Away From Eden

Behind Perfection

Robin Mack, Carsen's close colleague and friend in the police investigation unit, heard the gunfire but he didn't have given them much thought. He wasn't the one assigned in the area until his phone radio sounded. The other line was telling him about a shooting incident. To his surprise, the area mentioned was Carsen's address. His friend was now at the game. He was worried and hoped that the incident doesn't concern Carsen's family but his hopes failed when he arrived at the Newman's compound. Many people gathered at Carsen's house. Police cars were blaring. Curious neighbors were there and so were the CSI. Robin showed off his badge to the crime scene in charge. He was allowed to go inside Carsen's house. The crime scene investigators told him that no one is there except for Lily Adams - Carsen's mom, who is the victim. Robin's eyes widened in disbelief hearing that Carsen's mom was killed. If this news reach Carsen he would surely get devastated. What's more agonizing is that he can't get out there in the game venue. The invited players are bound to stay in that unknown venue according to the organizer's designed time.

Robin proceeded to the kitchen and there he saw Lily's dead body, lying on the floor and drenched in blood. His eyes were directed towards the entire kitchen, trying to catch some specific details in some stuff that would help with the investigation, but there were none. All were just menial. He hope the forensics would find out something.

"What happened?" Robin asked one police officer.

"Neighbors said they didn't notice anyone in the house!" replied the police officer.

Robin gets it. It's like he's telling him that they haven't found a witness for now.

He was about to get out of the kitchen area when he stepped on a small, round gold diamond broach. His eyebrows creased.

How come the crime scene in charge didn't notice this? He thinks.

Diamond? There's no way a woman in a Newman class could have something expensive like this. He thought to himself.

The next day, Robin called his close colleague in the CSI department with the help of his boss, and they managed the investigation of Lily's death to be transferred to their department. The broach he picked up was confidential evidence. They cannot disclose it to the other departments, as they have a suspicion that the murder involves people in the top hierarchy. Robin submitted the broach to the forensic lab for DNA profiling, and days later they were shocked to learn to whom the broach belongs.

It was Harpie's broach. Her DNA was found there.

" Shall we tell Carsen about this?" Robin asked his boss.

The department captain shook his head.

" No, he'll get distracted there. He must win the game," the boss replied.

"Besides, the case is still blurred as there were fingerprints of a man on the table that's not in the system," the captain added.

" Could it be Barry? Harpie's husband?" Robin asked.

" No, Barry's prints and DNA are on the system. It's not a match,"

Robin sighed.

" So, horrible to think that Carsen's ex-lover could be responsible for his mother's death,"

The personal assistant was greeted by a pungent incense aroma that enveloped in luxurious fumes that caressed his eyelids. This naturally caused him to think of lying on the pillowed bed that was leaning against the wall at the opposite end of the room from the entry. The idea of drifting off into a kaleidoscopic dream was advanced even further by the appearance of four extra pillows, each one adorned with warm red and orange oriental patterns that appeared to break out of the deep blue wall behind them. A timid, blue-tinged, faint light flickered from a window to his left, and it nearly immediately merged with the diffuse brightness that was filling the space from the numerous holiday lights twinkling and hanging from the ceiling.

To my assessment, this is the only left comfortable room on the planet. The most extravagant of all. The assistant thinks.

Behind that paper screen wall was Jimmie Vaughn.                                                                  That's where his meditation spot is.

The assistant paused and took a breath before he speak. He's hesitant to disturb the planet's most important man.

"S..sir.."

Jimmie's eyes open. He was sitting with crossed legs on the floor.

The assistant continued to speak.

"S..sir.. there was a murder in the Newman's compound. Lily Adams was the victim. She's dead," the assistant informed.

Jimmie's face was cold and blank.

" Who's the culprit?" he asked.

" They're still investigating, but, Barry's wife was in question," the assistant replied.

Jimmie's eyes lit, and his lips curved in malicious pleasure.

" Anything more?" he asked

" Uh...with that incident, the council is pushing this movement of revising the new world order," said the assistant.

" revising?"

" Yeah, they want the old one...before the apocalypse," the assistant replied shaking. There are instances that Jimmie freaked out whenever he heard stuff like this. But then he sighed a relief when he just heard him cackle. He could see the shadow of his villainous gesture behind the paper-screened wall.

" before the apocalypse?" Jimmie scowled.

" Life is boring if we're all on the same level," he commented.

Meanwhile, in a mountainous region that's isolated from the humans are two human-like creatures, communicating in languages only they understand.

" Is it now the time? According to this planet's time. We have been waiting for decades" asked one of them.

The other creature smiled.

" Hang on a little more," the creature replied in an assuring tone.

But the other one frowned.

" I'm tired of staying here! The people on this planet are stupid. You see, no matter how much extinction they went through, they always go back to what destroyed them in the first!" the creature whined.

" They will learn...let's see when they'll learn the truth about the first apocalypse, the truth about their regarded hero," said the other creature, trying to console the other one.

" Let's wait when the mark on that human boy was awakened, it won't be for long..now,"

Though looking like humans, the two creatures are not humans. They were the watchers. That's what they are called in the cosmic. To maintain order in the entire galaxy, their job involves securing one planet assigned to them when it's on the verge of extinction for whatsoever reason either by self-inflicted war or by just naturally fading. They were assigned to planet earth. And with the earth's case, the first threat to its extinction was complicated. If this established human system would get worst, then the planet, unlike before its first apocalypse, might reach its natural ending. If the watchers failed to stop it, then, they'll be punished to be forever wandering from galaxies to galaxies. They won't be able to go home. They can't give up. They have laid down everything they have ever since that apocalypse, and now the best ever weapon that their race has was embedded in that human flesh - how years ago, that boy strangely reacted to their force. Until now, they're still studying, how Carsen Adams could hear them, could feel their force wave, and could hear their thoughts. And most of all, how the mark chooses to dwell in his human flesh.