“Mine seems to be holding on for the moment,” Cole replied nervously. The busy student was practically joined at the hip to his smart-phone.
“Forget about your phones,” Will said. “The farther we are from the civilized world, the easier it is to appreciate nature.”
Zack agreed. Drifter’s Folly was huge, and offered a variety of natural attractions. Aside from the standard lake, rivers, and forests, there were also mountains, canyons, and caves. They would try to explore as much as they could before the weekend was over.
The road turned onto a gravel path leading up a winding hill. The lodge materialized a few seconds later. Surrounded by a few trees, the spacious oak building was secluded from the outside world. The building was old, built on a massive stone foundation. A virtually abandoned parking lot boasted no more than four cars. The lot was fenced off, though Zack saw little reason for the security. He pulled into the lot and drove through one of the many empty spots.
“The place looks vacant,” Cole said. Even Will looked surprised at the nearly empty lot.
Zack stared at the building a few moments longer before turning off the engine. The five men made their way out of the vehicle and into the sunlight.
“We might as well go inside,” he said. “This will be our last chance to use a proper restroom for quite some time.”
“You guys go ahead,” Will said. “Dave and I will get the gear ready while you’re gone.” He stretched toward the hood and started unpacking.
Zack turned and walked in the direction of the lodge, followed by Cole and Steve. The hill was high enough they would have been able to see the highway if not for the forest.
He felt a chill when he entered the lodge. It was cooler than he expected. The wooden floor creaked beneath his weight.
“Hello?” Zack said, looking around for any sign of life. “Is anyone here?”
There was no response. Aside from some certificates and pamphlets, the entrance hall was bare. Steve saw a sign pointing to the restrooms and excused himself. Once Steve vanished, Zack found Cole staring at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I just wanted to make sure everything was okay,” Cole said. “What happened back there, on the road? I didn’t want to say anything before.”
Zack tensed. He’d nearly forgotten about the brush with death that occurred as a result of his reminiscing. “Sorry about that. I was looking down at the map, and swerved a little off the road,” he lied. “I didn’t see the truck trying to pass me until it was almost too late.”
“Okay. I just wanted to make sure.”
They walked down the entrance hall, reading some of the certificates and plaques mounted on the walls. There was nothing that mentioned the origin of the park’s name.
“I wonder how old this place is,” Cole muttered as he looked around.
They passed a soda machine that looked like it predated their existence by several decades. There was a keepsake store just past the entrance hall to the right. Shadowy shelves were packed with stuffed bears, candy, and postcards. The dark room was obviously closed. Zack had a hard time believing the gift shop received a great deal of business. He peered through the glass window at one of the bears, which was somehow unnerving in the dark.
The stairs below led to a game room. Instead of taking the stairs, the two men continued into the main hall. The room was covered in trophy animals long ago stuffed by the taxidermist. Zack found himself staring into the eyes of a fox. He was surprised at how lifelike the dead animal remained.
Two desks loomed ahead. The plaque above one read Drifter’s Folly Registration, and the other read simply Security. Both desks were vacant.
It’s like we stepped into a ghost town, Zack thought.
Cole was still engaged with a towering stuffed bear. “Creepy.” He reached out to touch the bear’s snout.
“What do you think you’re doing?” a stern voice demanded.
Cole jumped. Zack turned and saw an old man watching them with an accusing gaze. The man looked ancient, like a stereotypical mountain man with a full beard and long white hair.
“Nothing,” Cole blurted out, instinctively pushing up glasses that weren’t there.
“We’re just looking around,” Zack said. “We’re going camping and wanted to drop in and make ourselves known.”
The old man’s expression changed in an instant. “Camping, eh?” He smiled, revealing a toothy grin. “Name’s Hickory Johnson. Haven’t seen many campers recently.”
“I’m Zack Allen, and this is Cole Wallace.”
The old man took a step back, which put him between the two men and the registration desk.
“Y’all want a cabin? I’ve got some cheap rates.”
Zack shook his head and Hickory’s smile faded. He headed toward the registration desk.
“Well, here’s a list of stuff to watch out for, park rules, and general guidelines to make sure ya’ll stay safe.” He handed the papers to Cole. “You fellers have any solar phones?”
“Cellular phones,” Cole corrected.
“You won’t be able to use solar phones out in the park. Bad reception and all that.”
Zack nodded, having expected the news. Cole looked crestfallen.
Steve wandered into the room and spotted the three men standing there.
“Hi there,” he said to Hickory. He admired a large pair of antlers adorning the wall before looking at Zack. “Anything I missed?”
“This is Mr. Johnson,” Zack said. “He was just giving us some papers. Thanks for that, by the way.”
“No problem,” Hickory said, shaking his hand. The old man’s grip was surprisingly strong.
“Did you say the phones wouldn’t work?” Steve asked. Hickory nodded. “How can we reach you if there’s a storm or something?” Steve tried to appear nonchalant, but Zack could tell he was a little nervous, even if he was reluctant to admit it. This was his first time camping, after all.
