I remember her perfectly. Long strawberry blonde hair that reached the top of her ribcage. Green eyes. Elevated cheekbones. Nicely shaped dark eyebrows. Plump red lips. Pale complexion.

She was the love of my life. I care about her to the point where if anyone hurt her, I wouldn’t hesitate to defend her.

But then, she was gone. Within a whisper of smoke, she was dead. Someone has taken her away without even trying. 

Her death drove me to depression. I wanted to know who did it. It may have consumed my thoughts. It may have caused me to be admitted to an asylum. But I found out who did it.

Years Earlier…

I smiled as she cuddled into the comforter. I place a kiss to her head before finally exiting. 

I made my way to the store and I swallow, finally recognizing my nerves. I smile, knowing that this was what I wanted. 

Hours Later…

“Addy, I’m home!” I called.

Hearing no response, I grew worried. Adeline always responds. 

Slowly, I walked into the kitchen. Red lines covered the titles. I gasp. Her body laid on the floor. Her hair was matted and her clothing was stained. Wounds were covering a majority of her.

I fell into quandary. I couldn’t decide if I should cry and mourn or call the police.

I sniffled before shakily reaching the phone. I dial.

“911. What’s your emergency?”

“I need help. I just returned home to the love of my life and she… she…”

“Sir, you need to finish your sentence.”

“She’s dead.” I croak. 

“Alright, sir. I need you to recite your address.”

The call ended shortly after I recited the address.

The police soon came after with the ambulance.

The paramedics rolled in with a stretcher. They lifted Adeline and placed her in a bag. They lifted the bag onto the stretcher. 

Silent tears made their way down my face. I sniffle again. I swallow back my sobs.

The sheriff made his way over to me. 

“Sir, you may have to come with us to the station.”

I nod. I stand to my full height of 5’10 before following the sheriff. 

We soon arrived to the station.

He took me to the interrogation room. He also attached me to a lie detector.

“Did you kill Adeline Wilson?”

“Why would I kill the love of my life?” 

“Did she ever make you angry?” 

“Even if she angered me, I wouldn’t kill her. I’ll kill myself if I were to hurt her.”

“I’m asking you again. Did you kill her?” 

“No.” The lie detector dinged realizing I was telling the truth.

After my interrogation, I soon went home. Unfortunately, the crime scene investigation was still going on.

They found nothing however.

The next week, it was her funeral. 

I swallowed before going over her casket to recite my monologue for her.

“My name is Sebastian Porter.” I clear my throat. “Adeline Viola Wilson was the love of my life. She was my skies. All of the perfectly beautiful stars, galaxies, planets, comets, and moons. All wrapped into one person. Her. No one is perfect. Trust me, I’m a big believer in that. But, I guess you can call me hypocritical because she was perfect. You all must think that I’m embellishing her, but that is truly how I felt about her. I loved her so much that I was going to give her this,” I lifted the diamond ring from my pocket. The crowd in front of me gasps.

“But then, she was gone. Within a whisper of smoke, someone had taken her away. I won’t forget her. Besides, I don’t think I can.”

They buried her. 

Miranda, Adeline’s usually loquacious best friend, stood quiet. The only sound coming from her was her sobs.

Arthur, my good friend, comforted her by wrapping her up in a hug.

Cassius and Clay (acquaintances of mine) shared their condolences.

“It’s such a shame that this happened. She was such a…” Cassius smirked. “Beautiful person.”

I look at him suspiciously before moving on home.

I look around my home.

I grabbed the candelabra that Adeline loved and lit it. 

I slowly trudged to the basement.

I walk down the stairs. 

I took notice of the broken window.

I furrow my eyebrows. I look towards the corner. I widen my eyes realizing there was a camera.

I rush upstairs and grabbed the laptop sitting on the counter. 

I quickly got access to the camera through my computer.

I watched as a man broke through the window. 

He landed on his feet. He shook off pieces of glass. 

He stood to his height. I caught multiple details on who he was. 

He dusted his hands off before he stalked up the stairs. 

