Murder Mystery Chp 2

A flashback and dream leading to an idea.

           “What the hell happened to you, James?” Sharon whispered under her breath as she stared at the scarred and bruised body of Hayes. She could tell he was tired and worn out, but she also knew James to hold things back from the police. It was just who he was. When a mystery intrigued him, he was determined to figure it out for himself. But then again, he seemed different. When she showed up in Pinewood a few hours before the cops around, she found him in an abandoned hour with its inside walls covered in blood and him sprawled across the ground. When he regained consciousness, he seemed scared like a child and his skin pale.

 

            Hayes opened his eyes and found himself in a small cellar with no windows. Just four walls, a black wooden door and one torch burning in the corner. He got onto his knees and found that his wrists were chained to the ground. His heartbeat quickened and panic started arising in his chest. There was a creak and Hayes looked up to see four figures in black robes and their face hidden underneath a hood and the shadows of the room.

            “Ah, our little noisy trespasser is awake.” One of them spoke in a jolly voice.

            “Indeed… now what to do with you.” A female voice spoke.

            “Why?” Hayes mumbled through his dehydrated, weak voice.” Why kill all those innocent little kids?”

            “They were… naughty. And this town didn’t need any mischief.” The female voice spoke.

            These people were clearly insane. Hayes finally figured out the case but he didn’t have the assailants, the ones that now held him captive. Something inside him looked back at the email he received in his office that asked him to come out to this town and investigate the ‘suicide’ of the son of the Mayor. Something was still off about this whole thing.

            “You made those kids look like suicides but why did it get bloody?” Hayes asked looking down at the ground.

            “This town just didn’t have room for outsiders, especially the obnoxious kind. Constantly bothering the neighbors, inviting their outside friends for parties on weekend. It was annoying.” A deep male voice spoke.

            “Enough.” The female voice.” What are we going to do with him?”

            “We’ll make him suffer. But we won’t kill him; we’ll leave nature to do that. Bring him upstairs to the living room.”

            One of the hooded figures left and the other two stepped forward, one with a hypodermic needle.” Just so you don’t give us any trouble.” The female voice said in a jolly tone. She stuck it in his neck and almost instantly, his muscles relaxed and he no longer had any energy to move, even speak. They both took his arms and dragged him up the stairs outside the door. He felt like he was in and out of consciousness. One second, they started going up the stairs. The next, he was being put on the floor beside a fireplace. Before he lost consciousness again, he saw a bookcase close. He just thought he was imagining things.

            “Now. You will remember your sins with this marking.” Hayes saw from the corner of his eyes that one of the hooded figures grabbed two fire irons that was hanging in the fire.” Sit him up.” He said to one. Gave another one of the fire irons to the other hooded figure.

            Now he was sitting up, reluctantly, staring into the fireplace. A hooded figure stood in front of him and he brought up the fire iron. Hayes then saw the fire iron had a torch design at the tip of it.”  This fire will represent your sins.”

            That’s when he heard a sizzling and then a burning on his chest and back. From the back of his throat, a scream arose. He saw white in his vision and then blackness, followed by a strange numbness.

            “What not?” The female asked.

            “We leave him here. Chained to the ground. No one will look for him. For God Sakes, put a shirt on him, he’s getting blood everywhere.” That was the last thing he heard before he passed out.

 

            A jolt. Hayes screamed and was sitting up on the floor. For a second, all he saw was that fireplace and he thought he was in that house still. Then he slowly began to drift awake and saw Chief Michael and Sharon at the door of his bedroom. He looked down and saw that he had a shirt on and looked at Sharon. She just curled her lips in a concerned manner.

            “You OK, James.” Chief Michael asked.

            “Yeah,” Hayes started,” Thought I saw a spider.” But in that second, he remembered the bookcase closing. His eyes went wide; he knew how to find the b******s that did this to him.

            “I’m going to have to decline the psych evaluation for the next week. I’m going on vacation.” Hayes was already on his feet and grabbed a leather duffel bag from his dresser and started filling it with clothes. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Sharon examining him. She knew he wasn’t going on vacation.

            “Yeah. Sounds like a good idea.” Sharon spoke. Hayes stopped and briefly looked over to her surprised. She was up to something, he had that feeling. But Chief Michael was oblivious to what was actually going on.

            “That’s a good idea. Give you a few days to get together and heal up.” Chief Michael said optimistically.” I’ll talk to you when I get back. But I have to hurry for a meeting with the Mayor.” Chief Michael left after glancing at his watch.

            “What are you actually doing, James?” Sharon asked leaning against the door frame and folding her arms across her chest.

            “Vacation.” Hayes replied as he crossed the room and opened a safe he kept under his bed. He took out a pistol and a few rounds that he kept with it.

            “Does vacation really involve carrying a pistol?” Sharon asked from behind him.

            “It does when you’re going where I’m going.” Hayes said.

            "Ok." Sharon left at that point. Hayes stopped and watch her go. She only knew her for a day and he knew she didn't just drop things just like that. Something was up. But he was in too much of a hurry to really care.

           Sharon sat in her car outside of Hayes' apartment and waited for him to appear. If he wasn't going to give up what he was up to. She'd have to find out where he was going for herself.

           "Waiting for someone?" Sharon jumped and looked over to the passenger side window where Hayes was getting into the seat." Drive me to the station. I left my bike there."

           "Why should I?" Sharon snapped from embarrassment and anger.

           "Well it's going to be hard to follow me without being seen if I'm walking." Hayes said.

           "Why can't you just tell me where you're going? You're in no shape to drive your bike" Sharon tried pleading.

"Don't tell me what I'm in no shape for, Sharon." He didn't want to admit it but he still looked exhausted.

Reviews

[Larry Dyson]

abandoned hour..oh must be car..great story...im addicted..