The lodestone mill’s new owner

Sometimes it’s just the place. Maybe it’s old. Or perhaps it’s so dated, time actually stands still when there. Sometimes a place can just have bad vibes. The kind that reverberates throughout. This is especially true of much older, or abandoned, places. Similarly, when a place has been abandoned for long periods, something strange happens. Something unexpected, but with real consequences.

The lodestone mill sat empty and forgotten. For almost fifty years it has been near invisible. It was a structure made mostly of stone. Therefore it aged about the same as a stone does. Hardly at all. In fact, the old gears and pulley wheels were still greased. Additionally, the old lodestone was still intact. It sat large, and unlikely, in the middle of the small mill room.

There could be no denying there was something peculiar about the place. In fact Tommy can feel goosebumps all over. He has lived in Denton Falls all his life. And as far back as he can remember there have been strange stories about this mill. However, it wasn’t the rumors that had Tommy feeling jittery. It was all the disappearances. Every story he ever heard about this place was because someone disappeared around here. And it always had something to do with the old lodestone mill.

The Lodestone Mill

He wouldn’t even be here today, if it were not his job. He is a surveyor, and this property is no longer abandoned. It has a new owner. Furthermore as soon as he can find the northwest corner pin, he can finish this job, and leave. And none too soon as far as he was concerned. He knew about this assignment several weeks ago. And he was in secret dread of it from the get go.

Of course, everyone knew about the old lodestone mill. It was a local legend. Furthermore, it was the center of several, ultimately inconclusive, investigations. In other words they never found the missing people. Then some more time passed, and everyone forgot about the old lodestone mill.

That is, everyone except the locals. Those who lived in these parts, knew about the mill. And to stay away from it. In fact, it was never any local folk that went missing around this strange old place. It was always tourists or out of town college kids trying to get a video. Or do a dare.

The lodestone mill’s new owner

Now Tommy is right here staring at the old lodestone mill. Furthermore, his GPS systems are not working at all. So he is having to search for the corner pin, the old fashioned way. He was in the midst of his search when he heard the noise. It was so quiet in this part of the woods that he could hear an ant fart if he tried. Therefore, the sound coming from inside the mill was unmistakable.

Someone was in there. Tommy is trying to slow his pulse but it’s not going well. The last thing he wanted to do today was disappear. In fact, he was terrified. He needed to leave. Run away. Split the scene. So he goes to the old door of the mill instead. The sound was unexpected. And he can’t understand how anyone else could be here. It’s far too remote. And all the while he has that uncanny feeling. Like he’s in worse trouble than he knows.

He pushes the door open and the dim interior of the mill comes into view. It’s empty. The large old lodestone occupies most of the area. Although it is dark in the room, Tommy can see a shimmering all around the large stone. The smell of sulfur begins to permeate the room, and Tommy turns to flee. He steps into darkness and an instant later a GPS device clatters to the floor. And then the lodestone mill is empty again.

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