A week later Katherine was just returning home from a weekend expedition to capture some rare footage of whales. She slung her bag off her shoulder and unlaced her boots, kicking them aside. A rather loud gurgle sounded from her stomach, reminding Katherine that she was starving. She flicked on the lights, ilumintating her small apartment. She idly grabbed the remote and turned on the TV as she headed towards the fridge. The news was on, once again on Channel 3. Katherine yanked open the refrigerator and serached for something to eat, only half listening to the TV. As she went to grab a thing of yogurt she heard "This picture has just been released, taken by an amateur at the scene. In a bizarre twist, this latest victim has no  face stitched to it, leaving some to wonder whether or not this is truly the work of the Portland Masquerader or rather a copycat." Katherine slammed the fridge shut and whirled around to face the TV. On the screen was a fuzzy picture of the victim, definitely not Katherine's. Katherine yanked out her cell phone and dialed her father's number.

"Katie, can I call you back? We're  swamped with work-."

"Dad, have you guys released any pictures to the public?"

"No, absolutely not. Why?"

"There's a photo on Channel 3."

"...^&$@."

"You said you thought he was interupted, right? What if he was still there?"

"Yes, that's very possible. Well, this does tell us one thing: he likes attention. He wants immediate recognition for the job at hand."

"Which he did right udner our noses..."

"Katherine, there was no way we could have known he was there, not in that weather. And he was most likely a ways up rive from us."

"That's another thing that's bothering me. Why was the victim killed so far from Portland?" Haven't the other bodies been found much closer to the city?"

"Katie, I don't want you worrying about that, or anything to do with this case, all right? I wish you hadn't seen that body...Please, just let me do my job." Katherine frowned, annoyed by her father's reaction.

"Dad, I'm just curious."

"Katie, it's not a healthy curiousity. Please, forget about the case. You know your mother would tell you the same thing." Katherine sighed, knowing she was losing this argument.

"Yes Dad. I know. I'll talk to you later."

"Try to get some sleep." Her father said, his tone softening.

"Yeah, you too." Katherine hung up, staring at her phone in frustration. She herself didn't know why the case had become so important to her all of a sudden. Looking back at the TV Katherine was once again confronted by that horrid skinless face that kept haunting her. And then something caught her eye; a flash of silver in the corner of her eye. Praying the channel wouldn't go to commercial, Katherine leaned closer. On the victim's hand was a ring, set with ruby and the international symbol of Caduceus, the two serpents circling a winged staff. A ring which hadn't been there when they took the photos.

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I'm not sure I really want this to be a more than one person project. But I would really like some advice and editing. If, some day in the future I ever publish, I will make sure to give credit where credit is due.

updated Mar 29 '10 by starmelace