Incarnate
THIS IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF A 911 CALL RECEIVED BY THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE RADIO ROOM ON THE NIGHT OF 10-31-2021, AT 22:37. THE DISPATCHER ON DUTY WAS CPL. RAY, BRANDON (#9954).
DUE TO THE HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL NATURE OF THIS CALL, NOTES AND ADDENDA FROM POLICE ANALYSTS ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE TRANSCRIPT.
THIS TRANSCRIPT IS NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE.
DISPATCHER: 911, what’s your emergency?
CALLER: My- my boyfriend… he’s- he’s trying to kill me.
DISPATCHER: Okay, keep calm. What’s your location?
CALLER: I’m hiding… in the upstairs bathroom.
DISPATCHER: I didn’t catch that, could you repeat please?
CALLER: I said I’m hiding in the upstairs bathroom.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Where are you right now? Your address?
CALLER: I- I don’t know. I’m in this huge old mansion, in Tioga.
DISPATCHER: Tioga?
CALLER: Yes. A big mansion. Victorian era. It looks like Dracula’s castle.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Do you know what street you’re on?
CALLER: Uhh, Atlantic, I think? I don’t know. I know we drove west down Allegheny for awhile to get here. Please send the police.
DISPATCHER: We’re going to, sweetheart. We need to find out where you are first, okay? I have to know where to send the police.
CALLER: Can’t you just ping my phone? H-Hello?
DISPATCHER: I’m here, sweetheart. Had to type up your info so we can get an exigency warrant.
CALLER: A what?
DISPATCHER: The phone company won’t just give us your location on request. We need an exigency warrant so they know you’re in trouble and we need to know where you are right now.
CALLER: Okay. How… how long will that take?
DISPATCHER: Should only be a few minutes. Are you safe in your present location?
CALLER: I- I don’t know. I don’t know where he is right now. The door doesn’t seem very strong.
DISPATCHER: Is the door locked?
CALLER: Yes.
DISPATCHER: Are there any windows you can look out of, to see a street sign or some sort of landmark? Or that you could maybe climb out?
CALLER: No. Please just ping my phone. Please.
DISPATCHER: We’re still trying to contact your phone carrier, honey.
CALLER: Oh God…
DISPATCHER: Just keep calm. It’s okay.
CALLER: It’s not okay. It’s dark and I’m scared.
DISPATCHER: Is your boyfriend armed?
CALLER: Yes. He was chasing me with a knife.
DISPATCHER: Okay. What’s your name, sweetie?
CALLER: Charlotte. Charlotte Keating.
DISPATCHER: Okay, Charlotte, just sit tight for a minute, alright? I’m going to talk to my supervisor and see where we’re at with your phone carrier.
CALLER: Please hurry.
AT 2 MINUTES, 27 SECONDS INTO CALL, CPL. RAY MUTED HIS LINE TO CALLER AND CONTACTED HIS SUPERVISOR, SGT. O'NEILL, MICHAEL.
CALLER REMAINED ON THE LINE, AND CAN BE HEARD BREATHING HEAVILY.
AN UNIDENTIFIED CREAKING SOUND IS AUDIBLE IN BACKGROUND OF CALLER'S LINE.
DISPATCHER: Mike, you got her location yet?
SUPERVISOR: Talking to Verizon now. They’re saying her phone isn’t on.
DISPATCHER: What? That’s impossible. I’ve got her on hold right now.
SUPERVISOR: She’s calling on her cell, right?
DISPATCHER: Yeah, shows up as a cell on the screen. She asked me to ping it herself.
SUPERVISOR: Weird. I’ll tell them to try again.
DISPATCHER: Okay, I’ll tell her that.
SUPERVISOR: I’ll let you know when we get the ping.
AT 2 MINUTES, 53 SECONDS INTO CALL, CPL. RAY UNMUTED HIS LINE AND RESUMED CONTACT WITH CALLER.
DISPATCHER: Okay, Charlotte? They’re having some technical issues on your carrier’s end. Your phone’s not pinging.
CALLER: What? How?
DISPATCHER: I don’t know. They’re going to try again, so just sit tight, okay?
CALLER: Okay. It’s really dark in here.
DISPATCHER: You don’t have any lights on?
CALLER: N-No. They all went out. Even the streetlights.
DISPATCHER: The streetlights are out, too?
CALLER: Yes. They all went out after Tyler… after he screamed.
DISPATCHER: Your boyfriend’s name is Tyler?
CALLER: Mmhmm.
DISPATCHER: You said he screamed. Was he hurt?
CALLER: No. He- it… it wasn’t a scream. It was… it was more like a roar.
DISPATCHER: A roar?
CALLER: Y-Yeah. Like… like a Velociraptor, y’know? Just this really loud, angry roar.
DISPATCHER: Why did he roar?
CALLER: I- I don’t know. We were… well…
DISPATCHER: What?
CALLER: Wait… I hear him. He’s in the hallway…
DISPATCHER: He’s there right now?
CALLER: [whimpering] Yes. Right outside the door. I can hear his footsteps. Oh God…
DISPATCHER: Okay. Be very quiet and listen to me. Don’t answer, just listen. I want you to look around the bathroom, as quietly as you can, and see if there’s anything you can use to defend yourself. Use your phone light. Not the flashlight, just the screen. Alright?
CALLER IS HEARD OPENING DRAWERS, CABINETS. ONE CABINET DOOR OPENS WITH A CREAK, QUICKLY SILENCED, ACCOMPANIED BY CALLER INHALING SHARPLY.
CALLER: T-There’s nothing.
DISPATCHER: Nothing?
CALLER: All the drawers are empty.
DISPATCHER: Keep your voice down.
CALLER: I’m whispering.
AT 5 MINUTES, 43 SECONDS INTO CALL, A MALE VOICE BEGINS SPEAKING IN BACKGROUND OF CALLER'S LINE.
BACKGROUND: [rasping] Charlotte… Charlotte…
DISPATCHER: That’s him?
CALLER: Mmhmm…
BACKGROUND: Charlotte… I know you’re there. I can hear… the echoes of the Earth in your hand. They ring like chimes in my ears.
CALLER: Oh God…
DISPATCHER: Charlotte. Don’t speak.
CALLER: Please just send the police…
DISPATCHER: We’re still trying to get a ping.
CALLER'S LINE IS QUIET FOR 20 SECONDS. ONLY CALLER'S BREATHING IS AUDIBLE.
BACKGROUND: You think you know fear. You… do not realize how little you know of fear. I fear, Charlotte. I have lived in fear of oblivion… for as long as I have breathed. I never understood… [unintelligible]… never could see how people went on living, not knowing what comes when we die. Do we go on? Or do we simply cease with a final, rending scream echoing into the abyss? How do you do it, Charlotte?
