CYCLES OF TIME – REVENGE IS MINE

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 CHAPTER ONE

PRESENT DAY…
Jennifer Hart tossed and turned while having the ambiguous,
“freefalling, who am I," dream when the phone screaming, ripped her back
to reality. She fumbled for the phone while choking down a baseball size
lump of dread which lodged in her throat, as an appalling image flashed in
her mind, causing her to lose her breath. The image of a young child
wearing blue jeans and a red camouflage jacket, his face unrecognizable,
only a bloody patch of flesh, where his face should have been. She found
the phone answering in a languid voice, “Detective Hart.” It was her
partner, Detective, Patric Jones, “We have another one. This one is...,” he
stopped, his breathing labored, his voice sounding horrified and shaken.
“It’s god-awful! This son-of-a-bitch is escalating dumped this victim in
the center of town, behind the Burger Palace in Natistoke City!” His voice
lowered to a whisper, “The little boy’s face! It’s gone!”
He paused, swallowing hard before continuing, “From the size of the
body, this kid must have been around ten or eleven-years-old. He left us
another note! You need to get down here!” But, before she could ask a
single question, the line went dead.
The unspeakable image refused to leave her mind. What the hell is he
doing to them? No face? Damn, I better get moving.”
Her mind wandered, while she dressed recalling the day, she made
Detective, for the Langley County Criminal Investigative unit, her
childhood dream. During college, her friends would tease her for having
no personal life, because her head was always in a book or she was busy
studying. But, as a real go-getter, she didn’t let that sway her and kept the

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course. “Tick Tock,” she prompted herself. A forced subliminal
catchphrase, she used to signal her over-active mind to stop it from
rambling and wasting time. She blinked her eyes as she refocused her
mind. She finished dressing, whipped her long black hair into a ponytail,
snatched her gear, and was out the door.
Outside it was pitch dark. There were no stars in the sky, and the moon
hid behind a never-ending layer of clouds. The Susquehanna River added
to the cloud’s coverage with its plumes of mist rising off the river. An
eldritch effect of the cold air dancing on the water’s surface, thickening
the impenetrable shroud of fog and mist. Therefore, it was an untypical
cold, damp, and dark morning.
She stepped outside, when a gust colder than ice, smacked her in the
face. The icy wind bit her nostrils as she tried to breathe causing her eyes
to tear. The wind smelled crisp and clean, the way it does, right before a
snow storm and up here in the mountains it was not uncommon to have a
passing snow shower in late autumn.
At once the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. The eerie feeling
gave birth to hundreds of goosebumps, as an icy-cold chill ran up and
down her spine. She froze searching the dark for someone but saw no one.
She listened but heard no one. She had a haunting feeling someone was
out there watching her. She sensed him and could feel his eyes gleaming
at her, watching her, studying her.
The nauseating feelings soured her stomach. She knew someone was
watching her hiding somewhere among the shadows. Again, her eyes
scanned the neighborhood squinting to see through the thick mist and fog.
Looking and listening, but she saw and heard nothing; only the unsettling
dead silence. All that moved was the heavy curtain of mist and fog. She
could not shrug off the unwelcome feelings of abject fear. Something was
wrong! She could feel it! It was way too silent and way too dark!
Although fearful, she had to get to the scene. She forced herself to
move and darted into her car. Once inside, she locked the doors, started
the engine, and turned on the headlights. Blinded by the heavy dew
deposited during the night, she flicked on the windshield wipers. Then she
turned on the heater, as the vents threw cold air on the windshield,
condensation instantly cascaded across the glass. That’s when she saw it,
illuminated in the glow by the dashboard lights, there it was - scribbled in
the condensation,

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 “Cycles of time - Revenge is mine!”

