Abyss of Malfeasance

CHAPTER 3: A Microphone Cord & The Tale of Seven

          Sleep was much needed for Elucel and when he thought he would actually be able to sleep for more than four hours—well, he was wrong.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

          He thrashed in his bed, burying his face into the pillow, all in hopes of hindering the noise from his phone to enter through his ears. When he realised that it didn't help other than muffling it, he stood up and walked over to his desk.

          Elucel picked up his phone, pressing the answer button as a hologram of Wynstonne appeared in front of him. His eyes squinted as Wynstonne's signature lopsided grin materialised on his lips. "What do you want?" Elucel asked in a tired, low voice.

          "Another murder occurred . . at your school." The young detective's eyes suddenly widened and he quickly rushed into the bathroom to change out of his baggy sweatpants and large hoodie.

          After he finished, Elucel found Wynstonne—the real, not a hologram Wynstonne—lounging at his bed. His eyebrows rose. "How the bloody hell—" Elucel's sentence was cut off short as Wynstonne jumped up and grabbed him by the wrist. The elder pulled him out the door, before dragging him down the hallway of the Men's Dormitory.

          "The victim's name is Maeve Valentine, twelfth grade student. She was found at the Radio Broadcasting Room with a microphone cord pushed down her throat. Cause of death—still unknown." Wynstonne recited quickly as the two neared the exit.

          Whilst they climbed down the steps of the dormitory, Elucel brushed off from Wynstonne's vice grip before falling in pace with the said man. "Any other important information? Or observations so far?" The questioned man only shook his head as he set his pace faster, Elucel following suit.

          Wynstonne panted through his nose as they had finally reached the High School Building. The two stealthily moved through the darkness, Wynstonne's phone serving as a light source. It was past midnight so it would only be natural that the lampposts would be turned off.

          Elucel grunted as they neared the staircase for he forgot about one thing—elevators located inside the campus were turned off during the night. As they trudged up the stairs, Elucel pictured a woman with a microphone cord pushed down into her throat—the bile almost left his body.

         And as the two turned a corner, Elucel twitched in anticipation as the smell of blood and rotten flesh entered his nose. Wynstonne raised the police cordon before hunching over to enter the crime scene, Elucel hot on his heels.

         Wynstonne pushed himself to the side whilst pressing the light switch to turn on the lights, allowing Elucel to enter the Radio Broadcasting Room first. His eyes widened at the scene.

         True to Wynstonne's description, there was a woman—Maeve Valentine—seated on a chair with a microphone cord protruding from her mouth. Elucel took a step forward. He found that there were finger marks on the victim's skin and, as he expected, there was another wall spray painted with the words, 'Winter Hexagon'.

          He stared at the vandalised wall, his mind calculating the possible height the culprit might be. Just as Aurum had said, the culprit was just about as tall as him. Elucel then carefully approached the victim, looking around him to make sure he wouldn't disrupt any possible evidence.

          "I knew it." he declared, the all—to—familiar smirk visible on his lips. Wynstonne turned to the young lad, a small smile plastered upon his lips as he oversaw the whole crime scene.