This is a rough draft of the first chapter of a horror ficton short novel titled "Sepia". Please let me know what you think friends. Thanks.



There I was once again, sitting alone in the police station early in the morning. I’m talking three freaking o’clock here. The lights are off listening to the brilliant voice of John Coltraines trumpet thru my little brown eight by eleven radio. Slumped over my desk, Baily awake, staring directly into the computer like some damn zombie trying to bring this missing child home. Maybe if I took sometime and focused on finding a husband or whatever, I wouldn’t be so damn career driven. Then again, men are full of shit and that is the last thing I need in my own shitty life. All right enough with my self loathing here, got to put together the pieces to this recent kid napping of a seventeen-year-old cheerleader. Her name is Brenda Johnson . . . she was a straight A student and lived with her grandmother, very well behaved, looking to attend Howard University after her senior year. This is so sad! I’ve been the best detective in Utopia South Carolina for the past ten years. I have seen a lot of brutal and inhuman things people can do to each other, but anytime a innocent kid is involved I work harder to bring who’s ever behind it to justice. This just kills me inside. Her Grandmother may be already preparing for the funeral- what the hell am I saying here? I’m talking like she’s already dead. I just got this bad feeling inside that she is. When death calls what can you do . . . Ring, Ring, Ring, What kind of a nut would be up this early in the morning. Shit, it’s three thirty. What makes things even more out of place is that someone’s calling my cell phone- my work cell phone at that. I check the caller i.d. and it’s not a number I’m familiar with. These phones were given to me and the other officers in case of an emergency and the only people that would know the number would be my co- officers. Whoever it may be is smart enough at least to call from a phone booth, but I’m still one step ahead and tracked where the call is coming from. By pushing enter on my keyboard immediately the location of this unannounced caller pops up-Larvey Street, one mile away from utopia park. Larvey Street is where all the professionals live like doctors, lawyers and dentists. If this has anything to do with the case, this caller may just have given me some clues where to first ask questions.
“Hello, detective Williams speaking, how may I help you?” I said with one eyebrow raised. A voice shaking as though many earthquakes lied within answers, “Is this detective Williams?” “Yes, how can I help you sir?” I answered back.
This guy takes like sixty seconds in between every sentence to answer a freaking question. It is always best to hold your composure in times like these and keep a cool head and I will remember this next time, but today-
“Enough of the phone chess games okay pal.” I yelled. “Look I’m not going to be asking questions and waiting on your slow ass replies buddy, goodbye!” I continued.
Before I could slam the phone in his face or in this case push the off button on my cellular, he yells, “No, please, it’s about the sixteen-year-old bitch.” Nice to know that all Americans are educated in some fucked up way.
“Tell me where you are and I will come down there and we can talk.” I said. “Do you think I’m crazy detective, I’m not falling for that ok!” he replied. “Look just come down,” I said in my super calm voice trying to get us both where we are communicating with each other instead of yelling.
“A lot of strange things are happening and it all started with this slut.” he said trying to sound like a tough guy and keep a little masculinity in his voice. Yet I can sense he’s scared as hell.
“Since your so reluctant to meet me somewhere, what about giving me your name then, that would be a good start?” I said trying to get as much information out of this guy as possible.
I’ve been on this phone with this guy for at least thirty-minutes now and have gotten no where with this bum!
“I know who’s behind this!”, he yelled. “Now we’re getting somewhere.” I replied. “Can you tell me who is behind this?” I continued. “Those damn voodoo bitches or witches or whatever they call themselves.”, he said.
My eyes just rolled to the back of my head cause I know he’s about to put all the blame on the Azura tribe. Known to be very pro women. . .Well, I’m putting it mildly here, these women despises men. The truth is since I’ve been the lead detective here these women have been nothing, but peaceful and cooperate with the law. I mean, yeah, sure their weird and they practice voodoo and all kinds of crazy things, but they stay to themselves. I’m not saying this because my mother was a member. . . well maybe thats part of it. Regardeless, I feel this guy may be the kidnapper or knows the person that is so I play along to see where this may lead to.
“Damn azura trash!” I yelled! Trying my best to make him believe that I’m on his side.
“Finally we see eye to eye,” he said. What a jackass I thought to myself! “I gotta go.” he said.
“Her body can be located in Utopia Park in the woods.” he said.
Before he could hang up I could hear someone from the back swearing at him. I couldn’t hear that much, but what I did hear just maybe the clue I need to solve this case. That voice was dark and said something about staying at the players pen. Thats all I could hear and then he hung up. He was shaken up before, but even more so since that guy started cursing at him. What a call! Well, she’s dead! I’m not surprised what so ever. The two pictures I have of little Brenda I got from her files plays in my head like a slide show. All I can see is this innocent child in her Utopia bulldogs cheerleader uniform with her palm palms. I can’t began to imagine the pain her grandmother will feel once she gets a hold of the news. May god help us all.