The Devil's Woods

by Brian Moreland

  Ray stood and, leaning on his staff, walked with a limp to the atrium doors and peered out at the dark woods. “This is the part I’ve always refused to believe. See, my momma was a sick old woman and very superstitious. A strong believer that spirits inhabit these woods. But I’ll tell you anyway because this legend is like a parasite that burrows in the back of the minds of everyone who lives in Hagen’s Cove. They fear that even mentioning Macâya Forest will summon the devil to your door.”

  Kyle felt Jessica inching closer. Damn, he wanted to put his arm around her.

  Ray turned around and reflections of the fire flickered in his eyes. “According to legend, a heavy storm formed over these mountains and hovered there for several weeks. Inside Macâya Forest an iridescent green mist spread across the woods all the way to Hagen’s Cove. The inhabitants bolted their doors. But the strange glowing mist remained. People heard moaning and saw ghosts inside that green fog. Having a mill to keep fed, Hagen Thorpe and his lumberjacks set out into the mist, wielding axes. But something was waiting for them. The screams of those men echoed across the land, heard by the Cree tribe and the white people back in town. Only Hagen returned with a haunted expression on his face. He swore he saw the devil himself. The next day, when the mist dissolved, a few Cree warriors ventured into the woods and found the remains of the lumberjacks torn and twisted and covered in flies… Scattered all around them were large footprints and trees slashed with claw marks…”

  Jessica gasped and grabbed Kyle’s thigh.

  Ray leaned forward on his staff, gazing at everyone with an expression that was dead serious. “And to this day, it is believed if you go anywhere near Macâya Forest, you can still hear the cries of the men who were slaughtered and the ferocious howl of the Macâya.”

  Zack growled and grabbed Shawna’s shoulder. She screamed and leapt from her seat. Zack laughed uncontrollably.

  “You bastard!” Shawna punched his shoulder.

  “That’s twice today.”

  Shawna’s face turned red. “Just for that, dipshit, you can sleep alone tonight.”

  “Hey now!” Zack chuckled. “You gotta admit it was funny. You practically jumped out of your skin.”

  “Good night, everybody.” Shawna stomped up the stairs.

  Zack looked at the group, holding up his hands. “What? It was a joke.”

  Jessica said, “Seriously, Zack, scaring your girlfriend’s not going to win you any points.”

  Kyle said, “If you want to sleep in a bed tonight, you better go patch things up.”

  Zack hit himself and said, “Idiot,” and then ran up the stairs after his girlfriend.

  * * *

  “Ray, do you believe the legend?” Kyle asked.

  “Not hardly.” His cousin chuckled, shaking his head. “Our elders were always coming up with supernatural myths. Some were to explain the phenomena of nature. Others to scare the children. As for Macâya Forest, the forbidden woods do exist, but I don’t believe there was ever any green fog. But there’s one part of the story I can’t deny…the mysterious slaughter of a dozen lumberjacks is docked in Hagen’s Cove’s history.”

  “So then there was something out there that night,” Kyle said. “The Macâya.”

  “That’s what the locals believe, but nobody ever found an animal that could kill a dozen men armed with axes. My guess is they pissed off the wrong grizzly bear.”

  A strange animal sound echoed from the woods.

  “What was that?” Jessica asked.

  Kyle turned to face the back windows. Ray’s dogs stood on the back porch with their fur bristled, barking at the forest.

  Ray lunged out of his seat. “Something’s got them spooked.”

  The three dogs dashed off the porch.

  * * *

  Eric sat on the hood of the Hummer out front, his head floating in a watery world, a near-empty vodka bottle clutched in his fingers. His anger was gone now, diluted by the liquor he’d drunk.

  The howling suddenly seemed too close for comfort. And there was more than one wolf now.

  Shit, time to head inside. But first he had to take one hell of a piss. He hopped down from the Hummer. The ground spun as he stumbled to the edge of the front yard where tall pines bordered the clearing. As he relieved himself, he vaguely remembered Jessica coming out and looking for him. He didn’t remember the conversation, but she had left pissed off.

  Hell, she was so sensitive it could have been any goddamn little thing. What Eric needed to do was man-up and apologize for whatever he said and then take Jessica upstairs and have sex with her. That always put things right between them.

  He zipped his jeans and started back toward the cabin when he heard something moving through the trees. “Who’s there?”

  No one. Just the wind.

  Then something in the gloom released a guttural snarl, and Eric kicked backward.

  An animal burst through the branches.

  Eric backed into the Hummer and fell to the ground. From the pines a four-legged beast rushed into the moonlight, lips curled back over what looked like a rack of sharp fangs. It slowed to a prowl, lowering its head, growling.

  Eric eased up the side of the Hummer and glanced toward the house. Between him and the front door stood three wolves, barking and growling. Fuck! Eric froze, feeling cornered. Shaking, he looked behind him. Toward the fourth beast that had rushed from the forest.

