The stars are not wanted anymore; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
W.H. Auden, Funeral Blues
The whispers started from almost the beginning. People deserted Deer Tick Creek because of the monsters, the stories said. Not everyone believed that. Monsters? Ridiculous. The town’s economy faded when the railroad rerouted the tracks. That was the reason. Frequent flooding certainly had to have played a part as well. Maybe people just didn’t like living in a town named Deer Tick Creek.
Tales of monster sightings were dismissed as the stuff of urban legend. Nothing more than spooky tales to titillate. Monsters never invaded Deer Tick Creek and all that remains of the small town is a dilapidated collection of empty buildings where people lived, worked, worshiped and went to school. The whole town is surrounded by a high razor wire fence and signs of private property warn the curious to stay out. What remains of Deer Tick Creek is not safe, people say. The buildings are collapsing. What remains of the road is falling through. The police warn against exploring the area because meth heads might be hiding out there. Yes, there are many reasons Deer Tick Creek was abandoned in the early ‘70s and many more reasons not to trespass there.
But none of it has to do with monsters. Unless you believe the stories.
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