Park 1 "The Unknown Author"

At the intersection of Wellington and Crest is a small park full of trees. The intersection is shaped like an extended triangle, and only stops when the park meets with a two story apartment complex. I was sitting under the only man made structure in the park. It is an old statue, carved from stone, set deep into the ground. What makes it stand out most is the subject. It is of Ahriman, the Persian equivalent of the Devil.

Though most of the local families live in the homes several blocks down, it is not uncommon for large numbers of them to gather in the park during the weekends to meet and relax. This is important, because it meant that when I would meet the Unknown Author there would be plenty of people around.

I was only sitting for a short amount of time when a blonde woman came up to me. She introduced herself, and identified that she was the writer who had been sending me the pieces. She seemed awfully nervous, her voice breaking several times over the course of the conversation. I was surprised by her appearance more than anything. She was dressed plainly, her hair straight and her face without makeup of any sort. If I didn't know that she was the only person who would know to meet me here, I would never have considered she were the writer of those curious works.

“I want to know...” she said in a nervous tone, “...Why do you keep reporting about this place?”

Her question was rather abrupt, and it took me a few moments to respond. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean...don't you think that this place is a little...off?”

“Well, of course I do. That's why I chose to research this particular place. I am constantly amazed that such a small place could produce such a large number of stories. To be fair sick people exist everywhere. But this place has a very dark history, probably tied to how close it is to an asylum. It is natural that people would get caught up in that. The deaths here are tragic, abnormal without a doubt. What are you getting at?”

She was quite for a while before she spoke. “There are...too many strange things that happen here...Too many to explain”

It took some effort not to laugh. Despite this, she seemed to note my amusement. “I can see” I said, “how someone could think that there is something unnatural in the things that happen here. But you can't seriously think that these stories are true.”

She became very quiet.

“Why are you so concerned?” I asked.

She looked surprised. “What makes you think I am concerned?”

“You are trying to convince me that this place isn't normal. I can only assume you are saying this to try and get me to stop what I am doing.”

“Wouldn't anyone...who has read about what you have been going through lately? The headaches. The trouble sleep-ing?”

“I don't think the fact that I have been ill is something to be too worried about.”

“That isn't what you seem to think...in in your reports.”

“I have been getting better.”

“But you don't know why you feel better. Only that you feel better when you are here.”

“I will find out what is wrong. For now, I just have to endure it until the doctors find something.”

“You still haven't told me why you choose to keep reporting about this place.”

“I will be fine as soon as enough time has passed.”

“And if you don't?”

“Why does it bother you? You don't know me. And for that matter, I don't know you.”

The last thing I said seemed to bother her a lot, because she got up and left soon after. I have not received word from her since, and am unsure if this concerns me or not. I do not understand why she was so persistent in her questions. In retrospect I was probably a bit harsh with her. If she contacts me again I will try and be more in control.

I left the park a couple minutes later, passing under the strange statue under which it had occurred. I imagine the reason why the strange statue in the park has not been removed is the fact that most of the people who pass by here do not recognize what the statue depicts. The manner in which he is depicted doesn't hurt either. He lays prostrate on the base of the statue, in a manner suggestive of submission, his hands up seemingly in defense.

There are no clear markings on the work to help identify the creator, and the piece overall shows a great deal of damage from the elements.