The Diagram of a Madman's Mind

Christmas… the day everything would change. Weeks of arrangement would allow the plans to fall into place perfectly. Months of loneliness and desperation festered in his mind. He woke that morning with a burning desire. He would change her life forever. Bruce was not a stupid person, in fact he had many upper-level skills and degrees. His intelligence permitted him to be able to concoct such a strategy. He hurried quickly to meet the deadline. Bruce went from store to store buying equipment and supplies. He worked day and night drawing diagrams and recalling memories of the past. Today was the day, Christmas eve 2008. He tied up some last minute plans before he got in his car and left. He knew this Christmas would be different than all the others. His only concern was changing her life. He was on his way to a party which she would be attending. His car was full of Christmas boxes and some supplies he had brought with him. He drove his rental car to the street where the party was and as he rounded the cul-de-sac at the end of the road he remembered how one of the neighbors used to get into character and go from house to house leaving presents and giving cheer. Bruce gathered his things from the car and began to put on his suit. His heart was beating and he grabbed his wrapped boxes. He headed for the front door and with each step he took his heart began to pound exponentially faster and harder. He arrived at the door and knocked. He could hear the people inside. He heard someone coming towards the front door. He gripped the gift box which he held in his hand. As the front door began to slowly open he knew there was no turning back. “I have to change her life”! Bruce said excitedly to himself. He opened the box in his hand and withdrew the item inside. The door opened and standing before him was a child about 8 years old. His heart was now pounding. The little girl looked at him in amazement. She saw Santa Claus standing before her at the front door. He seemed to be bearing gifts. The time it took to get to the front door felt like a life time. It was as if it were all in slow motion. Time seemed to catch up with the events that took place next. Bruce gripped the item in his hand and pointed it at the little girl. She didn’t even expect a thing. Bruce had shot her in the face with a handgun. He looked around the house for people who looked familiar to him. As party goers scrambled he managed to shoot several others. He un-wrapped another of his boxes and inside was a device which sprayed flammable material around the house. He ignited the material and it began to quickly set the house ablaze. The house was burning with the same flames that were living inside Bruce’s heart and mind. He knew he had to change his ex-wife’s life. He didn’t expect the events which came next. His Santa suit had caught on fire and had begun to melt to Bruce. He escaped the house and drove to his brother’s home. Bruce planned on killing others and then fleeing to Canada but he realized that he been severely injured during his killing spree. The smell of burning flesh and cloth was caught in his nostrils. The pain was unbearable. He could see the charred skin which was bleeding. He knew that if he entered a hospital there would be no escape. Bruce thought about his decision. It was like slow motion again as he reached for his pistol. He could feel the cold steel in his hand. “It was not supposed to end like this”! Bruce cried to himself. That evening the police responded a complaint of a gunshot. Bruce was found dead in his brother’s home. The desire in this madman’s mind spilled over and became a reality. He left several of the people at the party injured and nine were found dead inside the burned house. One of the bodies found was hers! Bruce had managed to change her life by taking it. It was the day everything changed.