The Dark Land

by D M Shepard

  A hiss made her look over her shoulder, her heart beat faster as she could feel the hot moist breath on her neck. The rotten smell made her head spin as her stomach lurched. He laughed again. “Make up your mind, beautiful. One bullet. What’s it going to be?”

  She glared back at him gripping her .44 firmly. “You!”

  A tail whipped around her upper body as she opened fire, sending her shot ricocheting off the dead engine. The tail constricted her chest, stealing her breath. Her scream came out as a muted cry as her bruised ribs sent throbbing waves of agony through her. Another tail snaked around her legs, immobilizing them. She moaned, trying to call out for help as Aaron shoved her to the floor.

  “Good job fellas,” he said to the creatures as she struggled. “I have to admit Rose, I didn’t think you had it in you to shoot me.” He laughed, taking a bottle out of his pocket. He kept a foot on her torso while he soaked a rag.

  “Fuck you!” she said in between gasping for air.

  “You asked me why I brought you out here. They’re not going to kill you. They need you. They’ve been watching you since you were a little girl. You see, they can’t make babies on their own, they need human females. They give me what I want, in exchange for providing them with a steady supply. I promised I would bring you back when you were ripe.” He reached down and ran his hands along her face then her collarbone and breasts through her coat. “And wow, Rose, you are so ripe. Damn!”

  He held her face still, running his thumb over her lips first. Then he covered her mouth with his. She gagged from his wet, rotten breath. He swore as she bit him. Her neck wrenched as he slapped her across the face. Head reeling, she coughed, choking on the coppery flavor of blood. The scar on her head spasmed, and she shut her eyes as long forgotten memories threatened to overwhelm her. Her stomach roiled as she remembered that man and how he’d beat her head against the side of the tub. How he’d...

  No! Not now. You can’t let him win.

  The Tailed-Men chittered, tightening their grip. She cried out, tears pouring out of the corners of her eyes as she opened them wide. Aaron smirked at her struggles as he holstered his pistol. The cruelty in his stare pierced her heart with terror, chilling her to the core more than the cold night air. This man had no soul.

  “Shame I didn’t have you first. But never mind. I’m going to get my reward in gold. Too bad I had to freeze my ass off the last three nights to for it, but you’ll pay anyway.”

  “You’re so disgusting Aaron,” she cried, wriggling as the things tightened their grip on her with their tails, immobilizing her arms and legs. “You always were, you asshole!”

  “Sure babe. For now, nap time for you.” He brought the cloth over her nose and mouth. She tried to bite him, to fight him off, to scream, but with a few helpless breaths, she faded into a terrifying darkness.

  ROSE MISSING

  When the generator came on, Ulrik drew a sigh of relief. Though he had been able to shore up the door to the mudroom, it had been a continual onslaught even with the dogs. As soon as the lights came on, the creatures retreated. The four dogs darted around him, barking and running in circles as he patted them and checked the door. Assured the damage was minor, he turned toward the lodge.

  His heart nearly stopped as the generator went silent and the lights went out, leaving him in darkness once again. He jumped at the rapid succession of gunfire from the direction of the garage.

  Rose—oh no! I should have stayed with you. I should have made Loki stay with you, he thought as he clutched his Savage and sprinted through the dark lodge.

  He ran into Edna coming down the stairs. Her entire frame shook. Even in the darkness he could see the wetness trailing down her cheeks.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I—I saw them drag something off into the—the woods. I—I th—think it was Dick. They—they decapitated him,” she stuttered. They both jumped at the sound of the Snowcat starting in the garage, along with the heavy steel door cranking open.

  “What the hell?” Edna said.

  “Let’s go, we need to make sure she’s safe,” he said taking off at a run. “I don’t know what I’m going to do if she’s not,” he added under his breath.

  When he got to the door, he turned the knob and yanked on it, expecting it to open. He jerked harder, rage and fear growing as he realized the double-key deadbolt was engaged.

  His fist ached as he hammered on the door, “Rose! Rose, are you okay? Please, answer me!” The roar of the Snowcat’s engine faded as it moved steadily out of the garage and into the night. Meanwhile, the constant banging ceased.

