by Kit Hallows
The waitress returned to take away our plates so we picked up our beers and headed for the bar. I ordered two whiskies. Donny spotted a table by the hearth and nodded for me to follow. The place was very old fashioned with dark wood and a thick plush carpet. I remembered taking Willow to a similar place once; she'd laughed and pointed at one of the empty tables and told me if she squinted just right she could see her granddad sitting over there drinking a Roy Rogers.
"How long you staying?" Donny asked, sipping his whiskey with an appreciative nod.
"I'm not sure yet. Hopefully not long. There doesn't seem to be much to see here apart from the falls."
"That's a fair assessment. I only come here because it's a good stopping point between cities when I make my rounds during the summer. I'm not normally here this late in the season."
"So what brings you here now?"
Donny looked at me for a moment, before giving a disarming smile. "This and that."
He seemed to want to change the subject and I could see a slight glimmer of fear in his eyes. Fear interested me. Fear often led to bad things and that was exactly what I was here to find. "Hey, if there's anything I need to know about this place I'd like to hear it. I'm stuck here for at least another couple of days."
Donny sighed. "Commiserations. Look, just, you know..."
"What?"
"Just try to stay on the beaten track, if you know what I mean. It's..." Donny sighed again. "This is going to sound weird."
"I'm okay with weird."
"Good. Because the truth is there's something odd about this place. Especially at night. Hence why I avoid coming here outside of the summer."
"Did something happen to you?" I could see he'd experienced something. There was a haunted gleam in his eye.
Donny's face reddened even further. "I feel stupid now."
"Don't. Wait up." I ordered two more whiskies and turned back to Donny.
He gazed into his glass, and finally continued. "You ever been spooked by stuff you can't explain?"
Where to begin? "Sure."
"Good." He glanced to the window. Night had set in and the only thing visible beyond the motel lights was the ghostly white falls. Donny took another sip of his drink. "It was last August, round about dusk. I parked on a little lane just off the forest road, you know, so I could have myself a little toke before I got here." He shivered. "That was the very last time I ever smoked that crap. Anyway, I got out of the car, on account of it being a company vehicle. I didn't want it to stink of weed. So, there I was minding my own business when I heard this scream. It was... horrible." Donny's hand trembled as he finished the last of his whiskey. "I'll be honest, I nearly got back in the car and drove the hell away, but I was worried someone might be in trouble. It sounded real bad."
"What happened?" I asked, as Donny drifted away, his eyes focusing somewhere in the past.
"I made myself go and take a look. But I'll tell you, when I did, that whole forest seemed different."
"In what way?"
"Like the trees were listening." He laughed, and then shivered. "And then I heard it again, another scream, this time further off. I tried to figure out what direction it had come from, but the night was really setting in. I called out and ran into the woods a ways, and then I saw the eyes. Everywhere. Staring right at me. Narrow, red as blood and glowing like Chinese lanterns."
"Do you know what they were?"
He shook his head. "No. I turned and ran back to the car. I could barely get the key into the ignition my fingers were shaking so bad." He glanced at his hands. "It was the scariest thing that ever happened to me. Like a horror movie, you know?"
I nodded, I knew full well. Most of my adult life had been exactly like a horror movie.
"Anyways, I drove straight to the police station, and that was quite an experience on its own. I mean I was still baked from the smoke, and I'm pretty sure they knew it. They listened to the whole story and they said they'd send someone out to have a look, but that was bullshit. They didn't go nowhere. I checked the local news for days, tried to see if I could find out anything. You know, kidnappings and whatnot."
"And did you?"
"Nope. And as you've probably noticed, people around here don't talk much, but I've heard the odd rumor from time to time. People going missing, stuff like that. Which might be bullshit. But what I do know, without any shadow of doubt, is I'm staying the hell away from that forest." He gave me a long hard look. "You in the lodge or the cabins?"
"The cabins."
"Well lock your door." Donny leaned in close. "There's something weird about this place. Trust me." He stood and held out his hand. I shook it and wished him luck as he turned and lumbered out of the bar.
I ordered another whiskey and sat gazing into the flames. Stories were ten-a-penny, but it was clear as crystal that Copperwood Falls had something to hide. Maybe Donny's watchers were a part of it, or maybe they were just a side effect from whatever he'd smoked. But it was a start.
I finished my drink and left the lodge.
My walk back to the cabin was cold and brisk. A curtain of mist wafted up from the gorge and settled at the edge of the forest while stars highlighted the silhouette of the trees that towered before me, forming a backdrop of impenetrable darkness.
I shivered and hurried toward the door with the key poised in my hand.
18
I actually slept well that night. At least once I'd reconciled myself with Donny's story and the relentless churning roar of the falls. There was no sign of him at breakfast, so I ate alone, watching the other guests, as they all watched each other in turn.
Once I'd eaten, I decided to go and look for the lane Donny had mentioned. So much time had passed since the incident that I wasn't expecting to find much there, but a lead was a lead and I had little else to go on.
I drove along the forest road and stopped at a small turn just before an empty, muddy parking lot. I pulled in and climbed out the car.
