「Mind and body are a different thing. One holds such a magnificent complexity. Subsequently, it affects the way that is true to nature—eventually.」
-The Forbidden Enlightenment, Richard Williams(1479)
The sound of the buzzing old lamp, stood there—flickered. Not too old nor truly
new, it still doing its job to illuminates the desk. From the library's window, outside began to cover in darkness and the wind blows heavily; indicating that it will be a heavy rain as if it was forced and did not permitted to act—only in context of obligation.
The history only shows the victors.
No one else from the losing would not dare to speak of it, but in this case, no one has the clear answer; Wyn Aezalith's the council of kings ends with a pool of blood, leaving the parliament unease and using the people who still loyal to the country, making a system of police administration parliament of democracy. Nasionalist, you may called it.
The higher being in this system, is the police.
'The highlighted outlined on a paper sheet with material of plastic. The quotes being represents as if it influenced Sir Harold deeply or maybe his son. I know some of his family habits of reading. In truth, Sir Harold was more an avid reader than his kids. Some of the marks that he outlined some profound insight and some comments, sketch of words, questions—as if he seeking something but never will find anything until—a half-torn page by the end of the book. Only five words that being outlined aggressively; FATE IS A CONSTRUCT CIRCLE—that was the words left behind; the rest bottom half is torn and some of the words covered with ink and language that I do not understand.'
He flipped through the book and read thoroughly.
A moment later, in exact 5 minutes, a knocking sound from the door was heard. "Looking through the books again, detective?" Sir Harold was there, leaning a bit of the door. The expression he makes; a smirk on his face but tired eyes present.
"Well I'm always curious of your books. I always learn something new everyday." As I closed the book, he walked away from the door and goes near me. "Sorry for being late, detective. It is a pleasure for having you again. I assume it's about the 'matter', right? It is best we talked in my office upstairs."
Samuel nodded and looked a bit of the book one last time and placed it back to its place in the shelf. Samuel followed and Shay walked beside him and greet Sir Harold and Shay introduced himself.
They shook their hands and continue their walk to his office and abruptly, Sir Harold talked to Samuel with a glance and questioned Samuel about the book he read in his library earlier.
"Find anything interesting, Sam?" He asked.
"Well I certainly find that the library still in a good shape. That's for sure." Samuel smiled while he thought that he just wanted a brief talk.
"Well you do notice there are some books were missing after the earthquake not too long ago." Sir Harold sighed and continue, "Time moves fast, Sam. My condolences about the news and I'm sorry as well that you have to drag your friend here; searching for my daughter, Maria."
Samuel only nodded and replied, "Thank you, I appreciate that, Sir. Well it's his own idea to be with me in this case."
Then, Sir Harold opened the door of his office and let themselves in.
Shay shrugged and smiled to Sir Harold and said, "Yeah, Sam was right! It's alright, Sir. We still yearn for a mystery to unveil. Besides, our cheeky yarn ball here will definitely solve it." He laughed and I rolled my eyes off tired his banter already.
Sir Harold shook his head and chuckled along with Shay and respond to Shay, "Don't tease him too much Shay. He had a rough time. Now, Sit down gentlemen." He offered them to sit against him, cutting us between his wood desk.
The Sir Harold's office's layout was an elegant and quite quaint like in the 40's with the corners of the room has an intricate details of soft florals and structured geometric pattern.
From outside, it started to rain finally and followed by lightning, and the wind too, hearing it whistled outside as if it really will be a storm.
The room was somber and the walls were white and mixed of light brown of the desk and shelves behind Sir Harold as well as the floor more darker in colour.
Cloud envisioning my mind off away from reality, the existence of soul would never falter but then again, a vision came through; flickering of events: pitch black with a chanting present like a riot will happen.
Heavy breathing and Samuel…was there looking at a stake of fire being burned in front of him. His heart race like it was going to burst out from his body. Then, he snapped out from it. "Sam, are you alright?" Sir Harold look at me with concerned in his eyes.
"I'm alright. I was…fazed through for a moment…Don't mind me. Let us hear your words about your daughter's absence, sir." Samuel rubbed his temple and look at Sir Harold on his eyes. He shrugged it off and start his details about how Maria Dawson lost in contact chronology.
"I will say this and only once, so I recommend you record our conversation now." Sir Harold pause for a moment as Samuel sets up his convorder at the side of the table and Shay sat beside Samuel. Then, Samuel sat down and began thoroughly, here, Sir Harold's words.
Sir Harold sighed as he sat down to his chair. He looked at them both and gave a warm fatherly smile. "God bless you two. Helping me this tough times."
"As courtesy and responsibility of us to show it, sir." Shay replied to him with a smile that reaches his eyes.
