by Aiden James
“‘If you can hold off puking your guts, Jackie, I’d like to take a quick look at the other pool,’ said Jeremy. ‘I’ll be back in just a minute, ya’ll!’
“Before either of us could stop him, he moved quickly down the side of the rock formation and ran over to it. Large algae patches covered the boulders and smaller rocks that enclosed the pool. Jeremy leaned over the edge and looked down into the water.
“‘Hey! This is pretty cool down here!’ he shouted up to us. He stuck his hand in, pushing the steaming water back and forth near the surface. “The water’s pretty clear down here, too! Nice and warm, though I’d have to say it’s a little on the hot side!’
“My brother continued to admire the pool from where he stood, smiling with the smug look that’d become his trademark over the years. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide with terror and he yanked his hand out of the water, staggering back from the pool’s edge.
“‘Holy mother of Jesus!’ he cried out. ‘Something’s moving around in there!!! …Could be a goddamn poisonous water snake or some other shit-head, but whatever it is, it looks like one big motherfucker!!! Did you know this thing has fish or snakes in it, Grandpa?’
“‘No, son, I didn’t!’ he replied, the worried look deepening in his ruddy face. ‘You need to get the hell away from there now, Jeremy! We’re on our way down! Come on, Jack!!’
“Just as Jeremy moved back over to us, the pool began to show ripples and waves as if some large creature moved just below the water’s surface. A heavy splash flew into the air and the shimmering body of the mysterious critter was briefly visible to us all. To me it looked more lizard-like than a snake or a fish. Perhaps a miniature version of Vydora had managed to hide here. If so, miniature or not, we were in serious trouble!
“Jeremy took off running and shouted over his shoulder for us to follow his lead. At Grandpa’s insistence, I scurried down the rock formation’s side first, with him following close behind. As soon as we reached the ground, a menacing murmur came from the pool. The critter slithered out of it and dropped down into the tall grass and weeds that filled the clearing.
“‘Run, goddamn it!!! Run!!!’ Jeremy screamed. ‘It’s headed straight for you!!!’
“Grandpa and I immediately sprinted toward Jeremy, already on the path leading out of the clearing. A heavy rustling sound followed us as we ran, but I never saw the bastard itself despite several glances over my shoulder. Only the quivering weeds and grass that announced its pursuit. Closing fast, just before we reached the edge of the clearing, Grandpa stopped.
“He removed his rifle from his backpack and aimed it toward the unseen menace pursuing us. As he tried to squeeze off a shot, the Winchester jammed. He tried to get it unstuck, but no use. Meanwhile the critter slithered through the overgrowth, bearing down on him. He threw the rifle in the grass and ripped open his backpack. From underneath our lunch he grabbed his semi-automatic pistol, quickly pulling it out from its holster while he motioned for me to keep moving.
“‘Go on, son!’ he urged me. ‘I’ll be along in just a minute!’
“The critter now less than a dozen feet away, Grandpa fired several shots into the dense grass and weeds. At least one of the bullets struck the thing. It let out a blood-curdling howl followed by an angry roar. But despite its obvious rage, it refused to reveal itself, whimpering in pain and for the moment no longer interested in being the aggressor. Grandpa made the most of this reprieve, running as fast as he could to catch up with us while we anxiously waited near the woods’ entrance.
“‘Did you kill it?’ Jeremy asked.
“‘I don’t think so,’ he replied, panting hard as he tried to catch his breath. He bent over to replenish his body’s oxygen supply, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the area he’d vacated just a moment ago. ‘I think I hurt it some...and it’s not coming after us.... At least not yet.’
“He stood up and allowed himself one last look at the boyhood haunt he hadn’t seen in years, and to talk himself out of his immediate desire to go back and retrieve the Winchester. Even though an heirloom from his father’s side, it presented too great a risk to try and recover right then. He told us later that he intended to come back for it with Joe McCracken or at least one of his deputies in the next day or so.
“When he turned back to us, I watched him intently, studying in particular his eyes. They were darker than usual and revealed his fear—same as they had just two nights before. The thing lurking in the clearing had truly frightened us all, but none as badly as Grandpa. I confirmed this after shifting my gaze to my brother’s face. Even though Jeremy’s sure-fire cockiness was nowhere to be found, I couldn’t honestly tell if he was still scared. Surprised perhaps, but after the initial shock wore off, he seemed like his old self. Even as I thought this, I watched him reach for the cigarette pack and lighter in his breast pocket, further confirming my assessment.
