by Ron Ripley
“Gary?” Jacob said.
Gary collapsed onto the ground, rolling away from his own vomit.
“Oh, Jesus, Gary,” Jacob said softly.
Gary’s neck was a bluish gray, as was his left cheek and part of his forehead. The left eye was black. Gary shivered and looked at Jacob. “I am freezing right now.”
Jacob could only nod. He watched as the strange color spread slowly. A quarter of an inch at a time. Gary lay on his back, staring up at the clouds. His breath became labored. His lips turned a light blue.
Jacob knew Gary was dying. He had seen plenty of men do it before.
Within a short time Gary began to wheeze. A rattle filled each breath, his chest rising and falling weakly.
Gary clutched at the grass, his body going into spasms.
Jacob could only sit by him.
The dead had remained away, and Jacob couldn’t imagine why.
Then, from around the small hill, the little boy with the white hair appeared.
For the first time, Jacob noticed the boy wore an elegant three-piece black suit. There was darker embroidery on the waistcoat and the labels of the coat. The boy’s shoes were highly polished and black with small buttons on the outside of each.
Jacob did not point the shotgun at him.
“Hello,” he said, giving the boy a small wave. It was curious, for even though the boy was dead, and he knew the boy wished to kill him, Jacob felt no malice towards him.
“Hello,” the boy replied. He came to a stop twenty feet away. “I haven’t asked you your name.”
“I’m Jacob,” he said. “I’d shake your hand, but I don’t want to die.”
“We all die, Jacob,” the boy said seriously. “But my name is Randy.”
“A pleasure, Randy,” Jacob said. He looked down at Gary, who lay with his eyes closed. His chest barely moved. The rattling, wheezing cough which heralded death filled the air.
“It won’t be much longer now,” Randy said.
“I know,” Jacob replied. “He was a good man.”
“We were curious about what you would do,” Randy said after a moment.
Jacob frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Whether you would leave your friend, or stay with him,” Randy answered. “There have been others who, when presented with this situation, have left their fallen friends.”
“I wouldn’t do it,” Jacob said.
“Evidently,” Randy said, grinning. “Remember my promise?”
“You’ll kill me quickly?” Jacob asked.
Randy nodded happily. “It will be soon.”
Jacob glanced down at Gary. “I know.”
Randy turned and walked away.
Within a few minutes, Gary shuddered, struggled for a last breath, and then he went still.
The man was dead.
Silently Jacob went through Gary’s pockets and took out the last half a dozen shotgun shells, stuffing them into his own pockets.
Jacob got up to his feet, his legs aching from the running. He looked around and saw the dead.
They stood in a wide arch with little space between them. It was as if they sought to keep him enclosed by the crypt.
Too many of them, Jacob realized, I’ll have no chance to shoot my way out.
The grass rustled beside him.
Jacob turned in surprise and looked down.
A woman was pulling herself up and out of the ground beside Gary’s corpse. She turned her head from left to right, stretched and stifled a yawn.
“Hello,” she said, smiling.
Jacob stepped out of reach and looked in horror at her.
She climbed to her feet, her smile shifting into a grin. “I think it’s your turn now.”
“For what?” Jacob asked, leveling the shotgun at her gut.
“To die, of course,” she said.
Jacob pulled both triggers and blasted her.
The woman vanished before his eyes and an enraged scream tore through the air.
Jacob threw the shotgun down as he turned and sprinted for the fence.
A howl of anger rose up from the throats of the dead and Jacob knew they pursued him.
He reached the wrought iron fence first, leaped and caught the cross piece. Old, jagged and rusted edges cut into his palms, but he ignored the pain as he pulled himself up. The wounds on his right arm opened, and fresh blood spilled down onto the iron. The fence’s sharpened points scraped along his chest, digging in deep and drawing blood.
As he thrust himself over the top, he had a chance to see Woods Cemetery spread out before him.
The dead were nearly at the fence, and the pure rage and hatred in their faces made him nauseous with fear.
For a moment, he teetered on the top, bleeding and frightened.
Finally, he realized they could pull him back in, and Jacob swung his legs all the way over. He couldn’t steady himself, or slow his fall, so he landed with a harsh thud onto the ground. Without hesitation, he rolled a few feet away, just out of the reach of the dead. They came to a stop at the fence and stood silently, impotently on the other side of the iron bars.
