It was a nice, moist and cool spring morning on May 24th. I, detective Dr. Mills, Carter Mills, please call me Carter, and I’m telling you that now because too many people make the mistake of calling me Dr. Mills, which I dislike. Anyways, I walked over to my outdoor patio with a cup of tea in my hands. I sat down in my chair and sipped my cup of tea. I just saw on the news that there had been a serious crime had been committed last night and it was targeted to the doctor, Dr. Jepson. I was about to go and do my daily routine that started by getting up, then watching the latest news, and then take a lovely walk to the park. I was about to walk to the park when my phone rang.
Ring! Ring! Ring! I set down my cup of tea on the glass table picked up the phone.
“Dr. Carter Mills here,” I said.
“Hello Dr. Mills,” (I hate it when people call me Dr. Mills. Carter is fine.) “My name is Dr. Jepson. I have heard you are a top of the notch detective,” he said nervously, “I have recently suffered a terrible crime. I can explain more at the cafe on the corner of Main Street. Is it possible that we can meet up there?”
“Yes-sirree,” I replied.

* * * *

I arrived at the cafe at 8 o’clock sharp. I picked up my brother, Edward Mills, who is also my assistant detective along the way. He was all about getting there early and beating the doctor there as good manners but I was like nah. Manners, shmanners, you know?
Anyways, when we arrived at the cafe and the doctor was waiting for us. He had a cup of tea in his shivering wrinkled hands. His face was pale and wore a formal black jacket although it was 65 degrees outside. The cafe was a small place on the corner with 4 tables to the right and a kitchen and counter to the left that displayed breads and muffins in the case.
“Good morning, to both of you,” he said nervously as he brought some chairs down for us to sit in
“Well good morning to you too,” Edward responded enthusiastically and we sat down in the chairs. A waitress came over and brought us some drinks and we ordered some food.
“Now,” I said, “The case.”
“Yes, yes. The case,” he said.
“Can you tell us about the crime you have recently suffered through?” I questioned. I gave Edward a nudge that told him to bring out his notepad to start recording information.
“Okay,” he took a shaky breath, “So, I arrived at work in the morning-”
“-Can you tell us the time you arrived at the morning?” I asked.
“I arrived at work at 4 o’clock in the morning. It was still dark and stormy. I trudged into the hospital while rain plastered my face. Anyways, I walked to my office in the West Wing but I had to unlock the doors to the West Wing. I did my daily routine to set up my materials and while I took a liquid medicine out of the package that had been delivered the night before. I saw that it was strangely bubbling – just barely. A person who is not a doctor would not notice the bubbles as slight as they were. I knew that this could not be right, so I poured it out in the sink and it burned away a bit of the metal in the sink. I was horrified! Someone had poisoned my medicine!” Dr. Jepson confessed.
“Can you tell us where you got the medicine?” I asked, the faint sound of Edward’s pen quickly rewriting his story.
“Well I got it from a package that arrived during the night from a company called Barnum’s Delivery,” he said.
“So somebody must’ve had to bring these in during the night, correct?”
“Yes indeed,” Dr. Jepson said.
“I believe this person that brought the medicine in is indeed a suspect,” I said, sure of it. “Do you happen to know this person’s name?”
“Yes, I believe I do,” Dr. Jepson replied, “I believe his name is Mr. DD. He is a grouchy man but he brings in the medicines every night. His mother passed on recently I believe.”
Edward and I shared a look. This guy was indeed a suspect, but that’s only one though….
“Do you have any other suspects in mind?” I asked. “Anyone who could of been there at the moment?”
Dr. Jepson thought of this for a second, “I believe there might of been the custodian that works after hours. He might be a suspicious. His name is Bob.”
“He could also be a witness,” said Edward, looking up from his notes.
“Were there any doctors or other people that were working an overnight shift?” I asked.
“My assistant, Dr. Herme and also another doctor called Dr.Lee, though he left early with me due to a cold” Dr. Jepson responded.
“Let me ask you this,” I said, “Explain the time when you finished your work the day before.”
“There was nothing unusual the day before,” Dr. Jepson glanced towards the roof, “I just went through the doors of the West Wing and into my car.”
“Did you happen to lock the doors before leaving?”
“No,” he replied.
There was a long pause. “Huh,” said Edward and I at the same time. “Let me see your notes Edward.” I looked them over. “I think these are enough details of the crime. Take us to the crime scene now.”

