The messages seemed innocent enough to the untrained eye. Written in chalk on the pathways throughout the neighbourhood, it began as giant messages with hearts.

“Jesus Hearts You, interesting.” I would joke.

It begs some obvious questions: why does Jesus heart me, does Jesus in fact heart me, am I heartable, ought I to heart Jesus back? Jesus who?

I told my wife we need to keep an eye out for these fucking radicals, these extremists, they’re clearly dangerous and have ill intent. She didn’t believe me.

Eventually more and more messages popped up along the pathways to and from playgrounds and parks.

I called it a sprawling infestation. A spreading disease of hatred for human beings. Because that’s what’s Christianity and most religious institutions are. Their fanatics hate other humans while indulging in self-love.

I said it looked too neat to be kids. I wanted to bring water to clean it off, I joked about calling the city and reporting graffiti, telling them about these ominous eye sores throughout the neighbourhood and how I felt threatened by their use of Capital letters. How it felt like some grumpy old man or woman on social media showing you anger with caps lock on. The u is always a giant lowercase so maybe they hit caps lock by accident.

Then the message changed. They started saying “Jesus died 4 U” and underneath “Jesus [Heart]’s U”.

I showed my wife and said there it is, it’s escalating. We had a chance to nip it in the bud but now we’re in too deep. Time to move. If we can escape. We don’t know who is responsible but it could be anyone. Neighbour, alleged friend, fellow parent.

A few days later another message appears. This time on the path at the elementary school.

It reads: Don’t kill yourself Jesus Heart’s U.

I tell my wife: I told you so. The messages are going to keep getting darker and darker.