Tearing Off My Skin [COMPLETED ✅]

| Night Watch |

Tuesday, October 6th, 2026

Albemarle County, Charlottesville, Virginia

2:00 am

Silence surrounds the night; the air has a cold heart. No cars are roaming the streets or a person in sight. All of the stores are closed. The nearby neighbors are sound asleep. The sidewalks are filled with trash. Feral cats are fiddling around with the litter. Some cars are on the curb, including a Charlottesville Police Dodge Charger. Flashing lights of red, white, and blue are not on.

Two Caucasian male Police officers are inside the car.

Officer Chris Hudson—who is twenty-nine years of age—worked with Charlottesville police for two years. His hair is ginger, he is heavyweight, and he hates being called or referred to as ginger.

Officer Brian Bowers—who is thirty-eight years of age—worked for the station for a decade. He won numerous Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and Foundation (VACP) awards. Some of those awards include Valor, Lifesaving, and Outstanding Contribution to Law Enforcement (OCLE). His hair is brown, he has an average-sized body with some bulky muscles, and he is happily married to Ashley Bowers. He is also raising Andy Bowers, who is five-years-old.

Officers Bowers and Hudson have been partners for over a month. Their job is to watch over Albemarle County at night because it is known for murders and suspicious behaviors.

Officers Bowers and Hudson are inside the car, listening to the radio for reports.

Chris yawns heavily.

Chris, who is sitting in the passenger's seat, feeling drowsy. His baggy eyes are heavy as he is resisting slumber. Brian is helming the driver's seat. He is drinking a latte macchiato he bought from Starbucks to keep him awake. He takes a couple of sips from his coffee cup. He then hears a loud snore and snorts coming from beside him.

He witnesses his partner falling asleep with his head leaning on the window. He snickers quietly as he thinks of a comical method to rouse him up. He puts his latte macchiato in the cupholder. He grabs the control box and activates the air horn.

The raucous sound startles Chris, which made him let out a high-pitched shriek.

Brian is dying of laughter; Chris is irritated that his partner rudely awakened him. He adjusts his posture and turns his head to face him.

"What the hell was that for?" he frustratingly asks.

Brian is still laughing, but he calms himself down to answer his question.

"Look... I know it's two in the morning, and you are exhausted. I am weary as well, but we have a job to accomplish." he answers.

"That's the problem; it's two in the morning! I want to go back home, lay down on the bed next to my girlfriend, snuggle her, and drift off to sleep. Not be stuck with you in the dark and witnessing nothing." he says in an annoyed tone.

"Grow up! It's not the end of the world. You will see your girlfriend again and sleep on the bed. But we got direct orders to watch this area." he retorts.

"Look at the window and tell me what do you see?" he asks.

Brian looks at the window to check what is outside.

"Do you see anything?" he asks.

"Well... I see stores that are closed. I also see feral cats searching for food. Lastly, I see a lot of trash on the floor." he observes.