Location 062EP

 In today's excerpt from The Agency, we travel to a small town in the mountains that is quarantined by the Agency due to the unusual way they worship. As this is also a longer entry, this will only be an excerpt of the story. 

Location 062EP

Location Description & History

Location 062EP a small town nestled in the foothills of the mountains is known as Ebony Peak to those outside of the Agency. Location 062EP has a population of just under one hundred that has been increasing slowly due both to births and outsiders moving here, though custodians have been attempting to prevent outsiders entering the town.

            The town is small. The school is a combination elementary, middle, and high school. The church is the most prominent and maintained building, though none of the buildings look rundown, though there are a few houses with yards that haven’t yet been mowed and exteriors that could use a fresh coat of paint. The church is in the heart of downtown, the center of this small town, with every building spiraling out in a web-like pattern. Shops and the school are closer while the houses are further out. The exception is the parsonage which is located right next to the church.

            The contact with the world outside of Location 062EP is limited. There is a limit to the amount of internet access the town is permitted and the websites the people visit are closely monitored. Other than this, Location 062EP is not denied or restricted in the necessities. They have running water which primarily comes from a spring and wells, electricity from a hydroelectric dam further north, natural gas, and they are still able to receive mail from elsewhere in the world. Despite the limit on their internet usage, the people in Location 062EP are not oppressed or deprived.

            Location 062EP appears deceptively normal and idyllic. The kids go to school through the week, parents go to work, and the entire town goes to church on Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday for a child-friendly service, sort of like Sunday school. In fact, it is difficult to tell there is anything unusual about this location until someone witnesses the inhabitants say grace over a meal, as Reginald Lucas of support team Zeta can attest in Testimony 2017-03-24.

            Despite the strict quarantine, the Archives have been fortunate enough to obtain testimonies from several residents, including Pastor Williams (Testimony 2007-09-18) and Rowan Woods (Testimony 2014-05-10).

Testimony 2007-09-18

Arch. Whitfield: Statement of Pastor James Williams regarding…a series of strange dreams, recorded direct from subject by Archivist Bradley Whitfield. Statement begins.

Ptr. Williams: The dreams are uncomfortable, to say the least. It’s so hard to tell it’s a dream until after I wake up drenched in sweat. The dreams always start out normal. I’m getting ready for dinner with my family. We’re all gathered around the table and I began to say grace. Then, as I’m speaking, these long, thin arms start coming from their mouths. Multi-jointed fingers, two thumbs on each hand. The hands come out and touch the food, take a small piece, and then go back inside their mouths. Then my wife turns to me and asks, “Do you want me to say grace for you?” I nod and she begins saying the prayer. I watch as those same strange fingers start coming from my lips. I feel them on my lips, feel them in my mouth, watch as they stretch and take some of my food. Then I wake up. Everything is normal. My family is asleep and safe, content. The next day, I say grace and everything is as it should be.

Arch. Whitfield: Right. Well, thank you for your statement. However, the Agency is not in the habit of accepting statements of dreams or hallucinations or things that cannot be verified by outside witnesses.

Ptr. Williams: I’m telling you that these dreams are not normal. There’s something wrong with that place, that town. You have to do something. I came here because I was told by Clare Howard that you all could help. That you could fix this, stop the nightmares. And now you tell me that your Agency doesn’t get involved with things like this? There has to be something you can do.

Arch. Whitfield: I’m sorry, Pastor. There is nothing that we can do. We do not investigate situations with dreams or hallucinations.

Ptr. Williams: It’s fine. I’ll just…go, I guess.

Arch. Whitfield: Statement ends. Pastor Williams referenced Ms. Clare Howard, the woman who reported and allowed us to obtain Artifact 0089J. This is unsurprising as she admitted to being a devout Christian and likely went to visit Pastor Williams to discuss to Artifact 0089J before the Agency sent collectors to retrieve it. Despite this not being something the Agency will investigate, I will keep this testimony for records on the off-chance something strange happens regarding Ebony Peak. 

So ends the excerpt of "Location 062EP." Next week, there will be another post about writing, possibly some of the writing exercises I've been doing or possibly some info about other writing projects. Then, after that, there will be another entry from The Agency.