Stillhouse Lake

Content Warning: This section refers to murder, sexual violence, torture and mutilation, child abduction, harassment and hate speech, including misogynistic language, threat to life, and rape threats.

Gina’s husband, Mel, is especially busy at work one day and apologetically asks her to pick their two children, Lily (10) and Brady (seven) up from school. She prepares dinner, thinking about how considerate Mel is, then picks up the children. She’s gone from her house for 30 minutes; when she returns to their street, several police cars, a firetruck, and an ambulance are blocking the way.

An intoxicated driver has crashed into Gina’s family’s garage. Mel used the garage as his workshop for his woodworking hobby, creating small furniture and decorative wooden objects, which Gwen dislikes because it takes time away from his family. However, she hasn’t complained about it because he provides financially and is a good father in general. Nobody except Mel ever goes in the garage because he says there are dangerous tools and fumes in there. There’s a separate entrance into the garage that is also locked.

Gina introduces herself to the police officers and asks what’s going on. She’s disappointed that dinner will be ruined.