"HAYDEN."
Click.
The sound of a pen.
"Hayden."
Click.
An old clock above a desk in the corner ticked once, loud in the stillness.
"Hayden."
The woman's voice, low and authoritative, filled the small room.
"Ignoring this," she said, tracing a slow circle in the air with one hand, "will not solve your issue."
Click.
A soft sigh.
"I spoke with your supervisor." Ella Theogran, a licensed psychologist assigned to Atlantico Police Headquarters, tapped a slow, deliberate rhythm against the glowing surface of her tablet.
She sat upright in a wooden chair tucked into the corner, her feet swaying slightly - almost like she was keeping time with a song only she could hear. "Internal Investigations and your captain are still assessing whether you're fit to rejoin the force."
Click.
Overhead, the fluorescent lighting flickered. A faint orange hue bled into the dim room.
Hayden blinked, eyes drawn upward - drawn to the stuttering light like a moth. She fiddled with her fingers, the pen pressed into her skin. Her thoughts drifted. Maybe if it were a knife instead...
"Hayden-"
Click.
Ella swallowed, her nose flaring slightly. "To be reinstated, I have to sign off on you."
Click.
Outside, the muffled hush of traffic floated through a crack in the window. City lights spilled into the room, casting long shadows, trying - but failing - to brighten the space.
Ella's gaze shifted toward the glass.
A sliver of the city stretched out before her - chaotic, vibrant, endless. Like an ocean crashing against the shore.
"Not participating in these sessions is detrimental to your standing-"
Click.
A chair scraped back.
"We're limited in our capacity to help you-"
Click.
Paper rustled. A single form - no more than a page - was placed on the table between them. A signature box sat waiting.
One line.
One decision.
"Hayden-"
Click.
Finally, Hayden spoke. Her voice was flat, hollow. "Is it even worth it?"
She dragged her tongue across her teeth and looked up, eyes locking on Ella's, sharp and narrowing.
"Pardon?"
"Was it even worth it?" Hayden corrected her self, sitting up slowly.
Ella's eyes sharpened.
A heavy silence settled between them.
From Ella's posture, Hayden could tell she was waiting - for her to speak, to break first. Perhaps the woman wished for her to spill out her emotions, telling her why she should be on the force.
That she was ready.
As if Hayden cared anymore.
Tch. As if the bitch actually cared.
Hayden rolled her neck with a soft crack and leaned forward, reaching into her bag.
Ella didn't flinch. She assumed Hayden was grabbing a snack - she'd seen it before, every session, all eight of them.
This was the final one.
Hayden pulled out a gun and stood up, pointing towards her.
Ella blinked.
They both gazed at one another for a solid five seconds.
Hayden smiled. "Was it worth it, Bella Dean?"
Ella opened her mouth, her eyebrows scrunching and blue eyes widening with fear.
Good.
Hayden chuckled. "We're the same type of people. You and I."
Click.
The gun cocked.
A breath passed out between the woman's lips.
Hayden's head tilted to the side. She watched as the woman trembled.
"Say hello to your father and brother for me," she said.
Bang.
The world went bright.