New York Minute

[Alec Walker]

November 1, 2019

Shortly before 6 AM

 

Fog hung over New York City, a blanket of mystery. The aftermath of the city's famous Halloween parade was slowly cleared from the streets as denizens slumbered in their lofty abodes.

 

All Hallow's Eve was a terrific night for members of the supernatural community. In both senses of the word, actually. Metas had ready made costumes in some cases, and humans were more accepting on that night.

 

Magi and the supernaturally inclined, however, were on alert. The night in mythology when the veil was thinnest. It had to have some basis in fact. Alec was among those on their guard last night, and as the sun rose this morning, piercing the air, heavy with water vapor, a beam of light fell upon a reality he'd never get used to seeing.

 

There it was, in a pool of red. A severed arm. Not more than a foot away, the body. As he approached, Alec could smell it. That was a real body. Not some fancy prop or anything. A mutilated body, but a body nonetheless. Arm cut off, torso slashed open, guts spiling out.

 

[Walker] Fuck. [/walker]

 

And of course no one had reported it. Why should they? Earbud plucked from his ear, pause button pressed on the little first generation ipod, Alec closed his eyes and searched for a nearby animalto serve as his messenger. A note was scrawled on a piece of note paper, torn from its pad and rolled up before being tied to the leg of a pigeon, sent on its way to the boys and girls in blue. He'd preserve the crime scene best as he could until they got here, then report it to ARMA.

 

He muttered to himself, cursing the insomnia that had driven him to walk the streets that night when he should have been in bed.