by Barry Smith
Ryan soon adds, “Well It was the church’s main goal to stage a smokescreen to point blame for all the missing, on A Wicked Haven. But it sounds like, with Jayli’s personal vendetta with a few players at Quist, he chose to do things a little differently.”
“Yes, that sounds about right” Eto replies “And after such a revelation, I did a little investigating myself, and found Jayli’s old employment application still in a file cabinet at Quist. His nickname was Jay-Li, his real name was Jason Lightner,
“Lightner… Lightner? I know that name” Bryce ponders.
“The late Commissioner Carl Lightner” McCormack answers, “I remember his son was kidnapped just before his death.”
“ Yes, Jason is the son of the slained and former Commissioner, Carl Lightner. Now, looking back on how the Lightner family was murdered, their disembowelment had Jason’s m.o. written all over it.”
“I don’t recall a Jason Lightner on the captured or casualty list. So, whatever happened to this Jayli kid?” asks Bryce.
Falcon replies, “The Bossman spotted him during their fight inside the Grand Temple, but after that, I’m not sure.” “Well I have his address here on the application” replies Eto “maybe this…” suddenly, the window shatters, as if on cue; Jayli in a splatter mask, jumps through the window, and reaches around Doctor Eto, cutting open, his abdomen.
“Shit!” shouts McCormack, as he, Ryan, Bryce, and Falcon immediately empty their guns into Jayli.
Next to Eto’s lifeless body, lays Jayli dead, with his fallen mask by his side. His angelic face just happens to be looking up at a ray of sunlight shining through the broken office window, the first natural light this town has seen in quite some time. As a pool of blood starts to pour from underneath Jayli’s backside, and around the mask, McCormack, rushes to the door of the office, shouts into the corridor,
“I need Forensics here ASAP, and someone get me Commissioner Munson on the phone.”
All the men still stand quietly over the bodies, still in shock. McCormack eventually breaks the silence and says, “Alright guys, let’s go, it’s all over now.” As medical teams rush in, the men leave the room, closing the door behind them. As their silhouette fades from the door’s frosted glass, a gust of wind enters the office that seems to hum a gospel melody, as the town’s church bells ring.
Now, let’s turn the page to this ugly chapter.
Can this city bring joy; can this city bring laughter?
Let the church bell’s new meaning be peace and salvation?
Uniting the people through pride and ovation,
But the people won’t forget that dark wicked day.
For all those we lost at Corbindale Bay
