Do not trust anyone from Ohio.
I write this during a brief moment of clarity and don’t have much time before I slip back into the void. Beneath the seemingly quaint village of Peebles, Ohio an aberration stirs in its sleep. A primordial force left from a bygone era whose very existence is a violation of reality. Through the eons, it has gone by many names, and while most records have been lost due to the incursion of the colonizers there is one name that remains. Agona Ayohuhisdi.
Translated from Cherokee, Agona Ayohuhisdi is thought to mean famine or a-human-being-to-die. The Tribes knew of this unnatural force and formed the Iriquois Tribe to combat the threats of the eldritch being. After years of brutal battle and strife, the Iriquois cast Agona Ayohuhisdi into a deep slumber, sealing it in a tomb of stone far beneath the earth. They locked its earthen cage by erecting seals in places of power throughout Ohio. There are still a few around today in the form of earthen mounds. The mounds they built were not only seals but also a warning. The signature of the hunger god, a serpent eating an egg, or as we know it today, The Serpent Mound.
Foolishly when the colonizers came to the area, they brought what they thought to be civilization and salvation. They cheated the natives out of their land and eroded these places of power, paving over the earthen mounds and weakening the seals of the cage. This would prove to be their own damnation. From its weakened cage, Agona Ayohuhisdi stirs in its sleep, reaching out to all those who inhabit Ohio. Infecting them with a new personality, like a parasite.
Even now, in this moment of clarity, I can feel my own wretched parasite tugging at the fringes of my consciousness and I fear I will soon be pulled back into a dreamless sleep. He goes by Darrel and yearns to complete the unholy mission given to him by the hunger god. You see, at the onset of adulthood, every Ohioan is given two choices in the form of primal urges. Your parasite either wants to settle down in Ohio and procreate as much as possible to contribute more souls to the dark god, or it decides to go out into the world. Scout out new territories for the Icon of Hunger. You feel compelled to make as many personal connections as possible and bring them back to Ohio, continuing the cycle.
Have you ever wondered why the Wright brothers were so hell-bent on taking to the sky? Or why do so many astronauts come from Ohio? They were scouts, the extended collective consciousness acting on the impulses of a dark god, testing the boundaries of this world. Agona Ayohuhisdi was looking to the heavens for more souls to bring into the fold. So I say again, do NOT trust anyone from Ohio. We will try to entice you to join us in this liminal space through any means necessary. Remember, The Sons and Daughters of Ohio always return.
Hey All! Darrel Here, Sorry about that brief tirade, I forgot to take my medication last night and had a little episode. But nothing to worry about, as I’m back on track again! Anyways, don’t pay any attention to what I wrote earlier, it’s just the ramblings of an excited imagination. I will say though that if you ever get the chance, you should visit us in Ohio! It’s the by far the best place in the world. The food culture here is incredible, and you can’t beat how affordable the property is! We have a thriving economy and we’re always welcoming of newcomers! Come join us in the Heartland and I promise you’ll never want to leave.
** Side note - This short story is filled with inaccuracies and is in no way meant to offend or demean anyone of any nationality, race, creed, or skin tone. The true story of the removal of the indigenous population of America is a million times scarier than anything you’ll find on this sub and as an American citizen, you have a duty to educate yourself on the history of those events. You can find some information from the Library of Congress to start your journey here.
If you are still reading please understand that this was a random story I thought up while I had a conversation with my wife discussing moving away from Ohio. I’ve always thought the various Native American cultures were extremely interesting and I have a lot of respect for them. I admittedly have very little knowledge of their varied languages, cultures, and traditions and I am 100% certain that I used some of their language incorrectly. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t provide a lot of information. If this is found to be in any way offensive please just remove it and understand that it was not written in bad faith but just as a random morning writing exercise. Or just blame Darrel, he’s the real monster in all this. **