fiction

Mystery, crime, murder, unsolved cases. Contribute your own tales of crime to Criminal.

Secret Betrayals
The rain gently slid down the passenger side window. The movement of the windshield wipers had become hypnotic in the stillness and painful absence of conversation in the car. “Why is he still not saying anything?” Evelyn thought bitterly to herself as she gazed out the window. Evelyn took a deep breath as she unbuckled her seat belt. As she leaned forward, and placed her fingers on the door handle, James reached out his hand and placed it softly on Evelyn’s left shoulder, “Ev, wait...please.” he said desperately.
By Emily Gafford6 years ago in Criminal
The Stars Of A Cowboy
Every crop, hill, and mountain in my view belongs to Great Grandfather. I dismount my horse and pat him on the shoulder as I walk toward the 200-year-old oak tree. As I calculate the years, I realize my great grandfather carved his name into the broken bark 73 years ago.
By Jax Wolf6 years ago in Criminal
The Custodian
He should have run for the bus. The day crowd would soon be starting their commute into work and he liked to have finished his journey home by the time they started theirs. Security handed the reception desk over to Luca at 9pm. His job was to stay awake and react if something happened. It never did. His real work was on his book. A science fiction story about aliens from Mars landing in New Mexico in the 1940s. Now they are living among us. Trying to stop us from destroying our planet.
By Nathalie Langton6 years ago in Criminal
A vicious cycle
Stacie Fidler, Annabelle Douglas, Amanda Cooper, all are names on a list that tally up. The lives of many widdled down to none. Thirty-seven girls scored on a list, and now there is a new name to scribble in a book. A new victim of his crime. Indistinguishable innocent or the perfect target in time? She didn't survive his heinous hands holding her body in place, strangling her struggling corpse as it squirmed to escape. And the reality is that her life was seen as nothing more than a game. A means to make a name and grow in fame; to prove a point.
By Laura Atieno6 years ago in Criminal
The Final Bid
The phone buzzed me awake at 4:15 in the morning, and my skin flushed hot with anxiety when I recognized the country’s code on the display screen.
By David Ivey6 years ago in Criminal
The Space Between the Stars
The stars had always comforted Simon. As a child, he would carefully slip out of his second story bedroom window and lower himself onto a small, steeply pitched patch of roof jutting out over the kitchen window. The rough texture of the tar paper provided just enough friction so that he could lie back and not slide off the edge of the house. And then he would just stare up and wonder and wish.
By Bryan Starchman6 years ago in Criminal
Abandoned Car
It was a cool, dim morning at the hiking trail. No one was around except Liza. She usually likes to take a hike this early so she can have some actual peace and quiet instead of hearing the city ambience. She was daydreaming about opening a forest themed cafe when she saw something odd. There was a car peeking in the bushes. "Is someone fishing around here?”, she wondered; It wouldn't be a surprise. There are always people who try to fish before park rangers can find them. She gets closer to the car and sees the car is empty and clean inside. It was as if the person got it straight from the dealership. On the driver seat, there are keys. She pulls on the car door handle. It's open.
By Courtney Jones6 years ago in Criminal
Silas
The sky was inky red; like the smooth blade of a dagger had cut its belly open, the blood cascading down. The stiff peaks of mountains towered up to greet the sky, framed with an orange glow of the setting sun. Even from this distance, the dappled rays of remaining daylight could be seen filtering through the trees that adorned the mountainside.
By Amber Hobson6 years ago in Criminal
Evil in the Glades
She opened her eyes slowly, painfully, it was murky and dark still. The dank mud was still warm, the smell permeated everything, movement caught her good eye, the other one was caked with dried mud and had not opened much. Exhaustion had not left her yet, she saw the creature’s outline, he was huge, and she was unable to move at all. The breathing was a rumble and the slow snort meant he smelled her, an easy meal. Sherry never in her life imagined hers would end in the jaws of a monster alligator, she wished now she hadn’t even come around. A tear rolled down her cheek and mingled with the mud, the rumble from the gator was louder, Sherry felt the ground shake, saw the palmetto frond move and a broad snout appeared. Rough and ugly and filled with prehistoric looking teeth, she shuddered as the huge jaws opened slightly.
By Gayle6 years ago in Criminal
The Gilded Edge
Another bump along the rutted street sent Sana’s body flying into the air. She winced as she landed--hard--on her right shoulder. The dingy white delivery van had been whizzing through Brooklyn at breakneck speed for some time. Both her wrists and ankles were raw, swollen, and bloody, but she, once again, struggled against the rope binding her. Her initial feelings of fright and confusion had subsided. Now, she was just determined to free herself.
By Doretha A. Dawkins6 years ago in Criminal
The Newborn
“She’s got your dimples.” “You think?” Marjory traced the tip of her pinky along the corner of her infant daughter’s lips, the mouth opening, searching. Milky breath. She slipped her finger in. A greedy suckle.
By C.A. Wittman6 years ago in Criminal
Innerwhelmed
Vernon Peele’s dress shirt smelled like a clogged shower drain. The clip on his ID badge stabbed Gabi’s shoulder as he drew her close, his mouth forming private words she couldn’t comprehend and didn’t want to. When she released herself from the squeeze, he thanked her, told her he’d needed that, reminded her for the umpteenth time about his supposedly unique and urgent need.
By Gina Yates6 years ago in Criminal