Alone

  Questions raced through my mind until I finally decided to flat out ask my parents why they had lied to me about going to the grocery store, and why they had hidden someone in our house. I was going to demand explanations.

  The clock ticked past nine-thirty, ten, eleven. Where were my parents? Maybe they were buying groceries to keep up their deception about shopping. At eleven-thirty, I started feeling uneasy. Should I go look for them? Could the meeting still be going on? Car trouble? I decided to wait until midnight. If they didn't show by then, I'd return to town to look for them.

  Midnight. Instead of riding my bike, I headed out on foot because of the pain caused from the cut on my hand when I gripped the handlebars. The night seemed unusually dark as I followed the trail behind my house. Tall pines blocked any meager moonlight, making it difficult to see. Cautiously, I made my way, trying not to be scared by the night sounds of unseen scurries, hooting owls, rustling leaves.

  Finally, I reached the bottom of the trail and followed the road to Main Street. Whereas the night had teemed with sounds before, now it became deathly quiet and very cold. I wished I'd brought my jacket. I pressed the button on my watch and illuminated the time—twelve thirty. Walking Main Street, I could see dim street lamps shining like sentinels all the way to the end of town. The air felt heavy and chills snaked down my spine.

  As I walked toward the other end of town, I noticed a faint light that gradually pulsed brighter and brighter. It was coming from the direction of the high school. The light was very intense now, only one more turn and I could see if it was originating from the high school.

  Just as I reached the corner the light vanished.

  Turning onto Hailey Way, all I could see was the high school with reflections of moonlight glinting off its windows and the windows of the string of houses across the street. There were no cars in the parking lot or jamming the neighborhood now, just the occasional car parked in its driveway.

  Where are my parents? I skirted the parking lot and walked to the rear of the school, looking for the window I had broken. There was no broken window. That was a fast repair. I returned to the front of the school puzzled by the crazy events of the night.

  I pulled on the front doors—locked. Standing at the top of the entrance steps, I scanned the neighborhood—quiet and empty. I sat on the top step and thought about the mystery I'd been thrust into. The pieces of the puzzle simply would not fit together. I was confused and frustrated.

  Glancing around the neighborhood, I noticed someone walking swiftly toward town. Quietly, I raced down the steps and followed, keeping a good distance. The person traversed the neighborhoods and turned onto Main Street, continuing out of town to the old road. My heart hammered when I saw the individual enter the trees at the steep trail leading to my house. During all the years I'd been using this trail, I had never seen anyone except Matt, my sister, and a few of her friends, use it. Maybe I was following Matt or my sister.

  Anxiously, I tracked the stranger toward my home. The moonlight disappeared when I reached the thicket of the forest and I could no longer see whoever I was following. I paused, listening for the sound of footsteps. The only sound was wind whistling through the tops of tall pines. I continued up the winding trail, straining to see any movement. Whoever was on the path, must know it well in order to walk in the pitch black.

  Finally, I reached the top. The same lights in the house were on as when I'd left earlier. I paused in the small clearing and glanced around for any sign of the mysterious person I had been following. There was no one.

  Walking to the front of the house, I saw a silhouette of someone in the living room. Are my parents and sister home? I checked the garage for our station wagon. It wasn't there. Chills raced up my body. If it wasn't Mom or Dad, was it Serena?

  Quietly, I slinked to the kitchen window and peeked through a crack in the curtains—empty. I returned to the front of the house and saw movement of the silhouette. Carefully, I climbed the porch stairs to get a closer look. The wood squeaked. The silhouette moved its head to one side. I froze.

  The hairs on my arms jumped straight up. Again, I remembered the night in the movie theater. The person in the house stood and walked toward the front door. My heart tried to pound out of my chest because I was about to confront whoever it was. The knob slowly turned; then it stopped. I stood paralyzed by fear. Seconds now felt like minutes as I anticipated the opening of the door. The door never opened. The silhouette walked away.

  I waited a long time before gathering enough courage to enter my own home. Finally, in a burst of adrenaline, I twisted the knob and pushed the door open. I yelled, "Who's in here?"

