Текст книги "Rushed"

Автор книги: Brian Harmon

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

Chapter Nineteen

Eric ran for the woods and the golem followed.

The thing howled, its terrible voice rolling across the clearing like slow, rumbling thunder, filling him with bone-chilling dread.  Beneath this awful howl were the sounds of splintering wood from the church roof, the booming echoes of the rifle and Father Billy’s bellowed curses, all mingling into a single, chaotic din at his back.

Almost as soon as he entered the woods, he could hear the thing tearing through the heavy branches directly behind him.

How long did it take a stupid fuse to burn?

Seconds dragged on as he ran for his life.  He wove between the trunks of the massive trees, hoping to slow the creature down, but he could hear the thundering crash of these same trees smashing to the earth behind him, some of them startlingly close.

Finally, he heard the explosion.  A great, hollow concussion that struck his ears like a crack of thunder.  At the very same instant, the golem cried out in a dreadful, howling shriek that might have been agony or rage or even simply despair.  It was difficult to know for sure.

The howling stopped.  A hush fell around him.

He dared a glance back over his shoulder, hopeful that the ordeal was already over, and glimpsed one of the forest’s massive trees crashing down from above him, shattering branches in its path as it hurtled toward him.

Eric bolted out of the way.  He felt the ground tremble with the force of the impact.  A great gust of air rushed past him and dust and debris rained down around him.  He was not sure how close he came to being crushed, but he strongly suspected that he had missed certain death by mere inches.

High above him, the golem howled again.

So much for getting rid of it by blowing up its box.

He ran as hard and as fast as he could go, but it didn’t seem to be enough.  Somewhere in the nearby woods, another tree crashed to the ground close enough to rain splinters onto him.  He couldn’t keep this up forever.

As he shoved his way through some dense underbrush, something scraped his left arm, drawing blood and wrenching from him a frustrated curse.

He had no idea how he was going to survive this.  There was nowhere to go.  The thing was obviously perfectly happy to spend the rest of the day pulling up every massive tree in this forest in search of him.  How could he even hope to break its focus?

Another tone rang out, the sound of the cell phone, still clenched in his left hand, alerting him to another text message.  He glanced at the screen.

LEFT

This was new and surprisingly bossy behavior for his cell phone.  But given that he was out of ideas and terrified for his mortal life, he found it hard to turn down freely given advice.  Since he was only running blindly through these woods anyway in hopes of not being crushed to death or eaten whole by a two-story monster, he humored his phone and turned left.

Another reverberating crash from behind him.

Another blood-curdling howl.

Eric crested a hill, descended the other side and emerged from the woods into the oldest and creepiest cemetery he had ever seen outside of a horror movie.

“Really?”

Sure.  Go left and into the creepy cemetery.  That’s what he got for listening to a stupid phone.  Now what was he supposed to do?

Glancing over his shoulder again, he saw another tree crash to the ground and the massive, looming face of the golem floating after him.

Nowhere to go but among the headstones, he ran out into the cemetery.

“Sorry!” he breathed as he trod across graves of people long gone from this world.  “Really sorry!  Don’t mind me!”

Behind him, the golem was far less polite.  Another tree came crashing down into the cemetery, crushing several headstones and making enough noise to…well…

After all that he’d been through today, Eric would not have been remotely surprised to see the dead bursting from the hard, rocky earth and loping after him.  Or simply screeching at him to keep it down.  But surprisingly enough, they kept to their coffins and left him to the golem.

Making his way across the cemetery, he glanced back again and found the monster floating after him, howling its grizzly howl and glaring down at him with its enormous, red eyes.  Its long, fleshy snout was unrolling itself from its gruesome face, crooked teeth as big as elephant tusks emerged and bristled outward as it reached toward him.

It was almost on top of him.  He couldn’t outrun it much longer.  His legs were beginning to ache.  He could feel a pain forming in his sides.  And he still didn’t have any idea how to break its focus.

Then Father Billy was there, running toward him.  He had several more sticks of dynamite in his hands, all of them lit, all of them with troublingly short fuses.

“Keep going!” he yelled as they drew close to each other.  “No matter what, just keep going!”

The golem howled thunderously.

Father Billy ran past him, toward the monster, swearing at the top of his voice at it.

Eric did as he was told and kept running.

He heard shouting.  Unearthly howls filled the air.

As he entered the forest again, a brief series of enormous booms rocked the cemetery and all fell silent but his own frenzied fleeing as he tore through the underbrush.

He dared not look back for fear that he would find the creature right behind him still, just waiting for him to turn and look in its molten eyes before snatching him off his feet and grinding him to pulp between its countless, massive teeth.

But no such fate awaited him.

He climbed to the top of the next hill and passed into a thicket of smaller trees.  The gloom lifted.  The chill receded.

