Case 1: I Walk This Path Alone.

I walk this path alone. No one can walk it for me. I choose my destination and how I go about getting there. There are wide paths that many walk, but I do not take them. There are narrow paths that few walk, but I don't take those either. My path is bare and untraveled. The sands that I walk on show no footprints. I am by no means any normal man. As I walk this path alone, people on other paths may look at me differently, but I don't care. Caring is the beginning of the norm. Not caring is the beginning of The Deviant.

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((Sunday June 27, 1982 12:18pm))

Heath: (Where are they...)

Preacher: We will now have a musical selection from our wonderful Youth Choir!

(The aging pastor lifted his arms to signal the teens and children who are in the choir to stand. Among them was a fourteen year old teen named Heath. Heath was 5'7, had a slim build, and soft light brown eyes.

He stared at his father, as he stood with the Youth Choir and prepared to sing the song they've been practicing for weeks. His father scratched his black, curly hair and looked at his watch. He returned the confused look back to his son.

Suddenly, the church doors opened, and a small little girl with golden hair ran with her fluffy dress down the aisle and to her position in the Youth Choir. Heath blushed in embarrassment. Heath's mother walked through the church doors next, bright red from making it so late to church.

The pastor looked around to see if there would be any more interruptions before the Youth sang. He smiled as he turned around and signaled the pianist to play the song.)

Youth Choir: The Looord is my shepaaard. I shaaaall not waaant...

(They sang the entire 23rd Psalm beautifully.)

((1:07pm))

(After the church service ended, Heath and Elycia returned to their parents. Heath's father looked at his wife.)

Heath's Father: What took you two so long? I knew ya'll would be late, but dang.

Heath's Mother: Everything that could go wrong, went wrong today... First, I discovered that Elycia had gum in her hair. Then, one of her shoes were missing. After that-

(Elycia tugged on her father's sleeve.)

Elycia: I bit into a apple and loss my tooth daddy! See!

(Elycia made a wide grin and pointed at her missing tooth. Heath's father smiled and picked up the little girl.)

Heath's Father: Sounds like you two had an exciting day!

(Heath loved his family. They always took a stressful situation and made it joyful. Especially, Elycia. Heath's little sister was four years old. She had long golden hair, bright skin, and a cherubic face. Her personality was always exciting and bubbly.

Heath smiled to himself as he and his father walked his mother and sister to their car. Since Elycia and Heath's mother were late, they took a separate car to church. Heath's father opened the car door for his wife, and Heath opened the back door for his little sister. He buckled up the little girl in her car seat. Before Heath moved, Elycia kissed her brother on the cheek.)

Elycia: I love you, Heat!

(Heath smiled.)

Heath: My name is HeaTH. Not HeaT, Elycia.

Elycia: Whatever. Bye Heat!

(Heath laughed and closed the car door. He then walked with his father back to the car that they came to church in. Heath sat in the passenger seat and slammed the door. His father got in the driver's seat, shut the door, and turned on the car.)

Heath's Father: You two did good today...

(Heath nodded. The car they were in drove from the parking lot and got behind the car Heath's mother was driving.)

Heath's Father: Elycia is funny isn't she?

(Heath looked out the window.)

Heath: Yeah, she is...

Heath's Father: Your mom is too. That's where the little girl gets it from.

Heath: Heh...

(The car Heath was in, trailed the car Elycia and his mother were in.)

Heath's Father: Maybe we should hang out sometime... We can go to the Basketball Court and play some one on one...

Heath:... I guess...

Heath's Father: Or perhaps we can go to the arcades... I heard you guys love going there...

Heath...

Heath's Father: Or Maybe-

(The car Heath's mother and sister were in exploded. The entire car engulfed in flames. Heath's eyes grew big.)

Heath: UGH!

((Wednesday, May 21, 2006 7:17am 24 Years Later))

((Heath Atmore Age: 38))

(Heath's wife, Allison patted Heath on his cheek as he tossed and turned in the bed. He immediately woke up with his eyes bulged wide. His breathing was deep and rapid.)

Allison: You're thinking about it again, aren't you?

(Heath looked over at his wife. Her beautiful green eyes calmed him down. He rests his hand on her leg.)

Heath: Yeah... But this time, it didn't feel like at dream... It almost felt like I was back at that very moment again...

(Allison smiled and kissed him on the lips.)

Allison: You'll be fine. Maybe that's our cue to start going to church again.

(Heath stared at his wife for a moment. Then, he slid out of bed and began ironing his black slacks.)

Heath: If it wasn't for church, my mother and sister wouldn't have run late that day. They wouldn't have had to take a separate car. They wouldn't have had to ride on the interstate, and they wouldn't have died...

(Allison stood out of bed and hugged him.)

Allison: Honey, it's been over twenty years now...

Heath: She would have been twenty-eight... Elycia would have been a woman with a family. Mom would have been able to keep dad mentally stable after I went to college. They were the forces that kept dad sane... Now, he's in a group home, and I am alone...

(Allison released her grip from her husband.)

Allison: You have me and Mariah... We are your family now...

(Heath turned around and smiled.)

Heath: You're right. I just wonder what caused the explosion... I became a detective for that sole reason...

Allison: You told me that the forensic team back then said that the explosion was due to a leak in the gas tank.

Heath: Yeah... But sometimes, I think that there's more to it than that...

(Allison sighed and sat on the bed again.)

Allison: Just get ready for work, Mr. Detective.

Heath: Heh.

(Heath showered and put on his uniform. He grabbed his gun from a lock box that's under his side of the bed. He looked at his wife.)

Heath: So, you're going to take Mariah to school aaaaaand pick her up for once?! Do my ears deceive me?!

(Heath closed his eyes and gave his wife a goofy grin.)

Allison: Yes! Now shut up and get out of here! Ha Ha!

((4:52pm Police Precinct)

(Heath stretched as he finished drinking his coffee. He stood from his desk and walked into the chief's office.)

Heath: It's about that time, Chief...

((Chief John White Age: 49))

(The chief looked up at Heath from his desk.)

Chief White: I see. It's nice to have you in the office this late in the day. Usually, you leave early to pick up that cute little girl of yours... How old is she now?

(Heath smiled.)

Heath: She'll be seven in a few days. Yeah, Allison had a day off from work today. So, she said she'd be able to get Mariah.

Chief White: I see. I see. Well, get on out of here! You earned your day of work!

(Heath smiled again.)

Heath: It would be my pleasure.

(Heath left the precinct and got into his car. He turned on his radio and drove onto the interstate.)

Heath: (Such a boring day... It's been like this for almost a week now. Huh?)

(Heath saw his wife's car pass him.)

Heath: (What's she doing driving around here. The school is near our neighborhood. What the heck?)

(Curiously, Heath followed Allison's car. He saw his daughter's head in the passenger seat of the car.)

Heath: (She has Mariah with her too... How strange...)

(Heath grabbed his cell phone and tried to reach Allison's cell, but she didn't answer.)

Heath: (She never said anything about going downtown today. She usually tell me everyth-)

(Suddenly, Allison's car exploded. Heath's eyes grew wide as her car engulfed in flames.)

Heath: Allison! Mariah!

(Her flaming car slowed down and smashed into a stone wall that separated the incoming traffic from the outgoing traffic. Heath slammed on his breaks and ran up to the torched car.)

Heath: Allison!

(He saw the driver side of the car completely smashed in. He looked at his daughter.)

Heath: Mariah...

((Sunday May 25, 2006 11:20am))

(Heath stood at the graves of his wife and daughter. Tears didn't come from his eyes. He just stood there and stared at the names on the tombstones.)

Heath:...

((Allison: You have me and Mariah... We are your family now...))

Heath: My family... First Mom and Elycia... Now, you too... Why?... Why did it have to be like this?! Why?! Why did it have to be like this?!

(Heath fell to his knees and weeped bitterly.)

Heath: ARGH STUPID! STUPID! WHY DID YOU GO ON THE FREAKIN INTERSTATE?! YOU'RE AN IDIOT, ALLISON! YOU.. YOU... I... I'm the idiot... I could have done something... I could have called... I could have insisted to pick up Mariah... I could've done something..

(Warm tears stung his cheeks.)

Heath: I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING!

Man: You could have done something?

Heath:..?!

(Heath looked up at a tall man that looked around the age of 25. He couldn't see the man clearly, because his eyes were blurred from crying.)

Man: You can never do anything, Detective Heath.

(Heath stood up and grabbed the man's shirt.)

Heath: What did you say?!

(The man smiled.)

Man: I said you can never do anything. This graveyard is full of people like you and your family...

(The man pushed Heath back and walked away.)

Man: Remember that...

(Heath looked around, but the man was gone.)

Heath:...

(That night, Heath stood in front of a church.)

Heath:...

(He opened the door and walked down the familiar aisle from his childhood.)

Heath: So, nostalgic...

(The aged pastor walked up to Heath. Heath turned and looked at the old man.)

(Pastor Reily Brink Age: 87)

Pastor: You look just like your father...

Heath:...

Pastor: He's been wanting to see you for some time now... Why haven't you?

Heath:... He's mentally insane. The doctors say his mind isn't stable. He doesn't know what he wants...

Pastor: People always know what they want. One man's insanity is another man's perception of himself...

Heath: What's that supposed to mean?

Pastor: Let's sit down, child.

Heath:...

(Heath and the Pastor Brink sat down on a pew. The Pastor looked at him.)

Pastor: Why have you returned?

Heath: I came to inform you that my wife and daughter died...

(The pastor looked into Heath's eyes.)

Pastor: I see... They died in the exact same way that your mother and sister died...

(Heath's eyes widened.)

Heath: How did you know that?

