Tuesday tales: From the Word CLOCK.

Welcome to the first Tuesday Tales post of 2021. We are back in COVID 19 lockdown here, so thus far, 2021 isn’t much different from 2020. This week’s word prompt is CLOCK. I’m continuing with The White Dahlia.

“You aren’t clinically agoraphobic—if you were, you wouldn’t step outside—but you’re wary of crowds. A lot of people are and for a number of reasons. My mother avoids them, especially during flu season. As far as sleeping goes, you may never sleep well—even if you invest in the world’s best mattress—not after everything you’ve been through. Most people don’t see even 1 percent of the ugliness you have these last eight years. I can’t change what you’ve seen, what you may yet see. All I can do is make you face your humanity, make you understand that nothing that has happened is your fault. You have an incredible ability to soldier on through anything. It’s an admirable quality. I just want you to remember that you’re human, too. Being scared is the basis of our survival skill as a species. If we ignore our concerns, we’ll all end up in more trouble than any of us can handle. You’re allowed to rant and rave, scream and shout, cry and wail, and smile and laugh. Make friends, fall in love. What you aren’t allowed to do is bottle everything up inside the way you have for years. I’m giving you the all-clear to go back to work. If we have werewolves in Brooklyn, then the NYPD is going to need its best soldiers to track the beasts down.”

“It isn’t a werewolf,” Beth said, her voice low and troubled. “It’s far worse than that, maybe even worse than Boston.” The Brass wasn’t commenting yet on what they’d found. “I can’t be more specific. The Commissioner will brief the Press when he has something concrete to tell them.” She glanced at the clock. Her time was up. “Thanks, Maggie. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Letting me go back to work is what I need most. I have to stay busy. We both know it. And, if tracking down this latest monster is on my agenda, so be it.” “Sometimes the only way to deal with demons is to confront them. Like many in Trinidad, my grandmother claimed to have the sight. She maintained that in life, we were where we were meant to be. If you’re the one who is destined to do this, you will. But you need to get a life outside of work. Join a gym. I’m not saying you have to start shopping at Macy’s.”

That’s it. Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.