ONCE UPON A DECEMBER NIGHTMARE
By
Cherie Reich


Once Upon a December Nightmare

By Cherie Reich

Copyright 2012 by Cherie Reich

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Other Books by Cherie Reich

A to Z Flashes of Foxwick
Women of Foxwick
Defying Gravity
Fighting Gravity
Pull of Gravity
Gravity: The Complete Trilogy
The Best of Raven and the Writing Desk with authors Aubrie Dionne and Lisa Rusczyk


Dedication

To my friends who went on this journey with me.


Table of Contents


Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
Bonus Short Story “Nightmare at the Freak Show”
The Sequel to Once Upon a December Nightmare
Acknowledgements
About the Author


1 Cassie

Cassie’s heart jumped with each bump on the unpaved road. Gravel crunched underneath the tires, yet somehow the dilapidated ’77 Dodge truck withstood the beating. Squished in the front seat with Denise, James, and Mary, she tried her best not to hit anything or anyone as the truck bounced mercilessly over another pothole.
“So how do you like your redneck adventure, Cassie?” Denise asked with the harsh laugh of a smoker while awkwardly shifting her plump hips between James and Mary.
“It’s great,” Cassie said without enthusiasm. When the truck ran over a monstrous rut, her head knocked against the cold window, and she sucked in air through her teeth. Pushing her dark brown hair aside to rub the spot, she glanced over to seventeen-year-old Mary. Although three years younger and still in high school, Mary was Cassie’s best friend. “You know ... I’m starting to think we should have stayed to watch another movie.”
“Me too,” Mary whispered to Cassie.
The truck screeched to a halt. Dashboard lights illuminated Mary’s grimace and her white knuckles from clutching the seatbelt so hard. At least she had a seatbelt, unlike Cassie and Denise.
“What is it?” Cassie peered ahead.
The headlights struck upon a thick maple tree upturned on its side across the single-lane road. Snow glittered upon the bark.
“Do you think we can get around it?” she asked James. She didn’t know the twenty-two year old very well since Denise had started dating him while Cassie was at college, but Denise had told her James and she enjoyed traveling this trail. They definitely knew this old mountain road better than Mary or she.
“Not sure, but I’ll get out and see.” He shrugged, took off his baseball cap, and ran his fingers through his thinning brown hair. When he opened the door, a blast of frigid air blew across the seat. He climbed out and walked in front of the headlights to study the tree.
Cassie pulled her green winter coat closer to her while Denise and Mary shivered. It wasn’t the first tree that had gotten in their way, but this one appeared to completely block the one-lane path. James had told them this mountain trail led back to the main road. If only they hadn’t deviated from their night’s plans, then they’d all be home by now.
The entire night was a bust. First, they’d all packed into the faded black vehicle to go to the movies. When they got there, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was sold out, and they couldn’t decide upon another movie to see. So they left and had dinner at Subway. Instead of heading home afterwards, James came up with the “brilliant” idea of riding around for the hell of it. Now, here they were in the middle of nowhere on a one-lane off-road trail with a tree blocking their escape from this nightmare.
Cassie sighed. They should’ve known there would be some trees and branches down. The past couple of nights had brought snow flurries and horrible howling winds. The forestry service probably hadn’t had a chance to examine the road and remove any debris from its path. Tonight at least they didn’t need to worry about a snow-covered road. Only a dusting of white lined the forest floor.
Cassie glanced behind them. The brake lights bathed several feet of forest in red. Trees lined their path like enemy soldiers waiting for the cue to fire. The isolation and the cold blackness of this place caused her to shiver. Anything could happen to them out here, especially since everyone thought they were at the movies.
James got back into the truck and slammed the door shut.
“How does it look?” Denise snuggled close to him.
“No way around it. We’ll have to back out. There’s a place not far from here to turn around.” He threw the truck into gear and reversed down the road.
Tree branches slapped across the passenger-side window, and Cassie winced, moving closer to Mary. She didn’t dare glance backward. James couldn’t possibly see very well backing up, and she didn’t want to know what they were coming close to hitting.
“This is fun, isn’t it?” Denise looked over her shoulder. They edged to the clearing where they could turn around. “I bet we’ve gone seven miles down this road.”
“How much farther is it to the main road, if our path hadn’t been blocked?” Cassie noted Denise seemed to be having more fun, and she was glad James brought that out in her old friend. For many years, Denise’s seriousness and so-called maturity strained what friendship she and Cassie once had. She hoped Denise had changed and loosened up. They were twenty years old, after all! They should have fun.
“Probably another mile.” He laughed, passed by the clearing, and pulled into it. “Seven more to go instead.”
“Great.” Cassie sighed, turned her head, and looked into the clearing. “Oh, my god!”
The headlights landed on four carcasses. Their cold black eyes stared blankly toward them.
“Are those ... deer?” Being a vegetarian, she had little desire to see dead deer out in the midst of the forest. The sight churned her stomach. She lowered her gaze to the dashboard.
“I think so.” Mary gulped. She was an animal lover like Cassie.
“It looks like they were just laid out there. Creepy cool.” Denise leaned forward. Her nose pressed against the windshield and created a smudge against the glass.
“Some hunter, or hunters, probably wanted the antlers and left the rest.” James parked the truck and opened his door. “Coming, Denise?”
“Sure thing.” Denise stepped out and followed him, but Mary and Cassie stayed behind.
“Who would do such a thing?” Disgust coated Mary’s voice as if she had eaten something bitter. She twirled a red wisp of hair around her finger. “It’s so wasteful. They could’ve donated the meat.”
“I agree.” Cassie brushed her hair out of her eyes. Denise’s bleach-blond strands gleamed in the headlights, and James and Denise’s breaths came out in smoky plumes.
Cassie didn’t like hunting as a whole, but she understood its purpose. She would never condone killing a creature for sport, but her beliefs were not well received in the country where hunting was still a rite of passage. Some kids even took off from school for the first day of deer season. She tsked and shook her head at how the hunter had arranged the deer. Their heads pointed toward the road, and they were placed in a straight line. Four pairs of eyes appeared to stare right into her soul. From the truck, she couldn’t tell what might have killed the deer.
“Someone took a lot of time and effort to place them like that.” Cassie shivered. “It’s really disturbing.”
Mary nodded in agreement.
Finally, Denise jumped into the truck, followed by James.
“It’s really odd.” Denise’s voice sounded hollow after seeing the deer.
“Yeah. Didn’t even see any signs where the antlers were. Someone just left them.” James shrugged and chuckled.
“I didn’t notice any bullet wounds.” Denise trembled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I think their throats were slit.”
“Probably just some sicko having a little fun.” James backed the truck out of the clearing until they faced the way they had come. He shifted the truck into drive so they could leave the clearing and head home.
“Seven more miles to go,” Cassie whispered, staring out the window.


