Revitalization of Realization

The scene is brimming with professions of all that follow the sadness of death. The yellow tape is stretched along the road to bar off bystanders from getting involved. Officers are heard telling any that might be remaining in the area to back off and head to the safest areas forged from city officials. A crime scene member pulls the cloth over the young victim; a youthful gaze now in the defeated enchantment of demise. Chatter vibrates into phones and walky-talkies and dispatch codes are authorized for approvals into enforcement hierarchies. For these men and woman on scene, it was another day at work and while it was conceded that their emotions be culled, the sensation of odd circumstance surrounded their environment. Lyle watched on by his cruiser, staring at Kay, one of the key witnesses of the horrific event. A crime scene investigator lead went over to Lyle to get his input.

“Nuts out here, never seen anything like this, you?” asked the investigator.

Lyle begrudgingly peered his eyes towards the question, his arms crossed on his cruiser, “Not like this no. Anything turn up yet from initial response?”

“We talked to your partner over there, and all she said was that she heard a loud bang behind her as she was jogging by. Didn’t even discern it was a body at first, thought it was a full trash bag or a big pile of shrubbery. The smell gave it away.”

Lyle responded back, “No scream from the victim? Or a cry of a distress?”

“Nothing according to the miss”

Lyle inspected from his view where the body had landed in retrospect to the elevated circumference to get a rough idea, but no solid leads were forming a hypothesis. Kay finished talking with another inspector and walked over to Lyle’s direction. Her demeanor proposed a much calmer outlook, but not the cheerful cadet that had left earlier.

“How are you holding up?” inquired Lyle.

Kay implied with her shaking hands and nonlinear stance an offbeat response.

“I’m not sure. I think if you give me a day or two, I should be back to my real self. Not something you can shake off so keenly, you know?”

“Right.”

“During those tense moments, all I could think about was that life, and how it just….abruptly ended. It’s been glued to my mind, just how valuable and precious our lives are. Their future was no more – all the things they aspired to become – cut short. I don’t understand how suicide was their answer.”

“Suicide? You think this child leapt to their death? The coroner pins this child around 7-9 years old, you think that concept was oriented in their head?”

“I’m still wrapping my head around how it’s even possible from where he landed. It doesn’t take a CSI unit to deduce that from the surrounding rooftops and windows- it’s physically impossible to fall directly below, unless-

“Yeah, I get what you mean. The child would have had to have been ejected pretty fast out of the window to land where he did. Almost like he was running out as if it were an escape.

“But even then, I’m pretty sure I saw in the corner of my eye he fell straight down.”

“Hm, and you’re sure nobody else had any contact with the victim besides you at the time of death.”

“Now that you mention it, I did see this lanky high school boy walk past me, but he darted like a bullet train in the opposite direction.”

“We’ll need his testimony and account of what happened here for our records. Odd though, he’d run away like that.”

“I don’t blame him. He was caught in the wrong place and the wrong time. I wouldn’t want to stick around a dead body either, if it were up to me.”

“Regardless of what he feels, I want him in our custody by tomorrow at latest for interrogation. You’re off till Monday, so don’ feel obligated to do more than you can. You’ve had a rough start here, so do us all a favor and get home and rest.”

“Yeah sure, a shower and a good night rest should do me in fine.”

Kay walked past Lyle, as she entered another cruiser with an officer, ready to take her to her home. Lyle gazed his attention back to the crime scene, looking in all directions, trying to puzzle together the odd afternoon that was created. The names of all the building owners and occupants were being gathered for the follow up key witness report to usurp more data into the bizarre death of this child.

Sensations of being alive filled Victor’s body. Blood flowing through veins and the odor of an unkempt room filled the nostrils of the unknown identity of the young man. “Victor’s eyes were blank grey dazed and still, slowly pandering in all directions, vision a little shaky, as if something was disturbing him.