The forest looked like any other but there was definitely a faint tinge of magic in the air. I clasped a crystal in my hand, drained its energy, and headed down a nearby trail.
I could sense things living in the forest, things that didn't want to be seen but they seemed harmless enough. The morning was cool, and the air smelled of mulch, mushrooms and damp decaying leaves. I ventured off the trail, scouting around for anything out of the ordinary beyond the tiny sprites that seemed to dance at the edge of my vision.
I stopped as something shone on the ground ahead of me. River stones, smooth and rounded. Stacked one upon the another. Possibly part of a ritual but certainly nothing to be concerned about. I was hiking past them toward a rough overgrown trail when a blood-chilling scream rose through the trees.
Birds scattered and I raced towards the cry, one hand reaching for a crystal, the other for my holster.
A saddled horse galloped over a small rise, its eyes wild, a slather of foam around its mouth. It thundered over the muddy ground and I ducked out of the way as it stomped past and vanished into the forest behind me.
I ran on, slowing as I spotted its rider, a woman, cornered against a wide gnarled trunk with a wolf crouched before her. The creature was huge, far larger than any wolf I'd ever seen. Its lean muscular body was cloaked in grey fur and its menacing eyes gleamed as it turned toward me and snarled.
I raised my gun as it bounded toward me.
"Look out!" the woman shouted.
A second wolf appeared at my side.
It lunged.
I fell back and brought my gun up to fire but the beast raked its claws across my hand. The gun tumbled down and before I could seize it, the large grey wolf charged.
I scrambled away. "Go!" I shouted to the woman, but she seemed paralyzed with fear as she stared back at me.
One wolf faced me down as the other circled, waiting for a chance to blindside me.
I grabbed a branch from the undergrowth, wielded it like a club and cursed at myself for leaving my swo
rd in the cabin. "Get back!" I swung the branch as the wolves growled and their snouts wrinkled above their long curved teeth. These animals were nothing like any of the native wolves I'd seen growing up, but they weren't were-beasts either.
The grey wolf charged and the other followed. I summoned every last vestige of the crystal's magic. It surged within me and bolstered my strength as I planted the heel of my boot in the bristling grey snout and brought the branch down upon the second wolf's skull.
There was a satisfying crack and the wolves whimpered and backed away.
"That's right!" I lunged, intending to knock at least one of them out, but they turned tail and scurried off into the forest. I watched as they vanished over the side of a hollow, and a single mournful howl echoed into the distance.
"Where did you come from?" The woman gave me a dazed smile as she tucked a strand of her golden blonde hair below her oxblood-red rider's helmet. She was maybe a couple of years older than me, but it was hard to gauge. "Thank you." Her deep blue eyes shimmered as she held out a soft, manicured hand. "Lily Embersen."
I shook her hand and struggled to tear my eyes away from hers. Was she some sort of succubus? No. Her draw was very different, nothing at all like Glory's irresistible intoxicating grasp. I was fairly sure this woman was human.
But there was something there...
"And you are?" she asked, her expressive smile turning from curious to playful.
"Morgan Rook." I glanced around the woods as an excuse to break eye contact. "Are you okay?"
"I think so, still a little shaken maybe. They came out of nowhere and spooked my horse." She gestured to the leaves and mud clinging to her tight red leggings. "I can't believe it threw me, unfaithful, cowardly thing."
"Well I think they're gone, for now. I haven't seen anything like them before; do you know what they were?" It was a fairly clumsy attempt to work out what world she belonged to, magical or mundane.
"Wolves are not uncommon around here." Lily gazed out into the trees, her eyes twinkling. "But I've never seen their like before either." She brushed the twigs from her legs, her hands passing slowly over the seat of her pants. "I need to find my horse." she sighed, as she wandered toward the rise. "Come, walk with me?"
I followed, talking long slow steps as I scanned the trees and foliage. The forest seemed quite still and empty, aside from the two of us.
As we reached the brow of a small hill, I spotted the horse. It stood amid the bracken below, its reins tangled in the branches of a fallen tree. Lily gently rubbed its head and spoke softly to it until the crazed stare left its eyes, then she smiled and turned back to me. "So what brings you to Copperwood Falls, Mr. Rook?"
"I'm just passing through and thought I'd see the sights. It's very beautiful."
"Yes, it is. I've lived here all my life and I've never grown tired of its charms. It's special." She untangled the reins and the horse nodded its head, snuffled and chomped at a patch of grass. Lily looked me up and down with a mischievous smile. "Police, or military?"
"Neither."
"Forgive me. You have that look."
"What look?"
"Of a man that knows how to gets things done." Her eyes twinkled again, befuddling my senses. She looked as if she was about to add something to her observation, when a drum of hooves rumbled through the forest.
A horse and rider appeared. A man. He wore a similar riding helmet to Lily's and simple but expensive looking clothes. His dark brows furled as he glanced from Lily to me. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"A wolf spooked my horse, Sebastian. This gentleman saved me. Meet Morgan Rook."
Sebastian nodded, his eyes sweeping over me as he made his assessment. "I can't thank you enough for helping my sister, Mr. Rook."
