As Evil As Murder

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE
3 Years Ago.

It was common knowledge that Elise had a horrible year. Her nephew died a few weeks back and she still hasn't gotten over it. It was understandable but some might say she was losing her mind.

This particular night, the dark circles under her eyes were standing out. After all, she did just work overtime. Her wrinkles, combined with the dark circles under her eyelids made her look much older than 41 as she walked around the office, making sure she had locked up the doors and closed all the windows.

She remembered the time her boss gave her hell for leaving a window open and shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if she had left before noticing the unlocked door to the roof. Muttering under her breath about lazy co-workers, she walked towards it.

But when her hands rested on the doorknobs, she heard a voice on the other side.

"I'm so sorry."

She stopped in her tracks, surprised that someone was still there. Usually, she was the only person who worked overtime. Peeking through the window, she didn't see anything or anyone at first. The balcony looked like it always did, except a bit scarier against the dark sky.

Then she saw him. A young boy of almost 16. He was standing against the ledge, looking down and talking to himself. Elise let out an inaudible gasp because it didn't take much to know what the boy was going to do.

She remembered scenes in movies and knew this was where she should calm him down, but somehow she knew she couldn't. She wasn't a social woman and didn't know how to talk to someone properly much less calm them down enough to not commit suicide. She decided to go back down and call someone from the nearby building.

At least, she tried to. The boy noticed her then, and let out a loud sound, somewhere between a gasp and a cry.

"Who are you?" He yelled angrily.

"I- I," Elise was helpless now. She didn't know what to say to get him to come down. But she decided she had to try. Sure she didn't know him, but she wanted to save him. He was just as old as her late nephew. She knew that somewhere out there, his family would go through the same thing she did if this kid died. "Can you please come down from there and talk to me?"

"I will jump now if you come any closer!" He warned, and Elise saw his face properly for the first time. It was covered with tears, making his face glisten against the moonlight. His hair was messy, sticking up in all directions and his hands were shaking slightly. Even his appearance reminded him of her nephew. 

She drew in a determined breath.

"Please don't do this," Elise said again, trying to sound calm. "I don't know what you are going through, but I am sure I can help. Somehow I can, but you have to come down."

"You don't get it!" He whimpered, his eyes flashing from her to the darkness waiting for him down the building. "No one can- he did it- I did not do anything- I should have-"

"Who did what?" Elise was confused at the sudden, aggravated murmurs. The boy turned to look at her 180 degrees, so instead of facing down the building, he was now facing her. But he still hasn't gotten down from the ledge. He looked at her for a few seconds and wiped off his tears.

"You remind me of my mum," he said, forcing a smile.

"She wouldn't want you to do this either," Elise said, a bit more calmer because he was actually talking to her. "Get down. I can help you."

"She's dead." His smile looked beautifully tragic. "I killed her."

Elise gasped but it quickly turned to a scream as he had raised his hands like tattered wings, and pushed himself backwards. 

He was still looking at her as he fell.

"NO!" She screamed, frozen in her steps. But she knew it was useless. He was gone. 

A few seconds passed and she replayed what happened in her brain. A kid just died in front of her...and she couldn't save him.

I couldn't save him.
I couldn't save him.

The thought kept repeating in her brain, weaving itself to link with her nephew's death. She started to cry. The situation brought back all the memories of when she failed the people she cared about. Now she had failed a stranger and somehow, it felt much worse.

Just then, down in the streets, she heard people from other buildings rushing out. She wiped off her tears and ran down the stairs to let them know what happened and of course, to call the police.

Out in the streets, she saw crowds gathered around her, asking details about what happened. It was unbelievable how people found comfort through gossip, even in death.

The old lady was breathless, but she pushed through the growing crowds to look at the unknown boy's body. She had the urge to kneel down in front of him and beg for forgiveness. Even if she knew she tried her best, she felt responsible for the kid's death.

Elise reached the point of the ground where he fell, and looked around frantically.

"Are you okay?" One of the people from the crowd asked. "Why did you scream?"

"The boy! The boy who jumped! Right now! Where is he?" She pushed the people aside and looked around again. She saw a dried leaf on the ground but that was it.

No trace of the kid's body.
It was like he never existed.

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