The Other Side of Me

"She didn't know, and couldn't see it. She needs medical help!"

The opposing counsel stood and yelled.

"Objection! She knew what she was doing!"

The gavel came down on the sounding block, and the Judge spoke. "Order!"

3 Months Earlier

"Elizabeth, are you coming?" Sam yelled from across the courtyard.

I turned my head to look her direction "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute."

She shrugged her shoulders and walked inside.

I couldn't go in yet, I wanted to get a little more fresh air. Even if it had just started snowing.

Ten minutes later I set my things down next to Sam and fell into the seat.

Jim walked in and said "only two today."

"Good, I can go home early." I whispered to myself.

Sam looked me over and I could tell she sensed something was off.

"What's going on with you lately" she asked.

My eyes tried to find something to study so I didn't have to look at her as I lied. "Oh nothing, I just need some rest."

"Uh-huh, yeah, right Liz, what is really going on?" She queried.

I sucked in a gulp of air and let it out slowly, closed my eyes, then I matched her gaze "Sam, really, I'm fine, just tired."

It hurt to lie to her, but the truth is I don't really know what IS going on with me lately. I have been edgy, and things have been moved around in my house and I don't remember moving them. I can't concentrate, or recall my words, am I losing my mind?!

"The first case is Nikki Greering." a folder was tossed across the table at Sam and I. "A young woman found in a ditch, dead and obviously murdered." Jim said softly.

Jim, a man of few words, a 45 year old with no wife or kids, just his job. He is a good guy, he keeps us busy. Sam likes him, but she is 32 and has never been married either. I on the other hand have been married. For five years I was married to Nicholas, and we were in love. We planned to have a family and a dog and all of the other American dream trappings. But, life is fragile and he was in the Army and died in the field. I remember the day they came to my house to break the news that he had passed away, Only 28 and I was a Widow.

"Poor girl," Sam said while leafing through the folder.

---

I closed the door and set my belongings on the counter, turned the TV on and curled up under my blanket, So happy to have a short day and be able to come home and relax.

---

"Don't do this!" She pleaded with me.

"I won't say anything!" She begged.

"I have people who need me, please!" She cried, and I liked it.

I wanted her to feel that the end was near and there was no escaping it. Watching the fear caress her and tell her it was right to be terrified. Her eyes bore into mine, trying to find something to relate to, hoping it would sway me and buy her some time. But there wasn't anything there for her, just blackness. She sobbed again, collapsed to the ground and cried into the dirt "please".

The knife cut through her skin, scraped against her skull. The red, it was drenching her, and pooling in her orifices. She tried to wipe it all away and she flailed as she was fighting to breathe and see and speak.

Again, the knife drew across her skin and the red was thicker, heavier.

Aspirating on her own bodily fluids, she groaned.

It wasn't quick. She suffered.

---

"Liz" Sam said as she stepped across the threshold of my home. "Come, sit" she said and held her hand out to the other side of my couch.

Closing the door I eyed her.

"Liz. It's been a week since you have been to the office and we have some evidence that you might want to know about." She said these words with a heaviness.

"Oh." is all I could muster.

She nodded and then stepped toward me. "Yes, and actually if you could get dressed, we need to go soon." She spoke to me like I was a nefarious delinquent, and not her friend at all now.

"Okay, I will go throw something presentable on." as I went up the stairs I felt as if I was in some sort of trouble. They knew I wasn't feeling well. I grabbed a blouse, a pair of pin striped trousers, ran a brush through my hair and quickly got back downstairs.

"Elizabeth Bloch, come with us please." and two officers walked me to their cruiser as they read me my rights, opened the back door and I slid in.

My face flushed, I saw Sam walk out of my house and look at me, she shook her head. Her gaze fell to the officer standing at the bottom of the stairs asking her if they could proceed, she nodded and handed them the judgement order that stated they could search the premises.

---

"Elizabeth Bloch, do you know an Ashtyn Weber?" an officer asked as we sat in a cold interrogation room.

"Well, Yes, but from a long time ago, we were classmates in grade school."

"Do you know Nikki Greering?"

"No. Why are you asking me these questions?"

The officer blinked slowly, "Well, it seems that you do know who these young women are... very well" showing me the surveillance photo from a nearby convenience store camera. A washed out grainy shot, there I was standing over the body.

"You see." He said with a slight lilt to his voice.

"That can't be me.... I don't remember any of this." I stammered.

"Yeah, right, you don't remember, you maimed two young women and have no recollection of the separate events." The officer scoffed.

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