Don't Scream

A chilly Night with just a wedge of moon mist brewing on the water.down below Panama city glittered in a haze but here on the land the air was thin and clear, steeped in eerie stillness. No light but the blue one coming from the flashlight. No movement but the trusty reels of the old cassette  tape recorder. No sound but the sobs of a woman about to die.

Brandon James looked down at the woman, Jessica Davis her drivers license said the photo showing the razor sharp cheekbones and beautiful blond shoulder length hair.A dancer he decided while he was roping her ankles, calloused feet and a beautiful body the faint odor of perspiration layered beneath her perfume.

A screamer, a good set of lungs.worthy of her role in the performance that began here tonight, Brandon paused the reality of the moment weakened his knees. He'd had a woman before, he'd killed before but with never with such purpose. he'd never killed one woman to give to another or taking a life for something than his own immediate need. In that sense the dancer was unique, A first.

Gratitude washed over him, and he bent over to stroke her cheek, but she spat at him,

Bitch!!!! He wiped his face with the edge of his shirt snarling, and the rage jumped on him. How could she that wasn't in the plan.

"who killed cock robin? I said the sparrow with my bow and arrow i killed cock robin...

Brandon covered his ears "No" he said but the song continued to play in his head A haunted little folk tune like a mosquito buzzing in his ear, He slapped the the air around his head trying to shoo it away than he drew back his foot and kicked the woman on the ground. Her jaw gave with a sound of wood snapping in a fire a moan of pain came ripping from her chest..

The song slipped away.

Brandon waited making his self breath. Control. Silence. There could be no singing tonight. Not when a plan of seven years was finally under way.

Shaking he uncovered his ears eyes wide as if he might be able to see the voice and ward it off if it came again. He glanced at the cassette player ten maybe fifteen minutes left than he looked at his watch, It was late and he still had a phone call to make Besides his little sister was waiting. and she didn't like to be alone Poor Christie she had spent so much time waiting on Brandon..

"Not much longer Christie'He whispered as if she might be able to hear him. He turned off the recorder and picked up the box he carried it all the way to the hill. It was two feet long and about a foot deep. not heavy but awkward. he sat it on the ground beside the dancer and opened the flaps, Styrofoam peanuts fluttered to his feet as he pulled out the fragile bundle and unwound the the tissue paper, layer by layer round and round until..

"Jesus" Brandon breath caught even though he has seen the face before. dark soulful eyes beautiful smile blond ringlets of human hair.He swallowed and sifted through the stack of insurance papers in the box, making sure this is the earliest doll in the set.. rare opening and closing eye lids human hair appraisal.. 40,000 - 50,000

Brandon tilted the doll up right than tipped her down right up and down up and down. studying her eyes Despite what the insurance papers said the dolls eyes never closed they remained open and watchful taking in every little thing,

" Who saw him die" I said the fly with my little eye".

" Stop it" Brandon snapped his teeth grinding together, he sat there and listened than blew out a breath. Get on with it. The woman needed work He laid the doll on the ground several feet away in case there was splatter than pulled out a knife from his pocket and went back to the dancer.

She squeaked than he stopped. Shit he almost forgot.

He pushed play and record at the same time then crouched on one knee beside the dancers shoulders whimpers reeled on the tape garbled now by the broken jaw but stunning all at the same time her terror rising to a fevered pitch as he bent over her.

Just a few screams away now.

Heart beating rapidly he began to work on her. Glancing often at the doll fighting to keep his hand steady when he finished he sat back on his knees and let the cries wash over him a few minutes, no more, then. click

Out of tape..

He opened his eyes and looked down at his handy work a little messy but good enough. he dug in his bag of supplies and grabbed his gun he whipped off the woman's temple She was beyond noticing her cries just snags in her breath now as if she knew it was over Brandon measured an inch straight up marked the spot with an eyebrow pencil and placed the barrel of the gun on the spot and pulled the trigger,

a blessed Silence rolled in behind the shot, Brandon held his breath he knew the singing would'nt come now it never came when the cries were good.

He untied the dancer, and arranged her limbs to his liking than he spent ten minutes gathering the things a crime scene team would would spend hours looking for. Knife gun shell casing tape recorder the rope and tent steaks all of it into his gym bag Ever last Styrofoam peanut into his pocket.Being smart was the key he thought being careful was critical.

being lucky didn't hurt.

One last look around and Brandon hiked back down the hill carrying his bag and box. stopping to check the dancers cell phone about every twenty minutes, He got half way down before a tune started playing out of service.

His pulse picked up This was the moment he has been waiting for the call he had been dreaming of for 7 years,.

Let the games begin..