When Darkness Falls

Chapter 51

I woke up this morning to Troye calling me downstairs to watch the news reporting another dead body. Except this time it was in the park closer to the house.

We decided to go investigate, just as we did with the last body, though Troye seemed bland about it because he'd really hoped it was just someone passing through. "I don't see why you seem so excited to go investigate Dan," Troye speaks up with his gaze still staring out of the window of the car. "Someone just died. Why would that be a good thing?"

I roll my eyes in response as we pull into the parking lot of the park. "You really have no idea of my little sympathy for humans, Troye."  I shrug and turn down the radio so that I didn't have to talk as loud before using my fingers to try desperately to fix the mess of hair on my head. "Plus, the more dead bodies that pop up, the closer I get to figuring out who is leaving them."

Troye shakes his head slightly before taking off his seatbelt and opening the door. "Whatever you say, Dan."

I'm a split second, I'm standing close enough in front of Troye that he has to push his back against the door of my car. I give him a small look of sympathy. "Please don't think badly of me, Troye." I look around to see if there are any people staring before turning my expression back to the shocked boy's wide eyes. "You're the only person I trust right now."

After a few moments of silence, he sighs and nods his head. "Alright."

I nod as well before turning away and heading towards the yellow police tape. There were many police and investigators considering this person was murdered in the same way the last one was, but this scene seemed more intense.

As I came upon the scene, I realized why.

Troye immediately looks away and covers his mouth up at the sight of the young girl laying on the ground. Her body is covered in dirt, leaves and blood. So much blood.

Her throat was slit so deep that she probably died within a minute or two.

Surprisingly enough, that's not the thing that stuck out the most to me. No. The part that stuck out the most to me was the tree next to her body.

The bark had been cut away from a portion of the tree so that a date could be written there. A date written in blood.

1965

Something in my stomach twisted, but I couldn't figure out why. The date seems so familiar yet I can't put my finger on what makes it so special.

I glance back down at the girl. Her bleached blonde hair was stained with the crimson of her own blood. Her eyes were left open. They were pale and lifeless.

Before I could examine anymore, a detective comes over with a furious look on his face. "You boys get out of here this is a crime scene!"

I throw my hands in the air, sparing one last glance at the scene, I grab Troyes arm and head back to the car.

"1965," I mumble as I close the drivers door and crank the car. "What happened in 1954?"

"What?" Troye looks over at me, a confused expression on his face.

"Nothing."

-

"Zoe I can't figure out what happened."

"Dan, you sound a little delirious. How do you even know it relates to you? Maybe the sick freak is just copying some serial killer they're obsessed with?" Zoe rolls her eyes and flops down on the couch.

I stare at her blankly as she pulls out her phone and starts texting as if what I'm saying has no meaning whatsoever. There's a tiny twang of hurt as she does that but I push it away and bring in the spiteful remarks instead. "I'm so glad that I stuck with you all these years. I don't know what I'd do without someone like you to help me figure these things out Zoe."