A small town serves as a metaphor for the modern world.

• Chapter 1 Hallelujah – They rode in silence for a few minutes, the geriatric car slowly climbing the dark mountain road. Headlights illuminating ochre rock spires to their right. In the distance to their left could be seen the lights emanating from Claire Creek; traffic lights blinking, kitchen lights winking on for late night snacks, cars swiftly maneuvering about the streets, a train was heading across the river bridge, its horn blowing, and white smoke could be seen rising from the factory thickening the night air. Above them, pinpoints of light from the far corners of the galaxy broke up the infinite vacuum of space.

• Chapter 2 The Last Testament of Jacob Daniels – As for why I did what I did, that will take some explaining. It was late last evening when I was headed home from work at the factory that I encountered a pair of men I had never met before. I stopped at the Dunkin Donuts, as I do every night, (sorry dear I know that’s not on my diet, but I could have had worse vices) when…

• Chapter 3 Fishing –  Sheriff Brown and Dr. Allen sat on the banks of Claire Creek fishing. Well, not so much fishing as drinking, while their poles rested on a pair of rocks at their feet, lines dangling in the water. Sheriff Brown dropped his empty can of Guinness back into the cooler and pulled out a fresh one, his fifth, the Dr. was still working on his third. He opened the can, smiled at the whoosh of nitros being released as if it were the sound of lullaby, took a long pull, whipped his mouth and cleared his…

• Chapter 4 Poetry of Sheriff Brown –  Sheriff Brown is the central character of the Claire Creek stories. Although no one character other than the town itself appears in every story, every primary character interacts with the Sheriff at some point during the series. His symbolic role as the executer of the social contract in Claire Creek makes him the symbol of the community’s best and worst binding common characteristics.