What Is The Moonstone Bangle?

The Moonstone Bangle is a brief book written by Carrie(r) acolyte Ikeb Marrow. Believed to have been self-published in December of 1972 with funding from inexplicable sources, the book appeared around the United States at bus and train depots, bookstore shelves (despite not being ordered or shelved by bookstore employees) and Elaine Powers exercise studios.

Soon after the book’s appearance, thousands of bizarre occurrences and hundreds of crimes and acts of violence were attributed to readers influenced by the text over the course of the late 20th century. Around the turn of the millennium the book’s influence waned and reports of incidents inspired by The Moonstone Bangle ceased to be reported. It seemed the reign of creepy idiocy and terror finally came to its conclusion.

But starting in June of 2015 The Moonstone Bangle resurfaced in Curves fitness clubs, little free libraries, Starbucks around the world and as an ebook on Amazon. This international and widespread access to the book will undoubtedly lead to an increase of senseless incidents. The signs are already here.

The meaning of the title “Moonstone Bangle” continues to be debated. Some believe the moonstone signifies new beginnings while others consider it a cure for PMS. Can it be both? Probably not. It is a June birthstone, so why Marrow published the book during the month of December adds to the mystery. Bangles are rigid, inflexible circles, like life and thought and all things constant and worth learning. Together the “Moonstone Bangle” is either the new order or the new woman, depending on one’s perspective. There are certainly other unworthy perspectives floating about unfit to be mentioned here.

Marrow asserts she spent an indeterminate time in the presence of the Carries who shared their knowledge included in the book. On numerous occasions Marrow hinted the Carries held her against her will in a dank well for over a hundred years, forcing her to learn countless commandments and psalms. Other times she asserted she studied with the Carries during a roving retreat in various Asians locations that ended on their arrival in the United States in 1969. There she composed The Moonstone Bangle over the course of the next two years.

Who is Ikeb Marrow?

We don’t quite know. We believe Marrow identified as female. Possibly may continue to identify as such, if she remains among the living. Her whereabouts and mortal status are unknown.

Possibly human, more possibly something human-related or human-relatable. We possess no chromosomic evidence to confirm or deny.

Who Are the Carrie(r)s?

They refer to themselves as “carries” and consider themselves to be carriers. We know they are ancient.

What do they carry?

Genetic information: most likely. Disease: possibly. Lice: absolutely.

What do they want?

To spread. Like something. Or to spread something specifically. Or multiple things. Or countless things. Tangible or intangible? Is there a difference? No, I’m afraid there is not.

Are they infectious?

Passing cannot be completed without infection. So yes, infection is a big part of being a Carrie.

What was the Moonstone Bangle Bloodbath of 1979?

A messy affair. At the stroke of midnight on October 31, 1979, over 600 wives across the United States, Canada and Mexico woke their husbands and force-marched them into their bathrooms, commanding their husbands to soak themselves in tubs filled with red/reddish/brownish/blackish liquid. Armed with weapons found around the home, ranging from guns to axes to kitchen knives and cattle prods, these wives offered no mercy to their suffering, shivering spouses who they force-soaked for an hour in pre-prepared freezing filth. Some of the tubs were later found to be filled with animal blood from domestic or farm animals residing at the residences, other tubs contained a mixture of water, vinegar and menstrual blood from those wives experiencing their monthly cycles, others filled the tubs with water and red dye, food coloring, paint, JellO, ketchup or hot sauce. Individual details varied depending on what was available at the residence. Nothing indicates the wives made any special preparations beforehand.

No discernible relationship among the wives were discovered other than each possessed a dog-eared copy of The Moonstone Bangle.

Each wife responded with the same line when their husbands begged to be released from their bloodbathes:

I watch the lonely spell in its flavorful soup filtering the shit of youth.

At 1 a.m., each wife set down her weapon and said:

This road abandons nonsense, take care.

In cases where the husbands called police or doctors or friends and family, the wives only response to questions regarding their actions was the following:

They say one will never know the place that segregates shrieks from outbursts.

And nothing else. Ever. None of them ever had anything else to add on the subject.

All three lines spoken in reference to the bloodbath are direct quotes from The Moonstone Bangle. There is no mention in the book of bloodbaths nor is there any obvious link between the three lines which appear in different, seemingly unrelated parts of the book.

When I tracked down and contacted via telephone 27 of these wives in 2017, each responded to my questions the same:

They say one will never know the place that segregates shrieks from outbursts.

When asked what did they meant by that, they repeated the line until either I hung up or their voices gave out.

Many marriages soon dissolved after the bloodbath, but a handful endured. I spoke to four husbands who were still with their wives. All confirmed that their marriages returned to normal after the bloodbath and things only got uncomfortable if they brought up the bloodbath in conversation triggering their wives to resume repeating the above line.

“Was it like she was in a trance?” I asked one husband.

“Oh no. During the bloodbath she made direct eye contact with me the entire time. She certainly wasn’t checked-out or hypnotised. Possessed, maybe. But I got to believe she was a willing participant. I know my Mildred and she was all there when she chased me into the tub with the glowing fire poker. I remember that bloodbath like it was last night.”

Rivka Deadpebble dedicates her life to researching The Moonstone Bangle, Ikeb Marrow and the Carrie(r) mystics. She is writing a book based on her discoveries.