed, already fawning over her barely-showing stomach.

Meanwhile, the little eleven year old boy remained tucked away in the attic, ear pressed to the floor as his mother gushed about the existence of her first baby.

Her previous husband - Billy's father - had died of a "heart attack" not long after Billy turned six and the two had moved far away to "get away from the bad memories," or so his mother said. As if Billy hadn't been in the room, weeping as she smothered his father to death and fled to Canada in the night.

At first, Billy hated her and the incoming baby. Yet another sign that he wasn't wanted, just a roadblock in her life that she'd remove one day like she'd removed his father.

But Agnes had been precious. Small and fussy and Billy had been enamored with her immediately. He began the risky move of sneaking out of the attic just to go visit her, careful of his dirty, splintered hands and dusty clothes. He'd sneak food and water and visits to his baby sister while she slept peacefully in her crib.

Mother insisted Billy stay away from her. "She's too good for you," she'd hiss whenever Billy was summoned to do chores while Agnes napped. "You'd be wise to make sure she never has to see your ugly face."

For years, Billy suffered the abuse while watching Agnes grow up loved and looked after. She had birthday parties and family vacations while Billy had spiders and cold winters.

One Christmas morning when Agnes had been five years old, Billy had had enough.

Of course, she'd never met him before. But he knew her. He watched her while she slept from inside her closet or from the cracks in the attic floor like a protective guardian and was so, so attached to her. She flourished while he suffered and his adoration of her made it all worth it.

He was completely forgotten now. Stripped of personhood, just a memory his mother had locked in the closet. By the time Agnes had been three she stopped even calling Billy down for things. It was like he wasn't there at all. Two years of isolation and neglect and it all finally snapped.

So there he was. Sixteen and staring down at his kid sister as she played with her toys by the Christmas tree. Their mother lay dead amongst the wrapping paper with her skull smashed to bits by the frying pan that lay cast aside. Her father sizzled away on the stove as he bled out from his neck, which Billy had jabbed with a candy cane before going to town on his back with knives.

Billy stared, his own hands still wet with blood when he approached her on shaking legs, trailing blood behind him while she played with pretty, frilly dolls.

Agnes looked up at him with a soft, youthful face that screwed up in confusion. She wouldn't recognize him, he knew that. Even if it made him want to stab her along with them all.

"Little baby bumpin', daddy's gone a-huntin', gone to fetch a rabbit skin, to wrap his baby Agnes in," he sang quietly while lifting her up into his arms, staining her little white dress with red-pink streaks. He took a seat in their mother's rocking chair with a manic little giggle, like he was breaking a rule by sitting there.

Agnes just slumped against him, still fiddling with her doll's hair.

Billy stared ahead at nothing, just repeating the lullaby over and over. Tears fell silently down his cheeks as he clung to his baby sister like a lifeline.

The police found them like that. Cuddled together by the Christmas tree like it was a perfectly normal morning. "Agnes," Billy whispered in her ear as the police drew their guns, "Don't tell them what we did, Agnes."

...

Billy came back to the present moment to the soft sounds of Jess humming and stroking his hair in a nervous motion. He lifted his head and stared at her with bleary eyes. "Billy?" She asked when he finally looked at her. "Are you feeling better?"

He didn't say anything. Just slumped back down on her shoulder and bit hard into the thick wool of her sweater vest. "Mm-mm." Billy grunted.

"What did you say?" She asked, keeping her voice light.

"Agnes," Billy choked back another cry. His frantic babbling started up again but Jess was quick to soothe it down. "Little baby bumpin'..." Billy cooed quietly to himself.

"He's insane, Jess." Peter said unhelpfully. "Listen, I'm gonna call the cops and they can ship him back off to whatever asylum he came from." He scoffed as he looked down at the pair on the floor. "Lock him up and throw away the key as far as I'm concerned."

Billy's head shot up. "No!" He shrieked, turning to Jess with fearful eyes. "No! No! No!" He fought against Peter, who grabbed his shoulder to drag him away from his girlfriend.

"Peter-!" Jess protested, stumbling to stand to try and stop him.

Then, like angels descending upon them all, Barb and Phyllis came downstairs, still dressed in their nightgowns. Their mouths fell open in shock as they watched Peter and Billy wrestle to the floor and Jess dart over to stop Billy from absolutely wailing on him. "We, uh," Barb swallowed, "We interruptin' anything?"

Jess let out a sigh as she, once again, pulled Billy away. "I- See, it's-"

"Jess," Peter shot out before she could speak, "Is trying to play mother hen to this psycho!"

Barb looked Billy over with a thoughtful look before shrugging. "Eh, I dunno, any enemy of Peter's a friend of mine."

Exhaustion swept over Jess. What a world where the Moaner was in tears in her arms as she tried to keep him from beating up Peter like she was scruffing a misbehaving cat.

"Jess, what's going on?" Phyll, ever the voice of reason, piped up from beside Barb.

It was going to be a very, very long night.

#🔪 creeps writes #slasher fanfiction #billy lenz #jess bradford #peter smythe #phyllis carlson #barbara coard #agnes lenz #claire harrison #black christmas 1974 #red christmas

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creepswrites · 7 months ago

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RED CHRISTMAS (CH 2) | Billy Lenz

ah my favorite story Red Christmas time....... i love writing billy lenz character studies, it makes me so happy...

BILLY LENZ + SORORITY GIRLS

SUMMARY: Something stuck with her though: the name Agnes. Billy had mumbled it during his meltdown and it felt personal. It gave her something to work with though. She needed to know more, needed to unravel this man's mysteries. Both as a future psychiatrist and out of genuine concern.

