Since the third body was found on the riverside, media people never left us alone. They kept an eye on our every move. Even when we were just having lunch, they are still everywhere.
"God damn it!" Oliver cursed as soon as he sat on his recliner.
"What's the matter, man?"
"Those damn reporters are outside my house! My mom just got out of the hospital, and now she's being stressed by those vultures!"
"Calm down, man. You know you can't be affected by those sons of b*tches."
"If something happens to my mom, I'm going to kill every one of them."
"Oli, calm down."
Oliver smacked his fist on his table. He really looked mad. I can't understand those reporters. They don't even know the meaning of privacy or respect! What is wrong with those people?
Instead of telling him to calm down, I let him feel his anger. Sometimes, that's what people need. I just pray that no one messes with Oliver right now because that will be the last mistake
Just like I thought, Auntie Nora had a heart attack on the third day that Mildred was missing. She was so broken up and worried that something terrible might have happened to her granddaughter. She's still in the hospital.Oliver has been working nonstop to find Mildred. I would go home late, but he would stay at the station. And when I come back the following morning, he would still be there. I can't blame him. Mildred is his niece. His own blood."Hey, man. Are you even sleeping?" I greeted him after sitting at my recliner. He didn't even notice me when I arrived."Yeah," Oliver responded."Come on, man. You can't keep this up. You have to sleep, too. You need to rest.""Hey, man. Look at this. I've been watching this CCTV footage. It was from a traffic cam near the hospital. This one is the CCTV from inside the hospital. Look at the time that the car took the road going to the back of the hospital. Now, look at the time when Mildred went out to
Every day is like The Purge for us. People are hoarding around the station. Family of the two murder victims and the two missing women. Reporters who feed on chaos for scoops are also swarming outside the station. We've been featured on news programs almost every day."Detective! Detective Angeles! Can we get a statement?""Detective, do you have a lead on those murders?""Do you have a suspect?"Each day I go to work, I'd be welcome by people who want answers. It's been weeks that I tried to crack my skull to find something to tell us who the killer is. That freaking car is like a trademark of the town. Almost half of the people of Burton Grove have the exact vehicle in their garage."Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Oliver punched his desk repeatedly out of frustration."Stop it, Oli. You're just hurting yourself." I shook my head. He looked like a zombie because of lack of sleep and exhaustion."It's been four days, Chris! Four days sin
Third murder victim, still zero concrete lead, and a whole town out gunning for our blood. The situation got worst and worst. Now, there are three families demanding justice.I've talked to every informant I have, I have looked to every convicted criminal file. Even those who were released early because of parole. But none of them fits the description of the suspect. We can't even tell if that man was a local.Sunday was supposed to be my off, but I can't stop working. Not until we found Mildred. Oliver almost passed out yesterday while we were scoping Theodore's house. He hasn't slept for two days since that third murder victim was found."Chris, breakfast. Come on down."I heard Melissa's voice downstairs. Damn, it's 5:30. I almost forgot about the mass. Guess I have to go down now."Hey, bro. What's wrong? You looked wrecked." Mark asked me. Dad and mom are both staring at me too."No, it's nothing." I simply said."This about the
While Burton Grove is in chaos, Mary Sue's heart and mind also have their own battle. She may be entertaining a suitor, but her mind kept shifting back to Chris. She was sure that she was not hallucinating. There was something between the two of them. What she doesn't understand is why Chris would keep on ignoring her.It's not like he was gay or something. Because of how Chris treated her, she felt insecure. That is why she started seeing another man in the first place.But no matter how she enjoys another men's company, she still doesn't feel contented. She felt like something is always missing. Most of the time, even her smiles were faked, forced.-Flashback-Mary Sue went out on a date. The guy was a gentleman, and he was sweet. If she's any other woman, she would be swooning over him."The food here is delicious, don't you think?""Yeah,'"So, you're back to teaching. How does it feel?""More of the same.""Well, di
I just arrived at the station when we received a call for backup. Apparently, there's been an assault on a police officer. The situation is getting worst and worst. The longer they don't have a solid lead on the murder cases, the townspeople get angrier."Come on, boys."Oliver asked me not to go with the response team. He insisted that finding Mildred and the serial killer is more important. I sighed when I realized that his right. We still don't have the search warrant because we don't have the approval yet.That only aggravated Oliver even more. Because of the information he gathered about Theodore Burnett, his mind was made up that he is the best suspect. He can't argue with him because he also has the same thought."Look at this man." Oliver showed me the sewage plan of Burton Grove."What about it?""This is Theodore's house. Look at this. That means there's a basement under his house. Just like ours and yours."I looked at the
