Journal Entry #5 - Oh Well...

January 24th, 2013 - 4:05 Pm

Well, I'm state-side. My last day in Scotland proved to be fruitless. No leads, nothing new. Frustrating.

But rest assured, I'll return.

Now then, I think you'll be pleased to hear that I have a new case.

Well, maybe.

I came across a blog of someone's. It seems some teenager felt sorry for not writing to his little cousin about all the adventures she thinks he has. It looks promising, so I'm going to be following. Why don't you follow with me? Today's is right here:
  

"Hello, my name is Edward.  I am writing this as a journal and for my cousin. My family has always lived in the west part of Ottawa County, but recently my aunt’s job relocated to Centerville Ohio, and my 7 year old cousin who thinks that I’m a super hero (or something to that affect), asked if I would write down my “adventures” and send them to her.

I went out today to cut more fire wood. For the first time ever I was able to get the wood over to the cutting block without finding some odd rodent, a small bird, or an unearthly large spider.  I cut the wood rather quickly fearing that one of the former might make an appearance. As I chopped the last of the wood down to the specifications of our fire place, I heard small, heavy crunches in the snow.

I turned around thinking I would see Cat, but to my surprise it was the dog. I chased her for maybe… 5 minutes before I caught her. Then I towed her by her collar back to her pen, which of course; was wide open. After locking her back up, I took the fire wood inside and went to do my school work. After I was done with my school, I went out to turn on the heat lamp for our chickens, and then went back inside.

I sat down at my desk and turned my computer on. I had been writing a story for quite some time, nearly 2 years I think; and I had gotten really stuck. I wondered to myself. “How on earth had the main character managed to survive this long?” because honestly there was no good reason that he should have survived that much; Going through the Black forest, which was haunted left and right with ghouls orks and the like, was more like “let’s go into a horrible, evil place, and see how long it takes for us to die.” No one does that.
 

After sitting for I-don’t-know how long, grinding my brain to meal, I thought of you Kayle. I realized that near a month had passed and I’d totally forgotten to write anything. As I sit here now, typing this out; I pray that you will forgive this most egregious over site on my part."

POSTED BY EDWARD STRAUSEN

Today was his first post. It was an introduction to his 7-year-old cousin, Kayle. She sounds like a sweet little girl.

The only thing suspicious here is his relative. Why he would say his sister was a cat, I have no idea. Maybe I'll get it later...

Suspicious things are coming...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #4 - Mr. McPherson

January 22nd, 2013

I'm tired. And I just realized that you have no idea what time it is. To fix that, I'll make sure to put not only the date, but also the time at which I'm writing.

It's 9:47 pm. Not that late, but I've had a busy last week. Meetings are very boring, and it doesn't help that I'm sitting the whole time. Sitting makes me tired if I don't take some breaks to walk around and actually do something.

Anyway, my last meeting was yesterday, and today I went to visit Mr. McPherson.

At 11:29 am, I knocked on his door. Surveying the land, I saw that all that I had heard was true. Electric fences lined the yard, and the only way onto the property was the pathway to the front door.

The door opened.

"Hello," I said, "I'm-"

"I ken who ye are lad." McPherson interrupted.

"Oh? How's that?" I was very interested.

"Simple. I had some goons come up to me door just this mornin'. They told me not to talk to ye. But I ken what yer after." He looked left and right. "Come in, I cannae have you standin' around all suspicious like."

I complied.

We went straight to his living-room. McPherson had tea ready, and set it on the small table in the middle of the room. It was a cozy den, nice and small, with a large fireplace. It was the only light shining in the room.

"So," McPherson started, sipping at his tea, "What is it ye'd like to ken lad?"

I picked up my own cup of tea. "Why is the government so intent on keeping outsiders off this chunk of land? Are they hiding something?"

McPherson smiled deviously, like a child who knew a secret and wanted someone to savor for it. "Nae."

I found myself leaning towards him, on the edge of my chair. "No? Then why fence up the place?"

McPherson leaned back in his chair. "If ye put a line that is not to be crossed in front of a toy that a wee lad wants, he'll cross it. Why not put a different line somewhere else to distract the laddy?"

McPherson's a pretty smart guy.

"So then where's the real 'line'?"

McPherson leaned close to me and whispered in my ear. "Right under ye wee nose lad. That's all I can tell ye."

I left McPherson's mansion puzzled to say the least. Who knew about my being here in Scotland, other than those at my work place? How did McPherson know all that information? And why would the government set up a decoy? At the very least, pieces were starting to fall into place, but the bits and pieces of the picture I had left me with more questions.

