The Pit in the Woods: A Mercy Falls Mythos

by Nathaniel Reed

  “You!!” it said. Tony’s eyes opened with recognition. This was the creature he’d seen in the upstairs room in Betty’s house, feeding off her father, and likely the one who’d turned Betty.

  “I knew I’d get a chance to snack on you later big boy,” it said, licking its chops.

  “Think again pisswagon!”

  Johnny looked at him as if to say what the fuck?

  Tony shrugged. Hey, best I could come up with on such short notice.

  The Other squeezed Jeremy’s neck under the crook of its elbow. Jeremy squirmed, gasping for air. His face was turning red. Tony, the holy water, he thought. Now!!

  Jeremy kicked out behind him with all his might, stomping on The Other’s shin. It didn’t hurt it much, but it was enough to loosen the thing’s grip, and give him time to duck, as Tony pulled the holy water out, and the vial sailed through the air, breaking against the thing’s face. Pebbles of glass rained on Jeremy’s head, nestling in his hair.

  The beast screamed as the holy water ate through skin like acid, smoke rising from its swelling face. Jeremy jumped down from the pool table to join his friends, shaking off the glass in his hair like water. A few pieces of glass had given him minute cuts on his forehead and cheeks; nothing a little Neosporin wouldn’t help.

  The Other stretched its arms and wings out above them in

  rage, roaring. The overhead lights shined through the membranes of its wings, tracing the skeins of its veins. They shined as if a miniature sun burned through the hole in its right wing. Blake barely waited for it to look down at them, with its ruined face, before firing another bullet, directly into its forehead. The thing spun backward, back arching, doing a back flip off the pool table, falling off onto the floor on the other side, out of sight.

  25

  They all looked at one another. Though no one spoke it or thought it aloud, they were all thinking the same thing. This was too easy, and it was. When they walked over to the other side, it was still there, thrashing. The bullet, and the silver it was made of, was coursing through its brain and whatever substituted for a nervous system. Tony leapt on top of the thing.

  “You killed Betty!” he screamed, punching it in the face. “You turned her, you fucking shit!” He punctuated each word with his fist. Though normally it would have laughed off his strikes, the silver diminished its strength to where they actually hurt, somewhat. The thing stopped Tony in his tracks. Suddenly its arm came up, its hand gripping Tony by the throat. It lifted Tony away from him, even as the creature itself lay on the ground. The sight of it lifting Tony’s muscular frame over itself with one arm was frightening to behold, and a testament to the thing’s strength. Blake had gotten really lucky last time. The Other he fought had a heavy dose of sunshine to contend with. This one had no fear of sunrise for quite some time.

  The Other sat up, throwing Tony halfway across the room, his back colliding with the wood paneled walls, splintering the planks, driving Tony unconscious.

  “Tony!” Jeremy screamed. They didn’t know if he’d hit his head, or his back was broken. They weren’t even sure if he’d survive. And they didn’t have the luxury of time to find out. They had to deal with the creature, and deal with it now.

  It stood up, and the hellish face they thought couldn’t look any worse, did. It was a mess of oozing wounds and bubbling sores, and skin that ran down its face like wax. The bullet hole in its forehead was a black hollow, from which a crimson rivulet spouted over its deformed nose.

  Blake brought his arm up to fire the gun again, and the thing grabbed his arm with a swiftness that was perplexing considering its state. The creature bent Blake’s gun hand and forearm back, and the snap that followed was accentuated by Blake’s piercing scream of pain.

  The group rushed toward him but the creature held him there, turning to them with a snarl. Something shifted in its face, and The Other made a grunt of effort. They watched, dumbfounded, as the twisted silver bullet pushed its ragged end out of the hole in the things forehead, pushing its way out until it fell to the floor with a clink.

  It let go of Blake and moved toward them. Jeremy didn’t like what he saw as Blake fell to his knees on the floor, nursing his arm. The wrist and hand of his gun arm were twisted backward and upward in a way that wasn’t supposed to be humanly possible. He cried, holding his arm to his chest. To be brought this low was unfitting for Blake, and that made them angry. They lifted their crosses and stakes. Johnny wished he’d had a gun then. It backed off a little at the sight of the cross; a little, but not much.

