Humanity

Humanity

Humanity

“When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”
- George Washington Carver-

Angela’s grip on her sketches tightened as she watched the criminal being led through the halls to be locked up. She felt the paper crinkling in her grasp, and she clenched her teeth to keep from shouting at him. She had always thought that a trip to Vegas would be great, but she hadn’t counted on their most gruesome case being what brought her to Sin City.

Oh, sure, she still had a few days left to visit the casinos, and she wouldn’t mind hanging out with the Vegas criminalists for awhile, but the case would always be looming in the back of her mind.

She could still see the mutilated bodies of the victims, even when she looked at the faces she had drawn for them. The death masks.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, soft and light and she began to relax. She looked over at Sara Sidle, one of the Vegas criminalists, and forced a smile. She knew it didn’t look convincing from the frown on the other woman’s face.

“Are you all right?” Sara asked. Angela didn’t trust her voice, so she nodded, but Sara’s frown stayed. “How about we get out of here, grab something to eat?”

“Sure,” Angela said. She followed Sara out to her car and sat in the passenger seat staring down at the sketches of the victims.

“How do you do it?” she asked.

“Do what?” Sara responded as she pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant.

“This job, every day,” Angela said. Sara didn’t respond as they walked into the restaurant and found a table. As they were sitting down, Angela realized that she was still holding the sketches. She folded them up to put them in her pocket when Sara held out her hand.

“May I see them?” Sara asked. Angela nodded and handed them over. They ordered drinks while Sara mulled over the pictures. Finally, she handed them back. “You really captured them.”

“It’s my job,” Angela said, slipping the papers in to her pocket. Sara sipped her drink and shook her head.

“You take time and try to make them look like they’re alive. It’s more than a job to you, isn’t it?” she asked. Angela sighed.

“I just, I wish I didn’t have to do it,” Angela said. “I mean, I see decaying bodies, chopped up bones, and I always wish I could have seen them when they were alive.”

“But you’re doing something good, Angela, you’re putting killers behind bars,” Sara said. Angela reached over and took the other woman’s hand, sighing.

“It’s not that easy for me,” Angela sighed. “Sometimes I can’t stop seeing the bodies, even when I look at their faces.” Sara tightened her grip on Angela’s hand.

“There will always be these sick bastards, Angela, and there will always be people like us to stop them,” she said. “And you’re the most important. You give them their humanity back.”

“What?” Angela asked, looking in to Sara’s eyes.

“You give lifeless bodies smiling faces, Ange,” Sara said, intertwining her fingers with Angela’s. “I wish I had the talent for your job.” Angela smiled, a single tear rolled slowly down her cheek. Sara brushed it away with her free hand.

“I just. I wish I didn’t have to remember them dead,” Angela said. Sara opened her mouth to speak, but the waiter arrived with their food.

“Let’s eat,” Sara said, smiling broadly. She raised her glass. “To Humanity.”

“To Humanity,” Angela echoed, raising her own glass and tapping it against Sara’s.