Maxine – Liam Crouse
May 29th, 2009 | Published in Volume VII: Darke Visions
Her name was Maxine
She had the hottest body I’d ever seen
There were stab wounds on her chest when they found her
Her blood-soaked vest wrapped around her neck,
Which was bruised
Her collar bone broken, too
When the culprit throttled her life away
He must have held his thumbs down till she turned blue
She probably screamed
She certainly seems to have suffered
Day 23
Is when she was finally discovered
Down by the ravine
By some guy walking his dog
Time; 6.15
Rotting face down in the bog
Underwear worn, but yanked down
Skirt torn
Possibly raped, though no clear indication
Area cordoned by tape – Police investigation
Coroners examined her body
Lab ran tests on her clothes
And the scene became a media circus while Maxine’s body decomposed
Police issued a statement before reporters and crews;
“The search for Maxine is now a search for clues”
Vile pictures emerged of her body, half-nude
Revealing the damage as they flooded the news
Once so pretty, Maxine – but the pictures, obscene
Once red bee-stung lips – now pale and cracked.
Once fluttering eyelids – now swollen and black.
Once delicate hands – now caked in mud.
Once tousled bronze hair – now matted with blood.
Once young healthy body – now horribly scarred.
Once happy-go-lucky – now cold, dead and hard.
The press got hold of her parents, still shaking with shock
As they told of how their Maxine was their rock
And as they publicly grieved and gave interviews,
The police continued with their hunt for clues
Police boats dragging the marsh, police dogs sniffing the moor,
How long would it be before they knocked on my door?
If I came clean, they’d call it a crime
When all I want is to lie with Maxine one more time