The Pit in the Woods: A Mercy Falls Mythos

by Nathaniel Reed

“Max,” Myron said with disdain. “Whatever happened to that turd?”

  “The Rock Spot,” Jeremy said. “Don’t you remember; the vampire attack?”

  Blake nodded. “Dead, we presume; he and his cronies. At any rate, I’ve lost contact with Carl and the others. I’m afraid that something must have happened to them.”

  Myron frowned. “So do we have a plan?”

  Blake smiled. “I have several, although I’m not sure any of them will work. Care to hear them?”

  11

  Tony, Staci and Johnny were sitting and chatting about old times when Jeremy and Myron walked into the room. Tony and Johnny were smiling, and Staci was giggling about something. Jeremy hadn’t realized how much he missed that laugh. He said, “Blake’s ready for you guys.”

  “How’s he look?” Tony said.

  “See for yourself. Once you get past the physical changes you’d swear he’s not sick at all,” Jeremy said.

  “Which two of us go?” Staci said.

  “You guys go,” Johnny said. “I’ll go last. I was never really his favorite anyhow.” He favored them with a slanted grin.

  “C’mon Johnny,” Staci said, “That’s not true. You had your differences, but he always considered you one of us.”

  “Differences, yeah, kinda like you and me,” he said.

  “Exactly,” she said, and added nothing else. She simply smiled, to avoid turning it into an argument. “All right, we’ll go first.”

  12

  “Tony! Staci!” Blake exclaimed, delighted to see them. They embraced.

  “What’s the word Blake?” Tony said.

  “The word is not so good I’m afraid,” Blake said, “For me or for this town.”

  They acknowledged this, sat, and listened.

  13

  Johnny walked into the room, for the first time in a long time, completely unsure of himself. He respected this man greatly; he just wasn’t sure if the feeling was mutual. Although he wasn’t greeted quite as enthusiastically as the others, Blake was happy to see him. He was sitting in his bed, propped up by pillows, and he grinned as John entered. “Johnny.”

  “Blake,” Johnny bowed. He strode up to the old man and shook his hand firmly, clapping him on the back with his free hand in a half-hug. “It’s good to see ya.”

  “It’s good to see you too Johnny.”

  He saw that Blake meant it.

  “I need you here Johnny. We all do. This town needs you. Are you with us?”

  “Of course I am. I didn’t come all the way up here to say hi and pass the time, although I suppose that would have been nicer.” Johnny shrugged.

  “I agree,” Blake said.

  “But you are dying and all so maybe…”

  He expected Blake to frown or express distaste, but his face remained unchanged.

  “I’m sorry Blake. Let my mouth run away with me again.”

  “It’s quite all right Johnny. We can’t change who we are.” His face remained placid, serene.

  “I am sorry,” Johnny said, “That you’re here, going through this…”

  Blake shrugged. “All must arrive at this point at some time, I suppose. Thank you.”

  “What is it you want me… us… to do?”

  14

  Eve arrived later that evening after they’d all gone.

  “My dear,” Blake said, holding her hand.

  “Hmm?” she looked at him questioningly.

  “How is the hunger? Are you finding supplies?”

  Eve nodded. “Butcher shop, as always.”

  “You holding up?”

  “It’s hard sometimes, but it’s gotten easier.”

  “Thank God for that. I’m so sorry I can’t be there for you.”

  “Blake, please, don’t even… You’ve been there for me all along. If it weren’t for you I’d be just like them.”

  “You aren’t like them, but you are one of them, with all their strengths and weaknesses. We can use that to our advantage.”

  “Whatever it is you want me to do, I’ll do it Blake.”

  He smiled. “Thank you Eve. If ever there was a time I would be okay with you leaving, this would be it. If you just wanted to call it quits and never look back, I’d understand. I wouldn’t even try to stop you. I wouldn’t have the strength.”

  She knew he spoke of his mental and emotional capacity much more than his physical strength.