He was strange. She needed to know more.

WARNING: discussion of graphic violence/child abuse

Phyllis Carlson had a lot of patience. She prided herself on being realistic yet understanding, all good qualities to have for a future as a doctor. Because she wasn't going to just be a nurse like her parents had wanted for their good little girl, always so condescending. No, she would be a proper doctor and a damn good one too.

However, sitting here on the couch watching some stranger whimper and cry in the communal kitchen while Jess tried to talk him down? She was reconsidering that whole Hippocratic oath "do no harm" part. "So let me get this straight," she rubbed her temples with her fingers, eyes squeezing shut in pure frustration. The Christmas tree still sat aglow, the soft lights the only light in the living room. It made her glasses-less sight all that much worse. "Some random dude stayed here after the party, attacked Peter, and suddenly Jess is going all psychology major on him?"

She kept her voice a whisper, shooting paranoid glances towards the kitchen, afraid to be too loud and be on the receiving end of the stranger's wrath.

Barbara Coard, in sharp contrast, did not appear at all stressed or concerned. "Good for him, honestly. Petey here can be pretty annoyin' sometimes." She said with a smirk, ignoring the glare the man gave her. "I like him."

Peter huffed in typical drama queen fashion. "He attacked me, Barb."

"Aw shut up and keep fidgeting with your ice pack," Barb scoffed, "And zip it, bucko, mommy and daddy are talking." She turned back to Phyll with an attentive look.

Phyll didn't give that any kind of response. "I'm just worried this guy is dangerous. I mean, I certainly don't remember seeing him."

"Neither do I," Barb said with another drag of her cigarette. "His voice is kinda familiar though, ain't it?"

The two girls shared a look before looking towards the kitchen doorway.

Billy and Jess had sat at the little kitchen table once again. He was staring ahead at absolutely nothing while she wrapped his knuckles with soft, white gauze. They'd started bleeding after hitting Peter and Jess had immediately fretted over the injury. She shushed and soothed his stammering and mumbles, not flinching when he had small, squealing outbursts. "It's alright, you're safe."

Green eyes fixed on her with an unblinking stare as she worked.

"You really did a number on Peter, y'know. What, um, prompted you to even lash out like that?"

Still, she was met with only silence.

It was very odd to her, considering what she knew about the Moaner. She hadn't told anyone else about his identity yet because she knew without a doubt that that reveal wouldn't go over well for anybody. The memory of Billy's threats to kill them still lingered in the back of her mind and it kept her on edge.

Surely, if he wanted to hurt her, he would've done so by now.

As she finished wrapping his hands, she gave him a warm smile. "Well, there you go, all patched up."

Billy couldn't meet her eyes and instead stared across the room at the candy cane he'd sharpened. After the incident with the pillow, Jess had taken it away to throw out. But his hands itched for a new weapon, for something to distract himself with. The longer he stared at the candy cane, the more compelled he felt to stab someone with it. Whoever he could get his hands on.

She noticed his gaze and stepped away slowly, creeping towards the candy cane knife like she was worried he'd lunge if she got too close. But he stayed still, picking at his cuticles and nails anxiously as he watched her pick it up and throw it away.

His eyes closed as the voices in his head disappeared in a soft breeze of calm.

"Hey," Barb's voice cut through the serene silence of the kitchen. Billy let out a small yelp and scrambled out of his chair to hide on the other side of the table away from Barb.

"Barb." Jess said softly. "We should, um, talk. With Phyll too."

The other girl nodded before giving a hesitant glance towards Billy. "You behave, alright?" She said, her cigarette hanging loosely between her fingers, a sharp contrast to the pink nightgown she wore.

He watched their backs retreat and hurried to turn off the kitchen light, plunging the room into darkness. Peter scoffed in the next room but Billy ignored the swelling urge to go kill him. Instead, he ducked under the table. Dark and quiet, just like the attics he was used to.

The attic.

The girl he'd left upstairs.

Jess's kindness would surely disappear once she learnt of the girl in the attic. Broken and cold, tied to the rocking chair like she was nothing more than a doll. She wasn't, as far as Billy was concerned. But she was still broken. A broken toy.

"Silly, silly, silly Billy, what have you done..." He whispered as he ducked his head between his knees, suddenly struck with a sick feeling in his stomach. "Billy, Billy, you broke it. Broke it. Broke it. Nasty, stupid Billy!" The words scraped his throat, mimicking his mothers voice. "Nasty pig bitch !" His voice cracked and he slapped a hand over his mouth.

Tears began to fall and he didn't know why.

"Jessie, I gotta be honest, this is a weird one." Barb said as she gestured to the kitchen, now plunged in darkness. "He's, uh, kinda strange."

"Kind of?" Peter protested with a huff. "You can't seriously be thinking of keeping him here."

Jess felt indignant. "Yes, I am. I think we should let him stay. At least for tonight."

Phyll gazed up at the Christmas tree, listening but not contributing. She seemed far away, thinking hard about something.

Their guest's voice was so familiar-

"I'm cool with him stayin'," Barb said with a shrug, "But, uh, no more screamin' episodes, yeah?"

Jess nodded, beginning to drift away to her own thoughts as Barb and Peter argued.

She was a psychology student. Being presented with a mysterious and clearly unstable man was, intellectually, fascinating to her. Had she not heard his comments about pigs earlier, she wouldn't even believe the man who sat in her kitchen and lost his mind trying to defend her from Peter could possibly be the same man who screamed lewd remarks at her over the phone.

How did these things connect? What happened to him? Where did he even come from?

She had to know more.