  Oh- oh, is what they all thought. It batted the crosses away, and Jeremy and Johnny stood there with stakes in hand, realizing if they were close enough to do any damage with them, it was probably too late.

  The beast thrust its claws toward them. The sound of gunfire, and fresh blood seemed to spout out through the hole in its forehead. Except it wasn’t the same hole, just very close to it. Blake had shot it through the back of the head, and the bullet had exited out what would have been just above its eyebrow, if it had had any. It was a fortunate shot, and Blake knew it. He’d used his left hand, the one that worked, and the last of his strength to take it. He lay on his side,

  lowering the gun, as if the weight of it alone would finish him off.

  The Other, the gray, the thing that was once a man a long time ago fell face down and Jeremy and Johnny parted to let him fall between them.

  “Do it!” Blake cried, “Stake it now while you have the chance!”

  Johnny didn’t have a problem with that. He kicked the thing over onto its back. And not a moment too soon. Already it was awakening from the hit. Johnny brought the stake down hard and fast. The squelching sound as it plunged in made him a little sick. Jeremy followed with his stake, just to make sure, the anger and adrenaline still coursing through his veins. The beast let out a loud grunt, and lay still, the stakes stuck side by side on a diagonal in its chest, blood streaming down its ribcage, bubbling up from the twin wounds.

  The two of them watched carefully to be certain the creature didn’t move.

  “We should cut off the head,” Johnny said, “as a guarantee.”

  Jeremy looked at him questioningly.

  “I saw it in a movie. You stake them, then decapitate. It’s how you make sure they don’t come back.” Johnny shrugged.

  They looked around for something sharp.

  “Back here!” Johnny said. In the stock room behind the bar, displayed on the wall were two crisscrossed medieval swords. They took them down.

  Jeremy went to look at Tony. He was still unconscious. Johnny checked on Blake, who was in incredible pain, but said, to Johnny, “Go, make sure!”

  They were several feet from The Other when it stood up, and began to pull the stakes out of its chest with both hands.

  Johnny said, “You have got to be shitting me.”

  The thing ran at them. Johnny had just enough time to stick his sword straight out, barely raising it, and ramming it through. It tore through the thing’s abdomen, coming out its back. The Other was stuck, impaled on it, although it continued to struggle ferociously, swiping at Johnny with its enormous taloned hands. Only the sword kept it at arm’s length; and Johnny from massive facial reconstruction.

  Jeremy saw his opening. Johnny, get down, he thought at him.

  John Winter held fast to the sword that prevented his mauling, and crouched lower. Jeremy swung his sword, clean through the beast’s neck, its head doing somersaults in the air, blood spraying every which way. Johnny felt the spatter on his back and his neck. The head bounced off a wall and rolled on the floor, coming to a stop on the stump of its neck, looking up vacantly at the ceiling.

  Johnny still held the sword, the headless body just now stopping its flailing. He let go of the sword, and the body dropped like a heap of trash with a loud thump.

  “Burn it,” Blake said.

  “What?” Johnny asked.

  “Burn the head,” Blake said from the ground, “I’ve seen t
hat in movies to. They destroy the body and the head separately.” He grimaced. It clearly took effort to speak, and it was doing him more harm than good.

  “Okay Blake, I’ll…” Johnny watched him. Sweat popped out in glistening beads on Blake’s forehead, and his eyes rolled back in his head. Blake fainted. It was probably for the best.

  “You heard the man,” Johnny said, looking at Jeremy. “Let’s do it.”

  They found a box of matches in a drawer next to the grill. Jeremy had the pleasant task of carrying the head over, imagining all the while it would open its eyes and bite his fingers off. They placed it on the grill, struck a match, and lit it on fire.

  “Maybe we should leave a note not to cook any more burgers on this grill,” Johnny joked. When that little task was done they woke Tony.

  “Tony, are you all right?” Jeremy said, “Anything broken?”

  He got up groggily, shaking his head. “No, I don’t think so, but my back hurts like hell.”