Hickory gestured to the empty security desk. A nameplate read Ranger Austin Fields. There were no pictures or papers visible on the desk, only a large number of stacked boxes. There was a dark office behind the desk labeled Security in bold letters.
“You’re in good hands with Ranger Fields. He’s been doing this for years.”
“Where is Fields?” Steve asked lightly.
“Out and about, most likely. Haven’t seen him yet today. Any other questions?”
Zack shook his head.
“Well, it was nice meeting you,” Cole said. “Thanks for your help.”
“We’d best be getting back to the others,” Zack said. “Will and Dave will have unpacked everything by now.” They walked back through the entrance hall and left the lodge.
“About time,” Will said when they returned to the vehicle. “I thought it’d be noon before you finished in there. You guys ready to get rolling?”
“Definitely,” Steve said.
The gravel road continued on a little farther. A trail loomed just beyond. According to the name on the sign, the trail was called Beggar’s Road. It would probably take a few hours to reach the spot where they would set up camp. They’d stop for lunch before then.
Zack grabbed his pack while Cole handed out the maps. Dave shut the back of the van.
“Let’s do this,” Will said.
They started off in the direction of the trail. The trip had begun.
***
From the shade of the lodge, Hickory Johnson watched the five men start down the road through the window. The old man turned and retreated down the entrance hall. The floor was getting a little dusty. He made a mental note to clean up before turning in later.
His movements were slow, a symptom of the arthritis in his knees. He’d been part of Drifter’s Folly fo
r decades, and it was starting to show. Hickory caught a glimpse of himself in the glass window of the gift shop and didn’t like what he saw. He’d always possessed a raw vitality, even at his age. Now Father Time was starting to catch up to him.
Time dealt him a cruel hand, just like his beloved park. The park’s revenue had declined at a dangerous rate over the last eight years. Drifter’s Folly operated in the red for the last five. The state was allocating budget funds elsewhere. There was talk of closing the park for good.
He glanced out the window one last time before returning to the registration desk. The five men had not yet vanished down the trail. He hoped they knew how lucky they were. If Drifter’s Folly shut down, the scenic park would likely be lost forever.
His back turned, Hickory never saw the shadowy figure standing behind him. The figure silently raised a large pair of elk antlers from the wall and struck the old man in the back of the head. Hickory fell to the floor and heard something clatter to the ground beside him. He coughed and tried to crawl forward. A pair of strong arms grabbed his legs. Hickory tried to claw his way free, but his strength faded quickly. The figure seized the old man by the neck and finished his work. When he was done, he stashed Hickory Johnson’s body in a closet and locked the door with the old man’s keys. It would be days before the corpse was discovered. By then it would be too late.
The killer walked back to the main room and returned the antlers to the wall. He stood briefly in front of the window where Hickory had watched the five men wandering down the trail. The killer watched them too. The last of his guests for the weekend had arrived. What a weekend it would be.
He remained in the room, appreciating the lodge’s décor. It was a tribute to death. He felt right at home. The killer knew he couldn’t stay there forever. There was too much to do. Besides, he couldn’t risk discovery at this point, not when the fun was about to begin. Too much time had elapsed since his last killing spree. The press called him ‘The Hunter.’ They actually weren’t far from the truth.
He’d been ready to finish the old man earlier, but then the five men arrived. One of them came close to spotting him in the darkness. He could’ve killed the man there and then, but decided to let him live for the moment. The time wasn’t right.
He hoped the campers would try to enjoy themselves while they could. Once night had fallen, they would know fear as never before, and then they would know death.
With that, the killer left the lodge and made his way into the forest.
The game was about to begin.
Chapter Two
12:30 pm
Tears streamed down her face. She stood rooted to the spot, either unable or unwilling to do what he’d asked. The all-too typical look of self-doubt reappeared on her face. In the past he would have been at the ready with a comforting word or a hug. Today was different.
Zack stared at her, daring her to meet his gaze. Lily averted her eyes and stared down at the floor. They stayed like that for minutes. Both wanted the moment to end, but took no further action. There was an air of finality in the kitchen. One way or another, things were never going to be the same.
Now Lily was shaking as well. Unlike his rage, her trembling came from fear and shame.
“Zack,” she said one last time.
He cut her off.
“Get out,” he repeated. “Just go.” Until the last two words his voice had been steel. It broke at the end. Somehow that seemed to hurt her more than anything else he said.
When Lily bowed her head, her expression revealed defeat. She understood this was different from all the other times. What she’d done this time she could never take back. Zack looked past her. Behind her head, a framed photograph adorned the wall.
It was a reminder of better days.
“When are we planning on stopping for lunch?” Steve asked.
Zack stopped. The pack felt suddenly heavy against his back. He looked down at the path below. They’d been traveling just over two hours on the Beggar’s Road, which led up a series of hills. It was an open trail through grassy fields. The heart of the forest was still miles away.
“We’re probably halfway to the campsite,” Will said. “Let’s go a little farther before we stop to eat.”
