Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S5 Ep219: Episode 219: Texas Horror

Episode Date: February 19, 2025

Tonight’s classic is the ‘in Texas’ trilogy by Starlessandbibleblack, kindly shared with me via the Creepypasta Wiki and read here under the conditions of the CC-BY-SA license. https://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/User:Starlessandbibleblack

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BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. Welcome to Dr. Creepen's Dungeon. Texas captivates us with its larger-than-life personality, a unique blend of rugged landscapes, rich history, and bold cultural identity. Its sprawling deserts, rolling prairies, and bustling urban centers combined to create a state that feels both untamed and modern. The spirit of independence, legendary hospitality, and a storied past steeped in cowboy law and frontier grid

continue to resonate with people around the world, making Texas an endlessly intriguing symbol of the American dream, as we will see in tonight's trilogy of stories. Now, as ever before we begin, a word of caution. Tonight's tale may contain strong language as well as descriptions of violence and horrific imagery. That sounds like your kind of thing. And let's begin.

The sunset in Texas. Cooper's eyes slowly opened, but his surroundings remain blurred as his vision began to focus. The afternoon's sunlight was partially, blocked by thick canvas curtains, causing a sickly yellow light to fill the room. Almost immediately a jolt of pain throbbed on the back of his head. After a few moments of agony, it dulled to a pulsing discomfort. While the shape of a couch and end table began to come into clearer view,

he attempted to lift his hands from the armrests of the rocking chair. His movement was restrained as he was met with the jagged edges of old cable ties cinched tightly around his wrists. Feeling confusion at first, this soon gave way to an overwhelming sense of panic as he fought against the bindings. I would advise against Andy struggling. Cooper lifted his head as a voice from another room echoed towards him.

To his left, he could see the shadow of a man standing over a table. The black shape lifted a knife and brought it down with one fell swoop. The metal blade made a mighty, chop as it contacted the butcher's block. Just give me a few moments to finish up my work. I typically find it rude to keep my guest waiting, but this is a matter that simply cannot wait. Without waiting for Cooper to give any sort of rebuttal,

the man's shadow went back to chopping meat. Cooper's vision had now returned to its full clarity as he blinked away any remaining fuzziness. A vintage television set sat on a shelf on the opposite wall. To his left, the camera. couch came into full view. While one cushion looked untouched, the other had clearly been slightly warm by years of use. To his right he could see a hallway leading to a flight of stairs in the front door. All done, the voice said with calm delight as the door to a refrigerator

snapped shut. Cooper sat petrified while the stranger's heavy boots thudded on the hard wood floor. Soon enough, he turned the corner and stood in the doorway. The man stood to Cooper's best guess, a hair over six foot. The shirt stained with blood at the rolled-up cups hung loosely over his gorned frame. The skin of his face was pulled tight over his jaw and cheat bumps, and patchy stubble, dappled parts of his face. I apologize for making your weight. That took much longer than expected, he said, while motioning towards the kitchen.

Although Cooper was unable to see what he was referencing, he had no interest in finding out what it was. Dinner's on the stove and should be ready in a few minutes. I take it you'll be joining me. Cooper looked down at his wrists and then back up at the man. I guess I don't really have a choice now, do I? This caused the man to let out a bellowing laugh and slap his knee. Well, he made a spectacle of himself.

Cooper sat in silent observance. Let me tell you something, Cooper. You certainly aren't like any of the others who've been here. you have a sense of humor you may look boring in your driver's license photo but you seem to be anything but still chuckling the man walked out of the room

and returned to the kitchen Cooper heard him open a cabinet and pull out plates and silverware with a rattle while he set the table for dinner Cooper looked around the room and studied his surroundings more the sun was sinking lower causing the light being filtered

by the curtains to now be slightly tinted orange Although the house was likely decades old, a stranger obviously took good care of it. Every surface was free of dust, and the floor lacked any imperfections, save for a few stains here and there. All right, everything's set. The man returned from the kitchen with a small pairing knife clenched in his slender fingers. A wave of fear swept through Cooper as his imagination raced at the possibilities that lay ahead. his eyes went wide as they locked on the knife

and in turn the stranger lifted his empty hand in a sign of calming oh don't worry I'm not going to use this to hurt you unless you don't follow my instructions he knelt in front of Cooper and slipped the blade between the cable tie and the leg of the chair now I'm going to cut you free so you can come sit at the table for dinner you are only to walk from this chair to the place I said for you

I don't want to have any trouble, but trust me, when I say that things will get real ugly, real quick, if you cross me. Got it? Cooper simply nodded and continued to remain motionless. The man slid the blade and cut the tie. Continued to cut the others until Cooper was no longer restrained. Standing out the stranger motion for Cooper to join him in the kitchen. Please walk slowly and remember, no funny business. Cooper listened and walked to the kitchen and sat down in his new seat without any problems.

As he tucked the chair under the lip of the table, his captor approached the seat on the opposite end. Before sitting down here he withdrew a large pistol from his waistband and placed it next to his silverware. This is the first time I didn't have to use this on one of my guests. They typically make a run for either the front or back door. If you happen to look at the floor in the living room, you should have been able to tell that they never made. made it far. The more I get to know you, the more I like you, Coop. Cooper gave a forced grin while his mind raced with images of numerous other victims

being gunned down no less than ten feet away from where he sat. At least that explained the stains on the floor. All the visions unsettled him, but he made sure to keep his composure. Whatever situation he was in, he needed to remain calm if he had the slightest hope of getting out of this mess intact. Oh, it's all right if I call you, Kube. I don't want to see him informal. The man said while scooping mashed potatoes onto both places.

That's fine. What do I want me to call you? Cooper asked while attempting to keep his composure. The task was growing more and more difficult as time went on. Oh, how rude to me. I forgot to introduce myself. You can call me Gunnar. Cooper gave him a confused look,

as Gunnar slid a plate loaded with food in front of him. It was my father's idea to name me that, and I never questioned my old man. Gunnar slapped a cut of meat on his plate and placed the lid back over the pan. Taking his seat once more, he neatly folded a crease in his napkin before placing it in his lap.

Cooper glanced around the kitchen and observed the small room. The dishes Gunnar had used to cook dinner were already washed and drying in a rack next to the sink. All dishes and were made. food items were hidden away in cabinets, leaving the kitchen spotless. He had yet to see anything out of place in the house, leaving him to ponder on the obsessive nature of this man. Oh, Cooper, I'm going to make you a deal.

I don't shackle you to that chair because you didn't attempt to run from the living room. If you continue to behave yourself, I'll consider letting you off easier than I intended. Cooper stopped cutting his food and looked up from his plate. Gunnar continued to scoop some mashed potatoes onto his fork and into his mouth, acting as if what he'd said should not warrant any questions. May I ask what you mean by letting me off easier? Well, that'll come in time. Now, let's get to know each other. So, tell me, Cooper.

What's your story? Before Cooper spoke, his mind raced with the possibilities of Gunnar's statement, deciding it was best to play along with this twisted game, he knew acting casually was his best defence. Well, I actually lived once stayed over in Louisiana. I was in Houston for a business meeting and driving home when... Cooper trailed off as his mind drew a blank. He attempted to remember how he got in this man's house,

but every image that came into his mind's eye was fuzzy at best. When I found you, Gunnar let out. Cooper's head shut up in his gaze locked with Gunnar's. In the orange glow of the Texas sunset, Gunnar sat still in his chair. The room was now washed in the light, causing Gunnar's shadow to loom over them on the wall behind him. He rested his elbows on the table and drummed his fingers on the edge of his glass. This is starting to come back to you, Coop. He asked, as a small grin pulled at the corners of his mouth.

At that moment, everything came back to Cooper in a sudden burst. He remembered standing on the side of the interstate. His car had a flat tire, and he'd flagged down the first car coming in his direction. He pulled onto the shoulder, and Gunnar stepped out with a tire-eye. Although he hadn't thought much of it at the time, Cooper realized he should have been more cautious. He remembered showing Gunnar the gash in the wall of his tire, when the blow hit the back of his head. and from there his vision began to blur before he succumbed to darkness. I guess you remember now.

Sorry about hitting you a little too hard. He just seemed so big that I didn't want to take any chances of not taking you out on the first try. Cooper continued to stare down at his place. The bump on the back of his head throbbed once again and his hands began to tremble. Outside birds chirped in a tree and a slight breeze made the wind chime on the porch let out a few. solemn notes. Why? Gunnar swallowed the bite he'd taken and gently rested his fork down on the table. I need you to speak up, Coop. Working with power tools all these years has left my hearing a fraction of what it used to be. Why? Why did you do this to me? Gunnar took a sip

from his glass, making sure not to break eye contact with his guest. And there it is. Every time I've had a guest over, the conversation always reaches a point where they question my reasoning. I must say, though, Coo, you're the calmest one I've ever had. May I ask why that is? Certainly this must frighten you to some extent. Cooper decided at this moment to lay out all these cards on the table. This was make or break. Well, it does, but I feel that remaining cool and collected is my best chance of leaving.

For the first time that night, Guna frowned. Without saying a word, he gathered his plate and glass and carried them over to the sink. The garbage disposal word to life as leftover food scraps were jettisoned into its metallic jaws. I thought that by now you would have understood that I can't let you leave. I'll admit that you were the first person to be calm and respectful about it, but I still can't let you leave. He flipped a switch and the hum of the disposal slowly died. Gunnar began washing his plate with his eyes staring out at the setting sun. The lower it sank towards the horizon, the more orange the room became.

I'm going to give you a fair warning that what I say next is typically what drives my guests over the edge if they hadn't been already. You're different from the others, so I'm expecting that you'll take this with a slight bit of discomfort, but no extreme over-exaggeration. Gunnar slid the plate in a slot on the drying rack and dried off his hands with a crisp white towel. I kidnapped people, with the intent to eat them. Cooper felt his body tense in fear. As his mind attempted to firmly grasp this new information,

he felt a tear escape the corner of his eye and rolled down his cheek. Now, I know that sounds bad, and I must sound borderline psychiatry. for trying to downplay it, but I have my reasoning. It's kind of a long story, so please bear with me. Gunnar sat back down in his seat and made himself comfortable. You see, I dropped out of high school without getting my diploma. This left my career choices to be less than desirable.

The only option I was left with was working in my father's repair shop. He'd taken vehicles with large engines like tractors or oversized trucks used for hauling. He forced me to do the menial tasks like scraping rust and clean off oil and grease. It was far from being the ideal life, but he put food on the table, be it barely. Cooper continued to stare at the table, but managed to take in every word that left Gunnar's mouth. A few more tears escaped from his eyes, leaving lines through the dirt on his face. You see, Cooper, this town suffered a major crisis some fifteen years ago. We had a major drought causing most of the same.

the crops to wither away and perish. The little water we had was spent keeping livestock barely clinging to life. The ones that lived long enough to be taken to slaughter were too malnourished to yield any meat worth eaten. After all the meat was deemed uneatable, the town met in the city hall to discuss how to move forward. We argued for hours, but every solution was shut down almost immediately. Just when we thought there was no middle ground in sight, my father came up with an idea. You should eat a few residents. Cooper slowly looked up from the table and locked eyes with his captor.

He explained that we should only eat what was necessary for the town survival. The weakest would sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the townspeople. At first no one said a word. As I looked around the room, a few people stared at my father with blank expressions. So I'm glad at him with bewilderment and disgust. well, others didn't really know how to react to such a horrid recommendation. And eventually, a few people

spoke up in agreement of the idea, causing those opposed to start a shouting match. My father slammed his fist on the table and received everyone's full undivided attention. He suggested putting up to a vote. When he asked for those in support to raise their hands, roughly a quarter of the town did so. When asked for those opposed to the vote,

another quarter of the town raised. their hands, even almost half the town undecided. Suddenly gunshots rang out through the room. Everyone who'd voted in opposition slumped forward in their seats. Some people screamed, some people cried, some sat in complete calm. My father had arranged the whole ordeal before the meeting. His closest friends had all agreed that cannibalism was the only option they had left, felt it necessary to take out anyone who'd try and block their path. As the bodies were pulled from the room, my father informed everyone who had not voted that he was going to be in control of handing out everyone's rations. You would either take meat for your family or be gunned down on the spots.

