Sal stood outside in the cold air, trying to unlock her phone with mittens on. When she finally gave up and just took off her mittens, she called the detective. “Hello?” He asked. Sal took a deep breath. “It’s me, Sally. From the interview? Anyways, I wanted to see if you could go over to my friend Jessie’s house…I brought up The Gutter with him and he panicked and hung up.” Sal could hear the detective shift in his chair. “Sure. I’ll pick you up on my way. What’s his last name?” 

“Robinson.”

“Great.” He hung up.

The car ride was awkward. Nobody talked.  But when they finally arrived, Sal was the first one to knock. 

“Jessie?” No answer. She knocked again. Still nobody. Jessie wasn’t the type to do this…He was usually the one knocking. Not with the police, of course, but he was the caring one. 

“Jessie, it’s me, Sal!” Sal called. She kept knocking and calling out for her, but she never came. By the millionth time, the detective lost his patience and just picked the lock. “I didn’t know you could do that.” Sal joked. “Not legally.” He laughed before opening the door. 

Detective Williams took out his gun and led Sal through the dark house. “Is this really necessary?” She whispered. He nodded. “It’s just a precaution.” He told her. Sal just shook her head in disbelief. There was no way- “FREEZE!”

 He yelled. A man in a standard lab coat and black scrubs and a guy fawkes mask stood over the body of Jessie Robinson. In his hand was a small, handheld cooler and butcher knife. Sal screamed in shock as she finally comprehended what she was seeing. Jessie, her best friend since she was 3, was being gutted. 

“DROP THE WEAPON AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!” Williams yelled. His deep voice echoing through the spacious house. The man dropped the knife and started to run. He was fast. Detective Williams chased after him, but he was faster. Sal saw where he was heading.

 She ran upstairs to try and cut him off. As she neared the main bedroom, she watched The Gutter leap out of the window and onto the roof of the next house. She screamed. She wanted to run after him, chase him down and give him the same fate that he had given Jessie. But he had escaped. The Gutter got away.