jewel-like eyes

I crept down the dimly lit hallway, my partner following quietly behind me. As we approached the small wooden door, I pressed my back to the wall nodding to my partner. He maneuvered into the center of the hallway drawing his firearm and aimed for the door.

"Slaughterdale police we're coming in!" I called, drawing my weapon.

After a moment of no response, my partner ran for the door, kicking it in. It was pitch black inside, I crept out of my safe space on the wall just as my partner took a step into the darkness.

He let out a scream, and upon pulling a flashlight from my side belt, I realized he had fallen into a rocky hole. it appeared to lead to an underground cave system, which wasn't uncommon in our area, until it was connected to a house.

"Shit" I muttered, then called: "Danny!" Looking into the hole, I realized there was light moving, someone was down there.

"Slaughterdale police, show yourself!" I called aiming my weapon for the bottom.

"Don't worry Danny, I'm coming!" I called again after no response.

Upon further exploration, I found a ladder going down into the underground. I reluctantly climbed down, I was at least thirty feet underground. As soon as I set foot on the floor, I saw Danny's blood-spattered body being drug deeper into the cave by a dark figure.

"Police! Get on the ground!" I shouted, no response, not even movement.

Now terrified, I radio in: "108 to HQ officer 320 has been-" I was cut off by static sounding from my radio.

I let out a nervous sigh, a flashlight in one hand and my pistol in the other, I cautiously advance deeper into the cave. The silence is unbearable, and the darkness horrifying. Eventually, I round a corner to find somewhat of a greenhouse. Blue lights hang from lower rocks on the ceiling, and red and white roses in various jars line two long tables along the walls. No, it's not that simple, something is wrong.

Once I got closer to one of the roses, I noticed that the stems were split, some in twos and others in fours, but none were left alone. The stems of the roses were placed in different jars, a few appearing to contain water and the others holding various shades of red liquid. My inspection continued until I came across a two split stem, half red and half white rose. In an attempt to remove it from the jars, I noticed it was stuck in the red liquid. A flakey crust had formed over the top of the jar, preventing the rose from being removed.

I poked at the crust with the back of my flashlight, it broke, the red liquid spilling over the top of the crust, and releasing an absolutely rancid stench.

This was too off, this was blood, human blood. human life being used to multicolor roses. I knew this suspect was bad, but this is just too much.

I turned to leave, back the way I came, except when I turned there was a little girl standing by the corner. She couldn't be more than nine years old, she wore a dirty yellow dress and had shoulder-length Burnette hair, her eyes were closed.

"What are you doing down here, kid?" I ask as I approach her.

She only held up a painted rock in each and as a response, one was emerald green and the other a rose quartz pink, both having a black dot in the center.

"Come with me I'm a police officer, I can help you out of here and we'll get you home, what's your name?" I urge her to speak again, but this time she opened her eyes to look at me.

This little girl gave me the brightest smile, her eye sockets were bloody and stretched, her eyes had been replaced with two sapphire blue rocks both with a black dot in the center.

I stepped back in horror, the girl continued to smile brightly before finally speaking:

"My eyes look like jewels!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My eyes widen when a missing person case comes across my desk,

Sex: Female Age: 8 years Name: Alana Thompson

Hair: Shoulder length, Burnette Eyes: sapphire blue

Last seen: wearing a yellow dress, near Slaughterdale park.

"Reddon!" I hear my name called,

"Yessir?" I say, standing to give my attention to my commander.

"We have another missing person case, a teenager. You however have had a tough week, the school is holding their annual science fair today, go scope the place out. You're posing as a photographer, take a picture of anything suspicious or anything that could pertain to the cave house." He says.

"Yes, thank you, sir!" I say excitedly.

I recently lost my partner, so I'll be going to this one alone. Yes, I'm currently the lead investigator on a series of missing-person cases. The first was an eleven-year-old boy, then recently discovered the eight-year-old girl, and apparently now a 13-year-old girl, attending Slaughterdale middle school.

I make way for my car, making sure to grab my camera and press jacket. I pose as a photographer fairly often, and honestly, it's my favorite part of the job. I check myself in the mirror, damn am I handsome, slick black hair, magazine-worthy yellow-green eyes, pale olive skin with just a few freckles. Yep, I'm a stud.

Upon arriving at the middle school, a teacher comes out to greet me:

"Excuse me, sir, are you a parent? I don't think I've seen you around before, but I'm kind of new here so please forgive me if I'm mistaken." She says

"No ma'am, I'm here from the Slaughterdale police press, do you mind if I admire the students' projects and maybe take a few pictures?" I reply smoothly.

The woman bows slightly, "that would be wonderful sir, thank you, and my apologies"

I slide past her and enter the gym, long cafeteria tables line the walls with two in the center, students in groups of two to four with poster board presentations spread about two feet apart.

Upon first inspection, there's really nothing special, a few volcanoes, some solar system models several coke and mentos projects. However when actually looking, a few of the groups had interesting projects, I was told to look into the cave house, so naturally, the kids that live there are a prime example. I approach a group of two that appear to be making rock candy,

"Well this looks interesting, how would you like to be in the paper, boys?" I ask holding up my camera.

