Breaking News

"This is Monica Maryweather and I'm on location outside of the Riverside Condominiums. We are not currently sure how many people have died but when this news team arrived the count was at four" She paused for a moment, looked around, then glanced back at the camera. "Cut. This isn't working.  I need a better lead in."

The camera man already had a cigarette lit before Monica could even finish her sentence.

"Hey, let's try that one again before that bitch from Channel 9 gets here. Her and her fake, fucking tits get more ratings than the fucking stories she reports."

"Maybe you should get a..." The cameraman began to say as he exhaled a cloud of smoke that drifted passed Monica and toward the crowd of police and ambulances that were behind them.

"I"m not getting a god damn tit job buddy!"  She composed herself quickly, nodded her head, and brought the microphone back to her mouth.  He quickly flicked his cigarette and within seconds he was ready to shoot.

"This is Monica Maryweather, and behind me is the aftermath of what police are saying to be the most disturbing act of violence they have ever seen in this town.  Four people are dead and it seems that more bodies are being taken out of this small culdesac, as we report this story.  I am told that there are currently no leads or suspects."

"Fuck, she's here."  Monica said loud enough for only the cameraman to hear.  "She'll be the damn death of me, that bitch."

The cameraman paid no attention, starting to smoke another cigarette with the hopes that he would be able to finish this one. Meanwhile, the Channel 9 News stormed out of their news van like a S.W.A.T. team.  Their efficiency was intense, and within moments they were set up and ready to go. Their news reporter rushed towards the police officers with her camera crew steadily behind her. Monica watched, and there was nothing she could do.

Within moments, Channel 9 news was not only covering the story live, but witnesses had started to gather around them to try and get their 15 seconds of fame.  Monica had had enough.  Something triggered in her that was uncontrollable.

She placed her microphone on the wet asphalt and adjusted her creme colored pant suit.  Nodding to her cameraman, she excused herself and walked away.

"This is Monica Maryweather. "  She said with this hateful undertone, "Monica fucking Maryweather!  Monica Louise, what's wrong with Monica Louise?"  She began to walk faster.  "You work your whole life treating all of the people around you with nothing but the up-most respect.  You get knocked down because you're a woman and then told the only way you'll make it is as a Weather Girl.  A fucking Weather Girl!  I've covered stories in war-stricken, third fucking world countries for fucks sake!"

She stops at the Channel 9 News van.  "Weather Girl." Monica says under her breath.  She walks around to the front door but it is locked.  She tries the passengers side door but that is locked as well.  "Where do they think we live?  This is the burbs of fucking Jersey!"  She walked around to the side of the van and pulled on the door handle..  "Bingo was his name-o." Quickly, Monica slide the door open, got in, and shut the door behind her.

"It's a mess in here, and it smells like tuna fish and mediocrity" She said as she hunched over,
clinging to anything that she could hold on to as to not fall and dirty her outfit. "Hose, hose, c'mon there's gotta be hose or tube, or one of those god damn hollow, rubber things her drug addicted boom guy uses."

She slid her blond hair out of her eyes and then opened a small compartment under neath the row of televisions that were attached to the inside of the van.  "Perfect"  She grabbed the hose, flew out of the the van and shut the door.  She didn't even care how much noise she made; not one person was paying attention to her, not even her camera man.

As she placed the hose into the gas tank, Monica watched as more bodies were taken out of the small
condominium building.  "Fuck, did they all die?  And what the hell is up with all the cardboard boxes?  I guess I'll have to wait for the late night edition of the Channel 9 News."  She then held the hose to her mouth and took a deep breath in.  Quickly, Monica spit the contents of her mouth onto the ground and wiped the last drip of gas from the side of her mouth with her index finger.

Adjusting her pants and suit jacket, Monica made her way back to her cameraman.

"I'd like to set up camera over there."  She pointed to a position close to the Channel 9 news van.  The cameraman opened his mouth to speak but he was abruptly cut off. "Don't ask questions, just do what I need, please." He shut his mouth and followed blindly.

The last police car drive away. The blue and red lights disappeared in the late night, October sky. "Why are we setting up? Everyone's leaving?"  Monica just kept smiling and then opened her mouth to speak as the new crew walked towards her.

"Fantastic coverage over there.  I mean if I hadn't already gotten what I needed I would ask to borrow
some of your footage." Monica laughed, and waited for a replay but the entire crew from Channel 9 just smiled and walked to the van "Ok then! You all have a great rest of the night!" She smiled and waved as they all got in the car.

The fake smile was gone. Monica turned to her cameraman and said, "Two things you need to do for me, right now." Monica walked closer to her he beloved cameraman and put her arm him. " I need you to give me a cigarette and a lighter, and then I need you to get ready to shoot." He hands her a cigarette and lights it for her.  She takes a satisfying drag and then slowly exhales. "Follow my lead."

Monica took one last drag, exhaled, and then flicked her cigarette towards the van.

It was instantaneous. The fire spread quickly and directly towards the van.  Monica watched and smiled as the opening of the gas tank ignitghted. With in moments the back of the van exploded.  Monica quickly composed herself and yelled, "Action!"  The cameraman was ready.

"This is Monica-Louise live on the scene of a tragic accident.  A news crew and reportor for Channel 9 have perished in a freak explosion after covering , what is now being called, The Jack-In-The Box Murders. Police have been called but sadly there seems to be no survivors in this deadly explosion."