Spirits of the Bayou

by Morgan Hannah MacDonald

  Luc explained his dilemma. “So now I’ve got to come up with a plausible story to get the cops to go out there and rescue a child who may or may not be there.”

  Jake stared at him with a blank look. “Well, I guess we could tell them about our trip out there yesterday and claim to have heard a child yelling for help.”

  “That won’t work; the girl was taken last night.”

  Jake thought a moment. “Then we say we were out there today around dawn.”

  “You think that would work?” Luc asked hopeful.

  “You have a better idea?”

  “Just make sure to leave out the bit about the crazy lady wearing snakes on her head and chasing us.”

  “But that’s the best part.” Jake laughed. “Especially you screaming like a little girl.”

  “Fuck you. I did not.”

  Jake shook his head. “Come on. We have no time to lose.”

  NINETEEN

  When they pulled up in front of the police department, Luc’s heart began to palpitate. He rubbed his sweaty palms up and down the tops of his thighs.

  “What’s wrong with you? You look like you’re going to be sick or something,” Jake said.

  Luc stared at the building. “I don’t think I can go in there.”

  “Why the hell not?” Jake said with irritation.

  “The place is full of cops.”

  “Well, duh, that’s kind of the point.”

  Luc’s trepidation was growing stronger by the second. “The minute they see me they’ll know I’m a fake.”

  “What!” Jake blasted. A couple beats went by. “Oh.” He clicked his tongue. “Luc, you’re a completely different person now. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  Luc looked at him incredulously. “But I have a record.”

  “You were arrested for shoplifting when you were a juvenile, those records are sealed.”

  Luc looked at his feet, ashamed. “I’ve done worse. Just because I wasn’t caught doesn’t mean I’m innocent.”

  He whipped his head up and faced Jake so he would truly understand the gravity of what he was about to say. “I’ve witnessed some things that make me a threat to certain people. If even one of them sees me entering that building, my life, as well as yours, could be in danger.”

  Jake put his hand on Luc’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’re just being paranoid. I mean, what are the chances they would be in the vicinity right this very moment? It’s been years, they’ve probably forgotten all about you.”

  “No.” Luc searched the faces of the people on the street. “They won’t forget. Look, the longer we sit here, the greater my anxiety. Let’s just get this over with.”

  “It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”

  Although Luc appreciated his friend’s assurance, he knew he really couldn’t make any guarantees. “Do you mind doing the talking?”

  “No sweat.”

  Luc followed Jake inside, but held back. He felt as if everyone was staring at him. Jake walked up to the front desk and asked to see the person in charge of the missing children. They where told to sit and wait. Luc tried to stay calm, but the old fight or flight instinct kicked in making it hard for him to sit still. He only got worse as the minutes passed.

  Jake elbowed him in the ribs. “Stop fidgeting. You look guilty as hell.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Your legs, man.”

  Luc looked down and noticed he was jiggling his legs like a little kid who had to pee and stopped. Twenty minutes later, a short, stocky white guy in a suit approached.

  “I’m Detective Mark Dubois. I heard you kids wanted to talk to me?”

  Jake stood. “Yes, it’s about the missing children.”

  The detective eyed Jake, then stared at Luc. “You here to confess?”

  Luc must have made a face because the guy laughed. “I’m just pulling your leg. Follow me.”

  He led them through a throng of desks to the back of the room and pulled a second chair over before he sat. “Okay. What have you got?”

  Jake told him they’d been hiking that morning and found a shack in the woods where they heard a child yelling for help.

  He scratched his head. “This was about what time?”

  “We went out there at dawn.”

  “And you drove back and came straight here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Stay here, I want to get my partner.” The detective left.

  Luc leaned in. “He doesn’t believe us. We should go.”

  “Just relax. Everything will be fine.”

  When he returned, he had another man in tow. This guy was big, black and his shoulders were the width of the desk. “This is my partner, Detective Ted Brown. If you don’t mind, could you tell your story again so he can hear it?”

