Sinister 2

The first night we arrived we camped in the mountain's foothills. Not far from a dirt road we relaxed in the cool night air, a welcome relief from the desert heat. While we watched the stars and planned tomorrow's explorations a large pickup trap lumbered down the dirt road. We barely glanced at the man behind the wheel who wore a white cowboy hat that shaded his rough features, though the truck seemed to linger a moment before it passed.

By:E.C.

By the third day we had conducted our subterranean business and were preparing to draw the operation to a close. Though we were none the wiser regarding our shadowy adversaries we were glad to not have found conflict. That evening found us by the local swimming hole, reading and chatting. Without warning we were approached by swaggering stranger. The tattooed man sat down heavily next to us and finished off the last of his budweiser. He began:

"What if... What if I offered you life? Would you take it?"

By:E.C.

We sized the man up. "Depends", I said, "What are you suggesting?"

"Shrooms, I've got 'em, the caves... on shrooms."

We quickly refused his offer, but before he left he put a thick finger down on my notebook and drawled out "You give this shit up, ya hear? Give it up. You could pick life." With that ominous warning he left. But now we knew, the forces that worked against us had played their first hand. Give up Team Crowbar, and live. The offer stood.

No words were spoken between us. None were needed, Team Crowbar is forever.

By:E.C.

Late in the night after our last operation we were putting up the tent when a large pickup truck turned into our campsite and blocked our way out. I whispered to E.C. "Is that the truck from the first night?" He gave a tight nod. "Get ready to haul ass." Another nod.

The truck's window slowly rolled down and a man with a white cowboy hat, features disguised in deep shadows, leaned out. "You boys camping here tonight?" he inquired.

"Yes sir." I spoke.

He nodded slowly. "How'd you find this place?"

"The internet" I replied vaguely.

No movement or reply came from him. Then "Dangerous round these parts, fourteen people missing just this year, disappeared with no trace."

"Yeah?" I said with a confidence I didn't feel, "That worry you, living out here like that?"

He chuckled a little "I dare someone to come for me." Then: "You boys be careful. Real dangerous out here." With that he pulled back into the truck and pulled out leaving us alone in the darkness to contemplate the magnitude of the forces that opposed us. Were his words a warning? Or a threat?

(The previous three events are probably not related to each other. Probably.)

By:E.C.

-2016-
bayou goula towhead

-2015-
the sea test

-2014-
the circumnavigator pt5
the circumnavigator pt4
the circumnavigator pt3
the circumnavigator pt2
the circumnavigator pt1
falling dream
the darkness
one hell of a mile 3&4
he will return
the believers
the horror pt2
the horror pt1
traces
death valley
whiteout

-2013-
paradise of outlaws
the mountain climbers 1&2
brought to surface
one hell of a mile 3
primordial
the lost world
inner gorge
a ghost story
the riddle
slaying the minotaur
heart of darkness
bayou
public lands
organ music
two sought adventure
the virgin river
the road north
preparations

-2012-
steal the world
the end of the world
el dorado
the valley of the kings 2
the valley of the kings 1
one hell of a mile 2
one hell of a mile 1
the mountain climbers rr4
heroes rr3
rainy roadtrip 2
rainy roadtrip 1
the transgression
sandstorm
sinister 2
sinister 1
dehydrated
anatomy
sleepwalking
new chapter

-2011-
like sedona?
torn in two
blink
bridge to nowhere
the door
hitting the wall
elusive 2
elusive 1
harquahala
hole
pick up lines

-2010-
revisited 2
revisited 1
which way?
lost mines
chute
monolith
freeze
slice
in their footsteps
a dance with death

-2009-
goodbyes
undercurrents
casting the bones
mountain thief
the deer hunter
strange temple
sanctuary
burial pt. 3
burial pt. 2
burial pt. 1
the apparition
return to hell
forsaken
the lower depths
underground lake
stretch sewer
the hidden lab
shadow movements
meager rations
sw8: the conclusion
sw7: lost gold mines
sw6: the big tubes
sw5: gold!
sw4: el calderon
sw3: redondo
sw2: ghosts
sw1: westward bound
leviathan
formaldehyde dreams
the underdark
in the beginning