Pastor: The news channel came to me faster than you did.

Heath: Oh...

Pastor: Any leads on who killed them?

Heath: No... The forensic team says that was a leak in the gas tank... Just like Mom and Elycia... There was no sign of a bomb or anything... Just another gas leak...

Pastor:... Hmm... Are you going to live with that diagnosis?

Heath: The case was thrown out the moment they found no evidence... Of course, I think someone is behind it, but what can I do?! I have other cases to work on! My chief already told me to stop thinking about it!

Pastor: You've realized that only you care about this... So that means that only you can solve it...

Heath:...

Pastor: The reality of living is that people live their own lives. They have their own families and lifestyles to worry about. If there's no evidence that your family was murdered, then maybe it's just an odd coincidence.

Heath: No! It's not a coincidence, Pastor! My mother, sister, wife, and daughter were all killed by someone! I won't let that go without finding that person!

Pastor: Honestly, Heath. The reality of all this is what I told you. It's just a coincidence. No one killed anyone in your family. Just mourn and move on.

Heath: I can't accept that... No one gets stuck by lightning twice.

Pastor: If you truly believe that, then take these words and place them inside you.

Heath:...

Pastor: There are times when man must create his own definition of reality. The first step to create that definition of reality is to give up everything you've learned from the schools, your job, and the television. Those things only instill in us the reality of the world... If you rid yourself of that reality, then you'll never be shocked by anything that you must face.

(Heath lowered his head before the pastor.)

Heath: And what's the next step?

Pastor: The only other step is to believe with your whole heart, mind, spirit, body, and soul that the reality that you create is the only reality worth fighting for...

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((12:27am That Night))

I walk this path alone. No one can walk it for me.

(Heath sped in his car on the highway. He rammed into the car he's chasing. Both cars spun out of control and crashed on the rails of a bridge.)

I choose my destination and how I go about getting there.

(Heath stepped out of his car and pulled the criminal out from the other car. He clutched his hands around the criminal's collar.)

Heath: What do you know about about the explosion that occurred the other day?!

(The criminal laughed and showed his emotionless face to the detective.)

Criminal: I don't know anything about it... I'm just a harmless car thief. So, why don't you arrest me?

(The detective punched the criminal in the face.)

There are wide paths that many walk, but I do not take them. There are narrow paths that few walk, but I don't take those either. My path is bare and untraveled. The sands that I walk on show no footprints.

(The Heath put the criminal in the back of his car, and buckled his seat belt, then, the detective sat in the driver's seat and put on his seat belt as well.)

Heath: I have ways of making you talk...

(The criminal kept his twisted smile.)

Criminal: Like what?

(The detective backed his car up a little and stopped when the car is aimed perfectly towards the rail of the bridge. The criminal started to get a little nervous.)

Criminal: Wait.. You're not planning on...

(The detective looked back at the criminal.)

Heath: Are you going to talk?

Criminal: I don't know anything about the explosion.

(The Heath looked forward.)

Heath: That's what I thought...

(Stepped his foot hard on the gas. The car wheels spun and screeched against the ground as the car's motor roared. The detective put the car in drive, and it bolted through the rail and off the bridge into the lake.)

I am by no means any normal man.

(Water slowly leaked through the windows of the car. The criminal panicked as the water filled up to their shoulders.)

Criminal: WHAT THE HECK'S WRONG WITH YOU?!

(The detective calmly sat in the driver's seat.)

Heath: Are you ready to tell me what I want to know?

Criminal: ARE YOU GAMBLING YOUR LIFE ON INFORMATION THAT I DON'T EVEN HAVE?! YOU'RE CRAZY!

As I walk this path alone, people on other paths may look at me differently, but I don't care. Caring is the beginning of the norm.

(The water filled up to the chins of the detective and the criminal.)

Heath: YOU'RE ONLY CRAZY IF YOU DO SOMETHING YOU COULD NEVER SEE YOURSELF DOING... YOU'RE ONLY CRAZY IF YOU DO SOMETHING YOU DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN DO...

Criminal: SO WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU?!

Not caring is the beginning of The Deviant.

Heath: I'M THE DEVIANT. NOW IF YOU VALUE THE INFORMATION YOU HOLD MORE THAN YOUR LIFE, THEN WE'LL JUST DIE HERE TOGETHER!

Criminal: Go to the roof of Centurystone Elementary School tomorrow night! You'll find the answer you want there! I promise!

(Heath eyebrows raised a little.)

Heath: (That was my daughter's school...)

(Heath smiled as the water went up to his nose. He pulled a water resistant remote from his armrest. He pressed a button on it that activated a nearby crane. The hook of the crane went under water and hooked onto the bottom of the car. Then, it pulled the car from the water and placed it back on the bridge. The water drained out the car, leaving the car thief shocked.)

Criminal: Y-you planned this all along?!

Heath: No... The only thing that I've planned was to get information from you.

((TO BE CONTINUED...))