Journey into Nightmares

Prologue

John sat at the bar nursing a shot of whiskey. He kept an eye on the man who was sitting at the end of the bar. That guy was putting way too much alcohol down his throat. You saw that way too much when you traveled these roads. People did stupid things. Unfortunately when people do stupid things too often others paid.

John watched as the man got up and threw some money on the bar. He then watched as the bartender picked up the money but did nothing to stop the drunk from going out and getting in his vehicle. He wondered why the bartender hadn’t cut him off before the guy had gotten this loaded. Oh well that was the barkeeps cross to bear and not John’s.

John appeared to lay something on the bar and he turned and walked out the door. The drunk was just getting in his truck. It was a fairly large work type van. The man fiddled with his keys for several minutes but finally he got the keys in the ignition and started the motor. When he went to drive out of the parking lot the man actually ran over the curb before making it out onto the road.

John wished he could have walked up and taken the guy’s keys but that wasn’t his job and break was over and he had to get back to work. John went to his own vehicle and started it up. Putting it into gear he also pulled out on to the road and headed in the same direction the other guy had taken. John had a long night ahead of him

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Hidden Within

Hidden Within

Kari stepped off the converted bus and she was assaulted by the sound of Susan from the RV across from hers screaming for her dog. It would seem that little Toby had bounded off somewhere and now Susan was trying to get the little barking rascal to return home. That’s all that woman had been doing since they arrived that morning and let the creature out. Every time she let the dog out it would run off somewhere and Susan would start into that high pitched caterwauling and the little guy would come running back. This time however it appeared as if Toby wasn’t paying any attention to his mommy.

Kari stepped around the front of the old bus that she and her husband Mark had put so much work into and approached the now really frantic woman. What’s wrong Susan?

I let Toby out and he ran off into the woods and he won’t come back. He isn’t even barking this time. I’m afraid something may have happened to him.

I’m sure it isn’t anything to worry about dear. He’s probably found something that has gotten his attention and will be back when his curiosity has been satisfied.

No, I really think something has happened. Just after he ran into those woods I know I heard him yelp and then whimper. I’m sure something has happened.

Did you see which way he ran off to?

No, my back was turned when he got away.

Well why don’t you walk down to the right and I’ll go left and let’s see if we can find him? Maybe he can’t hear you from here.

Yes, you’re probably right. Maybe he’s just gotten too far away and he can’t hear me.

Kari set off down the main drive calling Toby’s name. The drive through the RV Park was laid out in one big square with rounded curves at the four corners. The square was then divided by three drives running parallel with the two side drives of the park. This allowed for four rows for the RV's to park in with ten spaces in each row. They were located close to the back stretch of the drive and that is where they walked now.

It really was a lovely area with trees scattered throughout so most of the campers were afforded some shade at each camp site.

Outside the main drive through the campground there was about fifty feet of well-maintained grass and past that the place was surrounded by dense woods. During the day it was a truly lovely spot and at night it was quiet and cozy. Kari and Mark had been here three days and would be heading out the day after tomorrow.

Kari had made it almost to the turn in the drive when she stopped dead still. In this one corner the woods came up a lot closer to the drive than anywhere else. For some reason there was only about a ten foot gap between the curve in the drive and the tree line. No one had been parked in this area since she and Mark had arrived. It probably wasn’t unusual to find underutilized spaces in an RV park and it never bothered her. This was different however, right here, right now this was different. Something wasn’t right here and Kari became uncomfortable. It was in the part of the evening that people used to refer to as twilight and the woods seemed dark and ominous this time of evening but tonight, that seemed to be intensified. Kari felt as if something or someone was watching her from just inside the tree line, she couldn’t see them but they were there. From where she was standing she was only about twenty to twenty five feet from those woods.

Kari thought she could hear the sound of something breathing inside that darkened area. She thought she heard someone calling her name drawing her toward and into those woods. Kari saw something move slightly within the dark recesses of the trees as if it were edging its way toward her.

Kari became overwhelmed with a sense of fear. She didn’t turn around and retrace her steps but slowly began to back up. She knew that if she turned her back something bad would happen so she kept her eyes on the spot where she knew whatever it was now waited for her to let her guard down. Slowly she kept putting one foot behind the other, first five steps back, and then ten. She continued in this manner for about fifteen steps when she backed into something. Kari let out a loud yelp of her own when Mark grabbed her to keep her from falling.

