Excerpt: Scream Bloody Murder

Susan thought she heard Bea’s voice further down the hall. She walked past an office labeled “Church Secretary” on her right. On the left wall she found the men’s and women’s restrooms. In between them hung bulletin boards – the first with information about teen programs and events – posters and flyers for a concert, a youth fun night and a spaghetti feed, along with some photos of their fall kick-off which seemed completely chaotic.

The second, more sedate, board reflected women’s activities – a tea, a couple of Bible studies and a clothing exchange. Susan made a mental note to ask Bea about the latter, as she had been commenting to her husband Phillip just the other day that they needed to weed out their wardrobes so everything wasn’t so crammed into their shared closet. (Phillip had kindly and wisely had not reminded her who the clothes horse between them was.)

Susan passed the Youth Pastor’s office on her right and slowed as she approached the open door at the end of the hall. This was where she thought she had heard Bea’s voice coming from, and yet now she heard only breathy grunting and counting. The sight which assailed her senses through the open portal knocked the breath right out of Susan..

There, on the floor of the pastor’s office kneeled her step mother, her elegant floral silk jacket, cream silk blouse, pearls and olive green dress slacks splattered with blood. In front of her lay a man in black slacks and a black shirt with white collar inset.

Bea leaned over the man, perhaps to listen and feel for the man’s breath. Bea looked up as Susan gasped.