Anyone caught trying to contact state authorities or leave would also be met with a grim demise. Cooper sat in silence as he absorbed the information. Wherever this place was, he was now caught up in a mess of a situation. the body of those at the meeting were dried and preserved for future consumption. When that supply finally ran out, my father and a few of his buddies resorted to abducting stranded motorists. He knew better than to pick him up near the town, so he would drive out in his work truck and pick up fresh meat all over the eastern part of the state. This new practice of picking up innocent victims went on for a couple of months, but eventually

the drought ended, and the town slowly began to mend its wounds. However, some of the residents still had a craving for human flesh. My father didn't see the need in continuing this operation if it was no longer necessary for their survival. He made a deal with those who still wanted the meat that he'd supply them with it on special occasions. Christmas, Fourth of July, or someone's birthday. Lifting the pistol from the table and pointing it square in the center of Cooper's chest, Gunnar chuckled to himself. Well, if it's any consolation to you, you're a gift for a gift for a little.

girl who's celebrating her 16th birthday tomorrow. He's been looking forward to it for months now, and I'm sure you won't disappoint her. Gunnar laid down the pistol and walked over to the refrigerator. Opening the door, he withdrew two beers. He popped the caps off into the trash can and set one down in front of Cooper. I really do like you, Cooper. You've been so respectful to me, so I'll treat you to one last beer before I take you outside. I know it's not the ideal circumstances to have a final drink in, but I feel obliged to offer.

Cooper sat motionless and stared at the beer. Condensation rolled down the hazy brown bottle before settling on the table in a small pool. Now, you probably want to say goodbye to your friends and family, but we both know why I can't let you do that. So go ahead and enjoy your drink before we get started. I hate my father, Cooper muttered under his breath. Gunnar lowered the neck of the bottle from his lips and gently rested it down on the table with a soft clink. Why was that? I said, I hate my father. Cooper let out through gritted teeth.

Gunnar's eyes opened just a hair wider as he was taken slightly aback by the admission. Never before had one of his victims stated resentment for a parent. Oh, why's that? Cooper lifted his head up, glad with intense detestation burning in his eyes. He's a better and abusive old man, who took every chance he got to demean me, whether I actually deserved it or not. Gunnar rested his elbows on the table, a look of interest crossing his face. He motioned with his hand for Cooper to continue. Every time something would go wrong at work, he'd come home and take it out on me.

because my mother had died giving birth to me, my father and I started out from the very beginning on the wrong foot. If I got below a bee on my report card, he'd yell at me and make sure I felt guilty for my mom dying. Every little slip-up I made was met with a punishment exponentially worse than the action that brought it. His favorite thing to do was tell me how if she'd lived through it all, she would have been disappointed in what a disgusting disgrace of a son I'd become. This continued all the way through high school. It was time for me to choose the career path I wanted to take. He forced me to study engineering just like him.

I wanted to go into something like medicine or physical therapy. I wanted to feel like I was directly better in someone's life. He wanted to hear nothing of it. He was paying for my tuition and held that over my head and used it as leverage. As miserable as it was, I got my degree and found a job. We both work at the same firm, but I feel to this day that he wanted me to be an engineer so he could continue to abuse me of work. I make good pay, but I'm not exactly happy. Gunnar remains silent and attentive.

So to answer your question in a lengthy way, no, I do not want to say goodbye to my father. He's a monster, and I wish him the cruelest fate imaginable. I'm no sane but compared to him, I'm close enough. I just, well, I just wish that horrible man gets what he deserves in the end. Gunnar sat in silence for a few moments. After letting his mind process its thoughts, he finished off the last of his beer. He walked over to the trash can and discarded it. Staring out the window he watched as the last orange slivers of sun vanished over the horizon.

What if we make sure he does? Cooper turned around and gave Gunnar a puzzled love. Why do you suggest it? I'm going to make a deal with you, Cooper. I like you. I really do. If you can get your dad to come here, I'll let him take your place. Of course, you still can't go home, but you can live here with me.

I know it may not be the most ideal situation for you, but hopefully you'll find it better than being served at the party tomorrow. Give you a few minutes to think it over, so, So I'll do it. Gouinard turned around with a slight look of bewilderment at how quickly Cooper had made up his mind. You sure? Cooper gripped the edge of the table tightly

at the thought of his father finally getting the treatment he deserved. After all these years, vengeance was within his grasp. Without saying another word, he nodded. Well then, I'll give you the phone. Go ahead and give you the phone. give him a call and ask him to come pick you up. Gunner turned and pulled the phone from the receiver mounted on the wall, handing it to Cooper, he gave him a final look,

asking that he was fully confident in what he was about to initiate. Without hesitation, Cooper took the phone and dialed his father's number into the keypad. I hope you're happy with yourself. I had to reschedule my whole day as well as tomorrow to come out and get your ass back home. Cooper's father slammed the door to his cup. shut and marched towards the front porch. Cooper stood on the steps with his hands in his pockets and his head hanging low. Gunnar stood in the doorway, watching in quiet observance. You'll be reimburshing me for the gas I wasted hauling that trailer out here to take your car home.

Cooper nodded his head and didn't say a word. And I expect you to pay this man for touring your car here, feeding you and letting you spend the night. I apologize for all this, Mr. handsome Garnas said while extending his hand out Cooper's father shook his pleasure to meet you my name's Keith

I apologize it wasn't under better circumstances it was really no trouble your son really is a fine man Keith wrote his eyes and muttered something under his breath oh believe me that if you live with him you'd think a whole lot differently

Keith turned and walked down the steps. The humid summer was starting to take its toll, causing him to loosen his tie. All right, Cooper, let's get your car loaded up and get the head out of here. I already starting to break a sweat, so you'll have to buy me a new shirt after all this. Keith stepped onto the grass and started in the direction of Cooper's car behind the house. He stopped after a few paces to find Cooper still standing on the steps of the house. His gaze was directed out at the house. the setting sun. Right, you deaf too. I said let's go. Cooper remained motionless and bathed in the

orange glow of the Texas sunset. The wind blew, causing small pieces of dead grass to swirl around his feet. I don't have time for this shit, Keith muttered as he trudged back in his son's direction. Grabbing his son's arm, he attempted to pull him off the steps. When Cooper refused to budge, his father grabbed his arm with both hands and pulled her. Suddenly, Cooper took his free arm and wrapped it around his father's neck. Pulling him close, he removed his other arm from Keith's grasp and retrieved the knife from his pocket. With a drawing the rusted and stained blade, Cooper gave his father one last look before bringing it against his neck. With one quick motion, he slid his father's throat. The knife made a sickening, tearing sound as it tore the flesh of Keith's neck

open. Cooper dropped the blade and placed his hand over the wound. As the blood seeped between his fingers, he closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath. The warm crimson fluid flowed down the back of his hand and soon meanded around his arm before seeping into his shirt sleeves. Opening his eyes once more, Cooper watched as the life slowly flared his father's eyes. Keith slowly lifted an arm and brought his hand up to his son's face. his fingers lightly caressed his cheek before his body began going limp Cooper removed his hand from over his father's throat

as his body collapsed and he plummeted to the ground Nice job son Quick but painful Guna let out from behind him Cooper turned keeping his face expressionless Let's go ahead and bring him to the barn So we can drain before we serve him tomorrow Need any help

Cooper stood over his father's body His blood continued to gush From the jagged slit in his neck It pulled under his head Turning the dirt and grass underneath a dark brown I'll handle it myself Without saying another word Gouna walked ahead to open the barn doors

Cooper grabbed his father's ankles And pulled the body through the grass Leaving a trail of blood in his weight With each step The sun sank lower in the sky The wind blew and the crows dropped swayed in the heat. Nearing the barn, Cooper dropped Keith's ankles, causing his legs to slam onto the ground and kick up a small cloud of dust. He retrieved the length of chain line next

to the door and brought it over to his father. Wrapping the chain around his ankles, he fastened the loop over the hook at the end and pulled the bundle tight. Behind him, Gunnar pulled the doors open as they groaned on their hinges. The smell of oil and old wood flooded out, filling Cooper's nose with something else besides the smell of blood and grouts. The light hanging over the entrance with a massive barn flickered to life with a loud crackle. It hummed and began to draw in bugs. Garnard propped the doors open with two chunks of concrete and leaned against the frame. Motioning for Cooper to follow him inside, he vanished into the darkness.

Cooper looked out at the horizon as the sun finally vanished, leaving him surrounded by darkness, safe for the light of the bar. Cicadas buzzed around him as they welcomed the slightly cooler weather of the night. Lifting his blood-stained hand up to his nose and inhaling deeply, Cooper smiled and pulled his father into the bar. Midnight in Texas,

Cooper jostled slightly in his seat as the pickup truck bounced its way down the countryside road. The asphalt had long since faded, giving way to cracks and bumps that marred its surface. As his vehicle cruised down the road, he looked out his window at the fields that flashed by. Rose of Corn passed hypnotically by his gaze as his destination drew nearer. He peered in the rearview mirror to see his stepson, Andrew, staring out of the window as well. The teenager's blonde hair danced in the air that was streaming through the crack near the top of the window.

Cooper's gaze was suddenly diverted back to the front of the cab as his wife placed her hand over his while he gripped the gear ship. Susan gave him a warm smile and squeezed his hand. You know, you really didn't need to take the time off to come out here with us, so we could have just come the next time you were free from work, Susan said. Cooper grinned as he continued to stare out the wind-shoe. We both needed a break, and I know all three of us miss spending afternoons out here with Gunnar. Susan let out a light chuckle that was nearly lost in the wind through her open window and the static-laced song emitting from the radio.

Finally, Cooper let out under his breath. The familiar white farmhouse Gunnar inhabited came into view over the top of some low-lying bushes. Cooper led off the accelerator, causing the truck to slow before turning into the gravel driveway. As they drew closer to the familiar home, rocks crunched under the tires and the smell of freshly cut grass entered through the open windows.

Andrew perked up in his seat and his eyes went wide. You didn't tell me we were going to visit Uncle Gunnar, he exclaimed without any hesitation to keep the excitement from his tongue. Cooper chuckled and glanced at him in the rearview mirror. If I'd told you in advance, he'd have been bugging me the whole way down here on how much longer it was going to be. Andrew had now tuned out his stepfather's voice and had his face pressed against the glass. With one final press of the brakes, Cooper brought the truck to a halt with the passenger side facing the front door. As if on cue, the screen door was flung open and Gunnar's tall, slender frame stepped out into the sunlight. He wiped the palms of his hands on the front of his pants before outstretching his arms into a welcoming embrace.

I was wondering when you're all going to get here. Gunnar let out as Andrew threw open the door to the truck. He bolted across the narrow span of grass That stood between the front steps of the house and the driveway Andrew shook Gunnar's hand and poured the man into a hut I know it's only been a couple of months since you were last year But I can swear that you've grown at least another inch I figured you'd have stopped growing at your age

I'm giving you a run for your money Maybe I'll make six foot by the end of the summer Andrew let out as a joke Gunnar rustled his hair and looked up as Cooper stepped out of the truck and walked in their direction. They shook hands, but Cooper quickly found himself being pulled into a bear hug. Ah, you should know better than to greet me with just a basic handshake, Gunnar said, as his voice trailed off into laughter at the end of the sentence. It looked go of Cooper as Susan approached with a large smile across her face.

Gunnar bent down slightly to reach her height and embraced her as well. It's been a good few months since I've seen you as well Well my job keeps me busy most of the time Trust me there's nothing I'd want more than to come out here and relax sometimes Gouna nodded and turned to Andrew who is now swaying back and forth in the porch swing You know Andrew Gunnar called out the new calf was born just earlier this week Why don't you and your mama head over to the stables and have a look?

It's almost dinner time anyway You still remember how to feed the newborns we took care of last summer? Andrew nodded with excitement before bolting down the front steps in long strides and taking off in the direction of the stables on the other side of the property. Susan shook her head with a grin before walking behind him. The boy is 16 but still gets excited like a child when he comes here. Susan said with a laugh as she quickened her pace to catch up with him. Once the two were out of earshot, the smile slowly stooped.

decided to fade from Gunnar's face as he turned to look at Cooper. I have a feeling I know what this is about, he said with a concerning neutrality to his tone. Cooper kept his gaze on Andrew and Susan as they continued towards the stables. The day was going to come eventually, Gunnar. Cooper took in a deep breath as a cool breeze blew across the property. I just wish I had a little more time to prepare my answer properly. Gurnar let out.