  “I just want you to know,” Blake continued, “If you decide to, I could be your first kill, to ease you into it. I wouldn’t fight you, or beg for my life. It would be better if it was you, than one of them. It would be more of a mercy killing.”

  “God, Blake, no, never! You can’t ask me to even consider that.”

  “I’m not asking you Eve. I don’t want to die. I’m merely saying…”

  “I know, I know what you’re saying. And still, you would be the last person I’d kill! You’re family.”

  He squeezed her hand again. “We are family, the only family either of us has left.”

  15

  When they got back to the hotel that night they gathered in Staci’s room, which was a double, sitting Indian style on the carpet, and began telling tales of their past, reminiscing and lamenting.

  “What was it you did that day when Max saw you outside your garage Johnny?” Tony asked.

  “Aww man, yeah!” Johnny said, “I remember that. It was back in November, before the bad stuff went down at the Rock Spot. It was just him and Eddie walking by. I had the garage door open, and I was working on my bike.”

  “Your motorcycle,” Jeremy said.

  “Yeah,” John said. “They must have been walking to the store or something, ’cause neither of them was on their bikes. Mind you they never knew where I lived before then. My mom was inside, and I didn’t know it then but so was my stepdad. He was picking up some stuff he’d left behind when I gave him the old heave ho.”

  Staci laughed at that. She could relate.

  “Anyway, Max sees me and says…”

  16

  “Well if it ain’t the motherfuckin’ gearhead! Motherfuckin’ traitor Johnny!”

  It was almost like a nickname now: Traitor Johnny.

  Johnny looked up, put down his grease rag. “Hey, what’s up fucknut?”

  “I’ll tell you what’s up shit for brains. My fist upside your head,” Max said.

  “Tough talk for you without your army.” Johnny had several wrenches and a hammer nearby he was ready to use. As it turned out he never needed to.

  “Fuck that,” Max said. “Me and Eddie are enough to take care of you, and wipe that grin off your face.” They steadily approached him and Johnny turned to meet him. They’d gotten nearly all the way up the driveway when the front door opened.

  17

  “It was my stepdad, and he’s got his big old fuckin’ Magnum in his hand, and he points it right at Max’s head.”

  “Shit!” Myron said, gleefully, “He must have been pissing his pants!”

  “No doubt,” Johnny said. “I guess that’s about the only time in my life I was happy to see him, not that I wasn’t ready to do some damage myself.”

  “So what happened?” Jeremy said.

  “Well, he goes, ‘If you fuckheads are looking to start trouble, I

  suggest you take it elsewhere. Get off my damn property before I put a bullet in your noggin and pretty up that white T-shirt with your blood and brains.’”

  Staci snorted. “I have a newfound respect for the man.”

  “Priceless!” Myron said.

  “Yep,” Johnny said, “At that moment, so did I, although he knew damn well it wasn’t his property, and never was. But it sure got them going, and fast. They never did step foot near my place again, even after he left for good. For that I was thankful. Of course, she took him back a few months later, but he never laid a hand on me again.”

  18

  “Thanks,” Johnny said, briefly looking to the side, but not turning to face him. It was a w
ord that didn’t come easy.

  “No problem,” he said. “Heck, I’ve been a real shitheel. I don’t want to cause no more problems for you and your mother. And I’ve been laying off the booze.”

  Johnny wasn’t sure what to say. “That’s good I guess,” he said, still not looking at him.

  “Well, I’ll be out of your hair in a minute soon as I get the rest of my stuff.”

  “Fine,” Johnny said, not angrily for once.

  “Take care son.” He said it not like a true father says to his son, but like an older man says to a kid he barely knows, out of kindness. It was something that didn’t come easily for Ben Clayborn.

  “All right,” John said. He turned and glanced at his father briefly, bobbing his head in acknowledgement. It wasn’t exactly respect, but more of a quiet truce. They never spoke to each other much since then, not even after he moved back in, but they never fought or argued either, and at least that was something.

  19

  “Wow,” Staci said.

