Ritual Black

  I. The Retreat That Smelled Like Graves  They called it a wellness sanctuary . Online, the Communion of the Silent Cross looked like a place for the lost and forgotten. In today’s modern era, it seemed all too easy to get caught up and think one way or another. Unfortunately, for some, when you go to places like this, you’re rarely ever the same and in many cases, never seen again. To the outside world, it was a modern spiritual retreat for young adults drowning in depression, addiction, and loneliness. To the inside world, it was like a lot of things in life, not as advertised real fast. Abby Lund arrived with a suitcase, a headache, and a small metal crest her grandmother had given her four days before she died under mysterious circumstances. Skeptical but wanting to belong, Abby already understood that whatever lay ahead, backing out was no longer much of an option. The compound itself sprawled along a private slice of coast a central mansion surrounded by smaller do...