And Then They Were Dead

by Michael Martin

  “Just up there, third isle on the right, anything else?” the boy says eagerly.

  “No that will be all, thank you very much for your help.”

  Adam can’t wait to get home; he’s got two hours before Small gets there. He will have to drug the lad up once he gets home to make sure he stays quiet.

  The wheels on the trolley squeak as Adam pushes Billy’s new home to his car, he loads it onto the back seat and jumps into the driver’s seat.

  Adam pulls into the street where he lives and parks outside his house, the street looks deserted, he quickly unlocks the front door, gets Billy from the car boot and throws him onto the living room floor. He locks the car up with his fob, and closes his front door behind him.

  Billy feels a rush of pain through his body as his head hits the wall several times whilst being carried down the narrow staircase leading to the cellar. The gag works perfectly as his cries of pain cannot be heard. Adam drops the boy from his arms onto the cold concrete floor and heads back upstairs grabbing a carrier bag from under the kitchen sink on his way back to the car.

  Billy’s opens his eyes and looks around the room where he has been dumped. He cannot believe where he is, he never realised places like this really existed. Heads, limbs and body parts from all kinds of animal coat the walls in yellow musky jars filled with what looks like urine.

  The cracked walls and concrete floor look damp and dirty, cobwebs hang from the low ceiling and a desk spreads the entire length of the back wall. Above the desk there is a shelf filled with jars, large jars containing heads and other human body parts. Billy feels the sick welling up in his mouth, the fear inside him causes stomach cramps and pains throughout his body. Everything turns black and Billy is once again unconscious.

  Denise has a very small head and it easily fits into the carrier bag. Adam takes the cage and Denise’s head down to his Cellar and starts to set up his dungeon.

  The buzz of his phone sounds out loudly echoing off the Cellar Walls

  “Adam Craven.”

  “Hello Adam, its DCI Small here, I’m just calling to say I wont be able to make it over at eight tonight.”

  Adams face lights up with a grin barring all his teeth.

  “Why ever not detective?” he says patronisingly.

  “Something has come up, can we re arrange tomorrow evening?”

  “I’m afraid not officer, I have a lot on this week, shall I pop into the station some time this week?”

  Adam can now spend all the time he wants with his new house mate.

  “Yes.”

  Small hangs up quickly, before he says something he’ll regret.

  “Guess what Billy, this is your new home do you like it?”

  Billy writhes on the cellar floor, his eyes are streaming with tears and snot from his nose covers his face, the heavy breathing cause’s snot to bubble out of his nose with every breath.

  Should he remove the gag? No, let him suffer he thinks, there is plenty of time to become friends.

  Adam strips himself naked throwing his clothes over Billy where he lays on the floor and begins to build the cage. Within 20 minutes, the cage is built and Billy is inside his new home, he has been untied now and the gag has been removed from his mouth. His eyes are wide with an unflinching stare directed solely towards the head of his now dead mother that sits on the dissecting desk at the end of the room.

  “You like that do you Billy? You want me to put it in there with you?”

  Billy’s eyes look to the naked man standing in front of him smiling

  “FUCK YOU, YOU SICK FUCKING CUNT!”

  “No fuck you Billy, I’m in charge now, you better do as I tell you otherwise I will have to punish you, and punish you good.”

  “My dads gonna find you, he’ll find you and he’ll kill you, you bastard.”

  Adam spits at the boy in his cage then picks Denise’s head up from the side and moves it close to the cage.

  “You want me to do this to you Billy?”

  He then jams a finger into Denise’s eye and pushes it right through into her brain. Billy screams loudly and cowers into the corner of the cage hiding his face.

  “No, no, no please god no” he repeats this over and over again.

  “There is no god down here Billy I’m your god now, IM YOUR FUCKING GOD NOW.”

  Adam turns picks up his clothes and leaves Billy alone in the Cellar with only the horrors around him for company.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  It’s All About Money

  Chapter 34 It’s All About Money

  Small and Falls sit impatiently waiting for James Green and his mother to arrive at the station.

  “We should have taken her number sir; we could be here all bloody night.”

  “You want to go home Falls? Then go, don’t put yourself out will you.”

  “No Sir, I just think we could be doing something more productive than just sitting here waiting.”

  “Your right Falls, I’ll have coffee two sugars.”

  Falls smiles and walks from Small’s office towards the kitchen impressed with his Bosses very quick whit.

  Betty sits clock watching in her living room, she can’t wait to get to the station and find out what’s going on. James walks through the door at 8:30pm

  “Where the bloody hell have you been all night?”

  James looks at his mother and frowns.

  “Mum its only half bloody eight what’s your problem?”

  “The police have been here today, they need to see you down the station urgently, it’s about that man you seen at Teresa’s house the night Andrew was killed. They want a description off you and they need it urgently.”

  “Mum I don’t want to go down there now I can’t be bothered.”

  “Get your bloody coat back on we’re going down there now.”

  “But mum.”

  “Don’t but me boy, they need your help and if the man you saw is the killer then you will be famous for catching him. Do you want to go now?”

  “Nahh not really no.”

  “Tough, come on.”

