These excerpts from The Caretaker of Lorne Field center on Jack Durkin, a man legally bound by an ancient Durkin family contract that requires him to perpetually weed creatures called Aukowies from Lorne Field to prevent them from destroying the world. Durkin faces immense isolation and ridicule because his wife, Lydia, and the local community view his critical, world-saving work as nothing more than a ridiculous, low-paying hoax. Tensions escalate when Durkin’s eldest son, Lester, is seriously injured, and Durkin is subsequently arrested following the death of skeptical sheriff Dan Wolcott, an event which Durkin claims was caused by the Aukowies. While dealing with the legal fallout and his eviction, Durkin learns of the accidental death of his younger, more faithful son, Bert, and requires the amputation of his gangrenous foot due to injuries sustained while secretly continuing his sacred duties. Despite being offered an insanity defense at his trial, Durkin vehemently maintains that the Aukowies are real ...