Boding Evil
It Will Find You
Linda L Barton
DeadlyReads.com
Copyright 2016 © Linda L. Barton
All Rights Reserved
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Table of Contents
Title Page, Copyright, Table of Contents,
Special Acknowledgments
Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2,
Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5,
Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8
Sacrificing Souls
Special Acknowledgments
While Boding Evil is a fictional story, many of the situations portrayed in this book were inspired by TRUE events.
I wish to thank those who shared their experiences with the supernatural and those things we all try to keep hidden in the dark recesses of our minds. I know some will say the events portrayed in this book are merely objects of a fanciful imagination, but to those who shared their stories with me, the events were quite real.
~~~
Editing, Formatting, and Cover Design by
Deadly Reads Author Services
Prologue
Charise noticed the man as he walked into the café. She had seen many of his kind walk through that door over the years, but something was different about this one. She watched as he walked to the end of the counter; away from the others gathered together as they shared their tales of life on the road. He did not say a word; he simply sat in silence as though the troubles of the world weighed heavy on his shoulders. Charise walked up to the man and said with a broad smile, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Several moments passed until he nodded his head and looked up at her, “What time is it?”
“It’s four in the morning, why?” Charise flipped the coffee cup over in front of him and filled it to the brim with the steaming hot coffee. “You sure look like you could use some of this.”
He lifted the cup of hot coffee to his lips and took a sip, “Thanks,” was all he said as he set the cup down on the counter in front of him.
“Are you hungry? I must admit we have some great food here. Would you like a menu?” Charise tried to lighten the mood, but he did not seem interested.
“No thank you. I’m not hungry, would you just leave me alone for now?” He took another sip of coffee and then set the cup back on the counter.
“Sure, but if you change your mind…”
“I’ll let you know. I just need a little time to gather my thoughts,” he looked down into his cup of coffee, allowing his mind to wander...
***
The day had started out like any other. Jeff Mason had arrived early at the warehouse in Little Rock to pick up his load going to St. Louis. He was pleased when it only took three hours for them to load his truck. All Jeff wanted to do was to get this load delivered and head home for some time off.
Jeff had been out for several weeks and he always looked forward to his time off with his wife and children. Jeff had been an over-the-road truck driver for nearly fifteen years, like his father and grandfather before him. He loved life on the road but he always looked forward to his time at home with his family.
Jeff knew he had an all-night trip in front of him, so he’d decided to stop for a shower, and then grab something to eat before his drive to St. Louis. Once he was back out to his truck, he’d decided to look at his atlas for the quickest route and was upset to learn it would take him near the one place he had hoped he would never see again.
“It’s been twenty-three years since I’ve been anywhere near that damn place, but I guess that all changes tonight.” Jeff returned the atlas to the pocket on the inside of the driver’s door and started his truck.
Things were going along fine until he turned onto Hwy 160 in southeast Missouri. The last time Jeff had been on this road he had promised himself he would never return. His family had gone this way when they moved back to California from the small town of Greer Springs, and it surprised him how the thought of being so close to where it had all happened made him feel.
Jeff decided to listen to the radio, hoping it would take his mind off that time in his life and the terrible events that forced his family to leave. As he drove that familiar stretch of highway, he noticed how unusually dark it appeared outside and how the darkness seemed to swallow the light from his headlights making it difficult to see the road in front of him.
Jeff knew he was nearly to the turn-off for Greer Springs by the uneasy feeling growing up inside of him, so he decided to turn the volume down on the radio and concentrate on the road. However, as he reached for the volume control on the radio, a deer bolted out in front of his truck and barely escaped being hit.
“Oh shit!” Jeff shouted as he watched the deer disappear into the trees along the side of the road.
He was thankful he had missed it because he couldn’t afford the downtime to get his truck repaired, let alone the cost of the repairs.
“Pull yourself together, you still have all night to drive,” he moaned to himself as he tried to steady his nerves.
Jeff took the last swallow of coffee from his cup and had reached for his thermos when he saw the sign ahead for Greer Springs. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he read the words on the sign with the arrow pointing to the left. Jeff knew it was foolish, but he found himself steering the truck closer to the right side of the lane and nearly over the white line on the shoulder.
As the highway veered to the right and away from the road to Greer Springs, Jeff laughed at allowing a foolish childhood memory get to him in such a way. Now that it was behind him, Jeff decided to turn the volume back up on his radio and enjoy the rest of his trip.
He had been driving for nearly fifteen minutes when suddenly, out of nowhere, another deer darted out in front of him.
“Damn it! They’re out thick tonight!” He struggled to calm his nerves again, but what he saw next made his heart nearly stop dead in his chest.
To his horror, caught in the glow of his headlights was the sign to Greer Springs.
