CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  The night ended as the morning sun rose high above the horizon of Hershel. Most of the town’s people were trying not to think about the murders or suicide. Strange that the Tasty Treat Café was calm, solemn and so eerily quiet as the regular crowd drifted in slowly, heads hung low.

  What could anyone say? Was there any kind of reasonable explanation about all of the deaths they now faced? Bobby Joe poured the cups of coffee in silence as Jimmy Ray worked quietly in the kitchen preparing the orders. In all the years of waiting on their friends neither one of them could conjure any type of conversation.

  The overall pain of losing five citizens in two days weighed heavily on everyone in the café. It as though the funerals had already begun and each person was silently paying their respects. Only the dinging of the bell made any noise as Leland entered the café feeling very good about how things were working out.

  He could feel the heartbreak and sorrow and if Leland had been any other person or living being like the towns people he would have felt sorry for all of them. Instead, there was a slight cause of delight within him, not that Leland actually had a heart like those silly humans.

  Making his way to the corner that he had occupied since his arrival he took his seat and waited on the pleasant waitress to come take his order. He didn’t wait long when Mary walked up, “ Morning sir. What can I get for you this morning?” she asked without looking at him.

  Leland smiled saying, “ Two eggs over easy, toast no butter, bacon and hot coffee if you please.” He added his polite tone so as not to disrupt her from feeling so sad.

  “ Yes sir. I’ll get this right in. I’ll be back with coffee, black , right?’ she asked before turning away.

  “ Yes. Oh, by the way is there any newspaper that has information about the citizens that the town lost? I’d like to read up on them if possible.” Leland asked trying to sound interested despite his lack of true caring.

  Mary looked down for the first time replying, “ I haven’t seen any articles about the souls that died. Sorry.” She said thinking it was a strange request.

  Shurley had come into the office early as she wanted to get the paper work started. She knew this was going to be a long day and she prayed that nothing else would happen before all of this had had time to settle down. Her head was still sinning from everything that happen last night. Her mind could not figure out just how all of these town’s people had succumbed to death in a two-day period. She even wondered if the water was tainted with strange material. In all the years that she had lived in Hershel nothing like this had ever happen and especially not to five citizens in such a short period of time.

  In five minutes, Ryan arrived as well as Daniel ready to continue investigating the murders of Hershel. For both of these sheriff’s deputies an investigation like this was a once in a lifetime situation. Both of the deputies wanted to be a part of the biggest incident that had come their way in fifty years of this town’s history.

  Turning to speak with Aileen Shurley turned asking, “ Hey, do we have a nine-one-one call from the Conners?” she asked flipping through a stack of papers.

  “ There’s a short call from Hazel. She didn’t say much, should I pull it for you?’ Aileen asked her.

  “ Sure, I’d like to hear it anyway. Got to get as much information as I can. Truthfully, I have no clue why any of this has happen. Have we heard from their daughter yet?” Shurley asked hoping that Janet would be here soon.

  “ Nope not yet. Should I give her a call? I have her number in Florida.” Aileen asked trying to help her chief out as much as she could. This was not only a weird moment in Hershel. It was a moment like nothing that any of those living here had ever witness.

  Shurley turned and nodded her head, “ Yeah, that would help a bunch. I, I just don’t have much to tell her at this point. Perhaps she might be able to help fill in the blanks. I swear, I just cannot wrap my head around all of this. Aileen, it’s like we’ve been poisoned.” She said shaking head with confusion.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Aileen stood by Shurley for a few minutes before speaking, “ Our faith is being tested. We all would be wise to say some heart felt prayers just in case the world’s evil isn’t done. Evil has its own course to follow and once it takes hold of people and places it usually doesn’t stop till it has consumed the entirety of everything from its source. I’m telling you Chief, we may be up against an enemy that we can never defeat.” She patted her chief on her back trying to give her comfort.

  For Shurley nothing could squash her fears at this point and she was well aware that once evil starts with a plan it travels along until nothing is left. The worst part for her as chief was that she was up against a foe that she had no control or power over. Shurley knew that she, her town and its people were in a no-win situation. She could not have been closer to the truth than if she was holding hands with Leland himself.

