An hour after sunrise, the Sheriff's patrol finally showed up. They spend the next couple of hours milling around my yard, looking bored, occasionally making phone calls and asking me oddly few questions. I got the impression that they wanted to be pretty much anywhere but here, doing pretty much anything but this. I decided to ask about it and see what kind of answers I could get without raising too many suspicions. After A few minutes of bored, halfhearted, “old guy” small talk mixed with a few real questions, I had my answer; “This is not the first time” and “they scare the crap out of our department.” It explained a lot. Apparently, there had been several cases of missing or killed livestock recently and at least one other attempted attack on some poor kid on a motorcycle, but nothing this big and or with this kind of body count. I was quietly urged to, “be really careful and to bring some in people to help you, seeing as you lived alone and all.”

No-one had any idea if I should expect retaliation or not. But I interpreted all this information and drew the conclusion that this warren of Orcs probably hasn't been here long (perhaps less than a year), was actively scouting the area and likely wasn't a large group yet. While this seemed reasonable based on the hasty and reckless attack on my property, more research was clearly in order, prioritizing any details of publicly reported Orc activity in this area. A refresher course on Orc behavior and physiology plus any relevant mass-media or documentary sources would also be useful. There might even be some threat intel at the state and/or federal level that could prove relevant, as unlikely as it might sound. Sleep was out of the question and it was obviously better to start my research sooner than later. A truck finally hauled off the bodies. After the usual farewells, I decided it was prudent to expect retaliation. From all reports, Orcs have clearly not embraced a cultural attitude of, “forgive and forget.”

I quickly found multiple documentaries to watch, although that would be an all-day binge-watching session. Online sources had a surprising wealth of knowledge on what is usually portrayed as such a minor threat. I started my notetaking there. Federal and state bulletins didn't say anything specifically useful (no surprise there) and the local/county bulletins were similarly quiet. Local and regional news outlets had nothing recent on either Orcs or missing persons. I found some dedicated “orc hunter” forums online, most of which contain surprisingly little useful information but lots of stories for those who enjoy ego trips and self-aggrandizement as an art form. I did run into a few snippets of decent data concerning various firearms and ammunition types that seemed informative. I'd have to go over that stuff in more detail later.

It wasn't until many hours later I realized I hadn't eaten, changed clothes, walked the dog or really anything else. I was good with going out in the daylight (with a pistol, anyway) and decided that staying on my routine was probably best for my mental health. The dog took a serious interest in the blood left behind by last night's visitors. I tried to distract him by tossing his favorite tennis ball around, with only limited success. I know he'd fight alongside me if I let him, but I don't think he'd live long-- Orcs are just too dangerous for a goofy house dog, no matter how brave he might be.

I had already decided to spend some more money and upgrade my security with additional cameras, better flood lighting and maybe better motion sensors. The technology is very reliable and getting less expensive every year. I was still struggling with this idea that I was stuck doing this alone. I needed proper backup. The local LEO's didn't want any part of this so maybe I can generate some interest elsewhere? Maybe the state police? I gave them a call, identified myself and got a response that was rather different from what I was expecting.

“Why do you want reports of Orc activities in your area?” I explained what had happened and asked if they'd gotten the reports from the Sheriff's Department. What I got was evasion and canned non-answers. The call ended when I asked for a state trooper to come out and take a report. Hearing the phrase, “we'll get someone out there as soon as we can,” did not sound convincing at all-- especially after they basically hung up on me right after. Something sketchy is clearly happening, but I'm probably better off staying out of it. I found it odd the Orcs provoke such fear, despite their official designation as a relatively minor nuisance. It's a topic for another time. Back to research.

With dog beside me and loaded rifle within arm's reach, the binge-watching began. After my third documentary, I had to take a break, get a shower, a decent meal and start thinking about what might happen after sundown. Whoever said that hyper-vigilance after a traumatic event is a thing was totally correct. Constantly checking cameras and glancing out windows, followed by thoughts of security upgrades and new weapons purchases-- I was finding it genuinely difficult to stay focused. Luckily, some time out in the sunshine throwing a ball around for my dog seemed to help a bit. But I was starting to wonder if I needed to talk to someone about this. I could definitely see how easily obsession can take hold after the sort of night I had. I found it more than a little concerning, honestly.

However, sundown would be arriving before any further answers-- and I need to be ready. I seriously doubt it will be an uneventful night.