* * * *

Edward and I arrived at the hospital at about thirty minutes later. The hospital was huge. It was had a very modern architecture look with courtyards in the middle of the hospital. The whole hospital was blinding white or silver because the sunlight was reflected back to your eyes because of these colors. Tinted windows aligned some of the outside and on a spiral staircase to the right when you entered. Dr. Jepson had left earlier to go back home.
“I remember this place! I went here when I broke my arm when I was younger,” exclaimed Edward blankly.
I rolled my eyes, “You come to a hospital for an investigation and you seriously remember that? Is that really relevant?”
“Well duh,” said Edward, “We’re at a hospital after all.”
“Whatever,” I muttered. Sometimes my brother would say stuff completely irrelevant. He can be annoying yet funny at the same time. When we reached the West Wing, we found the doors open with yellow tape lining Dr. Jepson’s office. Police and security roamed the area, looking for any clues. Something caught my eye; I spotted a white name tag on the floor near the doors. It read Dr. Herme.
“Edward, do you know who Dr. Herme is?” I asked.
Edward thought about it for a moment. “I’m pretty sure Dr. Herme is Dr. Jepson’s assistant.”
“Okay,” I said slowly. Why would Dr. Herme’s name tag be there? He must’ve been walking down the hallway earlier.
“There’s Bob the custodian over there,” Edward’s voice interrupted my thoughts. Bob the custodian was standing across from us at the other side of the room.
“Let’s go interview Mr.Bob,” I said and we walked around the crime scene to Bob. “Mr.Bob,” I said, “We’ve had certain evidence that you were here last night when the crime happened. What were you doing last night during the crime?” I asked sharply.
“I do not deny that I was here during the crime yesterday night. I was here and I was mopping the floor and washing the windows in the East Wing. I can assure you I’m not lying about that. My schedule says if you’d like to see it,” Bob said.
“Let me see your schedule,” I said as Bob handed me his schedule. I looked it over and sure enough his schedule read that he was supposed to be cleaning the East Wing. “Very well,” I said, handing him back his schedule.
“Since you were here last night,” said Edward, “Do you have any information that could lead us in the right direction? Or perhaps you saw something, heard something, have suspicions?”
“As a matter of fact I do,” said Bob, “While I was mopping the East Wing floor near the West Wing doors, I heard a click which sounded a lot like the doors being locked. I don’t know why they would be locked though. I did happen to see a shadow go into Dr. Herme’s office but then come out and go into Dr. Jepson’s office when I looked through the windows of the door.”
Edward and I shared a disturbed look. Clearly something was going on and he was fairly certain the Bob was just a witness. “Thank you for your time,” I said. Then Edward and I walked away to find Mr. DD, our next suspect.

