𝑬𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻
☠︎︎ 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 ☠︎︎
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𝑮𝑹𝑨𝒀𝑺𝑶𝑵
My mind was shot. I was juggling between the fact I had five bodies in the morgue and a town full of souls going crazy searching for answers. The lines at the station were blowing up and I was still bringing myself to the fact I had to kill someone today.
I was trained for it. I knew I did the right thing. But, my conscious was kicking my ass.
Things like this never happen in my town. Ever.
Jackson had his issues. But, he was never one to be violent...If I weren't in my right mind I wouldn't be able to believe that was really him out there today.
"Sheriff, the medical examiner is on line four," Ben said as he appeared in the doorframe of my office
"Got it, thanks." I nodded before picking up my phone and tapping into the line
"Afternoon, Winston, what do we got?" I asked referring to Jackson's autopsy
"I just received the toxicology report. The results were negative." He informed causing my eyebrows to furrow in disbelief
"Pardon?" I spoke while setting the pen I had recently picked up back down
"There was no alcohol..." Winston began to state before I cut him off with a meaningless chuckle as I said, "I heard what you said, Winston, but that's not right. Jack was-"
"Sheriff. I did the test twice thinking the same as you. Jackson wasn't drunk. There was no alcohol in his bloodstream. As far as everything else concerning the body, I'll keep you posted." Winston concluded
"Okay, Mark, thank you," I said before hanging up the phone and beginning to stare at it still refusing to believe that was so
Something definitely wasn't right.
I then looked down at the police report in front of me for a few seconds before writing down Jackson's blood alcohol level.
0.0
There was an issue deeper than what was currently surfacing and I was going to find out what the hell was driving the Lansrai mad.
I then took a deep breath before standing and making my exit from my office going to grab another coffee from our machine.
Carter then walked through the front door of the station making great timing. I needed to ask him about the transfer.
"Hey, Car, were you able to notify Sergeant Bowers?" I asked receiving no answer
"Carter?!" I called as I finished pouring my coffee and finally looked over noticing what had taken his attention
He looked straight ahead with a piercing gaze on Kyle seeing him in the cell still in the same position we placed him in five hours ago.
Same manic gaze and the same low snarl.
"Yeah, rangers should be here tomorrow around noon. How long has he been playing statue?" Carter asked before looking over at me
"Ever since you left to keep a close eye on the carnival..." I said before taking a sip of the warm coffee
"Same goddamn look Jackson gave me. The same goddamn look." I then said causing Carter to shake his head and walk over into his office before I heard the front door open
I then turned seeing it was Talia.
"Baby, is everything alright?" She asked as she rushed over
I then sat down my coffee and hugged her immediately so she'd calm down a bit.
"Yes, baby, it's just so much shit going on," I replied as I kissed her forehead
"What happened?" She then asked with worried eyes
"Earlier at the game Jackson Cole showed up at the game with a loaded shotgun and then pulled it on me...so I had to do what I had to do," I said as her eyes widened in shock
"Oh, God." She murmured
"It's been a bit stressful but we are trying to figure everything out now. Where's Gracie?"
I didn't want them out alone right now. I didn't know what the hell was going on and for their safety, I needed them to stay at home.
"She's at home," Talia answered
"Good. I need you to go home and you two to stay there. And, if you two need anything or hear anything abnormal call me right then. I may be overreacting but I'd rather be safe than sorry, Okay?" I said as I held her hand
"Okay. What do I tell Gracie about the carnival?" She then asked
"Tell her something at the station came up but we are definitely on for tomorrow," I said promisingly
"Okay, baby, I love you." My wife said softly before pressing a gentle kiss against my lips
"I love you," I replied as I rubbed Talia's knuckles before the station phone began to ring
Carter quickly came around the corner and said, "Hey, Talia." before picking up the phone.
"Sheriff's Department..." Carter answered
"Woah! Slow down. Slow down!" He then urged causing my eyebrow to raise as I began listening in on the conversation
"Alright. We'll be there soon!" Carter informed before hanging up
"Grayson, we've got another body down in Lake Linear," Carter said causing my eyes to harden
"Get Dr. Court on the phone so he can meet with us." I rebutted before placing my hands on Talia's cheeks urging once more, "Go home. And stay there. I love you and keep me posted."
