Seed of Evil by Greig Beck (great reads .txt) 📕

sung. But there were also symbols that had wide meaning across the tribes. The bear symbol meant strength; the turtle, long life and health; crossed arrows meant friendship; and so on.

“We carved these images in stone and drew them on rock faces, and our symbols for a word or a phrase have been found dating to 5,000 years ago.” He leaned forward. “But the original people have been here longer than that. They most likely arrived 15,000 years ago over the land bridge to the far north.”

He held up a finger and waggled it at them. “And there is also an ancient symbol that was universal among the tribes from the frozen north to the southern deserts, and it was for the ‘great tree.’”

He smiled. “For years, Europeans interpreted it to mean life, or abundance, or protection. But we knew it as something different. We knew it as a warning of great danger.”

“Your tree god,” Greg said.

“Everyone’s tree god,” Mitch replied. “Whether we like it or not.”

“Yeah, I’m not buying that.” Greg sat back. “Everything I’ve seen and heard to date will have a scientific explanation, and not some legendary being or tree or entity hidden down in caves below Eldon. To me, I see an ancient contaminant or biological pathogen that is infecting people. An ancient germ leaks to the surface that we have little immunity defenses against. End of story.” Greg looked to Mitch. “Frankly, Mitch, this should have gone to the CDC for their quarantine and clean-up, and the mayor can go to hell.”

“I know, I know,” Mitch sighed. “But this is my home now, and if it means I have to be super vigilant and watch out for more cases, I’ll do that. If I saw anything significant happening again, then yeah, sure, I’ll do that in a blink.” He crossed his heart. “I promise.”

“Well, that’s good enough for me.” Greg chuckled and leaned back in his seat. “So, what now?”

Mitch shrugged. “The water has receded and should be totally gone soon. We’ve seen or heard nothing out of the ordinary, so for now, we just watch and wait.”

“Harlen wasn’t out of the ordinary enough for you?” Greg raised his eyebrows. “Or the dog, or your rat?”

“I’m hoping he was the last. And I think that rat went to rat Heaven… or Hell,” Mitch replied. He turned to the old Native American. “What do you think, Johnson?”

“Maybe it’s over, maybe it isn’t.” Nightbird waved his hand to the barman and ordered some more drinks. “If it’s still all quiet in 24 hours, then maybe our work here is done and I can go back home.”

“Here’s hoping.” Mitch lifted the beer and clinked the bottle with the two other men.

Nightbird sipped and let out a long sigh of pleasure. “And if it is over, then we can all agree it was my barrier spell that did it.”

“Of course it was.” Greg chuckled and took a long gulp of beer. “Mitch, I’ll hang out for another day, then I’ll head back home as well. But I think I’ll do a little more digging on those missing Eldon people from way back in the seventies. I don’t mind telling you I think it’s all a bit freaky, and one X-Files level mystery.”

Nightbird stared into his drink. “Maybe you should leave it be.”

“Too late for that now,” Greg replied.

Nightbird looked at the man from under lowered brows. “You might not like what you find.”

Mitch gripped his shoulder. “If you do poke around, let me know what you find. And thanks for everything. I know it’s been tough.”

“Anytime.” Greg grinned. “Yeah, been wild, but my pleasure.”

“Pfft, pair of city pussies,” Nightbird scoffed at the pair.

“So, we’re pussies now?” Greg laughed.

The Native American put his beer down. “Mr. Greg, one bit of advice for the road: curiosity killed the cat.” He winked at Greg. “The pussycat.”

CHAPTER 31

Nine days later

“So, it’s over?” Karen raised her coffee mug in a toast.

Mitch clinked his steaming mug against hers. “I think so. Or at least I hope so.” He smiled. “No more skin rashes, abnormalities, or even psychotic kids. I would have felt better if I could have brought in some outside experts, but…” He shrugged. “Politics.”

“Keith mentioned it,” Karen replied. “I don’t blame the mayor for trying to look out for the town’s interests. I mean, yelling contagious disease in a small town reliant on tourism, is the same as yelling shark at a beach.”

“Yeah, I guess.” He looked out through the window at Karen’s sasanqua camellia trees as the wind rustled their leaves, making them shimmer in the late afternoon sun.

He turned back, suddenly feeling relieved, and happier than he had in years. He loved Eldon, no matter the weirdness he had encountered. And he loved it here even more because he had a growing affection for Karen, and even better, he felt her for him too.

On the other side of the living room, Benji was on his knees, brows knitted as he worked on some sort of Lego model with the intensity of a nuclear scientist working with radioactive fuel rods.

Mitch turned back. “I’m just glad we managed to keep the local kids out of the mine pool when it filled up. Seems that was the source of our infection, and if it had of turned into the local swimming hole, everything might have gotten a lot worse.”

Benji stopped his Lego building and half-turned. “What?”

Mitch turned back to Karen’s son. “Yeah, it seems there was something in the water that made people sick.” Mitch raised his eyebrows. “But it’s all gone now. All leaked away.”

“What do you mean by sick? Like vomiting and stuff?” Benji fully faced him, his eyes like moons.

“Yes, and worse.” He narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t swim in it, did you?’

“Me, no.” He looked back down at his Legos but didn’t start working on it again.

“Benji, did you go up there when it was full of water?” Karen asked.

He shrugged and picked up his model.

“Benji?” she pressed.

“My