Through the Shadows Together

Chapter One: Meeting an Old Friend

The start of something exciting, new.

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Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

A low groan escaped me as I buried my face deeper into the pillow, praying it would mute the alarm's relentless beeping. My eyelids felt heavy and unwilling to open.

"I need more sleep..." I mumbled, my mind clinging desperately to the fading remnants of sleep I had left.

Maybe if I just stay still, I can stay in bed a little longer...

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Ugh, for crying out loud...."

With a defeated sigh, I flung my arm out blindly, my hand fumbling across the nightstand in search of the alarm. When my fingers finally found the button, I smacked it more forcefully than necessary.

The obnoxious beeping ceased at last, leaving me with a blissful, but short-lived silence.

I lay there for a moment, taking all this quiet in before reluctantly pushing myself out of bed. I slowly sat upright and stretched my arms over my head, feeling my joints popping as I arched my back.

The room was colder than usual, my mind foggy, my body fatigued, and the weight of my blankets felt far too tempting to leave behind.

I glanced at the time – 6:04 AM. Letting out one last sigh, I threw off the bed covers and rushed to the bathroom, barely sparing the look of my reflection in the mirror when I walked past it.

I jumped into the shower, the cold water slightly jolting me awake. Though I took my time scrubbing down from head to toe, my mind raced, counting the minutes slipping away. I was mentally running through everything I needed to do before I headed out the door.

With my teeth brushed and my hair damp but manageable, I grabbed my towel and hurried back to the bedroom.

I began rummaging through my closet, searching for an outfit worthy of kicking off a good Monday morning at work. My eyes landed on a simple, clean white polo, pairing it with my favourite sleek, navy-blue pants. As I slipped them on, the polo hugged my shoulders nicely and the fabric of my police pants felt comfortable against my skin.

After securing my belt and holster, with my gun in place, I reached for a lightweight jacket to complete the look. Running through a quick mental checklist, I nodded to myself:

Okay...I got my wristwatch...ponytail on...got my Chelsea Boots...okay, we're good to go.

I adjusted my collar and straightened my watch before discreetly tucking my police badge out of sight. I gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror, and I felt satisfied with my look. It wasn't anything extravagant, but it was exactly the look I needed to kick-start the day.

I reached for my backpack, double-checking its contents: work laptop, water bottle, wallet, case folders, paperwork, pouch, cap, walkie talkie and its holder – all accounted for.

Relieved, I zipped it up and slung it over my shoulders, muttering under my breath, "Alright... just need to grab a few more things...then get to work."

Breakfast was probably out of the question, as usual. Eh, might as well stick to the routine and head out.

As I stuffed the apartment keys into the small compartment of my bag and my phone in my pocket, I noticed a sticky note on my usual bulletin board. Curiously, I approached the board, peeled the note off and it read: