Chapter 3 - Flashing Lights
The quiet suburban street was already tearing itself apart.
A heavy cruiser idled by the curb.
Its lightbar sliced the darkness into jagged, spinning fragments of aggressive red and blinding blue.
The colors washed over Clara’s face, making her pale skin look bruised and sickly.
She stumbled down the porch steps.
The damp grass soaked into the hems of her nightgown.
"Lily!"
Her vocal cords strained, the sound tearing out of her throat with a raw, metallic edge.
She spun in a circle, her eyes darting between the bushes, the parked cars, the shadows.
"Someone took her!"
Officer Davis stood near the driveway.
His heavy black boots crushed the gravel.
He swept a heavy Maglite beam across the lawn, the bright circle catching floating dust motes.
He lowered the flashlight.
His heavy, lined face was impassive under the brim of his cap.
He reached into the breast pocket of his dark uniform.
His thick fingers pulled out a smartphone.
The screen illuminated his chin with a harsh, white glow.
He stepped directly into Clara’s path.
She collided with his chest, her hands grabbing at his tactical vest.
He didn't step back.
"Camera caught something."
His voice was a low, flat rumble that vibrated over the hum of the cruiser’s engine.
May you like
He turned the phone screen toward her face.
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