Matthew Marsden squeezed his two children into a warm, reassuring embrace, with one tucked safely under each strong arm like a mother bird. They all sat huddled together on one sofa, eyes glued to the screen on the TV, not deviating from the mirage of blue flashing lights for a second. Not even to blink.
Usually Matthew wouldn't let them stay up this late, especially to watch such harrowing footage, but he felt it was important.
"Listen to me, both of you. I don't want you to be frightened. None of this will happen to you, but I need you to listen to the clever policemen on TV, okay?"
The children both nodded, unable to wipe the clear and understandable fear from their young faces.
"Hey...hey, look at me!" Matthew ordered while keeping his warm tone. "Freddie, Daisy, you have nothing to be afraid of. Whoever's doing this is a bad person, and I promise you, bad people get caught."
"Okay Daddy," Daisy sniffed.
Freddie merely nodded again, at 12 years old, five older than his sister, he felt too grown up to be scared or saying 'Daddy'.
Matthew rubbed them both on the back and smiled comfortingly as a burly Sergeant Hodge appeared on the screen to give a statement.
Matthew fumbled with the controller, eventually steadying his trembling hand to turn up the volume.
"We can confirm that there have been four casualties here tonight. We would also like to state that we are treating this, and last night's attack as linked. We urge people to stay in their homes after dark if possible, and keep your properties locked and secure. We are doing everything in our power. I will now take questions..."
"Sergeant Hodge, Sergeant Hodge," cried a sea of journalists and reporters, before one was eventually pointed to.
"Charlie Meads, from the Gazette. Can you verify that the bodies found tonight were murdered in a similar fashion to those on Oak Road yesterday?"
Matthew slammed his finger down on the standby button before Hodge could even think about replying. He wanted his children to hear the warning message and to be assured by the police, nothing more.
He already knew the answer to the question anyway. If the incidents were being treated as linked, then the methods were indeed the same.
One deep, brutal stab to the gut, before the heads were severed clean from the owners' bodies. Matthew had seen worse in his time, but anyone who was capable of committing such a vile inhuman act, terrified him to his very core.
"Okay, that's enough kids. Off to bed. Remember what the police said, as long as we lock the doors and don't talk to strangers, we'll be safe," Matthew assured. "Understand?"
Both kids nodded again before wishing their father a good night.
A tear rolled down Matthew's cheek as he glanced at the empty spot on the end of the sofa.
Hannah was always better than him at this stuff, he thought.
YOU ARE READING
There's Been Another One
Short StoryArtwork by @Abyss-of-crazy Matthew is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his wife, along with caring for his two young children full-time. After a spate of violent murders, the police have no evidence and no leads. Matthew's boss c...
