There were four of us in the room that evening awaiting the chief, who had called us in to discuss something that had to be weighty to draw the likes of us. Aside from me, a detective, there was a medical examiner, a specialist from forensics, and a shrink. Whatever this was about, it had to be far more serious than the average stolen car or neighborly complaint.
The door swung open forcefully as the chief entered the room. In her hands, a package of some sort; on her face, a grimace of concern that she was about to share with us.
“I have assembled you here because we received this package today,” the chief said, plopping the cardboard cube down on the table before us with a thud. Its contents sounded dense as the box landed on the surface. “You will make note of the return address as it is that old, abandoned house over on Lincoln Avenue where that tranny lived.”
At that moment, without another second’s hesitation,
the chief pulled out a pocketknife and began to open it
slowly, cautiously. The packing tape was no match for
the sharp blade,
which sliced it open
with zero effort—
first down the cen-
ter, and then a-
long the sides,
so that the lips
of the box top
burst loose and slight-
ly opened. Instantly,
the most wretched and wretch-inducing odor emitted
from the partially opened lid, the cube’s contents hid-
den inside by shadows that caused an indomitable
dread to settle upon all of us who were there to witness.
The medical examiner proceeded with wary caution as he peeled back the box lids, first the outer lids, followed slowly by the interior lid which opened perpendicular to the first. The nauseating smell of decay and rotting blood grew even stronger, so strong that we all began to wretch and cover our mouths.
“Holy fuck, that shit stinks,” I exclaimed! “Christ, what the hell’s in that thing?!”
The chief’s hands grabbed the lids while the medical examiner slowly, queasily reached in and delicately lifted the contents out of the box.
As his
gloved hands
emerged from the
box, we all could not-
ice, clearly, the brown-
ish-red, clotted blood
stains and thick, syrupy
drippings from what ap-
peared to be a half-
eaten human heart
that must have
been rotting for
several days.
Its gruesome
sight was
shocking
to say
the
lea-
st.
drip
The sound hit me like a stone.
drop
The horrible horror of the dripping half-heart.
drip
It was dead, yet determined to have a rhythm,
drop drip
Through the death-sap of this once
living
heart.
Half-eaten, but by whom?
Could we have even presumed?
Besides, its wretched perfume
Was Too potent
For steadiness to resume?
drop…drip
The sound was starting to slip
Inside all our mesmerized minds,
Like a closing of the blinds
On our own sanity.
Yet, regardless of the profanity,
Everything I screamed
Seemed to be pure vanity.
Nothing I did mattered.
We were together, yet alone.
That is when the atmosphere in the room turned devilishly dark, not in color but in malevolent mood; the medical examiner, to all our own dismay, took the partially eaten pump and raised it to what transformed into his monstrous mouth. Indescribably, he began to blatantly bite into the half-eaten organ, devouring it as a delicious delicacy. The gruesomely gory gluttony ended abruptly, the monster resembling the examiner stood before us, his face covered in blood, giving him quite the putrid pallor. Its eyes aglow with zombified zeal and horrendous hunger, it looked toward us as with evil. Dead. But alive.
Its head turned, twisted, and then looked at us.
“You,” it hissed while pointing at our own chief,
“You,” it hissed while pointing at our own chief,
“You are the reason this act has been done.”
Its head turned, twisted, and then looked at me,
As if I had some awful part to play.
Its head turned, twisted, and then looked at me,
As if I had some awful part to play.
“Your li'l chief is quite the bad, evil bitch!
“She is the reason this act has been done.”
Its head turned, twisted, and then looked away;
The blood left my face an ashen pallor,
“She is the reason this act has been done.”
Its head turned, twisted, and then looked away;
The blood left my face an ashen pallor,
As if I knew the awful part at play.
“Your chief here is quite bad, evil, it’s true!”
Its head turned, twisted, and then eyed the shrink;
“She caused this act by neglecting the weak.”
The ash left my face a bony pallor.
“Your chief here is quite bad, evil, it’s true!”
Its head turned, twisted, and then eyed the shrink;
“She caused this act by neglecting the weak.”
The ash left my face a bony pallor.
“But, beyond her job, it’s how she did me.”
I wasn’t sure I knew its awful play;
“Your evil, nasty chief shot me right through!”
Its head turned, twisted, and then looked her way,
“She caused this act by neglecting her love.”
The bone left my face a jelly feeling,
I wasn’t sure I knew its awful play;
“Your evil, nasty chief shot me right through!”
Its head turned, twisted, and then looked her way,
“She caused this act by neglecting her love.”
