Evil Stalks the Night

by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

  She waited in the dark room for her mother to come after her with the stick. She’d been beaten once with it and it was bad. It wasn’t going to happen again. She wouldn’t let it.

  “Ha, here’s the stick. I’ll show that brat who’s boss.”

  Jenny scrambled from her bed and scurried to and out the window into the waiting blackness without a moment’s hesitation or a glance back.

  What had she done that was so wrong? She stayed out of their way, but somehow it wasn’t enough anymore. They hated her. They wanted her dead. There was no other explanation. She felt as if she was a tiny caged animal who was beaten over and over. The cage was open so she ran.

  Into the warm summer’s night, pausing as she heard her mother in her empty room screaming for her to come back and take her punishment. Then her mind settled on a destination. Jeremy’s house. Haunted or not, it was where she was going. She knew Jeremy and his mom would take care of her. She flew down the driveway and across her yard, panting, so afraid they’d catch her before she could get to her friend’s house. They would be so mad at her if they caught her.

  She darted down the vacant streets and through the darkened yards that lay hushed in the night world. It was a long way to Jeremy’s house, though, and she was already tired and bruised from the beating.

  She’d have to go through part of the woods. It was shorter that way.

  By the time she’d gone half-way she was limping. Her foot slipped and she stumbled, twisting her ankle. It hurt like the dickens, but she knew she couldn’t stop in the woods, alone, and at night. There was Timmy to think about. He’d gone out and never come back.

  Only sheer desperation could have gotten her out there alone at night. There were scary trees everywhere glaring down at her, and it was so dark she couldn’t see her hands in front of her face.

  Yet, she kept on running.

  The trees! They were everywhere. Moving. One of them seemed to be loping clumsily, slowly separating itself from the other surrounding shadows. It was coming directly towards her. Its huge leafy arms reached for her as if it wanted to embrace her.

  She stood there gaping up at it in shock, and as it came nearer she heard the growls it was making and its laughter on the night air. Jenny screamed. Too late, she tried to run away, but it grabbed her and lifted her like a twig from the ground.

  Up…Up…So high she couldn’t see the ground. Then it dropped her.

  Her left leg snapped and she dragged it behind her as she tried to get away. Instinct told her there wasn’t any use in wasting her breath pleading with whatever had her. She needed her energy to get away from it. What it was or why it was doing this to her she didn’t dare think about. A vague thought flitted through her mind, this was what had happened to Timmy.

  It got her again and lifted her up. This time she didn’t recover from the fall. She didn’t hear the laughter and didn’t feel the claws or the teeth. She felt nothing. Jenny would never feel anything again. Her grave was dead leaves.

  * * * *

  It loomed over the girl’s broken body. Something as big as the sky, with fangs and claws and crimson embers for eyes. She’d died too easily.

  It had been robbed of its sport.

  It was so angry.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “I’ll have patrolman Henderson stay here and watch the boy.” Captain Sinclair was in uniform this time, his face grave, and I’d hardly recognized him when he’d knocked on the door. He didn’t waste time in being polite or with social conversation.

  “Do you have any idea where she may be right now?” he demanded across the threshold. I had the strangest feeling he wouldn’t believe anything I’d say.

  I began to shake my head, and an image assailed me so strongly I had to steady myself by holding on to the door frame.

  “I know where she is,” I tried not to look at Jeremy as I got a sweater while the Captain waited at the door. Summer or not, the woods could get cool at night.

  “Mom, I want to go with you!” Jeremy grabbed my hand and refused to let go. “I know where she lives. I can help.”

  I didn’t look at him. If I would have, he’d have known. I would tell him later when it was over and I’d be there to console him. “No, son. I have to do this alone.”

  “But Mom!”

  “I said no. It’s too dangerous out there. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  His eyes clouded, his mouth quivered as he nodded his head in the appropriate response.

  “I have to go. Do what the officer tells you to do and don’t give him any trouble, you hear?”

  He nodded, his face shadowed with despair.

  I turned to Captain Sinclair. “Let’s go.” As we walked down the porch under the porch light I didn’t glance back at Jeremy standing in the doorway. My heart was weeping and I felt as if I were going back in time, back to the night my brother had died so many years ago.

  There were two patrol cars in front of my house. One had its lights silently rotating and the door was open. I slid in and waited until the Captain was seated and we were on our way. I let the misery and weariness wash over me.

  “She’s dead, Captain so there’s no hurry.” The words struggled through my lips. I looked straight ahead so I don’t know how he reacted.

  “How do you know?”

  “I saw her in one of my visions before we left the house.” I put my hand up and covered my face so he wouldn’t see my tears. “I think I saw her so clearly because she’s linked to my son. She was his friend. Only I never knew he’d become friends with her until tonight. The girl in my vision had long braids. His friend, he told me, had braids.”

  I turned my face to the window, trying to wipe the tears away. “Jeremy knew her all along. She was afraid of me and my reputation, and the house. She made him promise not to tell me about her. I guess she was afraid I was some kind of witch. I never put two and two together.

