Chapter 11.

Echoes of Darkness.

The police station seemed like a safe haven, but the tension in the air was palpable. Iraide and Jared couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched. The girl, safe for the moment, was sleeping in one of the cells, under the protection of the officers. But the threat of the "monster" still weighed on everyone.

This is bigger than we thought, Jared murmured as he looked through the unsolved case files.

We're not just after one kidnapper. We're facing something much darker.

Frowning, Iraide flipped through the old photographs and newspaper clippings. We have to get to the bottom of this. If the Renové Ripper is still active, we don't know how many more his victims may be.

That night, as the rain pounded the station windows, an officer approached, an envelope in his hand. "This just arrived. There's no return address."

Iraide took it cautiously, feeling a chill run down her spine. Inside the envelope was a photograph of Damien Holt, chained and hanging from the ceiling, just as the girl had described. There was also a note written in shaky handwriting:

The monster feeds on fear. Its next prey is already marked.

Jared looked at the note in horror. This isn't just a warning. It's a direct threat.

We have to act quickly. If the monster has already marked its next victim, we don't have much time, Iraide said, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and determination.

They decided to return to the abandoned house under the cover of darkness. The rain continued to fall, turning the path into a treacherous quagmire. Their flashlights barely illuminated the way, and every shadow seemed to take on a life of its own.

¿Are you sure about this? Jared asked, his voice barely a whisper.

We have no other choice. We must find more clues. Iraide replied, her hand gripping the butt of her weapon.

Upon arrival, the abandoned house resembled a skeleton of its former self, with its corroded walls and broken windows. But something was different this time. A heavy, almost oppressive atmosphere enveloped them. It was as if the walls themselves were whispering dark secrets.

As they delved deeper into the basement, a dark figure moved in the corner of their vision. An inhuman whisper echoed in the room. ¿Who's there? Jared shouted, his flashlight moving frantically.

There was no reply, only the echo of his voice off the stone walls. But then, a piercing scream broke the silence. A scream of pure terror. ¡There! Iraide exclaimed, pointing to a half-open hidden door.

The door creaked open, revealing a dark room filled with torture instruments and symbols carved into the walls. The stench of blood and despair was overwhelming. In the center of the room, a hooded figure turned toward them, a crooked smile on its face.

Welcome, the figure said, its voice echoing with an unearthly rumble. It was waiting for them…

Panic gripped Iraide and Jared as they realized they had fallen into a trap. The figure advanced toward them, and with a gesture, the shadows in the room came to life, enveloping them in a darkness that seemed to swallow them up.

This is just the beginning, the figure whispered as everything faded around them.

The fight to unravel Renové’s dark secrets had taken a sinister turn, and Iraide and Jared knew they were dealing with something far more terrifying than they had ever imagined, for the Renové Ripper was standing before them, as was a family with two exhausted-looking young children in animal cages, but the cauldron on a cast iron stove seemed to tell them that they should remember that they have been traditionally used in many cultures for their durability, energy efficiency, and ability to hold heat for long periods of time, and obviously, for cooking heavy meats…