Trouble on Candlepin - Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Borderscry

Chapter 2 : Reports

Yule
2 years later
Buck County


4 p.m. December 21st, the longest night of the year, four days before Christmas and everything was already shutting down. Sheriff Lee had already left for his annual two week vacation in the Bahamas, nicely timed to avoid the holiday confusion.

That left Deputy Caleb Murdock to do the end of year statistic reports for the county. Outside his office, his cousin, Marie Dubois, was manning the front desk and the emergency lines. Deputies Mason and Titus Woodward, cousins, not brothers, were out on patrol. Murdock's partner, Deputy Lila Sanderson, was filling out paperwork.

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Chapter 3: Christmas Dance

Trouble on Candlepin - Chapter 3

Chapter 1: Borderscry
Chapter 2: Reports

Chapter 3: Christmas Dance

Yule, 21 December
Buck County


Christmas music pouring out of the radio, Buck bawling out the words, keeping time slapping his palm against the dash in front of him. Snow hitting the windshield, fat and wet and heavy. Jace Walker wondered how he'd gotten sucked into making the liquor run for Big Mike's Christmas party.

"Let it snow, let it snow, let it SNOOOOWWWWW!" Buck roared, beating a rolling rapid tempo to end. He let himself fall back against the seat, snorting with laughter. Turning around, he dug into the crates and came up with another bottle. "Hey Jace, ol' buddy ol' pal, you wanna snort?" he asked waving the bottle of whisky toward him.

"Naw, I'm good. Snow's coming down hard."

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Chapter 4: Legends

Trouble on Candlepin- Chapter 4

Chapter 1: Borderscry
Chapter 2: Reports
Chapter 3: Christmas Dance

CHAPTER 4 - Folklore

Yule, 21 December
The Broom Closet
Bowling Green, Buck County


It was the evening of the longest night of the year and I was looking forward to a quiet Solstice celebration, my second alone. The shop was full of Christmas shoppers, looking for unusual gifts for the hard-to-buy-for.

One of the really nice things about the here and now is that we don't have to hide. Witchcraft is a religion in this section of Mortalrie, protected like any other. I called my little place "The Broom Closet" ... with permission ... after the ubiquitous supply store in the Borderlands. Unlike the real store, my stock consisted of the pretty and delicate charms and sigils. Jewelry, decorations, candles, incense. Very few potions or herbs.

I was assisting a customer when it happened.

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Chapter 5: History