The Pit in the Woods: A Mercy Falls Mythos

by Nathaniel Reed

  “Oh geeze,” Walter said. “Lucio, I’m sorry.”

  He stayed Walter with his hand, palm up, even as he looked down. “Don’t. What’s done is done. We’ve both lived long lives, longer than most could ever dream. Let’s not waste our time on useless sentimentality.”

  “I guess this makes you our leader,” Arianna said.

  Lucio laughed. “Leader; leader of what? Look at us.”

  Rusty considered himself. Aside from minor cuts and bruises he was uninjured. Looking at Arianna in particular was especially hard.

  “We’ll all heal, eventually, without scars,” Lucio said. “It may take weeks for some of us even with our accelerated healing. If we were still human we’d all be in the hospital right now, or dead. But there’s no doubt we had our asses royally kicked. We’re the last vampires left in Mercy Falls.”

  “The last in the pit,” Rusty reminded him, thinking of The Others.

  “The last that matter,” Lucio countered. He looked back and forth from one to the other. “Five, just five of us left now. We’re going to have to heal, rebuild our ranks, and find somewhere else to live for a while. But we must remain cautious. Remember that we are the last. The one thing that we have on our side is time. We can live forever, so long as we watch out for each other, and never forget what happened this night.”

  2

  About a month and a half later Jeremy stepped out of Tony’s car and walked to Staci’s door. Tony wished him luck and drove off.

  Jeremy stood at the door, unsure what he would say, or how he would say it. He knew what he wanted to ask her, just not the right words. He stared at the door, raised his hand to it, letting his fist hover there, an inch from the wood. He hoped the right thing would come to him when she opened the door, because he was drawing a blank.

  He stood there a moment longer, breathed deeply, building up his courage, and knocked. He expected her mom to answer, but when Staci smiled at him across the threshold, his face flushed red.

  “Jeremy, hi! What are you doing here? I just got home from school.”

  “Me too,” Jeremy said. “I mean, Tony just dropped me off

  here…”

  Staci looked confused, but she was still smiling. That was good.

  “C-can we talk?” Jeremy said.

  “Sure,” Staci said. “I’d let you in, but my mom’s not home from work yet. You want to go for a walk?”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “Let me get my jacket. I’ll be right back.” It was not quite spring yet and the air was still on the breezy side. He used the time she left to calm himself down by taking deep breaths. His heart thudded in his chest, and his stomach was doing somersaults, so it wasn’t easy.

  “Ready,” she said, as she rushed down the stairs and greeted him at the door, wearing a light pink hoodie. She closed the door behind her as she stepped outside. Jeremy stood where he was, directly in front of her, staring.

  “I don’t think you get how this walking thing works Jeremy. You actually have to start moving,” Staci teased.

  “Right,” Jeremy said, and they both laughed. “Sorry.”

  They started down the walkway to the sidewalk.

  “So what’s up?” she asked.

  “Up? Nothing, really. I mean, it’s something, but nothing serious.”

  “Is this a riddle?”

  “No,” Jeremy smiled awkwardly. “Remember in the pit I…”

  Staci waited, as they strolled the manicured lawns along her street.

  “Yes, you…?”

  “Well,” Jeremy said, “I said if we made it out, if you would like to… gooutagain.” He strung the last three words together to get them out as quickly as possible. By now his heart was a jackhammer, and he was hot, despite the breeze, his palms sweaty.

  She smiled knowingly. “Yes, I remember.”

  “And you said, yes, if we make it out alive, you would go out

  with me again.”

  “Yes,” Staci laughed now, “I remember.”

  “Please don’t laugh at me,” Jeremy said, bowing his head.

  Staci grabbed his arm, and held him there, stopping them both. “I’m not laughing at you Jeremy. I just think it’s cute this is so hard for you.”

  She lifted his head up to face her, and kissed him once, softly on the lips. “Of course I’ll go out with you.”

  Jeremy flushed an even darker shade of red than before, and grinned from ear to ear. This made her laugh even harder. She took his hand and they started to walk again.