CALLER: [barely audible] God… God, please help me…
BACKGROUND: [clipped laughter] He cannot help you, Charlotte. He will do nothing for you. He would not even save himself. Of all the symbols that I [unintelligible] are for this, always. But I have learned… I have studied, and have been taught, by a still mightier force. The answer is pain, Charlotte. Only pain can set my soul free. That is the lesson he teaches. He demands sanctification by blood. The blood of an innocent. That is your whole purpose for being born, Charlotte. To die, by our hand. To die, for our incarnation.
CALLER: I- I need light.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, keep your voice down.
CALLER: I… I’m gonna put my phone light on, so I can see.
DISPATCHER: Is he still outside?
CALLER: Mhmmm…
DISPATCHER: Okay. Hang on. Leave your light off for just a minute. I wanna see where we’re at with the ping, okay?
CALLER: Okay. Okay.
LINE IS QUIET FOR 47 SECONDS. ONLY SOUNDS ARE CALLER'S BREATHING, AND OCCASIONAL CREAKING OF FLOORBOARDS IN BACKGROUND.
DISPATCHER: Mike, where are we with the phone?
SUPERVISOR: Well they got it to ping, finally. Problem is, it gave back six different locations across Tioga. Two of them are on Bailey Street, at uh… 3254. 3254 Bailey. So send first responders there first, I guess.
DISPATCHER: Alright. That’s bizarre.
SUPERVISOR: Yeah.
DISPATCHER: By the way, do me a favor and check for power outages around West Allegheny. She said the power went out right before she called; could narrow down her location.
SUPERVISOR: 10-4, Ray.
CPL. RAY HAILED FIRST RESPONDERS AT 22:45. OFFICER DOHERTY, CALVIN (#6264) AND PARTNER OFFICER CONNELLY, MATTHEW (#8045), ON PATROL OUTSIDE HUNTING PARK, RESPONDED TO CALL AT 22:46.
DISPATCHER: All units, 911 Dispatch. Have a… domestic violence incident, possible 302, at 3254 Bailey. Need officer assistance ASAP.
OFFICER: Dispatch, this is Car 6, we’ll take it.
DISPATCHER: Roger, Car 6. Caller’s a young lady, she’s hiding in a bathroom saying her boyfriend’s trying to kill her. Boyfriend’s name is Tyler. He is behaving erratically; he’s armed with a knife and attacked my caller with it. Consider him armed and dangerous.
OFFICER: 10-4, Dispatch. On our way.
AT 22:47, OFFICERS DOHERTY AND CONNELLY TURNED ON THEIR SIRENS AND PROCEEDED TO 3254 BAILEY.
AFTER DISPATCHING FIRST RESPONDERS, CPL. RAY RETURNED TO CALLER. DEAD AIR FOR 10 SECONDS. CALLER IS HEARD BREATHING, WHILE UNINTELLIGIBLE SPEECH IS AUDIBLE IN BACKGROUND.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, if he’s still out there don’t say anything. They got a ping. Police are on their way right now.
BACKGROUND: Charlotte… You cannot escape us, Charlotte. Tonight, you shall die by the blade. By the right hand of my father. I am… his liegeman. His faithful servant. I wait for you, my dear. Together, we shall bring forth a new world… by my hand, and your blood.
CALLER: [sobbing] I can’t… I can’t do this…
BACKGROUND: [unintelligible]
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, stay with me now.
CALLER: I… I need light. I need a light.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte-
CALLER IS HEARD FUMBLING WITH PHONE, HYPERVENTILATING. SHE GASPS AND BEGINS SCREAMING. DOORKNOB JANGLES LOUDLY. DOOR IS HEARD SLAMMING OPEN, FOLLOWED BY A PIERCING, ANIMALISTIC ROAR OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN.
CALLER IS HEARD SPRINTING DOWN HALLWAY, PANTING AND SCREAMING.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? Charlotte are you there?
CALLER: [inarticulate]
DISPATCHER: What’s going on Charlotte? Charlotte, I need you to talk to me.
CALLER: HE’S CHASING ME! HE’S RIGHT BEHIND ME!
FOR 23 SECONDS, NO WORDS ARE SPOKEN ON EITHER LINE. CALLER IS HEARD CRYING, PANTING HEAVILY. HEAVY FOOTSTEPS FOLLOW IN BACKGROUND, ACCOMPANIED BY UNIDENTIFIED, ANIMALISTIC SQUEALING.
CALLER: NO! GET AWAY FROM ME! LEAVE! ME! ALOOOOOOONE!!!
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? Charlotte are you there? Are you alright?
CALLER: Oh Christ, Oh Christ…
DISPATCHER: Charlotte?
CALLER: I’m okay… I’m okay… He didn’t get me.
DISPATCHER: What the hell happened?
CALLER: I- I put my phone light on, and I looked in the mirror and… oh, God…
DISPATCHER: What? What happened?
CALLER: I- I- I saw myself, my reflection. But it- it was all… wrong. My eyes were… they were gone, and there was blood pouring down my cheeks, and I just… I looked dead.
DISPATCHER: You’re okay though, right? Not cut or anything?
CALLER: Yeah. No. He didn’t cut me. He was trying to but he didn’t. He still has the knife.
DISPATCHER: Where are you now?
CALLER: I-In the library. I locked the door behind me. It’s a heavier door than the bathroom.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Stay there, and stay on the line. I’m going to tell the police to step on it.
CALLER: Okay. I don’t think he knows where I went. I turned a bunch of corners to confuse him. I… I don’t know what I saw, in the mirror…
DISPATCHER: Car 6, need you to pedal to the metal.
OFFICER: We’re about twelve minutes out.
DISPATCHER: Okay, I’ll let her know.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, the police are about twelve minutes away, okay?
CALLER: Okay. I looked around the room. There’s another door leading in here. The lock doesn’t work on that one.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Just stay real quiet. It’s a big house, right?
CALLER: Yeah. It’s an old mansion.
DISPATCHER: So that means he’s got a lot of ground to cover if he wants to find you. Odds are he won’t look there before the police arrive.
CALLER: I hope so.
DISPATCHER: [laughing] I hope so too, sweetie. You’re gonna be okay.
CALLER: He owns it, you know. The mansion. It looks real beat up now, like a haunted castle or something, but he’s trying to repair it. He told me he was starting with the basement, to shore up the foundation.
DISPATCHER: Well, he’ll have a long time to think about what repairs he wants to make while he’s in prison.
CALLER: [laughing] Yeah, yeah I suppose he will… God, this is not how I imagined this night going. He… he invited me over ‘cause I like ghosts, and he said the house is super haunted. It’s been in his family for over a hundred years, so he was going to show me around the place. All the spooky spots. And he did. But then he surprised me, ‘cause he said we were going to do a summoning ritual…
DISPATCHER: What’s that?
CALLER: Like, trying to talk to spirits. I know you probably think it sounds silly.
DISPATCHER: I mean, I don’t know that I believe in ghosts.