  “You never told us what happened to your real dad Johnny,” Jeremy said.

  Johnny nodded. “Not much to tell, I guess. He died in ’Nam, 1970, enemy fire. I think I was only two. Don’t remember much about him. My memories are real vague. I just know what I’ve seen in pictures and was told to me by my mother.”

  “What about your dad Staci?” Myron asked. Jeremy looked at him and then to Staci, and wondered how it had never occurred to him to ask.

  “Lung cancer,” Staci said. “He’d been smoking like two packs a day since his teens. He died when I was in junior high, eighth grade. I guess I was like fourteen? He was in his early 40s.”

  “That’s rough,” Tony said.

  “Yeah,” she agreed. “I suppose it wasn’t as traumatic as if he’d died suddenly, like Johnny’s dad, although he was too young to remember. My dad was in the hospital for five months or so before his body finally gave. I think it was easier on both mom and me when he passed, than watching him suffer like that. I hope I don’t sound cruel saying that. I loved my dad, a lot.”

  Jeremy clasped her wrist. “It’s not. We understand.”

  “I guess I’ve done okay. I moved on. I made friends in high school. I was one of the popular girls.”

  “We remember,” Myron said, rolling his eyes. They laughed.

  “Probably mostly because I wanted to be happy and get along with everyone, so I talked to pretty much anyone I ran into.” She looked embarrassed for a moment. “Gosh, do you remember when we were just becoming friends? The group of us had only talked a few times, and I was still friends with the so-called popular girls at school…”

  20

  Tammy and Rona looked at Staci like she’d just grown two heads.

  “Whatya mean you’re going to hang out with a bunch of guys after school?” Rona said.

  “My friends.”

  “We’re your friends,” Tammy said.

  “Sure, you’re all my friends,” Staci agreed, “I have a lot of friends.”

  Rona shook her head aggressively. She had thick curly auburn hair and it shook from side to side, along with her oversized hoop earrings.

  “It’s not those guys I’ve seen you sitting with in the lunch room?” Tammy said, accusatorily.

  “Yeah,” Staci said.

  “You’re always sitting with them. You never sit with us anymore.” Tammy’s hair was curly but dark and dried out. They weren’t the most attractive girls in the school; rather average really; but they carried themselves as if they were. Tammy was a bit overweight, while Rona was on the scrawny side.

  “I’ve sat with them twice,” Staci said, giving them an are you kidding me look, “And I make time for you guys. I’ve sat with you too.”

  “I don’t know what she sees in them anyway,” Rona said.

  “Except for that Johnny fellow,” Tammy said.

  “Well, we should be getting inside. Class starts soon,” Staci said, trying to change the subject. They got off the high wall in the courtyard where they sat, and strolled into Liberty High.

  Wouldn’t you know it, the guys- Jeremy, Johnny, Myron, and Tony were walking the halls in the other direction.

  “Hey guys,” Staci said.

  They greeted her while Staci’s friends crinkled their noses.

  “What do you want with these losers anyway?” Tammy said, loud enough so she was sure they’d hear.

  Staci turned to her and said, “Tammy, they’re not losers. The only loser I see here is you. Now get a life, and quit pretending like you’re the queen of everything.”

  The look of stunned shock as Tammy’s jaw dropped was understandable. Staci had never spoken to her like that before, and now she was leaving to join her new friends.

  Staci looked at her other friend. “And Rona, if you feel the same way, I’ll be happy not to speak to you either.” Rona shook her head.

  “Then maybe I’ll speak to you tomorrow.”

  Staci grasped Myron’s and Jeremy’s hand to either side of her as she walked off. Jeremy blushed all the way up to his hairline.

  “That is about the coolest thing I have ever seen a girl do,” Myron said, astounded.

  “If that’s the coolest thing there’s a few movies you need to see,” Johnny said.

  Staci looked at him cross, but she had a smile on her face that was full of mirth.

  “Kidding Stace,” Johnny said. “That was all right.”

