Content warning. This story contains descriptions of violence, disturbing themes, and graphic
imagery that some listeners may find unsettling. Discretion is advised. Calaruga Shark Media,
Hello and welcome to the artist. This episode is titled Portrait of a
Killer nineteen eighty one. Thomas Ashton was a pre med student at Temple University
with a minor in art history. To the outside world, he appeared to
be a dedicated student, diligently working towards a future in medicine. But beneath
the surface, the darkness that had taken root in his soul continued to grow,
Nurtured by the twisted lessons of his mentor, the Maestro. Thomas found
solace in his art classes, where he could channel his dark impulses into works
that were praised for their intensity and raw emotion. His professors marveled at his
talent, unaware of the true nature of his inspiration. Despite his success in
the classroom, Thomas struggled to connect with his peers. He had a few
acquaintances, but no one he considered a true friend. That is until he
met Alex and Jenna, a couple who shared his passion for art. And
his desire to break free from the constraints of societal norms. Alex was the
kind of guy who could make even the most mundane philosophical concepts sound like poetry.
He had a way of looking at the world that was both deeply introspective
and wildly irreverent, and his abstract expressionist paintings were a reflection of that dichotomy.
With his tousled hair, perpetual five o'clock shadow, and a wardrobe that
looked like it had been picked out by a colorblind thrift store owner, Alex
exuded an air of creative chaos that was impossible to ignore. Jenna, on
the other hand, was the epitome of effortless cool. She had a tough,
no nonsense exterior that belied a keen artistic sensibility, and her photography had
a raw, unflinching honesty that could be both beautiful and unsettling. She had
a classic rock chick vibe with her ripped jeans, vintage band tees, and
a collection of tattoos that hinted at a wild past. But it was her
eyes that really drew you in. Deep, soulful and always searching for the
truth behind the facade. Together, Alex and Jenna were a force to be
reckoned, with a power couple of the art world who seemed to embody everything
that Thomas aspired to be. They were fearless, unapologetic, and utterly committed
to their craft, and Thomas couldn't help but be drawn to their magnetic energy.
But there was something else about them that intrigued Thomas, something that went
beyond mere artistic admiration. He found himself watching them when they thought no one
was looking, Studying the way they moved together, the casual intimacy of their
touches and glances. It was clear that they shared a deep, unbreakable bond,
a connection that transcended the physical and ventured into the realm of the spiritual.
And as Thomas watched them, he felt a strange stirring in his chest,
a longing, a yearning for something that he couldn't quite name. He
wanted what they had, that sense of belonging, of being truly seen and
understood by another person. As a long weekend approached, Alex and Jenna invited
Thomas to join them on a trip to Miami, skip a few classes on
both sides, and make it a mini break. Desperate to escape the suffocating
confines of Philadelphia, Thomas agreed without hesitation. He packed his bags, his
sketch book, and a few of his favorite blades, and set off to
experience the vibrant energy of the Sunshine State. Thomas lay awake in his bed,
acutely aware of the muffled sounds coming from the other side of the dimly
lit motel room. The creaking of springs and hushed gasps from Alex and Jenna's
bed sent a confusing mix of emotions through him, irritation, curiosity, and
an unwelcome stirring of arousal. Unable to block out the noise or his own
conflicting thoughts, Thomas quietly slipped out of bed. It was time to walk
it off. He pulled on his jeans and a T shirt, desperate to
escape the stifling atmosph sphere of the room. As he stepped out into the
humid Miami night, the neon lights of the motel sign cast an eerie glow
across the parking lot. Thomas took a deep breath, trying to clear his
head of the intimate sounds that still echoed in his mind. He set off
down the street, the pulsing energy of the city drawing him in. The
night life of Miami Beach was in full swing, a kaleidoscope of bare skin,
pounding music, and illicit promises. As he walked, Thomas found his
thoughts drifting to darker territories, his fingers twitching with suppressed urges. The night
air did little to cool his heated skin or quiet his racing mind. Thomas
knew he needed to find a way to channel these intense feelings, to transform
them into something beautiful, something only he could create. With renewed purpose,
he turned back toward the motel, ideas for his next masterpiece already taking shape
in his imagination. Miami was a revelation for Thomas. The city pulsed with
a raw, primal energy that spoke to his darkest desires. The neon soaked
nightclubs, the sweltering heat, the glistening bodies on the beach. It all
awakened something within him, a hunger that could not be satisfied by mere hedonism
alone. As he walked the streets of South Beach, sketch book in hand,
Thomas found himself drawn to the city's seedy underbelly, the back alleys and
abandoned warehouses, where the forgotten and the forsaken gathered to indulge their basest impulses.
It was in one of these hidden corners of the city that Thomas first
spotted her. A young woman with eyes that sparkled like shards of broken glass
and a body that could stop traffic. She was dancing on a makeshift stage,
her movements fluid and hypnotic, her curves glistening with sweat under the pulsating
light es. Thomas felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched her,
his eyes roaming hungrily over her scantily clad form. She wore a barely
there, sequined bikini top that struggled to contain her ample breasts, and a
micro skirt that rode high on her toned thighs. Her honeycolored skin was adorned
with intricate temporary tattoos that snaked up her flat stomach and around her slender arms.
