No, Please No EP 01

“So, what do you say?” The words sliced through the charged night air, spoken by the shadowy figure looming ahead of Mia. Cloaked in black with a hood obscuring its eyes, the figure's presence was a dark specter against the night sky. The cold night wind howled around them, intensifying the oppressive tension. Mia's heart raced as she stood dangerously close to the dwindling rooftop railing of The Ridge High School.

“Let me go, please!” she pleaded, her voice quivering with terror.

The figure's voice, cold and unyielding cut through the wind like a blade. “Mia, you can’t escape me! I won’t let you!”

Mia’s voice trembled as she took a cautious step back, clutching the hem of her uniform tightly, making her knuckles turn white.

"I-I’ve told you—”

The figure interrupted sharply, stepping forward with a threating intent. Before Mia could react, a hand shot out, seizing her by the hair and yanking her closer with brutal force.

“Stop!! Get away from me!” Mia screamed, panic surging through her as she struggled frantically against the vise-like grip, her heart hammering in her chest.

Her scream shattered the night as she felt a gut-wrenching weightlessness realizing too late that she had been flung off into the air. The world spun violently around her as she tumbled over the railing, the ground rushing up to meet her. Amid the chaos, a haunting, desperate cry hung in the darkness, "No, please, no...”

---

“Should I just kill you?”

“You can not kill it, Rian”

“Whyyy?

“This thing’s immortal!”

“So, you're saying I get to kill it more than once?” Rian's eyes gleamed with a fierce determination.

They were engrossed in the latest game that came around with a huge hype, the air around them electric with competition. Addy’s gaze bore into Rian’s as if trying to decipher an alien language. Rian’s intense stare back was equally confrontational, the tension between them palpable. The game’s soundtrack throbbed in the background, infusing the station with a punky vibe.

Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the game's soundscape, jolting Rian violently. “Ahhh!” he cried out, stumbling backward and crashing into Addy’s chair. The force knocked Addy’s mouse off the pad, sending it flying to the floor where it shattered into pieces.

“You broke it!” Addy shouted, his voice a mix of shock and anger.

Rian glared back, defensive. “I-It was acting up, a-anyway.”

“Of course, it’s acting up. You BROKE it!” Addy’s frustration boiled over, his voice trembling with intensity. An awkward silence spread through them.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Rian? This is a police station, not your personal internet cafe!” The chief's voice cut through the pulsating beats of the music, his frustration palpable.

Rian, caught off guard, quickly lowered the volume. His irritation flared as he retorted, “Addy’s just as involved in the games as I am! Why is it always me who gets the blame?”

The chief’s patience snapped. “Enough with the excuses!” he barked, slamming a thick file down onto their shared table. The force of the impact sent a shiver through the room, momentarily drowning out the music. “We’ve got a new case. What was once ruled a suicide is now being reclassified as murder.”

Rian’s eyes widened with intrigue. “What? How did this happen? Who gave the green light for—”

“RIAN!” The chief’s voice was sharp and commanding, slicing through Rian’s flood of questions.

The chief took a deep breath, clearly trying to regain his composure. “A family member came forward with new information. Somehow, the case was reopened and reassessed. The so-called murder allegedly took place about seven years ago.”

The chief’s gaze was steely. “I don’t have all the answers yet, and frankly, I’m not interested in your theories right now. What I need is for you and our top detective, Addy to stop acting like you’re still in a video game and start doing your jobs as detectives.”

With a final, exasperated look, the chief turned sharply on his heel and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the now quieter room. Rian and Addy exchanged a tense glance, the weight of the newly reopened case settling heavily between them.

The air was thick with unspoken concerns and the challenge that lay ahead.

----To Be Continued---