Suspect, and Not

WARNING

THIS CONTAINS SUICIDE, GORE, MENTIONS OF DRUGS, AND DEATH

IF IT WOULD BE TRIGGERING, PLEASE DO NOT READ

Jess knew that something was wrong the minute she walked into the house. The stench was awful, smelling of rot and death. She saw the limp body lying on the floor, blood pooling around it. All the 911 responder heard was a shaking voice, saying, "He's gone. I couldn't save him in time."

Jess held onto the body of her father, the one person she cared about, not caring that the blood soaked her clothes. Not caring that her nose was screaming with the disgusting smell, not even when she had to turn and throw up. She just kept holding on, thinking about how this was no accident. Someone had killed her father and was seriously going to regret it.

She stroked her father's head, whispering how sorry she was that he was gone, tears soaking her face. "I'm sorry, I was so cruel earlier. I guess you never know a good thing until it's gone, but why you?"

. . .

Jess walked around her community in black, the word of her father's death- no, murder- moved quickly through the town. She walked through the town, getting groceries, walking to work, going through the motions. Her whole world was confusing and upside down. She suspected everyone and no one at the same time. Her friends, would never, could never, but could and would at the same time.

She hated everyone but loved them all. She hated her dad for dying but loved him for his sacrifice. She hated the police for ruling it a "terrible accident," but needed them for investigation. She was afraid to let her hate control her, but she always needed it.

Every glance towards her made her think that that was her father's killer.

Her dark magic stone could help her, but she was afraid to use it. Someone wanted it, she just knew. That's why her dad died. To protect her. Every day she came home, she yelled hello to her dad, before remembering that he wasn't there to greet her anymore. That only made her want to find the killer more. She knew that the killer knew them well because only they were capable of entering without breaking anything, knowing where her father would be.

She once confided in her friend, but Jaden never seemed to care. She just smiled sadly and hugged her, but her eyes seemed suspecting, hateful, and cruel. Jess knew who the killer was.

. . .

Jaden was gone. Finally, a faked suicide was the best thing she could do to get rid of her. Jess enjoyed the sounds of her gurgling, gasping for air. Fentanyl was a beautiful murder weapon. Jess smiled, remembering Jaden's face turning purple, her mouth opening and shutting, her coughing up blood.

But, Jaden wasn't the murderer. No, of course not. Jess soon realized that it was actually Emery. Emery, her life-long friend. Well, they must all go. Jess smiled at the thought. They must pay.

. . .

Jess opened the container of poison. They were all gone. Everyone she ever cared about. A serial killer took them. Her friends, Emery, Jaden, everyone. The killer took them all. She had nothing left. The killer won. She downed the entire thing of poison, her final thought being, 'Funny, really. We all went the same way ...How do I know that?'

. . .

Transcript for News 24

Today on News 24 

[Music Interlude]

Breaking News: Today another body was found, possibly from the serial killer that is running loose. The victim was identified as Jess Redash. Her father fell upon a knife beforehand, police deeming it, “An unfortunate accident,” leaving some believing it was a murder, Jess was one of these. Some people saw Jess Redash as a symbol of bad luck, for shortly her friends were slowly being picked off from fentanyl poisoning. Her friend Jaden Robertson was the first to go, followed by Emery Hunnychurch, Anthony White, and three others, who were unidentified. Some believe that Jess was responsible for their untimely passing, but police dismiss this idea. However, most are not easily convinced. The mystery remains, was Jess, her family, and friends victims of a serial killer? Or, was there something else going on behind the curtains of their homes? 

We continue with the weather.

[Music]

. . .

 Kat Redash turned off the news and rushed towards the bus station, money and luggage in tow. Now that her (ex) daughter and ex-husband were gone and out of the way, she could finally claim what belonged to her. The house, the money, life insurance, and bodies (if she had to.) She was over the moon that they were out of the way of her being able to do what she wanted. No more of their judgmental looks, the gossip and rumors, no more of not getting what she wanted. 

Now that they were gone, she could claim life insurance and buy a nice house to bring in the people she wanted to. When she got to the bank, she rushed to the bank and threw down the statements. 

“I’d like to cash in the life insurance of my daughter and husband.” She said, smiling kindly.

The banker grabbed the statements off of the desk and looked up at her, “Ma’am, I can’t accept these. They already have been cashed.”

“Pardon?!” Kat said, alert, “By whom?”

“Jess’s grandparents. You aren’t even related, you lost custody of the child and divorced the husband, so even if they hadn’t, you wouldn’t be able to.” the banker said matter-of-factly. 

Kat stopped, grabbed his shirt and her knife, and pressed it to his neck, “Listen, bucko. You’re going to get me my money, or there will be a serious accident.”

The banker nodded, but then sirens sounded. He had pressed the button. Kat smiled. “Thanks for the opportunity.” 

She jerked the blade, it sliding clean across his flesh and then shapeshifted. She had taken the dark magic ring from Jess when she lost custody, and she wouldn't be caught. She never would be caught for any crime has or will commit. Yes, she knew that her daughter was paranoid schizophrenic, and had amnesia, because so did she, but she would never give her daughter the pills she needed, letting her spiral into the abyss of of paranoia and hallucinations. And no one would ever know.