There was movement in the center of the emerald flames. As Maria watched, a scene unfolded, as if the fire was a window looking out on somewhere else—the interior of a small room. She saw grayish-white, featureless walls, devoid of paintings or fixtures. The flames expanded, revealing more of the room. There were three more walls, a yellow-tiled floor, and a single, heavily barred window. The details were stark and clear. To her amazement, she could see through the window. Maria realized it was looking out on the hospital’s parking lot, directly at the spot where she’d been sitting earlier that morning.
The room was empty of furnishings. A naked lightbulb hung suspended from the ceiling. A lone iron-framed bed sat in the corner against one bleak wall. A man lay on the bed, sleeping. He was covered in a single sheet and gray blanket. As they watched, he sat up, rubbing and blinking his eyes. Then he looked directly at them. His expression was one of astonished disbelief.
He can see us
, Maria thought.
Just like we can see him
.
She recognized the man right away. Two years had passed. He looked different than he had in the newspaper clippings and his dust jacket photo. His face was lined and haggard and his once-thick hair had been shaved down to stubble. He’d lost weight. His wrists were twigs and his cheekbones stood out at sharp angles beneath his skin. His goatee, once neatly trimmed and jet-black in the pictures on the inside back cover of his books, was now wiry and washed with white. Not gray, but pure white. But it was his eyes that had changed the most. In photographs, his eyes had always hinted of amusement, or perhaps mischief.
Now, Adam Senft’s eyes just seemed haunted.
Maria felt a sudden wave of sadness, but didn’t know why.
Adam ran his hand across the top of his head, gaping at them. His mouth moved, but he made no sound.
“Mr. Senft,” Levi said, “please don’t be alarmed. We’re here to help you.”
The author’s voice drifted out of the flames, faint and faraway. “Y-you…this is…but I’m awake. They said the medicine would stop this. I’m dreaming.”
“You are not dreaming, Adam. I assure you of that. But you must listen to me. We are here to help you. We can get you free. But you have to hurry. The gateway won’t stay open for long. Can you move?”
“Y-y-yes…”
“Then step through the door,” Levi urged. “Quickly!”
“You—you’re Amish.”
“Not really. It’s a long story.”
“Do you drive a horse and buggy?”
Levi paused. “Yes. But I don’t see what—”
“Why do you drive a buggy if you’re not Amish?”
“The price of gas has increased quite a bit since you went into this institution. We’re at war. But that’s not important right now.”
“Why not? It’s my dream, right? I get to make up the rules.”
“Please,” Levi pleaded. “We know what really happened to you. We know about Hylinus and Nelson LeHorn.”
Adam cringed, pressing himself against the wall.
“My father was Amos Stoltzfus,” Levi said into the flames. “Do you recognize that name?”
Senft’s stutter had returned. “H-he was one of LeHorn’s p-peers.”
“That is correct. And I am his son. I believe your story, Adam. So does my friend here.”
“Nobody believes me,” Adam sighed, lying back down on the bed. “They don’t understand.”
“We believe you,” Levi insisted. “But it’s not over in LeHorn’s Hollow, and unless you want what happened to you to happen to others, you’ll come with us. We need your help. I can’t do this without you. Now hurry!”
Maria heard the rising panic in Levi’s voice. Then she noticed that the flames were starting to shrink again.
Adam sat up again, staring at them. Then he shrugged.
“I’ve read a bit about lucid dreaming. I guess if I don’t like where this is going, then I can just change it. Wake myself up again. Right?”
“That’s fine,” Levi nearly shouted in exasperation. “Just hurry up. Come through the door.”
The flames continued to die down, now flickering at a level even with their heads.
Adam put on a pair of slippers and got out of bed. He approached the portal with caution, slowly reaching out his hand. He reached through it tentatively. When he wasn’t burned, he stepped inside…
…and walked out into the circle of protection, nearly knocking Maria and Levi over. Adam toppled, losing his balance. Still sitting cross-legged, Levi reached for him. Adam pulled away, heading for the edge of the circle. His foot hovered over the line of salt.
