2. Short Conversations

When stars fall,

And light dies,

Beauty and life will surly cry.

With a heart of fire that burns with desire,

I will surly move on,

But with a heart of stone,

I shall sink below.

Never to return to you.

Dilapidated. A word that not only meant decaying or rundown but also falling apart. That would describe Lacy’s life perfectly. Falling apart.

She stood impeccably still while the officer took her time probing the detached girl, asking numerous questions about how she found the body and where she had been coming from at the time. She was small for the average height of a woman, ranging from 4,5 to maybe even 4,3 while her dirty blond hair was stuffed into a high bun without a hair out of place. Her partner, a tall lanky man with slightly graying mustache stood beside her while questioning some local owners who had been just about to leave their candy store beside them. The uniform seemed to drape rather than fit his thin frame as a pair of paramedics covered the body with a blue sheet.

At some points the lady cop would narrow those tiny black eyes of hers in suspicion, rummaging threw her notes as if to make sure Lacy hadn’t made a slipped up about confessing that she killed the now decapitated body—a body of a man they had yet to identify.

To Lacy’s sickening relief that man was around his thirties; way too much younger to be old Mr. Ollie. Yet, that didn’t mean they haven’t found him. He was still missing, which wasn’t good since there might be a potential serial killer on the loss, hurting and tearing bodies apart with shear, trembling force.

Willing her eyes to close, she tried to imagine a place were she wouldn’t think about these horrible thoughts. She slammed them back into the deepest part of her mind and locked the door, hopping to keep them at bay a little longer.

With her eyes still closed she took notice of the cop, whose voice had seemed to fade into the murky mist, was now scolding her. She was enlightening Lacy on the fact that she should take this more seriously rather than dozing off during an important investigation.

Yet, she still didn’t open her eyes. She was too afraid that if she were to open them, she would see the rats again, and the ghastly body, that body that had been literally shredded into pieces. It was as though a wild animal had took its teeth and claws and savagely attacked that man till he was nothing but a pile of meat. And for what reason? That was another question that she would like have to known the answer too. What could possibly be lurking around here to have that kind of strength to do that?

Suddenly, she heard a faint husky voice from behind her as a warm, gentle hand clasps her shoulder, informing the cop that she was indeed trying her hardest and calmly asking if they were done.

Without any further argument, She finds herself being lifted from the ground and carried away, gray eyes still firmly shut as she tried focusing on keeping the anxious voices locked behind the door. It took a lot of mental strength to make sure the door was fasten tight before she finally decided to open her eyes when she heard something shut beside her.

“Jesus Lace, what have you gotten yourself into?” Jeremy questioned casually as he stepped into the car, his handsome features slightly bemused. Lacy though, looked about where she was sitting. She recognized it as Jeremy’s old 1960’s Thunderbird, an inheritance from his father who happened to fix old, but beautiful cars for a living and then sell them to rich corporate owners who loved the old fashion fast cars.

From memory she knew the paint job on this was a metallic black that would glisten like black diamonds in the high after noon sun and the symbol of the Thunderbird, a proud silver form on the front which reflected back with grace. The hood was able to lower back into a convertible due to Jeremy’s father tinkering and had major horsepower with a new engine that purred like a wild animal in hunting mode. During their sophomore year she joked about how she would take it for a joy ride when he wasn’t looking.

His response to this was just a shrug, teasing her by shaking the silver keys in her face while daring her to snatch them out his hands as he wore a huge ridiculous grin along his lips.

“Nothing. It’s nothing. Just-let me get my thoughts straight ok Jeremy?” She finally said trying not to sound too shaken but her words seemed to trip over themselves. Her fingers were twitching while her hands shook on her not so stable lap. She could feel Jeremy’s hazel eyes watching her movements with interest.

“Sure, but what I saw back there wasn’t nothing. I’m just glad it wasn’t you I had to identify.” Jeremy said as he placed a silver key into its slot beside the wheel, giving it a firm twist as the car gave a roaring response. Jeremy pushed on the pedal and it lunged forward, its tires moving swiftly across the parking lot until they were on a main road that lead past the old courthouse as it made its way to the back parts of the old town.

“Me too.” She mumbled, glancing to her side where the revue mirror was placed. Too put it bluntly, she looked like hell.

A man was ripped to death and here you worry about your looks? God what is wrong with you! Lacy bellowed in her mind, obviously knowing this wasn’t the time to even think of such a thing. Yet, despite herself though, she took notice that her eyes were slightly puffy, if not red to the max from all the crying she did. Seeing a dead body on TV may seem somewhat disturbing, but when you see it in real life its just gut retching.

“Do you think Mr. Oliver will be alright?” She asked suddenly, clouded gray eyes facing Jeremy with a glint of hope. She watched him as he sighs in what seemed to be slight hesitation.

“He should be fine Lace. Don’t worry too much ok?” He said with a reassuring smile, giving her the response she needed. Returning the smile, she sits back into the seat, letting her trembling nerves rest themselves as she tried to calm down the once racing thoughts that were swelling in her head.

“Do you really think it was a human that could have possibly done that?” She asked softly, peering through the passenger window as the darkly lit trees whoosh by her, their limbs leering over her in an ominous manner. She knew it was a dumb question, but she still wanted to make sure she wasn’t the only one who imagined how the body was when the paramedics had got to it.

“No.” Jeremy said flatly, his eyes showing a glint of an emotion that she couldn’t truly identify. His grip on the wheel seems tighten just a bit.

“Then an animal?” Lacy asked.

“Most likely. I don’t think people can just walk up to someone and just trash them like that.” Jeremy said with an involuntary shiver, causing Lacy to do the same. It would probably be a good idea if someone were to call animal patrol, just to make sure it wasn’t still in the area.

“God, that was awful.” Lacy said with a hint of queasiness. Now that she thought about it, she was glad she didn’t heave the contents of her stomach when she had saw the desecrated body.

“I know. Listen, I’m going to drive you home ok? I already contacted your mom so she wont pick you up.” Jeremy explained as he turns a corner, heading onto a back road that leads to her home. The county side had already darkened with the absence of light from the sun, and twilight was settling into midnight. From above, she could clearly see the big dipper as well as the little dipper in the velvety blue-black sky.

“Thanks Jeremy.” She said sincerely, losing herself in the streaming stars that twinkled above, singing in their own silent way as the moon rose over the gray scattered clouds that seemed to have made themselves home in the night sky. Her eyes lids grew heavy with lethargy as she caught a glimpse of Jeremy’s face before lightly dozing off into her own world. A secretive smile was gracing his features as he lightly pats her head like you would a small kitten.

“ No problem Lace.” He said.

A/N: Kinda short but all well. I had to post something or otherwise I'd go insane! But, never mind me. Hope it was ok. Maybe some errors here and there but, eh, not much I can do about them at the moment. Its the weekend and I hope to get some chapters posted, or at lest written. Right now its about 12:08 here, and even though I can stay up, I just feel drained and want some sleep.

Hoped you liked. ;]

R&R