  When it nearly reached him, Eric yelled. He shielded his face. Through the cracks of his fingers he could see a snarling mouth, angry eyes. The beast came within a yard, but didn’t attack. Instead, what up close looked like a black-and-brown dog, advanced past him, toward the three wolves. They stooped their heads and snarled. The black wolf crept from behind, surrounding the dog that Eric finally recognized: the Rottweiler with that family who owned the RV.

  Chaser.

  All at once the three wolves pounced the dog, snapping at its back and nape. Chaser fought them off, biting and barking and twisting.

  The front door opened and Ray Roamingbear hobbled out, yelling and breaking up the fight with his staff. “Get! Get!” The three wolves split from the scene, leaving Chaser to lick his wounds.

  Jessica rushed out when she saw the battered Rottweiler. “Oh, my God, Chaser!” She raced to its aid. “Ah, boy, you’re bleeding.”

  The dog whimpered and licked her chin.

  Eric remained on the ground in front of the Hummer, trying to calm his fast-beating heart.

  Kyle came out into the front yard. “What happened this time?”

  “I’m afraid it’s my damned dogs again,” Ray said, shaking his head. “They got into a scuff with this fellow.”

  Kyle looked down at Chaser. “What’s Carl’s dog doing here?”

  “I don’t know.” Jessica brushed pine needles out of its gnarled fur. “He must’ve run away again. But how’d you ever find us, you little mongrel?” She flapped his ears.

  Eric’s fury returned as Kyle bent down beside Jessica, helping her keep the dog from running away.

  Ray said, “Eric, you all right?”

  He stood up. “Yeah, fine.” He couldn’t believe he was nearly killed, and Jessica ran to help a stupid dog. “Don’t worry about me, Jess. I was nearly attacked, but I’m all right now.”

  Jessica stood. “I only ran to Chaser because he was bleeding. I’m a doctor. That’s what I do.”

  Eric snarled, “You’re a student doctor back home at the hospital. On vacation, you’re supposed to be my girlfriend.” He brushed past her and Kyle on his way inside.

  Kyle surveyed the wounded dog. “Chaser, looks like you need the same treatment as me. But don’t worry. Doc here will fix you up.”

  The battered Rottweiler moaned and staggered as Kyle and Jessica guided him into the cabin.

  Kyle closed the door and remained outside to say good night to Ray. He was obviously embarrassed about the evening catastrophes with his dogs. “I better get my dogs home.”

  Kyle said, “Befor
e you go, I’ve been meaning to ask you something about Dad.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “What do you want to know?”

  Kyle explained how they came across Detective Carl Hanson, searching the area for his missing daughter. And how later they found Elkheart’s red Bronco packed with camping gear. “Do you think it’s possible Dad and his crew might be camping somewhere on the land?”

  “I doubt it. Your grandfather and I would’ve seen him by now if he’d stuck around.”

  “Detective Hanson suspects they were working on some kind of top-secret expedition in the area and that none of the crew has reported back yet. I’ve decided to hike to some of our old campsites tomorrow and see if I can locate him.”

  “We’re on the edge of untamed wilderness,” Ray said. “It wouldn’t take much to get yourself lost out there.”

  “If Dad taught me anything, it’s how to navigate the woods.”

  “All right,” Ray said. “If you want, I’ll hike with you. I know every trail on this reservation. If Elkheart’s camping on the property, I have a few ideas where he’d be.”

  “Thanks, I’d appreciate the help.” There was hope yet.

  They agreed to meet at sunrise. Then, saying good night, Ray walked up the driveway, clicking his tongue. His three wolf dogs came out of the woods and walked with him into the night.

  Chapter Eight

  Back inside the cabin, all was quiet now. Grandfather had retired to the downstairs bedroom, while Zack and Shawna remained upstairs. Eric was passed out in a seated position on the loveseat.

  Leaning against the kitchen counter, Kyle watched Jessica bandage the wounded Rottweiler. The smooth fur of Chaser’s back was covered with welts and lacerations and an ugly three-clawed scrape across his neck. Those cuts bothered Kyle most, because they had run deep enough valleys to show dark red tissue. But the dog was in good hands.

  Jessica coddled Chaser as if he were a child.

  Kyle said, “You know, if being a doctor doesn’t pan out, you’d make a great veterinarian. You have a way with animals.”

  “When I was a girl, I actually wanted to become a vet.” She petted Chaser’s forehead. “At our ranch back in Australia, we had horses, goats, sheep and a couple of blue heelers. I looked after the animals, feeding and watering them, patching up their cuts. Whenever the vet paid us a visit, I always tagged along and helped him. But as I grew older, I felt more called to help people, but I miss these guys.”

  She swabbed the last cut, covered it with a bandage then let the Rottweiler loose to roam. Limping, Chaser padded into the kitchen and licked Kyle’s hand.

  Jessica smiled and tilted her head in a way that made her dark hair fall across one shoulder. “He likes you.”

  “You think?” Kyle scratched Chaser behind the ears.

  “You did rescue him from the woods today.”

  The dog returned to her, and Kyle said, “Maybe so, but he clearly has chosen his favorite. Just don’t get too attached. We have to return him tomorrow.”

