Elysian [Book 1]

nine

nine; abby sciuto

I walked under the yellow crime tape, wearing my CSI windbreaker jacket, my FUJIFILM X-T1 IR Mirrorless Camera was hooked onto a lanyard as I placed the black latex gloves on my hands. I tried not to step in the water, with my fear of drowning and my most recent problem. 

I stood above the body, examining the bruising on his body and pulled out the camera taking my close ups. Calvert stood above me and he spoke. "It's Patrick Walker." He said and I sighed. I heard footsteps and I looked up and saw Emily walking to the tape. I stood up and Calvert got in front of me, to hold up the tape. I almost slipped on the mud, but he caught me and I smiled, thanking him for the help.

Calvert looked at Emily. "Local police Id'd the body. It's Patrick Walker." He said and Emily shook her head looking at Derek. I looked down at my camera and the pictures I took and remember what I saw on his body.

"He's got deep abrasions and bruising on the neck and shoulders, some around his feet as well." I said walking under the tape. Derek went to go see if the found anything else in the water and I watched as the team carelessly picked up the body.

"Hey! Would you mind not shaking his body around? I need to get a clean report, and if he falls because you guys are being reckless I won't be able to do my job right." I said yelling to the guys and they moved slower and nodded.

"Well, they found a rope at the bottom of the river, but that's probably been there for years. But a couple feet out, they found this." He said holding up a blue Shepherd's Crook.

"Lifeguards and Rescue Workers use that. Can you send the rope and the crook into the lab for DNA testing? Have them send it over to me, so I can go over it?" I said and Derek smirked. "No problem. Here officer, can you send this to the lab for DNA testing and the rope too?" Derek asked and the officer took it.  Emily and Derek went to call Hotch as I stood there with Calvert.

I looked at the glimmering water, and I swallowed hard.

 Water. All around me the dark liquid  I feel the small waves lapping over, and over, and over my frantically waving hands. It tires, and drops helplessly under, next to my burning body. It feels as though my lungs are filled with acid. The worst part is, whenever I think that this is my limit, this is my end, I hold on that bit longer. Clenched fist. Eyes wide. Mouth...still shut. I push one last time for the surface, I then gulp as much as I can, wanting this nightmare to be over. It fills my mouth, looking for any pathway it can find to finish me, but it doesn't because-

 I was cut out of my own thoughts as Calvert looked at me. "Are you okay?" He asked and I nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry." I said and he chuckled. "Not a big fan of water huh?" He asked and I shrugged.

"Everyone's afraid of something." I said and then it hit me. Afraid. Fear.

This UnSub's MO was feeding off the fear of his victims. I jumped over the ledge and onto the street and looked at Emily and Derek. "It's fear. Hanging, Asphyxiation, Drowning, Being burned alive. He's feeding off of their fears." I said and Emily looked at me with shock.