Human vs. Phantom

Chapter-3 Episode-4 Suppeditat Animus Cupidine

Chapter-3

Episode-4

Suppeditat Animus Cupidine

Jim was going through the files in the computer about the past cases the officer gave them, while Reeve was going through the files and folders related to those cases.

“Reeve sees here,” Jim called out for Reeve.

“you find something?” Reeve asked him.

“yes, I guess. Look here! It says there indeed has multiple drowning accidents in that lake in the past. But no one suspected anything, that the accidents could be related because they all happened to have a span of many years between them.” He explained to him.

“See the first case reported goes back to the year 1890. according to the report from back then. a man and a woman, both in their early thirties went missing. their names were Michael and Mary went. They were a couple actually, they were married. They went to the lake with their two kids for fishing that day. They disappeared from there, both of them, Mary and Michael. And the kids were fine they swam back to the shore. They also said weird stuff, quote ‘current in the water ate their parents.’ No trace of them was ever found after that day either.” He read.

“sounds familiar to you?” Reeve joked.

“There is more,” Jim informed.

“The next accident was in November 1934. A similar incident happened but a couple went to spend their time there and their boat drowned. According to the coroner’s report, the reason stated was, quote ‘due to undefined reasons.’ The woman in her thirties survived while her partner who was also in his thirties drowned that night in that lake.” Jim was explained to Reeve while Reeve was looking at the photographs of the victims in the file he had in his hand.

“does that thing attack the people who are in their thirties?” Reeve blurted out.

“I don’t think so. Vinnie and her friends were all twenty. It doesn’t make any sense. If they were drowned by the same entity, then they must have something else that they had in common.” Jim said explaining. He continued,

“next time such a thing happened was 1989. Three college friends, just like this time. But that time there was a girl and two guys. They went rafting and again it sank. Among them, the girl and a guy died. One survivor also uttered the same nonsense as Vinnie according to the report. The locals were convinced that he was lying. No one believed him, soon he left the town.” Jim read out the information to Reeve, while Reeve quietly listened to him.

“so, do you think the lake is cursed?” Reeve suggested.

“There is no other explanation here. All these incidents happened in big-time spans. No one noticed it because of this. But all those disappearances, there have to be some connections. There has to be some connection with the lake.” Jim said.

“were there any other accidents after the last one you told me about just?” Reeve asked.

“no, the government restricted public entry because of some political feuds. And the lake was close ever since then until recently. A private company took over the lake and has been promoting its boating business. And now because of this, these disappearances started again.” Jimmy said again, explaining.

“find more about what happened in the lake in the past. Maybe we can get the answers.” Reeve advised.

“Okay give me some time. I’ll dig deeper.” Jim said.

“you do that. I’ll question some locals. Maybe we’ll get some clue there.” Reeve said walking away from the station, back in his car. He saw and took off.

“okay you do that, I’ll do this.” Saying this, Jim went back to work.

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After a few hours, Jim and Reeve met each other back in their motel room to discuss the information they’ve gathered.

“Okay, I've got some clues. What do you get?” Reeve asked Jimmy.

“First you say”, Jim replied.

“Okay, I’ll go first. I questioned some locals, hot waitresses, and….” He was saying when Jim interrupted.

“wait so you went to a bar, to investigate?” Jim said.

“you know girls love me. They’ll tell me anything if I’d ask nicely, I said. And that is what happened. Apparently, there is an urban legend in the town, and everyone believes that is true. They say, according to the lore, if any person who goes inside the lake water is unfaithful to their partners, the sea monster will drag them to hell, to a dark place where sea creatures will rip them apart, kill them and eat them.” Reeve told Jim.

“Okay, now I think I can fill the blanks, see,” Jim said in itself in a quiet voice.

“now, show what you’ve got,” Reeve said to Jim.

“Okay, see. This is the picture of the Miller family, 1889. An aristocratic family. They were rich for that time. Husband, wife, and two kids, a girl, and a boy. They own many lands, farms, and cattle in the town. They lived an honorable life in the town. But in the early 1890s, the wife and the kids died by drowning in the lake water.” Jim told Reeve.

“what do you think had happened?” Reeve asked.

“here is what the news from the time says, the wife, Mrs. Miller was suspicious about his husband’s infidelity. She tried to divorce him but it was hard back then. So, she committed suicide after killing her two children by drowning there. Jim explained.

“do you think this miller man killed his wife and kids?” Reeve asked.

“no wait, there is something left, after the wife and kids were dead, in grief Mr. Miller left the town leaving all his property to the poor,” Jimmy explained. Mr. Miller seemed to be innocent in that.

“so, was he cheating on his wife or not?” Reeve said.

“according to the locals of that time, they say that Mr. Miller was a very kind-hearted man who loved his family. They even say that the wife was insecure about herself and to punish her husband, thinking that he was cheating, she killed his kids and killed herself from the guilt from the cold-blooded murder.” Jim told Reeve.

“so, the wife is the bad guy here. You sure the guy didn’t kill his wife and kids for some mistress?” Reeve questioned.

“I don't think that. I am pretty sure actually. It is everywhere that he was a good man, a family man. Not someone who would have an affair.”

“so, what do you think we should do about the vengeful spirit?” Jim said.

“if this miller man was innocent then there should be nothing to take revenge for. Is there anything in this about where they lived?” Reeve asked.

"Oh, yes… it’s in the middle of the town. There is a cottage. It is still abandoned. No one lived there, after Mr. Miller passed away, the property was passed on to miller's younger sister, but she didn't sell it either." Jim answered.

"Shall we pay for a visit?" Reeve said.

"Lead the way, let's kick some asses."

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