2 James

The truck hopped once again along the rutted road. James considered how the deer’s throats had been slashed, too ragged to be from a knife. What had killed them? But he didn’t know. He pushed aside his thoughts. It was strange, but nothing they could do about it. He shrugged off the horror of that clearing. He grinned and fiddled with the radio knob until it picked up a country station. Hank Williams, Sr.’s “There’s a Tear in my Beer” blared through the static of the speakers.
“Do we have to listen to that?” Cassie cringed and threw her hands over her ears.
“You live in the country, Cassie. You should learn to like country music.” James chortled before singing along. Denise’s voice joined his. How could someone live in the country and not like Hank Williams, Sr.? He turned up the radio dial even louder to further annoy Cassie who had pulled up the hood of her coat and smashed her hands against it and her ears to block out his caterwauling.
The headlights flickered.
He paused mid-note. The truck was twenty-five years old and not in the best of shape, but he didn’t think much about it until they wavered again.
“Is something wrong?” Denise turned the radio down.
“Nah, we’re all right.” He gave her a comforting smile, not wanting to worry his girlfriend. “Oh, by the way, when we get back, I’ll be heading home tonight. I have to work early in the morning.”
“On a Sunday?”
“They called me in this afternoon.” He smoothly lied.
“Okay, sure, but why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Denise glanced over to her sister and friend before looking back at him. “I thought you were going to stay the night again.”
“You wanted me to come along, didn’t you? But I have to work. It’s closer for me to stay at my place since we’ll be getting back late.” James huffed.
Denise had begged him to come along. She wanted to show him off to her old friend, the always single Cassie. He would have liked to stay with his own “old friend” April for the night instead, and thankfully Denise didn’t have a clue about April. When his old girlfriend had returned to town a few weeks ago, he was thrilled to see her. They picked right back up with their relationship that began in high school. He liked Denise a lot, but he enjoyed April too. It wasn’t the first time he juggled two girls.
“Yeah, sure. Whatever.” Denise crossed her arms and stared straight ahead.
The truck continued along the twists and turns of the bumpy, hilly road. Hank William Sr.’s voice faded away and changed into the upbeat Dolly Parton singing “9 to 5.” Yet, they had all fallen into a state of uneasy silence. James glanced over at the three women beside him. It was unusual to hear them quiet. Women rarely stop gabbing when in a group. He chuckled to himself, but the laughter drifted away.
The headlights went out completely. He slammed on the brakes. The truck skidded to a stop and threw them forward.
“What happened?” Cassie asked.
“Why did the lights go out?” Mary added, a touch of fear entering her voice.
“It’s nothing,” James said in his best comforting I’m-the-man–and-I’ll–fix-it tone. “Let me check under the hood. Probably a wire jarred loose.”
He turned off the engine and popped the hood. After climbing out of the vehicle, he lifted the hood and propped it up. He squinted at the shadowy engine. It was too dark to see anything beyond dark blobs, so he returned to the truck.
“Help me find a flashlight. I can’t see squat out there.” He reached behind the seat and grabbed the rusty red toolbox. A hammer, various wrenches, a screwdriver, but no flashlight. They’d be screwed if he couldn’t get the truck started. While he searched for the flashlight, Denise scrounged around in the glove compartment. The overhead light illuminated them, and he rolled his eyes when he saw Mary and Cassie just sitting there.
“Check under the seat, Cassie.” James put the toolbox back.
Cassie leaned forward. Her dark hair hung in front of her eyes while she searched for the flashlight. “I don’t feel anything there.”
“Get out and check.” James huffed, trying to figure out where the flashlight was. The truck door opened, and Cassie checked under her side of the seat. When was the last time he saw the light? “You didn’t take the flashlight out, did you, Denise?”
“Well, I told you I used it the other day when the lights were out,” Denise said. “Didn’t you put it back?”
James tried to keep calm, but his patience was wearing thin. “I told you the flashlight needed more batteries. I thought you had gotten them and put the flashlight back. Did you go to the store and get them?”
“No, I haven’t had a chance yet. I’m not the only one who can do things.” Denise glared at him.
“I know that. I’m not the one sitting on my—” James held his tongue before “fat ass” came out of his mouth. He didn’t want to air dirty laundry and have this argument in front of her little sister, Mary, and her sister’s friend. At times, he was half-tempted to break up with Denise, especially since April was back, but he wasn’t about to screw up the holidays. “Hand me your lighter. I’ll see if I can figure out what is wrong.”
Denise threw it at him, but he caught it. He took it with him and purposely left the door open.
Let them freeze.
He flicked the lighter on and used the tiny flame to search underneath the hood. Although he considered himself handy around a vehicle, he could barely tell the battery from the radiator in this light, or lack thereof. He couldn’t see if anything was loose.
“Damn it.” He slammed the hood down and went back into the truck. “I don’t have enough light. Let me try starting the engine again.”
He turned the key in the ignition. After three tries, the engine turned over, but they still had no headlights. Without lights, it would be too dangerous to continue down the winding mountain road. There were no guard rails, and some parts dropped off in a steep cliff. He turned the engine off. “Let’s see if we can call someone. We can’t go anywhere in the dark.”
All of them, except for Cassie who didn’t have one, pulled out their cell phones and searched for some bars.
“Any signal?” A hint of panic flashed through Cassie’s eyes—could she possibly be scared?—but she sounded calm.
Denise shook her head, snapping her phone shut. “No luck here.”
James opened the door again and stood, pointing his cell phone toward the star-speckled sky. “I have a bar. Let me try calling.”
He dialed Denise’s mom’s number, but it didn’t even give half a ring.
“We need more than one bar to call out.” He sank back down on the leather seat.
“Let me see with my phone.” Mary motioned for Cassie to get out. James went around to the other side to help Mary climb into the back of the truck and get onto the roof. He watched as she held her cell phone up as high as her five-foot frame would go. If only it would work, he could go to his warm bed with April in it.
“I have two bars!” She dialed the number.
James could hear the ring from where he stood and bounced on his feet. Come on, pick up!
Then she lost the signal, tried again, but had no luck. “Sorry, guys,” she said, and he helped her down and back into the truck.
They weren’t likely to get a signal by standing here, so he turned toward the blonde, brunette, and the redhead. “I’m gonna go and find help. We can’t be too far from the main road. Perhaps three, four miles. I can probably get a cell signal then.”
It shouldn’t take him more than an hour or two. He’d call Denise’s mom, she could drive and pick him up, and then they could go back and get the girls. It would all work out fine.


3 Denise

Denise peered into the dark. She didn’t want her boyfriend to go out there alone, but she also didn’t want to hike with him. As far as she was concerned, if a person was stranded somewhere in a vehicle, it was best to stay by the vehicle. “Are you sure you should go by yourself? We need to stay with the truck.”
“We can’t wait here.” Cassie’s eyes focused out the window, and Denise wondered what she could see out there. “Someone has to go for help. No one knows we’re out here, and the forestry service must not come up here often.”
“They check things out about once a week,” James said. “I’ll go. Don’t worry about it.”
Denise touched his arm, running her fingers along the jean fabric of his jacket. He smelled of cologne, cigarette smoke, and pure man. If they were out here alone, things would be so much better. Why did she think it was a good idea to drag Mary and Cassie along? Oh, right, she had wanted to show James off.
But she couldn’t let her boyfriend go out there in the forest alone. It was very dark outside. With a waning moon, they couldn’t even count on much moonlight, if any. Although her eyes were adjusting to the dimness, starlight alone couldn’t guide them. “Wouldn’t it be better if we waited? I don’t want you to leave us.”
He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. His chin whiskers tickled her skin. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Your mom will worry if we don’t return home tonight. Plus, it’s too cold. Someone has to go, and I’m that someone.”
The thought of walking who knows how long out in the dark frightened her, but James had a point. She finally conceded. “All right, hon. You go. We’ll stay here and wait on you.”
“I think we should stay together,” Cassie said. “The lights went out. The cell phones don’t work. We’re stuck in the middle of freaking nowhere. This has all the makings of a horror movie, and I know something about horror movies. You never split up.”
“I don’t want to stay here.” Mary trembled, looking cold and scared.
“What if someone comes up here after we leave? Then we’ll miss out on a ride back.” Denise didn’t think she could walk three or four miles to the main road. Despite being twenty years old, she was more than forty pounds overweight and always a little out of breath from smoking. She wrapped an arm around her sister. “Mary, we’ll be fine. It’s safe in the truck.”
“No one will be coming up here.” Cassie laughed, although the sound held no mirth. She put on her gloves. It was already getting cold in the truck. “James said the forestry service checks this road once a week. It could be several days before they make the rounds. The road behind us is blocked, and very few people will come out here during the winter season, as well. I’m going with James. I won’t stay here.”
“Cassie has a point.” James shrugged. “We don’t know when they’ll check the road, but we don’t all have to go.”
“Well, I’m staying here.” Denise crossed her arms. Cassie might be a few months older than she was, but it didn’t mean she had to listen to her, and there was no way she was going to walk out there in the dark. Besides, Cassie was being childish with that horror movie nonsense. “There could be wild animals out there and who knows what else.”
“Let’s all go.” Mary touched Denise’s arm. “I don’t really want to remain here, but I don’t want to walk either. No one knows we’re here,” she whispered and looked at her phone again.
“Are y’all really going?” Denise glanced from James to Cassie to Mary and yanked her arm away from Mary’s hand. How dare they consider leaving her in the truck alone! It was so unfair. All of her good spirit and fun for driving around evaporated like morning dew under a hot sun. She crossed her arms over her ample breasts and stomped her foot. A huff of frustration burst from her lips. “I don’t want to go.”
“Well, I’m definitely going.” James buttoned his coat. “We can’t stay here, but you don’t have to come along.”
“I’m coming. There’s no way around it.” Cassie zipped up her winter coat.
“I’m going too,” Mary said.
Denise stared at them. They’d all lost their freakin’ minds. Mary didn’t have proper shoes to go hiking. Only Cassie was appropriately clothed for a December walk. “We’ll freeze to death out there!”
“We’ll freeze to death in here too.” Cassie sighed. “Walking will at least keep us warmer than sitting in the truck.”
“We could turn the heater on.” Denise pointed to the air vents.
“It’s almost on E.” James tapped the gas gauge. “I don’t know how much longer the engine will run. If something is really wrong with the truck, then we shouldn’t start the engine.”
“We can’t just sit here.” Mary rubbed her hands together. “Denise, we all have to go. Please.”
“Let’s face the facts.” Cassie turned toward Denise and held up one finger. “No one knows where we are.” She added a second finger. “The cell phones don’t work here. We have to move and try them elsewhere.” She held up a third finger. “It’s cold out, and we’ll freeze. We have to go now.”
“Do you have reason number four and five too?” Denise couldn’t keep the snide tone from her voice. She knew she was outnumbered, and she didn’t want to stay in the truck by herself. She flung her hands toward the truck’s ceiling. “Fine! Let’s leave, but I think this is a bad idea.”
“Duly noted.” Cassie swung the door open so she could get out.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. It’ll be fine. It’s not that far and shouldn’t take more than an hour.” James climbed out of the truck, holding the door for Denise.
“A whole hour,” Denise muttered, slammed her hand against the dashboard, and stomped out the truck. Mary left on the other side, and the doors slammed simultaneously. It was so dark Denise could barely make out five steps in front of her. She shoved her hands into her pockets. “What are we standing around for? Let’s move it!”
“It won’t be too bad. Three or four miles, right? It could even be less.” Cassie gave her an optimistic smile and took hold of Mary’s hand, gently squeezing it. At that moment, Denise wished she could rip their hands apart and tear that smile off Cassie’s face.
James put an arm around Denise, his slim body pressing against her side. Denise felt slightly warmer at the contact, but it didn’t improve her mood. A heavy sigh rushed from her lips like a plume of smoke and framed her face in dark fog. She didn’t know how long it would take them, but they might as well get it over with.