* * * *

They found Mr. DD by the loading trucks outside the hospital. He wore dark sunglasses while wearing a deep blue working t-shirt with jeans and a Warriors cap. He glanced up from picking up the packages when we approached.
“Good morning,” I said while Edward held out his hand for a shake. He did not shake Edwards hand but crossed his arms and leaned back against the truck.
“I suppose you are the detective to the poisoning of Dr. Jepson’s medicines,” he pointed at me, “And you are his assistant detective. And judging by your faces, brothers?” he questioned cooly.
I narrowed my eyes at him, “Quite so.”
Edward looked back and forth between my eyes and him, “Anyways,” he said, stepping in front of us, breaking our intense staring contest, “You must forgive my brother,” then he elbowed me in the ribs, “Since you seem to know about this crime, can you tell us anything about it?”
“Do I have to speak?” he teased.
“Of course,” I said with an edge to my voice, “And we know you delivered the package of medicines to Dr. Jepson.”
“Fine, I’ll speak. Though why should I speak although I didn’t do the crime. Why should I care about this. After all, I had nothing, nothing to do with it. And sure, I was there last night. Now can I get going now? I got to get these packages to the next stop,” he said impatiently.
“Not until you answer some more of our questions,” I said as Edward to out his notepad and pen, “Tell me, since you were there last night, describe to me what you were doing, please.”
“Well o’great one,” he sneered, “I was walking into the hospital with my package and I was supposed to bring it to Dr. Jepson’s office in the West Wing. It was strange because the West Wing doors were locked though they usually are never locked. So then I just dropped the box by the door.”
“And what did you do after that?” I questioned.
“Well that’s obvious,” he scoffed, “I just walked back to the truck here and – oh you know what? I thought I heard a sound of medicines jiggling in the package that I dropped off as if somebody picked up my package.”
I thought about this for a moment. Neither suspects had yet to admit that they committed the crime. “You may go back to do your business as before,” I said.
“Finally,” he muttered under his breath and Edward and I walked back to the hospital.
“Well that was interesting,” Edward said.
“Indeed,” I nodded. “Lets go pay a visit to Dr. Herme now.”

* * * *

They found Dr. Herme in his office in the West Wing, nearby Dr. Jepson’s office. Edward and I stepped in his office and a bell rang. Dr. Herme’s office was neat and organized with a desk to the left and medicines, and a sick bed to the right.
“Good morning,” said Dr. Herme in his glasses and a white doctor suit. “And who might you be?”
“I am the detective on the case of the poisoning of Dr. Jepson’s medicines. Dr. Mills, Carter Mills,” I said. “Does this case sound familiar?”
Dr. Herme paused for a moment, “Well of course it sounds familiar, it’s all anybody talks around here especially since they have taped off the crime scene,” he smiled weakly, “And you?” he pointed to Edward.
“Me? Oh, me,” said Edward, “I am the other Dr. Mills, Edward if you must.”
“We are here to ask you some important questions because of our previous information has lead us to suspecting that you might have poisoned the medicines. You do have the most toxic or strongest medicines in your office because that is your speciality. Am I mistaken?” I questioned.
“Absolutely not,” he said evenly.
“Let me ask you this,” I began as Edward took out his notepad, “Were you here at the hospital to the time of the crime last night, perhaps working after hours?”
“I was not here last night,” said Dr. Herme. Strange, I thought.
“And can you explain the setting of the hospital before you, um, left?”
“Well I left late last night, after most everyone left and everything seemed perfectly fine. I just walked through the West Wing doors and passed Mr. DD delivering a package to Dr. Jepson’s room.”
“So you say that the West Wing doors were open last night, correct?”
“Yes indeed,” Dr. Herme rubbed his chin. “If I were you I’d say it was Mr. DD. He was the only one with the package that carried medicines for type 2 diabetes. He’s been kind of snoopy or nosy lately if I say so myself.”
“And how do you know what the package carried,” I asked.
Dr. Herme froze, “Well… Everybody knows that right? As a doctor we need to know these stuff,” he said weakly.
“I believe that is enough information for now,” I said. Now most of their clues pointed to Dr. Herme. Now they just needed proof, evidence. I had a pretty clear idea of how to do that. “Thank you very much. Let’s meet again 3 at the crime scene with Mr. DD and Bob. See you there,” I said. Silence followed.

