Water Under the Bridge || Evan Buckley [2]

chapter eleven

a memory is a treasure

Hearts gutted for the sobbing older woman clutching onto her husband over the tragic death of their son. The husband glanced up at the dispatch caller offering their sympathy for their loss. He could only spare a silent nod of gratitude before refocusing on his wife and depart from the call center.

Watching a scene unfold like that merely resorted the dispatch caller to resign from their station for a breather in the breakroom. There are days where working on this floor could weigh on your shoulders. Answering urgent calls from civilians to use your sixth senses with the hope to save their life. Sometimes situations that are out of your hands can make you feel you're restricted.

These were one of the days.

Inside the breakroom, there stood a colleague pouring a cup of coffee to power through the late shift.

"Can't imagine what they must be feeling. So sad." Linda pressed her lips after witnessing the heart aching scene on the floor. She already grabbed a cup for Josh who retrieved milk from the refrigerator.

Josh let out a deep sigh, sliding onto the stool at the counter. "Hearing your own child's last words knowing they won't make it... it's tough to process. No parent wants to outlive their child. And the irony of this is this is déjà vu when a victim left a message for his pregnant wife."

"The airplane accident in the ocean about 2 years ago?"

He hummed in response, "Yeah, I didn't answer it though. But I remembered seeing her walk in. Being on the other end can be—"

"An overwhelming?" Linda finished.

"Exactly, but there's a sense of closure where people feel less lonely." Josh added, his eyes lowered to his coffee. "The sad thing about this is that the guy left another message for someone else."

A teenage boy ran up the hilltop to feel sudden relief once spotting the teenage girl sitting alone underneath the large tree. The sound of his quick steps was heard by the girl who didn't bother to budge. She rested her chin upon her knees and continued to relish in the view that tend to bring her peace. The boy took his victory steps until he doubled over and planted his hands on knees.

"This place is like a freaking maze!" He panted out.

"It's not a maze. You just have no sense of direction." She retorted. "At least you made it unless you were already lost that led you here."