71-72

Chapter 71: The Dry Well

"Now, can you tell me the real reason you’re not attending Duncan’s funeral?"

Amanda withdrew her gaze from the sheriff’s departing figure and looked at the girl in front of her, repeating the question she had asked earlier.

With the sheriff gone, the tension on Nancy’s face visibly eased a bit. She raised her head to meet Amanda’s eyes, hesitation flickering across her expression. Finally, with a glimmer of hope, she spoke up.

"Actually, we all know that Duncan chose to end his life because of that nightmare..."

"Nightmare?"

"I know you won’t believe me."

Seeing Amanda’s expression, Nancy’s voice took on a defeated tone.

"Just like everyone else in Springwood, you never believe what we say, not even after Duncan died because of it..."

"No."

Amanda shook her head, refuting Nancy’s claim. She locked eyes with the girl, her tone steady and deliberate.

"In fact, that’s exactly why I’ve come to Springwood."

Nancy’s previously despondent eyes suddenly lit up with hope. Covering her mouth, she broke into tears, letting out all the grievances, fear, and terror she had bottled up for so long.

As Nancy stammered through her account, Amanda began piecing together the events that had plagued Springwood.

---

*Splash.*

The sound of a stone hitting water echoed.

A boy opened his eyes.

A putrid stench filled his nostrils, prompting him to cough violently. Covering his nose, he tried to suppress the overwhelming smell as he widened his eyes to take in his surroundings.

In the pitch-black darkness, everything appeared blurry. All he could make out was a solitary dry well standing silently in front of him.

*Splash.*

The sound of another stone hitting water came again.

Hearing the noise emanating from the well, the boy’s face showed a hint of curiosity. He took a step toward the well but abruptly stopped after a few steps, sensing something off. Instinctively, he stepped back.

"Why am I here...?"

Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, a flicker of doubt surfaced in his mind.

He remembered being at home on Elm Street, yet nothing around him resembled his house.

But before he could fully grasp his thoughts, a powerful force from behind shoved him toward the well. Panicked, the boy turned his head but saw nothing but darkness.

The force ceased as he reached the well. He stood at its edge, a step away from falling in. A surge of fear welled up inside him, though it was tinged with an uncontrollable curiosity.

Swallowing hard, he stiffened his trembling legs and peered into the well.

A wave of the foul stench hit him, and his face twisted in discomfort. Holding his breath, he gazed inside. The empty well brought a fleeting sense of relief.

But before he could fully relax, a sharp metal claw suddenly shot out from the well and clamped around his neck.

"Hey, welcome to my home, kid," a voice rasped.

---

"No leads."

In Springwood, Amanda and Agent Zhou reconvened at a restaurant on Elm Street after their respective investigations.

"I went through Duncan’s computer," Zhou began. "Aside from his final livestream video, there’s nothing useful for the case."

"The Michaels still refuse to reveal whatever they’re hiding," he added, frowning. His investigation hadn’t been fruitful.

"I spoke with Duncan’s friends in town," Amanda said, sharing her findings.

"It seems the nightmare didn’t just torment Duncan. Children on Elm Street have been having similar nightmares for the past week. In their dreams, they keep seeing a dry well and hearing the sound of stones splashing into water..."

"After realizing they shared the same dream, they tried to uncover its origin. The police archives in Springwood mention an unsolved case from 20 years ago—a man named Freddy. The photos show him wearing a red and green striped sweater, matching the shadowy figure in their nightmares."

"Freddy," Zhou muttered, his brow furrowing. "If Freddy committed crimes here 20 years ago, there’s no way the sheriff and townspeople wouldn’t know about it."

Zhou thought of the priest and grieving parents’ evasiveness at the funeral and the sheriff’s deliberate secrecy. Doubt began creeping into his mind about Springwood as a whole.

"Perhaps the town is hiding something," he speculated. "The sheriff and residents might be covering up that case from 20 years ago. It could be the source of these nightmares and everything happening now. Freddy, the vengeful spirit of that case, might be taking revenge on the townspeople’s children."

Amanda nodded slightly; Zhou’s theory mirrored her own suspicions.

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it. Was it really just a case of a vengeful spirit?

Whatever the truth, the sheriff held the key to the 20-year-old mystery surrounding Freddy.

---

*Crash!*

The door to the Elm Street restaurant burst open, interrupting Amanda’s train of thought as she pondered how to extract the truth from the sheriff.

The man in question strode inside. His eyes scanned the nearly empty restaurant until they settled on Amanda, who sat in a corner with Zhou.

"There’s been another incident," the sheriff announced grimly.

"Another child on Elm Street has died."

