Hellin

No date with this one, but definitely an oldie.

Tracy Hellin was working late tonight at the Police Department Bureau. Nothing too out of the ordinary, as the last few nights had been spent pretty much in the same manner. Her computer screen blared in front of her tired eyes. Ten empty coffee mugs lay randomly about her desk, as well as a few pens and pencils, and a number of files. The one open in front of her right now bore the title 'COUNTERFEITING HEIST 2003'.

Of course, it couldn't be called a counterfeiting heist if the Bureau hadn't been able to prove it yet. The case had been going on and off for a good three months now, but Tracy wasn't so willing to give up.

"I think I'll call it a night," Tracy said to herself out loud. As she turned off her computer and reached for the lamp switch, the phone rang.

Tracy wondered as to who would call at such a time. Nevertheless, she answered the phone.

"Hello, Police Department. Tracy Hellin speaking."

"You need leads on the counterfeiters, right?" said a raspy voice through the receiver.

"Sorry? Who is this?"

"They're doing it in the Opera House Nationale, Paris. Beware the beast. Beware the White Beast!"

Author's Note

I don't even know what this is. I wouldn't doubt if it was another writing prompt. Sounds more like a prologue excerpt, you know? Again, heavily inspired by those supernatural crime genres that have to fall into the plot very quickly from the start. I guess it also reminded me of how each chapter in a Goosebumps book would end: always with a cliffhanger, like a phone ringing and you're expecting it to be the scariest thing ever. God, those things worked so much better when we were younger. I miss them. Goodness knows what the White Beast was meant to be. It's one of those things where looking for an appropriate picture is almost more fun than anything else.