CALLER: Well, I do. He set up a whole summoning circle in the dining room. Well, what was the dining room; it’s all empty now. Not even any wallpaper left, just bare wood paneling. He told me how he’d been researching a lot of paranormal stuff. Like, heavy research- he bought a bunch of really old books about it and combed through them- and he said he’d figured out a surefire way to call upon ghosts. And he dared me to summon them with him. ‘Cause it’s Halloween, and the border between the spirit world and ours is supposed to be thinner tonight.
DISPATCHER: Did you? Summon the ghosts, I mean?
CALLER: Well, sort of. At first I kind of tried to shoo him away from the idea, cause it’s… well, bad things can happen, if you don’t do it right. But he was very insistent. Kind of mean about it, honestly. He called me a chicken. I didn’t wanna ruin our date, so I agreed to it. He had a really complex circle laid out. Like, chalk on the floorboards and lit candles and all. I… I didn’t quite recognize the sigil he was using, though.
DISPATCHER: Sigil?
CALLER: Yeah. The chalk pattern on the floor, and the way the candles are arranged. It’s supposed to summon a specific spirit. There’s a lot of different ones, for different types of spirits. It depends on what you want to summon. Troubled ghosts, ghosts of deceased loved ones, angels, demons… I never dabbled in it myself, ‘cause it seemed too risky. If you mess up you might summon the wrong thing. But Tyler had it all set up already, and he really wanted to try it…
DISPATCHER: About when did Tyler start trying to hurt you, then?
CALLER: Right after we started the ritual. Everything went wrong so quickly. He sat down in the center of the circle, which isn’t the normal way to do it. You’re supposed to be outside the circle, and the spirit you’re summoning appears in the circle. But he told me it was a different method he’d learned, from the books. He had a little red bowl in front of him, with water in it. I… I think it was water. And on one side of the bowl he put a really old, fancy-looking knife, and on the other a sprig of nightshade. He sat down cross-legged and put his palms out, and then he shut his eyes and started reciting an incantation… in Latin, I think? It sounded like Latin at first, but then it just became gibberish, and then he stopped talking entirely. The whole time I felt like the room was getting colder, so I buttoned up my jacket, and when I looked back at him, something… something was wrong. His neck… the veins looked like they were bulging out, and his skin looked… I- I don’t even know, it looked like it was changing color. Then he… he just leaned his head back and roared at the ceiling. It hurt my ears, it was so loud. And then the lights went out, all at once. The candles blew out. The chandelier bulbs in the other room burst… even the streetlights outside winked off. It was pitch black. I was kind of frozen for a second, then I fumbled for my phone and thank God that still worked.
DISPATCHER: What happened then?
CALLER: Well, I pointed the flashlight at Tyler. He just stared at the ceiling for awhile, breathing really heavily. When he tilted his head back normal and opened his eyes he had this… this look. He didn’t look like himself, I guess. I… I could just tell he wasn’t all there. Kind of like if you’re ever seen someone with dementia, I guess? But this was worse. More sinister. He looked… he looked wrong. And then he smiled, and again it just… it didn’t look right. It didn’t look like him, like Tyler’s smile. It looked like… like if a shark dressed up as Tyler. I know it might’ve just been the lighting, but everything about him seemed darker. His gums and his eyes… they looked black, like ink. I asked him if he was okay, and he just looked around for a minute, like he didn’t hear me. Then he reached out and grabbed the nightshade and sniffed it, and I asked again if he was okay because he was acting so weird… I-I told him he was scaring me. And he just looked at me and grabbed the knife and roared again. Then… then he lunged at me, with the knife…
CALLER'S BREATH HITCHES. IN BACKGROUND, A WAILING SCREAM IS HEARD, ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD, RAPID FOOTSTEPS.
DISPATCHER: You okay, Charlotte?
CALLER: Yeah. Yeah. He just ran down the hallway.
DISPATCHER: Sounds like Dawn of the Dead in there.
CALLER: It kind of is… how far away are the police?
DISPATCHER: Let me find out.
DISPATCHER: Car 6, what’s your location?
OFFICER: Dispatch, we’re about five minutes away, turning onto Tioga now. If she opens a window she might hear our sirens.
DISPATCHER: 10-4, I’ll let her know.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, the police are five minutes away. If you’re near a window you might be able to hear their sirens. Charlotte, are you there? Charlotte?
BACKGROUND: [white noise]
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, can you hear me? […] Hello?
ADDENDUM 1: AT THIS POINT- STARTING AT 22:58- THE CALL BECOMES QUITE JUMBLED. FOR 15 SECONDS THE LINE IS OPEN, BUT SILENT. CPL. RAY LATER DESCRIBED SENSING THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE LISTENING ON THE OTHER END, THOUGH HE STATES FORCEFULLY THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS NOT HIS CALLER. HE FURTHER STATES THAT HIS QUESTION "HELLO?" WAS DIRECTED AT THIS THIRD PARTY.
AFTER 15 SECONDS, THE LINE ERUPTED WITH A LOUD NOISE, CALCULATED TO BE 135dB. THE SOUND WAS DESCRIBED BY ANALYSTS AS A MIXTURE OF HISSING ELECTRIC STATIC, A FIGHTER JET ENGINE, AN ALARM KLAXON, AND A WOMAN SCREAMING IN PAIN. SURPRISED AND HURT BY THE NOISE, CPL. RAY REMOVED HIS HEADSET, BEFORE HASTILY PUTTING IT BACK ON. HE THEN DESCRIBED HEARING A SUCCESSION OF SOUNDS.
THE FIRST SOUND, A YOUNG WOMAN WEEPING QUIETLY, LASTED APPROXIMATELY TEN SECONDS. THIS EARNED A RESPONSE FROM CPL. RAY.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? Are you alright?
ADDENDUM 2: UPON THIS QUERY, THE WEEPING IMMEDIATELY CHANGED TO THE SOUNDS OF MANY SNAKES HISSING SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS LASTED APPROXIMATELY 6 SECONDS, BEFORE ABRUPTLY CHANGING TO A BABY CRYING.
SUBSEQUENT SOUNDS ARE LISTED IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER, EACH LASTING APPROXIMATELY 6 SECONDS BEFORE ABRUPTLY SWITCHING TO A NEW SOUND: A HORSE BRAYING IN FEAR, A REVVING CAR ENGINE, A LONELY BIRD CALL ECHOING IN A FOREST, A MAN COUGHING VIOLENTLY, INDECIPHERABLE WHISPERS FROM AT LEAST FOUR INDIVIDUALS, A PIG SQUEALING IN PAIN, AND A CLIPPED RADIO TRANSMISSION LATER IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE BLACKBOX RECORDING FROM ATLANTIC AIRLINES FLIGHT 187, WHICH SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC COMPRESSOR STALL AND CRASHED EN ROUTE TO MADRID, WITH NO SURVIVORS.
CPL. RAY BECAME INCREASINGLY UNNERVED BY THIS SERIES OF SOUNDS, AND BEGAN TRYING TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH CALLER. CPL. RAY INSISTS THAT HE IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD HIS CALLER WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SERIES OF SOUNDS, AS PART OF SOME CRUEL PRANK. HE STATES HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW HE KNEW THIS.
