Purgatory of the Dead

Reporter: Vivienne C.

Photographs: John Childermass

Date of Article & Photos: October 2023

If you visit Laveau these days, you would think an elaborate Halloween prank has been staged to spook you. You would question your sanity at the sight of bloated bodies floating on the water...so many bodies.

You would tell yourself to close your eyes, count to ten and the dread. That eerie sensation of fine hairs rising at the back of your neck, the spider crawling up your spine will go away. But it doesn't, because the smell of decay lingers in your nostrils, persistent in its reminder that what has befallen your senses is scarier than anything an imagination could conjure. It is real.

I went to Laveau with my colleague John, to ask where these bodies come from and how are they allowed to remain like this. Speaking to the residents of the stricken town, I came upon intriguing information.

The Dead do not Rest.

Some have told me that the Hurricane has pushed out the buried bodies, that with the crumpling infrastructure, it was bound to happen. But not all bodies were old, I learned from the conversations that Laveau hosts a swat of cults and gangs. One cult in particular has its roots deep into the swamps folklore, that sacrifices people to the swamp.

The Disciples

It was uncertain when this cult was established, or how. What is known is that has been there for generations, with their philosophy rooted in appeasing the swamp by feeding it bodies. To appease the great spirit the lurked beneath the murky water. This heathen practice had other nefarious purposes, for they also believed that the spirits of the dead do not rest...they remain trapped in the swamped and the dead will eventually...emerge

Devil's Night

Laveau has been attracting new groups, and all kinds of crimes are bound to happen. The citizens especially warn of "Devil's Night" which is a day before all Hollows. It is said to be originated in Detroit.

"At first it was just a bit of fun pranks and tricks played on local business. However when steel industry collapsed Devil’s Night became something more sinister. It was a night to release all your despair. People started vandalizing everything within their sight lighting fires and such.“From what I understand the origin is up for grabs. As here in Laveau Devil’s night is when spirits alive and dead are free to let out their darkest parts of themselves without judgment or fear of retribution to any of the deities they pray to. From what I have researched often with the chaos and vandalism the darkness of Leveau cracks open and people get caught up in it. A Lot of this is lore, mind you but with the recent Renaissance of the city, business moving in people like me transplanting and calling it home. It’s suspected we will be in for a wild one this year.” - Willow

The fire department, the police, and other municipal workers have yet to show up to do something about this grotesque incident. It was becoming increasingly evident to the people in Laveau, that they would have to do the work themselves. To pick up the dead and bury them again...or burn the remain and hope that they stay dead.

Further pictures can be found here and here.

Addendum From Concerned Citizens

This letter was left at the Observer by someone unknown. We hope the above article has assisted with their problem being highlighted. But if not, we would be happy to meet with them to discuss further. Please reach out to Viv or Daiyu as required, at the Observer.

"Hello to whom it matters,

We pay our taxes and try to make a living down here in Laveau. But it is high time the city officials and clinic morgue or whomever needs to come in and take these poor bodies, corpses, whatever one wishes to call them!

They did have family and kin I am sure around here.. But, damn it already, can yah clean the place up..?!

It would not be in our best interest to pile these bodies up and burn them. They may be lost corpses but they had souls. From your city, townspeople and visitors, Get this place Cleaned up before it becomes a biohazard if it hasn't already.

Sincerely,
Concerned Citizens of Laveau."