24 Lake of bones

The group stayed in contact via handheld radios. They begin walking through the overgrown brush area to get into the wooded area to head towards the area of Onacona's burned-out cabin. As they walk towards the cabin they only find a burned-out foundation. Following the path in the woods a little farther. The stench of the lake hits them before they even get to it. The water is stagnant and black. The trees around the lake rotting. The men start walking around the perimeter of the lake they find a small boat floating off the shore taking a long pole with a hook they pull the boat to shore. There is blood inside of it the forensics team takes a few samples. In the process of pulling the boat out of the water, they pull two bodies tangled up in the rope of the anchor to the surface. The FBI leader decides they are going to dredge the lake and To possibly drain it. Calling for someone to bring in water trucks to pump the lake and hall the waterway. Turning to John and the commander.

" who owns this property?" He asks them

" our niece does now it's been passed down through the family for over 5 generations. The first owner was an Indian medicine man who lived in the burned foundation we passed. My family bought and added the wooded acres attached to the lake when he died over 70 years ago. We left the area alone as he left it. My grandmother was a Native American Cherokee just as the medicine man. He was murdered by an outsider from New York when he became angry over the death of his child according to stories. The man's child brought with him a fever. This fever spread through the mountain. When the medicine man offered to help. The families that refused the help their children died. The families that trusted the medicine man because they trusted my grandmother lived. The medicine man came here because he was related to my grandmother. I believe he may have been her brother. He bought the thirty acres around the lake and built his cabin. To be close to his sister. When he died my grandmother paid the taxes on it so that it could stay in the family. Because he was murdered and his body was burned in the cabin my grandmother never allowed anyone to touch or step foot on the thirty acres. She called it cursed land. So no one from our family until this day has ever walked onto this area. It was said that before he was killed that the lake was clear and clean. That you could fish in the lake that the trees flowered and bore fruit. The outsider supposedly cut this throat and caught his house on fire to burn up his body so no one would know. You can do what is necessary to find out what is here the lake is about 20 ft deep it has a small stream that flows through it. Because of the belief and out of respect Aisling asked the elders for permission to clear and make use of the area. We were going to clean it so that the trees and flowers around it could grow again. Due to the overgrowth, you could no longer see anything of the lake without walking through the thick brush and trees. So we had no real idea about what we were going to find. Aisling has felt very uneasy about this area especially after she found out that Daniel had been living undetected on the property." John didn't want to get into how they were going to do it just that they were going to.

" This is considered a crime scene now so our people will take care of it now we will have it drained and have divers come to see if there are any more bodies and send them for examination. We are also going to request testing of the water for contamination. If it ok with your niece we may be able to have all the brush cleared away for her to help bring in the trucks so that we won't have to lay the hoses as far. We will clear the brush away and cut a path to the lake. Work will start immediately. Today and crews will work around the clock till it's done. I want to be able to drive up to this lake not walk. " he turns to the man beside him to get the health department out here to test the water also to get the area septic companies out here to start the draining of the lake. They want it completely dry if possible to see why it turned black. The three men start to walk back to the house when they hear over the radio that they knocked over the outhouse and looked into the pit. It's not just filled with waste but has what looks like cut-up body parts were thrown into the pit just like at his old house. Also, the pulled up the floor under the cell where they found the children's bodies last time. There is what looks like a cellar or cave under the jailhouse. It has pictures all over it as well. The men head back to talk to Aisling. She needs to know what will be happening. They also need to know what the next step for Inola to cleanse the land and water to free the evil spirits that are there. If what the FBI and police want to do is going to hurt or help what they want to do. Once back at the house they gather in the kitchen to talk about what will be happening. The commander looks at Aisling he wants to tell her everything upfront but is hesitant because he doesn't want her to be scared.

" they found bodies in the Lake, in the outhouse pit and a cellar or cave under the jailhouse. So far they have counted twelve bodies with the possibility of more. The FBI is going to clear the heavy brush and will be cutting some trees on the area to the lake. They also want to drain the lake. They are going to have divers come in but because of how murky the water is they most likely will just drain it. We gave them permission to do it. " he watches her for a reaction to the news. She has a very distant look in her eyes like she is only half listening. She turns to Inola.

" can we still cleanse the ground and area of the evil spirits even if they do that?" Inola nodded yes.

" then it bests that we allow them to do what they need and then we can do what is needed afterward. So since everything has been put on hold that means that auntie He Jin and Astila can come home for now." She gets up as if to say this conversation is done now. She walks upstairs to the attic. Leaving everyone sitting at the table just looking after her.

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