Through a Dark Lens 1:2

This is the second installment of a new project that I'm working on. The premise of the project is simple: the direction of the story is determined by reader votes.

This particular story is a Lovecraftian horror story. David Davis (www.hpkomics.com) is on writing duties, and I'm on illustration. 1:1 is on imgur here: http://imgur.com/gallery/ciFWa

Detective Tetsuya nods to Officer Phillips.

Officer Phillips pulls back the sheet, and you see the charred remains of a skull, or at least what is left of it. The teeth seem to be missing, and there is a severe fracturing around one of the eye-sockets, as though it was shattered. You do recognize Pavel’s cheekbones though. It is him. You see some form of rune scratched into his forehead, chalk-white on the blackened skull.

You begin to cry.

“Oh my god, Dr. Pavel…”

You are now in your office in the museum. It was a former bedroom but is now filled to the brim with book-shelves and filing cabinets. You sit at your desk which is piled high with paperwork. You are staring down at a framed photo in your hands. Detective Tetsuya stands across from you.

Detective Tetsuya speaks as you stare into the photograph.

”We’re unsure what the marking on the skull refers to, but we are going to consult some experts.”

The photograph depicts you, Dr. Pavel, and Ms. Abigail Brennan- the executor of the Harcourt family trust- at a charity dinner. Dr. Pavel looks chipper and he has your hand clasped firmly between his own as he is beaming. Abigail looks distant.

“Ms. Briggs? I need to go. Do you need anything? Do you want me to have an officer pop by in a few hours just to make sure things are okay?”

You look up at Detective Tetsuya and force a smile.

“I should be fine. There is a lot here to be done. I won’t have time to be fearful.”

Detective Tetsuya nods, “Of course. We have the remains. We’ll have some professionals contact you about the rest of the, uh, clean up.”

He pauses, “I wonder if this news might be better served coming from you, rather than me. Did you want to contact the grandson? Sergeant-”

“Mett. Yes, that might be what’s best. I still need to talk to poor Erin as well. I can’t imagine her horror at coming in for work and finding Pavel like that.

As he opens the door to leave, he turns back to you.

“I am not sure what all of this is, Ms. Briggs, but you have my word. I will get to the bottom of this.”

You sit alone in the office now, attempting to absorb the morning’s events. You stare at your cell phone

Your phone rests on a pile of paperwork that you had intended to get through today under normal circumstances, but now it just serves as a reminder of how things will never quite feel normal in the estate again.

You are unsure where to start. It might be prudent to shut down the museum for a few weeks, but you need to contact the Trust. That would mean you need to call Abigail Brennan and inform her of the traumatic events.

Of course, there is also the matter of contacting Dr. Pavel’s only living family, Sergeant Mett. You know little of him and the impression you had from Dr. Pavel was that they were not particularly close.Yet family is family

Then of course is the issue of poor Erin Mera, the good natured maintenance staffer. Surely she could use a friendly ear after having stumbled onto the body this morning. Perhaps you could benefit more from a sympathetic face right away as well.

After all, it is going to be a long road ahead.

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Who will you contact first?
A// The affairs of the museum need to be handled immediately. Abigail needs to make a motion to the trustees to shut down the estate for a few weeks.

B// You need to call Sergeant Alec Mett and allow him to begin the funeral arrangements. It might be awkward but it needs to be taken care of.

C// Erin Mera needs to be comforted at a time like this. It has been a horrid day and you both could benefit from some clear air.

You can vote by commenting on Imgur, or on our site (http://pollcomics.com/through-a-dark-lens--vote.html).