Broken Monsters

by Lauren Beukes

  She raises up the brick, like Abraham in the Bible about to sacrifice Isaac, and he’s God, and he won’t let her, because he realizes this is his baby.

  He punches her in the face and she falls back, dropping the brick. He snatches up his phone and turns just in time to see it. The most wondrous thing on earth.

  A black angel steps out into the room with a door embedded in its face.

  Jonno turns the camera on it and its wings erupt into flame, the halo flares into spikes of light, and the door begins to glow as if all of heaven is on the other side, shining through the cracks.

  The angel reaches up his hand to touch his own cheek, in awe. His fingers reach up blindly for the handle, and close on the golden doorknob.

  Everything to Everyone

  ‘Come on, stay with me,’ TK says, half-carrying the cop, semiconscious, delirious. Not so out of it that she sees what he sees, maybe she’s too sensible. But never mind all that, he is not going to see some other kid lose their momma to a monster.

  ‘No, Layla!’ the woman in his arms calls out, struggling. ‘Lay, come back here.’ She thrashes at TK. ‘Don’t let her go.’

  ‘Easy there,’ he says.

  But when the idiot with the phone punches her daughter in the face, she reaches for her gun. Can’t say he blames her.

  But then none of that matters, because the source of the shuffling reveals itself. Some thing steps out of the labyrinth, ablaze, and even the cop sees it, and makes a sound in her throat.

  Gabi sees Marcus shambling out from the passage of crusted newspapers toward them. She sees him burst into flame and reach for the door in his face, and she raises her gun to put him out of his agony. Then she wavers. She can’t believe he’s still alive. She should have checked when she found him. They need to get him to a hospital.

  ‘Mom!’ Layla yells, getting to her feet on the other side of the room. ‘The phone. Get the phone. You have to stop Jonno filming! You have to trust me.’

  And she does. Against every damn instinct. She turns, away from the fiery angel-monster, and trains her gun on Jonno instead at the exact moment a tidal wave of furniture crashes over him.

  The chairs come when TK calls them, a whole bunch of them. Some of them once belonged to him, the killer, but not any more. They swarm across the floor, tik-tak, tik-tak, and smash Jonno off his feet, battering him to the ground.

  Jonno flails against the furniture. Death by Ikea, he thinks before the hard wooden edge of a seat catches him on the forehead and knocks him out.

  The phone goes skeltering across the floor and bounces off the leg of a chair, skidding toward her. Layla snatches it up and hits the stop button on the video app. The live feed cuts off.

  Everything collapses, just like that.

  The birds fall out of the air and shatter like so much glass, the whirling papers fall, the chairs stop moving and Marcus slumps, no longer ablaze, his fingers slipping from the door handle, his knees collapsing. No longer an angel, just a terrible mistake.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Gabi shouts at her, swinging her gun back to Marcus, slowly slipping to the ground.

  Layla looks up at the dark cloud that has swollen to fill the entire room, hanging low under the ceiling. She can feel what’s inside it, the hope and despair crackling through like static.

  ‘You really didn’t know,’ she says. She is furious that anything could be so fucking stupid, so naïve. But this is what she does. Finds the empathy to step into even the most hideous roles.

  She knows what it needs.

  Layla turns the camera back on, pinch-flicks her finger over the screen to zoom in on Marcus’s face and holds it there, long enough, just long enough for him to raise his head, for his chest to heave, for his fingers to reach for the door. The light behind it is shining again, a brilliant border. He closes his hand on the handle. The catch clicks. The door starts to swing open, just a crack. There is a blaze of gold and darkness whirling to meet it – the storm rush of the black clouds sweeping through the door. Away.

  ‘Shoot the door, Mom,’ Layla says. ‘It’s not Marcus any more. It’s not anything.’

  Gabi squeezes the trigger. Her aim is true.

  Layla hits stop.

  She presses delete.

  Open

  ‘Layla!’ Gabi grabs her by the shoulders, turns her round, examines her for damage. A deep cut on a raised welt on her temple, already scabbing up, dried blood in her hair. Black and blistered skin on her shoulder, burned right through her jacket. Big eyes, dilated, shock that hasn’t set in yet, because she’s furious.

  ‘You’re okay,’ Gabi says. It’s as much a command as a question. Layla nods and then the anger drops out of her, like the phone from her hand, and she starts shaking, her hands over her eyes.

  ‘Oh God.’

  ‘It’s okay. Come on, sugarbean, we’re getting out of here.’ She can’t look back at Marcus. What is left of Marcus. Eighteen years on the force and she has never killed someone. And now …

  Her daughter looks up wildly at the black smoke pouring over them, ‘I thought it was gone.’

  ‘It’s all the newspaper. It’s caught on fire. We have to get out.’

  TK is pulling chairs off Jonno, unconscious beneath them. He yanks him up by his arm and swings him over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift.

  ‘What about Marcus?’ Layla says.

  ‘Like you said, he’s not there any more, baby. We have to worry about the living.’ Even Jonno, although she would dearly love to leave him here. ‘We have to find a way out.’ Gabi scans for exits. The broken windows open to a twenty-foot drop. The fire-escape has been ripped away and hangs dangling from the brick. She knows for sure that there is an elevator shaft on the other side, which means there will be another staircase, probably.

