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That night, when the girl climbed into bed, the butterflies in her stomach kept chasing sleep away. “Stay still,” her mother kept reminding her. “You’ll fall asleep faster.”
August of 2000 was a tranquil month for crime in Blake County, Iowa, located in the north-central part of the state. With a population of 7,310 at the time, the rural, agricultural county wasn’t known for its crime sprees. In fact, up until the events of August 12, 2000, zero murders had been reported in the entire county.
Despite its grim name, Burden, population 844, was known as an idyllic community to live and raise a family. Located in the southwest corner of Blake County, Burden boasted a crime rate of less than a fourth of the state average.
It isn’t the dark you should be afraid of, the girl thought, it’s the monsters who step out into the light that you need to fear.
Out There. That’s what they called it. Don’t go Out There, her mother would say, your father will get mad, it’s not safe.
