Chapter 4
by splotch
What's next?
Nude woman at the park
The park's serenity was shattered by the sound of a distant scream. Scully's instincts took over, and she sprinted toward the commotion. As she approached the source, she found a group of people huddled around a naked woman.
The woman was frantically trying to cover herself with a picnic blanket. Her face was a blend of fear and humiliation. The crowd whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with a mix of shock and morbid curiosity. Scully pushed through the throng and knelt beside the trembling form.
"Ma'am, I'm with the FBI. Can you tell me what happened?" The woman's eyes darted around, avoiding contact with Scully's.
"It's okay," she said gently, offering a comforting smile. "You're safe now."
The woman took a deep breath and began her story, her voice quivering. She had been walking her dog when she felt an odd tingling sensation. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was naked. Her clothes were nowhere to be found. As Scully listened, she noticed a peculiar necklace around the woman's neck. It was a simple charm, a silver oval with an etched eye—the same symbol found at each of the previous crime scenes.
"What is that?" Scully asked, gesturing at the necklace.
"This?" The woman asked, momentarily forgetting her nudity. "I got it at 'the collective".
"What's that?" Scully asked.
As the two walked to buy the woman new clothes (Scully had to pay, the woman's wallet was gone), the woman described 'the collective'. It was something of a new age, slightly religious group the woman was a part of. After the woman was dressed a sweater and sweat pants, Scully asked to take the necklace.