Before The End: Chapter1: Dusky End

1. Dusky End

July 18 2055, the sun slowly sets over the horizon and dusk fills in on the sky. Life in the Big Apple as always, a nonstop hum-drum of activity but for Jack Milford, life stopped and everything around him. His mind in turmoil seemed the only thing that seemed to move. Loss of life, in the nano age is something that happens to oldies beyond the age of 100 not to young boil bloods like Anna, his girlfriend. Jack’s eyes were swollen with tears, he was “Jack” ass, and Anna always said so. The pizza was a bad idea.

Sunday afternoons were boring and cooking food, not even a distant thought. The usual pizza had gotten to Anna and she was dying to have Falafel, quite literally she did. A flurry of flashbacks flooded his mind; he shared an ocean of memories with Anna. Just then he heard a knock on the door and stirred out of the timeless memories and moments of the past, from the day he proposed to her; the day they moved into their apartment, all dissolved and out into reality, Jack was dazed. He moved to open to door, to see a police search team.

“Mr. Milford?” asked, Chief Harris a tall, well built, blonde haired and grey eyed officer. Jack nodded and opened the door.

“Mr. Milford we have come here to have a look around your apartment, we do have a search warrant and I need to interrogate you.” Harris said looking at Jack.

“Sure, anything you want” Jack said still a bit dazed. “Could we sit in the living room while my team does its work?” Harris. “Yes, not a problem”

“So Mr. Milford, or could I call you Jack?”

“Yes please do.”

“Alright, so tell me Jack what exactly happened?”

“Well, I was having a bath, when the pizza we had ordered arrived. I heard her opening the door, paying the pizza guy. Then silence. I yelled out to Anna to close the door properly but I didn’t get a reply. Worried, I quickly finished my bath and came out.” A tear rolled down his face.

“Go on then.”

“I saw her, fallen at the door, I rushed to her and saw her heart beating like crazy and her breath was heavy, there was only a small cut on her palm. I rushed her to the hospital down the block.”

“You did not see the pizza boy did you, not even a glance?”

“Not at all”

Tears of anger, frustration and grief rolled down his face and for the first time he had no one with him in this helplessness. The search team, was done with the job, and reported clean. Harris figured he’ll be on a long day.

“All right Jack, the apartment is clean; I’ll be off to the hospital and find some lead in the case. I’ll get right back to you as soon as I find something.”

“Sure sir.”

Chief Harris was a full blooded skeptic, bred on murder novels and stories. He doubted Jack even though it was out-stretched. He planned to have Jack’s back watched all through.

The walk to the hospital wasn’t very long. Harris met up with Dr.Wong, who treated Anna. Dr.Wong was a short man, with a stark white shirt, well combed hair. He had the really very intellectual kind look. Harris approached him.

“Dr.Wong? Hello I am Chief Harris.”

“Hello Mr. Harris, I was expecting you.”

“Yes, could you tell me about how Anna Sharden actually died?”

“Well Mr. Harris, it’s the weirdest case I have ever seen. She had high pulse rate, heavy breathing and a small cut on her palm, which by the way would not stop bleeding. It is confirmed that she did not have hemophilia.”

“So what killed her?”

“We tried to initiate clotting on her cut, but the moment we applied medicine she had something like an allergic reaction. It didn’t take long for her condition to deteriorate and within 5 minutes she passed out.”

“Do you have any idea about what happened to her? I’d like to have an autopsy report sent to me any ways. I’ll get back to you soon. Thank you.”

“Welcome, Mr. Harris”.

The day just got queerer! Harris’s sad smiled explained it all to his team, boss ain’t that happy and head home quietly.

Harris left a text message to Jack about the meeting with Dr.Wong and said he’d tell Jack if something new comes up.

It was his daughter’s birthday; the little princess had turned 5! The night glow of his watched showed 9pm and then went off, black, as the dark New York sky.