My wife then nodded as I hugged her tightly feeling slightly bad. We haven't even properly been able to celebrate her pregnancy and all I'm doing right now is worrying her.
I don't know how you make up for times like these. But, right now my main priority was my girls' safety.
The murky water fit perfectly with the grim scene that it played a part in.
There was definitely a body, but not just any body. This was military personnel. A pilot to be exact.
The body had been here in the water for a good while hence the person's hideously discolored skin that had now resembled rubber.
This was the most discomposed body I had ever seen, I didn't even know what was worse the smell or the sight of the corpse being blown up being it was now in the later stages of decomposition.
I could tell Carter was getting sicker by the minute. Even, Winston seemed to be grossed out for a moment and he's been a mortician since I was a small kid.
"He's been here about a week by the looks of things. I'll check to see if there's any identification." Winston informed as I covered my nose in slight disgust
"Yeah. Do that." I replied before coughing lowly
I then turned with Carter following me out of the murky waters of the lake and up the hill where the hunters -who were illegally hunting before finding the body and calling the station horrified- were sitting on the back of their truck.
Ducking over the caution tape I then said, "Boys, last I checked, hunting season ended three months back."
"We were just out taking in a little nature. Fresh air is all." Bobby said causing me to chuckle lightly knowing he was lying
They were known hunters around these parts.
"Guns away 'till fall." I declared as I opened the door to Carter's truck
"Aw, come on, Sheriff!" Mikey groaned
"What? Are you kidding me?!" David yelped right after
I just ignored their tantrum. They knew better.
"Well, we got a pilot, where's the plane?!" I said to Carter as I closed the truck door and slipped on my seatbelt
Carter then tapped the steering wheel before turning to face me.
"Y'know, last week Travis Copley was going around saying he heard something crash out by Hoffman Bog. I didn't think nothing of it-" Carter began to state before I cut him off knowing where he was going with this, "On the account of him being full of shit?" I asked
"As a general rule," Carter replied with a slight nod that I mimicked
"Well, maybe this is an exception." I sighed before looking ahead with sharp eyes
"You said it sounded like a plane, Trav?" Carter asked as Travis moved the boat further down the water bed
He had this weird tough attitude with him as he sat behind us navigating the small boat while puffing on a cigarette with the smell slightly burning my nose.
"Sheriff about the reward..." Travis then said as I ignored him keeping my eyes on the water ahead and what looked like a glistening outline beneath
There was no goddamn reward. I never spoke on one he's not getting one unless it's me throwing his ignorant ass in a cell.
Carter then turned slightly to say irritatedly, "Big plane? Little plane? What? Come on, now!"
"Well, if you can explain the difference on how those two sound, I might be able to figure it out!" Travis replied snidely
"You're full of shit!" Carter then snapped as he pointed in his face now pissed off with all the taunting from this man
"He's full of shit!" Carter then said to me as he faced front back next to me
"People only ask for rewards when there's something to find. What's your excuse?" I added dabbling into his bull
"Is it gonna be a big reward, Sheriff?" Travis teased
"Travis. You ask about a reward again I'm going to throw you out of the fucking boat." I sneered before noticing what I thought I'd seen before in the water was not a figment of my imagination.
"You're not gonna shoot me?" He swiftly rebutted causing me to turn and face him
For the sake of him, I ignored his little snarky remark focusing on the bigger picture.
We were right above the plane.
"Travis..." I said lowly causing his gaze to pierce into mine a bit fearfully as he blew more smoke from his lips
"Kill the engine," I demanded leaving him to do so before I turned around and eyed the plane beneath the water from all directions
"It was a big plane, Car." I voiced still looking around
"What makes you say that?" He then asked
"'Cause we are right on top of it," I answered finally standing up and taking a good look at the size of this plane while noticing the white matter spewing from it by the second
"Alright, we need to visit Ernest down at the County Water and Sewer Department. This is going to sound crazy...but I think this plane may be a bigger issue than we thought." I said to Carter
I could tell he was confused. Rightfully, he should be. Maybe, this was far-fetched but it was my job to be sure.
