The Worm Murder Mystery Pt. 2

Midnight. The air was colder than usual, wrapping itself around the damp streets like a shroud. I found myself walking along Ravenbrook Lane, the letter of blood still fresh in my mind. The note had been cryptic, but I knew better than to ignore something like this. My gut told me it was trouble—and in this city, trouble often means death.

Ravenbrook Lane wasn't exactly the kind of place anyone visited for a late-night stroll. It was notorious for a reason: disappearances, rumors of hauntings, and strange happenings that people were too afraid to talk about. But I wasn't here for gossip. I was here because someone had gone out of their way to leave me a message.

As I turned the corner, the fog parted just enough for me to see it—a pile of bodies. My stomach twisted. There they were, lying in the middle of the street like a grotesque display. Something was terribly wrong.

I took a cautious step closer, already feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The bodies were oddly... untouched. No blood, no decay, just hollow shells of what used to be people. Their eyes were white, devoid of pupils, and at the back of their heads were small, precise holes, like something had been drilled into their skulls. They didn't even smell like corpses should. It was unnatural—like death had happened in a way I couldn't understand.

Sensing danger, I quickly scanned the area. If someone had done this, they might still be around. But the alley was silent, save for the distant drip of water from a nearby drainpipe. I crouched down, examining the bodies as fast as I could. Their skin was cold to the touch, but something felt off—like the life hadn't left their bodies naturally.

"What the hell happened here?" I whispered, more to myself than anything else. The scene was wrong. Too clean. Too precise.

It didn't take me long to realize that sticking around wasn't a good idea. I dipped out of there quickly, making my way back through the winding streets of the city, my mind racing with possibilities. Magic. Had to be magic. But what kind? And why?

I couldn't think straight. There were too many unknowns, and staying in Ravenbrook Lane at midnight was a sure way to get myself killed. I decided to head home, get some sleep, and return at dawn when I could think more clearly. Maybe things would make more sense in the daylight.

The next morning, I returned to the alleyway, but when I got there, I froze.

The bodies were gone.

Not just the bodies—every trace of what I had seen was wiped clean. No blood. No footprints. Not even a smudge on the cobblestones. It was like nothing had ever happened there.

I stood in the middle of the street, staring at the empty space where the corpses had been. My mind raced with questions. Where had they gone? How could an entire pile of bodies vanish without a trace?

I needed answers, and fast. I headed to a nearby shop, hoping to find a witness. Someone had to have seen something, right?

But when I opened the door, the shop was empty. Completely deserted. No sign of anyone. It was eerie, like the entire place had been abandoned in a hurry.

Confused, I stepped back out onto the street and tried the next shop. Same thing. Empty. Not a single person in sight.

"What the hell is going on?" I muttered under my breath, feeling the first prickle of real fear start to creep in.

Frustrated, I made my way to a more bustling part of the city. Thankfully, this area was still filled with people—laughing, chatting, going about their day like nothing was wrong. I approached a few strangers, casually asking them if they knew anything about Ravenbrook Lane.

Every time I mentioned the name, people went quiet. Some pretended not to hear me. Others mumbled excuses and quickly walked away. No one was willing to talk.

Finally, one man stopped long enough to answer me. He looked around nervously before speaking in a low voice. "Ravenbrook Lane… people say it's been dangerous lately. Rumors about strange things happening. People getting possessed. Bodies disappearing. Black magic users gathering there. It's not a place you want to be, mate."

Before I could ask him anything else, he hurried off, disappearing into the crowd.

I stood there, the words echoing in my mind. Possession. Black magic. People never returning alive. What the hell was really happening at Ravenbrook Lane? And why was I pulled into the middle of it?