THE LEGEND OF THE ARACHNID

THE FALL OF THE JACKSONS

The night was heavy, and a strange silence reigned around the Jackson house. Sheriff Ed Blake approached, accompanied by a few of his deputies. Outside, a crowd of neighbors and curious onlookers had already gathered, murmuring among themselves, anxious faces and lanterns in their hands. The atmosphere was icy and each of the men's steps echoed in the night.

Upon entering the home, the sheriff and his deputies were struck by the scene before them. In the living room, the lifeless bodies of Rodrick and Nicole Jackson lay silently, frozen in death. Lisa's father, James, who had accompanied the sheriff, stood frozen in front of the scene, breathless and hands trembling. This vision shook him deeply, to the point of making him nauseous.

The sheriff, with a hard face, began examining every corner of the house, looking for clues. But what troubled him even more was the total absence of the family's two children: Joseph and his younger brother, Billy. Neither seemed to be here, and this sudden disappearance left no doubt in the sheriff's mind. After a moment of silence, he made a decision:

— "We need to find Joseph and Billy. They could be linked to what happened here," he said loudly.

With this, the sheriff issued a search notice to find them. The news spread like wildfire, shaking the small community and sowing confusion. While some residents whispered theories, others refused to believe that the two Jackson boys could be involved in such a tragic act.

James returned home, his face marked by fatigue and worry. When he arrived, he told his wife Eleanor and their daughter Lisa everything. The silence hung heavy in the house as he spoke, and Eleanor listened silently with her hands clasped. Lisa, for her part, had difficulty containing her emotions upon learning that Joseph and Billy were now wanted.

— “No… I refuse to believe that! Joseph would never have done such a thing!” she cried, with tears in her eyes.

His voice echoed in the small room. For her, it was unthinkable: Joseph, whom she had known since childhood, could not be guilty of such a terrible act. She remembered him as a caring and protective boy, always ready to watch over his little brother Billy.

James tried to calm her down, placing a hand on her shoulder, but Lisa, overcome by emotion, turned away. That night, she could not sleep, assailed by doubts and worry. Deep down, she knew there was something wrong with this story, that Joseph and Billy couldn't be guilty without a deeper explanation.

The next morning, Lisa got up with a new determination. She wasn't going to stand idly by as the rumors grew. She was ready to find answers, to seek the truth to exonerate those she believed to be unjustly accused.