AFTER ATTEMPTING TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH CALLER, AN UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOICE, HEREAFTER REFERRED TO AS 'THIRD SPEAKER', ADDRESSED CPL. RAY DIRECTLY.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, if you can hear me I need you to speak to me right now.
THIRD SPEAKER: She is no longer yours to save.
DISPATCHER: Who is this?
THIRD SPEAKER: I am that will be. I am the unborn Prince.
DISPATCHER: Sir, you are interfering with an active 911 dispatch call and need to hang up immediately.
THIRD SPEAKER: [laughter] You know not the forces with which you now reckon, Brandon Ray.
DISPATCHER: How did you…?
THIRD SPEAKER: She is no longer yours to save. Not all the knights of all the castles can spare her now. Her sweetwater blood shall be the fount of my incarnation. It is her destiny. And yours.
DISPATCHER: Who are you?
THIRD SPEAKER: None shall ever know the truth of this night. None shall even remember she ever breathed… without the eyes to see it, or the ears to hear it, or the tongue to speak it…
DISPATCHER: What do you want?
ADDENDUM 3: IMMEDIATELY UPON ASKING THIS QUESTION, CALLER'S LINE CHANGED TO A RAGGED, AGONIZED FEMALE SCREAM. CPL. RAY DESCRIBED THE SCREAM AS "LIKE A WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE OF BEING MURDERED" AND STATES THAT HE IMMEDIATELY, INTUITIVELY KNEW IT WAS HIS ORIGINAL CALLER SCREAMING. THE SCREAM LASTED FOR 33 SECONDS, CHANGING IN PITCH AND INTENSITY WHILE CPL. RAY FRANTICALLY ATTEMPTED TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH CALLER.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? Charlotte, talk to me. CHARLOTTE!
CALLER: Yeah, yeah. I’m here. Sorry. I put the phone down so I wouldn’t hang up accidentally.
DISPATCHER: Oh thank Christ.
CALLER: I’m sorry.
DISPATCHER: It’s okay. Just, ah, just was a bit worried when you didn’t pick up at first.
CALLER: I’m really sorry.
DISPATCHER: It’s okay. It really is. I’m glad you’re alright. I… uh, just wanted to let you know the police are about… ah, three minutes away. If you go to the window you might be able to hear them.
CALLER: Okay. I’ll go look now.
[…]
CALLER: I don’t see them yet but I can hear the sirens.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Good. Just stay right where you are and they’ll be there soon.
CALLER: You know, when I put the phone down I looked at some of the books in here… he’s got some scary ones.
DISPATCHER: What do you mean?
CALLER: Well there’s only a few books. Just one shelf, and it’s only half full. Half of it is really occult stuff… stuff about demons and witchcraft and stuff like that. They’re all really, really old, too- some of them were printed in the 1700s. The pages are so brittle. He’s got The Lesser Key of Solomon, the Cytherix, The Book of Abra- uh, Abramelin, The Seal of Jannes, The Tome of Balak, The Grand Grimoire…
DISPATCHER: Pretty spooky.
CALLER: Yeah. But the other books are all heavy duty chemistry stuff. About how to assemble lab equipment, and mix chemicals safely. I don’t get it. He’s majoring in cardiology.
DISPATCHER: Well, maybe he’s doing some moonlighting for DuPont to pay off his student loans.
CALLER: [laughter] Maybe. God. Thank you. I needed that.
DISPATCHER: No problem, kid.
CALLER: The thing is, I found the sigil. The one that Tyler drew on the floor. Just happened to open one of the books to that page… it was in the Cytherix. It’s not supposed to call on ghosts. It’s… it’s to summon demons. One specific demon.
DISPATCHER: Huh. Which one?
CALLER: I- I don’t want to say its name.
DISPATCHER: Why not?
CALLER: Because… I just… I don’t know. I feel like something bad will happen if I say it.
DISPATCHER: Well, don’t say it then. [clears throat] Are you still safe where you’re at?
CALLER: I think so. I… wait.
DISPATCHER: What?
CALLER: The sirens. They’re coming up the street!
DISPATCHER: Awesome. That’s awesome. Stay on the line with me until the police come to you, okay?
CALLER: I’m gonna go over to the window.
DISPATCHER: Sounds good. If you can open it, try to wave to them so they know exactly where you are in the building.
CALLER: [in background] Hey! Hey, over here! No, no! Over here! Hey! No! Come back! Where are you going? Come back!
[…]
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, what’s going on? Charlotte?
CALLER: T-They didn’t stop.
DISPATCHER: What?
CALLER: They drove right past me! I was waving out the window and they just kept driving!
DISPATCHER: Hang on, I’ll tell them to turn around.
DISPATCHER: Car 6, where are you right now?
OFFICER: Dispatch, we’re still on Tioga, turning north onto Crowell Street now. About a minute and a half out.
DISPATCHER: My caller’s saying a squad car just drove by her, sirens on, and didn’t stop.
OFFICER: Wasn’t us, Dispatch. We’re not there yet.
DISPATCHER: What the hell… are there any other cars in the area?
OFFICER: No, just us.
DISPATCHER: Alright. I’ll tell her.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, I just talked to the officers, they said they’re still a minute away from your location.
CALLER: B-But they just drove past! You-You’ve gotta tell them to turn ba-
CALLER IS SUDDENLY CUT OFF. THE LINE IS OVERWHELMED BY SOUND OF LOUD, FORCEFUL BANGING AND WOOD SPLINTERING. A GUTTURAL ROAR IS HEARD. CALLER SCREAMS.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte?
CALLER: HE’S BREAKING DOWN THE DOOR!
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, get out of there! Get out now!
CALLER: FUCK! FUCK! FUUUUUCK!
BACKGROUND: THE TIME HAS COME, CHARLOTTE, FOR THE DOE TO BE QUARTERED! FOR THE WING TO BE CLIPPED FROM THE BIRD! AND FOR YOUR BLOOD! TO! FLOW!
FOR 57 SECONDS NO WORDS ARE SPOKEN ON EITHER LINE. CALLER IS HEARD HYPERVENTILATING. CALLER SEEMS TO DROP HER PHONE, SWEARS AND FUMBLES TRYING TO PICK IT UP. DOOR SLAMS AND CALLER SCREAMS AGAIN. AN APPARENT SCUFFLE ENSUES.
BACKGROUND: NO FORCE UNDER HEAVEN CAN STOP WHAT IS COMING FOR YOU! LET THE BLADE PURIFY YOUR SOUL!
CALLER: NO!
