Belinda the Green Witch - Finish The Story Contest #41

I watched Belinda getting onto the cable car that was headed up the hill. Quickly, I ran and jumped onto the back as the cable car began to pull away.

I would have had trouble with the ticket agent if it wasn’t for the gun in my hand and the badge on my belt. He backed off with a quiet stare. Following my gaze, he was bewitched by Belinda’s beauty. He darted after me. She had this effect on men of weak mind. I would have fallen off if it wasn’t for the bar slamming up against my back. Tossing the man off the trolley, his body cracked and thudded as he rolled down the hill. A blood-soaked street ...

I turned my attention back to Belinda. Fuck! She’d vanished. That fucking prick! I’d been hunting down this woman for weeks with no luck. I’d have no clue as to where to scour next if it wasn’t for the letter I found at my feet addressed to me.

---

It was 3 a.m. when I arrived back to my flea-infested motel. A new record for me as the days without sleep turned into weeks of nightmares. Insomnia is a bitch.

The Captain at the precinct had kept me longer than expected. He was viscerally upset when my employer had spoken to him over the phone. “What do you mean ‘set him free?’” the captain protested. “This man of yours just killed a man, for no apparent reason, with a slew of witnesses around,” his voice rose a little louder, becoming squeaker, “and I’m to let him go?”

His eyes darted in my direction. I saw him about to crack. “What am I supposed to tell the press?”

My employer ensured him that he’d take care of the press if the precinct did its job and labelled the body bag with the tag ”DNI” (Do not investigate).

Reluctantly, the Captain released me. My employer had ties to power most would never dare touch. Those who dared to challenge him were usually found with a couple missing body parts in the middle of town or possibly at the bottom of a flight of stairs. ‘unsolved’ murder/suicides were abound. This place was beyond crooked.

I sat down on the bed. I finally had time to get to the letter I’d hidden in my trench coat pocket that was hidden beneath another pocket. This pocket had saved a few useful items in the past when I’d gotten into trouble for the blatant disregard for life.

Other than the obvious clue ‘Addressed to you, Detective’, she had left a kiss mark, formed from the blue lipstick she wore.

I slapped my neck. “Fucking fleas!”

Opening the letter, I read:

Dear Detective,

I know why you don't sleep at night. I've watched you in your half-hazy sleep toss and turn. Yes, I've done my research. You thought I didn't know about you? No matter.

Pay attention.

Your awakening is coming. You first have to chase this mouse a few more times around the block before your mind will be free enough to see that the shadow and the light cannot be without the other.

You have been to the Garden. Follow the smell. Seek the maid who is more precious than a green stone.

Your employer is banking on the life you've lead up until this very moment.

A sweet kiss, Detective.

There was a knock at my door.

My Entry:

---

I folded the letter up and placed it back into my hidden pocket. My fingers scratched at my scaly skin absently, the fleas still managed to penetrate.

The words ‘You have been to the Garden’ swam around my mind as I put my eye up to the peephole. The familiar face of my confidential informant warranted suspicion. I opened the door with the chain still across.

“What?”

Trey put his hand up to the door, his face furrowed in confusion when he met resistance.

“Let me in.” His words slurred in his mouth. The putrid smell of alcohol and tobacco consumed the small space between us.

“No, you stink.”

My forked tongue shot out instinctively, I could taste everything. Trey’s body odor barely masked by his booze soaked clothes. The dirt underneath his shoes. The chinese takeaway, between his bed and the motel, faintly clung to him.

“I have to go Trey. I’m late already.”

“Can I come?”

I shrugged my shoulders, I knew he would follow me whether I wanted him to or not.

I walked outside the motel, Trey in-toe.

Chase this mouse a few more times around the block.

The motel became my centre point of reference as I spiralled outwards. Trey hummed to himself as he followed behind me. I stopped at a club that’s closed at this time of day, The Dim Glow. Shadow and the light.

A disused greenfield appeared across from it. Trey stumbled into the chain-link fence causing the whole thing to rattle. In the centre of the field stood a girl. The wind picked up and caught at her hair and her green dress.

My reptile instinct told me to run, but the words from the letter made me climb over the fence and run towards the girl. As I got closer I saw the unmistakable blue lipstick on her lips.

“Who are you?”

My hand lingered on the gun at my hip.

“My name’s Belinda, but my friends call me Lin.”

The name forced me to take a step away from her. Her green eyes reflecting back to me the face of her older counterpart. The witch.

My head snapped as I searched the field perimeter. I had lead us into a trap. Any evidence of the surrounding town had disappeared, the field ran out forever in every direction.

Trey had finally made it to us. He looked between us with confusion. I didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth of our situation.

My tongue took in the scents. Belinda smelt the same as the woman version that had left the letter for me.

I unholstered my gun and aimed it at her head.

“Your employer will be upset if you kill me, Detective.” Her voice held the same condescending tone. “He is my employer too.”

I laughed at her. “Screw my employer. Change me back to a full human or I will shoot you anyway.”

The girl raised her hands. I pulled the trigger.

This is my entry to the @bananafish Finish The Story Contest #41.

Find out about it here.

_{Have to give a mention to a friend who helped me out by checking I had used the correct tense all the way through. First person past tense is harder to maintain than I thought. So thank you!}

Image from Pixabay

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