The Paranon Chronicles

Chapter 1: Centuries

My first case, my first day on the job, my first badge, my first team, and they had the audacity to assign me to a serial killer?

I swerved my Subaru and pulled into the brutal crime scene, or at least attempted to through the hoard of people blocking the way. Honestly, what happened to human decency? It's a murder scene, not a Nirvana concert.

I beeped my car horn, irritation crawling around me. The people startled, some of them turning back to me, some of them moving, and some of them being stubborn little bastards and scooting closer.

I huffed, before flipping out my blue and gold badge and rolling down the window. That's one way to treat a detective.

"Hey," I popped out of the side window, and for the first time didn't get blinded by the sun's intense rays. Thank you, sunglasses.

I continued, "You guys need to clear the area, okay? This is an ongoing investigation, you're not legally allowed to be here."

The crowd was quiet for a moment, and I could hear faint chatter and intercom bleeps coming from the scene inside the woods ahead of me. They've already arrived...

I beeped my horn two times, and waved my badge higher. "I'll arrest every single one of you!"

The sea of people instantly dispersed. I fell back into my seat and started forward. Well, that's one way to deal with it.

The rubble beneath my tires transitioned to damp soil as I drove onto the forest pathway ahead and took in the woodland edge. The dense leaves blocked out the sunlight above, so I pulled off my sunglasses and tucked them into my coat. Lush green ferns brushed against my car door, and I breathed in humid sticky air, before going over my thoughts.

The victim is an unidentifiable nineteen-year-old female, attending a sciences college just outside the city. I shuddered at the thought of her body. The stitching in her legs and arms looked deep. She had been sewn alive, from what the report states; and for five hours she sat through that excruciating pain. I couldn't bring myself to look at the images. Better to get it over the nauseous sight at the scene then to have it lingering over my head for three days.

Clicking back into reality, I drove into a small clearing where the trees had parted, and looked over the bulky police cars for a parking space. A hand waved to me from past the police tape, motioning me over to the crime scene. Yeah yeah, I'm coming. Don't rush me.

I turn off my car and pull out my keys, deciding to leave it here. A police officer gave me a judging side eye, before going back to talking with a detective. I scoff, closing my car door behind me. If the others have a problem with it, then they should really think about moving these giant police cars.

My attention turns back to the waving hand, and I jog over, swerving past the groups of people in the process.

A boy around my age smiled as his eyes caught mine. He didn't have an official uniform, so I could tell he was still an intern. This was probably his first case too. I cocked my head in confusion, before pushing past another officer. If he's an intern, I would know him...

"Quite the crowd we have here, don't you think?" He piped, surveying the scene cautiously.

I stood next to him and followed his gaze. "It's the fourth killing this week, of course there's a crowd. It's unusual for Fallcone to have this many similar cases in such a short time span, let alone be this brutal. This has to be all over the news."

The boy's optimistic demeanor vanished, and he turned to me with wide solemn eyes. "The fourth one?"

A loud, rowdy voice interrupted us from across the clearing. "Detective Clementine Betrose, you're late."

I jumped at the sound of my name, and watched as a tall burly man stomped his way over, his eyes locked on his target. Which happened to be me, unfortunately.

I elbowed the boy quickly. "Talk to him for me." Before briskly walking towards the crime scene, picking up my pace as the Captain's shouts raised in volume. 

Yellow police tape surrounded the outside of a small log cabin, with its creaky wood panels and frail structure looking two seconds away from flying with the wind. The thought of what laid inside slowed my speed. Stitches...

It's like the last four victims. Either female or male, each of them had stitches running along their spine, legs, and coiled around their arms.  Each of them had been alive when it occurred. The only difference is, each of their bodies had been dumped in forests across the country. This victim was hidden away in a cabin. I picked at my lip as I delved further into the thought. How do we have no leads whatsoever?

Someone called to me from the crime scene. "Well you sure took your time, didn't you?"

I looked up to see Martin standing in the doorway of the cabin. He was clearly pissed, something on his face just gave it away. Maybe the murderous snarl he was making at me, who knows.

"I got caught up with some personal things, okay?" Which was true. Tacos are a top priority.

I hopped up the porch steps and loosened my ponytail, before glancing behind him into the doorway. A short, poorly lit wood hallway led to a back door, where a few forensic pathologists were congregating. One of them had a sympathetic hand on another's back as they sniffled.

I frowned. "What's up with them?"

Martin silently eyed me with malice, before walking into the cabin. "They're interns Clem, like you. This is the first case they've been on sight for." His tone turned bitter as he continued, "Not everyone's cold hearted, people have empathy." 

His blue eyes glanced back at me and nodded for me to follow, which I did reluctantly. "I'm not heartless, just not that enthusiastic about inspecting dead people." I mumbled.

The floorboards beneath me creaked with every step, adding to the eerie ambiance I was already hating. I love to help solve cases, especially ones that give a challenge, but I can't help to despise crime scenes.

I stared down the back of Martin's blond head. "I'm more equipped in evidence gathering after the body's been removed."

He ignored my comment, again, and led me though a cracked doorway, pushing the door wide and stepping aside. I stumbled to a halt, sucking in a shaky breath.

No amount of pep talks could prepare me for what I saw inside.