* * * *

“Well that was a quick turnaround,” Edward said just before we walked into the crime scene where I had lined up Dr. Herme, Mr. DD, and Bob.
“It’s either Dr. Herme or Mr. DD I think,” I said. The plan was to use a police dog to sniff the medicine package and the keys to the West Wing because the culprit must of had the keys to lock the door like Bob and Mr. DD said. It was strange how Bob and Mr. DD said that the doors were locked but Dr. Herme said they weren’t. It was also strange how Dr. Herme denied that he was working after hours yet Dr. Jepson said he was. Dr. Herme also has some of the most hazardous materials in the hospital so he’d be able to have any access to poison. But it also seemed that Mr. DD’s act made him look suspicious and he did have a reliable motive and Dr. Herme so far did not have a motive.
“We’re here,” Edward said as we walked into the taped off crime scene where we found the dog we were going to use. The suspects were also there, lined up shoulder to shoulder.
“Let’s get started,” I said as Edward took handle of the dog and showed it the medicine package to sniff. The dog took a good sniff and then padded over and sniffed the suspects and then growled at Dr. Herme and Mr. DD, confirming that both of them touched the medicine package. Dr. Herme’s face was blank and pale though Mr. DD looked unfazed.
“How unfortunate,” Edward said to Mr. DD and Dr. Herme.
“Now moving on to the keys,” I said and the dog took another sniff at the keys and trotted over to the suspects once again and sniffed them. It then turned and growled at…. Dr. Herme.
“What? B-but, I did-didn’t-”
“That’s enough,” I said, “You are under arrest Dr. Herme, for the poisoning of Dr. Jepson’s medicines.”
“NOOOOOOOOO,” yelled Dr. Herme as the policemen took him away.
“Good boy doggy,” said Edward, “Good boy.”
“Seriously?” I asked Edward.

* * * *

Dr. Herme was sent to trial and was confirmed that he did indeed poison Dr. Jepson’s medicines. During the trials they were able to find out his motive which was that he’d be able to cure the poison and be promoted and earn a pay raise and fame because he thought he was so awesome (he really wasn’t). And for Dr. Jepson, he was able to keep his job! Yay! Bad news, his reputation is kind of broke so he doesn’t really get a lot of patients now. And for Edward, he kept being his funny self while he earned awards for helping solve the case which brings this conclusion to me. I was awarded with Edward and I got a quite a lot of cash and I’m now am in the top 5 detectives in the world in Consumer ReportsTM! I know right? Cool. So until next time I get another case-
-Ring, Ring, Ring
It’s another case isn’t it? Sigh…

Dark gray smoke suffused the forest air, making me feel lucky that I had a gas mask on. The visibility got worse and worse as my team and I trotted towards the colossal horror. It’s orange and red body was dozens of feet tall, constantly flickered about. The beast moved forward at a discomforting pace, not stopping for anything. It grabbed tree after tree, snapping them like twigs, then devoured them whole, leaving nothing behind. Our jog slowly faltered as we were no less than a few hundred feet away. A little too close for comfort, but it’ll have to do, I said to myself. My little set of armor seemed so pointless, and I was sweating like crazy. The gears in my brain started to turn as I observed the situation, and attempted to formulate a plan to end the monster. But, concentrating at that moment was not exactly the easiest of tasks. I snapped back to reality when I saw one of the creature’s arm lashing out toward me, almost taking down my head. Hastily, my team and I regathered to fight. We sprayed water at the beast and suffocated it with CO2 like we did with all of it’s kind, but our efforts had no effect and we were forced to run almost instantaneously. I sprinted at my top speed, running for my very life. A couple of feet behind me I heard a loud thunk. At first, I assumed it was a tree, but the faint cry brought me to a sudden stop. I spun around and almost choked when I saw a member of my team on the ground. I shouted towards the others and pointed. The gap between us closed in a matter of seconds, but time was ticking and every second was essential to our survival. The member’s right leg was stuck in a deep hole, the soil all the way to his thigh. Immediately, we all started pulling, but I was thinking what everyone else was probably thinking as well: It was hopeless. The creature was closer than ever and my teammate’s leg had not budged. I decided I had to abort or I, too would lose my life. As I ran, the guilt train did not stop. My brain urged me to go back and help, but it was fair and sad to say that there was no point, he wasn’t going anywhere. The rest of the team soon caught up to me. I saw one less team member and knew that they had failed. As I ran faster and faster, I silently mourned for yet another lost comrade. We neared the safety zone, passing over  a drawbridge that was above a 30 yard long trench. As soon as we were all through, the operator drew it back up. I collapsed on the ground, exhausted and panting along with my group. Safe, for now. Can’t say the same thing for everyone else, anymore. I thought.

That was all three months ago, back when there was hope to stop the giant. The amount of lives lost are too many to count. Now, entire teams and cities have been lost to the spreading wildfire. Now everyone is on the run, running for their lives.