Chapter 1
Months had passed since I joined the homicide department, with an urgent need to uncover the truth behind my family's tragic murder. Grief was my constant companion, but I was determined not to let this horrific crime go unanswered. Why my family? Why me? Just as I clenched my fists in frustration beside my desk in the corner office, a sudden knock pierced the thick silence.
I turned to see Mr. Benjamin, my senior partner, entering with two steaming cups of coffee in hand. His casual white T-shirt and blue tie clashed with the somber atmosphere, but his warm smile offered a much-needed flicker of solace.
"You look like you could use a break," he remarked, attempting to ease the heaviness that hung in the air.
I offered a brief scoff. "I suppose I do."
His expression shifted, revealing genuine concern. "Any leads?" he asked, his eyes probing for hope. I exhaled sharply, the weight of despair pressing down. "None. It's like a ghost committed the crime, leaving behind nothing but shadows."
Mr. Benjamin was well aware of the toll this investigation had taken on me; two months of sleepless nights, since my transfer to the detective department had turned my world into a blur of pain and determination. At just fifteen, I had been through a nightmare I couldn't wake from.
As my thoughts threatened to spiral, Mr. Benjamin's voice broke through once more. "Don't you think it's time to consider giving up—"
I cut him off, my resolve surging like a flame in the dark. "Never."
I would stop at nothing to find the truth, even if it led me down a treacherous path cloaked in darkness. Mr. Benjamin looked at me before leaning closer, his expression serious. "Raymond, there's a case I think you should take a look at. I believe it's worth your attention." He paused, gauging my reaction before continuing. "A woman in her thirties went missing in a hotel room. there was no body—only a gruesome scene. Blood was everywhere, and belongings were scattered as if there had been a struggle. We got a call after the room was discovered by a cleaning lady the next morning.
"A chill crept down my spine as he recounted the details. "The maid knocked on the door but received no response. She used her spare keys, and what she saw inside sent her running back out, screaming in terror. We've obtained the CCTV footage from that night," Mr. Benjamin said, pulling the video up on his computer.
As the grainy image flickered to life, we watched the woman exit her car in the parking lot—completely alone. There was no one following her, no indication of an impending threat. She entered her room and had not come out since then. This is where it gets unsettling," Mr. Benjamin muttered, "Her family history is just as tragic. She was unmarried, with no close friends or relatives to speak of—both her parents had died years ago."
I leaned in, captivated yet horrified. The parallels to my own case felt striking. "It's as if she vanished without a trace," I said, the weight of the case pressing heavily on my chest. "Just like my family did."
"Yes," Mr. Benjamin replied, his voice low. "And I need your insight on this. The similarities are uncanny. We have to figure out what happened."
"Did you find any leads?" I asked, my voice tinged with desperation. perhaps this could finally solve my own ten-year-old case; I felt a glimmer of hope. Mr. Benjamin replied, "We have been reviewing all the CCTV footage and tracking where her car has gone over the past few days. There is one vehicle in particular that seems significant: a rusty old black van with dents, and it looks like it hasn't been used in years. It followed her for the last five days."
My heart began to race, and I felt a surge of excitement. Could this one clue finally lead to the resolution of my case as well?
"So, did you track down the car and find the culprit?" I asked, but Mr. Benjamin wore an expression of disappointment. He sighed and replied, "We tried checking the license plate, but the cameras were corrupted. This case might be a lost cause, too."
"Let me help. Maybe if we work together on this case, we can solve it."
Mr. Benjamin lingered in thought, the weight of his decision heavy in the air. With a reluctant sigh, he agreed, concern etched on his brow as he noticed the toll my sleepless nights had taken on me. Once he left, the quiet office enveloped me, and as midnight approached, a spark of revelation ignited—I'd cracked the case. The number plate had survived in one of the camera recordings. I finally went home.
My house sat atop a gentle hill, a modern cottage glowing softly against the night sky. Behind it loomed a vast forest, a place my parents had sternly warned me never to enter—a realm of dark mystery. I stepped inside, welcomed by the comforting scent of aged wood and echoes of laughter from days gone by. Settling into my favorite chair, I prepared a simple meal, savoring each bite as fond memories washed over me.
Fatigue soon took hold, and I made my way to bed, the cool sheets inviting me into their embrace. As I drifted off, the weight of the past clung to the air around me. I woke in the dead of night, my body heavy and unresponsive, paralyzed by fear. I could only move my eyes, and that's when I noticed the door to my room slightly ajar, a flicker of light spilling into the thick, looming darkness beyond. The void stretched endlessly, an unsettling presence that set my heart racing.
Suddenly, without my control, my body propped itself upright. A chill raced down my spine as the room transformed into something sinister. From the shadows, a figure emerged, striding closer as the weak light revealed him. He appeared to be a man in his forties, his face marred by a web of scars—one deep gash ran across his features like a jagged reminder of some unspeakable past. His expression was void, devoid of emotion, yet somehow filled with menace.
A terror gripped me. How had he entered my house? I was certain I had locked the doors. But before I could process this thought, my body betrayed me again, rising from the bed and moving towards him, as if compelled by some dark force. Each step felt like a descent into a deeper nightmare.
Just as I took a few steps, I regained control of my body. I stepped back and asked, "Who are you? How did you get into my house?".
The man looked directly into my eyes. His face was expressionless, but his gaze was just as soulless. It felt as though he was staring into my very soul, then his face suddenly started to melt, chunks falling off his now-gone face. It felt more like the face was just a mask to wear.
As the face fell to the ground in a gory mess, the sight beneath him was horrifying, defying description. It slithered out of the man's body, rising taller with each step it took toward me.The room was stifling, the air thick with an unspeakable dread that wrapped around me like a suffocating shroud. I stumbled back, my heart hammering in my chest as the creature loomed in the shadows, its eyes gleaming like distant stars in a sea of darkness. I was paralyzed, drawn into the void of its unblinking gaze.
Then, the ground beneath me shifted, pulling me downwards as if I were sinking into quicksand. Tendrils of darkness gripped my legs, tightening their hold with every desperate attempt to escape. I felt the weight of the creature's presence pressing down on me, dragging me deeper into the abyss. Its face twisted into a grotesque smile, a cruel mockery of joy that sent ice through my veins.
Just as the darkness threatened to consume me whole, I jolted awake, gasping for air. My room was bathed in the pale glow of moonlight, a stark contrast to the horrors of my dream. I looked around, the remnants of fear still clinging to my thoughts. Relief washed over me—but as I lay back down, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching, lurking just beyond the veil of the night.