Stay Away

In a small town, there are things that nobody talks about. One of those things just might kill you. He’s always been there, hanging around the big oak tree near the cemetery. Even back before there was a cemetery there, the natives knew about him. He was just as much a part of the landscape as the rocks or the river. And if you ever needed anything, especially if it was a matter of life and death, you could find him and trade with him. He always trades fair. Everybody says so. Eric is about to make a trade without even realizing it. He wasn’t tricked, he just made a mistake. “Caveat emptor,” some might say. Uncle Reynold would say, “Watch your butt, lest somebody kicks a new hole in it.” After everything, one survivor wrote the best advice of all: Stay Away.