Beastars: A Steep Fall From Light

Chapter 50: The Goldfinches Art Sheds Some Light Into The Killer's Mind

The Cherryton Museum of Art was dead silent. The galleries were closed to the public, but Yahya had made a special appointment with the curator and was waiting inside for them. Paintings hung, isolated from the others on the dark walls. Dim lighting filled the space so everyone could see the art and the UV rays from normal light bulbs wouldn't damage the images. A single, large statue stood in the center of the round entrance room; a towering angelic rendition of a brachiosaur, so the plaque said. The figure was missing it's wings and head. The tail was wrapped around the deity's feet as it reared back on it's hind legs.

Yahya was seated at a bench and staring at a painting of a large, seemingly endless field. Hills rolled on the horizon and clouds floated, suspended in the purple and red sky of the setting sun. A small dust cloud was seen in the center, as if a group of animals were running freely. The scene only served to remind the old horse of his steadily failing legs.

"Mr. Beastar?" asked someone, their voice filling the empty chasm of a room.

Yahya turned to the voice and saw a goldfinch standing on a small shelf specifically for the smaller animals so they wouldn't have to worry about the larger creatures.

"Are you the curator?" the horse asked.

"I am indeed," they said with an odd accent, extending their small hand. "Philibert Gainsbourg."

"Yahya Hirohashi," the horse said, standing and limping over to the finch. The two awkwardly shook hands, which was essentially the smaller bird grabbing one of the horse's larger fingers.

"I have to say I never thought the museum would ever assist in a police investigation," the bird noted.

"It's more or less asking for your professional eye on a crime scene," Yahya clarified. "We think there might be a similarity between the crime scene and a work you have here. Understanding it, we might be able to determine what he has planned next."

"No blood I hope?" the finch asked. "Seeing it on canvas is one thing, but in real life..."

"None," Yahya assured.

"Razor Killer," he guessed. "Right?"

Yahya nodded.

"I thought as much," the curator said. "May I see the crime scene in question?"

Yahya rooted around in a bag and pulled a folder, opening it and pulling out the photographs taken by the chimpanzee. He held them up for the bird, who pulled on a pair of tiny glasses and squinted at the images.

"The similarities are there," the curator said gravely. "If you'll meet me in the west wing of the building. Second floor. Follow the signs that say 'Reproductions'."

The goldfinch then took flight up towards the second floor, as the center and main floor of the building was a rotunda. Flying indoors was a violation of the flying license, but Yahya would let it slide. The curator was small enough and the building was empty so there was no reason to raise the issue. The horse limped on his cane towards the section of the museum, taking the elevator up to the second floor and stepped out. Seeing the sign on the wall that pointed him towards all the other wings of the building, he turned right towards 'Reproductions'. Entering the room, this one darker than the last, he saw, in the center of the room was a different kind of statue. A pteranodon in paper mache hung suspended in the air by ropes and chains. A visage of one of the air reptiles that had tried to escape the meteorite impact, and as such were seen as fallen angels of sorts. While the other dinosaurs had accepted their fate, the fliers tried to change it.

Behind this creation was the image Yahya was interested in. The recreation was the size of a seventy-five inch television screen. It hung on the wall in all its half glory. He could see the entire picture had pencil sketches on the blank canvas and only some colors were painted in, but the horse got the jist of the portrayal.