How does the mind of a writer work?

I was watching a Law & Order show the other night and saw where a woman was found in a car trunk with her lips super-glued together. Aside from feeling the expected pangs at someone undergoing that trauma, I couldn’t help thinking this would be a cool detail for a mystery story. I also thought:

  • Couldn’t she use her tongue to push against her lips until the glue released or the skin tore?
  • Wouldn’t someone rather have a bloody, torn lip than stay trapped in a car trunk?
  • If I were a criminal and wanted to seal someone’s lips, I’d not only close them with duct tape or superglue, I’d also stuff something inside their mouth so they couldn’t use their tongues to help pry the sealant closed.
  • I’d also pad the trunk and the body with blankets to make it harder for a living victim to bang around and make noise.

What odd trains of thought does YOUR writing lead you to?

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