by C. G. Mosley
“There’s an alternate route but it’s an old country road that winds through the woods,” the man said, glancing over his shoulder at Emmerich.
Emmerich sighed bitterly. “I suppose we have no choice. Time is of the essence. Just get us there as quickly as you can, Mr. Johnson,” he told the driver.
Johnson followed the other man’s direction and soon the large white van was rumbling along a narrow road enveloped with thick pine trees on either side. The sun was now in the western sky. Emmerich glanced at his watch.
3:12 p.m.
“How much more time is this going to add to our drive?” he asked.
Johnson rocked his head back and forth as he thought and then said, “Probably fifteen minutes…give or take.”
Doctor Emmerich wasn’t pleased with that answer, but he held his tongue. After all, there was nothing Johnson could do about the situation. As he looked out the windshield, the pulsing light that originated from the bright sunlight piercing through the passing trees made him a bit drowsy. Emmerich soon felt his eyelids getting heavy and as he shook the cobwebs from his head, he caught a glimpse of something that startled him.
Did the wood ape’s eye just flutter?
He stared at the creature’s face intensely without blinking. He watched for the slightest sign of movement but after a couple of minutes, he saw nothing. There were cabinets lining the upper walls of the van and after brief contemplation, Emmerich arose and opened one containing syringes. As he prepared another tranquilizer, Johnson glanced at the rearview mirror, watching him.
“Everything alright?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, everything is fine,” Emmerich said quickly. “Just preparing another dose to make sure he stays heavily sedated since we’ve added a little bit of time to our journey back.”
“Do you need any help?”
“No, I’m quite alright,” the doctor replied. “Just keep your eyes on the road, Mr. Johnson.”
Johnson shrugged and shook his head.
Emmerich turned the syringe sideways and placed it in his mouth so he’d have use of both his hands. He then reached for and tugged on the leather restraints keeping the wood ape planted solidly on the wooden board it was lying upon. They were still as tight as they possibly could be without constricting the creature’s breathing. Satisfied with his inspection, he then retrieved the syringe and prepared to inject the wood ape’s arm with more than enough sedative to keep it asleep well beyond the time it would take them to arrive at Walker Laboratory.
The van met a pothole just as he was about to pierce the beast’s arm and the jolt was so violent the doctor nearly dropped the syringe. He cursed under his breath, straightened his spectacles, and then promptly—maybe even angrily—pushed the needle hard into the creature’s skin. No sooner did he do so, did the wood ape’s good eye open wide. Its mouth opened simultaneously, revealing the terrifying rows of sharp, blood-stained teeth. An ominous growl erupted from the opened maw and the realization of what was occurring startled Emmerich to the point he fell backward before even pushing the plunger of the syringe forward.
The doctor opened his mouth to scream a warning to Johnson and the other man up front, but he wasn’t quick enough. The wood ape’s muscles bulged and the leather straps that had been holding it in place burst free at the buckles. Johnson noticed what was happening and immediately slammed on the brakes, which in turn sent Emmerich hurtling forward. His head struck one of the metal overhead cabinets, momentarily dazing him. The sensation of warm blood trickling down the bridge of his nose jarred him back to reality and the doctor immediately rose to his feet and scrambled to find another syringe.
The wood ape, sensing that it was trapped, drew back its powerful legs and kicked outward against the rear van doors. The doors swung open wildly in response and the sweet scent of the pine forest made its way quickly to the creature’s nose. The wood ape then darted from the van just as Emmerich made another attempt to pierce its arm with another tranquilizer dose.
“What do we do?” Johnson screamed frantically. “What do we do?”
“Quiet down!” Emmerich demanded. “Stay calm.”
“Where is it?” the man in the passenger seat replied, his head swiveling in all directions.
“It’s no longer in the vehicle, and as long as we stay inside, it will not be able to hurt us,” Emmerich stated assuredly.
As if on cue, the vehicle lurched slightly, as if something had jarred it from the passenger side.
“What the hell was that?” Johnson asked in a voice just above a whisper.
“We need to go,” the other man said. “We need to go now!”
The vehicle was jarred again, this time harder. So much so, Emmerich sensed that the passenger-side tires were momentarily lifted from the ground.
“Mr. Johnson,” Emmerich said, as he wiped more blood away from his brow, “I think we should leave now.”
Johnson nodded and immediately planted his foot on the accelerator. As soon as he did so, the vehicle was struck again, this time with enough force that it went completely over on its side. Emmerich’s head again struck a metal cabinet as he was abruptly hurtled through the air with the force of the impact. This time, the blow knocked him out cold.
“Dr. Emmerich!” Johnson pleaded, still craving direction on what to do. “Dr. Emmerich!”
Emmerich did not respond and the van began to roll. Johnson and the other man screamed in horror as they realized the situation had completely gone beyond their control. The wood ape continued to roll the large van as if it were no more than a wooden barrel. Emmerich’s limp body continued to take repeated awkward blow after blow and Johnson could’ve sworn he heard a bone snap. As the vehicle continued to tumble, the two men managed to keep relatively safe as their fastened seat belts kept them from sustaining any significant injuries. It also managed to keep them aware of their plight and they soon came to realize they were being shoved toward a steep ravine.
