Darkly Rising

by J. D. Matheny

  The old beast rumbled to life with a small puff of grey smoke, then they were charging out of the parking lot, cutting past the timider drivers, and out onto the open road. They rambled along in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the wind pouring through their open windows and the sudden freedom of another short weekend.

  “Say, Lee.” Kai turned his head toward the other boy, feeling his mop of dark hair rubbing along the roof of the cab.

  “What’s up, buddy?”

  “You’ve been working at your dad’s store for a while now, haven’t you?”

  “Oh, shit yeah. I practically grew up in that store. I used to play on all the lumber piles out in the yard when I was little, now I just stack ’em. My old man says when you’re old enough to work, their ain’t no more free rides.” He patted the cracked dash of his truck, “Saved up for two summers and bought this old bitch myself.”

  Kai smiled, he wasn’t about to judge, the old truck had a charm of its own and he didn’t even have his own ride, though that was by choice.

  “Do you know how to swing a hammer?” He knew that appealing to Lee’s pride and ego would put him on the path he wanted him to walk.

  Lee looked over at him for a moment, his eyes regarding him as if birds had just flown out of his ears. “Shit, Kai, think my dad would let me grow up not knowing nothin’? I helped him build our deck and put our shed together. Old bastard even had me tearing off our roof a couple summers ago. So yeah, I reckon I can swing a hammer better then some. Why you asking? You got plans or you just sizing me up?”

  “Might have some plans. Guess I need a good foreman, somebody who knows what they’re doing and can look after a couple grunts. You interested?”

  Lee considered, tapping the fingers of both hands along his steering wheel, nodding his head slowly, as if answering questions that remained unspoken. “For you, Kai, I’d be happy to help. Hell, I’d do it for free, but my old man won’t let me off the job unless I’m making some money. He doesn’t need my help so much as he needs me to be busy, know what I mean? So, if I can say it’s a paying job . . .”

  Kai had already planned for this. His mom had plenty of money, and he thought he knew how to get his hands on some. Without even telling a lie. “We’ll work something out. Find a couple of buddies who want some cash. We own a lot of land behind our house that can be accessed by a small road that’s not much more than a wide path. All that acreage and it just sits, not being used for anything. I intend to remedy that.”

  Then he spent the next fifteen minutes of the drive laying out his plans.

  As Lee’s truck rattled over to the side of the road in front of Kai’s long driveway, Kai looked on in curiosity at the green and white Sheriff’s car parked out front of Ms. Garret’s home. The sharp smell of spearmint refreshed itself in the cab of the truck, and he broke off his attention and looked back over at Lee, who was stuffing a wad of chewing tobacco into his lip. Kai watched as the other boy’s tongue pushed around in his mouth, packing the cut of tobacco in to stay where it belonged.

  He nodded back toward the cruiser. “Think the old lady kicked the bucket?”

  Lee bent forward slightly to take a look, seemingly indifferent to whether any buckets had been kicked or not, then turned toward the driver door and spat out of the window. “Nah, that’s prolly just Ms. Garret’s boy, what’s his name. Been with the Sheriff’s department for a long time, I think.”

  “Huh, I don’t remember ever seeing him around before.” He looked back toward the small house and stared in silent thought.

  Puh-too, out the window again. “I don’t reckon I’d spend a lot of time at my mother’s place either, if she were a rough old bulldog like Ms. Garret. Pretty sure Mr. Garret died early just to finally catch some R&R.” He laughed and ran his tongue around the inside of his lip again.

  “I hear ya, that one’s immune to any charms. Well, thanks for the ride. I’m glad you’re up for the project. Get your crew together, I’d like to get started as soon as possible. I’ll get you some cash in the next couple of days, so you can spread some motivation and order up materials.”

  “Sounds fine, take it easy, Chief.”

  Kai slid out of the truck and watched the old Dodge ramble off down the road with a sense of accomplishment. Lee was the reliable sort and he knew his vision would be set in motion sooner rather than later.

  His attention was snapped back to the old house across the street with the sound of an old, solid wood door clacking shut. An older uniformed man, portly, but capable looking, was standing out on the front stoop with Ms. Garret. They were talking, but both of them stared back at Kai as they did so. Then the man nodded at him before reaching a hand up to wave him over. A gesture made by a man who was used to people obeying.

  He’d get along just fine with uncle Tommy, Kai thought. Normally he wouldn’t acquiesce to such an unsolicited request from a person he didn’t know, but he was curious, so he trotted across the road with a friendly wave and a smile to stand at the front gate.

  The man walked out to meet him, his legs moving in a casual and confident gait. Ms. Garret tagged along behind him with a smug look on her face. Kai thought those old, sparkly eyes held a hint of mischief and more than a hint of dislike.

  The man, Officer Garret, his name badge confirmed, stopped in front of him on the other side of the gate, and regarded him coolly. His neck craned up at Kai, who stood nearly a foot taller, and his eyes squinted into the later afternoon sun positioned over Kai’s shoulder. His face was friendly enough, and his voice was affable as well.

  “How’s your day going, young man?” The voice came and clear and concise, which could be expected for a man of the law that was raised by a rigid teacher. The retired teacher offered no greeting.

  “Oh, it’s going fine, officer. Ms. Garret, it’s looking like your lawn is about ready for a cut.” Kai tilted his head to the side to bring her more fully into view. He watched her lips harden into a fine, wrinkled line. Before she could part them to respond, her son spoke up for her.

  “You’ve been helping my mother out with her place for some time now. That’s nice to see from the younger generation. Shows good character, I thank you for that.”