He found himself in a clearing behind a barbwire fence.

The sun was shining brightly again.

He climbed the fence before allowing himself a look behind him.  He was alone.  Father Billy’s explosive, head-on attack had finally done what the single stick of dynamite in the thing’s box had failed to do.

Eric leaned against the fence and allowed himself a moment to catch his breath.

It was over.

Once more, he had survived.

But now he couldn’t help but wonder what had become of Father Billy.  Had he survived the attack?  Or did he sacrifice himself to break the golem’s focus?  He hoped the good father was okay.

His cell phone rang.

Apparently, he was home again.

And he was still clutching the phone in his hand for some reason.

Looking at the screen, he found with no surprise at all that it was Karen.

He hesitated to answer for a moment as he wondered where those text messages had come from, the ones that advised him to RUN and go LEFT.

He pushed the question to the back of his mind and answered the phone.

“Where are you now?”

“Cow pasture.”

“Hope you’re watching where you step.”

“I am.”

“You sound out of breath.”

“You know how it is.  Staying in shape.”

“Right.  My husband the fitness nut.”

“Have to keep those buns nice and toned.”

“Right.  Where’ve you been?  I’ve been trying to call for hours.”

Eric recalled the untimely call that almost got him caught and eaten by the corn creeps.  He thought about pointing out the danger she had put him in with all her calls, but decided better of it.  That seemed like a good way to start a fight, especially given that he had not called her even once today to assure her that he was still alive.

Besides, if he’d been smart, he would’ve turned the stupid thing off.

Instead, he focused on what she’d just said:  “Hours?”

“Yeah.  It’s been like three hours.  You’re making me a nervous wreck.”

“What time is it now?”

“It’s almost five.”

According to Eric’s watch, it was not yet two o’clock.

“I’m losing time.”

“What?”

“It hasn’t been that long for me.  Time isn’t consistent in and out of the fissure.”

“That’s not possible, Eric.”

“Of course it is.  It’s a well-known scientific theory that time can be distorted, though it’s usually on cosmic scales.  Black holes, light speed...”

“Every third or fourth episode of Star Trek?”

“Well…yeah…”

“Whatever.  If you say so.  What’s going on in Wonderland?”

“Right, well, after I got off the phone with Paul…  Wait…  If it’s been three hours, did Kevin ever get there with the PT Cruiser?”

“He got here a while ago.  Gave me back my key, had some cookies and then Damien came and picked him up.”  Damien Glowstern was Kevin’s best friend.  He was practically a member of the family.

That was one less thing he had to worry about, at least.

“I don’t know where Paul is.”

“Paul’s in the fissure,” he told her.

“He’s what?”

Eric turned away from the fence and started walking again.  He didn’t care to stay in one place very long.  That seemed like a good way to invite trouble.

“He called me right after we hung up last time.  Told me he was poking around.  He’d already found his way through the barn.”

“Oh my god…  Is he in any danger?”

“Yeah.  I think he is.  But he might be all right if he doesn’t do anything really stupid.”

“That’s really not at all reassuring.”

“I know.”

“You haven’t heard from him since?”

“I just got my reception back when you called.  I haven’t checked messages.”

“Great…  Now I have to worry about both of you.”

“I told him you’d be mad.”

“Good.”

“I threatened to cut off his cheesecake privileges.”

“That would serve him right.”

“I know.  Anyway, I hung up with him and then promptly ran into the corn creeps.”

“Corn creeps?”

“Ugly things.  Mean.  Lots of them.  They chased me to this old church.  I got to spend some quality time with Father Billy.”

“A priest?”

“No.”

“Oh…”

“Long story.”

“I see.”

Eric noticed that his arm was bleeding and recalled that he had gouged himself on something while running through the woods.  Fortunately, it didn’t look that bad.  Next to the claw marks on his arm, it hardly warranted concern.  “We had a visit from the foggy man while I was there.  He left a present for us.  Another one of those monsters.”

“Scary.”

“Yeah.  But we took care of it.”

“How’d you do that?”

“Dynamite.”

“Sounds effective.”

“It was.  Eventually.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too.”  He didn’t bother telling her in detail just how narrowly he’d managed to remain okay.  Maybe once he was back home and safe, but not now.

“Do you think you’re getting close?”

“I hope so.”  He was making his way across the pasture now.  There were a few dozen cows at the far side of the field, but none seemed remotely concerned with him.  Still, he kept his eyes open for anything that might like to eat him.  After all that he’d seen, he wouldn’t have been entirely surprised to see those very cows stand up on their hind legs and start stumbling toward him, clutching knives and forks.

“How’s the dream coming?”

“I think I missed something.  The corn creeps weren’t supposed to chase me to the church.”

