The Central train station was packed with people that day. People were moving hurriedly from one platform to another, desperately trying to escape from the heavy crowd. It was quite normal for such a situation to happen on a day off. A train from Eastern Meadows had just made its stop on platform 3, and people were already pushing to get out. A man who was holding his bagpack firmly with one hand sighed from the back of the pushing passengers. "Why are these guys in such a hurry? It's not like the train's going to move suddenly," he huffed, swinging his head in dissapointment.
The cool looking man in shades had waited until the hassle subsided, and made his way out of the train. He plugged out the earphones of his M-Player and looked around the station. "Man it's hot eventhough it's winter," he complained to himself. Still gripping his bagpack tightly, he manuevered his way towards the main lobby. "Well, at least I made it safely here. Here comes Dwane, Central City. Watch out!"
Dwane was a professional photographer from the eastern side of the country, coming to Central City for work purposes. It was Dwane's second time here in the Central City air, ever since he moved to Eastern Meadows after completing TESL. He could feel the tense atmosphere of the city, and was excited of his one month stay here. As he stepped into the main lobby, he continued to look around as if he was looking for someone.
His cellphone suddenly rang. Dwane picked it up and answered, "Where are you?" A soft yet squeaky voice then responded, "I'm already here near the exit. You're late!" Dwane laughed and hung up. He was already in a lot of trouble trying to get through the crowd in the lobby, and as he reached the exit he saw the person that was waiting for him. With a grin, he greeted the woman.
"Hey Bee! What's up? Sorry I'm late," Dwane said apologetically. "The train was delayed a few times." The petite woman huffed, apparently Bee didn't seem to accept the reason. "Well, you could've at least called first," she cried in dissapointment. "You know we're going to meet up with Nana and the others later. It's a long drive to Nana's house you know., and I bet they're worried already."
Dwane apologised and grin. Bee had changed quite a bit, but he was still happy to get in touch with an olf friend again. He can't wait to meet the 'others' that Bee was talking about. "Thanks for picking me up. I've tried to contact other people, but most were busy and had changed their contact numbers," said Dwane as they walked up towards the parking area. "I thought your husband was going to...woah! You're driving this?"
They had came to a halt near a blue Porsche. It was sporty and looked very expensive. Bee was now wearing a huge smile on her face. "Hehe, guess I made my dream marrying a rich guy come true," she giggled. "And yeah, my husband was suppposed to come too but he's away for a few days." Dwane stood in front of the car in awe. I guess she's still the same after all, he thought to himself. "Can I touch the car?" Dwane joked.
They laughed. Little did they know, a shadow was observing them intently from far. "Aha, now all the characters are present."
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
#04: The Mystery and The Psychologist
Ben couldn't believe it. The woman dressed in a white formal coat standing in front of him was Zatil. She looked a bit different from what Ben had remembered; perhaps because she was now wearing a pair of elegant glasses and was taller. Perhaps much taller than himself. He could only recognise her from her voice. "Zatil, you look...tall," exclaimed Ben. Zatil grinned. "That's because I'm wearing heels now." Both of them laughed.
Meeting an old friend in the past made Ben excited. He almost forgot that he was about to break in Nana's house, until Zatil asked in a joking manner, "So, you really are breaking in?" She was already poking her head through the partially opened door, and was quite surprised to see the house in an unusual stillness. "Why did Nana left the door unlocked if she was out?" continued Zatil, who now sounded worried. She made her way inside the house.
Ben followed her, glancing rapidly around him in a search for any clues to answer the weird sensations they were feeling. The curtains were up and the fan in the living room was on. Knowing Nana, she could never be such a careless person. Zatil was ahead of Ben and moved further inside the building, heading towards the dining room. As Ben slowly observed more of the living room, a call from Zatil made him skid towards where she was, "Ben, something's strange here."
The dining room looked like every other normal dining room, with a medium-sized table in the middle neatly decorated with a fancy cloth. Zatil was standing behind a chair, holding to something on the table. Ben moved closer. "Hold this," said Zatil as she let go of the object. It was a mug filled with a chocolate drink. Ben gulped and held the mug. It was still hot!
**************************************
"You think this is a kidnapping case?" asked Zatil in a worried manner. Both of them were outside sitting on the porch now, after spending almost half an hour searching the house for Nana. "The house looks like as if she was there this morning. We should get in touch with the cops."
Ben nodded. "Eventhough I'm part of the force, I can't clearly deduce what really happened on my own," he shrugged regrettably. "I'll try and call my friend Officer Nik for assistance." He searched his jacket for his cell.
"Woah! You're a cop now?" cried Zatil in amazement.
"Kind of...I'm a detective here in this area," replied Ben, feeling embarrased. He then thought of something. "So what are you doing nowadays? From your actions inside the house, you look just like a cop yourself."
Zatil giggled. "No, no. I'm a psychologist in this city. I've been to a few crime scenes to help investigations," she replied modestly. Ben just nodded with a smile of amazement. Zatil has been an observant and caring person in the past. As he was about to dial his friend's number, he realised that it was already late. "Hey, I thought Bee was coming as well?" he notified Zatil curiously.
