Pocket Wilderness & Other Horrors

by Jason Ingolfsland

  "You gown come out of there?" Addison asked. His eyes darted in Kenny's direction and a sly smirk sliced over his cheek.

  He knows I'm here? Kenny's heart raced. Looking in the direction of the knife, he gave into his primal instinct and burst out of the thicket and ripped the knife out of his brother's skull. Blood and brain spewed like a geyser. His eyes sharper than the knife, he lunged at Addison with everything he had, screaming at the top of his lungs.

  The knife, clutched in Kenny's right hand, thrust downward toward Addison's face. The blade's tip was inches away from Addison's eye. He caught Kenny's wrist and held the knife at bay. Struggling, Kenny gnashed his teeth, and pushed down as hard as he could, but Addison was too strong. The knife didn't move an inch.

  All was lost when Addison's grimace turned to a grin. He squeezed his wrist, loosening the knife out of Kenny's hand. It tumbled down to the dirt while Addison twisted his wrist harder. Kenny released a short yelp.

  "What happ'n ta Junius?" Addison sharply asked, holding his arm behind his back.

  Kenny grimaced and spit blood and saliva on his foot.

  Addison frowned, ignoring the spit. "Did yer....nah," Addison said, shaking his head in disbelief. "It ain't possible. Junius wers one of the bayst. Nah, yer didn't..."

  A boastful grin spread across Kenny's face. You better believe it. "Where is he, then?" Kenny asked.

  Addison turned him around and looked into his eyes. Kenny stared back, unflinching.

  "Well, I'll be a damned fool. The pig done killed the wolf! I niver 'spected that. But you ain't no pig now, aren't ya? No, sir."

  He pushed Kenny to the ground, and planted his boot firmly on his chest. Leaning in close, he tilted his head some, beaming into his eyes. Kenny stared back in defiance.

  Addison sniffed a few times and licked his lips. "Yer no pig," Addison said, shaking his head. "Yer a chief. That's what you are. A warrior. I can see it in yer eyes. You don't have the smell."

  He was right. Kenny didn't feel the fear he once had. Only rage. Pure, unadulterated rage to kill Addison where he stood. But, he couldn't. Addison was too strong, and it was impossible to budge.

  "I'm going to kill you," Kenny said, snarling, saliva oozing between his teeth.

  "Nah, you ain't," Addison said confidently. He lightly cackled. "I think I done got me a plan for you."

  Addison lifted him to his feet. His black gums smiling in the firelight was the last thing Kenny saw before a sharp pain overcame the side of his head.

  He woke to Addison's hand smacking him in the face.

  "Time 'ter wake up!" Addison yelled.

  He opened his eyes. It was still dark outside, and cold. He shivered as a gust of wind rushed down the trail.

  "Where are we? What is this?" Kenny asked. He sat up, but the sudden rush of blood to the head forced him back down. His head throbbed. Putting his hand to his forehead, he looked up. The trees and stars stared back down, and so did Addison. He kicked Kenny in the ribs.

  "Git up," he barked.

  Kenny whimpered. His head still throbbing, he sat up and tried to focus his eyes, but the pain made it difficult. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and the blurry image of the coal mine came into view. Why are we back here? He looked at Addison curiously.

  "I said-" Addison started, but he didn't have to tell him twice.

  Kenny raised his hand, steadying himself, and stood, one foot after the other. Nausea flushed into his stomach causing him to lose his balance. He held back the vomit launching into the back of his throat, and swallowed the acidic bile. The thought of his brother staring at him, mouthing run reappeared in his mind. Brandon. No. Brandon.

  Addison chuckled. "You ain't gown to puke on me are ya, boy?"

  "No."

  "Good," he replied, putting a cigarette in his mouth. The tip glowed a bright orange before he extinguished the lighter flame with a swift flip of his wrist. He took a quick drag and blew the smoke out like a dragon. "Now, we have business."

  Instantly, Kenny ran for it, but the nausea throttled his stomach again causing him to lose his balance and fall face first into the dirt. It didn't stop him. He crawled wildly away from Addison as fast as he could. He got to his knees, but Addison laughed and grabbed Kenny's ankle. He yanked and dragged him through the dirt.

