Silent pursuit

The park was still enveloped in early morning mist, with a peaceful serenity floating over the scene. The grass damp from the overnight downpour, crunched softly beneath the feet of the few early risers who had gone for a morning stroll. The silence was only broken by the odd rustling sounds of leaves or distant chirping of birds, signifying the start of another day. But something seemed strange this morning. The customary calm was disrupted by a sudden commotion—a crowd clustered around a dark form on the ground. As more inquisitive spectators joined the expanding crowd, a hushed murmur filled the air, their voices tinged with a mix of fear and intrigue. Still, this morning seemed strange. There was a sudden disturbance, people clustered around a dark form on the ground, upsetting the customary calm. A soft murmur filled the air as more inquisitive bystanders joined the encircling group, their voices tinged with a mix of curiosity and terror. The man's body lay in the middle of the throng. His corpse lay splayed out on the lawn, eyes vacantly gazing into space, immobile for all eternity. His garments were ripped, exposing skin that was spotted with new cuts. His hands, or rather the lack of them, were what caused the most startled screams. There were simply raw, bleeding stubs where they ought to have been. A shriek came from a woman in the crowd, her voice like a sword cutting through the stillness of the morning. “His digits!” With a step back, as though the sight of the mutilation could spread the disease, she cried out, "They're gone!" There was a growl, "Get away from the body!" Two police officers approached the area, and the throng grudgingly moved aside. With a frustrated expression on his face, the first officer put on some gloves and knelt down next to the body. The second officer, Travis, gave an order, his voice more assertive, "leave the road!" The throng moved hurriedly backward, murmuring among themselves but not daring to defy. "they are back, the monsters are back. The old woman said, clutching the cross around her neck with trembling hands. A chorus of agreement ensued, the general consensus emerging fast as word of the mysterious monters went on like wildfire. Frustrated, Travis shook his head. ‘You humans are the only ones who comprehend violence’. He said under his breath, loud enough for those nearest to hear, "How do you expect the forces to work when you people already investigate and conclude in less than twenty minutes?" He said, this time out loud for the crowd to hear and hopefully disperse. The first officer, who had been scrutinizing the corpse, glanced up. More to himself than to anybody else, he said, "No CCTV footage in the park. This place is too open and exposed." Travis massaged his temples and moaned. "No surprise there," he said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "However, we still need to determine what transpired here." The second cop nodded and looked up again at the assembling crowd before getting to his feet. "Well, let's get to the morgue with this body. To see if we can identify him, we need to do several tests." The crowd's rumors about the man's identity and the circumstances surrounding his death became more intense as the police sought to contain the incident. However, Travis disregarded them, his mind already buzzing with ideas of the day ahead of him. The events of the morning hung heavily in the air throughout the somber journey back to the station. Travis continued to visualize the sight from the park as he gazed out the window. The manner the body had been handled reminded me of something unsettlingly familiar.Something that pulled at the edges of his recollection, refusing to concentrate completely. The cops' faces were marked with tiredness as they got out of the car and headed to the station. The station was a flurry of activity, with cops darting from one spot to another, phones ringing nonstop, and people making background noise that never stopped. As soon as Travis and his colleague arrived at their workstations, an additional cop approached them. With a matter-of-fact tone, the officer stated, "D.P.O. said we should close the case." Travis scowled, putting aside his fatigue for a minute. “How come?” he questioned a little peeved at the abrupt change. “Why not?” The policeman shrugged. “It's already been labeled as a monster invasion by blogs. He suggests that we end it there”. Travis's chest burned with frustration. “Are you joking with me? This is not just about blogs and gossip”. Another voice interrupted the officer before he could answer. Anita, a female cop, put a hold on Travis's arm and said, "Travis, not today, you dad isn't a commissioner, so at least try to get some rest." Travis suppressed a response, realizing she was correct. There wasn't much he could do to alter the flawed system. However, he found it inconvenient to think that this case would be dismissed like so many others. He started heading towards the D.P.O.'s office, but Anita pulled him back with a firm grip on his arm. “Just let it go Travis, it is not within your power”. He shook his head in disagreement. “Anita, I can't just walk away from this. There is a problem and we can help” She let go of him and sighed in frustration before responding "I understand. However, if our superiors refuse to back us, there is nothing we can do.” Travis nodded reluctantly. He turned his back on the D.P.O. door and said, "I'll be in my office." He left with the unshakeable impression that this case was far from over. The police station was disorganized, but the hospital was orderly. Doors leading to various rooms where patients were receiving treatment lined the corridors, and the air was heavy with the smell of disinfectant. Dr. Fedola was a lady in her late twenties who strode along the hallways with determination, her white coat billowing with her every step. Her workplace was a compact but well-kept area, with honors and diplomas artfully arranged on the walls. She looked at them for a minute, a reminder of the direction she had taken, and then she focused on the paperwork on her desk. There was a knock at the door just as Fedola was getting comfortable. She yelled, "Come in," barely raising her head from the papers she was sorting through in front of her. The nurse entered via the open door. "There is a patient in the ER, Dr. Fedola." Fedola nodded and put down her work at once. "Where is the file for the patient?" Fedola took the paperwork from the nurse and swiftly glanced over the information. She responded, "Okay," and reached for her stethoscope. On their route to the emergency room, Nurse Jane informed her of the patient's state. He was discovered with severe injuries in the park. It appears that he was attacked. When they arrived at the emergency room and saw the patient asleep on a trolley, Fedola scowled. She swiftly inspected him, noting the missing fingers and the terrible scars on his body. Despite the dire circumstances, she inquired in a calm voice, "Have the police been informed about this?" Indeed, ma'am. "They ought to be en route," answered Nurse Jane. "Good," Fedola said, mentally preparing herself for the next move as she thought over her options. “Get him on a stretcher and move him to the theater, before anything our job is to rescue him.” she said just has she finished making her mental note. A flurry of activity was going on as the physicians and nurses got the patient ready for surgery. However, as Fedola cleaned in, She couldn't get rid of the impression that she had seen something similar before, even though she was ready to perform what she did best. She dismissed the thought of a body with identical markings that flashed through her head. It was not time to think about it now. Her task was to rescue a life.