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Nobody Reported the Tide

mystery◐ Mature
6 contributors · 3 paragraphs deep

I called the insurance company at 6am. "I need to know who filed these claims." Silence. Then: "Sir, those are active claims. I can't—" "Someone's dead. Six someones." The line clicked dead. A minute later, my phone rang from a blocked number. "Stop asking about the house," a voice said. Then nothing.

The blocked number location pinged from the motel on Route 9, room 7. I drove there. Knocked. No answer. But I heard movement. "Go away," a man's voice said. "I can't help you." "Help me with what?" The door cracked open. His eyes were tired. "With understanding what you're not supposed to."

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Tom opened the door fully. He was maybe 60, wearing a county health badge. "The water tested positive for dioxin two years ago," he said. "Industrial contamination upstream. The test results went to the town council." "And?" "And nothing. They buried it. Tourism money."

BD
Bram de Vries
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