He walked back up the front steps with the board squeaking under his weight, and Cooper following close behind. Go ahead and have a seat and make yourself comfortable. I'll fix us each a drink. I have a feeling we're going to need at least one over the cost of this conversation. Cooper let his body collapse into the cradle of the rocking chair. Kicking his feet up on the railing, slowly pushed himself back and forth as he listened to Gunnar, fooling around in the kitchen through the screen.

and all. After a couple of minutes, he stepped back outside with a glass in each hand. White Russians, Cooper asked with an amused hint of surprise in his tone. My God, you really are old-fashioned. Cooper took the glass and stirred the liquors and heavy cream together with a small plastic straw. Gunnar took a seat in the chair next to him and stared out over the field adjacent to the property. The air had gradually gotten cooler over the course of the day. He evolved. from a discomforting heat to an enjoyable coolness. You know, Cooper, I've been dreading having this conversation with you ever since you married that girl. Gunnar took a sip from his glass while Cooper kept his eyes locked on him in complete silence.

Oh, don't mean that a bad way. Every man in this town needs to have the conversation with their kid at some point. Some people don't mind it because they already know the answer, but others they try to put it. have a fight in fear of the possible disapproval their kid has for our customs. They all know what results from their son or daughter disagreeing, so I can hardly blame the parents for fighting all of this. Gunnar let out a heavy sigh before resting his drink on the porch, rightly. I know that Andrew has no clue what goes on in this town,

but do you have any hunch as to how he'll respond when he finds our coup? There was a moment of silence between the two men. bugs chirped in the grass and the faint crackle of a radio could be heard from somewhere inside the house Cooper swore he could make out the lyrics of the man in me by bob Dylan through the static they sat without saying a word gurnar had his eyes locked on cooper while he stared out over the land and thought for a moment well to tell you the truth gunnar i have no idea how he's going to respond to all of this I tried taking him hunting to test the waters.

He shot a deer last winter, but he was very hesitant when he came to gutting the thing and harvest in the meat. Cooper made an aggravated sound before pinching the bridge of his nose. That's the only thing even remotely close to testing his feelings about all of this that we've done. I honestly have no idea which way he's going to go with this.

And I'm just terrified that that's... that we all have to kill. kill him. Gunnar let out with no emotion in his tone. Another awkward silence hung in the air as Cooper shuddered at the cold realization he'd been so afraid to confront. Cooper stretched and reached for his glass resting on the porch railing. In one gulp he finished off the drink and placed the glass back down on the weathered wood. Oh, it's never easy, Gunnar said while continuing to stare out over his property. Some of the strongest men I've ever, come to know in this town, cried like a baby

and their kid was taken away. It's never easy for me either. No matter how many times I do it. I don't think I'll ever get over the feeling of knowing that I'm the one responsible for killing someone's child. And why do we keep doing it? Gunnar turned to look at Cooper.

He was now sitting fully upright in his chair and staring at him with the most serious look plastered on his face that Gunner had ever seen. Son of, you know the end. answer to that, Coop. Don't make me explain it. Cooper sat in silence for a few seconds before grabbing his glass and retreating inside. He sloshed more liquor and heavy cream in the glass, hardly paying attention to the proportions he was throwing together. As Cooper came back through the doorway, he stirred the light and dark liquids together with his finger before wiping it

on his shirt. He took a large sip before falling back into the rocking chair. Maybe Well, let me rephrase the question. I know your reasoning as to what would happen if we didn't do it, but there must have been some incident that caused you to set this emotion. I find it hard to believe that you're doing this just as a precaution. Something did happen or got really close to happening. You now smiled and looked over at Cooper. Sometimes I forget just how smart you are, Coop. There's a damn fine reason you're the only person I've abducted who's one.

out of this house alive, he said with a chuckle. Gonna let out a heavy sight? I'll prop his feet up on a nearby end table. Well, this was probably about 12 years ago. There was a boy named Rodney, who was just a year or two younger than Andrew. We were able to get away with not sending our kids to school for a little while, but eventually we knew that they would need the proper education. Much to my father's dislike him, we let them go back to school.

It took longer than my father had originally expected, but it was still only about five months before the incident occurred. He sat in class with a few other kids from town. There's this one girl named Lily who sat next to him for the whole day. They'd grown up together so real, and he made sense that they were really good friends. It's because of this that they confided in each other. One day, Lily went home and told her dad that Rodney wanted to go to the police and told him everything that was going on in this little town. That very night Her father came running to our front door

And started banging on it I was already in bed But could hear him from downstairs in our living room Explaining everything to my dad I immediately after this my father grabbed the shotgun Hanging above the fireplace Nestled under the covers of my bed I heard him slam the door to his truck

And the engine roared alive As he peeled out of our driveway My young mind raced Trying not to imagine what he was going to do next the following day Rodney wasn't in school he wasn't there the next day either or any other day after that

I made the assumption of what had happened and my old man skirted the question whenever I asked him it was years later when my old man passed the tradition onto me that he fully explained what had happened that night he'd pull up to Rodney's house with a shotgun slung over his shoulder

it was late at night so his parents hands of the door with a lot of confusion. My father told them not to interfere, simply pushed past them and walked upstairs. As Rodney's mother screamed and collapsed to the floor, my father dragged the boy down the stairs, screaming and fighting the entire way down. You can not pause for a moment.

The void of silence was once again filled by the surrounding bugs and soft, blowing breeze that passed through the trees. My father took Rodney outside, let him deep into the, the property and put a bullet in the back of his head. Cooper was sitting with his hands clasped together and holding his chin up. His gaze was now focused out over the farmland and the setting sun that was beginning to disappear below the horizon. So you were a crit in your

assumption, Coop. We don't just do this as some paranoid precaution. We do this because it almost happened. I don't want anything like that ever to happen again. Should anyone discover what goes on in this town. I don't want to be around to witness the fallout the members of our society would have with any armed authority. Have you considered just ending this all together and letting the generations of remember

and participate in it just fade away the time? Gunnar chuckled and finished off his drink. He kicked a leg up on the patio railing and rocked himself in his chair. Trust me, I've considered it on more than a few occasions. It'll be a weight off my shoulders, but I don't trust some of the people in this town. There's a reason I'm the sole person who goes out and gets meat for those who want it. I'm terrified that if I gave up the whole thing, those who crave it bad enough would just defy my authority and try to get it themselves.

Let's face it, not everyone is as smooth, clean, and tedious as I am. I'm terrified that some would easily get caught, and then the whole town will be busted. off in the distance, Cooper could see Andrew and his mother returning from the stables. His stepson had found something which he now held in his hand, but Cooper was unable to make out what it was from a distance. No, it's not ideal. Gunnar said in a somewhat defeated manner. However, it's still the best I can do with the situation my father put us all in these years ago. I personally never see an end to this, so... So the best thing we can do is just try to control. control it to the best of our abilities.

Two men were silent once again. Cooper ran through the multiple scenarios in his head, well, Gunnar did his best not let emotion cloud his judgment. If we end up having to go through with it, I want to be the one that does it. Gunnar raised his eyebrow, and turned to give Cooper a surprised look. You know, I've had parents offer to do it the same for their kid in the past,

but I never really expected that to come out of you. Are you sure you be our friends? I killed my own father, didn't I? Gupa asked with a sense of pride as he recalled that night in vivid detail. Well, yeah, but your father was someone that you despised with every fiber of your being. That's a lot different than killing someone that you've come to know and love as your own son. Cooper opened his mouth to respond, but I found he was unable to say anything. Look, Cooper, I'll give you until tomorrow afternoon to go through with all this.

If I pull Andrew aside tomorrow and find out you haven't asked him about it, then I'll have to do it myself. Now, you and I both know that it will pain me deeply to do that to the poor kid, so for your own sake and my sake, I want you to go through with this. Cooper nodded and focused his gaze on the two members of his family as they drew closer to the farmhouse. Andrew came bolting across the yard with a large grin plastered on his face. Clutch in his grasp, Cooper could make out that he had the post of a wrought iron fence.

A spike had on the top and rust and dabbled numerous spots on its surface. Looks like you found part of the fence that used to run around this property. Well, that thing fell into disrepair before I was even born. Gunnar said while reaching into his pocket and retracting a pocket knife. With one swift motion, he flipped it open and, scraped at some of the rust. An orange powder fell into the air, revealing the dark metal underneath.

Looks like most of the rust is only on the surface. How about after dinner, you and I go ahead and clean that thing off and get it treated? Andrew nodded his head with excitement and rested the large length of metal against the doorframe. Susan opened the screen door and turned her head back as she stepped inside. Andrew, how about you come help me fix dinner?

dinner. Andrew heeded his mother's instructions and followed her inside. As the sound of shuffling pots and pans echoed through the screen door, going to turn back to Cooper with a serious look on his face. If I were you, I'd talk to him after dinner. Should worse come to worse than we have to take care of him. I personally think it'd be best if the last memories he had were of a night like this, surrounded by family. Gunnar stood up from his chair and placed a hand on Cooper's shoulder.

I'm putting a lot of faith in you, Coop. Please don't let me down. With a final heavy sigh, Gunnar went inside to help prepare dinner. Cooper found himself sitting alone on the front porch. The sounds that were drifting outside from the kitchen were filtered out. All he could hear were the buzzing of cicadas and a slight breeze wafting through the tall grass near the edge of the property. Just like the first time he'd ever been in this house, the sunset was casting an eerie orange glow over everything. What had once been a living nightmare when he woke up, strapped to a chair in Gunnar's living room,

was now a place he considered to be his true home. He'd come to love and accept Gunnar as the father figure that he'd never had growing up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw faint movement. The door to the barn had been left open, causing it to rock slightly on its hill. hinges as it got caught in the breeze. A soft groan would escape the hinges, barely audible to Cooper over the distance. As he stared at the building that he dragged his father into, the smell of blood began to fill his nostrils while the memories of that night came flooding back.

He shook his head and jolted up from the rocking chair. Not wanting to think about it anymore, he walked inside just as dinner was being pulled from the oven. The fore of the mate at the dining room table that had been a touch. dawned with the first flowers of spring. There were plenty of stories told and laughter to be had as night began to fall over the small Texas farmhouse. The entire time, Cooper's mind swarmed with the thoughts of what he was going to have to

do later that night. However, he managed to keep his composure and put on a pleasant demeanor during all of it. After Susan served dessert, Andrew helped clear the table and pull all the dishes into the sink. after they'd all been scrubbed and placed on the drying rack. The four of them sat in the living room, watching a movie on the television. The clock above the mantel was just about to strike ten, when Cooper leaned over and whispered something in Andrew's ear.

Would you mind coming outside and help me with something? Andrew did not ask any questions and simply followed Cooper outside. As he opened the door a symphony of the night filled there ears. The entire landscape had come to life with the sound of birds, insects and other nightlife that inhabited the surrounding land. Cooper stepped off the gravel driveway onto the freshly cut grass, his boots leaving prints in his wake. The two men walked in the direction of the stables, guided by the faint shadows of vegetation in the moonlight. So what do you think of living in this town? Cooper asked bluntly, not knowing how else to start

the conversation. I mean, it's not bad or anything. I'm just not a big fan of the isolation. continue to walk as he pondered how to continue the conversation. Well, there's a reason this town has remained isolated when many others have evolved and expanded over the years. There's a reason. We all smooth move there, Cooper, he thought to himself. I know. Cooper thought his heart, skip a beat. He almost tripped in a shallow hole, causing him to stumble slightly before regaining his balance. Whatever you think, the reason is, I can guarantee you that it's not. You mean it's not because the people of this town practice cannibalism? And Cooper was now at a complete loss for words.

He'd ceased his stride, causing him to stand and simply stare at his steps on it. Silence hung in the air around them, safe for the sounds of the surrounding wildlife. Although Cooper was tempted to say something immediately, his loss for words caused him to think over his next words carefully. Damn, you're even smarter than I originally anticipated. Andrew did not respond to this. He stood motionless and stared at Cooper with unblinking eyes. I guess before we get too deep into this conversation,

I have to know, how did you find out? Uncle Gunnar and I do our best to keep all of this a secret from the kids. Andrew motioned his head to the side, signaling for Cooper to follow him as he began walking again. Deciding it was best not to question the sudden leadership role that his steps undertaken, Cooper follows. Every kid knows. Well, let me rephrase that. Some kids know, but not all of them believe it.

The first time I heard these stories was in middle school. I was with a group of friends when some of the older kids started to spook us out with tales about how some members of the town will go and abduct people across the state and butcher them. As they continued to walk across the fields, Cooper kept his gaze straight ahead. He didn't speak a word and simply listened to Andrew's explanation. At the time we really didn't think of it as anything more than some sick and twisted joke or a somewhat pathetic attempt to spook us.

