That day in Boulder Creek, years ago, changed Detective Salvino. There were 36 bodies discovered, fifteen were young boys and girls. It was a mass suicide, if you can even call it that for the kids. It was more of a brain washed suicide. After Santa Cruz PD searched the house, they found stacks of literature and videos by the Boulder Creek leader. They called them self Kingdom of Light and their leader, Apollos, preached the path to truly be saved. He claimed that all who entered and devoted their lives to the Kingdom of Light, would be truly saved. Once saved, they would have their ticket to the kingdom of all light, of all love, and of all happiness. Further investigation into Apollos revealed that his true name was William Thatcher, also known as Willy Thatch in The Tendorloin, the San Francisco neighborhood he once called home. He was raised in a shithole apartment above a liquor store on the corner of Leavenworth and O'Farrell.. His mother was a prostitute and he never had or knew of a father. Willy started off by robbing stores and neighbors then moved to running drugs on the streets. It was never a dull moment for business in the Tenderloin, the streets bred homeless zombies like a flesh-eating virus, deteriorating the skin down to raw meat and bones.
Willy Thatch could move any drug and fast until a new drug lord showed up and began to clean house. Willy left the Tenderloin at age twenty-eight, moving onto bigger and better things in Santa Cruz, CA. He had heard of the university and the hippie, free life culture it induced. With his many professional street connections on the outside, he knew he'd be of value to the students who majored in expanding their mind through experimentation. He could make some money, find free love liberals to crash with and probably get laid throughout the process. It was a win-win for Willy Thatch so he began his journey and hitch hiked from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. And Santa Cruz didn't know what was about to him them.
Willy was dropped off on Pacific Ave at Bonesio Liquor Store. He had his red hiking backpack stuffed with little clothing and a college student's dream drug store, a store that could build reputations, produce the addicts of the world, and end the lives of a few unlucky first time tryers, those horror stories you hear about on the news. This Just In: A first year UC Santa Cruz student was found dead this morning when her roommate went to wake her and she didn't respond. The student lived at the dorms on campus at Oakes College. She was a Film major and had already made many friends here at Oakes. Traces of heroin and cocaine were found in her system and her death was ruled an overdose. Her family and friends said she's never been known to do drugs and police believe it was her first time experimenting, a normal activity that many college students meddle in. What's not normal is the end of such a short and young life. Reporting to you from the University of California, Santa Cruz. I'm Ashley Landis.
Willy went inside Bonesio Liquor Store, a small cramped space that reeked of cigarettes and that had the sole purpose of selling liquor to the local drunks and to the lucky college students who were fortunate enough to pay for fake I.D.s. He walked in and bought a pack of unfiltered Camels and a 12 oz bottle of Jack. As he paid, the cashier said, "Never seen you around here."
"I could be a college student, they come and go." Willy said.
"You're too old. There's no loitering outside my store either." The cashier said.
"I'm not looking for any trouble man," Willy said.
"No, but you look like trouble," said the cashier.
"Maybe trouble finds you," said Willy.
"Maybe." The cashier pushed the pack of Camels toward Willy, “6.75.”
Willy put a ten dollar bill on the counter, "Keep the change,” and he walked out.
He stood against the front wall of the liquor store and took out a cigarette, lit it, and turned the cap on the Jack, the feeling of the cap cracking open brought the same feeling of relief to him every time. He took a swig.
"Excuse me Sir?" It was a young man, blonde with a clean hair cut and wearing a red Addidas shirt with cargo shorts. His shoes were white and clean. Willy looked up as he leaned against the wall, one foot up against the wall and the other on the ground.
"Do you think you can buy me a bottle? I have the cash here and you can keep the change." He was polite and held the cash in his hand for Willy to see.
"The owner's a real dick." Willy said, taking a drag of his cigarette and blowing it into the boy's direction.
"So, no then?" The boy asked.
"That's a hard no. But I do have something you might like better." Willy smiled, his dirty blonde hair was to his shoulders and clumped together from not washing it for days.
"I don't smoke cigarettes." The boy responded.
"I'm not talking about cigarettes. I have something that will show you the world in an entirely different way. It will save you from a hangover or all the other bullshit drinking causes," said Willy.
"But you're drinking," the boy chuckled.
"Exactly. And look at me." Willy said.
"So, what is it?" The boy gave him a suspicious look, ready to be unimpressed.
"You got a house we can go to?" asked Willy.
"Actually yeah, I'm headed to a party at a friend's house. Was coming here to do a liquor run but if you have something better, then, hey I'm down. My friends are always down too so," the boy said.
"Right on," said Willy.
"How do I know you're for real though?" the boy asked.
Willy looked to the left and right. He scouted the street and then reached into his pocket. He pulled his hand back up and onto his jeans at his waist with his hand closed like a fist.
"I'm cool if you're cool." Willy put his fist out towards the boy and the boy naturally went in for a sly handshake. The boy could feel Willy open up his hand and pass a plastic bag into his palm. The boy kept his fist closed and looked down at his hand then opened it the slightest to see what it was. A gram of coke.