“As for me, I felt more confused than frightened. I thought for sure everything magical, or supernatural for that matter, had disappeared with Genovene the day before. Now, I realized that assumption was quite foolish.
“‘Don’t plan on smoking just yet, Jeremy, because we need to get the hell out of here first!’ Grandpa warned. Without waiting for a response from my brother, he firmly grasped us both by our shoulders, turning our attention to the woods. ‘I don’t want to wait around here in case that thing’s got friends, or decides it’s well enough to come after us on its own!’
“At his urging, we ran into the woods and didn’t stop running until we reached the bridge. I remember the air was thick and humid, and gray clouds obscured the sun. The birds and insects seemed oblivious to both our presence and the impending weather, never ceasing their songs to one another. As I listened to them, I thought I heard something else. Something sinister? I wasn’t sure. But I sensed a presence quietly stalking us. Not the thing from the hot spring, as this felt different somehow. I could tell that Jeremy and Grandpa felt it, too.
“‘Man, this place is creepy,’ mumbled Jeremy, loud enough to draw a nervous look from Grandpa and me. ‘I can’t imagine why you and Uncle Monty would want to spend as much time as you say you did here, Grandpa. It seems pretty fu—’
“‘Sh-sh-h!’ Grandpa interrupted. ‘I just heard something! Over there...just to the left of the bridge.’
“He pointed to a place where the woods came to an abrupt halt just a few feet from the bridge. No one there at the moment, the ground almost bare. Only a few clumps of crabgrass and a short spiny weed populated the spot.
“A sudden audible ‘snap’ resounded there, as if an invisible person shifted their weight from one unseen foot to another, inadvertently stepping on a brittle twig or something similar. Immediately, the entire wooded area grew quiet around us, like every living thing picked up a predatory scent unavailable to our startled senses.
“The hairs on the back of my neck sprang to life, and the feeling of being watched hit me and then intensified. A smooth cool breeze moved through the area, blowing toward us from the clearing. The breeze picked up. As it did, I heard a sultry whisper pass just above my head.
“‘Jack….’
“‘Did ya’ll hear that?’ I asked.
“‘Hear what?’ said Jeremy, a look of profound concentration on his face. ‘You don’t mean the sound by the bridge, do you? We all heard that.’
“‘No!’ I said. ‘Somebody’s calling my name!!’
“‘What do you mean ‘somebody’s calling your name’?’ he retorted.
“‘I mean...like that!” I exclaimed, hearing it again while I spoke. ‘Can’t you hear it? Can’t you, Grandpa??’
“Near panic after the misadventure I’d braved the day before, it wouldn’t take much to throw me into complete hysteria. All the while, the voice grew stronger and clearer, with longer drawn out vowels to taunt me.
“‘Lovely Ja-a-ack-k-k!. You’re mi-i-i-ne! Lovely, beautiful Ja-a-ack-k-k- is...mi-i-i-i-n-n-ne!!’
“Genovene, her v
oice so sultry and seductive. It must’ve been her favorite disguise. Perhaps only the unluckiest of her victims ever saw the real monster.
“‘Don’t ya’ll hear that?’ I implored them, near tears.
“Grandpa looked over at Jeremy and then back at me.
“‘Son,’ he said. ‘I don’t think either of us can hear it. I mean, what exactly are you hearing and where’s it coming from?’
“I wanted to say the voice came from directly above me. That’s where it’d been when I first heard it. But it now moved freely with the breeze that gently blew through the area. She was everywhere and nowhere.
“‘Sw-e-e-e-t Jackie boy! I love the way you ta-a-a-ste!’
“The voice swooped in beside my left ear and then quickly drew away again, echoing eerily.
“‘I love you Ja-a-a-ck! I love your luscious cock-k-k!! I want to su-u-u-ck-k-k it again and again and ag-a-a-a-in!!!’
“‘Ya’ll! Help!! Help me NOW!!!’ I cried out, though thankful now they couldn’t hear what I heard.
