Bio: Nick Andreychuk is a Derringer Award-winning author. His stories can be found in Bullet, Crimestalker Casebook, DOWN THESE DARK STREETS, FEDORA I & III, Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, HARDBROILED, MURDER BY SIX,
Sleuths in Cahoots, and WHO DIED IN HERE?, among many other publications.
Nick’s work can also be found in BULLET POINTS, an anthology of mystery flash fiction that he co-edited. Readers can click here to contact him. 
 

"A Messy Obsession" was first published at About.com Mysteries in November
2000.

 

A Messy Obsession

by Nick Andreychuk

Rory watched the unsuspecting pedestrians below. He could pick them off one
by one. It would be so easy. . . . Splat, splat, splat! He would fill the street with red! Even the near misses would be exciting, since the loud bangs would make the intended targets jump out of their skin.

Rory yearned to take aim. But he held back, indecisive. This wasn't the first time he'd done this—far from it. But the last time, he'd been caught, and the consequences had been dire. It had only been six weeks since he'd regained his freedom, yet here he was back at the same window. . . .

He had to be careful—if he got caught again, he'd get life. Perhaps he could ration himself? The first few times he'd struck then disappeared before anyone knew what'd hit them. But with each successive attack, he'd prolonged his sadistic entertainment. That's why he'd finally been caught—he'd lingered and been identified.

Yes! That's what he'd do—make himself scarce after five hits.

Rory eased open the window. It squeaked a bit, and he ducked down for a second just to be safe. When he looked back out, no one was looking up. He picked out his first target—the tall, skinny man wearing a Stetson.

He counted down in his head. Three, two, one, fir—

"Rory Michael O'Connor!"

The voice came from behind him. He was afraid to turn around.

"What did I tell you about dropping water-balloons out the window?"

"That I'd be grounded for life."

"That's right, now— Hey, that's not water. . . . You little devil! Is that
red ink in those balloons?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Oh, Rory! Why can't you just play video games like the other boys your
age?"


 

©Nick Andreychuk