by Amy Cross
After taking a deep breath, I put the car in gear again and start turning, although it takes me several tries to get backed up so that I can perform a u-turn. Taking lots of care, I start easing the wheel and -
Suddenly the car lurches back, slamming into the guardrail with enough force to smash the rear lights. The impact jerks me forward, but fortunately the safety belt keeps me from thudding chest-first into the steering wheel. Still, the hit is enough to make me freeze completely, and for a few seconds I'm too scared to touch the wheel again. I simply sit completely still, staring out at the road ahead.
“What the hell was that?” I stammer finally. My mind is rushing as I try to figure out what I did wrong, but I'm starting to think this car has a mind of its own. “Okay. Let's just go nice and slow...”
Before I can even think about turning the wheel, however, I hear a loud crunching sound from somewhere outside. Looking toward the side of the road, I'm shocked to see the guardrail shaking violently, and finally one of the sections comes loose from the posts that have been securing it to the road. The guardrail peels aside, leaving an open gap, and a moment later I feel the car starting to shudder slightly.
“What the hell?” I whisper, looking at the various lights on the dashboard as I try to figure out what I should do next. “Maybe -”
Suddenly the car slams sideways across the road, glancing one end of the broken guardrail and then tipping over. I let out a loud shriek as the car tips into the darkness, and then there's a heavy thud from above. The car is upside down now, sliding down past the side of the road, and after a moment the vehicle rolls several times until it crashes against the muddy ground at the bottom of the incline, landing the right way up.
“Stop!” I gasp, feeling as if I've just been bashed around like a doll. I reach down to unbuckle my safety belt so I can get out of this thing, but at the last moment I feel the car start shuddering again. My hand hovers next to the belt release button, although I'm starting to think that maybe I should stay strapped in after all.
Whatever's happening, I don't think it's over.
Suddenly the car tips again, and I realize that some kind of unseen force seems to be dragging me toward a nearby line of trees. The rear bumper slams against one of the trees, momentarily swinging the car around, but the force responds by tipping the car up on its front and then sending it crashing down on its roof so fast that a violent jolt briefly shakes my entire body.
Finally the car falls still, and again I reach down to unbuckle myself.
As if in response, the car suddenly lurches onto its side and then crashes between the trees, hitting several and then coming to a rest once again, this time against two pine trees.
Hearing a clicking sound nearby, I look down and see that the safety belt has suddenly unbuckled itself.
A moment later, the window next to me smashes, showering me with glass. I turn away, but already I can feel something pulling on my arms, and I'm dragged screaming through the window. My arm catches on a shard of broken glass, but the force continues to pull me even as the glass tip digs into my flesh and carves a thick would along my elbow and down to my hand, finally exiting next to my thumb. I twist around and try to pull free, but the force tugs me free from the car and then slams me against one of the trees before sending me flying through the air until I come crashing down once more into the muddy ground.
I wait, breathless and terrified, but now the forest falls still and silent all around me.
Finally, I dare to look up, and all I see are tall, thin pine trees bathed in moonlight. Turning, I see the car on its side, but there's no sign of whoever or whatever dragged me down here from the road. I mean, I'm not the world's best driver, but I'm not that bad.
Wincing with pain as I feel a sharp stinging sensation in my ribs, I start to sit up. I'm bleeding from the cut on my arm, and I think I have about ten thousand little scratches and bruises all over my body. Plus, my right wrist is hurting again after all the jolts from the wheel. I hesitate for a moment, taking a series of slow, deep breaths, and then I stumble to my feet and lean against one of the trees. I can see the vapor from my breath in the air ahead of me, but apart from that the entire forest seems still and quiet.
“Hello?” I call out, although I'm shocked to hear that my voice is scratched and damaged.
I wait.
Silence.
“This is dumb,” I mutter, looking around again but still seeing nobody. “This is really dumb.”
Finally, I turn to head back toward the road.
And then I immediately let out a shocked gasp as I find that there's a woman standing right behind me, wearing some kind of police uniform. Stumbling back, I trip against a tree root and fall hard on my ass, while staring in shock at the woman as she takes a step toward me.
“Who are you?” I stammer, pulling back slightly.
“Have you seen Buddy?” she asks, her voice sounding a little vague and distant. “Buddy's gonna make it all better.”
“I -”
Still staring at her, I realize her eyes seem very dark, as if there are shadows under more shadows. Her gaze is intense, too, and after a moment she turns and looks toward the distant road.
“I think my dad used to work with a guy named Buddy,” I say cautiously. “Are you from the sheriff's station? Do you know James Kopperud?”
She turns back to me, but she doesn't answer.
Spotting an embroidered badge on her shirt, I squint until I can just about make out her name.
“Abernathy?” I whisper. “Listen, do you know if my father is nearby? His name is James Kopperud, he's the sheriff of Deal and I really need to find him. Is he here? Are you with him?”
“Buddy said he'd be back soon,” she replies calmly. “He won't be long now. We have to trust Buddy.”
