When Darkness Falls

by Chanda Stafford

  She takes a long sip before answering. “Then you shouldn’t go sneaking out while everyone’s asleep.”

  I sigh. She’s right, even if I don’t like it. “Can I do some extra work for Phoebe at the camp?” My help is probably the last thing Phoebe needs, but it would give me some more time to search for Dad and Ezra.

  Worry creates a crease between her eyes. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”

  I bite my lip. “Why not? I need the money, and I’ll be good, I promise.”

  “Is it even worth it for me to ask you to be careful?”

  I cross my fingers behind my back, as if that will make the lie any more palatable. “You know I will.”

  She touches my hand. “I know you, Austen. I was just like you when I was growing up. You want to save the world, and you even think you have a shot, but you’re not invincible. There are bad things out there that can hurt you. Bad people, too.”

  I study my chipped nails. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

  Understanding haunts my mother’s gaze. “You really liked that boy, didn’t you?”

  I smooth out my napkin and then fold it into a triangle as Ian’s face swims to the front of my mind. My cheeks heat up. It takes me a minute to remember she’s talking about Ezra. If she knew about Ian and me, she’d flip. “I guess. His brother disappeared about ten years ago, and I think he went to go find him.”

  “After all these years?”

  I sip my glass of water before answering. How much should I tell her? How much will she believe and still let me out of her sight? “Ezra’s family moved away after his brother went missing. When he turned eighteen, Ezra decided to come back. He said he wants to figure out what happened.”

  Mom shakes her head, but I can see the sorrow in her eyes. She’s thinking about Dad, I bet. “That was a long time ago. I don’t know what he could possibly hope to find.”

  “Do you remember when his brother disappeared?”

  She nods. “It was terrible. Your father and I tried to shield you kids from it the best we could, and since you were so young at the time, it wasn’t very difficult.”

  “What happened?”

  She stares a picture of pine trees nailed to the wall before answering. “Nathan was a senior when he vanished. It was the weekend before graduation, and a bunch of kids wanted to go out and party. You know, to celebrate the end of their high school career.”

  Big Jim yells that our food’s ready. When Mom sets my plate in front of me, I spread my napkin on my lap and wait for her to continue.

  “The party was in a field a couple miles from town, but Nathan never showed up.”

  I fiddle with my silverware. “That’s it?”

  She shrugs. “Pretty much. When his parents realized he was missing, they called the cops. Of course, it didn’t take very long for his friends to cave and tell them about the party. They sent out a search party and found a case of beer and some blood, but that was it.”

  The memory of Ezra’s bloody backpack surfaces in my mind. I hope he didn’t meet the same fate as his brother. “That’s so weird. I can’t believe they didn’t find anything else.”

  A sympathetic smile twists her lips. “The cops figured it was some kind of animal attack, even though they couldn’t find any prints.”

  I stare out the window at the trees towering over the gas station across the street. “Maybe he ran away.”

  “That was one theory, but based on Nathan’s personality, the cops didn’t think it was very likely. From what I remember, he was a good kid. Some even think it was a mountain lion attack, even though those haven’t been seen here in years.”

  A low growl and the truck driver’s scream echo through my head. “I can’t believe they still let people out in the woods if it’s that dangerous.”

  My mom laughs. “You know that up here, being a part of the wilderness is in our DNA. People live for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and the like. You couldn’t keep them out if you put a fence around the trees. They’d still find a way through.”

  Like Ezra did when he shorted out the fence and disappeared through it to the other side. “You’re probably right.”

  “Can you do me a favor?” she asks after we finish eating our breakfast.

  “Sure, what do you need?”

  “Try to stay out of trouble, please.”

  I open my mouth, but she cuts me off.

  “Or at the very least, don’t go looking for Ezra, or wander off in to the woods, or try to find the lighthouse. I can’t . . . I can’t bear to lose you, too.” Moisture glistens in her eyes, and I reach over to squeeze her hand. Does she know I was thinking about looking for Ezra again? It must be that Mom superpower of knowing what you’re thinking before you do.

  “I won’t, Mom. I’ll try and stay out of trouble.”

  She gives me a shaky smile. “I guess that’s the most I can ask for.”

  Mom pays for our food and hands me the car keys. “Would you mind getting some gas while I use the rest room?”

  “No problem.”

  “Thanks, honey.”

  I pull up to the gas pump. A familiar rusty truck rests in front of the other pump. What’s he doing here? Probably getting gas, you idiot.

  I hop out of the car when Ian leaves the gas station and start walking toward his truck. He scowls when he sees me. “What are you doing here?” He glances from side to side. “Has someone been attacked by a bear? Is someone drowning?”

  I plant my hands on my hips. “Knock it off. You act like I’m a magnet for trouble, but I’m not. This stupid town is. Besides, you might as well get used to seeing me around. I don’t give up until I find what I’m searching for. Speaking of which, where were you last night when Phoebe, Danny, and I went back to the lighthouse?”

  “Searching for answers like you, I suppose.”

  A laugh escapes from my lips before I can stop it. “I’m sure you have far more answers than you’re letting on. For starters, I bet you know where Ezra is.”

