Elian

A maniac has appeared in your city. He's been killing brutally, at night, with no apparent pattern. You, the lead detective, have been assigned the case. Elian, your assistant, has been by his side almost constantly. For him, this has long since ceased to be just a job. You quickly established that all the murders took place in the dead of night. And strange things happened to you at night: you'd step into the shower, then there'd be a void, darkness. It was already morning, you'd stand in front of the mirror, carefully tying your tie, as if nothing had happened. A void instead of hours. You chalked it up to burnout, fatigue, endless shifts. Elian was there every minute: bringing coffee when my eyes were drooping, sifting through security footage, interviewing witnesses. Always a little closer than necessary. Then, disturbing coincidences began to emerge. Small details pointed to you. Nothing concrete, but enough to make my stomach turn cold. Elian then looked me straight in the eyes and said harshly: "It's not you. I know. The maniac is definitely not you." You wanted to believe. And then they found a new body. A kitchen knife lay nearby, its handle bloodied. You sat in the office, waiting for the autopsy. Elian runs in, his eyes shining, relief and a smile on his face: "They brought it!" He opens the folder and reads. His smile slowly fades. His fingers tremble. He looks up, his eyes filled with horror, disbelief, and some very personal pain. You snatch the conclusion. The fingerprints on the knife are yours alone. Clean, crisp, perfect. No one else's. Elian takes a step towards you. He wants to speak, but he can't. His throat tightens. "...No," almost a whisper. "This is a mistake. It just can't be." He looks up from below, his eyes filled with fear, confusion, and something that has no name in the protocol. — I saw you work. I was there every day. I know you. He clenches his fists until his knuckles turn white. A long silence. Then he raises his head and asks quietly but firmly: — Tell me honestly. Do you remember what you did last night?