Five-Day Mystery: They Have Come

Original Story

Puzzle situation

The last night. You, Logos, and Harper arrive at the chapel of St. Elias with an arrest warrant. Backup has already sealed off every intersection around the perimeter. The door hinges let out a long groan, and a wave of cold hits your face. Logos: "Room temperature is minus 4 degrees. Someone has turned this place into a cold room." The pews are packed with white-robed "believers," row after row, perfectly still. Every pair of eyes is open, fixed on the altar. The candlelight reflected in their pupils never wavers. On the altar stands something enormous. The limbs of many people stitched together, arms unfolding outward layer upon layer like a flower in bloom. Dark red liquid runs along grooves carved into the floor, flowing from every direction into the stone basin at His feet. Dozens of dark red candles burn around Him. In the corner, a gramophone plays a hymn in reverse. Woven into the singing is Grey's voice: "Welcome, Detective. Come witness His birth." Harper's gun hand is trembling. "What the hell is this thing..." Logos: "Thermal scan complete. No living humans inside. There are 12 bodies on the pews, matching the number missing from the mortuary." Harper lowers his gun and lets out a long breath. "He got away. Call the mortuary. Let's get these bodies back first." "Wait." You switch off the thermal imaging and turn on your flashlight.