[Chapter 73: They... They're All Dead.]
At night.
A middle-aged couple sat across from each other at the dinner table, the food untouched before them. The woman gripped her fork tightly, her face twisted with anger. "Why did they let that guy go? Why? He clearly killed Anna."
She shook her head, voice rising in frustration. "He even had the nerve to ask me why I suspected him."
"He ought to be thrown in jail and let those damn ni*gers deal with him. I already contacted lawyer Walter. Tomorrow, I'm going to the police station again to push them to re-arrest that damn 'exorcist'."
The man sitting opposite her looked equally displeased, his expression grim. It was clear the two shared the same mindset, revealing the kind of household they would raise.
It was easy to imagine what kind of children they'd have. Were they headed to Crystal Lake seeking their own demise?
Snap!
Suddenly, the entire house was plunged into darkness.
Even the power went out.
"Even the damn power company is against me. Why?" the woman snapped.
She slammed her fork into the table as her chest heaved with rage.
"It's probably a tripped breaker. I'll check it out."
The man stood up reluctantly. Just then, a plate of food on the table suddenly launched forward.
It hit him square in the face, causing him to stumble back and knock over the chair behind him. He fell hard to the floor.
"Ugh..." he groaned, clutching his waist in pain as the chair pressed sharply into his side.
"Why... why... why..."
His cries were cut off as the woman suddenly lost control.
She let out a wild scream and lunged onto the dining table.
Like an animal, she crawled forward and pounced on the man.
She screamed madly, repeatedly plunging her fork into his neck.
"Why... why won't you die..."
If the lights had been on, anyone would have seen her face -- twisted grotesquely, far from human.
Blood spurted from the man's neck. He fought to stop her, but her strength seemed enhanced by some unseen force. He had no power to resist.
When he tried to shield himself with his hands, his arms quickly became pierced with deep holes.
"Irene, stop! Stop it, what are you doing?" he shouted, blood spilling from his mouth.
But the woman didn't stop. She broke his arm with brutal force and continued stabbing him with the fork.
Just as she was about to kill him, the man jerked suddenly.
He pushed her down onto the floor and fumbled for a dinner knife on the table.
With desperate strength, he stabbed the knife into her neck.
Blood sprayed like a fountain as he pulled the blade out again.
"Ahh..." she shrieked, her mind clearing and fear flooding her eyes.
But the man didn't hesitate.
The knife struck down again and again, carving fresh wounds across her upper body.
She thrashed wildly, tears and snot streaking down her face.
"Stop! Stop! You're going to kill me..." her voice cracked with panic.
But the blade didn't relent. It continued burying itself deeper, each strike sapping her strength.
Slowly, her resistance weakened.
As death approached, the knife finally halted.
The man's body sagged, drained of all strength, and he collapsed beside her.
"Why... why did it... how did it come to this?" she gasped, trembling violently.
"It was... him... it was him..." the man coughed, blood flooding from his mouth.
He thought of the figure -- the one who, when everyone else was helpless, had found their daughter's body.
According to Logan Frick, he was an Exorcist.
Only now did the man realize the foolishness of their actions.
But it was too late.
His strength ebbed fast; he couldn't even lift a finger.
Moments passed, and their breathing ceased.
Their bodies lay soaked in their own blood.
---
The next morning, at Amanda's house.
Daniel and Amanda were eating breakfast. Daniel asked, "How's V for Vendetta coming along?"
Amanda replied, "It's still in the early prep stages. Filming probably won't start for several more months."
Daniel nodded. He knew the Wachowskis were notoriously slow, so that was expected.
He asked again, "Any unusual luck lately?"
Amanda shook her head. "Nothing abnormal."
"Good," Daniel said, feeling relieved.
Amanda added, "Auditions for Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants start in a few days."
"Just give me a call in advance," Daniel replied.
She nodded enthusiastically, growing more confident in him every day.
Ding-ding-ding... Daniel's phone rang. It was Sheriff Ford.
...
"Mr. Cross, those two families are dead," Ford reported.
Daniel feigned confusion, "Which two families?"
"The two who cursed you yesterday -- the ones who accused you of killing their kids."
Daniel's tone was indifferent. "That's truly unfortunate."
Hearing Daniel's calm voice, Ford hesitated. "Where were you last night?"
"I'm at Amanda's," Daniel confirmed.
Ford understood immediately. Since the previous evening, Daniel had been at Amanda's and hadn't left. He had an airtight alibi.
"The 8th Precinct will probably still try to find you. Contact Oscar and be prepared."
"I will," Daniel agreed smoothly.
Ford was right. Moments after they hung up, the 8th Precinct called.
Daniel cooperated fully and said he'd come by later.
...
At 10 a.m., Daniel and Oscar arrived together at the station.
Oscar handled the questioning while Daniel sat back, nursing a cup of coffee. Having your own lawyer made everything easier -- though capable attorneys didn't come cheap. There was a fixed yearly retainer plus extra fees per case. For many, becoming a lawyer was a dream.
Over an hour later, Oscar invited Daniel to sign a release document.
Compared to yesterday, Daniel was completely relaxed.
As they left, Daniel asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"No charge," Oscar replied. "Mr. Douglas will cover my fees."
Daniel nodded, dropping any pretense. "Thanks, Kevin."
---
A woman burst into a study, slamming a newspaper in front of her husband.
The man stared at the headline and froze. "They're... all dead?"
Her face darkened. "Yes. The Baker couple and the Irene couple. Such a violent, tragic end."
"How could this happen? Could it be..."
"Shh," she hushed quickly. "Don't speculate. We don't know anything."
He nodded rapidly. "Right, we know nothing. But I'm glad I listened to you before and didn't go stirring up trouble with that Exorcist."
The man shook his head, sighing. "I've always said their attitude toward minorities is problematic, and now..."
He trailed off, saying no more.
*****
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