  No one was in the room and there was no reply. I entered every room, turning on more lights.

  "I know you're in here so don't try to hide!" There was no response. Tentatively, I searched the closets and under the beds.

  The bathtub. Cautiously, I walked into my parents' bathroom trying to control my trembling. The plain white shower curtain was closed. I approached the plastic curtain hesitantly and slowly reached for it. Then I jerked it back.

  "Eeekkk," my sister Serena, pale as a ghost, screamed.

  I shouted, "Serena, why are you hiding in Mom and Dad's shower? Who are you hiding from?"

  "Please don't hurt me," she cried.

  "What are you talking about? Where's Mom; where's Dad?"

  Just then, Sheriff Tanner burst into the bathroom. "Son, come with me please."

  "Why? Where are my parents?" I shouted again.

  "What did you do to them?" Serena cried, acting like she was scared of me.

  Sheriff Tanner grabbed my arm and pulled me from the house until he could push me into the back of his police car. "Don't worry, son, we'll find your parents," he said, before slamming and locking the door.

  Seized by terror, all I could think about was how upset Serena was and how she'd accused me of doing something to Mom and Dad.

  While I sat in the police car, I watched the silhouettes of the sheriff and my sister through the living room window. It looked like Sheriff Tanner was trying to calm her. Unexpectedly, I noticed what looked like a person standing beside the ancient oak at the entrance to the trail. I squinted, trying to see. The shadow moved behind the oak. Goose bumps jumped up my arms. Someone was watching us. I moved my gaze back to the house and saw Sheriff Tanner exit the front door with Serena. When he opened the backseat passenger door, my sister peeked inside and said tearfully, "I'm sorry, Roy. I don't know what came over me."

  Before I could respond, she ran back toward the house and the sheriff slammed the door. Sheriff Tanner jumped in the front and turned the ignition, adjusting his rear view mirror so he could see me. He said, "Let's take a drive around town and see if we can locate your parents."

  I looked back at the ancient oak and didn't see any movement.

  "Roy, you sure scared the crap out of your sister. She thought you were an intruder. What have you been up to this evening?"

  I had a bad feeling that he suspected I knew something about the meeting at the high school.

  "I haven't been up to anything. I only went outside to make sure the garage door was open for my parents when they got home." It was a pitiful lie.

  We drove around town for awhile and I finally asked, "Sheriff Tanner, why did you show up at my house tonight?"

  "Your sister called and said she walked home from her friend's house after your parents didn't pick her up. She said it wasn't like them so I decided to drive up and investigate. When I pulled up to the house, I heard her scream and ran inside to see what was going on."

  The sheriff turned into the neighborhood near the high school and circled several blocks. Finally, he said, "It's late so I'm taking you back home. Your parents are adults. I'm sure they can take care of themselves. In fact, they'll probably be home by the time you wake up tomorrow. If they're not home by morning, then we'll worry."

  We turned back onto Main Street and headed out of town. I twisted to look thr
ough the rear window and noticed the same bright light I'd seen earlier. I faced the front and asked, "Sheriff Tanner, what's that light over by the high school?"

  Sheriff Tanner turned, looked, and returned his attention to the road. "I don't see a light, Roy? It's late. You must be so tired you're seeing things."

  I looked again and there was no light.

  The Sheriff dropped me off at my home and I waved goodbye at the front door. After I entered the house, I checked on Serena who was sleeping and then made sure all the doors and windows were locked before finally stretching out across my bed.

  Chapter 7: Note

  I woke to sunshine. "Mom!" I yelled.

  "Roy, why are you yelling?" My mother asked from my doorway.

  "Mom, where have you been?"

  My father stepped behind my mother.

  "What do you mean, Roy?" Mom asked.

  "Last night you went to the store and never came back."

  "Roy, we got home late last night because we decided to go to Fort Carter and watch the late showing of the movie we missed because you injured your arm. You were sound asleep when we got home." My mother walked to my bedside and sat beside me.

