Chapter One:
Remordeo v. To haunt; to have a disquieting or harmful effect; to visit or inhabit as a disembodied spirit. Latin.
"We are gathered here today to mourn-" Carter's voice cracked, having caught Ann's tear-filled eye. He gulped it down and proceeded. "To mourn the death of Cliff. An avid church-goer..." He continued, his voice barely audible over the muffled sobs of the few that knew him well enough to mourn his soul. At the end of the funeral, Ann stood over the edge of the pit, staring down into darkness.
If any one else had remained, they would've seen her smiling as she fell downward.
"Ann's dead too? Not my Annie! No- I... I refuse to believe-" Doug slumped over the bar and Thomas put a hand on his shoulder.
"Doug, I-"
"The hell you do!" He pulled away from his touch, glaring into the mayor's eyes. "My wife, Thomas. My wife and now my daughter! My son-in-law. My life, dammit! My fuckin' life!" He pushed the mayor away, tears glistening in his eyes. He went to his room, slamming the door behind him.
Three minutes was all it took to load and cock the gun.
Three minutes. Crows scattered from the sound of the gun and not seconds later, a thud was heard.
"I can't take this... I-"
"Carter. Relax. Please. You're scaring me." Popuri was at the church, her hand on his shoulder. "God will-"
"God? God!" Carter laughed. He sounded insane. He sounded... "What has God done so far? Killed three innocent people? You know just as well as I do-" He put his hands on Popuri's shoulders, fingers tightening. Her eyes grew wide as he whispered the words. "Cliff was murdered."
"Oh you should've seen her! It was horrible. She was lying on the coffin- she landed right on top of it! I for one would never expect her of suicide but apparently she was the type. Ann! Our Ann? It doesn't make sense! She's so vivacious. Not the type to be that... oh you know what I mean. Honestly it was terrible! I never expected. And Doug! Oh he was a good cook. And handsome. But could you believe he had a gun? A gun! Who would've expected! Honestly it seems so far-fetched. I didn't know anyone in our village would be the type... well... who knew! But you know what I heard..." Anna's voice lowered. "Well... think about it. How did Cliff die? Do we even know? We don't now do we. I think-" She paused for effect. "I think he was killed. Murdered!" Her voice had gone up on the last word and she quieted, glancing quickly around. Her voice lowered again. "Who do you suppose could've done such a thing?"
"I for one think it's none of our business." Sasha said stiffly.
"Oh come now, Sasha! You honestly think it isn't our business?" Manna whispered harshly. Anna nodded.
"We're the women of the village. It's our legacy to make sure every thing happens as it should. We're the life blood!" She cried passionately, nose in the air. Manna and Sasha looked at each other, knowing to keep quiet. "Something must be done!"
But that's the thing with this particular gaggle...
Though they are full of words,
Their actions fall rather short.
"Please! Please! She's gone! Missing!" Barley ran through the streets. It was past midnight. The world was dark. "May's missing!" He ran. Running, running, running...
The snow fell thickly in the air. Running... Running and running...
In the morning, Rick went out to feed the chickens.
A scream ran through the air, sharp and sudden.
The villagers slowly gathered around the body, already stiff from rigor mortis, already stiff from unanswered cries.
Barley lay face down. Dead from pounding, door to door, he died on his neighbor's steps.
"Another dead... this can't go on!" Anna buried her head against Barley's shoulder and the villagers backed away.
Two days later, another cry was heard.
Gotz came running along the bridge. On rare occasions they see him come to town. On rare occasions, they see emotion in those impassive eyes.
Today was different.
He ran along the bridge, carrying something, eyes wet with tears. He continued to scream until finally, he knelt down at the church's doors, pounding hard.
"What- Oh my God!" Carter fell backwards. There, on his doorstep, was a water-logged May, her facial features clotted in her death.
"She drowned!" Gotz sobbed. "She was right there! Right there! Floating in the water!" He was screaming, his face red and wet. "She's dead! Dead!"
"No- she's so... young... no!"
"DEAD!"
"I'm investigating the murder. But I'm going to need your help Doctor."
"It really was a murder then...?"
"There's only one way to find out.
We must dig up Cliff's body."