“Wh-Where am I?” muttered Victor. His eyes shook, and his hand held his head grasping for answers. He looked into the mirror that was above the dresser. Without much concern and staleness in his voice, he responded, “That’s not me.” He looked around the room for anything that might help him understand his current predicament. A messy room with clothes everywhere, cologne, water bottles, used tissues scattered about the floor. “A mess. Gross.” Victor walked into the bathroom to see that it was the same as the bedroom. “Whoever this place belongs to, he’s a slob.” He proceeded to exit the room and go downstairs and see more. “Nobody is here. Does this guy live alone?” Victor exited out of his home as the dawning sunshine hit his eyes. He paused for a second as what felt like a jolt of electricity ran through his mind. A brief flash of “his” past appeared before his eyes. Stills of a confrontation, a girl holding out her hand, and a street sign “Bard Ave” show, before Victor is brought back to reality. “Bard…Ave? Why does that sound so familiar? Victor closed his eyes for a second to see if the name rings a bell. A breeze echoed out of the nearby trees and lifted upon Victor. He opened his eyes and proclaimed, “This breeze too, I’ve felt this before.” Just what have I been doing for so long?” Victor walked out into the distance, sight-seeing, taking in the world, as if it were the first time, absorbing information. Nightlife on a Friday night was quiet compared to nearby cities due to the increase in crime. However, even in these circumstances, people still wandered about shopping and dining to let go of their weekly stresses. Victor walked by people talking, observing and wondering. A couple not paying attention to where they were going bumped into Victor. The girl in the couple proclaimed, “Hey watch it there kid.” Victor without much consideration turned around to hear and muttered to himself, “I’m sorry.” The pair didn’t pay attention as Victor stared for a minute in their direction. Victor’s stomach barged out with a loud groan, signifying that his body was hungry. “I’m hungry? Sure, I can eat. But what exactly? Victor looked around to see if there were any restaurants and there was one on the far right side of the street. He peered through the window and looked at the customer’s eating their meals and saw the meals that were prepared. He looked very creepy, with a cold stare gazing and peeking at the private conversations. From inside the restaurant, people whispered, “The hell is that guy doing?” Should we call the police, he looks threatening.” Victor checked his pockets to see if there was a wallet to pay, and he pulled out nothing. Yet regardless, he walked into the restaurant.

“Good evening sir, how many?” asked the entrance butler.

“How many what?”

“Uh how many are dining out?”

“Me.”

“So…1? Inquired the butler.

Victor stood there like an idiot as if a fish out of the water.

“Of course, right this way.”

The butler walked him into the restaurant as he paid attention to the customers looking their way to him due to his theatrics at the window. There was a small table at the back of the room with a rose sitting perched.

“Your waiter will be with you shortly, thank you.”

“Um excuse me” – Victor inquired quietly.

The butler held up and looked at Victor.

“I appear to not have any money – do you think it’s possible to just get me a plate of bread?”

The butler walked away without even giving remark to Victor’s request.

Everyone in the room seemed to have their gazes set on Victor.

“I don’t like eating at restaurants.”

Across the room, an escalated matter was taking place regarding an undercooked filet that a woman had ordered, and the waitress that was handling it was becoming pressured. The attention that seemed to be attentive to Victor dissolved.

“Ma’am, I’m very sorry about this, I’ll be sure to take this up with the chef and get you a new one, ok?”

The troubled customer slammed her fork in hand on the table, “ You best damn make it top notch quality this time, you hear me. You’ve already lost a tip, next I’ll make sure your boss hears about it.”

“What? You can’t do that.”

“Ehhh, what was that? I’ll have you know that I’m a returning customer for over 2 years, they’ll listen to what I have to say.”

The waitress was becoming agitated and sucked it up.

Victor tuned in, ignoring his own waiter that had come to inquire his previous request.

“Sir, I heard you only wanted a plate of bread, is that correct? I can bring that out for you. Is there anything else I can get for you?

“That woman over there, do you know who she is?”

The waiter indulged, recognizing one of his own customers. “Oh uh that’s Miss Buta, one of the city board members. She’s usually a handful whenever she stops by, but she does make big contributions to our establishment, so it’s overlooked.”

“That’s…nice, but I was talking about the waitress.”

“Her name is Brianna, but that’s all I can disclose to you. She’s a new waitress here, nice girl from what I’ve heard.”

