Blood on Your Hands

“Let us go!” A young girl shouts at the men holding the two girl’s captive by the edge of the waterfall. An older woman approaches, heels clicking against the stone floor, holding a knife “I raised you as if you were my own, trained you, I had such high hopes for you Blade but you betrayed me” The woman said bitterly towards the young girl “you kidnapped us and forced us to be in your cult, Heidi. Let her go. If you think if I really betrayed, kill me. Leave Bo out of this” Blade said looking at Bo who was crying heavily.

Heidi sighs slightly “you see Blade” she walks towards Bo “I have to punish you for what you have done and if you want to be forgiven then you have to pass our saviors' test” Bo’s knees were shaking panicking as the knife went closer “Blade, please help me” she cries as Blade struggles, trying to get out from the men’s grip “STOP IT! I never betrayed you!” She shouted with Heidi know behind Bo lifting her jaw up making Blade fight harder trying to Bo. Then the cruel woman put the blade on Bo’s neck and slits it open, blood flowing out staining the white clothes “NOOOO!!” Blades screams as her girlfriends’ body was dropped on the ground not breathing anymore.

With all of her rage she manages to get out of the men’s grip, but too late as Heidi’s knife plunges onto her stomach with her ice-cold eyes looking at Blade “Throw her body to the river” The woman said and the men complied and threw Blades body into the river and it went down the waterfall…

A raven-haired girl jumps up awake breathing heavily, sweat covering her body *beep**beep**beep*. She turned off her alarm, got off the bed, and took a shower. After a few minutes, she started to get ready as her phone rang

 “Black speaking,” She said, “We have a case, Pine forest.” An older man said on the phone “I’ll be there in 30” Black replied and hung up getting ready.

Erika Black is in the Behavioural Analysis Unit (or BAU for short) which is in the FBI. She has been working there for over a year. Erika helped close down 4 high profile cases including the Ritual Slayer. One of the highest-profile cases in US history as he murdered over 30 women.

Erika headed to the crime scene and met up with Captain Fisher “Jogger found the body on his morning run at 7am. Male, around his mid-20s” Fisher said as they walked to the river where the body was “His throat was slit and was probably dumped in the river” he added as Erika looks down at the body. White clothes. Blade help me!!  Erika’s breath became unsteady and became pale as if she has seen a ghost. This has to be a coincidence, right? She put on her plastic gloves looking the left “Erika? You still there?” Fisher asks looking slightly concerned “yeah, I’m OK” She replies and kneels down “looks like he’s been dead for at least 6 hours” she takes his left arm and looks at his fingernails “No self-defense wounds” She lifts up the sleeve and had a 666 cut on his wrist “What the hell?” Harris said as she took an autograph “He was probably in a satanic ritual?” Daniels stated which sounded more like a question.

Erika stood up as two people walk towards them “What do we have here?” one of them said and Fisher explained to the medical examiners, but Erika wasn’t listening. Not until they kneeled down and lifted up his shirt 'tu innocentes Blade' was carved on his chest and stomach.

“you’re innocent Blade?” Harris questioned, “who’s Blade?” Fisher added. Erika was screaming in the inside but had a cold face. “We should find him and hopefully lead us to the killer,” Murphy said

Erika checks her phone “I gotta go” She stated and leaves before anyone can say anything.

Back at the office, Erika was looking at crime scene photos of the man. I raised you as if you were my own, trained you, I had such high hopes for you Blade but you betrayed me. “Innocent my ass” She whispers to herself and dropped the file of the table “We got a lead, let's go,” Fisher said as he walks past her getting his coat. On the drive to the lead, Erika was extremely quiet, deep in thought “Talk to me Black. You know, you can talk to me” Fisher said in concern “It’s nothing… personal issues. That’s all.” She replies as she was playing with her necklace.

“What’s the story with the necklace?” he asks as he drove “It was part of a set, friendship necklace. My friend had one as well”

“Had?”

“She’s dead”

“What happened? Does it involve with our case?”

“Kinda, she was murdered. The throat was slit by someone. She’s the reason why I wanted to solve murders. I couldn’t protect her, but I hope I can protect others”

“What was her name?”

“Her nickname was Bo. Her real name was Natasha”

“Was her murder solved?”

Erika didn’t answer the question and saw them pull up in front of the house “We’re here” She said and went out of the car “Her name is Joanna Thomas. We believe that she knew the victim. He had a picture of her in his pocket”

“Alright,” Erika said as she knocked at the door, a child answered along with his father “Hello?”

“Hello, Mr. Thomas. I am Special Agent Black, he is Special agent Fisher. Is your wife home, we have some questions for her” Erika stated as they both showed their credentials.

“She nearly home. What is this about?”

“It’s about a case we’re working on”

“Is this about the child abductions from the past month? Its been in the news” He asks

“Why should it be about the abductions?” Fisher asks

“When she was a child, she was one of the children abducted. Same age as the children now.”

Fisher and Erika looked at each other before looking at Mr. Thomas again “May we wait inside for Mrs. Thomas?”

“Of course” the man replied “Come on Billy, go to the kitchen and finish your homework” The 9-year-old kid went to the kitchen to do his homework. Mr. Thomas let them in “Mind if I call her to let her know you’re here?”

