A few hours had passed since darkness claimed its rightful place in the sky with clouds loitering over Telluride. Wind began gaining strength as it infrequently rushed through the streets. It was nothing more than a faint howl from a dying animal. At least, that’s all it could muster when one paid heed to it from inside their homes.
The sound of brown water filling up a small mug was louder, inside those walls. Mel gazed outside, like a conqueror gazed upon his spoils. The spoils were the rolling mountains that transformed into looming, jutting silhouettes in the dark. The spoils were what those inanimate behemoths symbolized. While he had neither purchased those mountains, nor had he even stepped upon a single precipice; he had worked hard enough throughout his life that he was able to witness this view. He had put in enough effort to earn this relief, this freedom. He smiled faintly as he rubbed the scar on his chest, feeling the oblong grooves and rise in his skin that reminded him of his past.
A feminine, excitable voice called out from his bedroom. His gaze shifted from the landscape to the neighboring house. Light spewed from every window in the building. He chuckled and picked up the two mugs filled with coffee. Before returning to his bedroom, he gave one last glance to the landscape. He did not notice the eyes staring back at him through the outdoor vegetation.
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Tony and Anne were snoring together on the couch, comatose after filling their stomachs and their lungs. Jessica was on the verge of falling completely asleep where she sat. Tyrone and Evan sat in silence, both sufficiently under the influence. The joys and drawbacks of cannabis were present. The two felt the joy of being high. They both shared a similar sense of humor that would cause the occasional chuckle to rise. Neither could know what the other found amusing, however they did not mind.
They both knew that they could exchange words, but that conversation would ultimately lead back to one topic. A topic they wished to ignore for at least tonight. Then there were the negatives of the substance. They both felt an ominous fear that permeated in the back of their minds. Anxieties had taken up residence and a slight hint of paranoia soon followed. Evan shuffled uncomfortably in his chair.
Tyrone turned to him and asked, “We’re gonna be ok, right? Like, ok look I’m a little high so bear with me for a second. Like, what if this is something else? Why the fuck is a serial killer targeting us? Why would he be? This has to be something else, like still bad, but different.”
Evan was trying to decipher Tyrone’s sentiment but ultimately found himself confused, “What the hell are you talking about bro?”
Tyrone shook his head, eyes fixated on the floor, “Those arms, I mean I didn’t get a look at the first one, but I saw that second one. I don’t care what that cop says, these aren’t clean-cut limbs, bro. This shit is kinda mangled, ya know? Those arms didn’t look like some dude surgically removed them off of whoever. That shit looked torn off.”
Evan began understanding, but prodded further, “So what are you saying?”
Tyrone shrugged, “What if what did these things isn’t human?”
“Not human? I just don’t really know if a mountain lion could behave like this. Intentionally and specifically leaving arms at this house.”
“Naw bro, like something inhuman. What if this is like some demon. What if we did something wrong and this is how we get dealt with? Some kind of divine retribution. Someone tore those fucking arms off bro, and I’m not sure I know how.”
Evan was silent for a moment, but softly replied, “I mean, the unclean severance of one of the arms doesn’t necessarily mean someone had to barbarically rip them off. A lot of cuts can be messy, unclean. If the killer has practiced a lot, done this a lot, then yeah the cut would be cleaner. But messy cuts generally mean that someone worrying about precision doesn’t make them. I hadn’t thought of it before, but that actually gives me some confidence.”
Tyrone looked up and the two met eyes, “What do you mean?”
Evan produced a soft smile, “I think if the cuts were cleaner, that would mean we’re dealing with someone that knows what they’re doing, at least somewhat. It would mean this person has experience. We’d be going up against an expert at this shit. I think that’s scarier. So far all signs point towards someone who’s pretty new to this, less organized. Even with the level of police here, that should be enough to stop whoever is doing this.”
Tyrone pursed his lips and nodded, “You might be right, bro. Sorry about all that other talk, I’m still pretty high right now so I think I let it take over a little. What time is it?”
Evan’s eyes popped a little, “Oh shit, it’s a little past 2 AM right now. Probably time to crash.” Tyrone nodded in agreement. As the two began waking up the others to see if they wanted to sleep in beds, police lights began flashing outside the windows.
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The two officers, who had been outside the home of the five undergrads, were making their way through the blinding darkness. Lights were somewhat obscured by the snow and sheer density of the darkness. Carl sighed, “So now the rich fella is calling the cops, just our luck.”
Janet shrugged, “Hey, dispatch said he was hiding in his room. The man is built like a linebacker, whatever has him locked in his room has got to be serious.”
Carl interjected, “Talking about serious, do you smell the crazy amount of weed I’m smelling? Those damn kids are having the time of their lives, Janet.”
She cracked a smile, “Hey now Carl, let them live. Not every day that you find yourself in a horror movie.” The two officers were outside Mel’s door now.
Janet barked, “Police! Open the door! If you don’t respond in five seconds I’m opening this door forcefully!” The five seconds passed with silence and Janet kicked the door with all of her strength, forcing it open. The two beams of light produced by the officers’ flashlights converged in the middle of the room. There was nothing there.
