In our modern connected world there are few tasks that it is not possible to, with a small amount of searching, find comprehensive instructions for on the internet. Unsurprisingly this started with the technology itself, as bulletin boards and then websites started to become more numerous. So also the number of pages devoted to resolving computer problems proliferated. There was a certain level of irony in having a web page devoted to the topic of “Can’t connect to the internet?” but still they were created.
Steadily the How To pages extended into every aspect of life, “How to wire a plug”, “How to cook a turkey”, “How to reset your boiler”. Sites were created that actively encouraged average users to contribute their knowledge on any and all subjects, and so the wealth of information and free advice grew exponentially. Academics and researchers unsurprisingly were amongst the first adopters of this new approach, to the sharing of knowledge. Publishing research papers and studies online accessible by anybody with access to a search engine. If you wanted to know how to do anything at all then the internet was the place to go.
He re-read the text from the tablet’s screen double checking that he was using the correct angles.
The angle was approximately 45 degrees from vertical with a 20 degree rotational angle.
He double checked the starting angle and figured it was close enough before reading further.
Twenty four incisions within an approximate radius of 15 centimetres
“I’d better count", he thought to himself, then grasping the knife firmly in his hand brought it down with swift arcing thrusts into the prone body before him.
“one, two, three, four, five …..” he started to count steadily. Then as the effort of stabbing the body and keeping a grip on the knife as it became slick with blood increased, he found himself getting out of breath, so continued the count in his head instead of out loud.
After the twenty forth thrust he stopped and caught his breath as he looked down on the mutilated stomach of the young man in front of him. There were a few wounds that were possibly just outside of the recommended 15 centimetre radius but he figured that wouldn’t matter too much.
He carefully nudged the screen of the tablet with his uncovered elbow, not wanting to touch the device with his now blood covered hands.
Initial wound to left hand side of neck penetrating five centimetres and extending toward the rear, indicative of victim moving away mid thrust.
He aligned the knife in his right hand and stabbed at the corpses throat from the side, apparently judging the force correctly as the knife penetrated the skin just short of 5 centimetres and severing the left hand carotid artery. He carefully pushed the knife away from him towards the floor whilst at the same time withdrawing it. Had his victim been alive then the disposable coverall that he was wearing would have been sprayed with vast quantities of blood after severing such a major artery. But with no heart pumping, barely a trickle came out.
Carefully putting the knife down he picked up the 100ml surgical syringe he had brought with him and inserted the plastic tubing attached to it into the end of the severed artery. Drawing back the syringes plunger he extracted a full 100ml of blood from the cooling body. He withdrew the tube and awkwardly held the its end pointing away from the body’s neck, towards the wall beside it. Then like some macabre art project he depressed the syringe plunger as hard as he could with his left hand spraying an arc of blood across the wall.
He repeated the process several more times, resisting the temptation to get too creative or artistic.
Staggered and erratic blood spray patterns, consistent with severing of a major artery and attempts to extinguish the flow from the wound.
He read the text and looked appraisingly at the blood sprays across the white wall, after a moment’s consideration he nodded to himself, pleased with his work.
He again used his elbow to scroll down on the tablet so that he could read the next section of text.
Identical single incision knife wounds, depth two inches, to both eyes, most likely delivered post mortem, angle of blade for both incisions exactly parallel to the centre line of the body. Incisions cut through the both eyelids indicating that the victims eyes were closed.
He lined the tip of the blade up just above the left eye then slowly plunged the knife down, not wanting to go too deep, and not too sure what resistance he might meet. When he saw that the knife had penetrated to reach the pen mark he had previously marked on the blade. He stopped and withdrew it. Then more confident with the procedure plunged the knife into the left eye in the same way.
He looked down at his handiwork, the man’s face was streaming blood from his eye sockets the identical incisions giving the impression that he was wearing some form of ghoulish clown’s makeup.
Content with his efforts so far he deliberately threw the knife skittering across the floor so that it came to a halt just under the edge of the bed. Then he removed the blood covered latex gloves and dropped them into the open trash bag beside him, before putting another pair on and reaching into a small sports bag on his left. He withdrew a sealed bag and keeping it at arm's reach he gingerly opened it and extracted a used condom before emptying its contents over the lower half of the now mutilated torso. Before putting the now empty condom and now unsealed bag into the trash bag.
Standing up he took a few steps back from the body, taking with him both bags. He then carefully removed the coverall and pushed it into the trash bag. Using the tablet computer he took several photos of the scene including some close ups of his work with the knife. Then after a few quick glances around the room and then made his way out of the flat.
