A Night By The Sea [Mitternacht RP excerpt]
I include this here because I feel particularly proud of my prose.
Date: 5th August (Day 4)
Time: 11.28pm
Location: Varuna, port-side
The sea murmured against the docks; lapping water tickled the soft belly of warm, inland wind which kicked up tiny waves as it mixed with the cooler air hanging over the vast expanse of water. The night hung, a velvet backdrop dotted with tiny stars shining resolutely against the luminance of small lamps scattered throughout the port. Towering metal crates stacked two or three high threw dark shadows everywhere, like a miniature city lacking all the brightness of one. They wind sighed past them, louder around the corners, funnelled through the makeshift roads and alleys they formed until it found its way to the sea.
Several cargo ships were moored at the concrete docks; most were silent and still, but on one tiny figures darted silently about. Closer inspection showed them to be burdened by sizeable packages packed into one large bundle, wrapped in soft plastic to protect their contents. They were loading these into wooden crates packed with insulation, all the while watched by a languid overseer who smoked a dimly-glowing cigarette. Unbeknownst to them, another silhouette watched, hidden from the moon's sight.
The overseer cursed softly when one of the men fumbled and dropped his load to the ground with a muffled impact. The packets crinkled faintly as they spilled out and were swiftly snatched up and replaced neatly, then the entire thing deposited into one of those crates. The clumsy one was berated in harsh, muted tones then the routine resumed.
The watcher peeled away from his post and took a step out into the wan moonlight. At first there was little to see of his distinct features: dark hair, a shadowed face, a colourless jacket which hung casually over his shoulders. The only vague spot of colour was in his shirt, which appeared as a dim shade of grey in the lighting anyway. So much like a phantom was he, silent-footed and graceful, that the men packing their cargo away did not notice him until he was within a few feet of them. One shout alerted them all and a sharp round of clicks of guns cocking halted the figure. The barest glint of his eyes was visible beneath his bangs.
There was a smell in the air, heavy, distinct. A familiar smell. The phantom's nose quested at the air curiously, sniffing. The stilling of his form caused the men to tense, and when his head lowered they could sense - even if they could not see - the anger in the flint-like gaze as it touched upon them. The phantom drew upon two polished steel bars which had been hanging from his belt the entire time and what happened next occurred too fast to document. Flashes of metal, bursts of gunfire, cut-off screams...then silence.
Hibari let his eyes roam the bloody scene dispassionately. The corpses of the smugglers he had inadvertently killed lay twisted and broken in a ragged circle around the evidence of their crime. To be sure, he approached one of the crates, sank to one knee, and sniffed at one of the packets. He shuddered and pushed himself away roughly. The scent was disturbingly familiar. He had no name for it, but it stirred at some memory within. He shook his head, as if the physical motion would dislodge it from his mind.
What to do with the bodies?
Hibari had not killed before. He did not comprehend the usual human feelings of guilt, terror and paranoia. Only cold reason and remembrances of police reports detailing criminals' methods of past crimes influenced his decision tonight.
Number one: killers always tried to dispose of the deceased.
He would do that then. The sea would carry away the corpses and eventually they would decompose and the bones would sink to the sand below. He did that: he carried each corpse one by one and tossed them off the pier into the choppy waters. It seemed to him that the wind had picked up and buffeted at his jacket so fiercely it was in danger of blowing off his shoulders. Once he had overseen the last body floating away, he turned back to the scene and noted the bloodstains.
Number two: killers always tried to eliminate evidence of their deeds.
So he would have to clean away the blood. But with what? Blood was not easy to clean. He knew that already from the fights he had been in. Sometimes noses broke and the blood spray got on his clothing. It would defeat the purpose of covering up his deed if he attempted to break in somewhere and obtain the appropriate cleaning materials.
The blood would have to remain then.
Number three: killers have or invent an alibi for the time of the killing.
Hibari had always been solitary and of all the possible explanations he could think of, none, he knew, would be particularly convincing. So much for an alibi.
Number four: killers should not linger at the scene longer than necessary.
With that in mind, Hibari sheathed his weapons and walked briskly away. He would leave an anonymous message for the police once he was home for them to pick up the drugs. A nice, long shower was what he felt he needed right now.
The news at six, broadcast to Solena (present day):
"At around 5 o'clock this morning the bodies of five men were found by local tourists on the island of Pileus, known for its high-class holiday resorts. A couple had been heading out for an early swim when they spotted the bodies left on the beach by the tide. Police cordoned off the area for several hours while forensics worked and are currently conducting an investigation into the backgrounds of the men. Early reports suggest that the men may have been the victims of a brutal murder and ask for anyone with any information to come forward."
Photographs of the identified men are shown, some images of the horrific injuries inflicted upon the broken bodies. The voice-over of the reporting journalist says that police have not confirmed whether or not there are any suspects at this point in time, nor how the men died, but that there is a strong possibility that the murders did not occur on Pileus itself. Rather, they strongly suspect that the murderer deliberately dumped the bodies into the ocean in order to conceal their crime, and are looking into bloodstains reportedly found almost two weeks ago when an anonymous tip off to police delivered to them several million credits' worth of marijuana. The report concludes with a warning to citizens to take care, especially when out late at night.
