The Bloodshed of the Crescent Moon

Good Mourning

Footsteps crunch against the forest floor, determined to outrun whatever was chasing them. It's close, they can sense it. Adrenaline flows throughout their entire body, forcing them to run faster and faster.

Their efforts unfortunately fail as they trip on a root they couldn't see, falling face flat on the ground. A low, dangerous growl could be heard behind them. It's their demise.

The camper joyfully filled his porcelain mug with hot chocolate, adding a few marshmallows for the taste. It was a nice and peaceful camping trip for him and his family. He hasn't been spending much time with his wife and son lately, and now he finally had the chance to make it up to them. Picking up his seven-year-old son, the two walked over to the mother who prepared their dinner.

"That smells delightful, honey." The man smiled.

The woman smiled, leaning in to peck her husband on the cheek.

"Can you get Joshua ready? I don't want him running around covered in dirt."

Without a second word, he entered their tent and began to change their son's clothes.

Rustling could be heard from the bushes. The woman paid it no mind, though. She assumed it was some other typical animal like a fox, or a squirrel, that caught smell of food.

Oh, how wrong she was.

The rustling increased as moments passed, 'this little critter just won't go away', said the voice in her head.

Though, once the creature came into full view, she let out an ear-piercing scream.

Her husband immediately came running into the scene, his eyes shooting wide once he saw the sight of her wife-who was barely even recognizable due to the blood and holes in her head-pierced by the creature's long slender claws, blood gushing out of her massive wound. He was stunned, frozen in spot. He couldn't move, no matter how hard he tried. Move, move, move!

Grabbing his son, he dashed into the forest as fast as his feet could carry him. His footsteps crunch against the forest floor, determined to outrun whatever was chasing them. It's close, they can sense it. Adrenaline flows throughout their entire body, forcing them to run faster and faster.

Their efforts unfortunately fail as they trip on a root they weren't aware of, falling face flat on the ground. A low, dangerous growl could be heard behind them. Before he could react, darkness engulfed him...

"Choi Haewon here. How may I help?" The detective greeted, raising her cup of coffee up to her lips. The caller took a deep breath before exhaling loudly to the point where it nearly broke the phone's sound barrier.

"There's been a murder in Cavildon Street. Witness' say it was suicide, but I doubt it."

A sigh left her lips, taking one sip of her coffee before getting up.

"I'll be on my way."

There wasn't much complexity to the case. It was quite simple: The victim had been drugged and killed. The neighbor was the culprit. Driven by jealousy to the point her resolve ended up in murder.

Glancing down at the body and back up at the weeping wife of the deceased husband, Haewon gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder as an attempt to comfort her.

"Everything will be fine, alright? He's in a better place now, much better than here."

Her words seemed to not have calmed her down as she wept harder, burying her face in the palm of her hands. "Uhm-"

"I'll take it here, detective."

The chief gently grabbed the woman's hand, kneeling down next to her.

Haewon rolled her eyes, he always has time to flirt with women!

"Leave you to it, then."

She turned around, adjusting her fedora to tilt downwards to cover her face. She disappeared into the starry night, awaiting for tomorrow's arrival.

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What awaits, is what begins...