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"Every single detail of the murder was given, but nothing else. I want to know the real motive behind everything, and this is your last chance of confessing and reducing your penalty. Now, Nathan, I just want you to go on in your own way and tell us the story from the beginning, tell us the whole thing. Give us your motives.”
"Believe it or not, Sir, it started from a fire. Then all of it dimmed away like the spark of fireworks, leaving me to find out I had mistaken a flicker for a sun. It didn't last."
It was another boring night at the University of Chicago, only me, the beautiful campus birds, and my binoculars. It was Christmas. Everyone you could possibly think of now was at home celebrating, except for people like me whose parents weren't around for them. I got the money anyway since I had good scores, so I guess it wasn't too bad. But that was when I spotted Richard in my binoculars.
"Richard who?"
"Richard Leob, Sir, don't interrupt me."
"What exact time and date did you meet Richard Loeb?"
" Wednesday, December 25th, 1923, around eleven o'clock."
"Nathan Leopold, remember that you are on court. Now continue with your story."
"……Yes, Sir."
Richard was the star of the school. He had his way with words, a killing face and build, was smart, and had an extremely wealthy family. Everybody wanted him, including me.
I hurried up to follow him, maintaining a position that won't let him notice me. I had to thank the noises the wind and trees provided for me to cover up on this quiet campus; I don't think he would want to be seeing some freak with no friends like me on Christmas. His figure became clearer and grew closer to within the mist until we entered the school library, and my shoes were wet from the snow. Damn God should make shoes that are silent when people walk, even if the shoes are wet.
"Who in the world is there? COME OUT."
Hidden in his large jacket was his hand holding a plastic oil tank. From his tone you don't feel, but from his eyes you can sense that he's furious and scared. What is he doing here?
"H…hi Richard? Happy Christmas?"
"Oh, I know you, Nathan Leopord, isn't it." His eyes narrowed like an arrogant but beautiful cat.
"Leopold." I clutched the end of my coat. How does he know my name?
"My stalker. " He said confidently and smiled. “You look prettier than I thought.”
The first thing I could think about was how can anyone possess such a dazzling smile, and then my mind blew away, stunned. I couldn't possibly think of anything but to pray to God that I had never stayed this late at school. But he knows me, how can it be? I took a deep breath and forced myself to face him. After all, this may be the closest I could ever get to him.
"I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll…go away right away if you would prefer so…."
"Stop the muttering. You see what's in my hands, don't you."He put the oil tank down and took a few steps towards me, smirking and playing with this metal lighter in his right hand." I heard that you're smart and top in classes. You know what I'm doing, don't you? Stalker."
I should have stepped back too to maintain a polite distance, but I couldn't move my feet. Every lessening inch of air between us was thrilling me.
"Looks like my judges are right. You want me, don't you?"
He said this to my ear, and I felt my shoulders and fingers trembling to the warmth of his breath.
"How about spending a secret Christmas with me. You keep a secret a secret, and I'll grant all your wishes today." He didn't give me another choice, but I wouldn't say no even if there was.
"Are you really setting the library on fire? I can help! But, will we not get caught?!"
"Bingo, and don't worry, not a soul will know that anyone was here tonight. Trust me, babe." For that moment, I felt like his voice just got louder and louder, echoing the last word of his sentence, like the bells on Santa's sleigh as it crosses the sky.
We immediately lit the fire after the oil was spread everywhere, turns out the library wasn't very big after all as the procedure didn’t take much time. We watched as sparks began to fly, as smoke filled up the sky, straight up to the stars. I looked at his back as he admired the growing fire, and I could see that he was thrilled.
It was that second, that I knew, this Richard that I see now is unique. I know, everybody wants Richard. But nobody, nobody knows him the way that I do.
"Starting from that night, I ran along with many of his plans. As long as I shut my mouth, he would be by my side."
"So your motive is that you love Richard Leob."
"No, no, I swore to myself I would be the last and only one to be Richard's accomplice, to know him by his true self. We got into the same cell in prison, in the end, marking my success. But I don't love him, and I never liked committing those crimes. ”
"You've been in prison for 31 years, Nathan, and Richard Leob died 26 years ago."
"…So I said, Sir. It started with a fire and then died away. It didn't last.”