Kari what’s gotten into you? Didn’t you hear me calling you? Why the hell where you backing up like that?

Can we just go back to the bus and then do the third degree Mark?

Mark looked at her a moment and then nodded his head. He didn’t know what was up but Kari looked like she was scared half out of her wits.

Mark and Kari were parked in the second row, third from the end. By the time they walked the short distance back everyone around them was standing at the end of the row watching Susan walk up and down calling for her dog.

When Susan saw Kari coming back to ward her she headed in her direction. Did you see or hear anything?

No Susan, nothing.

We have to call the police and everyone needs to help search for Toby.

Carol, who was in the third spot from the end, stepped up and put her arm around the distraught woman, Susan honey, I don’t think the police are going to come out to search for your dog and even if they would, it’s almost total dark and they couldn’t do anything until the morning. Why don’t you wait and see if he comes back in a little while on his own?

Jeff, Susan’s husband, came up and took Susan in his arms. Why don’t we go back to the RV Susan and you get some rest. We just found the dog at our last camp sight so you can’t be that attached to him already.

Jeff how can you say that? Of course I’ve gotten attached to him. We lost our other baby at that same site and it was like Toby was sent to fill that void. How can you not care?

Of course I care but there isn’t anything we can do tonight. I’m sure things will be better in the morning. Come on let’s get some rest and let all these people get back to what they were doing. I’m sure if anyone sees Toby they’ll let us know. Jeff led his wife to their RV.

Both the couples on left side of Kari and Mark had arrived the same day for the same reason. They were there for a local festival for people like them who had converted old buses into campers. It wasn’t often that you got a chance to camp with other bus people. They had not only spent the evenings together but often ran into one another during the day.

The three couples were enjoying the evening under the awning of Kari’s and Mark’s bus when the first strike of thunder rumbled through the night. The thunder was followed by a flash of lighting and then the torrential rain began.

This was when Carol, Robert, Rachael, and George got up to make a mad dash to their own buses when suddenly all the occupants were frozen in place.

The sound that stopped each one of them wasn’t the rain or thunder or wind but the horrific loud screeching howl that didn’t just penetrate but drowned out the sounds of the torrential storm that now surrounded them.

Mark shouted for everyone to come inside as he opened the door to his bus and made room for everyone to get inside.

What the hell was that? Carol asked trembling, not just from the chill from being wet but from fear as she slid into one of the bench seats of the table.

I don’t know? Responded Robert as he slid in next to her.

Kari slid into the seat across from them and shook her head. I’ve never heard anything like it before.

Maybe it was a bobcat or a cougar? Put in Mark as he took the chair in front of the sofa behind Kari while Rachael and George huddled together on the sofa across from Mark.

Did you lock the door Mark? Kari asked.

I don’t think that was necessary. Mark thought Kari had been acting a little strange ever since he had walked up behind her earlier.

Just lock it Mark.

OK Kari but I don’t think a wild animal is going to be able to open the door. Mark got up and locked the door and returned to his seat.

The rain still poured down on the metal roof of the bus and didn’t sound like it was going to stop anytime soon.

Maybe we should think about heading back to our own places, after all whatever it was probably is somewhere out there in those woods. Robert said although he didn’t look all that convinced.

The deafening squeal of metal being ripped apart was the next sound to break through the pounding of the rain on the roof and thunder overhead. It didn’t sound like a crash either but more like someone had taken some kind of sharp blade and cut through metal in a long drawn out single stroke.

What came next was even worse.

They heard the crash of glass and then the blood curdling screams of two people. The screams, one male one female, didn’t stop with one outburst but went on for a while intermingled with an occasional loud thud and more breakage of one thing or another.

The sounds were coming from the direction of the newer RV on the right of their bus. When the noises stopped everyone remained still each waiting for the next noise or movement from the outside. The only thing that penetrated the walls of the bus now was the sounds of the storm.

That had to be Tammy and John screaming. Carol said referring to the couple who owned the expensive new rig sitting next to Mark and Kari.

Mark tried to make it to the door but Kari, who had gotten up before him, was between him and the door and wouldn’t let him pass. Don’t go out there Mark, don’t anyone go out there.

