The Peacock 285

 Jesús says, "That is the same network that is after me.  And Jean Pierre, by the way, is Colombian.  I know him."

"Yesterday", says Carl, "Jesús was telling us at lunch about some of his own experiences, and apparently their way of telling someone that they were marked was by leaving a small skull at their door."

"And that is why I am here", he says.  "I knew Jean Pierre, whose real name is Luis, he was spending time with my friend Esteban, giving him lots of information about his group, but then turned against him, and likely killed him, and his girlfriend.  But they are also here in Canada.  They are criminals yes, but they appear also to practice black magic.  I know it is Jean Pierre, because that is how he died.  That is how they all die.  No one can trace the cause.  They simply stop living and die."

"This is downright creepy", says Melissa, grabbing for a Celebration biscuit.  

"Quite" agrees Carol, cramming into her mouth yet another Peek Freens fruit cream.   "And oh, I just love these cream biscuits.  Aren´t they exquisite!"

"So, what happened after?" Carl asks. 

Jennifer says, "Well, we were all being followed.  Stalked."  They were stationed outside our house, they were following us home, and if we tried to confront them, they simply said nothing and walked away.  It was so disturbing.   We were under surveillance. and worse, there were the dead birds.  One morning I discovered a dead Steller's jay on the doorstep. A few days later it was a robin.  Then it was a flicker.  For me, I love birds, that was just too much.  I was the first to really crack, and poor Maureen and Sarah had to bear me up while I was a weeping and wailing mess.

Then there was that idiot who decided to sit on the bench in our back yard.  With a big machine gun on her knee.  No need to worry, Precious, she said with a Spanish accent, we are only making sure you are safe.  She didn't otherwise threaten me.  I simply ran into the house and then collapsed weeping.  Police were called, but then she was gone, and yes, she was dressed all in black.

"And then she came to our door..."