The orange bit of carrot protruded from her front tooth, daring everyone to remove it. The orange reflected oddly off the red pool of blood forming under her head. How do I always get the worst cases? Tim Schumecker thought to himself. It’s not as if I enjoy this type of thing. He shook his head and starred at her. Her smile would forever be marred by that last bit of humor the killer had. Cut the lips back just enough to shove a carrot wedge into the space between the lips and teeth.

“Detective?” the female voice washed over him. “Excuse me, detective. I’m Loren, from the coroner’s office. I need to take her now,” she said softly.

“Ok, go ahead. I’m through here.” Tim replied. He stood there watching the activity, long into the night. When the street lights came on, and everyone had gone away.

The light rain, pelted against his face and he smiled. Turning to the right be began tracing an odd path around the area. Had anyone witnessed his movements they would have thought him drunk. Two to the right, and stop. There, the portal should be open now, he thought. He turned to his right again and strode out of sight, off this reality and onto another.  The sounds of the squad room filled his ears, and only the desk Sergeant noticed his arrival.

“Tim you gotta stop doing that, you know better, been warned that if you were caught again it’d be off the force.” Sergeant Harihan said.

“Yeah yeah, I know. But I had to go this time.” Tim stated in a dismissive tone.

“Why, why did you have to go?” Harihan rebutted.

“He’s back.” Tim said coldly.

The water of the dock lapped against the peer, soft patting noises were the night’s only company. Finally, after everyone had left, and the rain had stopped the darkness moved. Out of it came a tall, and gangly figure. He stood for a time, staring at the blood on the dock, softly chewing on his crunchy carrot. After he finished the carrot he smiled, turned and began an odd jigg-dance and soon he too was gone. The dark water was finally alone, in the quite of the night.