A/N: Second chapter.
>>>>
Chapter Five: Moonage Daydream Interrogation…It Ain't Easy…
(1- I'm Jack- Jack Daniel's…Instant Messaging From Ann…Popuri-Insanity…)
I woke up groggily. Last night had been exhausting. As soon as I came home, I crashed. I hoped I wouldn't have to play Sherlock again for a long while.
"Dammit," I mumbled. I had woken up the way I used to wake up, a long time ago- feeling drunk and stupid and not knowing where the hell I was. Actually, I had been drinking yesterday night, partially because, well, Jack Daniel's was so damn good, and partially because of the situation with Link……I couldn't believe that he hadn't wanted to hold my hand last night- me. I wasn't used to being rejected by guys, so I felt angry. But after he apologized, I just felt like a big piece of shit. It wasn't his fault that the feeling wasn't mutual, and I was being a big ass, so to comfort myself, I spent the night with Jack Daniel.
I woke up, anyway, groggy and aching all over my body. I stretched my arms and twisted my waist, and then fell face down in the pillows again. I groaned.
My computer made a noise. I groaned again- Jesus Christ. I got up and sat on the chair in front of the PC, looking at the glowing screen. Hmm. An IM from Ann:
GreenGrl767: karen? u there?
I started to type. I actually typed pretty quick for someone who never went online.
CherryPink89: Yea.
GreenGrl767: i heard something…
I rolled my eyes, annoyed at the indirect way she said things. I typed:
CherryPink89: okay. what was it?
She stopped typing for a minute- moron. I started to type again, in a rage of flying fingers. If there's one thing you need to know about me, it's that you don't mess with me- especially when I first wake up.
CherryPink89: are you just going to sit there or talk? cuz i have better things to do
GreenGrl767: were u out last night?
Shit. Shit. How did she find out about that?
CherryPink89:…
GreenGrl767: tell me!
CherryPink89: yea so?
GreenGrl767: karen u could get in 2 serious trouble.
CherryPink89: wateva, ann, calm yaself
GreenGrl767: are you going anywhere today? me and maria r going to visit Popuri…u wanna come with?
To see Popuri! Obviously, she knew something about what happened to Cliff…I could bring Link! But I didn't want to seem rude, so I typed:
CherryPink89: yea, is anyone else going?
GreenGrl767: y?
CherryPink89: God you stupid loser i am just asking
GreenGrl767: um yea kai and i think gray
GreenGrl767: u should invite Link!
CherryPink89: thats sort of rude.
GreenGrl767: nah. nyways popuri kept muttering something about someone in green. i think she wants 2 talk to link or something.
While I would have disagreed under normal circumstances because that made no fucking sense, I agreed this time and under these circumstances, and said I'd meet her at her place.
CherryPink89: ok ill be there bye
I signed off and got my bomber jacket. "Mom! I'm going out!" I called, swinging by the kitchen.
"Says who?" Gotz said.
"The laws of physics," I replied, putting my jacket on. "See ya."
"Hmmmm."
I walked to Link's farm. The weather was taking an autumn turn. I smiled, feeling nice- it was brisk outside, but sunny. Everything smelled so fresh…a breeze blew by me and rustled my hair. I put my hands in my pockets.
Link's ranch was big, but not nearly as big as Ann's…you could call it cozy, I guess. I personally didn't really like animals, but Link's farm had a lot of plants, too. When I got there, Link was propped up on a hoe, talking to Takakura.
"Hey!" I called, from the entrance. I brushed a blonde bang from my face.
He turned around. I could see that he was wearing his skirt (which he claims is a "tunic") (yeah right) again. He recognized me. "Oh, hey, Kare."
Kare? "I like that," I said. "Get your jacket. We're going out."
"What?" he asked. "Where?"
I rolled my eyes. "We're going to see Popuri."
"Oh," he said, like he understood. He ran inside and got his aviator jacket- which I liked- and turned to Takakura. "Can you put these tools back, Takakura?"
"Whatever you wish, master," Takakura grumbled, taking a pile of heavy tools in his arm. Even though I had to endure Link's stupidity, and Sheik had to deal with his clinginess, and Navi had to live with him, the one who received the most abuse from Link was Takakura.
I waved goodbye to him and started to walk to the ranch, with my hands in my pockets. Link ran up behind me. "Why are we going to visit Popuri?" he asked.
