An early morning earthquake rumbles across the Midwest, rupturing a rural Indiana pond.  Human bones, jewelry, military gear, and other artifacts are revealed in the muck covered devastation, each connected to stories of human drama and tragedy. The Miller family discovers remnants of the pond's former residents dating back hundreds of years. These relics invite the reader on a historical journey beginning with the Native American Shawnee whom were driven out by white settlers. Generations of Hoosiers follow: war veterans, pioneers, bootleggers, even Ku Klux Klanners raging through the countryside. The stories continue through the decades to a shy goth student from the '80s, ending with a twice widowed murderess' contribution to the pond.