  Layla swabs at her eyes with the heels of her palms. ‘Mom. I know a way.’

  She reaches for her hand. Gabi can’t remember the last time they held hands. Her daughter leads her to a bricked-up section of wall that juts into the room. It might hold cabling or it might be a vent. There’s one of the damn chalk doors drawn on it.

  ‘Oh, beanie, no. That’s not …’ Gabi can’t stand it. This might be the last nudge over the edge.

  But then she realizes that this one is drawn over an actual door. Layla shoves down on the bar handle and pulls it open onto a ladder leading down. There’s light from above – a hatch open somewhere high above them.

  ‘It’ll be okay, Mom.’

  ‘No, we don’t know where it goes.’

  ‘Trust me.’ Layla’s face is bright and open, her eyes shining. She’s never looked more sure of herself.

  She surrenders to the certainty of the young woman, suddenly a stranger, as if all the potential in her has come into bloom.

  ‘All right,’ Gabi says, gruff. ‘All right. But I’m going first.’

  She rattles the ladder as hard as she can. It’s built solid. She steps down onto it and shoves away, with all her weight. It doesn’t budge.

  It’s an old chimney. She can see patches of light below them, where bushes have pushed their way in between the brickwork. They might have to fight their way past the branches, but at least they’ll be out.

  ‘All right,’ she calls up.

  Layla steps onto the ladder above her.

  There’s water running down the bricks on the inside and moss growing in the cracks, with tiny purple flowers blossoming in defiance of the cold.

  They climb down, all of them, one step at a time, closer and closer to daylight.

  AFTER

  Mind Bleach

  In the matter of the death by shooting of serial murder suspect Clayton Broom

  Official Report Filed #261114/4438 Homicide Department, November 30, 2014

  Lead Investigators: Detectives Luke Stricker Badge No. 531 & Gabriella Versado Badge No. 866

  Report filed by: Internal Affairs Investigator Detective-Sergeant Farokh

  Date of incident: Wednesday, November 19,
2014

  Location: Fleischer Body Plant, Detroit

  Additional materials attached:

  A full report of events leading up to the death of Clayton Broom, as reported by Detective Versado Complete set of case notes

  Video file recorded by private citizen, Jonathan Haim

  Witness statements by Layla Stirling-Versado, Jonathan Haim, Thomas Keen

  Evidence Tech documentation of the scene Ballistics report

  Forensic lab reports

  Phone records

  EPA report on chemicals present at the Fleischer

  Body Plant

  Medical examiner’s report on Jenefer Quillane

  Medical examiner’s report on Clayton Broom

  Medical examiner’s report on Officer Marcus Jones Cyber-crimes analysis of video footage material DPD Psychologist Dr Elle Weir’s debrief and evaluation of Detective Versado

  Final Notes:

  This investigator finds that there are still many inconclusive and disturbing aspects around the events that led up to the death of Clayton Broom and the shooting of Marcus Jones.

  EPA examination of the building and blood tests have proved inconclusive on possible hallucinogenic toxins.

  However, the witnesses’ testimonies, interviewed separately, confirm that many of them experienced vivid and subjective hallucinations consistent with psychotropic drugs. Speculation about whether Broom was able to induce mass hypnosis or hysteria is irrelevant at this point. PTSD has also been put forward as a possible factor; all witnesses had seen one or more of Broom’s victims.

  The footage filmed by ‘citizen journalist’ Jonathan Haim has been largely discounted as a reliable record of what transpired.

  Cyber-crimes conclude that the footage was doctored in-camera, using a more professional version of live-filtering effects software that is widely available. They have been unable to identify the exact software because the footage on the phone was deleted, even though there are multiple recordings of the live-stream online. Mr. Haim continues to deny any manipulation of the footage, which is shaky and dark and hard to discern.

  Haim has confirmed that he purchased the crime-scene photographs used in his previous videos from Detective Michael Croff. An investigation against Detective Croff is pending.

  The footage has helped to confirm that Detective Versado did warn Broom before shooting him the first time, in the arm (refer to audio on video footage at 41:56 and ballistics and ME reports) and that she was prone at the time of the shooting and under direct physical threat when she made the fatal head-shot (refer to audio and video footage at 43:18 and ballistics and ME reports on bullet trajectory).

  Apart from the mutilated body of Officer Marcus Jones, none of the other ‘art works’ on the scene contained human remains. The autopsy reveals that Officer Jones died on Monday morning, from a combustion nail gun to the head, two days before Detective Versado discharged her weapon into the corpse while attempting to shoot Broom.

  A cat belonging to Layla Stirling-Versado was recovered, alive, from the scene.

  The psychologist’s report indicates that Detective Versado was under extreme personal and professional duress when the shooting occurred.

  The evidence that would have been brought to bear against Mr. Broom is very strong and likely would have led to a conviction (please refer to case notes attached), including, most compellingly, a clear fingerprint on the clay wrapped around the remains of Ms. Spinks, which has since been confirmed by forensics as his right thumbprint.

