It was midnight when our commander woke us up. Most of my friends were still sound asleep but I managed to get up and
clad my police suit. It had been told that a shriek had been heard by a neighborhood during the night. I
surmised that It was a murder or a robbery. 2 of other police officers and I were to go to the victims house.
We knocked on the door, and saw a man smiling. We introduced ourselves and said that our
endeavor was to search the house for any evidence to the death. The man nods, the smile still there, as if he already knew what we were going to say. The man said in a non-
abrasive tone that he was the son of the old man, and that he left the country.
We made a
cursory search around the house before entering any of the rooms. Nothing. As my other two friends and I entered the victims room, I felt
gruesome stretch across my body as if I got bitten by a snake and the poison was pervading. We
gingerly looked for any
inventory that could prove the death. But unfortunately, there wasnt much.
I was surprised to see the man bring chairs for us to sit. The man kindly asked us if we want anything to drink. I quickly asked for coffe since my mouth was
dehydrated because I havent drank anything since I woke up.
We sat there, sipping our coffee, while he answered cheerily, we chatted off familiar things. The man sat on a chair, listening to our conversation. He talked more fluently, with a heightened voice. Though my mouth kept chatting, my mind was on the man. Now his face showed no color but white, and the smile that welcomed us first, gone... We talked louder--louder--louder! And still we chatted pleasantly, and smiled. The man paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, frustration shown on his face. I suspected he was the murderer. We smiled our hipocritical smile and now--again -- hark! louder! louder! louder! LOUDER!--
The man took it no more and shrieked, "Villains! Dissemble no more! I admit the deed!--tear up the planks!--here, here!-- it is the beating of his hideous heart" We tore the planks and I felt a chill ran up my spine and
grimaced as I saw the
succumbed man, still as a stone, the
abrasion on his body, haunting me.