Dearth Of a Gentle Shadow

In the middle of a forest, nearby a bar at 1:30 am of 22nd January 1972 Anna Gardener, dug a grave in the ground with a shovel and dragged a corpse alongside the grave. Before she dropped the corpse in the grave, she grabbed the shovel tightly and whacked the shovel over the corpse's face until it was covered in blood and completely disfigured. Anna was about to cover up the hole, but all of a sudden she heard the voice of fallen leaves crackle from behind her, as if someone spied on her. A suspended sheriff Jim Crowley rode on his bike to the nearby bat and applied his brakes as he witnessed a person in the middle of the woods, slamming a shovel on the ground from a distant view. Suspecting a crime scene, he walked into the woods, without trying to alarm the person in front of him. Hearing the noise from behind, she was left startled and ran for her car, parked besides the bar. She hastily got herself seated in the car and drove the car to her home. As she arrived by her doorstep, she sprinted to her room upstairs. Tears flowed through her cheeks like a river, as she quietly roamed around her room. She wasn't even relaxed with the events that took place half an hour ago; that she heard an incoming bike engine. She pulled aside the curtains sheathing the window of the room and, by accident, locked eyes with the sheriff for a moment and then abruptly veined herself. Sheriff caught a glimpse of her and rode his bike back to the grave. At the point of scene, he found the mud enfolding a bean bag underneath it. He unzipped the bag and as he glanced at the corpse, he was taken aback as he discovered the police chief of Sterling town, Alaska dead laid in a bag. 

Prior to this event on 22nd January, Laura Brown, the daughter of the Mayor of the town was scheduled to be married to Charlie Wright, son of a trusted friend of the Mayor on 31st January. The whole town was invited to the wedding, except one person — Jim Crowley, who had allegedly tried to force himself upon Laura. Jim was lucky enough to not face other dire consequences for his actions, as Maurice Brown — the elder brother of the Mayor and the police chief of the town recognized Jim as one of the finest men on the force and so for his actions, Jim was asked to serve a suspension of three months. Even though Jim never cared about his perception in other people point of view, his wife — Gloria felt ashamed to be in front of people who knew her husband. Despite being embarrassed, Gloria never had the courage to stand up to her husband or even raise her voice in front of him. Being raised to be a noble wife, Gloria never regretted being married to Jim, whereas her younger brother — Will Fort, despised his brother- in — law's guts. Will and Laura knew each other since the middle school and had been good friends ever since. Will, being introverted, never accumulated the courage to tell Laura, that he loved her. The thought of her marrying someone else had him left frustrated and further outraged when his own brother-in-law made a move on her. Since their childhood, Anna had been living next door to Laura and had developed deep feelings for her since then. While at many events it seemed that Laura was happy to be married to the groom her father chose for her, but she had mutual feelings for Anna as well. Despite having an idea of their feelings about each other, they cage their feelings, living under the burden of an orthodox society.

At 8:30 am of 22nd January, Anna woke up relaxed after the dreadful events that occurred earlier. She drifted apart the curtains besides her bedroom and saw police officers having conversation with the Mayor. Feeling a bit anxious, she stepped downstairs and saw her parents seated at the dinner table. She questioned them about the police next door and was briefed that someone had murdered the police chief and dug him a grave in the middle of the forest, yesterday. Anna was puzzled to hear about the police chief in the grave and was left wondering about what could have happened after she left. By 11:30 am, Anna was on her way to the community college when Jim confronted her. Anna started to fret as he asked her about her location yesterday at 1:30 am. Being assertive, she lied that she was sleeping at her home by that time. Jim lashed out at her and briefed her that he saw her dug the grave and had her fingerprints from the shovel. With a sobbing voice, Anna tried to explain her situation, but Jim interrupted her and told her that she would've to obey his wishes, if she wishes to stay outside jail. 

Charlie, on the other hand was supposed to meet his friends by the noon of 23rd January in California. Five day earlier, the engagement preparations were in progress at Mayor's residence. Joanne Brown, Laura's mother withdrew the engagement ring that she had chosen for Charlie, on behalf of her daughter and showcased it to everyone at the residence at the time, including Anna and Will. After a while, Joanne took exit from the room and went to have a look at the decorations, on the exterior front. Anna being disheartened after looking at the ring, decided to go for a walk around the house. While she was passing by the garage door, she heard Joanne talking about stealing her husband's money in the locker on her daughter's wedding day and a booked motel in Wisconsin. Anna was appalled to hear her talk so easily about leaving her family. She pushed the door aside, a little and peaked at the person talking to Joanne. To her surprise, it turned out to be Will's father - Dave Fort, who was so busy secretly kissing Joanne that he didn't paid attention to Anna. The first thought that came to Anna's mind was to alert Laura of her mother's intentions, but she eventually decided to talk Joanne out of this idea. 

