Let's get to it!
She awoke early, with a start. Before her five thirty alarm even sounded. She looked around, unsure where she was, knowing full well that she had fallen asleep in the comforts of her room, surrounded by her fluffy white comforter. She had felt safe before drifting off to sleep, stable even. Lord knew she was not either of those things.
Her dreams haunted her. She saw her beautiful sister. She said her golden hair flowing behind her in the breeze, Char was running in a field, the sun setting behind her. It looked like a picture and stuck in her mind's eye, even in this moment. The world was muffled, blurry beyond Charlotte. She looked back at her, her blue eyes shimmering in the setting sunlight, her smile bright, her voice, so light and airy, brilliant even. It was not today's time. It was of a sister she had once known, one that was long gone. Not dead, just a different person at this time.
Sweat had formed on Kat's forehead, she knew from the reality of her dreams interfering with the truth of today's date. Char was not here. Charlotte was dead, her stiff body lying in the morgue, on a cold, steel table in a white lighted room.
Vomit rose in her throat. She rushed to her feet, her bare feet running along the soft carpet to meet the cold tile of the bathroom floor. Anything that had been left in her already empty stomach projected into the clean, stark white porcelain bowl.
Life was a whirl of events. Faces peek out from behind the bright blue cubicles to peer at me, offer condolences where words once were spoken. Death was funny that way. People did not know what to say when someone died, especially when someone dies in such a brutal fashion.
Mac picked me up, knowing what I needed, knowing work needed to focus my idle mind. What I was going to do, how I was going to process, move forward, was yet to be seen.
"Kat, my office." He said it gentle, kind. I think that this the worst thing of all, the babying that everyone was doing. I was not made of glass, I might seem broken, but under the pain was determination to FIND WHO DID THIS.
I entered the office, a smug look covering my washed out features.
"Sit." "I am glad you made it in today. I can not image how hard this is for you, but I am glad that you are finding your inner strength. We are going to need it."
"Thank you for finally understanding. I was afraid you were going to tell me to go home."
He laughed and just that sound alone warmed my whole body.
"Look. This is ugly. I know you and Charlotte did not have much of a relationship in the past few years, but anything you know, can find out even, would be something."
I nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. This was not going to be an open and shut.
"Do we have anything? Tips from the tip line? Boyfriends? Friends? Witnesses around the house?"
"We are working on it. We have Daniels and Gus surveying the neighborhood, looking for anything that can tell us something. You know how this looks, right?"
I knew. I did not want to admit it, but I knew. Charlotte was not a bad person. She was termed a "Free Spirit" when we were younger. I was driven. Always knew what i wanted, how I was going to get it. Char, she lived the now, from moment to moment. She had a steady job, once, working for a law firm as the front desk person. She was there last I knew, but we are talking seven years ago. Charlotte made her own family. It was not like she disliked the family she had, she just liked to canoodle with those who were around her where-ever the wind blew her, which was not usually in our families direction. I stayed close to home, Mom and Dad, Aunts and Uncles, while Char had a different address every other month.
"Schmidt and Schilling is where she worked, um, seven years ago, when we were last in touch. She was the front desk person and was there for, at least ten years prior to that. They paid her well and with all the moving she used to do, they were always twenty minutes in any directions. She also was in a long relationship with Nathan Jeffry. Again, seven years ago." I felt the tears well in my eyes, I knew how this sounded.
"A law firm?"
"Sure. My Dad got her the job when she was seventeen and honestly, it is the only stable thing about my Sister."
"Front desk. I am going to check this out. This is good, Kat. I mean, this could hold weight."
I knew where he was going. Criminal. A grudge. But, did it sound realistic? Someone brutally burned my sister, alive. They burned her and let her burn until her whole damn house burned to the ground.
"Whose house was that?"
He looked stressed by my question. "Kat." was all he said and I knew it must be something bad. I continued to hold my ground.
"Kat, brace yourself. It belonged to Nathan and Charlotte Jeffy's."
I know that this is the point where everything went black, again. I could not believe it. That was seven years ago..and what...
"Wait, married? Where the hell is he?"
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Today has been an uneventful day! (unlike yesterday!) We are on the MEND, antibiotics are pumping through our veins and unfortunately, knocking us down a little more! Truth be told, we are SO ready to be OVER this! Being sick is miserable.
OHIO is cold, so we are trying to stay warm- we actually got up to 25 today! WHOO HOO.
I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the writing challenge. Please send in feedback, I would love to hear/see how you are doing! Ideas/tips are also always appreciated!
Waiting for the WEEKEND!!
~Kel
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