Reflections on Complications

Someone saw the bumbler. It was a couple of boys, out playing in the woods. It’s a wonder the thing didn’t eat them... or step on them.

Billy found them when he went back to check on the scene. (This was foolish, in my opinion. We found the beast and cleaned up its remains. There was nothing left to check. On the other hand, the Watchers are unforgiving; so I can understand why he’d want to be sure.)

Anyway... one of the boys saw Billy going into the woods, and stopped him. The boy explained about the monster he and his friend had seen. Billy, of course, laughed. Had the boy told his parents? Yes. Had his parents believed him? Of course not. Two eight-year-olds do not reliable witnesses make. Billy went into the woods, just to prove it was safe.

I may have given the impression that we, well, kill anyone who finds out about us. This is not true, and here’s the proof: those boys are still alive. Depending on how they react to their exposure, we may try to recruit them... later. Or we may leave them entirely alone. Ignorance is not always bliss, but sometimes it’s a workable defense. At least until the final days come, and all is revealed.

Proselytizing is a lot easier in these sorts of situations. Forget about “worship with us, and maybe They will eat you last.” If the kids still believe that they saw what they saw - a few years down the line, I mean, assuming the world lasts that long - then we can approach them and say, roughly, “We know what happened, and we can tell you what it means.” Validation is a huge relief; most outsiders would be surprised at how easily you can pull someone in that way.

And if they become a problem in the meantime, well... we know where they live.

(Shorter disclaimer: all Reflections of A Deranged Cultist posts are fiction.)