Lord of the Land
The Nebraskan Sam Cooper tape records a tale told to him by the elderly Hop Thacker. The old man recalls a story from his great-grandfather’s time of three boys – Creech, Lightfoot, and Cooper – engaged in a shooting competition. The threesome kill an old mule, wait for crows to congregate on the corpse, and take turns firing at the birds.
Hop’s granddaughter Sarah serves lemonade, eyeing the Nebraskan. Sipping his drink, the old man recalls the death of a local during a heatwave and how he snuck away from the stifling funeral. While standing outside the service, Hop spotted a soul-sucker moving along the road. Hop, prompted by Cooper, describes the shadowy creature and its spiritual prey.
Returning to his story, Hop recounts how Creech shot at a black figure as it approached the mule’s carcass. Cooper inspects the body and finds it to be akin to a man with a mouthful of grave worms. The wounded creature demands the identity of its shooter, and Cooper points to Creech. Lightfoot and Cooper dig a grave only to find the soul-sucker and Creech disappeared. Hop explains that the soul-sucker was later spotted inhabiting Creech’s body.
Sarah summons Hop to dinner, invites Cooper to join the family meal, and notes that her father Joe will be along shortly. The young woman compliments Cooper on his work of recording old stories. Joe arrives at the table and offers a prayer of thanksgiving.
The Nebraskan agrees to spend the night in the Thacker home, and Sarah shows him to his room. She points out her father’s bedroom and, blowing a kiss to Cooper, slips into the hallway.
Cooper unpacks Gods Before Greeks from his suitcase and skims the book of folklore for an analog to Hop’s soul-sucker. He reads a passage about An-uat, the Lord of the Land, an Egyptian deity of the afterlife. Cooper ponders the link between ancient mythology and the stories of Appalachia. As the sun sets, Cooper puts aside his book and joins the Thacker family in front of their television.
The Nebraskan loses himself in thought, wondering about the use of his name in Hop’s story. He notices the Thacker family is strangely despondent. Sarah offers Cooper a dessert and clenches her fists when he politely refuses.
A documentary about Africa plays on television, and Hop recoils at the sight of a hyena with carrion in its mouth. Cooper, sensing that the Thackers are frightened, excuses himself.
Sarah draws the Nebraskan a bath. Cooper asks the woman what the matter is and pledges his assistance. Sarah proposes that they run off to town, but Cooper declines.
Cooper emerges from the bath and finds a note secreted in the towel left out by his hostess. The note warns the Nebraskan not to share Hop’s story with Joe.
Finding the house quiet, Cooper readies for bed. He turns out the light and notices the shadow of a figure cast on the room’s blinds. Feeling about in the darkness, the Nebraskan senses the furniture misplaced and hears the whispering of trees from an open window. Dismissing the sounds and sensations, Cooper pulls himself beneath the covers.
The Nebraskan dreams of the moon hovering over a necropolis. He spots his corpse, dragged by a jackal through the city of the dead. The beast cracks Cooper’s collarbone, and the Nebraskan starts awake.
