Ridgeview Forest – A Gruesome Discovery
The morning was crisp, the kind that left frost on fallen leaves and turned breath into mist. The hiker had only veered off-trail to snap a few pictures of the sunrise through the trees. But then—he saw it.
A figure in white, standing eerily still among the gnarled pines.
For one fleeting moment, his mind tried to rationalize it—A mannequin? A forgotten Halloween prop?
Then the smell hit him.
Rot, thick and cloying.
His stomach lurched.
The woman was bound to the tree, arms at her sides, a delicate wedding veil draped over her head. A vintage pearl necklace rested against her decayed skin, eerily pristine despite the decomposition. Her dress—once white—was now tinged with earthy browns and dark, crusted reds.
Her lips had been painted a soft rose color. Her eyes, sunken and vacant, stared forward, unseeing.
The hiker stumbled backward, bile rising in his throat, as he fumbled for his phone.
His shaking fingers dialed 911.
Ridgeview Police Precinct – The Call That Changed Everything
Jane Michaels was on her second cup of coffee when the call came in.
"Another one," Marcus Hayes muttered as he hung up the phone.
Jane set her mug down, bracing herself. "Where?"
"Ridgeview Forest. A hiker found the body—same posing as before."
Her stomach tightened. The killer was escalating. Becoming bolder.
Dr. Lila Chen, Ridgeview's forensic pathologist, entered the room, already donning her gloves. "This is getting worse," she said grimly. "He's playing with us."
Jane grabbed her coat. "Let's go."
Ridgeview Forest – The Crime Scene
The forest was quiet except for the occasional rustling of leaves and the murmurs of forensic techs as they worked the scene.
Jane stood before the victim, taking it all in. The positioning, the details. This wasn't just a murder. It was a performance.
"She's been here for a while," Marcus said.
Lila Chen knelt beside the body, carefully inspecting the skin. "No lividity. No insect activity. That means she was kept somewhere cold before being placed here."
Jane's blood ran cold. "He preserved her."
Lila nodded. "An ice cellar, most likely. He's controlling the timeline. Holding them until he's ready to put on his show."
Jane stepped closer, scanning the crime scene. The veil was delicate, yellowed with age. The pearls looked expensive, their luster untouched by time.
"This isn't random," Jane murmured. "He's choosing these details carefully."
She turned to Marcus. "We need to check missing persons reports. This dress, the necklace—it all means something."
Marcus sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And meanwhile, he's probably already planning his next display."
Jane clenched her fists.
They were running out of time.
The Victim – A Tragic Story
Back at the morgue, Lila worked in silence, carefully removing the veil and pearls from the victim.
"The cause of death is strangulation," she said. "See the bruising on her neck? The pattern suggests a thin wire, something sharp enough to cut into the skin."
Jane swallowed hard. "He took his time."
Lila gestured to the victim's fingers. "No defensive wounds. No broken nails. She didn't fight back."
Marcus frowned. "So she was unconscious when he killed her?"
Lila nodded. "Or drugged."
Jane exhaled slowly.
"Who are you?" she whispered to the lifeless woman.
A tech entered the room, holding a file. "We got a match. Her name was Danielle Porter. Twenty-seven years old. She was reported missing four days ago by her sister."
Jane's heart sank. Another life stolen. Another woman turned into a grotesque work of art.
"Four days," she echoed. "That means she was held somewhere before this."
Marcus crossed his arms. "And the longer we take to find him, the more he perfects his craft."
Jane's hands curled into fists.
She wouldn't let that happen.
The Escalation – A Killer Without Fear
That night, Jane sat at her desk, staring at the evidence photos. The pearls. The veil. The careful placement of the body.
This wasn't just a killer.
This was someone telling a story.
And if they didn't figure it out soon, the next chapter would be written in blood.