“No,” Levi shouted. “Don’t break the—”
Adam stepped out into the thicket. Immediately, the flames changed color again, burning black against the darkness. The scene inside the fire changed, no longer showing Senft’s room. Instead, it looked like the surface of another planet. Boulders and red sand covered the desolate landscape. The rocks looked like they were
rotting
, as if they were organic. Something beyond their view roared. The noise wasn’t audible. Maria heard it in her mind.
“What the hell is that?” she screamed. “Is that what we’re fighting? The thing with no name?”
“No!” Levi shouted. “That’s something else. Hold on!”
She stared, transfixed, terrified but unable to look away as the doorway widened. The roar ceased. She felt the air around them rush past her as it was sucked into the rift. Her hair fluttered and her thin gold necklace began to writhe around her neck, slowly defying the law of gravity. The candles wobbled, the flames flickering but not going out, despite the strong wind. The alien landscape grew clearer. A dark mountain range towered over the red desert. Some of the cliff faces looked carved. She studied them closer, and was suddenly dizzy. Like some otherworldly Mount Rushmore, one of the mountainsides had been turned into statues. But instead of four famous presidents, these figures represented something monstrous and obscene. Tearing her gaze away from the creatures, Maria saw a metallic flash on the horizon, just at the foot of the mountains.
“What’s that?” she screamed again, pointing at the silver object.
Gritting his teeth, Levi lashed out with his foot and knocked the copper bowl over.
He shouted, “
Ut nemo in sense tentat, descendere nemo! At
precedenti spectaur mantica tergo! Ia Amun traust nodrog!
Amun, Amun, Amun!
”
The flames vanished, along with everything else. Levi leaned back on his elbows, breathing heavily.
“What the hell was that metallic thing?” Maria asked again.
“That,” Levi gasped, “was your tax dollars at work—one of the robotic rovers that NASA abandoned on Mars. Judging from its position and the surrounding landscape, I’d guess it was the Mars Pathfinder.”
“Mars? But there were statues! There aren’t any statues on Mars.”
“Well, that’s what it was.” Levi nodded toward Adam. “And this is the man that almost got us killed.”
Adam shrugged. “Like I said—lucid dreaming.”
“Mr. Senft.” Levi slowly got to his feet and extinguished the candles. “What you just did—the damage you caused…Well, let’s just say I’ll be paying for that sooner or later. Hopefully later, at the end of my days.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Consider yourself lucky for that small blessing. Let me assure you that this is no dream. We’re playing with lives here. Yours, hers and mine. That was a Sumerian spell and—”
“I know,” Adam interrupted. “I know. The green fire and the portal—I recognize them from one of LeHorn’s books.”
“So you did have all of his books, then?” Levi asked.
“Not all of them. Just his copy of
The Long Lost Friend
. And his journal. And parts of another book—just pages, really. Everything else got burned up in the fire.”
He hung his head and shuffled toward them.
“I know this isn’t a dream,” he said, bursting into tears. “And I know I’m not crazy. What I am is fucking scared! I miss my wife and I just want some fucking peace, and I don’t want to go through this shit again. Can you help me? Please?”
“Yes,” Levi whispered. “We can help you. And more importantly, you can help us.”
“How?”
“All in good time.”
“Don’t play that Phantom Stranger bullshit on me, man.”
“First, let’s get you away from here. I’m sure they check on patients throughout the night?”
Adam nodded. “Yeah, they do. Fucking Schmidt—he’s one of the orderlies—peeks in through the door windows all night long. Shines his flashlight in and wakes us up. He thinks it’s funny.”
“Is he on duty now?”
“Yeah. He’s one of the overnighters. A real jackass. Messes with us all the time.”
“Well, let’s get you out of here before he notices you’re missing.” Levi studied Adam’s cotton drawstring pants and short-sleeved, pullover shirt. Both were a bland shade of green. They looked like pajamas, and the institution’s name was stenciled across the back in big, black letters. “And I suppose we’ll need to find you some clothes.”