  “I was seeing her because she was connected to me through Jeremy. She’s dead and I could have prevented it. I didn’t try hard enough.”

  “Don’t blame yourself,” he said gruffly. He was a man not used to emotion, a steel man with a soft heart he didn’t want anyone to know about. “Where are we going?” He was unaware of my distraught state of mind. In this case, I was glad. After all, this was his job. For me, it was going to be hard enough without acting like an hysterical woman on top of it.

  I described where the vision had taken place for I remembered the exact location all too well.

  He twisted around to look at me, really seeing me for the first time, and something clicked in his eyes. Maybe he was remembering something, too. My record, or the first time he’d asked me, a young girl, about a dead child. All those years ago. He was the officer who’d come out to talk to me.

  He called in to the station and asked for backup. Soon there were other sirens calling across the night, heading for the same destination.

  “For the little girl’s sake, Miss Towers, let’s hope this time you’re wrong.”

  * * * *

  The woods were wet and very dark. The moon was hidden and no light shone through the clouds. The only light illuminating the small body half covered with leaves were the police lanterns and headlights. The domes of light revolved without a sound and the squad cars sat like metal sentinels in a circle. When we’d first found the body, more cars had been called in.

  I sat in one of them and watched the scene with tears in my eyes. How I wished Jim was here, or Ben. Someone I could cry in front of and not be ashamed. Everyone scurrying around out there was a stranger to me. Not one friendly face anywhere. I sighed. They were busy examining the scene and putting things in plastic bags to take away in their cars. There were already reporters and curious thrill seekers ghoulishly poking around. I’d had cameras pushed in my face and microphones shove
d at me since the discovery had been made a few hours ago. I was tired and sick. I wanted to go home. But they weren’t done with me yet. Captain Sinclair was out there somewhere and he’d asked me to wait for him. He’d take me home.

  I wondered if a stop at the police station was to be first. I squinted at my watch in the pale light. It was after two in the morning.

  I’d never forget her corpse lying out there, and I could sense the woods’ malevolent presence lingering out beyond the trees. Waiting and gloating. Playing its hellish games. In some ways I almost wished it’d show itself to everyone so I could stop being the only insane person. I was sick of the secret I harbored and the truth which was too unspeakable to mention and too hard to be believed. The Captain was going to ask more questions and I wasn’t sure how I was going to answer them. I’d led them right to the body.

  It was out there somewhere. I kept expecting it to come storming out any second to claim me, as it had Jenny. I didn’t care anymore if it did. Perhaps, with me dead, the murders would end. It would all end. Then Jeremy and Jim might have a chance to live.

  I knew it wouldn’t show itself. The game wasn’t over yet.

  I got out of the car and began to walk. The night was cool and when I got so far away that the squad cars’ lights were flashing circles in the distance, I gazed backward. It was a scene from a nightmare. I kept moving deeper into the woods. I didn’t know what I was doing anymore. It filled me with terror to remember the thing in my vision last night, and yet I was drawn by something far stronger.

  Something wanted me to come into the woods. Something was calling me. I could hear nothing else. It would be so easy to end it all.

  “Sarah!” I was grabbed from behind and two strong arms encircled me.

  “What are you doing, and where do you think you’re going?” The voice was angry, but relieved.

  “Ben!” I stared into his frightened face and collapsed into his arms, sobbing. I was so glad he was there. “I was running away,” I mumbled, gaining control. I wanted to snuggle into his embrace and never think of dead children and monsters in the forest again. I wanted the world, the murders and the past to go away and never return. I couldn’t bear it anymore.

  “It isn’t your fault, Sarah.” Ben guided me to his squad car. He told me he’d been on duty in the middle of a burglary stake out. They’d called him out to the woods when the body had been discovered. He’d been frantic when he’d learned about the girl’s death and my involvement, and that I’d tried to call him so many times that day. I’d really needed him, and he hadn’t been there.

  “You couldn’t have stopped this from happening.” The body was being taken away on a stretcher. I followed where his eyes were looking and shuddered. “You tried, but couldn’t. It isn’t your fault. Stop punishing yourself. Don’t worry, we’ll catch this thing eventually, whoever or whatever it is. We’ve got every man on it and they’re calling in specialists to help this time.”

  “They won’t find it,” my voice was a whisper.

  Ben only held me tighter.

  “They took pictures. I’m going to be in all the papers tomorrow.” I said the words without feeling, like it didn’t matter. But Ben understood what I was going through. My life wouldn’t be my own anymore. They wouldn’t leave me alone—not after this.

  Captain Sinclair came up and acknowledged Ben with a tip of his head. Then he turned to me. “We have some reports to fill out. Could I have some of your time, Miss Towers? It won’t take long, I promise. I realize it’s late and you’ve had a hard time of it.” He meant the media and the unwanted attention. He wasn’t a hard man, no matter what anyone else thought. He was only doing his job.

  I sighed. “Let’s go.” I would help in any way I could. Ben smiled at me and took my hand. Everything was going to be all right, the smile said.

  If he only knew.

