John and Sadie were living in a quiet subdivision, Shadowood.  Their copious house was painted a very pale blue to where if you just glanced at it, it would appear to be white, and was placed on a small street where the houses were on double lots.  Though the size was great, the price was just right, especially for those starting out like they were.  It was the type of neighborhood where everyone knew everyone and you could always count on your neighbor to keep an eye for things that aren’t right.  That’s one of the reasons why they decided to move there.  It was deemed the perfect place to settle down and start your new family.  Even though it was a perfect little place, either one of them couldn’t help but to notice that something seemed amiss in their picture perfect neighborhood. 

            As they got out of the car Sadie noticed that something just wasn’t right.  She looked at John and she could see that he had the same feeling.  They knew that something was different, but neither one could place what or where.  As they were walking up the remaining driveway Sadie noticed a black garbage can sitting in the middle of her neighbor’s driveway near the street.  She knew that garbage pickup was in the morning so she didn’t think anything more of it and passed her feeling off as nerves.  John could sense her unease so he put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the door and in the house once it was unlocked.  As John flipped on the light he noticed that something wasn’t right.  He looked toward the kitchen and saw that the door was slightly ajar and knew that it was closed when they left because the cat always gets into the butter if they leave it open.  He let go of Sadie and walked into the kitchen.  When he turned the light on he could see there was a surprise on the island.  There were two roses placed perfectly in the form of a cross.  He didn’t care about the fact that they were roses, but for the fact that they were black and white.  Only the police force new what that meant.  Only one person left these two colors, Kevin Raddalow, the Midnight Slayer.  He looked at the clock and it was already almost 9:00.  If his hunch was right he would have three hours.  John walked out of the kitchen and picked up the phone to call the Sergeant.

“Peers” said Sergeant Peers when he picked up the phone.

“Hey Serg, this is Levy, we have a problem.” Replied John.

“What is it John?”

“He’s back in town.  I need you to get to my house as soon as possible and bring the evidence kit.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“More than ever.  You’ll see once you get here.  If I’m right we have three hours left and I’d rather be wrong and waste your time than to be right and see what happens.”

“I see.  I’ll be over in 20 minutes.  I’ll be coming from the station.”

            As John hung up the phone he called Sadie from their room and told her what was going on.  She walked into the kitchen and saw what he was talking about.  He told her the Sergeant was on his way and she went to change out of uniform before he got there because she was uncomfortable enough as it was.  As she changed into more comfortable clothes she couldn’t help but think.  Why was he targeting her?  It wasn’t because of John because he wasn’t the one that caught him.  He only helped.  Either way it was enough o creep her out a little.  She turned around and saw John watching her.  He always does that.  It doesn’t matter what she is doing and he will stand there and watch.  It seems like he’s studying her, seeing how she works, how she functions.  She doesn’t mid though because it makes her feel safe.  He is her guardian angel that will keep her safe.

            A few minutes the doorbell rang and John left to answer the door.  Sadie could here the two men talking near the bottom of the stairs.  The room was down the hall from the stairs but the acoustics were kind of bad in the house so you can hear another person almost everywhere you are.  Sadie went downstairs and greeted the Sergeant.

“Hello, Sir.”  He was carrying the evidence kit and asked where everything was.  “It’s in the kitchen on the island.  Nothing was touched and there is a note underneath the roses, but we don’t know what it says because it is folded in half.” 

            The three of them walked into the kitchen and Peers looked over what was left for John and Sadie.  He took out three bags and put each rose in their own bag and when the letter was revealed he saw who it was addressed to.

“Sadie, it appears that whoever left these has a thing for you.  It’s addressed to you.  First a letter and now a note.  Though, it is another riddle:

Ring around the Rosies

Pockets full of Posies

Ashes Ashes

They all go BOOM!

I don’t know what to make of it, but John, if it’s what you think it is,  something is going to happen.”

“I was afraid that you’d say that.” Said John.

They were all standing there thinking to themselves when they suddenly heard something scraping outside.  John went to the kitchen window and lookout into the darkness to see his neighbor dragging the garbage can back to the side of his garage. 

“Now I know what was out of place.  Sadie did you see that can in Earl’s driveway?”

“Yeah, why?” She said.

“Tomorrow is garbage pickup, but he never takes his garbage out before 6:00 the day of.  Why was his can out there?”

“Who knows, maybe someone else in the house put it out.”  Peers said.

John looked at the clock and with all the talking and analyzing everything it was already 11:30.  He had a wrenching feeling in his gut that he couldn’t get to go away.  He tried to figure out what the riddle meant but he couldn’t figure it out.  There was just a feeling that he had that something wasn’t right and he knew it was right under his nose.

Sadie got the men into the living room and brought out some drinks for everyone.  The Sergeant wasn’t going to stay long because he wanted to get the bags down to the station for analyzing, but he didn’t see any harm in staying for a few minutes.  At five to eleven John couldn’t take it anymore.  He got up suddenly and walked to the window.

“Something isn’t right here.” He said.  He went to the door and opened it and walked outside to the driveway that butts up against the neighbors.  He suddenly fell to the ground when the black can that was pulled up his neighbor’s driveway suddenly exploded.  Sadie and Peers came running out of the house and ran over to John to make sure he was alright.  Peers pulled out his phone and called the fire department and back up.  Something wasn’t right.  When the fire was put out John could see that the only contents that were in the can were dozens of roses, white and black roses.   In the bottom of the can or at least what was left if it there was a metal box and once it cooled more John opened it.  There was another note.  He carefully opened it and read:

You may have not been hurt this time, but don’t think that this was the end.  The game has just begun!!

                                                M.S.

            He knew well who M.S. was.  It stood for Midnight Slayer, but what he didn’t understand why would he sign it when everyone knows his identity.  He took the note over to Peers and asked him to bag it for him and take it with everything else.  He didn’t want Sadie to see it because she was having a hard enough time as it was.  He walked over t her and gave her a big hug and held her in his arms.  He just wanted to live a normal life.  This safe little subdivision doesn’t seem too safe anymore and there is a deep shadow looming over Shadowood.