Nepal calls the police

It was deathly quiet in the building. Bodies lay everywhere. Nepal dialed the police and got a recording to please hold. He left the line open and turned up the volume on the speaker phone. If someone came on the line, he'd hear it. He still had the feeling that he was being watched.

He searched the first floor looking for any signs of life. Starting at the entrance, he made his way around to each room on the first floor of the building. Every body needed to be checked for a pulse. Relying on a rooms check pattern he was familiar with, he crossed the hall and went to room along this path. After searching half the rooms on this floor, he realized he was avoiding the stairs.

“Why am I avoiding the stairs,” he asked himself. Not expecting an answer, he got one. Not words, but a feeling. Something was up there. Someone was up there. He decided to save the stairs for last. Then he'd go up to check on the others that were undoubtedly up there.

When he reached Tim Brady, Nepal's heart sank. He'd just been talking to this guy. How could he be dead like this?

A loud voice rang out down the hall way. It was a horse female voice. The dispatcher sounded winded. “911 Emergency, is this an actual emergency?”

He scrambled up and ran over to his desk, yelling, “Yes! Yes! This is an emergency.”

“Hello. Is anyone there? I need someone to confirm. Is this an actual emergency? Can you hear me?”

He picked up the receiver. Out of breath, he managed a “Yes, this is an emergency.”

In a take-a-number tone she said, “Sir, I'm sorry, keep calm. Officers are extremely busy right now. What is the nature of your emergency?”

“Yes, this is an emergency,” he began. “There are bodies everywhere.”

“Sir, did you say bodies?”

“Yes, everyone in the building is dead. I'm trying to find someone that might be alive.”

“Sir, stay where you are. I will find some officers to send your way.”

“I'm going to the second floor. I need to check on those patients.”

“Sir, please, stay where you are. Officers are on their way. They will handle the situation. I need you to tell me more about what has happened. Can you do that, Sir?”

“Ah, yes. I can, but those people.”

“I understand, Sir. Those people need help. We are sending someone right away. Can you tell me what happened?”

He started to tell the dispatcher what he could remember, but she interrupted him. “Sir, I need you to calm down. What's your name?”

“Nepal.”

“Nepal?”

“Yes.”

“Hi Nepal, my name is Sally. Are you in immediate danger? Is someone threatening you right now?”

“No. I'm alone, I think. Just the bodies.”

“Do you have a weapon?”

“No. I think there might be something in the closet I could use.”

“No, no. That's O.K. Don't worry about it. Help is on the way. Alright?

“Yes.” He noticed his voice was considerably calmer. That meant he probably sounded like a madman when he first began talking to her.

“O.K. Now, Nepal? Please, slowly explain to me what has happened.”

“Sally, ah, it was strange. I was sitting at the desk. Mrs. Carver called me and started talking crazy, then Tim had to use the mens room, but he couldn't find it. Someone was running down the stairs, but I don't remember who that was, and then they turned around and went back upstairs.”

Something tickled the back of his mind, and some thoughts occurred to him. He had to get upstairs, and she was trying to keep him busy. She was distracting him. She mistrusted what he was saying. and thought he might be crazy. She'd keep this up until the police arrived. “She thinks I may be the killer,” he thought. He did not know why he had known this, but he was sure it was true.

She asked, “Then what happened, Nepal?”

“Sally, the police are here. Thanks,” as he reached to hang up the phone.

“Sir, No. Don't hang,” Click.

He had wasted enough time. The police were on their way, and that was good. They would take care of the situation, but he got the feeling that it would be too late by then. Whoever had done this was up there.

He dreaded what might lay ahead. He started up the stairs, finding two bodies along the way. “All these people, killed.” He wondered why he had not been killed. “Could the dispatcher be right in not trusting me? Am I the killer?”