I rolled my eyes at him. Well, yeah, I had a crush on him, but usually when I have a crush on someone I let them figure it out themselves. "To find something out, you idiot, what the hell do you think?" Navi's squeaking voice asked, as she buzzed out of Link's cap. "Hey, Karen!"
I liked Navi. I could relate to her better than even Ann- I guess we just had similar personalities. I liked her, and could talk to her easily, despite the fact that she was a glowing ball of inhuman light. She seemed even more human than my FATHER, and that's pretty damn human. "Hey, Navi," I said. "I don't know how you can put up with him half the time."
"It's kinda hard," Navi replied, "but he's an overall sweet guy. Maybe a little too sweet. And stupidly naïve."
I shook my hair from my face again. "We're supposed to meet Ann, Gray, and the others over at Green Ranch," I said, throwing my voice back to Link. I noticed how far behind me and Navi he was. "C'mon, stop lagging, you idiot!"
Link ran up to us. "Am I supposed to be with you guys?"
"Yes," I said impatiently. "You got invited by Ann. You should be glad somebody likes you." I knew that, really, everyone liked him- he was just a great guy. Perfect looks, perfect personality, just a whole sickening ball of perfection that had rolled through town. Already I could see the mothers and wives in the square pointing and giggling when he walked by; already I saw men talking with him after church, in stores, at the bar, on the street.
Already I was infatuated with him.
"I guess you're right," he sighed, totally unaware of what I was thinking at the moment, "Ah, whatever, at least we get to see Popuri."
I turned to him. "Have you ever met Popuri?"
He nodded, his bangs shifting a bit. "Yeah, a couple of times. She'd always giggle and smile. She was nice. The first time I met her she was with that girl Celia-"
"Celia?"
Link looked at me, puzzled. "What? Yeah, Celia. Don't you know her?"
I paused to think about that. Celia hadn't been here in a while- she lived with her folks in town, and only worked part-time for Lillia, and even then, she didn't really even come to Flower Bud. I was surprised he'd seen her. "What are you talking about?"
"On the second day I was here," he started. He paused, and thought about that. "Wait. Was it the second or the third? I think it was the third, actually…"
"Just go the fuck on!" I snapped. I hadn't realized until now that we'd stopped in the middle of the intersection.
He laughed airily. "Okay, fine. Anyway, I was buying flower seeds, and her and Popuri went into the back room and got them for me. They kept giggling and smiling and winking and stuff. Why?"
I shook my head and looked ahead. I could see someone or something moving toward us. I nodded and motioned toward the moving figure. "I guess we'll have to 'delve' into that later. I can see Shep coming."
I looked at Link and couldn't help but smirk. He looked like a terrified seven-year-old, almost stuck to the ground, his face going pale to see that dog running at him, its tongue lashing out, drooling all over himself. Its hair was blowing around itself, and it just looked sort of dumb, running in that stupid, rapid-fire lopsided way. I really don't know how that dog runs like that…
To mine and Link's surprise, it jumped on Link and started to lick his face, barking happily. The color returned to Link's face, and he laughed and smiled like Mary fucking Sunshine. "Haha, hey, Shep!"
I shooed Shep away, getting extremely jealous. "Shep! Shoo!" I swatted at the dog until it ran off in Ann and the others' direction.
"Aww, I'm fine, Karen," he said. He got up and dusted himself up. "Thanks, anyway." The dog, seeing him up, ran to him and sat at his feet. I glared at it. Moronic dog…Link patted him on the head. "Who's a good boy? Yes you are, Shep, yes you ar-"
"STOP BABY TALKING THE STUPID DOG!" I yelled. "Shep, shoo! Get!"
Link laughed and grinned at me, showing perfect, straight, square white teeth. "Hehe, you're so mean, Karen."
"Bite me," I sneered.
"Hey, Karen!" I turned around. Ann was smiling and waving, with her red fall-plaid shirt on over a black tank top and light blue jeans. She smiled, but I could still see the tired crack in it, like some warped Venus de Milo. Gray was also wearing a pair of worn out dark jeans, with an orange shirt and his usual UMA cap. His hands were in his pockets. Kai was wearing the same thing as usual, looking jealous and offended. Maria was wearing her same denim jumper over her white long sleeves.
"Hi, Ann," I said, with my usual glum tone. I don't know what's wrong with me and my moods. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah, pretty much," she said. "Hey! Shep!" she called, tapping her thighs. He ran and jumped on her. She laughed a little. "I taught him to be nice to Link." She smiled and batted her eyelashes. "Did it work?"
