Silencing the Screamer
Part 5
by Christina Kazmierczak, published on November 16, 2000
"Okay..." Alexi said sitting on the floor. "Let's share some information and bring everyone up to speed."
No one said anything. Alexi took another breathe. "Okay... I'll begin. I talked to my source. There is nothing in the older texts about the screamer or a screamer. However, in related materials there is a reference to a thing that was created by the pain and anger of those who are tortured. Similar to an Irish elemental in that it has been described as a thing of rotting flesh and a foul smell. Except that the thing gave off a constant hum that would sound like a scream to certain people. Throw in the foul mood and you have me half the time."
Silence.
"Fine. I have thought about the arsenic and the fact that the kids kept living. Throughout the years people have proposed that one gains power by putting others down -- causing them pain. And Arsenic is supposed to be a painful way to die. At least from what I remember of Madame Bovary. Anyway -- some people, like Crowley, believed that you could get more power by keeping the person alive after the infliction in order to feed off the extra pain of having to go on with life. Not that Crowley was the first, just... HELLO ARE YOU GUYS LISTENING!"
"Huh." Two pairs of eyes turned to Alexi.
Alexi put her palms on the ground. With fingers spread out, she took a now characteristic deep breathe. "Are you guys listening or trying to figure out who's going to kill who first?"
"Come on Alex," Grace said. "Isn't it a little unusual that you let this guy in whom you know nothing about. Let him in after he followed me home. And after he says something about our current case. As the saying goes, he's not only a stranger but he's a strange stranger."
"True. But I let you in my door Grace meister. And you have never let on that you are any type of normal."
The Bob Marley look alike broke into the conversation. "I'm going to interrupt before you two actually enjoy yourselves. I found out about these murders and was intrigued. Why would you kill off your own young? And in such a way that they suffered? So I began to investigate." Grace grimaced. "Sounds like you were bored with whatever else you were supposed to do." "Indeed. There were similar killings in what is known as the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s and 1980s. They were attributed to the Zodiac killer and not looked into beyond that. That I found unusual, no one really looking into these kids deaths."
"Not really. They are throw away kids. No one to raise a fuss if they die." Alexi mumbled.
"As I was saying. These killings went on for a long time – mostly beheadings however and not this drawing out of organs. Mostly young males. I dug up one of the bodies and found a faint arsenic trace. However, with these current killings, I get the impression that the kids weren't in pain when they died. That the pain had been terrible but at their end all they felt was peace."
"So you were bored. Decided to look into this. Became interested. Started hunting the killer. In which I agree we are both just higher predators. Did some history which got you into Grace's field of interest or influence and then..." Alexi snapped her fingers. Grace began "...You are able to see or fell other people's emotions. You somehow followed emotional trials to the college and when I became agitated.... you followed me thinking I was the next victim."
"Or killer." The thing nodded.
Alexi got up and grabbed the phone, dialling then talking quickly.
Grace nodded back. "Give us a name – I can't keep thinking of you as the Bob Marley thingy.."
"In your English, Gregor is the closest thing."
"Guys, we have trouble." Alexi said, phone still to her ear.
"And?" her two compatriots said.
"Look, Mykle and I were both in the Bay Area at that time. Mykle got away from someone who was trying to behead him when he was a street prostitute in Oakland. Now Mykle is two hours late for work."
"Everything is coming together." Gregor clapped his hands.
Alexi grabbed her car keys from the desk. "Coincidence, if traced back far enough, is only the inevitable. Get your coats people! We are headed over to Mykle's."
"That coincidence thing... you sounded like you were quoting someone." Grace commented while adjusting her purse strap.
"Too many people." Alexi locked her apartment door.
Last update: October 24, 2007
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