Chapter 3 - The Ritual of the Earth
The raid on the Savage farm was not a quiet affair. By the time Miller’s team arrived, the farmhouse was empty, but the evidence was overwhelming. They found ledgers documenting "disciplines" that stretched back decades, names of children who had vanished from the county, and a basement shrine filled with ritualistic artifacts that suggested Myrtle wasn't just a grandmother—she was the leader of a dormant, occult-driven splinter cell that operated under the guise of a spiritual retreat.
Eric joined the search, his military background allowing him to identify hidden compartments and secondary sites. He found a cellar beneath the barn where the walls were covered in tally marks—one for every year, every child.
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Brenda was apprehended at a bus station three towns over, trying to flee to New York. When Eric confronted her in the interrogation room, she didn't look remorseful. She looked hollow. "She told me if I didn't let her take Emma, she would take me instead," Brenda whispered. "She said the earth demands balance, Eric. You weren't here. You were gone for months. The house was empty. She filled it."
Eric didn't offer comfort. "You were her mother," he said. "You were supposed to be her shield."