Link grinned. I knew flirting with guys was her way of "recovering," or whatever bullshit like that, but I swear I could've strangled her for every time she batted her eyelashes at Link. Then again, she wouldn't have acted like that if I told her how I really felt. "Uh, yeah, thanks!" he replied. "I'm just glad he didn't kill me…"
"So now everyone has an escort!" Ann chimed cheerily. "All we have to decide is who gets who!"
Maria sighed. "Is this really necessary?" she asked.
"Yes, it is," Ann snapped. Honestly, she had to be the weirdest person I'd ever seen. "We'll write down names and pick from a hat." Everyone went through with it because Ann's boyfriend had just died and no one wanted to contradict her.
Well, we did the stupid thing. Ann got Gray (Ann got very upset), Maria got Kai (they were pleasantly surprised), and I, to my heart's content, got Link. Which made Ann and Maria slightly jealous. But I didn't really care, selfish as that sounds. Guess I'm just a selfish person.
We all walked over to Popuri's place. Ann knocked on the door.
Lillia opened the door and poked her head out, frowning with concern and worry and probably mild depression. "You're here to see Popuri?" She sighed. "Well, I suppose you can come in. If she says or does anything to hurt you, make double sure that you know that she's not quite…herself." She got something from behind the counter. "That being said, here's the key to her room. Please cheer her up. I think seeing you will cheer her up." She lagged herself glumly to the counter in the misery of her traumatic daughter and the friends that wanted to visit and the boredom. She sighed loudly. Nobody ever did come in the shop, anyways.
Ann unlocked Popuri's bedroom door and poked her head in. "Popuri?" she said, softly.
Popuri was sitting in the room, in a chair, staring down at a book with her hands in her head, in her usual garb. She looked up and smiled brightly. "Wow!" she exclaimed to us, like some freak out of the fifties with a poodle skirt and a high ponytail. Her hair was down, without the headband, but neatly brushed. Her nails were all bitten off- well, it wasn't unusual for Popuri, but they were literally bitten off. Bitten to bloody stubs on her fingers. She had some cuts on her arms that I didn't pay attention to. She got up, stumbling a bit, with some kind of fright in her eyes. "How nice of my old friends to visit!"
We stood there like morons, frozen and not really knowing what to do. We stared at her, wondering whether she was normal. She looked at Ann, and then Maria. She smiled slightly at Gray, and nodded at Kai. She looked at me. She looked at Link. And then she started breaking down crying, right there, for no fucking reason.
Her face was buried in her hands, and she sounded like a banshee from Hell. Ann ran to her and enveloped her in her arms, not realizing that Popuri could just lunge at her in her current state of looniness. Honestly, Ann was so naïve. "Popuri!" she gasped, dramatically and with tears, "I'm so sorry this happened to you!"
"Get off me! Get off me!" Popuri said, clawing at Ann. "I don't know why any of you are here! You just make it worse and I want you to go." She sat in her chair again like a three-year-old throwing a tantrum and stared at the book. She counted out loud to three and then threw her head back. Ann was still crying, but her face was now buried in Popuri's pillows. Oh, God help me.
Maria looked on empathetically, her hands on Popuri's shoulders, trying to calm her down while Popuri just clawed at her. Link got freaked out. Link didn't really understand, fully, the concepts of death and nature and the cycle of life (win/lose). I mean, jeez, he was an elf, for crying out loud- they don't die. They don't know what it's like to lose looks, friends, people, lives. Some types don't even sleep. He thought of it as a curse, but I thought it was a blessing.
Despite his racial handicap, he wasn't totally apathetic. Far from it. He looked sincerely sad, as he touched Ann's shoulder and said, "It's okay…"
Ann whimpered and smiled up at him. My temper flared up but I kept it low. Ann was really getting on my nerves lately. Or was I mad at Link? Whoever it was, I was angry and jealous and just about ready to punch someone in the face. "Green with envy" was how Sheik taunted Navi when she was jealous of him getting all Link's attention. I guess me and her really were alike.
Well, that meant she had a crush on Link, too.
No, that wasn't right.
GOD, how STUPID and SELF-ABSORBED can I POSSIBLY BE! Popuri was crazy, Cliff was as good as dead, my best friend was severely depressed, and I was thinking about rivalry with a fairy and punching people in the face! Why do fools freaking fall in damn love?