"I'm definitely cool," the boy said. Willy nodded his head.
"We can walk to the party from here." The boy said. And together, they walked down Broadway. That’s all it took. One friend, one party, and one Willy Thatcher. From that point on, Willy Thatch became Apollo and built the Kingdom of Light. And just like that, six months later, 36 people committed a mass suicide in the belief that he was their ticket to the Kingdom.
-Written by Sterp
All Rights Reserved
Willy Thatch could move any drug and fast until a new drug lord showed up and began to clean house. Willy left the Tenderloin at age twenty-eight, moving onto bigger and better things in Santa Cruz, CA. He had heard of the university and the hippie, free life culture it induced. With his many professional street connections on the outside, he knew he'd be of value to the students who majored in expanding their mind through experimentation. He could make some money, find free love liberals to crash with and probably get laid throughout the process. It was a win-win for Willy Thatch so he began his journey and hitch hiked from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. And Santa Cruz didn't know what was about to him them.
Willy was dropped off on Pacific Ave at Bonesio Liquor Store. He had his red hiking backpack stuffed with little clothing and a college student's dream drug store, a store that could build reputations, produce the addicts of the world, and end the lives of a few unlucky first time tryers, those horror stories you hear about on the news. This Just In: A first year UC Santa Cruz student was found dead this morning when her roommate went to wake her and she didn't respond. The student lived at the dorms on campus at Oakes College. She was a Film major and had already made many friends here at Oakes. Traces of heroin and cocaine were found in her system and her death was ruled an overdose. Her family and friends said she's never been known to do drugs and police believe it was her first time experimenting, a normal activity that many college students meddle in. What's not normal is the end of such a short and young life. Reporting to you from the University of California, Santa Cruz. I'm Ashley Landis.
Willy went inside Bonesio Liquor Store, a small cramped space that reeked of cigarettes and that had the sole purpose of selling liquor to the local drunks and to the lucky college students who were fortunate enough to pay for fake I.D.s. He walked in and bought a pack of unfiltered Camels and a 12 oz bottle of Jack. As he paid, the cashier said, "Never seen you around here."
"I could be a college student, they come and go." Willy said.
"You're too old. There's no loitering outside my store either." The cashier said.
"I'm not looking for any trouble man," Willy said.
"No, but you look like trouble," said the cashier.
"Maybe trouble finds you," said Willy.
"Maybe." The cashier pushed the pack of Camels toward Willy, “6.75.”
Willy put a ten dollar bill on the counter, "Keep the change,” and he walked out.
He stood against the front wall of the liquor store and took out a cigarette, lit it, and turned the cap on the Jack, the feeling of the cap cracking open brought the same feeling of relief to him every time. He took a swig.
"Excuse me Sir?" It was a young man, blonde with a clean hair cut and wearing a red Addidas shirt with cargo shorts. His shoes were white and clean. Willy looked up as he leaned against the wall, one foot up against the wall and the other on the ground.
"Do you think you can buy me a bottle? I have the cash here and you can keep the change." He was polite and held the cash in his hand for Willy to see.
"The owner's a real dick." Willy said, taking a drag of his cigarette and blowing it into the boy's direction.
"So, no then?" The boy asked.
"That's a hard no. But I do have something you might like better." Willy smiled, his dirty blonde hair was to his shoulders and clumped together from not washing it for days.
"I don't smoke cigarettes." The boy responded.
"I'm not talking about cigarettes. I have something that will show you the world in an entirely different way. It will save you from a hangover or all the other bullshit drinking causes," said Willy.
"But you're drinking," the boy chuckled.
"Exactly. And look at me." Willy said.
"So, what is it?" The boy gave him a suspicious look, ready to be unimpressed.
"You got a house we can go to?" asked Willy.
"Actually yeah, I'm headed to a party at a friend's house. Was coming here to do a liquor run but if you have something better, then, hey I'm down. My friends are always down too so," the boy said.
"Right on," said Willy.
"How do I know you're for real though?" the boy asked.
Willy looked to the left and right. He scouted the street and then reached into his pocket. He pulled his hand back up and onto his jeans at his waist with his hand closed like a fist.
"I'm cool if you're cool." Willy put his fist out towards the boy and the boy naturally went in for a sly handshake. The boy could feel Willy open up his hand and pass a plastic bag into his palm. The boy kept his fist closed and looked down at his hand then opened it the slightest to see what it was. A gram of coke.
"I'm definitely cool," the boy said. Willy nodded his head.
"We can walk to the party from here." The boy said. And together, they walked down Broadway. That’s all it took. One friend, one party, and one Willy Thatcher. From that point on, Willy Thatch became Apollo and built the Kingdom of Light. And just like that, six months later, 36 people committed a mass suicide in the belief that he was their ticket to the Kingdom.
-Written by Sterp
All Rights Reserved