Words were exchanged but I couldn’t identify what was being said. It suddenly became quiet. Then, an ear-piercing scream cut through the atmosphere. 

I flinched, knowing it was Adeline’s scream. 

I pick up a notebook taking minor details from Adeline’s killer.

“At least 5’10”

“Strong build”

“Must be in they’re late 30’s”

Months have passed. I have engrossed myself into finding out who killed her.

Arthur thinks I’m obsessed with finding out who did it, but he doesn’t understand. He didn’t lose the love of his life. I did.

I realized there was a pattern.

The killer, himself, was targeting red-heads. Or strawberry blondes, if you will.

When I learned this, it gave me more insight on the killer.

He has been targeting red-headed women in the area meaning that he either has a strange obsessing hate for them. 

A knock on my door broke me away from my train of thoughts.

“It’s open!” I call.

“Hey.” He greeted. 

“Hi.”

He sighed. “Sebastian, you need to stop.”

I snap my head towards him, ready to throw a reply back. “They called off the search, Arthur. I have every right to try and find her killer.”

He cleared his throat and nodded.

“We’ve been talking and…”

“Whose we?”

“Our friends and I.”

“Continue.”

“We’ve decided that you need help. So…”

“You didn’t.” I cut.

“We admitted you…”

“Arthur Scott McCoy, don’t you dare say what I think you’re about to say.”

“Into an asylum.”

“You admitted me into a mental hospital!”

“You’ve been obsessed we’re worried about you.”

“I’m not mentally insane!”

“I’m not saying that. I’m saying that you’re obsessed to the point where you’re unhealthy.”

“I’m not ill.”

“Seb, you’re not healthy.”

“Arthur, you don’t have a right to say that. Only I can say if I feel ill.”

He opened his mouth to argue with me but I cut him off.

“Leave.”

“Seb, you need to let go.”

“You didn’t lose the love of your life, okay! I did!”

“She would want you to let go.”

“I always cared about her wants and needs before mine. It was always her before me. But Adeline knew who he is. I want to know who he is so I could bring her to justice.”

“So, in conclusion, I’m finding out who did this to her. You have a choice right now. You can either help me out so I could bring her to justice or you can leave. Pick one.”

He swallows before taking a seat next to me. 

I smile before letting him take a look at my research.

I explained my findings. After I explained, he smirked. 

“You’ve been doing your research haven’t you?”

“Anything for her.” I smirk.

I clear my throat before standing. 

“I’m going to go in the basement.” I claim. 

He nods. 

I make my way downstairs to the basement. 

Observing the broken window, I notice a red liquid on the window still.

Walking over to my microscope, I pick up an empty slide.

I wipe the slide over the liquid, realizing it was blood.

I walked over to my microscope, putting the slide under the lens.

Silently thanking the fact that I took a forensics class, I study the sample.

My mouth fell open. I know who killed her. 

But what was his motive?

Feeling slightly angered,  I stand.

“I know who did it.” I said to Arthur once I reached the room he was in.

“You do?”

I nodded, allowing my jaw to clench.

“I’ll be back.”

Perhaps 20 Minutes Later…

I fake a smile at the killer.

“Good evening, Sebastian.”

“Evening.”

“Just out of curiosity, how tall are you?”

“5’10.”

“You like to work out, yes?”

“Hey, I maybe 39 but I enjoy working out.”

“What’s your opinion on red-heads?”

“Oh, I despise them. Since, I worked mainly with red-haired women they always seemed to wrong me.”

“That’s all I need to know.”

Police burst from their hiding and cuffed his hands.

“Cassius Kellan, you are under arrest for the multiple murders committed in the area. Anything, you say or do will be used against you in the court of law.”

Cassius smirked at me. “You found out, didn’t you?”

I stiffly nodded as he was taken away.

Unfortunately, I spent two years in the asylum. After my time, I was elected as the new sheriff because of my ground breaking detective skills.

As for Adeline, well. She’s gone. I couldn’t bring her back even if I wanted to. Adeline maybe dead but she’ll always be a part of me.