CALLER IS HEARD FALLING TO FLOOR, AND A SERIES OF THREE "THUNKS" ARE HEARD, INTERPRETED AS A KNIFE BEING STABBED INTO HARDWOOD FLOOR. CALLER'S SCREAMS ARE SUDDENLY MUFFLED, FOLLOWED BY A MALE VOICE SCREAMING IN PAIN. CALLER GASPS, SCRAMBLES BACK TO HER FEET. DOOR SLAMS OPEN. CALLER IS THEN HEARD SPRINTING DOWN HALLWAY, HYPERVENTILATING. HEAVY FOOTSTEPS FOLLOW IN BACKGROUND, ACCOMPANIED BY FURTHER ANIMALISTIC ROARS.
BACKGROUND: I’M GOING TO DIE! I’M GOING TO DIE TONIGHT! HE’S GOING TO KILL ME IF I DON’T KILL YOU! GET BACK HERE CHARLOTTE!
CALLER: FUCK OFF!
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, just run. Just run.
CALLER CONTINUES RUNNING. AFTER 12 SECONDS SHE IS HEARD PANTING, SOBBING. JANGLING OF DOORKNOB HEARD IN BACKGROUND. ANIMALISTIC SNARL IS THEN HEARD, FOLLOWED BY CALLER GASPING. THERE IS A LOUD CRASH CONSISTENT WITH SMASHING FURNITURE.
CALLER: WHAT THE FUCK?
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, what’s going on?
CALLER DOES NOT RESPOND TO HAIL. A SERIES OF DOORS IS HEARD SLAMMING SEQUENTIALLY, AS CALLER CONTINUES RUNNING. ONE DOOR CLOSES MUCH QUIETER THAN THE OTHERS, THEN ALL IS SILENT SAVE FOR CALLER WEEPING.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? Charlotte are you there? Are you alright?
CALLER: N-No… he-h-he cut me…
DISPATCHER: He cut you?
CALLER: [whimpering] Mmhmmm…
DISPATCHER: Where did he cut you?
CALLER: M-My arm. He slashed my arm.
DISPATCHER: Is the cut deep?
CALLER: N-No, but it’s-it’s b-bleeding a lot.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Hold on. I’m going to tell them to send medical too.
DISPATCHER: Fireboard, this is PPRR.
FIREBOARD: Go ahead, PPRR.
DISPATCHER: Gonna need EMS at 3254 Bailey. Caller’s sustained a stab wound from a kitchen knife, consider this urgent.
FIREBOARD: 10-4. Sending out an ambulance now.
DISPATCHER: Great. Pair the ambulance up with Car 6, they’re already en route.
FIREBOARD: Roger.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, are you there?
CALLER: Mhhmmm.
DISPATCHER: Where are you now, honey?
CALLER: I’m… in a closet… on the ground floor… God, I was almost out of here…
DISPATCHER: What happened?
CALLER: H-He threw a goddamn china cabinet at me! I was right at the front door and-and h-he just picked it up and threw it, the whole cabinet, l-like it was a paperweight!
DISPATCHER: Keep your voice down.
CALLER: I’m sorry… I just… I was so close…
DISPATCHER: It’s okay. The police are almost there. You said he cut your arm?
CALLER: My left arm. He slashed me. He came in right when I was t-trying to open the other door, to get out. He threw me to the floor and- and he started stabbing at my head, but I- I was thrashing around so much he couldn’t get me. He put his hand over my mouth, to hold me still, and I bit him.
DISPATCHER: Good show, kid.
CALLER: Thanks. I- I got loose but when I was running away he slashed my arm… I’m bleeding pretty bad…
DISPATCHER: Okay. We’re sending medical too.
CALLER: When?
DISPATCHER: They’re on their way right now. You just need to sit tight for a few more minutes. Are there any clothes in the closet? Jackets? Scarves?
CALLER: Yes.
DISPATCHER: Okay. I want you to look for a scarf. We need to tie up that cut until the ambulance gets there.
CALLER: What about a sleeve? I’m wearing a cardigan… I could tear one of the sleeves off.
DISPATCHER: No, no, it might be too loud. Could alert him.
CALLER: Okay.
[…]
CALLER: I found a scarf. How tight should I make it?
DISPATCHER: Tight as you can. We need to stop the bleeding.
CALLER: Okay.
DISPATCHER: I heard a lot of doors slamming back there.
CALLER: Yeah. I was running down a hallway and slammed a bunch of them. To try to confuse him.
DISPATCHER: Good thinking. That was smart. You didn’t slam the closet door, did you?
CALLER: No. Hang on, I’m gonna put you down so I can tie this.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Don’t hang up now.
[…]
DISPATCHER: Got it?
CALLER: Tight as I can. My arm feels tingly.
DISPATCHER: Good. That’s good. That means it’s tight enough. Oh… hang on, Charlotte. I got the police on the line. Don’t hang up.
CALLER: Okay…
DISPATCHER: Go ahead, Car 6.
OFFICER: Dispatch, we’re at the address you gave us… there’s nothing wrong here.
DISPATCHER: What?
OFFICER: We knocked on the door and interrupted a family movie night.
DISPATCHER: Oh, Christ. We sent you to the wrong address…
OFFICER: What do you want us to do, Dispatch?
DISPATCHER: Alright. Alright. She said you drove by her. Tell me the exact route you took to get there.
OFFICER: Well, we were at Hunting Park when we responded to your call. Drove down Broad, turned onto West Erie… down 17th, then we turned west onto Tioga… north on Crowell, down Hunting Park Ave, south down 29th, then east onto Allegheny until we got to Bailey.
DISPATCHER: Alright. I want you to start retracing that exact route. I’m gonna take a look at the phone pings.
OFFICER: Roger, Dispatch.
DISPATCHER: Mike, I need to know every location where my caller’s phone pinged. It was the wrong fucking address.
SUPERVISOR: Christ.
DISPATCHER: I’m gonna have our guys retrace their steps. She said they passed her on their way to Bailey, when they were still on Tioga.
SUPERVISOR: Alright, I’ll read ‘em off to you.
DISPATCHER: Shoot.
SUPERVISOR: Alright, I’ve got 2600 West Westmoreland, 2217 West Venango, 3418 West Estaugh, and 2138 West Ontario.
DISPATCHER: Shit. It doesn’t make sense…
SUPERVISOR: I’ll get the phone company, try another ping.
DISPATCHER: Okay. I’ll tell them 2600 Westmoreland first in the meantime.
SUPERVISOR: 10-4.
DISPATCHER: Car 6, I need you to head to 2600 West Westmoreland ASAP.
OFFICER: 10-4, Dispatch, on our way.
DISPATCHER: Be advised, caller’s been slashed with a knife. EMS will be joining you shortly. I’m redirecting them to follow your lead.
OFFICER: 10-4.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, are you there?
CALLER: Yeah.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, there’s… there’s been a mistake. It’s going to take a little bit longer for the police to get there.
CALLER: What?
DISPATCHER: When your phone pinged, it gave back the wrong address.
CALLER: How- how did that happen? How- you, you guys are still coming, right?
