Inspector Rehan's voice was sharp. "Tell me everything. Now."
Areeba, Zoya, and Sana exchanged nervous glances. The alley smelled like iron and decay, and the man's body lay motionless under the flickering streetlight.
Areeba swallowed hard. "Inspector… the alley is cursed."
Rehan raised an eyebrow. "Cursed?"
Sana pointed at the blood-smeared marks on the ground. "It's writing. We saw something like this before."
Zoya hesitated. "And… the dogs… they're connected to it."
Rehan sighed, rubbing his temples. "I don't have time for stories. If this was a murder, I need suspects, not ghost tales."
One of the constables, Adeel, stepped forward. He was young, maybe in his mid-20s, and his face looked uneasy. "Sir… this isn't normal."
Rehan shot him a glare. "You believe this nonsense?"
Adeel swallowed. "I—No, sir, but… this place gives me a bad feeling."
Rehan turned back to the girls. "Fine. If this is a curse, then tell me… how do we stop it?"
Areeba's voice was barely a whisper.
"We need to find the first sacrifice."