  "Where's Serena?" I asked.

  "She's still asleep," my father replied from the doorway.

  "Are you feeling okay?" My mother smoothed a hand across my brow. "Did you have a bad dream?"

  "No. I'm okay. I think I just need to sleep a little longer."

  Mom said, "Okay Dad, let's leave him alone." My mother kissed my forehead and followed my father from the room. For a long time, I replayed the events of the previous night. I decided not to mention anything to my parents about being at the meeting at the high school. Something odd was happening and I was determined to unravel the mystery. As I lay in bed, I resolved to scrutinize the behavior of everyone around me. With purpose and determination, I jumped from my bed and went to my closet. The balled up T-shirt with blood on it was gone. What! Suddenly, I felt the familiar fright, but I refused to allow fear to dominate my senses. Something was being hidden from me and I was determined to find out what it was. I can play their game.

  After dressing, I went to the kitchen to eat breakfast and acted like everything was just as it had always been. "Wow, I must have been really tired last night not to hear you come in."

  "Yes, son, you were zonked out," my dad replied.

  "Well, I feel rested now." I grabbed a Pop Tart and dropped it in the toaster, making small talk with my dad until it popped up. Blowing on it to cool it, I left the room. Serena's bedroom door was closed. Lightly, I knocked. "Hey, it's Roy."

  "Don't come in I'm getting dressed," she shouted.

  I shrugged and went back to my room. Looking out my window and eating my Pop Tart I noticed a figure leaning against the big oak at the entrance to the trail. The stranger was a white man dressed in brown pants and a white shirt. With one hand he waved for me to join him, and with the other, he pressed a finger to his lips indicating I should be quiet. He then stepped behind the tree. My heart hammered.

  Even though I was scared, I ran out the front door yelling to my parents that I was going to Matt's house. When I reached the oak no one was there. However, there was a paper tacked to the trunk. It was folded with the word "ROY" written in big letters. Glancing around to make sure I was alone, I grabbed the paper and ran deep into the forest. When I felt sure no one had followed me, I sat on a stump, unfolded it, and read:

  Roy,

  If you want to know the truth about your life, meet me tonight at the pond beside the trail at exactly eight. DO NOT tell anyone about our meeting or you may never know the truth. It's VERY IMPORANT that you rip this note up and flush it down the toilet.

  Murdoch

  Murdoch! It was the name I kept hearing. The fact that I had received this note confirmed that something strange was happening. I began formulating what I would tell my parents so I could get out of the house.

  After rereading the note, I crumpled it and ran home to do exactly what it instructed—rip it up and flush it. With the flip of a handle, I got rid of the evidence.

  All day I thought about the note and wondered what it meant. I called Matt and told him I was going to meet a girl and asked him to cover for me if my parents called. Of course he wanted to know who the girl was and where we were going. I told him he didn't know her; I had met her at McDuff's and she said she was visiting friends in the area. I said we were just going to hang out in the woods by the pond because she wanted to see it. My story sounded pretty lame and I wasn't sure if he believed me. He kept asking questions, which wasn't like him to be so persistent, but finally he agreed to be my alibi.

  I told my parents I was going to Matt's and at seven-thirty I grabbed my backpack and tossed some chips and cookies and a half full bottle of Pepsi into it. I also made sure my parents saw me grab a VHS movie out of the living room cabinet. I wanted to appear as convincing as possible.

  "Okay, I'm going now," I said, as I walked out the front door.

  "Have fun, Roy," my mom replied.

  "How are you getting home? Do you want me to pick you up?" my dad asked.

  "I'll have Matt's mom give me a ride if it's too late."

  "Ok, son."

  I ran out the door and down the trail. It would be dark soon.