So when did you find out that it was actually all real? Cooper asked. Andrew paused for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. It was the day I spent the night at this kid's house for his birthday. We've been good friends for years, so his parents let me stay for dinner and spend the night after all the other kids had gone home. his mother had made a roast that felled the entire house with an intoxicating aroma. At the time, I just thought she'd splurged and spent a little extra cash on the good pork roast from the butcher.

Andrew sighed and stared up at the stars in the sky. It wasn't until we were all seated around the dining room table, and his mother placed the still steaming pan down in the middle that something struck me as odd. Whatever meat this was, it certainly didn't look like any kind of roast I'd had before. When he asked what it was, his parents just stared at me for a moment. The mother didn't know how to respond, so the dad just asked me if I wanted to try a little piece. Andrew ceased speaking, causing a silence to fill the space between them.

So, um, what did you do? Cooper asked in a dry tone. I thought about all the rumors of people being abducted and butchered. I also thought about all the instances where some kids would stop coming to school. It suddenly occurred to me that in that moment perhaps there was some truth to those stories. My mind suddenly began to fear for what would happen if I acted out at the dinner table. So I did the only thing that was guaranteed to keep me safe. Took a big slab of it on my plate and ate every last bit.

Cooper could hear Andrew swallow loudly. He assumed his stepson was having to swallow down vomit after reliving that memory. Well, I don't really disagree with it, I guess. The one thing I don't like is that innocent people are usually the ones abducted for all of this. I guess it'd be different if this was done with criminals or other degenerates of society. Cooper tuned out Andrew's voice immediately after the sentence ended. From deep within his mind, a consideration came back that he'd tried to keep tucked away. Deciding this was as good of a time as any, he stopped in his tracks.

Andrew did the same when the familiar crunch of vegetation under his stepfather's boots ceased. "'Follow me, Andrew. "'There's something I think you need to see.' "'Cuper turned on his heels and started back in the direction of the barn. "'Andrew followed close behind. "'During the walk over there, both remained quiet and to themselves. "'When they finally reached the tall and looming shadow of the barn structure, "'Andrew ran back to the house and soon returned with the iron post,

"'clenched tightly in his grasp. "'Trust me, you wouldn't need to defend yourself,' Cooper said with a forced chuckle. But I guess if that makes you feel comfortable, go ahead and bring it. Andrew stood in front of the large doors. One of them hung slightly ajar, causing the smell of old wood, motor oil, and decaying plants to come spilling out into the cool night air. Well, it should go without saying, but I want to make sure you understand the severity of what I'm about to show you.

You speak a word of this to anyone. I won't hesitate to put you down. I've come to think of you as my son, my own flesh and blood. As much as it will pay me, don't think that there will be any resistance for me to put a bullet through your head. Do I make myself clear? Andrew swallowed up the lump in his throat and nodded his head. Cooper swung the door open fully in motioned for his steps on to follow inside.

As Andrew stepped over the thresholds, he placed the sleeve of his flannel shirt under his nose to avoid the growing severity of the smelt inside. Cooper continued towards the back of the barn where a rickety flight of stairs ascended into a loft. Before going up the first step, he grabbed the shotgun that was hanging from a hook on the wall. As the two men climbed up the stairs, the ancient wood groaned and squeaked under their weight. When they finally reached the top, Cooper reached out and flicked a light switch that was mounted on a structural post with the wires crudely stapled to the framework of the barn.

to the right of the opening in the floor where the stairs came up Andrew could hear a light bulb crackled to life and a sickly yellow glow filled the area in front of him Cooper stepped on to the loft and waited for Andrew to reach his side Andrew could see that the floor was covered by a thick blanket of dust although it had been disturbed in some places his eyes then focused on a set of chains that were bolted to a large beam overhead the links drooped down from the ceiling until about halfway between the

beam and the floor, before curving out backwards towards the loft and disappearing into the shadows. Before Andrew was able to question what they were for, Cooper lifted his boot and banged it loudly onto the floor. Wake up! He screamed in a deep and booming voice that echoed throughout the building and sent a chill down Andrew's spine. There was a moment of silence before shuffling could be heard from across the space. The chains rattled lightly, causing a metallic clinking to echo in the air, Andrew watched in horror as one hand with a chain shackled around the wrist, stretched out from the shadows, and clawed at the floorboards before it. Soon afterwards, another one came forward with a matching chain shackle and caused the cracking of its joints to fill the air. Andrew found himself unable to move as the two arms extended into the light and heaved a body from the shadows.

A head that was covered by greasy, disheveled hair emerged from the darkness. A mouth appeared from behind matted locks of hair and opened as if to scream, but only a painful squeak escaped. Its head slowly turned from side to side, attempting to locate where the sound of Andrew's heavy breathing was coming from. The thing let out a raspy wheeze as its gaze looked directly onto him. Andrew started to step back, but Cooper quickly grabbed his shoulder and halted his movement. "'I brought someone to see you,' he yelled at him. and this caused the creature to let out another pitiful attempt at speaking. Extending a hand further, it caused the chains above to rattle an echo throughout the building.

And we're going to step towards you. We don't want any trouble like last time, do we? The head started to hang towards the ground. I said, now do we? Cooper slammed the heel of his boot even harder onto the floor this time. The boom caused the creature to. throw his hands around its head and bend down into a fetal position. Stay close to me and listen to anything I say.

Cooper said as he motioned for Andrew to follow him. Together the two took slow, cautious steps towards a thing that was now huddled over and a ball on the floor. With each footstep that connected with the floor, Andrew could see its body tremble with fear. Now within close distance, Andrew could tell this was not some starved creature, but a human being.

Dad, who is that? Andrew asked as they stopped in front of the individual. Without speaking a word, Cooper used the barrel of his shotgun to pull the greasy strands of clumped hair away from the person's face. In the dim light from overhead, Andrew stared down at the face that he had not seen for years. Although yellow bandages were wrapped around his eyes,

he was still able to recognize some facial, features. He felt his limbs grow numb and the iron post fell from his hand. He came down on the floor with a loud thud, causing the man that lay in front of them to throw up his hands in self-defense. Dad, I thought you... Your mom had to keep you from the truth for a reason. Andrew turned to Cooper with tears starting to run down his cheeks. Your daddy never died in a car crash like your mom, always told you. She did that to spare you from the truth until she felt you were ready to hear about it. She personally would have liked for you to stay oblivious to all of this for a few more years, but I don't see a better time for you to know than right now. Andrew continued to stare down

at the malnourished and weathered figure of his biological father on the floor. The images in his mind of a once muscular and powerful figure were now replaced with those of the weakened person that lay before him. Why, why did you do this to him? Andrew barely managed to choke out through heavy sobbing. Cooper took in a deep breath and prepared himself for the conversation he'd always dreaded would come. I'd only known your mother for a couple of weeks

when I first met your father. At first he was respectful to me, and I grew to respect him. However, things immediately started to reveal themselves one night when your mother pulled me aside. she told me about all the times that he'd beat her and how she thought I was the person that could finally help her escape the living hell

he'd turned her life into. Andrew looked up from his father to look at Cooper. The dead expression was plastered across his face as he glared down at the man before them. That wasn't even the worst of it. She told me that he'd just recently started to sexually abuse her, small things at first, but they eventually grew to be extremely dark and sinister.

it got to the point where your mother would fake having a late shift at work so she could sleep in her car in the parking lot instead of going home to him or that Andrew ever thought of his father over the years suddenly came crashing down around him as he stared down at the monster that lay trembling at his feet but the first time in his life Andrew could feel an emotion towards his father he never thought would come forth blistering anger I told Gronar about this in confidence one night when I was visiting

as badly as I wanted to tell the police about all of this. He both knew that that would only lead to the possibility of them fighting what goes on in this town. If we turned your father into the police, he could just as easily lead them back to what goes on here. Any sort of law enforcement presence in this town is extremely frowned upon. So we decided that the only sensible thing to do was take the matter into our own hands. Cooper paused for a moment and sucked in a deep breath. before continuing. Gunnar and I hopped into my truck and drove to your house one night when you were to sleep over.

As soon as we opened the doors and walked on to that front lawn, we could hear your mother screaming from inside. We ran towards the front door and could see your father pinning her onto the floor. Thankfully, he left the door unlocked, so we burst in and took aim at him with our weapons. He was continually punching her in the stomach, and our sudden presence hardly seemed to slow him down. as badly as I wanted to blow his head off right then and there, your mother was too close for me to guarantee she wouldn't get hit as well.

Gunnar ran up behind him before he had time to react and smacked him on the back of the head with the butt of his rifle. Cooper crouched down and used the barrel of his shotgun to remove even more hair from around his father's neck area. A grimy bandage similar to the one around his eyes was wrapped around his throat. Andrew had no exact estimate as to how long it had been on him, but he guessed it had been a few years. We came to find later that your mother had been pregnant.

He didn't want another child and decided to kill the baby himself in a drunken stupor. We didn't reach your mother soon enough and she miscarried a few days later. Your uncle Gronor and I decided it would be too merciless to kill your father after that night. Instead, we decided to keep him alive so he could spend the remainder of his days tortured by the consequences of his actions. He brushed the back of his hand against the man's cheek, causing him to flinch. Isn't that right, Mac? Cooper reached into his back pocket and retrieved a pocket knife. He slid the blade under the bandage, causing Mack to stiffen out of fear.

With one swift movement, Cooper sliced off the bandage with a sickening tear. As it fell to the ground, Andrew stared at the darkened scar across his father's throat. Instead of gagging him, I came up with the idea of slicing his vocal cords. Well, he'll never speak again, but he's breathing isn't trouble like it would be with a sock stuffed down his throat. Should something ever happen where the authorities find him, he'll never be able to say what occurred here. Cooper grabbed Mack's hair and lifted his face up towards Andrew. It's caused another painful squeak to escape his throat. As Cooper placed the blade under the bandages around,

his eyes, Andrew already feared that he knew what was going to be underneath. Cooper sliced off the fabric, revealing his father's shut eyelids. Zieg-zagging stripes of black thread held them together, and Andrew could feel bile begin to rise in the back of his throat. If he ever found a way to escape, we didn't want him to simply tear off a blindfold and find his way to the police. I also didn't want to completely remove his eyes and run the possibility of him getting an infection and die prematurely, so Gunnar kept him locked out and stitched his eyelids closed. Although this was a crude method,

was extremely effective nonetheless. Andrew opened his mouth to speak, but found himself unable to utter a single word. The man who he'd idolized for years and missed so dearly now sat a broken man in front of him, a pathetic shell of the father he'd known and loved for many years. A few more tears fell down his cheeks as he struggled to swallow the lump in his throats.

I know this is a lot for you to take in now, Andrew. No man should ever have to see his father in such a state like this, but I had to make clear to you that not every bad action that goes on in this town is given to those who are undeserving. There are a lot of times when your Uncle Gunnar and I have disposed with some horrible people on this earth. I just hope that you understand this. Now, when we get back to the house,

I'm going to sit down with you and Uncle Gunnar. and three of us are going to have to talk about. Before Cooper was able to finish his sentence, Andrew picked up the wrought iron from the ground and swung it up over his head. The length of metal came crashing down on Mack's head with a sickening crunch. Small droplets of blood scattered around the floor,

a few of them splattering onto both of their clothes. Another gasp escaped Max's throats. This one even louder than any previous. A crooked hand slowly lifted up in self-defense, only to be met with Andrew swinging the post with all his might. Cooper could hear the bones within his hand crack and protrude through the surface of the skin. Mac immediately retracted the limb against his body. Before he was able to huddle up anymore, Andrew brought the medal down onto his father's back. Cooper stumbled back and clasped to the floor.

Although no bones could be heard breaking this time, there was a sense. sickening thump when it made contact. Andrew could hear his father sharply take in a breath, proceeding to violently heave and cough as blood dribbled down the corner of his lip. Andrew led out a blood-curdling scream as he continued to bludgeon his father in various spots on his back and head. One blow in particular came down with such immense force to the back of Mack's skull that the stitches over one of his eyes began to tear. An eye partially protruded from between the crum.

rusty skin of the eyelids and looked out upon the world. After years of being shielded and hidden away, the last thing Max saw was his own son, raising the iron post for one final blow. Andrew gritted his teeth and smashed the iron down onto his father's heads. All the fractures that had been created along his skull finally connected and caused it to cave in. Andrew could hear his stomach churning squish

as bone fragments were forced into the soft and now exposed tissue of his brain. With one final breath, Mac dropped his head into the puddle of blood that had formed beneath him. The one shaking figure was now motionless. Andrew could feel his chest heaving as he took in deep breaths. Cooper stared at the body in complete awe from his position on the floor. He had expected Andrew to have a few choice words with his father, but never anticipated the situation to escalate to this severity. Cooper white the blood that had splattered on his face with the back of his sleeve and looked up to Andrew. Although Cooper had been spared from the majority of the bloodshed,

Andrew's clothes were heavily doused in the dark crimson fluid. The flannel shirt and jeans would have to be burned later to dispose of any evidence, and possibly the shoes that were now slowly being soaked in the blood puddle that crept towards his feet. Andrew, what? Cooper was unable to form a complete sentence. He continued to stumble over his words, words while glancing at his steps on her. The blood on his face reflected in the sickly yellow light overhead.