  This was the day that cemented their friendship with Staci, making it less of a boy’s club. She was not just the girl of the group, but an essential part of it.

  They talked for a bit and then each went their way to their classes, but they would all remember what she did that day. It was never about size, or class, or looks, or status for Staci. It was always about character, and she had plenty of it.

  21

  “I think that was when I knew I loved you guys. That we were meant to be good friends,” Staci said.

  “Aww,” Tony said.

  “Thanks Stace,” Jeremy said.

  “Yeah,” Myron seconded.

  “Whatever,” Johnny said, looking at her sidelong to catch her

  reaction.

  Staci stuck out her tongue.

  “Love you too,” Johnny said.

  22

  “Remember your reaction when I told you about my sexual preference?” Tony said, looking at Jeremy.

  Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Yes, I remember. Go ahead, tell the story.”

  23

  It was a Saturday, and Jeremy had to work at the Pizza Palace. Tony picked him up to take him to work in his Ford Thunderbird with the top down.. The sky was blue and the breeze was mild.

  Jeremy hopped in, “Man, it’s nice out! What’s up Tony? Thanks for the ride.”

  “Sure thing. Too nice to work,” Tony said.

  “I can’t believe it’s almost Spring. It’s like sixty degrees. It’s perfect!” Jeremy said.

  “Yeah, well, it’s supposed to go down to thirty tonight.”

  Jeremy showed him his jacket. “Yeah, I know,” he said sadly, “That’s why I brought this.”

  “Off at ten?” Tony asked.

  “Yep.”

  “You got a ride?”

  “Yeah, my parents can pick me up then.”

  “All right.” Tony started the car.

  “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Tony said, his eyes on the road.

  Jeremy looked at him, “Sounds serious.”

  “Well, it is. Not really.”

  “Which is it?”

  “It’s just something you don’t know about me. I figured I should tell you first before the others, seeing as how we were friends first.”

  “All right, now you’ve got me worried. What are you, a serial killer or something?”

  “No,” Tony grinned, “Nothing that extravagant.”

  “Okay then…”

  “Well, promise me you’re not going to freak out.”

  “Jeeze, I
can’t promise that. I have no idea what you’re going to say.”

  Tony nodded, nervous now. “Okay.” He took in a deep breath and glanced at Jeremy for an instant, and the second it was out, his eyes went back to the road.

  “Jeremy, I’m gay.”

  “What?” Jeremy wasn’t sure he heard right. “You’re what?”

  “I’m gay,” Tony repeated, still looking straight ahead as he drove.

  “Ah,” Jeremy said. “You’re joking!” He laughed. “You got me Tony! Good one!”

  Tony got serious. “No, I’m not joking.

  “What?” Jeremy said, “You’re not gay.”

  “Yeah, pretty sure I am.”

  “But… you can’t be gay.”

  “And why not?”

  “’Cause you’re Tony, you know.” He put out his arms and flexed his biceps. “Grrrr Tony!”

  “And Tony can’t be gay?” Tony asked.

  “No. I mean, yeah, I guess. I just never thought… never pictured.”

  “It’s all right,” Tony said. “This is awkward for me too.”

  “It is?”

  “Yeah, if this is making you too uncomfortable I’ll stop talking now.”

  “No,” Jeremy said. “Okay, maybe a little. I’m just…”

  “Shocked, stunned, amazed…?”

  “Yeah, I just never thought you…”

  “Because I’m not all effeminate and hoighty?”

  “Well yeah, um… sorry. What’s hoighty?”

  “I don’t know,” Tony said. “Just sounded like something gay people might be.”

  That made Jeremy laugh. So Tony laughed in turn.

  “I heard someone in my family call this neighbor all hoighty-toighty.”

  That made Jeremy laugh harder. “Sounds like it means stuck-up or something. So you don’t like girls?”

  “Not the last time I thought about them. I’ve dated them, even slept with one, but I’ve always been attracted to guys.”

  “Weird,” Jeremy said.

  Tony laughed. “Thanks.”