“Really?  That’s what they’re called?”

“I didn’t come up with it.  Father Billy did.  And he seemed a little touchy about it, to tell the truth.”

“Oh.  Sorry.”

“I think I was supposed to stay on the road.  I think there was somewhere else I was going to go.  Now I think I’ve missed it.  I’m not entirely sure, but I have a feeling I might’ve gone around it instead.”

“Do you think you’ll need to go back?”

“I don’t think so.  I feel like it’s more important to get to the cathedral.  But I’m not sure anymore.  Father Billy thinks I need to stay away from the cathedral.”

“Maybe he’s right.”

“Maybe.  I don’t know.  He saved my life back there.  Twice, actually.”

“I like him already.”

“Yeah…  I lost him, though.  I’m not sure what happened to him.”

“You think he might be dead?”

“It’s possible.  I don’t know.  I hope not.”

“Me too.”

“Whatever happened, it’s done now.  I can’t go back.  He told me to keep going.  No matter what.  He’s not the kind of person you care to disobey.  And who knows if I could get back there even if I tried.  The path might not lead back there anymore.”

“That’s so weird to think about.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah.  Just…  Tired.”

“I should let you catch your breath.”

“Yeah.”

“And you should call your brother.”

“I should.”

“Call me back and let me know he’s okay.”

They said goodbye and hung up.  Eric made his way to the far side of the field and climbed another fence.  There, he stepped onto another dirt road and found that it was familiar.  He’d been here in his dream.  He was back on the path.

He wondered what he missed by taking his detour by the church.  Hopefully it wasn’t anything important…

He dialed his brother’s number and continued walking.

Paul answered on the first ring.

“Where are you?”

“I’m at that Gold Sunshine place.”

“Still?”

“Yeah, still!  I’m hiding in one of those little cabins.”

“From what?”

“I don’t even know!  Absolutely no idea!  Damn thing came out of the corn!  Looked kind of like a little bitty rhinoceros…”

“Rhinoceros?”

“Lots more teeth, though…  Funny little legs, too.  No bigger than my dog…  Came charging right at me!  Mean little bastard!  Bit me!  Tore my pants leg all to hell…”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.  Just a few scratches.  But I almost didn’t make it to this cabin!  You didn’t tell me about those things!”

“Mutant mini rhinos are a new one to me.”

“Grunting and snarling…  Scared the holy hell out of me!”

“I warned you it wasn’t safe.  Should’ve listened to me.”

“I know.”

“Is Kevin on his way to pick you up?”

“Not yet.  Him and Damien were still looking for this place when I called him.”

“And you haven’t worked up the guts to go back out so you can make a break for the driveway?”

“Can’t!  Stupid thing’s standing guard out there!”

“Really?”

“Yeah!  I’m looking at it right now, through the window!  It’s just sitting there, dozing in the grass, waiting for me!  Little freak!”

Eric laughed.  He couldn’t help it.

“It’s not funny!”

“It’s exactly what you deserve.”

“It’s still not funny!”

“Well it’s got to go away sometime.”

“You’d think…”

“Well, as long as you’re safe…”

“Safe, yes.  Free to leave this smelly old cabin, not so much.  Hot as shit in here, too.”

“Should’ve gone home when you had the chance.”

“I know…”

“Keep an eye out for Taylor.  He was there when I went through.  Maybe he can help you out with your little…rhino-thing.”

“I haven’t seen anybody all day.”

“Well keep your eyes open.”

“Right.”

“Could be worse.”

“I’m sure it could.”

“At least it wasn’t corn creeps.”

“Corn creeps?  What the hell’s a corn creep?”

“About a hundred times scarier than a mini-rhinoceros.”

“I’ll have to take your word for that.”

“Yes, you will.  Did you get a picture of it?”

“About twenty of them.  Not much else to do in here.”

“Send it to Karen.  Let her know you’re safe.  She’s worried about you.”

“You told her I’m here?”

“I did.  She’s pretty pissed.”

“Well, shit.”

“I told you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Let her know.”

“I will.”

“I’ll check on you again later.”

“Okay.  Chances are I’ll be right here.  Stupid…whatever the hell it is…”

Eric hung up and stuffed the phone back into his pocket.  He had to admit, it gave him a chuckle to think of Paul being held prisoner in one of those little cabins by a pint-sized rhinoceros.

He gazed around at the surrounding pastures.  No dwarf rhinos were charging him.  No corn creeps were stalking him.  There weren’t even any coyote-deer watching him.  He seemed to be alone except for the cattle, and so far they seemed to be nothing more than ordinary cows.

Hopefully it would stay this way for a while.  He needed a break.

