Shallows Creek: Requiem Of The Guilty

The story you're about to read may be disturbing to others, and may make you question some belief's but I assure you it's one worth telling. Along the dark streets and alleys of the town we call Shallows Creek is where our story begins.

Night had fallen on the town of Shallows Creek the air was still and the sky starless, the streets empty of life, except for the occasional drunkard stumbling along to find some warmth in a hovel. Along the cobblestone road it is dark with only oil lamps to light the way, through the flickering flames a silhouette can be seen of a cloaked figure fliting in and out of sight making it's way down the path only moving through shadows, moving from one house to another. Till it comes to a stop in front of a large manor, the outside of the manor which was overly lavish especially for the area with tacky lawn décor which dotted the yard in the shape of marble statues sculpted in the form of muscular balding men with thin pencil mustaches above their lips, thankfully the sculptor had seen fit to leave out any phalic details, but the works were to say the least an insult to the statue of David. The outside of the manor was painted a sickening purple which made the lawn décor all the more awful in comparison. This was home to Ronald Pembrooke a wealthy. despicable man who cared little for others sat alone in his study. The room was quite dark and the only lights were of his candle he had next to his chair and a fire in the hearth to illuminate the room. Ronald was a portly man whose hair had all but left him, while in his chair he was staring at a sketch of a young women with an unsettling grin across his face.While running his thick, pudgy fingers along the sketch they stopped in the center, in the sketch the women was wearing a silver locket with a bright blue gemstone in the middle of the locket, his fingers lingered their for a moment. Just then the door to his study creaks open, he turns his gaze quickly at the sound of the opening door there in the doorway stood a young women dressed as a maid,

"Ah it is you come on in." Ronald calls to her.

The young women closes the door behind her and shuffles closer to the sitting Ronald.

"You called for me mi lord?" The young maid says in a miserable tone, she knows why he's called for her his wife is gone on a trip and she's alone with this horrible man. Ronald stands up from his chair his girthy belly undulating up and down as he makes his way to her. "I am so very sorry to call upon you so late, but I have a problem that needs attending." he says to her smirking through his repugnant smile.

"Of course sir whatever you need." the young women trying desperately to keep a smile says to Ronald.

"Good to hear that my dear, it seems my belt is oh so tight around my waist would you mind helping me loosen it." as he motions to the leather belt which seems to be straining against his girthy belly.

"Yes sir." the poor maid says as she begrudgingly bends down to unfasten his belt. In her mind she knew what this was about and she wished more then anything to be gone from this place, but he was a powerful man and she was nothing more then a servant. As she laid her hand on his belt she could hear his uneven breathing it was nauseating.

Before she could go any further the sound of footsteps suddenly disturbed them." It must be my wife!" Ronald exclaimed. "I had sent everyone else away for the night you must hide quickly!" he stammered with panic in his voice. The young maid did not need convincing she turned from him and ran to his desk quick as hare, once there she crawled under it to hide from who was approaching. The footsteps begin to grow louder and louder, Ronald quickly started to fix his appearance and scanning the room to make sure the girl had hidden herself well, Relieved that he could no longer see her he turned towards the door. Suddenly the footsteps stopped and the door began to slowly creak open. "Margret I was not expecting you to return so early from your trip." he had already begun to make excuses before the door even had opened fully. "You must quite tir..... who in the devil are you." he shouted as the door had finally been opened all the way and standing in the door way was not his wife but a cloaked figure brandishing a small blood stained blade . As the cloaked figure entered the room it removed it's hood. "Ah Ronald let out a yelp, that face you can't be

leave me alone." he shouts fear overcoming him! Walking into the light of the hearth it's face reveled, It was the face of a young women twisted in agony with a still never moving expression, she had matted white hair with flecks of blood around it's tips, she wore nothing but a dark cloak and a bright silver necklace adorned with a blue gem stone which hung around her neck. The ghastly women began to approach Ronald step by step she grew closer to him, Stay away he cries out trying desperately to escape her, but it is of no use the women is upon him before he can make his escape. "No no please I beg of you spirit leave me be I........." Before he could finish those words a fountain of blood escapes his throat his hands reach to cover the wounds but it is far too late, his eye's rolled back into his skull and with a loud thud he falls to the ground lifeless. The specter stands over his body motionless, it's eyes hollow an unblinking horror. The maid under the desk with her hands over her mouth to stifle her own screams as the ghastly figure approached the desk.

The next day in front of the manor a group of constables surround the manor and outlying streets, on the scene a rather square jawed and well groomed constable can be seen searching the area trying to look busy.

"Constable what do we have here?" a gruff voice shouts out to him making him jump with a start.

The constable knows this voice and wishes he had stayed home for the day, he turns to see a stout man with commanding eyes and a large dark beard his uniform neatly pressed medals adorning his chest.