  Edna reached his side seconds later. “What’s wrong?”

  “The door’s locked!” he answered, still pounding and pulling at the metal barrier. Rose, please god, answer me! And what the fuck is going on with the Snowcat? Did she jump in it and drive off to escape? Please let her be alive.

  Edna ran back to the front desk and grabbed her key set as an eerie silence settled over the lodge. Ulrik hovered over her while she worked the lock. At the sound the bolt turning, Ulrik yanked it open and sprinted inside.

  His guts wrenched at what he could see by the light of his head lamp. The dogs darted around him, barking, growling and investigating the mounds of hairy bodies scattered around the garage. Smoke wafted from the generator control panel, multiple bullet holes penetrating the face. The back door swayed gently in the night breeze; a pool of re-freezing blood collected near the mat. Dick’s .357 lay in the mess along with one of his shoes. Slushy crimson drag marks lead out behind the lodge.

  Oh, please no. Not her! He looked around, her .44 lay in the middle of the garage floor. He crouched down and picked it up, head spinning. His own thoughts drowning out the sound of Edna cranking the garage door shut.

  Was she dead? Had those things killed her. But why the Snowcat? And who had shot the generator?

  Edna ran past where he huddled on the floor and shut the back door. Her face was impassive as she examined the control panel then came back to his side. The dogs sniffed around the shop.

  “I don’t think she’s dead, Ulrik.” Edna said.

  “What makes you say that?” he asked, clutching her .44 to his chest, heart aching. He wanted to believe she was still alive, but the blood on the concrete and the churning in his core said otherwise.

  “There’s only one blood trail, one set of drag marks heading off into the woods,” she closed her eyes and hung her head, lips trembling. “That was from Dick. I saw it with my own eyes. Rose wouldn’t have locked the door to the lodge, she didn’t have a key.”

  “Who had a key?” Ulrik asked, knees shaking as he stood.

  “Aaron. He was our other reservation, remember? He said he was going to be out tonight, so Dick gave him a key. He also gave him a key to the Snowcat since he said he wanted to borrow it tomorrow. I think he kidnapped Rose. That’s his truck, parked right there,” She pointed out the garage window to the truck parked next to Rose’s Jeep. “With all the noise, I didn’t hear him come back or come in. But why? And why would he do it with those creatures?” She put her head in her hands.

  Ulrik’s blood boiled as he clenched his fists. Aaron! He lured Rose out here. The Tailed-Men seemed to be targeting her. Now he’s got her in the Snowcat. But where’s he going with her? he shook his head.

  “It doesn’t matter right now how or why, Edna,” Ulrik growled. “Gather up as much ammo as we have—and all the weapons. I’ll start loading up the sleds. We’re going after her now. We’ll bring extra fuel too. We may need to do some burning.”

  “Burning?” Edna said.

  “Yeah, if I remember my Nana’s stories, the Tailed-Men aren’t big fans of light or fire either.”

  And Aaron’s a fool to think I won’t come after her, or him.

  THE TAILED-MEN

  Rose shivered in spite of the thick, coarse wool blanket thrown over her and her own jacket. She murmured, trying to call for Ulrik, but for some reason, her voice seeme
d muffled. A dry, cottony taste filled her mouth. She flickered her eyelids and looked around. The huge bonfire a few feet away warmed her face, but her back against a birch tree was cold. She wriggled her wrists and ankles. She struggled harder as the fog cleared in her brain, realizing ropes bit into her limbs, restricting her movement. A cry surged in her throat as she counted two dozen or more of the Tailed-Men dancing at the base of the hill. Tails whipped and twitched as they kicked an object just beyond the melting slush.

  The bonfire illuminated the frosted slope above. Snow and ice bogged willow, spruce and rose brambles made tortured lumps and shapes in the changing light. A ragged path cut through the winter locked foliage, leading to a dark hole three-quarters of the way up the hill. The Tailed-Men frolicked, but kept a wary distance away from the fire. She tried to spit out the dry cloth in her mouth. Aaron leaned over her, gloved fingers checking the tightness of the piece of rag gagging her.