He kept wondering about Father Billy.  Was he okay?  Had he escaped the golem?  He hated to think that his untimely arrival had brought tragedy to any man, much less one with such a unique relationship with God.

His phone rang again.

When he checked the number to see who was calling, he found it blank again, like it had been when he received the broken call in the church.  Curious, he opened the line and pressed it to his ear.  “Hello?”

“Eric!  I think I finally got the hang of this!  Sorry I cut off before.”

“Who is this?”

“It’s me, silly.  Isabelle.”

Eric stopped walking.  He was shocked.  “Isabelle?”

“Yeah!  I got out!”

“Away from Altrusk?”

“Yeah!  Well…  Sort of…  I mean I’m definitely well away from Altrusk.  He’ll never find me now.  But I’m still kind of stuck.”

He couldn’t believe it.  He’d honestly believed that he’d never hear the girl’s voice again.  “How?”

“Remember that room I told you about?  The one with the door I was afraid of?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I did it.  I went in.  It didn’t let me out, like I’d hoped.  And it hurt really bad…but it sent me somewhere else.  Apparently, there’s lots of places out there like Altrusk’s house.  And I guess I can move between them.”

“That’s…kind of cool.”

“I know, right?  After you left, Altrusk was insanely mad.  He couldn’t really hurt me—he’s already done all he can possibly do to me—but I decided I had to do something.  So I went to that room with the door and I just went for it.”

“That was very brave of you.”

“Thanks.  But…I have you to thank for that.”

“Me?  I didn’t do anything.”

“Yeah you did.  You were my friend.  I needed a friend.  Plus…  Well, this is kind of weird, but do you remember how I told you I had that connection to my family?  I could feel them?  I was in their thoughts?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, after you left, I realized I have that with you now, too.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.  So I’m kind of in your thoughts now.”

“Oh.  That’s…”

“Weird and kind of creepy?  Yeah.  I know.”

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“I know you weren’t.”

“Okay, yeah, it’s weird and kind of creepy.”

“I know.  But hey, I may not be able to get back to my family, but I can at least move around.  And I found out I can talk to you.”

“Yeah.  How exactly are you doing this?”

“I found a way to hop into the phone lines.  And since I’m in your thoughts, I know your number.  I’ll be able to talk to you any time I want, as long as you have a phone.  Any phone.”

“That’s…cool,” he replied.  And he meant it.  After assuming she was lost, it was incredible to actually be able to talk to her again.

“In fact, even without a phone, you can always talk to me.  I’ll always be able to hear you.  And I think I can help you, too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  I’ve learned a lot after all these years of being stuck in Altrusk’s house.  I have all that he knows, for starters.”

“You do?”

“And the knowledge of all the other people trapped in that house.  Plus, I think the house itself gave me an intimate connection to the fissure.  I could even feel Father Billy a little bit.  I’m not sure if it was because he’s in the fissure or because he was with you, but I could see where he was and how to guide you back to him.”

“Wait…  So that was you sending me those text messages?”

“Yep!”

“How did you—?”

“I’m in your head, remember?”

“Right.  That’s useful.  Thanks.”

“By the way, Father Billy’s fine.  He might’ve lost some of his hearing, but he’s definitely not dead.”

“That’s good news.  I was worried.”

“I know.”

“This you-being-in-my-head thing is a little weird.”

“I know that too.  Sorry.”

“It’s okay.  I’m just happy you’re safe.”

“I’m just super excited to be able to talk to you!”

“Me too.  Where are you?  You said you could go to other houses like Altrusk’s?”

“I can.  And not all of them are super-scary.  This one’s kind of nice.  It’s in Australia.”

“Australia?  Really?”

“I know, right?”

“So there’s a fissure in Australia?”

“There’re fissures all over the place.  They’re not all well-defined.  And they don’t all connect to nightmare worlds like the one you’re in.  Like I said, it’s nice here.”

“Cool.”

“But I should go for now.  You need to concentrate on the path.  I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Oh.  And can I call Karen?”

“What?  Oh.  Yeah.  I guess.  You can do that?”

“Of course.  I can call anybody now.”

“Even your parents?”

Isabelle paused.  “Um.  Yeah.  I can.  But…”

“What would you say?”

“Yeah.  They’d think it was a cruel practical joke.  And that wouldn’t be cool.  But Karen’s a real nice person.  And she already knows about me.  I’d like to talk to her.”

“Knock yourself out.”

“Thanks!”

“But she’s going to be a little surprised to hear from you.”

“I know.  But she’ll be cool with it.  I’m sure of it.”

“Me too.”

“I’ll talk to you later.  Bye-bye!”

“Bye.”  Eric hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment.  That was probably the single strangest telephone conversation he’d ever had.  But it was also very likely the happiest.

Smiling to himself, he continued on.