Life gives us a taste of darkness by endearing us to tragedy and pain. We are constantly faced with the aspect of whether or not to act upon it. What if you saw beyond the darkness? Or better yet, what if you had to go beyond the darkness?

Why are you haunting me?

Det. Sean Napier is sitting at his desk, mulling over the case of John Lee O'Connor. He is currently at a loss for words as he's been following O'Conner's "Quad State Massacre" for about 4 years now. Sean Napier, 40 and divorced, has gone through 3 marriages that are easier than this. John O'Conner has murdered 300 people total, 100 from the first time and caught 200 from after his escape and up to now. All with O'Conner's trademark, a big bloody snake carved onto the victims’ chest. A few months ago, he heard a rumor from Det. Scott Hook, one of his closest friends, that when O'Conner was 10, that he killed his entire family. Napier figures, 'Yea… Like that’s new'. But what does seem new to him though is that now there is no predictable actions. Not a single damned thing. Like as if he learned from his mistakes and changed. For the worse, obviously. Then Det. Hook comes walking into the room.

Scott says, “Sean, you still here?"
Sean says, “Yea...trying to see if I can come up with something new."
Scott says, “You know its eleven o’clock, right?"

Sean looks at his watch.

Scott says, “You shouldn't be doing this man. I know it’s been a rough 4 months but you’ve got to move on. You need some time off. Find a passion. Something like..."
Sean says, “This is the only thing keeping me from thinking about Eryn, ok? As soon as we finish this case, I’m gonna take a well-deserved break."
Scott says, “Just don't hurt yourself man. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Sean says, “I've gone through his psychiatric files and the details on the murders. Nothing that will help."
Scott says, “Why don't you check out the victims’ files? Maybe you missed something. I gotta get going or my wife is gonna be pissed at me. You know how Lisa gets..."

Scott reveals a slight smile.

Scott says, “Talk to ya tomorrow, man."
Sean says, “Later."

Sean waves by and takes one last look at the forensics of the victims then looks to his right. Scott apparently left the files of the victims on his desk in a folder.

Sean says, “Scott.... You shouldna..."

Sean gets up, picks up his coat, puts it on and grabs the files from the desk and then he leaves the police station.

Arriving at his once-again bachelor pad, he enters the house and drops the files on the secretary. Putting his coat on the coat rack, and then going to the washroom, he does what comes natural, then goes to the kitchen and grabs a beer. When he comes back to the secretary, he finds that a few papers have fallen out. It is the file of the murdered Lajon "Diesel"Aliss, one of J.L. O'Conner's victims. He takes the file to his computer desk and starts to read. Lajon Aliss has been a trucker since his early 20's. He got married to a beautiful young woman named Francesca Simmons when he was 28. According to Francesca's doctors, they were trying to have a baby 4 months before they were to be brutally murdered. He then looked at the picture of Aliss and he appeared to be a moderately built black man in his 30's. Very masculine features with a baldhead. Half an hour later, he decides to retire to bed and wonders what Aliss has to do with this case as he drifts to sleep.

Wish I was too dead to cry
My self-affliction fades