  He grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to look at him. She tried to move away but it was no use. Rough, icy fragments of birch bark caught at her hair, making her wince.

  “You’re awake sweetheart. Just in time for dinner. They prepared something special for you.”

  He motioned with his arm to something hanging from a tree a few feet beyond the circle of light. The bile rose in her throat as she recognized the shreds of Dick’s pants and flannel shirt clinging to flayed flesh. The object the monsters played with rolled in the flickering firelight. Dick’s mouth flopped opened and closed as it went end over end.

  Aaron grabbed her by the neck, slamming her head back against the tree, cutting her muffled exclamation short. As he did so, she felt something cool and hard slide out of the pocket of her jacket against her leg under the blanket.

  My pocket knife, I used it to trim the tubing. I can use it to cut my ropes.

  “Now you behave,” he said, squeezing her until tears came to her eyes.

  She nodded. Play along, she thought to herself. Get your knife.

  He released her throat and fumbled in his jacket pocket for something. The Tailed-Men stopped their cruel game of soccer with Dick’s head. The chittering sound mingled with the crackle of the fire as they congregated at the edge of the clearing. She noticed they seemed to stay as far back from the roaring flames as they could. Her body shivered at the stench of rot as they drew near.

  Rose shut her eyes, breathing deep as she focused on sliding the knife closer. She clenched the wet cloth gagging her between her teeth as she flicked the knife open with her fingers. Feeling gently for the blade, she positioned it to cut her wrist bindings.

  A hissing sound, almost like that of a snake made her open her eyes once more. The Tailed-Men gathered in a group, tails rattling in unison as they hissed, eyes focused on an object in Aaron’s hand as they bowed their heads. At first, she thought it was just a large gold nugget, almost the size of his fist. As her eyes adjusted in the wavering light, she realized it was something more.

  The golden figurine looked like a skull, with a pair of oval jade stones set as never-blinking eyes. Etchings, resembling long, claw-like fingers stretched over the cranium. The tips ended in five jade spikes.

  Gleaming in his thin hand, Aaron held the strange amulet up to Rose’s hair. She tried to jerk away, but he tangled his free hand in her locks, wrenching brutally. Holding her head still, he placed the sizable chunk against her hair. The shining lump caught gold, copper and platinum highlights from the flickering light. The creatures chortled and danced, seeing how the gold matched her flowing tresses. One came close, obsidian claws glittering as it reached for her. Thick, dark lips dripped as it slobbered. The drool turned to a pool of frozen slush, mingling with Dick’s pink blood on the snowy ground. Its enormous erection stood out like a gnarled branch from its hairy pelt.

  Rose cringed from both the sight and the repulsive odor. The ropes bit into the bare, raw skin of her wrists, stinging in the cold. She closed her eyes, willing her churning stomach and spinning head to still. Focusing, she continued to wear at the restraints with her pocket knife behind her back, desperate to at least free her hands.

  “Celebrate later,” he said to the hovering creature. “First, our bargain.” He wrenched Rose’s hair again, making her cry out despite the cloth gagging her. His thin, pale lips turned up in a broad smile. “Don’t struggle too much, baby. It will only make it hurt more. Trust me.”

  “Fuck you!” she shouted through the gag. He merely laughed, then slammed her head back against the tree and slapped her bruised side. She groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. Tears poured down her face, stinging in the bitter night air. She leaned her head back as the sharp waves of pain threatened to overwhelm her, her hair catching in the ice and bark. She gasped for air, fear filling her as the knife slipped from her hand under the blanket. He turned his back to her, facing the large creature closest to him, holding up the nugget.

  “We had a deal. Where’s the map?” he demanded of the leader, free hand retrieving his Glock from his holster. Rose jerked her wrists, hoping the rope was worn through enough. With a painful snap, the bounds gave way. Warm blood trickled down her wrist. The lead creature’s eyes immediately honed in on her. She froze, pretending her hands were still bound. She wriggled her fingers, finding the frozen metal handle of the knife. Keeping the rest of her body still, she curled her right hand around the weapon.