  Chapter 8: Defeated

  Because it was June and we had received some rain, there were a few stagnant pools around the mostly dried up pond. I reached into my backpack and pulled out a flashlight to illuminate the fast encroaching darkness. Shining the light around, I looked for a rock to sit on. After I was comfortable, I grabbed my bag of potato chips and nervously munched. I touched the button on my watch and it blinked 7:55. Realizing that I was only minutes away from possibly knowing the truth about what I had been experiencing, my mind raced with anticipation. Every few seconds I shined my flashlight around the woods, scanning for any sign of movement. I checked my watch again, 7:58. Soon, I may have answers.

  A familiar smell wrinkled my nose. It was the same one I had experienced in Miss King's class. It was the smell of death. I jumped up and flashed my light frantically into the thicket of trees. I checked my watch again, 8:01. Where was the smell coming from and where was the mysterious stranger? I heard a noise in the woods. My heart thudded. The time was 8:03.

  Cautiously, I called out, "Is someone there?"

  Silence.

  I decided to walk toward the sound. The breeze picked up and the air chilled when I entered the forest. I shivered, but kept walking and listening, only hearing the sway of trees in the wind. I kept my flashlight shined on the ground so I wouldn't trip over rocks or decaying logs. The smell of death became stronger and I kept remembering the incident in Miss King's class.

  Although frightened, I picked up the pace and lifted my flashlight to shine straight ahead. I needed answers to the strange events in my life. Abruptly, I stopped when my light landed on a body lying on the ground in a small clearing ahead of me. Slowly, I edged forward. The person was deathly still.

  "Hel-lo?" I called out. "Are you okay?" There was no response or movement.

  I stepped closer.

  The body was on its side with its back to me. I asked again, "Are-are you okay?"

  Nothing.

  Standing two feet from the body, I pinched my nose with my free hand because the smell was so bad. My stomach wretched. Still holding my nose, I asked again, "Are you okay?"

  There was still no answer and fear swallowed me up. This could really be a dead person. I nudged the lifeless body with my toe. It felt soft.

  Slowly, and with much apprehension, I walked around the body and quickly flashed my light from the feet to the head. When I reached the face, I recognized the old man from the high school who had been guarding the door to the gymnasium. My heart raced as I knelt beside him. What was he doing in the forest?

  Suddenly, I thought I heard my name being called from the direction of the pond and almost shouted for help, but my mind wen
t crazy wondering if the old man had been murdered and dumped in the forest—maybe by the stranger I was there to meet, or was he the stranger?

  I knew that dead people, after a time, became pale and hard. This man was neither. I nudged him again. He didn't move. I put my hand in front of his nose to feel for air. He wasn't breathing. Trembling, I placed my fingers on his neck to check for a pulse. Nothing.

  Shining my light over his neck, I could see bruise marks. He appeared to have been strangled. I jumped up and flashed my light in a circle. All I could see was trees. Swiftly, I turned off the light and rushed back toward the pond.

  When I got close, a voice called again, "Roy!"

  I hoped it wasn't the killer.

  Gathering my courage I flipped on my light and shined it through the trees. "Who are you?" I cried.

  Within the blink of an eye, I found myself sitting on the rock I had been resting on earlier with my bag of potato chips. My heart thumped and the same putrid smell surrounded me. I jumped up, grabbed my flashlight, and started running down the trail toward town.

  "Roy!"

  "Matt, what are you doing here?" I cried, shining my flashlight in his face.

  He squinted. "You said something about going to the pond tonight and I decided to join you. What's wrong?"

  "I don't know what's happening, but there's a dead man in the woods."

  "Seriously?"

  "Yes, I saw him with my own eyes. He's dead, Matt! He's dead! Follow me and I'll show you! The killer is still in the woods! I'm sure of it!"

  "Matt looked scared but followed me up the hill toward the pond. My legs were shaking so violently I could hardly walk. We passed the pond and came to the edge of the trees and shined our flashlights into the thicket of forest.

  "Roy, maybe we should call the sheriff," Matt said as he stopped at the edge of the tree line.

  "No! Follow me. There are two of us to fight anyone off." I ran into the forest determined to prove my sanity. Matt followed. We came to the clearing where I'd discovered the dead man, but he was gone, as was the smell of death. "Someone took him, Matt. I swear he was right there."