My phone slipped from my powerless hand, its screen shattering on the floor.
I staggered, nearly falling to my knees.
Even then, I couldn’t believe what I’d heard.
Sarah was… dead?
No, this can’t be happening…
My hands trembled as I leaned against the wall, barely able to keep standing.
How could someone I talked to yesterday just be dead today?
I refuse to believe it!
Wasn’t Sarah just trying to get sympathy? How could she actually be dead?
I rushed to the police station, where they handed me Sarah’s belongings.
Her purse, phone… and a blood–stained shoe.
Seeing that shoe, my mind went blank.
I remembered – it was the first gift I ever gave Sarah.
She was overjoyed when she received it, almost too happy to wear it.
I had to insist that she only wear shoes I gave her when meeting me.
Even when the shoe got old and lost some rhinestones, she never replaced it.
Though I gave her new shoes later, I never saw her that happy again.
Remembering her words from before, my heart ached unbearably.
She could be made so happy by just a pair of shoes, yet I couldn’t even be bothered to choose different styles…
The shoe was covered in blood. My hands shook as I held it, as if it burned.
“Mr. Carter, are you alright? Let me hold that for you…”
A concerned officer tried to steady me, but I pushed him away.
I clutched the bloody shoe to my chest, as if I could hold Sarah herself.
+15
Chapter 7
“Where are the criminals?” I stared at him with bloodshot eyes. “They must pay for Sarah’s life!”
“The suspects are in custody, Mr. Carter. Please calm down. They will be punished.”
Nearby, female officers whispered.
“Yesterday’s case was horrific – blood everywhere.”
“Poor girl. Whatever she did, nobody deserved that. No one even helped her.”
