Sheriff Hank Connors watched his deputy wander around Bob Connors', no relation to him, farm observing the carcasses of some 60 or so odd dead chickens.

"Looks like they just stop breathing." Deputy Camden Tucker stated shaking his head.

Hank laughed watching the frown appear on his 25-year-old deputy. Camden always got right to the chase. "I know that, but why all at once?" He watched as Camden went to rub his chin while thinking. He wasn't a stupid kid, just green. Camden did love his job though. He was around 5-foot 11 inches slim build with a little touch of upper body muscle. Fair of skin but dark brown hair much like his mothers. Those eyes very dark almost black were from neither parent Hank observed. "It must be from some lost relative." He thought.

Camden was smart just sometimes he didn't get the questions. Hank waited for his young deputy to come up with an answer but it was taking along time. Hank chuckled inward as the younger man knelt, bending his head to look right into a chicken's eyes. He pouted tilting his head yet again cocking it the other way to watch another bird.

"At least you didn't touch it." Hank said as Camden stood making his way through a group of dead fowl to return to him.

"There is nothing outward to why they stopped breathing. You don't think it is "the Darkness" our preacher was on about the other day? I mean, I like Kyle but his visitor is a little odd. Mrs. Lauren swears that he was dead when Kyle found him. Popped up and gave him a fright." Camden studied Hank as he waited for the other man's response.

"After all my 40 years as a police officer and my 15 years as Sheriff, Camden I have never believed one word out of Maggie Lauren's mouth. She wasn't there; she is a gossip and loves to make everything into more than it is. Jack is a nice guy. I met him, he is hard working and a great help to Kyle." He scratched the itch on his bald spot in the middle of the back of his head while his eyes caught the site of the coroner's car heading down Bob's driveway. " Finally someone that will stop with this X file hocus pocus Voodoo tales and give this old man a Science like answer. We of the law prefer them to old wives tales."

Camden saw Hank wisdom and with a board smile nodded in agreement. His mentor was getting up there in years. Not very physical anymore and had to stop drinking coffee because of his heart beating too often but he wasn't yet looking over the hill.

As if Hank knew what his young deputy was thinking he responded. "Stop wondering if I'm too old for this. You will have my job at some point. Enjoy this time because once you have my badge you can forget what sleep and family life is. I missed just about every important event in my children's lives."

'You're not old, just not that young, and I told you I can wait forever to have your job. I like my one day off thank you!" The two laughed before Bob and the coroner joined them.

"So you think losing half my egg wealth is funny. I can't even eat the damn things because they might be diseased. Damn it to hell. I just get ahead of the game just to fall back down a pit again. I think God loves to play with humans far too much."

"Don't let Reverend Johnson here you say that. Besides he would say it is the Devil that plays with man while God passes judgment. Personally if my wife weren't such a believer I wouldn't go to church at all. But I do like the socials. I look forward to the bake sales as well." Hank rubbed his stomach with a chuckle.

"I think the women would miss you loyal patronage if you gave up on the sweets, Hank." Bob watched as the Coroner walked back and forth taking pictures of the dead fowl.

"Is this a case of Fowl Play, Doc?" Camden had to say it. If he didn't someone in town would.

Hank and Bob snickered at the joke. "Nice way to mock my lose of lively hood, Camden Tucker. Seems you have your Daddy's humor. I miss the man, he was lots of laughs." Bob regarded the deputy for a few before he turned his eyes back on the Coroner.

Camden hung his head for amount making Hank wonder if it was because of the bad joke or the young man was thinking of his Dad. Without taking his eyes off of Camden he asked the Coroner a question. "Doc, have any ideas at the moment?"

Doc Samuel Pucket was one of the most learned men in Tempest. Why he came back to this small town after studying aboard most didn't understand. Most of the town folk dreamed of leaving in their youth. Those that did never returned except to visit. Doc came back to visit and ended up staying for no reason. He later gave up is practice and became a Coroner for three counties. Not a bad living and his patients were dead so he didn't have to hear them complain about this and that and listen to all their problems. They just had one problem now, how they died.

