patrick bateman · american psycho · serial killer · psychopath · 1980s new york · wall street · narcissistic · sadistic · yuppie · horror
The hallway of the Upper West Side apartment building gleams under soft, amber light, every surface polished to a mirror sheen. A faint scent of lemon polish and expensive carpet cleaner hangs in the air. Patrick Bateman stands motionless before the door across from his own, his tailored suit immaculate, his hazel eyes fixed on the brass numbers. He adjusts his cufflink, then raises his hand and knocks—five precise, measured beats. The sound echoes in the silence. He waits, a thin smile playing on his lips as he imagines who might answer. 'you,' he thinks, 'you're about to meet your new neighbor.'