Kari we have to try and help them.

Mark I’m telling you not to go out there. I don’t know what’s happening but I know that we can’t open this door to anyone. Kari stood her ground rooted to a spot between Mark and the door.

What are you talking about Kari? We have to see what has happened to them.

No. Don’t ask me why I have this feeling but I do and I know that if we walk out of here we won’t walk back in. You asked me earlier what was wrong with me when you came and got me. There was something in those woods and I knew I couldn’t turn my back on it. I thought later that I was being silly but now I know I wasn’t. Something was out there and we don’t know what it is. We need to make sure everything is locked up and don’t open the door for anyone until morning.

Everyone else had remained silent throughout the exchange between the couple but now George spoke up. I think Kari is right Mark. I’ve been uncomfortable ever since that damn dog disappeared this evening. Something about that whole thing didn’t seem right to me.

Are you trying to tell me that you think that little ball of fluff is terrorizing Tammy and John? Mark responded to George’s remark with disbelief.

No, but something happened to that dog and now this. I’m sorry about the couple on the end but I’m not going out there. George took out his cell phone. "I’m calling 911 and get help out here.

I think Kari and George are right Mark. We don’t know what is going on and be it the storm or something else I think going outside isn’t the smartest move to make. George is right in trying to get help from someone and we need to wait until it gets here. Carol shook as if she had been hit by a cold wind as she said this.

We can wait until they get here before we go out. Normally I would be out that door but you heard that metal the same as me. Do you really want to try and bring something down that is out there ripping metal apart? I know I don’t and I’m not about to put us all in harm’s way just to prove I’m a man. There are times when you have to use plain good judgment and I think this is one of those times. Robert was not a man used to being scared of anything but now he was and he wasn’t ashamed to let anyone know it.

I wish we had something to put over the windows but how do you cover windows that go all the way around? This was said by Rachael.

Damn I can’t get a signal here? Can any of you? George was holding his phone and extending his arm in different directions trying to get his phone to work.

Each of them checked to see if they could make a phone call but they all ran into the same problem, no signal.

The rain was falling so hard that the sound of the large drops falling on the top of the vehicle was deafening and you would think that you couldn’t hear anything over it but each and everyone in the bus did.

It was a low throaty growl that seemed to be coming from just outside. Again there was the sound of metal being torn and the bus lurched to the driver’s side slightly as if something was pushing against it.

George went to peer out the window on the passenger’s side but Mark reached forward and grabbed his arm to stop him. Don’t. Mark whispered.

They all remained still; none daring to move even afraid to breathe to loud.

The thing outside continued up the side of the bus toward the door tearing the metal as it went. It stopped just as it reached the door and there was a quick sharp screech as it seemed to violently jerk out the weapon it had used to mutilate the side of the bus.

The next thing to come was even more terrifying than before. The sound that assaulted them now was something picking at the seam in the door as if trying to get something in deep enough to tear the door from its hinges. Still no one moved and again the people inside were met with the deep throaty growl of whatever stood at the door.

They must have remained that way for what seemed like hours with whatever it was just on the other side of the door. Occasionally it made that growl replaced every now and then with heavy breathing with the intermittent click, click, click as it picked at the seams of the door.

It wasn’t hours but only a few minutes that they remained that way. The rain never let up in all that time and that may have been what kept them alive. The thing may not have been able to hear the people inside the bus but the next loud sound they heard was the sound of sirens as they cut through the night followed by the flashing of the lights on top of the emergency vehicles.

When someone knocked on the door they each jumped.

Mark again started to get up and head toward the door but Kari stopped him once more.

Looking at him Kari simply shook her head no.

Whispering to her, Kari what is wrong with you?

She simply continued to stare at him and shake her head.

Suddenly the flashing lights seemed to be turned off and this was followed by another angry growl.

Marks eyes widened, the terror that each felt was now reflected in his eyes.

Mark had never made it out of his seat and now he reached slowly for Kari and pulled her down into his lap wrapping his arms around her and mouthed, I love you. Kari repeated the action and laid her head over on his shoulder. No one in the bus moved continuing to sit in total silence.

When Robert started to get up some time later it was Carol who stopped him. Turning to her Robert pointed to one of the