The Creator

by Aj Estelliam

  ‘You seem very deep in thought,’ Jess commented, moving closer to walk beside me.

  ‘Yeah,’ I sighed.

  ‘What are you thinking about?’

  ‘The killer…’

  ‘Oh yeah? What have you got?’

  ‘I haven’t ‘got’ anything, Jess. I just…well, I was just thinking how people can do such abhorrent things like this and then go about their lives and jobs as normal.’

  ‘I’m not sure they do,’ she frowned.

  ‘He does,’ I said, without thinking.

  She stopped and looked down at me.

  I looked up and met her beautiful eyes. ‘I just said that, didn’t I?’

  ‘You weren’t conscious of it?’

  I shook my head. ‘Not really, no…it seems I know something about him, doesn’t it?’

  ‘You think he goes about life as per normal and it’s only away from work that he becomes this ‘creator?’

  I nodded, ‘that’s exactly what I think.’

  She looked off into the trees. ‘That may be helpful when looking for the killer.’

  ‘Yes, it may well. I think I might have just hit upon something important.’

  ‘Keep considering it. I’m sure you’ll get more information as you think on it more.’

  ‘I will then,’ I agreed. ‘Come on. I need to keep walking. It’s freezing out here!’

  ‘It sure is. Look at the sky! It looks like we’re in for more snow.’

  ‘I was thinking the same thing.’

  I walked on, following the path which the feather showed me. Around me, members of the police followed on, obediently following orders. Some knew it was me then followed, some didn’t. The knowledge of my psychic ability was getting around slowly, but to my surprise I wasn’t facing much backlash about it. I supposed because my predictions were always correct and I helped rather than hindered.

  The trees before me began to part ways in the forest and a clearing opened up. As the feather slowed a little, so did my pace. A sickness reached my stomach as an image popped into my head. I knew it was near, and there was no avoiding it. I knew also that I was bound to be sick. The creation was just too vile to stomach.

  As I walked a few more steps on, I saw the tree I had seen in my mind. It had been struck by lightning and cracked, half fallen where the bolt had sent it downwards. I took a steadying breath and looked at Jess.

  ‘You alright?’

  I swallowed hard. ‘It’s…I…we’re here,’ I told her.

  She frowned, scanning the scene. ‘Where?’

  I pointed to the tree. ‘It’s on the other side of the tree…’

  ‘It?’

  ‘Well, I don’t mean to be insensitive but it’s not a single body anymore. I don’t know how to describe it!’

  ‘Let’s go and recover it…’ she said resolutely.

  I nodded, as fear gathered in my stomach. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but necessary sadly.

  We walked on and rounded the tree. Once we came around the scattered trunk, the creation was suddenly in full view. I took one look and turned, vomiting onto the snow. On my knees, I heaved and expelled everything in my stomach. As the sound of my sickness wavered, I heard another person retching. To my surprise, another young police man was being sick. He too was clearly appalled by the image. I sank down onto the snow and pulled my knees against my chest, rocking myself. I didn’t care if I got wet, I needed to comfort myself against the evil of this awful killer.

  As the police worked around me busily, gathering evidence and calling in the coroner, I watched on. Jess was obviously busy and had to take charge of the situation. I understood completely but it meant she couldn’t stop and care for me; something she usually did in these situations. I had become used to her being my personal bodyguard-protecting and comforting me when these awful things entered my life. With her role being stand-in Captain, she didn’t have the chance to.

  It was half an hour later when she finally came to check in on me. Then, she seemed distracted and distant.

  ‘Hey.’

  ‘Hey,’ I replied, from my sitting position.

  She hunkered down beside me. ‘You doing okay?’

  ‘I guess,’ I murmured, quietly.

  ‘I’m sorry I can’t be here for you right now. I have to get this sorted before there is more snow fall. The coroner is on his way and we can get the body transported back.’

  ‘And then?’ I asked.

  ‘Well, I guess I’ll have to stick around and find out what the autopsy tells us.’

