Detective Thomas and his assistant Jane arrived in Innsmouth on a chilly autumn evening. Thomas, a hardened yet kind veteran cop, got off the train followed by a short and energetic woman he’s been working with for the past year, Jane, his assistant in training.
The city, once a thriving port town, now appeared to be abandoned, with empty and decaying buildings lining the streets. The few locals they encountered seemed to be avoiding them, quickly ducking into doorways or crossing to the other side of the street when they saw the newcomers approaching. As Inspector Thomas and his assistant, Jane, made their way down the deserted streets of Innsmouth, they couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The sun was setting, bathing the decrepit buildings in a dark orange hue, casting long shadows that seemed to follow their every step. The air was chilly and the wind carried with it a sense of foreboding, as if warning them to turn back.
A black cat suddenly darted past them, startling the two, Jane letting out a surprised yelp. They exchanged a nervous glance before continuing on, their dim street lights illuminating their path. The buildings they passed by looked abandoned, with curtains drawn and windows boarded up. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of their footsteps echoing against the pavement.
As they approached an old motel, the tension in the air only seemed to increase. The sign creaked in the wind, the letters “Innsmouth Motel” barely legible. The two detectives pushed open the door to the dingy lobby of the long-forgotten establishment. The air was musty and the furniture was covered in a thick layer of dust. They made their way to the front desk, the floorboards creaking with every step, the feeling of being watched growing stronger with each passing moment.
As the two of them approached the front desk, they were greeted by an elderly man with a wrinkled face and piercing eyes. He looked up at them with a scowl, as if their presence was an annoyance to him. When they introduced themselves and explained their purpose for being there, the man’s demeanor only grew colder.
“Newcomers are not treated too kindly here,” he said in a raspy voice. “You would do well to turn back while you still can.”
Jane, who was known for her feisty spirit, replied rather defensively. “It’s our job to investigate the strange occurrences in this town. We’re not going anywhere until we get to the bottom of this.” Thomas however remained wary.
As they made their way to their room on the 1st floor of the Motel, the old man called out after them, warning them to keep the windows closed at all times and to ignore anyone who may try to talk to them from outside. The detectives exchanged a worried glance, but they knew they had to see this investigation through to the end, and that the man was likely just trying to scare them. As they walked into the room, the sound of the wind howling outside, and the feeling of being watched has dissipated.
The small motel room was just as neglected as the rest of the building. The two single beds were positioned against opposite walls, covered in thin, threadbare blankets. The heavy black curtains covering the windows were so thick that no light could penetrate, giving the room a suffocating atmosphere.
As Thomas flicked on the light switch, the bulb flickered, casting a dim and eerie glow across the room. Shadows danced along the walls, making it seem as though something was moving in the corner of the detectives’ eyes.
The furniture was old and worn, with chipped paint and deep scratches marring the surface. There was a small table and two chairs sat in the center of the room, and a small bathroom was tucked away in the corner.
Despite the unsettling atmosphere, the detectives had no other choice but to settle in and try to get some sleep. But as they lay in their beds, they couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The creaks of the old building and the strange noises coming from outside only added to the unsettling feeling, making it a long and restless night for the two detectives. As they were both on the cusp of falling asleep, they heard rhythmic chanting far away in the distance outside their window, but due to the exhaustion the two felt after traveling so far into the middle of nowhere they dismissed it as some explainable occurrence and both nodded off, falling beyond the wall of sleep…