“Are we taking my car?” Maria asked. It was the first time she’d spoken since the fire had gone out. She’d been unable to find her voice—afraid that if she opened her mouth, she might start screaming, or worse yet, crying. She’d never been more terrified in her life. This was real. No more doubts. No more questions. Levi had ripped a hole in the fucking air. A hole made of fire. And Adam Senft had stepped through it. It was magic, plain and simple. The proof was standing directly in front of her. She felt dizzy and nauseous and her arms and legs tingled as if asleep. She’d just been confronted by something she didn’t believe in, and her convictions had been found wanting. She was afraid to breathe, afraid to blink, worried that if she did, something else might happen.
“Yes,” Levi said, retrieving the rest of his items and putting them back in the basket. “Can we reach it without attracting attention, or do you think you should go get it while I hide Mr. Senft here?”
“Wait a second.” Adam held up his hands. “Look, don’t think I’m not grateful. You got me out of there, and I appreciate it. You’ve got no idea just how much. But I’m not going anywhere with you until I know exactly who you both are. You said you were Amos Stoltzfus’s son?”
Levi picked up the wicker basket. “That’s right. You may call me Levi.”
“And you do powwow, just like your old man and Nelson LeHorn did.”
Levi nodded. “Yes, among other disciplines.”
“No fucking kidding. I’m pretty sure what you just did wasn’t powwow.” Adam turned to Maria. “And who are you?”
“Maria Nasr.” She held out her hand. “I’m a freelance writer, currently putting together a book proposal on the hollow and the LeHorn murders.”
Adam frowned. “You said murders. Plural. But Nelson LeHorn only killed his wife.”
Maria paused. “Well, as I’m sure you know, there are other murders connected to the hollow.”
“So you’re writing about me, too? Me and Tara?”
“I…” Maria turned her eyes to the ground.
“You’re just another scavenger,” Adam accused. “Trying to make a buck from someone else’s pain and suffering.”
“No,” Maria insisted. “It’s not like that.”
“Please,” Levi said. “We can discuss all of this later, after we’ve gotten clear of the area. If they find us now, we’re all in trouble. We’ve got more important things to worry about.”
He turned to Adam.
“You said you wanted our help. We can give you that. Others can only imagine the pain you’re feeling. The things you’ve been through. But I don’t have to imagine them. I move in that world every day. Let me help you.”
“You said you needed my help, too.”
“I do,” Levi agreed. “Hylinus and the tree-spirits weren’t the only dangers in LeHorn’s Hollow. Something else is there now—an entity more powerful than either of those. It’s forcing its way into our world and if we don’t stop it by tomorrow night, then the horrors you faced will pale in comparison to what will happen to all life on this planet.”
“Jesus…” Adam rubbed his shaved head. “What can I do? I don’t have any special abilities. I don’t know any magic. Not anything useful, at least. All I did was fool around with those books we took from LeHorn’s house.”
“That’s how you can help,” Levi said. “The police never obtained LeHorn’s copy of
The Long Lost Friend
. It was still in your possession at the time of your arrest, but it was never logged into evidence, nor was it found by the family who moved into your old home since then.”
“A-another family lives there now?” Adam’s voice cracked.
“I’m sorry,” Levi apologized. “You hid the book, didn’t you?”
Adam nodded, his mouth working soundlessly.
“And these loose pages you mentioned—do you remember if some of them were inside the book?”
“Yeah,” Adam sighed. “About a half dozen of them, actually.”
Levi arched his eyebrows, surprised at this revelation, but he stayed quiet.
“They weren’t part of the book,” Adam continued, “but I kept them anyway. Didn’t understand a word of them, but they were sort of interesting to look at. There were some pretty gruesome drawings on them. That’s why I recognized that thing you did with the fire.”
“Thank you, Lord,” Levi whispered. “Your name be praised.”
“Excuse me?” Adam blinked.
“Do you remember where you hid the book?”
“Sure.”
“I need those pages, Mr. Senft.”
“Call me Adam. And that’s it? That’s all you need—the papers? That’s all I need to do to help?”
“Yes, Adam,” Levi said. “Just that, and one other thing.”
“What’s that?”
If Levi heard him, he gave no indication. Instead, he began leading them out of the underbrush and into the field. Maria heard him muttering to himself.
“A necessary evil…”
“Levi,” she called. “Wait up.”