Terrified, she again looked for someone in the dark among the mist and
shadows. She spied out the windows and peered in the mirrors for any
movements, as before, no one was there. Her heart pounded with fear!
Who could be out there? Didn’t I have the car locked? How did they get
in my car? What does it mean; “Cycles of Time - Revenge is Mine?” Who
is getting revenge, and for what? What the hell is going on in this city?
She slammed the car into reverse, backed out of the driveway, and
raced to the scene. She continued to monitor the rearview mirrors,
searching for any movements among the dark and shadows. But as before,
there was no one lurking in the dark, there were no movements in the
shadows. Only the unwelcome feeling of dread pressing heavy on her
subconscious.
As she drove toward town, unable to brush aside the uneasy feeling of
being watched. She observed something else out of the ordinary. She
hadn’t passed a single car. Hunting season started and there were no signs
of hunters. Their vehicles normally littered the shoulders of the road.
Hunters would usually be assembling in the early hours, standing around
chatting waiting for their hunting companions. While gathering their gear
in preparation for their long walks to their hideaways and tree stands,
attempting to find that perfect spot before sunrise. But this morning, there
were no hunters and no parked cars. It was as if the whole town knew
about the killings in Natistoke City, and everyone boarded themselves up
in their homes attempting to keep safe. “To keep the children safe!”
As she drove up the winding road toward town, her mind began to
wander, thinking about her previous case involving a string of animal
mutilations from about three months ago. Before being pulled off and
placed on these homicides. The case sparked a macabre memory of when
she and her childhood best friend came across a murdered puppy. She
never knew the outcome of the police's investigation and it has haunted
her ever since. Therefore, she promised herself to see this case come to
some kind of closure. She mumbled out loud, “I'll catch you scumbag,
your time will come, even though the cases are growing cold.”
The first mutilation was a poor defenseless rabbit. The rabbit was found
by a couple of hikers out near Johnson’s ledge. Also known as, “Dial

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Rock,” because the early settlers would use the mountains sheer surface to
tell the time of day. The hikers reported it to the Northeast Gaming
Commission, who, in turn, called the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation (Penn DOT) for pick up and removal. However, while the
worker was picking up the remains, he noticed something suspicious. The
poor animal’s feet? They were missing! The wounds were too neat and
clean, and definitely not the result of a carnivore feeding, or from being
struck by a vehicle. The Penn DOT worker relayed his suspicions to the
Gaming Commission, who contacted the District Attorney’s Office.
Therefore, Jones and I were assigned to the case.
We enlisted, Jerry Shames, the County Veterinarian Forensic Doctor,
for assistance. After being honored in 2010 by Philadelphia Magazine as
one of the top, "20 Great Vets,” it went straight to his head. His ego getting
the best of him. From time to time, he thinks he’s famous. Nevertheless,
when he’s not in one of his almighty ego driven high horse moods, he was
actually down to earth, kind, and friendly.
After examining the rabbit’s carcass, Jerry confirmed the wounds were
not caused by an act of nature. Testing revealed the small animal had some
kind of sedative in its system, which confirmed our suspicion of it being
an intended mutilation. He could also tell by the exposed bone, a small
saw was used to dismember the feet from the animal’s torso.
Jerry discovered yet, another strange find on the animal, behind the
animal’s left ear, it seemed the animal was branded. The letter and number
of “1W” were burned into the back of the rabbit’s ear. Jerry was certain it
was not a domestic rabbit. This could only mean, whoever did this heinous
act, had the knowledge and experience necessary to have trapped and
caught it. While combing the scene for any additional evidence, we came
across a large boulder, which had an etching carved into it. The carving
was a strange symbol resembling three spirals that seemed to have been
drawn by one line? It was later determined by the Crime Scene Forensic
Investigators the symbol was not recent, in fact, it was a petroglyph and
dated back to the mid-1700, dismissing it as evidence.
A month later an owl was found, by a hunter returning from his deer
stand along the fence bordering the Sharps Cemetery. Jerry determined the
owl died from exsanguination. Apparently, it was hung by its neck, while
having its beak and feathers removed ante mortem. We learned this animal
was also branded, although this animal was branded with the number and

