Non-challenge fic: A Policeman's Tale (Day 9)
Title: A Policeman's Tale, Day 9
Author:
ytak
Word count: 1015
Genre: General/Mystery
Rating: T (PG-13)
Comments: Constructive criticism is appreciated.
Warning: This chapter is not for the squeamish.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
Day 9
“What's that smell?” a uniformed officer asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Terada shot the man a quelling look as they approached a normal looking apartment. A woman further down peeked out her door and closed it quickly. In the silence, they could hear the click of the door as she locked it.
“Detective,” a woman said, “I, I think that woman on the news last night was my neighbor.”
Takagi could see an ambulance waiting around the corner, along with a forensic team. It disappeared from view as the group gathered around the normal apartment door. The koban officer leading them broke off, his face green.
“I wasn't going to think anything of it. I hate to be suspicious of her, she's been a good neighbor, but a funny smell has been coming from her place lately. I smell it whenever I walk by to get to my place. It's been getting worse and she won't answer her door when the landlord comes by.”
The smell was strongest right around the door, just as the koban officer reported. While he said he believed the apartment was occupied, no one answered the door when he knocked. He also reported that her two children had not been seen in weeks.
“I asked about her kids about a week ago because I haven't seen them coming and going. She said they went to stay with their father in Hokkaido.”
While they knew it was not unheard of for children to go stay with their father, a quick check at their schools revealed that their records had not been transferred to a new school. What had happened to the children? was the unasked question. If the attacks were any indication, Takagi and the rest feared the worst.
“I'm,” she hesitated a moment, “I think she might have killed her children.”
Terada knocked at the door, “Excuse me? Ogura-san? This is the Detective Terada with Division One. We have to ask you a few questions. You can let us in or we can let ourselves in. You have a minute to decide.”
The tension over the minute grew. Terada stepped back and motioned for the officer with the hand held battering ram to come forward. Just as the officer stepped in front of the door, the sound of a lock could be heard and the door opened a crack.
Despite the door only being opened a bit, a powerful stench flowed outward and almost physically pushed back the police with its intensity.
“Yes, officers? What do you need?” Ogura asked in tired tone.
“Where are your children, Ogura-san?” Terada asked.
Her face did not change as she said, “They are in their bedroom. It's where they have been.”
“Can we see them?” he asked carefully.
For the first time, Ogura seemed to really see just who was standing outside her door. Her eyes passed over every officer before returning to Terada. “No,” she said, her voice pitched upward in panic.
Terada braced the door open. “Ogura-san, I'm afraid we have to see your children.”
“NO!” she screamed throwing her weight on the door, in an attempt to close it. “They are bad children! They are being punished!”
Takagi moved next to Terada and helped him push open the door. The woman fell and landed hard on the floor.
The room was dimly lit. The light coming in from the door illuminated the haggard appearance of the woman. There were clear circles under her eyes and one arm looked swollen even under the long sleeved shirt she wore.
Two of the uniformed officers took Ogura in hand as Terada, Tsutsumi, and Terada moved further into the apartment.
Tsutsumi carried a high powered flashlight. Takagi could hear him mutter, “How could anyone live with this smell?” In the light, his face looked even more greenish. Takagi thought, He looks as green as I feel.
The first bedroom was the master bedroom. It was cluttered and looked like it had not been actively cleaned in a while.
The next room was the children's bedroom. As the person with the flashlight, Tsutsumi carefully opened the door and peered in. He made a sick noise and bolted out of the apartment. Terada slid a hand into the room and found a light switch.
As it was switched on, Takagi understood why Tsutsumi had run out of the apartment. On a the two children sized beds were two liquefied messes. With a little imagination, Takagi could see that they were the size of school aged children.
“Takagi-kun,”Terada said, his voice devoid of emotion, “Please make sure the forensic team is on its way up and check up on Tsutsumi-kun.”
“Yes, sir!” Takagi said and immediately regretted that he took a deep breath. He scurried out of the apartment, swallowing hard to keep the bile down. Once outside, he took a minute to breath in the untainted air and allow the nausea to pass. Tsutsumi was sitting on the ground, his head bowed between his legs. Takagi kneeled next to him, “Are you going to be okay?”
Tsutsumi nodded his head a little. “I'll need a few minutes.” A few seconds passed before he added, “That was bad.”
“I know,” Takagi said, throwing an involuntary glance back at the apartment.
Takagi patted him on the shoulder comfortingly, “Okay. I need to get the forensic team.”
Tsutsumi said, “They're coming.” Takagi could hear the approach of the team. It was punctuated by the occasional yell of Ogura as she was lead off to a squad car. Takagi looked over the railing and could see a paramedic rubbing his arm. Had the woman hit him? Takagi would not doubt it. He could see that her arm now had a splint on it. It took two officers to get her into the squad car.
Tsutsumi stood up, a little wobbly on his feet. “We had better go back and help Terada-san.”