“It’s already half-past noon,” Cole replied. “There are some trees just down the hill. It’ll be a good spot for some shade.”
Steve shot Cole a relieved smile. Dave nodded in agreement, and Will reluctantly acquiesced.
“Okay, but let’s try to do things quickly. There’s a lot to do today, and every second counts. There will be plenty of time to relax later.” The four men started down the hill. Will looked back at Zack. “You coming, buddy?”
“What?” Zack asked, startled. “Sorry,” he said, gazing off into the distance. “I was distracted.” Clutching the straps of his backpack, he joined the others and made his way toward the shade.
He didn’t dream about Lily anymore. Zack was thankful for that. Maybe the counseling accomplished something after all. At the same time, what did sleeping soundly matter when he saw her even while he was awake? Even without the nightmares, he still had trouble sleeping.
The feelings were supposed to lessen with time. That’s what everyone said. Only they were wrong.
“They’re all wrong,” he muttered.
Lunch was a large paper bag containing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Zack liberated some water bottles from his pack and tossed them to the others.
“Drink up,” he said. “It’s starting to get hot.” That was a slight exaggeration. Although the air had warmed considerably since they started on the trail, the heat was nowhere near searing. Still, Zack could see how drenched in sweat Steve already was and worried he wasn’t doing enough to keep himself hydrated.
“Peanut butter and jelly,” Dave said ruefully to Will. “I thought you said he was a chef.”
“Baker,” Zack corrected as he sank his teeth into the sandwich. After a few hours of hiking, it tasted especially good. “There’s a difference.” So far Dave hadn’t said anything particularly offensive, but the lack of gratefulness irritated Zack all the same.
“You should just be thankful someone else took the trouble to pack our lunches for us,” Will said.
The group’s chatter had given way to silence on the early leg of the trail. That suited Zack just fine. He was grateful for any opportunity not to share information about the current state of his life with his friends, not to mention Dave.
“Wow,” Steve said, stretching his legs from where he sat on a log, “my legs are already sore.”
Will and Dave laughed.
“That’s not a good sign,” Will said with a smile. “The real climb hasn’t even started.”
Steve’s own smile faded. “Are you serious?”
Will glanced at his map. “These hills are just the beginning. This trail avoids the forest and leads up toward the cliffs. That’s where we’ll make camp.”
Zack thought Steve tried to hide it, but he clearly looked crestfallen.
“Don’t worry,” Cole said quickly. “It’ll all be worth it once we reach the top. You saw the pictures in the lodge. The lake will be down below it, and it’ll be beautiful.” He looked to Zack for support.
“Yeah,” Zack said. “A real sight to behold.”
He didn’t sound particularly convincing. His heart wasn’t in it. What’s wrong with you? he asked himself. Can’t you even try to have a good time?
Zack decided to make an effort to get his head out of the clouds and be a good sport. He wouldn’t let his mood ruin the trip for everyone else.
“You should like the lake, Steve. You’re a big swimmer, right?”
Steve nodded. Zack thought he remembered Steve mentioning his involvement in competitive swimming somewhere before, though he wasn’t su
re.
“If I have enough energy left to swim,” Steve replied.
“When did all of you turn into a bunch of old women?” Will asked sarcastically. He slapped Zack on the back. “We’ll show them how it’s done.”
Zack laughed. “I have to hand it to you, this place really is gorgeous.” That much was true. They were only able to catch glimpses of what lay in store through the distant trees as they hiked, but he was already impressed. The trickle of a river sounded not far away. The sky was a vivid blue, and the land was green with the color of life.
“So, did you find out why the park is abandoned when you went inside the lodge?”
Zack shook his head. “Hickory didn’t mention it. I figured it has to do with the time of year.”
“That lodge gave me the creeps,” Steve said. Zack didn’t disagree, but was surprised to hear Steve express it in words. Lean and muscular, Steve didn’t seem the worrisome type.
“Speaking of the lodge, make sure you keep your water bottles,” Cole said. “The guidelines warn against littering.”
Dave rolled his eyes. “Oh my, littering. Whatever will happen to us?” He shook his head. “I’m still waiting for this party to get started. Who brought the liquor?”
“Are you serious?” Cole asked. “Do you want to get dehydrated?” He took out his phone before sliding it back into his pocket.
“No service?” Zack asked. Cole shook his head sadly. “Then you’re the last of us,” he said. “From here out we’re on our own.”
As Zack started to pack his things away, he thought he heard something rustling in the bushes behind them.
He stood and peered into the forest. Of the other four campers, only Will noticed something had startled him. Zack was ready to turn back around when he thought he saw a silhouette partially concealed by a tree. The rustling sound stopped.
“Did you guys hear that?” he asked.
Before anyone could answer, the roar of an engine echoed in the distance. The others rose to their feet. The five men watched as a compact terrain vehicle drove up the trail, kicking up dust in its wake. The solitary driver behind the wheel seemed not to notice them. He wore a khaki-colored suit, sunglasses and a dark brown wide-brimmed hat. The driver sped past them.
A Sound In The Dark Page 2
