Chapter 4

Meena felt sleep hugging her like a child hugging its mother shirt for attention. While the temptation of giving in was high, Meena down another cup of coffee as she knew that sleep is the last thing she could even dream of doing. Meena is a forensic pathologist. When she join this career she knew working long hours as part of the gig but today seems to be a little longer. While waking up at 4.30 am to be rushed in was a factor; the body that was brought in today maybe be the actual reason.

Meena looked at the body and furrowed her eyebrows again. She still isn't able to comprehend just how could someone be capable of murdering someone so cruelly. Despite working in this field for five years; this was the first case to bewildered Meena who thought has seen everything.

Meena first interaction with the body was at the scene. The smell of blood was so strong she had to pinch her nose to not gag. In the lab; the blood that coated all over the body had been photographed for evidence before cleaning it off. Meena takes a closer look at the wounds the body had.

She noticed the bruising on the side of the man head being red and bloody. It looks so mangled up that Meena was convinced the murderer used a heavy object repeatedly to keep hitting the area. She studied the fingers to see if there were any fragments of hair or skin but she was met with a clean slate. The murderer was smart enough to clean the chip off his fingernails. Meena observes the rest of the body and noticed rope burns around the wrists and ankles. This gave the clear indicator that what everyone thought was right; the victim was tortured. She noticed the rest of the body. Besides the mangled head, the rest of the upper body was clean. However the lower body was so bloodied, it looks more like an animal attack. When she arrived at the scene in the morning; she couldn't count how many wounds were on the body due to the murderer had wrapped the body with plastic wrap and the dead man was laying on his back. Here back in the lab she noticed the number of incisions placed on the femur bone and they was deep. She sighs as she observes them as well. Meena found focusing on the lower part of the body was better than looking at the face. That was not something her empty stomach could handle. Trying not to think about the face, she focuses on the incision wounds. They were clean as well. Even though the cuts made were slim; they definitely run deeper than what the surface showed.

She turned her attention to the mark on the chest. She didn't even notice the mark until Seelan pointed it out to her at the scene earlier. She studies the mark in amazement. There was precision in the stitching and carefulness. She runs her gloved hand over it studying bumps. Her eyes slowly went upwards as they landed on his face. Meena pinched her nose again to not gag. However, the sight of these will be enough to have someone to gag. The victim faced was cut off and the murderer was so patient to the point they even managed to cut through the hypodermis leaving a skinless face with just eyes in the socket and no lips. Meena gulped as she shifts her attention back to the stitched mark on the chest.

She grabbed a scalpel from the tool stand and slowly cut the stitching and made an incision. She slowly opens the chest flaps to uncover the secret before the stitching. Meena gasped through her mask. Whatever amazement she had for the cut just went out the window as she was trying to study the thing she just found. However; the gag Meena had been desperately holding in came gushing out her throat as she threw up in the dust bin before running out of the lab to clean herself.

She brushed out her hair that had got tangled from her rubber band. It was always a pain having to brush out her hair due to the knots in it. She sighed as she brushes out the last knot and puts the brush down to see herself in the mirror. She smiled as her eyes dance around her face observing her features. She would have continued to admire herself had the moaning from the next room wasn’t disturbing.

She looked to the pig mask that was resting on the shelf and lean-to grab it and place it over her head. She now studies her reflection in the mirror. A bloodied pig mask, with an untamed wig sown to it. It wasn’t beauty; but it was metaphorical, like how beauty on the inside. She wears her leather gloves and goes out to see her guest.

Her new guest was a man who couldn’t be older than 30. He is like every one of her guests; smart, rich yet greedy. Now the pig mask was a reflection of them. That’s why she wore it whenever she has a guest; it courteous to mirror your guest so that they feel comfortable. It’s rude to make them feel unwelcomed

And she was playing all the ways she could make them feel welcomed in her head.

She walked out of the bathroom to face her guest. Just like her previous guest, he was a bit groggy which contributed to the moaning sounds emitting from him. Her first guest was gone two days ago yet the urge to invite another guest was overwhelming. She is also a human; so she gave in to the temptation and got her next guest.

The guest was struggling against the ropes and she sighed. That was gonna live a mark. She wanted to mark him first but he got too excited. She walks towards him and lifts off his blindfold. His eyes were adjusting to the light as he tries the studies the room. She waited patiently; all guests acted like this the first time and she was used to it.

His eyes eventually fell on to her and he let out a gasp. She grabbed a chair and sit in front of him. It was clear that her guest is confused and scared. That's good; this meant they would listen. She just sat there observing her guest when finally; with a quivering voice her guest said; "where..where am I?"

She smiled, she grabbed a small surgical hammer that was on the ground. It felt heavy against her hand. She had no reason to believe that won't be the same when it comes to contact with her guest's skull.