I hugged Popuri. Her and I had never been too close, but we understood each other a lot. I also think there was a lot of respect in our relationship. "Hey, Popuri," I said.
She looked up and smiled brightly. "Oh, yes, I remember you," she said, absurdly and weirdly. "How do you do? I'm very fine…" She started to cry again. "But I want to talk to him! Not you!" she exclaimed, pointing to Link and burying her head in her arm.
Ann got up, and nodded. "…I don't think we should stay any longer," she sobbed, frowning and crying.
"No! I wanna talk to him!" Popuri pouted deeply.
Ann sighed and gathered her plaid flannel shirt. "Okay. C'mon, Kai, Gray, guys and gals, let's give 'em their privacy."
I shook my head and folded my arms. "I'm just gonna…stick around for a while longer."
"Okay," Ann said, "We'll get a drink at the bakery."
"Sure."
"Suit yourself," Kai replied, shrugging, "I'll bring you back a drink?"
I shook my head again, my blonde hair shifting in front of my face. "No, I'm fine."
"C'mon, it's on me," Kai said, getting out his wallet, as if he were already paying for it. He waved a dollar bill. "See?"
I looked him straight in the eyes, and narrowed mine. "Not now, Kai. Try later." He got the message and left silently with Ann and the rest.
Link shrugged and grinned at me widely. He always did that. Stupid idiot. He knelt down beside Popuri and smiled gently. "Hey, Popuri! What'd you wanna talk to me about?"
She grabbed him hard by the shoulders. I rushed to them, just in case she would try to strangle the guy. "Can't you see it?"
Link looked around him, puzzled, while I really wished all these girls weren't always grabbing him. "No, I can't. What am I supposed to be seeing, Popuri?"
"Don't you see it! You must be blind!" she scoffed. "You can see it in the way it's done. I can even see who did it! L! N! You must think I'm going crazy. But it's in the old part of town! It's in the old part of town!"
"No, I don't, please-"
"GET OUT! GET OUT GET OUT GET OUUUT!" she screamed, pointing at the door and stamping her feet. "I see things, you know! I can see people, transforming, changing, and they're all doing it right in front of me, they're doing it right now! You're changing! You're another one! Get OUT! I don't want to see anyone anymore!"
The door opened. Lillia was standing there, looked thoroughly distressed. "Popuri!" she gasped. "It's okay, I'm here," she crooned.
Popuri shook her head and balled her fists. "I want all of you OUT! NOW!"
We all hurried out. I could still hear her screaming and whining from inside. Lillia looked at us, with sad eyes. "I think you two should go. I don't want to expose you too much to this…I'm sorry."
"Of course," I said, disappointed that we hadn't found out much. "We understand," I lied.
Link scrambled out as fast as he could, scared as all bloody Hell. He was sweating- extremely emotional situations just freaked him out. I laughed and wiped the sweat off his forehead with my hand. "Haha, you're sopping wet."
"I know," he said, eyes wide, "Man, that was scarier than a lot of situations I've been in. Where's the old part of town?"
"The old part…" I looked a little across the creek and pointed. "There. It's the part of town with the library, the potion dealer's shop…it was built before the main part of town was." I paused. "That's where we were looking last time…"
"That's pretty freging weird," he said. He turned and took my hand firmly, in an urgent way, not romantically at all, but still…I could feel the red creeping up my neck…"We should look there, right now. You up for it?"
I nodded quickly. "Uhmmm, errr, uh, do you, uhmmm, have the, um, Lens of…….whatsitcalled…uhmm…aghhh…"
"Lens of Truth?" Link asked, taking it out of his ever-present rucksack.
"Yes……" I grumbled. He understood (for once), fooling around with it for a bit, pointing it in various directions. A couple of minutes passed before I spoke up. "Well?" I asked, in my usual impatient tone.
He paused, and then sighed. "Times like these when you really wish Sheik would poof up…" He put it back in his pack.
"YOU MEAN IT'S NOT WORKING?" I yelled. He flinched and held his hand in front of his face, as if I were going to hit him. I would've, if not for……I inhaled deeply. "Ugh, o-kay. We'll just take it to Rick."
"How are we going to explain what it is?" Navi asked, suddenly flying out of Link's cap, like she usually did when she wanted to be loud and annoying. "You can't fix something unless you know what it's supposed to do."
"Rick won't question," I answered, starting to head over to the toolshop. The two followed me. "He'd do anything for me. He's my ex-boyfriend, but he still wants to get back together with me."