  He stalks toward me, his eyes intense and brooding. “I didn’t kill your boyfriend. I found his backpack by the portal. I honestly don’t know what happened to him.”

  I fold my arms across my chest. “Then why didn’t you tell me about it sooner?”

  He smirks. “Would you have believed me?”

  I open my mouth but snap it shut without responding. He’s right.

  He reaches out and gently takes my wrist in his hand. Mesmerized by his electric touch, I can’t pull away as he rolls up my sleeve to inspect the bandages still circling my wrists. “Do you believe me?” His gaze probes mine.

  “Yeah, I guess.” Other than Ezra’s backpack, Ian has been the epitome of a gentleman. I pull away from him. “But that still doesn’t tell me what happened to my dad or Ezra.”

  His lips thin into a firm line. “I wish I could help you with that, but sometimes people disappear, and they don’t want to be found.”

  His words chase a sliver of unease down my spine. “My dad wouldn’t do that.” I bite my tongue to keep from snapping at him. Ian doesn’t know Dad like I do. He’d never abandon us.

  “Are you sure?”

  I nod emphatically.

  “I’m sure you’re right.” His gaze shifts to the restaurant.

  I lean against his truck. “Why was Ezra searching for his brother on your property?”

  He runs his hand through his hair. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  I meet his level gaze with my own. “Nope.”

  Ian lifts his shoulders and drops them. “He’s searched everywhere else, so my land seemed like a logical next step.”

  From the corner of my eye, I see my mom leave the restaurant.

  “You’d better go.” Ian nods at my mom.

  When I open my mouth to protest, he lifts up his hand.

  “If you want more answers, meet me outside your house at midnight. Alone.”

  A chill runs down my spine, but I’m not sure if it’s from t
he sudden breeze, or the darkness hovering in Ian’s eyes. “Do you know where I live?”

  He nods.

  Come on, Austen. Sometimes you have to take chances to get the answers you need. “Okay, I’ll see you then.”

  As Ian gets in his truck, I dart to our car and slide into the passenger’s seat.

  “Who was that?” Mom asks after she joins me.

  I look out the opposite window, uncomfortable. “Nobody.”

  She raises her eyebrows at my obvious lie.

  “Okay, fine. His family owns the property next to the camp.”

  She pales. “The lighthouse? I thought I told you to stay away from there? It’s too dangerous.”

  “Why?” I study her profile. “Ian’s a nice guy.”

  She purses her lips. “People aren’t always what they appear.”

  “Are you still talking about Dad or Ian?”

  She gasps, her fingers tightening to white-knuckled fists on the steering wheel. “Leave your father out of it. I’m sure he has a logical explanation for why he’s been gone. When he gets back, he’ll straighten everything out.”

  “He’s not on vacation, Mom. He’s missing. What if he doesn’t come back?” My voice quivers, letting my own inner fears show.

  “He will.”

  When I open my mouth, she shakes her head.

  “Just drop it, okay?”

  As we drive through town, I ask Mom to drop me off at the library.

  “What do you need there?” she asks, skepticism dripping from her voice. I’m normally not one to read books unless they’re assigned in school.

  “I need something to do now that my phone’s broken.”

  She chuckles. “Maybe a little reading will do you some good and keep you out of trouble.”

  After we pull into the library’s parking lot, Mom stops the car but doesn’t turn it off. By the look on her face, I think she’s struggling with what she wants to say, so I wait. Finally, she takes a deep breath and turns to me.

  “You know I love you, right? Whatever’s happening with your father and I, well, it has nothing to do with you, your brother, or your sister.”

  Her eyes glisten with tears, and I look away. I never know what to say in these kinds of situations, and any time I do end up saying something that I think is meaningful, it usually comes out stupid and wrong. “I know, Mom.”

  She nods, but when I open the door, she reaches out and touches my arm. “Wait. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Once inside the library, I head straight for the local history section, feeling Ezra’s shadow following me the entire way. Agnes, one of the retired volunteers, greets me from a desk in the back.

  “Good morning.” She forces a bit too much cheer to her voice. “Haven’t seen you here in a while. Is there something I can help you with?”

  “I, um, I was here a few days ago with a friend, and I guess he got me interested in local history.”

  Her eyes light up. “Excellent! So few young people are the least bit intrigued by the past. It’s wonderful to find someone who is. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”

  Should I tell her that I’m looking for monsters and other strange things that go bump in the night? Yeah, that would go over really well. “How about old newspapers?”

  “Oh, we have plenty of those.” She grabs a wooden cane and hobbles to a strange-looking machine. “This is a microfiche machine. It’s almost as old as I am.” She chortles. “But it works better than these old bones.” When she sees my frown, she pats my arm. “Fifteen years ago, when the newspaper started putting their articles online, we began saving them that way, but we haven’t had the time to do that with anything older. Lucky for you, it’s really not that difficult to use. Is there anything in particular you’re trying to find?”

  A relieved smile breaks across my face. “I don’t think I need to use it then. I’m looking for news from about ten years ago.”