“Don’t call her,” Fisher said as they both waited in the living room

10 minutes later, the door opened and closed “Joe, can you come in here, please. In the living room” Mr. Thomas said “alright”, a woman said

A woman came in ginger hair, brown eyes. She stopped and looks at Erika and Erika looked back in shock.

Erika stood up “Hello Mrs. Thomas, we have a few questions involving a case we’re working on,” Erika said trying for her breath not to be shaky

Joanna walked in “Alright, what is this about?” she asks clearly nervous

“Do you know this man?” Fisher asks and showed her a picture of the man. Joanna takes the picture and looks at it “Yes, I do, well did”

“Did?” Erika asks

“Yes, he was one of the taken, I managed to escape. He didn’t. What happened?”

“Was he abducted?”

“Yes, we called him Rage, he was extremely violent and did everything the person wanted. He helped as bait to children. Killed few parents if they woke up”

 “Do you know someone go by the name of Blade?” Fisher asks

“Yes, I did. I don’t know her name though or where she is”

“What can you tell us about her and the place you were kept”

Joanna sighs and sat down “It was a cult, practiced Satanism. The leader wanted children who could be taught the ways of Satan. Depending on how well we were, she branded us by our rank. Some were her assassins, to kill anyone. Priests, kidnappers, bait, or teachers. At the age of 16, we would be already branded and be in an arranged marriage. Not legal marriage. I was lucky because I fell in love with Blade and she was in love with me. Mother was nice enough to have us get married. Blade had a gentle heart but blackened by what they taught us there. Two years later Mother suspected that someone was betraying her and wanted her replaced. She suspected Blade because she was smart, knew the ways, and questioned the cult as a whole. She had a ritual by the waterfall. Mother stabbed her and threw her off the waterfall. A few months later I left, Mother agreed I’d leave if I didn’t reveal the cult” She explained to Fisher and Erika

“Did you ever look for her?” Erika asks

“No… I believed she was dead, I met Nathan early and we got married shortly before I found out I was pregnant with Billy”

“What made you think Blade was alive?”

“I saw her in town, by the river and Mother told me, Blade was innocent and alive. I don’t know how she knew. Either way, the cult still haunts me to this day even if it was over 10 years.”

Erika went to the apartment after they went back to the office. She had to cool off, not after what she discovered. She broke down, no longer holding her emotions. She punched the wall, till she was bloody, threw plates on the floor, smashed windowed cupboards, ignoring her physical pain “11 years!!” she shouts and ripped the necklace off her neck and threw it to the ground. After a few minutes, her place was trashed

The broken girl turned on the shower and went in leaving her clothes on. She sat down looking at her bloody hands not hearing a man's voice calling her name.

Fisher went into the bathroom and looks down at Erika. He took off his jacket and went in leaving his clothes on, sitting down beside her, and wraps an arm around her remaining quiet.

“How di-“

“The way you two were staring, the way you couldn’t hear us when we spoke throughout the case and the necklace she was wearing, the same as yours. Now, talk to me, tell me everything”

“I feel so numb, Fisher… I saw her throat get slit. She… Every day, when I close my eyes, she was there dying begging me to save her, when I look at my hands, I see her blood on it. Haunted by everything they did to me, to us. Even now, I was betrayed by the person I stayed alive for. Even with me out they still torture me.”

“Did you ever kill anyone?”

“Not that I am aware of… They would drug us occasionally so we would be more obedient.”

“What is the leader's name, where is she?”

“Heidi Klaus, The CEO of real estate agency.”

“I have evidence, for fraud, kidnapping, and murder”

“How?”

“Bo and I wanted to leave; I was the one Heidi trusted the most. She gave me a USB with everything in it. I send it before I was stabbed. It’s in my bed.”

“Lets, go back to the office and lay this case to rest. I know it’ll find you peace. We found a trace of DNA of the murderer and we know what kind of weapon it is. It’ll be done and you can move on properly, without ghosts from the past following you” Fisher looks at Erika and she looks at him. “Alright,” She agrees.

They both went out of the shower, dried off, and went to the office to gather evidence against Heidi. It took all night to look through all of the evidence from the USB, they had enough to arrest her for fraud and the order of the kidnappings.

Tree days later they went to the real estate agency. Erika and Fisher went in with a team of officers “What the hell is this?!” Heidi shouted and saw Erika

“Heidi Klaus, you the right to remain silent. Everything you say may and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney if you can’t afford one will be appointed by you. Have you heard and understood these rights?” Erika said as she cuffs Heidi “Yes, I have”

“you are arrested for fraud, money laundering, and the kidnapping for at least 50 children,” Fisher said as the officers looked through the office “We have a warrant to look at your business and all of your homes and estates.

After weeks of searches, they found the knife, children, dead bodies, drugs, and torture devices. Enough to prosecute her. They also arrested her co-conspirators.

Erika looked through the whole trial and felt a weight off her shoulders and enjoyed how the cult fell apart within months.

When the trial was done, Erika visited Bo “Erika? I can explain” Joanna said before Erika said something

“She won’t be getting out, anyone I that matter. You’re safe now.” Erika said, “Have a good life” she then left not wanting to listen to Joanna.

When she returned home, she picked up the letter and read it. She looks outside the window…

*Bang*