"He's familiar, isn't he." Phyll said more than asked. She turned to look at Jess, staring her down harshly as though searching for an answer on her face. "Kinda looks a bit like Peter. But I feel like I've heard him somewhere."

The two stared each other down. Jess tried to keep her expression schooled as Phyll searched for something there.

She knew. Or, at the very least, suspected. Jess wouldn't fold. She wouldn't say anything, especially not with Peter in the room.

"Bitch-!" They heard from the next room and Phyll's eyes widened in horror.

Barb didn't seem to notice. "You okay in there?" She called out, oblivious to the way her sisters seemed to have a conversation with just a look.

When Billy didn't answer, she made her way to the kitchen. "Wait, Barb, be careful!" Peter called out which only annoyed her.

"Relax, Petey, I can take care of myself." She sighed before stepping into the kitchen, the cold tile biting at her bare feet.

The limited light that reached the kitchen only faintly highlighted the face of the man gasping through sobs under the table. Green eyes were sharp and calculating, watching intensely as Barb sat on the floor in front of him. "Hey, you alright?" She asked softly, talking to him like one of the animals at the shelter she took care of.

Billy just stared at her, his hand still clasped over his mouth to muffle his crying and whining.

"Hey," she said softly, "You okay?"

He stared at her as tears ran down flushed cheeks. In the dark, the shadows danced menacingly on his face, making him look terrifying. Billy grumbled something though his words were muffled by his hands.

Barb just tried to smile. "You, um… You like music?" When he continued to just stare at her, she took a slow drag from her cigarette. "I've been really into makin' mixtapes lately. It's, uh… It keeps me busy, y'know? I've made a couple for Phyll and Jess too."

Billy continued to stare blankly.

"What's up?" Barb eventually sighed.

Without hesitation, Billy crawled towards her till their faces were mere inches apart. Barb opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it as his eyes began to dart back and forth between hers.

As quickly as he came, he recoiled like she'd slapped him, giggling and biting his lower lip as he tried to fight a smile. "You… good?" She frowned, scooting back a little.

He just gripped his hair tight, hanging his head like he'd done something wrong and he felt ashamed. "Silly, silly, silly," Billy whispered through his laughter. He couldn't help his staring. It was her fault, surely. Barb was pretty, he couldn't help but look. All the girls were but he hadn't gotten the chance to look at her properly. Jess had already been so close and he wanted to just get closer-

"Dude, what was that about?" Barb just chuckled good-naturedly. "If you wanted to kiss, all you had to do was ask."

Billy's head snapped up and he stared with his mouth agape. "K-kiss?!" His voice cracked into something higher pitched. "Kiss Billy? Kiss Billy?"

She just laughed. Laughed. Like Billy was funny, like it wasn't outlandish for someone to want to kiss him. Like he wasn't disgusting and ugly and-

Barb scooted closer, running her hand through his wild, curly hair to dislodge his hands. "I mean, you're probably less crazy than my ex boyfriend. He was a real psycho. Wanted me to run away with him to Europe. Like, dude, I have a life here. School 'n shit." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Almost did it. My mom's a real piece'a work. Might've done it if she didn't beg me to stay."

Billy's eyes were still wide as he listened. A white-hot flare of protectiveness shot through him but was quickly extinguished when she shrugged.

She sighed, as though the mere memory exhausted her. "Whatever. Wanna kiss? I mean, if that's what you were thinkin' about doing. Got real close to me, man."

No. He didn't want to kiss her.

He nodded anyway.

Mother used to insist on affection from Billy. This wasn't different, surely.

The way Barb looked at him was different though. Gentler than his mother. Bile rose in his throat as she scooted closer and he tried to focus on anything else. The cold tile under his palms where he knelt on his hands and knees. Her soft, pale skin and the pink nightgown that rode up slightly when she moved closer. His teeth ground painfully, he couldn't meet her eyes, and he felt compelled to dig his teeth into the soft flesh of her exposed arms or thighs just to make her go away.

But her hands were gentle as she held his face. He didn't want to look at her face, didn't want to see his mother's face looking back.

Her lips were soft when she pressed them to his. Bile threatened to spill and he wanted to scream. She was soft, too soft, and he couldn't help the way he trembled. It was everything like and yet nothing like when his mother demanded he kiss her cheek goodnight whenever he was let out of the attic. Barb was softer, kinder, and it made his skin crawl. If Barb was harsh and forceful about it, at least he'd know to be repulsed.

This was so different. The repulsion was there because he didn't know how else to feel about kissing. But her thumb gently brushed under his eye and she tilted his head gently so their noses wouldn't bump and he wanted to bite her so she would be cruel to him. He didn't deserve this sweet kindness from a girl he'd only ever known through the floorboards of her attic.

When they parted, he was gasping for air and she just giggled. "What, never kissed a girl before?" Her tone was light, teasing, and she was still holding his face like he was fragile.

No, he hadn't. He'd never enjoyed it, at least. The thought he even enjoyed kissing her made him feel sick to his stomach though. Billy opened his mouth, ready to scream at her, scream at himself, anything but then-

"Hey." Jess's voice broke their little bubble and Billy nearly cheered from relief. He couldn't bear thinking about kissing her again like he so desperately wanted to yet was equal parts disgusted by.

"Hey yourself," Barb chuckled, letting go of Billy and standing up to brush herself off while pointedly ignoring the look Jess was giving her.

Jess just sighed and shook her head, looking down at a trembling Billy. "Phyll says you can stay the night, if you want."

Peter, like usual, was hot on her heels to disagree. "No, absolutely not! I don't care what you girls say, I'm not letting him be alone with you."