“We’ve got to get out of here!” Johnson yelled as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.
The other man didn’t reply, and Johnson wondered if he’d been heard. Or perhaps he was entirely too terrified to talk. Though disoriented, he began to fumble for the button to release his safety belt. It took another roll of the van for him to finally find it, but as soon as he did, he pressed the button. Johnson dropped painfully onto the van ceiling and soon realized his efforts to escape the rolling deathtrap were futile. Wide-eyed, he caught a final glimpse of the steep ravine and the jagged rocks below through the windshield as the wood ape made one final push. Suddenly, the environment became eerily quiet. Johnson realized the van was now in freefall and a mere three seconds later, he met his untimely and rather painful death.
Chapter 14
John Milk arrived at Walker Laboratory just before 4 p.m. He’d headed to the facility as soon as he’d been told of the rogue wood ape’s capture. It was his hope that he’d arrive just before Emmerich and it appeared he’d done just that.
“Nope, they haven’t made it yet,” the older man at the guard shack said, glancing at him over a newspaper. “Should be here any minute.”
John nodded and went on to park near the entrance of the building. He strolled inside the building and stopped at the front desk where an attractive brunette sat with her nose in a romance novel.
Do any of these folks actually work?
“Ma’am,” he said, clearing his throat as he spoke. “May I use the phone?”
The receptionist was momentarily startled and quickly put the book aside. “I’m so sorry,” she said sweetly. “I didn’t even hear you come in.”
He smiled at her. “Must be some book.”
She chuckled nervously and moved her own desk phone to where he could reach it.
“Thanks,” he said as he began to punch the number that would get him a specific room at the Baker County Hospital.
“You have news?” Honeycutt said when she answered.
“How did you know it was m
e?” he asked.
“Who the hell else would be calling me?”
He leaned on the desk and shook his head with a bit of delight. She was certainly acting more like her old self again. “Yeah, I have news.”
“Well, spit it out.”
“We caught the rogue.”
There was a momentary pause on the other end of the line and through the silence, John could sense Emma’s relief.
“Wow, thank God,” she muttered finally.
“Yeah, Sheriff Cochran got banged up a little, so we’ve got him largely to thank.”
“So, I’ll give him a kiss on the lips when I see him,” she said bluntly. “Where’s the Squatch at now?”
“In route to Walker Laboratory as we speak,” John answered, and he peered out the window to see if there was any sign of the approaching white van. There was not.
“You think Emmerich knows what he’s doing?”
John sighed and then bit his lip. “I guess I’ll know here shortly,” he answered. “I’m actually standing in the lobby of the building waiting on them to arrive.”
She let out an exasperated sigh of her own. “You get to have all the fun while I’m stuck in this damn hospital.”
“Which is exactly where you need to be,” he responded quickly.
“I think I’m going to ask for some crutches and get out of here,” she said. “I need to start moving around. I think I could even drive a car.”
He stood up straight. It was sometimes difficult to tell when she was serious and when she was speaking in jest. “You keep your ass in that bed,” he snapped.
“You’re not my father, my lover, or my boss,” she growled. “So, don’t take that tone with me. If I want to get out of this bed, I damn well will do it.”
He rolled his eyes.
Stubborn bitch.
“Fine, do whatever the hell you want to do,” he muttered back. “But the rogue is sedated, and Kurt Bledsoe is still locked in a cell at the jail. There is absolutely no good reason for you to press your luck.”
There was a long pause where she said nothing, and he could only hear her breathing softly.
“You there?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
Her voice was firm and a bit icy. John knew he was pushing the envelope.
“I’m just trying to look out for you.”
“Yeah,” she replied. “I know.”
There was a different tone to her words this time. Regret?
“I’ll try and come visit later,” John said, sensing her frustration. “You stay in that bed and I’ll bring you some Halloween candy.”
“You never told me what you’re going to be,” she answered him.
He smiled and turned to peer out the huge glass windows that made up the front side of the lobby. He could see a patrol car pulling up to the guard shack and he recognized it as the vehicle belonging to Sheriff Cochran.
“You know, I think I’m gonna go as a federal agent,” he said.
There was another pause and he could imagine her rolling her eyes. “Alright, Milk, your poor attempts at humor are my cue to go back to bed.”
“Suit yourself,” he muttered. “I’ll drop by later.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
John hung up the phone and approached the sliding glass door entrance just as Sheriff Cochran was entering the building. He immediately noticed a sling over his left arm.
“What happened to you?” John asked, looking hard at the sheriff’s injured arm.
Cochran shrugged it off. “Another day, another wood ape,” he muttered. “Another day in Baker County.”
“The rogue did that to you?”
“Yeah, but it was worth it,” he answered. “Emmerich showed up just in time.”
“Lucky you,” John said. He looked beyond Cochran to the long black pavement that connected the parking lot of the Walker Laboratory to the highway beyond. Still no sign of Emmerich’s van.
“I’m surprised you beat him here,” John said, still staring out the window.