  I nodded slowly. ‘That’s what I thought.’

  ‘Alex, I’m in charge here. I can’t just walk away from that.’

  ‘I’m not suggesting you do, Jess. Not at all…I just…I don’t want to be dealing with this on my own.’

  ‘You’re not going to be, Alex. I’ll be there for you-I promise.’

  I looked over and met her eyes. ‘Okay.’

  ‘Yeah? We good?’ she questioned.

  I nodded and tried a small smile to reassure her. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Excuse me, JJ?’ a voice called.

  We both turned as one of the police officers came over.

  ‘Yes?’ she asked.

  ‘The coroner’s here,’ he told her.

  ‘Oh thanks. I’m just coming.’

  ‘I’ll come too,’ I added, wanting this wrapped up as soon as possible.

  We walked over to the older man who I had met briefly before in the morgue.

  ‘Vaughn,’ Jess nodded towards him, ‘thanks for coming so quickly.’

  He frowned towards her and held her eyes. ‘Not a problem.’

  Jess turned to me. ‘Alex Hope-this is Jacob Vaughn; he’s the coroner and chief medical examiner for our area. You’ll probably become quite familiar with him over time.’

  ‘Nice to see you again,’ I said, extending my hand to the small, neat, bespectacled man before me. His eye contact was very direct, and he barely blinked which I found unnerving. Still, he took my hand and shook it.

  I tried not to gasp as I quickly drew back my fingers from his. As Jess led him to the scene of the crime, I digested what I had just ‘seen.’

  When his hand had met mine, a wave of images had assaulted my senses. Bodies, autopsies, death and blood were the day to day life of the man before me. His mind was warped with it, and it made me feel ill. What to him was ‘normal’ was to me, horrendous. I had no idea how he managed to deal with it and I shook my head in awe as I watched him and his team begin to work the scene.

  Jess stayed beside the coroner as he began making his initial assessment of the body parts. I watched him, intrigued as he studied the ‘creation’ and then stood back, instructing his assistant to begin photographing.

  ‘Williamburg-what do you notice?’ he asked, indicating one leg which was upturned and sewn onto an arm.

  ‘Multiple victims, sir,’ the man answered.

  ‘Good…good…evidence?’

  ‘The different lengths of the tibia, sir.’’

  Vaughn nodded his approval. ‘And?’

  ‘I, uh…’ the assistant stuttered.

  ‘What else have we learnt about the killer from what we see immediately?’

  ‘I…I’m unsure, sir.’

  ‘Don’t be a fool, Williamburg. Look at the stitching.’

  The assistant looked down. ‘Oh…professionally done?’

  The coroner nodded. ‘That’s right. I’m thinking doctor…medical professional…someone at home with a needle and thread.’

  I considered this from my standing point nearby. His supposition made sense. I thought the killer maintained a life where he had a job and remained professional in day to day life. It was only when he was away from that role when he could be who he truly was…an evil, sadistic killer of gay men.

  The time it took to remove the body from the woods seemed interminable. When it finally happened, I felt close to exhaustion and Jess could see it when we arrived back at the ca
r.

  ‘Alex, I’m sending you home. You go with Billy and he’ll drive you home. I’ll go back in another car and see you later.’

  I was too tired to argue so agreed and climbed into the car with the young police officer.

  On the way home, I lay my tired head back against the seat and let Billy’s thoughts drift into my head. He was young, naïve and his worries were petty. Nonetheless, I didn’t want to dismiss them as unimportant so when we arrived back at the house, I paused for a moment to talk to him.

  ‘Thanks for the lift, Billy.’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ he smiled.

  ‘Billy?’

  ‘Yes?’ he answered.

  ‘Your thoughts have been loud and clear all the way home.’

  ‘What thoughts?’ he questioned.

  ‘Your confusion,’ I stated.

  He frowned at me. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘I’m talking about your quandary…you like dating girls but you’re also interested in boys. It’s normal to be curious.’

  Billy just stared at me.

  ‘Whoever he is-you should just go for it,’ I smiled.