  "Where do you think you're going?" Addison asked, pulling him harder.

  The rocks and roots sticking out of the dirt scraped his face and arms.

  "Help! Someone!" Kenny screeched. "Please!"

  Addison's boot struck him square in the groin quickly silencing him.

  Kenny sharply howled.

  "No one's out here. Just you and me," Addison said. He grabbed him by the back of the shirt and held his cigarette to his neck. "Now, play nice. Hear?"

  Kenny's neck stiffened and moved as far away from the cigarette as possible. He nodded in agreement.

  "What happened to the chief? He's in thar somewhere. We're going to get him out. Yes, sir," Addison said, guiding Kenny over to the entrance of the coal mine.

  "What are we doing here?" Kenny asked.

  Addison put his head close to Kenny's ear. "Welp. Once upon'r time, long before us or this here coal mine, there was a man named Jaysis. The Jews killed him and put him in a tomb. He was in the darkness for three days before he came back out of that there tomb." Addison flicked the lighter open and lit the flame. He put the light in front of Kenny's face and flicked it shut. Darkness instantly swallowed up the glow while Addison put the lighter into Kenny's hand.

  "Yer gonna need dat," he said.

  "No...No! Please!" Kenny begged. "I'm not going in there!"

  "Yes. You are," Addison demanded, putting a knife to the small of his back. "And when you come out. You'll be a new creation. Now..." Addison shoved him into the darkness. "Git!"

  Kenny shivered, not from the cold, but from fear. It shook him to the bone. Jittery and shaken, he fumbled to get the lighter open. He flicked it a few times, sparks flashing like fireworks, until on the third strike the flame set the wick ablaze. Looking back, he saw Addison silhouette standing guard.

  "You best get fixin' to move!" Addison yelled, his voice echoing off the walls of the cave.

  His stomach tied up in knots. Kenny had no choice but to go into the deep. The further he went, the closer the darkness closed in on him. The ribbon of light stood alone amongst the overwhelming pollution. The mine was wet, and musty, smelling of old mud. He placed his hand to the wall of the cave, inching his way further, slowly and steadily, until he looked behind and no longer saw Addison. It was only dark.

  Suddenly, he had an idea. I will flick off the light and wait here. I'll wait here for hours and hours until it is day outside. Addison will be gone by then, and I'll run home.

  He flicked the light shut. There was no more light. He couldn't see his hand in front of his face. Slowly, he kneeled down and sat in the mud and leaned against the rock wall. He could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed heavily. He tried to calm down as he sat in the quiet, dark cave. A wave of emotion overtook him, burning in his throat, begging to get out, but he held it down. Thinking about his brother, he wanted to weep, but he swallowed his emotions.

  In the darkness, time didn't exist, and Kenny wasn't sure how long he had sat against the wall, waiting for morning to arrive. He wondered if it was time. He wondered if he could leave. I must have been sitting here for hours.

  He stood and fumbled around in his pocket for the lighter. Pulling it out, he held it in front of his face. With one flick the light glowed, revealing a ghastly face staring inches away from him. Its smile stretched from ear to ear as it stared at him with blood red eyes.

  Petrified, Kenny's hand shook violently until it puckered its lips and blew the light out. Screaming, Kenny dropped the light and ran away as fast as he could, but he couldn't see a thing and ran into endless darkness. Heaving, he stopped at a wet rock wall and tried to scale it toward the entrance of the cave.

  "Stay aw
ay!" he yelled.

  Hands grabbed his face, his legs, his arms, and pulled him in all directions. Too terrified to scream, he merely hyperventilated, rapidly panting. He could feel something breathing on him, the huff and puff of its lungs blowing through its nose and on his face. A course, wet tongue licked the side of his cheek. It purred and chuckled before more hands dragged him down the coal mine, further into the dark. His screams echoed off the cavern walls like a grim choir before a violent and sudden hush.