While she was attending one of her professor's lecture, Anna recalled the events of yesterday. Anna was in between a game of cards with a bunch of Laura's friends, when Laura approached and asked her to take Charlie back to his home from the bar, or else he would miss his train to California at 7:00 am the next day. A swamp of drunken lunatics, in the bar, lifted mugs over their heads and started to scream as the Green Bay Packers scored another touch down. Anna squeezed herself past the curb and witnessed Charlie seated on a table, chugging beer. As she was about to approach him, his expressions started to change, and he ran himself towards the restroom. Anna followed him and found him retching continuously. She withdrew him away from the toilet seat and found a bleeding nose and drool over his face. As she was about to take him outside, he started to force himself on her. At first, Anna tried to shove him back, but he asserted strong control over her as he tightly grabbed her neck and tried to kiss her. She tried to curb him through over with legs and hands, but it came across as if she was being overpowered. Anna continued restraining his assault, which led her to have a fall on to the floor and Charlie trying to lay himself on her. To her right, she found a fork left besides the toilet door. She grabbed it at the instant and poked his throat. The pool of blood streamed downwards over her clothes and her face, as Charlie struggled with the fork. In under five minutes, Charlie had succumbed to death, leaving his corpse for Anna to take care of. Being intimidated by the whole incident, Anna kept on weeping on the floor. She tried to figure out her situation and came with the idea of disposing Charlie's body and lying to everyone about him leaving for California and since his parents were out of town, there was no reason that she would be confronted when they would be unable to find him. She withdrew the fork and covered his throat with a towel laid nearby. Trying not to alarm anyone else of her situation, she chose to take exit from the backside. She dragged his body to the middle of the forest ahead of her and, on her way, found a shovel lying on the ground. At first, she suspected of someone being around the corner, but until after sensing no one nearby, she started to dig the grave. 

For a couple of days, Gloria had to visit her ailing grandmother in western Minnesota for a couple of weeks. Jim had just dropped her off at the station, where her train was meant to arrive in the next 20 minutes. As Jim dropped her off, he rushed to Anna's college and found her along the way. He asked her to ride along with him and to do whatever he desires. Anna being obligated had to agree to his conditions. Without her consent, he took her down to his house and blindfolded her. Anna wept quietly as he tied her hands with a rope and did what he desired of her. As soon as he was done, he told her to come by at the same address next Monday. Anna glared at him with disgust and refused to indulge in any sort of relation with him, even if it meant a lifetime of prison. Jim roared in anger on hearing a woman disobey him and let her off with a warning of dire consequences. 

By the evening of the same day, Jim had departed from the town to attend an old friend's wedding in Georgia and the following day, Anna's corpse was discovered in her own closet with her face covered in her blood. After having spent the week, Jim was on his way back home riding his bike at a whistle-stop speed around 3;00 am, besides the forest when a transparent wire tied in his way, made his bike crash and threw him off on the road. As he turned his head around, he felt a smack of an iron rod on his head, leaving him unconscious. When he barely gained consciousness, his hands were tied to the top branch of a tree and legs were nearly touching the chair, underneath him, and he could hear a familiar voice questioning Anna's murder. Jim stressed his eyes to open only to realize that Will had kidnapped him. Initial reactions on his face were mixed, mostly bewildered.

Will, being his assertive self, asked him about his relationship with Anna. Jim was left dazed as he heard the question form Will. Will briefed him that Gloria's train was cancelled due to a blizzard in Minnesota, she was on her way back to home when she saw both of them. Without any further ado, Will told him that it was Jim's last day and as his last wish, he could choose any option of his own choice. He proposed him three ways that he could kill him — with a machete, with a gun or with a shovel. Jim wailed in anger to alert any passer-by, but it turned out to be of no use. In return, Will apprized him that now could hear his voice and gave him one minute to decide for himself. Until the next one minute, Jim gathered all of his body's energy and wailed as loud as he could. Since, Jim could not decide for himself, Will made a choice for him and hopped onto the chair, with a machete in his hand. He tucked a cloth in his mouth and started to slice his throat steadily. Jim struggled with pain, flickered his legs and screamed continuously. As time passed by, the pitch of his voice curtailed completely as Will beheaded him. 

 The following day was 31st January. Charlie's friends had been contacted by the police; they had no clue of his whereabouts. Police of the town was still investigating their chief's murder, but were no way near to have a clue. As planned, Joanne stole money from her husband's locker when he felt embarrassed to step out in front of the townspeople, who thought that the groom flew away. As decided, Joanne met Dave on the outskirts of the town. Upon leaving the town, Dave kept fretting about Anna, but Joanne reassured him that she had it taken care of. Laura had not been over Anna's death yet, and hearing of her mother running away made the matters much worse; that she eventually hanged herself to death. Meanwhile, Will stopped by at Anna's grave to pay his grievances. He drew Charlie's engagement ring from his pocket and wore it and, with a rose flower in his right hand, he headed straight towards the Mayor Residence.