The Devil's Hour

It's never a social call when my phone goes off at this hour. But there is a particular element, that for them this is like high noon for the rest of us. I wish this would be something that didn’t demand every little thing to be put under a microscope, but with my luck I doubt it. I promised Mel I would drop her off and pick her up from school today. That is a date that I hate to break.

Unfortunately, by the look of what I’m riding up to, I will have to make this day up at another time. This is going to be more complicated, there are active ambulances with patients being attended to on scene and more badges than necessary.

As I get out of the car the murmurs and radio feedback are suddenly drowned out by someone screaming. It is immediately mimicked by someone off to my left, where I see the familiar crime scene tape barely holding back grief-stricken onlookers that haven’t been able to get to those in the ambulances in my peripheral vision. However, my arrival that has no doubt been announced via the radios, makes this event even more real for them. They know I’m here only for one reason, for those that cannot be saved.

Judging by what I see once barely across the threshold, I know this is going to be a very long night.