Why The Pig?
1068 Words
“Where do we begin?” Asks Ohlmes who’s eyes are still fixated on the board.
“Well my dear Ohlmes that is where you come in, I would like you to sift through what we have hear and find the link we are missing.” Lockheart pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts, bringing his hand to his face he touches the still fresh bruises that mark his visage causing him to wince. Ohlmes notices the pause in Lockhearts speech and looks back at him, he was far too absorbed into the prior events he had yet to notice Lockheart still recovering from his alley assault. Dark colored bruises dappled across his face like spots on a leopards hide.
“How are your injuries from yesterday?” He asks with concern in his voice, reaching out to touch Lockhearts face. As the hand drew closer to Lockhearts face he tenses up and instinctively intercepts Ohlmes hand, causing Ohlmes to retract his outstretched hand.
“I am sorry, I guess I may be still shaken up from yesterday.” He offers his apology with sincerity in his voice.
“Oh no it is fine I should be the one apologizing.” Replies Ohlmes now embarrassed about his behavior. An awkward silence fills the air as the two stand there.
“Have you had breakfast Ohlmes, I had a pot on the stove it should be ready now.” Lockheart speaks first to try and cut the tension. Ohlmes stiffens up at this he had thrown the pot and all its contents out of the window earlier.
“That was suppose to be edible!” Ohlmes blurts out, then quickly raises a hand to cover his mouth. Lockheart gives him a quizzical look.
“Judging from your expression you do not approve of my cooking?” He says with smirk in his voice. Ohlmes mildly fidgets in place before meeting his piercing gaze.
“Well after seeing what you had brewing in the kitchen I can understand why some would label you a witch doctor.” Ohlmes replies with a jab of his own much to the dismay of Lockheart.
“I see just so you know cooking is not one of my talents, had my previous maid not up and quit on me I would not have to demean myself with such tasks.” He says with defeat clearly audible in his voice while slumping his shoulders but he then quickly snaps out of his wallowing.
“I am sure there is a biscuit laying around here somewhere if you are hungry, but never mind back to the case.” He says with fervor in his voice as he strides back to the documents, Ohlmes gives a shrug and follows suit. It is quit now and the only sounds that can be heard is the rustling of papers as the two diligently sift through what they have, this goes on for quite a while Ohlmes seeing no new information nor a link to the victims his eye’s begin to glaze over and the words on the plain sheets of paper being to blur. He rubs his eye’s while letting out a large breath to clear his mind, he looks over to see Lockheart still sifting through each document with precision and haste.
He then arches his back in an attempt to stretch but bumps the metal surgical table behind him, Ohlmes hand then falls into a puddle of cold bile which is excreting from the pig carcass still lying open on the table, the feel of this viscous ooze causes him to jump, the cold and sticky waste clings to his hand as he tries to shake it off causing it to melt down his hand like sap from a maple tree.
“Gah why is this here!” He shouts out in disgust causing Lockheart to put a stop to his snooping.
“Oh yes the proverbial elephant in the room or domesticated pig so to speak.” Lockheart states in a calm and emotionless tone. He collects the documents before him into a neatly piled stack then walks over to his adjacent desk where a crystal like mirror with strange metal hooks piercing a flesh like substance in the center of this crystal like object magnifying it’s size.
Through the crystal one could see a strange gray pigmentation which dotted the substance, it’s exterior dry and flaky giving it the appearance of rotted flesh. Lockheart motions Ohlmes to have a closer look at it. He slowly makes his way toward to this morbid object and brings his eyes close to the crystal only a breath away he peers deeply into it.
“What is this?” He asks completely befuddled at what he is seeing, Lockheart standing over Ohlmes looking at him with smug satisfaction plastered across his face.
“Why this is how our killer takes on the identity of the dead.” He pauses for a moment then continues on.
“See if it looks like skin and feels like skin then what could it be Ohlmes?” He states in an almost whimsical tone. Ohlmes stare grows more intently on the mass of flesh before he comes to a dark revelation his face grows dark and his emerald eye’s begin to bulge from his sockets.
“Oh Heaven’s you can not mean this is human flesh!” He gasps in horror of the idea that someone would wear the skin of another. Lockheart places his hand onto Ohlmes thin shoulder in a reassuring manner whilst letting out a small chuckle.
“No Ohlmes it is most definitely not human flesh, what led you to that conclusion.” He states trying to stifle his laughter. Ohlmes face is now flushed red from embarrassment he then turns to Lockheart.
“If it is not then why would you lead me to believe that it was!” He shouts in a high pitched tone his voice cracking.
“Conditioning Ohlmes, you believe what I tell you without doubt just as the masses out in the streets drink in every word of Father Fredrick and his parish. If you had taken a moment to yourself you may have realized that this is not what it seems, the answer is more often then not right in front of you.” He goes on to explain while pacing around Ohlmes with his hand placed on his chin. Ohlmes takes a moment drinking in Lockhearts word letting them soak into his brain, it is then he realizes the answer is in front of him he turns to the pig cadaver then looks back at the flesh.
“It is pig flesh!” He shouts out in excitement.
- Writer