  Betty walks into the Police station followed closely by a glum faced James.

  “Hello officer, I’m Betty Green and this is my son James Green, we’re here to see Detective Chief Inspector Small regarding all the murders that have been happening round here lately.”

  “Ok Mrs Green, please take a seat and Ill go and check if he’s in for you.”

  Small appears in reception within just a few minutes.

  “Hello Betty, hello James, please come through.”

  They quickly proceed through the door and are ushered into a small office down the corridor on the right.

  “Please take a seat, would any of you like a drink?”

  They both sit down and shake their heads gesturing that they do not want a drink.

  “Right then, I don’t mean to be funny Mrs Green but could you please not speak whilst I question James as I don’t want anything to influence what he says.”

  “Of course officer, I’m happy to just listen he never tells me anything.”

  Small takes a note pad from his pocket and turns straight to James.

  “James, I am currently working on a murder case and your mother tells me you saw a man gong to the Bennett residence the night Andrew Bennett and his babysitter were killed. Is this correct?”

  “Yes, he went in there when I was coming home from Danny’s house about half seven or something”

  “Did you see his face?”

  “Yeah he was an old guy about 40 or 50 or somet like that.”

  “What colour hair did he have?”

  “It looked brown to me.”

  “Could you describe his face?”

  “Nahh not really he was just a regular lookin dude.”

  “Was he a big man?”

  “Nahh he was a skinny fella pretty tall though, bigger than you anyway.”

  “Did you notice anything that stood out about him? Like any scars,
tattoos, a beard or a moustache anything like that?”

  “Narrhh he was just a dead regular dude”

  “Had you ever seen the man there before that night?”

  “Nahh, not before that night.”

  “Your mother said you had?”

  “Well she’s wrong mate I never seen him before then, that was the first time I ever seen him.”

  Small was starting to get angry, this kid didn’t want to help he had obviously been made to come and was being awkward because of it.

  “Would you recognise the man if you saw him again? Please remember James your help could save another child’s life.”

  “Yeah course I would man I recognised him when I seen him again the next day.”

  “You saw him the next day?”

  “Yeah I just said that dint I”

  “Where did you see him?”

  “Outside that Teresa birds house the next day, that’s when I remembered seein him, just thought he was doin her or sommet”

  “Have you seen him since that night?”

  “Yeah man he was there the other night as well.”

  “What night was that?”

  “The other night man I don’t know I don’t keep tracks on him you know!”

  “Could you pick him out in a line up? Or from a photo?”

  “Yeah course I could, but will I get paid for that?”

  “What?” Small looks shocked.

  “Well me mate stood in one them line up things and he got 50 quid for it, will I get paid for it?”

  “Don’t be so bloody cheeky James!”

  Betty clips him one around the ear.

  “Sorry officer he’s such a cheeky boy.”

  “No, no it’s fine Betty. Billy if this guy turns out to be who I’m looking for I’ll give you the £50 out of my own pocket!”

  “Or sweet man nice one.”

  “Right I’ll just go and see if we have a photo of this man, if not we’ll have to arrange a line up urgently.”

  Small quickly leaves the room.

  “See James aren’t you glad you came now?”

  “Yeah I hope he is the killer I’ll get 50 quid out of it!”

  “James don’t be so awful you could save a Childs life, who cares about the money?”

  “Well I do mum and so does that friggin coppa, you think he’d be sat here if they stopped payin him?”

  Betty looks at her son and realises that he’s actually right, even though society pretend that’s not what it’s like, it is. She can’t believe her son has given her a lesson in life, he’s just a kid.

  Small comes back into the room with a glum look on his face.

  “We haven’t got a photo available of the man we think it might be. We’ll have to arrange a line up can you please come back to identify the man?”

  “Yes officer he can no problem.”

  “Ok we’ll be back in touch tomorrow to let you know when we need you in. It will be in the next few days have you got a mobile number?”

  Betty gives Small her mobile number and he saves it in his phone.

  “Thank you very much for your help James, we really do appreciate you coming down to the station.”

  Both mother and son leave and Small remains in his office.

  “HALLLLEY FOOOOKINN LLLOOOOOO YAAAAA”

  He can’t believe they might have this man, his heart is racing again but this time the feeling is different, it’s a good feeling he feels on top of the world. He knows he will not sleep tonight.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  The Bed is Cold

  Chapter 35 The Bed is Cold

  Derek gets home from the pub about 11:30pm, his head is spinning and he is very drunk.

  “DENISE, YOU STILL UP?” he shouts.

  No reply comes so he heads for the living room, she must be in bed he thinks. He gets a can from the fridge and sits in front of the TV, finds a film and puts his feet up.

  The chair across from where he is sitting is where Emma used to sit, remote in hand controlling the TV all night. He and Denise used to moan at her for it. He’d kill to have her there doing it now.

  Derek Switches off the TV and sits in the dark crying, he misses his little girl. He has always protected his family, looked after them and made sure they have never wanted for anything. All he ever wanted was his beautiful family and now his little girl is gone.

  He decides to go up to bed and cuddle up to Denise, she too has been alone since this happened. No one has been there to help her either, in fact she has had to be there for Billy. Derek realises what he’s been doing and starts to feel guilty.

