Hang in There

Months into this job and things weren't so bad as I first started. I had gotten used to solving homicides by implementing thorough scientific investigations that would lead to the inevitable capture of the perpetrators. Something about providing a helping hand to putting murderers away always appealed to my brighter side, and that was my motivation day in and out.

As per usual, I completed my morning routine at exactly 08:30 sharp! It consists of a series of events that could be described as 'obsessive and compulsive'; It all starts with my alarm, which I had set the previous night to go off at 04:45, to which I wake up immediately without any hesitation and brush my teeth. I then proceed to turn on the geyser to prepare for my bath. In the meantime, at exactly 5am, I take a 6 kilometer run around my area maintaining the same speed every time, thus returning to my apartment at exactly 6am.

I've always figured there was nothing more refreshing than a morning jog. By the time I get back, the water will be ready for my bath. I take a quick shower, and by 07:30, I'd have finished eating, then went on my way to work.

I would walk to the station everyday and get there before 9am because it wasn't that far from my place. I would often meet a handful of amazing characters on my way there, and I honestly grown somewhat attached to them even though i seldom chat with them. My house was at the end of the cul-de-sac, so this meant I passed by every house in my neighbourhood, hence feeling a sense of compassion for my neighbours. From the deeply troubled Mr. Bradley who yells at kids for no reason when they approach his residence, to the all too sweet Mrs. Maseko who would often bring dinner to my place and say I reminded her of her late son – How sweet! All of them had a special place in my heart.

This day, however, I came across Mr. Cliff Haartie, a senior citizen who lives three houses from mine. I just passed by without uttering a single word. He was standing at the doorway of his house, staring at me with those old, wrinkled eyes that many have stated were 'full of death and despair'. It was kind of ironic how we didn't see eye-to-eye, but I could feel him gazing deep into the core of my soul, as though he wanted to relay something. I try to go back to him to try and figure out what was the problem, but a migraine got the best of me; so I carried on and proceeded en route to work.

I got there at 09:03, which was odd because I left my place on time with hopes that I would arrive in time. I had never been a second late before, let alone three whole minutes, which was the worst part, because I never do anything at odd intervals. I could feel something wasn't right, but I just couldn't figure out where I got sidetracked.

There wasn't anything to do at the office that day. It was peaceful - way too peaceful. Charlie, the office prankster who's also a senior officer, hadn't started a conundrum as usual. I just figured he was planning something, for when there weren't any on-going cases, he devotes his time and energy orchestrating some ridiculous practical jokes. As frustrating as he was, he was actually very nice and well-liked around the station. His humour was as intense as his pranks, so he was no 'one-trick pony'. As a recurring victim of his crazed endevours, I had to stay alert during these quite times. He couldn't prank me if I wasn't there, so I decided to take a stroll.

I reached for the door, and to my surprise, it could not open. I tightened my grip and tried harder to open, but still, nothing happened. I started sweating for some apparent reason, and when I turned on the AC, it wouldn't respond. "Shit!", it was at this moment I realized I was yet again a pawn in one of Charlie's games. He had found a way to hack into my AC and control it remotely from wherever he was.

"You know Jules, for an extremely smart guy, you were too slow to realize that you've been pranked the moment you walked into the station today", said Charlie, in one of his semi-monologue voices. I knew what would follow was a 'typical villain speech' on how he pranked me, outlining his 'perfect' plan in detail, but leaving at least one important detail for us to figure out.

"You see, I too pay attention to detail like you out there in crime scenes Jules. I realize this morning that you were late for work, so I snuck into your office and stole your key. As soon as you stepped in there, I locked your door. As for the AC, that's for you all to figure out, and remember, whoever gets it right wins a month-free of pranks."

This was usually a daily routine around here, and people would participate in working out the rest of Charlie's plan - who wouldn't want to get a whole month of peace and quiet? But the problem was that the pieces of the plan that he would leave out were very complex.

At around lunch time, Lieutenant Davis, my boss, showed up personally to my office area and told me to rush quickly to a murder scene. Charlie had no other option but to let me out, all to his dismay.

I saw a look on his face that meant we would continue this some other time, but I did not mind because a sudden rush of adrenaline surged through my body, knowing that I was to go solve a crime. This is exactly what I live for. And know this sounds a bit insensitive, but solving homicides gave me a sense of belonging in the world. I always keep a journal of my cases, and this was to be homicide case #6. I have successfully solved all 5 previous cases and wasn't about to fail now.

"Jules, get off your ass and get in the car! Or else we'll leave without you.", yelled Gary, and I could truly understand his frustrations. He one the most respected detectives at GNPD and also my work partner for the last three months.

I ran to the car as fast as I could as it was moving, and I threw myself in. The car we took to crime scenes was a closed van, so I never knew where we would end up, however, the three sharp turns - two lefts and one right, a semi inclined slope and the short time it took us to get there made me fear for the worst. I got out the van as soon as it stopped, and my fears came to be; I found myself back to my neighbourhood.

I had never been here during the day like this. The atmosphere felt so foreign.

You ever went home during school hours because you were sick or something? Ever noticed how oddly different the air and environment felt? That's exactly how it felt to me at that moment.

Just a few meters from my home, I saw the lead detective enter the house of none other but Mr. Haartie. I could not believe my eyes; he was alive this morning. I followed Gary into the old man's house and saw a horrific display of the old man, dangling from the roof, with nothing but his bathing suit on. Gary reckoned it was a suicide, but I, upon taking a close look at the scene, I realized this was no suicide, but a horrific display of violence; A murder!

A man had just died, but all I could think of was how poetic the whole scene was, as though the universe was trying to send me a sign: "Cliff hanging from the ceiling - a literal cliffhanger".