  “Good,” Johnny said, “Because we’ve gotta take Blake to the hospital.”

  “Blake!” Tony said, “What happened to Blake?!”

  “See for yourself,” Johnny said.

  “Is that thing…?”

  “Dead?” Jeremy said, “Yeah, we killed it. Just barely.”

  “Oh Christ!” Tony said when he saw Blake.

  “Yeah. Let’s see if we can get him up on his feet without waking him. He’s in a lot of pain,” Johnny said.

  “I’ll bet,” Tony replied.

  Blake didn’t completely awaken, but was in a half daze as they steadied him, slurring his words. “I’m so sorry, so sorry I got you into this.”

  “Don’t worry about that now Blake,” Jeremy said. “We’ve got to go get you patched up.”

  “No,” Blake opened his eyes in alarm, “Police are probably still looking for me.”

  “Well, you’re John Doe until we can get you fixed,” Johnny said. “Get his wallet. He can’t have any ID on him. As soon as we can get you out of there we will. Until then you remember nothing.

  “Don’t remember anything,” Blake slurred, vaguely nodding.

  They walked him out the door.

  26

  When asked how Jeremy had got the small cuts on his face, he said he’d been wrestling in the playground and fell in the dirt. It was likely enough. Boys played rough, and they didn’t question it, even though Jeremy wasn’t exactly the rough and tumble type.

  “I should never have got you boys involved,” Blake had whispered to them as he went under, before they reset the bone in his arm. “I didn’t know what we were up against.”

  “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think, after going down in the pit with you,” Tony said. “Someone had to. And you couldn’t have done it alone.”

  “I didn’t do it… at… all.” He was slipping. “You boys did it.”

  “Well, Johnny and Jeremy did it,” Tony said. Blake was out.

  They were wheeling him away.

  Now back home Jeremy sat on the corner of the couch, next to his mom and dad, Rebecca on the other side of them. They were watching TV, and he was looking out into the distance. They’d asked him to sit with them for a while- They rarely spent time as a family, he was always out with his friends, or at school, or at work, yada yada yada… He just wanted to go up to his room.

  The news came on, and Jeremy’s attention was drawn to the TV. They were talking about the tussle at his father’s office. The curvaceous blonde with the stick straight hair, a Veronica Sawyer, was saying something to the reporter. His mother looked over at his father, and said, “You didn’t tell me you worked with THAT,” in an accusatory tone.

  Martin Daniels looked at his wife Roberta with feigned confusion. “I’m sorry, with what now?”

  Jeremy grinned.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  MAX RIFKIN AND THE VAMPIRES/

  THE SIEGE AT MERCY

  (2014)

  1

  “Friends of yours?” Eve said.

  After Max’s comment, Jeremy said, “I wouldn’t say that.”

  They pulled out their crosses and stakes as the vampires moved in.

  “Aww, no fair,” Max said, “You came prepared.” The vampires backed up.

  “Funny thing is,” Johnny said, “It’s a lot easier to kill you now. All you need is a little wood. Oh wait… you’ve already got that.”

  “Ha!” Max said, “That’s funny filthy traitor. At least I can still get wood! What are you, fifty?”

  “Nice comeback Max. I’m impressed. No, not quite fifty; you never were good at math. I’d love to trade quips with you all night, but can I just stake you now?”

  “Well, you can try,” Max challenged.

  Eve said, “They can’t come close to us with the crosses.” Eve was backing away from them herself, but behind them.

  “What’s with the girl?” Farris said.

  “Don’t know,” Phil said, “but she’s smokin’! Almost be ashamed to kill her.”

  “I think she’s a vampire bro,” Jake said.

  “I think you’re right,” Max said, “Thought I sensed vamp nearby. What’s a hot little undead gal doing with these bozos? You’re playing for the wrong team honey.”

  Eve didn’t reply.

  “I’m not too sure about the crosses,” Jeremy whispered. “Not sure they’re very religious.”

  “They just have to be God-fearing,” Eve said.

  “No fear of God here!” Max said, obviously picking up on their conversation with his heightened hearing, “God hating maybe!”

  “You hate everything,” Johnny said, “What’s the difference? That’s why you’re useless to society, especially now.”

