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Sand falling into a new life
Watching sand on a Tuesday afternoon
Marjorie Jacobs believed that if an employee scored thirty out of thirty in just ten minutes it showed quick thinking, necessary in her line of work. She needed someone resourceful, someone special. Watching the sand fall she felt a warm glow seeing Ellie-Rose scribbling furiously. Noticing others chewing on pencils, or already finished, the voice in her head was screaming that her new employee would be the scribbling blonde.
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As the sand fell, I had ten minutes as the timer counted down. Reading through the questions, digging deep into my memory for answers, why am I here? I had practiced over and over, I know I can do this.
Wednesday morning
Checking my bank account for the hundredth time, it was still empty. With bills coming out of my ears I glanced at my old tatty sleeping bag. I don’t need my belongings, but I want to keep them. If I can’t pay my rent this month, I’m sure my landlord, Mr Williams, will throw me on the street. I’ve seen the sad people sleeping in the Hans Town subway, not a prospect that I’m looking forward to.
Yesterday had been one interview after the other, two supermarkets, a secretary and a mystery job. I love reading books and the mystery job had sparked my imagination. The interview questions had been ominous, answering them had meant quick but clear accurate thinking. I like to believe that I can think outside of the box, the unknown company appeared to need someone just like me, I hope they know that.
Filling my spoon with sugar for my morning tea, I dropped it on the counter as the loud ring interrupted my thoughts. Looking at the display my heart sank,
“Hi Jules, what’s happening?”
“Ellie, I need you.”
“Jules, come on, really.” She was my friend but a huge drain on my time, which I don’t have right now. My life is crashing down, I’ve spent months trying to fix Jules and her problems. Hanging up the phone, the accusing voice started in my head.
Downing my tea and shoving my toast in my mouth, I grabbed my coat and keys. Racing to the car my issues tumbled all around me. Whatever mess Jules was in, this had better be good.
A bigger problem
Letting myself in, I wondered what I was going to find, what confronted me was the last thing I expected, anything but this.
Seeing the blood splattered up the kitchen cupboard I started shouting. Hearing ringing, this was not the time for a phone call, seeing the name flashing on the screen, I had to answer it.
“Hello.”
“Hi Miss Francis, its Marjorie Jacobs, are you able to come and see me today?”
“Today?” I looked around the kitchen. Where is Jules? Then checking the time,
“When would you like to see me?”
“1pm?” The voice in my head screamed no.
“Okay, will see you at 1.00, thank you.”
Putting my phone in my pocket I started shouting again at the deafening silence, blood up the cupboard and Jules is missing. If I phone the police, then I won’t get to my meeting. Do I phone her mobile? Had the neighbours seen me enter? What was the mystery job? Why me?
Checking all her rooms there was nobody here dead or alive, surely all that blood meant a body somewhere.
Letting myself out of the back door I covered my hand with my sleeve as I operated the door handle. Running across the garden there was no evidence of a disturbance, maybe I should report her as missing after my meeting.
Jacobs and Lees
Trying not to look flustered, I arrived at the office, this was important, and a strangely missing Jules was not going to lose me this job. Seeing Mrs Jacobs wobbling on her high heels towards me, I could feel sweat prickling my skin.
“Afternoon Miss Francis, follow me.” Leaving the comfort of the armchair I eased myself up. Knowing how important this is I pushed thoughts of Jules to the back of my mind.
“So, Miss Francis, do you have any idea what this job is about?”
Observing her large sand timer I wondered if she had a fascination with sand. Answering her I said,
“I’m thinking you are needing someone who can think on their feet, I can do that.” Thinking again of Jules and her kitchen, had quick thinking made me put this job first?
“Yes, we do, how are you at working through problems?”
“Problems.” Thinking a number of answers, I said,
“I’m excellent at working through difficult issues.”
Watching Mrs Jacobs scrape her chair back, was this going well? As she turned round a white board in the corner, my stomach took a massive lurch. Photos looking back at me, one that I recognised, what the hell was going on.
“Miss Francis, we investigate missing persons, we need someone who can search and find them.”
This was it, the hamster wheel started, missing persons, I thought of the blood again and now looked back at the photo staring back at me, Jules where the hell are you, who are you?
Missing persons
Following the meeting that day, I found a public phone box and made an anonymous call. I couldn’t get involved in Jules mess and I certainly don’t want to be incriminated.
Today I had been left pouring over a stack of files and found that missing Jules is actually Jane. Five missing persons and the mystery of Jane was greater due to the blood over her kitchen cupboards that matched to missing Jack Kent. Looking further into Jack Kent I found that his story was not one his loving mother would be proud of.
The other three didn’t appear to have glowing records either. I hadn’t known Jules that long, but she had been a pain in the behind since I’d met her. I wouldn’t want to pick a man up in a bar, picking up a friend had been a mistake. Reading about her history of drugs and knife crime I flinched, picturing her sticking her knife into Jack I guess that maybe a drug deal had gone wrong.
Working as part of a private agency hired by the police force, this was far more then working in a supermarket. My bills were now getting paid, but this was my first case and I’m working outside normal office hours.
As the phone on my desk rang a sharp ache smashed through my head and the world went black. Coming around to searing agony I became aware of the men in green telling me to lie quietly. I now went into panic,
“Mrs Jacobs, where’s Mrs Jacobs?”
