****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Walls
He continued down the hall, “Not right now Henry. Gotta get reports done.”
Henry followed insisting, “Come on Jerrod. This is important.”
Deputy Osborn stepped out, stopping his progress.
“Alright, but LT’s gonna be pissed if I don’t get these done.”
Hand on his shoulder, Henry steered his partner into interrogation, Ray followed and Osborn stood outside.
Three men seated. Adrenalin masked pain and fear.
“Jerrod. It’s over.”
His expression melded and morphed from calculated awareness to cool defiance, then calm resignation. Shoulders squared, he began.
“Henry, I don’t know where I belong. I don’t know where I went wrong.”
Back where most of the story has been created, with Lance’s robot alter-ego LeeRoy and his 100 Word Song. This weeks offering Ho Hey offered perfect lyrics to bring this story to a conclusion. I feel like a parent sending their kid off to college. It’s been the better part of a year from beginning to end. Let me know what you think. Might work a little more and fill in some blanks and make it more complete.
To read Vivid Black from start to finish, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Remembering
The automatic door swooshed open and he walked through mindful of everything. Every wall he built protected what remained of his sanity and his essence. He keyed in the code to enter the secure offices then walked the hall to the office shared by the team. All were blind to his disguised awareness. He saw Lt. Jacoby propped against Henry’s desk reflected in picture framed glass. He attempted to casually continue by, but he was anticipated. Henry stepped out, glanced down at the black Danners and bloused khakis. He fixed a stare and grimly intoned,
“Jerrod. We need to talk.”
Writing more Vivid Black with Velvet Verbosity’s 100 Words #328. Her word this week is “Wall.”
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
It’s a blog hop, so click on the image below and visit page. Then read some of the other submissions and give them some comment love.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Not Sorry
The door was closed to Ray’s office. Henry, seated in the leather sofa matched the sunken, saggy, sad form. They discussed Cliff Lewis’ interview and it was tense and disheartening. Those bits of information put a clear-cut suspect in their radar.
Heavyhearted, Henry pondered, “Can you remember the moment? God, he was barely out of the Academy. Devastated. Dealt a big plate of crap. Didn’t think he’d get over it.”
Outraged, Ray responded bitterly.
“Did you forget that time? He laid Schweitzer out? Devastated is no excuse, and he got over it way to fast.”
“I know. He’s my partner.”
In my “busy-ness” I didn’t write last week. LeeRoy’s song choice for 100 Word Song this week has my brain racing with the potential. Lance made a great choice letting his robot alter-ego do the choosing. Indie Rock Band Free Energy’s song “Free Energy” is really. good.
I’m back with Vivid Black and there’s a lot of stress with Ray and Henry as they got a devastating lead from Cliff Lewis.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> The Darkside
Without a doubt, Cliff Lewis was a tweeker. He constantly scratched and dug. It made Henry and Ray, crawly skinned, prickly and itchy. Lewis had an old injury and couldn’t stab with brutal cruelty like The Zombie Reaper.
Cliff tore at himself, and shared details they didn’t have. He did touch the victims, and saw and heard the killer from behind. Black leather jacket. Black boots and bloused pants.
“Um, he muttered. Cussed. Kept sayin’ stuff like ‘Why him?’ and…well, can I cuss?” Is it misbehavin’ if I cuss?”
Jaw clenching, Ray glared.
“Well, uh he kept droppin’ f-bombs.”
Today’s installment of Vivid Black is brought to you by the word “misbehavin'” as prompted by Velvet Verbosity’s 100 Word prompt. It’s a blog hop so click the picture over there on the left to go check out some of the other entries.
Of course, if you are going to bring up the word “misbehavin'” the song “Ain’t Misbehavin'” comes straight to mind, so enjoy a little Billie Holiday singing like only Billie could.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Shocked Response
Henry’s insides fluttered and lurched. He worked hard to keep euphoria, relief and shock from unwinding.
“Ozzy, he’s not making a joke is he? Come on Cliff.”
He stepped forward, snapped cuffs from belt onto wrists, reciting rights from his well used memory. He handed Lewis off to a sullen glaring Osborn who steered him outside and into the backseat of the car while Henry settled into the driver seat.
Cliff, broke his shocked silence and whimpered, “I didn’t do nuthin’. I found ’em like that.”
Osborn, folded back inside the car turned,
“So, you’re waiving your right to counsel?”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Linking up with My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog where Kath did the song picking this week. She chose a great song, “Galileo” by the Indigo Girls. I peeled out a few lyrics for inspiration for more Vivid Black.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Origami and Snakes
A head, bearing an egg yolk looking hard hat entered reception.
“You need me?” and he hesitantly slipped through the door.
Henry walked toward the coal and oil smudged figure.
“Cliff Lewis? I’m Detective Henry Waters. This is Deputy Osborn. I’ve got some questions about the Zombie Gauntlet.”
Shocked wide eyes shifted to a stain on the concrete. Rattled, his hands began to shake so he thrust them deep into pockets.
“Wh-wh…what do you want to know?”
Henry, bone-tired, decided to use an ‘all in’ approached.
“Why did you touch their faces?”
“Huh? Well….. I didn’t know if they were dead.”
