Finding Rhodes End

This is a good time to introduce you to my favorite New England town. Rhodes End is located on a confluence of ley lines that draws magic and paranormal activity. Dog-legging the corners of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, it fails to appear on many maps due to various boundary and settlement disputes. This isn’t far from Hartford. Major highways to both Boston and New York City cut through the hills less than a mile away. It exists in my imagination and is the setting for my paranormal series: Finding Rhodes End, Book One: Ancient Awakening.

Welcome to Rhodes End.

On the surface, nothing distinguishes Rhodes End from a thousand other small towns. More than half the population works at regular jobs, have normal families and lives. Farmers, shopkeepers, teachers and other townspeople are unaware of the ‘different’ ones. The dark undercurrents never touch them.

An ordinary tourist tooling up the scenic road may tell friends of the charming village, but only the harmless or the expected find it easily. The basic rules of space and time seem the same, but magic can occur along with paranormal activity. In fact, those with paranormal senses find them stronger, more reliable.

Rhodes End is located on a confluence of magnetic ley lines that draws magic and paranormal activity. Rhodes End dog-legs the Northeastern corner of Connecticut, the hip pressing against Massachusetts while the paw scratches into Rhode Island.

Rhodes End rarely appears on maps due to boundary and settlement disputes. Less than an hour from Hartford, Boston or Providence, major highways cut through the hills less than a mile away.

The ley lines are the same lines that pass under Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid, Machu Pichu and Anasazi ruins in Arizona. Their mystical power is recognized by ancient religions. The power existed before the Caucasian influx chased away the small tribes who used the site to call their spirits. Nothing is noted of the even older pictographs in the deep caves

Rhodes End is located on a confluence of ley lines that draws magic and paranormal activity to the New England town. Near the corners of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, it fails to appear on many maps due to various boundary and settlement disputes. This isn’t far from Hartford. Major highways to both Boston and New York City cut through the hills less than a mile away.

This stretch of woodland and water along River Road was her favorite. Moonlight sent slivers of silver across the rippling water. A raccoon washed a bit of food from a perch on a fallen tree. The frost had emptied the footpath of joggers. “I’m near the North Bridge and heading back through the center. The moon’s barely risen, but the starlight’s so bright I can see frost along the riverbanks. I expect to hear a wolf howling.”

The Police chief had a lot of experience keeping things under wraps. Certain things happening in Rhodes End never became public knowledge. Some people made it their business to keep it that way.

Old houses lined the walks like dowagers settled in for a cozy chat. The grass was brown and leaves were piled high in the corners. In a few hours children would be passing on their way to elementary school.