“Ellie-Rose love, just stay calm?”
“Where is Mrs Jacobs, what’s happening?”
“She is with my colleague, we need to treat you.”
A week later
After time in hospital with a broken leg and head injury, I was relieved to be discharged. Mrs Jacobs had been killed and CCTV had exposed the murderer as Will Franks. Appearing on CCTV had been a mistake. After the police had tracked him down, he exposed them all to help himself. Jane had attacked Jack after he had demanded favours from her. I guess a swift kick isn’t good enough when a knife in the leg will do.
From scared of living on the Hans Town Subway I was now tracking people down on the subway. As sand falls through a sand timer, none of us know what the future holds in store. I’m doing something that I never imagined I would do.
Looking at more missing faces I hoped that they were not more criminals. I am determined to be the best at putting the pieces together and finding these people, I have to be.
For more see Night at the Paris Beaubourg Restaurant
Written for Writers Unite! photo prompt
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Fragments of fires and trouble
Our Fragments
After following so many prophecies this is the first time I’ve slept through my alarm. Fragments of the night are inhabiting my thoughts making my head buzz. Feeling like I haven’t slept, I force myself out of bed.
Using the bannister to help me down the stairs, I hear Betsy in the kitchen. Pushing the door I can see Paul busy making hot chocolate. All in our pyjamas, I sit down and stretch my arms in a yawn.
Paul is rattling a spoon around my favourite purple mum mug as I notice Betsy’s red face. Wiping my eyes, I put my arms around her.
“What’s happened Betsy?”
She started sobbing, “Oh mum.”
“Lucy, I think we have a problem here. Doing God’s work is becoming a puzzle.”
“I’m confused, what’s going on?”
“The last few weeks, Betsy, has been having dreams.”
“Yes, I know, we’ve put things together.”
Passing me my mug, Paul says,
“Lucy, last night I had my first dream, or first one that I can remember. This is different, we have fragments, Betsy has one part of the message, I have another and I’m assuming by the look of you that you have part three”.
Sipping my chocolate, I take Betsy’s hand.
“What did you see?”
Paul put his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her.
“Betsy it’s okay, we can work with this, tell mum.”
Feeling a surge of nausea sweep through me, I pictured myself being shot again.
A puzzle
“Mum, I saw fire, fire here.”
“Here?
“Home. I saw Firemen.”
“And?’
“I don’t know where we were. Just saw fire and men.”
I thought of my night, my arms felt prickly like ants were running up them, I had seen fire too.
“Paul, what was your dream?”
“Fire and a group of children, but I saw a field not this house.”
Remembering what I saw, I couldn’t see how the dream fragments went together. We all saw fire, Betsy saw our home, Paul, a field and me, my favourite Chinese restaurant.
“Okay, we know there will be a fire but where?”
“I’ve an idea on that and Betsy I think this might reassure you.”
Both looking at Paul, we didn’t know what to expect.
The fragments
Before you fell asleep, what is the last thing you thought about?
Without thinking, I answered, “food, Chinese food”
“Betsy and you?’
‘My bedroom, my home, my Barney bear.” I thought of Betsy’s special bear i had bought him when she was a baby.
‘So, Paul, I guess yours was a field?”
“I had been planning a country walk this weekend, so yes that’s how the different dreams knit together.”
‘Hmmm, so Paul, where does Fire come into it?”
“Something is going to burn.”
I thought about this, three dreams all linking to one premonition. Everyone has their own wants and needs, and we all have an internal fire, so was this a metaphor for something greater? Thinking this over I put my hot chocolate mug in the kitchen sink.
Leaving Betsy at school, she seemed happier, the events of the night not as significant in the day. This is the first fragmented premonition we have had, and it doesn’t make sense.
Early next morning
Staring across the flames, Betsy and Paul are watching me, a young couple run pass me holding hands as the Chinese Chef is screaming. A night out turning into a nightmare as the couple trip into the flames. Hearing screaming, I start to feel nauseous and fall to the floor.
As something is pushing me down the screaming is in my ears, hearing the word, mummy, I sense the warm cocoon around me. Becoming more aware I feel the soft pillows under my head.
As I wake the world becomes clearer, another dream and looking at Betsy’s red face we have more dream fragments to examine. Pulling her in close, Paul enters the room.
“More Fire?”
Have we all had repeat dreams? Why the fire and our home, a field and the Chinese restaurant?
“I need to walk, Betsy these are just dreams, our home is going no where” “But mummy, there was someone in our home, someone lying in the fire.”
I thought of the couple in the restaurant falling into the fire.
“Paul, was the field empty?”
“No, there was a couple there.” He hesitated, I knew what he was going to say next, “and they got caught in the fire.”
Plans
Finding the couple is a priority, but where will I find them? Sharing a dream premonition between two of us had been hard. Feeling the pressure of putting together fragments of information from three and getting the message right, I held my head with my hands. With the weight of the world on my shoulders wondering again why I had been given this awesome job, I hope I work out the answer before someone who isn’t destined to die yet, dies.
Written for Blog Battle – Fragment
For more see A revolution movement and a shooting – previous part of this story
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