receives a call from a friend, Father Michael Costigan, who says that his photographs of her have developed burn marks that, when assembled, form a sickle-like symbol "?", a possible warning from God, which she ignores. She meets Doug Blackwell, a teacher from the nearby town of Haven, who asks Katherine why Haven's river has turned red. The locals believe this is a biblical plague caused by a girl, Loren McConnell, who they believe killed her older brother.

They travel to Haven, where Katherine