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letter of “2W.” Strangely, there were no feathers, blood or any other trace
evidence found at the scene. This could only mean the suspect kept this
animal in a secluded place. Out of the reach of any scavenger animals, that
would have preyed on an easy target. The suspect also hung it in a location
frequented by local hunters and trailblazers, obviously wanting the animal
to be found.
Toxicology tests concluded the same type of sedative was in the owl’s
system. The sedative later identified as Wild Lettuce. Wild Lettuce is
defined as being very similar to an opioid. Another Triple Spiral Symbol
was discovered. This time the engraving was in a large Birch Tree. The
freshly discarded bark on the ground, at the base of the tree, made it very
obvious this symbol was just created. But, what did this ancient looking
symbol mean? And what, if any, is its relationship to the killings? We
needed to investigate the origin and meaning of the mysterious symbol.
The third mutilation was horrific! A small bear cub about five months
old was found by a fisherman up around Lily Lake. This poor helpless
animal was found bound and tied in a blood-soaked sack with only its
hairless head exposed. It was desperately clinging to life when we arrived
on the scene. Jerry was actively trying to save the poor creature. After
administering a tranquilizer to the cub’s neck, he carefully cut the bear cub
free from the sack with Jones’ assistance. Immediately, following the
removal of the sack, the smell of burnt hair and flesh filled the air, sending
Jones running from the scene. With the sack removed, we clearly
understood the terrifying torture this poor baby bear endured. The cub was
skinned, but not in the usual method, just the pelt from its head removed.
Then it's paws! The claws were pulled from their nail beds. These wounds,
however, were not the worst of the small cub’s injuries. We all gasped at
what we witnessed when Jerry turned the cub over to examine its back.
Not only were the pads of the cub’s feet removed, but even more
outrageously offensive was how the perpetrator used a pen torch to burn
the mysterious Triple Spiral Symbol into the little cubs back. The brand of
“3W,” behind the cub’s ear was not hard to miss.
Suddenly, the cub started to shake violently, as a garbled moan escaped
its throat, sounding much like a young child. Attempting to save its life,
Jerry turned the cub back over, its scared eyes were full of pain and
sadness, as they rolled to the back of its head. The cub stopped moving.
The shaking and moaning stopped. The cub was gone - it did not survive

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the trauma.
Without warning, a short distance away, we heard a deep ear-piercing
moan from somewhere near the tree line. Detective Jones and Officer
Curto went to investigate the area where they thought the groan originated.
As they entered a few feet into the forest, Jones noticed the eerie silence.
There were no birds singing, and no small woodland creatures scurrying
about, as a matter of fact, they didn’t see or hear any at all.
They continued to search deeper into the tree line, pushing past the
thickets, when they came to a Great White Pine. Under the tree was a
bedding of hemlock and bark. After combing the area around the base of
the tree, only a few feet away, Jones found a very large paw print. He
motioned for Officer Curto to observe his findings and document the print.
That’s when Officer Curto realized its disfigurement at once. “This
print is definitely from a very large bear, but with a very unique and
distinguishable feature, a claw from its front right paw was missing!”
At this point, it was clear these animals were all brutally attacked and
mutilated by the same suspect. Since the loss of the bear cub, we have not
received any new reports or found any other mutilated animals. With no
witnesses, no leads and no direct or physical evidence leading to the
perpetrator, the cases grow cold. The only links in the cases were the three
commonalities; first, the brands on each of the mutilated animals; second,
all the animals tested positive for Lactuca Virosa (Wild Lettuce); and third,
that mystifying symbol, believed to be a significant denominator, found at
each of the crime scenes.
She shook her head vowing, “I swear, I’ll nail that creep to the wall if
it’s the last thing I do!”