Link smiled. "That's cruel and unusual."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, shuddup. Besides, you should take advantage of what you've got before it's gone, right? Make the best of everything."
"Whatever," Navi said. "He better not make a big deal out of it…"
When we walked over there, though, it wasn't what we expected. "What's with the tape?" Link asked, ducking under some police tape and holding it for me to walk under.
"I dunno…" I said, furrowing my eyebrows. I looked around; there were cameras flashing. A black woman in a pink power suit and hair done in a subtle 50s flip was standing in front of a camera, reporting with a microphone. I listened as we walked by:
"…the second tragedy in a week, as police are investigating a local toolshop owner and repairman found, dead, inside of his humble house in Flower Bud Village. Witnesses say that they saw, from inside, a flash of light and heard a loud noise, but ignored it, thinking it was part of his usual work…"
Dead? Rick…how could that…why…I blinked, frustrated and confused, but keeping calm, and looked around more. There was an excessively skinny man with a bush of a mustache discussing important matters with a large African American man and taking notes. Both were wearing police uniforms, but the skinny one was the Chief of Police. There was a crowd of people I couldn't make out, watching as a body bag was carried by two lanky men in nurse's uniforms and taken beyond the tape being blown by a breeze. I spotted Harris, leaning against the tape, his arms folded. We walked over to him.
"What happened here?" Link asked him, sounding concerned.
"'Nother murder," Harris said, his eyes still following the body as it was loaded into a lingering ambulance.
"The same thing as last time?" Link asked. Harris nodded. Link looked at me, and I looked back, in some weird understanding or knowledge. "Who was it?" Link asked again.
Harris looked at me, biting his lip. "Rick," he replied. He paused, uncomfortably, and straightened himself. "I dunno if you still have feelings for him, but-"
"I don't."
Link looked at me, with a concerned expression on his face. Harris was silent, but then he shrugged a little awkwardly and spoke up. "Well, the police want to talk to you, anyway. You're his previous girlfriend, so that makes you-"
"Makes me what!" I exclaimed, balling up my fists.
He paused and stared at me. "A suspect," he said. His look turned into a deep frown. "I'm sorry."
I couldn't believe what I had just heard.
>>
(2- Starman; A Suspect; Panic! At the Crime Scene)
"A what!" I exclaimed, in stupidification.
Karen looked just about ready to kill someone (no pun intended) (haha). All the evidence went against her- the angry ex-girlfriend, an alcoholic with a temper problem, and all the while, getting caught twice for sneaking around at night. But at least I knew it wasn't her. Her jaw hung- she was dumfounded. "What!" she cried, "Why would I murder Rick, of all people?
Harris shrugged. "I dunno. I just know you didn't." He rose an eyebrow. "Did you?"
"What the Hell do you think?" she yelled, violent and frustrated. She was actually sort of funny when she was angry…
He forced a smile. "I was joking. Now's not a time for joking, though," he said, looking over at the police. "Good luck. Try to keep calm." She rolled her eyes. Harris laughed a little, but then looked like he's just realized something. "Oh," he said, taking a paper out of his pocket and handing it to me. "I almost forgot. Since it looks like you two are trying to figure this madness out, I decided to put in my two cents. The symbol on that paper was found at both crime scenes." I looked down at the paper- it was a napkin, and on it was a triangle, with a snake eating itself on the inside and going through a letter H. He looked at us. "Well, best of luck. The mail doesn't deliver itself, so I s'pose I'll be going."
He walked off. "Oh, that sonofabitch," Karen grunted, through gritted teeth. "God, what the Hell-"
I took her face, one hand on each cheek, and smiled broadly. "Relax!" I said, "You worry too much!"
She smiled, smugly, and said, "You worry too little." She took off my hands and brushed some hair from her face. "Fine. I worry."
I paused, and then sighed loudly. "Well, Rick's death further ruins our Lens of Truth problem. We'll wait for Sheik to pop up, maybe."
Karen was about to respond, when a skinny man with a bushy mustache walked up to us. "Are you a…" He looked down at his notepad. "Miss Karen? K-A-R-E-"
"Yeah," she interrupted, with an air of impudence. She folded her arms. "Who wants to know?"
"We, uh, need to talk to ya," he said, motioning towards the crime scene. The ambulance was now driving away. "I'm Chief Robbins. I need to ask you a, ah, few questions about all this'ere." He motioned again. "If you'll come with me."