  Trunk

  My head felt like a freight train ran over it, backed up, and ran over it again. A vein in my forehead throbbed with a sharp pain under my eye socket. The burning in my eyes wouldn't stop. It didn’t matter much though as I couldn’t see anyway. An aching pain centered on the back right of my skull. I slowly lifted my right hand up passed my neck and touched the sore spot. I hissed, gnashing my teeth together from the sensitivity. It was warm and wet. I couldn't be certain, but it felt like the gash was substantial. I panicked, quickening my breaths, but then I tried to think positive thoughts. Taking one deep breath, I calmed my nerves and tried to get my bearings.

  I knew I was in a car trunk. The smell of grease and gasoline, the cramped, confined space, and the total dark tipped me off. I just didn't know how I ended up in such a place. I remembered taking a shower, but when or where I couldn’t say. I was going somewhere, someplace important. I felt like punching the wall out of frustration.

  I needed a flashlight or matches. I wasn't a smoker, so I didn't have a lighter. I dug inside my right pants pocket. My clothes felt odd. They weren't my usual jeans and a t-shirt, but much more formal. I found my keys, but they wouldn't do much good locked up in a trunk.

  I guess I should say what I do remember. Who knows? That might spark some recent memories. I'm a pretty average guy with few talents to my name. I had an average childhood. Growing up I was a disappointment to my dad and a ghost to my mom. My siblings took center stage. My genius older brother was granted a full ride scholarship to Yale. Popularity endowed my two twin sisters with instant gratification and power. Beautiful, fashionable, they ended up both being Prom Queen on the same year because no one could decide; they also went to Yale.

  I did nothing and I was no one; I went to West Haven Community College. I was a sensitive, emotional kid. I definitely remember that. All of my relationships ended up in heartbreak on my end. I usually got dumped or cheated on. Regardless of the circumstance, it always ended the same: me losing. My losses greatly outweighed my victories. In fact, I could barely recall the taste of victory. I played little league baseball, at my father's request, and couldn't catch a ball or win a game to save my life. I'd study hard for tests to only come home with a big D+ stamped on the top.

  I wasn't a bad guy. In fact, most of the time the compliments I heard were, "Oh, Vincent, he's such a nice guy." But, "nice" is seldom valued by anyone. At least by my counting, I have had two wins in my life. The first was the time I won my school spelling bee, and sure, at the time that was great, but no one really cared and that included my parents who decided not to show up. The second was when I met Samantha.

  Samantha! I jerked my head upward, but forgetting I was still in a car trunk, bashed my head against the ceiling. I swore and lay back down. I had to get to her, but I was locked up in the stupid trunk.

  I first met Samantha in college and we hit it off right away. For such a long time things were going so well I feared something must have been wrong. I was just an average guy; I had nothing to offer her. I held on to that deep anxiety, thinking it was too good to be true. We had our struggles, but we overcame them and grew stronger for it. The first time I knew she loved me she could have gone out with her friends to a concert to see her favorite band, but instead stayed home and took care of me while I had the flu. I just knew it would work out from that point on.

  Then it hit me. I was going to the church to get married to Samantha. I gnashed my teeth and bit the side of my lip. I couldn’t believe I might miss my own wedding. I could just imagine her standing at the altar, alone, wondering if I got cold feet. I have to get out of here, I thought. I need to find the emergency latch.

  Groan.

  What was that? I remained perfectly still, waiting to hear the noise again.

  Uuurrrgggghhhhh.

  I trembled. The noise stopped. It didn’t sound human, but something like a dying bulldog clasping to its last breaths of life. Then, I heard it breathing and retching, inhaling and exhaling. It was a horrible noise.

  What was in the trunk with me? I shuddered at the thought.

  Just calm down. It’s probably just another victim of some horrible crime. Yes. It’s a victim. That’s all. I tried to breathe easy and relax.

  “Hello?” I asked, but there was no reply. “Is someone there?”

  Part of me didn’t want to find out. I just had to get out of trunk and get to my wedding in time. I had to make it. Think, Vincent, think.

  All the same I was still curious about the noise. I felt around the trunk and touched something I didn’t expect. Soft and silky, it made a ruffling sound when I moved it. The more I examined it with my fingers, the more I determined its size and what it might be. It's not possible. My heart sped up inside my chest before I touched another person’s hand. I abruptly pulled away, and I quaked.

  What happened to me? How did I get here?

