Entering the house I drew my weapon, slowly creeping inside as I made my way into the kitchen. My heart was pounding in my ears, the vest beginning to feel heavier with each step I took. Thoughts of the what the suspect looked like replayed in my head, a white male, 6’5’’, brown hair, the little girl kidnapped. My partner was coming through the back door, I could hear the sounds of his boots making their way across the floor towards me. Suddenly the sound of a voice was heard, a male voice. I raised the weapon, the feeling of it was like a glove in my hands, my finger was straight but shaking; ready to slip it’s way into the trigger hole and dislodge the bullet. I heard the sound of what seemed like multiple people screaming, rounding the corner I saw what I assumed to be a person standing there, the adrenaline running through my veins and the paranoia tricked me into believing it was the enemy, so I pulled the trigger. In the same second it took for my finger to pull the trigger, I realized that it wasn’t a person, but the TV. A very large TV, one of the biggest I have ever seen, barely fitting in the living room I stood in. I lowered my weapon, feeling like a complete idiot as I turned around to face my partner. “Chase! What happened?” My partner, detective Jack Anderson, looked around the room, his eyes alert as they scanned. “It’s fine. Everything is fine. The damn TV scared me.” As I looked at towards it, holstering my gun I noticed that instead of hitting the glass of the TV it seemed to have… well.. went through it. The channel was on a live news station, that was having technical difficulties at the moment. I began to wonder if maybe I missed the TV, but looking at what little wall there was exposed, I saw no bullet hole.

“Shit man. Are you okay, after the, ya know, shooting?” Jack holstered his gun as well, beginning to rub his temples. “You’ve been acting differently. I’m worried about you. What if it was a civ you shot?” My blood began to boil, I could feel the tension in building in the room as I shook away the memory of that little boy, his eyes. Full of hate and murder…. I licked my lips and answered, my voice dry and raspy, “I’m fine, I just got a little spooked that’s….” My phone began to ring, answering it I was told that we were needed down at NYN, New York News, there was a shooting there. The hairs on the back of my neck began to stand up, my blood went cold and I felt as if there was someone watching me, that everyone knew. Knew what? I wasn’t sure, but as I hung up the phone my body began to turn towards the ginormous TV, in the top left corner above the scrolling banner in black letters was…. NYN...“Oh shit… shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!” I sat down on the couch, my hands beginning to tremble, I don’t know why they were trembling but something was screaming that this isn’t right. Jack was asking what was wrong, his eyes showing nothing but concern, and confusion.

The next thing I remember we were in the squad car, on the way to the news station. “Chase, are you okay man?” Jack looked over as he sped down the back roads of New York. Shrugging, I looked out of the window. “I’m not really sure. I think I shot that news anchor.” Shaking his head I could tell he thought I was losing it. “Listen, I know that the Matthews’ incident really messed you up man, and if you’re not ready to come back that’s-“ I stopped him, my blood beginning to boil, how could he think I was messed up! I wasn’t messed up. I’m the one still alive… “Jack! I’m fine! I’m not going crazy, I’m serious…” The rest of the ride there was silent, I closed my eyes. My thoughts were flashing back to that day. His face… So young. The way his body fell to the ground… “Chase!” I jerked back to the present, wiping the sweat off of my brow. “We’re here man, let’s go.” Sighing, I stepped out into the bright sun, my eyes watching the frenzy of ambulance, reporters, and police, run around. Like ants. ‘Alright Chase, you got this man. You didn’t do this. It’s all good. You’re good.’ Taking a deep breath I walked inside.