The Lovely Bones

Author's Note: I wrote this piece in the point of view of Mr. Harvey who is a murderer in the book the Lovely Bones. I think that a person who goes around and kills people must carry around loads of guilt, but Mr. Harvey didn't so I thought it would be interesting to write a short story. I decided to write about what if his guilt suddenly got to him after he killed Susie. In my short story Mr. Harvey can't get the thought off his mind that he killed innocent people and I had much difficulty but tried to explain the feeling of guilt.

Seven silver charms lay in a pattern against the concrete floor. I mutter the names that belong with all the charms. I start on the outside of the pattern, "Jackie, Wendy, Leah, Flora, Leidia, Sophia---" my voice cracks as I come to the center of the pattern. There laid a beautiful silver charm so perfect, and undisturbed. I couldn’t bring myself to say her name. Susie I thought.

A shiver rolls through my body and I look at my surroundings. Concrete floors and walls surround me as I sit on the ground in my basement. There's no furniture except for the green chair, me, my seven charms, and my knife that I have used to take away people’s lives. This is a true hide out for someone like me I thought. I blink and something appears in my mind-- 5! 5!. I shake the thought away and lay down to sleep clutching the red velvet bag containing seven souls of girls that I have killed.

I awaken to a pounding at my door. It was probably around 7:00 AM. I throw the charms and knife underneath a loose floorboard in the upstairs and race off to open the door. Soon enough I think it was only time until the police were to show up at my door. That Salmon girl is putting up a fight to get me caught just like her sister. By the time I have collected my emotions of nerves and anger I have reached the door.

"George Harvey" says a tall man.

"Yes" I say.

"You called about a break in?"

"Um yes that Lindsay Salmon broke into my house using the basement window."

"Can we search your house?"

I feel the nerves kick in… "Yes of course." The point of the phone call to the police was to get that brat taken care of. The whole Salmon family is on to me.

Hours later the police men leave my house carrying nothing. I count as they leave 1-2---" One is missing.

"I found something" the one yells. The men dash up the steep stairs that lead to my attic. They appear minutes later carrying bones from all the lost dogs in the neighborhood.

"What is this?" they ask but they already know. I start to feel a wave of suspicious enter the room. I quickly hurry into a story about how I had no ideas how those bones got there but I know that I have to leave this place.

Thunder booms and lightning flashes as I walk glumly towards the deserted bus station. I left my house and my belongings behind. My phone keeps buzzing as the police stations number flashes across the screen. I disappointed myself I think this is the time that I could get caught I look at my phone and look around me as I toss it into a nearby puddle. The bus pulls up tiring not to get the awaiting passenger's wet with the street water. Everyone gets on the coach bus and greets friends with warm hello. I just walk to the back of the bus head down and take my seat quietly and avoiding everyone. Placing my bag on the ground I sit right behind a couple. Every time I see people together I feel as if I have no one except than the 7 dead souls that are right in my hand. My thought breaks as the people in front of me begin to carry on a formal conversation.

"Have you heard of that sick Harvey man?" a small man asks.

"Yeah, what a sick man. He killed all of those animals and then that girl." The man’s friend exclaims

"You know that animal violence is one of the earliest signs in a killer?"

"Yeah I hope they catch that man." The man turns around and looks at me with an odd look. I am caught I am caught. 5! 5!

"What do you think man?" he asks me.

"Ummm--" I search my mind frantically for a answer that will satisfy this man. "I think that this man didn't know what he was doing. I bet he feels really guilty and wants forgiveness." They both look at me like I am some crazy person which to tell you the truth I am and just turn around pretending they never talked to me. Thank goodness I am in a good disguise or else I would have been caught for sure. I lay my head down against the cool window that is fogged up with the chill that is in the air.

That night the strangest dream came to me I was walking down streets that were paved with red brick. The bricks weren't originally red though they were dyed with the color of blood. I continued to walk down these roads until I came to a shop that sold charms. I peered into a window and seven silver charms stared back at me in interesting pattern that made you want to look closer at each charm, so I did looking into each charm I saw seven faces of the girls I have killed. I feel guilt fall down on my shoulders on as I walk down the road. Wanting to forget what I just saw I went to the local park. When I arrived bones lay scattered across the ground. Frantically I glance around the park looking for a familiar face to ask what was going on but I came across empty handed. All the faces were the same they were all of Susie Salmon girl.

I woke up suddenly on the bus with the yellow sun light streaming in from the window. Nervously I pick up my few belongings and head off the bus and attempt to find a place to stay. Walking down the red brick roads I realized that this town seemed vaguely familiar. It was my dream, my brisk walk turns into a run as I run from store window to store window to see the same seven faces staring back at me one more than the others. I begin to panic as my breathing becomes faster and so does my run until I come to a sudden stop. The earth at this spot slanted downward into a deep canyon before I turn around to head back to the bus to get out of this place. When I whipped my head around I saw seven faint white figures before me all staring at me with the same concerning look.

I shook my head in disbelief and opened my mouth but no words came out. Searching my mind for something to say but I kept coming up empty handed and then the figure took one step forward towards me and I edge backwards. Her friends join this girl and at the same time they all thrust out their arms and I felt the cold wind catch me as I fell down the Earth's side. The first impact wasn't that back but as I tumbled down the cliff towards the canyon I hit the side seven times. One time for each life that I had taken.