Chapter 1

Some years ago I worked at a small law firm, I worked in the mail room. Knowing nothing about law or even really caring, I just needed a paycheck. There was only one person who I gave half a shit about, a woman named Julia. She worked as a paralegal and would often spend her days shifting through case files next to me as I filtered the post. At first I assumed it was just for the quiet but when she once stopped and asked me, "Do you hate talking while you work or something?"

I looked up with a soft grunt of surprise. She was so beautiful, long orange hair, so many freckles that the sun would explode before you'd count them all. Taller than myself and so, so smart. "What?" I replied, sliding a small letter into the wrong hole.

"You chat at lunch, so I wanna keep the convo going and then you're" she gestured with open palms, "a mute." She giggled as I turned bright red. In all honesty I never noticed that she enjoyed hearing me. Normally I was talking to Glenn, the handyman.

I smiled at her and shrugged, "I assumed you were too busy," I pointed with a folder to the back door, "everyone out there is."

She shrugged in return and clapped her pen into the table, a little harder than she expected. "Never too busy for you, Danny." Soon afterwards we began dating. Despite her flirting. she was actually extremely busy. Our dates consisted of her bringing the fanciest takeaway she could muster to the mailroom or her coming to my house and us watching old cartoons. One morning the mailroom door flung open, standing panting like an angry dog, slobber almost cresting her lips was Frankie.

Frankie was the granddaughter of the man who opened the law firm. She was stuck-up, aggressive and practically useless at her job. She spoke like a smoker with a woodchipper for a throat. "Danny," she hissed, waving a worn sheet of paper around, "Any fucking clue what this is, hm?"

"No, miss," I replied, standing with surprise.

"This here, is an invite, an invite for a workplace camping exercise," as she waved it a tear in the corner grew ever so slightly longer, "and it was meant for law workers specifically."

"And a few executives," Julia added without looking up. I just nodded, having been told about this before.

"Exactly right, Julia. So my question is, how the fuck did it end up on Glenn's desk?"

"Did you guys send one to Glenn by mistake?" I asked, nervously approaching to look at the sheet.

"No, dipshit, I didn't. The letter was addressed to Brian P, but you sent it to the fucking handyman!"

"I apologize, I'll get to him immediately."

Frankie kicked the doorframe, "No, Danny, you won't. This whole situation has been a great fucking mess. We took it from Glenn and he made a fuss, 'why not me? why not me?' And guess what, Danny? HR agreed it was unfair, so now we either cancel or we invite everyone, which means you too!"

After more heated back and forth, me trying to defend myself, Julia jumping to my side and Frankie screaming like a banshee. I agreed to join and it was set. Two weeks later we set off. They hired a bus, cheaped out on it too. Rusted old thing, wobbled in strong winds. The driver was a greasy woman that spat multiple times onto the floor. The trip was meant to build morale but a law firm not taking cases for a full weekend was moronic. So not everyone went. Those who did were, Frankie, Julia, Glenn, Brain P a lawyer, Brain C another paralegal and June, technically a marketer, though nobody knew her real job.

Julia, Glenn and I sat in the back, our bags placed on seats. Glenn was an older fella, moustache to rival Tom Selleck's and incredibly muscular for his age. He took the most for the trip, his own personal tent, flashlight's and so much food you would assume it's the end of the world. We joked amongst ourselves and barely listened as Frankie prattled on about safety, friendship and other pointless mumbo-jumbo. After she was done talking she slid herself in beside June, who was using an iPhone to note down Frankie's speech. "Oh it was wonderful," the young lady replied, tapping away at the glass. In front of them were the Brians, P and C, inseparable. P was a giant fella, fat with muscle underneath. Once he got the shell of a small car in as evidence and actually brought it into the courtroom himself. C was much thinner but twice as annoying as everyone else. The whole front resented me, treated me like I was below them. In most ways I was.

We pulled into the campsite, a dingy place with no name. The driver hollered for us to get the fuck out and so we did. Standing like soldiers in the dirt, our lifeline peeling away back onto the highway. Frankie clapped and turned to us, "Team! We had to hire a cabin legally to stay here but there are no rules as to where we set up our tents," I later came to find out this was a complete lie. A lie that ultimately doomed us. "I'll get the key but you guys head out down the path, there's an opening next to a waterfall I saw on the website, we'll be there." As I went to turn and walk I heard Frankie clear her throat, "Danny, you didn't get the letter, remember?" I nodded, "No phones, darl!"

