Haunted Kiss ✔️

Morgue

My collapsed body, woke against the dense concrete floor. The bleach smelled more prominent down here, enough to singe the inside of my nose hairs. My head throbbed with a mind splitting headache. I must have hit it pretty hard when my body gave out. My palms pressed firmly to the floor, assisting my fight against gravity. Picking my body up, I rolled onto my knees, before finally standing. Sage's body slab, still extended from the freezer. But her spirit was gone, and I won't be calling upon her anytime soon.

Once again I stood over her body taking in all I possibly could. Evidence I once overlooked before, now standing out, like a sore thumb. Sage's body had a lot to say I just needed to examine all that happened to her.

Bruises under her jaw, asphyxiation. Sage pointed that out to me, that must have been her point of death. That meant the lake was just a way to dump the body. Poorly too, I might add. Who places a body at the bottom of a widely used cliff? Someone who wants the body to be found, I can tell you that much. Or maybe because this body was dumped differently than the others before, maybe it's a computer cat killer or someone new entirely. So many unanswered questions, and the clock keeps ticking.

Careful as to not touch Sage's deadening flesh. I lifted the sheet to take a look at her right arm. There was a puncture hole in her deltoid muscle. The skin surrounding it was slightly bruised. It wasn't small like a butterfly needle, but it also wasn't as big as a pencil tip. I wonder if that was part of her death or something the coroner did? Curious to see if she had the same puncture in her other shoulder. I quickly made my way to the other side, delicately lifting the sheet to see nothing. No puncture, No bruises, just pale white flesh.

Placing the sheet back over her arms, I made way to her legs, examining all the cuts and bruising. It looked like she had slashes, against her shins and her knees scuffed all to hell. Her thighs were bruised as if she had ran into a car. You could definitely tell she fought for her life. Covering her battered legs, my eyes took one last scan of her body. Fixating once again on her face, untouched. No bruises, no cuts, no life, just the beauty of what she once was.

With a heavy sigh, I guided her body back into the freezer. The darkness covering her once again, the cold fog enveloping her figure. The drawer door closed with a click, sealing her with the rest of the dead.

"I don't know how and I don't know when, but I promise you Sage, I'm going to find your murderer." My voice echoed off the cold metal. The heat from my breath, smudged the metal drawer, eye level from me. The deafening silence yet again wringing in my ear. I enjoyed the silence, it helped me to think. That was until the morgue door swung wide open. A woman looking to be in her mid thirties, scowled at me. Her brown bangs cut stairs a crossed her furrowed brow.

"What are you doing in here!?" She scolded me. Anger rolling off her tongue. "This room is restricted. What did you touch!?" She smacked, the door closing behind her.

Her figure blocked the door so unless I wanted to tackle the women I had to answer her.

"I was just wondering around and the door was open." I said shrugging my shoulders, acting like the dumb teen I am.

"Damn it. Tom must have forgotten to put the code in, to lock it after his rounds." She was now scolding him instead of me. Sounds good. Keep yelling at a man that isn't here, not me. But I spoke too soon, when her eyes snapped back to me.

"What did you touch!?" She spat accusingly. Taking a step in my direction. Her figure finally under one of the dim lights. Making her name tags much more readable. Yes just what I needed, her name.

"Well Brenda, I didn't touch anything." I said lying through my teeth. "I just wondered around, I saw the sign 'Morgue', and came in here. I'm looking into becoming a coroner, and just wanted to see what this place looked like." I smiled sweetly hoping flattering her job and showing interest would get her off my back.

"What's your name?" Her voice softened just a little. I think my lie was starting to work.

"Rose, Rose Violance." I spoke reaching my hand out for a shake. Probably should have used a fake name.

Her firm grip met mine. Her expression looked a little more relaxed. Her quizzical expression still trained on me.

"Nice to meet you Rose. Now get out of my morgue." She smirked, sternly stating her dominance. This was her office and I was trespassing. 

Without hesitation, I squeezed past her. Last thing I needed was for security to be called. I didn't need my mother yelling at me. She already showed me the anger she felt earlier and I never wanted to see it again. Just as I pulled to open the doors, Brenda called to me.

"Rose, when you're ready to job shadow. Give me a call, Dr. Brenda Saintly." Her face didn't reveal an ounce of emotion. But her eyes said it all, I made an impression on her. Maybe she saw herself in me or maybe she just liked my lie. Either way I was home free and in the clear. Our eyes disconnecting as the door slowly closes behind me.

I never actually thought of a job as a coroner. But if I solve this murder, than it's an option, that or a detective.

Heading back down the basement hall, my eyes landed on an elevator. Thank god. My body hurts way too much to trudge up those stairs. While I stood in the elevator going up, I completely forgot about checking for paperwork. Damn. I should have read her report, but instead, I decided to call on a ghost. Great. Now I'm missing written information, proof.

Before I knew it the elevator dinged, alerting me of my arrivals to the fifth floor. I didn't really want to see my mother, but I did want to see my father. My real father, Joe. The man who has always been there for me and I want to be there for him. We will deal with this family drama later.

My eyes fell upon my father's still sleeping body. My mother was sitting next to my brothers. With no place for me to sit, I took a seat next to my father's feet. My hand gently rubbed the shin of my father's left leg. The three squeezes, my hand delivers is something he doesn't know. But means the world to me, the signal 'I love you'. I do, I love him with all my heart, blood or not. He will always be my dad.

With the quick squeeze my father stir, his eyes slowly opening. Big beautiful green eyes, looking back at me.

"Dad." My voice filled with love, worry and fear.

"RoseBud." He said cracking a smile, his groggy voice sounding like a melody to my ears.

"I love you daddy." I smiled, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"I love you too, RoseBud. I love you too."

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Well there's another chapter for y'all! Hope you enjoy this one as much as I liked writing it!

Vote, comment! Tell me what you think of the story so far!? Who do you think killed Sage?