SilverBirch Estate was a typical suburban living area where Rob grew up and forged most of his childhood memories. It was also the place where his father was brutally murdered by the elusive Easter Bunny killer. Rob's uncle, Uche, a retired police detective, lived here, along with his aunt Antonia and cousin Victor.
As Rob stepped off a public bus, thoughts of his uncle resurfaced. 'Why hadn't Uche investigated my father's murder?' Rob pushed aside the lingering question, focusing on the present.
"Grow up, Rob," he scolded himself. 'Uncle Uche was probably busy with something more pressing.' Shaggy, his loyal dog, marched beside him as they walked toward his uncle's house.
The sight of his old house, where his father was killed, caught his attention. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. "Forget it, Rob; that's in the past now," he muttered.
Shaggy's bark broke the silence, and Rob smiled, petting her. "Yes, girl, that's our old house." They continued walking, the familiar scenery unfolding before them.
After a moderate distance, they reached his uncle's house. The daffodil-colored walls and dark-colored roofing looked welcoming. Rob raised his hand to knock, but before his fist made contact with the door, it swung open.
Victor, his cousin and childhood friend, stood in the doorway, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Rob! Long time no see!" Shaggy's excited barks filled the air as Victor petted her.
"Vic, I uh, didn't expect to see you here," Rob said, trying to sound casual.
"Rob, nice to see you again," Victor replied, stepping aside but remaining in the doorway. "What brings you here?"
Rob shrugged. "Just thought I'd drop by."
They stood in awkward silence for a moment before Victor broke it. "So, I heard you've started doing private detective work; how's that working out for you?"
"Oh, um, it's working out pretty well actually; I've rented a decent apartment, and we're holding up pretty well, Shaggy and I.
"That's good. You've heard I'm a cop now right? I'm working on a case, actually. Five students from Birchwood University have gone missing."
Rob's interest piqued. "Missing? What's the situation?"
Victor leaned against the doorframe. "We're still investigating, but it looks like they vanished into thin air. It's a challenge, especially with our small police force. We're stretched thin, but I'm doing my best to cover all bases."
Rob sensed a potential connection to his own investigation. 'Vincent' Rob's mind whispered, recalling his connection to Birchwood University. 'Vincent went to Birchwood University, and there was that teacher... I might get more information on Vincent there,' Rob thought.
"Birchwood University? There's a case I'm working on that is also connected to BU," Rob said.
"Yeah? What's the case?" Victor asked.
'Can't tell him about the supernatural part of the case.'
Rob chose his words carefully. "Jim and Joe asked me to help them solve the mystery of a grave thief."
"Oh, that case? I don't still understand why they wanted to handle it themselves; I mean, I get a lot of us are looking for those missing students, but there are a few free officers, and Birchwood doesn't have a lot of crime, especially in the outskirts," Victor said.
Rob nodded thoughtfully. "I know, but sometimes private investigations yield better results."
Victor nodded. "I might need to pick your brain about that later."
Just then, Aunt Antonia emerged from behind Victor, wearing a vibrant tie-dye outfit casual enough to be worn at home. "Victor, dear, who's at the door?" Her eyes locked onto Rob with a warm smile.
"Oh, Robert, is that you? It's been ages." She reaches over to hug him. "I missed you too, Aunt."
"I hope you're doing well. Are you eating properly? Can you afford food?"
"Yes, I—"
"Do you even have a place to stay? Are you homeless?"
Huh? No, I—"
"Oh my God, you're homeless, aren't you?"
"No, no, I'm not homeless; I'm a private detective now."
"Oh, a detective like your uncle and cousin. All you boys want to be crime fighters."
"It runs in the family. Anyway, I better get going. Bye, Mom; bye, Rob; see you later; text me, and we'll talk about the BU stuff."
"Bye, Vic."
Victor walks to the drive-through, hops into his BMW, and drives off.
"Is Uncle around?"
"Yes, he's watching TV in the small living room upstairs. You're here to see him about what?"
"He might know something about a case I'm working on."
"Honestly, you boys should reconcile. Maybe he'll take you back."
Rob hears the sound of the TV show Uche is watching—Indian soap opera.
Pragia: "I love you; you're the only one in this world I love. Let's be together forever."
Krishna: "Yes, I love you too, Pragia."
Sindora: "Stop right there! Pragia is my only daughter, and I won't let her be with a poor hunter like yourself!"
[Dramatic music starts to play]
[Dramatic sound effect]
[Dramatic sound effect again]
[More dramatic sound effects]
[Unnecessary dramatic sound effects]
[Even more unnecessary dramatic sound effects]
Rob finds his uncle enjoying a plate of Jollof rice as he watches. The man pauses the TV at the sight of Rob.
"Ah, the prodigal child has returned." He speaks in a mix of a Nigerian and American accent.
"Nice to see you too, Uncle."
"Why have you come?"
"I, uh, came to speak with you."
"Hmm, as you can see, I'm enjoying my retirement with a plate of rice and a TV show. Join me to eat, then we talk."
"I should join you."
"Yes, have a seat."
Uche taps on the space beside himself on the couch. Rob reluctantly sits next to his uncle before the man calls for his wife.
"Honey, get Rob a plate of rice, please!"
"Okay, dear!"
