Blood and Water

Ding, Dong, Bell
Tommy's in the well

William titled his head to the side and watched the blood congeal along a fair-haired brow line. Thomas's mother would miss him, but that didn't bring any sympathy from the boy watching his unconscious body. William had been so careful with that damn cat but because of good boy Thomas, he had been grounded for two months. That was fine though. He was well into his second month after all so who would guess that it was him who was going to help Thomas...disappear.

The boy stirred and William leaned forward, a heady anticipation running through his body and stirring every nerve ending in him to a heightened awareness. A groan tried to push through the shirt stuffed in the boy's mouth, his own shirt actually that he had lost a few weeks before the whole incident with the cat. William had discovered at an early age that it never hurt to come prepared. He watched with a twisted grin as the boy's eyes widened and he recognized the dead mound of fur next to him. The scream was muffled and barely audible but it was good enough for William to let out a sigh of contentment. Now it was time for the fun to begin.



Standing over Thomas, he did not feel power, but control and victory. It was even more heady than any power he had ever felt. His tongue flicked across his lips as he watched Thomas whimper and his body finally still from its struggles. His hands had started to turn a deep shade of purple. The bright yellow yarn that one of the old ladies down the street had thrown away made the color look like someone you would see in puke. William pocked one of Thomas's hands with the tip of the knife he was holding and watched with satisfaction as the boy jumped and tried to squirm away yet again. He wondered when Thomas would figure out that he wasn't going home.

"You know you might not believe it, but I'm sorry Thomas," he said pulling back his knife and examining it. He looked back down at Thomas's stunned face. "It's true. I'm sorry, but you really did bring this on yourself," he pointed out. "You see, you stuck your nose in and then got me in trouble by admitting the truth. You didn't think I could let that go did you?" Even though he was only eleven years old, hearing the boy now, no one would have guessed it. There was a darkness in his eyes and his voice that was too acute to be madness. No, this child knew exactly what he was doing. He simply didn't care.



Thomas's bound legs kicked uselessly as William squeezed, cutting off his air once again. It was the third time that he done that, laughing each time that Thomas tried to breath or scream or cough through the gag. It was humorous, but the other boy didn't seem to see it. There was something about strangling that made him giddy. He could have simply pinched his former friend's nose shut he supposed, but it would have been too easy and the dark haired boy had never gone the easy route. He wanted to work for what he gained, even if those around him were beneath the attention that he so kindly paid them. He hoped Thomas would know that before he died.

He released Thomas's throat and allowed the boy to try and breath. It seemed to take him several moments before he realized that he had to breath through his nose. William's smile was almost friendly as he watched Thomas's face return to an almost normal color though the little red and purple veins in his eyes remained for his inspection. His fingers reached down and curled around the knife's handle. "Just one last thing and then I promise it'll be done." Not a total lie, but it seemed to give comfort to a boy who had tears pouring at the corners of his eyes. William whipped them away with his thumb. "Don't worry Thomas. It's almost over. I just want to make a few cuts."



Thomas's body was still, limp except for the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Blood gently pooled from several cuts over his body. Tears stained his cheeks and forehead. It really made one of the most stunning pictures that William had ever seen. He was going to be sad to watch Thomas go, but that was the way that it needed to be. He really couldn't let his friend go now. After all, Thomas would only tell again and William refused to be punished for something that had to be done. He pulled the last of the yarn, this length a pale lavender and white, and wrapped it around the cat's limp body. tying it off, he created a slip knot with the other end and dropped the noose around Thomas's head. The other boy looked up at him with pathetic eyes and William couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't worry," he said with a big grin. "They might find you...eventually," he amended as he thought about it. Thomas let out a whimper that made William roll his eyes as he got on his knees and began to push Thomas's body towards the sinkhole that filled part of the woods. Filled with water and debris, he felt it was the perfect place to hide a body or two. Thomas began to struggle and squirm, pleading probably for his life. William ignored him, only stopping when he got them to the edge. He allowed Thomas to lie on his back and stare up at William in confusion. "Good-bye Thomas," he said the words cheerfully, tossing the cat's corpse into the water. Thomas's eyes went wide as the yarn pulled tight across his throat cutting off all hope of hair. William tilted his head to the side and watched as Thomas's eyes bulged and his nostril's flared. He lowered himself slowly until his knee pressed progressively harder and deeper into the other boy's chest robbing him of whatever air he might have saved.

Thomas's lips puckered around the shirt, but the material was stuffed too far down his throat. He didn't stand a chance. His legs kicked uselessly and his hands strained to no avail. The light in his eyes began to flicker. The struggles weakened. He was going to die. Something in him realized and finally gave up, shutting down other body functions, trying to save the whole. It didn't work though. Without air,the whole was nothing. In the end, the body was simply that, an empty vessel. William stood up in a remarkably better mood. He kicked the corpse into the water and turned, not caring if it sank or floated. He had to be home soon. It would be dinner and his mother was making meatloaf, one of his favorites. She felt bad that he had been grounded, not believing for a moment he would try to harm the cat. If only she knew...

They never did him any harm
but it never stopped him with his yarn.