A WRITER'S GUIDE TO MURDER
TRIGGER-WARNING: Vivid descriptions of death and dead bodies.
Look, we get it. Size doesn't matter. Unless it comes to falling. The higher a place you fall from, the more damage you'll get. But there are some things to look out for when writing a falling scene, whether it is an unintentional fall or a push. I'll show them to you in this guide. This one isn't as long as the other guides since there really isn't much difference between accidental and on purpose - besides the emotional state of the character.
Falling to death: Heights, Lethality, and Bodily Impact
Falls from significant heights can be incredibly dangerous, leading to injury and even death. But besides that fact, the range in heights to fall from and their lethality or injury rate can be hard to pin down if you've never seen someone fall from a high place (and thank god for that). Here is a list with different heights, lethality and bodily impact. I've also listed some examples on how to describe each fall in your story.
Short Falls (Up to 10 feet)
Lethality: Generally non-lethal for most adults, though serious injuries can still occur.
Bodily Impact:
Sprains and Fractures: Common injuries include sprains, broken bones (especially wrists, arms, or ankles), and dislocations, often due to instinctively trying to break the fall with outstretched hands.
Bruising and Cuts: Soft tissue injuries like bruises and lacerations are also common.
Head Injuries: Falls from even modest heights can cause concussions if the head strikes the ground or another object.
Example: "He slipped from the ladder, crashing down with a jarring thud. His wrist snapped under the weight of his fall, sending sharp pain shooting through his arm. A dark bruise blossomed on his side where he hit the ground."
Moderate Falls (10 to 30 feet)
Lethality: Potentially lethal, with increased risk of severe injuries and death, particularly from 20 feet and above.
Bodily Impact:
Severe Fractures: Higher likelihood of complex fractures, including broken legs, pelvis, and vertebrae.
Internal Injuries: Possible internal bleeding and organ damage, especially if the torso or abdomen takes the brunt of the impact.
Head and Spine Injuries: Increased risk of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and spinal cord damage, potentially leading to paralysis.
Shock: Significant falls can lead to traumatic shock, characterized by rapid pulse, low blood pressure, and unconsciousness.
Example: "She tumbled from the balcony, landing hard on the pavement below. The impact fractured her femur and pelvis, the pain unbearable. Blood pooled around her as she fought to stay conscious, her breaths shallow and labored."
High Falls (30 to 50 feet)
Lethality: Often lethal, especially without immediate medical intervention.
Bodily Impact:
Multiple Fractures: Likely to cause multiple, severe fractures throughout the body, including compound fractures where bones break through the skin.
Organ Rupture: High risk of internal organs rupturing, leading to life-threatening internal bleeding.
Severe Brain Injury: High probability of fatal head injuries, especially if the head hits a hard surface.
Spinal Cord Damage: Almost certain to cause significant spinal injuries, which can result in permanent paralysis or death.
Example: "The climber lost his grip and plummeted from the cliff, hitting the rocks below with a sickening crunch. His legs were twisted unnaturally, bones protruding through the skin. He lay motionless, blood seeping from his mouth and ears."
Extreme Falls (50 to 100 feet)
Lethality: Highly lethal; survival is rare and typically results in critical, lifelong injuries.
Bodily Impact:
Crushing Injuries: The impact force is enough to cause crushing injuries, where bones and internal organs are severely compressed and damaged.
Massive Internal Bleeding: Catastrophic internal bleeding is common, with multiple organs damaged or ruptured.
Deceleration Injuries: The sudden stop can cause aortic tears and severe brain injuries due to rapid deceleration forces.
Instant Death: Death can occur instantly upon impact due to severe trauma to vital organs and the brain.
Example: "The worker fell from the construction site, a blur of motion until he hit the ground with an earth-shaking force. His body crumpled, ribs shattered, and organs ruptured. Death was immediate, the scene a tragic testament to the fall's power."
Terminal Falls (Over 100 feet)
Lethality: Almost invariably lethal. Rare cases of survival often involve extraordinary circumstances (e.g., landing in water or on a soft surface in a manner that minimizes impact forces).
Bodily Impact:
Disintegration of Body: The body may suffer extreme trauma, with bones shattered and organs severely damaged.
Instantaneous Death: Death usually occurs instantly due to the massive force of impact, which the human body cannot withstand.