'I kind of thought he'd be more pissed to see me.'
Not long after, Antonia walks in with Rob's food.
"Hope you boys are getting along."
Uche doesn't answer.
"I hope so too." Rob responds.
"Let me get back to the laundry."
Antonia excuses herself. Rob and his uncle Uche eat in silence while enjoying the soap opera.
[Dramatic music playing]
Sindora: "Now drop the gun, Krishna, please."
Pragia: "Please, my love, you don't have to do this."
Uncle Shivansh: "Please, boy, put down the gun."
Krishna: "No! No! No! Sindora, what is a life without Pragia? If you won't let me marry Pragia, I'll kill myself!"
[Dramatic sound effect]
[Dramatic sound effect again]
Sindora: "You're not making any sense; you would take your life for my own daughter? No, you must be lying; you only want her for our wealth, you poor hunter."
Uncle Shivansh: "You're not helping, Sindora!"
Krishna: "You dare doubt me? I will pull the trigger now!"
Pragia: "No, my love, don't let this be the end of us. Besides, think about what this will do to me; I couldn't live in a world where you don't exist. The power of love will conquer all; we will be together; just please put down the gun."
Sindora: "Why am I even worried about this poor hunter? Kill yourself! You will never be with my daughter; the power of love is nothing but a fantasy!"
Rob takes the last spoon of rice.
'Were Indian soap operas always this good?'
Later, after they finished eating, Uche brought back the conversation. "Yes, O boy, what is it you came to talk with me about?" Uche picked his teeth as they sat facing each other.
"So, as you know, I'm a private detective now."
Uche nodded. "I heard."
"Uhh, yes, so I'm working on this case about a thief who stole bodies from their graves in Birchwood Cemetery; you might know something about one of the bodies taken."
"Really?"
"The man's name is Vincent Ramirez." Uche's demeanor suddenly changed, showing exasperation.
"Thought I'd never hear that name again; that name's a ghost from my past."
"The case file Captain James gave me says you were the officer who shot him."
"Yes, I killed that occultic murderer." Uche said, his voice firm. "Vincent was a wicked soul; he led a cult that preyed on innocent kids. SoulWhisper, they called it."
"I was hoping you could tell me something about Vincent I might not gain by reading the case file."
"Why bother, he's dead anyway."
"I might find a lead."
Uche paused before responding.
"As you know, he was a cult leader; he was charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder." Memories of past events flooded into his mind.
"The man was slippery, always one step ahead. But I knew he was dirty. Something about him didn't sit right with me. Call it instinct, experience, or just a gut feeling—I knew he was trouble. The cult's activities consisted of kidnapping teenagers and brainwashing them to follow SoulWhisper's beliefs." Uche's demeanor changed to sadness.
"He would often use brainwashed followers as shields so he could escape; this caused ignorant officers to shoot at innocent children. Some of those children died."
"On the night your father died, we found Vincent's hideout—an abandoned building in the Birch forests surrounding Birchwood. There, we found documents and files about demonic rituals."
"What do you mean?"
Uche's voice dropped to a growl. "It may sound crazy, but that boy was into some dark stuff."
'He knows the supernatural exists? Or is he just superstitious?'
"When I touched those papers, I saw visions of a world that wasn't our own."
"What kind of world?"
"A world full of monsters and demons," Uche said.
'Should I tell him about my powers? This might be connected to why monsters suddenly appeared in Birchwood a few years ago. No, I should tell Jasper first.'
"I wanted nothing to do with it. It's best not to poke at something you don't understand. Besides, I already have enough trouble with my village people haunting me." Uche said before taking a brief pause and continuing. "We heard the front door of the hideout open. When we ran out to check, it was Vincent. We chased him through the woods, and while in pursuit, I shot him, and he bled to death. He didn't deserve a judge. That was the end of Vincent Ramirez. When we got back to the station, I was told about your father's death. By that time, it was already too late."
Rob's eyes dropped, his jaw clenched in frustration. He felt a familiar knot in his stomach, a mix of guilt and regret.
"You don't believe me about the demonic documents, do you?" Uche said.
"No, not that, I-"
Uche's gaze locked onto Rob's. "I believe what I saw, boy. What I experienced. You don't mess with forces you don't understand."
Rob's shoulders sagged, his apology tumbling out. "Uncle, I'm sorry about what I did eight years ago. You know, running away from home and disappearing."
Uche's expression hardened.
"Look, boy, I've told you what I know. Now leave me be."
"I'm trying to reconcile here." Rob said, sounding a little frustrated.
"What is this? You already made your decision; you were right back then. I am not your father, and I had no right to raise you in place of him. You wanted independence, so I gave it to you."
"By basically disowning me."
"I am not having this conversation again; I already made my decision. Now leave."
As Uche stood up, Rob noticed the weight of memories bearing down on him. Knowing there was no convincing his uncle, Rob walked downstairs. At the sight of his descent, Shaggy stood up from laying on the rug.
"Bye, Aunty."
"You're leaving already? How did it go with your uncle?"
"How you'd expect"
Antonia came in through the kitchen.
"Don't mind your uncle; he does still care for you."
Rob sighed and walked out of the house with Shaggy.
"Time to get something to eat," Rob said to Shaggy as they walked down the sidewalk.