"I don't reckon that's much fair," Glenn replied, "they didn't know."

"Glenn, please," Frankie hissed, "they know now," she beckoned with her open palm, "phone, please."

I gave it off and watched her plop it into a large sack that clacked as it collided roughly with the others. June went to drop the iPhone in and Frankie waved her away with the others. P sucked air through his teeth, "Well, this place sucks."

C slapped P's already sweaty back, "Nah, son, this is it, the real deal. Just hope my bitch back at my place doesn't think I'm cheating." He bounced his eyebrows at June, "Not out of the question though."

June smiled awkwardly and Glenn whacked C around the back of the head with his meaty palm, "Fucking, child." After a small yelling match, subdued by Julia begging them to stop we continued deeper into the forest. What path there was slowly petered out until there was nothing left and we ended up slugging our gear through tightly packed trees. Small animals scuttled about, bush mice and spiders. I hated it all and I wished Frankie gave me the option not to go.

As we reached a more open area, Julia and I heard something strange. She clenched my hand in hers and we stood briefly as the other trudged on. Dragging, the sound of something heavy pushing leaves and sticks. Then, crying, soft sniffles. Luckily it was disappearing away from us but it was distinct. A crying man, trudging through the woods. "What's wrong, you two?" Glenn replied from behind us, hiking his zipper back up, an accidental stain forming on his crotch, "Did you hear that too?"

"Yeah, what the fuck," Julia answered.

"Hrm, I reckon it's just a Boulder Eater," he said, his tone serious.

"What?"

"Boulder Eaters? Oh man, you don't know? They're fat and round like bears but have little front arms and giant back legs. They're said to stalk these woods, looking for people and animals, they can only eat with their fat tongues so they lick things and swallow." As he spoke we walked to catch up, Julia was hooked to every word, "The name Boulder Eater is a little misleading. You see they don't eat the boulder themselves, they crush things with the boulder and liiiick the blood and guts off. Easier to swallow with no teeth."

Julia looked at me and saw me smirking and looked back to Glenn who was now breaking the facade. "Oh fuck you both," she groaned and broke free of my hand.

"Where'd you get that one?" I asked.

"My kids made it up, we camped here a few times and most nights we'd hear it. Got them to come up with a story, made a damn good one, hey? Most likely just some animal snuffling through the sticks and stuff."

We continued on for another fifteen minutes until we reached a massive cliff face. A flowing waterfall of beautiful blue water streamed down into the river that went on through the wilderness until we couldn't see the end of it. "This must be the spot, gang!" June cooed and took a picture of the waterfall. "Set up wherever, Frankie will be here soon." Glenn and June had personal tents, the two Brian's shared a tent and so did Julia and I. Glenn immediately started a campfire, using the remnants of some old camper's rocks.

"Good stuff," he said, proud of his work. Julia and I walked up the river, looking at the diving fish. As we walked we saw three identical signs, one toppled that read;

'STREAM IS END OF PROPERTY. NEVER CROSS STREAM.' Julia went to stand the toppled one and as she scooped it up her finger looped through a massive hole, blackened around the edges. "They let people hunt out here?"

I waved a hand, "Probably just drunks." As I helped her prop it up I looked off in the distance. The river split into two channels way down the line. The first channel kept going straight, but the second was much tighter and wormed its way past the property line. Something tall was in the distance, it looked like a totem pole. I blinked my eyes and I tried to get a better look but the more I tried the blurrier it seemed to get. We walked back to camp and were met with a frazzled Frankie, she was yelling to June about bringing a two person tent and now she'd have to sleep in the open.

Brian C chimed in, "Frankie, you sleep with Brian and I'll rest up outside?"

Frankie rolled her eyes, "I don't want to share with fucking P, no offense." P just shook his head and walked over to the cliff to look up it.

"I'll swap with Brian C," June said, "then you sleep in my tent, Frankie."

"Works for me," the Brians replied in unison. P was scanning the cliff, looking along it for some unseen treasure, then he pointed, "Look, there's someone."

I turned my attention, expecting some shitty prank but instead I spotted him. A tall masculine figure covered head to toe in rags and bed sheets. His face was covered by a tablecloth stained brown and it flapped in the wind. In his left hand was a metal shape, hidden behind his broad form. Over his shoulder was another metal object, draped like the skin of a rabbit. His right hand was placed on the side of his head, like he was in shock. Something over his eyes glinted green in the sunlight. "Fucking hobo!" Frankie called up, "They told me no one lives around here." She shook her head and the figure did too, before slinking away from view.

