Linh nearly dropped her mug of green tea when she saw that her sister, Bao, was calling her. They had not talked since the move, and Linh almost felt guilty when she looked down at her phone. She had moved, mainly, to get a fresh start at a new job and in a new town. She felt as if this way she would not have to compare herself to her sister or anyone else, but Bao was her little sister and Linh felt bad that she went totally independent.
It took her a few seconds to accept the call. She raised the phone to her ear. "Hello?"
"Linh!" Bao squealed, "How are things? It's been like forever."
"Oh, everything is just fine!" Linh said, trying hard to act her happiest. "I got a new case to solve, so that's my main focus right now."
"Really? That's so cool! I hope you solve it!"
Hearing Bao act so excited for her made Linh's heart warm. She wasn't thinking about jealousy or anything else. She was genuinely happy to hear from her. "Thank you!" Linh took a sip from her cup. "So, how about you?"
Bao cleared her throat. "Well, I just did an audition for this part in an upcoming film from this smaller movie business, but I got it! And guess what else? Darren and I are engaged! He proposed to me on our trip to Yemen this past weekend. It was so romantic! I'm definitely going to send you photos!"
This time, Linh did drop her mug. It shattered all over the floor and scattered around covering the wood in specks and shards of white clay. She was overwhelmed. Once again, the feelings of animosity filled her. Linh wanted to be traveling the world and getting engaged more than anyone else, but it was Bao instead. Who is going to want to date a girl who examines dead bodies and jumps inside dumpsters and just sits at home drinking tea all day? she thought to herself. Tears started to form in her eyes and overflow onto her cheeks.
"Hello?" Bao asked. "Linh, is everything okay?"
"Yes, everything is fine. Congratulations of your engagement. I can't wait for your wedding, but I have to go."
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Entry 6
The city was so covered in fog that all Linh could see was grey. She was outside of the police station taking a quick breather. The office was suspiciously busy today. For some reason, all of the citizens were tense and many came in that day to report a suspicious figure they've seen in the night dressed in all black. The officers knew nothing about it prior and began investigating. Linh had been interviewing people all day. Her neck had a piercing pain and her lower back felt heavy, like a rock.
She began to daydream. Earlier, one of her coworkers told her the newspaper man had accidentally shipped out papers from six years ago, so Linh began to remember what it was like back then. That year, her sister had brought home her boyfriend for the first time, and Linh had just enrolled in the police academy. She sighed and leaned back on the brick wall. Back then, things were happy. She had young dreams, like having a husband or boyfriend and being a top officer, that she hoped would've come true by now, but sadly, they hadn't.
Just as Linh was about to go inside, disappointed in herself, she hurt a large banging sound. She turned around to find the hooded man, the one everyone had described, the one dressed in all black, walking down the sidewalk. She barely noticed him at first with all the fog, but once she looked closely, she knew it was him without a doubt. Linh was flustered. What do I do? she thought. Do I call another officer? But what if he gets away? The body was getting farther and farther away, and Linh began to sweat. Forget it, she said to herself. I'm going after him.
She began causally walking behind him. He didn't turn around, so she began to pick up the pace. She tried to look closer, but the fog made it impossible. Suddenly, he turned a corner into an alleyway that Linh was familiar with. It had a dead end. She panicked. What am I going to do? If I follow him, it'll be just us two and I know I'll get caught. She looked around. A dumpster laid directly across from the alley. Linh hated herself for coming up with the idea, but it was her duty as a cop. She climbed inside and peered through the crack. It was stinky and cold, but at least it was empty.
As she looked, she saw the mysterious man reading something. He stood there inspecting it for a few minutes before slamming it into the ground, mushing it under his shoe, and leaving. Linh climbed out to see where he went, but he vanished. She pouted. How could I miss such a vital opportunity? Then, she wondered what he could've been reading that made him so angry. She tiptoed in the same alley and picked it up. It was the newspaper. She read the front. The death of Ether Maitland?
She began to daydream. Earlier, one of her coworkers told her the newspaper man had accidentally shipped out papers from six years ago, so Linh began to remember what it was like back then. That year, her sister had brought home her boyfriend for the first time, and Linh had just enrolled in the police academy. She sighed and leaned back on the brick wall. Back then, things were happy. She had young dreams, like having a husband or boyfriend and being a top officer, that she hoped would've come true by now, but sadly, they hadn't.
Just as Linh was about to go inside, disappointed in herself, she hurt a large banging sound. She turned around to find the hooded man, the one everyone had described, the one dressed in all black, walking down the sidewalk. She barely noticed him at first with all the fog, but once she looked closely, she knew it was him without a doubt. Linh was flustered. What do I do? she thought. Do I call another officer? But what if he gets away? The body was getting farther and farther away, and Linh began to sweat. Forget it, she said to herself. I'm going after him.
She began causally walking behind him. He didn't turn around, so she began to pick up the pace. She tried to look closer, but the fog made it impossible. Suddenly, he turned a corner into an alleyway that Linh was familiar with. It had a dead end. She panicked. What am I going to do? If I follow him, it'll be just us two and I know I'll get caught. She looked around. A dumpster laid directly across from the alley. Linh hated herself for coming up with the idea, but it was her duty as a cop. She climbed inside and peered through the crack. It was stinky and cold, but at least it was empty.
As she looked, she saw the mysterious man reading something. He stood there inspecting it for a few minutes before slamming it into the ground, mushing it under his shoe, and leaving. Linh climbed out to see where he went, but he vanished. She pouted. How could I miss such a vital opportunity? Then, she wondered what he could've been reading that made him so angry. She tiptoed in the same alley and picked it up. It was the newspaper. She read the front. The death of Ether Maitland?
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