Act 1: Scene 1
April 7, 1930.
Coroner's report: Helen Barton
Cause of Death: Strangulation.
Place of Death: Near Victim's Home 283 Cherry Grove Drive
Things of note:
Multiple stab wounds, one premortem on the knee, all others post-mortem.
Body was dragged and placed from original position with both arms above the head.
Symbols written in blood found on the hands, above the head, in poor condition.
Writing on the dress, some writing discernible. Best guess "INH_ _ _ _ TO WORLD_ NEW."
Stomach contains a fair amount of cheap alcohol, had not entered bloodstream yet.
Bruising shows a history of abuse.
Victim had engaged in sexual intercourse a few days before the murder, impossible to determine if the intercourse was forced.
Signed:
Dr. Oscar Quinn.
***
Mortimer Barton was berated by questions. He could only think about his daughter, but he was holding his composure together. The mansion had two twisting staircases leading up to his study. To the right was the room Helen had slept in almost her entire life. A feeling of claustrophobia was all about him as he was completely surrounded by one manner of investigator or another. The manors high ceilings were at best filled with the sounds of echos of footsteps. It was as if someone had really turned up the volume knob on the radio.
"So you haven't seen Helen in weeks?" A detective calling himself Sal asked.
"No we often pass each other in her busy school schedule. I find that while her mother insists I let her have the best education I don't understand the point of it all. And that damn League of Women Voters....Women belong in the kitchen making dinner not at the polling booths."
Adrianna's face showed disdain "If you want your daughter to be successful in life, why do you stop her from being active? Why not let her have a strong career so she can be independent of men like Frank?"
"Her abusive boyfriend or whatever he is is not my doing. We raised her right, I will not be talked down to by some doll-faced whench. I believe I have been plenty compliant with your demands. Good day." Mortimer dissappeared into the study behind him. A loud click was heard as the door locked.
"Way to go, doll." Sal spat.
"People like him are the reason that....Ya know what never mind." Adrianna fumed.
"Just keep your mouth shut next time. You aren't here to ask questions." Jack coldly muttered.
Adrianna shoved her heel into Jack's foot. She turned her head to put her ear closer to his mouth. "I'm sorry were you saying something? I didn't quite catch it."
Lance Caine rolled his eyes.
Children. "Look if we are going to solve this I think it's best to pool our resources. Let's compare notes and see what we can come up with."
Oscar's bulldog Champ farted loudly. Jack and Adrianna turned green at the scent. "What do you feed that thing?" Jack spluttered.
"Oh Champ is just saying hello. He's a good dog, he only gets the best dog food."
"Why did you bring that thing anyway?" Sal sternly looked at the dog with disdain.
"Champ is a good dog! He just needed some air!"
The house maid Annie was walking through the Fourier. Jack called down "Hold it there miss, Annie was it? We have some questions for you."
***
"So where can we find Mrs. Barton?" Lance asked. "I have some questions for her."
"She won't talk to them." Annie nodded at the detectives.
"Well why not?" Sal asked with a certainty he knew the answer.
"The police have a reputation for corruption. Not that the mayor is any better. Did you know they were going to picket him today? Helen and her friends?"
The investigators began to log this information, and while they were distracted Adrianna whispered something in Anna's ear. She whispered something back.
"Just a few more questions miss..." As Jack began asking questions to clarify the Journal found in Helen's room, Adrianna slipped out. She scuffed her heel on the tile just as she walked out the door. Jack turned his head to see the familiar hat and pencil skirt leaving the doorway. He gave Sal a quick shoulder tap, and Sal nodded. Lance slinked out of the room.
***
Sal had gotten a ride with Oscar and Champ back to the station. "So where did you say Jack went again?"
"He had a lead he needed to follow." Sal was used to being the passenger, and he allowed himself to daydream out the window.
If Helen had left her boyfriend maybe he should be the next person to--. As Sal was thinking he did a double take.
"Follow that car" Sal ordered.
"Huh? What car? Why?" Oscar's perplexed face hid the shock in his voice.
"A WOMAN JUST GOT ABDUCTED INTO THAT CAR. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW IT."
***
Lance Caine walked into his office into a woman who clearly hadn't bathed in weeks. "Mr. Caine I have no money to offer you but I have a case I need you to solve."
Halfway to gesturing to the door he was interrupted "You see me and some of the other Hooverville residents have noticed some folks missing. This family comes by and then a few days later someone is gone."
Lance's arm which was still out reached now for his wallet. "Here is some money go get yourself a hotel room for a few nights 'til I work this out."
"Thank you so much sir!"
"What was your name?"
"Kristen Moore."
"And the name of the family?"
"The MacAvoys."
***
The radio sounded off "Attention all available units this is Det. Nitti requesting back-up at 178 Maple street."
DAMMIT. Jack picked up the radio. "Attention Nitti this is Thompson, currently pursuing lead, do you require my assistance?"
"Negative Thompson- stay in pursuit."
"10-4"
He had followed Brinn for some time. He had no idea where she was going.
, where did she go?. "Nitti this is Thompson, target lost, coming to assist."
"10-4"
***
Adriana found Elaine near her parent's graves. "Mrs. Barton I'm a reporter and I'd like justice for your daughter....What can you tell me?"