  Jake repeated the tale. The detectives stared at each other without saying a word. Then Detective Dubois addressed Jake. “Okay, thanks for coming in. We’ll take it from here.”

  Luc was stunned. “Aren’t you going to do anything?”

  “Kid, do you know how many tips we get a day? If we chased them all down, we’d never get any real work done,” Brown said.

  “But if you don’t save her, they’ll kill her!” Luc blurted.

  Brown squinted at him. “Who are they?”

  Luc realized he’d just screwed up. “Never mind, y’all are too busy.” He stood. “I guess we’ll just have to go out there and save her ourselves.” He turned and felt a tight grip on his wrist.

  “Whoa there.” Luc glanced back and found Dubois was the one holding onto him. “Sit.”

  Luc reluctantly complied.

  “I believe you two are holding back on some important details. Why do you suspect there is more than one person taking these kids?”

  Luc had fucked up royally by opening his big mouth. He couldn’t come up with a suitable reply.

  “The shack with all the dead animals. There were too many to feed just one person,” Jake supplied.

  The squint didn’t go away. “And?”

  “That’s it. We didn’t have any weapons to take on some crazy backwoods Cajuns, so we decided to come back to the city and get the police involved.”

  Detective Brown leaned forward. “So how come you guys look all clean and neat. Your shoes don’t even have mud on them.”

  “If you guys aren’t interested, fine. We’ll just get out of your hair.” Luc grabbed Jake’s arm and tugged. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Jake remained seated. “All right, we went home and showered first.”

  “And you left that part out because?” Dubois asked.

  “I didn’t want to come here,” Luc blurted out angrily.

  “And why is that?” Brown asked.

  “He was picked up for shoplifting when he was a kid. He thinks that makes him a criminal.” Jake rolled his eyes.

  “Asshole! Why would you bring that up?” Luc fumed.

  “I told you, it’s not even a felony,” Jake explained.

  The detectives chuckled before they stood. “Okay, let’s go check out this shack,” Dubois said.

  “I swear that’s the last time I tell you anything in confidence,” Luc grumbled.

  “Relax. I had to explain why you were acting so squirrelly. They were ready to lock you up for the crime,” Jake replied.

  They followed the detectives to their car. “Wait. Aren’t you going to get a SWAT team?” Luc asked, surprised.

  Brown grinned. “I think we can handle a couple of yokels.”

  “Yeah, we have guns and everything,” Dubois added.

  Luc and Jake got into the back seat of the black Crown Victoria. After they exited the Ruddock off ramp, Jake directed them where to park. When they got out of the car, Luc pointed in the direction they were to go. The detectives walked ahead, they got about one hundred feet into the woods before they turned around.

  Luc and Jake stood just at the tree line.

  “Uh, you need to show us where this
shack is,” Dubois said.

  “Just keep going in that direction, y’all will come to it,” Jake answered.

  “Do you think we’re a couple of idiots? We’re not about to head into an ambush. Either you assholes come with us, or we’re going back to the station and arresting you for wasting our fucking time.” Although Detective Brown intimidated the crap out of Luc, he was more afraid of the evil that awaited them.

  Jake nudged Luc. “We do have to save that little girl.”

  “That’s what they’re here for.” Luc nodded toward the detectives.

  “But they need help finding the shack,” Jake reasoned.

  “That’s some scary shit, man.”

  “I know, but they have guns and now there are four us.”

  Luc stared at him, unconvinced. “You really think that matters?”

  “Oh, for Christ’s sake. If you don’t get your ass in gear I’ll shoot you myself,” Brown added.

  Jake grabbed his arm and pulled. “Come on.”

  “Fine,” Luc relented. “But the guys with the guns go first.”

  Brown’s eyes bugged out. “Bwah ha ha ha.” He shook his head. “Don’t worry, we’ll protect you from the boogeyman.”

  The guy wasn’t far off with that remark. Luc really wanted to tell him the truth about what was out there, but he knew if he did, they’d just call him crazy and wouldn’t go. So they all headed off into the woods. When they hit the marsh and began trudging through the mud, Brown glanced down at his shoes. “Fuck me. These are brand new shoes. My wife is going to kill me.”

