Unconscious Walk

The human mind is truly a terrifying thing, and this person proves it, sighing and
placing my head on my palms. I've been working on the case for several months. The
city has been plaques by death. Nearly 300 have fallen by the hands of the unknown
killer. These vexing moon light murders are becoming the very bane of my existence.
In a city this large everyone is at risk, and everyone is a suspect. I review my file
again before falling into a pitiful sleep. 'Boss, until when are you going to work?' 'I
understand your concerns, Karan, but I can't leave it hanging. I can't give up.' 'Boss,
but it's affecting your health. Your face and body are tired. I guess you need proper
rest.' 'I can never relax with this burden.' 'Boss, why don't you just leave for home
early? I will confiscate and divulge the shreds of evidence.' 'Okay, make a report and
present it tomorrow.' 'Yes, boss.' We got into our respective vehicles and drove
towards our destination to end the matter, which took forever. As time passes, the
number of discovered bodies continues to rise with no clear indication of who is
responsible or why.
As per routine, another body was discovered at one of the corners of the town. The
people are no more shocked just terrified for their loved ones or themselves to be the
next ones to fill up the cemetery. This is getting complicated for us to solve. ‘Boss, the
same old evidence and pattern of killing and as per the information we received he is
from the other side of the town. Completely unrelated to anyone. But boss there are
few bite marks around the upper body.’ ‘Then send the body for the forensic result
and if possible extract the DNA. This would somehow help.’ ‘Yes, Boss.’ ‘Any footage
or his involvement in any type of crime?’ ‘We have sent a few people for investigation
by evening they will present the report.’ ‘Okay. For now just present the report the
past murders. Let’s understand the person.’ I had spent hours staring at each crime
scene picture, racking my brain as I tried to find a new angle. Maybe that was why I
wasn’t able to find who this criminal master mind was. I just wasn’t looking at the
case in the right angle. Which only gave me such little crime scenes to work with. No
finger prints, no blood, no hair. Nothing! This guy had everything planned out just
perfectly. I reached over to grab my mug, being careful of the papers I had set out on
the desk. Taking one last sip of it I groaned “screw this.. Maybe I should just get a
goodnight sleep...”
‘Boss, the people who were neutralized are not related to each other. Same pattern
and the people are just random.’ An assistant came rushing in. “What is it this time?”
I ask, annoyance in my tone. “Boss,” she said, breathless like she’d been sprinting all
the way here, “there was another murder. At the intersection on 36th.” Another
murder? I thought. That was the 6th one this week. Silence filled around the room,
just for me to break it. ‘Let’s go everyone.’
“Who is he?!” I scream at the crime scene board strewn with bloody pictures. “He’s a
genius and I hate him! I want him dead!’ I look at a piece of flannel on the ground, i
look at the flannel shirt I’m wearing, and it’s missing a piece in the front. "Good
lord..." I whisper. Just then, Karan walked in. “Hey, uh, boss... the DNA results came
back.” She looked as if she were to puke. "What's up?" My impatience got the best of
me. “It’s you...”. “Is this a joke to you?’ I snatched the reports just to widen my eyes,
‘95% match.’ These words came out as a whisper. ‘Boss we found footsteps of
someone.’ I look in the snow. The tracks in the snow look familiar, like the work
boots I slept in last night, the hat I couldn’t find when I woke up last night for some
reason. ‘No. It can’t be. I must be dreaming.’ I fall on my knees in defeat, and began
sobbing. I’ve been tracking them down for months, but now I know who it was. And
it wasn’t what I were hoping for. How can it match the DNA? I've been serving for the
department for a long time and this- but then it clicks me as I roll up my sleeves a bit,
it occurs to me that the obscure cut I gained suddenly 3 nights ago was none other
than the blood coated knife we found at the crime scene. The victims must've tried
hard enough to escape as I bayoneted them to death. But then, I realized it. All the
pieces had finally fit together. But the answer shook me to my very core. I was the
one committing all those murders. I was the one to kill all these innocent people. It
was me. All. Me. Tears run down my cheeks as I begin laughing. "All this time- for
what? For nothing!" I scream before tossing my head back in more laughter. "It's
been a useless life!" I laughed.

"Um, boss, I think you need some rest and we will try to recheck the reports. Hey,
you four, accompany the boss to her place and ….make sure she is right in front of
your eyes," said the person in charge. "Yes, sir," the assistants replied.

As soon as we reached my home, I locked myself in my bedroom. "Was it you?" I

screamed. The person opposite me had mascara and tears rushing down her face.
"No, it couldn't be!" they replied with a sob.

I squinted my eyes shut, steadying my breathing. When I opened them again, I wiped
the tear off my cheek. "Your DNA is all over it!" I gritted out. "But it couldn't be..." I
said back to it, screwing the DNA results into a ball and throwing it as hard as I could
across the dimmed room.

There was a knock on the door. "Boss!" Upon opening the door, I discovered myself
captured by my assistants. "You are under arrest." I didn't wish to protest because I
did it even when I couldn't remember anything.

*Six years later*,

‘The sleepwalking murderer was found dead due to a heart attack in her cell," the
news reported. I cracked up: she didn't deserve this. Poor detective, first
somnambulism and now a heart attack. Though she was helpful and cooperative, but
still-

REST IN PEACE DEAR SISTER.