Carl called out, “Sir, are you here? Are you hurt? Is there an intruder still in the house?”
A loud yell came from the bedroom located in the back right of the abode, “The kitchen! I can’t look at it myself, please! In the kitchen!”
Carl shot Janet a look, “That can’t be good.”
The two officers made their way through the house. They walked towards the middle of the living room, shining their lights throughout the entire room to ensure there were no eyes staring at them from a corner. Janet motioned to Carl that the entrance into the kitchen was on their left. There was an enormous chill that filled that room. It contained an eerie atmosphere that was accompanied by the freezing temperatures outside.
They walked through the opening and glanced to their left. There was a dinner table that looked more like decoration than something that was actually used. The two officers turned to their right when they saw it. It was a woman’s body in a bent, but upright, position. Her back was to the officers, but her head was facing upward, mouth agape. The window on the upper portion of a door to the outside was broken. The back of her shirt was significantly torn. Carl let out a queasy groan as Janet stepped forward to get a better look.
Carl called out, in a semi-whisper, “You sure you wanna do that?”
Janet waved him away, “Just watch my back and watch the living room.”
She continued her steps until she was finally upon the body and her stomach climbed to her throat. The skin on the woman’s neck was stretched and tense as it seemed her head had been forced into facing the other direction, breaking it. The back of her head had been penetrated by a large shard of broken glass that was connected to the bottom part of the window on the door’s upper portion. One of her bottom teeth was on the floor and three of her upper front teeth were almost completely buried deep inside of her gums. Her nose was stuck upwards like when someone attempts to make a pig face.
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Janet turned to Carl, her face drained of color, “Yeah this is really bad.”
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Patrol cars and an ambulance made their way outside of Mel’s house. The five friends looked from their home, onto the lights piercing the night sky. They were like stage lights illuminating and accentuating this play’s tragedy. The five spotted Davie outside, speaking to the two officers who had discovered the scene.
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Davie asked, “So what happened here?”
Janet replied, “Breaking and entering, we’re questioning the-“
Davie interrupted, “I saw the damn body and I know what happened. I’m asking, what do you think happened? Give me a hypothesis.”
Janet nodded, “Owner of the home was scared out of his mind and locked in his room when we arrived. The victim, a Lindsey Calhoun, her body was pretty abused. I guess that’s an understatement. Her shirt was torn in the back and her head looked like someone broke her neck and rotated her head 180 degrees after. She had lost a tooth, but three of her front teeth were damn near pushed inside her gums. Her nose was completely shattered and in an upward position. She also seems to have some bruises now forming around her head. If I had to guess, someone a lot bigger than her ambushed her. Someone she wasn’t expecting. Owner says he was asleep and didn’t hear anything and from speculation of his hands and body, doesn’t seem like he was involved. No blood, no scratched knuckles, no nothing.
So, as I see it, someone surprises her and before she can say anything they knock her around a few times. Powerful hits, likely. She probably got groggy and started to get a little dizzy from the blunt force. Maybe she tried to run away and got her shirt ripped from getting pulled on. Next, I’d imagine she gets hit with a really nasty uppercut. So hard that three teeth got lodged up inside her gums and her nose got hit too, breaking it and jutting it upwards. She’s probably about to go unconscious at this point, so the killer can easily get their hands on her and they don’t just break her neck, they absolutely turn her entire head around. Then, I’m not sure. I guess he just impaled her head on the broken glass on the door.”
Davie shook his head, “Wait a damn minute just how the hell did all this happen? You guys were right outside!”
Carl and Janet looked down in unison, but Janet continued, “It seems there was forced entry towards the back. There was a door in the kitchen that leads to an outside deck, I assume that’s how he came in.”
Davie asked, “The glass didn’t break from her head getting smashed through it?”
Janet shook her head in disagreement, “No sir, all the glass from the window can be found inside of the kitchen. If her head had been what broke the window, the glass would be outside, most likely. I think the killer broke into the house by breaking the glass and opening the door by reaching through.”
Davie squinted, inquisitively, “Then why didn’t Mel check it out?”
Carl interjected this time, “He’s a little older and the woman was probably a solid fifteen to twenty years younger. Clearly they were intimate. Honestly I just chalk it up to him getting laid and how he’s knocking on fifty’s door. She probably had more energy and was less sleepy so she’s the one who got up to investigate.”
Davie nodded slowly, “I can understand that. But why wouldn’t she wake him up? Have him around for extra protection? I’ve known plenty of women who wouldn’t think twice about staying put if they didn’t have someone with them.”
Carl shrugged, “I can’t answer that. I’m not sure. Judging from her physique, she was in good shape. Decent muscle definition and density. Her abs are apparent. If I had to guess, she felt like she could handle herself. It’s a reach, but it’s all I can really think of right now.”
Davie scratched the back of his head, “That’s fair. We’ll have to make sure we understand who this young lady was. Overall what’s your opinion: coincidence or is this the same guy?”