  An hour later, they were all drenched in sweat and slapping at the mosquitoes. The detectives had taken off their jackets and rolled up their sleeves. “How much further?” Dubois asked.

  “Just a little ways more,” Jake replied.

  “If you guys are fucking with us, so help me,” Brown replied.

  “We’re not,” Luc said.

  They walked until Jake stopped. Luc looked over. “What is it?”

  “The voices are back,” Jake said under his breath.

  Luc’s steps slowed. Soon they could see the shack in the distance. The sky grew dark and a warm wind blew. An eerie feeling crept up inside him and with it goose bumps erupted on his flesh.

  The tops of the tall trees swayed back and forth. The branches brushed together, rustling the leaves. The sound of clicking came from up ahead. A high-pitched scream had him and Jake covering their ears, but the detectives seemed impervious to it.

  Brown glanced up. “Shit, we’re about to get stuck in the middle of a rain storm. Could this day get any better?”

  Dubois stopped. “Listen.”

  “I don’t hear anything,” Brown replied.

  “Exactly. When we got out of the car, there were the usual sounds: crickets, cicadas, birds, and the occasional frog. But all the animals suddenly went quiet,” Dubois explained.

  Brown gawked at his partner. “Not you too.”

  “What?” Dubois asked.

  “You afraid of the boogey man?” Brown put his hands above his head and wiggled his fingers. “Bwah ha ha ha.”

  “Fuck you.” Dubois stalked ahead.

  They marched up a small hill to reach the clearing. The ground there was firm and dry. Luc stopped and let the cops approach the shack while he took in the dead animals. There were a couple of raccoons, a possum, and four squirrels all hanging by their necks; their blood dripped onto the worn wooden slats below. As the wind swung them around, you could see they’d been gutted.

  The buzzing of flies mixed with the clicking noises brought on by the animal bones strung together which made them ghoulish wind chimes. When the carcasses twisted, the insects flew off and then landed again. Although they hadn’t been this close the day before, Luc knew these were not the same animals because these were freshly killed. The blood hadn’t had time to dry.

  “You weren’t kidding about this place. It is creepy,” Dubois said quietly, his hand resting on the butt of his gun.

  “No shit.” Brown too had his hand ready to draw his weapon.

  Luc wished they’d just pull out their damn guns already. The atmosphere around there was beyond chilling. It was like static electricity, all the hairs on his body were standing on end. He held his breath in anticipation.

  Brown took the lead, walking up the stairs and stopped just to the left of the front door. Dubois followed, but stood to the right before he nodded.

  Suddenly Luc’s shoulder burned intensely, he arched his back. “Ah!” His shout drew everyone’s attention.

  Instantly Jake was at his side. “What’s wrong?”

  Luc was trying to reach around. “The claw marks are on fire.”

  The detectives stared at him like he’d grown two heads.

  The front door flew open so fast no one had time to react. The hag stood there in an African print sheath that fell to the ground. The snakes on top of her head extended in all directions, snapping at the air.

  A dark bony hand shot out, with long yellow talons that sank deep into Brown’s chest. The howl he emitted was inhuman. Birds took flight. Small animals scurried into the underbrush. Larger animals pushed through the dense foliage around them. It was a stampede of all creatures fleeing deep into the forest. Luc’s gut told him to follow, but he couldn’t move.

  TWENTY

  Dubois couldn’t get his gun out fast enough. The venomous snakes lurched forward, striking Brown about the face, neck, and arms. His hands clutched her arm so tight that his muscles bulged and the veins popped, yet his attempt to stop the assault was fruitless.

  Jake grabbed the back of Luc’s shirt and together they backed away quietly from the ghastly scene in an effort to go unnoticed. Luc knew they should turn around and run, but it was like watching a train wreck, he couldn’t avert his eyes.

