The Anathem

By Khaled Reza

Exuberant amount of blood sprayed skyward as the black gloved hands pulled the thick unforgiving knife that pierced into the thick warm flesh of a screaming woman who immediately after ceased to breath. It was so dark that even light could not penetrate. But the voice of the killer echoed magisterially through the night air like a perfect vibration.

"To you Christ I offer thee, daughter of man who has sinned in thy name. You died for us and she wastes her life away taking for granted your sacrifice, she does not realize your sacrifice was a privilege given to us, not a right, but I o'Lord understand." The man dug the knife back in, cutting carefully the heart out from the women as the moon slowly returned to put its magical glow upon the world. Then the man began to chant a spell, "Estheral eryth ethermus condurum vashay serpentus Lucifer ignatas eternia."

Lil' Jimmy was now twenty years old and a prodigy detective who has graduated so much earlier than regular detectives, his skills to solve even the most complex mysteries was astonishing, but it also helped to have the brains of a superiorly intellectual species from the planet Tripton. He has seen his world go from innocent farms of PG rating to bloody endings of a rated R film. His grandma Carla died two years ago, murdered by Bax Truther. Ever since he has been obsessively bent on showing the city of Metropolis that Bax Truther was evil and his beloved sacred maiden Lois Kane helps him along the way. They both work for the top newspaper in the country, The Globe.

But right now he had to focus on his current assignment, the mysterious murder of Anna Perea, daughter of millionaire Lauren and Robert Perea. The crime scene was strapped by yellow tape and photographers and forensic specialists and other specialists. And Lois Kane wasn't far behind.

"So who do you think it is Alark?" she asked walking up to Lil'Jimmy who took the more adult name Alark Sent.

Putting his palm to his chin Lil's Jimmy replied with keen eyes gawking at the dead body, "This was obviously someone who wanted to give sacrifice to a divine power. However from this cross placed where her heart was shows this was to The God. Normally this kind of thing is done by polytheist to the false gods who are actually inter-dimensional beings or aliens ultimately created by Him, like with how when we met Zeus, so the fact that this is sacrificed to God is quite an oddity. This man was not sane that is definite, as you can see she was an Anathem."

"Anathem? You mean like she was being lifted up as an offering to the gods?" Lois Kane inquired, quite impressed by Lil'Jimmys' deductive skills.

"Yes that is the original definition. But why would he give a sacrifice to Him? If this killer was a devout Christian, Muslim, or Jew, then why would they use an Anathem to please God? It doesn't add up." Lil'Jimmy knew something was amiss. There was more to this than he saw, the evidence was placed as if the killer knew law enforcements would follow it blindly. If he was anyone else he would have followed this false trail, but no, he was Lil'Jimmy son of Big'Mike of the planet Tripton, and Earth son of Giovanni and Kristen Sent.

"So what is-" Lois's phone rang and she picked it up, it was her boss. "Yes Mr. Jervon, I am getting the bid scoop."

Lil's Jimmy walked over to the body and the specialist moved aside except one who was rubbing off something like a small white crystal from the gaping hole in the dead woman's chest.

"Any theories on the killers' motive or why he would do this?" Lil's Jimmy said examining the body.

The Asian man of small stature replied with a slight accent, "It seems this is salt, rituals like this are uncommon among the three main religions of the world, but killings of believed sinners or witches are not uncommon. Salem witch trials, the Islamic Jihad under the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the Jews skepticism at the revelation of Jesus Christ. These are just a few, but I believe whoever did this did a background check on this poor woman, down to where she drinks and pisses. Otherwise this clean of a job is nearly impossible. However these clues he left us seem too obvious," the Asian man replied.

My thoughts exact, Lil'Jimmy said within the confinement of his mind. He looked at the body and noticed a strange irregularity. There were four Star of David on the woman, two on her forearms and two on her biceps, but the one on the right bicep was a reversed pentagram, a circle of the devil. Why would a religious man use such a symbol? Or even commit a murder?

Then a man with silky black hair and fair skin that seemed to glow under the sun came up to the detectives.

"Excuse me, but I believe you are in my property without a warrant, I should have you sued," the man said threateningly. His soft textural face contradicted his attitude.

"Your property? You mean you own this entire wood?" Lil'Jimmy inquired.

"Yes, I do," the man said with a deep magisterial voice.

"Well," Lil'Jimmy took out a document. "Here is the warrant Mr. Lockwood."

The man seemed taken aback by the fact that Lil'Jimmy knew his name. A moment ago he showed no sign of it.

"This is a violation of personal space!" roared Mr. Lockwood.

"Don't be silly, you have plenty," Lois said coming to the aid of Lil'Jimmy, who she knew as only Alark, not by his true name.

"There has been a murder in your property mister! You are a suspect, so if I were you I would shut up and cooperate!" Lil'Jimmy echoed Mr. Lockwood's' earlier roar.

Mr. Lockwood's pride was insulted, but he had no choice but to submit. He looked over at the body with eyes of familiarity.

"You know this woman?" the Asian man asked.

"Who are you?" Mr. Lockwood asked snobbishly.

"I am O.S Kim," O.S Kim replied.

"O.S?"

"It stands for Overall Specialist, I specialize in forensic and all the other sciences used in murder scenes, or any crime."

"Well, I do know this woman, but barely I swear!" Mr. Lockwood seemed desperate to convince them. He seemed more submissive.

"How?" Lil'Jimmy asked.

"She was at the party I hosted last night, a masquerade party," Mr. Lockwood replied.

"Was she with anyone? Someone that might want to hurt her?"

"Umm…I don't remember, she was drinking heavily and flirting with several men and then they went upstairs, you can imagine what happened next-but that was the last time I saw her all night I swear! I thought perhaps the three would wake up in the morning and leave…"

"Mr. Lockwood!" Lois hissed. "The daughter of millionaires went up to whore herself in your home and you allowed it?"

"Her parents were my friends' damnit!" Mr. Lockwood cried desperately. Last thing he needed was to lose money because of this whole incident. Lois Kane was here so it was a big possibility. "I though perhaps-p-p-perhaps I should let her do what she wants, she is an adult!"

"That is no excuse Mr. Lockwood!"

Lil'Jimmy stopped Lois. "Mr. Lockwood, anything else?"

"Hey Alark, look what I found. It looks like cloth belonging to a suit of some kind," O.S Kim said.

Lil' Jimmy examined it and his superior mind rapidly saw it was a cloth of a specific brand.

"Do you know anyone who wears Frances brand of suit?" Lil'Jimmy asked seeing the killer must have not seen himself cut a small piece of his clothing under the eclipse last night and his loud chanting voice must have tuned out the ripping sound. He looked into Mr. Lockwood's' eyes because as Lil'Jimmy grew he gained new powers, one of them was to compel someone to tell the truth.

Mr. Lockwood looked worried and shocked, but heard himself speak the truth, "Y-yes," he said looking defeated. His fame and fortune was at an end. His boss would kill him. "It was Bax Truther."

The news sent a might gale through the area. Lil'Jimmy got his forces to raid Bax Truthers' mansion and apprehend him as it was discovered he was not trying to "purify the world" but get rid of religion by posing as a religious person by committing an occult like killing so people would demote God, like they did every time someone said they were killing for God and people believed like drones. The reverse pentagram was simply a mistake made by Bax Truther when he carved it with the knife. Bas Truther wanted his science to rule and control civilization into an era of Truther, because humans he believed were drones and idiots, he was the only one with free thinking and understanding. But it made him look more insane. The up side is Lois Kane got the best story of her career.