Insane - Who Are You To Judge? (Gripping Psychological Thriller)

Chapter 1 -Avery

The blood smeared across my face somewhat ruins my makeup – I was going for a more au natural look today, but man, do I look good in red.

I stare at my elusive reflection in the one-way mirror of the interrogation room and I listen to the tedious tick of the clock that is undoubtedly broken as it has not been 12:32 for the full twenty-three minutes.

I wonder if they are on the other side of the glass right now. Watching me. Analysing me. Discussing how they are going to crack me.

Or maybe they're doing rock-paper-scissors to decide who has to talk to me because none of them want to listen to another whiny, pathetic girl and her sob story.

Eventually a large, rounded man with the shadow of a forgotten beard creeping across his face approaches the chair opposite me. Those pigs really need to lay off the donuts.

I examine him and his manner. He definitely went with rock. I shake my head. Everyone knows that rock is too obvious, you never go with rock.

I cringe as the detective drags the metal chair along the floor and it shrieks in protest. He shuffles around in his seat for a good seventy-three seconds.

That's fine, I have nowhere to be. You take your time. Get yourself comfy, I think to myself as I roll my eyes.

He clasps his hands on the table in a very let's-get-to-business manner and stares me down for an entire forty-three seconds. I bet he thought I was going to break. He obviously doesn't know who he's dealing with. I don't break.

Instead, I maintain the doe-eyed gaze and quivering lower lip of a woman who has just experienced that traumatising event.

At last, the oaf actually speaks; "Miss, can you please tell me exactly what happened before we found you early this morning at half past two?"

I glance down at my hands and twiddle my thumbs. I want to drag out my pause for as long as possible. You know, to really build up the suspense.

The interrogation room is cold, standing the hairs on my arms up on end. It doesn't unsettle me, though. In fact, I feel at home in the hostile, hollow room.

I gulp down a deep breath.

Show time.