Page 19 of Symphony for Lies

The sickening sound of the insistent wind chimes made my head spin.

The stench of blood, mixed with the sweet scent of the flowers, thickened the air.

I wanted to look away.

But I couldn’t.

A young boy… dismembered. Mutilated.

I tried to scream, but nothing came out.

I forced my hands to move, grasping for my phone, but it slipped from my trembling fingers and rolled right toward the body.

A strangled gasp left my throat. I had to get it back. I had to call for help.

I stepped closer, and something wet dripped onto my neck.

I froze again as horror hollowed out my chest.

I didn’t want to look up. I didn’t want to.

But I did.

Hanging from the ceiling were a pair of severed hands holding a conductor’s baton. And next to them was a cat. A dead cat.

It looked exactly like the one that had died in our clinic.

AmIseeingthings?

Was my mind playing tricks on me?

With the wind making the chimes ring, it looked like the cat was dancing to the music, and the hands were directing.

This was too much. Too bizarre. Too terrifying.

Another drop fell… onto my face.

Instinctively, I wiped it away. My finger came back red.

Blood.

Something inside me snapped.

I dropped to the floor and let out a piercing scream. A raw, desperate, terrified shriek.

Scrambling backward, my body slid down the steps.

This isn’t real.

This can’t be real.

I landed hard on the pavement below, and the pain grounded me just enough to look away. Just enough to see a jogger running down the path.

I waved my arms frantically, trying to get his attention. “Help!” My voice was hoarse and trembling.

He sprinted toward me.“Are you okay?”

I couldn’t speak.I could only point.

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