Catastrophic Injuries: If not immediately fatal, the injuries would be catastrophic, involving massive blood loss, multiple organ failure, and severe brain trauma.
Example: "The parachute failed, sending him into a free fall from the plane. The impact was cataclysmic, bones splintering and organs tearing apart. He died instantly, the sheer force obliterating any chance of survival."
The Impact of Landing Surfaces: From Softest to Hardest
When a character falls, the surface they land on plays a vital role in determining the extent of their injuries. Softer surfaces can absorb some of the impact, potentially reducing harm, while harder surfaces can lead to more severe injuries or death. Here, I'll rank various landing surfaces from softest to hardest and describe the expected impact on the body for each.
Softest Surfaces
1. Deep Water
Description: Landing feet-first in deep water can significantly reduce impact, though it can still be dangerous if the fall is from a great height.
Impact on Body:
Minimal Injuries: Lower heights (up to 50 feet) might result in minor bruises or sprains.
Potential Drowning: From higher heights, the force can knock the wind out, disorient, or even lead to drowning if the character is unable to swim or is unconscious.
Fatal Risks: Very high falls can still be lethal due to the high surface tension of water at impact, causing similar injuries to those sustained on solid ground.
2. Snow or Soft Earth
Description: Thick snow or freshly tilled soil can provide a cushioning effect.
Impact on Body:
Moderate Injuries: May result in sprains, minor fractures, and bruises.
Absorption: Snow and soft earth absorb some of the impact, reducing the severity of injuries compared to harder surfaces.
Burial Risk: Deep snow can pose a risk of suffocation if the character is buried upon impact.
3. Bushes or Dense Vegetation
Description: Falling into bushes or dense foliage can break the fall, though branches may cause additional injuries.
Impact on Body:
Cuts and Bruises: Likely to sustain cuts, scratches, and bruises from branches.
Reduced Impact: The vegetation can slow the fall and reduce the impact force, leading to fewer severe injuries.
Medium Surfaces
4. Sand
Description: Sand provides a moderately soft landing, though it can still cause significant injury depending on the height of the fall.
Impact on Body:
Bruises and Fractures: Common injuries include bruises and broken bones, especially if the fall is from a considerable height.
Shock Absorption: Sand absorbs some shock, mitigating the impact but not entirely preventing serious injuries.
5. Grass
Description: A grassy surface is relatively soft compared to concrete but harder than sand.
Impact on Body:
Sprains and Minor Fractures: Falls onto grass can result in sprains, cuts, and minor fractures.
Partial Cushion: Grass offers some cushioning, reducing the severity of injuries compared to harder surfaces.
6. Wood or Plank Flooring
Description: Wood floors are firmer than grass or sand but have a slight give compared to concrete.
Impact on Body:
Fractures and Bruising: Likely to cause significant bruising and fractures.
Moderate Absorption: The wood absorbs a small amount of impact, lessening the severity slightly compared to harder surfaces.
Hardest Surfaces
7. Hard Earth or Packed Soil
Description: Hard-packed soil is much firmer than soft earth, offering little cushion upon impact.
Impact on Body:
Severe Injuries: Can cause severe bruises, fractures, and internal injuries.
Minimal Absorption: The hardness of the soil means minimal impact absorption, increasing injury severity.
8. Asphalt
Description: Asphalt is a common surface in urban areas, significantly harder than wood or grass.
Impact on Body:
Severe Fractures: High likelihood of severe fractures, lacerations, and head injuries.
Little Absorption: The hard, unyielding surface provides minimal absorption, resulting in high injury severity.
9. Concrete
Description: Concrete is one of the hardest and most unforgiving surfaces to land on.
Impact on Body:
Critical Injuries: Extremely high likelihood of critical injuries, including compound fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and internal organ damage.
No Absorption: Concrete does not absorb impact, leading to the most severe injuries or death.
Dramatic and Creative Falling Scenarios
I could have stopped here, but I figured a writer's guide to murder wouldn't be complete without some... creative... ways to kill with gravity. Here are five such scenarios, detailing the impact on the body, the speed at which death would occur, and the aftermath of the fall.
1. Falling onto Spikes
Scenario: A character is pushed off a ledge in an old castle, plummeting down onto a field of sharp metal spikes below.
Impact on Body:
Puncture Wounds: Spikes can penetrate deeply into the body, causing multiple puncture wounds.
