They keep on burning. I can't stand the screams. I have to save them. Why can't I move. I feel so weak. " You couldn't save them."
*******
I wake up drenched in sweat. It's the same nightmare. Only this was once a reality. I fight back the tears. I don't deserve to cry. Crying is to relieve pain. I deserve to feel this pain. I sit with my knees curled up for a long time. I finally look at the time. The clock shows in bright red letters 5.30 am. I give up any notions of sleep and get up.
I head to the shower. The soothing hot water hits my back and slowly the bathroom is filled with steam. I reluctantly got out of the shower, wishing I could stay in there forever and forget about the world. By the time I am done with my shower I almost forget about the nightmare. The problem is you can forget a nightmare. You just can never forget a terrible reality.
I take my time getting ready. How can I not? My job is to investigate murders and that means looking at gruesome photos. Thinking of all the blood leads me to selecting a shirt the color of blood. It used to be my favorite color until this job and now it only brings back horrifying imagery.
I eat my breakfast. Oats. I don't mind eating oats. It's something I like. It's the perfect mixture of warmth, chewiness and its made in a flash. Finally at around 7 I decide it's time to leave and face the truth. Evil will always exist. Taking the keys to my sedan I lock the door. Greeted by the warmth of the sun embracing my face. I start the car and head on over to another day filled with gruesome photos.
As I sit in my car I realize how at the beginning of the job I was horrified of the photos I saw. I couldn't fathom the thought that someone could commit such a crime. Nowadays I don't even flinch at them. Ever since the incidence it feels like my emotions were burned to ashes.
Reaching the agency, to my annoyance someone parked their car in my spot. Probably some newcomer who doesn't understand the rules yet. I let it slide and park in the guest spot. Check the time to see if there's time to grab a snack. 8.00 is to close for comfort; I have a meeting 10 minutes and decide against it.
I head on in to be greeted a by hot coffee splattered on my shirt.
YOU ARE READING
The Puppet Master
Mystery / Thriller" The puppeteer pulls the puppets strings, the puppet pulls the audiences strings the audience pulls the puppeteers strings." As shootings terrorize Galvenstone, Texas, agent's Divya Murthy and Philip Jackson must stay ahead of the mastermind, and g...