Barb's eyes could've pupped out of her head with how hard she rolled them. "Petey, as cute as your white knighting is, we're perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves."

"I'm calling the police." He said with such an arrogant finality that Barb felt the urge to smack him upside the head.

Billy lunged for him and only stopped when Jess got between them. "No, Peter, you're not," she said, pushing Billy back slightly. "We're fine."

Barb reached over to ruffle Billy's hair and smirked when he squealed. "We got a big, strong man to protect us from the bad guys, Petey. We're all set."

Peter looked angry and Billy snorted to himself at the sight. He hated him so much. Rude, dismissive of the girls, forced his will on Jess all the time…

"Sounds like we're having a sleepover," Phyll's tired voice came from behind them all. She stood in the living room with her arms crossed over her chest in attempts to warm up. The fire had begun to turn to flickering embers and it was beginning to become too chilly for the girls in just pjs.

"I'll make popcorn!" Jess smiled, turning on the kitchen light.

Billy hissed at the brightness. "Popcorn," he popped loudly. "Pop pop popcorn." He mimicked her tone and smooth accent, snickering. "I'll make popcorn."

Barb snorted. "Yeah, crazy. You got it." She yawned loudly and let out a long sigh. "'m gonna go grab pillows 'n blankets from our rooms. And my cigarettes. Be right back."

"Alright," Phyll said as Barb walked past her and back up the stairs. Her eyes never left Billy though, staring him down like a hawk when he turned to hover beside Jess in the kitchen.

Something was off about their impromptu guest and she wanted to find out what.

Peter, despite everyone insisting otherwise, had decided to stay. Despite his wishes, Billy happily sat at Jess's feet as she took her spot on the couch with the girls. The fire was now roaring and some romance movie Phyll picked was playing. She and Jess were enraptured by it while Barb just smoked, quietly bored. Sometimes Jess would play with a curl of his hair absentmindedly, not missing the way he tensed. Jess knew he was obviously not used to being touched but she did it anyways, hoping to help him get used to it again.

Peter sulked in the armchair and glared harshly at Billy all night as though hoping the other would just combust.

"Alright," Barb eventually said, sliding off the couch to join Billy on the floor. "We usually do each other's nails during sleepovers, so!" She set a little tray full of nail polishes in front of him with an expectant smile. "World's your oyster bud. Pick whatever you want."

A scoff coming from the armchair made Barb roll her eyes again. Billy snorted at the way her face immediately contorted from kindness to annoyance in the blink of an eye. She was really animated when she wanted to be and Billy couldn't help mimicking her face at Peter. "Guys don't paint their nails. Pretty sure that's for fa-"

Phyll threw popcorn at him with a sharp hiss. "Watch it. We're throwing you out if you finish that sentence."

Billy turned his attention to the little tray while Peter and Phyll argued. He'd never been given a choice before and it overwhelmed him. Was there a right answer? Did Barb want him to pick her favorite color?

She must've noticed his hesitation and took pity on him. "You like candy canes, right? Want me to do alternating red and white?"

"Yes." Billy said softly, poking gently at the red polish. Yes, he liked that idea.

Barb smiled at him and took out her nail clippers to get to work. Surprisingly, Billy had rather long nails for a guy, which intrigued her. They were chipped in places and cracking in others but she was able to clip and file them down to an almost almond shape. "You've got such nice skin," she sighed wistfully. "I'm kinda jealous. I get pimples, like, all the time."

Billy didn't know what to say to that so he didn't say anything. Jess's hand was back in his hair and everything felt a little overstimulating but he grit his teeth. Barb wanted to paint his nails and he was determined to tough it out. He didn't want her to be mad at him.

When she was done, though, Billy couldn't help but admire her work. They were pretty. It almost reminded him of the dark colors his mother would sloppily paint her toes with in the living room while on the phone with her friends.

Almost.

Suddenly, a sharp shuddering feeling wracked his body as Jess began to scratch his scalp in slow, methodical circles. He let out a yelp of surprise and clung to her legs like he would drift away if he let go. Billy trembled, biting his lip to keep himself from making a sound. Barb noticed though and gave him a knowing smile. "Hey Jessie, I think he likes that."

"What?" Jess blinked. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was-"

Billy whined, digging his nails into her bare legs and burying his face into the couch cushions beside them. It felt nice. Goosebumps ran up and down his arms and made him shiver.

So she resumed, scratching in slow circles with her nails, uncaring of the way his hair felt a little dirty. Billy whimpered and would occasionally bite on his knuckles - Barb had smacked his hand when he tried to chew his nails - and Jess was struck by how intimate this felt.

It didn't normally. But things with Billy were slightly different, more charged, likely because he was so overwhelmed by gentle touching and genuine care. She'd seen Barb kiss him in the kitchen, she knew there was something about him that pulled people in. It was interesting, in her opinion. She'd met many mentally ill people in her studies so it wasn't the strangest thing she'd come across.

Something stuck with her though: the name Agnes. Billy had mumbled it during his meltdown and it felt personal. It gave her something to work with though. She needed to know more, needed to unravel this man's mysteries. Both as a future psychiatrist and out of genuine concern.

He was strange. She needed to know more.

Jess woke up first. Light peered its way through the windows and shined bright in her eyes. She took in the room, noting Barb and Phyll cuddled up on one end of the couch with Peter slumped over in his chair. She became immediately aware of the soft snoring beside her though.

At some point in the night, Billy had climbed up on the couch and tucked himself against her. The two of them were pressed together, his head resting on her shoulder while her head lay atop his. His knees were bent up to his chest with his arms curled against his chest, like he'd tucked himself into a ball. It made her heart clench a little seeing how little space he tried to take up.

