This is the seventh part of a fiction serial, in 735 words.
The thing about murder that most people don’t realise is that it’s addictive. I’m not talking about sex killers like The Boston Strangler, or killers for profit, like Mafia hit men. No, just run of the mill killings, the taking of a life. Getting away with it is easy enough if you are careful. After all, there are thousands of unsolved murders sitting on the books around the world.
And don’t get me started on the ‘Missing’, or the ‘Disappeared’. They are all dead and gone, take my word for it. I know what I’m talking about.
Forget about all those ‘Sociopaths’, ‘Social rejects’, and ‘Psychopaths’. Most of those either want to get caught, or are trapped by their carelessness. Being famous for killing a lot of people is no substitute for spending the rest of your days in solitary or a mental hospital, not as far as I’m concerned.
No, you just kill people you don’t like. It’s as simple as that. Make it look like an accident, and that’s a bonus.
Modern technology is the murderer’s enemy, not the police. The police would be useless if it wasn’t for their three golden rules. ‘Motive’, ‘Method’, and ‘Opportunity’. Leave out one of those three, and they are running around like the Keystone Cops. But you have to be careful now. Mobile phone tracking, Internet searches, and the bane of my life, CCTV cameras. They are the worst, and account for so many convictions these days, they might as well sack all the cops and just employ more CCTV operators instead.
Back when I started, all that was in its infancy. All I had to remember was not to get any books out of the library that mentioned murder.
Life wasn’t so bad, until my little sister was born. Dad played football with me in the garden, mum made a fuss of me and bought me cakes. We had holidays at the seaside, ice cream and funfair rides. Cricket on the beach, and tired evenings in the caravan. Once we even went to Spain for a week, on an aeroplane. I remember being excited about the plane, and remember it was so bloody hot there. But not much else.
Then just before my eighth birthday, mum looked fat. She sat me down and told me that I was going to get a little brother or sister. She seemed happy, and said it like she expected me to be excited at the prospect. You can already guess that I wasn’t.
I played along of course, hoping for a brother I could dominate, and pass on my toys to. Seven months later, I got a sister.
They called her Emily, after a great aunt who had left some money in a will. As soon as she arrived back from the hospital, I was savvy enough to know that I might just as well kill myself. They had just tolerated a dirty, smelly boy for eight years, and now they had an adorable blonde daughter who didn’t even keep them awake at night crying. Emily was perfect. My Dad told me so, more times than I ever wanted to hear.
That started what I think of as the ‘bedroom years’. My parents and grandparents doted on baby Emily for the next two years until I was ten. I might just as well have gone to live in another country, for all I mattered. Especially to my dad. No more football in the garden. No more help with school work. No more fun presents at birthdays or Christmas. Just clothes, or vouchers. While Emily had so many presents under the tree, it took them an hour to open them all for her.
I retreated to my bedroom, and I started to think about my situation. Obvously, little Emily had to go.
Luckily, I was bright enough to continue my studies with no parental assistance. Not that I ever forgave them for that, as I am sure you have worked out by now. Her second birthday presented me wih a wonderful opportunity. Dad’s brother, Uncle Brian, presented the toddler wih a gigantic stuffed Panda. Now I look back, I am convinced he played the uncle to cover up his predeliction for young boys. At least that meant that Emily was safe from his advances.
Death by Panda was not that easy to achieve. But I was nothing if not inventive.
Gosh, i missed nearly the whole series. Sorry, Pete! Now, i am back, and motivated like never before. 🙂 xx Michael
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Thanks, Michael, and for all the reblogs too.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Yeeikes, he’s a ghastly bit of work
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Demonic I would suggest, Sue.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Ever read Doris Lessing’s “The Fifth Child”? Or “Demian” by Herman Hesse?
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No I haven’t, Sue. I will look them up.
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😊
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I love that he begins by making sure he isn’t a run of the mill serial killer. What a great depiction of a true psychopathic narcissist.
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That’s Danny all over, Elizabeth.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Every time I think I know where this is going, I find out I’m wrong. Bravo!
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Thanks, Xander. I am pleased to hear that.
Best wishes, Pete.
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This explains a lot!!
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The necessary background detail, Liz. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Indeed!
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My, my, Warmest regards, Theo
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Thanks, Theo.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Well, this is a dark dark DARK detour into Danny’s past….will be interesting to see how “extensive” his accomplishments were!
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‘Extensive’ is the right word, John. Buckle up!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Death by panda – love that!
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Glad to hear that, Lucinda. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Oh, no!! You threw in a wrench, as you do so well. Well done on Danny’s past, Pete.
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Thanks, Jennie. Always happy to surprise you. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Me, too. Keep the surprises coming. Best to you, Pete.
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Maybe Danny will start to get a tad complacent…
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He might have missed something. Time will tell.
Best wishes, Pete.
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so danny is a killer in the past too
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Yes, he started young, by killing his own sister.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I think we may need a scorecard to keep up with Daniel.
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I have mine ready next to the PC, Pete. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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ah, the beginning of his coldness and lack of remorse.
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Such people usually have a dark past, Beth.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The fun begins…I’m sure young Danny has quite a history as he started his killing spree so young…good start to the series, Pete …Tweeted for you 🙂 x
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Thanks, Carol. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete. x
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(1) Did you hear about the river that dried up? It was a ‘running mill’ killer as well as the miller’s livelihood killer.
(2) All murders north of the Arctic Circle are premeditated. You never hear about a murder that happens in the heat of the moment.
(3) Bad citation: “But you have to be careful now. Mobile phone tracking, Internet searches, CCTV cameras, and, worst of all, Annette Bening’s dreams.”
(4) “Back when I started, all that was in its infancy. Infanticide, to be precise.
(5) Cricket on the beach, Roach on the patio. Spider on the bathroom floor.
(6) I don’t know wuther you’ve read about it, but at the height of the prehistoric age, a cave girl named Emily was murdered by a giant stuffed animal. The details are revealed in a book entitled “Death by Brontë Saurus.”
(7) Steven Spielberg, who filmed “Schindler’s List” in black and white, except for a girl’s red coat, is planning to film “Death by Panda.” The new film will be in color, but the panda’s coat will be in black and white.
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I want to see that new Spielberg film! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I didn’t see that one coming. Your protagonist has a problem with women—death by panda. How original.
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Thanks, Molly. It is not just women he has a problem with, I assure you.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Should have known it wasn’t his first when he was so smooth about the whole thing…can’t wait to find out how the Panda murdered his sis!
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The Panda was innocent! (Sign the petition) 🙂 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Okay this was something I definitely did not expect. Sign of a good story~ unexpected twists.
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I try my best to surpise, Devangi.
Best wishes, Pete.
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He was a bad seed from the start! Usually there’s trauma in the background of killers but his early years seemed ideal? He is extremely narcissistic. That’s obvious. I wonder how rare siblicide is in the world? Much to learn about our Danny boy. 💕C
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Oh he has an interesting past, Cheryl. As you will discover.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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A flashback! And now we find out what Danny is all about.
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The real story begins! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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