The Black Raven's Heart

#08- Intruder

The rushing noise filled the city of Black Crest as the rapid pattering of the rain fell on Monday evening. The rain came unexpectedly, and there was no further warning for any storm coming from the weather forecast. Lucky for those citizens who came home early from work, they just had to settle in their homes waiting for their supper to be cooked. As for those who need to take an extra hour at work, the situation left them no choice but to travel home and take their risk waiting for the heavy traffic jam caused by the heavy rain.

In one unit of the apartment building, there lived a lady in her near thirties, wearing a milky-white satin nightgown with her velvety curls falling freely down to her waist. She was standing near the windowpane, her round gunmetal blue orbs fixed at the hazy lights reflected by the fogged glass window. She was wrapping her arms together in front of her chest due to the coldness of the weather.

For some time, she gradually drifted her gazes at the door and then back outside the window as if she was expecting someone. Then suddenly, her full rosy lips curved into a smile when a quick knock came to grab her attention. She left the window and strode towards the door with lips glistening beneath the dark room.

"I thought you couldn't come." Her voice was as sweet as honey as she grabbed the knob open. But the sweetness she felt didn't last for another second when she realized that the man standing before her wasn't the person she was expecting.

"W-What are you--" Her eyes which were once filled with bliss and sweetness had now turned into fear. She grabbed her strength to reach for the door and slap it to keep the man from entering. But the other party pushed the door just before she could close it, causing her to fall to the ground.

She tried to cry for help but then suppressed herself when the man grabbed a sharp tool from his thick black coat. Her lips dried and quivered, and her knees trembled as she saw its fine blade shine as it hit the minimal light from the outside.

"HEL-" Her shout was halfway turned into a groan as she felt the blade slipping right into her flesh. She lay on the cold hard ground. And the man was no longer there.

Her breath hitched and her sight began to blur the second scarlet liquid burst from her stomach. She pressed her hand on the wound to keep the blood from flowing.

She forced herself to stay conscious and grabbed her remaining strength to crawl towards the door. But her strength has already drained long before her blood-bathed hand reached for the knob. She has lost too much blood, causing her heart to stop beating and her lifeless body to lie alone on the blood-painted floor.

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It was 6:30 in the morning when the ray of sunlight passed through the window and gave Hyde Collins an early morning notice to prepare for work. Without any act of complaint, the young man got to his feet and climbed down from the bed. He couldn't believe he got up early after having difficulty sleeping due to the heavy rain last night.

He went straight to the bathroom for a quick bath before he headed downstairs for a cup of coffee and French toast for breakfast. He hasn't got that much since he just moved in the other day, perhaps he'll just go to the grocery store later after work.

After having his 'so-called' breakfast, the young returned to his room and began changing his clothes. He put on a three-fourth-sleeved navy-blue polo tucked into his black pants. He was busy fixing up the sleeve when he got a call from Flynn. He put the phone on the bed and turned on the loudspeaker so they could still talk even though he was preparing for work.

"How is it going?" Asked his friend from the other line.

"Still doing fine, haven't got any cases since everyone thought I'm a newbie." Hyde heard him cackle.