4 Mary

Mary trembled in fear about walking at night. If Cassie wasn’t with her, she would have remained in the truck with her sister. Cassie was so brave to venture into the forest, especially since she knew her friend was secretly terrified of the dark. If Cassie could do it, she could too. She stayed close to her best friend as they climbed up the road.
The late December night air was so cold her nose was already stinging, red, and running after just five minutes outside. It was strange walking around the woods at night. It was so quiet. Too quiet. Wild animals wouldn’t likely come out, but she couldn’t be certain. She rubbed her hands together. Her fingers felt like she’d been holding ice cubes, and her toes were frozen. Blisters formed on her feet.
“I wish I had worn something besides sandals.” She marched over the gravel road.
James glanced toward her. “I don’t know why you insist on wearing sandals in winter anyway.”
“Because I like them. They’re comfortable.” She did have socks on, so it wasn’t too bad, but her feet slipped inside the sandals because of the rocks. She took out her cell phone again and checked the signal. Still only one bar. She tried calling home once more, but they were out of range.
“It’s ironic we have three cell phones and none of them work.” Cassie motioned to Mary’s phone.
“They really need a cell tower around here.” Denise clutched her side.
Mary looked over to her sister. Denise was already out of breath, and Mary was concerned about her. Not that she would tell her sister, but she had noticed how Denise had gained some weight since she broke up with Michael and began dating James. She didn’t know if Denise was depressed again ... or could she possibly be pregnant? Since her older sister had moved out on her own, she didn’t see her as much. Shaking her head, Mary tucked her cell phone in her pocket and rubbed her hands together again.
“I wonder if any aliens are out there.” Cassie stared at the stars. “Here we are in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps they caused the truck lights to go out. Maybe time has stopped and they are blocking the cell signals.”
“We need Mulder and Scully. They’d know what to do.” Mary smiled. Both she and Cassie were obsessed with The X-Files.
“Exactly! Mulder and Scully always come through. Besides, Mulder is just sexy.” Cassie grinned along with Mary, and then Cassie laughed. “It’s either aliens or some ax murderer or monster. This is way too much like a horror movie. I’m glad I’m a virgin. The virgin always lives, except in that one movie where they were killing virgins and everyone was trying to have sex before it was too late. I can’t remember what it was called, though.”
“Me too,” Mary said with a slight laugh. She didn’t mind the talk about aliens too much, but the thought of some strange person or monster out there did frighten her, and she couldn’t prevent the shudder that went from the tip of her frozen toes to the top of her head.
“We shouldn’t have to worry about animals. They probably won’t come around, and they’ll be more afraid of us,” Cassie said.
“Will you two shut up?” James spat out the last couple words. “You’re gonna draw the animals to us.”
Cassie rolled her eyes and whispered to Mary, “Making loud noises scares animals. Who lives in the country now?”
Mary laughed nervously. She’d heard loud sounds would scare animals away, but she didn’t want to take a chance they would attract them either. “Aren’t most animals hibernating by now?”
“Some animals do, but deer and other animals don’t. Did you know only pregnant bears hibernate for example?” Cassie spouted the knowledge, but Mary wasn’t so certain it was true or not. Sometimes Cassie had weird ideas.
“Can we stop for a bit?” Denise whined. “I need a moment to rest.”
“We haven’t been walking too long.” Cassie stretched toward her toes. “But perhaps you should check the cell phones.”
James, Denise, and Mary looked at their cell phones for bars. Mary yelped in excitement and almost dropped her phone when she saw those two precious lines.
“Two bars again!” She tried calling. “It’s ringing!”
Her mom’s voice called out, “Hello?”
Mary had to smile. “Mom, we’re stuck out ... It cut me off.”
“Try again!” the others said in unison.
Mary nodded and dialed. Nothing. She tried three more times, but it didn’t even ring. She had lost the two bars.
“I’m sorry.” She slouched in defeat. As the youngest, she wanted to help, and she hated to disappoint the others, especially her sister and friend.
“It’s okay.” Cassie wrapped an arm around her. “We should continue walking.”
“Do we have to start again?” Denise’s palms pressed against her knees.
“I’m sure we can wait a few more minutes.” James rubbed his hands together. His tone suggested his patience was wearing thin, although he was being agreeable at the moment. Sometimes Mary didn’t know what her sister saw in him. She liked Michael better.
“We haven’t even been walking that long.” Cassie glared over her shoulder at the couple.
Denise straightened. “We wouldn’t have needed to walk at all if we stayed in the damn truck.”
“Let’s go.” Cassie rolled her eyes and took Mary’s hand, leading her away from Denise and James. Mary glanced back. James and Denise reluctantly followed them. James wrapped his arm around her sister’s shoulders. Maybe he wasn’t too bad. Mary allowed Cassie’s gloved hand to envelop her ungloved one. The cotton fabric felt warm against her frigid fingers.
They plodded along and all conversation ceased for a few moments. With the starlight and sprinkling of white along the path’s edges, Mary could see the trees surrounding them. It really wasn’t too bad out here, almost peaceful.
Crack!
A loud snap broke the silence, and she gave a short scream as her foot slid out from under her.
Cassie held Mary’s hand and kept her steady. “Are you all right?” she asked, concern filled her voice.
“I’m fine. I just slipped.” Mary regained her balance. “My feet are getting numb from the cold.”
Her heart raced at how close she’d come to falling. If Cassie hadn’t been holding her hand, then she would have. She wiggled her toes, trying to bring back circulation.
Denise came up beside her and grasped her other hand. “You okay?”
Mary nodded.
“So what do you think that sound was?” Cassie asked.
“Probably a branch falling,” James said. Mary could tell the sound had spooked him by the way he jerked and glanced around, but he was probably too much of a man to admit he was scared.
“Yeah, probably. Either that or the monster.” Cassie laughed. “It reminds me of this legend I came across.”
“Legend? What l-legend?” Mary winced at her voice cracking.
“Well, I was doing some research for my Civil War class, and I came across a website. According to this myth, some Confederate scouts near the Virginia-West Virginia border disappeared.”
“What happened to them?” Mary enjoyed history like Cassie and had to know what the legend was about. Cassie looked at each one in turn and slowly smiled. Mary held her breath.
“Planning to assassinate Lincoln, these Confederate soldiers wanted to stop the war once and for all. They journeyed north through forests, but something got to them first.” She paused as if to stretch the suspense. Mary didn’t know if she could take it anymore before Cassie continued her tale.
“One soldier survived. He stumbled into a small West Virginian town and babbled about a humanlike creature living in the woods. They organized a search party, but they only found bits of the soldiers scattered along the leaf-covered ground. Whoever, or whatever, murdered them was never brought to justice. They say that it’s still out here, watching and waiting. And it’s hungry.”
“That’s a bunch of bullshit.” James kicked the rocks. They scattered in all directions.
“You don’t really believe that, do you, Cassie?” Denise rolled her eyes.
“No, not really.” Cassie shrugged and giggled. “This situation reminds me of that story, especially since they scouted at night along a forested road. I thought I’d share.”
Mary stared at her best friend. Sometimes Cassie had the strangest sense of humor. She couldn’t tell if Cassie really found all of this to be funny or if she was trying to cover up her fear. Mary tried not to think about it too much. After all, they still had a ways to go to the main road.
They continued walking, although they had picked up the pace quite a bit.