Date: 5th August (Day 4)
Time: 11.28pm
Location: Varuna, port-side
The sea murmured against the docks; lapping water tickled the soft belly of warm, inland wind which kicked up tiny waves as it mixed with the cooler air hanging over the vast expanse of water. The night hung, a velvet backdrop dotted with tiny stars shining resolutely against the luminance of small lamps scattered throughout the port. Towering metal crates stacked two or three high threw dark shadows everywhere, like a miniature city lacking all the brightness of one. They wind sighed past them, louder around the corners, funnelled through the makeshift roads and alleys they formed until it found its way to the sea.
Several cargo ships were moored at the concrete docks; most were silent and still, but on one tiny figures darted silently about. Closer inspection showed them to be burdened by sizeable packages packed into one large bundle, wrapped in soft plastic to protect their contents. They were loading these into wooden crates packed with insulation, all the while watched by a languid overseer who smoked a dimly-glowing cigarette. Unbeknownst to them, another silhouette watched, hidden from the moon's sight.
The overseer cursed softly when one of the men fumbled and dropped his load to the ground with a muffled impact. The packets crinkled faintly as they spilled out and were swiftly snatched up and replaced neatly, then the entire thing deposited into one of those crates. The clumsy one was berated in harsh, muted tones then the routine resumed.
The watcher peeled away from his post and took a step out into the wan moonlight. At first there was little to see of his distinct features: dark hair, a shadowed face, a colourless jacket which hung casually over his shoulders. The only vague spot of colour was in his shirt, which appeared as a dim shade of grey in the lighting anyway. So much like a phantom was he, silent-footed and graceful, that the men packing their cargo away did not notice him until he was within a few feet of them. One shout alerted them all and a sharp round of clicks of guns cocking halted the figure. The barest glint of his eyes was visible beneath his bangs.
There was a smell in the air, heavy, distinct. A familiar smell. The phantom's nose quested at the air curiously, sniffing. The stilling of his form caused the men to tense, and when his head lowered they could sense - even if they could not see - the anger in the flint-like gaze as it touched upon them. The phantom drew upon two polished steel bars which had been hanging from his belt the entire time and what happened next occurred too fast to document. Flashes of metal, bursts of gunfire, cut-off screams...then silence.
Hibari let his eyes roam the bloody scene dispassionately. The corpses of the smugglers he had inadvertently killed lay twisted and broken in a ragged circle around the evidence of their crime. To be sure, he approached one of the crates, sank to one knee, and sniffed at one of the packets. He shuddered and pushed himself away roughly. The scent was disturbingly familiar. He had no name for it, but it stirred at some memory within. He shook his head, as if the physical motion would dislodge it from his mind.
What to do with the bodies?
Hibari had not killed before. He did not comprehend the usual human feelings of guilt, terror and paranoia. Only cold reason and remembrances of police reports detailing criminals' methods of past crimes influenced his decision tonight.
Number one: killers always tried to dispose of the deceased.
He would do that then. The sea would carry away the corpses and eventually they would decompose and the bones would sink to the sand below. He did that: he carried each corpse one by one and tossed them off the pier into the choppy waters. It seemed to him that the wind had picked up and buffeted at his jacket so fiercely it was in danger of blowing off his shoulders. Once he had overseen the last body floating away, he turned back to the scene and noted the bloodstains.
Number two: killers always tried to eliminate evidence of their deeds.
So he would have to clean away the blood. But with what? Blood was not easy to clean. He knew that already from the fights he had been in. Sometimes noses broke and the blood spray got on his clothing. It would defeat the purpose of covering up his deed if he attempted to break in somewhere and obtain the appropriate cleaning materials.
The blood would have to remain then.
Number three: killers have or invent an alibi for the time of the killing.
Hibari had always been solitary and of all the possible explanations he could think of, none, he knew, would be particularly convincing. So much for an alibi.
Number four: killers should not linger at the scene longer than necessary.
With that in mind, Hibari sheathed his weapons and walked briskly away. He would leave an anonymous message for the police once he was home for them to pick up the drugs. A nice, long shower was what he felt he needed right now.
The news at six, broadcast to Solena (present day):
"At around 5 o'clock this morning the bodies of five men were found by local tourists on the island of Pileus, known for its high-class holiday resorts. A couple had been heading out for an early swim when they spotted the bodies left on the beach by the tide. Police cordoned off the area for several hours while forensics worked and are currently conducting an investigation into the backgrounds of the men. Early reports suggest that the men may have been the victims of a brutal murder and ask for anyone with any information to come forward."
Photographs of the identified men are shown, some images of the horrific injuries inflicted upon the broken bodies. The voice-over of the reporting journalist says that police have not confirmed whether or not there are any suspects at this point in time, nor how the men died, but that there is a strong possibility that the murders did not occur on Pileus itself. Rather, they strongly suspect that the murderer deliberately dumped the bodies into the ocean in order to conceal their crime, and are looking into bloodstains reportedly found almost two weeks ago when an anonymous tip off to police delivered to them several million credits' worth of marijuana. The report concludes with a warning to citizens to take care, especially when out late at night.