Strangers: Consequences

Rendezvous

"So....... its pretty much the same as the last time we were here huh??" Drake commented vaguely. The probably century-old oak trees were still untrimmed, their branches flailing round and right like that of an octopus had it not have been for the winds' manipulation. Ponds stained disgustingly brown, was it a blend of water and dirt, or was it 'chocolate' leaking from a factory? They prefer to think of the latter so as to not vomit. However the wafting of malodorous odors similar to rotting carcasses, made them picture back a ceramic toilet bowl, waiting for their relieving.

"I wouldn't be surprised if these houses smell like old people too..... Oh, the idea!!" Jessica added with irritation. They've never set foot in the houses, at least not after that one instance when they had first started going here; Drake planned to use the facilities. Just a few steps into the house, and he was struck with a case of cold feet when he heard furniture being dragged. Greg and Jessica had waited outside so they couldn't back up his story. Jessica guessed that even until today, he's developed a fear of old homes.

The view was the only fresh thing standing between a healthy version of the two and another curled up, dead on the sidewalk from the stench. Occasionally it felt as though someone was watching them from behind the blinds of the supposedly empty houses. However, to their knowledge, they were declared uninhabitable on the news several months ago.... So were they just imagining things? The only other reasonable explanation was that homeless individuals were squatting there, though they suspect it too was impossible- the interiors were moulded, water supply had dried up and who knows what was living in there now.

The sole reason they were here to begin with was because their client hired them to obtain information on a serial killer. The three of them, they ran a detective agency that comprised of Drake, Jessica and Greg. A few weeks ago, they received a tip from an online source that the nicknamed "The Bloody Butler" was active again and in hiding at the Hillfront Estate Mansion claiming eight new lives. Of course nobody could verify the authenticity of the data but every info was info as Greg would have put it.

Here's a little insight on his past; apparently "The Bloody Butler" once served the richest, most influential man back in 96' but was caught stealing gold and sentenced to death by hanging. However, the night before his execution, everyone was mysteriously hacked to death in the mansion at which he served. Due to the lack of evidence, he was never officially prosecuted; so they released him and thus he was still on the loose.

The mansion's settings were somewhat unorthodox as it was the only prestigious 20-something feet structure in a neighborrhood that was made up of plain, two story houses. It was basically the city of this otherwise rural life.

At the front gate stood Greg, who was surveiling for information with his trusty laptop; he's also another one of my best friends since childhood. Everywhere he went, he would bring his gizmo; although not a laptop then, alongside him. He only took part in my agency shortly after Jessica joined when I told him I needed an extra pair of hands, preferably someone who specializes in all that IT dealie. He agreed with not much terms but insisted that he gets to be the one that's allowed first dips into case files.

"Greg!!" Jessica called out, skipping merrily to him. "Ah Jess, good to see you again........ D, always a pleasure." greeted Greg, barely averting his eyes from the screen. He had a habit of referring people to short names and sometimes just any words, so that he could focus on the task at hand. One time, he called a man 'Dude' and another man 'Man'. Drake could tell something was bothering him, every time his eyes were glued onto that contraption, nothing was never right.

"You okay Greg? Why did you tell us to meet you here instead of going together?" Drake asked, really scared of hearing the answer. "This morning, I lost comm with our online contact......" he spoke bitterly. "I fear something had happened to him," he went on to say as he pointed at the mansion.

The crows cawed fiercely as they circled the mansion. That was an unfortunate coincidence they thought, one that upon reflection was the prelude to a bloodthirsty finale. Either way that was not a good sign. The hunt for the serial killer had only just begun........ The trio charged forward, armed with curiosity and insatiable thirsts of serving justice on a silver platter.