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 K.G. PETRONE

CHAPTER TWO

CYCLE OF TIME 1775…

The sun was just settling in the West, and the Hunter’s Moon was
already very high in the sky. They traveled for many days and nights on
their way to the small settlement. They knew most of the men would be
out on their last big hunt, then off to trade in their skins, before winter
settled in the valley. After passing, “Dial Rock,” they knew they were
close. As the daylight continued to fade, the welcoming darkness engulfed
them, assisting to conceal their attack. They were ready, well-armed and
their faces painted in intimidation.
Finally, they saw the faint glow of lights through the mountainous
forest only a couple hundred feet away. Without a sound, they dismounted
their horses and led them walking silently. Moving noiselessly, they
slowed their pace even more as they inched forward. They arrived at the
first of the three small cabins. Each cabin illuminated from the inside by a
lantern. They proceeded by breaking formation, dividing into smaller
groups, then each group dispersing to a different cabin.
One of the Warriors quietly snuck up peering into the small open
window. He could see a white woman and young girl inside. There were
no signs of a man at this cabin. He informed the others, by mimicking the
bleating of a deer fawn. The others acknowledged and returned his call by
mimicking the hoot of an owl and other woodland creatures. He gestured

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to the others to wait a while longer.
After waiting for quite some time, they were now cloaked by the
night’s darkness. They were confident most of the white men were away,
as they counted only three white men huddled outside the Meetinghouse.
Leaving only women and children alone in the cabins. They edged even
closer.
Simultaneously, and without a sound, they executed their attack. Under
the shroud of darkness, they were able to move in the shadows without
detection. Before the white men near the Meetinghouse sensed danger,
three of the Warrior Braves put them to death with their scalping knives.
With their biggest threat defeated, the other Braves executed the next wave
of attack on the cabins. Some entered through the doors, while others
entered through unlocked shutters.
Victoria quickly grabbed her daughter by the hand, and without
hesitation, escaped out the back door. She was trying to get to the
Meetinghouse for safety. Ever since they came to settle in this new world,
the Meetinghouse had always been her safe haven and tonight she
desperately needed saving. She ran as fast as possible, dragging her
daughter by the hand. But the Braves were too quick, and there were just
too many of them. One of the Braves pounced on her from behind, causing
her to fall and lose her grip on her daughter’s hand. A second Brave
grabbed her hands and bound them. Instantaneously, a third one quickly
snatched up her child and whisked her away. Her daughter was screaming,
kicking and crying with her arms extended signaling for her mother’s
rescue and comfort.
She stood up attempting to save her daughter, but one of them flogged
her with his whipping stick, pushing her back to the ground, then kept
guard over her. There was nothing she could do but watch in horror, as her
daughter was forcibly taken away, and brought out of sight, as he turned
the corner of the cabin. She was hysterical and mortified!
She noticed there were more savages and they had captured her mother,
sister, and sister-in-law. They were flogging them forward bringing all the
women with their hands bound near her and forced them to the ground.
She could hear the other children crying and screaming, but she could
not see them, or what was happening to them. Meanwhile, the other Braves
plundered the cabins. They took blankets, clothes, food, and anything else
profitable or useful; including our most precious, our children! They