Andrew continued to stare down in his father's lifeless body as his breathing finally returned to normal. With the loud clang that echoed throughout the barn, the wrought iron boast fell to the ground. Part of it landed in the blood puddle, causing some droplets to fly onto Cooper's shoes. We'll take care of this later, Andrew said, without any sort of remorse or victory, in his tone. Andrew bent down and pulled out Mack's hand. It was a sickening crunch as Cooper heard the bones in his fingers crack. Something was now clamped in Andrew's fist, but Cooper was unable to make out what it was. With one final glare at the mangled corpse before them, Andrew slowly turned on his heels and walked towards the stairs. As he passed, Cooper stared into his stepson's eyes. The joy and

innocence that had once filled them had left, now replaced with a cold emptiness. Cooper stood to his feet and quietly followed Andrew back to the ground floor. As they turned towards the open doors and passed under the loft, Cooper thought blood seeped through the floorboards and fall into his head. The small puddles that were forming on the ground squelched under his boots as the man could once again hear the bugs outside. Stepping out into the coolness of the night, Andrew pointed his head towards the heavens and sucked in a deep breath. His eyelids flooded shut as he slowly let the air out between his lips. Cooper stepped up next to him.

Although hesitant at first, he slowly reached out and placed a hand on Andrew's shoulder. He didn't immediately react, but slowly turned to face, Cooper. The emptiness still lingered in his eyes, but a glimmer of happiness caused the corners of his lips to slightly pull into a smile. You all right there, Andrew. Cooper asked in a soft tone Andrew led out a light chuckle and stared off at the farmhouse in the distance

Gunnar and Susan suddenly stood up from their rocking chairs she bolted down the front steps and sprinted in their direction with Gunnar following behind at a walking pace I'm fine Dad I'm perfectly fine Cooper felt the wind sucked from his lungs at that moment Andrew had never called him Dad before and expected that day to not come for a long time.

Andrew turned and gave Cooper a warm smile before wrapping his arms around him. Taken by complete surprise, Cooper slowly lifted his arms and returned the embrace. You make me proud to call you my son, Cooper let out through tears. I'm proud to call you my dad, Andrew said just before Susan reached them. I could see the blood all over your white shirt from the porch, coop what the hell she froze in place as Andrew turned and revealed the dark

spots scattered all over his clothes Susan clasped a hand over her mouth Jesus Christ Andrew what the hell did you do she struggled to hold back tears while her hands began to tremble Mac is gone now

Andrew let out under his breath Susan gave him a confused look before shaking her head from side to side "'No, baby. "'Your dad's been gone for a long, long time.' "'Andrew stepped forward and grabbed one of her arms. "'He placed his hand over hers and gripped it tightly. "'Bud ran down his wrist and slowly cascaded over Susan's skin.

"'The still warm fluid almost caused her to pull back. "'I know the truth now, Mom. "'He is finally gone, though.' "'Andrew pulled his hand away and Susan looked down at what her son had left in her palm. Sitting in a small pool of blood was Mack's wedding band. Tears began to stream down Susan's cheeks as she held the tarnished gold ring between two fingers. Unable to speak, she threw her arms around Andrew and held him tightly.

The wrought iron slipped from Andrew's fingers once more and fell into the grass to his side. His arms wrapped around his mother as she sobbed heavily onto his shoulder. Cooper watched from the side as Gunnar finally reached the group He walked up to Cooper and examined the blood stains on his shirt For the first time since his own father had been killed Cooper saw a look of bewilderment on Gunnar's face The man looked up at the barn and then back down to Cooper Without even having to ask the question

The men exchanged glances and a smile Andrew let go of his mother and slowly turned to Cooper with blood still speckled on his face he smiled come on dad the weather's perfect for a bonfire i know uncle gunnar's been meaning to burn off some trash for a while now with a pat on the back cooper wrapped his arm around andrew's shoulder and the two men started back towards the farm hills the moon now hung in the center of the sky bathing the land in an airy blue tint gunnar retrieved the wrought iron post from the ground and he he and Susan followed them. As they walked, she sniffled, and Gunnar placed an arm over her shoulder. Susan smiled and wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

As they returned to the farmhouse, the iron post dripped blood the entire way. Small dark splotches littered the grass in their wake. The doors to the barn swung slightly in the breeze, causing a haunting groan to echo into the night. Dawn in Texas. Adam kneeled on the ground to inspect his freshly flat and tired. As he drew closer, he could hear the last bit of air hiss out from around the nail.

Swearing under his breath, Adam pulled off his baseball cap and used it to fan himself. Summer days in Texas were famous for their intense heat, and this one proved to be no different. As beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, he heard the crunch of gravel from behind. Spinning on his heels, he was met with a sight. of a beaten and battered pickup truck coming to a stop behind his own vehicle. The brakes emitted out a loud squeak before the monstrous machine came to a halt.

The door opened on rusty hinges and a tall, slender man stepped out from the cab. Need a hand there? Gunnar asked as he slicked some stray grey hairs back, add a motion to the deflated front tire before shrugging. I have AAA, but thanks for the offer. A mechanic in town's a friend of mine. Get him out here much quicker than AAA.

Now, unless you've sprung for premium, you're going to rack up quite a charge since the shop is way more than five miles from here. Adam let out a heavy sigh and scratched the back of his head. Glancing down at the tire one more time, he looked back at Gunnar and accepted the circumstances. If it's not too much trouble, then I'd really appreciate it. Gunnar gave the man a white smile before returning to the cab of his truck. Oh, there's no trouble at all.

Just consider yourself lucky that I travel this road as often as I do. Adam pulled his phone from his pocket while Gunnar sifted through the items on the floor of his cab. He unlocked the device and opened the messaging app. A conversation with his wife appeared on the screen and he began to type away. Had a flat tire on the way home. A local stop to help me out. I'll be getting a toll truck soon. Keep you updated.

Adam hit send and slipped the phone back into his pocket. As he turned around to call out for Gunnar, he was met with a tire iron to the face. The thick end made contact with the side of his head, and Adam's vision suddenly went bright white around the edges. He felt his legs grow weak as his weights seemed to increase tenfold. As he began to see black spots, his body collapsed to the ground. his head pivoted around causing him to smash his face onto the asphalt of the road's shoulder

a cloud of dust plumed around adam before settling on his previously spotless white shirts Gunnar quickly pulled the phone out of the man's pocket and brought the tire iron down on the screen he bashed the device until it was nothing more than a twisted chunk of metal on the asphalt damn you hid the ground harder the most Gunnar muttered under his breath as he tossed the tire iron back into his truck Returning to Adam's fallen body, Gunnar grabbed him by the ankles and dragged him towards the truck. The tailgate fell open with a loud clang while he took a moment to catch his breath. After discovering Adam was much heavier than he appeared to be, Gunnar wrapped the body with

cargo straps and made sure that they were fully tightened. Finally, he threw a tarp over his new acquisition and used various tools and boxes to keep it held down securely. Slamming the tailgate shut, Gunnar dusted off his side. hands on his jeans and returned to the cab. The engine roared to life and he wasted no time before peeling out of the gravel that lined the side of the road. As he repeated the process of accelerating and switching gears, light from the setting sun filled the cab. Small dust particles floated in the air as Gunnar switched on the AC and turned the radio dial. There was small bursts of static until he

finally landed on a clear station. The twang of an acoustic guitar filled his ears as the truck finally reached a cruising speed. The color of their hair is not the reason that I steer, but I was always a fool for a blonde. Gunnar tapped one hand on top of the steering wheel and whistled along as his vehicle barreled down the small Texas side road and towards home. Soon enough, his white farmhouse came into view. Bringing the truck to a slowdown, he turned down his driveway and bumped up and down.

With a groan from the brakes, he brought the truck to a stop in front of the main door. He opened the door with a creek and slammed it shut. Throwing down the tailgate, he made quick work of removing the tarp and unfastening the cargo straps. Adam's eyes were still closed, causing Gunnar to let out a sigh of relief. In far too many times where he'd removed the tarp to find his victim awake and panicking, grabbing hold of Adam from under his arms, he heaved the man up and over the tailgate. Must be surprised, Gunner felt the body slip from his grasp and plummet to the ground.

Adam's face crashed onto the compacted dirt of the driveway and slid forward as the rest of his body slammed down. "'Sone of a bitch!' Gunnar exclaimed, before grabbing the man's ankles and swearing even more under his breath. As he dragged the body across the yard and up the front steps, Gunnar took notice of the dark crimson streaks that had followed behind them. Looking down, he was surprised to find Adam's nose bent to the side with blood slowly flowing from the nostrils,

With even more aggravation, he rushed inside and grabbed an old towel from the laundry room. He wrapped the face up tightly and finished dragging Adam's body inside. Gunnar grabbed him under the arms once more, this time making sure he had a firm grip, before heaving his body up onto the kitchen table. The plastic tarpe he'd placed over it earlier, crinkled as the old wood creaked under the force. For an average Bill Gah, you are sure a monumental pain in the ass. Gunnar hissed at the unconscious body before walking to the sink and washing the blood

that he'd smeared down one arm. After a considerable amount of scrubbing, he returned to Adam and placed two fingers on the man's neck. After a long pause, he still couldn't find a pulse. A smile crept across Gunnar's face as he finished drying off his hands. Damn, he can still knock him out in one, sweet. Tossing the rag over the back of a chair,

Gunnar slipped on a pair of old gloves. He lifted the towel wrapped around Adam's face To find that the bleeding had mostly stopped Unrapping the man's head He discovered a large dark spot swelling under his skin Where the tyre iron had made contact Gunnar poked the airy with one figure Causing the skin to push in under the pressure

He could feel fragments of skull Shifting around underneath the skin from his touch Yeah, but I still got it Gunnar began the process of emptying Adam's pockets As he removed a pack of gum, his wrist brushed against something under the man's shirt. Lifting up the fabric, Gunnar was met with the side of a pistol tucked into the waistband of his jeans. He carefully pulled the weapon out and laid it down on the table. My or my, he would have been pretty dangerous if I wasn't successful with that first blow.

After turning the other front pocket inside out, Gunnar rolled Adam's body onto one side and reached into the back pocket. The familiar shape of a wallet could be felt on his fingertips. Without hesitation, he put it out and examined it in the yellow light of the lamp overhead. It was made of a high-quality leather, leading Gunnar to believe that he stood a good chance of finding a decent amount of cash inside. Well, let's see how much Mr. Fancy Man carries around. As he flipped open the wallet, one of the items inside caused light to harshly reflect off of its surface. Gunnar tilted the wallet until he could read the lettering embossed

on the item's face. His blood ran cold and he could feel his limbs begin to tremble as he read the wording on the badge. Waco, police department. The wallet slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor. The wallet made contact on the hardwood boards

causing a loud thud to echo throughout the kitchen. Gunnar felt his legs begin to weave. beacon, causing him to stumble backwards. He grabbed onto the edge of the sink with a death grip as he attempted to steady his breathing. Her ringing began to fill his ears while his vision blurred. He immediately shook away the sensation and bolted for the phone on the opposite wall. Throwing his body against the aged wallpaper, he ripped the handset from its hook. Gunnar used a shaking finger to punch in a number. As the line buzzed with distortion in his ear,

he could hear his heartbeat echoing as well. After a few rings there was a click, and a familiar voice crackled through the ancient speaker. Hey, Gunnar. Cooper, he spoke with trembling words. I think we have a problem. In just under half an hour, the familiar rumble of Cooper's truck could be heard

pulling up Gunnar's driveway. A door opened and slammed shut. This was followed by the sound of footsteps approaching the front door. "'Just stay in the truck,' Cooper called to Andrew as he bolted across the front lawn. Gunna was standing in the doorway with his gaze pointed down at the ground. Cooper was shocked to find he'd adopted the habit of smoking after quitting nearly 20 years ago. As the smoke escaped his lips with an uneven breath, Gunnar ran a trembling hand through his hair. Hey, Cooper!

