The Day Hope was Murdered

20. Called in for Questioning

// Chapter 20: Called in for Questioning \\

Oliver's POV

August 4th, 2014

The stench of this jail cell is more pungent that ever. 'Looks like Bob has been lax on his janitorial duties,' I think.

I rest my head against the misshapen cement wall, and stare out into the darkness. If I try hard enough, I can convince myself that this cell is never-ending, due to the fact that the darkness makes it seem that way. But I know that not even five feet in front of me is another misshapen cement wall. Closing my eyes, I replace the rusty metal bars to my right with a wall filled to the brim with family photos. A tear leaks out of my eye at the reminder of my mother who is now gone. I imagine that the wall just five feet in front of me is farther away, and that instead of spider webs and filth covering it, there is a 32" flat-screen tv playing the Cleveland Cavaliers game. I replace the bed I'm sitting on with a plush leather couch, the one that used to be in our living room. '

The new owners probably got rid of it,' my subconscious nags at me, but I hastily push it away, and continue the vision I do every night before I fall asleep. The vision I can't survive without.

On that plush leather couch, I see three figures: two brunettes and a strawberry blonde. My mom, Julia, and me. We're cheering and watching the end of the Cavs game. They're about to beat the Chicago Bulls. My mom jumps up from the couch, intensely staring at the tv screen. Her hands are tangled in her hair. "Pass the ball Lebron!" my mom yells. He does, but it's a second too late. Doug McDermott interferes and snags the ball. In my vision, my mom collapses back onto the couch and her as well as the two other figures groan and mutter complaints.

I've played this scene in my head a million times now, but what happens next is something I've never seen. I see a pudgy man, with a black cap covering his head walk stealthily into the room. He's right behind my sister, Julia, and he covers her mouth with her hand starts to drag her away. The glint of a knife in his left shoe is visible. I see myself trying to yell, but there is duct tape covering my mouth. I try to get up from the couch, but my hands and legs are somehow tied down.

I open my eyes to cut off the nightmare that my once happy vision has become. 'He's coming for her next,' I think to myself. Just as he said he would if I were to ever spill anything. I remember his visit to me a month and a half ago. 'He knew I told Leila about him.' I close my eyes and internally scream at myself for not realizing this sooner.

Julia must really be in imminent danger if I'm realizing this now. The world must be finally blessing me in some way if it's telepathically telling me this. Or cursing me because there's nothing I can do about it.

Abruptly, I stand up from my bed and pace back and forth in my cell. The gears in my brain are spinning so fast, they're on overdrive, and it causes me to ram my nose into the misshapen cement wall. I curse silently and grab my nose. When I do, I feel a warmth trickling down. I curse again.

I go back to my bed and lie down on it. I can't sleep, because that'll lead to nightmares. I can't think, because I don't want to be reminded of what happened to my mom and how it could happen to Julia as well. So my only remaining option is to clear my head. For hours, my empty eyes stare out into the black abyss.

I must've dozed off at some point, because I'm woken up to the typical banging of the patrol officer on our metal bars at 8 AM sharp. He reaches mine and stops. "You being questioned today."

"Wha—" I start to say, but the patrol officer ignores me. The banging starts up again when he hits mine a few times and then goes on to the next one.