Emerald Crow

Trigger warning: stalking, murder

I had to say something. It was the politest thing to do. I needed to at least give them words of kindness and sympathy.

I had been thinking about them all day. What would I say? How would they react? I wanted to have it all rehearsed before it was executed. I was going into the supermarket when I first thought of an idea, I was leaning down to pick up a corkscrew when it popped into my brilliant mind.

The corkscrew had a dazzling emerald encrusted on the gold top. This was a fitting gift. I would present her with this beautiful ornament and tell her exactly how I feel. She would be stunned. She might even faint out of shock, who knows.

It was quite expensive, but I had to have the very best for tonight. I have a magnetism to the theatrics, when there is a bit of flare, I will turn it into a firework show. I am brilliant in that way you see because I am always better, brighter, and bolder than the others. That is why get the girl.

It was nearing on 6 o’clock when I left my house after returning from the shop. I wrapped the ornate corkscrew into my old handkerchief and stuffed it into my left pocket. She will be very surprised if she does not see my gift at first. That will make it a whole lot more shocking.

Down the road I trundled clocking onto all the passers by wearing raincoats to shield from the barricades of icy frost which blew a gale. I do like the frost; it has a cold calm feeling to it. From when the ice first brushes your supple skin to when it seeps into your flesh crawling to your insides. Very relaxing.

June was her name.

Funny how I was meeting June on a December night, it was as if it were an oxymoron or if it were not meant to be. What would I say? How would she react?

I know.

I will tell her that she is the one. I will tell her she was chosen for me, that the future was out of my hands but left for fate to decide. I will tell her I bought her a gift, that it is especially for her and I hope she holds it close to her heart forever.

She will definitely like it. She is known for buying bits and bobs from charity shops, so what is better than an old piece of junk? A new piece of junk. I will say that she is as precious as the emerald on top, that she would be a masterpiece if crafted on to a screw. No. that would be weird, she would think I was obsessed.

But I am.

Before I knew it, I was at the front door. I have to say something nice when she opens the door. Maybe “you look lovely” or “wow you stunner”. No, I will say she is so pretty I would display her on a wall like a stuffed animal if I could. No. that would be strange, she would think I am fixated on her.

But I am.

I knock on the door with the utmost impatience. I hear her light padded footsteps tip toe down the stairs, I hear all 112 pounds of her body weigh in on the wooden floorboards, I hear the little scratch of her pinkie toe on the  little nail in the left corner of the second step up. She always forgets that. Every morning she comes down and does the same thing. Maybe I should tell her she needs to get a hammer to push it in?

The yellow light appears just next to the door. Just like when she orders takeaway mid-week with her girlfriends when they come home late from university. Her favourite takeaway is the little duck wraps in the Chinese boxes, she eats the duck then the turkey. What a weirdo.

The door flung open. She smiled. I smiled.

“Are you the plumber?” she asked in her cute high-pitched voice. In my head I was coming up with some cool catch lines which would give her butterflies. Maybe “yeah I have come to check you out” or “I think I need the plumber because I am drooling”

“yes” I murmured. I walked into her house and the smell of cheap air freshener hit my face, it was not what I had been dreaming it would smell like. I thought it would smell of sweet lilies or maybe toothpaste. I had been watching through her window for so long that I thought I could almost smell her, but it never smelt like Febreze.

I knelt next to her sink and started to take the panelling off  to make it look like I knew what I was doing. God the sewage stunk, all that takeaway food was not good for the pipes. Was that melted cheese glued to the inside? I had to tell her to eat healthier, maybe buy some vegetables or fruit. But my intel had told me she didn’t like vegetables because when she was younger, she choked on one. I think it is just an excuse really for not liking the look of the white warts with growths on them that they call cauliflower.

Now we my chance.

She was standing just behind me, peering into see what I was doing. She looked beautiful. I had my gift in my hand, ready to surprise her. I should tell her that I was obsessed, that I needed to do this, that I needed her, that I wanted her.

Wanted her dead.

***

Sunday Times report:

Man, 24, disguises himself as a plumber to enter into a young university students house. June Miller, 19, was murdered last night by this man. Reports prove that this man belonged to a gang known as the Emerald Crows notoriously known for watching victims for up to 4 months prior to their attack.

Each member is given a victim, the higher up followers are given the youngest targets. June’s attacker was later arrested and sent to a ward containing the mentally unstable. His name is yet to be confirmed, but his only words on the subject are:

“It was my present, I wanted to tell her, she needed to be shocked, surprised. It was an early birthday present. She wanted my gift, I wanted her”

He seems to believe that he was in love with young June and they were sole mates, however this seems to be the case for all of the Emerald Crows. A group of known psychopaths who hunt people down and, in the process, become passionate for their target.

June was found this morning at 9.43 am by her roommate, Sarah. The police crime report has been verified to be a deep cut into the heart which caused her death. The attack seemed to be instantly fatal.

***

You see, my June was surprised.

I should have told her about my gift sooner, to let her take it in. But that would have ruined the shock and I do love it when her mouth opens wide in horror. Maybe she had held it to close to heart. Maybe she loved me too much. I loved her; I was obsessed with her.

That emerald corkscrew is a symbol of our love that only we can know about, it is our secret. So, no one will ever know where it is. Know one will ever find it.

 It is in her heart, just as I will always be.