Letters from Claude

The Crown

21st of August, 20??

Claude,

Since I read your letter last time, I cannot reply to you since I am taking therapy from my psychiatrist. I am now in better mental health than before, I still couldn't believe that Todd is really dead yet I am having hallucinations of him, so I take medication right now and they surprisingly work.

I knew that his game is made him go crazy. It's not our fault, it was truly his decision to end his life just for a game. We might have time to help him but it's too late, as you said "he was obsessed" taking the crown. The current beholder of the crown is frightening me since we never met him, he still wants us to take such risks to our lives just to take his crown. I don't even know how the crown holds but still, it's a cult-like concept for us, and Todd just happened to be brainwashed by it. It was terrible that I am scared of such a man that we never even met.

Todd was an eccentric guy, he was into these things. These witchcraft things, that we thought that it's for his dungeon and dragon game stuff but it was darker than we assumed. Don't get me wrong, he was a nice guy, remember we even hang out on the rooftop of our eighth-grade building. After he read these witchcraft-related articles, books, or rituals. He talked differently from us, it was odd yet evocative. But his evocative way of words manipulated us to his wants to be part of his ritual, his game.

Previously we last see Todd, I have seen him talking with old men and women who were likely to be in a cult. I saw into his bag some masks made of animals like pigs, dogs, and horses. I don't notice if it's real or not. I went to their secret meetings discreetly and hidden. He handed the masks to these people. I also saw Mary joining the rite, wearing a good embroidery stitched to a red robe (she is the only one wearing a robe), and the rest including Todd wearing animal masks. I was appalled when they chant and the main event is they sacrificing a lamb. After that, I failed to talk to Todd and Mary as they make me squeamish.

I never told this encounter to anyone but you right now as read this. Todd and Mary are not the salt of the earth as you thought they are. I was scared of Todd when he knew I sneak into his meeting. He threatens me with what his group was capable of, with what he can do to us. As of that, he is not Todd I even remember, he is someone else. That's why I stay silent for months. It overwhelms me, I even do not talk to you or Dorothy about this. I guess you understand now the avoidance happening between us. I still don't know what is the crown supposed to do and how it affects Todd.

Thank you for the letter you sent, it was aggressive but it helps me through.

Your friend,
Kelly