The music brought life to the quiet wood, animals stirred as they were awoken. He moved unsteadily to the van, his steps appeared short and he spotted the Wolf as he leapt into the darkness.
‘NO!’ he bellowed, the walls of tissue surrounding his lungs appeared to split as he forced the words over the music. He collapsed against the vans side, managing to stay on his feet he ran towards the girls choice of path, his aim was to get to the girl before it did………before it could pounce on to her weak shell.
He moved in a zigzag motion, unable to concentrate as the hypothermia sunk into his muscles causing them to seize. The music disappeared from behind him, the howl faded into the thick bark of the woods occupants. He saw the entrance to the white field, knowing that the girl would have entered here he moved with speed. She was out of sight……..her tracks ended where he stood. He searched with aching eyes……where are you...where did you go? The force knocked him down onto his side, his head thudding to the ground. The cold blades tore at his body, the pain numbed by the temperature. He could feel the warm liquid as it trickled from the wounds……his body shuddered as his life was slowly released. The slices kept coming, his arms and legs ripped open as the claw was thrust at him……he had no energy to fight, he felt useless.
His body was dragged several feet, he opened his eyes to the full moon. The scene was surreal………..it calmed him, warmed his bloodied skin. He never felt the killer’s knees as they were lowered against his biceps, his body now pinned to the sparkling sheet of white. The glimmer caught his eye as the blade was raised in the air, he moved to see it. The last breathe escaped his burning lungs, the sighing sound followed with the mist. The knife pierced his chest and broke through the rib cage; the cracking noise told him this. He watched from his place of death as the killer removed his beating heart, the red stuff pumped out onto his face and chest, the white snow was attacked by random arterial sprays.
Chapter Thirteen
The water ran down Nathans face, the refreshing liquid snaked its way down the contours of his ageing skin. He found himself needing a cigarette and became slightly agitated as he realised he didn’t have any. The dream had caused him to awaken rapidly, his heart pounded behind the bone guard. He rubbed his chest to make sure there was no damage then moved to the toilet of the Met Headquarters to freshen up. He tried to piece together yesterday’s events. He recalled the epiphany in the woods and talking with Jack in the car. He remembered lowering his chair………….then came the blank section. His reflection appeared older, the eyes sunken slightly and the skin cracking in places. It made him feel old and he moved towards the coffee machine slamming the door as he left. Jack met him in their un-assigned meeting place. He was midway through filling his cup.
‘Morning……..how did you sleep?’ rubbing his eyes
‘Like shit……..you?’
‘Same same’
‘Jack, what happened after we got in the car yesterday……I mean, how did I get back up to my office?’
‘You were out like a light. I woke you once we arrived here and you slumped up the stairs and headed straight into your office……….that’s the last I saw of you mate’.
‘Jesus…….I’m getting old’
Jack chuckled at his friends comment. He also felt the same but didn’t want to admit it. He hated that he looked older than Nathan, his mind was as young as it was in his twenties…..but his appearance showed his true self. They stood by the wall and rested their backs upon it, the hot coffee went down well. Jack removed his packet of cigarette’s and Nathan accepted the offer. They moved slowly to the nearest exit to light up and take in the satisfying drug.
The car park was dead, they stood by the doorway as it shielded them from the light wind. The lighter clicked as the flame was brought to life, Jack protected it with his hands and both men lent in to burn the white sticks.
‘Look, I think it’s wise that we keep your issues to ourselves mate. We don’t want any shit storms appearing mid case, especially if your past is brought to the surface’. Jack aimed to make the words sound concerning but Nathan could hear the direct order hidden inside them, he knew Jack wanted to close this case before retirement and also knew he would do anything in his power to achieve this.
‘I don’t plan on anything being leaked Jack. I’m the last person who needs that kind of information coming up’ he assured.
‘If the stories of the Golden Boy case were brought back to life, and not forgetting the mental issues you suffered……………well, let’s just say we would no longer be on the case!’ Jack flicked his smoke as the flame reached the butt, the wind tossed it far to his right. Nathan followed suit and watched as the small stick was blown away.
‘Don’t worry Jack…….nothing is going to damage this case….I promise.’
They headed back into the building, the door creaked to a close behind them.
Doctor Lime pulled his head back in through the window and closed it tight. The conversation he had overheard and now felt an intriguing sensation within his body. He pondered from his leather chair and looked out of the ground floor window, his fingers balanced against one and other in a pyramid shape under his chin. The past…….digging up the past…….may be worth a little look.
The task room was filled with chatter as Jack and Nathan neared the door. The talk was of ideas the team were throwing at each other about the case. They waited and listened to the varied opinions on the matter. The mixed ranks within the room had begun debating the evidence collected to the day. Some fired remarks on why the killer was doing what he enjoyed, others argued the reasons why it was at a similar location each time. But Jack welcomed his team’s conversation, he approved of their agreements and disagreements, to him it showed initiative and comradeship. He decided to enter the briefing room and the silence engulfed him. The team froze and all chatting stopped.
‘Morning team’ he welcomed, Nathan entered closely behind.
‘Ok, this morning we are going over the case file. We have more evidence and need to explore all areas of the case, I also need the reports from the individual teams that deployed yesterday. I understand that you worked hard on the assigned tasks but am disappointed that no information was trickle fed to me throughout the day……..I should not have to call you and request your findings, it stops now…………understood?’
‘Yes Sir’ in unison.
Nathan was unaware that Jack had spoken to the teams whilst he was asleep, it agitated him that his friend had failed to inform him with a current update. Jack moved over to the large white board and located a free section that wasn’t cluttered with images or different coloured pens.
‘Firstly, we had a breakthrough yesterday thanks to Nathan’ the class looked towards the helper, their heads flicking in his direction. Jack began to write a series of bullet point notes, the tip of the pen squeaked as it moved across the smooth surface. The tapping on the glass behind them alerted their attention and everybody turned to see who was intruding into their team time.