  We have to consider the public perception of this case and Detroit’s police force in general. There is little doubt in the public eye that Broom was guilty of the heinous crimes and that Detective Versado acted in good faith, even heroically.

  We must also consider the public hysteria around the more gruesome aspects of the case.

  I believe a definitive statement from the DPD, laying out the facts as set out in this report, will put a great deal of this hysteria to rest.

  I hope this submission will assist Internal Affairs in making an informed and fair ruling.

  It is this investigator’s considered opinion that Detective Versado was justified in fatally shooting Clayton Broom under the circumstances described in these reports.

  My recommendation is that she be commended for her actions and reinstated to her full command, after a mandatory period of counseling.

  I am Jonno Haim, the last person who spoke to the Detroit Monster alive. Ask Me Anything.

  submitted today by JonnoHaim

  The events you’ve seen on Jonnoh.TV are a real record of events as they happened. There was no filtering software or effects added. Here’s the link to The Fleischer Footage and the relevant discussion forums on /x, which includes the frame-by-frame stills. Help get the truth out and fund my documentary on Kickstarter.

  UPDATE: I have a very hectic media schedule. Sorry if I can’t get to all your questions in this hour. I’ll do another AMA soon or you can continue the discussion on my website.

  top 200 comments show 500

  sorted by: best

  [–] xsyntz 2677 points

  Don’t you think it’s unfair that you’re propheting off Jen Q’s death?

  [–] Gal00t 2394 points 1 year ago

  Best. Typo. Ever.

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 4841 points

  If you knew how much I loved her, you’d know what a shitty question that is. She died right in front of me, remember? I miss Jen every single day. As soon as the documentary is wrapped up (the soundtrack uses a lot of her tracks, btw), I’m looking to launch a new Kickstarter to create the Jenefer Quillane Music Academy in Detroit. Maybe you’d like to chip in? ;)

  But seriously, if you’ve seen the footage that was live-streamed, that has been cached, you’ll know it’s not fake and you’ll know I’m not a prophet, I’m a disciple. All of you are. It lives on in all of us, everyone who has seen it. I’m the messenger.

  load more comments (1,060 replies)

  [–] Nothingmonstrd 1369 points

  In your interview on You Can’t Handle The Truth [click to watch on YouTube] you insinuated that the authorities are trying to cover this up. Do you really believe that? Don’t you think you’re hurting your cause appearing on shitty conspiracy video podcasts? This is the same channel that did a special on how the Twin Towers were brought down by an alien ball. Not exactly helping your credibility?

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 4661 points

  I called them out on it to their faces. They’re scared. They’re trying to hold on to the world they know. It’s up to us to show them what lies beneath. And I’ll get the word out wherever I can. To whoever will listen. You think I haven’t seen the skit about me on The Daily Show? But I am NOT A JOKE and this is REAL.

  load more comments (855 replies)

  [–] CaptainFluffyPants 1300 points

  Isn’t this just like the Russian Mutant? SO FAKE?

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 2122 points

  In that the Russian Mutant is a clever bit of visual effects work and the Fleischer Footage really happened? I’m going to say no. It’s not like that at all. To all the skeptics out there, cos this tedious question just keeps coming up please show me the video filters that can create those effects live! I’ve had various visual effects experts in Los Angeles and in France analyze the footage independently of the police’s so-called experts and they’ll corroborate that it’s the real thing, unadulterated, undoctored. This is NOT Internet urban legend shit. This is not spooky noodle!

  load more comments (1,638 replies)

  [–] Laughing_Toaster 2093 points

  I think you mean ‘Creepypasta’. Do you have any contact with the other survivors?

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 3487 points

  I’m under a court order that prevents me from naming them or talking to them. Which says a lot, I think.

  load more comments (187 replies)

  [–] Goraan 2049 points

  Isn’t that because one of them, Mys
tery Girl, is a minor and she has a reasonable right to privacy? And didn’t you physically assault her?

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 3655 points

  Yes. One of them is a minor. You can see a glimpse of her at 47:02-37:11 in the footage. She’s also the one who deleted the footage, making it impossible for me to prove everything.

  load more comments (596 replies)

  [–] GeekofSolitude 6752 points

  We <3 Mystery Girl.

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 7454 points

  I don’t get this obsession with her. I know you want to romanticize her and turn her into this big hero like the Hunger Games or whatever, but she was a dumb teenager who wandered in by accident. It’s a miracle she didn’t get everyone killed.

  load more comments (2,541 replies)

  [–] RavenSara 2041 points

  What about the Homeless Hero who saved your life?

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 3257 points

  The guy who beat me unconscious with a chair? You think I should thank him for carrying me out of a burning building? I don’t know. He declined to be interviewed for my documentary, which you can help fund, by the way, assuming the city of Detroit doesn’t try to sue me again.

  load more comments (461 replies)

  [–] Anonymous835 4100 points

  You make it sound like a vendetta.

  [–] Jonno Haim [S] 9383 points

  It is. The same way it’s always been against people who dare to speak the truth against power. Ask Galileo or Aristotle or Martin Luther King. I’m a heretic and they will go to any lengths to stop me.