Book- Misunderstood

Chapter 21

I stared at myself in the glass, my eyes intense, piercing as if looking for answers as I looked, a fear welling within me as my own reflection seemed to stare back, it's pale blue eyes none the gentle. Things... monsters... they all seemed to stare back at me in the human form that I physically existed in and crawled along my own mind. A knock came at the door. "Is everything alright in there? You've been kinda quiet Jack." I looked toward the door and opened my mouth, hesitant at first, and sound rolled out, deep, filled with a sense of purpose. "I'm fine..." Slowly I reached down to my holstered gun, a standard 9mm issued handgun that most police would own, the one that belonged... to an old friend of mine. "I'm just fine Alley..." The knob of the door began to shake as the person outside found the doubt in my words, my hand unstrapping the gun and slowly I pulled it free. "Jack?! What are you doing in there?" The knob shook again as I watched with dreamy eyes as I raised the gun ever so slowly at myself. It seemed... so right and if anything, as if I was doing the world a favor. "Jack! Let me in! Please!" I aimed it at myself, no longer acknowledging Alley, and pulled the trigger. The sound of a gunshot, The sound of glass shattering, The sound of a scream, they were all I heard as in the mirror was a shattered reflection, a bullet in its head as the glass came toward me. At that moment, all time seemed to slow until it finally stopped, the door half open, me standing with the gun, the shell falling to the ground, and the glass falling from the mirror. Slowly, time began to move again as the shattered glass hit the counter and floor, Alley now having the door fully open as she stared at me, my eyes still so unforgiving."Jack, you need to stop this! You're tearing yourself apart! It's been a year, if you keep doing this to yourself, you'll just die from the depression."I shook my head as I picked up a piece of mirror from the counter and turned to look at her, my reflection no longer holding the monsters that threatened to consume me. I reflected, and now I was ready to move on, prepared to take the revenge I had promised myself."No Alley, I'm fine now, better than I was for the past year. I'm sorry that I worried you, I just... I needed a moment to just go back and look at my past. It's important if your going to move forward. It takes time. A year.... was good enough."I looked at her again as she shifted in place a little, her eyes accusing me of the injury to my mental state. I always knew though that I was probably more of a threat than I was a benefactor since my schizophrenia continued to reveal itself at strange times. I hugged Alley and caressed her back with care to show that I was alright, that I had been healed over the course of reflecting on how I felt. I knew now what I needed to do. Within the year, the police force had come back to at least half it's power but there was still much work to be done. "Alley."Alley looked up from my chest and stared into my eyes as I looked down at her. I patted her head for a moment then smiled."I'm going to solve the case of the 'Faceless Murderer'. I'm going to the police station."She suddenly held her breath for a moment then nodded slowly, understanding my intentions and the fact that the loss of want for revenge had in fact not left. I walked passed her and began to dress myself, a tucked in button up white shirt, plaid pants of black color, and black boots easily concealed under my pants. I looked at the casual clothes I wore, taking the possessions that everyman carried, save my gun. I picked it up, looking over it's markings and etchings from wear over the years of use. 'Rea'. The gun itself had become my partner and I would let nothing that was just, innocent, nor kind fall in it's gaze. I holstered 'Rea' to my side and left into the night, going to the new police station which held far many differences from the original but now, it was with good reason that I go to the place which I found comfort and yet pain. It was time to change fate as I no longer would fall to pain as I did many a time before.I had finally changed.