“I think Buddy's retired,” I tell her, struggling to my feet and dusting myself down. “Maybe we should go find my dad, and then we can head back to town. You work with him, right? Your uniform looks kinda familiar.”
I wait, but she seems a little confused. Hell, more than that, she's acting like she's totally lost, and after a moment she turns and starts making her way between the trees.
“That's the way back to the road!” I call after her.
When she doesn't reply, I hurry up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, although I'm immediately shocked to feel that the air around her is extremely cold.
“Hey,” I continue, forcing a smile, “we should go find my dad. He's in charge around here and -”
Suddenly she turns her head, just enough to let me see the side of her face again, but this time she has no flesh. I stare at a bony, moonlit cheek, and then she turns all the way and I find myself face-to-face with a human skull.
Letting out a faint gasp, I take a step back.
“He'll be waiting for you,” she says, staring at me with two dark, hollow eye sockets. “If he's let you come this far, he won't let you leave again. That's just how things work when you come into the wrong part of the forest. You should've trusted Buddy. Didn't he warn you?”
Taking another step back, I realize I can feel my heart pounding. The skeletal-faced woman is still staring at me, but finally she turns and starts walking away again.
“There's no point fighting it,” she continues. “He'll just take you, do what he wants with you, and then he'll set you free. Of course, that doesn't mean you can just go back home. I don't know how long I've been wandering around, trying to find my way back to the road, but it feels like forever. The forest gets so cold, and even the warm summer days don't make it any better. I just keep walking and walking and...
Suddenly she stops, with her back still turned to me, and I realize after a moment that she seems to be whispering to herself.
“I know the way back to the road,” I tell her, taking a step closer even though I'm terrified of seeing her face again. Still, I can't just leave her out here, not when she seems hurt and confused. “It's not far,” I continue. “It's ju
st a few hundred meters, you can almost see it from here.”
“He's close,” she replies, and now her voice is trembling slightly.
“Who's close?” I ask. “My dad? Is my dad close?”
“The forest is so cold, but he's close, and he's getting closer with every breath you take. And his friends, too. They're walking now, but they'll start crawling soon enough.”
“You mean my dad, right?”
I wait, but she doesn't reply.
“Who, then?” I continue, trying to stay calm even though this Abernathy woman is really starting to creep me out. “If you're not talking about my dad, then -”
“Run!” she screams suddenly, turning and lunging at me.
Stepping back, I duck out of the way just as she tries to grab my arm.
“You have to run!” she yells, stumbling slightly as she tries again to reach for me. “Run!”
As her skeletal face leers closer, I turn and start racing between the trees, desperate to get away. Glancing over my shoulder, I see that she's still coming after me, with her left arm outstretched.
“Run!” she screams. “Don't stop!”
The forest floor dips down beneath my feet, causing me to almost fall, but I'm able to keep going and a moment later I start clambering up a moonlit, leaf-covered hill. Reaching the top, I look back and see the woman still hurrying after me, but she's already falling behind and I quickly turn and keep running.
“Run!” she shouts a moment later, but she's already so far back that her voice is drifting away into the night air. “You have to keep running!”
I keep going, too terrified to even think straight. Pure panic has taken over and I can barely even keep from banging into the trees as I rush through the forest. It takes several minutes before I even start thinking about which way I'm going, and finally I slow so I can take a look around. All I see are tall, thin, cold trees in every direction, and I'm not entirely convinced that I ran in a perfectly straight line.
Turning, I look back the way I came, but at least there's no sign of the woman.
Hugging myself against the cold, I stumble down another leafy hill. I don't know if I just didn't notice it before, but now the forest feels absolutely freezing, and I'm actually starting to shiver. Making my way up a shallow incline, I reach a spot between two trees and look ahead, but all I see is more and more moonlit forest stretching into the distance.
“Seriously?” I whisper, even though my teeth are chattering now. “Lost again? Just my luck...”
And then, just as I'm about to turn and try a different direction, I spot a long, dark rectangular shape in the distance straight ahead. I stare for a moment, as my eyes continue to adjust to the darkness, and at first I tell myself that it must be a figment of my imagination. Finally, however, I realize that the shape appears to be some kind of cabin, maybe a small house, although all the lights are off and it looks abandoned. There's probably been no -
Suddenly a light flickers to life in one of the windows.
I guess there's somebody home after all.
Staring at the house, I briefly consider going to knock on the door, but then I tell myself that I've had more than enough madness for one night. Despite the biting cold, I turn to head back the way I came, although I stop again as soon as I hear a very faint voice in the distance.
“Run!” the voice is yelling. “You have to run!
It's her.
It's that Abernathy woman.
“Run to him!” she shouts, although this time her voice seems to fade into the cold air all around me.
The last thing I want is to ever bump into her again, so instead I turn and start making my way cautiously toward the house. I know there's a chance that this place is part of the madness I've already encountered in the forest, but I also know it might just be a normal house occupied by a normal family. Maybe I'm being a little too hopeful, but in the cold night air I can't help edging closer to the house until finally I'm right at the foot of the wooden steps, staring up at the closed door.