Victor had his eyes on her current circumstance, as she looked flustered, but open closer inspection, he noticed that there were abrasions and a pinkish sore color to her wrists and back of the neck.

“Excuse me for one second”, Victor pardoned.

As Victor left his table, the waiter that was waiting on him drew an expression of disgust and worry.

Victor approached Brianna, who walked away from the escalation with Miss Buta.

Victor grabbed the uninjured hand of Brianna, “Brianna, right?”

Brianna responded with hesitation, “Yes, how can I help you”, she said with a nervous smile.

“I should be the one asking you that,” stated Victor with that same blank, but now serious expression.

“Those marks on your wrists and your neck, where did you get those?”

“Uh-Wh-Huh? None of your business!, she yelled.

Common sense was not the driving force behind Victor’s actions as they were now the center of attention in the restaurant.

“It’s never going to stop.”

“What?”

“Unless you speak up and address the problem, now answer the question.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“You’re lying, I can see it in your eyes.”

“Just leave me alone, who even are you?”

From behind, the waiter that attended Victor and another man followed to interrupt, tapping on Victor’s shoulders, “We’re going to ask you to leave sir, especially since you are technically not a paying customer.”

Victor felt the pressure of the man’s hand on his shoulder and peered his eyes over without turning his head, “Fair enough.” Victor, again at the center of attention, more serious than when he entered the establishment, laid his eyes on Brianna with an intent.

“Creep. He was a shady one, who the hell knows what he was looking for” interjected the 2nd waiter.

Brianna responded with a down look on her face, “Yeah right.”

Outside the restaurant, Victor can only keep the image of Brianna in his memory. “That girl reminds me of someone I knew. Just who though?”

Inside the restaurant, the commotion of business resumed with everyone attending to their daily tasks. Brianna’s concentration is shaken through the warning that Victor provided, as she looked at the busboys in the kitchen. A tear of sweat rolls down the side of her head, as her heartbeat matches. She kept her head down and marched into the kitchen to take a breather. Thoughts raced, as she became captured by Victors words. One of the busboys, a tall older man by the name of Austin interrupted her, concerned about the confrontation that had just occurred.

“I need to speak to you in private, if you’ll come with me please.”

Austin grabbed the young girl by the wrist and nodded his head to two others in the back to follow him, as they threw their aprons on the counter.

The swinging door revolved for the men and Brianna as they entered the backlot of the building where the employees smoke and take their breaks. They jerked Brianna out the door in a violent matter, her body nearly tripping over the asphalt.

“You went snitching to someone, didn’t you?” inquired Austin.

Still shaken and expecting what is coming, Brianna answered, “N-No I swear – I told no one.”

“Then explain who the hell that guy was.” Austin retorted

“I’ve never met him before in my life, I’m telling you the truth.”

Austin turned around, taking matters into his hand, addressed one of his friends to look into Victor’s sudden appearance at the restaurant.

“Have any of you seen that kid around here before? I find it very odd that someone out of the blue waltzes in and starts piecing together what should be private between everyone here.”

He looks at everyone with a discerning face, inquiring to get to the bottom of the discussion.

“Go get that fucker and bring him back here. He can’t have gone far.”

Three busboys essentially ditch their shift and go in the direction that Victor was heading in to jump him.

Brianna walked slowly back into the building before being grabbed again by Austin.

“Get back here, we’re not finished yet. Right?”

Austin started feeling up on her and pushed her against the graffiti filled wall that corners a fence.

Brianna, uncomfortable and scared, closes her eyes, squirms, waiting for everything to be over. Austin moves in to her face, starts getting excited.

“Of course you don’t mind. You haven’t objected before, why would this be any different. Just sit still and I’ll be finished quick. He started to unbuckle his belt from his jeans, still keeping his body close to hers. No matter how many times this has happened to her, her fear and trepidation does not change. She thought to herself, “Please, I don’t want this anymore. I can’t go on like this. Somebody please- somebody help me.”

Outside the fence, the busboys are thrown into a bunch of tin trash cans, hitting the pavement.

“What the fuck?” Hey you guys good, get the hell up.”

