The scrape
 chapter 2

Sheriff  Josiah  Barry hung up the phone. Cussing under his breath.  His side of Aitkin  county had always been quiet. But it seemed in the last six months  he had several calls of   disturbances, that left him with a feeling of unease and puzzlement.  He took another sip of the bitter coffee he had sitting on his desk.  Looking down at his mug he stared at the black sludge he had  been drinking  all morning.  He hated the stuff , yet, found himself  starting his mornings with his cup poured to the rim.   He rubbed his brow with his large strong hand. Feeling a dull ache starting at his temples.  Ever since Eve and her people showed, up along with the Center for disease Control there had been just a few to many unexplained calls of disturbances, he thought to himself.  His town folks, as well as the neighboring towns People were beginning to question what was happening, down at the old Hill City Youth Correctional Center .  He had so far, been successful at keeping them satisfied with his vague answers.  But, he too was beginning to need more answers to the evolving questions. Eve was the name of the contact he was given if he needed to speak to  someone on the inside.  He sensed from   Eves call  this might be more trouble than just a minor squabble with a complaint from a neighboring farmer.
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The doors  to the old Correctional Center  in Hill City had been abandoned for over 30 years. Closed and boarded up it stood as a  lifeless landmark.  A new Facility  had been built  over in Blue Earth county  about  50 miles south.  For the 10 years he was in service at the Hill City Sheriffs department the abandoned building  had not been a concern to anyone.  Not so much as  a broken window  had been reported.  Even the Malone family had left the facility alone.  That is until the last 6 months.

  He had been told  the state health department Center for Disease and Control had temporarily chosen the site to conduct a new drug study.  He supported science and the medical profession.  He understood the urgent need for the research necessary to help find cures for diseases.  Since the premature death of his late wife from a rare form of cancer, he  had developed a deep respect for the volunteers who enrolled in  studies, at their own free will, to test new drugs.   But he also had a commitment  and concern for the community at large, if something were to go wrong.

This was a quiet remote place- a controlled place, to house the  volunteers,  while they were enrolled in  drug trials.  The approval had came all the way from the Governor's office.  That was all he was told and that was all anyone he knew  had been told. But what troubled Josiah was that the site was a correctional facility not a hospital.  It had bars and concrete floors.  Not comfortable beds and sterilized rooms.  It was a cold dwelling not a hospitable dwelling and certainly not a state of the art health center. Perhaps it had been redecorated inside  he thought for a moment.  After all drug companies made millions.  He stood up  stretched his long muscular  legs and grabbed his jacket as he  headed towards the door,  but, first stopping to let the front desk clerk know he was going on a call.   He walked to his squad car, half  mumbling to  himself, "he was  here to serve and protect his people, keep his eyes and ears open and his mouth shut until he had the facts". "All the facts".   Eve was his contact if there was any trouble or complaints from the citizens of that area.   It did not occur to him though until now he might be called out because she was in trouble.

 Josiah  was generally a quiet man who kept to himself.  After his wife passed away 3 years ago he just sort of  buried himself in his  work.  Between his career and working out at the gym he seemed to not have time for much else.  Yes, there had been a few young women from town who could not resist his deep  chocolate brown bedroom eyes  and approached Josiah with flirtatious attempts to attract his attention, but he just was not ready yet to start dating again and was not sure he would be  for quite sometime.   His late wife Victoria was the love of his life.  They met on the swim team  in High school. With his long arms and legs he took the team to victory several times during meets.  She was a small petite beauty with long brown hair who moved swift and fast in the water, her speed made her a valuable member of the team.   But now Josiah nearing his 30th Birthday  at six two and weighing a strong  200 pounds,  looked more like a fitness trainer than a member of the Aitkin county Hill City's Sheriffs department.

  He just knew deep down in side sooner or later the mysterious occurrences at the correctional center were  bound to mean trouble. He sensed this was not going to be good. He only hoped whatever happened was contained to the dwelling


Eve laid her head back down.  Her memory was starting to coming back and her head felt dizzy. Colorful pictures flashed through her mind.  "Oh My God" she cried " as she recalled why she had fled.  

jogging

I quickly put on my running shoes, grabbed my favorite stocking hat and gave the mirror one last glance.  Would I ever feel satisfied I wondered as I stared at my reflection.   I  was trying something new, running.  Hoping this new attempt to do something for myself might help free my mind.  I was desperate to have something I did just for me, that would also be  good for me.  I wanted a conscious choice that would help me find a little satisfaction- just for me.

No I was not a seasoned runner. I was a rookie just discovering  the feeling of the pavement under my feet. I was a  soul desperately in search of something that could free me for minutes at a time from the journey that demanded daily, everything I had.

The air was a bit chilly as I breathed in.  My lungs filling with the cool air, and then slowly exhaling as I began to pace myself.  I concentrated on the impact my feet felt as they touched the ground.  I was in a jog, slow but steady.  My thoughts quickly changing to the obstacles in front of me and the goal markers I strived to reach before I slowed myself to a fast walk. Yes I  was the beginner, who jogged, walked and jogged some more. Each time pushing myself to make it farther and farther before I would slow my pace shortly,  for a slight break.

As I felt my self move I also felt my mind slowly letting go.  Freeing me from worry and concern from the constant care my job demands of me.  I was achieving what I  had set out to do and  It felt good. I passed by several other runners sharing in a friendly  nod.  I even received a high five as I  passed by another female jogger.  I was where I needed to be right now.  I was giving something to me that I had needed for a long time.  I was freeing me and allowing myself to exist without any perpous other than my own gratification.  Yes, I was feeling satisfied for the moment.