When Darkness Falls

O N E

I felt hot tears stream down my face as I stared down at the picture frame holding a small picture that showed my parents and myself smiling. We were so happy. It seems as if I'd never get that back. I wasn't with them when it all happened. They left me home alone as I had a babysitting job that night. It was their anniversary and they were celebrating ten years of marriage. My mother dressed in a dark blue dress that sat above her knees. My father dressed in a nice suit and tie that elegantly matched her dress. My father had made reservations months in advance to some fancy restaurant that they had never been to before.

I watched them walk out the front door and never come back.

After my babysitting shift was over and I was alone, I tried calling them. They never answered. I had hoped for the best and went to bed with terrible thoughts running through my head.

I couldn't do much more than try to call them.

The next morning I awoke to the sound of pounding fists on my front door.

I quickly shoved the sheets off of my freezing body and pulled on my hoodie that hung on the back of my bedroom door.

I rushed down the stairs and quickly unlocked the door.

Two police officers stood before me. They had solemn faces. One officer took off his hat and let it rest against his lower abdomen as he looked at me.

"Are you Anastasia McCall?" His voiced rasped out. His New York accent present as he spoke.

I slowly nodded my head." What happened?" I asked with a worried expression etched across my face.

"I'm afraid we have some bad news ma'm. Last night around midnight, we found two bodies in an alleyway. They were mangled. It was a homicide. We believe they are your parents." He explained.

My heart stopped and I tried catching my breath. I could feel myself begin to hyperventilate. I had no words to describe how I was feeling.

"....We're gonna need you to come down with us to identify the bodies." The other male officer spoke. His voice was soothing but it didn't make me feel any better.

I felt bile rise in my throat and I instantaneously ran towards the guest bathroom. Luckily the toilet was already open because I would've missed. The vomit poured into the pristine toilet and I felt tears running out of my eyes. My throat burned at the acidity of my stomach juices.

I flushed immediately and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

My stomach hurt and I felt as if all the worlds weight had been put onto my shoulders.

I managed to pull myself up and out of the bathroom. The police stood in the same place they had been when I ran to the restroom.

They gave me a look and I nodded to indicate that I would willingly go with them.

My sweatpants and hoodie would have to do in this zero degree weather.

The ride was silent but I didn't want to talk. I couldn't anyways, not without crying.

Once we arrived at the station, The officers walked me inside. I followed them towards the back to a heavy green door. It creaked as one of them opened it and the stench of death hit me. It was horrible. It was the last thing I wanted.

We walked towards a table that was covered in a white sheet. There were two bodies underneath and I prepared myself for the worst.

One officer reached down and pulled back the sheet, revealing my mothers pale face. She had cuts all over her face and one deeply outlined on her neck. I conclude that that's what killed her.