The bone left my face a jelly feeling,
As I began to see my chief's own guilt.
“Fuck her job! It’s how she left me!”
I was now sure I knew Chief’s dreadful play;
“Your evil, badass chief killed me, right true!
“She caused this act by murdering her love.”
The jelly left my face painfully reeling;
Its head turned, twisted, and looked back my way.
“Fuck her job! It’s how she left me!”
I was now sure I knew Chief’s dreadful play;
“Your evil, badass chief killed me, right true!
“She caused this act by murdering her love.”
The jelly left my face painfully reeling;
Its head turned, twisted, and looked back my way.
“She wanted me to tell of our romance,”
I could hear the guilt in Chief's shaky voice.
I could now see my ill chief’s awful play!
The bad, evil chief cold-hearted killed her.
“The Chief caused this so I ate half my heart”
I’m sure my face showed the light revealing
As its head twisted, and then hissed these words,
“You are next,” while pointing the pale chief's way.
I could hear the guilt in Chief's shaky voice.
I could now see my ill chief’s awful play!
The bad, evil chief cold-hearted killed her.
“The Chief caused this so I ate half my heart”
I’m sure my face showed the light revealing
As its head twisted, and then hissed these words,
“You are next,” while pointing the pale chief's way.
=============
BREAKING NEWS: Police Chief Indicted for Gruesome Murder in Shocking Case
CITY HALL – In a stunning development, the metropolitan police chief has just been indicted today on charges of first-degree murder of her secret female lover in a case that has completely shocked and torn apart a community. The chief, known for her vehement crusade against members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly targeting those who claimed to be other than their biological gender. Once promising to “put an end to the leftist woke agenda to destroy traditional values in the city”, the chief is now embroiled in what appears to be a case of major hypocrisy. We’ll keep you updated as the story unfolds.
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
-
Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Online) - Published: March 15th, 2025 06:35
- Comment from author about the poem: This work blends narrative prose, prose poetry, free verse, shape poetry, and the Revelatory Cascade form to tell a complex and horrifying tale.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 12
- Users favorite of this poem: Poetic Licence, Cheeky Missy
Online)
Comments6
The shape of this poem is quite enticing 🙏🏻🕊📦💔
Thank you, my friend. I started out with the idea of a half-eaten heart in a box and knew I wanted to at least shape a box during that part. The rest was touch and feel along the way. Thank you for your time and feedback, my friend! 🐦⬛🖤🙏📦
Well, they both figured in the figures presented, so great achievement there! 🙏🏻🕊
Yay! Thank you so much, dear friend!
Most welcome Tristan🙏🏻🕊
The first shape appeared the box the second the half eaten heart. The work has elements of Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jack the Ripper. A gruesome story with a meaning. Metaphor galore in this piece. Vivid imagery and nicely worded it pulls the reader on.
Yes!!! I am so glad you saw the half-eaten heart! 🤣 I was afraid people might think it's a jagged attempt at a fang. Indeed, Poe and Doyle were a huge inspirations in this, along with Jack the Ripper. Indeed, the idea came from Jack's half-eaten kidney...but I didn't want to go that route with the story, I wanted to be more supernatural. So, that really makes my day that you specifically mentioned those three. Thank you so much, Soren, for your time and astute analysis. Much appreciated, my friend! 🐦⬛🖤🙏📦
It's such a dark poem, I can't see to read it. Doh!
There's a piece of advice I remember you leaving me on a couple of poems. What was that again...oh, yes, "Turn on the lights." 🤣 Granted, the poems so dark it may be a little hard to find the switch! 🤪 Thank you, Orchi! Always, appreciated! 🐦⬛🖤🙏📦
It goes from Quincy, columbo to Jack the ripper in a really dark write.a gruesome story however it raises several points and questions as you are drawn into the read, worth all the work
Thank you so much, my friend. Indeed, I wanted to write a cool story but one that had meaning as well as...ehem...teeth! Jack the Ripper was a major inspiration for this story, though I obviously went in a different direction. Thank you so much for time and astute feedback, my friend! Much appreciated! 🐦⬛🖤🙏📦
You are very welcome
Powerful work, my friend.
Thank you, Thomas! Glad it delivered! 🐦⬛🖤🙏
With echoes of Poe's familiar Tell-Tale Heart, too pointedly by the by, this unravels its devilish story with a modern spin on the same. Excellently rendered with graphic imagery and a demonic poignancy which grapples for the soul. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Missy! I am really glad it delivered, my friend. Your time and feedback are most appreciated!
To be able to comment and rate this poem, you must be registered. Register here or if you are already registered, login here.