Cursed is the Ground

Cursed is the Ground is a horror novella, the planned sequel to 90 Has No Secant, and the second entry in the Meshalutian Trilogy. It was first proposed as a Dozerfleet Literature work in 2004, and has been shelved until the Ciem Trilogy and edits on 90 can be completed.

Plot
Young Jared Rintel, a Colorado cousin of Tom and Mandy Rintel, awakes one rainy day from a nightmare in which he postcognitively learns of the execution of Meshaluta's disciple Sanction Harlem. Being slightly more aware of Meshaluta than his Louisiana cousins initially were, Jared grows alarmed at her prospect. Meanwhile, Jared's father needs to take his mother to the hospital to resume treatments for her heart. He then needs to go to work in a silver mine.

However, school has been canceled for Jared and his sister Allison, due to an animal attack in the school the night before that left a janitor dead. The kids are sent to be babysat by a worker at the Mt. Applestream Ski Lodge, which is closed to most of the public for maintenance and until winter. Jared tries to warn Allison about his dream, but she dismisses the ruse. She creates a distraction for Jared and the babysitter, Trisha Montoya. While they are distracted, she escapes and heads to a party in town in which alcohol is involved. Meanwhile, Trisha vows not to lose track of Jared. The two begin sharing stories, and learn that Meshaluta is after Trisha as well.

Just then, a former bounty hunter turned rogue vigilante, Yenti Roy, shows up at the lodge looking for Trisha. When Trisha's superior doesn't cooperate, Roy shoots him. Trisha escapes out the back with Jared and they flee into the mountainside just as a storm system begins to set in. Trisha begins to explain, as best she can to Jared, that her real name isn't Trisha.

An entire flashback sequence reveals Trisha's past as Alyssa Delphine, and her first tragic encounter with Rintels and with Meshaluta. In that tragedy, Meshaluta caused an apartment fire that cause blood to transfer from a Rintel to Alyssa. Meshaluta began stalking her ever since, as did Roy, who believed Alyssa to have murdered the Rintels. The police eventually eliminate Alyssa as a suspect, but not before Roy becomes obsessed with finding her. She runs to her old boyfriend in Montana for safety, but Meshaluta follows her there. A dream convinces Alyssa to take on the alias of Trisha and flee to Applestream, CO.

Trisha and Jared continue to hide from Roy, but the mountain persists in making their escape difficult. Roy pursues them relentlessly along the way. Meanwhile, a landslide and other disaster disable communication that would allow for Jared and Trisha to contact police for help. A plane nosedives into the party house and kills everyone instantly, including Allison. This further prevents the police from coming to Trisha's aid. Complicating matters even further, Jared's father is trapped in the silver mine. From there, he learns of the legend of Honeybee Samuel. Trisha, who already knows of it, fears that she and Jared are getting too close to the cursed cabin.

Finally, Roy manages to separate Trisha and Jared. He abducts Jared and takes him into the cabin, unaware of the legend surrounding it. Trisha knows she is walking into a trap, but decides to attempt Jared's rescue anyway. This leads to an epic showdown, wherein which Trisha may have to sacrifice her life to end the madness on the mountain.