Velvet Verbosity’s 100 Word Challenge provided the word “Shake” for inspiration for some creative writing. I decided to go back to Vivid Black and write another 100 words and keep the story moving.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Who’s Hank?
Multiple witnesses cast blame away from the other two suspects. Henry and and Deputy Osborn traveled south of town to Castle Mine Services and Cliff Lewis whose criminal record proved snakes find grass in the concrete, and hide in plain sight.
Osborn, folded into the Impala like origami, climbed out and unfolded his 6’2″ frame. Henry smirked at his dilemma,
“Need a hoist?”
The cramped deputy stood up and flipped him the bird.
Scoria crunched underfoot, remnants of traction from the snowstorm, as they headed inside. Attention caught, Henry two knocked the counter,
“Need to talk to Cliff Lewis.”
100 Word Song-Car Jamming / The Clash
Writing for Lance and LeeRoy at 100 Word Song. This week Troy was tagged to pick the song and he chose Car Jamming by the Clash. Worked with the lyrics and chose a line to build this newest edition of Vivid Black.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Whittling Clues
Up front Lieutenant Jacoby briefed the squad. Tech found three mine equipment workers who did all the Zombie Gauntlets.
“Obviously Henry’s got the lead. McEwin’s home sick so patrol’s is backing him up. Osborn, your with Henry today.”
Deputy Osborn stood in the back. “We takin’ my squad ‘Hank?’” Muffled guffaws and snickers were heard.
“‘Ozzy’ you can put me in the ground, put me six foot down. I ain’t ridin’ in your shit hole patrol car. We’ll taking my car.”
The sarcastic ribbing broke the room into rumbling laughter and comments.
“He’s got a point.”
“Daaamn!”
“Sarge won that one.”
100 Word Song: Band Perry/Better Dig Two
I’m back at My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog doing the 100 Word Song. This week Lance picked the lovely and talented Deana, aka his wife to chose the song. She chose Better Dig Two by country music group, The Band Perry. Not a country fan, so once again, I’m working with lyrics for inspiration.
So you get some more Vivid Black as we follow Henry’s quest to solve the Zombie Reaper case and we witness what cops do best; sarcasm.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Knock Knock
With a stack of papers tucked in a folder, Henry escaped Max’s apartment frustrated and angry. Max acted clueless, stupid but Henry knew better. It drove him crazy, but he had what he needed.
~~~~
Another spray of paper covered the work table. This time Henry and Ray poured over Zombie Challenge lists and looked for anyone who competed in all of them. They found 27 names.
“Well this was a brilliant mistake. Damn. That’s a lot of legwork boss.”
Ray smirked, “Let’s toss it to the tech nerds. They can whittle it down,” glanced sideways, “Then we’ll get some exercise.”
LeeRoy and Lance picked Linda at Mod Mom Beyond IndieDom to choose this weeks song and she chose “Brilliant Mistake” by Elvis Costello. I wrote another installment of Vivid Black using the song title as inspiration.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
****Click here for previous installment of Vivid Black –> Determination
He didn’t just knock. His balled up fist pounded on the door twice.
“Max! Now!”
Turning his back to the door, he raised his head to search for the patience he lost months ago. He had to to exhaust all leads and this one lead him back to Max.
Nothing.
Hands on his belt, he swiveled around, fist curled, and five sharp thumps rattled the door enough to entice the curtains of neighboring units to flutter and divide, eyes and fingertips peeking in between.
He growl louder, with more malice, “Max!”
Sounds of rustling inside the apartment were punctuated by a loud thud and a muffled “Dammit!” while the lock rattled and the knob finally jangled and twisted as Max opened the door.
“Damn Waters. You’re gonna get me evicted.”
“Shut up Max.”
Henry stalked through the door as Max swung it shut behind him. Pivoting around he looked at Max and started talking before he had a chance to continue whining and complaining.
“I need your Gauntlet player lists.”
Raising an open palm to the silent fish mouth attempt to dispute, he continued,
“No no no, don’t try to make some asinine excuse about why you can’t or shouldn’t. I’ve got enough to take to a judge and I’ll have a warrant. Let’s not waste any time. Just go get ’em Max.”
Miserable and morose, he turned toward the kitchen.
“You want a cup of coffee? A beer? Some water?”
Henry’s eyes bugged as he shot an incredulous look of disbelief at Max. His response was laced with frustrated sarcasm.
“No Max. I didn’t come here to have tea and crumpets with you. I just want the damn information. Go get it now.”
The look sneaked over his shoulder as he slowly shuffled away twitched Henry’s detective radar. With scorn in his voice he taunted,
“Don’t even think about runnin’ again Max. There’s a uniform at the back door.”
I meant to link up with Trifecta this week for their word exhaust. Third definition, as usual 33 to 333 words, as usual: 3a : to consider or discuss (a subject) thoroughly or completely b : to try out the whole number of <exhausted all the possibilities
Had to have a song about knocking and, well, “I Hear You Knocking” by Dave Edmunds is a great song. I confess, I didn’t know who did it but the guitar riffs are a-maze-ing and worthy of inclusion in a piece where knocking plays an important part.
I didn’t get this written in time so I took my time and used the word and word count to continue with some Vivid Black.
To read the entire Vivid Black series so far, Click HERE.
Day In and Day Out 