The Curse of the Comet

IT IS SEPTEMBER 17, 1945

A gathering occurred last night at Highview, the secluded Beverly Hills estate of movie star Maurice Mason and his wife, Dianna Darien - one that proved to be both intriguing and tragic. For, this morning, the body of Maurice's twin brother, famed archaeologist Myron Mason, was found draped across the thorn bushes that grow in profusion around the grounds.  

The death added a morbid punctuation to an event that had been conceived as a lark - a gathering to disprove an ancient curse. For, last night also, the comet Hopkay made its first appearance in the heavens in 400 years.

The celestial messenger was last seen the year that the native Central American leader, Hopkay, met an untimely demise. His people, the Intecs, interred him in a tomb which, they proclaimed, must be untouched for all time.

Yet, 10 years ago, Myron Mason found the tomb and robbed it of its treasures. An inscription on the wall of the crypt proclaimed that whoever desecrated the spot would be cursed. When the comet named after Hopkay reappeared in the heavens, the desecration would be revenged.

The motley group of attendees toasted the archaeologist as the comet entered the solar system. Was the curse a remnant of an ancient religion, or the uneducated ramblings of a primitive people? The answer would soon be apparent - and deadly obvious.