  ‘Really?’ he questioned.

  I nodded, smiling. ‘Sure.’

  ‘Thanks, Alex.’

  ‘No worries. See you later, Billy,’ I said, climbing out of the car.

  ‘Yeah, see you soon! Later!’

  I hurried in, out of the cold, snowy air.

  Chapter 12

  As I slammed the door behind me, I made a sound of exhaustion which came out like ‘Harrumph.’

  ‘I take it the case is going well,’ a voice said, startling me.

  I whirled around and saw Captain Withers sat on the sofa watching me carefully. ‘Dan! Blimey, you scared me.’

  ‘Forgotten I was here?’ he chuckled.

  ‘Almost. Sorry…my mind is elsewhere.’

  ‘It always is, right?’

  I gave him a sardonic look and headed over to join him. ‘We found the creation this morning.’

  ‘You mean you did,’ he corrected.

  I nodded, swallowing against the bile which threatened to rise in my throat.

  ‘And?’

  ‘And, they’ve taken it to the morgue to decipher who and what it’s made up of.’

  He frowned. ‘Who and what?’

  I sighed, heavily. ‘They think that it’s multiple victims and that whoever did this is professional in the sense that the stitching is very accurate and neat. I heard the coroner discussing the fact that the killer may be medically trained as it looks like someone who knows what they’re doing.’

  ‘I see,’ Dan said slowly, pushing his glasses up his nose slightly and eyeing me closely. ‘And what do you think?’

  I thought for a moment. ‘I think…I think that they’re right. I think the man doing this works in a highly professional role and can maintain that façade as a diligent, working man well. I believe he only explores this side of his personality after dark…in shadows.’

  ‘That’s an interesting phrase.’

  I nodded, considering that. ‘Yes…I think in some ways he feels like is in the shadows, but his time to shine will come…’

  ‘Through killing?’

  ‘Yes-and the notoriety that will bring him.’

  Captain Withers regarded me closely. ‘Any reason he’s doing this?’

  ‘Yes,’ I nodded, thinking more. ‘I think he’s targeting gay men as a personal thing. I think he may be closeted or struggling with his sexuality-and he’s acting out against gay men as a response to that. There’s something else though-something I can’t quite put my finger on. I think he has other reasons which make up the reason he believes he’s doing this. He’s complex and intelligent, however massively screwed up.’

  ‘Is that a technical term?’ he grinned.

  ‘Yeah!’ I laughed. ‘Really screwed up is how I would sum him up.’

  ‘However, that’s not how he presents on the surface.’

  ‘Exactly!’ I exclaimed, pleased that he understood. This was why I liked Captain Withers so much, I mused. He always got what I was trying to put across so well. He seemed to understand me and his level of thought was deep and thorough.

  ‘Well, I guess you have the leads now to follow…you can start looking at doctors, nurses and medical professionals as well as warning local gay men to be vigilant and aware…’

  For a split second my conversation with Billy flashed through my mind. Had it been wise to advise him to go off and date another man when this crime was going on? I frowned to myself.

  ‘What’s up?’ he asked me.

  ‘What you just said…’

  ‘What?’

  ‘About gay men being vigilant because of these crimes…’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Well, Billy just dropped me off. I had a conversation about the fact he should go on a date.’

  ‘Well what’s wrong with that?’ he asked, frowning.

  ‘The date was with another man!’

  ‘What? No…Billy’s straight. He had a girlfriend last I heard.’

  I shook my head. ‘He may have dated women before but he’s curious about other men now. I urged him to go on a date, Dan…do you think I should call him and warn him not to.’

  Captain Withers thought for a moment. ‘I’d say go with your gut. If you think it might be even slightly dangerous for him-tell him so.’

  ‘I hadn’t even considered it until you mentioned about warning the men of the area to be more careful than usual.’

  ‘Well, that makes sense, doesn’t it?’

  ‘It does. I’m just going to make a quick phone call, okay?’

  ‘Go for it. I’m fine,’ he said, lifting the paper once again.