She looked at me. "Ugh," she grunted. "I'll see you later, Link," she said. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Oh, and look up something about those symbols in the library's ency. Bye."
"Bye-"
The policeman walked her over nearer to the small wood house, and I headed over to the library. I wondered where I had seen that snake before…and what it meant. What did the letter H stand for? I was thinking about this when I ran, unknowingly, into Karen's friends.
"Ouch!" Kai grunted, as I bumped square into him.
"Oops. Sorry- hey, Kai!" I said.
"Hey! Link!" Ann said, waving. I waved back. She was holding a red plastic cup, with dark liquid in it.
Kai looked at me funny. "Hey, where's Karen?"
Of course he was concerned- how could he really be comfortable, leaving her alone with a stranger in a skirt (I think, while I was in Flower Bud Village, I picked up a little on Karen and Navi's sense of humor)? "Oh, the police wanted to talk to her," I said, without thinking.
"What? Why?" Kai pressed.
"The police?" Ann repeated.
I gulped, trying to think of an appropriate excuse- but my mind when blank. "Oh, uhmm, another murder," I blurted.
They were silent and looked at each other. Ann spoke up, cautiously. "…Who was it this time?"
"I don't know," I choked, blurting it out hastily. Eesh…I always got myself in the worst situations…maybe I should just stop talking to people…
"…" Gray paused, looking like he wanted to say something. "Well, how was Popuri?" he asked. Ann looked at him and smiled. He blushed.
"She's fine, just a little tired," I lied again. Wow, if I went on like this, I was going to Hell for sure!
"I see…" Gray tipped his cap down, talking embarrassedly. "Well, uh, we should go and see who it was, that got murdered…it could be-"
"No!" I blurted, panicking as they started to walk towards the police tape and flashes of "cameras," and the black woman who had been talking to one. They looked at me strangely. I became aware of them against me, and I started to be nervous. "I mean, we don't have to! It's fine! It's such a beautiful day and all, without any, uhmm…murder! Let's just keep it that way, okay?"
"You're acting very strangely, Link," the black-haired girl commented, softly. "Let's just go see. I'm sure-"
"No!" I said, with a quick tone, blocking the way. "It's fine! I'm fine! Let's just go somewhere far, far away! Get a drink, or-"
"What's your deal!" Kai said, shoving me aside. "You're overreacting! Do you know something we don't!"
I paused. I couldn't break the news, not me…I hardly knew them, and…and, well, they'd figure out, they'd have to figure out, I mean, sooner or later. I stepped aside compliantly. I really didn't want Ann to…you know, but she had to. "Alright," I said, barely audible.
I looked as they passed me by. Ann and Gray shot me sympathetic looks, but Maria just looked freaked out, and Kai ignored me. They walked over. I saw Karen, talking with the policeman in the corner near the shop, looking thoroughly pissed.
I could see, from where I was, that Ann had spotted a chubby, brown-haired girl (the one who worked in the bakery?). "Hey!" Ann called. I watched the two talk. The brown-haired girl was very careful not to make eye contact, but Ann was pressing. The brown-haired girl walked her over to a bench, where she cried. I looked up, trying not to focus on Ann. Jeez…someone really had it in for her…
>>
(3- Of The Chief of Police & Link's Stupidity)
The Chief of Police walked me over to a secluded area (which was not so secluded) inside of the almight tape ring, as I watched Link head over to the library. I started to wonder about Ann- two times in one week. I mean, this would hurt Gray, too, and Doug, but Ann…someone really had it in for her…and, shit, motherfucker! Why Ann? Why all this shit to Ann? What had she ever done! Were these coincidental warnings, or a threat of revenge?
"Okay, Miss Karen," the policeman began, causing me to snap out of my own thoughts, "I'm gonna need to ask you a few questions." He whipped out his writing pad, which looked tiny, like post-its attached by a metal spiral.
"Ask away, Oh Great Officer," I replied, rolling my eyes. Ever since I was a teenager, I really didn't like cops…talking to them, for me, usually meant a whole heap of trouble…
The policeman raised a bushy brown eyebrow at me. "I don't need any sass, Missy. I've got enough disrespect on my own account-"
"Seeing is how you disrespect everyone because of your authoritarian status," I said, angrily. Honestly, policemen, in my experience, think they can bully everyone around because they do a "service" to a community. Yeah, service my ass- they put on like they're saving people when all most of them really do is wave traffic cones and give tickets. Policemen also have to be some of the most sexist, racist, homophobic jerks around (after boy scouts).