Organ Damage: Vital organs such as the heart, lungs, and liver are likely to be impaled, leading to severe internal bleeding.
Instantaneous Death: If a spike pierces the heart or major arteries, death can be almost instantaneous. Otherwise, it may take a few agonizing minutes due to blood loss and organ failure.
Scene Aftermath:
Gruesome Sight: The body would be suspended on the spikes, with blood pooling around the base and staining the spikes red.
Horrific Details: Blood would drip from the wounds, and there might be twitching or minor movements as the body succumbs to its injuries.
Desolate Silence: The area would be eerily silent, with the lifeless body creating a macabre, haunting tableau.
2. Falling through a Glass Ceiling
Scenario: A character falls from the roof of a tall building, crashing through a glass ceiling of an atrium below.
Impact on Body:
Lacerations: Shards of glass would cause deep cuts and lacerations, potentially severing arteries.
Blunt Force Trauma: The impact with the floor or objects below would cause fractures, concussions, and internal injuries.
Rapid Death: Severe blood loss from deep lacerations and blunt force trauma could lead to death within minutes.
Scene Aftermath:
Shattered Glass: The floor would be covered in shattered glass, with blood splattered across the shards and surrounding surfaces.
Blood Trails: Blood trails from the character's movement post-impact, if any, would create a chaotic, disturbing pattern.
Gory Scene: The body would be surrounded by glass and blood, presenting a grisly and chaotic scene of destruction.
3. Falling onto a Bed of Nails
Scenario: A character is dropped from a considerable height onto a bed of nails used in a medieval torture device.
Impact on Body:
Multiple Punctures: Numerous nails would puncture the body simultaneously, causing extensive bleeding.
Organ Perforation: Major organs and blood vessels would be perforated, leading to rapid internal bleeding.
Swift Death: Death could occur within moments due to the combined effects of multiple severe injuries and blood loss.
Scene Aftermath:
Macabre Display: The body would lie sprawled on the nails, with blood oozing from multiple puncture wounds.
Blood Pooling: Blood would pool beneath the bed of nails, creating a dark, spreading stain.
Haunting Silence: The scene would be a silent testament to the brutality of the fall, with the body and blood presenting a stark, horrifying image.
4. Falling into a Vat of Acid
Scenario: A character is pushed into an industrial vat of acid from a catwalk above.
Impact on Body:
Chemical Burns: The acid would cause severe chemical burns, dissolving skin and tissue upon contact.
Immediate Pain: Intense, excruciating pain would occur immediately, with death following rapidly due to the corrosive effects on vital organs.
Minutes to Death: Depending on the concentration of the acid, death could occur within minutes as the body is quickly consumed.
Scene Aftermath:
Bubbling Vat: The vat would bubble and hiss as the acid reacts with the body, emitting a noxious odor.
Disintegrating Remains: Visible remains might include partially dissolved bones or tissues floating in the acid.
Horrific Imagery: The scene would be a nightmarish vision of chemical destruction, with the vat serving as a deadly, gruesome cauldron.
5. Falling onto a Concrete Floor from Great Height
Scenario: A character falls from the top of a skyscraper, landing on the concrete sidewalk below.
Impact on Body:
Massive Trauma: The impact would cause massive blunt force trauma, shattering bones and rupturing internal organs.
Immediate Death: Death would be instantaneous due to the catastrophic damage to the brain, spine, and vital organs.
Graphic Injuries: The body would be severely deformed, with extensive external and internal injuries.
Scene Aftermath:
Cracked Pavement: The force of the fall might crack the pavement, with blood and tissue splattered around the impact site.
Deformed Body: The body would be contorted and broken, with bones protruding and blood pooling around.
Disturbing Visual: The scene would be one of severe destruction, with the concrete bearing the marks of the fatal fall and the body a testament to the fall’s lethal force.
Jake Zuurbier, born in 2002, is a writer with a broad background. With a degree in both Business and Management, his work in writing is combined with a business in books & home decor, sports clothing & gear and multiple forms of other output like music or meditations. He has worked jobs in retail and horeca, ranging from working kitchen in a hotel-restaurant to a floor manager position in a clothing store.
In his free time, he is just as occupied. Photography, weight lifting, kickboxing, cooking and reading are amongst his hobbies.
To learn more, or get in contact, visit www.apolloimperium.com/jakezuurbier
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