Buried in the Wych Elm
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Who was found in the Wych Elm?
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No air raid sirens tonight, just an eerie silence. The trees loom around you, gnarled, barren branches reaching out like witches' fingers. You pull your coat tighter around you and continue your rounds. You're a member of the Home Guard. You can't get spooked by empty woods. Up ahead, you see a car by the side of a country road. It's an unusual sight. There's been a fuel shortage since the war broke out, so you're not used to seeing cars this far out in the woods. You approach and knock on the window. The driver, a man, looks surprised to see you, but he doesn't hesitate to hand you his ID when asked. Looking at his papers, you're in for a surprise of your own. He's a member of the Royal Air Force.
You're about to apologize when you see someone else in the car. The driver's coat is covering an adult-sized shape in the passenger seat. Whoever this is, she's clearly trying her best to stay out of sight. Your face flushes with embarrassment. You realize why he wanted such a secluded spot after all. You ask no more questions and continue your rounds. Years later, you'll begin to wonder if you should have asked for the woman's ID as well. You assumed that she was undressed and hiding from shame, but she had been lying so still, as still as a corpse. In time, you'll grow convinced that you were mere inches away from one of England's most notorious unsolved murders. England, April 18th, 1943. Hagley Woods is an eerie place in the growing dark.
The sun has just set, and mist obscures the silhouetted trees. Tommy Willits follows three of his schoolmates through the undergrowth. His eyes are wide, shooting from tree to tree. He's nervous because they're not supposed to be here. The gate was locked, but his friends went right over the top. Tommy, the youngest, had little choice but to follow the older boys. Tommy tugs on the shirttail of the friend ahead of him, Bob Farmer. Tommy asks if he can turn on the flashlight now. It's getting really dark. Bob shakes his head. Not yet. Not until they absolutely need it. Every shadow looks like a person in the gloom. Tommy has to remind himself that there's no such thing as ghosts. If he sees the shadow of a person, it's probably one of the travelers who sometimes camp nearby. There's nothing to be afraid of. The only people they'd be afraid to see are constables or members of Lord Cobham's staff, as he would not be pleased to learn that four teenage boys were trespassing on his estate. The four of them fan out, checking every tree. They're searching for bird eggs.
It's not like the Lord will miss a few eggs. I mean, not on an estate this large. The boys are excited for this kind of adventure. For an hour or so, it lets them forget about the greater England beyond. About the war, the blitz, the burning buildings and horror stories out of Europe. Bob is trying to get their attention from a nearby tree. Tommy and the others go over to him. The tree is a large one with bulbous roots and sharp-looking branches. Bob points to a hollow up on the side of the trunk and asks for a boost. This is just the sort of spot they've been looking for. The deep cavity is the perfect spot for a bird's nest. Bob gets his boost and peers in. He says he sees something white inside, as white as eggshells.
He starts to pull something out, but halfway, his expression changes. His smile vanishes, and his eyes bug out of his head. He's stammering in fear, but Tommy can't hear what he's saying. He's focused on the object in Bob's hands. It's a human skull. Part of the scalp is even still attached, strands of old hair trailing off the white bone. Bob has no idea what to do.
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