  She stroked the Rottweiler’s fur. “Ahh, and we were just starting to become good mates.”

  Kyle placed another log on the fire. On the loveseat, Eric snored like a buzz saw. Kyle shook his brother’s shoulder. “Hey, wake up. I need to set up my bed.”

  Eric moaned and rolled over.

  Jessica laughed. “A fog horn between his ears won’t wake him. No worries. Just push his couch back.”

  Kyle shoved the loveseat back and then unfolded the sleeper sofa and unrolled his goose-down bag. When he was done, he realized Jessica was watching him.

  After a moment of awkward silence, she said, “Um, before we turn in, there’s something I’d love to show you.”

  Jessica’s surprise was that she had brought her telescope. Kyle joined her on the cabin’s balcony for a little stargazing. Up here, Kyle had a view of the shadowy village. Several cabins creaked in the wind and a door slammed against its frame at the stables. He focused on the sky. Away from the light pollution of the city, the stars sparkled like diamonds on black velvet. The night was clear, the moon a bright pearl.

  “There,” Jessica panned the telescope and pointed to the sky. “See the constellation that’s shaped like a Y?”

  Kyle peered into the scope and found the grouping of Y-shaped stars.

  “That’s Aries,” Jessica said. “Over there’s the Big Dipper. And the brightest star with a red hue, that’s Mars.”

  As they took turns peering into the lens, she named off constellations like a well-studied astronomer. “My first big dream—do you want to know what it was?”

  “Yes.”

  “To be an astronaut and travel into space.”

  Kyle said, “Seriously? I thought you wanted to be a vet and then a doctor.”

  “I did. But before that, until the age of nine, I wanted to be an astronaut more than anything. I had the entire universe on my bedroom ceiling. I could name any of the constellations and planets.”

  Kyle peered into the scope. “So why didn’t you pursue that dream?”

  “My dad told me that being an astronaut was a man’s profession, that I’d be better off practicing medicine like him. I named all the women who’d become astronauts before me.”

  “And?”

  “He was unmoved, said he wouldn’t pay for college if I studied anything but medicine.” Jessica looked away from the stars to glance at Kyle. “I’ve grown to love med school. It’s funny, with all the micro medical technology now exploring the human body it’s a lot like traveling in outer space. So you see, I got my wish after all.” The smile she gave him was irresistible.

  Kyle had never paid much attention to the sky. Now it had greater depths. Some of the stars were bright and closer to the Earth, others dim, submerged deeper in the vast pool of the universe. He felt inspired to encourage her. “You know, it’s not unheard of for medical specialists to go on space missions.”

  “I’ve thought of that.” There was that smile again, her eyes gleaming. “Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be the first doctor on Mars.”

  “I’d go there with you.” The words escaped his mouth before he could stop them.

  She laughed. “Absolutely. We’ll need a writer too, I suppose.” But the moment was awkward and she looked away. “So tell me. What’s your next dream, Mr. Famous Author?”

  Kyle hesitated, not sure how to answer. “I don’t dream much.”

  “Sure you do. Everybody dreams.”

  He shrugged.

  “You must have goals as a writer, hopes for future projects and so forth.”When he didn’t answer, she said, “Shall I gaze into my crystal ball then?” Jessica mimed conjuring a ball on the handrail between them.

  “Please do.”

  “All right. I see you publishing your next book to massive critical acclaim, talk shows, ticker-tape parades, and later being the first artist-in-residence on Mars.”

  Kyle laughed. It felt so good that it frightened him. “That all seems perfectly reasonable.”

  She smiled. “Seriously, don’t you think about your future?”

  “Not really. Not since…well, the last couple years I’ve lived pretty much day by day.” Kyle watched the woods in silence for a while. He didn’t want her to know this lifeless part of him. The part that had given up caring after Stephanie died.

  Jessica gave him a half smile. Her eyes looked bothered that he was being so closed off.

  Kyle wanted to share more about himself, but felt like he’d be dishonoring Stephanie. “I guess I better call it a night.”

  “Okay.” Jessica sounded disappointed.

  There was an awkward silence between them as they descended the stairs.

  The den was dark except for a faint glow from the fireplace. As Kyle approached his bedroll, he saw a hand stretched across his pillow. “Oh, great!” Eric had crawled onto Kyle’s double bed and was lying beside the sleeping bag.

  Jessica shook her boyfriend’s shoulder. “Eric, wake up. It’s time to go upstair
s.”

  He didn’t respond.

  “Looks like he’s dead to the world,” Kyle said.

  She made a sound of exasperation, then saying good night, disappeared upstairs.

  Part Three

  Ghost Detective

  When one can see into the spirit realm and speak to ghosts, it opens up a whole new world of opportunities the average man cannot attain. You see, ghosts come to me for services. They want to understand their deaths. They want closure. And most of all they want to be released from their limbo states before the Hollowers come to claim their souls. As a ghost detective, I help them find their way home and in return, they watch over me.