Carter poured a cup of coffee and looked out the window at the construction site. It was 5:30 in the morning, and soon his breakfast crew would filter in and start making Egg McMuffins, but for the moment he had time to be alone with his thoughts.

Sales were below expectations for the restaurant, but he knew things would pick up once the developers completed the shopping center.

If they ever would complete it.

Right now they were locked in a fight. The developers wanted to remove a boulder from the site, but the community was blocking them, claiming that it was an important Native American landmark.

Just as the boulder crossed Carter’s mind, the deep fryer began to beep. Then the walk-in box. Then every register went haywire. Anything that could make a noise suddenly did.

But when Carter went to the kitchen to check it out, it all stopped. His crew hadn’t arrived, but he suddenly felt he wasn’t alone, and he was drawn toward the monolithic stone outside, the one the locals called “Indian Rock.â€?