SEPTEMBER 7th, 1947

It was a tough job, but it was one that had to be done. I couldn’t go to college. Dad never really gathered enough money for that after serving in the first Great War. Even in the second one, I’d been too young, but now that I’m 19, it’s past due that I start supporting my family.

I got a job at the old coal mine near town, a few months ago. It’s basically controlled by the government of Halrin, Pennsylvania, where I live. They pay alright, but I’d always been more worried about other things concerning this job. Whatever. They didn’t matter. I needed to get my mind off those things so I could keep on working.

“James!” barked my boss. He was an older man, been in the business for at least thirty years. Honestly, I’m surprised he’d gone that long without getting forced out of it by some serious injury. The work is no joke. “Back to work!”

Damn. I admittedly had been slacking off a bit, but working at coal mines for ten hours a day wasn’t fun, and I was awaiting the news from Rob. He was down at the mayor’s office, no doubt trying to convince the guy to finally listen to us. Last one sure as hell hadn’t. This one was younger. Not too young, but, we were hoping, young enough to see our reasoning.

My boss seemed troubled, too, though. Eventually, he stopped us. “We should stop working ‘till Robert gets back,” he said, only a hint of sympathy detected in his voice. “He’ll be here soon. No use keeping him waiting.”

Mr. Adams normally wasn’t the kindest boss, but he was definitely worried. That didn’t comfort me, though. If he was troubled about it, that meant it was bad. So I did exactly as he said and took a few deep breaths. It was gonna be alright. The mayor would listen to reason. He had campaigned on keeping the town safe, after all. Had to include us, right? Mining was real important to the town.

I saw Rob coming over the hill. I tried not to get too excited, but I failed. Mom and Dad had been a bit worried about this job. Worried that I’d be coming home in a casket instead of on foot. They didn’t have to be concerned anymore.

But he wore an expression that didn’t say anything good. My excitement turned into worry, and my worry turned into dread as he opened his mouth.

“He won’t do it.”

We were all in silence. I felt like crying, but I didn’t. Not on the job, in front of all my co-workers. That would be the last place I’d ever cry. Eventually, my boss spoke up. “Our mining elevator–.”

“Mr. Adams, I tried, I really did. But he… he said that we were too inefficient to be worth the investment. He said it in a real kind way, but he still said it.”

“This isn’t an investment. This is about your lives. Under my watch–”

“He said that if we don’t improve our output, he’ll have us replaced. Mr. Adams, I– I can’t get fired, my family’s struggling. The war wasn’t kind to us.”

My boss sighed. “I’m sorry. To all of you. I promise, I’ll talk some sense into him tomorrow. But if we don’t send enough people today, I’ll be putting your jobs at risk. Let’s just get some work done. Try to be efficient, please. That’ll help us later.”

I shook my emotions off. I had to be a man at that moment. We all took a deep breath and filed back into the mining elevator.

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We had been on for a bit when suddenly John got wide eyed. He’d always been pretty into the mechanics of this stuff, so I was worried. That couldn’t mean anything good. “These noises aren’t normal. Even for an old elevator. This is… bad.”

“What?” I asked, trying and failing at hiding the terror I felt.

I barely had enough time to get that word out before we started plummeting. I breathed heavily, everyone else started yelling in panic.

Then it sank in. All I could do was whisper to myself.

“Mom… Dad… I–”

I didn’t manage to finish my sentence before there was a loud crash, and everything went black.

SEPTEMBER 7th, 1962

Normally, it would be a day of mourning. My older brother passed away. 15 years ago. Mining accident. My dad turned back to alcohol after the incident, and my mom could barely take it. I had to scrounge for money at 16. Almost dropped out of school. But I made it. Got a scholarship for college football, but that never really went anywhere. Now I’m back at Halrin, working as an architect. It’s not perfect, but… I could be doing a lot worse.

It had been a long day at work. I was reading a book— some generic science fiction. It wasn’t too great, but it sufficed.

“Will.”

My wife was calling me into the living room. Perhaps there was something on the television. I walked in. “Laura. What—“

In response, she simply pointed to the television. It was what I had predicted, but what was actually on there shocked me.

The mayor was dead. Stabbed, in his own home. Security said that they saw no one enter or leave, so justice was long ways away. It was… devastating. The collapse happened almost immediately after he took seat, but he’d gotten the whole town through it. Without him supporting everyone, I don’t even know where I’d be.

“Damn.” I was shocked. How could it happen? Everyone loved the mayor. He was nearly on his fourth term.

Laura looked at me sadly. “Just… horrible. What’s going to happen to the town now?”

I shook my head sadly. For the first time in fourteen years, I was completely lost.

SEPTEMBER 7th, 2000

I stepped out of the fire truck in disbelief. The basis of our town's history, everything that we valued… nothing but ashes. It was our job to contain the fire, but I had held on to a slight hope that we could save the mayor’s building. It was… gone. Completely beyond repair. I couldn’t believe it.

“Harry.” One of my coworkers was ushering me forward. It was Jim, I saw. We were good friends, but that time, I couldn’t even muster up the strength to reply. “Come on.”

I gave a half-hearted nod and rushed forward. We all turned on our hoses and doused the fire. It took a long time, the entirety of which was filled with tension so thick that you’d need a sword to cut through it. Orders were barked out, which I obliged to the best of my ability. But everyone in the Halrin Fire Department knew: this was the job that we never, ever wanted to get the call for.

We got the fire under control. It didn’t end up spreading to any other buildings, which was practically a miracle, since it was big enough to burn the entire building to the ground.

A few safety precautions later, we entered the wreckage. It was all but annihilated. We hadn’t gotten there quick enough, but, honestly? It seemed like the fire had consumed it unnaturally fast. We never stood a chance.

After a couple searches, I heard Jim in the next room. Or, at least, what remained of the next room among the charred remnants. “Oh, God. Harry. Take a look at this.”

I walked over to him and saw what he was pointing at. A completely preserved note, unaffected by the fire.

“Finally.”

I don’t know if it would have been scarier as a longer note or not, but I do know that it terrified me nonetheless. “Jesus.” I tried to avoid shuddering. How the hell had it been placed there? “So… what are you thinking?”

Jim seemed to be going through the same emotional struggle as me. “I mean… it’s obviously arson.” He looked over it a bit more. “But, honestly… if I didn’t know any better, I’d say this town is fuckin’ cursed.”