The Taking of Eleanor Ainsworth

Chapter 21

He couldn't hear anything except for the torrential rain, huge droplets fell from the black skies bouncing off every available surface and creating different sounds from every direction. He used to like the rain, thinking of the pitter patter of raindrops as a melody, various sounds coming together to create one sound.

But now as he stood on the pavement his senses numb to everything around him, he began to detest it. He began to hate everyone and everything around him, anger was raging inside him waiting to be released. He was furious, furious at the situation and angry at the person who did this.

He was shaken out of his trance by a police officer, but still he could not hear anything besides the rain and the heavy thumping of his heart. He stared at the officer confusion scrawled across his face, the officers mouth was moving but no sound came out, he looked as if he was shouting, fighting to be heard over the song of the rain. Mitchell couldn't look anymore disinterested in what the officer had to say, he was instead looking past the officer at the body being pushed away on a stretcher.

His fists clenched as his jaw twitched, the rain showing no relief from the raging fire that was boiling up inside him. The officer shook him again

"...we....to.....bodies....Mitchell ?"

Only fragments of the officers sentence made it to his ears and Mitchell scrunched his eyebrows together trying to understand what the officer was shouting at him for. But eventually he gave up, he was drenched and too cold to care. An umbrella was placed above him and Mitchell looked to the man who had saved him from the rain.

Detective Hart looked back at him a solemn look on his aging face. He nodded and watched as the second body was pushed out.

"You alright ?" He asked, waving the police officer away.

Mitchell nodded, relieved that he could hear again. "I've seen better days." He sighed visibly relaxing.

"Its a shame this happened...I can't think of a reason as to why they were targeted." Hart said, stuffing his free hand in his pocket, he looked to Mitchell who was staring intently at the police station doors waiting for the next body to be brought out, he looked around at the cordoned off street, the bystanders watching from a respectable distance. He scanned the crowd, his eyes landing on one figure in particular. He shook his head at the person and watched as they smiled back at him.

"Thats the fourth body." Mitchell breathed, raking a hand through his wet hair. "Thats it all four bodies have been brought out." He sighed rocking back on his heels.

Hart drew his eyes away from the person and looked at Mitchell in confusion. "Four ?"

"Thats what I was told."

"They did not find anymore bodies ?" He asked, his eyebrows knitted together. Mitchell shook his head.

Hart forces his eyes away from Mitchell and watched as the ambulances drove off.

"I'm going to go inside and change." Mitchell said, looking wearily at the police station. "You coming ?"

"In a bit, I just need to cool off... Too much has just happened." He sniffed, diving into his pocket for a tissue.

"Alright man, i'll see you inside." Mitchell responded running into the station. Hart looked back into the crowd, his eyes finding the same person who hadn't stopped smiling, they looked at Hart and waved, turning around and retreating back into the crowd. He walked after them, trying not to draw much attention to himself. He slipped underneath the tape and followed the figure across the road and into an alley, from there he ran after them, dragging them back harshly by the shoulder and slamming them into the wall.