  “Let’s go to the park on Mills,” she said, “It’s a really nice day.”

  “Yeah,” Jeremy said, “A perfect day.” His heart rate was slowing and thankfully he’d wiped his palms just before she took his hand. He was on Cloud Nine about now. He wasn’t entirely sure what the expression meant, but he was on some kind of cloud.

  “Staci?”

  “Jeremy?” she said, pretend-seriously.

  “You look nice in pink.”

  She smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Yep.”

  When they got to the park they sat down at a bench, and talked about everything and nothing in particular- their parents, their friends, their lives and dreams. There was no talk of vampires, and they steered away from the negative. It was easy talk, getting to know you talk, and they sat side by side like that for about half an hour, before he walked her back and then walked home himself.

  3

  The phone rang in the kitchen, and Tony heard his mom pick it up. It was the weekend and he was coming in from outside where he’d been working in the woodshed in the backyard.

  “Tony, it’s your friend Myron!” she called.

  “Myron, really?” It was odd Myron would call him at home. They were probably the two in the group who talked to each other the least.

  Tony picked up. “Myron, what’s up?”

  “Oh, nothing, I was just bored, and hoping to get the gang together. You were the first to answer.”

  “Yeah,” Tony said. “I’m not doing much myself. I’ll try and get a hold of the others. You want me to call you back?”

  “Sure,” Myron said. An hour later they were all walking along Siesta Street near Mel's Moviehouse. Jeremy and Staci were ahead of the group, holding hands. Tony raised an eyebrow, and Johnny was nudging him.

  Tony nodded, acknowledging that he’d also seen said display, and they exchanged a “this is an interesting development” look.

  “Should we catch a movie?” Myron said.

  “Nah, nothing good is really playing,” Johnny said. Just then a particularly good looking woman stepped out of one of the storefronts ahead of them, with what looked to be her slightly dumpy younger sister.

  “Whoa,” Myron said, obviously struck by the older lady.

  “What, that?” Johnny said, tongue-in-cheek, “She looks like a horse.”

  “Yes, well, I would like to ride her,” Myron said.

  Johnny clapped him on the back, hooting, “My man!”

  “Myron!” Staci exclaimed, slightly taken aback, but grinning.

  “Sorry Stace.”

  “Don’t be sorry Myron,” Johnny said. “A man’s gotta do who a man’s gotta do. Maybe you’re not as big a nerd as I thought.”

  Myron pushed his glasses up on his nose and said, “Gee, thanks Johnny.”

  “Or I might have spoken too soon.” As Johnny passed the shoppers he said, “Ladies.”

  The women giggled. They were at least ten years older than all of them.

  “Always the charmer,” Tony said.

  “I don’t think they were charmed,” Jeremy said.

  “Amused is more like it,” Myron added.

  “I think they were laughing at you guys honestly,” Staci grinned, “’Cause you’re all little kids.”

  “Are not,” Myron pouted.

  “Nope, we’re just misfits,” Tony said, “We don’t fit in anywhere.”

  Myron began bobbing his head, and skipped ahead. He started to sin
g to the tune of the Flintstones theme. “Misfits, we’re the misfits, we’re a prehistoric family! From the town of Mercy…” he paused to think. “We’re a vampire delicacy!”

  They all stopped for a moment, and stared at Myron, and then started peeling with laughter.

  “Myron, you’re so weird,” Johnny said.

  “You are in rare form today,” Staci said. “Why are you so giddy?”

  “Whoa,” Johnny said, “Staci with the big words there. You’re starting to sound like Myron.”

  “I’m sorry Johnny,” she said in a mother talking to her wittle baby voice, “I didn’t know one and two syllable words were too big for you.”

  They could not stop laughing. Tony was doubled over, holding his stomach, he was laughing so hard. “Stop, stop,” he pleaded, sticking his hand up.

  Jeremy asked, “Yeah, why are you in such a good mood Myron? Not that it’s a bad thing.”

