Nobody Reported the Tide
mystery◐ MatureMarsh was reading drowning files at 3am when the pattern hit him. Six bodies from Saltcreek. Six insurance claims filed three days before each one drowned—all for water damage to the same beach house. A house none of them owned. He printed them all, spread them on his desk, and stared until it clicked: nobody reported the tide.
The house sits on the bluff above Saltcreek. One story, weathered, shutters half-closed. The mailbox says "CURRENT RESIDENT" but the deed says it's been empty since 2019. I knocked. A light came on inside. The door opened—just a crack. "Yes?" A woman's voice.
What happens next?
2 ways forwardI walked around the house. Fresh scratches on the back door. New cameras pointing at the driveway. The porch light was burned out but the wiring was new. Someone lives here despite the deed saying it's been empty. I tried the back door. It opened. Inside smelled like salt and chemicals.