Boredom Kills

The heat from the blood was invigorating as it washed over her hand. It gushed from the wound and over her blade, bringing purpose to the killer as much as the scent of pennies. She had finally done it. Jenny had made her first kill.

The smallish woman stared into the frightened eyes of her victim; the scrawny girl was only sixteen and until this moment thought herself invincible. The girl tried to scream but the air was leaking from the hole in her lung. Jenny allowed herself a smile as she pushed the blade of her knife further into the teen’s torso.

Jenny could see the pain and fear welling up in her victim’s wide eyes. She turned the blade. No one would save the girl; Jenny chose this part of the jogging trail for its privacy. The sun wouldn’t rise for another ten minutes, and the next runner wasn’t due to arrive for twenty.

The petite murderess withdrew her weapon like a man finishing a one-night stand. Jenny knelt and slashed diagonally across the side of her throat. Another beautiful font of crimson.

Jenny wiped the blade on her dying victim’s Lycra shirt. She leaned over her target and held eye contact as she cleaned her reddened hands with sanitizer and a water bottle; Jenny saw the light go out of the girl’s eyes while she used the sweat towel to dry off.

This was what it felt like to find your life’s ambition. To know what you wanted to do when you grew up. Jenny thought of how people described falling in love and knew that she had done the same. She loved her victim for being her first, for showing her how good life could be. Jenny picked up a small stone from the trail and slid it into the pouch around her waist. She would always remember her first murder.

Jenny picked up the tree branch she’d placed nearby and brushed the area she’d walked in all the way to the paved trail. She walked briskly snapping pieces off the branch and tossing the bits away. Her tool was discarded five minutes before she saw another person. Jenny waved at Officer McGill as she passed him; he was on schedule as always.

Jenny finished her light workout and continued her day as usual. The only difference was the small stone she’d placed on her bookshelf and the feeling of accomplishment when she watched the news report of a body discovered in the park. Life was good for Jenny as she dressed for another day working customer service.

Officer Eric McGill was furious. His park was ruined. It was the one place he could go to clear his mind and now it was tainted by the corpse of some anorexic girl. He stood over the body waiting for the unit he’d called in to arrive. Eric knew the medical examiner wouldn’t be far behind.

The police officer paced the footpath ten feet away; his crime scene tape was back in his Crown Vic, and he had to keep the area undisturbed.

“Dammit. Why here? Why did this guy have to kill her near my favorite trail during my free time?” He cursed.

The sirens closed in as the first patrol car pulled into the lot. McGill knew the other cops would be approaching in a couple of minutes. Then the investigation could finally begin.

“McGill, we heard you found the body.” Officer Lee called out. “Anything we should know before I bring up the rookie?”

Eric crossed his brawny arms as he shouted back.

“Just bring her over and tell her not to puke near the evidence.”

The two officers strode to their senior colleague and Lee set the tall woman to the task of posting the yellow plastic tape around the vicinity of the remains. Eric was surprised to find that the rookie, Officer Jenkins, was nearly tall enough to look him directly in the eye.

“Lee, the victim is over here.” McGill pointed to the prone form with his right hand; specks of dried blood encrusted his palm. “She was still warm when I found her. There were no footprints in or out of this area.”

The two cops scanned the bronze and auburn leaves. Lee absentmindedly tucked his uniform shirt back into the side of his pants as a gentle gust of wind chilled the mini keg where his six-pack used to be. He questioned McGill as he looked over the corpse.

“Did you attempt CPR?”

Eric stood to the side, bouncing on the balls of his feet, and swinging his arms, to keep warm.

“Yeah. I found her slumped by the pine tree and laid her flat. No pulse, but still a little warm. After a couple of compressions, I realized all I was doing was pushing out a little more blood.”

McGill looked at his stained hands and cringed. Officer Jenkins joined them, saw the body, and disappeared the way she came with her hand across her mouth. Both patrolmen stifled chuckles.

“Lee, you want me to check on your rookie?”

Officer Lee slipped on his latex gloves and felt the victim’s skin. Shaking his head, he stood and pulled the gloves off again.

“That’s okay. The body is cooling, and the detectives and coroners will be here soon. Let’s go wait with her by the tape.”

Both men marched away from the brush to find the athletic woman sitting on the trail. Officer Jenkins leapt to her feet as the next wave of sirens and her fellow cops approached.

“Sorry. First dead body. I didn’t get sick; I just needed a moment.” She said.

Eric went to pat her on the shoulder but stopped midway when he remembered the blood on his hands. She gave him a little nod for the attempted gesture.

“Officer McGill, would you like me to grab a blanket from the trunk? You know how long it will take to get your statement.” Jenkins offered.

“Please and thank you.” Eric answered. “I am kind of wishing I wasn’t in gym shorts and a tee.”

Jenkins passed a gaggle of soccer moms jogging towards the scene as they chatted. McGill and Lee watched as she politely directed them to another trail and continued to the parking lot.

“Good rookie, Lee.”

“Yeah, Jenkins has been doing great so far. Only a few months out of the academy but she is a quick thinker, and her people skills are good. She just hasn’t had the time to see all the really bad stuff yet.”

Eric’s mouth was flat, and he gazed back at the dead teen on her island of leaves surrounded by a moat of her own blood.

“Here’s hoping it stays that way for as long as it can.” He mumbled.

Lee said nothing but remembered his first days as a cop; it was his second call that he saw his first dead body—the poor kid had been run down by a drunk and knocked out of one sneaker. Both officers put aside their memories and thoughts as Jenkins returned leading a homicide detective, the county coroner, and a couple of forensic lackeys. The beige-gray blanket was draped over her arm and a forced smile was plastered to her face.