5 Denise

“I don’t think I can make it to the end of the road.” Frigid air burned Denise’s lungs and made her cough. She stopped again and leaned her hands against her knees. They couldn’t have been walking for more than thirty minutes, but her legs were as heavy as if she wore cement shoes. Why hadn’t they gotten to the end of the mountain road yet? “I want to return to the truck.”
“You can’t go back alone. We’ll rest for a moment.” Cassie came to a stop. When the wind picked up, she readjusted her hood.
“My feet hurt.” Mary wiggled her toes. “I’m sure the bottoms of my feet are completely blistered.”
When Denise heard her sister’s complaint, she almost smiled. Now Mary might start listening to her. “Do you want to come back to the truck with me? James can go on ahead.”
Mary seemed to consider it, but Cassie’s disapproving glare made Denise’s sister draw back. Denise cringed. Once again Cassie was getting her way.
“It would be nice, but we really shouldn’t go back. It’ll put us farther away from the end of the road.” Mary wouldn’t meet her stare.
James checked his cell phone again, holding it against the sky. A huff visibly rushed from his lips while he slammed the phone shut and shoved it into his pocket. “Maybe we should’ve gone the other way. It might’ve been closer to the main road, and the phone could work there.”
“Now you tell us.” Cassie slapped her hands against her hips and rolled her eyes. She took in a slow, deep breath and let it out. “We’ve made a decision, and we need to continue with it.”
“Well, I think we need a new choice. You don’t know everything, Cassie.” Denise shifted. Her feet hurt, and she was so cold. She wanted to go home and snuggle in bed with James. Ugh, but James wouldn’t be in her bed. No, he had to be at work early tomorrow. Why would they call him in on a Sunday?
“I know I don’t know everything,” Cassie stated in a cold whisper.
“Perhaps we should walk a little farther,” James said. This time he took the lead.
“Fine.” Denise hiked with the group again. She hated all this damn walking. It was too cold. The main road was too far away, but there was little she could do about it. She never should have agreed with James to joyride, especially in the middle of the night. Well, not quite the middle of the night, but it was already after ten-thirty. They should have stuck with the original plan of a movie and dinner instead of driving around aimlessly for hours.
Denise decided to take her mind off their situation. She needed a moment’s reprieve, so she didn’t scream or haul off and hit someone. “So, Cassie, how do you like living in Missouri?”
“It’s not bad. True, it’s no Virginia, but the people are friendly.” Cassie laughed. “They have these Ozark Mountains, but they’re just hills. It’s so funny.”
Denise and Mary chuckled.
“When are you going back?” Mary asked.
“Two days. I want to be back before the New Year. My roommate invited me to a New Year’s Eve party. I don’t want to miss it.”
“Oh, I was hoping you’d be around for New Year’s.” Mary frowned and her shoulders slumped.
“I’ll try to be next year.” Cassie laughed. “Remember when Denise, you, and I used to stay up for New Year’s and play Super Mario Brothers?”
“It was great. Until Denise had to go call her boyfriend.” Mary playfully nudged her sister.
“I had more important things to do than play games.” Denise placed her hands on her hips.
“In fourth grade?” Cassie rubbed her arms to keep warm.
“Yep.” Denise glanced at her cell phone again. She still had no bars, and the conversation didn’t distract her enough. Besides, Cassie was probably jealous she always had a boyfriend. Why else would they mention it? Maybe Mary was envious too. Her sister didn’t do well when it came to men either.
“Come on, guys, I really need to take a break.” Denise’s breath came out in small puffs of white. A stitch burned her side. Her feet and legs ached like they would fall off if she took one more step. “I really need five minutes to rest. If y’all want to go on, you can. I’ll catch up.”
“We’ve only been walking about forty-five minutes.” Glancing at his phone, James didn’t keep the exasperated tone from his voice. He shoved his hand in his pocket and glared at her. Why did he have to make her feel like crap?
A wave of nausea struck Denise, and the world spun. The last few mornings, she hadn’t felt the best, and in the back of her mind, she wondered if she was pregnant. Yet she was going to die here if she didn’t sit down. She plopped upon a bare patch of gravel, crossed her arms, and took deep breaths as the dizziness left her. She wasn’t budging from this spot, and they weren’t going to be able to carry her. No one had the energy for it. “I need to sit. Five, maybe ten minutes. Go on without me.”
“Come on, Denise.” Mary came over and knelt before her. “We need to keep going.”
Her little sister looked half-frozen, and Denise knew Mary couldn’t stand around and wait for her to catch her breath. “Look, I need to rest. I’ll be fine here. We haven’t seen anything around us. There haven’t been any signs of wildlife. I will just sit here for a few minutes, and then I’ll follow along. You should continue walking without me.”
“I can stay here with you and let Cassie and Mary go on ahead.” James brushed his hand over her hair.
“Let’s get going!” Cassie bounced from foot to foot.
“I’ll be fine. Go on.” Denise shooed them. They didn’t have to stop on her account. If she had her way to begin with, then she would still be in the truck instead of sitting on the frigid road.
They looked at her for a moment as they made up their minds.
“We’ll go on a little ahead and wait,” James finally said, hesitant to leave her behind, and Denise loved him for it. The other two slowly nodded. Then, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “If you’re really certain about this ...”
“I’ll see you in a bit. Go on.” Guilt nibbled on her heart as she insisted they go without her. She could tell they didn’t want to split up, but someone needed to keep going and call for help.
They turned from her and walked away. She watched until they vanished from sight. Their voices drifted, and then she couldn’t hear them anymore. Either they had lapsed into silence or had gone too far ahead.
“Time to get up,” she told herself, although she easily could have sat there and froze to death if she wanted to. Her feet and legs protested as she stood, and she had to remain still for a moment until the blood finally circulated again. She was getting too numb to be cold and that wasn’t a good sign. Dang it, they were right. She shouldn’t have stopped.
Denise plopped one foot in front of the other. The path inclined again, forcing her to trek uphill. She glanced at her cell phone. Fifteen minutes had passed since the trio left her behind. She could only hope they didn’t go too far so she could catch up. Once she topped the little hill, she looked down the road. She couldn’t see them from where she stood. Were they beyond the next turn?
“I’m coming!” Would they even hear her? She picked up her pace.
Craaack!
She jumped and spun around in a circle, trying to pinpoint where the sound originated. Did that shadow just move? She listened. A faint hint of movement shifted behind her, and she whipped around. No one was there.
And the sounds ceased.
Her heart pounded in her ears, and she took a few quick breaths to calm herself. She gave a nervous laugh.
“There is nothing out there. It’s just my imagination. Damn Cassie and her stories.” She quickened down the hill and eventually broke into an outright run. She had to catch up with the others.


6 James

James didn’t want to leave Denise, but she was being so stupid. They hadn’t even walked that far and were nearing the end of the road. Another thirty minutes tops and they would be home free. James flicked a glance backward every few seconds. Why hadn’t she caught up with them yet? Denise would realize she needed to come on, but each time he looked back, he saw no sign of her.
Cassie and Mary were talking again. James attempted to block them out by checking his phone. While he scrolled through his contacts list, he spotted April’s number. He should’ve gone with her tonight instead of Denise. He’d have had much more fun. Denise had been so moody these past few weeks. It was no wonder he spent more time at his own apartment than staying at her house. Shaking his head, he stuck the phone in his pocket. Cassie was still lecturing about her theories. He rolled his eyes.
“It does seem very strange,” Cassie was saying. “It’s like a bad nightmare. I can’t believe we’re stuck out here. The cell phones don’t work, and we’ve already broken the cardinal rule of horror movies by splitting up.”
“Maybe we should go back.” Mary’s voice trembled.
James reached out to comfort her, but his hand dropped to his side. He didn’t want to startle her and wished Cassie would stop scaring her.
“No, Denise will catch up. Unless something gets her like the monster that killed those soldiers. The creature would reach out with his hairy arms and claw-like fingernails and grab her.” She snatched Mary by the arms, causing her to scream. “The first one who breaks away from the group is always the first to die.”
“Oh, will you shut up?” James seized Cassie by the arms and shook the stupid bitch. “Shut the hell up!”
“Stop, James, stop!” Mary tugged on him like a persistent little dog.
“I can talk as I wish.” Cassie’s eyes narrowed, and she jerked from his grasp. “I am just joking ... trying to lighten the mood. Why don’t you get that stick out of your ass and lighten up?”
If Cassie wasn’t a girl, James would’ve slugged her right then and there. He clenched his fists to his sides.
“More walk, less talk.” He growled and stormed off ahead.
“Are you all right?” Mary asked Cassie in her mousy voice.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
The three walked in silence for a bit before Cassie spoke again. “I wonder if the cell phones will work once we are on the main road. Otherwise, we’ll have to find someone home and call. What time is it?”
“It’s after eleven,” Mary said. “If we don’t reach the main road soon, everyone will be in bed.”
James couldn’t believe how late it was. Mary was right. Despite it being a Saturday night, people around these parts went to bed early because of Sunday morning church.
“Then let’s hurry before it’s too late.” Cassie sped-walked and passed James. She dragged Mary with her as they turned the corner and strode downhill again.
James followed them, but he lost his footing a couple times and almost slid down the road on his ass. He was also getting worried about Denise. Twenty minutes had passed since they’d last seen her. His gaze darted around. What if someone or something got her? He couldn’t help but think about that stupid legend Cassie had told them. Although Denise and he had their problems, he did care about her. A faint smile lingered when he remembered the first time he saw her months ago. They’d met at a country bar, and she was sitting all alone while her friends danced. About a week after they’d met, she started dating him and broke up with Michael. His smile faded. He couldn’t go on without her.
“Wait. I think we should go back and see where Denise is.”
Cassie turned and gave him a look of dismay. “Going back will just take more time. She’ll catch up.”
With her lips set in a grim line and furrowed brow, Mary seemed worried about her older sister too. “Maybe we should wait here for a few moments, so she can catch up.”
“We need to keep going. It’s too cold out here to wait any longer.” Cassie blew on her gloved hands to warm them.
James shook his head. All the girls did was complain about the cold and how long it was taking them to get to the end of the road. He listened out for Denise, but he didn’t hear a thing. “How about we compromise? You and Mary wait here for five minutes. If I am not back with Denise, then y’all can continue on. Denise and I will catch up with you on the main road. How does that sound?”
Cassie pondered the compromise, but Mary said, “Aren’t we supposed to stick together?”
“We should, but James has a point. We’ll wait here for five minutes before going on.”
“Good. I’ll be back shortly.” James spun around and jogged along the rocky path. He didn’t want to wait around for long. They might change their minds like all women were prone to do.
After two or three minutes of running, he slowed down and walked. Even from that little bit, he was out of breath. He really needed to stop smoking.
“Denise!” he called, although it came out more like a cough. “Denise! Where are you?”
He was about halfway from where they’d left her. She couldn’t be too far.
“Denise!” He yelled as loud as he could. His voice echoed, and he strained to hear her reply.
Nothing.
Something wasn’t right.
Up ahead, he heard a crunching noise that didn’t quite sound like footsteps on gravel.
“Denise?” He took a few steps up the hill. The crunching stopped and a snap responded in the forest to his right. He spotted movement in the woods.
“Is that you?” He left the path and entered the forest. “What are you doing up here?”
He slipped on some snow-covered leaves, banging his right knee hard on a rock. “Damn it!” He sat down in the snow to examine the wound. His jeans were ripped, and dark liquid oozed from his knee. He cursed again before a shadow leaned over him from behind. He looked up.
“Denise?”


