DIT , DIT , DIT , DIT !!!
My three-day sleepless streak had finally come to an end. The cold wind slipping in through the windows chilled my skin to a pale white. My dry lips, always fond of cracking during the night, were once again bleeding. A tiring day was about to begin—again.
That clawing cold... Aghhh... You have to get up.
DIT ! DIT ! DITTT !!!
Heinz finally managed to rise from his bed. Though difficult, he had at last come to his senses. He looked out the window and felt a sharp pain behind his eyes—his vision darkened. He took a deep breath. Once his sight returned to normal, he realized that the snow had blanketed the entire street. Everything was white and gleaming. Getting out of bed, he decided to reward himself with a cup of coffee after three long days of wakefulness.
He sluggishly stumbled into the kitchen. His eyes flickered and blurred at times, and his balance hovered between stable and failing. He grabbed the counter for support, opened the packet of instant coffee he had bought from the local market, and poured it into a mug. Turning on the kettle, he moved toward the first couch he saw and sat down. He turned on the morning news, letting the static-filled sound of the television accompany his thoughts.
- Residents have reported the discovery of three dead bodies to the police. The identity and motive of the perpetrator remain unknown. The murders are believed to have occurred late at night. Investigations are ongoing.
Despite his fatigue and exhaustion, there was determination in his voice. He had to solve this one too.
( Huh... Alright then. )
Heinz stood up and poured the boiled water into the mug.
FSHHHHHHH...
He stirred the coffee with a spoon he grabbed from the drawer and quickly drank it. Then he headed out. Once again, chaos reigned at the police station. He needed to go see Chief Inspector Mr. Herschel .
Heinz knocked gently on the door. From behind the wooden door came a rough voice:
- Come ın !
Heinz turned the doorknob and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Approaching the desk, he spoke in a firm tone:
- Uhm... Mr. Herschel, you must've heard about the mass murder—the one in the neighborhood. You know, lately I've been quite exhausted and—"
- Make it short Heinz.
- "What I'm trying to say is... I need a break. A vacation. Just a short one..
- If you do that
Herschel looked at him, clenched his fist, and slammed it hard on the desk multiple times.
- You'll get yourself a permanent vacation. Got it?!
Heinz, worn from being back on duty, replied in a low, deep voice:
- Understood, Mr. Herschel... Until next time…"
Herschel didn't answer. He just glared, frowning. Heinz didn't even look back as he left the room. He closed the door quietly behind him and walked through the station, sighing as he went.
He continued speaking to himself in his mind:
A little vacation... My stubbornness backfired again. Ah, Herschel, ah! The fault must be yours, right?! Of course not—stupid Heinz... You should've rested, recovered. And now you're walking around like a drunk... And to top it all off, we're heading to a murder scene... Goddammit !
Heinz pushed open the heavy doors of the station — finally, he was free of this cursed place.
- Finally...
He got into his car, ready for another routine crime scene investigation. With the back of his hand, he brushed away the snowflakes that had settled on the roof. He glanced at himself in the rearview mirror: dark circles under his eyes, a gaunt and haunted expression. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot, his lips cracked and bleeding, his skin pale and worn out. He hadn't showered in three days — all he did was work.
It suddenly hit him — he had become a workaholic.
He kept staring into the mirror. His eyes glazed over as his mind drifted through the memories of recent days.
When was the last time he felt truly happy?
When was the last time he had peace at home?
When had his job last brought him any joy?
When did his mind become this cluttered and exhausted?
Rather than drown in the questions, he chose to exhale them all away in one deep breath. With that one breath, he released everything.
He finally reached the crime scene — a poor district in Düsseldorf. The autopsy results were still pending for the victims. As he looked down at the crimson-stained pavement stones, Heinz's eyes scanned the bloody ground. He carefully began examining the entire area.
But the worst part?
There was nothing.
No clues.
Zero. Absolutely nothing.
He lowered his head, ran his fingers through his tangled hair, and tugged at it in frustration — first one side, then the other.
- Aghhh!!! That's enough. ENOUGH!"