HUES OF A MURDER

Chapter 8: Grey Skies

It started raining sometime early in the morning. Even though the sun broke the night, it was still dark. Big drops fell from the dark sky.

Rose felt that the sky was mirroring her mind. As she wasn't able to cry anymore, the sky was doing it. For her. And only her.

She looked over at Cyan who was sitting next to her in the constable's car. He smiled at her as if to assure her that everything would be fine.

Scarlett, sitting on her other side, was looking out of the window, chewing on her nails. Her left leg was doing an incessant, restless tap dance. It used to annoy Rose. But now, she didn't have the energy to chide her.

The ride to the station was becoming unbearable to her. It was a long ride. She squirmed in her seat. She wanted to scream. She turned back to ensure that her brother's car was behind them. A hand clasped hers. She glanced at Cyan, who responded by giving her a silent slow blink. A reassurance. She breathed out and realised that she was holding her breath. She wanted to tell him that she was fine. But she couldn't. She gave him a small smile.

Soon, they reached the station. It was eight – thirty. But still dark. Now, the rain was falling over them with a roar. They got wet when they got out of the car. They were quickly ushered into the station before Rose could even glance at her brother.

The constable whispered something to another police man. He sized them up and pushed a tray towards them, "your phones."

After collecting their phones and handing over them to another cop, he asked Cyan to follow him. Rose panicked and looked around.

"You come with me," the police woman, whose name Rose had forgotten, told her.

She looked at Scarlett, who waved her to go.

"You sit here honey. Someone will be with you soon." The constable nodded to Scarlett pointing at a chair.

Rose followed the constable to a small room with lockers. The constable opened a locker and took out an oversized T-shirt and faded jeans. She handed them over to Rose and beckoned her to follow her. They went to the next room with a row of 4 shower stalls.

"Remove you dress and put it in this," the constable gave a sheer plastic bag with 'Evidence' written on them.

Rose took it and stared at it. "Chop, chop. We don't have all day," the constable clapped her hands.

Rose gulped down her sorrow at being treated like a common criminal. She slowly began stripping down. A tear rolled down her eyes.

"I will be outside," the constable averted her eyes and went outside.

Rose sighed and closed the bathroom door and removed her clothes and put it in the bag. Rose opened the door slightly to find the constable standing outside biting her nails.

"Here," she gave the bag to the constable while hiding behind the door.

"Can I take a shower?" Rose asked her in low voice.

"Oh! Yeah!" the constable took the bag from her and shoved a towel and a shower gel bottle at her.

"Be quick!" the constable barked.

The first shower stall was wet. Rose chose the second stall and turned on the shower. Freezing water fell over her body like needles. She scrubbed her skin of Ruby's blood. She poured a copious amount of coconut smelling shower gel on her hands and lathered it on her body. After the bath, she dressed up in lightning speed.

The constable took her to a small room. She was asked to sit there. Unlike in movies, the room was windowless with no one-sided mirrors. There was a table and three chairs.