Hush Hush

Annabel-Lee

I finished my cigar and put down my flask. I got up and was going to go to the bathroom to relieve myself but as I did so my phone rang. It's sergeant Brian. "Get yo ass down her right now!"

"Alright, alright. I'm on my way."

"Ok well hurry. You're going to hit the roof when you get here. I'm not going to say anymore. When you get here you'll see for yourself."

"For f**k sake. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Ok." He ended the call.

I put my phone in my pocket and went to the bathroom.

I wondered why it was so important for me to be there in such a hurry. That bloody Manson has left so many surprises for us, it's ridiculous. Till this day and till the day I die, I will never understand why I chose to be Manson's therapist.

"Where the actual f**k is 575 Haiku Street?" I wondered aloud to myself.

I pulled my phone back out of my pocket and tapped on the 'maps' app. I typed in the destination and waited until it loaded.

It's going to take about 95 minutes to get there by car. I think I might want to look respectable before I go, though. Probably have a shower and put on some nice, clean clothes.

The bathroom ended up being moist, steamy, and hot. The shower on the other hand was refreshing - I didn't want to get out but I had to. The clothing of choice though was a pair of maple coloured trousers and a light blue and white plaited shirt.

Then I grabbed my phone and keys and went on my merry way.

I really do hope that this is the last time I have to be called to go a crime scene.

These last few days has gotten to me real bad. I've barely slept, I've also been smoking and drinking more.

I got outside and closed the front door behind me, making sure it's locked. Then off I went to my car to drive that 95 minute drive to the destination.

I think I might retire from being a therapist. All this bullshit has given me a migraine. I've been trying to piece together everything; why Manson did this?, how that f*****g car accident happened?, why Manson was the only one to survive?

I wondered why this was so urgent.

If I never agreed to be Manson's therapist than I wouldn't be in this mess at the moment. I wouldn't have started smoking and drinking again. My life would have been what is was and have more meaning than it does now.

All this bullshit is because of Manson. I can't explain it, Sergeant Brian can't explain it, and probably nobody else can either. But I think it was fate that brought all of us together and for all these events to unfold.

I think I might stop overthinking everything and focus more on the road.

It's dark, so it's a little hard to see. The vicinity around me is lit up from all the street lights and car lights. But beyond the vicinity is pure darkness. I screeched my brakes at a red light. While the light is still red, I might have a look at the time. It's 9:19pm.

It didn't take long till the light went from red to green.

I'm pretty sure this is a bad idea: overthinking and making a jigsaw puzzle in my head, all while driving. Especially at nighttime.

I got onto a highway and all I can see in front of me is more and more darkness and probably an endless road.

I turned on my radio while paying attention to the road and pure darkness.

Maybe music might calm my thoughts.

~~~

'Nothing compared 2 U' is playing through the car right now. I didn't mind the song actually but it kind of got to me, emotionally.

I drove off the highway.

When there's no cars around I turn my high beams on to produce more light but when I see cars driving near me I turn them off.

I noticed a rest stop area, I turned to the left and parked my car. I left the car lights on so I could see. I quickly went to the toilet and stretched a little. I sat back in my car and had a look at my GPS. It's like another half hour until I get there. It's now 10:07pm.

I turned off the light and restarted the engine. I reversed and drove back onto the road. Since it was like two hours until midnight, it was quite and not many cars around.

Many quiet minutes went by, slowly. I have no idea why but I want to cry right about now. I wonder how life would be without me in it. I'd finally be closer to my wife but also won't see if my daughter has any children or not. I wouldn't mind seeing my future possible grandchildren.

There's a bridge up ahead. I could drive off of it and plummet to my inevitable death or I could arrive to the near destination and have a look at the probable horrible scene.

I realised that I am at the end of the bridge. So I guess I can't drive off the bridge now.

You know what's so ironic. I help people for a living but I can't help myself. So many things are flushing in my head at once that I can't think straight.

You know what, since my daughter has moved away from home to live with her boyfriend and his family, I haven't had much time to talk to her even though she's an adult now and she can handle her own things, I still love her and she's still my little princess.

I drove into a 24 hour service station to put more petrol in my car and to get a drink of some sort.

After filling my tank up to almost full, I walked in to pay for the petrol and buy a drink. The chosen drink is a 600ml bottle of coca-cola.

I put the keys back in ignition and restarted the engine. While I was still in parked, I had a quick look at the GPS to see how long I had until I arrived to the destination.

It's only like another 5 turns left and/or right. About 10 maybe 15 minutes to go. The closer I get the more anxious I get. Unwanted emotions are creeping themselves into me. I don't like it.

My phone started ringing, so I pulled over off to the side of the road, put my car in park and answered my phone.

"Are you coming?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way right now. Probably another 10 to 15 minutes."

"Ok. Just one thing."

"Yeah what is it?"

"We haven't identified the body yet. All we know from just looking at the body is that it's a female, roughly about 5 foot 7 inches, and probably in her mid twenties. We haven't even called the coroner yet because we're waiting for you to arrive."

"Oh. So why did you want me to come than?"

"To see if you could help us identify the body. We think that you might know her."

"Ok. I have to go. I have to get back in the road."

"Ok, no worries. I'll see you than."

"Ok." I hanged up the phone and put my car in drive.

How would I know who this young lady is? Have I met her before? Why would they think that I might know her? It's like they know who it is but they want me to arrive to identify her. Also why would Manson kill someone that I know? He already made it clear and simple that I didn't do a good job.

That reminds me; at least a month before his birthday and everything happened, he noticed a picture on my desk of my daughter, my wife, and me. My wife has already passed away, so Manson couldn't of killed her. The minor details that Sergeant Brian gave me some what matches my daughter. But still it could have been anyone. Maybe one of my patients.

I won't know until I arrive there.

I turned left into a street and parked my car on the curb. There's three police cars here parked in the driveway and on the curb. Police tape is surrounding the area. I got out of my car and closed the door behind and walked up to the house. An officer is guarding the area so no trespassers can trespass.

"Let me guess, Sergeant Brian has requested your presence?"

"Yes, officer, he did. He told me over the phone that you guys aren't going to call the coroner until I can possibly identify the body. He thinks that I might know who she might have been."

"We've been waiting for you to arrive." He lifted up the police tape. "Just through here. They're waiting for you inside."

"Ok. Thanks."

"No problem."

I walked up to the house and walked inside. When I walked inside I noticed a black telescope goldfish flopping around on the floor. The bowl is in pieces on the floor with a puddle of water. I didn't bother with the fish since I had bigger problems to worry about than a dying fish.

I walked into the living room where I am confronted by Sergeant Brian. The look on his face made me worry, scared, concerned. I've never seen that face on him before, even the many years we've been friends. Something terrible must have happened.

"I'm so sorry, Doc. I know how much she meant to you."

I didn't really know what he was going on about.

I followed Sergeant Brian into the house where I saw a lifeless body, well what was left of one anyway. A rope is hanging from the ceiling in the shape of a noose with the head and part of the torso still hanging there. The body's heart has been ripped out. Most of the body was mauled by some kind of animal.

"Here you go. Manson addressed this to you." Sergeant Brian handed me a white taped box addressed to me.

"More surprises. I'm not surprised actually." I opened the box and what is inside is a heart, probably the one from the body and a note addressed to me.

YOU LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER DON'T YOU. WELL HAVE HER LOVE THAN OR EVEN BETTER

...

HER HEART.

I dropped the box with the heart and note on the floor and went to the body closer. I had a closer look at her face.

"I know this person."

I dropped to my knees and started crying and yelling.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! My sweet, sweet Annabel-Lee."