clue

Agustin Rivera paced the small living room of his modest home in Peña de Bernal, the silver cross clutched tightly in his hand.

Days had passed since he had retrieved it from Mateo's house, but despite his best efforts, the mystery surrounding Amelia's and Mateo's deaths remained unsolved. He had scoured the village, spoken to everyone he could think of, and even consulted old texts in the local library, but the clues eluded him.

His frustration grew with each passing day.

The fact that no further deaths had occurred was both a relief and a puzzle. If the cross was indeed connected to the deaths, why had the pattern stopped so abruptly? There seemed to be no link between Mateo and Amelia, no common thread that could help him understand the connection.

Agustin slumped into a chair, the weight of the cross heavy in his pocket. He pulled it out, turning it over in his hands, studying the intricate details etched into its surface.

It was a beautiful piece, despite its tarnish, but it carried an ominous presence that he couldn't shake. Lost in thought, he barely noticed when his father. Luis, entered the room .

Luis was a man of few words, his face weathered by years of hard work and worry. He glanced at Agustín, then did a double take when he saw the silver cross.

His face paled, and he took an involuntary step back, his eyes wide with fear.

"Where did you get that?" Luis's voice was barely more than a whisper, trembling with an emotion Agustín had never heard from his father before.

Agustin looked up, startled by his father's reaction. "I found it at Mateo's house.

Why? Do you know what it is?"

Luis shook his head, still staring at the cross. "I know what it looks like, and I know what it means. That cross... it's cursed."

Agustín's heart raced. "What do you mean, cursed? Tell me everything you know, please."

Luis took a deep breath, his hands shaking as he sat down. "This story goes back many generations, to the time of your great uncle, Alejandro. He was a kind and generous man, beloved by everyone in the village. But one day, he had a heated argument with the village chief, Don, over the development of the village. The next day, Don was found murdered, and everyone blamed Alejandro."

Agustín listened intently as his father continued, his voice heavy with the weight of old memories.

"The villagers, consumed by their anger and grief, took justice into their own hands.

They brutally killed Alejandro, but he wasn't the murderer. His spirit couldn't rest, and he returned as a vengeful ghost, killing those who wronged him and anyone who stood in his way. It was a dark time for our family and the village."

Luis paused, his eyes distant as he relived the painful past. "Father Miguel, a priest known for his piety and strength, confronted Alejandro. He wielded a silver cross, blessed and imbued with divine power. Using the cross, Father Miguel managed to capture Alejandro's vengeful spirit and imprison it within the cross. It was said that as long as the cross remained intact and hidden, Alejandro's spirit would be contained."

Agustín's mind raced. This explained so much about the cross and its connection to the deaths. "But, Father, this cross-it's not just similar. This is the actual silver cross. Somehow, it's been unearthed and broken."

Luis's eyes widened further, and he crossed himself. "If that's true, then Alejandro's spirit is free once more. We must find a way to stop him before more people die."

Agustin nodded, feeling a mixture of dread and determination. "Do you know where we can find any information about Father Miguel? Anything that could help us ?"

Luis thought for a moment. "There might be records in the old church archives. They kept detailed accounts of important events and figures in the village's history. It's a long shot, but it's the only lead we have."