Chapter 13 The Tragedy of the Red Rose?

This scene hit me like a ton of bricks, reminding me of that creepy live-stream that blew up online recently—"The Tragedy of the Red Rose."

Could she be the girl who got brutally murdered in that stream?

That thought zapped through my brain like a lightning bolt, sending chills down my spine.

"The Tragedy of the Red Rose" had started on some obscure forums—an anonymous user announcing an eerie live stream on the dark web, calling it an "artistic murder."

Everyone thought it was a joke at first, no one took it seriously.

Then the stream started. A young girl in a red dress was tied to a chair, with a blood-red wall behind her. She held a bright red rose, and her face was a mix of fear and despair. The whole vibe in the stream room turned ice-cold.

I'll never forget that night. I was digging through info on the Aiden case when I accidentally clicked on that stream link.

The girl's terrified eyes stared back at me through the screen, pleading, and my chest tightened like a vice. It wasn't a hoax—it was real.

The killer, wearing a clown mask, stayed silent the whole time, just using all sorts of cruel methods to torture the girl.

He used a knife to carve bloody lines on her body, like he was making some twisted piece of art.

Her screams and cries came through the internet, cutting through my nerves like knives.

I freaked out and called the police, trying to stop the horror show, but it was too late.

At the end of the stream, the killer stabbed the girl in the heart with a dagger. Blood spurted out, staining the already red rose.

The stream room shut down instantly, but the video had already been downloaded and spread by tons of people, causing massive panic and outrage online.

The cops quickly put together a special task force to investigate, but the killer vanished without a trace.

"The Tragedy of the Red Rose" turned into a cold case, and the killer is still out there.

And now, the nightmare of the girl in the red dress holding a red rose was right in front of me!

Fighting back my fear and nausea, I carefully checked the body. The girl looked exactly like the one in the stream, and her red dress was the same, only darker, like it had been soaked in blood over and over. The red rose in her hand was completely withered, its edges blackened, giving off a rotten smell.

I gently touched her skin; it was cold and stiff, lifeless. She'd been dead for over 24 hours.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to pull myself together. This wasn't the time to freak out; I needed to call the cops, secure the area, and start figuring out what the hell happened.

I grabbed my phone, ready to call Michael, when I heard hurried footsteps behind me.

I spun around to see Isabella and Harper running towards me.

"James! Are you okay?" Isabella asked, her face full of worry.

"I'm fine," I said, shaking my head and pointing to the body on the ground. "But look at this."

Isabella and Harper followed my finger and gasped in horror.

They covered their mouths, their faces going pale, and instinctively stepped back.

I quickly moved to support them, saying, "Don't worry. I've already called the police; they'll be here soon."

"This is too terrifying," Isabella said, trembling.

"The Tragedy of the Red Rose," I said, my voice serious. "She's the girl who was killed in that live stream."

Harper's face turned grim as she crouched down to get a closer look at the body.

"Why would the killer hide her here?" she muttered.

"Maybe to throw off the cops," I said. "Or maybe..."

"Whatever the reason, let's contact Michael first!" Isabella cut me off.

I nodded. "I did. Michael said he's on his way."

I looked around. The cave was small, just us and the body inside. The air was damp and musty, making it feel even more oppressive. "We need to protect the scene," I said firmly.

I crouched down again to examine the body closely. The fatal wound was on her chest, a single lethal stab. The blood around the wound had dried, turning dark red.

"Has the victim's identity been confirmed?" Harper asked.

"Based on her clothing and appearance, we think she's the girl from 'The Tragedy of the Red Rose' live stream," I said. "But we'll need a DNA test to be sure."

Harper nodded and started doing a preliminary psychological profile next to the body. "The killer chose to murder on a live stream and used such brutal methods, which means he has a strong need for attention and enjoys the power trip of controlling life and death."

She kept observing as she spoke, "Also, his choice of a red rose and red dress as symbols suggests he has a thing for red, maybe tied to some childhood trauma or psychological issue."

"There are no signs of a struggle here, so she was probably killed while restrained," I added. "And the killer was careful, no fingerprints or DNA left behind."