Chimera

 15000 steps for the day, her watch said. That was strange. It was 1PM and she was just waking up. Probably a software glitch, she thought. Oddly enough, she was too euphoric to bother. A weird satisfaction. As if someone had made great love to her although it had been months since she was with a man.

On New year's day, her friend had texted her late in the afternoon replying to her wishes. Apparently, he had slept in late after a particularly vibrant night. She admired him for that. Even envied him. It had been years since she had slept without an alarm. Slept without fear. Slept without a care in the world. Maybe the result of an unconscious conclusion that the less she slept the less she had to endure the nightmares. An abusive boss, failed relations, divorce, she had plenty of reasons to lose sleep. This New year, however, she decided that she would sleep in late at least once a week. Today was her first trial.

She decided to eat her lunch out. She was too tired to cook. Her body ached as if she had engaged in physical exertion all through the night. She noticed, as she got in, that her car smelled of disinfectant. A strong one. Did she spill some the last time she bought disinfectant? It was a small hatchback. The smell might remain for a while. Anyway she had not had the time to clean the car in a while and the smell was welcome. The digital display on her vehicle said that it had travelled 60 kms since her last refuel. Weird. She had filled petrol only yesterday evening. The only place she had been since was her home, in her bed, under her blanket. Did someone steal her car? She laughed at that thought. Who would steal an old beaten up hatchback and why would they, then, put it back at exactly the same spot. Perhaps it was another glitch.

 60kms. That was enough to drive from Dublin to Killiney and back. She and her ex-husband used to visit there frequently. Hand in hand they used to walk the beaches and hike the hills. She still went there occasionally. Watching the young couples there, their lives filled with hope and joy brought back fond memories from a better past. It somehow calmed her.

The radio was her favorite thing about driving. She tuned in to the local news

"More details are coming in from the gruesome murder of a young couple in Killiney", the radio announced. "The police claims they have an eye witness. He describes the culprit as a white female in her early thirties. Black hair. Slight built. Apparently he saw the culprit drag the bodies into the back of a car. A black hatchback. Anyone with any information may please contact the nearest police station"