Shadows of Death

chapter 1(Charlie section)

"Charlie section"

First Time Zone: War between Daeva and Peri (Mythological creatures Iranian)

Local time: 7:45 a.m.

Monday – Tehran – Iran

The deafening sound of the alarm clock on the desk filled the room. The clock announced it was seven forty-five on Monday that morning in October. A sleepy hand came out from under a large red floral blanket and twice tried to turn off the alarm.

After a few seconds, the hand's owner came out from under the blanket. He took a long yawn and sat on the edge of the bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, parted in the middle. His face was just like a teenager's, which was appropriate, since he just blew out sixteen candles on his birthday cake three weeks ago. His eyes were deep brown and his height not more than one meter and sixty centimeters. The name of this boy was Charlie Arman.

Charlie yawned again, then set his bare feet on the warm carpet of room and went toward the door. Opening it, and first thing he saw was his mom who was preparing the breakfast table.

"Hi, Mom," he said with a voice that he tried to keep free of sleepiness.

His mother, Sarah, said with a motherly smile, "Hi, honey. As soon as you wash your hands and face, breakfast will be ready."

Charlie nodded and went to the bathroom. After five minutes he came out with arranged hair and a clean face, then he stepped toward the kitchen. When he entered the kitchen, he immediately took the first chair. Sarah filled two glasses with warm, fresh milk. Like her son, Sarah was skinny and tall. Her eyes were dark brown just like Charlie's. That morning she wore a white shirt with tiny blue flowers and a long black skirt. The clothes that Sarah wore hugged her figure, showing that she was still beautiful. Sarah took a seat and then put a glass of milk in front of Charlie on the table.

Charlie had a look at his breakfast. Fresh bread with cheese and a glass of milk looked like a good breakfast to Charlie. On the table was the daily newspaper. It is one of his mother's favorite habits to read the newspaper and listen to news while she ate her breakfast. Before Charlie could put the first piece of bread in his mouth, Sarah looked at the clock on the kitchen wall and turned on the TV. Their small TV was on the short kitchen wall that separated the living room from the kitchen.

The newsman appeared at his usual desk and announced to the family: "Good morning, Tehran. Hello everyone. I'm Alexander Thomson, here in studio channel six with the morning news."

Charlie spread some cheese on his bread as he watched the newsreader look through his notes.

"Five people were killed today in Narmak neighborhood, Tehran. Colonel Ahmadi, spokesman for the police, announced this to reporters after yesterday's events. Colonel Ahmadi did not give information about the circumstances of their death, only saying that the victims appeared to have been shot, although police found nails instead of bullets in the bodies of the victims! For more information we have a direct connection with Leon Aria, our reporter at the crime scene in Narmak neighborhood. Leon, should we believe the victims were really killed by nails?"

"At the moment, we can't believe something like that really happened. Even witnesses and medical personnel who have seen the bodies can't accept that something happened here. But according to what we've heard from the police, ten-centimeter long nails were found around the dead bodies.

The TV presenter interrupted the reporter: "So the killer or killers murdered these victims with a hammer and nail? I, mean someone had put a nail on the victim's chest and tap with a hammer on that?"