Hybrid Hunter

Scary or Strange?

I've lived in, or just outside of, the small town of Grand Falls for pretty much my entire life. I remember the day that my Mom, my brother Carter, and I moved from my grandparent's farm to our very own modest country-style house right off of Main Street. I remember my Uncle Stew with his thick curly moustache struggling to lift more than one box due to his well-rounded belly. My older cousin Scott was also there, everyone thought was heartless and not to be trusted probably because of his sleeve of tattoos and multiple piercings. I didn't think this though most likely because he never ceased to stop and give me a kiss on the top of my head or wrap me in a warm hug whenever he could. Then there was of course my favourite person, my Grandpa Dan with his receding hairline and friendly smile. My favourite thing of all that day was his loud, boisterous laughter that rang throughout the house when Carter tried to run up the stairs too fast, tripping and falling down them instead. As hard as I try though I don't remember my Dad being there that day. My Mom says that this is probably because he left when I was only three and was hardly ever around before that. I love living in Grand Falls but with a town of about 550 people, weird things tend not to go unnoticed. Perfect example is the creepy hill with the intimidating ten foot rusty gate at its base and the thick chains that securely bind the gate closed do nothing to take away from the feeling of uneasiness.

Working at the only diner in town has its perks. One of the best perks was hearing most of the conversations between the old time coffee goers in town. And no matter what they start talking about their conversations always seem to end up back on the same topic, the creepy hill. Most of them have their own crazy theories and speculations on what it is at the top of the hill. Some of them believe and swear that it was an old government testing facility for bio-hazardous materials, while others go with the classic story of it being an abandoned insane asylum. Probably the craziest theory that I have heard though was that it is still being used by the government as a "voluntary" human testing facility. Eventually I heard so many different theories and speculations that I didn't know what to believe anymore and so I chose to believe nothing except the simple fact that it was both scary and strange. Maybe one day we will know what is going on for sure but until then we will live in the world of blissful ignorance and speculations.

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