The Pursuit of the Unknown

THE COPS?!

HAZEL POV

 As she walked out of the study, her conscience fought with her, ‘Hazel, murder is not the way to do this, what if he cops find out?’  “I don’t give a f**k about the cops, they couldn’t save my parents from those bloodthirsty men, so why would I expect them to help me?”  she hears a knock at the door.

“Ms. Maria, what are you doing here so late at night?” she questioned her neighbor, hoping that she doesn’t get any more of her judgmental looks.

“Hazel, where do you always go during the night and where is your mother? I haven’t seen her in a long while. You shouldn’t have to expose the little boy to your disgusting lifestyle young lady.” Hazel looked at the old hag standing by her door, she didn’t answer her questions and slammed the door in her face. “Hazel! Hazel! How rude  could you possibly get! Not only are you a w***e, but you are a rude one! We  do not condone this kind of behavior in our  neighborhood – wait until I tell your mother what you have up to in her absence.” She says banging on the front door in fury.

“Ms. Maria, get off my front porch before I drag you away from my house by your bonnet. If there was nothing else you can leave,”

“Where is your mother, I need to speak with her, you have become quite unruly young lady” she says back at Hazel trying to push her aside and enter the house. Hazel pushed her out and onto the front yard,

“If you are want my mother so bad, go to the morgue and when you get there, you can tell her all about my misdemeanors and how much of a disgrace I am to the neighborhood. Now, unless there is anything else important for you to say, get the f**k out and stay out of my life old hag!” she screamed at the woman, her eyes glistening with tears.  

“Your mother is dead Hazel?” Ms. Maria asked instantly regretting her meddling, but Hazel really couldn’t care less,

“f**k you,” and with that she slammed the door in the woman’s face and went to check on her young brother, and found him awake holding his toy airplane standing by the corridor, tears glistening in his eyes. “Booba, what are you doing out of bed? Come on, let’s go and I will tuck you in and read you your favorite story. Mhmm?”  she walked tentatively towards her brother, hoping he didn’t hear that woman saying their mother was dead.

“Naana, where is mommy? Is she really dead? Where is mommy?! I want mommy Naana!” he cries, throwing himself on the floor. Hazel felt helpless at this point, the only thing she could do was to hold him until he stopped crying.

“It’s okay big boy, I got you,” Hazel reassured him and let him cry to his heart’s content. At that moment, she realized that she had to start making funeral arrangements all by herself – the rest of her family did not want to be associated with suicide victims as they believed it was a curse that would fall upon their households as well. She shed a few tears herself and rocked the little boy on her lap to sleep. As she laid him on bed, she joined him under the covers and cuddled her baby brother, hoping that she too would fall asleep for a few hours, try to forget the pain that awaits her as the sun rises to usher in the new day.

…

“Hazel, come to me little nana, come join me and your father. Come little nana, you want be with mommy don’t you? Come sweetie, come,”

“Naana, wake up!” little Scotty shakes his big sister awake. Hazel opened her eyes to find her little brother’s face hovering over hers, “Why are you crying in your sleep Naana?”

“Oh Booba, did I wake you up? Sorry boy” cradling his little face in her hands, “Come let me make you something to eat, eggs and bacon, oatmeal or pancakes and chocolate syrup – which do you want?”

“All of them Naana!” Scotty jumped up and down in excitement, grabbing his big sister’s clothes in excitement. 

“Go brush your teeth then, I’ll make you a little bit of everything. Hurry up big boy!” as she watched her brother skipping to the bathroom in excitement, she set out to start making breakfast, when a phone call comes in,  “Good day, is this Hazel Matthews?”

“Yes this is she, how can I help you?” a little anxious about who is on the other end of the phone.

“We are calling from the Police Department n connection to the death of Edward Scoot Pute, how soon can you come to the Police Station?” at that word Hazel was filled with dread, uncertain of what awaits her at the Police Department.