Nightmare on Hursch Street

To: Andrew Huxley

From: Michael Cain

Re: Package at 641 N. Hursch Street

Mr. Andrew Huxley–

I hope this letter finds you in good health and prosperity. My name is Michael Cain, a resident at 641 N. Hursch Street. You may remember my girlfriend, Katelyn, and I moving in a few months prior, and our time has been incredible so far. Recently, we received a package with no name or return address that neither of us remember ordering and were wondering if you knew anything about it–is this common at the Hursch Street house? Did you happen to order it? If so, we’d be happy to return it to you–just let me know! Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Michael Cain 

To: Michael Cain

From: Andrew Huxley

Re: Package at 641 N. Hursch Street

Mr. Cain,

Thank you for your concern. The package does not belong to me, but it is common for former tenants to receive packages in the months following their departure–I will reach out to the tenants prior to you and your girlfriend to see if it belongs to them. In the meantime, please open the package and send me a photo that I can forward to the previous tenants. Thank you for your concern and feel free to reach out if you have any other concerns regarding the Hursch Street property. 

Sincerely,

A Huxley 

To: Andrew Huxley

From: Michael Cain

Re: Garage Door at 641 N. Hursch Street

Mr. Huxley,

I have attached a photo of the opened package–it was one of those Tamagotchi toys, so it could very well have been the previous tenants ordering a gift for a child or something. Although the package issue has been resolved, another issue has come up in the Hursch Street house: the garage door has been faulty and stops about a foot off the ground every time my girlfriend or I try to close it. This has been going on since Monday, and I think some kind of cat or squirrel must have gotten in because I found a large brown ball of hair or fur behind my tire this morning. Our cars are still fine, so no worries if you can’t come until later this week, but perhaps you could arrange a contractor or mechanic to come fix it?

Thank you,

Michael Cain

To: Michael Cain

From: Andrew Huxley

Re: Garage Door at 641 N. Hursch Street

Mr. Cain,

I hope that the contracting team I sent on Tuesday found you well and repaired the garage in a timely manner. Please alert me to any other concerns with the appearance or functionality of the Hursch Street house.

A Huxley

To: Andrew Huxley

From: Michael Cain

Re: Drano 

Mr. Huxley,

Thank you for sending the team last Tuesday–they repaired the garage in less than an hour and even charged us at a reduced rate. I am writing to you today to request reimbursement for a bottle of Drano that I purchased last night–it was only six dollars, and I have attached a copy of the receipt to this email. I know it’s a cheap, shameful request, but I don’t get paid until next Friday, and after the Drano and the events of last night I only have $34.23 in my account. 

Last night, my girlfriend found the shower drain clogged by a clump of blonde hair–neither of us are blonde, so you can imagine the conversation and subsequent fight that ensued. I’ll spare you the details–you are only my landlord, after all–but she drove to her friend’s house and wouldn’t come out until I promised to take her out to dinner and promised I didn’t know a thing about the blonde hair. We ended up going to The Cheesecake Factory, and I’m sure you know how expensive things can get there–we’re just college students, after all–but anyway, all of this is to say that my bank account is drained after that dinner and I would appreciate reimbursement for the Drano. 

Thank you for your time, and no worries if you can’t repay me–it was only six dollars, after all–but I look forward to hearing from you.

Michael Cain

To: Michael Cain

From: Andrew Huxley

Re: Drano

Michael, 

Thank you for once again reaching out with such a personal, intimate request with such honesty. I have deposited $10 into your account and have extended your rent–I had no idea the issues in the Hursch Street house were affecting your relationship and finances so deeply. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.

Best wishes,

A Huxley

To: Andrew Huxley

From: Michael Cain

Re: Air Conditioning Bill at Hursch Street

Mr. Huxley,

Thank you for your kind intentions. I am writing to you once again to inform you that the air conditioning bill will be higher than usual this month. My girlfriend and I have become more financially stable, but have had to turn the air up the past few nights–she keeps waking up in the night complaining of what sounds like a toy or a TV or something coming from somewhere beyond our room. We don’t know what it could be, as we put the Tamagatchi back in the box to give to the previous tenants, but we chalked it up to a toy that the neighbors’ children left in the bushes or something. Anyways, all this to say, she has woken up the past few mornings angry, sleep-deprived, and a little bit scared, and I’m a boyfriend on thin ice right now, and because of this, we’ve turned the air conditioner to try and drown the sound the past few nights. Because of this, the air conditioning bill will likely be higher than usual this month, and I just wanted to explain this increase to you.

Best,

Michael

To: Michael Cain

From: Andrew Huxley

Re: Air Conditioning Bill at Hursch Street

Michael,

Thank you for your email. I’m sorry about your relationship troubles–I will make note of the changes in the air conditioning bill. It seems the Hursch Street house is giving you lots of trouble–would you like me to visit the house and inspect for myself? I’m very experienced in this field and might have some expertise to share with you and your girlfriend.