In the light, it was easier to study him. Dirt and dust covered his clothes and hair, now highlighted obviously in the morning sun. Long, thin scars littered his hands in places and it was obvious he chewed on his fingers a lot. He was freakishly pale with dark circles under his eyes as proof he didn't sleep very often. A few stray scars on his face or near his mouth likely meant he'd been hit a few times. The idea sickened her.

Gently, Jess reached over and brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear. When she pulled her hand back, he was staring at her, his breathing never changing. "Hi." She kept her voice soft to try and avoid waking the others or disturbing the sleepy atmosphere between them. "Do you want to take a shower?"

He looked at her with slow blinks, reminding her of how Claud would stare at her.

She took his hands and pulled him up, leading the way up the stairs towards the communal bathroom. "Here, wait in there, I'll grab you some things." She said quietly before retreating to her bedroom to grab her toiletries and some of Peter's clothes he'd left the few times he'd stayed over. He was skinnier than her boyfriend was but they'd fit him better than any of her clothes.

Billy was easily coerced into taking a shower, giving her time to do some quick research.

Jess made herself comfortable at her desk in her bedroom, cracking her knuckles as she got to typing. Without a last name to go off of, she'd have to get creative. So, she tried a few key words: "Billy and Agnes." "Billy phone calls." "Mimicking phone caller." But nothing had come up yet.

A thought came to her. While it had been rude, Peter had made a comment about an asylum. It was a stretch and not an idea she particularly liked, she googled nearby asylums within reasonable driving distance, added Billy's name, and began to scan through search results.

On the fifth failed attempt, Jess hung her head. "Okay," she sighed, "One last try."

Harmony Heights Hospital... Billy...

Instantly, various articles popped up about a man named Billy Lenz. She straightened up and began scanning through the first few links…

CHRISTMAS KILLER SET FREE...

LENZ BOY LET OUT ON GOOD BEHAVIOR...

THE TRAGIC STORY OF AGNES LENZ...

What on earth was this…

\\\

LENZ FAMILY MURDERED by Axel Waters, Investigative Journalist

Many times over the course of a person's life, we face challenges that seem impossible. Our experiences change us and shape us into the people who we are. These challenges help us grow as people, be it for better or worse. For one Bill Lenz aka The Christmas Killer, things have certainly changed for the worse.

On Christmas morning, Lenz was found by police in his home, covered in blood and holding his baby sister Agnes Lenz. Upon his arrest, Lenz was pleading with the police to not take his sister and had fought so viciously that he had to be restrained in order to be taken to the car. The state of the home, dear readers, was horrific.

Both Lenz's mother and stepfather had been stabbed through the neck with sharpened candy canes. The man - Roger Dirkson - was face down on the stove with various knives lodged into his back, a passionate kill that chilled me to the bone. His mother - Constance Lenz - was far worse; her eye punctured with a sharpened candy cane with her head caved in by a frying pan that lay discarded nearby. Lenz had been vicious and brutal and had the nerve to huddle up with his freshly traumatized five-year-old sister.

Lenz is said to be institutionalized in the nearby Harmony Heights Hospital whilst Agnes is placed into foster care for the time being. While the date for Lenz's trial is not yet in place, I hope that the seventeen-year-old will be tried as an adult for these grisly murders.

\\\

Jess sat back in her chair, letting the words roll over her like smashing waves. Her body thrummed with terror and anxiety as she tried to process what she'd read. He was a killer? He'd killed his family?!

She checked the date of the article, swallowing when she noticed it was from nearly four years ago. Quickly, she began to search for anything more recent, praying for an explanation as to why he'd done it.

An article from a year ago caught her attention.

\\\

A DARK CHRISTMAS INDEED by Marilyn Lowell, Journalist

On a dark, terrible Christmas morning exactly three years ago, a young Billy Lenz was arrested for the brutal, unnecessary murder of his mother and stepfather.

Or so we thought.

After a difficult trial two years ago, Lenz was found guilty by reason of insanity and was not imprisoned for his crimes.

How could this be?

Evidence later found by police showed overwhelming evidence that Lenz had been gruesomely neglected. Investigators say he was locked away in the attic for days at a time and, based on medical reports from Lenz's physical, it's likely that he was fed very little. He was, undoubtedly, insane. He was unable to form complete sentences and lashed out at anyone who tried to get close.

While it had been impossible to pull any kind of real information out of the traumatized young man, Sheriff Rowan Pierce had this to say about the situation: "He was screaming like nobody's business," Pierce said of Lenz. "All he kept asking was where was [Agnes], where's my sister, all that..."

Agnes Lenz, tragically, bore witness to the murders at only five years old. She was separated from Lenz and became a ward of the state during investigations. She has reportedly since been placed in foster care, far away from her home, her brother, and the horrors that unfolded. Police have refused to give any and all reporters her whereabouts.

Officer Jacob Fowling had this to say: "She's just a little kid. She doesn't need to be reminded of this every day. Anyone who goes looking for an interview with her is just heartless."

Bill Lenz, now twenty, is said to be released from Harmony Heights this upcoming week. Here's a statement about Lenz, from Dr. Steven Fell: "Bill Lenz has been through a lot. People often overlook the results of a deep abuse like that and aren't understanding of what extreme measures a man can take to save himself. When he came to me, he was practically emaciated and you couldn't even get within five feet of him without him freezing up. It was horrible."

While initially the Lenz children were scorned when the crime was first made public, opinion has since swayed after the evidence of neglect became apparent. As far as I know, the children are both recovering and have reportedly not seen each other since the incident. I can only hope that they will heal.