  “Oh, I got an A on my Algebra test yesterday.”

  “But you always get A’s,” Staci said.

  “College Algebra,” he specified.

  “Well damn!” Johnny said, “I was happy to pass remedial with a C-; where were you when I needed you?”

  “Getting beat up by bullies, I think,” Myron said. It wasn’t really funny but they laughed anyway. “Yeah, I thought it was going to be hard, being in the advanced class; and it is a little, but I am

  grasping it fairly quick.”

  Johnny clapped him on the back with admiration. “You know, I tease you on your nerdom all the time, but I really am envious of your smarts.”

  Staci turned around and mocked him, making air quotes with her fingers, “Ooooh, look at Johnny with the big words.”

  Johnny grinned. “You know, if you were my sister I’d be beating you up about now.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “Psssst,” someone said.

  They all stopped to look around and see where the sound was coming from.

  “Psssst, over here.”

  They walked toward the voice which was coming from the alley to the side of the theatre cautiously.

  “Blake!” Jeremy exclaimed.

  It was Blake. He shushed Jeremy, had them walk into the alley with him, away from prying eyes. Even though they’d met but twice, what they’d been through, it seemed only right, and natural, when they all hugged him one by one. He was slightly stand-offish when it came to Johnny, and they understood his reservations.

  “Blake, where have you been?” Staci asked, “We missed you.” The rest murmured agreement.

  “Oh, I skipped town for a while. Knew they’d come looking for me, ask too many questions. Are they still looking?”

  Tony shook his head. “I think they stopped looking for you a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Their biggest question was about the weapons, and how you got them,” Jeremy said. “I think they were trying to get you on illegal weapons charges, ’cause they didn’t have anything else on you.”

  “I think they tried to get you on kidnapping, but since we freed the prisoners that would not stick,” Myron said. “We got a big commendation for our bravery.”

  Blake smiled. “You were all indeed very brave. I don’t know

  any other kids that would have done what I’d asked of you, and not

  run the other way instead.”

  “Oh, there was serious consideration,” Johnny said.

  “Big words,” Staci joshed, putting her hands to her temples, “My head hurts.”

  Johnny gave her the finger.

  Blake dismissed their banter. “I wanted to see you all again. I think I may stick around for several months, using an assumed name, of course. How have you all been?”

  “We’re doing good Blake,” Jeremy said.

  Blake looked down at Staci’s and Jeremy’s intertwined hands, and said, “I see that.”

  Jeremy blushed and let go of her hand. Staci smiled.

  “And how have you been?” Staci asked.

  “Oh, as well as I can be,” Blake said, “for a man on the run. I’m running out of funds. You don’t know a place where I could crash for a while, or somewhere I could make some cash, under the table, do you?”

  “Well, Mike at the Pizza Palace might be good for a job, but business is slow,” Jeremy said. “I’m barely making any hours as is. And it probably is too public for you to be seen there.”

  “Right,” Blake said, “And a place? Really, I hate to ask…”

  Tony thought of the shed, and of Betty. No, that would be cruel and unusual punishment. It was necessary for the little girl then, not for Blake now. He needed a bed, and a place to rest.

  “It might take me a few days,” Staci offered, “But I know a place, a Bed and Breakfast that you might be able to stay at. My parents…” she paused. “When they were together they stayed there a few times. The owners are really nice. They’re a married couple, and they’ve been known to take in boarders for little or no pay, as long as you help around the house, making meals, cleaning, tending the garden, that sort of thing.”

  “That sounds lovely,” Blake said. “And I have enough cash to stay in a hotel for a few days. I’d appreciate it if you could arrange something like that. Thank you Staci.”

  “Of course Blake,” she said, a little embarrassed. “You’re

  welcome.”

  “So polite she is,” Blake commented.

  “You’d be amazed how polite she can be,” Johnny rolled his eyes.

  4

  Later when Tony was taking Jeremy home he said, “Why didn’t you tell me you and Staci were an item?”