7 Mary

Cassie and Mary waited.
“So, how’s everything at Southside? I can’t believe it’s your last year there.” Cassie shifted from foot to foot.
“It’s not bad. I can’t wait to get out.” Mary grinned and felt like she would burst with her news. She hadn’t told a soul she’d gotten her college acceptance letter from her number one choice. But she couldn’t wait any longer. “I got accepted into Tech, early decision.”
“Get out! That’s so awesome!” Cassie hugged her.
“It really is. I can’t wait to start.” Mary checked her cell phone again.
Please, God, let there be a signal. But she didn’t even have a bar. They both watched the five minutes pass on her cell phone’s clock.
“What do you think we should do?” Mary relied on Cassie because Cassie always had ideas, even if some were rather out there.
Cassie tapped a gloved finger against her lips. “We did hear James call Denise’s name. Perhaps he found her. Let’s wait one more minute, and then we’ll head on without them.”
“Okay.” Mary’s eyes were glued to the tiny phone screen. Where were Denise and James? They should’ve been back by now. She hoped nothing had happened. Although she would never admit it, she was pretty shaken up by Cassie’s story. But there was nothing to that legend. Mary tried to convince herself that what was happening to them was nothing like a horror story. It was just a series of unfortunate events that left them out here tonight.
11:14 PM blinked on the phone.
“It’s been a minute.”
“Then we should go. He said to give him five minutes, and we waited six. We’ll meet them on the main road.”
Mary nodded and reached out her hand to Cassie, who took it and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s terribly cold out here, but it doesn’t feel as bad as it did.”
“I know. I guess we’re getting used to it. Let me know if you start feeling warm again. That’s a sure sign of hypothermia.” Cassie rubbed Mary’s fingers. “Are your feet still feeling numb?”
“A little, but they’re better. And I’ll tell you if I start feeling warm,” Mary promised as they carefully made their way downhill. They hiked with little chitchat, listening out for James and Denise behind them. She didn’t want to tell Cassie, but her feet were killing her, and she limped. She would never wear sandals in the winter if she got out of this alive.
“Are you okay, Mary?” Cassie stopped walking.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
“Just checking.” Cassie glanced over her shoulder. “I wish James and Denise would get back.”
“Me too.” Fear tugged on her again. “Do you think something could’ve happened to them? Like in that legend with the Confederate soldiers?”
Cassie put her arm around Mary and smiled. “I’m sure they are somewhere behind us. We can see pretty well, despite it being night. Denise probably wanted to stop again. Besides, that old legend’s been around for over a hundred and forty years. Whatever got them can’t still be alive.”
“She has been slow. I think she would’ve been happier in the truck.” Mary laughed a bit. And Cassie was right. Nothing could live that long.
“I think she would have been, as well.” Cassie glanced around.
They headed down the gravel road. After a few minutes of walking, a snap, sounding like a gunshot, ricocheted in the forest. Mary jumped and glanced behind them. “What do you think that noise was?”
Cassie stopped. “I don’t know. We heard a sound beforehand. Maybe it is a monster ... or aliens.”
“Maybe.” Mary gave a nervous laugh. “Whatever happened to the other soldiers again?”
“Well, they didn’t find many remains. Whatever attacked them must have eaten them, all except the one soldier who got away.”
A branch snapped within the forest, and they both jumped.
“What was that?” Mary’s voice came out an octave higher than normal, making her squeak like a mouse.
“It could be Denise and James playing a joke on us,” her friend said.
This idea seemed more plausible and much less scary.
“I bet it is them.” Mary turned around and called, “Denise! James!”
“Denise! James!” Cassie echoed.
They listened for a few seconds. Someone was coming down the road toward them. They could hear a crunching sound. The noise had to be Denise and James, but the crackling frightened her. She didn’t like being out here with only Cassie. She tugged at Cassie’s hand. “Let’s move—now!”
“Okay.” Cassie’s voice was less confident than normal.
Mary squinted, trying to see off into the distance, and slowly smiled. “Is there a light ahead?”
“It’s a light. That might be a house.” Cassie grinned when they heard the distant rumble of a car engine. “We’re almost at the road!”
Mary couldn’t have been happier. “Let’s hurry.”
“Definitely!” Cassie agreed, but she stopped.
Something grunted behind them.
Mary turned around and smiled at the lone silhouette standing on top of the small hill. Where was Denise? “James! We did it. We’re almost at the main road.”
James didn’t answer but ran towards them. Mary stood there and then screamed.
It wasn’t James.
It wasn’t even human.
“Run!” Cassie yanked Mary out of her stupor.
Mary sprinted as fast as she could beside Cassie until her foot slipped on the gravel. She tumbled to the ground, almost dragging her friend with her. Cuts and bruises scraped her skin, but her body was too numb to register all the injuries she suffered. A shriek ripped from her again when she spotted the creature right behind them.


8 Cassie

While Mary fell down the hill, Cassie’s feet flew over the gravel. She skidded to a stop beside her friend and grabbed her hands.
“Get up!” She yanked Mary to her feet and sprinted away from the monster. Mary had lost a sandal, but it didn’t matter.
How did this happen? Cassie was only joking about a monster. She didn’t believe they were in a horror movie, but their adventure had turned into a true nightmare. The human-like creature was behind them, but she couldn’t make out its features. She knew it was taller than James and definitely more muscular.
“Keep running!” She breathed as she slid a bit down the hill.
“I am!” Mary tripped again and landed face first on the gravel.
The fall ripped Mary’s hand from Cassie’s grasp. Cassie lost her balance and rolled head over heels several feet ahead of Mary. Her fingers dug into the rocks, shredding the tips of her nails. She stumbled to get up.
“Run, Mary!”
The creature caught her best friend and leapt on top of her. Mary’s shrieks and the sound of fabric tearing resonated along the path. Cassie screamed, her eyes darting back and forth for some type of weapon. A nearby fallen branch would have to do.
“Get off her!” She swung the tree limb like a baseball bat and hit the monster right over its hairy back. It didn’t acknowledge the love tap, so she struck it again with all her might. The branch snapped in two, and this time the beast swiped out at her. Its arm struck her in the chest, throwing her against a tree.
Stars danced before her eyes. Cassie sat for a moment with her back pressed against the cold hard bark. She shook her head to clear her vision. Bones crunched and soft whimpering cries brought her to action. She had to do something else. Her best friend was dying. Searching for another weapon, she spotted a rock the size of a softball and snatched it. She sprinted toward the creature once more. With her hand raised, she smacked it repeatedly in the head.
“Die, die, die!”
The rock had more effect on the brute than the branch. The creature howled in pain and dropped its prey only to come after Cassie. Strong hairy hands grabbed her and tossed her again. The rock flew from her hand and was lost in the woods. The monster stalked her and grabbed her as if she were a doll. She smelled its fetid hot breath. A scream broke from her. She wasn’t ready to die tonight. It gripped her tighter, bruising her flesh. She jabbed the creature in the eyes.
It released her with a howl.
She slid down his hairy flesh, smearing herself with her best friend’s blood.
The beast cried out in pain while Cassie raced toward Mary. She froze. Her friend’s eyes stared open, unseeing, blank. Dark blood coated her and seeped into the road.
Mary was dead.
Denise and James were likely dead too. This realization smacked Cassie hard and almost knocked her down.
Snap!
She turned and a whirl of black raced toward her. Screaming, she sprinted down the gravel path. Dry leaves rustled, and branches broke like rifle shots, but she didn’t look back.
You never look back, otherwise the monster will get you!
Up ahead, the music of civilization grew louder. Traffic zoomed by on the main road. House lights burned as bright as the sun. If she could make it to the lights, she would be safe. Behind her, guttural grunts and gravel crunching underfoot dogged at her heels.
Run! Run! Run! It became her mantra as the road turned to pavement. She sprinted toward the rapidly approaching glow. Then, the light struck her. Pain exploded in her body. A screech erupted into the night.
Only the darkness she feared so much remained.


