Chapter 2: Detective

There was nothing but the red concrete.

Hampton was looking down on the body of the girl. He was a detective, however, it was a coincidence he was there on his day off, getting groceries and a gift for his daughter's birthday.

To see a girl, not older than her, just wander and get hit like that.

So sudden.

Hampton, unlike the surrounding bystanders, rushed immediately towards the fallen girl. He didn't hesitate to look around and see what the driver of the van was doing as he knew the girl could be, at worst dead, at best about to be. The concrete where the girl had scraped the side of her body and head was now just being highlighted by the rising sun, as it revealed to the frozen people around that reality is here and it accepts what has happened.

Hampton checked the girl, the side of her head harshly torn and scraped to the possibility that you may see skull beneath, but even then it would have to be cracked. Hampton checked her breathing. Not there. Checked to see if her eyes were still open. Sealed shut. He then looked to her pulse. Non-existent. This girl; a girl who looks like his daughter, the same light brown hair; the same naturally red lips that stuck out like vinegar in fish.

The girls hand was now stiff. Blood continuously ran down the exposed wound on her face colouring the pavement more with polka dot water drops. Hampton couldn't understand.

"Why did she just do that?"

Hampton could hear as the people around him on the sidewalk had just begun to snap out of their daze and began to chatter amongst themselves. Hampton, quickly yelled to the bystanders.

"Someone call an ambulance! Quickly!"

His voice, like a muzzle, caused some of the onlookers to begin to take out their phones. Store front owners, students and simple customers quickly called the emergency services. However, despite the grim and horrid occurrence before this crowd, some men and women in business clothes ignored the command, continuing their commute, fearful of being late. While this may be understandable to some, after all, it is clear not only the girl is dead, but there is already an ambulance on its way. There was an issue, with the people who stayed.

A group of students, looking on was recording the situation, clearly mocking and gloating how this will get them attention online. Hampton himself wasn't bothered, but he was because if he wouldn't then who would for this girl?

Taking out his badge, Hampton said for all passerby who were either not involved or emergency services to begin to clear out. Most did but still from a far he can see the small gang of kids gossiping about excuses and stories to tell.

While Hampton was staring them from the corner of his eye, he heard the panicked voice of another man, no, the driver of the van himself had come to see if the girl was killed.

"Is she alright, oh god, oh no, please sa-"

"No, she's dead"

The driver's face became a cruel pale white as the gravity of what he has done had donned on him. Now that Hampton's mind was more clear, he had now a better view of the driver. His face was wide; clearly being overweight donning a tight checker shirt, blue jeans and a plain, red baseball cap which had now been taken off by the man to reveal a thinning head of dying hair. His hand held the cap by the visor and wiped his forehead with the arm.

"What have I done?"

His voice was deep but hearty, though it was sombre due to the obvious circumstances. The man had no tears, but the sweat that was pouring off of his head made it clear that this wasn't because he was heartless.

"What am I going to do. I didn't mean to hit her, you saw right? She just walked out into the middle of the street. Yeah?"

I couldn't tell if he was trying to justify his actions or looking for an excuse, but I can't deny this was not his fault. This girl. She just walked out onto the street. Was it suicide? An accident?

The distant sounds of sirens can be heard, and no sooner was there the sight of an ambulance from down the street. A weight on Hampton's chest was lifted but only slightly. The mass of what has happened here made him ring questions through his mind. Then, a sound, a whisper of something else was felt. Hampshire looked towards it. A dark alley, hidden from the sun. Hampshire couldn't see anything into it but it felt like there was something there, and it was staring at him. Then in an instant, it faded. The sense of somethingness was gone now as the sun has pierced the empty alley, revealing its hollow contents.

The light made the scene even more clear and hence, worse. The crimson stone was now shown to the world, the empty carcass sat exposed and the two disturbed individuals above it were surrounded by red concrete.