Blame: Book 2- Tick Tock (The Sequel to Book 1)

To the Sky

     "Oh," he sheepishly smiled, grabbing his device and turning on the front view camera. "You wanna grab a bite after we check out of this hotel?"

     "Sure."

     We waited until Charlie came out of the bathroom, who was immediately tackled by my phone and I, which showed Dan's flat hair style. It made him laugh more hysterically than I had anticipated, leaving his older partner unamused and upset. But once I started laughing with Charlie, my birthday twin couldn't help but join in, begging me at the same time to not show the photo on Instagram, to which I reluctantly agreed to. Once Dan had finished putting his hair up into a quiff, it came to the time for checking out of the hotel, and to refocus on that goddamn riddle after eating something from McDonald's. It wasn't until nine o'clock when I received a text from Morgan.

Morgan Pendrick: ALICIA ALICIA ALICIA I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!!!

Me: What?

Morgan Pendrick: ...Woody woke up.

Me: WAIT, WHAT????????

Morgan Pendrick: I know, and actually Kyle told me this morning in London, but I was so excited that I forgot to text you, and also I figured that you would've been asleep during the time that he did wake up.

Me: Well, at least you told me. But right now, I gotta go.

Morgan Pendrick: Why? Did you find Hannah? I saw that she ran off to Seattle while watching the news.

Me: Not exactly...Dan, Charlie, and I got a fucking riddle from the woman, and we only have a few hours until she kills someone again.

Morgan Pendrick: What's the riddle?

Me: Shit about her killing at noon, and doing so by impaling someone with a needle. I'm still stuck on the needle part...all of the shops around here don't have needles large enough to kill someone.

Morgan Pendrick: I remember that there's something in Seattle that's widely known for...but I can't remember the name...I know that it has something to do with needles though.

Me: Thanks, maybe that'll help us.

Morgan Pendrick: No problem, I'll go and join the others in Woody's hospital room now. The fucking medical staff wouldn't let us in until now.

Me: That sucks...tell him we said hi!

Morgan Pendrick: Will do!

     "Umm...Dan?"

     "Yeah?" he answered, eyes on the road.

     "Morgan texted me..." I said, still shocked about the news.

     "What'd he say?"

     "Woody woke up," I quietly said.

     "HOLY SHIT!!!" the detective screeched, nearly swerving out of the lane, his booming voice crumbling my eardrums.

     "Dan! You almost killed us!" his partner scolded from the front passenger seat. "I know that it's good news, but tone it down a bit will you?"

     "No guys, look over there!" the detective pointed out the front window.

     "Oh my God," Charlie and I muttered as the car drove down the street.

     In the distance, a slim, but quite tall building stood, with a wide part near the top. I could see elevators moving up and down the side of the strange piece of architecture. However, what really caught my eyes, was the helicopter that was hovering over the tip of the tower lifting a large object off the tip of the building. To our horror, that was no object, it was a dead human, their feet dangling out of the yellow body bag that wrapped around it. Another person (who was alive) hanging from the line as the helicopter pulled up the body. Then once it had been secured into the hovering aircraft, the helicopter sped off to the left, breaking off our sight from the yellow bag as it flew behind a tall high rise.

     Then the sirens made their entrance, causing Dan to pull over, letting several patrol cars speed past us without hesitation. The detective knew what to do. He pulled the car into gear and followed the illuminating police cars, mimicking each and every move that the patrol car did. And before we knew it, the three of us had arrived in the parking lot of the massive tower, eyes glued to it as we exited the car. Then I saw a sign that triggered the memories of my text conversation with Morgan. A "Welcome to the Seattle Space Needle" message sat above the door, making me realize that this was the needle that The Nightmare had been talking about. This was the famous needle that pointed to the sky.