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A Study In Pink: Anabel's Story

NOTE: Before you begin reading, I need you to put yourself inside the mind of Anabel. Imagine the unremorseful, sing song voice of a killer who is telling their story, reliving their crimes as if it were yesterday and getting pleasure from it. Imagine the twisted smile, the psychotic laugh. Note that this is written in the third person, even though he/she is telling the story. Keep in mind that Anabel is a psychopath, so she is not speaking in perfect structure or form.

(Allow me if you will, indulge me for just a few, while I tell you of my story, while I sing you my sick, sad song. Terrytown thought I was gone but in reality I had moved on. Only to be found by something more powerful than myself. It was an end to the means, I mean, nothing lasts forever. Now I sit, alone as ever, here in limbo. The Afterlife, it isn't so grand. Listen to me, one more time, before they take me below. This is my final testament, the final word of a serial killer...)

Once upon a time, there was a boy named James
James wanted to be like all the other boys but couldn't
His mother was a whore, dragged men in and out
Beat James whenever he would scream and shout
His father was a deadbeat, disappeared before his birth
And so the poor little boy was left to fend for himself

Years went by and it was apparent James was different
Filled with hate and rage, rejected by his so called clan
He had a taste for blood, a scorned son's revenge
She would be his first victim, mommy dearest, at the tender age of ten
No one knew them as friends, so it took a while to find
James soaked in his mother's blood, her head upon a broomstick, so he could see her eyes.

The police said they would help him, someone must have broken in
Must have been a "john" or a vagabond, couldn't have been her little man
Went home with an officer, had a decent life, became a man
With badge in hand, he became one of them, tried to suppress the darkness within
Married the preacher's daughter, was happy until she began to sin
Then it happened, the switch was flipped, James glanced around, eyes glowing red

Poor Mrs. Alastair and her lover, found by her detective husband, bludgeoned to death
Heads propped upon a broomstick, must have been the killer from his childhood, James proclaimed
The MO was the same, just a different house with different players, breaking and entering, overkill
There was a killer on the loose, the newspaper boys screamed, lock your doors, hide your children
A horse, covered in Mrs. Alastair's blood, found by the river bed, near the body, who was missing her head
The Headless Horseman, as he became known, had struck again.
Now more feared than the Ripper himself, creeping into houses of women of ill repute.

Beating them until they begged for mercy, grinning as he pinned their eyes with needles
He wanted them to see his face, wanted them to know that someone knew what they had done
Stitched their lips so they couldn't make a sound, then "off with their head," he laughed out loud
He was the vigilante, the righter of the wrongs, kept their heads as trophies, the perfect company
Sometimes James would talk to them and occasionally they would answer back, dancing upon their sticks
They were his special friends.....

The detectives for each case began to put two and two together, how James Alastair always seemed to appear.
He knew more about the crimes than anyone investigating, enough to begin to raise suspicion.
James knew his time was almost up, it was time to get out, tossed a dead hobo inside.
The mirror in the bathroom, surely it must be lying, with the hair and makeup, he saw his mother's face.
Cracking the glass, he grabbed what little he had. Got a horse from the barn and lit the house on fire.
Thus Anabel Sumner was born.

James Alastair was no more, his colleagues pulled his "body" from the carnage.
They weren't all that surprised, pulling charred head after head from the basement
There was always something different about James, they just couldn't figure it.

(Death, it was more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. The impaling didn't hurt. I felt my demons leave my body as I fell of my horse. But I always thought death was beautiful. It ridded the world of its trash. But the beauty was short lived and now it is time that I pay for all of my sins. The people I tried to vanquish are here waiting for me. Now I must face them for all eternity!)

Style / type: 
Free verse
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Last few words: 
This is a bit long but I felt the need to tell Anabel's full story.
Editing stage: 

Comments

I love this story aboUt Annabel's past. A good write.

Alid

This was definitely my favorite WS I have ever participated in. I am a much better story teller than poet!!! You did a fantastic job as well even though you were going through some difficult times. I look forward to the next time! It was great working with you and the others.

Keep Writing,
Carrie

"Quoth said the Raven, NEVERMORE"

author comment

Probably the demon that left James/Annabel was the Mog, so this would fit beautifully into the story of where the Mog was prior to the carnage of the two hotels, lol.
When Wesley comes back early next week we will see what there is left to do and tidy up and make it a singular piece.
Thank you young Lady I am so glad that you enjoyed your part in this story, we will have to write another soon it is fun, Yours as always Ian.T xx

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

this collaboration has been one of my better writing pieces. There was structure but it wasn't so strict that I was wasn't able to use my own style. Wesley was flexible in parts where it was needed and that made it much easier for the rest of us. Anabel/James was a wonderful character to develop. I am glad everyone chose him/her as a main character.

