Duskwood: And Beyond

41. Ashton

Hello everyone :) I hope you all are well. 

We are approaching the end. And because of that, this chapter is a bit long. 

I would appreciate it if you vote and comment. 

I also started writing another Duskwood story. You can find that in my profile.  I hope you like that one as well.

Thank you for reading :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ashton

I was once a rising star in the police department. My sharp instincts, dogged determination, and unwavering commitment to justice had earned me a reputation as one of the best detectives in the city. But that all changed one fateful day.

It was a warm spring night. I had just moved to a new city, to Colville to start a new job. I didn't know anyone in the area, and I was feeling lonely and homesick. One day, I decided to take a walk in a nearby park to clear my head and get some fresh air. As I walked, I noticed a young woman sitting on a bench, photographing nearby flowers. She had long, blonde hair and a friendly smile, and something about her caught my eye. I approached her and struck up a conversation, asking her if she was familiar with Colville.

The woman introduced herself. Amy Bell Lewis... And we discussed the city. She told me about a cafe that travelers from all around the world go to. She talked about how it was such a unique place and how she loved the coffee. I found myself drawn to her easy laughter and warm personality. We talked for hours, losing track of time. As the sun began to set, I asked if she was interested in taking me there. She agreed and we went to that little cafe which would be our meeting spot for the years to come. The little cafe where we had long conversations, shared various food, tried all of the coffee, and get to know each other. I never went to that cafe again. I tried once but the taught of Amy haunted me.

Over the course of five years, Amy came to visit me twenty times. Sometimes she would bring her friend, sometimes she would introduce me to people she met and sometimes we would be alone. She saw me as a close friend and I never had the courage to tell her how I felt.

Before that wonderful and dreadful night, Amy slowly became cautious, distant, and paranoid. She would call me at times to tell me someone was following her. She installed cameras around her apartment, she would film her surroundings to show me someone was following her. I never saw anyone. Her doctor told her it was her guilt for an accident she committed when she was young. Slowly, Amy faded away, leaving behind this shy, introverted girl that rarely spoke to anyone. But she spoke to me. She told me about the man without a face. She told me about Jennifer. She tried to convince me. I even went to visit her but there was no one. I returned back to work, thinking she was paranoid and had a mental illness. One night, I learned that she also had feelings for me. That same night my life changed forever. That night Amy texted me, telling me she always had a crush on me but never had the courage to tell me. I told her I felt the same but she never texted back. I assumed she was busy. I tried calling her, I texted her millions of messages. It was just silent. I even drove myself to Duskwood and went to her apartment only to be faced with more silence. I thought she didn't want to see me. I thought maybe she wanted some space. I even thought maybe she was institutionalized. That changed when I learned about the body, her body, found by the police.

Her life slipped away before I could even say goodbye. I cried for days. The loss of Amy devastated me. I became consumed with grief and rage, unable to cope with the senseless loss of the person who had meant so much to me.