Of course, they were excited, they held up their candy and smiled as I took a photo,

"What are your names?" I ask, pulling a pen pad from the inside of my jacket.

"I'm Kennen Saltcove and this is my cousin, Vinny Cavetown." The smaller boy says.

I thanked them and moved on when a particular project caught my eye. Roses, a group of two girls, both wearing the high school cheer uniform, identical girls actually, had white roses with split stems, one side in a jar of blue water and the other in a jar of yellow water, which turned the white rose half blue and half yellow. They had several roses of different colors, the girls smile as I approach them:

"Wow this is impressive," I say "what have you two got set up here?

"Colored roses! Fun fact: when roses absorb water they also absorb everything in it, this is one reason we need to stop pollution!" One girl replied.

"Ah that's wonderful, you two look a bit old for middle school.."

"We're in high school, were advertising the importance of stopping pollution for the younger ones" the other girl added.

"Fantastic, do you ladies mind if I get your names and photo for the paper?"

"We're Jewelie and Gemma Quartzone!" They say in unison, posing for a picture.

I snap a quick photo then jot down their names.

I wrap up my investigation, writing my personal phone number and name on a clean sheet of paper and rip it out as I approach the teacher who greeted me before.

"I think I've got what I need, what was your name again miss?"

"Shammon," she replied "miss Ottilie Shammon."

"Lovely name" I coo, handing her the sheet of paper, "if you happen to see someone as gorgeous as yourself dining somewhere up to your standards, give me a call. I'd love to have a meal with you." The young woman blushed and nodded, I am fairly new to the game of women, but boy am I good at it. I'd have panties dropping left and right if I'm not careful. The woman honestly seemed nice, not to mention young and pretty, dyed silver hair with ivory skin and eyes that were almost pink. I may have a type.

I get in my car and pick up some lunch before heading back to the office. I walk inside and toss my jacket and camera to an empty chair in my office, I open my computer as I take a seat, and run the boys' names from the fair. According to our records, there was an abandoned house discovered with had one of the many underground cave systems linked to it. My partner was lost in an accident regarding this and there was some pretty messed up shit down there.

Turns out the Saltcove family owns the property. I'll have to call them in for questioning.

"Reddon!"

"Yes?" I call, looking up from my computer.

"Here's the new recruit, he's looking to go into the investigation department so show him the ropes, he'll be your partner as soon as he's completed training."

"Understood! Thank you, sir!" I call back, I take a sip of the drink sitting on my desk as the new recruit enters my office.

The boy looks fresh out of high school, with curly dirty blonde hair and grey eyes.

"What's your name kid?" I ask.

"Octavier Steniel" he stated.

"Do you have any experience and why did you choose the investigation department?"

"I like the idea of solving a mystery, my sister is among the missing now. no, I don't have any experience."

"I don't have a missing person case under the name Steniel." I press.

"You will soon, the police haven't pronounced her missing yet." He states.

"Sorry for your loss, go ask the information techs for a 'Vincent Saltcove's' number. After you get in call him in for questioning."

"Yessir!" With that, the boy scurried out of my office.

That saves me some trouble, about 45 minutes later Octavier returns:

"Mr. Saltcove is in interrogation room 02 sir, may I join you, for the experience?" He says.

"Sure kid, why not," I reply, leaving my chair for the interrogation room.

Vincent is a well-built man, definitely not someone I'd want an altercation with.

"Vincent Saltcove?" I ask, Octavier following behind me.

"Yes, and you are?" His voice is rough and raspy.

"You can just call me Reddon and this is my partner, Steniel. I'm currently the lead investigator over several missing-person cases. I was hoping to ask you a few questions regarding some property we linked back to you."

"Shoot," he says roughly, leaning back in his chair.

"There was a recent raid on the property of 617 north Slaughterdale, there were some pretty messed up things in there. The property was linked back to your name, can you tell me anything about it?"

"Yeah" he begins "I started renting it out to a nice young lady that works at the gentleman's club downtown, She's been renting it out for probably nine months now. She's a sweet girl and always sends a few hundred on her payment so I've never checked in on the house. I didn't get her legal name since she had just turned eighteen, but at the club, she goes by Topaz." He states

"That's very helpful sir, do you mind telling me what club?" I press

"First class gentleman's pub."

"Thank you, you can talk to the ladies out front them your good to go, thanks for coming in." I say as I turn to Octavier, "write that down and wait for me in my car."

I leave the room, returning to my office for my camera and jacket. Looking in my chair, lies a yellow envelope. Going against my better judgment, I open it, It's a letter which reads:

Reddon,

You're playing a dangerous game, "detective" you go poking around in business that isn't yours, you'll pay, you have loved ones, and I know who they are, you mess with me and I'll be sending you their real eyes next!

-jewel-like eyes

As something is still inside the envelope, I turn it upside down over my chair and shake it out. Two sloppily painted rocks fall out, one being rose quartz pink and the other citrine green, both having a black dot in the center.

My name is detective Reddon Baker, and this is my story of how I lost the case, the girl, and eventually. . . My life.