This place is creepy as hell. I swear, I never even heard of there being a house anywhere out here in the forest. A moment later, I hear a faint bumping sound inside, followed by a couple more, and I realize somebody is walking toward the door.
I almost turn and run, but for some reason I stay rooted to the spot as the door swings open. Finally, a well-dressed, kind-looking elderly guy steps out, stopping at the top of the steps and peering down at me.
“Well, it seems rather cold out here tonight,” he says calmly. “I have a fire burning inside. Would you like to come in for a moment and warm yourself?”
Sixty-One
Sheriff James Kopperud
“This is the best we could find,” I explain as I unfold the huge map and spread it against the front of the cruiser. “It's only partial, and it doesn't cover the particular entrance we're about to go through, but it should give you an idea of the labyrinth down there.”
Lewis steps closer, but he doesn't say a word. I know he probably thinks I'm crazy, and after the night we've already experienced out at Dodderidge Farm he deserves to go home. All the other deputies cried off this particular trip, but Lewis decided to come and help out. I guess that's the kind of loyalty you can't buy.
“Hinch... I mean, Liam Cane claims that there's something down here,” I continue, pointing at one spot on the moonlit map. “I know you heard him yelling and ranting at the farmhouse, and I know he sounded nuts, but I've got reason to believe that there might be some truth to what he was saying. We have to check it out, at least. But I meant what I said earlier, if you want to head home, I won't hold it against you.”
“And let you go on this fool's errand alone?” Lewis asks, with a faint but tired smile. “Hell, no. Someone has to be out here with you, so you don't end up lost in those goddamn tunnels.”
He's a good guy. Reliable and dependable, the kind of deputy you want at your back in a tight situation. Then again, until tonight, I thought the same thing about Hinch.
“I'll be taking the lead,” I tell him, “and don't worry, we're not going to be exploring the whole tunnel network. Just this small section near the river. Most likely, there's nothing down there. But I want you to be vigilant and observant, because there's a chance we might stumble upon... I don't know what. Just be ready for anything, okay? If we're lucky, we'll be out empty-handed in less than an hour. And then we can go home, safe in the knowledge that everything Hinch screamed at us was wrong.”
“And if we're not lucky?”
I stare at the map for a moment longer.
“If we're not lucky,” I say finally, “I guess we'll find that some of the madness is real.”
***
The tunnels are narrower than I ever expected. I've lived in Deal my whole life, but until tonight I never came down here. Now that I'm leading Lewis through the darkness, with only our flashlights to guide us, I'm starting to feel as if this is a waste of time. He probably thinks I'm nuts, even if he'd never say anything like that out loud. I've brought him down here to chase monsters and shadows, and I wouldn't blame him if he thinks I've completely lost my mind.
I hope he's right.
I hope this ends with him making fun of me.
“How many people have been reported missing in these tunnels over the years?” he asks after we've been walking for about twenty minutes. “Something like five or six, right?”
“There have been a few reports over the years,” I reply, “but nothing certain. I think the last one was Tommy Hague, but he disappeared from the bus station in town. It's highly unlikely that he made it all the way out here.”
“I could definitely see someone getting lost in this place,” he continues, his voice sounding so close and clear in the confined space. “Sure doesn't sound like a good way to die. Imagine wandering for days on end, with no light, no way out, just shouting and shouting for help while you run out of food and water. And then you finally collapse in a heap and -”
“Do
we really need to be talking about that right now?” I ask.
“Sorry. I just thought it was worth considering.”
“I'm sure people have died down here,” I continue, “but right now I just want to focus on checking that there's no-one else around. There's -”
“Did you hear that?” he asks suddenly, turning and shining his flashlight back the way we came, although the light beam is picking out nothing more menacing than an empty, rough-hewn tunnel.
“What do you think you heard?” I ask.
“Footsteps.” He pauses for a moment, before turning to me. “Just for a few seconds. Seriously, didn't you hear them?”
I stare at him, hardly able to believe that he's already trying to pull a stunt like this.
“Maybe I'm just jumpy,” he mutters.
“They were probably just our own echoes,” I tell him. “I'm pretty sure we're not being stalked down here. Just stay focused and save the campfire stories for when we're back up-top, okay?”
“I was just -”
“I know, but don't.”
With that, I turn to lead the way again, but I immediately bang my head against a low-hanging section of rock. Letting out a muttered curse, I duck down and make my way forward, but I can already hear Lewis chuckling over my shoulder and I guess he found the whole thing hilarious. I know I'm going to get mocked mercilessly for leading him down here in the middle of the night, but I still need to see for myself that there's nothing lurking in the darkness. I need to know that Ramsey didn't really run into anything or anyone while she was down here.
“I wouldn't like to alone in this place,” Lewis mutters after a few more meters. “I'm not a superstitious guy, but I think I'd get the chills.”
“Come on,” I reply, unable to hide my frustration. “Focus!”
“Is that a light up there?” he asks suddenly.
Stopping, I look ahead and see that he's right. There's a very faint patch of light on the tunnel floor, as if something is shining down from above, and a moment later I realize there seems to be a hole in the roof.