"Should we tell someone?" Julia asked and I shook my head.

"Poor fella, probably lives out here, I doubt he's a threat." I answered, I wish I never did.

That night we played camping games, the iPhone used as a timer and a camera to record the 'fun,' we were all having. Eventually the Brians grew bored and decided to swim. Julia and I watched them, waiting for them to cross to the other side. As C lifted his butt up onto the opposing shore we both yelled to look for the sign and pointed down stream. Laughing as he panicked, confused. He crossed back over and stammered, "I didn't, I didn't know the rules. Fuck, I'm not gonna be in trouble am I?"

"Doubt it," Glenn answered and as he did we all stopped in silence. A long, odd noise echoed from the opposite side of the river. At first it sounded like child trying to do a howl but I started to understand it.

A man was calling from the darkness, "Nooooo," just bellowing it like a freight train. "Whyyyyyy?" It echoed from the abyss and made everyone crowd together, staring.

"What did you fucking do?" Julia hissed. We all watched across the river and C nervously jumped from one wet foot to another. There were two orange lights way in the distance, as we stared something far off, where the odd noises came, silhouetted against the light. Then the noises stopped.

"Fingers crossed the property owner doesn't call the cops, hey?" Glenn replied, leaving the group and planting himself by the fire. Soon we all followed and agreed that so long as we didn't hear or see something else we'd remain camping in that spot. We sat eating canned food and smashing back smores. Throughout the night Julia and I would spot Brian C making advances on June. Touching her leg, trying to whisper in her ear, one time he even pulled at her wrist. She always pulled away and just smiled awkwardly. Each time we'd smack Glenn and he'd launch a glob of marshmallow at C or whistle to embarrass him. "Better knock it off, or Frankie will write you up."

Frankie laughed, "We're not under the building's roof, so I'm not in charge."

"He's not hurting her, right June?" P added.

June just smiled again and Glenn spat into the fire, "Lowlife, fucks. She clearly doesn't want it, do something again and I'll cave your head in, C." Everyone sat in silence until C stood.

"I'm gonna sleep. Sooorrryyy June," he said mockingly and went towards the tree he had propped his sleeping bag near.

"You're a good man, Glenn," I said quietly.

"I'm the way a man's supposed to be, bud," and he rose and walked to his tent.

"Way to ruin a good night, Danny," P said and eyed June, "he's fucking harmless. Just some jokes."

"Yeah, sorry," June said, fiddling with the iPhone, "I should have known and laughed more. Or something."

Frankie silently left the fire and went to June's tent, June shivered seeing it happen. "June, you wanna bunk with us?" Julia asked, "Danny and I will share their mattress and you can have my sleeping bag."

Before she had a chance to answer P raised his big hands into the sky, "They were. Just. Fucking. Jokes. Why are you trying to make Brian look like a creep? Just stop it!" He rose to his massive feet and walked to his tent, "Choice is yours, June but try and remember that Brian is sleeping outside. So maybe he'd want a fucking tent, right?"

June looked at the iPhone and mouthed, 'Sorry,' to Julia and followed in after P. Julia looked between everyone and stopped on my face, "Julia will be okay, right?"

"Their tent is right next to Glenn's and I doubt I'm gonna sleep much." I tried reassuring her, "We'll keep an ear out, okay?" We stamped out the fire and went into our tent.

As I slowly drifted off after nearly thirty minutes, an odd noise woke me up. The soft sounds of whimpering, sniffing back of tears and an incredibly subtle, "sorry." It was a quite whisper, not addressed at anyone. Soft boot falls accompanied the weak cries. A heavy person was clomping through the dirt, whimpering, "God, I'm so sorry, God." Then like it started, it stopped, I was left wide eyed, staring at Julia who was softly snoring, snuggled deep in her bag. I leaned over to wake her when another set of footfalls could be heard, louder, quicker.

It sounded like someone was barreling out of the woods at full sprint, heaving, puffy breaths. Julia shot up and looked around, "What the hell?" Whatever was running came directly in between the tents, stopped and then swiveled around, the gravel crackling as it moved. Finally it began walking again, this time toward our tent. I tossed the blanked off myself and fumbled around for anything I could use as a weapon. Julia immediately grabbed the electric lantern that sat between us. She prepped to throw it and then zip came flying down. As it entered the tent the lantern came on and smacked hard against Brian C's forehead.

