Dog Days are Over

Chapter Four: Discovery

It was the same everytime I caused the memory, how could I forget, its what forced me to close up my childhood.

I was young,
too young.

The turned over vehicle was blocking my view but I needed to catch my breath, I forced myself to stand; lifted my hands from my knees, and walked around the family vehicle.

I had ran more than two miles from Jordan Elementary school once I overheard the news, I knew it was them; no doubts in my mind because my family was probably the only one with a nineteen-ninety's olds mobile.

As I circled around the Car I've known my whole life, I was momentarily stopped by an out-stretched fragile hand that I recognized instantly. For a moment my mind came back a blank, I just couldn't accept what It was leading to.
How could I not recognize her delicate, loving hands, that have cured so many of my injuries. The woman that loved me unconditionally, that gave me life and taught me how to appreciate it. How could I not recognize my own mother's hand...
No...NO!
An involuntary force moved me and saw the horrific scene, the scene that has haunted me all these years.

The flash of red, black, and smoke filled my vision; forcing me to cringe, and gasp. I took a pause catching my breath, disbelieving the similarities between my past and Sheryl's death. They were connected, in some way I didn't know yet but I was now sure they were connected.

So I began to brainstorm, Sheryl died of blood loss caused by the grotesque injuries that were inflicted on her, yet there is no blood underneath her body. She is camping on a school night, without proper clothing or food supply and above all, she decides to do it alone.

My thoughts rush on their own, unable to stop what sudely unfolds before me.

I look back at the foot print and moved towards it, I squashed the surrounding vegetation to discover five identical indents, large nails no doubt about it just above the toes.

"Its not human"

I took out my camera and snapped four pictures from different angles, I stood and looked around, it still didnt make any sense.

Why only one footprint?

I stepped off the tapped path and searched for anything that was misplaced or didn't belong. Roughly seven meters out I came across a torn off branch blocking my way, I tried moving it to get past it but found myself holding a bloody end. I snapped a few pictures to view later, I examined the grounds and sure enough found human footprints leading away from the path. As I walked back I noticed they changed form, and remember the first.

Just then my phone rang, I answered on the first ring, "spill it." I said

It was Patrick, "the address on her I.D. is her mother's, she is currently housed on a school owned apartment complex on 262 SantaCruz ST. over at cloverfield."

"perfect." I said.

I stood from taking pictures in realization of what I didn't want to admit but at this point there was no fooling myself, this was too close to home.

With my foot I disrupted the footprint, and did so with all of them back to the bloodied branch, I pulled out a black cloth and proceeded to wiping the branch clean of blood. No matter how shocking the truth really was no one would know about it. The world wasn't ready for it.

I made my way back to the first print and stepped over the nail indents, only because I had made the mistake of telling Adam of its existence.

I walked back down the yellow tapped path heading to my car, carefully cleaning my hands of blood, I came to the sleeping officer behind the tree,
"figures."

I pulled my camera out and snapped a picture, the flash startled him from his nap, "I had my hopes," I said, "but you make it so easy."

The man tried to explain but I didn't have it in me to listen, I climbed onto my truck and drove away.