They followed the magus into the field, stepping out into the night.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was almost midnight when the last of the Ghost Walk’s volunteers drove away. Ken, Terry, and Tom McNally stood in the center of the field, watching the taillights fade as the departing workers pulled out onto the road. The wide-open area now seemed very empty. The sudden silence was unsettling. In the darkness, it was easier to understand why the forest spooked some people.
“There’s still no sign of Cecil,” Tom said. “Unless he was here and I didn’t see him?”
Terry and Ken looked at each other and then shook their heads.
“I didn’t see him,” Terry said. “How about you?”
“Me either,” Ken agreed. “Although, with the spotlights and everything, it was kind of hard for me to pick people out of the crowd. You’re sure he didn’t tell you where he was going, Tom?”
“Nope. And his truck is still here. Don’t know how else he would have gotten home. Guess he could have caught a ride with someone else. But it seems like he would have at least told me first.”
All three of them glanced toward the parking area. Sure enough, Cecil’s old pickup truck was still sitting in the same spot, alongside Tom’s Dodge Charger, Terry’s Jeep, Ken’s truck, and Russ and Tina’s SUV. The thin moonlight reflected off the vehicles.
“Russ and Tina’s Chevy is still here, too,” Ken observed. “Anybody seen them?”
Terry frowned. “Now that you mention it, no. What the hell is going on? First Sam and Rhonda. Now this.”
Ken shook his head. He had a sinking feeling in his gut. The ground started to spin, so he closed his eyes. He had never been wearier.
“Maybe they’re still in the woods,” Tom suggested. “We should look. I keep imagining Cecil lying out there after having a heart attack or something. Last time I saw him, he was going off into the woods to piss.”
“Yeah,” Ken agreed, looking up again. “Terry, go grab some flashlights. We’re not leaving here until we find them. Tom, while he’s doing that, call their houses. See if they’re home, just in case they got a ride with someone else. And call Tina’s cell phone, too.”
“If she’s in the woods, it won’t work.”
“Call it anyway. It’s worth a try.”
“Whatever you say, Ken.”
“Hold on a minute,” Terry said. “Look, Ken. You’ve been up for how many hours?”
“I don’t know.”
“I do. You look like death warmed over, man. We’ve got a big day tomorrow and an even longer night, and you’re gonna have to be on top of your game. An operation this size—there’s going to be a million little things that need your attention tomorrow night. You need some rest, before shit starts catching up with you.”
“Like what?”
“Like that cop, for instance. Did you remember to call him back?”
“I did. Got his voice mail and left him a message.”
“And when did you finally remember?”
Ken paused. “After the walk-through tonight.”
“That’s my point. You’re tired, Ken, and you’re starting to slip. Now, I know you’re worried about Cecil. We all are. And we’re concerned about Russ and Tina, too, although I’m willing to bet they’re okay. It’s this place. These woods, and all the bullshit history that goes with them. It just has us a little spooked. Chances are they’re fine. But just in case, Tom and I will go look for them. You go home and get some sleep. You need it worse than we do.”
“Screw that,” Ken said. “I’m not going anywhere until we know what—”
“Go home and get some fucking sleep,” Terry ordered, raising his voice. Then he softened it again. “If we find anything—if something bad really has happened—I’ll call you right away. I promise. But as worn out as you are, you’ll be helping everybody a lot more if you just get some rest. We need you sharp, man. This is your show. Tom and me can handle this.”
“Damn straight,” Tom agreed. “In truth, I’m betting old Cecil is just lying up against some tree, drunk as a skunk or passed out. He’s always carrying that flask around with him. Drinking that frigging cheap-ass gin. Hell, could be Russ and Tina are out there with him.”
Ken rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
“Go home,” Terry urged him. “Please? You’re exhausted. We’ve got this.”
Ken hesitated. “You promise you’ll call me if something’s wrong?”
“I promise.” Terry nodded. “Have I ever lied to you?”
“Yeah. In the eleventh grade, when you told me you hadn’t slept with Alicia Hartlaub on prom night.”
Terry groaned. “You’re never gonna let me forget that one, are you?”
“Hell, no. She was
my
prom date, man.”
“And she was good.”
“Fucker.”
“Get going.” Terry punched Ken’s shoulder. “I’ll call you if something’s happened.”
