Everlong

8 December 2010 
1445 local time

Madison, Texas
Madison County Sheriff’s Department Unit 39

Officer Ben Maitland was looking forward to the end of his shift.

It was not that he particularly hated his job, it was just that today of all days, he felt that he needed to be elsewhere. The gloomy, overcast sky did not help his mood much. Being parked out in what he considered the farthest part of Madison County, he was left with nothing but time on his hands.

 Time to sit quietly and try and stay warm.

 Time to think.

For the umpteenth time, he picked up his cell phone. He wanted to call his wife and check on her. Expecting their first child any day now, he was afraid of everything that could possibly go wrong. 

 But she will probably just tell me that I am worrying too much, he mused.  His whole family had taken to kidding him that he was more worried about his wife’s pregnancy than she was.

 They would probably be right, he smiled. He glanced at the cell phone in his hand and figured that a quick call would not hurt.

 “Unit 3-9 respond.” his radio squawked.

 Maitland sighed and set his cell phone down. 

“Unit 3-9, over. What’s up Francie?” 

 “9-1-1 call at 5-2-2-7 Fm 1130. Unresponsive person. Ambulance en route.” the voice replied.

“The Bauer Farm?” he responded.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.