Found Obsession

Chapter 25: The Children's Case I

June 17, 2004

Rose was feeling increasingly bored. Since coming home from the hospital, she had been stuck indoors, resting and recovering, and the monotony was getting to her. She flicked through channels, but nothing captured her attention. Movies had become repetitive, and her whiteboard wasn’t much help in entertaining herself. Her gauze was gone and no visible scar was on her throat but a few more days were needed to be able to fully talk and work.

Around 9 PM, the lights suddenly went out, plunging her into darkness. “Great, just what I needed,” she thought to herself, frustration creeping in. As she groped around for a flashlight, she recalled the binoculars sitting on the windowsill. Maybe a little nighttime watching would lighten her mood.

She grabbed the binoculars, peered out of the window, and began scanning the neighborhood. It was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of cars and chatter replaced by an unsettling stillness. Suddenly, something caught her eye.

Focusing the lenses, she squinted and gasped. A shadowy figure loomed over a woman in a dark alley, his hands wrapped around her throat. Rose's heart raced. Was this a murder in progress? She couldn't believe her eyes.

“I can’t just stand by!” she thought, adrenaline surging through her veins. She watched, trembling. Each second felt like an eternity. Was she witnessing a crime unfolding before her?

Just as she was about to bolt for her phone to call the police, she heard a creaking sound outside her door. Startled, she nearly dropped the binoculars. She cautiously opened her door and bumped into Raven, who was standing there holding a flashlight, looking equally startled.

“Whoa! Sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he scanned the dark hallway.

With a sense of urgency, she raised her whiteboard and wrote, “Lights are out! I think I saw a man killing a woman!” Her heart raced as she held it up for him to read.

Raven's expression shifted from confusion to concern. “Are you serious? We need to check this out!” he said, determination in his voice.

She nodded enthusiastically, adrenaline coursing through her. They slipped out of the apartment, Raven leading the way with his flashlight while Rose clutched her gun tightly, ready to investigate the scene further.

As they crept toward the alley, their footsteps muffled by the night, Rose felt a mixture of fear and adrenaline. What if they really did stumble upon a crime scene?

When they reached the alley, they crouched behind a nearby dumpster, peering out into the darkness. Raven turned off the flashlight to avoid drawing attention, and they both focused their binoculars on the scene.

To their surprise, the shadowy figure was actually a man dressed in an exaggerated costume, manipulating a mannequin for what looked like a play rehearsal. He was gesturing wildly, his voice echoing through the alley as he rehearsed lines, completely unaware of his audience.

“Are you kidding me?” Raven whispered, his voice cracking with suppressed laughter.

Who does this at this hour, out here?

Rose couldn’t help it; she burst into giggles, the tension evaporating instantly. “Not a killer, but a wannabe actor!” Raven mumbled.

Suddenly, the man turned abruptly, his gaze sweeping the alley. Rose's stomach dropped. What if he saw them? They quickly ducked behind the dumpster, hearts racing, holding their breaths.

“Stay quiet,” Raven whispered, and they both listened intently as the man began to walk toward them, the sound of his footsteps growing louder. Rose’s heart pounded in her chest as she peered around the dumpster, barely daring to breathe.