Epilogue

The 2003 dark blue Ford F-150 bounded along the old mountain road. The wheels crunched through the gravel, jostling John and Cara back and forth. John ran his fingers through his shaggy dirty blond hair. Would Cara notice his recent sunburn? He glanced over to her. How could she have a nice tan when it was just the first week of June? His eyes trailed over the her legs. How far did that tan reach? He blinked and looked back to the road as he navigated the truck through the pooling water. The liquid mixed with mud and splattered the truck like a Jackson Pollack painting. He bounced in his seat, his blue eyes bright with excitement.
“Isn’t this a cool date, Cara?”
“Sure.” Her voice oozed with sarcasm. She leaned her arm against the passenger door and checked her cell phone, but he knew she wouldn’t find a signal. These back roads didn’t have cell service. A bored sigh rushed through her lips. “Now, why couldn’t we go to the movies in town?”
“Nature is more exciting.” He slowed the truck to navigate around a curve. “You know what happened on this road?”
“No, what happened?” She twirled her light brown hair around her finger.
John had to find a way to capture her attention. Her friend Allison set them up, so he didn’t want her to report back it was the worst date ever, but boy, did he have a story to tell her!
“Three people were murdered out here,” he said.
“Three people? Really?” Cara’s interest piqued and John knew he had her hooked. “What happened to them?”
“No one is certain.” John spoke in a spooky tone and wished he had a flashlight for effect. “Four people in a truck traveled down the road on a night much like this. Well, it wasn’t exactly like this. It was in the dead of winter instead of spring, but still, they were driving around at night down this road. Only one survived, and I’ve heard rumors she killed the others.”
“Yeah, right. What happened to them? How did she do it?” Cara sounded like he was pulling her leg, but she had no idea.
“No one knows.” He gripped the steering wheel and eased them through another puddle.
“Wait a second. If she is alive, then why doesn’t anyone know what happened?”
“See. That’s the cool part. The police discovered a fiber from her coat on the man, and she was covered in the blood of one of the girls. A car hit her when she emerged from the forest onto the main road. They thought she was an innocent victim, except she kept muttering they were all dead. She also said it was her fault.”
Tree branches whipped past the truck window. Hard rains swept through the area recently making the road muddy. Limbs scattered upon the one-lane road, but John wasn’t worried. It wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.
“Did they try her for their murders?” Cara hadn’t lived in the area for long, so John knew she didn’t believe him. He chuckled to himself. She probably even thought he was trying to get into her pants by scaring her, which he was, but she didn’t need to know that. Plus, what he said was true.
Nothing could beat a real horror story.
“They never charged her. She was really messed up in the head, and they didn’t know if it was from the trauma of the killings or if the car accident had something to do with it.” He lowered his voice and whispered, “She’s in the mental institution in Grayson, two towns over. At night she screams, claiming a hairy man-like creature killed them. Some monster.”
“Like Bigfoot?”
“Maybe.” He shrugged.
“Watch out!” Cara shrieked, and John slammed on the brakes.
“What is it?” He turned his head to face the road, almost expecting to see a big hairy monster there. Instead, a large oak tree blocked their path.
“You almost ran into it.” She crossed her arms. “You really should stop telling such stories.”
“It’s not a story. They had taken her to the hospital, and it wasn’t until after the family had been notified they realized the other three were missing and hadn’t returned home.”
“Wait, this sounds familiar now. Was it on the news?”
John put the truck into park and opened the door to see if they could get around the tree.
“Yeah, it was. The media thought they were three missing hikers. When the police and volunteers found them, the medical examiner declared their deaths to be homicides. An entire investigation was underway.” Swinging a leg out, he paused. “We knew one of the girls, Cara. Remember when Mary Hart died just before the end of Christmas break?”
He left the truck and went to the tree. The storms must have struck it down. Trees lined the road on either side, and he knew he couldn’t go around it. He climbed back into the truck and sat there. “Don’t you recall hearing about that? Mary’s older sister and a man were with her too.”
“Come to mention it, I do think I heard about the missing hikers and the murder story.” Her hand fluttered to her lips. “I remember Mary too. I didn’t know her, since she was a couple years older, but I saw her locker, all the notes and flowers. Are you sure it was around here?”
She swallowed and looked around the woods, as if a monster would jump out at them right then and there. How could she forget all about it despite it happening only months ago, John wondered.
“I know it was.” He turned off the engine and scooted closer to her. His arm draped behind her. “I didn’t scare you, did I?”
“No. Of course not!” She blushed. “Well, maybe a little. I can’t believe they were murdered on this road. Are you sure?”
“My dad was one of the volunteers who searched for them. They found the truck. It wouldn’t start at first, and when it did, the headlights didn’t work. It only took the sheriff a moment to fix it, though. Then, the police and volunteers found bits of the bodies near the main road. Parts of Mary were less than a quarter of a mile from a house. They continued searching until they discovered the rest of their mutilated corpses. They were laid out in some clearing a few miles away. It was like some episode of CSI!”
“Gross!” Cara moved closer to him. “They didn’t really find them like that, did they?”
“They did.” He crossed his heart. “They don’t know how the girl dragged the bodies there, but she must have. It was really strange. Dad couldn’t sleep well for weeks after it.”
“Aww! That’s so sad.”
“It was simply horrible.” He shook his head in disbelief that someone would do such a terrible thing.
“Yeah.” She looked at him. Their eyes met, and he realized their lips were inches from each other. With the fear of the story and typical teenage lust hanging thick in the air, the two leaned in and kissed. She tasted wonderful, like strawberry lip gloss. The kiss led to groping and the removal of clothes. Soon, the truck was rocking on the gravel road and not because of the potholes.
Later, with their clothes in place and the truck started, the air conditioner ran at full blast. John had a silly grin on his face. “Are you hot?”
“A little bit. The air feels good.” Cara briefly closed her eyes. A flush tinged her cheeks. The two sat for a few minutes while the air conditioner cooled their bodies.
“Ready to go home?” He broke the silence.
“I’m ready.” She smoothed down the creases in her skirt.
His eyes cast another glance over her tan legs—the tan did go pretty far—before he put the truck in reverse. Slowly, he backed the Ford down the road. “I think there was a clearing not far back. Keep a watch out for me.”
Cara twisted in the seat to help him.
“Watch out for that tree!”
“What tree?” He slammed on the brakes, making them jerk forward in the vehicle.
“That one.” She pointed to a tree more than ten feet away.
“I’m not even close to it.” John huffed and let his foot off the brake to back up again. She cried out several times until he ignored her. “You really have no depth perception, do you?”
“Not much. Why?” She glared at him, as if daring him to give her a good reason why.
“Uh, don’t worry about it, Cara.” He sighed when he found the clearing. “We’re almost there.”
He drove past the clearing and pulled the truck into it. Cara gave an ear-piercing shriek.
“Now what is it?” John put his hand over his right ear and rubbed it. “I think you’ve made me deaf.”
“There are dead deer out there!” She pointed toward the clearing with a trembling hand.
He turned, looking out amongst the headlights. Sure enough, two deer carcasses lay on the ground. John was a self-proclaimed forensic science nerd, and he wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity like this. “Cool! Want to check them out?”
“Eww! No!”
“Suit yourself.” He shifted the truck into park and opened the door. Walking out in front of the headlights, he gazed upon the deer. There was one buck and one doe. The stench of rotting meat and decay filled the air. He gagged on the taste of death on his tongue. Taking shallow breaths through his mouth, he waved away the humming flies from the deer’s flesh. Their throats were shredded, but he could see no other markings. He couldn’t even tell if a man or an animal had killed the deer, yet he was pretty certain a person placed them in the clearing. No beast of the forest would display its kills beside each other with the heads pointing toward the road. A shiver went up his spine when he thought about the story he’d told Cara. Was this the clearing where the police found the bodies of Mary, her sister, and the other guy? He shook away the fear.
“Their murderer was caught and locked away,” he mumbled to himself and went to the truck.
“I can’t believe you looked at them,” Cara said as soon as he closed the door and put on his seatbelt.
“They’re just two dead deer. Let’s get home.” John shifted the truck in reverse and backed out of the clearing. It was running close to her curfew, and he had to get her home by eleven o’clock.
“That was really creepy about the deer, wasn’t it? Did you say they found those murdered people in a clearing?” She gasped and threw her hand over her mouth. “You don’t think it was the same spot, do you?”
“No, it can’t be.” John laughed nervously. The tree branches appeared like bony fingers reaching out toward them, and the muddy road sucked at the tires. The canopy of leaves loomed overhead making the road darker and more sinister.
He couldn’t wait to return home.
The lights on the truck guttered momentarily.
“What was that?” Cara shivered.
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” His own story had spooked him. He’d only told it to Cara to get her to kiss him, and it had worked brilliantly too. Was something else going on? “We’ll be home before long”
The headlights dimmed and flickered out, plunging the teenagers into the darkness of night.


NIGHTMARE AT THE FREAK SHOW
By 
Cherie Reich

“Come one, come all! See the beast. Half-man, half animal. Come buy your tickets. A nickel will let you watch this extraordinary creature.”
He could hear Victor’s voice calling to the carnival patrons, so he only had moments before performing for them. The red sheet fell to his feet and shielded his body from view until the grand reveal. He crouched down, and the shackle around his ankle clanked.
“Yes, yes, gather around. When you enter, do not go too close to the cage. The beast is very dangerous, and you must take care.” Victor flung open the tent’s flap, and sunlight poured into the opening. “Enter, my friends, and be amazed!”
Men, women, and children filled the tent, and the flap closed behind them.
He trembled under the sheet while they crowded around. Their proximity overwhelmed him, and the child monster cowered toward the rear of the cage. The bars pressed against his back.
“He’s so little,” a woman said.
“I see no monster here.” A man let out a grunt in disappointment.
“Take the sheet off. Let’s see him.”
The spectators grew restless from anticipation.
Victor took a stick and raked it across the bars. The monster winced and covered his ears. He hated when his master did that.
“Show them, beast. Remove the sheet.”
He rose to his feet and touched the soft cotton fabric. With a flourish, he yanked the red sheet off his body. It floated in the air like a leaf before pooling behind him.
A collective gasp filled the room.
He stood still for a moment and let them see his form. The hairy creature he was. Then, baring his dagger teeth, he leapt at the bars. His hands clung to them, and he growled.
Shrieks of horror burst from several ladies. A couple women fainted. Children clutched to their fathers and cried. The men skirted farther away from the cage.
His gaze roved around the room. Their reactions were so predictable, and the creature knew the next shows would produce more spectators. They feared him, but they needed to see the beast. His angry grin faltered when he spotted one child.
A girl no more than ten stared at him. Clothed in a frilly yellow dress, she smiled. Her blue eyes were wide and kind, and her golden curls bounced upon her head when she moved forward. Before she touched the bars, Victor snatched her hand.
“Now, now, my child. Not too close.” He clapped his hands. “Ladies and gentlemen, you’ve seen him. Tell your friends. We’ll be here all weekend.”
Once again, Victor opened the flap.
The fainted women revived and clutched to their men while the people left the freak show behind. The girl left last and kept her gaze upon him until the sunshine swallowed her.
The tent entrance closed. Muted laughter filled his ears, and he sank to the dirty, hay-strewn floor. He only had a slight reprieve before the show would begin again. Everyone had to see the caged monster.
They would never leave him alone.