Elaine turned her tear filled eyes to Adriana. "At least you aren't the police."
***
Sal Netti walked up to the MacAvoy residence. The guard and the gate seemed a bit unnecessary.
"Excuse me, why is there a gate?"
"Don't want no freeloaders here. Ya know depression and all that."
"Okay look, " Sal flashed his badge "I just saw a woman who got abducted enter in a car not 5 minutes ago. Let's not play games just let me in."
"I'm sorry sir the last car I saw come in was the milk truck this morning."
"Okay look, If you want to play games..." Sal showed his gun tactfully.
"IF that's how it's gonna be...we do." Out from the nearby hedges 9 more guards appeared.
Champ could be heard whining.
***
A few minutes later Jack Thompson and Lance Caine arrived. The situation grew dire, at least 9 officers stood in a tense standoff. Thompson threatened to unload fire if the guard did not stand down. The only reply compared him to a ham sandwich. The ensuring panic of open gunfire caused nearby citizens to trample one another to get out of the way. Luckily there just happened to be a doctor on hand.
The stalemate continued as Adrianna pulled up to the scene. It looked a bit tense for an untrained reporter. As Jack wiped a bead of sweat he remembered the sewer entrance to these types of houses. Many of the elite had them built so that they would be able to dispose of their undesirables.
"Netti, Why do you have so many of my officers at a residence of someone who has senator McDonald in their pocket?"
The radio was so loud Jack almost misfired his gun.
"Chief, There was an abduction into this hou--"
"You didn't see anything. Just pack up and leave before we have a political
-storm all over this."
"But sir, there is some--"
"NO, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO BUT THIS ISN'T THE WAY"
***
Later that night Sal and Adriana waited for the others to arrive. Adrianna picked up a giggling. "Did you hear that?"
"Just some Hoovervillers looking for fun."
"We don't know what could happen in there, I don't want a kid to get shot because we are in there."
"Look darling, I don't see any reason for us to get tangled up in all this."
"I'm going, you can wait here if you want."
Reluctantly Sal entered the sewer. As they walked further into the darkness the giggling turned to gnawing. The gnawing gave way to giggling and as they took a left through the fetid waters Adrianna made something out in the distance.
An open manhole cover gave light to the bent small figures. The sewage fell off in flecks as the moved around the body. Adrianna cried out quietly in horror. The figures stopped moving and rose. As they turned they opened their eyelids and underneath was a solid glowing red. Their heads turned as to understand why she was afraid. Their collective giggle shocked Adriana and Sal to their cores. And then they were gone.
Adriana demanded to see the body and Sal held her back. They both turned to see the
http://http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.badhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/evil-teddy-bear.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.badhaven.com/special-features/plush-you-20-geek-plush-toys-to-make-you-go-ahhh/attachment/evil-teddy-bear/&h=320&w=240&sz=21&tbnid=aAIpneebalHNVM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=68&zoom=1&usg=__F9xf6L53uG30_G2SetORwPMWnmc=&docid=RdZy068E3F9FXM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=N_dRUKvsN4GDywHN0IDoAQ&ved=0CCAQ9QEwAA&dur=421. They swore their terror could be heard across Lake Michigan.
***
Lance Caine grew tired of their fear. It was not as if he could stop them from being afraid but he wished he could. Some children in a sewer, you must be joking. He did not want to stand around while he had two cases on his plate. They decided to leave and come back at a later time.
As Lance approached his car he noticed Oscar Quinn had gone missing. He reported the fact to Jack, who had already ran into the sewer.
Oscar heard the man who had him in a choke hold whisper "Let's just hope you are better at mazes." Oscar broke free and pulled out his pistol, "show yourself muther
er"
"Did you see him?"
"Not really just caught a glance, no weird eyes or anything, but there was something big hanging from his ear, inorganic."
Adrianna appeared at the entrance to the sewer. "Can we please get out of here?"
***
Adrianna and Sal entered a building Sal must have seen 100 times before, but never really noticed. Inside doctors and nurses abound whirrled around like a kind of clockwork. "Melissa Brinn please."
"Where did you take me?" Sal asked nervously.
"This is where my sister is she is.....sick."
"Yes Adrianna please go right ahead." The receptionist nodded.
Up on the top floor, a timid girl sat rocking in a chair in the middle of her room. As Sal entered she began fearfully talking. "Mr Brown" she pointed repeatedly at Sal. "Mr Brown is coming. Good Heart but we don't like Mr. Brown." Adrianna gave Melissa a hug. Melissa moved nervously.
"It's ok Melissa this is Sal. Do you know anything about the red eyed children."
"Not children....Not children....Not human. Think they are human, they not human. Never human. PRETEND." Melissa shuffled in her seat.
"Are they demons?"
"Not demons, Not children, Not human.....not human....Look human, not human."
"Are they evil?"
Melissa stopped moving. She began to gag, and slowly opened her mouth. A black substance like a thick and shining tar slowly fell out of her open maw. As it fell, a sound like a thousand angry voices meandered into the world. As the blackness fell to the floor in its reflection a hundred angry faces shown. Then it was gone.
"Did you see that?" Sal said from the back of the room eyes wide open.
"Yeah. Melissa? Are you Ok?"
"NOT HUMAN...NOT CHILDREN..."