Mr. Jasper wanted me to give him a tour of the crypts. Not thinking much of it, I did. I take a nap and when I wake my key was out me pocket and on the ground. When Jasper sees Deputy had followed us, he gets real mad, and scared. He asks me, ‘Has he been following us all this time?’ I reckoned he had, so he grabs the boy by the collar. Wicked mad, he is lookin' like he’s going to kill the boy, I stepped in to get the boy let go. Strange night that was.”Jasper’s face faded to an even whiter state. His mind became a flood; his body shook in violent tremors. Surrounded by everyone he knew, all accusing him. He was told that in his “visions” he spoke of removing his nephew. All that could save him was falling memory of that crucial night. Yet, all was foggy, everything appeared so unclear, as though he not been awake that night, so long ago. Could he have smoked that night? Was he in his right mind? The violent anger that flushed him that night at the crypts: Could that have attacked him again? What was he doing in the out with Durdles? The pain of loving Rosa stabbed at him like millions of needles, the vision of Edwin and Rosa kissing under the tree. The needles became hot knives, stabbing deep into his stomach, and twisting at his aching heart. The violent shaking grew worse; he felt all the glares on him, like fingers poking him. Hiding behind his arms, he tried to shield himself from their stares, but nothing he could do would change any of their probing. The world had gone silent, but his ears rang of visions, Edwin’s voice calling out Rosa, then suddenly a scream, a horrible scream, a murderous one. Never once stopping for breath or anything, the scream kept pounding in Jasper’s bleeding ears. Suddenly Jasper recognized the scream, the noise intensified, nothing could be heard but that… Which proved to be the murderous scream of Edwin Drood. With hands on covering his ea...