"Oh, you didn't know?" said Zatil. "She's picking up someone at the train station first."
Meeting an old friend in the past made Ben excited. He almost forgot that he was about to break in Nana's house, until Zatil asked in a joking manner, "So, you really are breaking in?" She was already poking her head through the partially opened door, and was quite surprised to see the house in an unusual stillness. "Why did Nana left the door unlocked if she was out?" continued Zatil, who now sounded worried. She made her way inside the house.
Ben followed her, glancing rapidly around him in a search for any clues to answer the weird sensations they were feeling. The curtains were up and the fan in the living room was on. Knowing Nana, she could never be such a careless person. Zatil was ahead of Ben and moved further inside the building, heading towards the dining room. As Ben slowly observed more of the living room, a call from Zatil made him skid towards where she was, "Ben, something's strange here."
The dining room looked like every other normal dining room, with a medium-sized table in the middle neatly decorated with a fancy cloth. Zatil was standing behind a chair, holding to something on the table. Ben moved closer. "Hold this," said Zatil as she let go of the object. It was a mug filled with a chocolate drink. Ben gulped and held the mug. It was still hot!
**************************************
"You think this is a kidnapping case?" asked Zatil in a worried manner. Both of them were outside sitting on the porch now, after spending almost half an hour searching the house for Nana. "The house looks like as if she was there this morning. We should get in touch with the cops."
Ben nodded. "Eventhough I'm part of the force, I can't clearly deduce what really happened on my own," he shrugged regrettably. "I'll try and call my friend Officer Nik for assistance." He searched his jacket for his cell.
"Woah! You're a cop now?" cried Zatil in amazement.
"Kind of...I'm a detective here in this area," replied Ben, feeling embarrased. He then thought of something. "So what are you doing nowadays? From your actions inside the house, you look just like a cop yourself."
Zatil giggled. "No, no. I'm a psychologist in this city. I've been to a few crime scenes to help investigations," she replied modestly. Ben just nodded with a smile of amazement. Zatil has been an observant and caring person in the past. As he was about to dial his friend's number, he realised that it was already late. "Hey, I thought Bee was coming as well?" he notified Zatil curiously.
"Oh, you didn't know?" said Zatil. "She's picking up someone at the train station first."
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
#03: Where Was the Host?
It was such a surprise to Ben that Nana was living quite close to where he was staying. Nana had texted her address along with the date and time of the meeting. It was set on that Saturday around lunch hour. Ben continued his regular activities until then. The odd sensation he felt during his conversation with Nana was put aside, and he hoped to find an explanation about Nana's weird pauses when they meet.
The day finally came. The sun shone brightly among the cloudless sky, and heat was still bearable to the human body. Ben was out of his house and was driving away towards a residential area just ten minutes away from his home. He had just moved into the area recently but he already got the hang of the roads and places there. He even had become really close with his neighbours. Ben never thought that Central City houses lively and peaceful people before. From the rumours he heard up north, the people in Central City were really bad in terms of attitudes and actions. That's why the crime rate were said to be pretty high.
"Well, at least the place where I'm staying have good people," said Ben to himself as he looked for house number 612. When he had found the house, he parked his car and made his way towards the gate. The atmosphere was rather quite for someone who was expecting guests. Was Nana out? A car was there at the porch, and the lights were on. But why was it...eerie? Ben pushed aside any negative thoughts, and went towards the door to knock.
He knocked. No response.
He knocked again. Nothing.
"Hello! Nana?" he exclaimed when no one came to the door the third time he knocked. An odd, chilly sensation came. Worried that something was wrong, Ben tried to open the door. To his amazement, the door was not locked. Something was definitely wrong. As Ben was about to enter the house, a tap on the shoulder made him spun around in surprise. A neatly dressed woman stood in front of him. "Hi Ben! Are you breaking in or something?" giggled the woman. Ben immediately recognised the voice. "Zatil?"
The day finally came. The sun shone brightly among the cloudless sky, and heat was still bearable to the human body. Ben was out of his house and was driving away towards a residential area just ten minutes away from his home. He had just moved into the area recently but he already got the hang of the roads and places there. He even had become really close with his neighbours. Ben never thought that Central City houses lively and peaceful people before. From the rumours he heard up north, the people in Central City were really bad in terms of attitudes and actions. That's why the crime rate were said to be pretty high.
"Well, at least the place where I'm staying have good people," said Ben to himself as he looked for house number 612. When he had found the house, he parked his car and made his way towards the gate. The atmosphere was rather quite for someone who was expecting guests. Was Nana out? A car was there at the porch, and the lights were on. But why was it...eerie? Ben pushed aside any negative thoughts, and went towards the door to knock.
He knocked. No response.
He knocked again. Nothing.
"Hello! Nana?" he exclaimed when no one came to the door the third time he knocked. An odd, chilly sensation came. Worried that something was wrong, Ben tried to open the door. To his amazement, the door was not locked. Something was definitely wrong. As Ben was about to enter the house, a tap on the shoulder made him spun around in surprise. A neatly dressed woman stood in front of him. "Hi Ben! Are you breaking in or something?" giggled the woman. Ben immediately recognised the voice. "Zatil?"
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