I woke up feeling uneasy. My heart rate was slightly elevated and a headache was trying to form just above my right eye. I wished I could make sense of my dreams. They were dark, distressing and jumbled. I decided to get up and watch TV for a while. Jackson was already there flipping through the channels. I felt my eyebrow climb as I watched him drag his hand through his hair and not for the first time. It looked as if someone had rubbed a balloon over one-half of his head. “Can’t sleep?” I asked as I leaned my head on the door jam.
His frustrated sigh answered that question very clearly. He asked quietly “You?” I shrugged as I stepped into the room. “I was asleep for a while but my dreams keep pulling me out.” His dark frown told me exactly what he thought of my ability to sleep in the first place. I could tell other things were keeping him up, more pleasant things than my nightmares anyway. A lighter note touched my voice as I teased him. “No offense to your kissing ability Jackson but I am pretty exhausted.” He grinned sheepishly. “Ya. I know. Tell me, what was your dream about?”
I sat down in the other chair and tucked my feet up under me. “I can’t really make them out.” I said as I hugged myself. “It is completely dark and I am standing still in an empty room. It’s dark but I can still see well enough to make out shapes and stuff. I hear a hissing sound and in an instant, I am so afraid that I start to run. Every time I turn a corner or go through a door I am back where I started only the hissing is louder. No matter what direction I choose, I always end up back in the same place and I begin to feel a sense of terror. Then suddenly there is a thick fog everywhere and I can’t see anything. But I can still hear the hissing. No matter which way I turn the hissing gets louder as though I am getting closer to it with every move. When I finally stop, the hissing stops and bursts into a hot bright light that flares all around me, on every side. It dissipates the fog but burns my eyes. Even with them closed the pain is unbearable. At the very moment that the pain can no longer be endured and I am sure I will die everything stops. Everything. There is no light, no sound, no movement, nothing. There isn’t even any heat so before long I am cold. It is so cold that my bones ache but I am not freezing or shivering. It’s just the painful ache of the cold. Then someone started calling my name. I know that it is my name but before I can really hear it clearly, the wind snatches the sound away. I try to follow the sound but it seems to be coming from all around me instead of any one direction. The person is calling me over and over. I start to panic because I can hear the voice but I don’t know who it is. I know that this person is calling me but I can’t make out the name. Then suddenly my fear starts to melt away and I can feel warm air circling all around my face like a gentle caress. The warmth is very soothing and soon the warm moisture begins to pull at me. Pulling, no tugging me gently out of my dream. Then I woke up. The fear subsides into a mild alarm and I just have like a light shortness of breath and the beginnings of a headache after.”
I looked over at Jackson as I finished speaking. His eyes locked with mine as we sat in silence. His expression was unreadable now in the briefly low light of the T.V. “Is it the same dream every time?” He asked softly. I nodded. I could feel his heat radiating toward me. He sat forward and leaned his elbows on his knees. His eyes never wavered from mine once. “Is that the only dream you have?” The timber of his voice had deepened considerably. I nodded again. Somehow I couldn’t find my voice. I swallowed, my heart rate rising. I chided myself silently and shook my head. Get a grip on yourself, girl. It’s not like you’ve never sat in the dark with a good-looking guy before! Yes, my heart whispered, but you’ve never been in love before either! I sat up shocked by the realization. In love… with Jackson! My heart thrilled as his arm stretched out and he took my hand. My eyes closed at the contact. His fingers entwined with mine and his thumb caressed my wrist. My pulse was doing a crazy staccato. He pulled me gently out of my seat onto his lap. I melted into his arms. A surge of desire flooded me as he pulled my head down onto his shoulder. The strength of his arms circled me in a warm embrace. I felt very content to know that I loved this man and very excited that he definitely desired me too. I sighed. “This is nice.” He said. The deep rumble of his voice was very soothing and very sexy. I would have answered but the news came on.
“This is Micheal Nash for WBN News. Number one for the latest breaking news stories. Tonight on the 11 o’clock news, a Police shootout at the home of prominent Police Detective Aaron Coleden also involving the Chief of Police and an unknown assailant. Here is Sarah Wells with the details…” “Thank you, Micheal. I am standing outside the home of Homicide Detective Aaron Coleden where a recent shootout occurred. According to a spokesman for the police department, an unknown assailant began shooting at the Chief of Police, Royce Manning, and his female companion, Mrs. Clair Coleden, Detective Coleden’s mother, upon their arrival at the home of the Detective. Sometime around 8:30 pm, shots were fired at the rear of the building, but before the Chief could investigate the assailant came around to the front firing shots at him and Mrs. Coleden. Now, Micheal, the Chief is on record as saying that the safety of Mrs. Coleden was his immediate concern so they were forced to enter the apartment for cover from the hailstorm of bullets being fired at them. And that is how they ended up in lockdown. However reports from witnesses at the scene during the confrontation have stated that due to the unexpected nature of their visit, Detective Coleden’s apartment door was locked and that he may have himself been the primary target, making it necessary for Chief Manning to kick in Coleden’s front door in order to gain entrance to the shelter of his home. Witnesses state that Detective Coleden was not expecting anyone as he was in a clear state of undress at the time of the shooting. He had been in the shower when the first shots were fired and with his leg broken was in no state to chase a murder suspect or even offer much assistance to the Chief or protection to his mother. In fact, one witness stated that she had a clear view from her window and that when the door was kicked in Coleden was standing in the hallway with nothing on and only a towel in his hand.”
“That must have been very embarrassing for the Detective, Sarah.”
“Indeed Micheal. Our sources say that the Detective has had a run of very bad luck in the last while and that his otherwise stellar career is currently on hold while he recuperates from the extensive injuries he received on another related case. It has been hinted at that the assailant in tonight’s shootout might be the same man that the police are seeking to question on another matter. Last month Detective Coleden was injured during an insurance investigation involving the man suspected in tonight’s occurrence. Arson and insurance fraud were the original matters being investigated but this suspect is now wanted for questioning in the matter of the disappearance and possible murder of Insurance Adjuster Alex Coleden, and is currently at large. This is Sarah Wells for WBN news.”
“Thank you Sarah for that excellent coverage of tonight’s lead story. Well, there you have it. Now, We don’t need to remind the public that this suspect is armed and extremely dangerous. If anyone has any information that would be of assistance to the police in this matter please notify police immediately. In other news…”
“That was the most humiliating coverage I have ever had to endure.”
The Chief said with disgust as he turned the T.V. off and put down the remote. He nodded at Detective Coleden as he passed him and headed for the door. He pauses as his hand turned the knob.
“I will take your mother home and see to her 24-hour protection. Go to Emerge and get that leg checked out. It’s a damn good thing we came by. The state your in the killer would have succeeded in taking you out.”
The Chief headed through the door. His voice was clear and strong. “By the way, Coleden, I don’t ever want to see you in a towel again.” The door shut with a definite click. ❤️
YOU ARE READING
The Sun
General FictionA cop and an insurance agent try to track down a killer who is out to get them first. Through loss, amnesia, and bullets, will they get the bad guy first?
