Past. Present. Future? [Wattys 2015 ]

Chapter 4- Storm Is Coming

After the second day of school I really needed to get my head right. Something wierd was going on and I need to find out what happened that night.

I pulled out my black leggings and and a grey t-shirt with the words running is the best therapy printed on it, in blue and red. I took out my running shoes and my blue ankle high sock and got dressed for my run.

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I wrote gone for a run on a yellow sticky note and put it on the microwave. My Dad always comes home at about 16:00 to eat a quick microwave meal I don't get but it's  my Dads routine. It's 15:17 and I'm not sure when I'm going to be back.

I stepping out I saw the sky was pregnant with rain. I always loved the smell of rain. I made way to the gate and started running.

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The gravel crunched under my running shoes. My legs were aching my lungs felt as if they would collapse.  I stopped for a moment.

The time read 16:07 on my wristwatch.

I've been running to somewhere that I myself don't know but I was running and  that's all that mattered. Rain droplets strated dancing on my uncovered skin.

I sensed a strom was coming . The rain drops were getting bigger and and it started to sting my skin. I turned around ready to go home  but it was just so far,  the storm would catch me.

I stopped and took in my surroundings

A  green roof caught attention the neighborhood, the trees,  the barking dogs, it was all to familiar.

That's where my feet were caring me to. That where I needed to be.

I ran up to the gate and pressed the button on the side of the gate.

The gate opened. "Luckily they were home " I thought.

The green door opened and I saw a face I haven't seen  in such a long time.

A trail of tears was clearly seen on her cheeks.

The lines between her forehead made her look far beyond her years.

Her hair was messy and her brown hair looked lighter.

Her blue eyes reflected a deep sadness mixed with nostalgia. She looked at me with her bloodshot eyes.

She stepped closer to me and hugged me like  only a mother could. "Darling come in you'll get a cold" she said and  let go. I stepped inside behide her and closed the door. The warmth of the house embraced me and I enjoyed it.

Miss Mayfield went upstairs and brought me back some dry clothes.

It was a pair of black leggings, a t-shirt and a stripped blue and white hoodie. It's  Meridas stuff, who hasn't come back from University- everything belonged to her except the hoodie that belonged to Martin.

"Thanks Mrs Mayfield I'll go get dressed "I said making my way towards the bathroom past Martins room.

After getting dressed I threw my clothes in the dryer. I then went back downstairs. But I just had to. I opened Martin's room and everything was still untouched. Things were just left like the last time I was there.

Strangely so but Martins blue duffel bag with words born to swim printed on it was on his bed. He always took that bag with him to go swim but why is it here and why would he go swimming without.

I closed the door and headed towards the kitchen when I heard Mrs Mayfield heading out the front door . 

Through the window at the kitchen I saw her talking to someone on the phone.

She was busy  making hot chocolat before the phone rang,  I finished up  for her.

I sat by the tabel with the hot chocolate and waited for her.

"Sorry about that Hun,  it was the Detective " she apologized and came to sit at the table.

"Sorry but mind me asking if there is any news? " I asked.

"You probably deserve to hear it from me and not some newspaper article " she said with sad expression waving over her face.

" The Detective found evidence and has reason to believe that Martin didn't kill himself. " she paused for a moment and her lips started to quiver.

She gave me this look I couldn't quite read but after the long  silence that followed, I understood completely .  The silence, screamed the answer.

Tears stared coming , " I have to go. " was the only words that I manged to come up with.

I opened the door and the earthy smell after rain,  petrichor,  filled the air .

I ran home tears still streaming down down my face.

"Dad! " I screamed when I entered the house.  He came running to me from up stairs with a questioning look in his eyes. " He was murdered Dad " I bellowed through the tears"  they killed him " I repeated.  I was trembling and my knees felt weak.  He caught me when I almost fell to the floor.  Dad didn't let go of me.

" I'm sorry Rose,  Dad is so sorry " he said

Then there was blankness and I heard nothing.

"RoRo,  you got to wake up " I heard the voice faintly say.  I opened my eyes and someone was looking at me,  but my vision was blurry.  I closed  my eyes and opened them again.

I was in my room,  in my bed with a raging headache.  "Cindy "  I faintly managed to mutter.

"Yeah,  you finally woke up"  she whispered. 

"What happened?" I asked.

"You fainted in you Dads arms and he called me because there was a work emergency and I'm here " she told me.

It all  came back  to me,  the murder.  I saw Cindy reading her book again. "Listen,  I'm okay and you can go home now it's getting late. " I told wanting to be left alone.  She just said okay left the room and drove home.

20:17.

I had been out for a long time.  I started thinking about who possibly could've killed him and what their motives could be:
Nick- Maybe he was jealous and had enough of being second best.  But Nick couldn't have done that hr just couldn't have.

Cindy- The tension between them. And Cindy only recently has shown interest in murder mysteries.

No it's someone else.  Those two aren't murders they are only teens .  They don't have the means to. 

But this  Trevor guy, the security guard who  found him that morning.  He could've done it, he had access and was the last person to see him. 

I need to find this guy.  He's the only logical  suspect.  If only I could remember what happened.

I opened the drawer at my bedside tabel and made sure the necklace was still there.  It was. 

"I'm going to solve this,  I promise Martin" I whispered.

I got ready for bed and afterwards I took two sleeping pills and I drifted off to sleep.

Sleepy sleepy,  dreamy dreamy,  once woken troubles gone.