Arlington Falls

Chapter One

Adria Archer- Police Officer 

"All officers in down town respond to 10-101.  Neighbour called it in. Doesn't know what happened." The dispatcher alerts. 

     "10-4. Archer responding." I reply. This is not they way I would have liked today to have gone. The last thing I want right now is a shooting. I just want to go to bed and get some sleep. I had a horrible night again. The dreams don't leave. It's like they're on replay. They don't end. They haven't left since Eric's death. That was a year ago. I thought I would be whole and back to my old self already. I guess it's just that hard to piece your self back together after you've already shattered into a million pieces.  

I know what it's like to lose your best friend. Eric was the best brother you could ask for. He didn't bother me. Even when I pushed him away he tried to closer to me, even when I didn't realize it. We were going to have a family dinner that night he drove off the road. I was the first one to the crash scene but the only reason I was there was only because he called to inform me that he had been in an accident. When I got there he was already gone. I thought he had been shot but of course no one would believe a hysterical sister. After the funeral was over and I realized I had to get on with my life I decided I wanted to do something different. I wanted to make a difference before my life ran out of time. That's why I joined the police force. Training took six months and then I joined the Arlington Falls Police Department. Now here I am today chasing the people who do wrong. Seeing justice being fulfilled.

     Adria get a grip on yourself. You have to clear your mind. I thought to myself. I look at my GPS. I'm getting close to the location. I start breathing in and out. Calming myself down to deal with the situation. I have a feeling that this is going to be a tough case. I pull up towards the red bricked house and park in the normally tranquil neighbourhood. I scan the area and see the neighbour. I shrug into a bullet proof vest and step out of my car and start walking towards the house. My gun is out in front of me. I don't know if the shooter is still in the area. I go towards the house and stand beside the door. My adrenaline is kicking in.

"Police. Stand away from the door. I am coming in." I yell. No response. My backup still hasn't arrived. I make a split second decision, I have to go in. I open the door. The front entrance way looks how I would have expected. I look ahead and straight into a mirror. I see my reflection staring back at me. I look like any other regular police officer. My hazel eyes meet me in the mirror. Fear murks through them. I push the fear back inside. I need to find the body, whether dead or alive. The house looks neat and orderly. No signs of a forced entry.  I round the corner and enter the living room, stopping immediately. A young man is lying on the floor. Before I rush over to him I glance around to see if the killer is still in the room. No sign of a killer. I rush towards the young man and feels for a pulse. He doesn't have one. Blood is still seeping through a small hole in his chest. His white T-shirt is stained with blood. My hearts starts thumping against my chest. I grab my radio with slippery blood stained fingers "We have a body. A young male, bullet wound to the chest. No pulse. Requesting backup. The killer is either here or just left."

     "We hear your request, officers in route." The dispatcher replies.

 I quickly stand up and search the house. No sign of anyone. I look in the kitchen, everything is neat and orderly except for a few cereal bowls left in the sink. There are two bedrooms. One is a males room. I'm guessing its our bodie's. The other looks like a guest room and office. No signs of a struggle at all. I head towards the backdoor. It's a typical sliding glass door but something is odd. There is a note left in the door. I grab it by the edges as to be careful not to leave many fingerprints. I open the envelope and read the message.

"I have saved him. Alan is no longer in her clutches. He will never feel misery or pain again. I told him not to follow her. I told Alan not to trust her. Now he is safe. I am also happy. Alan's death was sad but it is now over. Pain is but for a moment. It was peaceful. Don't bother trying to find me. I am like a ghost, evading everyone and everything. I may even be watching you, the reader right now."  

At that last sentence a twirl around and look into the backyard and out the windows. I immediately step away from the glass door. No need for me to be shot as well. Just before I continue reading I hear something. Am I actually hearing this or is my mind playing tricks ?  I  definitely hear a whirling sound, almost like a tape recorder does before it sounds. I freeze, my hand immediately returns to my gun. I relax just a little by feeling it's soothing relief. 

"Hello, I am sorry Alan had to die. But he chose it. He chose Her!" A voice screams.

I hold my breath. I look around. No one is here. I can't tell if the voice is male or female. 

"Don't bother to find Her. She is gone. Never to bother anyone ever again. The terror that she enthralled on Alan is gone. Her reign is over." The voice continues calmly. The whirling sound stops. My back is pressed against the wall. My ears pealed listening for any sound. Nothing. Sirens quickly approach. Relief shoots through me. I can hear a squad car screech to a halt, thudding foot steps sound outside. 

"Police. Coming in." A voice yells. I know that voice. I know who it is. 

"Jeff, it's me it's Adria." I call out to him. "Be careful. Someone knows I'm here."

"Adria, are you ok?" Jeff's voice sounds anxiously.

"I'm fine. Don't worry." I look towards the front door. I can see the nob turning. I stay in position where I am. Jeff enters the door. His blue eyes meet mine. Then they quickly leave and stare at the body.

"His name is Alan." I say. Confusion ripples through his face.

"How do you know?" He asks. In response I hold up the note. 

"It's from our killer. I think the killer took a girl." As Jeff starts walking towards me I move towards him. At that moment a sound shatters around us. The back patio door explodes into millions of tiny pieces. Glittering like diamonds. Everything moves in slow motion. I feel something smack into my back. It knocks the breath out of me and a fall to the floor. Jeff dives towards me and pulls me by my body armour behind the counter. Glass crunches beneath us.

"Adria are you ok?" He asks.

I look into his eyes and try to respond, I can't. He moves his hand from my shoulder and onto my back. His eyes widen and then he looks down. I am bleeding, but only a little. Finally the breath returns. 

"I'm ok Jeff. It's only a scratch." I gasp. 

"Adria, there is a slug imbedded in your armour." He alarms. He lifts his hand towards his radio and says "We have a officer down. I repeat, Officer down."