NOVEL NEXT Chapter 39: Chapter 37
It was 11 at night, and police cars were lining the street, their flashing lights casting a eerie glow in the darkness. Policemen stepped out of the vehicles, accompanied by their canine companions, fanning out around the area. The sound of barking and shouting filled the air.
A prisoner had made a daring escape from the local jail, slipping through the guards' fingers while they were preoccupied elsewhere. The police had been alerted to his disappearance and had quickly spread out across the area, searching for any sign of the fugitive. They were on high alert, their guns at the ready, but the escaped convict was nowhere in sight.
Fears were beginning to mount that the escaped convict might be armed and dangerous, and the police were urging the public to be on high alert. They were searching for any leads, any clues that might help them find the man who had so expertly slipped through their fingers. Hopefully, before it was too late.
The manhunt continued, the hours ticking by. The dogs sniffed the ground, their noses twitching as they searched for a scent trail, but they came up empty handed. The police searched nearby buildings and abandoned homes, but the prisoner seemed to have vanished into thin air. They then decided to search in the isolated area which contains few houses.
There, the dogs trotted up to the homes, their noses twitching as they caught the scent of fresh air. The police officers scanned the windows and doors, checking for any signs of the prisoner, but found no trace of him. It was as if they were chasing a ghost, a presence that was felt more than seen.
The dogs suddenly perked up as they caught a scent that was different from the others. They started barking, their tails wagging eagerly as they moved towards a specific house, tugging on their leashes as they tried to get closer to the source of the smell. The police officers exchanged glances, intrigued by the dogs' behavior, and followed the animals to the house, guns at the ready.
The house was old, with peeling paint and overgrown grass. The windows were boarded up, and the front door was shut tight. The police officers approached the house slowly, their footsteps loud and echoing in the silence. The dogs were still barking, their noses pressed against the cracked wood of the front door. Something inside the house had definitely caught their attention.
The police officers exchange a nod, and one of them reached out to try the handle. To their surprise, it twisted easily in his hand, the door swinging open with a loud creak. The dogs darted forward, their noses twitching as they entered the house. The police officers stepped inside cautiously, their eyes scanning the dark interior for any signs of movement.
The police officers came to a halt, their hands on their guns, their eyes wide with shock. They froze for a moment, their hearts dropping at the sight in front of them: a woman was lying motionless on the couch.
One of them quickly moves forward, checking her pulse and shook his head solemnly when he found none. Her body was limp, her eyes wide open but unseeing, and her skin pale as death.
The air was charged with a tense and heavy silence as the police officers realized the gravity of the situation. They looked from the woman's lifeless body to the open front door, and back again, their minds racing with questions. Who was she? What had happened to her?
The horror of the situation settling upon them. This was not what they had expected to find. They were no longer searching for a fugitive, they were investigating a murder.
They knew they had to proceed carefully, gather evidence, and piece together the puzzle of what had transpired. They stepped carefully around the room, avoiding disturbing any potential evidence. The dogs whined, their tails tucked between their legs, sensing the somber mood. The woman's lifeless body was a stark reminder of the horror that had taken place in these very walls.
A crime scene investigator soon arrived, her face etched with concern. She donned a white jumpsuit and rubber gloves, carefully inspecting the woman's body and the surrounding area. She took notes, photographs, and samples, and placed evidence markers carefully around the room.
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At the same time, the dogs who had stayed outside were restless. They were barking loudly, their paws clawing at the ground as if trying to dig something up. This drew the attention of the police officers that were securing the perimeter. They were circling a specific spot, their noses twitching as they picked up a scent that piqued their interest. They exchanged confused glances, unsure of what the dogs had found.
One of the officers stepped forward, intrigued by the dogs' behavior. He kneeled down to pet them, trying to calm them down, and that's when he felt it. The ground was soft and pliable, as if it had been recently disturbed. He looked back at the house, the gears in his mind starting to turn. Could the dogs have found something related to the dead woman Was it worth checking out?
He gestured to the crime scene investigator, and she quickly joined him at the spot. They dug at the ground, clearing away the dirt and debris, and soon uncovered a small hole. They peered inside, trying to make out what they were looking at. At first it was just a shadowy mass, but then the officer with the flashlight shone it directly into the hole.
The police officers exchanged shocked looks, their faces contorted with horror. A foot. It was a foot, buried in the ground like some macabre trophy. The dog was barking furiously, its paws digging at the dirt as if telling them to keep digging. They knew they had to continue, even if what they found was unthinkable.
The scent of decay hit their noses, the air around them suddenly thick with the smell of rot and death. This was not just a body they were dealing with, but a grave. A grave that had been recently dug. How many more bodies were there? The police officer felt a cold shiver run down his spine, and he knew that this was going to be a long night
As the officer dug deeper, his fingers hit something hard and smooth. He recoiled, thinking it was a rock, but as he focused the flashlight on the object, he realized it was something else entirely. It was a human skull, its hollow eyes staring up at him, its teeth bared in a macabre grimace. The sight of it was enough to make him feel physically sick.
This was no longer just a murder investigation, it was now a murder investigation with a corpse in the ground. They were in the middle of a horror movie.