There are times that I'd see Mary Sue, and I would want to talk to her so badly. We used to have good times together. I could still remember how we first met. She was the teacher whose student got abducted in the middle of school hours. She was so freaked out that time that she was taking it out on our officers. But then we got the chance to turn things around. We started going out and got pretty close. But then the killings began. I got so focused on my job that I neglected to give her enough attention. Now that I'm seeing her dating other guys, I feel like crap. I feel so stupid for letting things between turn sour again. But I can't do anything about it right now. We have a serial killer on the loose. Theodore hasn't come. We've been visiting his house a few times, and he's always not at home. How could I even get a life if we're handling cases like this? But I wanted this job since I was a kid. I can't complain just because I can't get a girlfriend. My ti
Narrator's POV Theodore was finally transferred to Burton Grove. Oliver has been giving the evil eye. He looks like a ticking time bomb that will go off anytime soon. Chris has been with Oliver the entire time. And Theodore is not making things easy by keeping eye contact with him. They've tried to interrogate him, but he just keeps giving some smart-ass remarks then lawyered up. Even Chris felt that he's about to explode, so he had to step out of the interrogation room. Chris realized that giving in to Theodore's taunts and insults will just give him even more satisfaction. "Can I just kill him now? I want to kill him now!" Oliver angrily exclaimed as he stares at the interrogation room. "I wish it was that easy. Because if it is, I'll blow his brains out myself." Chris responded while breathing deeply. Oliver's niece was one of his victims. But there's no way for them to prove his involvement. He won't talk to them anymore after pissing them
I couldn't let my best friend become a murderer. And I know that if I leave him alone by himself, he will do something he might regret in the end. Oliver may be scary when he's angry, but he is not a killer. He can knock someone to sleep or break a bone when he gets into fights. But he is not a killer.Now, all we could do is monitor his every move. And even that, we need to do it in secret. We can't risk him leaving town again because we may never find him again. And, I need to keep an eye out on Oliver."Chris, I am not going to kill him. You don't have to be my bodyguard." I almost laughed because of Oliver's expression."Yes, I do. So shut up and hurry. We're going to be late."Oliver shook his head and put on his jacket. After spraying his favorite cologne, we both walk out of his front door and to our car. Ever since we left his house, Oliver didn't say anything again.When we arrived at the police station, we saw Miller and Guzman. Of course
Oliver's POV"We have a missing woman in Normson City."One of our police officers announced. We were monitoring every missing woman in at city to ensure that if Theodore will strikes again, we would know. After he escaped prison, it's like we were just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Meaning, we are just waiting for another dead woman to turn up."How old? Victim's profile?" Chris asked."Twenty-two years old, business owner."Damn it! When Chris picked up his jacket, I too, did the same. The missing woman fits Theodore's victim profile. We have to check it out. Until Theodore Burnett was found, we can't ignore any possibility that he is killing again. For the past three weeks, we have been in constant communication with other cities in the region to gain access to their missing person's reports."Did you get the addressof the family?" I asked Chris."Yeah, I got it."Without wasting any precious time, Chris and I went to
Oliver's POV"We have a missing woman in Normson City."One of our police officers announced. We were monitoring every missing woman in at city to ensure that if Theodore will strikes again, we would know. After he escaped prison, it's like we were just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Meaning, we are just waiting for another dead woman to turn up."How old? Victim's profile?" Chris asked."Twenty-two years old, business owner."Damn it! When Chris picked up his jacket, I too, did the same. The missing woman fits Theodore's victim profile. We have to check it out. Until Theodore Burnett was found, we can't ignore any possibility that he is killing again. For the past three weeks, we have been in constant communication with other cities in the region to gain access to their missing person's reports."Did you get the addressof the family?" I asked Chris."Yeah, I got it."Without wasting any precious time, Chris and I went to
Every now and then, Theodore Burnett would go to the where he was born. There were so many memories on that place that most of the times, he wants to bury deep in his heart. But, sometime, like today, he wants to remember who he was, and how it all began.His condition made him interested in psychology. Though, not to the point that he wanted to make a degree out of it. He just wanted to learn enough to understand himself. But, no matter how hard he looked, nothing can actually explain what is really going on in his mind."This city hasn't change at all." Theodore whispered to himself. Everytime he visits the city, it's going back in time. Back when he was still young. That awkward teenager that doesn't fit in anything.He always felt like no one is better than him. That he's the best, and no one can compare to him. His narcissistic attitude made him an outsider. Every kids his age always avoid him. They don't even want to be in the same group as him in any kind
