Pirate’s Bend

Pirate’s Bend is a rocky cove on the coast and an important reference point in the search for Sliggers. The creatures’ first lair had been discovered there a year earlier; when fears of renewed spread prompted a new search, Mason Parker began at the cove, turning a former nest site into a place to test whether the threat had returned.

Setting and Earlier Significance

Mason drove north until the pavement gave way to a dirt road, then stopped at Pirate’s Bend. The rocky cove offered a plausible place to search, and its connection to the first discovered lair made it a natural starting point. That history did not establish that Sliggers were present again; it gave the search a concrete point of comparison as concern grew about nests along the coast.

The Coastal Search

Before setting out, Mason and Demarcus Johnson armed themselves with shotguns and extra shells, checked their sidearms and spare ammunition, and put two full cans of gasoline in the cruiser. Mason had already told the town to watch for signs of Sliggers and said he would search the area around Pirate’s Bend. On a bright Sunday afternoon, the two officers began at the cove’s southern end and worked along the water’s edge, navigating gaps between shoreline rocks. Mason, experienced at recognizing Sligger eggs, explained what Demarcus should look for. Sweeping the cove took more than two hours.

Findings and Limits

The officers found nothing at Pirate’s Bend. They continued north along the coast, looking not only for eggs but also for nesting material, craters in the sand, and tracks left by the creatures’ legs or tails. After another two hours, their progress reached an inlet where a quiet river flowed into the ocean. The river was too wide to cross on foot, so they would have to drive to the other side to resume the search; they could, however, continue checking the southern side. The sweep therefore established no new Sligger presence at the cove, while the inlet marked a practical limit on how the coastline could be covered.