LUCION The Veil of Whispers

Chapter 7 Eclipsed existence

The blaring ringtone of his phone unexpectedly woke up Officer Mark Mitchell. Still groggy, he clumsily reached for the phone, his eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness in his bedroom. "Mark, you need to come to St. Peter's Church. We have a serious situation," Jake Daniels, his partner and rookie, urgently spoke.

Mark quickly sat up, suddenly alert. "What's happening, Jake?" "We have a series of murders. Priests, of all people. It's in an old abandoned church, and there's something peculiar about the crime scene. Hurry up, I'll meet you there." Within minutes, Mark arrived at St. Peter's Church, a crumbling structure that seemed burdened by its history. The air was thick with an eerie silence as he entered, surrounded by the desolate pews.

The bodies of the priests were displayed in a gruesome manner, each adorned with unusual rosaries and talismans made from an unfamiliar metal. Mark furrowed his brow as he observed the peculiar symbols etched into the metal. Jake approached him with a grim expression on his face. "Locals are saying the seven priests were part of some cult." ''Seven? I only see six bodies,'' responded Mark. ''We have yet to find the seventh priest. But my hunch is that he's still alive.'' ''Yikes, what kind of animal did this?'' Asked Mark, shocked to the core.

Mark surveyed the scene, trying to make sense of the disturbing tableau before his eyes. The atmosphere inside the church carried an unsettling energy that intensified his sense of unease. As the forensic team carefully examined every detail of the crime scene, one scientist held up a small plastic bag containing a dreadlock with a distinct dark blue dye. Mark's heart skipped a beat as he recognized it.

"Mark, come take a look at this," Jake Daniels called out after the forensic scientist handed it to him. He approached cautiously and narrowed his eyes upon seeing the dreadlock. "This looks just like Luke's hair dye," he muttered under his breath, thoughts of his nephew immediately flooding his mind. Jake raised an eyebrow.

"Your nephew, Luke? The one who's been a suspect in those other murders in town?" Mark nodded, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. "Let's find him. I need to speak to him."

∆∆∆

Distant talks and resounding footsteps filled the Salem police station interrogation room. Luke sat uncomfortably on a rigorous chair, his dreadlocks cascading over his shoulders. Across from him, Mark, a seasoned officer and aspiring detective with an imposing presence, stared at him intently. The room was heavy with tension.

"Luke, we found one of your dreadlocks at the crime scene," Mark said firmly, leaning forward. "You have some explaining to do. What were you doing at that abandoned church?" Luke slumped in his chair and met his uncle's gaze defiantly.

"Maybe you should be asking the real questions here, Uncle Mark. Like why a group of priests ended up dead in the first place."

''How do you know that?''

''Oh, come on, Uncle Mark, this is a small town, everyone knows everything.'' Mark's eyes narrowed as he maintained his composure.

"We're investigating that, Luke. But your connection to the crime scene raises serious concerns given your current situation." Luke scoffed sarcastically.

"You think I had something to do with it? Come on, Uncle Mark. I may have an evil streak, but I'm not out here killing priests or anyone else, and if I were, I'd probably start with my high school Mathematics teacher." Mark leaned back and crossed his arms in thoughtfulness. "Then how do you explain your dreadlock being found there?" Luke rolled his eyes dismissively. "Oh, that's easy to explain. They kidnapped me a few weeks ago." His uncle raised an eyebrow questioningly.