Absolution
An Experiment in Immersive Storytelling
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Chapter 6

March 12, 2017

Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

Delilah told me to "look in Robin Hood" right before her grandfather silenced her. After searching for a long time, I found a place near my house called Nottingham Park. I hope it's right because I'm out of time. The full moon is tonight, and I need whatever is in that box to break this curse. I'll head over there and see what I can find.

Google Earth image of the Earth with a red target on Colorado in the United States of America.
Google Earth image of the Earth with a red target on the Denver area of Colorado.
Google Earth image of the Earth with a red target on an area north of Denver, Colorado.
Google Earth image of the Earth with a red target on Nottingham Park north of Denver.
Google Satellite image of Nottingham Park.
Sign for Nottingham Park taken from a parking lot.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

How do I even know if I'm in the right place? Delilah sent a coded message to Amon that somehow shows where the box is buried. It's a big park, and if I start randomly digging, I'll end up spending the night in jail—or at least part of the night anyway—I'm not sure how well bars hold up to a werewolf.

A riddle from Delilah
Satellite image of Nottingham Park. Zephyr Street runs West and crosses Allison Court
Satellite image of Nottingham Park. Zephyr Street runs West and crosses Allison Court
Street view of the intersection of Zephyr Street and Allison Court
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

The word zephyr means "a soft, gentle breeze." Zephyr Street runs west across Allison Court. That's the first two lines of the riddle Delilah left. This must be the place. I'll start here and see if I can follow the clues.

Riddle from Delilah with the first two lines checked off.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

From the gate house of the wind—a gatehouse is usually a building at the entrance of something. In this case, "the wind" must be Zephyr Street, which means the gatehouse must be the cul de sac because it is an entrance to Nottingham Park.

Map of Nottingham Park showing Zarina's footsteps to the entrance by Zephyr Street.
Google Street View of the entrance to Nottingham Park from Zephyr Street.
The riddle Delilah Horvat wrote. The first three lines have been checked off.
Map of Nottingham Park with an image of an archer shooting an arrow to the northwest.
Map of Nottingham Park with an image of an archer shooting an arrow to the northwest.
Riddle from Delilah with the first four lines checked off.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

The pasture is obvious, but what of the old lonesome one? I'll take a walk straight through the field and see if I can find anything that looks old and lonesome.

Map of Nottingham Park showing Zarina's footsteps through the pasture and a red target on something at the northwest corner of the park.
Photo of inside the park showing an old tree by itself.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

There's an old tree all by itself. I bet that's it. If this is the old lonesome one, then stand in the shelter must be referring to sheltering under a tree in a storm. I'll go stand under and see what's next.

Riddle left by Delilah Horvat. It has the first five lines checked off.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

The sun rises in the East, so...

Map of Nottingham Park showing an archer shooting an arrow to the east from the old tree.
Map of Nottingham Park showing an archer shooting an arrow to the east from the old tree.
Riddle from Delilah Horvat with the first six lines checked off.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

There's a stream running on the northern edge of the park. But what is the place of respite? The word respite means "an interval of rest or relief."

Map of Nottingham Park showing an archer who has shot a bullseye into a target along the north edge of the park.
Map of Nottingham Park showing Zarina's footsteps as she moves east.
Photo of a bench by the water's edge.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

A bench certainly qualifies as a place of respite. I'm supposed to go past it and find a footpath.

Riddle from Delilah Horvat showing the first seven lines checked off.
Photo showing a footpath through the woods.
Zarina walking the footpath.
Map of Nottingham Park showing Zarina's footsteps through the small wooded area.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

What in the world does forest v mean?

Photo of a tree that looks like a V-shape.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

There's a v-shape. That must be it. Now, on to the glade, beyond the forest v. Glade means "an open space in a forest," so I'm looking for a clearing.

A clearing in the wooded area.
Map of Nottingham Park showing Zarina's footsteps to the disturbed dirt in the clearing.
Riddle from Delilah Horvat showing all lines checked off.
An area in the clearing where the dirt is disturbed.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

The ground here has been disturbed recently. Good thing I brought a shovel.

Zarina poking in the dirt with a stick.
Zarina busting out a folding shovel.
Zarina digging.
Zarina digging deeper.
Zarina continuing to dig.
Zarina pulling an old box from the ground.
Zarina removing twine around the old box so she can open the lid.
Zarina opens the box to find a it stuffed with paper shavings and something else.
Zarina pulls an earthen clay effigy of a wolf from the box.
An earthen clay effigy of a wolf.
Photo of Zarina Rosiello
Zarina Rosiello

I found an earthen clay effigy of a wolf inside the box. It looks handmade, and it has what appears to be old bloody fingerprints on it. There are a few hours until sunset, and I have everything I need to perform the cleansing ritual. I'm not an expert in the occult, though, so I'm going to contact a friend to help.