Cochran looked behind him, half-expecting to see the white van coming to a halt just outside the door. Instead, he saw nothing except the quickly setting sun beyond the pine trees. He returned his attention to John.
“You mean Emmerich hasn’t made it yet?”
John looked him in the eyes. “No, he hasn’t.”
Cochran swallowed hard and his face grew ashen. “If he’s not here, then something is wrong. They left before me and should’ve easily beat me here.”
“Damnit,” John said with disgust. He moved toward Cochran’s patrol car and got in as the sheriff jumped in behind the steering wheel. The large car rumbled to life and seconds later, they were on the main highway, siren blaring.
“Any idea where to look?” John asked as he worked his way out of his sports coat and loosened his tie.
“Yeah, I do,” Cochran replied, his attention squarely on the pavement ahead of him. “There was some construction going on not far from Cliff’s house. The quickest way to Walker Laboratory was a detour down a narrow road that is hardly ever used anymore. It winds through a dense part of the forest where there are no houses or stores for miles.”
John leaned over, resting his head on the passenger door window as he watched the trees zip by outside. “I don’t understand,” he muttered. “If you left after Emmerich and had to take the same detour, it seems to me that you’d have come across him at some point if something went wrong.”
Cochran shook his head. “I thought about that,” he answered. “There are a lot of deep gulleys off the road and over the years, I’ve worked a few car accidents that ended in those very spots.”
John sat up straight again and looked at him. “Sheriff, if they did have a car accident, I think you and I both know what most likely would’ve caused it.”
Cochran frowned and his eyes stared ahead of him, unblinking. “Yes, and if that thing escaped, we’ve got big problems.”
John sighed but said nothing.
Once they reached the narrow-secluded road, the sheriff slowed their pace significantly.
“Keep your eyes peeled,” he said.
Darkness crept in around them and the sun was all but gone. Cochran’s mind drifted elsewhere to the town square of Dunn. He knew only minutes from now, the place would be swarming with trick or treaters as they dispersed in all directions to trick or treat the nearby neighborhoods.
“I can’t see anything,” John said, clearly frustrated.
“It’s just getting too dark,” the sheriff replied.
He reached over and turned on the spotlight that was attached to the car near the door. As soon as the light flickered alive, it illuminated what appeared to be a man limping along the shoulder of the road far ahead of them.
“Do you see that?” John asked, pointing.
Cochran accelerated in response and as they drew near the man, they both were astonished to find it was Dr. Emmerich. The doctor was limping and collapsed to his knees as the car slid to a stop next to him. John immediately rushed to his aid.
“What the hell happened, Doc?” he asked frantically.
Emmerich’s hair was caked with blood and it was evident he’d suffered a head injury. He looked at John, his eyes watery and weary. “You know what happened, Agent Milk,” he answered flatly. “The wood ape is loose, and a lot of people are going to be in danger tonight.”
Chapter 15
They both helped Emmerich to the backseat of the patrol car where he could lie down. He continued to mutter about the dangers the town of Dunn was going to face during the night as they helped him. Cochran agreed with the doctor’s chilling words, as did John. However, upon learning the whereabouts of the mangled van, they could not leave without checking to see if the other men had survived the crash as Emmerich had.
“They’re here,” John called out with despair. He’d climbed into the ravine and was looking up at Cochran above him. “It’s too late for them though.”
“You’re sure?”
John nodded somberly. “Trust me,” he said. “They’re dead.”
The sheriff nodded and offered John a helping hand after he made the difficult climb back to the top.
“Have you got someone you can send over here to get them?” John asked as he dusted his pants off.
Cochran nodded. “My brother-in-law is the county coroner,” he answered. “I’ll get him and his guys on it.”
“Any ideas on how we deal with the wood ape now?”
The sheriff shook his head and began walking back to the patrol car with John in tow. “All my deputies will be out tonight patrolling the town. If it shows up—and I still think it’s a big if—then we’ll be ready to deal with the threat immediately.”
They reached the car and after getting inside, John looked back to check on Emmerich.
“How are you holding up?”
The doctor groaned and rubbed at his head. His blue-rimmed glasses were gone, and John wondered just how much he’d be able to see without them. “My head is aching fiercely,” he moaned. “But that’s not the issue. Sheriff, you and your men must find the wood ape as soon as possible. I fear the creature will be unable to refrain from the temptation that will present itself tonight when the city of Dunn becomes overrun with children.”
John looked over at the sheriff. “When we get back to the station, get me a shotgun. I’m going to patrol the area too.”
Cochran nodded. “We’d be glad to have the help.”
By the time they returned to the Dunn city limits, darkness had fallen, and the streets were beginning to become taken over by multitudes of small ghosts and goblins. Upon their arrival at the station, they helped Emmerich inside and helped him lay down on the couch in the lobby.
“Shelly, call an ambulance for him, will ya?” Cochran said, glancing over at her. “And why are you here? It’s late.”
Shelly picked up the phone and began dialing numbers. “I didn’t think it was a good idea for no one to be at the station while the—umm, Kurt Bledsoe, is still detained and recovering.”
“How is he doing?” John asked.