As she danced, her hips swaying to the pounding beats, Thomas felt
a primal urge that he had never experienced before. He imagined running his hands
over her sweat slicked skin, tracing the lines of her tattoos with his tongue,
sinking his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck. He was transfixed,
his hand moving almost of its own accord as he captured her essence on
paper. Each stroke of his pencil was like a caress, a forbidden touch
that set his blood on fire. He knew, with a sudden, visceral
certainty that he had to have her, to possess her in a way that
went beyond mere physical desire. Over the next few days, Thomas became consumed
by his obsession with the dancer. He followed her every move, learning her
habits and routines, his sketch book filling up with page after page of her
likeness. He imagined all the ways he could make her his, all the
ways he could immortalize her beauty in his art, And as the sun began
to set on the final day of the trip, Thomas made his move.
He slipped away from Alex and Jenna, who were too caught up in their
own hedonistic pursuits to notice his absence, and made his way to the seedy
club where he knew the dancer would be. He found her in the alley
behind the building, taking a smoke break. Between sets. She looked up
at him with those mesmerizing eyes, a flicker of recognition passing between them.
You're the one who's been watching me, she said, her voice low and
sultry. The artist Thomas nodded, taking a step closer. I couldn't help
myself, he said, his eyes roaming over her body, drinking in every
curve and contour, your beauty, your grace. I had to capture it.
She smiled, a slow, sensual curve of her lips. And now
that you have me alone, what do you plan to do with me?
Thomas felt a thrill run through him at her words, a dark, dangerous
excitement that made his heart race and his palms sweat. I want to make
you immortal, he said, his voice barely above a whisper. I want
to capture your essence, your soul, in a way that will last forever.
He reached out his fingers, tracing the lines of her tattoos, feeling
the heat of her skin beneath his touch. She shivered, her eyes fluttering
closed used for a moment, and Thomas knew that he had her. With
a sudden, violent motion, he grabbed her, spinning her around and slamming
her against the rough brick wall of the alley. She gasped, her eyes
flying open in shock, but before she could scream, Thomas pressed his body
against hers, his hand clamping over her mouth. Ssh, he whispered,
his lips brushing against her ear. Don't fight it. This is meant to
be. You and me were going to create something beautiful together. He reached
into his pocket with his free hand, pulling out the blade that had been
his constant companion for so many years. The dancer's eyes widened in fear as
she saw the glint of steel, but Thomas just smiled, a cold,
predatory grin that made her blood run cold. Don't worry, he murmured,
tracing the edge of the knife along her jawline down the elegant column of her
throat. I'm not going to hurt you, not really. I'm just going
to set you free. With a swift press actest motion, he slashed the
blade across her neck, watching in fascination as the blood bloomed from the wound,
staining her golden skin. Crimson. She convulsed against him, her body
bucking and thrashing, but Thomas held her tight, relishing the feel of her
life force. Draining away, and as she finally went limp in his arms,
her eyes glazing over with the finality of death, Thomas felt a sense
of euphoria wash over him. He had done it. He had created his
first true masterpiece here in Miami, a work of art that would endure long
after the city had crumbled to dust. He made his way back to the
motel where he was staying with Alex and Jenna, his mind already racing with
plans and possibilities. He would tell them that he had decided to stay in
Miami, that he had found a job at a local art gallery and was
dropping out of school to pursue his dream. They would be shocked, maybe
even a little hurt, but Thomas knew that they would understand. They were
artists too, after all, and they knew the seductive call of creative passion.
As he began to pack his bags, Thomas caught sight of his reflection
in the mirror. His eyes were bright with a feverish light, his skin
flushed with the afterglow of his kill. He looked different somehow, as if
the mask he had worn for so long had finally slipped away, revealing the
monster beneath and as he stared at himself, a slow, savage smile spread
across his face. This was who he was meant to be, he realized.
Not a doctor, not a healer, but an artist of death,
a creator of twisted beauty that would shock the world. He had found his
calling here in Miami, and he knew with a bone deep certainty that he
would never be the same again next time. On the artist a Killer's canvas,
the neon soaked streets of nineteen eighty four, Miami become the backdrop for
a deadly game of cat and mouse. Detective Mick Reyes, with his Ferrari
and Miami vice style, is about to face his most challenging case yet.
As a gruesome murder rocks the city's elite, Mick and his partner Lynn find
themselves diving into the dark underbelly of Miami's art scene. But this is no
ordinary killer. This is an artist who paints in blood. Meanwhile, Thomas
Ashton, once a promising med student, has reinvented himself as a sophisticated art
dealer. But beneath his polished exterior lurks a monster waiting to create his next
masterpiece. When these two worlds collide at a clandestine gallery opening. The stage
is set for a thrilling confrontation. Will Mick uncover the truth behind the artist
or will he become just another brushstroke in a killer's twisted canvas. Don't miss
episode three, Murder in the Air Tonight We're the line between art and murder
blurs in the sultry heat of a Miami night. The Artist is a Calaroga
Shark Media production hosted by Aidan I Flanagan, Written by Aidan I Flanagan and
John McDermott, Produced by Mark Francis. Executive producers John McDermott and Mark Francis.
Portions of the podcast may have been produced with the assistance of AI.
If you enjoyed this series, check out the inspiration podcast Murder Weekly, available
wherever you get your podcasts. This show is also available commercial free. Check
the show notes for more info and how you can buy merch for The Artist.
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