SOUL

killer breaks in to her house

Leo sat at his desk in the precinct, staring blankly at the pile of paperwork in front of him. But tonight, something felt off. That gnawing sensation in his gut—the one he couldn't shake—had started earlier in the day. A creeping sense of unease that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He had learned to trust his instincts over the years, and right now, those instincts were screaming at him that something wasn't right.

His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. It was well past midnight, and the station was quiet. Most of the detectives had already gone home, and the night shift officers were out on patrol. He should go home, too, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

That's when he looked down at his phone. He picked it up as he stared at her contact. He sighs and decided to call her just to put his silly fears to rest. The phone answered.

"Mary?" he said, his voice low and cautious.

But the line was silent.

He sat up straighter, his gut twisting with dread. "Mary, are you there?"

Still, no response.

"Mary!" he said again, louder this time, but all he could hear on the other end was the faint sound of her breathing, labored and shallow.

That was all it took. Without another thought, he grabbed his coat and gun, rushing out of the station. Something was wrong—he knew it deep down, the same way he had known all those years ago at the pond when she'd saved him from falling through the ice. That same gut feeling told him she was in danger now.

The streets were eerily quiet as he sped toward her house, the darkness outside only amplifying his sense of urgency. His mind raced, scenarios playing out in his head, each one worse than the last. By the time he pulled up to her street, his heart was pounding, and the tension in his body was unbearable.

And then he saw it—her front door was slightly ajar, swinging open in the wind. A chill ran down his spine as he parked, grabbed his gun, and approached the house. The area was too quiet, too still, and the door being open was a clear sign something wasn't right. Mary was cautious. She would never leave her door open, especially not at night.

Gun drawn, Leo moved carefully toward the entrance, his pulse hammering in his ears. He pushed the door open with the barrel of his gun, stepping inside as quietly as possible. The house was dark, but his trained eyes scanned the shadows, looking for any movement.

"Mary?" he called softly, his voice steady despite the fear clawing at his chest. He moved further into the house, his senses on high alert.

Then he heard it—a soft thud from down the hall.

His heart leapt into his throat as he pivoted toward the sound, his gun raised, ready for whatever was waiting for him. The hallway stretched ahead, dark and foreboding, and as he took a step forward, a figure came rushing toward him.

Mary.

She crashed into him with a scream, her arms flailing in pure terror. The sound of her panic sent a jolt through him, and in his shock, Leo dropped the gun and held it in his left hand, his right flying up to steady her.

"Mary! It's me!" he said quickly, pulling her close. "It's just me, you're safe."

She was trembling violently, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she clung to him, her fingers digging into his jacket. Leo wrapped his arms around her, holding her as tightly as he could, whispering reassurances into her hair.

"It's okay. You're okay," he murmured, his hand stroking her back in slow, soothing motions. "I'm here now. You're safe."

Mary pulled away slightly, her eyes wide with fear as she pointed down the hall, her voice barely a whisper. "The bathroom," she gasped, struggling to get the words out. "There's something in the bathroom."

Leo tensed, his mind racing as he guided her to sit down on the couch. "Stay here," he said firmly. "I'll check it out."

He retrieved his gun from the floor, his senses sharper than ever as he approached the bathroom door. A sick feeling churned in his stomach, the kind of dread that comes with knowing something terrible is waiting on the other side.

He pushed the door open with his foot, gun raised, his eyes immediately locking onto the mirror.

The message written in blood was unmistakable. The letters were jagged and erratic, the red smears dripping down the glass, creating a macabre scene that made his stomach turn.

You can't stop this

His blood ran cold as he took in the horrifying sight. His training kicked in, and he immediately grabbed his radio, calling for backup. The officers would be there in minutes, but that wasn't fast enough for him. Someone had been here, and whoever it was, they had left a message for him. And it wasn't just any message—it was a threat. A threat directed at Mary.

Leo turned on his heel, heading back to the living room where Mary sat huddled on the couch, her body shaking with fear. He knelt in front of her, his hands gentle on her arms as he guided her to her feet.

"We're getting out of here," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Come on."

Mary didn't argue. She barely spoke as Leo escorted her outside, his hand protectively resting on her back. When the officers arrived, he handed her off to one of them to take her statement. His mind was still reeling, trying to piece together what had happened, but he couldn't focus. His only concern right now was getting Mary out of this place, away from whatever threat had come for her.

He watched as she stood with the officer, her voice low and trembling as she recounted what had happened. Her hands were shaking, and her face was pale. She looked so fragile, and for the first time in a long while, Leo felt an overwhelming surge of protectiveness.

Once the initial investigation had wrapped up, Leo walked back to Mary, his expression softening as he approached her. "I'm taking you to my place," he said. "You'll be safe there."

Mary looked up at him, her eyes filled with exhaustion and fear, but she nodded without protest. She was too shaken to argue, and deep down, she trusted Leo to keep her safe.

The drive to his house was quiet. Mary sat in the passenger seat, staring blankly out the window, her fingers trembling slightly in her lap. Leo glanced at her every so often, his chest tight with worry. Whoever had left that message wasn't finished, and he couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her while he wasn't there.

When they arrived at his house, Leo guided her inside, his arm lightly resting on her back as he led her to the living room. "You take my bed," he said softly, grabbing some blankets and pillows from the closet. "I'll stay out here on the couch."

Mary stood in the doorway, looking lost, but she nodded. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice hoarse from everything she had been through.

Then she nodded, her lips pressing together in a thin line. "I'm glad you came," she whispered, before turning and heading into his bedroom.

As the door softly clicked shut, Leo let out a long breath, sinking onto the couch. He ran a hand over his face, his mind racing. The message on the mirror. The blood. The threat. Whoever had done this was dangerous, and they weren't done yet.

But for tonight, Mary was safe. He'd make sure of that.