The Tell-Tale Heart Page #5

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It would only be a distraction.

I didn't think anything of it.

She seemed like a nice girl.

I don't think that she

was trying to... Sean.

You need to focus, pay

attention, take your medication.

As far as you're concerned,

you and I are the only

people in this house.

Try and hold your focus, Sean.

Will do.

I had begun to feel

myself taking control.

Could feel my strength growing.

I knew something

was just not right

about the old man

and his cold, dead eye.

I would wake

and sneak to his door

while the night was still

and the house was dark.

Just beyond my awareness,

a plan was forming.

L! would not be long until

I would know what to do.

Be strong enough to act.

You all right, Sean'?

I'm fine.

Seems you drifted

in and out of sleep.

I'm not feeling well.

You're not trying

hard enough to focus, Sean.

But these pieces

are looking great.

When you arrived,

do you remember

what the weather looked like?

I remember the colors.

No, we've been over that, Sean.

Got to go deeper, remember more.

Let's try again.

When I worked with the old man,

clarity of purpose

would escape me.

It was as if he was draining

my strength of will.

Keeping me from her.

I must hold on to my mission.

I must be sure of the path.

Sure of what must be done.

You can relax, Sean.

Relax.

Of course, I...

I had to get rid of the eye.

I was never

kinder to the old man

than during the whole week

before I killed him.

And every night, about midnight,

I fumed the latch

of his door and opened it,

oh, so gently, and then,

when I had made an opening

sufficient for my head.

I felt restless

in the house now.

Upon the eighth night,

I was more than usually cautious

in opening the door.

A watches' minute hand moves

more quickly than did mine.

Never before

that night had I felt

the extent of my own powers,

of my sagacity.

I could scarcely contain

my feeling of triumph.

To think that there I was opening

the door little by little

and he not even to dream

of my secret deeds or thoughts.

I fairly chuckled at the idea.

And perhaps he heard me,

for he moved

on the bed so suddenly,

as it startled.

What'?

Now, you may think

that I drew back, but no.

Who's there?

I kept quiet,

still, and said nothing.

For a whole hour,

I did not move a muscle,

and, in the meantime, I did

not hear him lie down.

He was still sitting up

in bed, listening.

Just as I have done

night after night,

hearkening to the death

watches on the wall.

Would a madman

have been so wise as this?

I undid the lantern cautiously.

I undid it just so much

that a single thin ray

fell upon the vulture eye.

And this I did

for seven long nights.

Every night, just at midnight.

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