Sam was never an attractive man. He was short and stocky have black hair that always looked mal kept. He had a sweaty shine to him that made most people glad he wasn't the town doctor anymore. In very many ways it is why he turned to studying the dead. He suffered from a confused body chemistry that processed grooming products strangely. Different chemicals and fabrics didn't blend well on him, so he would often smell bad when he wore cheap clothes and applied off brand products to his body. So as a result most folks chose to stay down wind of him. So he just washed with plain soap and tried to just were cotton or hemp. Some day he vowed he would find an answer to his problem but for now he would work on those that had no sense of smell anymore because they weren't alive.

Sam lifted a chicken very carefully, raising it up to have a look at its underside. He crinkled his nose breathing in the dead chicken aroma like it was a fine whine. He put it back in place standing to pan over the rest of the corpses.

"They were electrocuted. How I don't know. I don't see any evidence of a lighting strike." He looked up to see a line for the power to the barn and coop overhead. "Bob your power comes in from above. You don't have any lines underground here do you?"

Bob shook his head no. " I don't even have any metal under here, not enough to fry them like that." He blinked as all eyes were on him. "What, I passed high school, I do know more things than just chickens. I understand how electricity travels!" He crossed his arms over his chest. Bob shook his fair head and crinkled his nose as the smell of burnt chicken blew around him. "Sam they stink, take them out of here or let me bury them. I can't let the rest of my birds get upset over this smell of their comrades death. I have to get some eggs to market and upset hens just don't lay." He turned away from the scene heading towards the other coop.

"What's got him wigged out?" Camden asked.

"The same as what has got all folks wigged out. Something isn't right around here. I don't like the gossip, but I was just at Pete Tully's and he lost 4 cows last night same as these chickens. He called me direct being a cousin and all." Sam rummaged through his bag finding a pair of latex gloves he tossed over to Camden.

"What are these for?" He looked at them like they were going to bite his face that kind of registering what his mind didn't want to accept.

"You are going to help me bag up each of these birds. You don't expect Hank to do it." Sam smiled at Camden. "Besides someday you can have a good laugh at one of you deputy's expense as Hank is right now."

Camden eyes found Hank's face with a bemused grin that became a healthy laugh. "Your welcome for entertainment, Sir!" He slapped the gloves on and went to work.

The dark clouds came in with the heavy cooling air. Hank turned his head to the sky before he gave his leave asking Sam to give him report when he was done with his investigation. He had one more place to go before he headed back to town.

In the car he passed by Kyle's farm. He peered up the hill to see a lone figure standing watching the world below. He blinked for an instant and it was gone. "Now my eyes are playing tricks on me. Still I think I should have a chat with Jack later. Some of these things that are happening are really just getting to be to the point of the unexplained.

Kyle had a hard time deciding when to leave town that morning. He was trying to get out early but it would seem more people than he liked decided to strike up a conversation with him. Of course after the formalities of how is the family were out of the way, the chat went straight to Jack. Most of it wasn't nice. It would appear that what was being talked about in the Inn last night spread out to just about every person in town. Those with sense just shook their heads and smiled at the community members with less sense. The ones that got on his nerves were those that really started to believe that Jack was something a kin to evil.

He rushed through the chats making his way for his pickup truck. He needed to stop at the store before he head home. He was asked by Jess to pick up a few more note pads. That was when he caught sight of a sale on home computers. He wondered for a second if Jess would rather have one of them. They could now get Internet access at the farm and he had a feeling that Mauve would like to have one as well. So he decided it was time. He went right up to the sales man, asked for the best and with his credit card made the purchase. Now he just hoped that Jack knew how to set it up.

Mary Beth wasn't an old crone like many thought of her. She was actually pretty young at heart. She just came across as bitter being shy and an introvert. She also loved to read which kept her busy enough not to be part of the town. When a friend of hers got her a laptop she was so happy to see the world without leaving her little house. The house had belonged to her parents. They left it to her when they died; being an only child she also was well provided for. The house was paid for and outside of basic needs all she had to do was pay the Taxes for the house and the four acres of land it was on. So given her current finances, she could live comfortably for many years to come.