“Grandpa and Jeremy looked on helplessly, since there wasn’t anything either of them could do for me. I couldn’t believe Genovene’s relentless pursuit, given all that happened to her the day before. Cunning and powerful as ever, she now held a huge advantage. After all, we couldn’t shoot what we couldn’t see and what only I could hear.
“Tears began to flow as I considered this. All the while, the verbal assault grew steadily worse. The wind grew even more intense, forcefully pushing the trees and plants near the path back and forth. At least my grandfather and brother could see that, anxiously looking around themselves.
“‘Oh-h-h Ja-a-a-a-ck!!! Let me ha-a-ave you-u-u-u!!! I need to e-e-ea-t you! We all need to e-e-ea-t you, Ja-a- a- a-ck-e-e Bo-o-oy-y!!!’
“Right then, an invisible pair of lips kissed my cheek, while unseen hands gently grasped my crotch, stroking me through my pants. No way in hell was I going to stand by idly and let this continue. I spun around and slapped at my crotch, shouting a string of angry obscenities. I surely looked like I’d lost my damned mind to Jeremy and Grandpa.
“Like a bear running from an angry beehive, I raced for the bridge. I could’ve cared less if anything else waited for me there. My entire focus was on reaching the other side of the river as quickly as possible. I prayed that my brother and grandfather had enough sense to follow me.
“I ran across the flimsy structure and kept running until I arrived at the Jeep. When I stopped and turned around, I witnessed an astonishing transformation of the area for the second time in two days. Fortunately, Jeremy and Grandpa hurried after me, crossing the bridge and reaching the Jeep shortly after I did. Just in time to escape the magnificent metamorphoses that took place on the other side of the Black Warrior.
“Enormous pyramids popped up everywhere on the other shore, and a narrow golden pathway ran between two of these structures sitting close to the river’s edge. Not far from the old bridge, each one glowed from within, lavender, transparent with gold hieroglyphs etched upon their sides.
“The trees and plants were not exempt from this incredible event, soon replaced by tropical versions. Where barren ground existed just moments ago, thick palms leaned against the rickety bridge’s foundation.
“Genovene and her siblings stood on the bridge watching me, as beautiful as they ever were and all dressed in long black gowns. Once I noticed them, they smiled and waved.
“‘Ya’ll come back now, ya hear!!’ she called to me, throwing her head back in laughter.
“‘Do you see that?’ I pleaded with Grandpa and Jeremy. ‘Look, damn it!!! Now, do you believe me??
“‘Believe what??’ Jeremy retorted again, his voice irritated as he and Grandpa turned their attention to the other side of the river. ‘What are we supposed to be looking at, Jackie?’
“‘THEM!!!’ I shouted, pointing at the bridge. ‘They’re right there in front of those pyramids, if you’d just look….’
“A horrible realization swept over me, remembering the previous evening when they didn’t hear me shouting from the back gate. The same kind of thing was happening again.
“‘They are, huh?’ said Jeremy, narrowing his eyes in a vain effort to see what I claimed was across the way from us. ‘Either you’ve got some special type of vision, Jackie, or I’m blind as a fucking bat. I don’t see a goddamned thing. Do you, Grandpa?’
“‘No...I’m afraid I don’t either, son,’ he replied, and then turned his attention solely on me, his eyes worried. ‘Who’s ‘them’, Jack?’
“‘Genovene and her kin,’ I said. ‘But it’s the prettier version of them all that I described last night. Are you sure you can’t see them?’
“‘Son, I don’t see anything and I can’t hear anything other than you two,’ said Grandpa. ‘It doesn’t mean I don’t believe you. I think we’ve all been through enough already to prove most anything’s possible.’
“He sighed and looked out toward the bridge again.
“‘Perhaps Genovene and whoever’s with her are visible and audible only to you,’ he suggested.
“I felt desperate, wishing him wrong, but fearing he was not—”
“‘What did she say to you?’ Grandpa asked.
“‘Just my name over and over. Telling me she wouldn’t let me leave,’ I explained, as calmly as possible. Of course, I left out the sexual references.
“‘Anything else?’
“‘Uh, no. Not really, anyway.’
“‘Hmmm. Are you sure?’