DISPATCHER: Yes. Yes, we’re still coming, sweetheart. It’s just going to take a few more minutes, that’s all. Listen to me- is there anything in the closet you can use to defend yourself?
CALLER: N-No.
DISPATCHER: Look around for me, okay?
CALLER: O-Okay…
[…]
CALLER: I… I found an umbrella.
DISPATCHER: That’s great. Now Charlotte, I need you to listen closely. You might have to fight him again if he finds you before the police get there.
CALLER: But you said they’re…
DISPATCHER: They are on their way. I swear to you, they’re coming. But you might need to fight. Now listen. Do you play any sports?
CALLER: I-I took fencing in high school.
DISPATCHER: Fuckin’ A, kid. My daughter does too. Now, you’re going to use that umbrella just like a fencing sword. You’re in an enclosed space, so you’ll be en garde, but your flanks are perfectly secure. With me so far?
CALLER: Jesus.
DISPATCHER: Calm down. Settle your breathing. You’re gonna be fine. How tall are you, Charlotte?
CALLER: Five foot five.
DISPATCHER: And how tall’s Tyler?
CALLER: He’s six-three.
DISPATCHER: Okay. You can hold him off. It’ll be tough, but you can hold him. Keep him out of the closet, and you’ll be fine. You have the edge right now.
CALLER: I do?
DISPATCHER: Yes. You do. Your flanks are secure and your first thrust will be a total surprise. He thought he had you. He thought he was a B-movie monster chasing some helpless girl around a haunted house. Didn’t know he was walking headfirst into an expert umbrella fencer. He’s had you on the back foot all night, but you’re gonna be ready for him this time. He’s also completely zooted on something, which is another point in your favor. You’re fully cognizant, and he isn’t.
CALLER: Is this your idea of a pep-talk?
DISPATCHER: Trying to get you to calm down.
CALLER: Sorry. I’m really scared.
DISPATCHER: It’s okay. You have every reason to be.
CALLER: What the fuck should I do? What do you want me to do?
DISPATCHER: If he comes through that door, I want you to beat his ass with the umbrella.
CALLER: Okay. How far away are the police?
DISPATCHER: They’re only a few blocks away. Now, as quietly as you can, I want you to barricade the door.
CALLER: It won’t matter. The door swings out.
DISPATCHER: It’ll slow him down if he tries to get in.
CALLER: Okay.
A GRATING SOUND IS HEARD ON CALLER'S LINE.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, quiet down a little. I can hear you moving the boxes.
CALLER: Sorry.
DISPATCHER: You don’t have to apologize.
CALLER: They’re heavy.
DISPATCHER: Don’t hurt yourself now.
CALLER: Okay.
CALLER'S LINE IS SILENT FOR 60 SECONDS, INTERRUPTED ONLY BY SOUND OF BOXES SCRAPING, CALLER GRUNTING.
CALLER: Okay. I moved the boxes.
DISPATCHER: Is the door barricaded?
CALLER: Best I could.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Great. Now, what I want you to do is-
CALLER: There’s another door.
DISPATCHER: What?
CALLER: There’s a trapdoor in here. It was behind the boxes.
DISPATCHER: Huh. Interesting.
CALLER: I’m going to see if it’s unlocked.
DISPATCHER: Careful. If it opens it might creak.
CALLER: It’s not locked. I- I think it’s been opened recently. There’s no dust on it and the hinges are oiled.
DISPATCHER: Can you see where it leads?
CALLER: Let me put my flashlight on.
DISPATCHER: Careful.
CALLER: Don’t worry; the boxes are covering the door frame.
[…]
CALLER: It’s a staircase.
DISPATCHER: Like a ladder?
CALLER: No. A stone stairwell. It curves off, I can’t see the bottom.
DISPATCHER: What are you thinking?
CALLER: I’m thinking of going down there.
DISPATCHER: I’m going to advise that you don’t.
CALLER: Why not?
DISPATCHER: For one, you might lose reception. The police are just a few minutes away, and until they get there we want you to stay on the line.
CALLER: They’ve been a few minutes away, for half an hour!
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, we’re-
CALLER: You guys drove right by here! You went to the wrong address! It’s gotta be safer down there than up here, with him right outside!
DISPATCHER: Calm down, keep your voice down […] Alright. You have to do whatever you think is safest.
CALLER: I’m just going to go down a little bit. If I start to lose reception I’ll come right back up.
DISPATCHER: Okay. Sounds good.
AT 23:18, CALLER IS HEARD BREATHING, AT ONE POINT WINCES, MUTTERS ABOUT SPLINTERS. RECEPTION IS LOST AFTER THIS.
DISPATCHER: Car 6, what’s your location?
OFFICER: We just left Westmoreland… nothing happening there either, just some oldhead watching the game.
DISPATCHER: Alright. Alright. She said she was in a mansion, a big, old mansion. Did you guys drive by anything like that on your way to Bailey?
OFFICER: Yeah. A big old place on Tioga. Hard to see cause the streetlights were all out. Looked like Dracula’s castle.
DISPATCHER: That’s exactly what she said! Get over there straight away!
OFFICER: 10-4, Dispatch.
SUPERVISOR: Ray, we got another ping- 2224 West Tioga.
DISPATCHER: Fuckin’ A man. Already have first responders en route, I’ll tell them it’s a definite now.
SUPERVISOR: 10-4.
DISPATCHER: Car 6, we’ve got a ping from Dracula’s castle- 2224 West Tioga. Pedal to the medal and get your asses over there!
OFFICER: Roger, Dispatch, about three minutes out.
AT 23:25, A NEW CALL REACHED CPL. RAY'S DESK.
DISPATCHER: 911 what’s your-
CALLER: [sobbing] Oh my God, oh my God!
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? Charlotte, what’s going on?
CALLER: I- I went downstairs and… and… oh, God.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte, calm down. Calm down. Where are you right now?
CALLER: I’m… I’m still in the closet. I came back up, I’m half on the stairs…
DISPATCHER: Okay. You gotta keep quiet or else Tyler is going to hear you.
CALLER: Okay… okay… where are the police?
DISPATCHER: They’re only three minutes away now. We pinged your phone again. We know exactly where you are. Dracula’s castle, right?
CALLER: R-Right.
DISPATCHER: Tell me what you saw down there, sweetie.
CALLER: W-Well, I- I couldn’t see very well, because it’s so dark. I lost reception halfway down the stairs, so I turned on my phone light to see. It’s… it’s like a cave down there. Like a chamber, I guess. There’s a big fireplace and cabinets carved right out of the rock, and a huge summoning circle etched into the floor, with glyphs and runes carved into it. And… and there’s an altar…
DISPATCHER: An altar?
CALLER: Yes. An altar. It’s on a platform in the middle of the room, between the circle and the fireplace. I- I walked over to it, because I saw some stuff on top of it. There was a dagger, a little glass vial full of some dark liquid, and a white cloth. And the altar… it looked darker than everything else. Oh God, it… it was stained darker. Big, dark splashes running down its sides…
DISPATCHER: Christ.