I send my condolences to the two children and wish all my readers a happy holiday.

\\\

Jess let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She continued to skim through articles, jotting down whatever information she could on a small pad of paper beside her. Different articles revealed more and more horrific details. Some reports, however, were just trashy, claiming that Billy had eaten his parents' cooked flesh or that Agnes was both his sister and daughter. Clearly just written in hopes of capitalizing on a horrific tragedy.

But she was able to get a clear picture of what happened: Billy killed his family, had been locked away in the attic for most of his life, was physically abused, and cared deeply for his sister despite the favoritism.

Reading through it, Jess found it harder and harder to be angry about him killing them. It was practically self-defense.

Agnes was difficult for reporters to find. The only article she could find was one about the trial where she'd been called to the stand and unable to recall anything of the incident, clearly having already suppressed the trauma. It made Jess's heart ache for the little girl.

But Jess was no reporter. She was a studying psychologist and she knew there were answers that only the young girl would have. If she could find her, she might be able to help Billy somehow.

Opening a new tab, Jess hovered over the keys. But, instead of Agnes' name, she typed in another: Dr. Steven Fell.

Call it a hunch, but she had a feeling he may know where Agnes went.

Hot water ran down Billy's neck and shoulders as he hung his head in front of the shower head, staring down at his feet to watch the way dirty water began to run clear. He lifted his hand to chew anxiously on his knuckles and whimpered, mind racing.

After Jess had left, he'd turned the shower on but hadn't gotten in. Guilt gnawed at him, ate away at his stomach until he nearly threw up. Mother. Upstairs. The girl he'd hurt and broke and left to die in the cold attic. As soon as the others learnt what he'd done, he'd be in trouble - thrown out onto the streets or, worse, thrown back into his cell.

Bad Billy, his mother scolded him in his mind, naughty, stupid Billy!

So he'd crept towards the stairs, using the running shower to muffle his steps. Jess was nowhere to be seen and he couldn't hear any of the other girls moving about so he tried to be quick. Before he was caught and thrown away.

He opened the little door to the attic and hoisted himself up, tucking his legs in and shuffling towards the girl still tied to the rocking chair. She was still and cold and he briefly worried she had died in the night. But no, her breath came out in hot clouds.

Scratching at his wrists and arms, he studied her closely while untying her. Not broken then. Cracked, maybe, but not broken.

Billy lifted her up into his arms and carried her down the ladder carefully, making his way back to the room he'd found her in.

He took in the decor, giggling at the photos of naked women performing witchcraft on her walls. Billy lay her gently down on the floor, mumbling to himself. She fell. Yes. She was hit in the head and she fell but she was okay. He set a box nearby to make it look like it had hit her. Perfect.

The door shut with a quiet click behind him and he hurried back to the bathroom. She'd wake up and no one would know. Everything would stay as it was.

Which was where he stood now. Scrubbing himself off with a washcloth in water that was slightly too hot but he was too afraid to try and fiddle with the nozzles. He was just grateful he got hot water at all. Usually, mother wouldn't let him have that, even in the winter.

When he finally stepped out, he got dried and changed quickly, not wanting to see the scars on his body any more than he had to.

But he couldn't help looking in the mirror when he was done.

His hair hung in messy, uneven lengths, water still bogging down his curls that hung just to his shoulders. It felt good to be clean though, flushed warm from the shower and pink in the cheeks. Billy studied himself in the mirror, poking and prodding at gaunt cheeks, tugging around the skin around his wide, unblinking eyes. He looked unpleasant, just like his mother always said. Too tall, too skinny, too ugly.

But he was clean. That was a nice change at least.

The old band t-shirt and sweatpants didn't suit him at all but it was better than nothing. He poked and prodded at the small holes in the shirt, smiling when he heard the fabric snap as he made them bigger. Serves Peter right.

Quietly, he tiptoed out of the bathroom and back towards Jess's room, peering in through the slight opening of her door. She was already dressed in her day clothes and seemed focused on whatever she was writing. Billy didn't want to disturb her, so he just watched her. Bore holes into the back of her head as she wrote vigorously, glancing between her paper and the screen. Minutes ticked by and he wondered what she was doing. But, before he could creep in to get a better look, she turned her computer off, put the pad of paper in her purse, and stood up to leave.

Jess jumped when she saw Billy hovering in her doorway. "Christ, you scared me!" She scolded him as she caught her breath. She pushed Billy aside as she stepped out and took a deep breath. "Smells like Barb and Phyll are making breakfast."

"Breakfast." Billy repeated, mimicking her cadance. He liked the way her voice sounded, like cold water.

She gave him a slight smile and led the way back downstairs.

Peter immediately descended upon them. "There you are!" He rushed over to Jess, taking her by the shoulders to look her over. "What happened? Did he hurt you?"

Billy growled as Jess pushed Peter's hands off her. She hated feeling coddled and knew his concerns only stemmed from the fact she was pregnant. "Relax, Peter. I was just upstairs doing some quick research while Billy was showering."

The man looked Billy over, scrutinizing him. "What's he doing in my clothes?"

"Nothing I had would fit him," Jess sighed as she headed towards the kitchen, Billy hot on her heels like a needy puppy, sad whimpering to match.

Soft music filled the tiny kitchen as Barb worked. For as troublesome as she could be, no one made pancakes better than Barbara Coard. Phyll was sat at the little table with a mug of coffee and a tired smile. "Morning Jess," she sighed as she took a sip, "And… good morning, Billy." She said, albeit nervously.

Jess pressed a fond kiss to the top of her head before noting the music. "I didn't take you for a Human League fan." She called over to Barb with a wide grin.