  Chapter Thirty

  When the sunrise eased the blackness into pale gray, Jim picked up his suitcase and his guitar and checked out of the motel. He was dragging and his steps showed it. The bus station wasn’t far away. He wasn’t about to get into a friend’s car, so he refused rides from the other band members. He wouldn’t put any of their lives in danger. Being in a bus with strangers would save them. It only liked to kill people he cared about. It was a long dusty walk and it was getting warm already. He made a quick stop at a donut shop and got a cup of coffee and three jelly donuts. He ate them on the way. It wasn’t easy with a suitcase and a guitar, but he managed. It was the first thing he’d eaten since the accident.

  He arrived at the bus stop and sat down under a tree to finish his breakfast while he waited. Siteston was a small, insignificant sort of town that didn’t have what you could call a bus station. It was a place on the highway where you could catch any lone bus heading in one direction or another. If you were lucky and it wasn’t the middle of the night. After about an hour he knew his bus was late.

  He tried not to think about the accident. It was better if he didn’t, or else the fear would slink in with razor-sharp teeth, and he wasn’t strong.

  “I’m coming, Jeremy. Sarah.” He mumbled the words under his breath and his eyes scanned the highway beneath the relentless glare of the sun. Where was the damn bus? He grumbled various profanities as he trekked out to the edge of the highway and stared down it. No bus. So he sat back under the tree. He wouldn’t let himself get too comfortable, wouldn’t let himself fall asleep, even though it was peaceful and cool in the shade. He peered up at the sun. It was going to be a scorcher today. It was turning out to be one hell of a summer and it’d only begun. He closed his eyes for a second and caught himself. He couldn’t fall asleep.

  He had to get home to Sarah and Jeremy. He wished there was a telephone so he could try to call them again. He wouldn’t admit how worried he was. How many times had he’d tried to call home since the accident. Ten? Twenty? He’d lost count. It was always busy, or rang but was never answered. Perhaps it was some kind of interference, he refused to go nuts over it. He’d simply get home in one piece and see what the hell was going on. He’d sent a telegram this morning telling them he was all right and on his way home. Safe.

  A tiny dot appeared floating on the horizon in the heat waves. It grew larger. The bus.

  “About time,” he groused, knowing he didn’t have much of it left at this point. Jumping up, he gathered his meager belongings and went to flag it down. It couldn’t pass him by or leave him behind.

  The bus came to a screeching halt amidst a cloud of dust and gravel as the brakes took hold. Another few inches and it would have literally run him down. The driver must be in a hurry. Jim dusted his jeans off and clambered aboard.

  He heard the doors slide shut with an escape of air and his eyes happened to speed past them and outside to the line of trees he’d recently vacated. The heat waves danced out there among the foliage in the lazy eddies teasing the dust. Something moved out there among the leaves. As the bus lurched away, Jim could have sworn he’d seen—no, it couldn’t be.

  It looked like a small boy waving to him. Goodbye. Goodbye.

  Stunned, Jim paid his fare to the driver and tried not to act conspicuous as he made his way to a seat. His eyes were riveted to the spot where he’d seen it, though. A small unknown child had waved at him. He racked his memory. Why had that gesture bothered him?

  Why? Now there was no one there. Nothing.

  He laid his suitcase and guitar on the seat beside him. He was so tired, he fought to keep his eyes open. Slouching in the seat, he had a hard time not being lulled to sleep by the swaying of the bus as it made its way down the highway. He thought the driver was going a little too fast.

  It wouldn’t hurt to get a little shut-eye. He was on a bus filled with people. Strangers. He didn’t know a one, thank God. No. He had to stay awake. Rubbing his eyes, stretching to get the blood flowing, he sat up strai
ghter and lit a cigarette. The bus bumped along as he stared out the window.

  They passed a carnival, one of those small neighborhood ones. People were laughing, smiling, and spending their money. Children were prancing around everywhere. There was a musical carousel with colorfully painted wooden horses doing their laps.

  Sarah had always loved carousels. Jim could see her out there among that crowd, a little girl with braids and freckles riding the horses around and around to calliope music. They’d ride the giant Ferris wheel and the wild roller coaster high into the night sky. It’d been magic. Sarah had loved the thrills but he’d held back, afraid of being off safe ground. She’d coax him into riding with her and he’d sit frozen at her side, clinging to her arm as if he’d fall if he let go. Their car would laboriously climb the tracks until they reached the top. He’d hold his breath until he’d almost pass out because he’d forget to breathe.

  “Please, Sis. Don’t rock this thing,” he’d stutter, shivering with fright on the Ferris wheel. Petrified to move an inch on their precarious perch. He’d sit rigidly, looking neither left nor the right, so terrified the seat would start to swing. He couldn’t bear it. “Don’t move so much, Sarah!” How was it that she could always lead him to such folly? With her at his side, they’d been such daredevils.

  “Stop moving!”

  “It’s not me, Jimmy,” she’d indignantly replied every time. “It’s the wind. See?” She’d laugh and tease him, throwing up her hands without holding onto anything. “Take your hands away from your face, you silly goose. How can you see anything?” She’d pry cotton candied fingers away from his eyes.