Chapter 72: The Truth

"The deceased, Dick, was a school friend of Duncan, who had previously committed suicide. His mother knocked on his bedroom door during dinner, only to witness this scene..."

Elm Street, the victim's home.

The small-town sheriff looked at the bloodied body lying on the bed. Unable to bear the sight, he turned his eyes away and began briefing Amanda and Agent Zhou about the case.

With furrowed brows, Agent Zhou approached the body.

Wearing gloves, he extended his hand to examine the wounds on the boy's body while making an initial analysis.

"There are multiple injuries, but none are fatal. It appears the victim endured brutal torture before his death. The killer seemed to enjoy the process..."

"Oh, the poor child," the sheriff muttered, shaking his head upon hearing Agent Zhou's analysis.

"Did no one notice anything unusual about the victim?" Amanda asked, her gaze fixed on the boy's mutilated body. She found it hard to believe that such severe injuries went unnoticed in the victim’s home.

"No," the sheriff replied. "The victim's mother was downstairs the entire time but didn’t hear any noise coming from his room."

"I found the fatal wound," Agent Zhou said solemnly as he pulled back the boy’s shirt to reveal a stab wound near his heart.

"The wound near the heart was caused by a sharp weapon, likely a dagger or something similar," Zhou explained, his frown deepening as he examined the scene.

"But it doesn’t add up," he continued. "There are no signs of struggle around the victim—no displaced bedding or pillows. It doesn’t match the vicious injuries on his body."

It was inconceivable to Agent Zhou that someone subjected to such extreme violence would show no signs of resistance.

"Maybe this isn't the primary crime scene," he suggested.

The only plausible explanation Zhou could think of was that the boy was killed elsewhere and then moved back to his bed. However, considering the amount of blood on the body, it seemed impossible not to leave any traces while transporting him.

Zhou scanned the room again but found no bloodstains or evidence to indicate the body had been moved. It was as if the boy had been killed right where he lay.

"Or," Amanda interjected, "this is the primary crime scene."

Approaching the body, she lifted the boy's face, now caked in blood, and observed the lingering terror etched into his expression.

"…And the perpetrator might not be human," she added.

"You’re suggesting…?" Zhou reacted immediately, turning his attention back to the boy's body.

This realization tied into their true purpose for being in Springwood. There was no doubt in their minds that the boy's death was caused by a supernatural force—something they already had leads on.

Freddy, the vengeful spirit from an unknown case 20 years ago in Springwood.

---

"What do you think, officers? Have you made any significant discoveries about this case?"

After consoling the victim's parents, the sheriff returned to the crime scene. Though it wasn't his first time seeing the body, he still felt deeply unsettled.

Turning his head to avoid looking at the mutilated corpse, he said, "Springwood has never seen a case this gruesome. I need your help."

"Then, what about the case from 20 years ago?" Zhou suddenly asked.

"…"

The mention of the decades-old case caused the sheriff's expression to falter for a moment before he quickly feigned confusion. "Twenty years ago? I’m not sure what you’re referring to, officer. That’s ancient history—who could remember such details?"

"Freddy," Zhou said, staring intently at the sheriff.

The mention of the name caused the sheriff's carefully maintained composure to crack. He glanced at Zhou, then Amanda, and finally let out a long sigh.

"I don’t know where you heard that name, officer, but I can tell you this—Freddy is not a pleasant memory for Springwood."

"Can you tell us about the case and Freddy?" Amanda pressed.

Sensing that the old case might be different from what they had initially assumed, she pushed for details.

The sheriff’s gaze drifted briefly toward the boy's lifeless body, and the sight seemed to dredge up painful memories. Taking a deep breath, he began recounting:

"Freddy Krueger was once a somewhat prominent figure in Springwood. During the town's golden age, when the mining industry thrived, he moved here and settled on Elm Street. He even purchased a factory to process the extracted minerals, which earned him goodwill among the townsfolk—after all, 80% of Springwood families depended on mining to make a living."

"Everyone thought Freddy came to town to profit from the booming mining industry. No one suspected that behind his friendly façade lurked a monster. After Freddy arrived, children began disappearing, but no one connected it to him—until a twist of fate revealed his true nature. The missing children were all victims of his unspeakable crimes."

"Freddy was arrested, but he bribed the judge with his wealth and was ultimately acquitted. Outraged by the verdict, the grieving parents of Elm Street took justice into their own hands. They burned Freddy alive in his home to avenge their children."

"Although Freddy received his punishment, the children he murdered could never return. The tragedy devastated the parents, and with the mining industry in decline, many families chose to leave Springwood, taking their sorrow with them. The town has never recovered from the loss…"

---

*(Chapter End)*