Fire

The marker reads: 1917 Coal Mine Explosion On Aug. 4, 1917 about 7:40 AM an explosion in the West Kentucky Coal Company’s #7 mine shattered the community of Clay. The worst mine disaster in state history was caused by methane gas and an opened-flame headlamp. At the time of the explosion miners were on strike, protesting low wages and dangerous working conditions.

1. Cletus Garvin takes ill with black lung.
2. He gets fired from his mining job, but he is allowed to keep his company house.
3. Voices of the Inner Dark promise to cure him in exchange for his service.
4. The current Pastor dies in a mysterious accident, Cletus taken his place.
5. Mine explosion is actually caused by the Inner Dark.
6. Many of the dead are brought to he Tabernacle of the Elder Covenant.
7. The Voices command Cletus to perform a ritual which turns the dead miners into haints or zombies.[\li]
8. Cletus convinces the towns folk to bring animals to sacrifice as part ofritual, they bring lambs and goats, even family pets.
9. Nothing happens at first , then one day later on the night of the full moon the dead rise up, many who were buried in shallow graves, their bodies disfigured by the fire and smoke rising from their chared skin.