The Sane One: Murder

Chapter One

There's the occasional town you'll come across where it is too small for anything big to happen. It's those places that you need to watch out for.
They are the places where heaven can turn into hell in a heartbeat.
Word travels faster than the speed of light, gossip spreads like butter. Take the town of Portyard, not exactly a ghost town but it wasn't Las Vegas either.
That's why the town was rocked when the police announced the body of a twenty five year old woman was found. She was murdered, no question. Police initially thought animal attack, but found footprints at the scene.
Bare footprints, bare and bloody. The blood was confirmed to be the victim's, Susan Howie, senior executive nurse of the local asylum Woodgrove Sanitarium on the outskirts of the town.
That's where her body was found, across the steps of the back entrance. She was still in her work uniform nurses outfit. The papers released official photos of the body at the crime scene.
I could barely look when I saw the photographs. It was a struggle to believe that someone could inflict such a thing on another person. Police believe the person responsible is a member of the local community and have warned civilians to remain vigilant.
The atmosphere within Woodgrove had always been one of peace and tranquility. The biggest thing to ever happen was the shop opener having an affair.
The town went into a state of shock and issued a curfew. I understood the precaution, but I was still in awe.
"It's been a week and they still don't know who did it!"
"Yeah well the cops in this town might as well join a circus, this whole thing is a joke."
"Well who do you think it is?"
"I don't know Lina, I really don't."
"Bet you twenty it's Mr. Parks."
"The mailman? Come on Lee-"
"It's always the mailman! They're the ones you'd least expect."
"Fair enough."
"Ria, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"If I'm next-"
"Lina don't."
"I'm just saying Susan was young, married with kids. What makes you think they won't come for one of us?" I I didn't answer her, she was right.
I just shrugged, looking back down at the magazine that lay open on my lap. I looked up when the doorbell rang. I sighed and swung my legs off the sofa. Lina scrambled up quickly after me.
"Wait! What if it's them?" I rolled my eyes at her.
"Wait!" I turned back to her. She was shuffling things around on the coffee table and lifted something high into the air behind her head as a weapon.
"Really Lina? A remote control? What are you gonna do, beat them to death hoping they'll turn from Michael Myers into Mother Teresa?"
"Just shut up and get behind me." she stepped bravely towards the door, her "weapon" ready.
She opened the door slightly peeping through the gap between the door and the frame. She opened it fully letting in a wave of flashing lights, red and blue. I stepped from behind the door into the view of the visitor.
Well visitors. The lights were that of a police cruiser.
Before me stood two tall uniformed and badged officers. They had a stare of intimidation.
"That's her!"
"Okay we've to handle this carefully. Is your guardian home?" My mother died only last year in a car crash and my father had left her before I was born without a forwarding address. I was left with my aunt Ciara and my mother savings.
"No, she's working late tonight. What's this about?"
"We'll discuss that downtown. Can you turn around please?" The officer on the right spoke.
He reached to his belt to unclip the handcuffs on his hip. I scoffed lightly
"Yeah okay. Good one, you almost had me there but jokes over."
"This is no joke, turn around. Now."
That's when I felt my skin go cold. I did as I was told, whatever had happened was a mistake. Plus the cops in this brain dead town just sit on theirs asses anyway.
"You are under the arrest for the murder of Susan Howie and suspected murder of a current Jane Doe-"
"Murder?! I didn't do shit!"
"As well as the escape of Woodgrove Sanitarium-"
"You need to check yourself into that crazyhouse if you think I ever went there!"
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of Law you have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed for you.
Do you understand the rights that have been read to you?"
"What?! She didn't do anything!"
"That's for a judge to decide. As of now you are under police custody. Let's go."
"But I didn't do it!"
"Crime investigators have evidence. A genuine tape of you outside the Woodgrove Sanitarium in a physical altercation with the victim.
It shows you leaving the scene after stabbing the victim to death. Not to mention park rangers found another body in the woods today. Same M.O. You're going away for a very long time."
The metal of the cuffs were harsh on my brittle wrists. Each officer took one of my arms each and directed me out of the house.
"Listen, your evidence is wrong, I didn't do anything. I've never been to Woodgrove Sanitarium and-"
"Murderer!" People, most of the town had gathered outside my house. They began pointing and whispering with cold glares when I stepped outside of the door. Reporters rushed up the driveway shoving microphones and cameras in my face
"Can we clear the way please? Get those cameras out of here!" One officer shouted. I kept staring at my feet while we walked. I was being bumped and rocked uneasily. I looked up occasionally when I nearly tripped over a few over excited spectators.
"Hey tell me this isn't true!"
Standing before me was one of my closest friends Jack Birmingham. I had known him since I was a baby I can't remember exactly how long. We had hundreds of great memories, he is one of those rare people that once they are in your life you can't picture it without them, there is the constant daily fear of losing them.
We would fight like an old married couple, play like children, talk like best friends and protect each other like brother and sister. At one point we were together romantically for a while, but it felt wrong. We remained best friends.
"Jack I swear I didn't! I have no clue what they're accusing me off but I promise it wasn't me! You know me!"
"I'm gonna get you out of there."
"Woodgrove Sanitarium has maximum security and with your charges you have no visitation rights-"
"Woah I thought I was only going to the station?!"
"No you're returning back to you room at the sanitarium with high security increase."
"But I've never been there before!"
"Step away son. Watch your head please." he ducked my head forcefully under the metal frame of the backseat, slamming the door forcefully.
Tears were streaming down my cheeks now and I didn't stop them. I shook my head fiercely closing my eyes waiting to wake up from the nightmare. I opened them. I was still there.