  “All right! All right! Can I ice this fool already?” Eddie said.

  “Easy Iceman, your time will come,” Max said. “Besides, Johnny’s mine.”

  Johnny put his hands over his heart and batted his eyelashes. “I am? Oh my, and we haven’t even dated.”

  “That’s it!” Eddie said, “I’m…” He moved forward toward Johnny, and didn’t get to finish his proclamation. Tony tossed a vial of holy water at him. It crashed against his jaw, the skin against his cheek sizzling.

  “Aaaah!” Eddie yelled, “You fuck!” His hand went up reflexively to the wound, and the liquid scalded the palm of his hand as well. He brought it down in frustration and anger. “I’m gonna kill you!”

  “Boy, temper, temper,” Johnny said. “You’d think you’d have some sort of control over your boys after all these years Max. That’s right, I forgot. You boys never did quite grow up did you?”

  “Shut up!” Max screamed, and dove at him. Johnny raised his cross, and fear rose in Max’s face mid-flight. The cross made contact with his right shoulder, searing the flesh there. Johnny was going to drive the stake home, but the full brunt of Max’s weight knocked him over, and the wood flew from his hand.

  The others followed suit attacking them, trying to wrestle away the crosses or avoid them, and simultaneously stay away from the stakes.

  Eddie attempted to tackle Tony for ruining his face, even though it would all eventually heal without a trace, and even though Tony was twice his size in weight and muscle. Jack Farris, still a brick of a man, went after Jeremy, tough and mean, but clumsy. Phil went after Staci. His brother Jake went after Myron. Max and Johnny still struggled on the ground.

  Eve remained in the background, no one coming after her. Their mistake.

  2

  Lori Stewart dialed Johnny’s phone. She didn’t know why. She knew he wasn’t coming to see Jake until Thanksgiving. And she was his ex. The only reason she ever spoke to him at all was because of their boy.

  She knew she was lying to herself. Perhaps he hadn’t been the best husband, or the best father, but part of her still loved him. And she knew he loved Cody. Lori wasn’t expecting him to call her again until right before he came up to visit, but she felt as if she needed to talk to him now, or soon, as if something
was wrong. She had nothing to base that feeling on, but still that nagging voice was in her head. No one was picking up, which made her even more uneasy.

  In Johnny’s hotel room hard rock blared from the cell phone he’d left behind. After about ten rings it finally went to voicemail.

  “Johnny, this is Lori,” she said. “I know this is going to sound weird, but I’m calling because I’m worried about you. Tell me I’m stupid, or whatever, but just let me know you’re okay. Please, just call me back when you can. Okay Johnny? Lo…”

  She stopped herself. Lori had almost said, “Love you.” Instead she said, “I’ll talk to you later.” A shiver went through her as she hung up.

  3

  Her telephone rang, but she wasn’t picking up. This wasn’t the first time. Dan had called before, but couldn’t reach Staci. The kids were asking questions and he didn’t know how to answer them. Staci’s phone was in her purse, back in her hotel room, in the room’s wall safe.

  Myron’s phone was at his side, clipped to his belt. He felt it

  vibrate, just before being attacked. Yep, not going to get that call.

  Jake grabbed his stake hand by the wrist; about to twist it when Myron brought the cross up against Jake’s exposed neck. It made a sound like a burger hot on the griddle and produced just as much smoke. Jake squealed and staggered backward.

  Eddie was stronger than Tony imagined (the famed vampire strength of ten men, it seemed). He wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, coming in low, making Tony drop his cross and stake.

  Staci cried out as Phil leapt at her. She ducked, bringing up the stake, and it plunged into his shoulder, as they both went down, Phil atop her. The cross flew out of her other hand as it smacked against the concrete.

  “Oww, bitch that hurt! You give me some wood, I give you some wood!” He tore at her shirt and Staci slapped him hard across the face. Phil’s mouth gaped open in shock. It didn’t hurt, but the fact that she did that at all… He didn’t have time to regain his composure as Staci tore the stake from his shoulder. It hurt a lot more coming out than it did going in. Phil rolled off of her.