ROUND 2
Everything is not okay
A small pool of blood around the dead boy's body. Most of it had been sucked into the thirsty ground. It hasn't rained in almost two months and the plants were now satisfied. Still, some blood remained on the damp, soft ground. The boy was still, small and the yellow tape around the body suggested it was no accident what had happened. The police suspect a serial killer that has been around the neighborhood, but no one knew the truth. No one should ever know the truth.
The boy was Jackson Hugh Grant Junior and he was only nine years old. His parents were in the house talking to the police. They were given questions and all they had to do was give a simple response. Jackson's dad, Senior, was doing most of the talking while his mother, Janice, wept. She had done nothing, but cried and blamed herself since she found out. Senior hadn't shed a tear which was no surprise. Senior has never cried, ever. He didn't even cry when he broke his arm when he was young.
'But now should be different' Janice thought as the tears began to slowly go away. She took a deep breath and tried to answer the questions. Things were complicated and it had only been a few minutes. Jackson's body was being removed, the red blood seeping through the white sheets that covered him. The sight of it made her sick and all she wanted was to hold her baby boy. The tears came again because she knew she couldn't have her other son, Kellin. Kellin was going through the same thing, except in the yard where all the action was taking place. He was scared, he had never been involved with the police. In fact, he had never even spoken to a police officer before.
He didn't want to be here, not now, not ever. Things like this were the things he dreaded most. 'Why couldn't it have been me?' He thought to himself and answered the final question. The police allowed him to go to the back yard, so he wouldn't have to hear the awful noises of the ambulance driving away, or the police talking to each other about what happened. “No thank you, I would like to just sit on the porch,” He whispered, almost inaudible. He sat down and looked at the ground.
This whole thing was crazy to him. He just wanted to hop in his car and drive. To get away from all this, even though he had just got his license. He wanted to leave and never come back. Things like this shouldn't happen to a nine year old. Things like this shouldn't happen to anyone. “I wish I would have been nicer to him” He told himself, not caring who heard him. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. He knew a serial killer didn't do this to his 'Little Jack'. He knew it all the way to his core. He watched a little longer as the ambulance faded into the distance with his dead brother.
All the while, the police were baffled by what happened. All they knew for certain, was there was a dead boy and a missing lawn mower. “Who would take a lawn mower?” The police were in collaboration with the FBI. “Things like that don't happen around here,” One of the agents said. The officers in charge of interrogating the family were now coming over to share what they knew. “Well, we figured out that around the time Jackson died both the parents were at work and the brother was in the house with his music up really loud, taking a nap,” The officer said after reviewing the notes.
The FBI agent shook his head. The mother was blaming herself, the father almost didn't care, and the brother was just scared to the point of no return. Things were getting worse by the minute. They had a time frame of 48 hours to catch the person who did this to poor little Jackson. Right now it was just time to let these people sleep. The agent worked up the courage to go to the family. He almost didn't want to face them. That was the hardest part of his job.
“Folks, we are doing everything possible for your boy, if you want to help, the best thing you can do is get some sleep and pray.” He looked at the weeping mother and the scared older brother. He didn't even bother to look at the dad, right now he was the prime suspect. The officer was about to turn when he heard a small voice, “Thank you for your services, sir” Janice had stopped her tears, knowing she was safe when he was around, almost wanting him to stay. He gave her a smile and walked away.
Now he was left to figure out the rest of the story. Why was the lawn mower gone? Why was Jackson the target? And the biggest question of all, why was the dad not even caring? So many questions and only 48 hours to get the answers. The time was ticking in his head, annoying him to the biggest extent. He opened his car door and only by chance had he looked down to find a single screw, with green paint on top. 'It could be something, it could be nothing' He thought to himself.
The agent looked at the screw. It was 3:47 in the morning and he was tired. The man didn't care. He needed to find that killer. This was no longer just about a dead boy, this ran deeper than that. He wasn't the only one from the scene still up. On the other side of town, Kellin opened up his bathroom door. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. How could he sleep? His brother was dead on his account. If he hadn't been so stupid that day. He knew it was his fault. Everything was his fault.
