The Journal of Jonathon Lindey From the main part of the journal - Page 16
I have been in Crystal Falls for two days and I know now that I shall not leave this accursed town alive. I do not fear dying, I fear for my immortal soul, but I trust that He will look after me. The portents make it very clear that my demise is nearly upon me, and I bring this chronicle up to date in the hope that someone following in my footsteps will be able to take it to Inspector Curtis of the Washington police. But let me pick up the story where my previous narrative broke off. It took me several days riding to get from Norwich to Crystal Falls. On the evening of the 5th I stopped in some nameless village about ten or fifteen miles away. Sitting in the tap room of the local hostellery I asked mine host about Crystal Falls. He shook his head. "I would suggest you avoid it, sir", he ventured, looking troubled. "It has a bad reputation, and all hereabouts give it a wide berth." I pressed him for more details, but he would say little, except that few travellers returned from the town, and those who did refused to talk of their experiences. I asked if there was anyone in the village I could ask for more information but he shook his head. "I am the hosteller, sir, and I fought with the Rhode Island Volunteers at Seven Pines, losing a finger", he held up his left hand - the middle finger was missing - "so I know a little more of the outside world than most. Few others have ever left the village and are so fearful that they will not even mention Crystal Falls by name. They are of the opinion it is under control of the Devil." He was right. I made a few attempts to talk to the other patrons. They were happy enough to be bought a drink and to talk until I mentioned Crystal Falls, at which time they fell silent. Fool that I was, I put their reticence down to ignorance and superstition. Would that I had taken cognisance of their fears... Early the following morning I paid my account and set off on the very last stage of my journey. I arrived in Crystal Falls at mid-morning as intended, since I wanted the rest of the day to look around. The town exhibited a curious phenomena. The sun had been shining brightly throughout my ride, but as I passed the town's boundary marker there was what I can only describe as change in the quality of the sun light. At first I put it down to a morbid imagination on my part, but now I am not so sure. It is difficult to explain the difference. The only thing I have seen like it was when I observed an eclipse of the Sun. There was a period when the sun was partially eclipsed during which the light quality changed - the phenominon was in some ways similar. |
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