Takagi nodded in agreement even though he knew that it was going to cause more than a couple of nightmares.
Author:
ytak
Word count: 1015
Genre: General/Mystery
Rating: T (PG-13)
Comments: Constructive criticism is appreciated.
Warning: This chapter is not for the squeamish.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
Day 9
“What's that smell?” a uniformed officer asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Terada shot the man a quelling look as they approached a normal looking apartment. A woman further down peeked out her door and closed it quickly. In the silence, they could hear the click of the door as she locked it.
“Detective,” a woman said, “I, I think that woman on the news last night was my neighbor.”
Takagi could see an ambulance waiting around the corner, along with a forensic team. It disappeared from view as the group gathered around the normal apartment door. The koban officer leading them broke off, his face green.
“I wasn't going to think anything of it. I hate to be suspicious of her, she's been a good neighbor, but a funny smell has been coming from her place lately. I smell it whenever I walk by to get to my place. It's been getting worse and she won't answer her door when the landlord comes by.”
The smell was strongest right around the door, just as the koban officer reported. While he said he believed the apartment was occupied, no one answered the door when he knocked. He also reported that her two children had not been seen in weeks.
“I asked about her kids about a week ago because I haven't seen them coming and going. She said they went to stay with their father in Hokkaido.”
While they knew it was not unheard of for children to go stay with their father, a quick check at their schools revealed that their records had not been transferred to a new school. What had happened to the children? was the unasked question. If the attacks were any indication, Takagi and the rest feared the worst.
“I'm,” she hesitated a moment, “I think she might have killed her children.”
Terada knocked at the door, “Excuse me? Ogura-san? This is the Detective Terada with Division One. We have to ask you a few questions. You can let us in or we can let ourselves in. You have a minute to decide.”
The tension over the minute grew. Terada stepped back and motioned for the officer with the hand held battering ram to come forward. Just as the officer stepped in front of the door, the sound of a lock could be heard and the door opened a crack.
Despite the door only being opened a bit, a powerful stench flowed outward and almost physically pushed back the police with its intensity.
“Yes, officers? What do you need?” Ogura asked in tired tone.
“Where are your children, Ogura-san?” Terada asked.
Her face did not change as she said, “They are in their bedroom. It's where they have been.”
“Can we see them?” he asked carefully.
For the first time, Ogura seemed to really see just who was standing outside her door. Her eyes passed over every officer before returning to Terada. “No,” she said, her voice pitched upward in panic.
Terada braced the door open. “Ogura-san, I'm afraid we have to see your children.”
“NO!” she screamed throwing her weight on the door, in an attempt to close it. “They are bad children! They are being punished!”
Takagi moved next to Terada and helped him push open the door. The woman fell and landed hard on the floor.
The room was dimly lit. The light coming in from the door illuminated the haggard appearance of the woman. There were clear circles under her eyes and one arm looked swollen even under the long sleeved shirt she wore.
Two of the uniformed officers took Ogura in hand as Terada, Tsutsumi, and Terada moved further into the apartment.
Tsutsumi carried a high powered flashlight. Takagi could hear him mutter, “How could anyone live with this smell?” In the light, his face looked even more greenish. Takagi thought, He looks as green as I feel.
The first bedroom was the master bedroom. It was cluttered and looked like it had not been actively cleaned in a while.
The next room was the children's bedroom. As the person with the flashlight, Tsutsumi carefully opened the door and peered in. He made a sick noise and bolted out of the apartment. Terada slid a hand into the room and found a light switch.
As it was switched on, Takagi understood why Tsutsumi had run out of the apartment. On a the two children sized beds were two liquefied messes. With a little imagination, Takagi could see that they were the size of school aged children.
“Takagi-kun,”Terada said, his voice devoid of emotion, “Please make sure the forensic team is on its way up and check up on Tsutsumi-kun.”
“Yes, sir!” Takagi said and immediately regretted that he took a deep breath. He scurried out of the apartment, swallowing hard to keep the bile down. Once outside, he took a minute to breath in the untainted air and allow the nausea to pass. Tsutsumi was sitting on the ground, his head bowed between his legs. Takagi kneeled next to him, “Are you going to be okay?”
Tsutsumi nodded his head a little. “I'll need a few minutes.” A few seconds passed before he added, “That was bad.”
“I know,” Takagi said, throwing an involuntary glance back at the apartment.
Takagi patted him on the shoulder comfortingly, “Okay. I need to get the forensic team.”
Tsutsumi said, “They're coming.” Takagi could hear the approach of the team. It was punctuated by the occasional yell of Ogura as she was lead off to a squad car. Takagi looked over the railing and could see a paramedic rubbing his arm. Had the woman hit him? Takagi would not doubt it. He could see that her arm now had a splint on it. It took two officers to get her into the squad car.
Tsutsumi stood up, a little wobbly on his feet. “We had better go back and help Terada-san.”
Takagi nodded in agreement even though he knew that it was going to cause more than a couple of nightmares.