For the first time since Cooper had woken up, strapped to a chair in Gunnar's living room nearly two years ago, the man had not greeted him with a bear hug. Gunnar, what's wrong? Without wasting any more time, Gunnar motioned for Koop to follow him inside. The two men stepped inside and shut the door behind them. As they stepped into the kitchen, Cooper took in the faint scent of blood floating in the air. He soon caught sight of the bloodied towel still wrapped around the stranger's face. Jesus, I thought you always try to avoid.

the face. Gunnar took in another long drag from the cigarette and let the smoke slowly trail from his lips. The entire time he kept his eyes pointed directly at the body. I dropped in on the ground while pulling him out of the truck. The fucker may have been dead, but that surely didn't stop his nose from bleeding. Cooper walked closer to the table and examined the corpse. As his gaze travelled up the lifeless figure, Gunnar tapped the cigarettes. Small bits of glowing ash fell to the floor.

without any concern as to the cleanliness of his home. Cooper shrugged and scratched the back of his head. I don't get it. Is there something I'm missing? Gunnar's cold gray eyes darted to the wallet that was lying closed on the table. He motioned with the end of his cigarette towards it and didn't speak a single word. Cooper looked over at it and slowly extended a hand to pick it up. As he inspected the leather, Gunnar stared at him with a completely blank expression.

Damn, this guy must have been carrying a good amount of cash in something this nice. Opening it up, Cooper's attention was immediately captured by the golden badge reflecting the sickly yellow light from the overhead. A lump formed in his throat as Cooper found himself choking on his words. After a few soft mumbles, he managed to let the words escape through his lips. Oh, fuck. Gun aside and inhaled deeply. causing the last of the cigarette to burn down to the filter. He flicked the butt towards the corpse, causing it to strike and leave a small black spot on Adam's neck.

It's real, isn't it? Gunnar asked with a shaking voice. Cooper tilted it in the light and read over the lettering multiple times. It appears so. Out of nowhere, Gunnar turned around and kicked his boot into one of the cabinets. The impact caused a loud bang to echo throughout the room and made Cooper drop the water. it on the table. He stared at the black smudge that was left in the wake of this man's rage. God damn it! Cooper had never heard Gronar shout before. For a man that he'd come to know as being

kind and gentle, the sudden outburst almost scared him. Gronar, you need to get a grip. He turned to face Cooper with a mixture of anger and fear plastered on his face. Do you not understand that this is the end, Cooper? I killed a cop for fuck sake. It's not going to be long until I ever every officer in the eastern part of Texas breaking down my door to put a bullet in my head. Without warning, Cooper stomped over to Gunnar and grabbed him by the collar. He clenched his fist and gave the older man a good punch to the face. Gunnar's head quickly pivoted to the sides. His lips split open, causing a light trickle of blood to begin oozing from the small laceration.

Cooper pulled his gaze back at him and shook him by the shoulders. I'll be damned if you start freaking out on me. You're the one that taught me to always keep a level head when situations arise, and now it's hardly the time to show me otherwise. Gunnar rubbed his jaw and leaned back against the sink. Thank you, Cooper. I'm sorry to lose my better judgment like that. Cooper sat on the edge of the table and let out a breath of frustration.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he inhaled and kept his gaze pointed down at the floor. Where has his phone? I crushed it to pieces on the side of the road. What about his car? It should still be sitting abandoned him with a flat tire. Cooper looked Gunnar dead in the eyes. There was a moment of silence between the two of them before Cooper spoke once more. Were there any cameras?

Hammers, Gunnar asked with confusion. I'm assuming you only targeted him because you had no idea he was in an unmarked patrol car. almost all of them have hidden cameras but some are more noticeable than others did you happen to see any if i saw a fucking camera do you think i would have crushed your skull in gonna ask sarcastically while motioning a bloodied hand towards the corpse cooper glanced over at the motionless body instead it is the sound of cicadas chirping outside drifted in through the mesh front door and into the kitchen as you gathered his thoughts could not grab the small rag hanging from the back of a chair and put it to his lid We need to go back, Gunnar. Come again. I said, we need to go back. Cooper repeated with a newfound tone of authority.

If there was a chance you were captured on camera, we need to go pull the SD cards and destroy them. Without another word, Cooper jumped to his feet and walked towards the front door. Gunnar did not hesitate to follow closely behind. As the men stepped over the threshold, They were met with the comfort and cool of the night air. Oh, beautiful night for a shit show, Gunnar muttered under his breath as they hopped into Cooper's truck. As a vehicle made its way down the abandoned backroad, Cooper explained the situation to Andrew.

The teen sat in silence as the details were explained to him. Gunnar would occasionally catch his gaze in the rear-view mirror, causing him to feel a small amount of embarrassment for the situation he created. Turn here, Gunnar said, over the road noise. Cooper cut the wheel and brought the truck onto another seemingly abandoned side road. It's going to be about a mile or two up ahead. As the vehicle climbed a small hill, Gunnar felt his stomach drop as the blue and white glow of flashing lights

could be seen just over the top. Before I had a chance to say anything, Cooper quickly turned around. Undo your seatbelt and get down as low on the floor as you can. Without any hesitation, Gunnar did, as he was told. The man fumbled with the restraint before quickly drop into the floor below the backseat. Just before they climbed over the hill, Andrew took the jacket by his feet and threw it over the man's form. As the truck crested over the hilltop, a short line of police cars could be seen both in front and behind the unmarked vehicle. Don't stare, Cooper said coldly.

Andrew directed his attention back to the road in front of them. As they approached the small gathering, Cooper signaled and moved into the adjacent lane. He led off the accelerator a little bit to avoid roaring by all the policemen. Passing by, his eyes quickly darted to the side to inspect the car Gunnar had approached just a couple of hours ago. When the truck had moved past all the stopped vehicles, Cooper signaled once more and brought the truck back into its respective lane. Did you see anything? Gunnar asked while keeping his head pressed on the floor. I couldn't make anything out.

I didn't want to stop or slow down too much. From behind him, Cooper could hear Gunnar beginning to breathe heavily as the truck continued down the road. The three of them remained silent the rest of the way to Cooper's home. When they finally pulled into the driveway, Susan rushed out the front door to greet them. Andrew hopped down from the passenger seat and opened the back door. Gunnar sat up from his position on the floor.

and slowly climbed out of the truck. A glazed look covered his eyes as he stumbled forward. Susan quickly ran over and placed one of his arms around her shoulders. Andrew did the same, and the two of them let Gunnar inside. Put on the news and see if anything's been reported yet. Cooper called from the kitchen as he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. As he placed it within Gunnar's field of vision, the man instead motioned his head towards the liquor cabinet on the other side of the living room.

Cooper nodded and grabbed. grabbed a bottle of brandy and a glass from the shelves. He handed them to Gunnar, who, in turn, set the glass on an end table. Pulling the cork from the neck with a soft squeak, he continued to take a decent gulp straight from the bottle. Gunnar did not so much as flinch as he swallowed the dark amber liquid and stared at the television screen. And it looks like the Kingsel area is going to be getting nothing but intense sun the next

few days, the weather girl said, with a chipper tone. Gunnar took another sip from the bottle as Cooper sat down on the couch next to him. A cheaply animated cloud floated across the screen before the two anchors seated at their desk came back on. Before we get to tonight's main segment, we have a missing person's report out of Round Rock, the male anchor said with a serious tone. Cooper's blood ran cold as Gunnar slowly lowered the bottle from his lips.

Shelley Johnson in our Crime Watch division has more on the story. Shelly? The screen went through yet another cheap transition before a petite blonde appeared. Thanks, Anderson. Police are asking for the public's help in what they're now considering to be a missing person's case.

A video of the undercover car and the surrounding police vehicles appeared on the television with the word live spelled with capitals in the corner. A round-rock police officer was driving back from a call when he noticed a vehicle on the side of the road.

As he stopped to offer assistance, he found it to be abandoned. He became even more concerned when the destroyed remains of a cell phone were found on the shoulder. Running the place, the officer discovered that the vehicle was in fact an undercover car registered to Waco Chief of Police, Adam Blondell.

A picture of Adam standing in front of an American flag with a large smile across his face appeared on the right half of the screen. While deputies soon arrived on the scene, investigators were able to pull some footage from the hidden cameras on both the front and rear of the vehicle. Cooper heard the bottle of Brandy crashed to the floor and shattered into small fragments.

The liquid pulled on the harboured floor at Gunnar's feet to small bits of glass scattered across the living room floor. Unfortunately, the lens of the rear-facing camera was partially obscured by Rogue Graham. However, investigators were able to pull audio and a slightly distarded screenshot from the video. This screenshot contains what they claim is the clearest view of the now-wanted suspect. Adam's portrait was soon replaced by a smudge photo with an audio sound wave below it. As Gunnar's voice could be heard through some distortion, Cooper stared at the image on the screen. Part of Gunnar's face could faintly be made out through the smudge that took up a considerable portion of the image. Authority suspect foul players, part of the audio also appears to contain an assault on Chief Blondell.

However, we will not play that on air. This has led round rock police to heavily suspect foul play. A red pickup truck, estimated to be from the early 80s, was also captured on the front-facing camera. However, the vehicle did not have any license plate to identify it. The image of the soundwave disappeared and was replaced by a screenshot of Gurnar's pickup truck and another photo of Adam posing with a woman. The two of them were holding a baby wrapped in a light blue blanket.

Chief Blundell's wife, Judith, is asking for anyone with knowledge on what could have happened to her husband to please come forward. The screen cut once more and was now fully taken up with a video of the woman from the previous photograph. Her eyes and the skin around them were red, raw. As she spoke, her voice cracked multiple times. Please help my precious Adam come home. She took a pause and sniffled.

Quickly composing herself, she let out a heavy sigh and looked back to the reporter off camera. I don't want my baby boy growing up without his father. As Judith spoke the last few words, the minuscule shred of self-control she'd managed to hold onto had slipped away. She completely broke down, causing the camera to cut off her heaving sobs. We once again asked the public to assist in identifying this man. The blurred photo of Gunnar came back up onto the screen,

along with the audio clip of his voice. He's warned by police and is now covered by police, and is now considered the main suspect in the disappearance of Chief Adam Blondeff. Cooper slowly turned to find Gunner's eyes glued to the screen. As the segment cut to the next story, his gaze remained unblinking and focused. Gunnar, Cooper asked while placing a hand on his shoulder and slightly shaking the man. That don't feel so good. Before Cooper could ask him to clarify, Gunna leaned forward and heaved.

A vomit soon spewed from his mouth And into the puddle of brandy still at his feet His body began to pitch forward Causing Andrew to jump from his chair And help Cooper push Gunnar's body back His head tilted back Causing his gaze to point directly up at the ceiling A mumble escaped his lips

But no one in the room was able to make out what it was Is he drunk? Andrew asked No Cooper responded while running to the kitchen And grabbing a bag of frozen peas As he placed it over Gunnar's foreheads, he reached down and grabbed hold of the man's trembling hand. He's just scared. Should we be? Andrew's question left Cooper without an answer.

He continued to hold Gunnar's hand while a new story softly played in the background. Gunnar's eyed lids fluttered before his vision blacked out and he slipped into unconsciousness. In what seemed like no time at all, his eyes open to the harsh rays of morning sun streaming in through the living room. The smell of fresh coffee filled his senses just before his temples began pulsating. Reaching up and grabbing hold of his head, the man let out a pain grown. You're going to want this. Gunnar looked up to find Cooper standing beside the couch. A mug of steaming black coffee was held in his outstretched hand.

Thanks, Cooper. Gunnar mumbled while taking the mug. Cooper sat down in a chair across from the couch and let out a heavy sigh. This is going to be a hard one to get ourselves out of. He mumbled while staring up at the ceiling. Gunna remained quiet for a moment before taking another large gulp from the mug. The throbbing began to subside as his body slowly started to recover from the night before. I'm honestly not sure if we'll be able to, Coop.

Gunna took in a deep breath before finishing off the coffee and resting the mug on the adjacent end table. This town has had a few issues in the past that had me worried, but it never really caused me too much alone. I'd handle them relatively quickly and life would move on. However, I've never had to deal with law enforcement before. This town has been able to keep its secret hidden for decades, but, well, this. Gunnar nodded his head towards the muted television. The news cycle was once again playing the clip from the previous nights.