"There. Let us hear your words about your daughter's absence, sir." Samuel rubbed his temple and look at Sir Harold on his eyes. He shrugged it off and start his details about how Maria Dawson lost in contact chronology.
"In the 5th of May(last week), She had told me about her vacation. As you have informed earlier this morning, Sam, I'll be quick on this matter." He took a deep breath and exhale with exasperated sigh.
"So, for this week I've tried to call her like 3 times…of course, after work and lunch, that is. To be honest, is it just me or her voice felt tired. I've record every word in every conversation in phone so I would remember." He continues,
"So far what I have, is this…" he looked back to his shelf and grab one of the books that looks ancient. He opened that book and as he flips through the pages, a picture, a logo, perhaps.
An intricate look. it is not just a random scribbles but calculated lines. One might say it looks like a bird or perhaps it shows an elegance of a flower or it shows like a twisted right hand from the point of origin reaching for something.
The brain catches up the message from the eyes as if he had experienced it but he shouldn't for what he sees suppose to be nonsensical yet it felt like it was supposed to. Like a thread and needle trying to make a delicate cloth piece by piece and use by will alone with no proper training whatsoever but the heart dropped as if it trying to distinguish what is real and a dream.
It flashes from his eyes only but a brief moment. As if He witness the parting of those two.
"Sam? Y'Alright, mate? Y'look pale. Here have some water." Shay got up and get the paper cup and fill it with the water dispenser nearby that only a two feet away.
"Thanks, Shay." "It was…I might feeling under the weather, Shay. I'll go to the bathroom for a moment." He took aghast intake of air and try to regulate his breathing normally.
Sir Harold nodded and called Wilfred to come in and guide Sam to the bathroom.
"I suggest you wash your face and your hands as well as your arms. That might cool your body."
"Thanks for the advice, Wilfred."
Sam and Wilfred walking straight in the hall way, the path felt like a cramp space want to swallow you whole.
"The restroom is on the left, Detective. I'll be waiting you outside."
Sam enters the restroom, and exactly What Wilfred advice him to, he did wash his face, his hands and both of his arms.
The vision continues, as Samuel closed his eyes, by the perspective of him looking at her eyes, Maria's eyes looked horrified as if she witness something that disgust her or might as well a concern eyes that shown by in front of her eyes gnawing to witness such act.
Her eyes shows a scene only a brief moment.
Then, Samuel slowly opened his eyes, a body hang from his back reflected from the mirror. As shocked jolted on his body away an inch from the mirror. He does not see the face of the hanged body and he assumed it was a man. He turned back and saw nothing.
Not that he really wants to see those visions. It felt like forcing himself to see those imagery.
It is rare occurance for him. He did, however, feel familiar with this vision. As if he experience it again. Strange.
Meanwhile at the office, Sir Harold asked of Shay about Sam, "Does Sam have been under the weather lately thinking about of his late wife?"
"Yeah. He has been like that since at the department earlier..to be frank, I think he is..trying to compose himself. He never sleep these last few days. Work always been in his shoulder too. I can only manage quarter of his work."
"I see. What a man he is."
"We met since the academy. He always been a…joyful person and quite understanding. I've heard he took psychology but in more forensic, is it?"
"Indeed, he is. He and his wife met in , in the eastern side near the sea, there is a quite prestigious university and quite long history."
"I do heard of him mention the university of his…what is it called?"
"Oh that university! I've heard it was made by an Empress long time ago."
"Right?! I've even heard it was one of the hardest university to get into and it's a subsidise education. Truly if the one loves on knowledge surely they all go there. Am I right sir?"
***
Meanwhile, after long 2 minutes, he gained back his senses and continue to walk outside with Wilfred. "Done?"
"Done."
The hallway as if a box cramping them but still enough room for them to walk beside each other. Samuel looked at Wilfred's prosthetic mechanical arm. "How do you overcome your guilt, Wilfred? After all of your duty, that incident must've been impacted you heavily.", heavy voice and sore from Samuel asked of Wilfred about the Sakti's Incident. The dispute of borders and ethnic cleansing near one of the Samawi's coastline far east of Aezalith's.
"It was better to not mention of it, Detective. I've done what I can to save them. The scream still present like it was yesterday." He sighed and smile sadly as he pats on my shoulder and gesture to get inside the office room.
As he enters, He heard Sir Harold and Shay speaks of University that my late wife once studying.
Samuel interrupted the conversation between Shay and Sir Harold.
"It was Adoramus University…in Verundia. Truthfully, I was in the same university with her…I…we both met and the same place…the public library near the pantheon."
"So, y'met her by chance like a romance novel?" Shay curious and place his elbow on the desk and place his right hand on his cheek, smirking genuinely.