Keep Writing,
Carrie

"Quoth said the Raven, NEVERMORE"

author comment

We did good didn't we, all that remains now is for Alid to tidy up his epilogue, and Barbara to write the last one, then we can put this one to bed.
Wesley will be back early next week so he will oversee the last bits to tidy and then it is done.
Yes this as with your Nevermore gave you the freedom of writing and it was a good thing to see you and others relax into the story with their own style.
Just wonder what the next one will be about it's like me writing about the three killers having a barby in America, lots of fun and scope.
You take care and well done in your writing,
Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

was easier than Nevermore. Nevermore was more raw where Anabel had more control. The psychopathic mind is easier to work with as it is methodical and well organized. Nevermore was sociopathic. Her issues were all over the map as was her mind set. I think she was best set in my play as a separate personality rather than as a whole human.

Keep Writing,
Carrie

"Quoth said the Raven, NEVERMORE"

author comment

I will add this to the end of the Main Thread, but I can't include the opening paragraph as that is a word from the author... an "afterword" which we are not writing. I have to exert some control from the psychiatric ward this workshop has put me in. An epilogue must speak through the voice of a character in the piece, even a new character unseen until now, but your opening piece explaining what you had written was Carrie. Also, I thought the piece held its own all by itself needing no explanation. Carrie didn't need to speak. The rest of it made perfect sense... for a psycho.

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

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you have gotten to know my writing. No one does crazy better than me and this was definitely a great project to work on. I am really impressed with the amount of talent that came forward and how many left their comfort zones to make this happen. Cant wait for the next one.

Keep Writing,
Carrie

"Quoth said the Raven, NEVERMORE"

author comment

it will take time for me to be more prepared with another one.

Alid

You are a fine writer, Alid and your praise means alot. Hope to work with you again in the future.

Keep Writing,
Carrie

"Quoth said the Raven, NEVERMORE"

author comment

I love it so much. Well written. Ian keep saying Im to write an epilogue., I thought Wes ask Rula not me. But I'd write one if it's what you want. I've never written one. So I've research to get it framed in my feeble bind. Lol

*Collaborative Poetry Workshop* American Version of Japanese Poetry ~ Renga ~ Haiku, Senyru, Tanka.

Neopoet Community

You did a great job with Urilla and as always as a moderator and guide. Hope to collaborate again.

Keep Writing,
Carrie

"Quoth said the Raven, NEVERMORE"

author comment

Thanks, I sure will be collaborating again. I'm the one that started the whole collaboration idea with my renga ws. Lol. I'm glad Wesley wanted to do this experiment. I knew, though complicated, it would be Successful. Glad you and the others enjoyed it as much as I did. Me and wesley feel like proud parents of these two successful collaboration ws.
Ps. I have a request for another renga ws waiting after this ws.

*Collaborative Poetry Workshop* American Version of Japanese Poetry ~ Renga ~ Haiku, Senyru, Tanka.

Neopoet Community

I think I had a senior moment again, it is Rula that is going to write a Epilogue, but it matters not it is still good practice.
I shall retreat to my cave and sup some cider lol.
Take care young Lady, Yours, Ian.

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

You keep saying prologue. It's a epilogue. Maybe I should write a prologue. Or did Wesley do that already.?

*Collaborative Poetry Workshop* American Version of Japanese Poetry ~ Renga ~ Haiku, Senyru, Tanka.

Neopoet Community

Damn I did it again , this would make a good lyric for a song ???? Thanks Barbara, A senior moment again,
Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

The workshop is over save the epilogue which cannot (get that everyone? an epilogue cannot effect the story proper... it is a reflection on the part of character or characters concerning what happened). I would love to see your take on an epilogue.
Go for it.
And since I have you... I want to thank you for your absolutely indispensable assistance throughout. I would have been so confused as to be utterly frozen, unable to move forward without you. You were a moderator's moderator and I hope to work with you again.
Thank you Barbara for everything.
You can take over one of my workshops at any time.

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

thanks for creating Anable. It was indeed a great fun to create her with all the adventures around.
Thank you for being so active. It is a delight indeed to work with you.

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
........Robert Frost☺

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