This has me terrified out of my fucking mind. The blurred image of Gunnar's face appeared on the screen once more. As the news anchor's lips moved with silence, Cooper retrieved the pot of coffee from the kitchen and refilled both their mugs. I didn't get much sleep last night, so I've been up for a good few hours trying to formulate a plan that could hopefully alleviate all this. Guna raised an eyebrow and sip from the mug. By all means, let me hear it. Well, the biggest concern I have now is the body line on your kitchen table. In hindsight, we shouldn't have left your hands.

house without at least putting it in the bar. Gunnar scoffed as he watched the image on TV switch to the portrait of Adam. Considering how days I was last night, I'm surprised a bigger mistake didn't happen. I gotta thank you for keeping me level-headed. Cooper nodded and continued speaking. Once you feel like you fully recovered from last night's episode, I'm going to take you back home to dispose of his body. Get a fire going as hard as you can and burn him up.

I also want you to take any meat from the freezer and throw it in as well. What should I do with the bones? Keep aside and swirl the coffee around in the bottom of his mug. This is going to be the tedious part. I know for a fact that there are bones from numerous other victims that have accumulated over the years. I need you to be extremely thorough and making sure that the farmhouse and barn are completely stripped clean. Once you've collected everything, grind them up in fine powder. I'm spread it across the wheatfield

in the far corner of the property. Guna nodded along as Cooper spoke. The last thing we'll need to do is dispose of your truck. Susan is going to pull everything out of it and drive that thing into a flooded quarry about 15 miles outside of town. I've already arranged for Ronnie to get you a replacement

with real license plates and everything. He and his wife will meet Susan at the quarry and she'll return to your house with a new truck. While you and Andrew finished disposing of any meat, she'll be scrubbing your house from top to bottom. What about the townspeople? Gunnar asked, catching Cooper by surprise. I can tell just how much trouble you've gone through

to come up with his plan to keep me safe, Coop, but I think we also need to consider the possibility of law enforcement questioning the people of this town. Cooper ran a hand through his hair and took a large sip of coffee from his mug. Yeah, let's see. Last thing I wanted to bring up. I think the greatest threat to keeping all of this,

this under wraps could be our own neighbours. No matter how they may react to my strategy, I think it's about time we stop this once and for all. I'm going to call a meeting at the church and try to put an end to all of this. Gunnar sat in silence as he ran over the plan in his head. Cooper waited for him to respond and was taken aback when the room was filled with a light chuckle.

You know how many years, how many painfully long and agonizing years I've waited for all this to end. I'm going on said with a laugh, as a smile spread over his lips. I've tried on a few occasions to make all this stop. There was always a small handful of people in this town who wouldn't hear any of it.

He paused and slowly turned to look at Cooper. For a while now, I've come to think of you as the one that would take my position in this whole operation once I was unable to do so. But now, you may just be the one who could finally put an end to it. Cooper leaned back in his chair and stared outside. The branches of the oak tree on the front lawn trembled slightly in the Texas summer breeze,

causing a few leaves to break free and tumble through the air. As much as I'd love to see that happen, I'm just not sure how well some people are going to take this news, Gunnar. Then do what my father did, Gunnar said with his tone now reverting to one of complete seriousness. These people fear you, Cooper. from the way I see them act around you. It's not just a respect for your power. They're legitimately terrified with what you can do.

If someone opposes your leadership, then fight back. Whether that means verbally or physically fighting back is completely up to your discretion. I have complete faith no matter what that you'll handle the situation better than I be able to. Keep a smiled and finished off the coffee in his mind. You know, Gunnar, my life has changed. drastically since I've lived here. Not only if I found myself to take on a more firm and authoritative disposition, but I have a family.

Hell, I never would have considered having a wife, let alone a kid, just a little over a year ago. Now I'd be willing to slaughter just to keep them safe. I know you would, Cooper. That's why I'm sure that no matter what happens, you'll be able to handle it. Before Cooper let the emotions overtake him, he stood up and walked to the front door. Well, we need to get to work right now. Time is the most precious thing we have. Cooper said while slipping on his boots. Gunnar nodded and walked over to meet him. Cooper called for Susan and Andrew and all four piled into his truck. Quickly starting the engine, the vehicle sped down the driveway and onto the main road. During the ride back to Gunnar's house, Cooper made sure everyone had the details of their tasks fully memorized. Soon enough, the white farmhouse came into the house. to view and Cooper led off the accelerator.

As the truck rolled to a stop in front of the home, Andrew had already flung open his door. He and Gunnar rushed out and bolted for the front door. The screen doors slammed behind them while Susan climbed down from her seat. Cooper rolled down the passenger side window and caught her. Ronnie said he'll be at the quarry in about half an hour, so you don't have too much time to clean out Gunnar's truck and get down there. You sure you're comfortable jumping and rolling from

a moving car. Don't you worry about me. Just make sure you keep this town from going under. Susan leaned through the window and gave her husband a kiss before passing a hand down his cheek. I know how some of these people can be, so promise me that you'll take care of yourself. Make sure to stop them before they even have a chance of trying anything, Cooper said with confidence, as he patted the firearm strapped in the horse on his belt. With one final smile, Susan started towards the barn as Gunnar Fulner,

finished back in the truck inside. As Cooper drove off, he watched in the rearview mirror as she shut the barn doors. A small trail of smoke from the fire Andrew had started floated through the air while Gunnar ran back to join him. God, I hope this works. Cooper muttered under his breath. He turned up the radio to drown out his own thoughts and made his way towards a small church in town. When he finally reached the building, he noticed that almost everyone in town had already arrived. The last few people walking up the old wooden steps and through the doorway. Cooper brought the truck to a halt and killed the engine. Shoving the keys in his pocket, he quickly ran across the grass and bounded up the steps in a single stride.

As he ran through the doorway, the heads of everyone sitting in the pews turned to look at him. All the chatter ceased and an eerie silence hung in the room. Not knowing what else to do, Cooper folded his sunglasses, sit them on the neck of his shirt and walked towards the front. front of the room. Stephen closed the doors and keep a look-out for anyone driving up, he said, without any tone of politeness.

The man he addressed did what he was told and slammed the oak door shut. Cooper walked up the two steps that led to the altar before turning around to face the crowd. He led out a sigh and sat down on the top step. We don't have time for

bullshit, so I need to know something. Am I correct in assuming that everyone here knows what happened? yesterday. No one in the room spoke. Instead, they just all nodded their heads. Good. Now, to address any concerns you may have, I can assure you that the matter is being taken care of. As we speak, my son is helping Gunnar dispose of the chief's body. Susan is driving Gunnar's truck into the quarry outside of town. Thanks to Ronnie and his wife for helping us get a new truck and all the necessary registration. I assume everything went smoothly. Cooper nodded to a

couples sitting in the second row. They returned the gesture with small waves. That truck should never see the latter day again, Ronnie called out. Cooper breathed a sigh of relief before continuing. Once again, I can assure you that the matter is being taken care of in the most efficient and thorough way possible. You all know how meticulous Gunnar is with his work, so I can assure you that after tonight, not a single shred of evidence will be left. Be so damn meticulous. Why don't even? mess up in the first place? The voice muttered from the back of the church.

Cooper immediately shifted his gaze in the direction of the voice. A few eyes darted to look at a man sitting next to them. He stared at Cooper without any remorse for his statement. What was that? Cooper asked while standing to his feet.

Everyone in the church watched with dread while Cooper slowly stepped in the man's direction. Stopping in front of the man at the end of the row, he stared down at him with a blank expression. Care to repeat yourself, Jack. Jack looked away from Cooper's gaze before speaking.

If you're so careful, like you say, then he shouldn't have messed up in the first place, he said while staring down at the floor. Cooper scoffed and turned away. He shook his head from side to side before looking back into the pew. You know what? You have some real fucking nerve talking about Gunnar like that. Jack sat in silence and refused to look at Cooper.

The church was dead silent for a long time before Cooper decided to speak again. You know, if you're going to insult my good friend behind his back, then the least you could do is look me in the fucking eyes. Cooper screamed while bending down to Jack's ear. The man tensed up as Cooper's booming voice left a soft ringing in his ear. Cooper turned away and began walking down the center aisle. Sometimes I wonder if you people would have. fully appreciate just how much Gunnar has done for this town. As much as he's wanted to stop this,

you still persist. If he wanted to stop, then you should have told us, another voice called out. Cooper turned to face where the comment had come from. A look of bewilderment spread across his face. Don't get me that bullshit. Almost every time he told one of you, he was met with the threat that you'd just go kill someone yourself. Now, some of you respect. his demands, and I greatly appreciate that, but others pressured him into doing it. He was terrified that someone in this town would go behind his back and just try to do it themselves. I think he's pretty damn safe to assume that the vast majority of you wouldn't be able to pull off what Gunnar does, let alone with the same attention to detail.

Cooper stared down everyone in the room, and not a single person spoke while his eyes passed over all of them. You took advantage of something that Gunnar did for special occasions and began absolutely. asking for it on a regular basis. He's exhausted himself to the point where I'm surprised it took him this long to make a mistake. Hell, this wasn't even really his fault. Gunnar had no way of knowing that who he was going to kill yesterday was the chief of police. This is the first mistake he's made during the decades of this whole operation. Some of you were ready to crucify him for it.

Cooper shook his head and robbed his eyes. Gunner told me not too long ago that he believed I was the perfect person to take over this operation when he felt the time came. Now I don't even want it. It's gotten to the point where the meat is more of an addiction than a delicacy. And that's why, starting today, no one is going to be killed for this town's consumption again. Chatter erupted throughout the room. Insults were hurled at Cooper as he sat back down on the steps of the altar. As some people bolted upright from their seats to curse and pointed him, he sat in silence and looked over the crowd. When the group, he grew up, group showed no signs of calming down any time soon. Cooper sighed and quickly pulled the pistol

from his waist. A shock cracked through the air as the bullet tore through the ceiling. The talking immediately stopped and all eyes darted to stare at Cooper. I swear to God that if one more person interrupts me, I won't hesitate to clobber their head with this, he said while rattling the gun in his hand. Standing up, Cooper began slowly walking down the aisle and looking over all the faces staring at him with fear. Now, as I was saying, it's time we all put an end to this. With all the advancements in technology that have been made since Gunna's father started this entire ordeal, it's a miracle and an incident like this didn't happen sooner.

For the longest time, my biggest fear was that a dash cam or something similar would catch Gunnar. But now I think the greatest risk comes from the people in this room. Despite the direct insult at the crowds, everyone remained silence. Although some members of the group were staring at Cooper with boiling anger, they managed to keep from speaking. I'm surprised it took Gunner killing a chief of police for me to realize that it's some members of the town he loves and helps that are the biggest threats. The fact that some of you are so stubborn and oblivious to the risks of the operation makes me terrified. Cooper reached the front of the church once more and turned to face.

face all of them. It's one thing to cover up a mistake Gunnar makes, but it's exponentially more difficult for me to keep track of everyone. I know some of you are overly confident in your ability to kill another human being, but I can assure you that it's not worth doing what Gunnar does to test that ability. What it takes is a single mistake to bring all the offices in Texas swarming onto this town. As he looked over all the faces locked on him, Cooper remembered the advice Gunner had given him. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you that neither Gunnar nor I will be slaughtering another human being for this town. This isn't about your personal desires, this is about the safety of everyone.

I don't want my son or any of your kids for that manner growing up in an orphanage because their parents are running away in some prison for the rest of their lives. If anyone has a problem with that, then speak up. The room remains silent as Cooper scanned the faces staring at him. Just as he was preparing to stand up and leave, Some scoffed from further back in the room. His eyes darted around to find Jack rolling his eyes and lightly shaking his head. You know what?

I fucking tried being reasonable. Cooper yelled while jumping to his feet and walking down the aisle with footsteps that thundered and shook the floor. Frozen in fear, Jack gawked at Cooper as he came in front of him and grabbed the man by his hair. Cooper ripped Jack from his seat and sent him crash into the floor. The man yelled out as he was dragged towards the front of the church. As he was pulled kicking and screaming to the front steps, everyone else sat in stunned silence. Cooper stopped at the first step and brought Jack's face crashing down onto the wood.

There was a sickening crunch as the man's nose collapsed and blood began to pour from one of the nostrils. I came here expecting to have a conversation like mature adults, and this is what I met with? Cooper asked with a booming voice while lifting Jack up and showing his face to the entire assembly. Small drops of blood were thrown through the air as Cooper twirled Jack around to show off to the crowds. The man coughed violently, causing even more blood to begin dribbling from the corner of his mouth. I will not be met with resistance.

