Murder in Heliopolis Bonus Scene: Murder in the Hills

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Murder in Heliopolis Deleted Scene: Murder in the Hills

Originally written as one of a range of 'bonus chapters' which would reveal more information from other characters' perspectives, this excerpt, which is part of a larger scene, follows Cassia Grove for a brief moment, ominously alluding to danger as she goes about her last day alive.

+ EDIT FEB 8, 2024: This is no longer a 'bonus' chapter as of this moment. I have decided to edit it and add it to the prologue of my book.


 

Murder in the Hills

The towering Farms sand behind the rolling landscape of the Hills, and Cassia Grove let out a breath of relief. She leaned back, dropping her Slate onto the passenger seat beside her, and ran her fingers through her mess of curly hair. The quiet trilling of her HealthBand alerted her to her sugar levels, and she reached into her glove compartment. Everything felt dimmed and silent in the afternoon haze; even the candy wrapper hardly made a sound as she opened it up and popped the apple-flavoured treat into her mouth.

Her car came to a slow and turned into her driveway, parking smoothly. She stepped out, grabbing her Slate on the way, and made for her front door, a mildly off-white rectangle in the otherwise blue facade of the hill-house that was home. She did not see the man watching her from across the street; if she had, perhaps things might have ended differently.

She pressed her thumb into the ScanPad. The top half of the door turned green.

She held the Slate to the ScanPad. The bottom half of the door turned green.

She pushed open the flowing green door, glad to be home at last after a long day of work.

As the door swung closed, the man across the street approached.

 

☀

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