"Jesus, Fuck! OW!" He cried, rubbing the spot that was slowly turning pink, "Sorry, jeez. I thought June was staying with you two?!"

Julia's mouth was agape, "Leave her the fuck alone, you prick."

"She's into me," he replied, "fucking, fine. No fun on this trip." As he went to leave I lurched forward and caught his shirt collar, "What hell are ya-" I put my finger to my lips and we sat in silence. Heavy footfalls, crunching through the dirt.

"sorry," the voice whispered, "I can see you."

"It was just Glenn," C replied uneasily, "I saw him standing in the middle of the tents."

"I'm not Glenn," the voice answered back. I let go of C's shirt and started sliding back. C turned to look behind himself and as he did the loudest noise I've ever heard erupted from where someone stood outside. A great flash of hellish light entered afterwards, an explosion of whites and oranges. Brian C's entire skull opened up. The canvas was drenched in reds and pinks. Fluid covered every inch and Julia began to scream. Twitching on the tent floor, C was headless, gurgling noises escaped his windpipe. "I'm so sorry," the voice said followed by crying whimpering. A gloved hand launched in from the darkness and grabbed C's ankle, dragging him out into the night. What was once careful, single, slow footfalls, was now replaced by someone dead sprinting away.

"We need to run," I sputtered out, "Julia, we need to go." She was still screaming, clawing at the blood covering her body. I moved quickly to her and held her shoulders, "Listen, listen, you need to listen." Finally she snapped out of it and hugged me. "We have to go."

Taking the lantern we exited the tent, already outside was Glenn and Brian P. They stood shivering in the dark, their heads on swivels. "What the fuck was that?" Glenn demanded.

"There's someone with a gun," Julia said, pointing to the great trench formed in the soil from where C was dragged. "He killed C."

"Fucking hell. No fucking way," Brian replied, his hands on his head, "Are you sure he's dead?"

We didn't answer and walked our blood covered bodies over to Frankie's tent. I grabbed the zipper and as I opened it a pocket knife came swinging, "Stay back!" She wailed.

"Frankie," I tried to say calmly, "it's me. It's Danny."

"Fuck you, Danny," she hissed, "there was a gunshot!" She was shaking wildly, scared. "Who did you kill? Did you kill Brian?"

Glenn grunted, "No time for this shit, we need to go!" He turned to Brian, "Where's June?"

"Shit," he put his hand on his forehead as if it'd help him see further, "She went to take a shit a while back." He pointed, "Over that way." When he finished he walked toward my tent, scratching at his chin, "Are you sure he's-" he stopped talking and began to cry. He must have spotted the skull fragments. "Brian, oh God." He dropped to his knees and as he did we all heard a loud, splash in the river, just outside the lanterns light.

"why? why did you cross the river?" His voice was so, so quiet, the wind nearly muffled him. Standing just out of view, he also began to cry, "I hate doing this, I hate it, I hate it." A loud crack erupted from where the figure was speaking, briefly illuminating the rag covered man. His hand was holding something wicked, rusted and handmade. It exploded into a fireball at the tip and we heard Brian moan in pain. He dropped forward and began groaning in absolute agony.

"Go on!" Glenn yelled to us, "Find June!" And he ran toward our tent, ducking behind it as if it'd give him any cover. As he began to round the side of it, reaching out to grab Brian's arm as it thrashed around in pain. The voice returned.

"she's already dead," the crying never ceased, "I killed her first, I'm sorry." In the same moment Frankie emerged from the tent, another gunshot rang out. Glenn was flung backwards and his stomach opened like a blossoming flower. Frankie screamed and raised her arms dramatically, accidentally swatting the lantern from my grip. It crashed into the ground and broke. "sorry, sorry," the man whimpered in the dark, another explosion, this time it made Brian fall silent. The man's voice was replaced by his ear splitting crying and the sound of dragging.

I grabbed Julia's hand and fumbled to find Frankie who I could hear breathing in the dark. "Quickly!" I squealed, not really knowing where to run. I yanked Julia along and heard Frankie follow suit. I tried to remember where Brian had pointed to June, I tried to pretend I could see in the dark but it was utter nothingness. Clouds formed above, thin whisps of whitish grey, covering the only piece of moonlight there was. As we ran, I could hear Frankie slowly falling away, somehow losing my voice. "Frankie," I tried to call out, "this way!"

