Horror Theme: What We Left Behind

The village folk had heard of The Hollow, but that problem was “out there.” Who has time for that?

Excerpts from survivor interviews:

“As if taxation wasn’t stretching our families thin ‘nuff. The Hollow just sounded like another excuse for the elite to shave a little more off the top. If we don’t get our hands dirty tending to the roots and vegetables of our homeland, who will feed the armies? Ain’t a single soldier in the capital that knows how to cycle a farm or tend the soil.”

“I think it all started with that Porter family. Young brothers went out into the forest, off galivanting or doing whatever young lads do in a forest. Throwin’ rocks at birds, pokin’ dead animals with a stick, I don’t know. Well at first the town crier let us know - real loud - that them boys were missin’. Most us of don’t assume the worst, how many times any of us stayed out too late looking at the stars? Pitched a tent… Next, was the neighbours’ bloodhound. Everyone knew that thing could smell dinner from across the other side of the salty sea and find that bowl ‘fore it got cold. Didn’t make it to dinner that night.”

“The whole town. We’re all that’s left. There’s nothing back there. You can’t go back there. Forget the army. Forget the scouts. Forget this whole damn cursed land and all who still stand on it. Ma, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Ma. I can’t go back Ma. I know you’re still back there but I can’t go back.”