CALLER: And then… and then I looked over to the fireplace, and it was glowing. But there wasn’t any fire in it. No embers or coals. Not even wood. It was just glowing a dim red. When I looked at it I thought I heard something. Like there was someone else in the room, whispering. And there was… there was this thing there, next to the fireplace. I thought it was just a shadow at first, but… it wasn’t. It turned its head really slow and looked at me. It… it looked like a man… sort of. I think it had wings, like a bat, but folded really close around it. It looked at me and then it just flew into the fireplace, and I ran back upstairs.
DISPATCHER: Is… is it still down there?
CALLER: I- I don’t know. I don’t want to go back down there. But I don’t want to come back up all the way, either. In case Tyler comes back…
DISPATCHER: Did you pick up the dagger? From the altar, I mean?
CALLER: N-No. I was scared to touch it. I looked at it and… I just couldn’t…
DISPATCHER: What about the umbrella?
CALLER: Yeah. I’ve got it right here.
DISPATCHER: Alright. Just sit tight, and don’t go back downstairs unless you don’t have any other choice. The police are only a few blocks away. Two minutes. Just hang on for two more minutes.
CALLER: O-Okay. I’ll stay right here.
DISPATCHER: Good. Let me know as soon as they get there.
CALLER: Okay.
THE LINE IS SILENT FOR 72 SECONDS, SAVE FOR CALLER'S BREATHING.
CALLER: Thank you.
DISPATCHER: For what?
CALLER: Just… thank you. I- it’s just, you’ve been trying to save my life all night, and I don’t even know your name.
DISPATCHER: Brandon. Brandon Ray.
CALLER: Thank you, Brandon. I- wait…
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? You alright?
CALLER: No- no- NONONONONONO!
AT 23:29, A HOWLING WAIL IS HEARD IN BACKGROUND, SEEMINGLY BELOW CALLER. CALLER SCREAMS. CLOSER IN BACKGROUND, AN ANIMALISTIC ROAR IS HEARD AS WAILING AND CALLER'S SCREAMING CONTINUES.
23:30- SOUND OF DOOR BEING BROKEN OPEN.
SOUND OF STRUGGLE, WITH CALLER'S VOICE DISTINGUISHED, REPEATING "NO! NO! PLEASE DON'T! PLEASE!" WHILE GROWING MORE DISTANT.
23:31- CALLER BEGINS SCREAMING INARTICULATELY.
A FINAL LOUD SHRIEK IS HEARD, IDENTIFIED AS CALLER. TRANSMISSION IS CUT.
CPL. RAY ATTEMPTED FOR ADDITIONAL TWO MINUTES TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH CALLER, TO NO AVAIL.
AT 23:33, A MALE VOICE, IDENTIFIED AS VAUCLAIN, TYLER, PICKED UP PHONE AND ADDRESSED CPL. RAY.
DISPATCHER: Charlotte? Charlotte, can you hear me? Charlotte?
CALLER: The deed is done.
DISPATCHER: Who is this?
CALLER: I am… restored… to serve no one…
DISPATCHER: Tyler? Is that you?
CALLER: [laughter] Tyler… Tyler has received his reward, for bringing me the bloodmaiden…
DISPATCHER: The police are on their way. If you’ve hurt Charlotte in any way…
CALLER: Charlotte is beyond your help, Brandon Ray. Her soul… is in the hands… OF THE ENEMY.
ADDENDUM 4: AT THIS POINT IN THE CALL, CPL. RAY WAS FORCED TO REMOVE HIS HEADSET ONCE MORE AS CALLER'S LINE ERUPTED IN A 10 SECOND ROAR CALCULATED AT 140dB. DUE TO THE IMPROBABILITY OF THIS ROAR ORIGINATING FROM A HUMAN LARYNX, THE SOUND BITE WAS CHECKED BY A ZOOLOGIST AGAINST RECORDINGS OF MULTIPLE MAMMALIAN SPECIES AND MATCHED NONE OF THEM. AT CONCLUSION OF ROAR, CPL. RAY PUT HIS HEADSET BACK ON AND RESUMED CONVERSATION WITH VAUCLAIN, TYLER.
CALLER: He thinks He can free mortals… He thinks He can save them from us… you pitiful creatures of dust… I shall never understand what He sees in you.
OFFICER: Dispatch, this is Car 6, we’re pulling up now. Had to take a detour around a downed tree.
DISPATCHER: Ah, r-roger, Car 6. Get in there as soon as you can. You’re gonna have to break down the door, caller told me there’s furniture blocking it.
OFFICER: 10-4.
DISPATCHER: Tyler, the police are coming in right now.
CALLER: ANSWER ME! WHO IS HE TO BECOME FLESH AND BLOOD FOR YOUR SAKE? WHO IS HE TO CONSIDER MY BEING LESS THAN THAT OF A DOG? A BIRD? A GIRL?
CPL. RAY WAS AGAIN FORCED TO REMOVE HIS HEADSET AT THE LOUDNESS OF SHOUTS. HE RETURNED IT IN TIME TO HEAR SOUND OF OFFICERS BREAKING DOWN DOOR IN BACKGROUND.
CALLER: No matter. He shall not deter us. None shall ever know the truth of this night… none except Our Lord Below, and the Enemy Above.
DISPATCHER: Tyler, it’s all over… surrender to the police right now before things get any worse for you.
CALLER: No, Brandon Ray. Your heroes mean nothing to me. Her blood has slaked my thirst. She… is my genesis…
DISPATCHER: Tyler? Tyler, are you there? Tyler, pick up the phone. Tyler!
CPL. RAY CONTINUED TRYING TO REESTABLISH CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL 15 SECONDS. AT 23:37, THE LINE WENT DEAD.
POSTSCRIPT
OFFICERS DOHERTY AND CONNELLY ENTERED 2224 WEST TIOGA AT 23:46, AFTER A CONSIDERABLE EFFORT TO GET THROUGH OBSTRUCTION AT FRONT DOOR ENTRANCE.
THE OFFICERS PROCEEDED UNDER DIRECTION OF CPL. RAY TO THE GROUND FLOOR CLOSET, WHERE THEY LOCATED THE TRAPDOOR DESCRIBED BY CALLER. THE TRAPDOOR WAS OPEN, AND THE OFFICERS DREW THEIR FIREARMS BEFORE PROCEEDING DOWN THE STAIRS. OFFICER CONNELLY STOOD ON GUARD AT TOP OF THE STAIRS, WHILE OFFICER DOHERTY ENTERED THE BASEMENT ALONE.