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continued by destroying anything that was of no use to them and they
could not carry.
Two of the savages guarding the women started to argue, but she had
very little understanding of their language. She recognized one of them
from the trading post. She remembered him from when she bought wicks
and flour, while her husband, Johnathan traded skins. She could only
understand a few of the words exchanged between them. One of them said,
“Sëkhìksu mimëns.” She understood the word, mimëns, which meant,
“child!” A large choking lump, instantly formed in her throat, as she
recalled hearing the stories of savages kidnapping children. She attempted
to beg for her daughter’s life, but it was of no use, he responded by raising
his ball tomahawk to her, shouting at her, “chitkwësi,” and kicking her!
One of the Braves, who were arguing, signaled to the others who were
raiding the cabins. A moment later, she could see a bright orange glow
start to illuminate the darkness. She knew the savages had set the cabins
on fire. She was helpless and there was nothing she could do but watch in
fear as the glow from the burning cabins grew brighter and brighter. Oh,
how she prayed her husband and the others would return. Hoping the fire
would serve as a signal for them to hurry home. Hoping the fire would also
alert them to her and her daughter’s desperate situation and horror.
She was praying to be rescued when she heard a horrific ear-piercing
scream! She turned just in time to witness them killing and scalping her
mother and sister! The terrifying sight of what was happening paralyzed
her and she could not scream. Another Brave started to walk toward her
sister-in-law. She instinctively knew what was about to happen and looked
away! She also knew she was next! The reality of her morbid situation,
combined with being forced to face her own death, made her vomit.
She glanced back up and noticed some of the other savages busy
loading their horses. Hearing another scream! She looked and saw her
sister-in-law on her feet, trying to escape, running as fast as she could
through the field. She realized this would be her only chance to escape.
Her only chance!
Victoria quickly got to her feet and started to run as fast as she could
with her hands bound. At first, she did not know where to go, then she
remembered, “The cave!” She switched direction and ran even faster while
they yelled and chased after her. Too scared to look back, she just kept
running when another ear-piercing scream filled the air! But as soon as she

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heard the scream, it was cut off, and she knew. They slaughtered her sister-
in-law!
She ran even faster and harder, making it to the tree line! Without
stopping, she ran into the forest dodging tree after tree and kept running.
Ignoring the painful stabbings of the thorns and briars. She reached a thick
row of bushes and threw herself to the ground, hoping the bushes along
with the darkness, would aid in her escape. She could hear them coming,
and for a brief moment, tried to remain as silent as possible. She tried
desperately to control her heavy breathing, fearing they would hear it. But
her heart was beating so loudly, she thought for sure it would alert them to
her whereabouts.
She could hear them, their voices still some distance away. She quickly
turned over to her stomach and crawled beneath the bushes and briars. She
fought her way through the many stickers and entangled vines, ignoring
the pain of the stickers and sharp twigs as they ripped through her clothes
and slashed her flesh.
Finally, she came to the end of the thicket. She could now see the large
boulder partially covering the cave entrance. She stopped and listened, but
could only hear her own heart beating, drowning out any other sounds. She
could hear them, but they were still not close by. She quickly got to her
feet and darted toward the opening. She was frantic, and in such a state of
panic, she thoughtlessly threw herself into the small hidden mouth of the
cave.
She tried again to quiet her heavy breathing and thunderous heartbeat.
She listened. Wondering if they saw her? Hoping they would not find her!
Questioning if they were still out there? She remained still and quiet like
the dead. She was so incredibly scared and could not believe that her
family was slaughtered. She sat lifeless in the dark unable to come to terms
with what had just happened.
As she sat there her mind repeatedly played the image of her daughter
kicking, screaming and crying with her arms outstretched begging to be
saved. The overload of emotions immediately brought her thoughts back,
to how she always dreamt of motherhood, unfortunately encountering
many troubles during her pregnancies. She remembered her devastating
heartbreak when her second child was stillborn. Of how she was utterly
devastated, when she was informed, she would never be able to bear
children. Then she thought of the day, she had Sue Lee, which she credited

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as a direct blessing from her faith in the Lord. After the birth of Sue Lee,
she felt beyond overjoyed and blessed, enhancing her mother-daughter
bond, causing it to be stronger than average, and just that much more
special.
As she sat there, a rise of mixed emotions encompassed and consumed
her. First, of fear and panic! Second, of loneliness and helplessness. Next,
of depression and grief! Then, of outright hate and anger! But there was
another strange feeling, which started to swell up within her. An emotion
she was not familiar with, and she had no name for! This unnamed emotion
was escalating. This new and strange foreign emotion was beginning to
burrow deep into her heart and soul…

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