I had possibly broken every traffic law possible on the way back from the Lake, but I had a million things racing through my mind and it was going to start and end with this one question.
"Ernest!" I called as I walked through the front door with Car seeing he was sitting behind the receptionist's desk sipping his coffee. But his eyes quickly darted to meet mine the moment he heard my voice.
"Which way does the water flow through town?" I asked ignoring all the rules of hospitality
I meant nothing by it, but I didn't have time to have a conversation. I needed answers.
"Well, nice to see you too, Grayson." He replied sarcastically still sitting in his chair before noticing I was as serious as a heart attack
"Wastewater or drinking?" He asked as he stood
"Drinking," I answered
"Give me a second," Ernest said before walking to the back leaving me and Carter standing behind the reception
We were both a bit fidgety. Anyone would be if they were in our shoes though. Our town was going haywire it seemed and we had to find a way to calm things down.
"A plane that size goes down and there's nothing in the paper or the news? Make any sense to you?" I asked while impatiently wondering what was taking Ernest so long
"Depends on what the payload is." Carter rebutted
"Exactly what I'm thinking," I replied
"Which is what?" Carter then asked now showing the fact he was a bit more confused than I thought
"Hoffman Bog, what's that drain into?" I asked causing him to quickly answer saying, "Grainy Creek."
"Which drains into?" I asked
"Lake Lanier. Hey, you remember that monster bluegill..." Carter answered before going on to a new topic before I cut him off bringing him back to reality, "Carter, where do you think we get our drinking water from?" I asked just as Ernest reappeared in front of us
"Treated water comes in from the North, breaks East to West," Ernest said confirming my dilemma
"Which house does it get to first?" I then asked causing Ernest to peek at the map for a second before answering with wide eyes, "Kyle Gains."
Well, that's just fucking great.
I had to notify the mayor. The water had to be shut off immediately.
I didn't really know if it was the water for sure. But, I did know it was quite a coincidence that our drinking water had reached the houses of two men who had suddenly gone from two normal beings to crazed maniacs.
"You want to shut down the entire town's water supply on a hunch?" Mayor Adams asked in disbelief
"Mayor, I've got five dead bodies in the morgue in the last 48 hours!" I tried to reason as he shook his hand indicating he wasn't really trying to hear me out
"Grayson! Take a look around you! This is a farming community. It is summer, the height of the growing season. You turn off the water you kill the crops. You kill the crops and you bankrupt every family in Clark County! And that is not based on some hunch! Plus, we have a goddamn carnival running for the next week and a half. The water stays on!" Mayor Adams directed
I just bit my bottom lip in anger. Maybe it was a hunch. But, when there are lives at stake I bet if you'd ask every last one of these families to choose between life or bankruptcy they'd choose life.
Un-fucking-believable.
Walking out of his office I quickly made the drive over to the County water tower with Carter.
He wasn't going to put in the order for the water to be shut down immediately. So, I was.
Taking a deep breath I then cut the chained lock off the fence with my bolt cutters before walking into the once gated area.
"Uh, Gray, you know I'm for a little civil disobedience. But, um...I think this one might cost you, your job." Carter said in a worried tone. I just ignored him as I opened the door to the operation room I then began to twist the lever to cut the water completely.
"You know what, Car? That wouldn't be such a bad thing." I replied as I took the bolt holding the lever in place loose as well before taking the lever off and with me while Carter stood and looked between the operations room and me walking away for a minute or two.
A/N: Hey, loves! How are you guys feeling? Everything is going to hell in a handbasket. I'm not going to say it, but I'm hoping you all are taking in the context clues of what's going to be the cause of this outbreak. What are you all hoping to see between or lovers, their family, or just the outbreak in general?! Remember to vote, comment, share, follow me, and add to your library!! Love yaaa🖤🖤🖤
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: bnanarama ♡︎
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