  "H-hello?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

  No answer. It stopped breathing or making any noise at all. It sounded so nasty though. I didn’t mind.

  I stopped thinking about it and went back to thinking of getting out of the trunk., afraid I might go crazy if I didn’t.

  Whoever it is, they’re just sleeping. That’s all. Just sleeping.

  I searched the rest of the trunk for anything that might help me. I found a compartment full of trash, paper, old receipts, plastic bags, and something that felt like a sock, but at the very bottom there was a flashlight. I zealously pulled it from the compartment and pushed the button, but no dice. The batteries were out. In frustration, I slammed the flashlight against the ceiling and to my surprise it made a quick burst of light before dying out again. I shook it some more and it continued to release short bursts. I realized it was a magnetically powered flashlight. I turned it off and began shaking it to charge it up. I wasn't sure how long I should shake it so I did it for a while to get enough juice to last me.

  As I was furiously shaking it, I remembered the time the lights went out in our apartment. Samantha found some candles and I got the matches. We sat in the middle of our living room with a single blanket laid out like we were having a picnic. She had three candles dimly lighting the room. It was nice to be able to hold each other. We were engaged at this point, and I was still holding on to the anxiety that she would leave me. Moments like those were an oasis to long held fears. Sometimes she'd nuzzle my neck or kiss me gently all over and I'd melt. I needed to get back to her. I wasn't going to ruin this. I wasn't going to ruin my wedding. I wasn't going to lose again.

  I felt something as I was shaking the flashlight. It was a light, brief metallic jingle on my left ring finger. I held my breath. Taking my right hand, I touched it. A ring was wrapped around it.

  How is that possible?

  I turned on the flashlight and pointed the bright beam of white light downward. A gold beveled band hugged my finger perfectly. My lip quivered a little as it all came rushing back.

  The sun was hot and warm on our faces. We raced down the red carpet lined with a crowd of people on each side throwing rice over our heads. Our faces brightly lit, we held hands and I escorted her to our old station wagon. I opened the door to let her inside and ran around to the driver’s side. I waved one last time to everyone and hopped in, fired up the engine, and we were off.

  "I love you!" she joyfully exclaimed.

  I held my hand to her cheek, caressing it gently; I smiled and said, "I love you, too."

  She kissed my hand, and pressed her face against it. She had
a beautiful smile, and her gorgeous eyes intensely stared at me. I loved those eyes.

  We were headed to her parent’s lake house for the weekend before going to Hawaii for the honeymoon. That night we drove down a backwoods dirt road. The car's headlights kept the dark at bay. Walls of evergreens surrounded us on both sides. I had been to their lake house a few times in the past. It was a perfect getaway. We were close to arriving and I looked over at her one last time and said, "I can't wait to get that dress off you."

  She chuckled. "I bet you caa...Vincent, wait, who is this up ahead?" She asked with fear in her eyes.

  I glanced forward and slammed on the breaks. The station wagon skidded on the dirt, turning to an angle, before stopping completely. A cloud of dust rose up behind us as we stared ahead. Two trucks blocked the road with their headlights on. A group of men, five to be exact, were standing in front of the trucks.

  "Vincent," Samantha said, terrified. "Back up. We have to get out of here."

  I locked the gear in reverse and slammed on the gas, but before we got a yard, the men fired at our tires. Chunks of rubber erupted from below and our car slumped in the dirt. Samantha shrieked. I kept pressing the gas, but it wouldn't move. They were at our doors, smashing in the glass, and yanking our bodies out of the car faster than I thought possible. They put us both next to each other in front of the wrecked station wagon and pushed us to our knees. Samantha wept. I breathed heavily, but for the most part kept my composure. I remembered trying to be strong for my bride. Be strong.

  This can’t be happening. The men were not what I expected. They were clean cut, dressed in black suits with their hair neatly slicked to the side. Their skin was white as snow and their musk was rich and powerful when the wind blew by. Their handsome looks contrasted their pure evil and bloodthirsty eyes, making it hard to know if they were beasts or something else entirely.

  The leader stepped forward. His hair was silver and long. He brushed the bangs out of his face and smiled, revealing the sharpest fangs I had ever seen, forcing a shiver to run down my spine.