  “ Evil travels at its own pleasure confusing and consuming as it pleased. Only until the beast of darkness was satisfied would the fire of the monster quieten.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Destruction had arrived and with it came along death, pain, fear, the unknow and no answers. The town had suffered from acts of nature like an unexpected lighting storm that had set farming fields, home, the church, the high school and too many residents home ablaze.

  Soon after the lighting storm a tornado torn through the rest of the town taking down what was left of the business, stores , homes and part of the jail. From one end of the county to the other nothing but destroyed buildings that once represented Hershel and its people was thrown about or in rumbles. No one in hundreds of years since the beginning of the town had ever witnessed anything like they were seeing now.

  Pastor Jacob even said he felt as though Satan himself had come to Hershel just to knock the town and every person to the ground bowing before him. How close Pastor Jacob was to being truthful without even knowing it. Sunday’s church meeting was held outside on the grounds of what was left of their only sanctuary.

  As usual Leland stayed back at the hotel as it was one of the very few establishments that had been unaffected by any one of the storms that had passed over the town. He stood at the window of his room smiling with his slightly pointed teeth looking out at his handy work. This was the very best and most enjoyable part of his work. He delighted in seeing the suffering.

  Brett and Amelia stood quietly beside their mom at the service turning every now and then to look at each other. They had been watching, searching , and looking for answers to this horrific situation that all of the residents found themselves in. Something was wrong with all of this and Brett and Amelia had talked about investigating the reason for why their little town from nowhere had fallen apart with such destruction.

  As the church service ended and the town’s people shook one another’s hand, speaking about the future if there was to be one at all Brett took Amelia’s arm pulling her away from the group.

  “ Hey, I’ve been going over some things in my mind. Do you remember when Leland arrived, say about how long has he been here in town I mean?” Brett asked her looking at his mom knowing she needed answers.

  “ I suppose he’s been in town about three or four weeks, maybe longer. Why? What are you thinking?” Amelia asked him with a curious expression.

  “ Notice that he’s never around after anything bad happens. He doesn’t act as though he is bothered not even a little? Why not Amelia? He’s been here long enough to know most of the town’s people and yet he never offers to help or anything.” Brett answered sounding very concerned. “ Let’s just say for the heck of it that somehow, he is a part of this. Nothing like this has ever, I mean ever happened to us. Then he shows up and why is here? He isn’t looking to start a business from what I’ve seen. He just wanders around town talking to everyone Amelia.” He finished.

  For a few seconds Amelia didn’t say anything. She was thinking back to Leland’s arrival and what he had been involved in since his

  first coming here. She had to ask herself why was here and how long would he be staying from this point. Looking directly at Brett she responded, “ Why is he still here through all of this madness? I mean most visitors would have packed up and left for safety reasons , right?”

  Brett nodded his head in agreement, “ Yep, most people would have hauled tail to get to some other place of safety and yet Leland has stayed. Almost as if he’s enjoying our demise. Do you think he did this?” he asked Amelia feeling like he now had something to go on.

  “ It sure feels that way doesn’t it.” Amelia answered him. “ I say we need to find out a little more about him and where did that strange driver of his go? He dropped Leland off and just left town, but my question is why and where is?” Putting her thoughts out there so they could think about how to investigate this whole weird situation.

  Shurley join the twins after almost everyone had gone back to whatever living arrangements they had for now. She knew without any doubts that this town had come under some of the strangest forces of the universe she’d ever witnessed. One thing was for sure, Shurley and the sheriff’s department were over worked, under staffed and stretched beyond her limits. If one more thing in the negative happened in this town or rather what was left of this town , she wasn’t sure what more she could do.

  Everyone, every business and everything was stretched as far as it could go and what the town needed now was hope, prayer and money to rebuild. Shurley wasn’t sure if there was enough of any of those to get this town back on its feet and running again.

  Leland watched as he thought about the ending he wanted to come. His mind was a fast-paced ball of lighting waiting and ready to make its final strike.

  “ From the depths of hell, the fire would spew out and the evil source would claim it’s victory for all who stood in its way.”