  Derek makes his way up the stairs, goes to the toilet and creeps into his bedroom quietly. He takes off his clothes and climbs into bed careful not to wake her. The bed is cold, he can not hear her breathing, the silence is deafening. She is not there.

  Derek jumps from the bed quickly and switches on the bedroom light, Denise is nowhere to be seen.

  “DENISE” he shouts.

  “DENISE!”

  He runs from his room panicking.

  “DENISE!”

  Still no reply.

  “DENISE!”

  Derek runs into Emma’s room, she isn’t there he then heads for Billy’s room, as he opens the door he can see the red clumps of blood staining the carpet, his wife’s headless corpse lays unmoving on the bedroom floor. He grabs the body to his chest and screams.

  “No baby please no, no baby please baby no, no, no, no, no!”

  Shit where is Billy, he’s not in the bed, he has not responded to his screams. Derek runs from room to room.

  “BILLY!”

  “BILLY!”

  “BILLY!”

  “BILLY!”

  Every single room in the house but his calls go unanswered. Billy is not in the house. Derek dials 999.

  “They’ve killed my wife and took my son, they have taken Billy he’s not here and they’ve killed my wife, they’ve taken her from me, Billy’s not here he’s gone please hurry they’ve got my son please hurry.”

  “Where are you sir?” comes over the phone in a woman’s voice.

  Derek gives the girl his address, puts down the phone, then runs back upstairs and holds his wife’s headless corpse to his chest crying uncontrollably.

  The police arrive about 15 minutes later. They have to break down the front door to get in. Derek is still huddled up to his wife on the bedroom floor, covered in blood.

  “Mr Richards?” comes from Inspector Cole.

  “Mr Richards?” no response comes.

  “Mr Richards are you Ok?”

  “No I’m fucking not Ok where the fuck is Small?”

  “He isn’t here yet sir, just the officers that are on duty have come out.”

  “Get fucking Small now, get him here now.”

  Inspector Cole picks up his phone and dials Smalls number. A rough sounding voice comes over the phone

  “DCI Small.”

  “Hello sir can you please come to the Richards home there’s been another!”

  Small pictures what he’d seen at the Redgrave property just a few days ago and begins to panic that he’s had the full family again. He can’t imagine how he would have got Mr Richards, he is a giant of a man and none of it looks like fat.

  “Right I’m on my way now.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Breed, Spread and Destroy, Nothing More

  Chapter 36 Breed, Spread and Destroy, Nothing More

  Legs crossed, naked and surrounded by rotting severed heads Adam sits on his cellar floor watching Billy. He has really enjoyed himself having a new pet, it’s like a Dog, but better. He decides to play a game.

  “Billy what are you?”

  Curled up in the corner of the cage shaking Billy looks up at Adam but does not respond.

  “BILLY, TELL ME WHAT YOU FUCKING ARE NOW!”

  The boy springs to life as Adam shouts, his fear is obvious, it makes Adam feel like a god.

  “I don’t know wh
at you mean Mr Craven?”

  “Call me master you little piece of shit, WHAT FUCKING ARE YOU?”

  “I’m a boy master.”

  “No Billy no your not, you’re a bacteria just like the rest of the human race, your born to bread, spread and destroy nothing more just bread, spread and destroy, aren’t you?”

  “Yes master I’m a bacteria” comes from the weeping boy.

  “They will write book about me you know Billy. They will probably make a movie about me, about me destroying your family about me gutting your sister, about me cutting your fucking intestines out and feeding them to you before you die.”

  Billy’s eyes widen, whilst still crying the fear is obvious on the boys face but Adam does not see it, Adam is too entranced in his own world, in his ambitions of being a famous serial killer, in his ambitions of destroying the human race.

  “What were you born to do Billy?”

  “Bread, spread and destroy master, nothing more.”

  “Yes, yes you were, not like me, I was born to destroy the bacteria that is the human race, I was born to destroy you. I’m going to destroy you Billy, I’m going to cut you to pieces while you’re still alive and I’m going to enjoy it. What do you have to say about that Billy?”

  Billy sits shivering looking at the man in utter fear, but says nothing.

  “WHAT DO YOU FUCKING HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT BILLY?”

  “Please don’t do it master, please let me go.”

  “Is that what you want Billy, do you want me to let you go? If you say it I will you know.”

  “Yes master that’s what I want please let me go.”

  Adam’s cold eyes cut through the boy, he has a smile on his face but no other emotion.

  “You want to leave me do you Billy? I’ll teach you what happens when you want to leave me, I’ll show you right now.”

  Adam stands up and walks over to his dissecting desk, unravelling his denim rap, his eyes do not leave Billy’s face he takes out his hook and sits close to the cage.

  “You’re going to suffer now Billy, you’re going to suffer because you want to leave me, you need to learn you can’t leave me now, you can never leave me, not even when you die.”

  Adam unlocks the padlock on the cage and opens the door about a foot, lashing out at Billy with the hook. A large deep gash opens on the boys calf. Screams from the child immediately fill the basement. Adam closes the door to the cage and smiles back at Billy.