  Dubois kept trying to position himself so he could get off a shot, but no matter where he stood, Brown was thrust between him and the woman. When her hand finally reappeared, she was holding the man’s beating heart in the palm of her hand. She thrust her arm high over her head and blood dripped into her open mouth. A horrifying cackle replaced Brown’s cries as his body crumpled slowly to the ground, a look of absolute terror frozen on his face.

  Dubois fired his gun, but the bullets had no effect while she stood there, triumphant. Soon the sound of clicking replaced gunshots as he continued to pull the trigger with an empty clip. He stumbled off the porch and fell to his knees. He picked himself up and raced past them, leaving his suit jacket in the dirt.

  Luc and Jake followed in his wake. Gale force winds blew through the woods, followed by a long drawn out sinister moan. Each of them was having trouble keeping their footing. To make matters worse, giant branches dropped before them and they found themselves bobbing and weaving through the forest. A dense fog appeared, making it hard for Luc to see more than a foot in from of him.

  The fog turned into a torrential downpour. Soon he was trudging through mud. It felt as if he’d been at it for days before Luc caught a glimpse of the car up ahead. Even then, no matter how hard he pushed himself, he failed to make progress. He was exhausted. He yearned to just sit down and quit, but that wasn’t an option. He was trapped in one of those nightmares where he could see his goal, but it continued to stretch out before him so he never quite reached it.

  Dubois arrived at the car first and his hand disappeared into his pocket. When it reappeared, he was clutching his keys in his shaking hand. He fiddled with them until he selected the right one and threaded it into the lock. When he removed the key, he promptly dropped the bunch and they disappeared into a giant puddle.

  By the time they reached the car, Dubois was down on all fours in the mud fishing around in the water. Luc didn’t trust Dubois enough in his current state to remember he had passengers, so he wasn’t taking any chances. He seized the back door handle and shoved Jake inside before he climbed into the car after him.

  Before Luc could shut the door, Dubois gunned the engin
e. The tires whirled in place, splashing mud in his face as Luc extended his arm in an effort to reach the handle. He’d just gripped the armrest when the tires found their footing and the car lurched in reverse.

  The door yawned wide and Luc found his body stretched over the ground below. If he let go now he’d fall, so he held on tight. Dubois did a complete 180, and then stomped on the gas. The car fishtailed before he gained control and the vehicle straightened out. Luc struggled to hang on as they proceeded to hit every pothole and rock on the unpaved road.

  He felt Jake’s hands on his arm before he yanked with all his strength. Luc fell back into the car and the door slammed shut. He was pretty sure his heart had dropped out on the road and been left behind. He clutched his chest as he gasped for air.

  When he’d finally gained his wits about him, he realized he was lying across Jake’s lap, staring up at his face, which looked exactly like Luc felt: scared shitless. He promptly sat up and stared out the back window. If something was following them, he couldn’t see it through the pounding rain. Besides the sound of three men panting like dogs, the car was silent.

  Dubois exited the highway and pulled into a McDonald’s parking lot, coming to a screeching halt. His abnormally wide eyes filled the rearview mirror. “What the fuck happened back there?” Obviously, a rhetorical question, Luc and Jake stayed mum.

  “What the hell am I going to do? What do I tell his wife?” He shook his head. “Shit, shit, shit.” He hit the steering wheel. Minutes passed before another word was said.

  Dubois twisted around in his seat and faced them. “We have to get our story straight.”

  Luc nodded and Jake shrugged his shoulders.

  “Okay. We’ll say it was a bear attack. Yeah, that’s what it was, a bear attack. It must have had rabies or something and that’s why my bullets didn’t kill him. After mauling Brown, he ran off into the woods. Got it?”

  They just stared at him.

  “Got it?” Dubois yelled.

  “Yeah,” they said in unison.

  “Good.” He put the car in drive. “Yeah, a bear,” he said quietly as if just voicing his thoughts. He returned to Highway 55 and headed back toward the city. Thirty minutes later. “Fuck it. I’m dropping you guys off at your home. I’ll tell them we were going on an anonymous tip and leave you out of it all together. Can I trust you to keep this to yourselves?”