The Shadows Cast

Tripping Over My Own Feet

December 21st, 2015, 10:30am

The news of the homicide spread throughout the tourist community like a raging wildfire. There wasn't a single person who hadn't heard of it, and everyone had their own individual accusation.

12:00 midnight

Making no noise, Bethany once again crept out of her hotel room, avoiding any possible creaky floorboards or rusted door hinges, and made her way to the lobby.

As per usual, the man at the front desk was extremely drunk, reeking of alcohol, limbs splayed out to his sides in his intoxicated slumber.

The dapper red haired man was waiting for her once again, his signature mischievous smirk painted across his face, not intending to disappear.

Bethany eagerly approached him, face as straight and emotionless as an empty chalkboard, before asking, "Who?"

"Cordelia Rose." The man replied solemnly, "I'm afraid she suspects me of hiring an assassin. Preposterous isn't it?"

"Oh yes. Simply preposterous."
"You are being sarcastic aren't you, you venomous little snake."
"No. I'm not being sarcastic, I'm simply mocking you."
"I'll simply pretend I didn't notice. Oh, and, take out the trash whilst you're at it, like a good little snake." He ordered, gesturing towards the snoring man at the front desk.

Bethany nodded, setting out to complete her task at once.

12:30am
Location: behind the Grand Canyon tour registration building.

The winter air was crisp, nipping at Bethany's nose as she bolted towards her target. She was slower than usual, as she carried the corpse of the man at the front desk, who, even in death, reeked of alcohol.

She decided to hide the blood-sodden corpse of the man in a bush temporarily, around the side of the building, in order to approach the woman.

Trying to act small and innocent, Bethany stumbled towards the woman and just silently stood next to her, pretending to do just as the woman was doing, and just stare out across the canyon. After taking a good five minuets of surveying the canyon, the woman backed up towards a canvas that was placed just a few paces back from the edge of the canyon. The canvas had the basic forms of the landscape hastily painted across it, now with several small details, such as minor crumbling rock formations.

Oh, she's that artist! I've heard of her!

It was clear that Cordelia Rose was indeed a kind woman, as well as generally intelligent, but weak to the charm and desires of those younger than her. Shameful indeed that her  artistic talents would cause her demise.

1:00am

Cordelia was actually keeping close watch on the girl. That is, until she made the fatal mistake of peering out aimlessly over the edge of the canyon for observational purposes for the second time.

As Cordelia was surveying the horizon, Bethany stood next to her, pretending to be doing the same. Stealthily, a young boy, about Bethany's age, dressed completely in black, approached Cordelia from behind.

With all his might, the boy shoved the young woman over the edge of the cliff, yanking off one of her glossy black Mary Janes as he did so.

She plummeted towards the bottom of the canyon, a look of pure shock and terror on her face, her tears and her terrified eyes conveyed her silent screams.

Now standing next to each other, the pair of teenagers silently high-fives, the slapping noise echoing throughout the canyon in unison with the sickening crunch of the woman's bones shattering against hard stone ground.

The two teenagers stood, gazing at each other, and then both pulled off their masks in unison. Bethany then stared at the boy, shocked. He had messy, dirty blonde hair and a tall, fit stature. His shocking green eyes glistened as Bethany gazed into them.

"Wait a second...Adrian?!" She exclaimed, tackling him into a tight embrace. He hugged back, letting the shorter girl rest her head on his shoulder. "Where have you been?!" She asked excitedly, pulling away and once again gazing into Adrian's lustrous green eyes, hands still resting on his shoulders.

"I just sorta took some time off I guess. Killing people gets kinda boring after a while ya know?" Adrian replied casually, receiving an understanding nod from Bethany.

"But business is good, especially in this area. The people here have got a damn lot o' rivalries and extreme conspiracy theories, that's for sure. Only it gets good money for us though, so I don't really mind." Bethany explained before continuing to rant about her current customer and how he had an extremely thick accent that was hard to understand.

"I'm gonna mess up his order one of these days. He's gonna want some person killed and I'm gonna end up wiping out the population cuz I can't understand em'"

Adrian chuckled, "you always did have quite the sense of humor. I'll write the suicide note, and leave it with her shoe." he finished, brandishing the glossy-looking shoe before taking out a pen and a distressed-looking piece of paper to write the note.

Bethany leaned in close to Adrian's ear and whispered, "meet me here, same place, tomorrow night, midnight."

With that she was off, melting into the shadows and taking off into the night. She left behind a bewildered Adrian and a half-written suicide note tucked inside the shoe of a dead woman.