The Rhode Incident - Ch 5

It was 5am the next morning when Eamon was still half-asleep. He unfortunately didn't get much sleep the night before on account of some nightmares he had; those nightmares weren't exactly over though as his imagination was acting up, showing him what could have happened to the missing...

He sat up with a start. He had a gut feeling that something was missing from the investigation, something vital, and he had hunch of where this missing key was. He admitted to himself that there was no way of knowing for sure until he got there, but he had to check.

Going on a foolish urge, he got himself dressed and drove down to the O'Higgins residence in Rhode. He stepped out of his car, calmly walked around to the backside of the dwelling, jumped the fence, and searched underneath the patio. That was when he spotted it, a slight mound of dirt, a little off to the side of the center of the ground under the patio. He crawled over to the mound and started digging away like a dog about to bury a bone. Whatever it was, was buried pretty deep.

It was about 15 minutes later and almost 2 feet deep before he uncovered what it was he was looking for. At first, it looked like some kind of book because of the hard cover. but as he swept the dirt aside, he saw that instead of a title, there was a symbol carved shallowly into it. There were two oval shapes, one on top of the other. The one on the bottom had dots on either side of it while the one above didn't. There was also a strap attached to the object. It looked very much like a journal.

He came out, his jeans covered in grass stains and his hands covered in dirt; his jacket was none too clean either but he had a slight grin on his face, proud that his hunch had for once actually led him somewhere. He jumped the fence once again, and rode off back to the station excited to see what could be inside the journal.

He strode into his own office, journal in hand, sat down, and simply began reading through the journal starting from September 29, 2008; a month ago:



September 29, 2008

Okay, there is not that much to say really. I feel too exhausted to actually care about writing in this journal but I may as well write something. My latest client has been really taxing on me, emotionally and physically. Really vague shite you know? Almost sounds like "I want this to look fancy." The way this one's been acting it's like, they don't care until I show it to them, then they start swearing at me like a couple of arseholes because the website isn't "fancy." Anyways, I just don't feel as energetic as I used to be and that dealing with this isn't helping. Maybe I should move on to something less stressful, or maybe I'm just getting old. If it is that, then not much to be concerned about. It's already been a month though... perhaps I am getting old.

Michael O'Higgins



September 30, 2008

Same old, same old. Been having a rough time trying to get things done, feeling sluggish as usual. That's it.

Michael O'Higgins



September 31, 2008

I'm not so sure tat it's age anymore. Earlier today, I went down to my favorite pub where I joined my mates and we had a pint together. Only thing was, just two sips into a nice, cold glass of Guinness and I was fighting hard not to go to sleep right there in front of them! Of course, they found this hilarious and started making jokes about my intolerance to alcohol. When old Pat drove me home (he only had a Coke) he was genuinely concerned about this sudden change and advised that I should see a doctor about this. My appointment is at 3pm, October 8. Hope I don't die.

Michael O'Higgins



October 3, 2008

I've not been able to get out of bed these last couple of days. In fact, up until this morning, I had found it nearly impossible to move... I felt so weak. The only reason I write now is because my wife, god bless her soul, figured out I needed antidepressants to counteract whatever this is. She's called in sick for me these last couple of days but because of the drugs, I feel good enough to get back to work. I need those pills. Appointment is October 8.

John is a good boy. I love Emily. I don't tell that to them enough.

PS. I'm not sure if it was my imagination or not but I could swear to God that I saw Sean staring at me through the window...

Michael O'Higgins



October 4, 2008

I'm feeling better than yesterday and to clarify that last statement, I've been keeping up with him on Facebook and Twitter. We communicate every so often and I just asked him why he returned to Ireland without telling anyone.

He replied with: Mike, what are you going on about? I'm still in Thailand you doss idget.

I said: Can you prove it to me?

Him: [photo with timestamp] That good enough for you?

It was taken yesterday with a timestamp of 2:07pm where Sean appeared to be standing in front of an oriental dwelling with an Asian couple just walking out of the picture.

Me: This is the house you're selling?

Him: Yes Mike. This is the house I''ve been trying to sell for 4 months now. I'm so close to finally selling it right now. Why the hell would I be in Ireland right now if I was this close to finishing a job? You know I don't go anywhere until the job is done.

Me: I guess it was just my imagination.

Michael O'Higgins



October 5, 2008

Feeling good today. Nothing to say 

Michael O'Higgins



October 6, 2008

I blacked out. I stopped taking those pills because of the doctor's appointment and I blacked out. I don't think I can wait any longer. Apparently, I collapsed in the hallway while fetching something from the bedroom. Doesn't matter what. When did I write yesterday's... just keep yourself alive. Doesn't matter what I wrote. Doesn't matter



October 8, 2008

Took a variety of tests and scans today, said the results will come in a few weeks. Said in the meantime, keep popping them pills and you should be fine. I'm popping said pills but i don't feel fine. He should have recommended something else. I can't live like this. I'll try and keep working. We all need it.

Michael O'Higgins



October 9, 2008

I don't know WHY I'm so irritated. It's driving me nuts. Need to get something that calms me down! It's like a hammer, pounding, pounding, pounding away at my head! Need to CALM DOWN!! Gonna get an aneurysm.



October 10, 2008

Feeling better, feeling a lot less agitated now. Got something else to even out my mood. Other than that, there's not much going on. 

Mike O'Higgins 



October 11, 2008

Where did they go? Where did the depressants go?! I confronted Emily about them and she doesn't know. She says I probably just misplaced them but I always put them in the SAME FUCKING PLACE! I asked John if he knew where Daddy's pills went and he says he didn't take them, he's a very honest boy. They are always on the nightstand next to the bed and I can't find them ANYWHERE I



October 12, 2008

She got more. They're very worried about me, I can see that and i don't blame them. I haven't been acting like myself lately and I'm wracking up too many off days from work; I might get fired. As I write these words, from the corners of my eyes, it looks like the walls are closing in on me, they're normal when I look directly at them. My mind is going. I can feel it.

Michael O'Higgins



October 13, 2008

Can't focus. I feel like something is watching me. There is nothing. God, it's like I'm going insane! Gone! It's already been an hour as I type this and I keep looking over my back expecting to see something.

Mike O'Higgins



October 15, 2008

I write outside. Can't stay in any room for too long. Fresh air does me good but I'm exposed and I can't trust anyone to protect me. I can't tell if they are who they say they are anymore.

Michael O'Higgins



Octber 18 208

I SAW SEAN. OUTSIDE. IS HE EVERYTHING WITHOUT. SLEEP WEAK. NO USE

M.O.



Oc1908

DONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINKDONTBLINK



OC2008

THey aRF oIL G0me.



21/10/08

It will end tonight.



Eamon had given it to the other members of the team as an important piece of evidence that almost certainly made Michael out to be the one who killed his family and make others disappear. From this, another theory came up where Michael may have suffered an extended psychotic break and if he has regained his sanity, then he may be hiding out of fear of what will happen to him when he is caught. On the other hand, if he is still in his deteriorating mental state, they may already be dead.