"Well, this is my morning mixtape." Barb said over his shoulder, giving Billy a once-over. "Fashionable." She teased him before turning back to the bacon and sausage.

Don't, don't you want me?

You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me

Jess reached for Phyll's hands and, despite her tired protest, pulled her to the center of the kitchen and began to dance rather clumsily together. Phyll squealed with delight as she slid around in her socks and Jess sang along to the music without a care in the world.

Don't, don't you want me?

You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me

"Careful! Crazy kids," Barb teased good-naturedly. She noticed Billy standing there awkwardly and, taking pity on him, held out her hands. "C'mere, freak." Was the only warning Billy got before she took his hands and dragged him into the fray.

It's much too late to find

You think you've changed your mind

Alarmed, Jess went to protest on his behalf but Billy let out a sound that was somewhere between a scream and a laugh, clinging to Barbara like they were stood on ice rather than the sturdy kitchen floor. Neither of them were dancing, just spinning each other over their heads and Barb kept trying to tickle him, digging her fingers into his sides and relishing in the manic smile on his face. Soon enough, the four of them were all dancing around the kitchen and laughing.

You'd better change it back, or we will both be sorry

It was the first time any of them had seen Billy really smile.

When the song came to an end, Barb grabbed both sides of Billy's head and tilted him down so she could press an exaggerated kiss on the top of his head. "Thanks for the dance, crazy." She teased with a violent ruffle of his damp hair, hoping to fluff it out a bit more.

Billy meowed like a cat and escaped to sit at the table with Phyll, face bright red and beaming, oblivious to the strange look Barb gave him. "Breakfast's ready!" She said instead as she plated the pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage for them all to take from.

Billy politely refused bacon and sausage with another quiet meow as he drowned his pancakes in syrup.

"Real men eat meat." Peter mumbled under his breath, glaring at Billy.

"Stupid bitch." Billy shot back in a scratchy, shrill voice.

The other man's head snapped up. "Excuse me?!"

Jess sighed loudly. "Be nice, boys."

Jess stood at the sink, washing the dishes from breakfast as she hummed along to the music playing on the radio. Phyll and Barb had gone up to shower and Peter was watching television in the living room. It wasn't her turn to do dishes but she didn't really want to sit with Peter and risk him talking about the baby. Besides, washing dishes was methodical and let her turn her brain off. It also gave her the chance to consider her plan of action for the day: call Dr. Steven Fell and, hopefully, go talk to Agnes.

She wasn't… totally sure what she'd do when she got there. But she'd figure that out later.

Soft footsteps approached her and stopped just behind her, observing over her shoulder. "Do you want to help?" She asked with a fond smile. "You can dry them, if you'd like."

Silence. Instead, she felt Billy press his fingertips to her back and she had to hold steady to avoid jolting. The last thing she wanted was him getting scared and running off. Instead, she just resumed humming the song. "Do you like music?"

More silence. But, after a beat, Billy began to hum along with her. Jess smiled and set aside the last dish on the rack to dry. "Do you want to dance? And I mean properly dance, not just spinning around the kitchen." She turned to look at Billy properly, ignoring the glares Peter kept shooting them from his spot in the kitchen. Of course, her boyfriend raised his hackles if Billy so much as looked at Jess but the girl was so fed up she didn't even care.

Billy's eyes shot open in surprise and he began to chew nervously at chapped, peeling lips. "Dance…" He whispered as he stared down at his feet.

Jess took his hands and led him into the center of the kitchen and gave him a reassuring smile. When he floundered for what to do, Jess put his hands at her waist and set her own atop his shoulders. Billy looked a little green but let her move him how she wanted him. "Relax," she chuckled as the two began to sway stiltedly along to Let It Snow. "I won't bite."

Oh, the weather outside is frightful

But the fire is so delightful

Slowly, Billy began to relax and lean into the gentle swaying. It was basically middle school slow dancing - not enough movement to really be dancing but Jess was too afraid to do much more. He seemed easily overstimulated and she was just honored he let her touch him so much. She slid her hands up to loop her fingers around his neck and stepped more into his space, humming to the music.

And since we've no place to go

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

"Please don't," his voice came soft, barely audible over the music.

Alarm bells rang in her head. "Don't what?"

"Kiss me." He practically pleaded, green eyes finally meeting hers.

It doesn't show signs of stopping

And I've bought some corn for popping

The lights are turned way down low

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Jess frowned. "Why would I kiss you?"

Billy swallowed with a click of his throat. His eyes darted to Peter in the living room who had yet to notice their closeness. Because I want to, Billy's mind unhelpfully provided.

She just swayed with him in time to the song, her brain trying to wrack itself why he'd think she wanted to kiss him. "Is it because Barb kissed you?" She tried, biting her own lip now.

Billy jolted but still nodded.

"Barb is just like that," Jess sighed, thoroughly annoyed with her sorority sister now. "She doesn't read the room sometimes and has a habit of kissing anyone she wants."

The two of them flinched when Peter shouted in the next room, cheering along with whatever sport he was watching. Billy growled under his breath. "Nasty pig bitch…"

Jess couldn't help her laughter. "Yes, I'm beginning to agree with you."

Billy felt light and heavy all at once. He wanted to die when he saw her smile yet couldn't imagine a world where she wasn't happy. Peter deserved to die for trying to ruin her life with a baby.

True to her word, Jess didn't kiss him. Billy couldn't help the way his hands tried to follow her when she stepped away, already missing her warmth.

Jess paced her room, listening to the dial tone of the phone ring. She'd swiped the downstairs phone to try and call Dr. Fell in the privacy of her own room. The others were downstairs watching television and she took the opportunity.