"Alright gentlemen. I'll continue and this will be the last one. In the 17th of May like a week and a two days later, that was the last contact of Maria and I have conversation with. Her voice was shallow and as if being controlled by someone. She never spoke in monotone way…her eyes, a moment of lifeless, I don't know if my mind play tricks on me. But I ought you to know, gentlemen. That is all I can say."
The silent creak and a faint sound of a drill continue in the background. Samuel and Shay looked at each other and back at Sir Harold.
"Alright, sir. Thank ye for yer time." Shay respond with respectful manner and stood up to offer his hand. Sir Harold smiled as he shook of his hand with Shay and continue to shook his hand to Samuel
Samuel, as well, shook his hand and he said, "Now this brief is settled. We will continue gather some clues to the custom division.", he continued, "Shay, we should head back to department. We should find some clues on about the car head towards…may I ask the car plate number, sir?"
"I don't remember much but I do remember what kind of the car they were using. After all, I am quite fond of cars during my younger days, although not as much advance like today. It was Peugeot 208, I reckon…the colour was grey, quite monotone in colour but it has some logo or something on its back as if the car belongs to a diplomat or something. Not much to say, it is quite a common car actually. It might difficult to help you search my daughter."
"Indeed, quite a common car….", Samuel sighed and took the paper with the intricate symbol that was shown earlier by Sir Harold. "This might be important later…where do I see this weird logo…strange…", Samuel thought to himself, it was the same logo but only the feather part is shown..
Shay spoke to Samuel, "Hey Sam, as we head to department. I had to go back to see my mom. She's in the hospital, so, I had to take the train. Can you drop me off at the Wrinmar station?"
"The 7th line, near the cathedral, right?
"Yeah, that one. Sorry for the fuss. It's urgent…got a call earlier, my ma fainted suddenly…dad had to call off work….my sister called the ambulance." Shay could not look at Sam's eyes.
"I see…I'll drop you off after I got some clues, I'll call you afterward." Samuel reassured Shay as he pat Shay's shoulder and walk out from the Sir Harold's office.
A few minutes later, the rain slowly became a heavy rain. They started to move out from Sir Harold's mansion as Wilfred guide Samuel and Shay out, he gave two umbrellas and remind Samuel that he expected an answer soon about the question earlier. Samuel thanked and nodded to Wilfred. Shay, also, thanked to Wilfred.
Samuel looked up to the sky. The sky was dark but the cloud gave an entrance for the sun as the rays splitting the clouds pouring down the rain heavily and the wind blows as if it was enraged.
Samuel and Shay safely got inside the car and Samuel started the engine as he twist the car key. The engine began to revved and growling to heat up the engine.
They began to wait.
Suddenly, Shay asked "What yer thoughts of this remedy? This case quite unusual, to say the least, not much of a clue even…only this picture, for God sake…and some chronology before her disappearance." He sighed as he aimlessly look around the window car although it's raining heavily, not quite visible.
"All I can say is…we already find the way. Let's go back to the department." Samuel continues, "Bet he's back already."
"Chief's acting weird lately, don't ye think, Sam?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well…about yer ol'brother, Isaiah…y'know the old case of his 4 years ago, now, at the conference discussing about having a retrial?"
"It's been a while, haven't visited him since like 3 months ago. We send letters to each other most of the time."
"As for chief's, he was mostly irritated by this…that I know was, he doesn't find any lead nor important clue about my brother's case. The alibi of my older brother and the witness was not tally at all…and the worst case is, the true culprit is on the streets."Samuel continues as he spunned around the steering wheel to the left, "No matter how good you are in something, there will be always left a clue behind, even a small speck of fingerprints. And if the good people are lost…maybe the world will end in the most horrifying way. God let good men and women die because He knows the truth of servant's heart. God let the bad people live to make him love the world instead of God. If this world has no God, why should we exist and die without knowing God is, and let our desires be free…it's terrifying, it lingers with our limited mind to comprehend."
Shay replied and ask, "God let good people die and bad people live? Isn't that a bad judgement?"
Samuel asked again, "Are we born sinners or born pure, Shay? Why do we felt emphatic towards child to a mother? The baby should blame their mother and their father because the cause the parents made and yet…those innocent faces, become of what they are by the surroundings, people, action, answers and curiosity. We can question God about it…but…why not question ourselves instead of God?"
"I fond of my brother…but…as long as I do not know the truth…it's difficult for me. Let me be blind of seeing rather than blind of accusing, Shay."
A cautious ride with the heavy rain slowly but surely, send Shay to the train station and to East Saint Levant Department (ESLD) investigating the Peugeot 208's whereabouts.