Today, I am interviewing the antagonist, Joe Bowman, aka “Tic Tac Toe” in my book “Savant”.
He is joining me by phone.
CD: Hello Mr. Bowman, thank you for talking with me. Although I like to see my characters face to face, I understand you have your reasons for conducting the interview over the phone. Can you tell me why we couldn’t meet in person?
JOE: I’m doing you a favor by not talking face to face. Skype, zoom, or anything like them isn’t an option either. If I were to see your face, chances are you would die.
CD: That’s interesting. Could you tell me why I would be in danger?
JOE: If I tell you why it could hurt me.
CD: Okay….I’m a bit confused. I could die and you could get hurt. Let’s start with some basic questions then. How about your childhood?
JOE: It was about as good as it could be for my sister, Ruth and I. My mother raised us and did all she could. She worked two jobs to make ends meet and we pretty much took care of ourselves. We weren’t bad children; we went to school, came home did our chores, and homework. Momma didn’t have to worry about us. She made sure we had clothes on our backs and food in our bellies, but we didn’t have a lot of fuzzy, cozy family gatherings.
CD: Your mother sounds like a hard working woman. It’s not easy these days to support two kids and work.
JOE: Yes, she was a hard working lady. She did make time for us when she wasn’t working but it was limited. She literally worked herself to death. When Ruth and I got older, we helped out. I got a part time job at the convinecne store where she worked so we were able to spend a little time together that way. I never wanted to make her suffer or be embarrassed at my actions, I had a lot of respect for her and knowing how much she did to make her children happy is my reasons for trying to make her proud of me. Ruth took on babysitting jobs and light housekeeping jobs, it made us happy to take some of the burden off her shoulders.
CD: But, now you are a serial killer. I don’t think she’d be impressed about that.
JOE: No. I suppose not, but she’s been dead for a couple of years so…
CD: I’m sorry. How was your life in school? Did you get bullied, or were you a social outcast? Most people who kill have some sort of trauma such as being bullied or abused.
JOE: Actually, I was popular in school. I made good grades especially in science; chemistry, biology were my favorite subjects. I like people. I know that may sound odd. I didn’t choose to become a serial killer; it chose me.
CD: Really? How?
JOE: Before my mother passed away, she gave me a family heirloom. Her father gave it to her. It’s been in our family for hundreds of years. It was supposed to be handed down to the first born son. With her, she was an only child and was given the heirloom. She didn’t like it.
CD: Why didn’t she like it? What was the heirloom?
JOE: It’s a knife called a dirk. It’s small, but a powerful weapon. Traditionally, it was used as a sidearm for the Scottish army. It’s used mainly for cutting, thrusting, and used in ceremonial dress. I don’t wear a kilt but I am Scottish. Well, half Scottish and half French. Momma didn’t like it though because she thought it was evil.
CD: Evil? How?
JOE: According to her, her father said that it was used in 1297 in a war with the English when Scotland fought for its independence. Then used again in 1547 in the Battle of Pinkie Cleaugh, this one was to have independent states. My ten-times-great-grandfather had it then. The original owner of the dirk, I’d have to do some calculating about how far back the lineage is, but in 1297, he went to a "draoidh"; a Gaelic term for warlock. He had to be secretive though, witchcraft was frowned upon and if you were suspected of practicing it you’d get thrown in jail and more than likely hanged or burned alive. However, he found a warlock living in a forest two days ride from where he lived and had a spell cast on the dirk. There was a catch. If he told anyone about the spell the dirk would be cursed and all who touched it would be enslaved to its whims. As fate would have it, he became quite the hero and one night in a tavern he boasted about why he was so proficient at killing the Englishman. A week later he fell ill. Before he died, he gave the dirk to his son. He told him to never touch it unless he had gloves or something between flesh and the knife. When momma gave it to me, it was in a wooden box and covered with a felt cloth.
CD: Could you describe the dirk?
JOE: It’s got a long blade, about twelve inches, very sharp. The handle is made of bone and has symbols carved in the bone. I’m not sure what they are, probably some ancient Scottish text is my guess. The blade glints beautifully in the moonlight.
CD: You didn’t try to find out what the symbols meant?
JOE: No. I didn’t’ put much into folklore and magic, but my sister thought it would be interesting to see what they meant.
CD: Did she find anything?
JOE: No. She started investigating but strange things like, her flower garden being destroyed. Our vegetable garden nothing grew, or if it did the vegetables would rot. The phone would ring but no one was on the other end. One night she thought someone was following her. She got spooked and quit looking. As far as I know, there hasn’t been any occurrences since.
CD: So the knife is cursed? What made you touch it?
JOE: Disbelief. I thought it was a bunch of hocus pocus make believe nonsense. I know better now. As soon as I touched it, this powerful wave of energy hit me like a bolt of lightning. Then I met Redurge.
CD: Redurge?
JOE: Yes the soul of the dirk.
CD: Can you tell me a little bit about this “Redurge”?
JOE: I could but then I’d be on the floor holding my head. It’s painful when it doesn’t want something done the way it wants. It can be demanding and if I don’t do what it says then I’m out of commission. That’s all I want to say about that.
CD: That’s a frightening situation and I’m feeling a little creeped out, so I’ll move on. Can you tell me about the riddle?
JOE: Oh, you mean, be it “x” or be it “o”; up, down, diagonal, tic tac toe! It’s a simple game but no one wins but Redurge. I thought up the riddle though and the mark. Anyone can die face up, but this gives the finder of the piece a nice little shock.
CD: You seem to like doing it.
JOE: Well, yeah now I do. I like games that make a person think. Strategy is a great way to live your life.
CD: Aren’t you concerned about getting caught? I could call the cops right now and have them locate you.
JOE: You don’t know my whereabouts. Besides, I think if you were to do that then you would have done so before now. So, to answer your question; no, I am not concerned with getting caught. My moves are calculated to the minute. I know each move I will make.
CD: Redurge?
JOE: Yes.