She nearly gave up until, after the fourth ring, he picked up. "Dr. Fell speaking."

"Dr. Fell! Hello, my name is Jessica Bradford. I wanted to ask you some things pertaining to a patient." She fidgeted with the cord, keeping her eye on the door in case anyone decided to barge in.

A pause. "Ms. Bradford, I'm afraid I'm unable to provide any information regarding patients to strangers."

"Oh, I don't need patient information."

"Then what?"

"I… Need to know where Agnes Lenz is."

The silence that followed was deafening. She heard his chair creaking and worried for a moment he was going to hang up. "The case was closed years ago. And trying to get an interview through me is rather shameless." His voice was menacing and certainly threatened hanging up.

But Jess was fast. "I'm a friend of Billy's!" More silence. "He's… He mentioned Agnes to me yesterday and I felt compelled to try and find her. I- I don't know when's the last time he saw her but-"

"If you really do know Mr. Lenz, tell me: which of his ears has a chip in it?"

Jess bluescreened, trying to remember how Billy looked. Who paid attention to that sort of thing? She had a fifty-fifty chance… but she decided to take a gamble: "Neither."

Silence. Then a sigh. "Why do you care so much, Ms. Bradford? It's been years since the two have seen each other and even longer since the case was closed."

"I'm not a reporter." Jess insisted, clenching her jaw. "I'm a university student, I live in the Pi Kappa Sig sorority, and I go to school for psychology." A pause. "I want to help Billy."

"And you think reuniting him with Agnes is a good thing?"

"Yes, sir, I do."

Silence stretched on again, longer than any of the previous times. Jess almost worried he'd hung up before he spoke again. "Okay. But if I see anything in the news about an interview with this girl, I'll call the police."

Jess pulled out her pad of paper to scribble down the address.

"I'll only be gone a few hours." Jess sighed as she put her mittens on, trying to push Peter away from her.

Phyll, Barb, and Billy watched the whole tussle from their place on the floor, their game of Candyland temporarily put on hold in case Jess needed aid. Peter was convinced Jess was going to an abortion and all but grabbed her to try and keep her inside.

"Jess, please, don't do this!" He whined, standing in front of the doorway like a petulant child.

"I'm going shopping." Jess sighed, holding up her grocery bags. "Please, Peter, stop embarrassing me." She looked over at her sorority sisters as she pulled on her hat. "You two are find to stay with Billy?"

Barb chuckled and poked at said man with her foot. "So long as he keeps kicking Phyll's ass at Candyland."

Jess rolled her eyes fondly and pushed past Peter to head to her car, ignoring his protests as he tried to follow her. Thank god her lock hadn't frozen or he may have dragged her bodily back into the house. His fake crying was ignored as she pulled out of the driveway, content to let him think she was getting an abortion. She didn't care. Who knows, maybe she'd make an appointment later.

The drive to the little foster home Agnes lived at was about an hour away, giving her plenty of time to think. According to Dr. Fell, Agnes had visited Billy a grand total of twice when he was staying at the hospital. The two hadn't really talked but she didn't seem to hate him for what happened. She'd be around ten now and had been kept secret from any and all reporters. One had tried when Agnes had been seven but, luckily, police had been called.

She didn't seem to remember the traumatic night but both Jess and Dr. Fell didn't believe that.

Now that she was in the car and thinking about it critically, she wasn't sure what she was hoping to get out of this. Even if Agnes's guardians would let them talk, who knows if Agnes would even want to. All she could do was hope she'd talk if she mentioned Billy…

Did she even remember him anymore?

When she pulled up outside the house, she let out a little sigh, watching her breath become clouds in the cold air. It was like a tiny winter wonderland decorated with little white lights that cast flickering glows against the sparkling snow. Tiny snowmen and snow angels littered the front porch and Jess smiled fondly. Kids had certainly been out playing recently and it made her heart clench a little.

It wasn't like she never wanted a kid ever. Just right now wasn't a good time. How Peter couldn't even respect that was…

Shaking that train of thought away, Jess steeled herself and marched to the front door, reminding herself with every step that she had to do this. She had to get answers, had to try and help Billy in some way. He clearly needed it and she had a feeling this would solve a lot of problems.

The elegant green wreath stared her in the face as her hand hesitated over the warm red door. "You can do this." She whispered to herself and squeezed her eyes shut as she knocked.

The sound of footsteps running around became louder and a dog could be heard barking from inside. The door swinging open surprised her and she was met with the face of a little five year old girl stood in the doorway dressed in a cute little dress and holding a doll to her chest. "Hello," Jess said gently and smiled. "Where's your mother?"

All she got was a blank, terrified stare in response, like the little girl had opened the door on impulse and didn't actually expect anyone to be on the other side. "Um. Mm…" She mumbled, clinging tighter to her doll.

"Nora! What are you doing? Mama said you can't just open the door to strangers!" A voice came from within the house and an older girl came around the corner to shoo the younger girl off, watching as she scurried away shyly. She eyed Jess warily, holding onto the door as though preparing to slam it shut if Jess gave her an unsatisfactory answer. "What do you want?"

Jess felt her eyes widen as she stared at the girl. She looked different from the police photos but there was no doubt who she was. The little girl with wild brown curls that fell just past her shoulder, dressed in a soft white blouse and a navy blue skirt, who was staring down Jess with caution in her piercing green eyes…

...was Agnes Lenz.

#🔪 creeps writes #slasher fanfiction #billy lenz #jess bradford #phyllis carlson #barbara coard #peter smythe #claire harrison #agnes lenz #red christmas #black christmas #black christmas 1974

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