PROJECT MORTUUS: Killer In Silence

Chapter 4: Innocence in the Eyes of Fear

Mortuus turned to the officers as soon as he was able to make the pieces of Jackson's story click. Every officer had their guns up and was ready to shoot at the slightest sign of things going south. He glanced back at Jackson, who seemed to be deathly afraid, before speaking to the officers, "They're not a threat. This isn't the right guy."

Another officer responded sternly, "Step away from him, Mortuus." The officer continued with a gun pointed at Mortuus's head, "You don't understand the criminal mind."

Mortuus nodded, "True. I don't understand the mind of a criminal, but this man is no criminal." He paused, taking a breath from his pen and puffing out a cloud, "And I'm willing to put my life on that."

The silence stood in the air with an uncomfortable aura as Mortuus coughed up smoke, Death laughing at his response to the officers. Mortuus's lungs were filled with cannabis smoke. No one dared say anything to him. "A threat as hollow as you, Mortuus." Death chuckled as he watched the scene unfold before him. Death was leaning against a tree with his shining scythe thrown over his shoulder and being held by the sharp blade.

Mortuus reached into his pocket and pulled out his revolver; he looked down at its copper coating as it shone back the evening sun's glare. He tossed the gun at the feet of an officer that he recognized. The officer was a woman who owed her child's life to Mortuus. Had it not been for Mortuus, her son would have drowned that day at the lake.

She looked down at the gun by her feet, knowing just how vital Mortuus's revolver was to him. "Marisa, please. Trust me." Mortuus spoke softly, practically begging her. She hesitated before lowering her firearm to its holster. She had no reason to distrust the same man who saved her son's life.

"Stand down, men. Mortuus... Is right." Marisa called to her fellow officers. Everyone lowered their firearms, some making annoyed grumbles about it. Marisa, being the intelligent and calculated officer she was, had a reputation at the station, and her word was law. People trusted her judgment despite the fact that she didn't have a very high rank within the forces of the Crater Hollow Police Department.

Everyone lowered their firearms and placed them into their holsters; some officers returned to their police cruisers while others stayed and checked in on the orphanage, which was just down the street. Something they often did whenever they had a chance to see the kids.

Crater Hollow was a pretty connected community on the inside. Outside, however, it was secluded and heavily isolated. Most people didn't know it existed, and those who did never visited anymore, and even outside family members, seemed to steer clear of the little town of only 25,368 residents.

Marisa approached Mortuus as he was standing with Jackson and began questioning him, "How do you know he's innocent?" She was still a little suspicious of his decision, especially considering they were right near the body of a man who seemed to have been murdered by Jackson.

Mortuus looked back at Jackson, who was sitting criss-cross fiddling with a blade of grass. There wasn't anything threatening about his mannerisms that would suggest he had what it takes to kill a bug, much less a human being. "The fear in his eyes can only belong to that of an innocent man," Mortuus said as he watched him with intrigue. He just seemed far too childminded to cause the murders they suspected him of, and on top of that, Jackson didn't have the necessary skills to cut so precisely.

Marisa nodded and walked over to Jackson. She crouched, squatting in front of him as she spoke with him. Jackson smiled and signed hello. "Hi, Jackson. I'm Officer May. Can you tell me what happened?" She asked; her voice was much softer now and sounded like a mother speaking to a lost kid. Somehow, she could tell that his mind wasn't the same age as his outward appearance. He appeared to be in his late thirties or possibly early forties.

Jackson nodded and handed her a twisted blade of grass before signing. "They are hurt."

"Did you hurt them?" Marisa asked, still prying for information while she waited for the coroner to arrive. Jackson shook his head no. Marisa leaned into her walkie-talkie on her shirt, "This is Officer May requesting a 10-55." She was requesting a coroner.

"10-20?" A voice responded from the radio, inquiring about the location. "Old Church Ford Road," Marisa replied. She stood up and walked to Mortuus. "I'd recommend getting Jackson out of here before the coroner gets here, Mortuus," Marisa said. "He might not be as open to your idea of Jackson's innocence."

Mortuus walked over to Jackson. "Hey, buddy. Let's go back to my place. It's much safer for you there." He still had the same voice that he used when talking to Marisa, talking to him like anyone else. Marisa was a little off-put by this, given his apparent childlike mindset. Mortuus's lack of tone change was often a putoff because most people expected him to have a different when talking to a baby than he would when talking to an adult.

Jackson stood up, a dandelion clenched tightly in his hand. He was nervous, and Mortuus could tell. Mortuus held his hand out to him. "I'll walk with you." He said with a bit of softness to show that he wasn't a threat.

Jackson stared at Mortuus's hand as if it were on fire; he seemed uneasy. Mortuus's hand was covered with a thick layer of milk-white bandages and appeared to cast a particular smell. He smelled like vanilla mixed with a spritz of pine wood and evergreen. Jackson took his hand, allowing Mortuus to guide him.

Mortuus's strange and sweet smell seemed to help calm him as they walked. The combination of aromas seemed to remind him of a happier time, a time that he couldn't quite put his finger on but knew that it was joyous and sweet.