They seethed with rage, and Jacob knew they would tear him to pieces if he were any closer.
Yet not all of them were angry.
Randy stood near the front, a smile on his small face.
Jacob couldn’t help himself as he smiled back.
With a great deal of difficulty, Jacob got to his feet. The fog was cold around him. A terrible feeling. His wounds continued to bleed, but he knew he couldn’t stay where he was. He had to move.
He had to see if he could get home.
Jacob turned his back to the cemetery, to the dead and wandered out into the dense, white nothingness.
* * *
Brian Roy will be back in another adventure in August 2016: The Academy
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Working at a New Job
Chapter 2: John Lee Goes for a Visit, 7:30 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 3: Brian’s First Challenge, 7:35 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 4: In the Office, 7:45 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 5: The Call, 7:50 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 6: What to Do, 8:00 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 7: Running for It, 8:50 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 8: Inside the Crypt, 9:03 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 9: Jenny Makes a Call, 9:10 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 10: Brian and John in the Crypt, 9:10 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 11: Mitchell’s Notebook, Part One, May 4th, 1980
Chapter 12: Picking a Door, 9:30 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 13: Door Number One, 9:35 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 14: The Contest, 9:40 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 15: Jenny Starts to Get Concerned, 9:40 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 16: Traveling through the Unknown, 9:40 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 17: Out through the In Door, 9:50 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 18: Jenny Visits Woods Cemetery, 10:15 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 19: Not Alone, 10:20 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 20: Jenny Makes a Decision, 10:30 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 21: Time Stands Still
Chapter 22: A Knock at the Door, 11:00 AM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 23: Choosing Lots
Chapter 24: An Unpleasant Discovery
Chapter 25: In the Darkness
Chapter 26: Researching, 4:00 PM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 27: Shane Gets Information, 4:00 PM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 28: Moving On
Chapter 29: Making Preparations, 7:00 PM, May 2nd, 2016
Chapter 30: Seeking the Prey
Chapter 31: A New Friend
Chapter 32: Trying to Sleep, 2:10 AM, May 3rd, 2016
Chapter 33: Josephus Wahlen, September 20th, 1842
Chapter 34: Polite Inquiries Are Made, 7:00 AM, May 3rd, 2016
Chapter 35: John Goes Hunting
Chapter 36: 125 Berkley Street, 8:15 AM, May 3rd, 2016
Chapter 37: The Escape Begins
Chapter 38: In the Crypt, 1842
Chapter 39: Wood’s Cemetery, 9:15 AM, May 3rd, 2016
Chapter 40: John's Report
Chapter 41: Lost and Found
Chapter 42: In the Marsh, 5:27 PM, May 3rd, 2016
Chapter 43: Warming Up
Chapter 44: Surprised
Chapter 45: Trouble Ahead
Chapter 46: Searching for His Prey
Chapter 47: Brian Gets Wet
Chapter 48: No Sympathy
Chapter 49: Trying to Get Out
Chapter 50: The Return of an Old Friend
Chapter 51: A Setback
Chapter 52: The Roy House, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 53: Awake and in the Kitchen, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 54: An Epiphany
Chapter 55: Prepping for a 5K Race, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 56: Breakfast with the Crew, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 57: Runnels Ridge Road, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 58: Forced into Action
Chapter 59: At the Roy Residence, 9:00 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 60: Neal’s Truck, 9:05 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 61: Guests Arrive, 9:10 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 62: Help Arrives, 9:15 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 63: The Accident, 9:15 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 64: The Call, 9:17 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 65: An Unwelcome Guest, 9:20 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 66: A Problem, 9:23 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 67: Jenny Intervenes, 9:33 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 68: The Cavalry Arrives, 9:33 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 69: A Decision is Made, 9:40 AM, May 4th, 2016
Chapter 70: In a Box
Chapter 71: A Bonfire, 9:30 PM, May 20th, 2016
Chapter 72: St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Milford, NH
Chapter 73: Brian and Jenny and the Cemetery
Bonus Scene Chapter 1: Woods Cemetery, August 1st, 1971
Bonus Scene Chapter 2: Timmy Conrad Told the Truth
Bonus Scene Chapter 3: Night Comes
Bonus Scene Chapter 4: Making a Run for It
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