I picked a dock and stood at its edge, studying Loch Ness's beauty. I wish the lake could speak to me, and tell me its secrets.

But secrets are made for a reason, whether it be good or bad. And secrets were naturally made to be exposed.

Tomorrow is my last day here in Scotland. I'm gonna make it count.

Until then...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #3 - The Start of my investigation in Scotland

January fifteenth, 2013

Yesterday was the beginning of my investigation. I had decided to ask around, see what I could come up with. During my sight-seeing, I had noticed a nice little joint called Nessie's Brood, situated not a quarter mile away from Loch Ness. I figured this was the best place to start.

As soon as I walked in, I knew that not many tourists stop by here. The place was a bit dirty and run down, but had a warm feeling to it. I could distinguish the ones who stayed all day, from the regular visitors. It was the regulars who stared at me like I was Nessie herself.

I had to prove that I was just like them. I walked straight up to the bartender and ordered a pint of ale. The eyes slowly moved away.

I leaned up against the bar and surveyed the room. There were some regulars that were sharing a larger table. I decided to edge a little closer to see what they were talking about. I can read faces pretty good, and by the looks of it I figured they'd be talking about something right up my alley.

"... of course, you'd have to actually get in to figure that out." a bearded, pudgy man said.

"Which of course would be illegal," a tall, scrawny man said. "If you get caught, then you'd be in prison for who knows how long. Maybe life. It is government property technically."

I took my place in an empty chair, hoping to merge in.

"Oh?" Pudgy said. "Well technically it ain't. The land is owned by that McPherson fella."

I decided to jump in. "You know, if the government is going to go that far as to lock the place up from outsiders, doesn't that prove that they're hiding something?"

The scrawny guy responded. "Duh. It means they're hiding Nessie. What else would they be hiding?"

"You are such an idiot Bartley!" Pudgy accused Scrawny. "The government isn't going to waste their valuable time chasing after make-believe monsters. They're hiding weapons of course! Not fairies!"

"I didn't say fairies," Bartley responded. "I said Nessie!"

I decided to take my leave. I got what I wanted. The government was hiding something, but nobody knows what exactly.

I didn't like the look in the eyes of a few of the guys sitting there. It was almost threatening.

I got back to my hotel room and researched McPherson. Turns out, he used to be a billionaire. That is,  until he wasted all of his money at bars and dance clubs. Now he just lives in his mansion by Loch Ness. No wife, no kids, and practically no money. Poor fella.

I'll tell you right now, the primary reason I'm in Scotland is for business. I'll be attending meetings every day, starting tomorrow, until the 21st. No, I'm not permitted to tell you what kind of business exactly. Just know that it's part of my job.

The more I think about it, the more I think I'll pay McPherson a visit next Tuesday.

Until then...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #2 - Scotland

January Thirteenth, 2013

I'm finally here, in the land of Loch Ness Monster... Scotland!

I took the last couple of days to sleep and sight-see. It's so beautiful here. The cities, the castles, the people.

But none of it grabbed me the way Loch Ness Lake did. I went to visit the mysterious lake yesterday, and was captivated. It was almost as if the lake was speaking to me, beckoning me to find its secret.

Of all the myths and legends, Nessie is my favorite. You could call it an obsession perhaps, such as Captain Ahab and his obsession with Moby Dick, but in a good way. I have no intention on killing the Loch's beast; only to find her and prove her existence. If I could only touch the mystical monster, I would be satisfied.

My hunt begins tomorrow. Mark my words, I will find her. Fraud or not. And if it is a fraud, well... there might be some very unhappy people.

See you tomorrow...
Inspector Kornelson

Journal Entry #1 - My First Entry

January tenth, 2013

This is my first journal entry. Duh.

I really am excited about all of this. And to kick off the beginning of the year, I have a present to show off, all the way from Scotland!

My dearest mother went to Scotland with my father and picked me up a souvenir. They know me all too well!

The Loch Ness Monster has always intrigued me. As a cryptids hunter, I always expect nothing, and yet anticipate everything. You never know when all is not what it seems to be. Which is exactly what this monster seems to be. I have no doubt that the pictures I've seen are indeed fake, but that sure as heck won't stop me from finding out for myself whether Nessie's real or not.

It just so happens that I have a nice little opportunity in my schedule to do just that. I'm going to Scotland right away to investigate my monster. I'm already packed and ready to leave early in the morning. It'll be a long day tomorrow, as well as the following week.

Until then...
Inspector Kornelson