  Aaron glanced over his shoulder; lip curled in a sneer. He turned back to the leader. “You only get her if you give me the map to the source rock,” he said, motioning once more with the amulet. He slid it back into his pocket. Reaching toward the fire, he pulled out a flaming torch. The leader jerked away from Rose, claws chattering.

  “Don’t try anything stupid,” Aaron warned, waving the wand of fire back and forth as he stepped in-between.

  He whistled, and his own dog appeared at Rose’s side. The entire horde of Tailed-Men froze in their mirth and cowered back.

  The lead creature nodded, the bracelets of bone and metal around its neck and wrists rattled. It called out in harsh guttural words toward the black void in the hill above. Grateful to have their attention shifted away again, Rose moved the knife to her right hand, plotting. She eased the blade down while shifting her legs. Working the ropes that bound her ankles, she concocted a plan.

  I’ll use my knife to take out Aaron. Fucking asshole! If I can get his gun and stay close to his dog, I have a chance. The axe isn’t too far away. I can fight them with that too. I can also use that torch. If I stay beside the fire, I can survive until sun-up. Maybe.

  A chorus of uncanny moans from the cave above interrupted her chain of thought. Her blood congealed in her veins at the sight of the herd of dark-clad beings emerging from the opening. They staggered down the steep incline through the snow. An ungainly, flat object they carried seemed to weigh them down, impeding their progress. As they drew closer to the bonfire, Rose gasped, stomach clenching as her eyes locked on the slow-moving herd of creatures.

  They were women.

  THE SLAVES

  Caked with dirt, their hair lay flat against their heads, a matted, tangled rat’s nest. Enveloped in immense shapeless furs, they struggled through the deep powder. Covered in oozing, pus filled scratches and sores, their skin contrasted sharply with the opalescent snow in the firelight; a dull, drab, gray-blue that absorbed the light. Her stomach lurched as they approached, and not just from the rotting stench of decay.

  “Oh Karen,” Rose whispered through the cloth gagging her. “What have they done to you?”

  The tallest female stared blankly into the darkness with milky-dark eyes that held no pupils. She guided the herd toward Aaron without a word of greeting or recognition. They heaved their burden to the ground with a collective groan and staggered away in a slow march.

  Despite the slack-jawed, lifeless, ebony gaze, Rose would recognize her friend anywhere. She gripped her knife harder, choking back a sob as her blood boiled.

  Her eyes darted to Aaron as he ap
proached the object and gazed down at it critically. The broad piece of dark stone, was polished to a glossy finish. Rose could make out the intricate carvings. It appeared to be a detailed relief map of the interior of Alaska and Canada.

  Did Aaron do this to her too? He didn’t even bat an eye at Karen’s appearance. Ignoring the group of women, he examined the stone map.

  The creatures resumed animation, chittering and dancing once more. At times, they took chunks of Dick’s charred body in their claws and nibbled contentedly. Aaron’s dog growled; eyes trained on the stand of birch behind Rose.

  “Shut up, you stupid mutt!” he shouted. “Fuck, how am I going to haul this thing back?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He crouched down, fiddling with the screen. He cursed multiple times as he attempted to take a picture. She cut away the bindings around her ankles while he was distracted. He took multiple pictures of the stone, trying to get a good shot in the dim, flickering light of the fire.

  I’m only going to have one chance, she told herself, taking a deep breath as her side spasmed. She fingered the knife making sure she had it at the correct angle. She took note of his Glock. It’s in his right hand, I need to make sure I get it.

  In a smooth motion, Rose threw off the blanket. She rolled to her feet and leapt on his back where he knelt before the slab of stone. Before he could utter a word, she looped her arm around his head to pull it back. Blood sprayed in a fine, bright sheen across the dark polished surface as she dragged the dull blade across his throat. She fumbled for the gun as his body went limp. Her numb fingers managed to pry the handle from his spasming digits as they both tumbled to the ground. Her breath jarred from her, stabbing pain shooting from her ribs into her left arm. The Glock fell from her hand sliding a few feet away in the half-melted sludge around the fire.