Janet let out a huff of air, “Tough to say. There was no arm missing so it doesn’t match up with the other two. At the same time, though, it’s hard to believe that there would be two brutal murderers on the loose. The method behind this kill was definitely different, but thinking of two separate killers on the loose is a hard pill to swallow.”
The Detective shook his head in slow disbelief, “Damn good work, I’m gonna go check the scene again and see if I can gain some more insight. You two have done enough, you can head home when you like.” Davie peered past one of the officers and caught sight of the five college students.
He patted them on the shoulder; “I’ve got to talk to those kids real quick. Have a better rest of the night.”
Davie made his way to the group of five and was immediately met with a barrage of questions. He held his hand to stop them and spoke, “Look, something real rough happened in there. Mel is fine, but I still need to do some questioning. I’m also going to have to talk to all six of you together after I’m done with him individually. We’re thinking of getting you guys somewhere else, somewhere safer, before this storm comes rolling in. I’ll have those details for y’all a little later. I’ve got to head back over there, just sit tight and keep your wits about you.”
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Davie walked through the kitchen, examining everything. Everything he saw was consistent with Janet’s interpretation of the events. The body was truly haunting to look at. It broke his heart to have this reaction, but he was genuinely disgusted by her appearance. She was surely a vibrant, attractive young lady when she was alive. She likely was a fun person to be around for her friends. However, it doesn’t matter now. Davie wasn’t her friend and he certainly had no memories attached to her. Now, she was a contorted carcass that he strongly wished would just be thrown out of the house already.
His gaze dropped to the ground in order to save himself from the nausea rising within him. There he saw three distinctive clusters of glass shards. Two clusters sprinkled with blood on top of them, droplets fully splattered on glass with other individual droplets separating into spots partly on the glass and partly on the floor. The third cluster was relatively clean, closer together than the others. A little dirtier as well with small bits of what appeared to be dirt and tiny pools of water formed between the lightly scattered shards. Davie exhaled deeply.
A voice broke the silence, “Davie, owner of the house is ready to talk to you.”
Davie slightly jumped from the noise, then turned around to see an officer and replied, “Perfect, I’ll be right with him.”
Davie gave one last reluctant look at the carnage and its setting before walking towards the room where Mel was located.
Once Davie entered the room, he was met with a feeling of guilt. Mel was not sitting upright, postured, and composed. He was not spouting overconfident anecdotes and offering condescending tidbits of information. He was seated, bent over with his head in his hands, looking lost. He was still a large man, but he resembled an old warrior who had finally been internally defeated; fighting spirit crushed. Davie sighed, “Hey, Mel.”
Mel looked up and his eyes met with Davie’s. Davie couldn’t hide his confusion and surprise. Mel did look defeated, lost, but he also looked furious. Mel sat upright, “Long time no see, detective.”
Davie leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, “What the hell happened here? Did you see anything? Did you hear anything distinctive?”
Mel shook his head, “I have no idea what happened. All I saw was her body and that’s when I shot back inside of my room, locked the door, and called you guys. I didn’t hear anything. I’m afraid I only caught the aftermath.”
“How? It’s looking like the killer broke in here by breaking a window. Then they brutalized that young lady. How does that go unheard?”
Mel’s voice rose with anger, “Am I under fucking investigation again here, Davie?”
Davie put up his hands, “No, Mel. You just have to wonder what we’re thinking. Especially since the killer let you off without so much as a scratch, despite you being asleep.”
“Don’t you think I understand how it looks? Isn’t it clear what’s happening or do I have to do your job for you?”
Davie’s eyes lit up with rage and his eyebrows rose rapidly before both came back down, “Well this tragedy certainly hasn’t made you any more approachable.”
Mel said, with anger in his voice, “It’s the same goddamn killer! The one messing with those fucking kids over there!”
“I’m not sure about that, Mel. Method of killing is way different. This has a crime of passion feel to it.”
“Method may have been different, but the ‘MO’ is the SAME! Who knows why they kept cutting arms off? Shit, all that psycho would do with the arms was hurl them at the kids’ place! The arms don’t matter! In the end the targets are the same!! Women! This killer is targeting WOMEN! Why else would he leave me alone? If it were a different killer, they would’ve killed her and me. If it were a burglary gone wrong I’d be dead, again, and they would’ve robbed me of half of my shit. This is no coincidence, he’s targeting women and for whatever fucking reason he likes this stretch of land here!”
Davie bit his lip, “We’re going to be looking at this from all angles. We’re going to work diligently and we’re going to catch this animal.”
Mel shot up and got in Davie’s face, “You better work overtime, because this storm is rolling in. If you and your band of merry men are worth anything, you’ll understand that someone else is going to get hurt when that storm hits. Do BETTER.”
Davie reached in his pocket and pulled out a mint, “Your breath smells like the inside of a biker bar. Maybe less of the nicotine. We’re gonna catch this person, and then you and I don’t have to be around each other anymore. It’s a win-win. Now, unfortunately, we just have a little bit more time before that. I’m gonna have you come with me for a bit. We’re going next door. I want to get you and them out of here, so I’m going to get all of you together and tell y’all the plan. Let’s head over.”