  She tilts her head at me, confusion filling her gaze. “Can you narrow it down any more?”

  I shake my head. “No, I’m sorry. Look, I’m sure if you show me where to search, I can find it.”

  “You’re Maria’s daughter, aren’t you?” I nod. “Did your mother ever tell you I was her high school English teacher?” She grabs my arm and leads me to a computer that looks like it’s nearly as old as the microfiche machine. She pats the top of the computer and clouds of dust puff into the air. “Just turn it on and follow the prompts. It’s slower than the computers downstairs, but it’ll help you find what you need.”

  I slide into the plastic chair in front of the computer. “Thanks for all of your help.”

  “No problem, dear. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  After I agree, I boot up the old desktop and wait for what seems like twenty minutes for the screen to power on. Once it does, I click the icon on the front page for our local newspaper, the Misery Bay Times, and wait for the page to load. This takes another five minutes, but once it’s loaded, I quickly navigate through the archives and go to the section with the newspaper articles from a decade ago. After sifting through several pages of county fairs, births, deaths, and engagements, I stumble upon the first really interesting article titled, “Local Boy’s Sinister Disappearance or Another Hoax?” by Hilary Crum.

  Local boy, Nathan Montgomery, disappeared last Friday night on his way to a party on the edge of town. Was his disappearance part of the Misery Bay Triangle or an elaborate scheme to run away from a troubled life?

  According to local officials, Montgomery parked down an access road four miles north of town on his way to a party. When he never made it home that night, his parents alerted authorities, who searched the area.

  After finding the boy’s car, they followed his trail about two hundred yards off the path, where they discovered evidence of a struggle and the case of beer Montgomery was supposed to bring with him to the party. No other sign of the youth was ever found.

  Montgomery’s parents, Bill and Sandy Montgomery, claim their son had no reason to run away. “He was always a good boy,” his mother said. “He loved his family and was planning on going to college downstate next year. He would never run away.” When asked what they thought happened to him, Mr. Montgomery said, “We have no idea, but we’re praying that God will protect our son and keep him safe.”

  Not all of Nathan Montgomery’s associates have such a stellar opinion of him, however. One of his classmates, Dora Bruin, called him a troublemaker. When asked if she thought he’d run away, she said, “Of course. Everyone figures that’s what happened. Nathan’s parents fought a lot. His dad drank, and even though he’d never admit it, Nathan came to school with a black eye a couple times. For the past year, he was always talking about running away. I think he’d totally fake his own death like this.”

  Local authorities suspended their search on Sunday due to heavy rains and expect to pick it back up on Monday. A search-and-rescue dog will arrive from Lansing on Wednesday if Nathan Montgomery isn’t found by then.

  Head swimming, I scan for articles in the following few days and find several along the same line. Then I open another search box and type in “Misery Bay Triangle.” The first article that pops up is an anonymous letter to the editor.

  What’s really happening in Northern Michigan’s Woods?

  Dear Editor,

  Something strange is happening in our woods, and it’s about time we stop trying to cover it up. There’s a rash of disappearances, mysterious deaths, and strange occurrences, and we need to figure out what’s going on.

  Now, don’t get me wrong; drunk hunters get lost all the time. Usually, they wander out of the woods with one hell of a hangover the next day and stories to tell that no one will believe.

  Yes, we have bears here. I’ve seen a bunch of them myself. Some people even say there are mountain lions, too, though I find that one hard to believe. Either way, though, they don’t go crazy and attack a bunch of people. />
  I think somebody’s trying to cover up what’s really going on. Nobody talks about these deaths, except as a byline in the paper, and nobody ever warns our kids not to go out and party in the woods, like that poor Montgomery boy. They don’t know about the dangers or how to defend themselves, and that’s our fault.

  I think we need to open our eyes and educate ourselves to the true dangers living around us. We need to demand that the government take action and bring scientists and run tests, transparent tests, to figure out what the hell is going on in these woods before it happens again. How many people will have to die before we finally admit that something strange is going on in these woods?

  Sincerely,

  A Concerned Citizen

  There are a few more articles after that. One is a statement by the newspaper that an editorial only reflects the beliefs of the person who wrote it, not the paper or the town. Another letter to the editor called A Concerned Citizen an idiot and said he watched too many X-Files. It turns out there were two more disappearances that year: an eighty-eight-year-old hunter and a teenage girl out jogging down the highway, but nothing else that seems related to Ezra’s brother.

  After I finish up at the library, I walk over to the diner before the start of my shift. It feels so strange to act normal, but I can’t let Mom know how deep I am into this mystery. She’d probably ship me off to boarding school to keep my safe.

  As soon as I walk through Rosie’s door, my mom rushes around the side of the counter. “Thank God you’re here!” She pulls me into a tight embrace. Her eyes have this bright, fevered light, like those of someone who has won the lottery.

  “What’s going on?” I try to distance myself from her, but she won’t let me go.

  “They found your father.”

  Chapter 11

  What? That’s . . . that’s . . . My head swims as her words sink in. “They found Dad? Where was he?”