2:58 glows green on the night stand;
Sneering at me; laughing.
Brilliant.
The phone vibrates, knocking itself onto my bed
Barely missing my face. What a wakeup, right?
This better be important, I screamed into my pillow.
JAMES?
What do you want, Ted?
GET HERE. WE HAVE A SITUATION.
Oh. Be there in five.
I stumbled around, finding a way to clothe myself in the dark.
Turning on the light was not an option.
I stepped out the door and into my car. In three minutes, I was there.
People scampered around with flashlights and yellow tape;
Securing. Blocking. Cordoning. Compartmentalizing.
Even at three in the morning.
Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to return to your vehicle and leave the premises.
That sounds like something right out of the books, Sparky.
Ma’am?
Don’t ‘ma’am’ me, Junior. Move it or lose it.
BELLEVIEW! GET OUT OF THE WAY!
Sir!
I stepped under the yellow tape, mocking him.
No sleep gave me the disposition of a crotchety old man,
But that didn’t keep me from doing my job.
Thanks, Sparky. And next time try not to be so intimidating –
It makes us detectives freak out a little.
The ground sank with every step;
I’d driven home in this rain not an hour ago.
I could only imagine what I’d find here.
Floodlights posted high on anchored stands;
Fluorescence gave me a supermarket feel.
Like all of this was normal – hum-drum, everyday, unexpected.
Stepping under another strip of yellow, I saw it:
Fluorescent lights could never convince me that this was normal.
