Deluge - Drown

~Chapter 1 : The Game Begins~

    As we get closer the faint blue and red lights start to peer over the glossy, grimy old buildings, my ears start to ring as screeching and crying fill up my head. But i'm used to it, I've been used to it for too long. The cacophony of my surroundings grew to a substantial amount. All i could hear were sirens and the weeping of individuals, individuals who have no clue about the true meaning of this mess.
   The car stops at a halt, just behind the yellow tape. Pulling the door open i firmly place the soles of my heels into small puddles: looking straight towards a man without realising I've left the car door open. I quickly pull the yellow tape over my head with the help of another officer, crouching at the same time and walking under. I lightly jog as i finally make it just beside the man i had been looking for.
"What happened?" The man looked down at his shoes then back up, with his arms crossed tightly and his face full of impatience and aggravation.

"Here are the reports, go take a look yourself. Now, i have something to attend to. Please excuse me". The man handed me a tied up pile of sheets before slowly turning around and heading towards a small gathering of police officers from a different department.

Just as the tall man told me, i casually opened the folder, flicking through the pages of the incident, along side the inflicted wounds on her body and all her personal details; before getting to all the crime scene photos at the back of the flimsy cardboard. I scanned every single one of the pieces of paper before closing the folder and deciding to take a look at the real thing for myself.

 Kindly giving the folder to one of the officers that seem to not be doing anything, i slowly move closer to the gate of the restaurant, pulling the stiff metal notch out of the pin and grinding the bottom of the gate against the wet mossy stones.

Walking past the line which separates the street from the front yard, an over-whelming scent of iron courses through my body.

"Oh hello Miss. Bi, have you read the report?" I nodded completely ignoring their presence as my eyes immerse into the woman's body.

"Ah i see, well. One thing that was missed was when we dug through her belongings, everything was left untouched except her lipstick". My eyebrows scrunched up as i took my eyes off the body and turned my neck to look up at the officer in confusion.

"Excuse me? What? Her lipstick?". The officer nodded in response. I was struck with a weird feeling in my stomach, as i peered my eyes onto the glass windows of the restaurant to my right,  slightly scoffing and taking one of my delicate fingers and pointing in front of me.

"Is that her lipstick?" The front large windows were covered in red, bold letters. VIIHV. Without letting the officer answer my question i started to speed off. Walking around the body on the floor and walking towards the graffiti, i trace my finger back across one of the letters, covering my front finger in a creamy like substance. Before pulling my finger up towards my face. I look at the texture of the lipstick before pulling out a tissue from my pocket and carelessly wiping off the red, still leaving streaks in my fingerprint. 

It really was still fresh. 

I turn around heading back to the same officer i had spoken to before.

"We've sent a search team, right?"

"Yes, they've been looking for about...." the officer pulled up his jacket sleeves, taking a quick look at the watch embedded into his skin.

"I'd say around 30 minutes, no more than that". His response left me agitated, making me sigh deeply. It's the same damn response every time that really makes my blood boil. Just forget it.

"Call it off, we aren't going to find anyone, it's too late". The officer nodded and walked away in the opposite direction, walking out the gates and towards the people huddling beside a black van. Trying to keep my head straight, i wander back towards the body. Looking at her from above, her makeup seems to be dripping down her face, almost seeming as if she was coated in a layer of glass. 

Hastily pulling a rubber glove on one hand i trace my hand over her clothes. As expected they were dry. She was killed just as it stopped raining. I starred at her innocent face, eyes lost in terror and despair yet body exploited and ruined. Her glassy skin laid still, muscles slowly stiffening and her rosy cheeks slowly becoming blue. All the hope and love that was left in her heart slowly seeped out of her skin and washed away along side her blood and down into the depths of nothingness. 

My hands crawl around every crevice of her body, i slither my own hands inside her pockets. My hands grasp of which was a fragile, thin paper. I laid it on the woman as i rushed to put another glove on my second hand.

I slowly open it, a glazed donut? An espresso? Without hesitation i pull the glove off my left hand, still holding onto the paper, trapping the small fragile list in a rubber hand and tying it. Filling my pocket with the glove, i pull out another clean, fresh one. I stand up looking around for help of some sort.

"Hey, could someone come and take whatever is on her face to the research lab?". I spoke just as i made eye contact with a woman from inside the building. She quickly rushed over and took care of what i had ordered. As i stood there waiting for the woman to finish, i kept my distance and carried on examining the body. My mind wondered into multiple directions of how the murder could have occurred. But yet nothing really made sense.

Watching her lifeless figure lay on the pavement filled with me with rage and disgust. And yet my guilt still superseded every thought in my mind. As my eyes connected with hers, i could only imagine what it must be like to be ripped away from your own life. 

Her hair was smooth, silky, her body presented of such of a historical painting. Her graceful movements and her posture screamed confidence and yet still. In my head i knew. I knew that it was them that manoeuvred her so effortlessly, placing every limb with care and ease. And yet even now that her eyes are drained of life, she was still as beautiful than if she was ever alive at all. 

"Miss Bi" I shake my head in response to the sudden summoning of my name, turning my head and looking at the person in front of me.

"Come take a look at this"

Seconds later, i was lead back into the building, where i was brought to one of the back doors. We entered the small room filled with wires and blaring computer screens with frizzy camera quality.

"Take a look". The officer pulls out a chair for both herself and me, sitting down with our eyes fixed on the computers. I watch the woman that's fate had taken a turn doing everything that seemed normal. Before watching her walk out the building then stumbling back in, running and breathing heavily, chasing her phone.

"Here"

Her breathing was unsteady and her movements were harsh. She dashed and sprinted through the front door and towards the marble countertops, reaching for her phone as if her life depended on it. In which it did. Her hands were shaky, and her eyes were wet. 

Her screaming and crying resonated throughout the video, even if there was no sound at all. The gut wrenching feeling of her tears dripping down her silky skin and her face red, eyes filled with trepidation as she held her phone up to her ear.

 As you watch and stare at her fragile, porcelain body slowly lose its adrenalin. You could see her breathing become steady and her eyes go numb. She opened her mouth one more time before placing down her phone. 

Walking towards the front door. 

And never to be seen alive again. 

"Her last phone call of which was her own mother was 4 hours ago". 

"We're not really sure who she was speaking to but it would be impossible to tell. Her phone records are wiped strategically and we're un able to recover them"

I leant back into my chair, lifting up my hand, swaying it to one side, indicating her to play that same scenario again. 

Indeed, it was very strange.