“Okay. Good night. And you guys be careful.”
“We will,” Terry promised.
“See you tomorrow,” Tom said, waving.
Ken walked off to his pickup truck. They watched him go. His head hung low and his shoulders were slumped. He weaved back and forth slightly, as if he were drunk.
“Jesus,” Tom whispered. “You were right. He really is beat.”
Terry nodded. “His ass is dragging, all right.”
Ken’s headlights came on and the engine thrummed. They heard the distant strains of Jerry Reed belting out “Eastbound and Down,” the theme from
Smokey and the Bandit
. Ken sang along with him. Then Ken tooted his horn and pulled away. They gave him a final wave and then walked toward the storage trailers. As they crossed the field, Tom tried calling Cecil while Terry called Russ and Tina’s house.
“Anything?” Terry asked.
“No. If he’s there, he ain’t answering. How about you?”
“I got their answering machine. I didn’t leave a message, though. Don’t want to worry their kids just yet. Let’s check the trail first.”
“Glad I ate something earlier,” Tom said. “This might take a while.”
“Listen, did you take off work tomorrow?”
“No.”
“Well, shit, Tom! Why don’t you go on home, too? I can handle this by myself.”
“No, you can’t. And besides, I don’t have to be at my desk until nine. I got time.”
“Okay, if you’re sure. This might be a wild-goose chase, but I appreciate the help. Ghost Walk or not, those woods are kind of creepy after dark.”
“Terry, do you really think they’re okay?”
“Do you really think Cecil is laying out there drunk?”
“No. I wish I did, but I don’t. This just isn’t like him at all. I think something’s happened.”
“So do I. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s those kids going missing, or maybe I’m just tired, too. Or maybe it’s these fucking woods. But I’m starting to get a bad feeling.”
“Me, too,” Tom said. “You think maybe we should call the cops?”
“Not yet,” Terry said. “I mean, maybe we should. But I want to hold off. This time tomorrow night, we’ll be open. The last thing we need right now is law enforcement and search parties traipsing through the woods.”
“That’s pretty harsh.”
Terry shrugged. “I don’t like it either. Hell, Russ and Tina are friends of mine, and old Cecil seems like a good guy. But I’ve got other responsibilities to think about, too. Ken’s been my best friend since high school. A lot of folks drift apart after they graduate, but that never happened with us. He’s like a brother to me. This Ghost Walk means the world to him. It’s the first time I’ve seen him excited about anything since Deena died. If the cops suspect foul play, they could shut us down before we even open. That would kill him. Not to mention the negative publicity.”
“You don’t reckon the police think we had anything to do with this?”
“No,” Terry admitted. “Probably not. But you never know. And if those fucking reporters start sniffing around and asking lots of questions, Ken’s not going to be able to deal with it. Not right now, on top of everything else. He’s got other shit to worry about.”
“Not necessarily. He handled that girl from the newspaper pretty well.”
“Yeah, but she was just writing a fluff piece. Look, I don’t like it any more than you do. And you’re right. My gut tells me we should call the authorities right now. We probably
should
let someone know. It’s the right thing to do. But humor me just a little bit longer. Let’s have one last look ourselves. If we don’t find them, then we’ll call somebody. At least this way, Ken will get some sleep before we wake him up.”
“I guess you’re right.”
They retrieved two high-powered flashlights from the storage trailer. Terry grabbed a first-aid kit, as well.
“Think we’ll need that?” Tom asked.
“It’s just a precaution.”
As an afterthought, Terry stuffed two road flares into his jacket pocket.
“Another precaution?” Tom’s expression was grim.
“Yeah,” Terry said. “If they
are
hurt—and I hope to fucking hell that we’re wrong about that—and one of us has to come back up here to call 911, then the other one can light up these flares so the paramedics can find us easily. Especially if we’re off the trail.”
“That’s good thinking.”
“Let’s just hope we don’t need them.”
