The Devil's Jingle

"The Devil's Jingle" is a supernatural thriller that follows Kevin, a teenager in Flint, Michigan, whose life is upended by a mysterious, evil entity known as the Lurker. The creature is drawn to the city's deep-seated trauma, feeding on guilt and despair linked to the water crisis, lost loved ones, and generational neglect.
The story begins as a strange, cold scar on Kevin's wrist pulses with a life of its own, a physical manifestation of a horrific encounter he had at Kearsley Park. When a warped version of "Turkey in the Straw" starts playing, an ice cream truck appears and ghostly figures of his friends—Tiana, Malcolm, and Kiana—are lured away. Kevin's attempts to warn his family are met with disbelief, as they attribute his experiences to the lead-poisoned water.
Kevin soon discovers he is not alone. Other young people and a coach, who all have their own experiences with loss, have heard the same twisted jingle. As the Lurker's attacks escalate from psychological manipulation to physical violence, the group must come together to fight the entity. They find an ally in Lena, a local occult expert who reveals that the Lurker is an ancient curse tied to a historical ritual in the area. The group must rely on their shared trauma and a few key tools—salt, iron, and their own resilience—to combat a foe that uses their deepest fears and regrets against them.
The narrative is a gripping tale of community, perseverance, and the fight against a malevolent force that thrives on a city's pain. It explores how personal and collective trauma can be weaponized, and how unity and hope can be the strongest defenses against despair.