"Is that a dead body? Can I poke it?" A shy little girl named Samantha squealed at the age of five, curiosity flashing in her blue eyes.

Twenty years later, I was nearly exactly the same- except now it was my job. And I didn't have to go to counseling for saying such things.

"This is a dead body. We are going to poke it and call it science," I explained to my new recruits.

They glanced at each other with doubt in their eyes, obviously not trusting my judgment.

"Detective Harding? Um, ma'am? I don't think that's how you are-" Here, I cut off the young charge with a sigh.

"Honey," I sassed right back, "I ain't got time for your dribble. If you want to spend an eternity being useless, go lie down with that corpse."

The girl stood, mouth gaping as the others laughed. We stood at the scene of a fake murder, one that I had set up to test their skills.

Clearly, it was going to take some work.

They still thought the entire thing was real.

I sent the recruits off to try to collect 'evidence' while I did paperwork. However, just then, a girl with a shock of blue hair dashed past the police-line tape. Her cheeks flushed from running, she grabbed onto my arm.

"Please. There's a man chasing me. Can you hide me?" she stuttered out between sharp breaths. I quickly handed her my jacket and some paperwork, and we acted as if she had been my partner for months, not mere seconds.

Each of us put on an easy, though strained, air and talked about how much work each of us had. Meanwhile, the man she was running from seemed to be getting closer and closer. However, he stopped a few yards from the taped-off area, confused as to why the woman he was chasing had disappeared.

Just then, a student shifted half a foot to the right, and the girl I was with was revealed to the man in all of her ocean-worthy locks and fake paperwork glory.

Once the man in question saw her cobalt hair, he too lifted up the tape, hollering as he went.

"What are you doing here, Isabella? I just wanted to buy you coffee!"

He came to a maddening stop, skidding across the gravel, and attracting the attention of each of the children I was teaching. I pulled a confused face, attempting to hide my grin.

"Sir, I don't know who this 'Isabella' lady is, but she probably dumped you based on your statement. I am Samantha Harding, and this is Helena Antoinette. She's been working with me for nearly a year now. See? We both have paperwork and everything," I rushed off of the top of my head. "Now, if you could please leave the crime scene, that would be much appreciated. In case you haven't noticed, there is a dead body several feet away."

An ear-shattering scream pierced the air as a very realistic, very bloody corpse was spotted less than a yard from where his fuming attitude was placed. The sound of laughter from both of us followed the man out of the taped-off area and past several streets.

Isabella laughed nervously as she thanked me.

"Thanks for, ya know, pretending you knew me and everything."

"You're welcome. Now, about that coffee he was trying to get you? Would you like to get one?"

Isabella nodded, obviously still shaken by the experience.

A girl stopped me on the way out, confusing tinting her eyes.

"But ma'am, aren't you going to tell us who did it? Who murdered the person?" She questioned, obviously not realizing that the body was fake.

I leaned in real close and whispered, "Do you want to know who did it?"

When she nodded excitedly, I continued on with, "A murderer murdered him."

As I turned, strands of blonde hair flicked the girl across the face. Although it was but a tickle, she acted as if it had been an attack to her person.

Stunned silence came from her- 'Lily,' her tag read- before she exploded like a bomb reaching the end of its time.

"I DON'T THINK YOU ARE-"

"Going for a fifteen minute break and giving the rest of you time off, too?" I interrupted as Isabella and I edged past.

Lily stood in a bubble of shock, mouth gaping, green eyes reflecting my profile as she stared straight at me.

"And by the way, you should probably close your mouth. Soon flies will be here, and you wouldn't want any to mistake your dead brain for a meal, would we?"

Isabella attempted to cover her giggle with a cough, but her large smile gave it away.

And with that, Isabella and I walked to and ducked under the yellow tape, striding towards the sidewalk.

"There's a café place near here called 'Marshmallows.' Would you like to get a drink, by any chance?"

Isabella gave a nod of consent, and we strolled, side by side, talking as we went.