He was drifting to sleep when the tent flap opened again. Carrying an oil lamp, Victor entered with the same girl from earlier.
“Have a seat, my little one.” He pulled out a stool for her. “I will count our money and get us dinner.”
He patted her curls and went to a table in the back. Coins clinked together as he counted them. How much did the master get this time from revealing the beast’s monstrosity?
“Are you asleep?” Her blue eyes focused upon him. She dragged the stool closer to the cage.
He sighed and opened his eyes. Sitting up, he stared back at her.
“Can you talk?”
He met her question with silence.
“Papa, does he have a name?”
“What, child?” Victor’s tone was gruff from the interruption.
“Does he have a name?”
“Of course not! He’s a monster.” Laughter rumbled deep in his chest. “Now, leave me be a bit, child. I have to count.”
“My name is Gretchen,” she said to the beast. Her head tilted, and she scratched her head. “I will call you David. Yes, David.”
David. No one had ever given him a name. Since he was sold to Victor around the age of two, he couldn’t remember his own family. Trying to smile, his lips twitched upward and he flashed his fangs.
Gretchen giggled. “I like you, David.”
“Let’s get some food, child.” Victor walked over to his daughter and offered his hand to her.
She placed her small delicate hand into his large beefy one. “Papa, what does David eat? He looks hungry.”
“I suppose I should feed him. Hold on, pumpkin.” Victor kissed her on top of her head and went outside momentarily. Coming back, he produced a bucket. “It’s dinnertime, beast. Stand back.”
He scurried to the corner of his cage while Victor unlocked the door and shoved the bucket inside before slamming it shut.
“He’s fed. Let’s go see what we can find for our dinner.” Victor took her hand again and led her out of the tent.
After they left, he crept toward the bucket. His stomach churned at the nasty reek of spoiled meat. Flies buzzed around and white maggots wiggled through the greenish gray slabs of beef. A fly landed on his cheek, and he swatted it away. Picking up a piece, he sniffed it and gagged. His hunger dissipated, and he tossed the chunk on the ground before curling into a fetal position to sleep again.


His nose twitched, and he awoke with ravenous hunger. He sniffed several times while he crawled to the edge of the cage.
“You’re awake.” Gretchen smiled and held up a thick piece of fried chicken. “I saved you some, David. The other food looked gross.”
She pulled off a piece of white meat and tossed it into the cage.
His furry hand snatched the chicken, and he shoved it into his mouth. The juices dribbled down his chin as he chewed the delicious meal. How long had it been since he had fresh food?
“Mmm.”
She grinned in delight and clapped. “I’m so glad you like it. Here is some more.”
She placed another sliver on the edge of the cage.
He grabbed the next piece and ate it. Grunting, he pressed his face against the bars and opened his mouth.
“All right, I’ll give you another piece.” Gretchen ripped off a strip and held it out to him. “Here you go.”
His teeth snapped around the chicken chunk. This time, the piece tasted different and was crunchier than before. Sweet warm liquid squirted into his mouth—so delectable, even better than chicken!—and he heard a shrill scream. Blood splattered his face, cage, and tent roof as the crimson droplets flew in an arc. 
He had bitten her finger off.
Her eyes grew big and round as her face drained of color. She clutched her hand to her chest, and her mouth stretched wide. The scream poured unheeded from her small form.
Victor ran into the tent and froze.
“Gretchen,” he whispered his daughter’s name while his hand flew to his mouth in horror. Then, he spotted the creature in the cage.
“You damn monster!” Spittle flew from his lips, and his cheeks flushed red. He snatched a shovel and fumbled for the keys to open the door.
David shot back from the bars. The blood in his mouth tasted wonderful, but he was afraid. He never meant to harm Gretchen. Trembling, he cowered low and put his hands over his head.
The key turned in the lock, and the door flew open.
“I’m gonna kill you.” Victor wielded the shovel and swung it against the beast’s head.
It hit David’s hands, and pain rushed up his arms. He cried out as the tool smashed into his face. Blood rushed from his nose and down his lips and chin. The taste of it broke the little bit of humanity he had deep inside him. Anger surged in a rising tide of fury. Screaming in rage, he jumped forward and grabbed the shovel.
“Let go.” Victor tugged on it, yet the creature ripped it out of his hands and snapped it into two.
They lunged toward each other, but David was too small, too young. Victor wrapped his fingers around his neck and squeezed. The beast struggled and clawed at Victor’s hands.
Black spots formed in his eyes, and his life was slipping from him.
“Stop, Papa, stop.” Gretchen cried.
When he heard his daughter’s voice, Victor’s hands relaxed their grip.
Air rushed into David’s lungs, and the cage snapped into focus. Victor’s bulbous nose remained inches from his. His master hadn’t stopped wanting to kill him, and he reacted to the threat on his life. With mouth open wide, he bit into Victor’s neck and yanked out a chunk while slicing through the jugular. Blood bathed him while his master let out a surprised gurgled noise. Then, the beast drank the spurting liquid until it slowed and stopped.
Sated, he’d never felt so alive. His body buzzed with excitement. Taking the keys, he released the ankle chain for the first time in ten years. The shackle had worn away the hair, and he saw red, raw flesh.
Soft whimpers caught his attention, and he stared at Gretchen.
She had collapsed against the side of the tent. Her entire body shook. “Please, David, don’t hurt me.”
He limped over to her. Her eyes widened in fear, and he looked away. Shame filled his heart. She was terrified of him. He’d lost his only friend.
“I ... am ... sorry.” The three words took several moments to say. He formed the syllables as if they were a foreign language. His voice was raspy from lack of use.
She screamed again.
The sound pierced his ears, and he cried out. He ran from the tent and froze. Crisp air filled his nostrils, and the word “autumn” formed in his mind. He remembered this season with the changing leaves and fresh air. Stars sparkled in the nighttime sky. Candles lit the carnival, and he started to smile at his freedom.
A man tackled him from the side.
They struggled, and he bit the man’s arm. More blood gushed from the wound, and David clamped his teeth around the arm and crunched down on bone. The man screeched.
“There is the monster!”
“Kill him.”
The crack of a rifled musket shot startled him. A bullet hole appeared in the tent left of his head. Yelping, he released the man’s arm and broke into a lumbering run.
“Get him.”
The men chased after him and fired their weapons.
Puffs of dust rose around him as the bullets fell short. He ran toward the dark trees outside the carnival. The blood he had drunk strengthened him, and his strides grew longer and faster.
Leaving the men behind, he arrived at the woods. Like a wild animal, he hid and waited. Fear and hunger became one, and he was hungry again. Blood could sustain him for so long, and he craved it like a drunk needing another drink. They would come for him, and he would feast.
David was gone forever.
Only the monster remained.


The End


Enjoyed Once Upon a December Nightmare?
Now read the sequel!

 

NIGHTMARE EVER AFTER
The Sequel

Almost ten years have passed since that fateful December night.

But the monster is hungry.

As the killings start again in New Haven, Virginia, FBI Agent Timothy “Tim” O’Conner sends for the lone survivor from the ’02 murders to help him catch a killer. Cassie Richards wants nothing to do with the monster that killed her friends or the agent’s investigation, but she can’t forget the night that has haunted her nightmares. She returns to Virginia in search for closure, but will she be able to catch and kill a legend in time?

