Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre

On October 10, Kate watches her neighbors spread their compost over the ridge to appease the “bear.” At one point, she spies Reinhardt breaking away from the group to dispose of his trash at the Common House bin instead. Dan tells Kate not to worry about it and tries to fix their window alarm system with office glue. Kate muses that his efforts are fruitless because the house’s design inherently leaves them vulnerable to intruders.

That night, Kate sees a creature approaching the Durant residence. She wakes Dan. They attempt to record the creatures moving around the perimeter to show the others. They spot a female creature rummaging through their compost bin, as well as younger twin males fighting outside the Common House. The latter stop when their mother, whom Kate identifies as the Alpha, strikes one of the twins. Kate and the Alpha make eye contact.

An alarm sounds at the Boothes’ house, causing the creatures to flee. Mostar is the first to exit her house, calling the residents to meet her. With Kate’s support, Dan shuts down Vincent’s assertion that the creatures were bear variants. Reinhardt defends Vincent, claiming that the belief that the creatures were something other than bears may be a form of mass hallucination. Mostar doesn’t support either side of the argument.

Dan shares the footage he recorded on his iPad, convincing the group that Bigfoot exists. Mostar shifts the discussion to ask about their next steps and suggests building a spear fence to prevent further intrusions into the Greenloop perimeter. The group balks at the idea of hurting the creatures, prompting Mostar to remind them that the creatures are likely hungry, as evident from their impact on the fruit in the vicinity and the cougar’s remains. Reinhardt downplays the creatures’ threat, citing the herbivorous diets of hominids to suggest that the creatures won’t try to eat them.

In the interview with Frank, Frank argues that no one in Greenloop could have had any guns because this would directly contradict the community’s lifestyle principles. Greenloop relied heavily on its secluded location and security systems for defense, preferring not to worry about the question of security directly. He even notes that Greenloop had a no-dogs policy because Tony didn’t want them to negatively impact the surrounding environment.

In her interview, Schell refutes Reinhardt’s assertion that hominids are peaceful herbivores, arguing the opposite position: that apes evolved to become predators. According to eyewitness accounts, the Sasquatch is omnivorous, relying primarily on fish for their diet. Schell speculates that when Rainier erupted, it pushed the Sasquatches away from their primary fishing zones and forced them to adapt to other food sources. This led to a phenomenon called “prey switching,” in which the Sasquatches developed a preference for whatever food was in abundance. Schell posits that this is also how humanity developed a carnivorous diet.

Kate’s journal resumes narrating the events of October 10. While Reinhardt is making his argument for the creatures’ peaceful nature, the group hears a knocking sound coming from outside the perimeter. Vincent theorizes that the creatures are trying to communicate with them. He responds by making his own knocking noise, intending to tell the creatures that they’re “friends.” The creatures stop knocking, which makes the group believe that Vincent’s message worked.

In her interview, Schell notes that wood knocking, like any nonverbal form of communication, has no universal meaning. Vincent may have been trying to establish a friendship with the Sasquatch, but they might have interpreted it as acceptance of a challenge.

Kate’s journal continues as the group affirms Vincent’s move to establish peace with the creatures. They all make plans to celebrate the following night at the Common House. Mostar returns to her workshop, committed to building the spear fence to surround her and the Hollands’ houses. Before returning home, Carmen asks Dan if he can clean out their biodigester tank, offering pantry access in return, and asks Kate if Palomino can help her out in the garden.

Kate worries about the risks of the job Dan has accepted from Carmen, which she feels guilty about afterward. Dan acknowledges her concern, however. As they reach their house, they hear a thumping noise nearby, marking the start of a rock bombardment aimed at Greenloop. They retreat into the house.

Dan tries to activate the lights using his iPad, but drops it as they retreat deeper into the house. When Kate tries to close the curtains for protection, she gets hit with a rock. They proceed to the bathroom, which has no windows, and listen as the barrage continues.

Mostar enters the house to check in on them, calling them “Kids” and their nicknames, “Katie” and “Danny.” She leads them to open some of the windows and use pillow cushions as shields against the boulders. Mostar remembers how she used to protect herself from bombardments in her home country. Once their shelter is secure, Mostar falls asleep. When the barrage stops, Dan falls asleep too. Kate stays awake, worrying about what the barrage means.

In her interview, Schell discusses the significance of rock throwing in the traditional lore of the Sasquatch. She suggests that it’s a form of intimidation, meant to scare the target away.

The morning after the barrage, Kate is shocked to find that Dan and Mostar have left her behind. She searches for them outside and is briefly deterred by fog. She finds them with their neighbors outside the Common House. Vincent is planning to search for help and has equipped himself with hiking gear to survive the excursion. Dan and Mostar tried to dissuade him from going, but Reinhardt expressed his support for Vincent, enabling him to proceed with his plan. Resigned to let him go, Mostar offers Vincent a modified spear, fitted with a kitchen knife. Vincent declines the weapon, arguing that his hands are full with his walking sticks. The group sees Vincent off. Afterward, Mostar turns her attention to taking Bobbi home and cleaning up the broken glass.

In her interview, Schell adds that rock throwing may also be a ritual gesture to fulfill an unknown social purpose. She guesses at the true intention behind Greenloop’s bombardment: to draw the residents out into the open.

Kate, Dan, and Mostar focus on repairing the house by cleaning up the glass and resealing the windows for temperature control. Mostar anticipates that the creatures will return to satisfy their hunger. Kate and Dan move their belongings from the master bedroom to her office. Their neighbors make similar moves, taking advantage of the fact that none of the inward-facing sides of the houses were hit during the barrage. Kate visits the Perkins-Forsters before inviting them to check on Bobbi. Bobbi is optimistic that Vincent will return soon. Kate realizes that everyone is longing for comfort, so she offers to proceed with the community dinner at the Common House, repurposing it as a reminder that they can depend on each other. Mostar realizes that Kate is right and supports her suggestion.

After a failed attempt to invite the Durants, the community proceeds with preparations for the dinner, gathering food and wine from their pantries. The dinner is successful, driving conversations about exotic dining experiences. Reinhardt surprises everyone with ice cream he’d kept hidden in a secret freezer. He declines to have any himself, explaining that he hoarded them for too long. The dinner helps them feel normal again. After toasting Kate for hosting the dinner, they hear screaming outside.