"Fuck you," she called back and Julia just let out a soft huff.

"She's going to die," she whimpered, "we need to follow her."

"Okay," I answered, wanting desperately to let myself suddenly become selfish. We ran in the direction her voice was, trying to listen for her footfalls. As we closed in a far crack echoed between the trees and a portion in the distance lit up. Then another, and another. I heard the cries of Frankie go from loud screeches of pain to soft, weak, grunts. As I turned to run I caught a glimpse of her in the final gunshot, she was mutilated, shredded to pieces. Like a torn, old sponge.

"Danny," Julia hissed, "run, please!" We took off, back the way we came. I was doing my best to swerve between the trees but the darkness acted as a brilliant deterrent. My shirt sleeve got caught and I was flung onto my back and my head slammed against something hard. I saw leaves swallow me, I had been surrounded by a bush. My vision spun and I saw Julia stand over me. She said something I couldn't understand and then leaned down and kissed me. I blacked out. I didn't know for how long.

When I awoke, I was still within the bush, I could feel liquid on the back of my head. I reached and touched it, wincing in pain and letting out a soft hissing as I sucked between my teeth. As I made the noise I heard something shift, heavy boots, crunching, one by one. "I heard you," the voice said, followed by the distinct crying, "stay still, please. you shouldn't have crossed the river, why did you cross the river?" His voice was pathetically quiet, he sounded like a school boy in trouble. I tucked my legs in as close to my chest as I could and held by breath. "you don't think I can see you?" He said sadly, "oh, God."

I lurched forward ready to defend myself but instead I saw a flash just in front of me. The muzzle of his handmade weapon was pressed into a bush adjacent to mine. An eruption of blood covered the man's legs and torso. Julia's arms coming up to attempt to block the shot. As I watched in horror I noticed, he wasn't looking at Julia, he was looking at me. Immediately, I heard his boots swivel in the dirt, readying his next shot. With tears in my eyes I blindly leapt forward. Grabbing into darkness.

My hands touched something warm and metal, I tried wrestling it free. "please stop, I'm so sorry, please." He was stronger than me, whenever I tugged he hauled my body to the side, crashing my torso into a tree. Whenever I would yelp in pain I would hear his crying getting louder. Real screams of remorse, "Just stop!" He screeched, much louder than I had ever heard. I found purchase on the ground and tried with all my might to wrestle it free. As I slowly started to move the weapon, something rammed into my stomach.

It felt like it was burning, then I realized it was piercing me, a knife, dull. He let go of the gun and I fell backwards, still clinging to it. I groaned as I rotated the thing in my hand, trying to work out what the hell I was holding. "just give it back," he whispered, "I'll make it quick." I felt his boot stand on my leg, "please? please? please?" He began repeating between sobs, heaving sobs that shook his entire body. "please? please? please?" Once I found what I thought was the trigger, I aimed what end I though was the barrel and I squeezed.

It rocketed out of my grip and into the dirt, his side ripped open, revealing odd yellowing flesh. Blood spattered about and I saw Julia's dead eyes staring at me. Soulless in the brief flash. The man wailed in pain and cried out like a child begging for a parent. I struggled to my feet, my head humming in pain and the blade jostling around under my flesh. I heard the man start charging toward me, his footfalls like the crash of an escaped animal. I turned and ran. As I bolted through the woodlands, I heard, crack, crack, crack. Echoing behind me. Whenever he wasn't shooting, he was weeping so loud the entire camp would have heard.

I emerged into the campsite, I could barely see the land and could hear the waterfall. After another loud bang escaped close behind me I decided to dash again. As I ran the ground beneath my feet bucked up and a searing pain shot up my leg, followed by another crack that echoed through the trees. I stumbled forward and slammed onto my shoulder, sliding into the river. The current took me down from the waterfall. I couldn't see, I couldn't breath, I was spinning, spinning, under the water. My shoulder slammed into the side of the bank. I tried to grip it. I held on briefly but then the grass just by my knuckles exploded into hunks of dirt, flinging about. I let go and once more disoriented I went sailing down the river. I flapped my arms around and tried to kick but my ankle screamed in pain.

