“Trick-or-treat!”
The woman, on the other side, takes a deep breath before smiling an evil smile that doesn’t touch her eyes. She grabs the doorknob and slowly turns it, making it creak. She flings the door wide open, startling the kids into gasps and screams. They clutch their Halloween bags filled with candy closer to their chests and huddle together.
She cackles with glee. “And what do we have here?” she croaks.
“Trick or treat,” the kids say a bit quieter and hold their bags out in front of them tentatively.
The woman reaches for her bowl of candy, giving each of the children two pieces.
“Thanks,” is muttered quickly as some runaway, shooting nervous glances at the fake graveyard surrounding the house.
Cody, being the brave seven-year-old he is, asks her with skeptical disdain, “Are those really mummies in the coffins?”
The woman turns her head to the side and gives him her evil smile. “Yes, they are real mummies.”
Cody looks at her and snorts. “Yeah, right. They don’t smell, and they look fake.”
“Maybe they are not supposed to look fake. I don’t want anyone to steal my treasures,” she says calmly.
Cody considers this for a second before he shrugs, accepting what she says without question.
“Thanks for the candy,” he says before running towards the next house. “Happy Halloween!”
“You’re welcome,” she murmurs before shutting the door and turning off the lights in her front foyer.
Layla removes her warts, fake nose, and witch’s hat and sets them on her dresser. She pulls on the jeans and black t-shirt she had left out on her bed before heading to the bookcase in the study. Layla releases the little catch that keeps the bookshelf from swinging out into the room and steps through the concealed doorway. She firmly pulls it shut behind her.
Layla walks down the stairs into oppressive, musty darkness. She turns on a battery-powered camping lamp and walks over to the autopsy table stationed in the center of the room. Layla gazes lovingly down at the top of the table and runs a hand over long, silky blonde hair.
She walks over to her side bench and pulls on an apron and gloves, picks out what she needs, and walks back over to the table. She starts murmuring words, ancient words, and prayers of times past, before inserting a hook up the woman’s nose. Reaching back and pulling out more of her brain before placing the newly collected material in its designated canopic jar.
She hums a little tune as she works. Occasionally, she glances at her wall of trophies and thought of her next project – a little boy.
Penticton Herald
PENTICTON – Eight-year-old Cody Morrison was reported missing last week on Friday, July 17th, after failing to come home from school. Authorities have been looking for the boy after receiving a frantic call from the boy’s mother.
There has been no evidence leading to the boy’s whereabouts, and police are encouraging anyone with any information to please come forward.
Kelowna Daily Courier
PENTICTON – Police took Layla Morrif in today for questioning in connection to the kidnapping and murder of Cody Morrison. He went missing on July 17th, 2016. No news has been released as to how she is involved.
Layla Morrif works for Cybertech as a receptionist. Her coworkers are “shocked” that she’s being questioned by the police. They claim that she is a “quiet but compassionate” person and “beloved” by the people she works with.
Vernon Morning Star
PENTICTON – Police have charged Layla Morrif today for kidnapping and first-degree murder of Cody Morrison. He went missing on July 17th, 2016. She has been charged with four additional counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Vivian Franks, 65, Jeffery Rogers, 24, Caitlyn Harrison, 19, and Marcus Delaney, 42.
Police have confirmed that Layla Morrif did know all of her victims – they were either neighbors or coworkers. Cody Morrison is the first child that she has been accused of killing. She would then mummify the bodies before putting them on display as Halloween decorations.
When asked if more deaths likely, Penticton’s Chief of Police, Donald Wilkie, said that they have “found evidence that there may be more victims aside from these five people. [And that they’re] still looking for the bodies of, at least, four more people.”
Chief Wilkie was quick to assure the public that “there is no evidence pointing to an accomplice.”
We tried to contact the family of Cody Morrison, but they are giving no comments at the present time.
Layla Morrif is to appear in court on January 3rd, 2017.
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