But things change to fast and one dawn it was too quick for her tastes. It began with the storm that night. She was upset because she had to shut down her laptop cutting off a conversation she was having with a friend of hers in Russia. She had many friends online, and she was happy about it. It was easier than talking to real people and she didn't have to leave the house to do it. So when she couldn't talk to them she became panicky. But the storm kept going all night so when it ended at dawn she was relieved. Mary Beth was also up all night, which didn't seem to help either for what was about to happen.

She was in the kitchen when a sudden noise from outside in the garden made her jump. It was a loud thump sound like something had jumped onto a metal garbage can lid. So she carefully peaked out the door just in time to see a white flash disappear behind the shed. If it was an animal, she thought, it was very fast and very white. She made a decision she would regret later on.

Her curiously in overdrive she tucked her feet into her shoes and with the new day's sun just peer over the horizon line she walked carefully and quietly to the shed. She heard it then some type of munching sound. Very wet were the slurps almost sensual she thought. So when the moment was right she forced her body to view what was behind her shed.

She screamed and ran back to the house calling the Sheriffs office immediately.

Hank said again. "Mary Beth please, I know you have some what of an imagination but really is that what you saw?"

She glared at him in a challenge. This time she picked up her cup of tea without shaking. It was in her eyes that his disbelief in her story was making her angry now.

"It is what I said. It wasn't and animal nor a human. It was nothing like I have ever seen. White so white it was it shined like a burning light. It had something off its back almost like rounded wings flapping as it ate the cat. The poor kitty." She paused taking another sip of tea. "It was still alive squirming and meowing in pain. Hank I swear to you, I'm not making this out. When it turned to see me after I screamed it had red eyes like blood. It was like a demon and angel had mated and gave birth to what my eyes saw. Its face seemed almost human and compassionate, like it didn't want to harm the creature. But why eat it while it was still alive?" She caught his eyes on the last words.

Hank sighed. Whatever she saw she believed it to be as she told him. That much was certain to him. He pushed himself off the counter his back was leaning on and made for the door. "I'll just check behind the shed. With all that is going on around here I could believe anything is possible.

"Be careful. I'm not sure it is gone. I was to busy trying to make it back to the house without wetting myself." She smiled at him. He was so brave, she thought. It was nice to have someone not look at her as if she was crazy. Too many of the town folks' thought she was mad.

Hank yawned a little; it was a long day already and he just knew it wouldn't be over yet. He thought about pulling out his gun before heading behind the shed. But decided that whatever was there was sure to be long gone. What he found was a dead cat much like in appearance to Bob's chickens. He sighed again turning to get something to pick it up with and store it to bring to Sam. There was no reason to bring him out here. But Hank needed to bring the poor animal to him. Right now it was all about the evidence trying to prove just what was going on.

Jack looked to the sky as the clouds came in that afternoon. Kyle had returned with the computer making Jess dance around nagging his parent to set it up. Kyle scratched his head at the boy and turned to Jack. Jack smiled and agreed that after he finished up some things in the barn he would clean up and then set the PC up for Jess. Kyle smiled liking having Jack around. But he knew he had to tell Jack what the town folks were thinking. So when Kyle came up behind Jack in the barn clearing his throat first Jack listened to the whole story his friend told him.

"It isn't the first time people think I'm odd, Kyle. But I have to admit there is something going on around here. Just what that is exactly I don't know. But I think I maybe able to help." He brushed the horse down one last time before he turned to face Kyle.

Kyle suddenly saw Jack a little bit differently. He seemed older, too old and full of some amazing amount of wisdom in his face. It dawned on Kyle that maybe what he thought Jack was joking about, his being immortal wasn't a joke but the truth. Jack was after all different at least he wasn't like the rest of them. Was he?

"You meant it when you said you can't die, didn't you Jack?" Kyle wasn't afraid he seemed completely excepting to Jack.

So when Jack said "yes" Kyle nodded. Some how Kyle realized that a chance meeting with this man meant his life was never going to be the same.

End Chapter 4

TBC