Last time I saw Mary Sue, she looks truly happy. That crushed all the courage that I had in me. I wanted to talk to her. Not to tell her that I love her, and make her choose, but to tell that I love her, and because of that I want to see her happy. Even though her happiness doesn't include me.But, when I saw her with her new boyfriend, it was more than enough for me to know that I don't have to talk to her at all. She's happy with her, and that's all that matters. I don't have to ruin anything by expressing how I really feel about her."Chris? Hi! How are you?" I wanted to be swallowed by the ground right about now. I had no idea that I'd bump int Mary Sue tonight. I just wanted to take a walk to clear my head."Mary, hi. I'm good, you?""I'm doing great. Hey, listen. I heard about what happened to Melissa. What she went through that night, and what she's been going through right now, that's not easy. I know how much you love her, and I'm happy to know t
Theodore woke up an intense headache. He can feel that is clothes is soaked with sweat, as well as his old worn out mattress. The last thing that he remembered from last night the ringing in his ears. It's like he had nightmare, only the feeling was too vivid.He can still feel joint pain, especially on his shoulder, but he feels better now. Finally, the fever already broke. Just by looking outside of the burned building he chose to stay for a while, it's almost nightfall. It's a good thing because he could finally get out to get some food, and steal some medicine for his shoulder pain.After realizing how much troubles he is in, Theodore learned how to play it smart. He only still little amount in every store to avoid attention. One box of medicine from a pharmacy, at least five different brand of canned goods from a grocery store. It's the only way for him to stay off the radar."Alright, time to find some food." As soon the night came, Burnett snuck out of th
After the incident at the hidden falls, my parents became more focus on taking care of Melissa. They never left the house after what happened. Even my brothers have been so obsessed about helping her. She's still locking herself inside her room, but she's eating with us now, which I consider as a good thing.Today is my rest day, and I decided to stay at home to help my famil with sister. I was trying to thing of the best thing to do for her, but my mind is coming up blank. We've done everything we can, and I'm losing my mind just for thinking. Finally, I decided to just make her something to eat."Mel, can I come in, please?" I made her chicken soup, and her favorite egg sandwich. It didn't take long for Melissa to open the door. She still looks like she's not getting enough sleep."Yeah, come in." Mel said in a weak voice."Mel, you're still not sleeping well, yet?""No, I'm still having those nightmares. Sometimes, I can't even sleep at all beca
The cold wind blows as the rainy season approaches. It's been a long time since we last visited the hidden falls, but I can still remember how we enjoyed swimming. Melissa was sixteen yeas old when we last hang out in this place, but maybe she still remembers.Looking at my sister standing on the edge of the largest rock at the side of the crest. Jumping from the crest to the base is dangerous because the rocks in the bottom of the pool. I can see that she's trembling, and he eyes looks so scared, but I can't risk coming to her. I don't want to startle her, and give a reason to jump."Melissa, please. Just stay away from the edge, baby. Come on." I kept on trying to convince her to come to me, but she's not listening."Det. Angeles, we got it from here. Please stand aside." One of the crisis specialist asked me to step aside."Please, get her to safety." For the first time in a long time, I felt helpless. I can't even get my sister to listen to me.
As soon as the news about Theodore's escape came out in the news, the nightmare resurface. Now, the whole country thinks that Burton Grove system is not only incompetent, but also as neglectful. The national government is already involved before Burnett was caught. Now that he escaped, the national government want to be involved again.The airforce, the marines, the navies, every city police, and the national security is now hunting Theodore Burnett. His picture is constantly posted in every news, and commercials. It is now an official national manhunt. The president already issued a shoot to kill order against Burnett. Any officer of the law can kill him onsite, after he killed the police office who almost caught him.ABN News:"This is Angela Newman, from ABN News, reporting live. The convicted serial killer, and Burton Grove Penitentiary escapee, Theodore Burnett was supposedly spotted in this train station about an hour ago. According to witnesses, he was we
I haven't had a good sleep ever since Burnett went after my sister. Between the long hours I spent for work, and looking out of my sister, sleep is no longer necessary. Every day I come home from work, Melissa is having a nightmare. She refuses to see a psychiatrist, she refuses to talk to anybody. She won't even face her friends whenever they try to visit her.Our parents are worried about her, even our other relative. Almost all of our cousins already joined the citizen volunteers to find Theodore. And the chaos that he made is alive again. Most of the times, it's so hard to focus on my job, especially whenever I remember my sister."Chris, how's Melissa? I haven't had the time to visit her. I was so busy moving my mom, and my aunt. I'm sorry." Oliver apologized."She's not doing so good, Oli. Mark, Jeffrey, and I brought her to the lake, thinking that i will help her relax, but it didn't. She's too jumpy to be outside the house. She's scared of every sound. W