OFFICER DOHERTY'S DESCRIPTION OF THE BASEMENT (SEE INCIDENT REPORT C-3-41387) LARGELY CORROBORATES THE DESCRIPTION PROVIDED BY CALLER:
SEVEN SHELVES WERE CARVED INTO THE BEDROCK WALLS. THESE SHELVES CONTAINED A NUMBER OF JARS AND VIALS FULL OF UNIDENTIFIED CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES. LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF CONTENTS STILL PENDING.A LARGE FIREPLACE WAS LOCATED AGAINST FAR WALL. DIFFERING FROM CALLER'S DESCRIPTION, THE FIREPLACE WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN A FULL BUT UNBURNT WOODPILE, AND AN EMPTY CAST IRON CAULDRON.A LARGE CIRCULAR DEPRESSION TOOK UP MOST OF THE FLOOR, WITH GROOVES RUNNING FROM ITS OUTER RIM INWARD TO A SMALL CENTRAL BASIN LIKE THE SPOKES OF A WHEEL. THESE GROOVES SEGMENTED THE CIRCLE INTO SEVEN TRIANGULAR SECTIONS. WITHIN EACH OF THE SEVEN SECTIONS, SYMBOLS WERE CHISELED DIRECTLY INTO THE STONE FLOOR. THESE SYMBOLS WERE LATER EXAMINED BY A LINGUIST, AND FOUND TO BE FROM SEVEN DISTINCT LANGUAGES- ARABIC, CYRILLIC, CHALDEE, DEMOTIC, TOCHARIAN, PUNIC, AND SUMERIAN.ON A RAISED PLATFORM BETWEEN THE CIRCLE AND THE FIREPLACE WAS A STONE ALTAR. GROOVES RAN FROM THE ALTAR DOWN INTO THE GROOVES OF THE STONE CIRCLE, CLEARLY AS LIQUID DRAINAGE CONDUITS.
OFFICER DOHERTY REPORTED THAT THE ALTAR WAS DRENCHED IN BLOOD, WITH RUNNELS OF BLOOD FLOWING FREELY DOWN THE AFOREMENTIONED GROOVES INTO THE STONE CIRCLE, WHERE IT HAD BEGUN TO POOL IN THE CENTER RING.
OFFICER DOHERTY NOTED A BLOODSMEAR ON THE FLOOR LEADING AWAY FROM THE ALTAR, AND FOLLOWED IT TO A SMALL DOOR. THIS DOOR LED TO ANOTHER CHAMBER OF THE BASEMENT. OFFICER DOHERTY REPORTED THAT THIS CHAMBER TERMINATED IN A FAST-FLOWING SEWER LINE. ON THE EDGES OF THE SEWER HE OBSERVED THE SKELETAL REMAINS OF SEVERAL CATS, DOGS, AND RODENTS, DISPLAYING SIGNS OF HAVING BEEN BUTCHERED.
OFFICER DOHERTY HYPOTHESIZED IN HIS INCIDENT REPORT THAT THE SEWER- POSSIBLY A CULVERTED STREAM- DRAINS INTO THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER, AND THAT VAUCLAIN, TYLER HAD STORED A SMALL BOAT INSIDE, ESCAPING VIA THIS UNDERGROUND CANAL WITH THE BODY OF KEATING, CHARLOTTE.
THIS INITIAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENE BY FIRST RESPONDERS DOHERTY AND CONNELLY CONTRASTS SHARPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING REPORT BY CRIME SCENE UNIT (SEE REPORT OF INVESTIGATION 021287), WHICH ARRIVED ON SCENE AT 12:47.
WHILE CONCURRING IN ALL RESPECTS WITH THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE BASEMENT CHAMBER, THE CRIME SCENE UNIT REPORT CONTRADICTS BOTH FIRST RESPONDER REPORTS AND REPORT BY CALLER IN FAILING TO LOCATE ANY BLOOD IN BASEMENT. ALTAR WAS FOUND TO BE CLEAN, PRISTINE MARBLE WITH NO TRACES OF BLOOD, FRESH OR OTHERWISE. NO BLOOD WAS FOUND WITHIN THE STONE CIRCLE, AND NO BLOOD SMEAR WAS LOCATED.
DIFFERING FROM FIRST RESPONDER REPORTS, WHILE ANOTHER DOOR WAS LOCATED LEADING TO THE SEWER, THIS OUTER CHAMBER WAS FOUND TO BE COLLAPSED AND IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE REPAIR BY PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT TO PREVENT SEWER OVERFLOW. NO ANIMAL SKELETAL REMAINS WERE LOCATED DURING REPAIR EFFORTS. THE WATER DEPARTMENT WAS UNCLEAR IF THE SEWER DRAINED INTO THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER, AS OFFICER DOHERTY HYPOTHESIZED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED.
ADDITIONALLY, THE RITUAL CIRCLE IN THE DINING ROOM AS DESCRIBED BY CALLER WAS NOT LOCATED BY EITHER FIRST RESPONDERS OR THE CRIME SCENE UNIT. THE DINING ROOM WAS INVESTIGATED AND PHOTOGRAPHED, AND FOUND TO BE COMPLETELY EMPTY. BARE FLOORBOARDS AND WOOD PANELING OTHERWISE FIT CALLER'S DESCRIPTION.
THE EGREGIOUS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE THREE RECORDS HAVE YET TO BE SATISFACTORILY EXPLAINED.
THE BODY OF KEATING, CHARLOTTE WAS DISCOVERED BY A KAYAKER IN THE HESSIAN CREEK IN RED BANK, NEW JERSEY ON 11-7, ONE WEEK AFTER HER APPARENT DEATH ON 10-31. THIS LOCATION, DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE CONFLUENCE OF THE SCHUYLKILL AND DELAWARE RIVERS, IS OF POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO OFFICER DOHERTY'S CANAL THEORY.
THE CORONER REPORTS THE CAUSE OF DEATH AS "HOMICIDE BY MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS."
VICTIM WAS FOUND TO HAVE BEEN STABBED 33 TIMES. THE STAB WOUNDS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN INFLICTED IN A DISTINCT PATTERN, VAGUELY RESEMBLING CERTAIN GLYPHS FROM THE STONE CIRCLE, THOUGH HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DISCERN ANY PARTICULAR MEANING TO THIS PATTERN.
VICTIM'S EYES, EARS, AND TONGUE WERE ALL REMOVED.
ADDENDUM 5: CPL. RAY REQUESTED A TRANSFER TO THE NARCOTICS DIVISION SHORTLY AFTER THIS INCIDENT- TRANSFER REQUEST FILED 11-05-2021. REQUEST WAS GRANTED 11-08-2021.
ADDENDUM 6: VAUCLAIN, TYLER HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE 10-31-2021. HIS WHEREABOUTS REMAIN UNKNOWN.
ADDENDUM 7: AGAINST PROTESTS OF THE KEATING FAMILY, THIS CASE (M-21-547) HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE COLD CASES DIVISION, PENDING DISCOVERY OF NEW EVIDENCE.
What a story! I was at the edge of my seat reading it.
Very good. I have heard of the Lesser Key of Solomon, and was able to look up a few of the other books you mention, but I was not able to find anything on the Cytherix. Is that a real text, presumably having something to do with Venus, or did you make it up for the story?