Footsteps slowly cascaded from behind a blue pick-up truck from the parking lot, as Victor entered holding his hands in his pockets.

“Disgusting pile of shit. I figured that’s what was happening”, answered Victor.

Brianna was relieved holding a hand on her neck bone, but looking at the reaction of Austin was also concerning.

“Fucking asshole, how dare you, do you know who I AM?” yelled out Austin, clenching Brianna’s arm, posturing her a trophy.

“No. Should I? Wittingly answered Victor.

“Erghh, why you-

“Let’s just say once I notice one thing, the rest becomes clear. Your motives are so cut and dry, it’s downright hilarious.

Victor turned his attention to Brianna.

“Whatever’s going on with him and the guys around here, you don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

Austin responded with agitation, “You want to fucking go right now, I’ll kick your ass right here right now, c’mon.” Austin walked toward Victor, still hands in pockets, calm and unconcerned. Reaching into his pockets, the tall youth puts on a brass knuckle and reflects the golden portion into the sunlight.

“You should’ve known better than to fuck with someone from the 308!”

Austin threw a punch with the knuckle at Victor, however with a stern face, Victor swiped the motion to the left and kept his balance as Austin was heading toward the asphalt. His hands caught the asphalt and his body was contorted facing Victor again. With more ferocity and wildness being caught in a trick, Austin flung his fists at Victor again, who was dodging with flicks of his neck alone.

“Stay still damn it, agghhh!” Breathes of exhaustion filled the lungs of Austin. Clearly not a natural athlete, the use of the brass knuckle is a resort to make up for the lack of absent experience of actual combat ability.

“Here!” Victor proclaimed, as he landed a solid right hook into Austin’s jaw, sending his body upwards into the sky, landing into the asphalt once more.

Victor walked up to Austin’s nestled injured body as his awareness was jumbled from the impact.

“Now, you’re going to leave her alone from now on, right?” He clenched Austin’s t-shirt and lifted him up.

From behind where the two were, 5 cars pulled up. The doors opened up, bandanas were worn with white dots and skull patterns.

Austin recognized the men and shouted out to behind Victor, “No, wait don’t!

Before too long, the scene was covered in a shower of bullets. Austin’s body was lit up with gunfire, as Victor used it as a body shield and ran for cover. The men shooting quickly fled the scene almost as fast as they had started shooting. Victor waited for the coast to clear before getting up, realizing the only one breathing was himself. Brianna herself was also caught in the crossfire, dead on the ground with her eyes lifeless set into the sun. In the corner of his eye, the people from the restaurant fled from the entrance of the restaurant understanding that a gun spree had taken place. He walked over and knelt to Brianna’s body and quietly spoke to himself, “I’m sorry. I only wanted to help.” He stood upright and looked at the sun setting. However, a startling blur took over his vision and a weakness fell over his knees.

“He….must be getting there. Wasn’t expecting….that.” Victor’s body collapsed at the scene of the murders.

Inside Victor’s mind, a checkpoint is reached. It is a nowhere, but somewhere that is known. Only a white fog with a brick road that leads to “life”. Victor blindly follows this road, unconsciously knowing that it leads to the outside world. His natural instincts allow him to cling to life, despite throwing it away in a meaningless suicide. Walking to the end, he comes to an incline, where it now becomes dark, almost as if he were climbing the sky itself. He reaches a threshold and sure enough, it appears he is sitting in the atmosphere of the earth itself.

He thought to himself, “I should be petrified of this sight, but I’m not. I’m at ease. It’s breathtaking. He looks at the earth, and beside him is a girl with long black hair. She wears an all-white gown with tired eye, but glistening lips.

“Will you return? Asked the girl.

Victor turned to the girl, not shaken by the new entity beside him, and then turned his attention back to the earth.

“You’re under the impression this is the afterlife, I’ll correct you it’s not.”

Victor still didn’t say a world, both now floating in a fictional atmosphere of the earth.

He turned to the girl, and heard a response only paying attention to the syllables leaving her mouth. Before long, his eyes opened in the real world to a crowd. And his hands locked in handcuffs. Living is justice and the crime.