“Grandpa looked at me like he often did when I was in some sort of trouble. Since normally a horrible liar, that’s all it usually took for me to come clean. I’d gained some confidence since skirting around Sheriff McCracken’s questions, though it still pained me to lie one more time to him. Maybe a little like Saint Peter must’ve felt when he denied knowing the Lord three times following Jesus’ arrest by the Romans long ago.
“‘Yeah, I’m sure, Grandpa,’ I assured him. ‘Mostly just some unintelligible gibberish. Other than her saying my name and begging me to stay.’
“I avoided his gaze by looking over at her again. The smile on her gorgeous face suddenly dropped, as her lower jaw opened in an unnatural yawn. I glimpsed her hideous snout and teeth. She shut her cavernous mouth and smirked, slowly shaking her head from side to side with her index finger pressed to her lips. She and the others turned around and walked off the bridge, disappearing into thin air. Everything else faded rapidly, until all evidence of this event vanished.
“‘Well, they’re gone now,’ I reported, my voice shaking. ‘They just disappeared a moment ago.’
“I looked over at Jeremy, who shook his head and snickered. Grandpa still seemed disappointed he wasn’t able to catch a glimpse of what I saw.
“‘Are you boys getting hungry?’ he asked, grimacing once he removed his backpack from his weary shoulders. ‘I think it’s best if we just go home now. I’m sure ya’ll agree it wouldn’t be such a good idea to eat lunch here after what’s transpired. Besides, it’s fixing to rain soon.’
“‘That’s fine with me,’ I said. ‘I’ve seen enough of this place.’
“No lie here. I pondered the meaning behind Genovene’s gesture a moment ago.
“‘How about you, Jeremy?’ he asked.
“‘Yeah, I guess so,’ my brother said. ‘I could sure use a smoke, and I’ve got some more questions for Jackie.’
“‘Let’s get everything loaded up first, so we can be on our way out of here,’ advised Grandpa.
“He led the way over to the Jeep, and within a couple of minutes we had everything loaded again. Before we finished climbing back into the vehicle, the first raindrops descended on us. Grandpa drove us back onto Black Warrior Road, and by the time we reached Baileys Bend Road, the dreary sky unleashed a torrid downpour.
“‘It looks like we left just in time, boys, and all in all I’d say it’s been worth it coming out here today,’ he said. ‘Though, perhaps Jack might disagr
ee.’
“He turned and smiled at me.
“‘At least you and Jeremy have now seen what the area you visited yesterday really looks like—’
“‘But, Grandpa,’ I interrupted, ‘this isn’t where the village was. It had to be a lot further away from here. Probably way beyond those burial mounds over by the hot spring, maybe even a mile or so further into the woods.’
“He regarded me compassionately before addressing my assertion.
“‘No, Jack,’ he said. ‘I believe your village was right there by the fort and hot spring. Much of your story, along with certain events that have happened there through the years, leads me to think that. I’ll explain later, tonight after dinner. I’ll share everything I know. All right?’
“‘Okay,’ I agreed. ‘I may still feel like I do now, that the village was located somewhere further away. Will you at least grant me that, after you finish tonight?’
“‘Of course.’
“Grandpa chuckled at my reluctance to take his word on the subject. He told me later it reminded him of my mom, and even my grandma for that matter.
“We soon were back on the weathered asphalt of Lelan’s Way, and nearing our home. We didn’t receive another visit from Genovene and her funhouse from hell. As if that sagacious witch and her magical environment were restricted to the area we’d left behind, much like a ghost imprisoned by the dwelling it’s forced to haunt.
“‘So, what was Genovene wearing today, Jackie?’ Jeremy asked me, as we pulled up our driveway. Silent for the past ten minutes, it was clear where his mind had been.
“‘A dark gown, kind of like what Freddy wore for graduation back in May,’ I told him.
“A half-lie this time, but an effective one. Nothing like a direct hit when you needed it, since I knew Jeremy regretted quitting school early. The mere mention of Freddy’s graduation attire should’ve, by itself, shut my brother’s mouth. Also, depicting the voluptuous figure of Genovene clad in an oversized graduation dress would hardly qualify as sexy in his mind, and I knew this. If he found out about the sheerness of the tight outfits she and her sisters wore when I saw them on the bridge, Grandpa and I would’ve never heard the end of it.