After a long night, the family got up and sat around, hoping for the phone to ring, and the killer to be caught. The agent was nearing his phone, he was suspicious about the screw he had found. The picked it up and dialed their number. Janice and Kellin jumped, but Senior sat, steady and planted in his seat.
“Hello?”Janice managed to stifle out.
“Yes, this is Garry from the agency. Is it okay if I come out and do some more looking around? I know things have already been examined my the team, but I would like to take a look at it personally.”
“Uh, yes that is fine. Just please, tell us if you find anything.”
They both hung up and Garry was on his way.
~
He walked around the house. Everything was still in the place it had been, except for the screw he found. He took it out of his pocket to take a quick look at it. He strolled over to the place where he found it and put it back. He looked ahead of it, and behind it, but found no trail. He walked within a thirty foot radius of it, still found nothing. He picked it up and then he noticed something. It was probably nothing, but he walked over to the pile of metal.
At first glance it looked like nothing, but the closer he got, the more he knew it was important. He lifted the pieces of green, white, and yellow that was covered with a purple tarp. Then he noticed something, the green of the pieces were the same on the screw. Another piece of the puzzle for him to think about. Someone took apart the lawn mower and hid it in a pile. He found the blade and sure enough it had blood on it. The murder weapon he supposed. Only one way to find out, he had to take it back to the lab. In the house he could hear screaming and yelling. Janice and Senior were fighting.
“How could you not feeling anything? Are you just a heartless monster?” She scowled at him. He raised his hand and brought it down hard on her cheek. She stood there, stunned. Now she was having her doubts about him. He could have easily killed their son. Her face hid none of her feelings and Senior could see it. He embraced her and she was fighting with all her might. “I thought you wanted this. A house, kids,” There was a long pause before she said the next word, “Me?”
The yelling continued as Kellin stood at the door and listened. He was astounded at the things they were saying to each other. Things along the lines of 'I hate you!' and 'Will you just shut up already?' He was even more terrified. That was it, he was done. He wrote a note to his parents and put it on the counter. He grabbed his keys and hopped in his car. He didn't know where he was driving, but anywhere was better than here. He walked past Garry on his way out and gave him a small smile to show that he was okay.
He drove to the sea side. This was his safe haven. He would come here with Jackson all the time and just watch the waves go in and out. Surfing, swimming, and goofing off. He even remembered when Jackson almost drowned by trying to swim and talk to a girl at the same time. It was those moments that made the bond between the two inseparable. Now Jackson was dead and it was Kellin's fault. He should have known better. He should have said no.
Janice came out of her room and went in the kitchen to get some water and an aspirin. She found Kellin's note and read it. She yelled for him and Senior came rushing for her, reading it as well:
'Dear Mom and Dad,
I know right now is not the best time to say this, but I love you. I went out for a while, so don't worry. Please don't be mad.
Kellin
Kellin sat on the buoy in the middle of the ocean. He could see the scene clearly in his head. He was mowing the lawn and Jackson wanted a ride. He was about to put up the mower because he was already done. He knew he wasn't supposed to, but one time couldn't hurt. He let him on and they were goofing off when Jackson covered his eyes. He didn't know where he was going. It was too late when Jackson let go. They ran into a big rock in the yard and the mower flipped on top of Jackson. It was an accident. Kellin left his brothers body there and took apart the mower and smashed the pieces.
He ran in the house and turned his music up really loud and pretended to sleep. He knew his parents would be home soon. He waited anxiously until he heard the screams from outside. He ran outside to see what was going on. He saw his mother on the ground next to Jackson. Their father had his hand on her back. That is when he called the cops and they all sat on the porch waiting for them. That is when the fear began. That is when the lies began.
The cold water beat his feet as the tears streamed down his face like a waterfall. He let out all his breath and dived into the water. He inhaled sharply and his body panicked. His body thrashed about, but he made himself stay under the water. His body finally stopped. His head was fuzzy, his finger and toes numb from the freezing water. The sight of the sunset began to fade as his eyes closed. The last thing his mind pictured was Jackson and him sitting on the beach and Jackson was laughing. Kellin finally died in his water grave.
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