"Listen, Missy! Everything you say to me can be held against you!" he snapped.
"My name is Karen! C'mon, you can spell!" I snapped back.
He took everything down on his stupid little notepad, and reread it over again. "Hmm, so far, you show signs of delinquency, disobedience, and anger problems. Not good, Miss." He sighed. "Look, Miss Karen. All I'm trying to do is my job. Now, you can cooperate and clear your name, or you can resist and have yourself a whole lot of problems. Now, what'll it be?"
I paused. Well, shit…I rolled my eyes and heaved a sigh. "Whatever…ask away…" I looked away from him, to see Link, looking at me- and Ann. Oh, no…
"Now, I'm under the impression and understanding that you were previously involved with Rick?"
"Yes," I replied. Stupid Rick…getting killed…ugh…
"And…" He looked at his notepad. "I'm also under the impression that it was you that broke up with him."
"Yes," I repeated.
"Now, can you tell me why that was?" he asked.
I paused. "Well, uhmm…he was…weird. Posessive, I guess…and he had some problems-"
"Problems?"
I sighed. "His father was gone, and his mother, in the city, had cancer…he was just really stressed out all the time, and I just…" I paused, thinking of something totally dorky to say. "Found myself falling out of love with him," I said, quickly. Man. How stupid.
"I see," he said. "Well, I've also been told that Rick had many enemies in town, as a cause of his erratic behavior. Can you clarify as to who those enemies were?"
Oh, well, shit, just about everyone in town. "Uhmm, I don't know," I answered, "A lot of people. Mostly other guys. Some girls, but he didn't really talk to girls, aside from me and his cousin, Ann. And Popuri."
"Mmm-hmmm," he hummed, looking through his notes. "Now, I'm going to ask a question that may seem rude, and pointless, but I have to ask it. Did you have any…ah,…motivations for committing a murder on Rick?"
"Commiting a murder on Rick?" Man, this guy was REALLY stupid. Why would I…well, I had to think of something to do or say…I eyed Link, who looked uncomfortable. We had to get down to those symbols…maybe he had figured something out.
Alright. Time for theatrics. Oh, boy, the cop had to be a real sucker to fall for this one. I closed my throat, making it feel as if I were going to cry- like how the lump in your throat feels when you're going to cry. Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. "Do you think?" I asked, with faux frustration. I started to cry, my head in my hands. Ugh…this was too stupid for words…
He put a hand on my shoulder, gently. "I'm sorry…I know it must be painful…Look, I'll stop asking questions. Clearly, you didn't do it…"
"Th-thank you," I stammered. I ran off, in Link's direction, and ran, accidentally, into Link, as he looked sadly at a crying Ann.
"Karen!" he exclaimed, putting his hands on my shoulders and looking me in the face, "What's wrong!"
I wiped the "tears" from my eyes. "Nothing's wrong, you loser. Haven't you ever heard of acting?"
He stared at me blankly for a few moments. Then, it finally clicked. "Oh, I see! I get it. Okay."
"Tch. Whatever," I replied. "Did you look those symbols up?"
He paused and laughed nervously- a sure-fire sign that he hadn't. "Uhmmmmm……"
I huffed. "You idiot," I growled, "what good are you as my detective partner if you can't even drive your skirted ass to look something up in the library!"
"I'm sorry," he said, partly sorry and partly feigning innocence. Ugh…those blue eyes- who couldn't fall for this loser?
"Whatever," I said. "God, I hate it when you do that!"
"Do what?"
Ugh- so innocent. So naïve. "You act all sad and you make me forgive you. Err. Okay, let's just go to the library."
>>>>
A/N: These two chapters were originally supposed to be together, as one chapter; but when I finished typing them, they turned out to be twenty-seven pages…which is rather long. Anyway, I separated them, thus forth making it one hell of a lot easier for you all to read them. Aren't I the Nice One. Anyway:
"Moonage Daydream-" David Bowie
"Starman-" David Bowie
"It Ain't Easy-" David Bowie
If I forgot any songs, screw it. They know that they don't belong to me. I named the chapters and sub-sections, basically, according what I was listening to at the moment- for these two chapters, I have been listening to the Ziggy Stardust album for two days straight. So sue me. It's a groovy album. 'Nyways I think I'll have the next chapter v. soon. Cheery-oh. (1/15/05)