DARIUS

He's awakened by the sudden beep of the car behind him. He's fallen asleep again. After a whole week of surveillance, he too has been lacking in the sleep department.

He slapped his cheeks lightly to keep himself awake. He started the car and made a stop at a cheap coffee shop.

"Americano please."

The young barista stopped whatever she was doing and started making his coffee.

He grabbed his phone from his pocket and started surfing through online news reports.

He's been a member of the country's police force for 10 years now. He loved his job as a detective and never aimed for any position higher than what he already had. He loves the action and would never replace it for anything.

As soon as the barista placed his coffee in front of him, he took a small pack of sugar and mixed it with his coffee.

He took a sip and focused on an article on his phone. He's been checking on leads and new chains of cases. He's always had the drive and the eagerness to solve mysteries and puzzles. It gives him a different kind of satisfaction every time he gets to solve or be involved in resolving new cases. Murders, homicide, rape, and even a simple burglary are considered a puzzle to him.

He gives so much attention to details that it becomes easier for him to resolve his cases. He is good at it and it's another reason why he never wanted any management position. He thought that if he takes one, he'd be deprived of the one thing he really loved about his job.

As soon as his cup was empty, he stood up and went back to his car.

As he was approaching his vehicle, he noticed a figure that was standing just behind his car bumper.

It was a woman with Caucasian hair, about 5'2, and her back was facing him.

"Excuse me? I'm about to leave can you please step aside?"

But she did not seem to hear him. He sighed and walked towards where she was with his head bowed down.

As soon as he was near her, he was appalled when he saw that the woman was gone.

He sighed once again as he walked back towards his car door and attempted to open it again.

As soon as it did, he sat down in front of the steering wheel and adjusted his rearview mirror only to be horrified with the reflection he was seeing through.

It was the same woman who was standing outside of his car and who was suddenly gone.

She was wearing the same color of clothes. A pink top and the same hair color. Her head was bowed down and her hair covered her entire face.

"Hey, can I help you with anything?"

There was still no response. He thought to himself, how did she even get inside without him noticing? His car is old that opening its doors would not go unnoticeable.

"Hello?"

He looked back after not hearing anything from her. But as soon as his eyes moved from the rearview mirror towards the back seat, he found no one sitting there again.

His heart started pumping nervously, unsure of whether he's still in a dream or not.

He slowly faced back to the steering wheel and was determined to start the engine when he noticed that the same figure was now sitting beside him in his passenger seat.

"Who are you?" his face has grown grim, feeling an ultimate chill all over his body.

As though in slow motion, her bowed head moved towards him. He could hear the muscles in her neck cracking.

The beating of his heart is on overdrive and he can't fathom the sudden feeling of fear from inside him.

Her face was still half-covered and he could barely see her face.

"Help Me."

Her voice sounded different. As though she's in so much pain. It felt like she's coming from a very dark and deep place. He could not even imagine how that was possible in the middle of this daylight and the busy street.

"How... how can I help?"

Slowly her hair paved and he saw her face. Her eyes were cold red and her lips were almost purple. Her cheeks were grayish and her forehead seemed as though it's been battered.

"Help me!!!!!!!" it was a deep scream that reverberated all over his car, bringing more fear to his already scared soul.

His eyes refuse to believe it. In a matter of seconds, she was gone again. His heart jumped a bit when his phone rang.

He took some time to settle his breathing. As soon as he finished taking in long deep breaths, he answered his phone.

"Yes? Okay, I'll be there."

He placed his palm over his chest. The fear is still there. He can't believe what just happened. The feeling was immeasurable.

He started his engine as fast as he could. Not wanting to repeat the incident. As though it would only happen in that place.

He's never had such an incident before. Ghostly? Paranormal? He doesn't believe in any of those.

He only believes in scientific explanations of things. Never the paranormal.

During the ride, he can't stop glancing at the rearview mirror. It was almost as if it's precautionary for him to do so. Not aware that it may cause him an accident.

After an hour of repeatedly glancing over the backseat of his car and tirelessly switching radio stations, he arrived at a secluded area down east.

A sturdy house with a small barn stood in the middle of it all. The land was vast and the next house is found at least a hundred miles from where it was standing.

He saw three police cars and an ambulance already parked in the area.

He parked his car in front of a huge tree just along with the two other vehicles.

He grabbed his gun, checked its bullets, and fixed it back in his duty belt.

Unlike any other policeman, he is not wearing his uniform. Another part of the job he liked the most. He is not an over-the-top fashion fanatic but he prefers his clothes plain, simple in shades, and not crazy colors. He often has a pile of shirts in gray, black, or white. He prefers these over a uniform too. In his mind, it's predictable. It makes him easy to figure out.

He got out of his car, just in time as a uniformed police came to him, giving him a handshake.

He assumed he's new.

"Someone called it in this morning. 6:45, as soon as we received it, we came to the property. I had to tag along with two more police cars. The house owner has a reputation for using guns against trespassers. This is one of the biggest properties in the area. And we've had several reports in the past of the owner letting out a bullet even when it's not necessary."

"Forensics?"

"They're inside. Ready to give you the details."

As soon as he stepped inside the barn, a foul smell started rushing over his senses.

A body laying on an elevated platform inside the barn was what welcomed him.

A petite woman was gathering shreds of evidence around the body while the rest of the police officers were searching the place for any possible clues.

"Carmine, this is Detective Rodriguez. He needs the details of the case."

"Right. Carmine Torres." she held her hand towards him for a quick handshake.

"The body's almost rotten. More or less it's been here for five days. She's female, about her late 20's. She's living alone in this property and has a wide collection of guns. No cameras, no home monitors, phone lines were cut off. Not a possible robbery as no property seems to be missing except for a huge framed photo inside her house. You can check it out inside."

"Cause of death?"

"Blunt Force Trauma to the head."

"Any signs of the weapon?"

"Well, that's what we're all here for. It seems that it's from the shape of a baseball bat or a saw handle. Unless we get to see the weapon itself and I could run my tests in the lab I can't be so sure."

"Thanks!"

He tried to make out her face but it was already too ruined yet something about her seemed oddly familiar.

He walked out of the barn and went inside the house. It was a bigger barn house meant for living with a modern interior and exterior.

As soon as he got in, he felt that same chill he felt a few hours ago before receiving this case.

His eyes roamed around the property. It was clean in every inch of it. Each detail of the interior was well thought of and no furniture seemed odd. He noticed a space right in front of the door.

The specks of dust that outlined the shape of the frame that used to occupy the space were noticeable. In his mind, it's a 16 by 20 frame.

He roamed around the inside of the house and noticed how everything seemed to be neat. No trace of force can be seen in the house and the only thing that really seemed missing was that huge frame right across the door.

He noticed a small picture frame in one of the cabinets. His brows furrowed as his heart started to beat faster.

He slowly walked towards that frame with the image of the house owner.

The image started to get clearer and clearer. As he stood up just in front of the frame, his eyes widened in disbelief.

He knew there was something familiar about all of this.

The face was too familiar that it was turning his guts off.

He reached out his hands to grab the frame when he noticed a rotten hand touch over his.

His heart started leaping uncomfortably. He traced where the hands are from and his eyes met the red, infuriating eyes of the same woman he saw just a while ago.

Then he heard her scream.

"Help!!!"

The frame fell on the floor as he took his hands back.

The woman was gone again.

He stared at the photo with its glass now broken.

It was the same woman. He can never go wrong.

The same woman that haunted him in his car.

His mind is asking questions now. What does this mean?