"Sir Inspector Young sir there seems to have been a murder." the constable bleated out nervously.

The Inspector clenches his fist and brought it down right on the man's head sending his cap flying off.

"I guessed that much why can't you needle dick grunts ever have something useful to say." he shouts at the constable. The constable reeling from the blow tries to steady himself but he is about to say something which may land him in hot water with the inspector. "Well sir it seems a ghost is what done it." the Bryant said trying to steady himself.

"Bryant if you know what is good for you best get out of my sight." at this point the inspectors face is a bright red like a tomato about to burst from sheer stupidity of that comment. Constable Bryant can see it's in his best interest to flee, quickly he gathers himself and his fallen cap and scurries off from the scene.

"God be dammed with these idiots spouting off about spirits that cocksure Lockheart will be here any moment to make fuss over this." Young growls to himself. No sooner had he finished those words a carriage arrived on the scene. Young turned to face it, Of course he would show up now, he muttered to himself.

The carriage stopped, the door opens and the occupant begins to exit the carriage.

Stepping out into the light of the morning sun was a tall, thin man. His dark hair slicked back so far it was almost touching the back of his neck, his face was thin but other then that quite pleasing to look out, a pair of worn spectacles with a strange lens hanging from them sat a top is nose.

"Inspector I am happy to see you well." he calls out to the inspector while walking towards him. Lockheart, Young grumbles as he greets him,

"Why are you here I'm sure you have more important things to do then bother us?" The Inspector says clenching his teeth.

"Oh I disagree." Lockheart replies with a condescending tone.

"According to the reports I have read it would seem this is the third murder this month and I feel they're is a connection here." he said as he adjusted the cuffs to his coat.

"Have the men searched the house yet?"

Young begins to grumble turning different shades of red by the second. "No most of my men are hesitant to enter,

It would seem they are a superstitious lot save just one man."

"A newcomer who just transferred here the other day,

He's a small lad but he seems quite bright." Inspector Young puffing out his chest with a grin on his face.

"Hmm is that so Inspector....... Lockheart pauses it would be a nice change of pace seeing as how most of your men have trouble counting to three." Lockheart smiling ear from ear at this point he loves to ruffle the Inspectors feathers and it seems he has hit his mark this time. What ever bluster the Inspector had is gone and is replaced with defeat.

"Enough talk let's go inside and get this on the way." The Inspectors mood now quite sour as they head up the stairs to the door. Upon entering the manor Lockheart couldn't help but notice the awful décor the walls a rusty red color, the furnishing's made of wood with purple cushions attached to them this man had no taste that was certain.

"What can you tell me of the victim Young?" Lockheart asking trying to get his mind off the horrible surrounding's.

"His name was Ronald Pembrooke an influential individual with deep pockets and strong ties to the church."

Young replies now having calmed down a bit, his face returning to a normal color.

"He was found dead in his study throat slashed from ear to ear." The conversation continued as they climbed the stairs.

"Oh one more thing there was a witness."

This peaked Lockhearts interest. "A witness did she actually see our murderer?"

Inspector young stiffened up. "Well we have yet to get a word out of her it seems she was his maid, we found her under the victims desk curled up in a ball."

"we have tried to ask her what happened but she refuses to speak." Young scratch's his head avoiding eye contact with Lockheart.

As they approached the door to the study an older gentleman who was dressed in butler attire stood in the doorway his eyes sunken in with bags under his eyes it look as if he hadn't slept,

Inspector Young gestures to him this is the man who found the body.

Standing in front of the door of the study the butler greets the inspector and Lockheart.

"So around what time did you find the body?" Lockheart wasting no time with pleasantries.

"Around mid morning sir." The butler is obviously nervous pulling at his collar avoiding eye contact.

"Mid morning?" Lockheart raises an eyebrow at this statement. "That seems quite odd for the head butler to not be by his masters side till mid morning. How is it his death went unnoticed by you for such a long period?" Lockheart now not pulling his punches trying to sweat the butler for answers.

The butler at this point is visibly shaken by Lockhearts questioning. "I do not know sir I was just doing my duties as I normally would and happened upon him." at this point the butler is on the verge of breaking down sweat is now pouring from his every pour. As Lockheart continues to push the butler for information the smell of alcohol is pungent in the air, Are you drunk Lockheart snaps at the now bar smelling butler. "Dear me it smells as if you bathed in ale!" Lockheart holding his nose up at this point in disgust.

"No sir I swear tis not what you think!" This was the final straw with this degenerate Lockheart yells out to Young. "Arrest this fool he's obviously guilty!"

Inspector Young just chuckles. "Arrest him for what having a pint, Get off your high horse and go do your job Doctor." Young dismissing Lockhearts request and shoving him off into the study.