If any of you so much as think of going behind my back, I will not hesitate to exterminate you like the vermin you are. Cooper again poured the pistol from his waist and jammed the barrel into Jack's mouth. He sobbed and found himself choking on the firearm. Keep your fucking mouth open. Cooper hissed before slamming Jack's jaw down onto the bottom step. As his teeth dug into the wood, Jack began crying. He felt the soul of Cooper's boot pressed into the back of his skull. A voice whispered in his ear with the most sadistic tone he'd ever heard in his life. someone needed to be made an example of.

Before Jack could even contemplate a response, Cooper lifted his boot and brought it crashing down on the back of his skull. A loud crack echoed throughout the church as Jack's jaw shattered and bent down against his neck. Cooper brought his boot back once more and stomped even harder on the man's skull. He repeated the process a couple of more times until he felt the bone collapse under his foot.

The head tilted back to an unnatural angle as Jack's spinal cord snapped and his body went limp. With his chest heaving from deep breaths, Cooper bent down and grabbed hold with the now bloody clumps of hair. Lifting Jack's body up, he twirled it around to face the crowd. Some looked away while others stared in complete shock at the tongue and jaw hanging down against the neck. One of Jack's eyes lulled down in the socket while the other bulged out. Let this be a lesson to all of you, Cooper yelled. If I even hear the smallest rumor that someone is about to go behind my back, I will make sure that you leave this earth with the most immense pain and suffering that I can manage.

Cooper threw Jack's body forward, causing it to slide a short distance across the floor and leave a dark crimson smear across it. As blood began to pool around Jack's deformed head, those sitting in the nearest pew scoos scooted away. The liquid reflected the spectrum of colored light pouring into the room through the stained glass windows behind Cooper. This town has once again reached a turning point in its history. One path leads to a bright future where we can all trust one another.

The other leads to deception, more death and the possibility of law enforcement raining down upon your homes like a plague. The ladder can be avoided if you simply do as I say and never deceive me. Do I have any more oppositions? Cooper glanced over everyone to find them all nodding their heads at him. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips. Good. Now can someone fetch me a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, rags and a few trash bags.

I need assistance cleaning up this mess. Multiple people bolted from their seats. A few went into the back of the church, while the owner of the pharmacy ran to his truck to retrieve the needed chemicals. Cooper sat back down on the top step. using the back of his hand he wiped the small drops of his blood from his face and stared down at Jack's body

Ronnie soon appeared by his side with his head shaking it's a real shame the guy had to go Ronnie let out as two women appeared from behind the altar with trash bags yeah well he was pretty arrogant Cooper let out with a hint of amusement I never really liked the poor son of a bitch

Cooper spent the next few hours supervising the clean-up and speaking with various members of the town. Some showed their appreciation by explaining how they'd also felt uneasy and wanted the practice to end years ago. Others seemed slightly upset about never having human meat again, but were respectful to Cooper and promised that they would assist in keeping the secret buried. As the last pot of blood was lifted from the floorboards,

Cooper tied up the bag and carried it out to his truck. He slid the cover over the bed and slammed the tailgate closed. The last few cars parked in front of the church pulled away. Cooper climbed into the cab and brought the engine roaring to life. He removed the sunglasses from the neck of his shirt and flipped them open. Placing the lenses over his eyes, he realized there were small flecks of blood on the polarized acrylic. He quickly brushed them onto his shirt before pulling his truck out onto the road. Making sure not to speed, Cooper took the familiar route to Ghanar's farmhouse.

As he pulled down the gravel driveway, he was surprised to find smoke still floating in the air from behind the house. He brought the vehicle to a stop and killed the engine. You're almost done? Cooper yelled while slamming the door. We're about halfway there, Andrew's voice called from around the corner. As Cooper walked over the tall grass, he caught sight of the smouldering pile sitting in the backyard. Andrew turned to face his father and revealed the large amount of blood splattered across his apron. Glad to see I'm not the only one who had a little mishap, he joked while motioning towards Cooper's shirt. Yeah, well, someone needed to be dealt with before I could leave, Cooper said.

The back door creaked open and Gunnar came down the stairs. He carried a large chunk of flesh in a plastic container. Bringing it to the fire, he dumped the contents into the inferno. Jesus, Cooper, I wasn't expecting things to get that heated. Gunnar said as a skin on what he had just discarded, began to sizzle and pop. Jack Anderson doubted my authority, so I had to put him in his place. face. Guna smiled and wiped the blood from his hands on an old rack.

With a chuckle, he tossed the blood-soaked cloth into the file. I knew if someone questioned your authority, you wouldn't even hesitate to put up a fight. Cooper scratched the back of his neck and looked back at his truck. Oh, about that, I did a little bit more than five back. I know the two of you have had enough work dealing with Adam as it is, but there's just a little bit more we need to take care of. I'd be more than happy to give a helping hand as well. Just back your truck up and we'll take care of it. Gunnar said, well, tying the strings of his apron around his back once more.

You're lucky that your son has gotten good at this or else. I'd be more worried. Cooper looked over at Andrew and smiled. Well, as proud as I am, I hope you don't feel upset for having this newfound skill and never been able to use it after today. Andrew smiled at his father as you let one of the trash bags hit the ground with a thought. Well, like you said earlier, Dad, this is all for the best.

Change may not always be pleasant, but it's what lies ahead that makes all the discomfort worth it. Cooper's cell phone rang just as Andrew finished speaking. He quickly pulled the device from his pocket and swip the screen to answer. Hello? Cooper, a voice panted out from the other end. Mike? I thought I recognized that voice.

Is everything all right? A caravan of Texas State Trooper vehicles. His head in your direction. Cooper's limbs went numb as a sentence echoed in his head. His lips moved to speak, but he found himself unable to. Did you hear me? Cooper shook his head and stumbled over his words. Yeah, I heard you.

Jesus Christ, how the hell did they find out? Andrew and Gunnar both stopped working. They stared at Cooper with bewilder. as the fire continued to pop and snap behind them. Gunnar stepped closer with a look of worry slowly growing on his face. A couple of them came by Ronnie's shop to ask if he recognized the photo of Gunnar's truck that's been circulating on the news. He keeps a small collection of photos of customers behind the desk,

and they notice the one of Gunnar standing in front of his truck. He had no choice but to hand it over when they asked to see it. Cooper ran a hand through his hair and grabbed a tuft out of frustration. His breathing was continuing to quicken while he struggled to grasp the reality of the situation. Rani just called me, wanted to warn you. You probably got about ten minutes before they get there. I'm sorry, Cooper. Yeah, it's fine, Mike.

I don't need to apologize. We tried our best. Without another word, Cooper ended the call and dropped the foam back in his pockets. His eyes stared down at the ground while the world around him seemed to spin. As he slowly lifted his head to look at Gunnar, He could already feel tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Without warning, he turned round and slammed his fist against the howls its siding. Oh, fuck.

He slammed again, causing Susan to run out the back door and down the steps. She ran over to Cooper and placed her hands on his shoulders. She turned to look at Andrew and Gunnar for an explanation, but her son's expression explained the entire situation. So, what ended up giving me away? Gura asked. The photo of you and your truck hanged behind Ronnie's desk. Cooper let out with a stifle.

Gunner smiled and looked out in the direction of the quarry. The wind had picked up, causing the smoke from the fire to billow behind it. Oh, I forgot about the damn thing. Oh, Ronnie took that the day he sold that truck to me. Had I known it'd be my undoing, I would have denied him taking it all those years ago. Any idea how much time I got till they're here? ten minutes of most Guna paused and looked down at the trash bags that littered the ground around the fire

After the three men stood in silence He looked up to the sky Pink and orange streaks of clouds scattered the dark blue sky As the sun began to sink lower Another breeze blew across the property And he inhaled deeply You smell that coop One of my favourite things about living out here

Has been able to smell the scent of the crops carried on a breeze I really puts my mind at ease. Cooper found himself awestruck at just how calm Gouinard was behaving. What the hell are you talking about? Do you not understand that a small army of police are on their way out here to arrest you? Oh, no, Cooper, I'm completely aware. I'm just taking a minute to appreciate the last few moments I have on this earth. Cooper looked over to his son.

Andrew was staring at Garnar with trembling lips and tears streaming down his cheeks. It really is the damned thing, Coop. I was scared out of my mind last night about getting caught. What upset me the most wasn't the thought of going to jail or being executed. I was most worried about how you'd be able to handle my absence. I could not turn to look at Andrew and then Susan. I don't have a single doubt in my mind that you're fully capable of keeping this town save. If you fight for it even half as much as you do for your family, then I have no worries for its future.

Cooper sobbed and quickly wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of a sleeve. Garnar, you can't let them get you. We have to find somewhere else for you to live. We can't... Gunnar held up a hand and signaled for Cooper to stop. As much as I appreciate you wanting to help me, Coop, I've come to accept that my time on this earth is over. If I leave, then I'll interrogate the town.

Eventually someone will snap, and our history will be brought back into the light for the world to go. lock ends. My chances of surviving a shootout are also extremely slim, so I don't see the use. It's time for me to take this secret to the grave. After all, I think you and I can both agree the prison isn't exactly the place for me. He stepped forward and pulled a knife from his pockets. Gunnar pulled Cooper's hand from his side and place the blade in his palm. I still remember telling you how I would thread my victims with this very knife. It was a little. It was a the night that you woke up strapped in my chair in my living room.

Gunnar patted the knife before Cooper wrapped his fingers around it and sighed heavily. I never would have thought earlier that day, just how that evening would blow out. Had I known that you'd end up being the person I ended trusting to run this town in my absence, I would have put your unconscious body in the passenger seat instead of the truck bed. Cooper laughed and gave up the fight of holding back tears. They ran down his face and left streaks through the bullet. blood splatter that had partially dried on his skin. Without warning, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Gunnar. As he wailed, Gunnar patted Cooper on the back and returned the embrace.

I know it hurts Cooper, and it's going to hurt for a long time. There's no shortcut around the grieving process. All I can really say is to not let it cloud your judgment. Cooper pulled away and looked Gunnar dead in the eyes. He sniffled and found the man smiling at him. Despite the severity of the situation, Cooper smiled back and extended his hand. Gunnar grabbed it and shook. Thank you, Gunnar, for everything you've done.

I couldn't imagine a better life than the one you helped me lead. Keep your head held up high, Cooper. Gonna turn to Andrew then and embraced him. Listen to your old man, Anne. Andrew. No matter what you think at times, he always knows what's best. I will, Uncle Gunnar. Andrew barely managed to choke it out. He then turned to Susan, who ran up and gave the man a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Keep up the good work with this one, Susan. I know you'll continue to keep him in line. She smiled and turned to her husband. Cooper returned the gesture to her before Gunnar began walking to the back door.

you'll best be getting to move on those officers can't be too far away by now I don't want you seeing leaving this property with a final wave Gunnar vanished into the house the screen door slammed behind him and footsteps could be heard going to the living room Cooper Susan and Andrew quickly went to the truck the doors creaked open as everyone hurried to pile inside

before Cooper started the engine he heard the familiar crackle of static from Gunnar's radio They sat in the cab and he stared forward over the property. A cool breeze entered through the open windows, bringing with it the smell of crops. Various memories of visiting Gunnar filled his mind as Cooper watched tree branches sway in the wind, with the orange sun glowing behind them. Rapping his fingers around the keys to crank the ignition, Cooper paused when a gunshot rang out. He immediately stopped, slowly looking up into the rear-view mirror.

Cooper caught a quick glance of a small blood spatter on the old curtains of the living room windows he shut his eyes and looked back down at the steering wheel he led out a deep breath before pushing in the clutch and turning the keys the truck roared to life

and Cooper shifted into gear he sped down the driveway with everyone in complete silence pulling out onto the main road Cooper slowly looked up into the rearview mirror he watched with hot tears cascading down his face as the White Farmhouse slowly vanished from view.

Looking back to the faded road, Cooper remained silent as the truck sped off into the Texas sunset. And so once again, we reach the end of tonight's podcast. My thanks as always to the authors of those wonderful stories and to you for taking the time to listen. Now, I'd ask one small favor of you. Wherever you get your podcast wrong, please write a few nice words. and leave a five-star review as it really helps the podcast. That's it for this week, but I'll be back again, same time, same place, and I do so hope you'll join me once more. Until next time, sweet dreams and bye-bye.