  Jeremy shrugged. “We’re not. At least not yet, I guess. We haven’t even gone on a first date yet. We’re supposed to later next week. I didn’t want to jinx things.”

  “Like maybe you thought it was too good to be true?” Tony asked.

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  “Well, it’s not. You’re a good guy Jeremy. You deserve it.”

  “Thanks man.”

  “No problem. I was kinda wondering why you didn’t get back to me on what happened, after me dropping you off at her door.”

  “Um, it was mostly me being awkward; lots of that; and her being sweet and understanding.”

  “That sounds like Staci.”

  “Yeah,” Jeremy smiled, “It does, doesn’t it?”

  “You really like her a lot, don’t you?” Tony said.

  “I do.”

  “I wish I had something like that.”

  “Well, why don’t you? You can get girls, right?”

  “Yeah, I suppose.”

  “Then what’s the matter?” Jeremy said.

  “It’s complicated,” Tony said, after a pause, “Never mind.”

  Jeremy could tell he didn’t want to talk about it, and so he didn’t press the issue.

  It wasn’t until several days after Jeremy’s first date with Staci

  that he told Jeremy he was gay. Tony let Jeremy tell the rest of the

  group.

  5

  After days at a hotel, Blake was enjoying his new accommodations. The Hillside Bed and Breakfast, which was situated on a natural incline in the road, on one of Mercy Falls few cobblestone streets, just near the east border of town, was quaint and rustic. The young couple who ran it were in their early 30s, and they were trying to conceive. This much Blake picked up on from idle conversation. Their names were Rudy and Pauline Sedrick, and they were both pleasant people. Best of all, they didn’t ask a lot of questions.

  Blake went by the name Mark Trimble. He supposed he looked trustworthy and was well spoken enough that they didn’t ask for ID. They accepted thirty dollars the first night, out of the hundred or so dollars left him, in exchange for helping make breakfast and cleaning the dishes the next morning. He gave them the impression that his stay was temporary, and that he was just passing through. In truth, he hoped to find a job and stay for the next three or four months, long enough to be around for Tony and Johnny’
s graduation and to make sure things stayed quiet in Mercy Falls.

  He borrowed the Sedrick’s newspaper in the morning while eating breakfast to see if there were any stories of interest. There was only one he found, buried at the bottom of page twenty-three: A young woman found in a dumpster, severely beaten, and stabbed. The key words he found were “severe blood loss” and “two puncture wounds” on the inner thigh, possibly made by a steak tong. The beating and stabbing seemed like misdirection, a cover up, made to look like a domestic dispute gone wrong. Was it a survivor from the flood that had done it, or one of the grays? Didn’t seem like the latter’s style. They liked flare, public displays, shock and horror… They didn’t care for rules. But maybe they were being cautious now too, not drawing attention to themselves, after what had happened in the

  pit.

  “Find something interesting Mark?” Pauline said.

  “Hmm, excuse me?” Blake looked up.

  “You seemed so engrossed in the newspaper you’ve hardly touched your breakfast. Did you find something interesting?”

  Blake smiled politely. “Yes, very.” He put the paper down. “Sorry, I’ll get back to my meal.”

  “No worries, just didn’t want it to get cold on you, is all.”

  “Thank you. It’s very good.”

  “I would hope so. You helped make it.”

  “Well, what fine cooks we are,” Blake said.

  She and her husband smiled.

  “Where are you from Mr. Trimble?” Rudy asked.

  Oh oh, questions.

  “Boston,” he lied.

  “With a British accent like that?” Pauline mused.

  “Got that from my parents. They’re from England. I’ve travelled so much I don’t know what I sound like anymore.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got no roots,” Rudy said.

  Blake said nothing.

  “Oh, we’re prying Rudy,” Pauline said. “We didn’t mean to pry. Just curious.”

  “That’s quite all right,” Blake said.

  “So where are you headed?” Rudy asked.

  “Rudy,” Pauline scolded, “Let’s not be impolite.”

  Blake grinned and bore it, “Not quite sure yet. I’ll know when I get there.”