“What the hell?” Jeff grunted as he drove past the illuminated sign.
Jeff knew there was no way he could have driven past the same sign. Hell, he was headed northeast which took him away from Greer Springs.
“Maybe I read the sign wrong,” Jeff said aloud, trying to convince himself otherwise.
This whole thing was impossible. There was no way he had ended up back at the turnoff because he never left Highway 160. Then a thought came to him. Jeff had heard over the years of driver’s seeing strange things at night from lack of sleep and driving too many miles, but that could not be the case because he was completely rested and ready for the trip.
In spite of a foreboding sense of dread, Jeff decided to put it all out of his mind and listen to one of the audio books he had bought a few days ago.
The miles seemed to fly by as Jeff found himself engrossed in the book. He found himself relaxed and relieved to have Greer Springs far behind him when out of nowhere, another deer ran
across the road and barely missed the front of his truck.
“Damn!” Jeff steadied himself, wondering how many more times a deer would bolt out in front of him this trip.
Then Jeff saw it. He gasped as his headlights lit up the road sign to Greer Springs for the third time.
“Shit! What the hell’s going on tonight? This can’t be happening.”
Jeff did not know what to believe. Maybe he was asleep, and this was all a horrible nightmare, but he knew better. Suddenly, Jeff felt the same familiar cold force wrap around him that he had felt all those years ago. His heart beat wildly in his chest, and he wondered if he would be able to escape its clutches this time. He looked at the clock on the dash of his truck and saw it was nearly 3 am.
“Leave me alone,” Jeff pleaded to the darkness as he held tight to the steering wheel of the big Peterbilt.
***
Jeff had driven in total silence for another hour before he finally saw the light of a small truck stop and café off in the distance. He was glad to be away from the strange darkness and the effect it had on him. He had not felt this way in many years, so all he wanted to do now was to drink some coffee and calm his nerves before he continued on with the rest of his trip.
As Jeff walked into the café, he couldn’t seem to shake the strange feeling that something dark and eerily familiar had tried to lure him back to Greer Springs. It was a memory he had tried to bury deep inside of his mind; the time that his family had barely escaped the evil forces that had tried to kill them all those years ago.
Chapter 1
Twenty-Five Years Earlier
“Hurry up and get your things packed, so your father can put them in the truck!” Velma shouted as she put the masking tape on the last box of dishes.
“Mom, Jeff won’t help me!” Lori whined as she forced another pair of blue jeans into the already overly stuffed box.
Jeff had already finished his packing and was helping his father carry boxes out to the rental truck. “If you would’ve started to pack when Mom told you to instead of talking on the phone with Beverly, you’d be done like I am,” Jeff teased as he walked passed her room.
“Shut up, Jeff! I never wanted to leave in the first place, and I don’t think it’s fair that I have to go when Amy gets to stay!” Lori mumbled as she put more masking tape across the top of the bulging box.
“Jeff, leave your sister alone and Lori, quit your complaining and get your things packed, or they’ll be left behind! You know why she’s staying here, she wants to finish out the school year with her class then she’ll join us there,” Velma grabbed another empty box and reached for some of the canned goods in the cabinet.
Jeff could not understand why Lori was upset about moving. He was looking forward to going. Jeff was ready for something new. Not that he did not like where they lived, but the idea of traveling and living somewhere different was exciting for Jeff. His parents had moved from Oklahoma to California several years earlier when his father was offered a job with a trucking company that hauled produce for the local growers. His parents had packed up and moved with his two older sisters, and his mother six months pregnant with Jeff.
***
“Gene, would you please take this box out to the truck for me?” Velma pointed to the box sitting on the floor as she sat on the kitchen stool to rest for a few minutes.
“Sure thing, I’ll be there in a minute,” he said as he walked down the ramp of the rental truck.
Gene Mason had been anxiously awaiting this day ever since he had bought the twenty-acre farm in Greer Springs, Missouri. Gene had never liked living in town, so when he saw the advertisement in one of those Trader catalogs he had jumped at the chance.
Gene had always dreamed of owning a few acres with some livestock, but Velma was not so keen on the idea. She had no desire to leave California and give up the house she loved and move out into the middle of nowhere. The day Gene had come home and told her he had bought a farm and that they would be moving to Missouri was a low point in her life. However, Gene had promised her this would be good for the family, so she decided not to argue with him.
It had taken another two hours to get the rest of the boxes packed and in the truck. So, while Gene did one last walk through the house and garage to make sure nothing was being left behind, Velma stood in the driveway and gazed at the house she loved one last time.
I’ll never have another house as beautiful as this one, she thought to herself as she turned and walked to the truck.
“Come on, we’re burning daylight,” Gene announced as he started the truck.
“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing? We have such a lovely house here, and I hate…” Velma groaned as she climbed into the truck.
