Although I did most of the work around the farm he never allowed me to feed the pigs.
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Updated 4 years ago,May 15, 2021
I moved away from my hometown many years ago.
I originally moved to the city in hopes that the change of scenery would help heal traumatic childhood memories.
Erik F. Brandsborg
Among the many unpleasant flashbacks the worst were the nightmares that kept me up at night.
My stepfather passed away recently, I was asked to return to West Virginia and attend to legal matters.
I also needed to stay a couple of days for the funeral.
The town was exactly as I remembered itfoggy, cold, dreary and lifeless.
Growing up the town had a bad reputation, people would often go missing especially visitors.
I always wondered where these people disappeared to.
Erik F. Brandsborg
Days blurred together and time moved slowly, even the birds remained quiet.
I pulled up into the square and was met by the glares and empty stares of the residents.
The only warm familiar face that greeted me with a smile was Tara, my sweet gentle childhood friend.
Well at least you dont gotta work in a pig farm no more.
We can pick up some flowers at Mauras shop and take to your stepdads grave for the funeral.
The familiar sounds and smells brought back memories as we walked to the old torn up flower shop.
My stepfather was a strange man, he spoke very little and always kept to himself.
However when angered hed turn abusive towards me or would often get into fights at the town bar.
I hated those long, smelly, dirty days filled with hard work and long hours.
I hated the endless cold dark nights even more.
Although I did most of the work around the farm he never allowed me to feed the pigs.
I was never allowed to go into the feeding barn as he called it.
I only helped him drag the feed from his truck and dump it outside the feeding barn.
The smell at night was always the worst; it stank for days.
That first week of October he asked me to start helping him in the feeding barn.
He blindfolded me and gave me large black rubber gloves to wear.
He asked me to start chopping pieces of meat that he would hand to me.
Over time I was able to do it without needing to see.
We did this for hours at a time.
Hed yell and slap me for trying to take the blindfold off.
Eventually I stopped trying.
Id leave the bucket in a corner for him to feed the pigs and ran off to get clean.
I waited hours and hours with my clothes packed, but he never came.
He left without me and I was left heart-broken with my dreams crushed.
He asked me to throw the bucket with the chopped meat over the pen to feed the pigs.
I couldnt believe people were still disappearing, Tara put her hand on my shoulders before speaking.
That man disappeared about a month before your daddy died.
Guess some things just dont change do they?
Tara and I began clearing some stuff up at the house.
They told me there werent any more of them.. Tara they said they were all dead!!!
What is this?!
I had to fix some last things before flying back home.
I walked through the barn and looked around for the brown bags he always kept.
After a few minutes of looking around I finally found some empty ones.
The hogs squealed loudly in the background stressing me out even more.
I pushed the door open and stood still for a few moments stunned at what I was looking at.
I opened one of the drawers only to find hundreds of wallets and old photos.
I went through the wallets and found licenses from various states.
One familiar face among all the pictures filled me with dread.
It was a woman, a woman that had disappeared years ago before I had left the farm.
She was making her way through various states driving to visit her mother.
Horrified I started pulling out several pictures at a time recognizing more and more faces.
Tara finally made it through the crowd gathering in front of the farm entrance and ran to me.
