Murder at Westminster Abbey

Scene 1: Cleanup on Aisle 4

A radio buzzing from the depths of the Pirate's Pub filled the room in sound, in place of light. It was only about 7 A.M., but the sun still creeped up the sky in search of the lack of brightness. The pub wasn't supposed to open for another 30 minutes, but the owner should've shown up at this time.

The radio got on to a local news channel with none other than Timothy Douglas, a prime reporter. The TV version broadcasted at the same time, for those who preferred to see the man in a handsome business suit. But nobody minded if they could see Timothy, or not on this particular day, because something shocking has taken place over these two years; that the townspeople never wanted to hear again.

"Hello Canterbury, I'm your news host, Timothy Douglas. As you may have seen or heard this past week, several news reporters including us at The Canterbury Tribune have covered the recent death of a young teen by the name of Daniel Greene. His passing was a shock to the community, neighbors saying that he was a well-liked fellow who had always done the right thing. But now; Recent evidence suggests that his death may not have been accidental, but instead; a victim of a serial killing.

We have our reporter Elliot Collins outside of the local police station right now, covering the turn of events. So Elliot, could you recap us on the Daniel Greene investigation?"

"Certainly Tim. A local 17-year-old teenager by the name of Daniel Greene had left his home two weeks ago to attend a party with some of his friends. When Daniel didn't come home that night; his parents called the police. Fast forward a week, and after countless visits to neighbors, phone calls and missing person posters, Daniel had been found.

The boy had drowned in a river just outside the city limits.

Police immediately suspected foul play, but after an autopsy it was revealed that Daniel had been intoxicated. Although being a minor, the case was dismissed as 'accidental', assuming that the lad had tried to walk home after the party, but fell off a bridge on the way."

"So what evidence changed the mind of the chief of police to re-open the investigation?"

"Well, Why don't you ask the Chief of Police, Adam Parker, who is next to me at this very moment."

"Thank you for letting me on." Said the Police Chief.

"I knew something was completely off when the case had been dismissed as accidental, but the station could not re-open the case without new evidence or probable cause. About two days had gone by with the idea nagging at my head, that something was very wrong about this particular death. We're talking about a minor under the influence of alcohol here! Then that's when it hit me. I was on duty the moment investigators had found Daniel's body in the river, and was called onto the scene. I watched experts bag and tag evidence in little plastic containers, but they didn't fully check Daniel's clothing. The team had just stored it away after an autopsy!"

"So you're saying that Daniel Greene's clothing was dismissed as evidence, and you believed it was important?" Said Timothy.

"Absolutely. I convinced one of my forensic specialists to open up the box that Daniel's clothing was inside, and search through any pockets or look for suspicious debree. Even though it was soaked in the river for several hours, any evidence was good evidence at that point. That's when we had found the note."

"A note?" Said Timothy.

"The ink on the paper had been smudged severely, so It was hard to make out most of the words on the page. Later on, under a examination of the paper, we had discovered that it was not a note inside Daniel's pocket, but a page from a book." Said the Police Chief.

"So does this have any particular meaning to the case?" Said Timothy.

The Chief spoke fast and worrisome. "Yes. From what words and a page number that the team had been able to make out, We have found... We have found that it was a page from The Canterbury Tales."

"In case those of you watching this program are just listening in, or are unaware of the events that have taken place;" Elliot Collins began. "There were a series of random serial killings that began about two years ago, within or around Canterbury. All of the victims found were carrying a page of The Canterbury Tales on their parson. Because there has never been an ID for the mysterious killer, investigators have called the serial killer 'Chaucer' after the book's author. For a while in a period between these two years, the killings had stopped, giving the community a sense of temporary relief. However, this was not the case, when Chaucer had returned to kill again."

"Thank you Elliot, and Police Chief Parker." Timothy replied.

"To conclude this segment; If you or a loved one has any information about the Serial Killer known as Chaucer, or about the death of 17-year-old Daniel Greene, We at The Canterbury Tribune and News Segment urge you to contact Scotland Yard right away. More, If any, news about Daniel Greene and Chaucer are given, updates will be given tonight at 7."

A series of commercials almost reluctantly start playing after the broadcast had ended. They talked about the latest vacuum and cleaning supplies, available for a low cost of 19.13 Pounds plus shipping. But that's what a barmaid already had with her inside her apron pocket, as she opened the Pirate's Pub with her master key.

The barmaid bounced ever so slightly as she walked through the entrance and returned the keys to her side pocket, and bringing a small rag from another. She doused it with a small dose of a brand cleaner and walked towards a nearby table, seemingly already clean enough for patrons to eat.

"Dammit Sam, why is the radio still on? It just wastes electricity." The barmaid muttered under her breath. But she didn't bother to turn it off. "You can remember to turn off the lights but you can't turn off a radio? How do you not notice?..."

The barmaid left her rag on the table and walked over to a light switch behind her, flicking it on with the slightest force. She was about to return to the table but stopped, and gazed just to her left.

"Is, that a person?" She said to herself.

The Barmaid could see a man slouched over the bar table on the other side of the room, looking as if he had fallen asleep on the bar. He didn't stir at all from the moments the barmaid entered the room, or when she noticed him. Just a deep, long sleep.

"God damn!" The barmaid muttered under her breath. She faked a cheery smile and made her way over to the man by the bar.

"Hello... Sir?" She said. "I'm afraid an idiot employee of mine had accidentally left you sleeping alone here when he closed up the pub."

"...Hello? ...Sir?"

The man didn't stir.

"Sir?" The barmaid nudged him.

"Wake up!"

The barmaid pushed the man too hard, and he crashed onto the floor below. But still the man didn't stir. He looked up onto the ceiling with unmoving eyes, fixated at the center of his vision. His mouth was agape, from shock. Other than his mouth, the only other thing agape on the man was his chest;

To which a large bloody wound engulfed the vision of the barmaid, screaming in terror.