Diablo's Ascent

Part One

    Warm sun rays dance across my sleep dazed face as I slowly rise from my bed. The soft hum of the heating unit reminds me of how cold it is as I get up, wrapping my blanket around my slim, tired body. I look at myself in my full-length mirror while holding the raw emerald jeweled necklace my mother gave me. I inherited most of my mother’s traits, her long waterfall brown hair with natural highlights, light mocha skin with light freckles, emerald eyes, short stature. I got my lithe build from my father. I wince a little from thinking about them.

Shaking the painful memories away, I set my blanket aside and headed to the bathroom, doing my usual routine. With a sigh, I pick up my discarded blanket and I tread to the kitchen, my feet making a soft thump on the cold floorboards with each step as my blanket drags behind me. I lay my blanket on the closest chair as I prepare my breakfast. After I finish eating, I head into the living room, snuggling into my blanket with a cup of fresh coffee, and flip on the Tv. I set it on a random news channel and check my phone for any notifications. A red dot on my messaging app bounces as I click on the app. 

Cole- “ Mornin sunshine. I hate to ruin your day off, but we got a body. I’ll give you the details when you get here. See you soon. ;)” 

I groan in frustration. It seems that I can never get a break, and that stupid nickname seems to agitate me further. I get up with a huff, set my coffee cup in the sink along with the dishes I dirtied this morning, and head into my room to get ready. I open my closet and pick out the usual, a light grey sweater, which I slip my silver wire-framed glasses on the collar of, a black scarf and black ripped skinny jeans. I put on my socks, grab my satchel, my badge, and my keys, and head to the doorway. I step into my black knee length combat boots and head out to the station. 

I park my black camaro in my usual spot and head inside the station. Inside I'm greeted by the smell of cheap coffee, ink, and the misery of my colleagues. I head to my office but I'm interrupted by Cole who is, annoyingly, my partner. He stands at the leering height of 6’3, constantly having to duck into the station doorways or any doorway for that matter. He always smells of the forest and fresh rain, a pleasant tingly smell that seemingly calms me, but I’d never let him know that. His black hair compliments his light skin, and his unnatural crimson eyes stare at me in amusement.

“ Well, you sure took your time getting here,” He smirked, stalking closer to me, “ Here are the files of the body that was recovered earlier. They have it prepped and ready for you to analyze, sunshine.” He held out a stack of manilla folders unusually thin with papers. “I told you to stop calling me that,” I said as I snatched them out of his hand and stormed past him with a huff into my office, which had a lab/autopsy inside. “And since when, my radiant little ray of sunshine, have I ever listened to you?” He said teasingly, easily catching up with my stride. Ignoring him, I set my belongings onto my desk, unraveling my scarf and discarding it besides everything, and headed to the autopsy table. I brush my hair up with my fingers into a messy ponytail that reaches down to my shoulder blades. I pull on my lab coat and snap on a light blue pair of medical gloves.

As I put on my glasses, Cole saddles up beside me and watches as I pull the white cover off the body. The pale face of a middle-aged woman greets me, but that isn’t what catches my attention. I step back and gasp at the unnerving sight. Her chest was torn apart as if someone had ripped it open with a great amount of force. Her skin had black veins twisting all around her body like ink in water. All of her insides were charred black, her heart missing, and black liquid is what remains. Cole looked grim, his eyes glimmering in recognition at the sight.

“Damn,” he said, clearing his throat a little as if realizing the situation, “When they said it was an unnatural murder, I didn’t think it was something like this......” He weakly gestured towards the body as I stepped forwards, brushing aside his comment, analyzing the black liquid. The liquid looks like tar, but seems to be ….. moving? “I gotta make a call real quick, I’ll… I’ll be right back..” Cole said as he spun around and strode out the door disappearing around the corner.