❝ Sheep abide by the herd complex; safety in numbers. When all are the same, no one can be singled out.
A fox among sheep is able to infiltrate the herd only a handful of ways: under the veil of dusk, or by clothing itself as the prey, shedding i...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Dear Uncle Louis,
I'm at a loss of where to begin. I needn't repeat the occurrences which have cast our home into desolation, but I can reveal I've founded a plan for its reprieve. After the weeks since my return, it has presented itself to me that the beast was not the only thing I was hunting; I came searching for redemption. Becoming Bêtemont's salvation is why I came back; I vow to fulfil that promise.
Above all, what you and Aunt Joséphine deserve most is an apology. After all those years without hearing so much as a word from me, you welcomed me into your home as if I never left. I'm eternally in your debt, though I believe such kindness can never be truly repaid. As your nephew, I've failed you both and for that, I'm truly sorry. I ask of you to pass on my regrets.
I write to you this letter because I fear for my life, but most of all, I fear for yours. I have discovered a great darkness plaguing our village, and in my endeavour to put an end to it, the shadows have pursued me home. After it has had its way with me, I have reason to believe you and Aunt Joséphine will be next.
There is a mountain worth of findings I wish to share with you, all of which you're owed rightly. As I'm limited to this mere sheet of paper, remorse forces me to admit I'll have to do you yet another injustice.
My days are numbered; an infection is seizing my leg. Soon, my life will be claimed along with it, which is why I ask for your help; to conclude this nightmare. The Lefevre brothers are not as they seem. Their nephew has revealed to me horrors—horrors of which I have encountered with my own eyes— committed by the siblings. Their arrival has— and will— only bring damnation to Bêtemont. These crimes cannot go unpunished; accountability must be upheld.
The other envelope which I have entrusted you with is destined for the Lefevres' address. Do not deliver it alone. Take two men with you and travel by horse. Be sure it is done before sundown, then make your departure back to town immediate afterwards.
Once the letter has been delivered, you must leave Bêtemont, and take Émile with you. Tonight, a carriage will await outside the tavern; it shall take you to my home in Paris. Inside the carriage, you will find the necessary funds, deeds, and documents to support your stay. All the arrangements have been made. It is a lot to ask with little justification, but I beg of you for your trust. I promise you will find life comfortable in the capital.
The last request I make is for you to not return to Bêtemont, regardless of what whispers find their way to you. My life is already gone, heedless to whichever scenario is to ensue this evening. Care for Émile as the nephew you have always wanted; the son you never had. He's a good boy, and I'm sure Aunt Joséphine will dote on him. Treat him well.