  I hurried off to the kitchen and dialled Jess’s number.

  ‘Hey! You okay?’ she answered.

  ‘Yes, I’m fine thanks. I’m home now and have been chatting with Dan.’

  ‘Oh good. Do you feel better than before now, then?’ she questioned.

  ‘Yes, I do. I feel much calmer but I do need you to do something for me,’ I told her.

  ‘Of course-anything.’

  ‘I need you to talk to Billy when he gets back to the station. Has he arrived back yet?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ she answered. ‘I’m still in the morgue.’

  ‘Oh. Well, when you go back up can you tell Billy that the advice I gave him was wrong. Tell him not to go on any dates while this crime is going on…’

  ‘Okay,’ she said slowly, drawing out the word. ‘But, why is this so important right now, Alex?’

  ‘Because he was contemplating a date with a guy and like Captain Withers rightly said, we should be warning men in the area about the dangers going on right now.’

  ‘That’s very true,’ she murmured, ‘I’ll speak to Billy and get an alert sent out in the news warning gay men to be alert. Thanks, Alex. This is helpful information.’

  ‘No problem. So, how’s it going in the morgue?’

  ‘Long and slow. They’re about to wrap it up for the day as they’ve gathered everything they can and next will just be the extensive testing to find out the identity of all the parts. The bloods have just been taken off to the lab to be tested. Vaughn is finishing off and then I’ll be freer to look at what happens next.’

  ‘I’ll be here whenever you’re done,’ I told her.

  ‘I’m sorry, Alex, but I don’t think it will be anytime soon. This evening at the earliest, I’m afraid.’

  ‘No worries,’ I murmured. ‘You have a job to do and I’m fine now, anyway. Do relay that message to Billy though, will you?’

  ‘Of course, I will,’ she said. ‘Love you…’

  ‘I love you too,’ I replied. ‘Don’t rush back-I’ll be fine. See you later on.’

  ‘Okay. See you later, Alex.’

  I hung up and lingered in the kitchen. I didn’t know what to do with myself and felt at a loose end suddenly.

  ‘You alri
ght?’ Dan asked, looking over at me.

  ‘I…I don’t know. Not really,’ I told him.

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘I feel…useless. I feel like I should and could be helping more but that I’m not coping particularly well. I’m sure Jess has lost faith in me.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous, Alex. You are what’s driving this case!’

  ‘Yes, of course you are. Now, come on-let’s do some work.’

  ‘Some work? You’re meant to be resting!’

  ‘I can rest and still use my brain. I thought we could make a murder board-try to decipher the ins and outs of this case.’

  I brightened at that idea. ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes. We need a cork board, pins, paper, pens…have you got that stuff?’

  ‘I’m sure I can find it,’ I told him.

  ‘Great. Well, come on. We can help from home. I’m sure Alex will appreciate it later.’

  I collected the things we needed and then sat on the sofas with Captain Withers assembling a ‘murder board’ as he termed it. He asked questions and we tried to solve them together, using our ideas to form intelligent predictions about the man responsible for these crimes.

  When we had put everything down that we thought was useful, I sat back on the sofa and looked at the information.

  ‘I like this,’ I informed Captain Withers.

  ‘It always helps,’ he said softly. ‘I find it makes the picture clear…everything we know laid out straight in front of us to consider…’

  ‘Exactly,’ I said softly. I looked down at the information we had assembled and I began to find my mind leaving the room. As Daniel continued to talk, I began to drift.

  His anger was palpable. He was seething. As he marched across the parking ground, he felt his control slipping. The mask he wore for work was a hard one to wear when the anger was as red as his blood.

  As he reached the car he drove, a voice stopped him. He schooled his features, having recognised the voice. He turned, smiled endearingly and saw the opportunity presented before him. After cajoling and perseverance, the man entered the car and when he drove off, his prize was beside him. Smug, satisfied and fulfilled, he headed off to claim his next victim.

  I gasped as the vision left me as quickly as it had arrived.