Sleepless: Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

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Twenty-seven-year-old Nagasaki Junji yawned in boredom, not bothering to cover it as he idly scratched his chest and stared absentmindedly at the ceiling. The rumpled and neglected bed beneath him offered no comfort for his weary bones and the deafening silence of the room was wringing his slackening nerves into uptightness that was annoying.

The twenty-four/seven surveillance assignment sounded good at first but as the weeks drew by and the hours ticked away with nothing worthwhile going on, his patience was fast decreasing to a mere inch. Nothing could be more brain dead than this.

And the Naji family was just that. One normal, boring family. Parents worked diligently, a grandmother who kept chastising the young generation in a different language, and an introverted daughter who hardly set foot outside except for the occasional morning fresh air where she would come out into the balcony for a few minute before stepping in again, the balcony, small as it is, was at the back of the house.

None of them had actually seen her, nor had they seen much of the grandmother too. Their surveillance post only allowed them the view of the front house and the transmitters inside. Every conversation down to the faintest sound was recorded on tape.

The only photos the district office managed to get them were of the parents with the old woman and a separate blurred image of a sixteen-year-old. They got a good laugh at the grandmother, scowling so darkly in the photo as if she was displeased of having her picture taken. Then again, maybe she was.

Two men had followed a parent each to where ever it was they went. No progress there for the parents work at a factory that wraps up dolls and toys in boxes or plastic before delivering them to stores. It was a completely decent, not to mention back aching, kind of work. By the end of the day they were back to prepare dinner for the family.

“Guys, guys, girlfriend number two is at the gate.” Announced Matsumane Yuno, leaning precariously out the window with a pair of binoculars.

His announcement had everyone crowding around windows for a good view of the front gate which was two houses away.

“Man, that Naji Jun girl sure knows how to pick friends.” Yuno whistled, drooling over the young woman magnified in his binoculars. He was too engrossed in the way her baby tee shirt tautened around her plump breasts and the short shorts that hugged her rear to realize that she just stood there.

Junji got out of bed and started setting the surveillance camera before one of the windows, facing the lens at the designated area and started recording while everyone else was too busy admiring the woman. He stifled a yawn and stood back, waiting.

He wasn’t the only one waiting though, he noticed, his dark eyes straining at the monitor where he could see the young woman just standing, also waiting, in front of the dull green grate. The color actually reminded him of a sick color when he once saw a kid throw up at the side of the street. It wasn’t a pleasant sight. Grabbing the chair, he pulled it towards the table in front of the monitor, crossing his arms over the lean-on.