I was taken aback by the irrepressible smile that seemed to leap on to my face upon hearing that one word, sister. "Not a problem," I said. But it appeared I might be wrong, judging by the barely concealed hostility in his eyes.
"We should get back," Sebastian said.
"Certainly." Lily held out her hand and shook mine. The gesture was formal, but she bit her lip slightly and smiled as her finger gently rubbed my palm. Lily climbed onto her horse and began to follow her brother but then she glanced back. "I'll see you around Mr. Rook, take care."
I watched as they cantered away, her fluttering scarlet scarf bright amidst the autumn greys and browns. Then I let out the breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding.
What exactly had just happened? I was about to head further into the forest when my instincts nudged me back to the spot where the wolves had attacked. I wanted to have a closer look at their tracks and see if they could reveal anything of use.
A trace of magic from the crystal still swirled through my system, enough to spot a faint glimmer of light in a small burrow at the base of the tree where I'd first seen Lily.
I kneeled down, reached inside and pulled out a long, white fang.
It was glowing.
Curiouser and curiouser.
19
I spent most of the afternoon investigating in town but I didn't find any leads. Who would have believed anything as sinister as a black crystal farm might be operating in this quaint sleepy rural town? If I hadn't have heard it straight from Underwood, I wouldn't have believed it myself, but I knew he never would have sent me here unless he was certain that something was afoot. I decided to return to the magical quarter, approach the case from that angle, maybe try to seek out a few buyers or dealers.
It took me longer then I'd expected to get back in but after waiting for quite some time, I spotted a young witch heading for the derelict building that served as the entrance. I followed her through the door and made my way down the main drag. I checked out a few shops and tried to strike up conversations, but the locals were no more forthcoming than they'd been the day before. The rest of the day passed in a dull blur, I traveled back to Copperwood Falls proper and stopped for coffee.
I thought of Miss Lily Embersen as I drank my cappuccino and watched the people passing by. A part of me hoped she might happen along, but my hope, like the afternoon, was fruitless.
The day began to grow dark so I stopped at an Italian restaurant, ordered pasta and a glass of wine and asked to be reseated by the window. Cars drove past, their taillights red and strangely hypnotic. My thoughts drifted off, until I spotted a man staggering out of a building across the street.
He glanced at the sky and appeared to cry out but I couldn't hear his words. His wild hair was as long and wiry as his beard and he seemed to be in the midst of a crisis, narcotically fueled or otherwise. He stumbled out into the road and pointed his finger accusingly, then I heard him yell. "You're holding out on me! You're fucking holding out on me! Liars! Fucking slimy liars!"
A car swerved past him and sounded its horn, but he seemed unfazed as he continued to rage. I was about to go out and do my best to calm him down, when a cop car pulled up in the middle of the street.
The man rounded on them, his bearing that of someone used to getting his own way. The cops got out of their squad car and spoke to him with voices too low to hear. He growled and placed his hands on his hips. "You're holding out on me. All of you!"
They took him by the arms, bundled him into the back of their car and were about to go when the driver glanced over toward the restaurant and his eyes found mine. I looked away, sipped my merlot and read the wine list until they drove off. Then I paid my bill and left.
The street was quiet and still. I glanced around as I walked to my car but there was nothing else to see, so I headed back to my cabin to turn in for the night.
The forest was eerie and seemed filled with darkly guarded its secrets but warm light poured from the lodge windows. It looked welcoming as I thought about the fireside chair in the cozy little bar. Perhaps I'd find Donny there and maybe I could press him for a bit more information about this tight-lipped town. I parked and was about to head across the lawn when I spotted something out of the corner of
my eye.
A young boy, of about seven or eight, was sitting on the railing that overlooked the falls. He seemed to be illuminated by the porch light from my cabin. I could see his dark unruly hair springing from his tweed cap and the old fashioned suit-like cut of his charcoal-colored shorts and tweed coat. He began to hum an off-key, half-familiar tune as he swung his legs and gazed down into the gorge.
Where the hell were his parents? And why was he out so late on his own?
"Hey!" I started towards him but slowed to a stop as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. There was something horribly wrong here. Something a large part of me wanted to walk away from.
He turned, a slight smile on his pale round face. Moonlight flashed across the round black glasses covering his eyes and an icy cold dread shot through me as his mocking smile grew wider.
"Where are your parents?" I asked, doing my best to disguise my mounting fear.
He shrugged and muttered words that got swallowed up by the roar of the falls, then he hummed once more, and the melody was tantalizingly familiar.
"Come on, let's go to the lodge, see if we can find your mom and dad? You shouldn't be-"
And then I heard the tune, and the words accompanying it.
"Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, upstairs and downstairs in his night-gown." He spun his legs round until he faced me. "Tapping at the window, scratching at the lock, are the children in their bed, for it's past eight o'clock?"
A deep shiver passed through me. I glanced to the forest as I heard something crashing through the trees, snapping branches as it went. A rough shape, moving fast in the gloom.
My heart pounded and a snowy-white blur swooped out of the night and landed upon the roof of my cabin.
It was an owl. Its large, luminescent, alien-like eyes fixed on mine.