youtube writing prompts

you're investigating the biggest crime scene in a century: his bloody return

This work is inspired by a YouTube video posted by oliviaalee, posted December 30, 2020.

TW: Blood, slight animal gore. Please read at your own discretion.

-Ω-

You lifted up the yellow tape, ducking past the line of policemen and yellow tape surrounding the block. The buildings surrounding the plaza were painted red and blue of the flashing police cars, the occasional siren wailing nearby. Civilians were pointing and staring openly, pressing against the wall of policemen as they tried to catch a better glimpse of what lay behind - the world you had just entered.

You had been told little about the scene, the chief of police telling you in a shaky quaver that he would inform you as soon as you got there. You glimpsed the pins on his coat as you strode toward the group, gathered at a corner of a building that sandwiched a dark alleyway.

"Investigator." the chief sighed in relief as you approached, extending his hand for you to take. It was ice cold. "I'm so glad you're here."

"What's going on?" you asked, shivering as the wind howled, whistling past your ears as if it were screaming. "What happened?"

There was silence as the policemen all shared a glance, first with each other, then at the alleyway only a few feet away.

"Maybe it's better if we show you," the chief began, his face glistening with beads of sweat. He turned towards the alleyway, and you followed, walking briskly next to him as you entered.

The wind blew in your face again, but this time, it carried a metallic scent. Blood. You turned on your flashlight to accompany the chief's, illuminating the narrow alleyway in its beam. You followed its reach to the end, greeted by a wall of brick. It was a dead end.

And then you saw the red.

Splattered all over the walls of the alley, rivulets of blood trickled down - fresh, you realized. In horror, you steeled yourself, leading the light up to the source. You didn't know whether to gag or sigh in relief when you saw the pigs' carcasses, skewered through and hung to bleed from the wall, but a terrified gasp from the chief stopped you in your place.

"Oh, God." he whispered. "That wasn't there before."

You turned towards him, following his gaze upwards. On the higher part of the dead-end was a thick, wooden beam, nearly bone-white and clean in stark contrast to its surrounding blood-red walls. On its end swung a stuffed figure, torso slashed open and stuffing spilling out. You gaped, feeling the blood draining from your face as the dummy swung, a symbol on its back presenting itself in smug pride - a familiar circle with a cross drawn over it.

He was back. And he, whose calling card of a circled cross you had once seen all those years ago on your living room walls, was still here.