Brains On Fire (Undergoing Revisions)

Chapter 6

'If you create the storm, don't get mad when it rains.' -Unknown

Gabriela's POV:

I walked inside the building, my feet lighter than they had been in ages, and my lungs filled with air that for once didn't seem forced. I was laughing alone with the rest of the team, my smile seeming to be stuck to my face. I followed them to the conference room the police station here had set up for us. I was sitting in my seat, half listening to the conversations going on around me when I reopened the letter the boy had given me.

"Mrs. RedHair,

I am so glad that you came to our camp today. I know it was under bad circumstances, but meeting you was a ray of sunlight through this darkness. You brought the news of my husbands death, but with you, you brough a suitcase of joy, and a backpck of your own pain on your shoulders. I do hope that one day you will let all that go.

My tribe has been warry of outsiders for a long time, and I do not hold you accountable for the horrible acts that occured many years ago. It is wrong for us to hold this anger, but we are trying to preform what you call, 'self-preservation'.

Ever since 1830, when our ancesters were walked many miles to their deaths to make room for others on our lands, we have been in pain and shock of the brutality. I know you do not want to hear this, but you should know that thousands of us were walked, beaten, starved, infected, and shot in the backs. I do hope that my husband has found them on the otherside, and that I will join him when my time is finally here.

I hope to see you once more, little one. Thank you for your kindness. If you want, you may come to the celebration of my husbands life. I am most sure he would have wanted you there.

-A woman who won't forget what you did."

I smiled at the letter then reality sunk in, like always. I pushed my chair backwards, and it fell to the floor with a terrifying crack. All eyes in the station turned to me as I ran in a mad dash to the phone. I grabbed a marker and some paper before dialing Penelope Garcia.

"Penelope.." I started, but she cut me off.

"You have reached the most wonderful person in the world, ready to take your call, what'cha got, Red?" She joked.

"Listen, this isn't a joke. I just figured out why he is killing these people. I need you to pull up a list of all the genocides ever commited and how the people were massacred." There was silence then clicking as she looked for what I asked. "Thanks dear."

I ran to the board we had and the entire team crowded around me. I quickly wrote things down on paper and pinned them to the board. Penelope called back with the information and I sighed.

"Can you look up the ethnicity of the first 3 victims?" I asked and there was more key strokes.

"Tamalia was Jewish, Chann was Cambodian and Narin was also Cambodian." I shook my head.