Seed of Evil by Greig Beck (smart books to read TXT) 📗

Nightbird nodded for a moment with his mouth turned down. “You seem like good people, so I’ll tell you a secret: the town leader erected a fence, but before they did, I performed a barrier ceremony.” He looked up into their faces. “Make no mistake, when I said this thing was a curse, I meant it. Science alone is not the answer here.”

Mitch bobbed his head, not really believing him. He faced the old man. “Is there anything else you can tell us?”

The Native American turned and saw the skepticism on Mitch’s face. “Don’t always trust your science, city boy.” He seemed to think for a moment. “And yeah, one last thing—stay the hell out of the mine if you know what’s good for you.”

“But you just got through telling us that’s the source of all our problems.” Greg’s eyes narrowed. “What’s really down there?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been deep down there and never will. But whether it’s Adotte Sakima or just a pool of bad water, I think you should stay a mile away.” Nightbird drained his beer. “Those statues of petrified people…when I was young, I asked the elders for advice about them. They told me that some of the servants of Adotte who refused to serve are immediately turned to stone. And the others are altered to be more in the image of their god.”

Greg half-turned to his friend. “They were transforming—remember my DNA analysis?”

“Yep.” Mitch nodded.

“Did you cut yours open?” Nightbird asked.

“I don’t know whether they did or not,” Greg replied.

“The team here did an autopsy back in the day. Guess what they found inside some of those changed kids? I’ll tell you—bones, flesh, and some of it human flesh.” Nightbird shrugged. “I’m betting I know what it took to be a faithful servant of the tree god.”

“Cannibalism.” Greg looked away.

“A freaking nightmare.” Mitch leaned his head back against the wood.

“But it stops when the mine pond drains? That’s what happened last time, right?” Greg asked.

“As far as I can remember, it was about then, give or take,” Nightbird replied.

“So, the strategy seems to be to keep people away from the mine when it has water in it. We lobby the town council to close the mine, permanently—by public health order. We get them to brick it up.” Mitch turned to Greg. “That should keep the town safe. Then, if the mine can’t flood to the surface, there’ll be no contamination.”

“And if there are other areas where it wells up?” Nightbird raised one silver eyebrow.

“We close them off as well. Maybe we bring in a geologist to advise us,” Mitch added. “I’m pretty sure they can do some sort of underground scanning to map the limestone cave network these days? We locate all the entrances and we close ‘em one at a time. We stop the infection rate in its tracks.”

Greg nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

Nightbird chuckled. “I feel I’m right back in the seventies listening to those fat cats on the council board.” He stood. “Well, you sharp-shooters don’t need me. You guys have got this under control. Just like last time.”

“What’s the problem?” Greg asked.

“You forgot the curse. You can seal the mine, or just wait it out. But it’ll come back. It’ll find a way.” Nightbird meshed his fingers and rested them on his stomach. “It always does.”

“Well, would you like to make any suggestions?” Mitch forced a smile.

“I could probably lift the curse. Maybe. But it would have to be on a consultancy basis.” Nightbird half-smiled.

Greg grinned. “Here it comes.”

“Okay, I’ll bite—how much consultancy?” Mitch asked.

“Five hundred per day.” The Native American’s lined face was deadpan.

“Can’t afford that,” Mitch said. “I’m not representing the town council, I’m just the local doctor trying to help.”

“Make it 300, then.” Nightbird turned to him.

“This is not a negotiation session. I just can’t afford it, full stop,” Mitch scoffed. “And I definitely can’t afford to pay you to perform some sort of spiritual cleansing ceremony, when I think it’s science that is the answer.”

“Cleansing ceremony was extra. I was proposing a barrier ceremony.” Nightbird laughed softly. “I can tell you gentlemen aren’t ready to believe just yet. But you will be soon.” He stood and used a hand to dust his old jeans off. “So, you just keep kicking the can down the road. And pray you don’t hit a wall.”

Mitch also got to his feet. “Thank you for talking to us.” Mitch stepped off the porch. “Good luck with everything.”

“And all luck and goodwill to you and Eldon. You’ll need it.” Nightbird nodded once and then went into his small house.

Greg followed Mitch off the deck. “How’s the confidence level now?”

“On a scale of one to ten?” Mitch grinned. “About a two.”

“Two?” Greg laughed. “I love an optimist.”

PART 3 – RISE OF THE OLD GOD

CHAPTER 24

Eldon Sparkling Mineral Water Company, Eldon

“Shut the fuck up.” Harry Reith glared at the dog.

The small mound of perfumed hair with the pink bow on its head was going bananas and hadn’t stopped its yapping for half an hour.

“I can’t friggen think straight—what’s the matter with you?” Harry dipped his hand into the bag of Fancy Boy treats and dropped a bright red bone-shaped biscuit onto the carpet.

Pompom sniffed at it, then looked up at him with those tiny, black, button eyes and backed away from it. And then the yapping started again.

Harry Reith groaned and scratched his arm. It was itchy as hell, same as his back. He rolled his sleeve up and saw the rash; it was an odd pebbly thing, more brown than angry red. Trailing his fingers over it, it felt hard to the touch, like he had spilled something on himself.

He grimaced as a bolt of pain ran through his head, and for a moment, he thought he could hear music, or a lullaby, but coming from inside his head, not outside of it.

As a final insult to his body, his throat also