This work is based on fictional events. A mix of a fictional mystery and real-world and historical events. The Black Hawk War (1832) resulted in the death of hundreds of Sauk and Meskwaki people and the forced removal of thousands more from their ancestral lands. The Erie Canal (1825) was built partly on Iroquois land and facilitated western expansion that displaced countless Indigenous peoples. President Franklin Pierce's son, Benjamin, tragically died in a train accident on January 6.1853 The tragedy profoundly affected Pierce's presidency and personal life. I have used this real event as a thematic conclusion to a fictional narrative. The Boiling Pot is an amazing and real geological formation in Canajoharie, NY. Its spiritual significance in this story is fictionalized, though based on respect for Indigenous sacred sites throughout North America. The characters of Jack Pierce, Tili Matthews, the twins Kimimela and Nashoba, and most other characters are all fictional. The Remington family was real and did operate a firearms factory in Ilion, NY. This fictional story attempts to grapple honestly with historical violence while respecting the memory of those who suffered Any historical errors, oversights, or insensitivities are my own and a part of the fictional writing process. I hope you enjoy. "May we remember. May we learn. May we choose to live tomorrow differently from our collective past?" -Christopher R Meyer - Author