Riley's POV
Mason dims the flashlight dramatically before beginning his tale. "Long ago, there lived a young boy of ten summers in a peaceful mountain village. The townspeople were bound together like blood, sharing their joys and sorrows as one family. They lived simple lives, grateful for what little the heavens provided them."
He clicks off the flashlight completely, then snaps it back on with theatrical flair. "But during their annual harvest celebration, disaster struck! The boy heard terrible sounds from the barn where the horses were kept. When he rushed to calm the frightened animals, one panicked mare kicked him square in the skull, knocking him senseless."
I glance at Caleb uncertainly, wondering where this dark story leads. Mason continues with growing intensity, "When consciousness returned to the boy, unfamiliar voices drifted from the festival grounds. He crept toward the barn entrance and peered out cautiously. What he witnessed turned his very soul to ice."