Ahead of me I could see something metal approaching, in the soft glint of the hidden moonlight. A piece of rusted metal was in the water, it was angled so it redirected anyone or anything floating down the stream. As my shoulder crashed into it, I got pulled into a much shallower but much more rapid stream. It looked handmade, spots that were much thinner than others, some much deeper. The water dragged me along, my belly struck the edge of the dirt and drove the blunt knife deeper into my guts. I gagged in pain and nearly vomited. I came down the left of two thin tunnels of water and saw light. Fire light. Flickering against the black landscape. I realized I was deep within unowned land. Land we were warned not to go. The water flowed down until it hit a bank, just by the two fires.

My body slid to a stop, softly splatting against a person. Glenn. His eyes wide and staring toward the fires, dead. His stomach had water entering and exiting like a beach current. Piled just by him were the others. Both Brians were missing their heads and Frankie was eviscerated by shrapnel. Her bottom jaw was split into two, her upper teeth were gone, her left eye socket was so wide you could pass an entire rifle through. She softly wheezed every so often. I tried to stand but my feet slipped and I looked down at my belly, steams of thick blood were pouring into the water. I turned my attention up again and saw a final body. June. She had clawed her way from the water and up the embankment, dozens of thin wounds along her spine. Clutched in her palm was the iPhone.

I pulled myself along the shore like some turtle and tried desperately not to look at my wound, not acknowledge it was there. I reached June and pulled the phone free, she had dialed 911. The call was still running. I pushed the phone to my ear and said, "Hello, are you coming?"

"June?" A softly spoken women answered from the other end.

"No, I'm her friend, she's dead, they all are," I coughed and rolled onto my back, grabbing my stomach.

"She described her location and we're dispatching a helicopter soon. Are you also by the statue?" As the words entered my ears I felt panic run down my body.

"Statue?"

"She said there was one nearby?"

I rolled back onto my side and looked ahead, between the two fires was a monument made of bones and metal. It was as if it hadn't existed until I looked for it. "I see it," I stammered out and the phone clicked off, dead. I clutched it by my side and stared in awe at the creation. It was twenty feet tall, made up of ribcages and skulls. Like a great worm it grew tall into the sky from the soil. Each piece was connected by wire and it swayed softly in the breeze. Along the body of the effigy were bullets, shells and casing, all tied to the ribs with wire. Nearing the top where there was a collection of shot-up skulls bundled into a giant sphere. Attached to the sphere were wings. The wings were mostly metal, knives and guns. They all looked old, cobbled together. I rotated until I was sitting cross legged in the dirt. At the base of the great totem pole was a skull, etched into the skull's forehead was just the word, 'war.'

Something splashed against the bodies behind me, I turned in a panic and instead saw Julia's corpse. She was bundled up with the others, her throat open and blood covering every part of her. I shuffled back down the shore, tears welling in my eyes. I reached her and pulled her toward me, crying into her shoulder. "are they all here?" A voice came from behind the statue, "I tried getting them all, I did." Emerging from darkness was the man, tall, wide, on his head was a strange helmet. The helmet was made from patched together animal skulls and where the eyes were seemed to be some form of night vision goggles. "I tried, I'm so sorry," he whimpered as he rounded the statue and looked up at it. "it's so hard, to kill these people. I don't like it," as he spoke he clutched the side of his body. The wound I had given him still slowly draining of blood.

Still to this day, I don't know if what I saw was just the wind or my mind playing tricks. The man leaned in and wrapped his long, burly arms around the effigy. Then, as I faded to darkness, the thing began to lean down, the iron wings bending toward him. A loud, metallic screech escaped as each piece glided against each other, it appeared to swaddle him in its limbs, bent twenty feet down. Then I passed out.

When I finally awoke I was in a hospital bed, it had been weeks. I was put into an induced coma to save me. The police found us, because we, "Reflected red from the helicopter light." I'm the only one still alive, Frankie survived a full day in hospital. I'm still unsure how she wasn't dead when I found her. I was forced to sign away the rights to speak ill of the company, that's why I haven't used the name and changed everyone's personal details. Later I found out a few things. The man was found, nearing dead, when they went to help he fled. The police assume his body will wash up one day, I'm not so sure. The statue wasn't there, evidence that it had been were found. Guns scattered about, knives and bones too. A deep hole in the earth between two smoking fires. But no monument, no angel.

Now, since I've signed away my right to speak against them for my settlement, even typing this post may have been a mistake but I don't know what else to do. I live in the city now, in an apartment, five stories up and each night I hear someone crying outside my door.