Terry and Tom began the long hike across the field, heading toward the forest. They zipped up their jackets against the late-night chill and slipped on their leather work gloves to keep their hands warm. The high weeds were wet with dew and their pants quickly became soaked below the knees. Neither spoke much. They were too tired, too cold. Too apprehensive. They tried once again to reassure each other that they were probably overreacting, but secretly, both men were becoming more and more convinced with each passing moment that something was seriously wrong. Their fear grew as they neared the forest, as if the darkness magnified it. Unlike the moonlit field, the woods were draped in shadow. They turned on their flashlights. The beams only penetrated a few yards beyond the trees. Somewhere in the branches overhead, a bird cried out. Both men jumped.
“First bird I’ve heard out here in a while,” Terry whispered.
“That was a whip-poor-will,” Tom said.
“Oh, yeah? That a good thing?”
“My granddaddy used to say that if you heard a whip-poor-will, it was waiting to carry away someone’s soul.”
“Now there’s a cheerful fucking thought.”
“Well, he was drunk most of the time. Used to piss in a coffee can. Nasty old fucker, but I loved him just the same.”
“I think,” Terry said, “I liked it better when we weren’t talking.”
Snickering, they stepped into the forest. Their laughter dried up beneath the trees.
“It’s dark in here,” Tom said. “I can barely see the lime.”
“Yeah.”
“Want to try calling them one more time?”
“No,” Terry said. “Let’s get this over with.”
Walking side by side, they started down the trail.
Maria drove the speed limit, repeatedly checking the rearview mirror for police. She fully expected to see red and blue lights flashing behind them at any second. After all, she was driving with an escaped mental patient in her car. She knew she was probably being silly. Nobody had seen them. But her nervousness remained.
Levi was in the passenger seat and Adam sprawled out in the back. He’d been nervous at first, still unsure about his new companions. But he’d warmed up considerably by the time they reached Interstate 83. Maria had turned the radio on and Adam reacted with joy. He’d told them that he wasn’t allowed to have a radio inside the psychiatric hospital. The only music he’d had access to was whatever the facility’s staff played over the loudspeaker—light jazz or easy listening music, depending on who was on duty. Maria tuned in his favorite station.
He stared out the window as they headed south, bobbing his head to the music and watching with interest as the landscape zoomed by.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see any of this again,” he murmured. “But it’s still here. All of it.”
“Did you think it would all just go away?” Maria asked. “That it would cease to exist just because you couldn’t see it anymore?”
“Maybe. Inside that place, I didn’t know what to think. They fucked with my head pretty bad. Put me on a bunch of different medicines and into daily psychotherapy sessions. They said I needed to face what I’d done. Come to terms with it.”
Maria glanced over at Levi. He hadn’t commented. Instead, he sat with his eyes closed and his hands folded in his lap. His hat was pulled low. She assumed he was meditating.
“They said I had to face my inner demons.” Adam’s voice cracked. “Face what happened. Why Tara really died.”
“Well,” Maria said, trying to sound upbeat, “I guess that’s a healthy form of therapy, right?”
“Healthy? You don’t understand.”
“I’m trying to.”
“Let me give you an example. There was a woman inside named Karen Moore. I knew her from before. We went to the same high school. She graduated a year ahead of me and was friends with this girl I used to date named Becky Schrum. In 1984, Karen was abducted and raped by a cemetery caretaker. He killed her boyfriend, Pat. Slaughtered him right in front of her. You’re young, but maybe you heard about it?”
“No,” Maria said. “I moved here from New Jersey just a few years ago.”
“Well, Karen and another woman were held in an underground warren. They were both raped repeatedly by this guy. Karen ended up pregnant from it. Nine months later, she went nuts. Had a total breakdown. Karen was convinced that her baby was half human and half monster. A ghoul. That’s what she kept insisting—that she was pregnant with a ghoul.”
Maria didn’t respond.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Adam said. “Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Just like me and Tara? The crazy writer guy insisted that his wife was pregnant with a satyr? Well, maybe. But think about this. They made Karen confront her inner demons, and you know what happened? Karen had her whole life ahead of her. And instead of living it, she’s spent the last twenty-five years in a fucking insane asylum. Her baby went to live in an orphanage. No happy endings for either of them. That’s what happens when you confront your monsters. The monsters win. And I’m not going to do that. I know what really happened. I know I’m not crazy.”
“Calm down, Adam,” Maria said. “I didn’t say you were.”