Nomed Town: Advanced Civilization (Part I)

Chapter 2: Chatawa

Nestled in the heart of Mississippi, the mysterious small city of Chatawa emerges as a haunting enigma, where the blurred line between fact and fiction paints an eerie backdrop to its haunted history. With a population barely scraping three hundred, this once overlooked town thrust itself into the spotlight when a horror movie, weaving historical truths with fabricated tales, chose its unsettling setting. The film unraveled a chilling narrative of a young girl tormented by circus animals - a concoction of imagination, or as locals insisted, spirits lingering from a circus train crash centuries ago.

Chatawa's peculiar past unfurled as locals shared spine-tingling encounters, capturing on film the ghostly presence of tigers, seals, rhinos, amur leopards, and elephant shrews. The lingering question hung in the air like a haunting melody - why did these spectral creatures wander the city streets?

Skepticism often met those peering from the outside, questioning the legitimacy of the hauntings despite acknowledging the historical crash and video evidence of the sightings. It echoed a sentiment Tanner knew well - a skepticism forged in the crucible of personal supernatural encounters. The Metrorail station incident, where Tanner confronted a man possessed by a demon who claimed to be a decedent of Baal, left an indelible mark. The revelation that Tanner could command the demon to leave, invoking scripture from memory without prior study, added an extra layer of mystery to his existence. A strange gift bestowed by an often-silent God, perhaps with a twinge of regret.

Tanner once fancied himself destined for a life of exorcism. Picture a young warrior, binge-watching true crime documentaries and horror films, honing his fight instincts for a showdown against demonic forces. Tanner was hooked on the supernatural.

But, alas, the exorcism gigs didn't exactly come pouring in. Tanner scoured the corners of his world, hoping for another chance to showcase his skills, but it seemed the metrorail incident was a one-time fluke, an accidental exorcism that left him hungry for more. Tanner was fully aware of how improbable it would be to have a brown complexion young man, officially representing the rare air of lasting exorcists in the world. However, despite said improbability, Tanner was driven to explore how far his spiritual gifts could take him.

Unfortunately, as the days rolled on, Tanner's faith in his ability waned, mirroring his dwindling faith in God. The older he got, the more skepticism crept in, like shadows in the night. Yet, every now and then, Tanner would catch a glimpse of the unseen - a demon lurking in the background. It became a tug-of-war between his doubts and the undeniable evidence of his extraordinary gift.

Tanner tried to walk away from the faith that had defined his life, but it was like attempting to escape his own shadow. Every time he thought he could outrun God, he found himself back on the familiar faith walk that had started since birth. It was a cosmic game of cat and mouse, with Tanner attempting to break free from the divine grasp, only to be caught in the embrace of something greater.

In the face of doubt and uncertainty, Tanner clung to the idea that extraordinary claims demanded extraordinary evidence. His ability to see demons became his personal proof, a reminder that there was more to the world than science and philosophy. As Tanner grappled with his ever-changing beliefs, the unseen forces continued to dance at the edges of his perception, leaving him caught between the tangible and the mystical, in a story that refused to follow a predictable script.

A decade ago, Chatawa clung to survival with a solitary post office, a relic of bygone times. Change swept over the city, fueled by neighboring economic initiatives and the triumph of the New Orleans Saints. But the true economic titan was Nomed Town, a mere twenty-minute drive away. Founded in 1996, Nomed Town's modest population of 200 belied its economic prowess, generating ten times the revenue of its larger neighbor. The town's unconventional policies, guided by a dynamic council of five powerful town citizens, thrived on a revolutionary "all basic needs" approach.