Lockheart was now standing in the study after being shoved through the door by the inspector

as he was about to turn around and give Young a piece of his mind he see's the grizzly scene before him.

In the middle of the room the body of Ronald was laying on his back throat slashed dried blood covering his neck and torso, dried blood now soaked into the wood flooring around the body. Lockheart now in the midst of this scene walked over to Ronald's body and began to inspect it, Staring into the victims eyes he could see that before he died he was in fear of whoever killed him, Ronald's face was twisted in fear his eyes now dull and lifeless, his mouth a gape almost as if he was shouting, the last moments of his life must have been painful and filled with fear. As Lockheart continues to examine the body he hears light footsteps approach from behind.

The footsteps stop just behind Lockheart and then a cheery voice calls out to him.

Hello sir you must be Doctor Lockheart! Lockheart turns head and standing behind him is a young man dressed in constable uniform his uniform looks to be a little big on him but other then that he seems to be well kept.

"Yes I am Doctor Lockheart." he replies now standing face to face with the young constable. The constable captivating emerald eye's which had almost a shine to them, his hair poked out from underneath his cap it was a sandy blonde color, his face almost feminine with his features. The young constable begins to speak again.

"Oh I am so sorry sir I have yet to introduce myself." he takes a step back from Lockheart.

"My name is William Ohlmes I am very excited to meet you sir." he says with a wide smile on his face.

"You are?" Lockheart raises and eyebrow at this he's usually treated as a menace at crime scenes.

Lockheart shakes off the complement, So you are the only constable to enter this room have you found anything of note, Lockheart now curious to see if this William is as bright as Young said he is.

"Well sir I did not wish to disturb the crime scene so I only did a once around the room and found our witness under the victims desk." Ohlmes now pointing to the large hardwood desk at the back of the study.

"Very good so where is our witness now, the Inspector told me she was uncooperative?" Lockheart scanning the room for the witness.

"Under the desk." Ohlmes still pointing at the desk with a blank expression.

"What why is she still under the desk?" Lockheart replies to Ohlmes with surprise in his voice.

"Get her out of there this instant!" Lockheart now growing irritated with lack of sense these constables have.

"She refuses to come out but you are then welcomed to try." Ohlmes says with a smirk on his face.

Lockheart raising his eyebrow at this walks to the desk circling around it to see a young women dressed as a maid curled up into the fetal position.

"Miss will you come out of there I have some question's that I would like for you to answer." Lockheart asks the young maid but receives no reply. Stumped and with poor social skills he is at a lost with no idea on how to handle this situation. As Lockheart goes to turn to Ohlmes and ask him what is going on the young maid stiffens up, she is now staring Lockheart dead into his eyes her eye's wild and manic.

"Are you a spirit as well leave me be!" she howls and kicks at Lockheart tears streaming down her face.

She begins to kick at Lockheart and lands a solid blow to his chest sending him reeling backwards and having him land flat on his rear Lockheart now gasping for air looks to Ohlmes. Ohlmes rushes to his side putting his arms under the now gasping Lockheart the maid crawling towards him clawing at them like a feral beast protecting its lair. Ohlmes now holding Lockheart gives a mighty pull yanking them both out of the range of the hysterical maid.

The maid retreats back into the dark comfort of the desk now muttering to herself about ghosts coming from beyond the grave for vengeance.

Lockheart still in the arms of Ohlmes breaths a sigh of relief before pulling away and standing up they both walk away from the desk. Lockheart looking to Ohlmes for some answers of what just transpired.

"She set you flat on your rear there huh sir?"

Ohlmes chuckles at Lockheart who is still holding his chest.

"She's mad, The crazed women is traumatized beyond repair you could have warned me!"

Lockheart shouts not finding this as amusing as Ohlmes seems to.

"My deepest apologies, but after all I have heard about you I had just assumed you could handle a small maid." Ohlmes trying to hide a smirk from the aggravated Lockheart.

Lockheart now having regained his composure begins to question Ohlmes hoping he was more successful in obtaining information from the witness.

Ohlmes proceeds to inform Lockheart how he sat near the desk and listened to the maids ramblings.

"It seems she believes that a spirit slayed the victim out of revenge." Ohlmes pauses for a moment then begins to speak again.

"I was not able to get her to elaborate on it any further, but I did hear in her manic mumblings a name Maggie."

"Great work I think that's all we will be able to pry from her."

Lockheart impressed by Ohlmes way of gathering information giving him a nod of approval.

"Can you find any documents of visitors and persons with the name Maggie while I do a search of this room?" Lockheart asks Ohlmes.

With a nod of his head agrees, Ohlmes begins to search around the study and the desk while avoiding the manic maid under the desk.