Deadly Facade of an Everyday Decision

TW; murder

Ruth finally found the restroom in the humongous shopping centre. They stood in front of the two restroom doors, assessing themself. Today, they were presenting and identifying more masculine than usual, but the women’s restroom was their usual choice. Without a second thought, Ruth entered the men’s restroom. They went inside a cubicle, ignoring the glances and stares they received the moment they entered. 

After relieving themself, they adjusted their chest binder and left; they were completely unaware of the man following close behind them. One would think that they would notice the six-foot-tall man appearing wherever they went, but the lively and bustling atmosphere of the mall distracted Ruth.

Hands full with shopping bags, they exited the shopping centre satisfied with their haul. The load was no big deal, as their house was close by. Instead of going the usual route, Ruth suddenly thought it would be better to take a shortcut through the side streets and alleyways. It was a serene walk, with the sunlight peeking through the buildings and seeping into the side streets. 

Upon rounding the corner and entering another alleyway, the man who had been following them firmly put his hand on their shoulder, turning them around. Before Ruth could even scream, a knife had been buried into their chest. He took the knife again and stabbed Ruth eleven times, blood spraying all over the wall on the side of a building. The man even went as far as to spit on them, a spit full of phlegm and contempt. “Dirty motherfucker.” He muttered, walking away from the gruesome scene.

As if from a scene in a movie, Ruth’s spirit had observed everything from the moment they were first stabbed. They couldn’t understand what was happening. They saw themselves, but they had died. They felt a dreadful feeling crawling up their back, at least, the sensation of something crawling on their back. They were a ghost, even if Ruth didn’t believe in the afterlife, there was no denying that. 

It had been quite a while until they had noticed that they were sobbing. Uncontrollably. They wondered if anyone was going to find their body, hoping it would not be one of their family or friends. They could not imagine what their family or friends would feel if they saw this. They began to blame themself, thinking that maybe if they hadn’t thought to take the shortcut then maybe they would still be alive. Suddenly, they heard a scream behind them.

It was their neighbor, Nina. She rushed over, careful not to touch anything. She quickly pulled out her phone and called the police, informing them of the presumed murder that had taken place. Ruth’s spirit was watching from afar, still sobbing. The words of the killer were echoing in their mind, “Dirty motherfucker.” As the sounds of sirens filled the air, they were brought back to reality. They were just murdered. They didn’t even know why. 

They drifted back to their house, away from the scene of the crime. To say that they had a peaceful household was an understatement. Ruth considered themself lucky for having a family that was so accepting and supportive. Which is why their family finding out would hurt Ruth even more, having to see their anguish and pain. Ruth assumed that their neighbor had called their family right after the police, as their mother was visited by a few officers, explaining what had happened. 

“We haven’t caught the killer yet. We’ve recovered your daughter’s---” The officer was cut off by Ruth’s mother, “Child. My child. They identify as non-binary. But please, continue.” The officer raises an eyebrow, but continues. He spares the gruesome details of how Ruth’s body was found and simply states that his team will be investigating the case further. He leaves, as Ruth’s mother is now faced with the dilemma of breaking the news to her other children, Ruth’s siblings. What follows must have been the most pain that they felt--and they were just murdered--as the wails of their youngest sister filled the home. 

    Ruth’s spirit watched as their mother informed their friends of their passing, only being able to imagine what their friends’ reactions were. They had spent a few days doing this, lingering in their family home, watching and observing what life was like without them. Until, a couple days later, the family discovers that Ruth’s brutal murder case ended up on the news. It was a disgusting headline, misgendering Ruth, implying that it had been their fault as to why they were murdered. It absolutely shattered what was left of Ruth’s spirit, leaving an empty feeling in their chest. At least, what felt like it.

    This was not the same feeling that Ruth’s family felt when they read this headline. Collectively, their grieving and sadness turned into world-ending rage. The eldest brother, Mark, created a post on social media condemning the article and its publisher, hoping to redeem his sibling. While the household had been turned into one of anger and grief, Ruth had spent the past few hours roaming the streets. They arrived right outside the police station, where multiple activists were sitting in front of. Wondering what they were protesting, Ruth took a look at the signs, only to be shocked to see their own name. 

    “Justice for Ruth Terry!” They felt the sensation of their heart beating a mile a minute and the sensation of tears prickling at their eyes. Random strangers cared about their story, their life. It was comforting to know that even in death, there are people who cared about what their life meant. Suddenly, a light shined from the sky, it was warm and calming. “Ruth, it’s time to go.” A voice spoke to them, a voice that can only be described as booming yet gentle. 

    Ruth took one last look at the scene around them, people of different ages and colors, sitting in protest against how the police have been handling their case. Sitting in protest to the kind of world that had even allowed them to get killed in the first place. Then, they looked back at the light, faced with the decision to stay or go. “Thank you.” 

The End.