Best wishes,

A Huxley

To: Andrew Huxley

From: Michael Cain

Re: Tenant Update at Hursch Street

Mr. Huxley,

Thank you for your kind offer, but a visit to the house won’t be necessary. In fact, today I am writing to inform you that my girlfriend has officially moved out and I now live alone. The issues in the Hursch Street house seemed insignificant at first–a random package arriving, mysterious hair and fur, weird noises at night–but all of these oddities came to a head last night.

While vacuuming the closet, my girlfriend found a pair of women’s underwear that didn’t belong to either of us, and we haven’t had any friends or family in the house recently. She began yelling at me, accusing me of cheating and using the problems with our house to cover it up. In an effort to beg her to stay, I assured her I’d reach out to you about it, but she also said that I can’t keep using the landlord to cover up my own mistakes.

Anyways, all this to say–I am writing to you because 1) the Hursch Street house now has one less tenant, and 2) I need HELP. I don’t know what’s been going on, but something in the house isn’t right and hasn’t been for a very long time. I am writing this as a plea to you–please forward any information you have on the previous tenants, the neighborhood, and crimes in the area that may be otherwise unavailable online. I plan on staking out the house the next couple of nights in hopes of uncovering some logical explanation for all of this, so I should be able to receive any of this information relatively quickly. Thank you so much once again for taking the time to read such a long, rambly email, and please have a great day.

Michael

To: Michael Cain

From: Andrew Huxley

Re: Tenant Update at Hursch Street

Michael,

Thank you once again for such an honest request–it sounds like things are getting pretty crazy at the Hursch Street house, and I wish there was something I could do for you, but unfortunately, disclosing reports regarding previous tenants violates certain laws. However, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you return to normalcy. I’ve attached links to financial and mental support resources, please do reach out to them or to me if you need any assistance in the coming weeks. And, as always, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email if anything else comes up.

Best,

Andrew Huxley

To: Andrew Huxley

From: Michael Cain

Re: Rent Extension

Mr. Huxley,

Thank you for the resources and for taking such good care of me financially and emotionally. I am sending you yet another email to request an extension on my rent deadline this month–I made a pretty considerable mistake and need some leniency to recover. 

While patrolling the Hursch Street house at night in hopes of finding out what could be going on, I accidentally fell asleep and awoke to a cabinet door slamming shut–at this point, I was almost certain that someone had been there, and rather than feeling nervous, I felt hopeful that if I stayed up and waited just a little longer, I could find who it was. I ended up staying awake for the next 34 hours, missing two shifts at my job and subsequently losing it. It’s been a rough few days since then, but I’m hopeful in finding an on-campus job at my college and hopefully being able to pay rent sometime in the next few weeks. Thank you so much for your continued support, I really appreciate it and hope you can forgive such a mistake.

Michael

To: Michael Cain

From: Andrew Huxley

Re: Rent Extension

Michael,

I truly am sorry for the troubles that the Hursch Street house has created for you and your livelihood. This sounds pretty unfortunate–I will extend your rent for the next two weeks, under the contract that you will reach out to a success or mental health counselor. I’ve attached a document with several resources that should help you get back on your feet. I usually don’t go this far with tenants, but if things don’t work out with any of them, please please contact me and I can try to arrange a potential job or career option for you–you seem like an honest, problem-solving man who deserves better than your current situation. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or a professional with your troubles, and have a better week.

A Huxley

To: Michael Cain

From: Andrew Huxley

Re: Rent Extension

Michael,

I haven’t heard from you recently–how have you been? Did you end up contacting someone or finding a new job? I reached out to the resources I provided and they said they never received a call or an email either. I do hope all is well with you.

Additionally, I would like to remind you that your rent is due this Friday by mail. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will have no choice but to charge your account, so please contact me if you need another extension! Best wishes to you and I do hope you overcome your hardships.

Andrew Huxley

An article from the Hursch County News, the following day:

Officers responded to a call from 641 North Hursch Street last night. Upon entering, they discovered the body of 20-year-old resident Michael Cain in the living room. 

Cain had sustained multiple blows to the chest and abdomen, though his head and face remained clean aside from a small patch of hair taken from his head. Blood spatter analysis indicates a struggle throughout the bedroom, kitchen, and living room.

Upon searching the house, police discovered a six-square-foot crawl space filled with two cans of Campbell’s Tomato Soup, a Tamagotchi toy, and polaroids of the victim and a woman who was idenified as Katelyn Lewis.

This is a developing story. Please contact the Hursch County Sheriff’s Office with any tips or information regarding the crime. 

Mr. Huxley closed his browser with shaking hands, opening his inbox and clicking “Forward” on his conversation with Michael.