Now Available!
October 29, 2012


An Excerpt from Nightmare Ever After

CHAPTER ONE

FBI Special Agent Tim O’Conner’s nostrils burned from the pungent reek of death. His fingers twitched to cover his nose, but he wouldn’t dream of looking disturbed by a corpse, especially in front of the local yokels. Off to his right, a green-faced deputy leaned against his truck and barfed into a plastic grocery bag. Tim swallowed hard and breathed shallowly through his mouth.
Sunlight dappled the forest floor and deepened the shadows around the golden pattern. The rustling leaves sounded like raindrops splattering upon a roof. Each footfall sent gravel flying on the forestry road. The odor grew stronger. Tim ran his tongue against his teeth, as if he could rid the rotting death smell coating it.
Sheriff Jones knelt at the edge of the road. His crisp brown slacks had mud upon the cuffs, but his sheriff’s star gleamed. He held open a manila folder and shuffled through papers.
Tim cleared his throat. He flashed his badge before tucking it into his pants’ pocket. Due to the late May heat, he left his suit jacket in his SUV not far from the deputy’s truck. “You requested a FBI agent? I’m Special Agent O’Conner.”
 “Pleased to meet you, O’Conner.” Jones stood, stepped back from the corpse, and offered his hand. The two men shook hands firmly.
Past the sheriff, he could see the edge of a hiking boot. It dangled from a partially gnawed leg. The other shoe was missing from the body’s bare foot. Since no vehicle had been discovered, he assumed the person was a hiker. Tim saw no backpack, so perhaps the person either had lost it or was only out for a couple hours. From his position, he didn’t detect any maggots, but the smell indicated death had to have been at least a few days or so ago. The medical examiner would tell them more.
“Who discovered the body?”
“Forestry service. They radioed us.” The sheriff took off his hat and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “They asked if they could give a statement after their rounds. Hope that’s all right with you.”
“I suppose it’ll have to be, won’t it?” His jaw bunched at the lack of protocol, and he continued to peruse the corpse. The mangled flesh suggested quite a few animals had feasted on this poor departed soul. The flies’ humming sent a shiver down Tim’s spine. From the long hair and torn tank top, Tim guessed the hiker was likely female, but even then it was hard to tell.
A few days ago, the news had mentioned a missing hiker. He hadn’t remembered her name, but could this corpse be the same person?
“Any ID?” 
“We’ve been waiting on Patti Smith, the medical examiner from Roanoke. She should be here shortly.” The sheriff glanced over to the deputy as he puked again. “Mikey, just drive down to the east entrance and look out for Patti. She might get lost up here.”
Tim knew Patti since he’d been assigned to the area three years ago. She was a damn fine medical examiner.
The deputy nodded and fled to his truck.
“Newbie?” Tim motioned to the deputy.
“Nah, Mikey’s a good guy but has a weak stomach.” Jones shrugged.
“Did you alert the State Police?” The FBI had jurisdiction in the Jefferson National Forest, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the State Police would be involved too. The Bureau was trying to get along better with the local and state police. They did know the land better, even if Tim sometimes thought they got in the way too much.
He tiptoed closer to the body, so he wouldn’t disturb the scene. Something shifted along the body’s upper torso. He squinted as he leaned closer.
“I did. Called them right after you.” Jones motioned to the body. “What do you think?”
“Something’s moving.” Tim scratched his chin. The odor shoved him back, but he drew closer to the corpse.
“Probably bugs.”
Tim removed a pen from his shirt’s pocket and lightly lifted up the neck of the tank top. Worm-like shapes writhed under the body. Then, a fat maggot popped out from the jagged tear along the victim’s throat.
Caw-caw! A crow flew from a tree branch, and Tim jerked upright. His heart thudded in his chest. He had to almost laugh at himself. Maggots were normal. So were birds in the woods. He was almost as bad as the barfing deputy.
“Agent O’Conner?” Sheriff Jones gave him a smug, slightly amused smile.
Great, the sheriff noticed his reaction as well. Tim slipped his pen back in his pocket and took a few steps away from the body. His gaze traveled up the slight incline. No signs of a struggle. The leaves and dirt appeared undisturbed, so he didn’t think she had fallen. A few animal markings—some scat and clawed tree bark—dotted the area. 
“It’s possible the hiker could’ve died here. Heart attack, heat stroke, something of that nature. There’s no drag marks.” He circled the body. “Not much blood. Dead before the animals got her, I suppose. The ME will tell us more.”
“So you think this is an accident?” The sheriff clutched his folders closer to his chest.
“Do you think it isn’t?” Tim’s eyebrow arched as he studied the older man.
“Let me show you something.” He offered the FBI agent the first folder. “About nine years ago on June 6, 2003, seventeen-year-old John Faraday and sixteen-year-old Cara Ryder went missing. We discovered his 2003 Ford F-150 along this very road. On June 8th, we finally stumbled across their bodies within a clearing. Beside them, we found deer remains. These kids were murdered, and that’s not all.”
While the sheriff spoke, Tim flipped through the pages. The last picture he came across was the bodies. The ragged neck wounds were eerily similar to the hiker before him, like a gaping grin where there shouldn’t be one. “They weren’t the only ones?”
“Nope.” Sheriff Jones handed him the second folder. “James Canley, Denise Hart, and Mary Hart were discovered in that same clearing on December 29, 2002. According to the parents, they were supposed to have gone to a movie on the 28th, so no one knew why they were found along this road. We suspected murder and had a person of interest, but the investigation took a different turn when Faraday and Ryder were killed six months later in similar fashion.”
Tim flipped through the next set of pictures. An old black truck sat upon the road. Drag marks and blood smeared across snow. There were three bodies. A gaping hole replaced the one girl’s throat. The other two had fared no better. The frigid December temperatures slowed the decay rate, so the corpses were fresher than the one in front of him.
“Who was your person of interest?”
“One Cassandra Richards. She’s the last photo in the file. A car hit her along the main road, and the paramedics took her to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. She had trace evidence from her friends, but her mental state kept her from trial.” The sheriff sighed. “We were certain she did it.”
The agent came to the last photograph. A young woman stared back at him, her eyes as haunted as if she’d lived through a nightmare and had never woken up. “What happened to her? Is she living in the area?”
“After we had realized she wasn’t our killer, she was released from Grayson Mental Sanatorium. She’s not here, though.” Jones cleared his throat. “Let’s just say many folks didn’t welcome her back. Last I heard she taught high school history in Springfield, Missouri.”
“And she was your only suspect?” Tim touched the picture. His heart clenched for the pretty girl. In the distance, a truck engine roared closer. The deputy was probably heading back with the medical examiner, or Virginia’s State Police had arrived.
“Yes. We had some strange trace, DNA and hair, on the victims, but it was nothing conclusive.” His chuckle lacked humor. “Young Cassie there told us a hairy monster killed her friends. Can you believe that?”
Normally, Tim would’ve said no, but seeing those eyes, his gut told him to trust her. “And I guess you think the killer’s back. Is that why you brought these folders to a crime scene?”
“You guessed right, Agent O’Conner. One man from the forestry service recognized the wounds, told me it might be the same killer. We rarely have crime out here. New Haven is a peaceful small town. I brought these reports to check it out. You still think it’s an accident?”
After seeing these pictures, Tim wasn’t so quick to label it one way or the other. “We’ll see what Patti says. I suggest we start a perimeter search. If the hiker was murdered, then this isn’t the primary scene. There’s not enough blood or disturbance. If it’s not an accident, could this be the work of a copycat?”
“I really don’t think it’s a copycat. But I agree this isn’t the primary scene. My office is willing to help. I know it’s the FBI’s call. We have little jurisdiction here.” The sheriff gathered the folders.
“We’ll be glad for the assistance. There’re a lot of woods out here. I’ll call in some backup and see if the Western Lab can speed up their lab work on what we discover.” Tim’s partner Jess Lawson had picked a fine time to go on maternity leave. He could’ve used her help. He removed his cell phone from his pocket and searched for a signal.
Nothing.
“Oh, those phones don’t work out here. You can borrow our radio. Mikey’s back with the ME.” Sheriff Jones nodded to the deputy’s truck, followed behind by the medical examiner’s vehicle and the State Police in their cruiser.
“Thanks, Sheriff.” Tim nodded.
Jones returned the gesture.
Tim glanced at the corpse again before heading to Patti’s vehicle. Even along the forestry road, the sun barely poked through from the dense tree canopy. Such a picturesque place for a terrible crime. If the sheriff was right this man had killed again, then Tim would find the murderer. He knew he would need to speak with the medical examiner as well as the State Police before he could call in a couple more teams, but he needed to talk to one other person.
Cassandra Richards was the lone survivor. How could they believe she had anything to do with her friends’ deaths? Plus, if this person was murdered and the evidence pointed to the same man who killed those teens back in 2002 and 2003, then she could give them insight on the case. Had she seen the killer up close and personal? Tim needed to find out. Persuading her to return, though, might be a problem, but Special Agent Tim O’Conner was up to the task.

Acknowledgements

First, I would like to thank Zetta Brown and Marci Baun from Wild Child Publishing. Back in October 2009, they accepted Once Upon a December Nightmare for publication and after many edits, my horror story was published in August 2010. Although I received my rights back to republish it in August 2012, I will forever be grateful for giving my story a chance.
Next, I would like to thank my critique partners Aubrie Dionne and Christine Rains. They critiqued this story several times, and I appreciate their feedback.
Thank you to everyone who has purchased and reviewed the first edition of Once Upon a December Nightmare. Your comments and reviews were greatly appreciated.
Thank you to my family. You support me as a writer, and I am so grateful for you all.
A special thank you goes to my friends Dawn and Christy. We took that December night’s hike back in 2002, and I’m so grateful our experience was much better than the characters in Once Upon a December Nightmare. It was still creepy about those deer, though!
And finally, thank you, readers. We authors would be nothing without you, and we appreciate your comments and reviews. Please consider reviewing this book and many others you read.


About the Author

A self-proclaimed bookworm, Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies. Her e-books include a horror novelette titled Once Upon a December Nightmare, a short story collection with authors Aubrie Dionne and Lisa Rusczyk titled The Best of Raven and the Writing Desk, the futuristic space fantasy novelette trilogy Gravity, and The Foxwick Chronicles, a series of fantasy short stories. She is a member of Valley Writers and the Virginia Writers Club.


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