“It’s done, Velma. We’re moving, so put all of those thoughts out of your mind. This will all be for the best, you’ll see.”
Without looking back, Gene pulled out of the driveway, and the family was now headed toward their new life.
***
The trip had been long and uncomfortable for everyone. Lori had complained the entire trip, but Jeff pretended they were on a ship, sailing across the ocean to an undiscovered land. After stopping in Poplar Bluff, Missouri at the realtor’s office to get the keys to the house and take care of some last minute paperwork, they then headed to their new home.
Jeff felt a rush of excitement the first time he saw the sign to Greer Springs and he knew this move would be the start of a new life for his family.
***
As they turned down the road to their new house, Gene knew he had made the right decision to move; however, Velma had her doubts.
“What’s with that forlorn expression?” Gene looked over, noticing the way Velma sat with her head down and her eyes closed.
She didn’t say anything for several moments then she finally lifted her head, and looked at Gene. “It’s so far away from anything. How will I do the shopping?”
“You’re worried about shopping?” Gene could not help but laugh. “Look how beautiful it is here. Besides, we’ll have chickens, a cow, a large garden and a few pigs to keep you and the kids busy. Isn’t that right, Jeff?”
“We sure will, dad!” Jeff said with excitement evident in his voice.
“I’m not milking any cow…that’s gross!” Lori chimed in, “and I’m not taking care of any pigs either!”
“Be quiet, Lori! I’ve had to listen to your complaining the entire trip, and I’m sick of it.” Gene slowed the truck, “look we’re here.”
Jeff nearly burst out laughing at the shocked expression on his mother and sister’s faces when they saw the new house. His father pulled up to what appeared to be a driveway, but the weeds had grown up so thick that you could barely make it out. Gene stopped for a moment to get a better look then he pulled the truck to the side of the road and parked.
“I told you there would be some cleaning up to do,” Gene chuckled as he turned the truck off and stepped outside.
Velma felt her body go numb. “What have we done?” were the only words to come out of her mouth.
“It’s not that bad, nothing a little cleaning up can’t fix,” Gene grinned then walked to the rear of the truck.
“Jeff, come help me get the pickup off the trailer, so I can take your mother to that little grocery store we saw a few miles back. I want you to stay here with your sister and start clearing a path to the house, so we can get our things unloaded and put inside before dark. You should be able to knock those weeds down with the lawn mower in no time.”
Jeff looked at his father then at the weeds, “But, Dad.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than he knew to stop complaining. Jeff knew his father depended on him and would never ask him to do anything he would not do himself. “Yes, Sir, I’ll get it done.”
The hot afternoon sun beat down on Jeff as he watched his parents drive away. He looked at the high weeds again and wondered if he would be able to make
a path through them before they returned.’
“Come on, Lori, get out here and help,” Jeff pulled the starter rope on the lawn mower, bringing it to life.
“I’m not crawling around in there! Those weeds are taller than I am and you don’t know what’s in there!” Lori crossed her arms in protest.
“Coward,” Jeff teased.
“I don’t care. I hate it here!” Lori then closed the truck door and rolled down the window.
Jeff knew there was no sense in arguing with her, besides he needed to get busy so he would be finished when his parents returned.
It had taken him nearly an hour, but he finally knocked down a path wide enough for the truck to back up to the house. Jeff had even cleared a place where his dad could park the car under a big shade tree.
“At least I finished before they got back,” he said to himself as he sat under the tree and waited for his parents to return.
***
Gene pulled into the parking lot of the local grocery store and parked by the door.
“This looks like a good place to shop,” he smiled, hoping to cheer Velma up some as he got out of the car.
Velma was not so sure, but she knew she had no choice.
“I hope they’re not expensive,” mumbling under her breath as she followed Gene to the door and went inside.
“Good afternoon. May I help you?” The man standing behind the cash register said with a broad smile on his face.
“No, thank you, we just need to get a few things,” Gene got a shopping cart and waited for Velma to join him.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you in here before. Are you new to the area? My name is Carl Timmons; my wife Rhonda and I own this store.” He walked over to Gene and held out his hand. “Welcome to our little community.”
Gene took Carl’s hand in a firm handshake, “Thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Gene Mason, and this is my wife, Velma.”
Velma turned to face Carl when a loud crash and gasp came from the other side of the room.
“Oh, my goodness!” Rhonda, the store owners wife, had just come out of the back room when what she saw startled her so much that she dropped a bag of canned goods on the floor.
“Honey, are you okay?” Carl rushed over to help her pick up the scattered cans.
“Mr. and Mrs. Mason will think you’ve been drinking,” he teased, but the look on her face told him she was not fine. He then leaned in close and whispered, “What’s wrong?”
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