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    Chapter 7



    "This is weird," I thought out loud, looking left and right as I walked through the woods. "I don't remember the woods being so dense and...mysterious before." A rustle from my right caught my attention, and I quickly turned my head. I was surprised by what I saw, and exclaimed,

    "You! What are you doing here."

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    Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

    A large question mark appeared in my brain as I slowly opened my eyes. Suddenly, I lunged forward. When had I fallen asleep? And what was that dream all about?

    I didn't even remember what I saw, but for some reason, I knew that I knew that person, whoever it was.

    Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

    "The phone?" I mumbled, dozily heaving myself out of bed, half asleep now. I checked the clock. It was 5:00 am.

    "It could only be one person at this time." I yawned, and picked up the phone.

    "Hey, Charles." There was a pause on the other end, and then the reply,

    "Chad? How'd you know it was me?" I rolled my eyes as hard as I could, despite feeling sluggish, and then said smartly,

    "Oh, I have my hunches." I could tell Charles was smiling by the sound of his voice as he said,

    "Well, good mornin', Mr. Sunshine! I've got some good news."

    "That's a first."

    "Ever the pessimist, eh?"

    "You can never be too paranoid, Charles."

    "All right, all right. Now, I've invited you to a ball party for tonight! How about it, Chad?" I shook my head. Any other time, that would've made my day. But not today. Today...today there were more important things to do.

    "Charles...I--I can't. You know how busy I am."

    "You mean with your wife and stuff?"

    "Yeah, Charles. I'm sorry...this is really important to me." Now Charles was frowning, which could be told by the grave sound of his voice,

    "I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. When was the last time we had a party?" I thought for a second, and then replied,

    "Around September. But, Charles, you have to understand--"

    "I'll make you a deal. You come tonight, and I won't bother you again."

    "...Ok. But you better not be pulling anything on me..."

    "I'm not!" he quickly intervened. "Why would I do that?"

    "...Right. Bye." I clicked the phone into the receiver, and looked out the window of the vacant streets, watching as one or two cars droze carelessly past my house. As if nothing happened. As if my wife wasn't just murdered. Not that it was their faults. I sighed, and was about to turn away, when something caught my eye.

    I noticed in the corner of my eye the woman I nearly ran over. She was walking briskly down the sidewalk, when she suddenly stopped, and she craned her head up towards me. Looking at her suddenly reminded me of my dream.

    That's the figure I saw! was the thought that immediately came to mind.

    I turned my head away. She looked like Elizabeth, ok...So what?

    "Coincidence..." I whispered outloud. "Just...coincidence." I glanced back out the window, and she was gone. I shook her out of my head once again, and went back to sleep for the time I lost with my conversation with Charles.

    ----------------------------------------------------

    A woman sat at the side of the sidewalk, watching pitifully as passer by's seemingly purposely walked by her with no sign of remorse.

    What had happened yesterday? she wondered. I had wandered onto the road...I had almost been run over...

    Why does it feel as though I've seen that man before? I had never met him...I had hardly met anyone for the past 21 years...

    21 years...that's how long it's been that I had been held in custody. It's been too long. I'm done working with the mongrel. That case two years ago was too much.

    Seems as though what he did this time was a little too much for     him. I'm not sure exactly...but it was something bad. Bad enough for him to let his guard down on me, and start running. The woman looked at her bandaged hand, grasping it in pain.

    Yesterday was the worst day I could've met her, she continued to think. I don't even...I don't even want to remember it anymore.