Sinister Obsession | ONC 2024

1| The Seeker

The urgent vibrations rocking my phone pulls my attention from the bright screen of my TV. The moment my eyes take in the caller ID, they flit back to the flat screen as Breaking News flashes across it in bright red letters.

Samantha can wait.

“Twenty-three year old Ashley Sheppard was found dead inside her home at Coral Bluff around six o'clock last night,” the graying reporter states with a grim face.

The heady tingle of excitement mixed with fear surges through my body and I shoot out from under the blanket. My device clatters to the ground by my feet but I think nothing of it as the reporter continues.

“The cause of death appears to be extreme strangulation, but the investigation is still ongoing. Authorities have reason to believe this murder is connected with the homicide in Pinecrest, and are further investigating this possibility.”

Not only do I think the two are associated, I know they are. In just a matter of time, one of the news anchors will reveal the victim's report of a stalker, some form of torture, and a truly gruesome death.

Just like Pinecrest.

And Arbor Flats. And Harmony.

The sharp, frantic bark erupting outside rips me from my train of thought. I squeak in distress before collecting myself and making my way to the door.

Vessel, my tri-colored pittie, charges at the edge of the wood fence the moment I step outside. The four-and-a-half foot fence encloses the entire expanse of the yard. Although it offers little in terms of protection, I get a strange sense of comfort knowing it's there.

Vessel's barks turn more high-pitched as he prances for a moment. His hackles rise in a bristle of aggression at a grayish lump hissing in the corner and I scratch my head.

What the fuck?

“Vessel!” I call, raising my voice over his snarling.

He dances side to side and lowers his tone as I stride down the porch steps and towards the chaos. The midday sun casts his shadow along the grass and for a brief moment my eyes flicker to the ominous stretch of woods mere feet from where the fence stops.

Shivers prance up and down my spine. It creeps me the fuck out, but maybe that's why I like it so much.

Once I reach Vessel, his tail wags and his tongue lolls from his frothy mouth as if he's the bestest boy in the whole world.

And he is.

But I have no fucking clue what he's gotten into.

I move in closer, the hissing slowly turning into angry growls. A relieved laugh escapes me as eyes take in the sight of a very pissed off opossum glaring at me with jaws open wide.

It can definitely be worse, and I find myself thanking the heavens it isn't a snake.

Or a murderer.

A small tendril of fear curls through the pit of my stomach.

The truth is, I live some fifteen minutes from the nearest town in a thick patch of woods. It provides the perfect seclusion from the world and allows me to fully focus on my growing true crime podcast. But if a psycho wants, they can just walk in here and stab a knife in my throat.

The fact a poor soul was taken literally an hour away from my little cabin didn't help.

But I have Vessel. He's my eyes and ears, my guardian. And a downright amazing fur baby. There would be nothing more to fear than enraged opossums and the occasional other varmint.

Or so I hope.

Snapping my fingers, I call Vessel away from the spitting opossum. His large head meets the palm of my hand and my fingers curl to give him a few good scratches.

I look down at his broad face with a smile. “Let's get you inside.”

He bounds ahead of me and up the steps before prancing in front of the door. Happy yips leave him, drawing my smile further.

He wastes no time bolting to the couch and plopping himself down on it. My phone lights up beside him with violent vibrations and he cocks his head to the side.

Oh shit. I completely forgot about Samantha!

Swiping up my phone, I held it to my ear. “Hey, Sam.”

“Finally!” She laughs. “Ten calls and, like, twenty texts later.”

“Yeah, about that. . . .” I trail off with a sheepish scratch of my head. “Between the news and Vessel finding a possum, I forgot about my phone.”

“I figured it had something to do with the news, but Vessel is no surprise. I still can't believe you named him after Sleep Token's main man.”

I shrug even though she can't see it. A huge smile tugs my lips. “What can I say? That band is my obsession.”

“As are murders,” she adds.

I can't disagree. “Guilty.”

“Anyways,” she says with a slight laugh. “I was calling to see if you're still down for lunch? I'm sure with the new murder you're itching to do your research and add it all to your podcast.”

“New murders or not, I wouldn't hold you up,” I protest playfully. “You're my best friend. You're more important.”

I can hear the smile in her voice as she says, “See you in fifteen?”

A smile plays across my lips as I grab my keys. “See you in fifteen.”