  “Oh, be a man. You stand there and thank him, like some dainty. Just like your father.” Ms. Garret’s voice cut sharp and Kai could see a vein in her son’s temple pulsing in response.

  Despite the interruption, he soldiered on. “It also shows me what a neglectful son I’ve been. I promised my mom I’d be by tomorrow to do some yard work, but it’s kind of you to offer. I understand you were her last week to do some mowing and raking.”

  Here it comes. Kai almost gave the old bat a wink, but instead, focused a genial smile at the officer. “You bet. Makes me feel good to help. Anytime your crime-fighting duties get in the way of your familial ones, I’m more than happy to fill in.”

  “Like Hell! What my child is too weak to say is that you aren’t welcome back on my property, and you’ll be judged and punished for what you did to my poor little Ralphie!”

  Officer Garret turned his head back toward his mother, his mouth tightening into a looser version of her own. Kai thought about how comical they looked at that moment, standing together and looking grim, but he held any looks of mirth from his face. Besides, he thought the source of their consternation were different. The old lady was still focused on him, but the son was focused on the mother. Kai suspected that Officer Garret had been humoring his mother and her penchant for harsh judgements all his life.

  He turned his face back toward Kai, his features softening considerably. “The crime fighting days are nearing an end. Retiring soon to focus on other pursuits. Listen, aside from thanking you for all the kindness you’ve shown my mother, I wanted to ask about little Ralphie. I think you’re familiar?”

  “Of course he’s familiar, you dolt!”

  Both men ignored her. “Ralphie, sure. He’s been guarding this place forever. Now that you mention it, I’m surprise
d he’s not here. I hope everything is OK? I always get nervous about something bad happening to him, with the road right out of the front gate.” He scrunched his eyebrows together, wrinkling up his forehead in an appropriate look of concern.

  “Oh, wipe that fake concern off your face, young man! You might be fooling the dumb ox, but you aren’t fooling me. I dealt with punks like you for forty years, and let me tell you . . .”

  “Mother, please.” Officer Garret laid a respectful hand on his mother’s shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “Why don’t you step inside and let me speak with young Kai for a moment.”

  The old widow looked at her son for a second. Kai expected a sharp retort, something along the lines of “why don’t you go bite on a lemon and learn to hold your tongue” but instead she gave him a venomous look and turned back toward the house.

  Officer Garret directed an appraising gaze back at Kai, considered him for a minute, then continued, “Listen Kai, you seem like a polite young man, and I truly do appreciate all the generosity you’ve shown my mother, taking care of her place. She’s not the easiest woman to get along with. Between me and you, I half expect she wore my old man’s heart out long before its time. But she is sharp of mind, and she did mention that you might be the last one to see the little yapper. She loves that dog and I would be grateful if you could offer me something to go on. Did you see him at all when you were here last? Did you happen to maybe leave the gate open at any point? Accidents happen, I just need to know where to focus my attention.”

  It crossed Kai’s mind to have a little fun with the man. Tell him that maybe the gate was open for a brief time, just to send him looking. The man was treating him with respect, though. Respect he deserved. Plus, he actually felt some sympathy for what the man must have endured growing up under the harsh figure of that crone. No, he wouldn’t lie or play games, he’d just be honest.

  “The gate was closed the whole time, I’m sure of it. It would seem that the little guy just went up in a puff of smoke.”

  Officer Garret raised his eyebrows, then lowered them again, and that was that.

  23

  When Kai walked through the front door of his house, he was whistling a tune that sounded of sunshine and sugar. Speaking with the cop had made him feel giddy. No, it wasn’t really speaking with the cop, that had just added some flavor. It was reliving what he’d done with that obnoxious bag of fleas and seeing the distress it caused the old bitch, Ms. Garret. Stony Ms. Garret, with her unfriendly eyes and judgmental looks. She deserved to be lonely and miserable, as far as he was concerned.

  His whistle stopped when he made his way into the living room and saw a strange man sitting at the table with his mother and uncle Tommy. An old man, with tired eyes and skin of worn leather that managed to look both stretched and wrinkled at the same time. His eyes livened up a bit when they rose to meet Kai’s gaze, however.

  “Kai, you’re home. How was school?” Sophie sounded a little nervous, almost apologetic.

  “Fine.” His eyes never left the old man at the table. “Who are you?”

  “A guest,” Thomas answered, “who should be treated with a little courtesy.”

  Kai frowned. He didn’t like to be surprised, but if there was one person he tended to defer to, it was his Uncle Tommy. “Sorry, forgive me, my mother’s been introducing a lot of new men in my life.” He gave Sophie a sharp look as he walked forward with three long strides and stuck out a hand. “Nice to meet you, Mister . . .”

  The old man jabbed out a thick and wrinkled hand and shook briefly, giving two quick pumps and yanking his hand back like he might pick up something unseemly from Kai’s skin. “Name is Ryker. James Ryker. Pleasure.” He seemed almost reluctant to be saying his name and the introduction certainly didn’t sound as if it gave him any pleasure.

  “James. Ryker.” Kai picked up on the hesitancy, and though he didn’t understand it, he drew the name out anyway, to add to the discomfort. He looked down the man’s length, taking in the wrinkled and faded shirt that looked like it had gone through the wash a million times, the old blue jeans, and the sneakers with creases stained with dirt that no amount of elbow grease would ever eliminate. Then he met the eyes again, his own dark ones soaking in the faded blue light of the other.

  “Well, this is nice. Kai, why don’t you take care of whatever you need to do while we finish chatting. Mr. Ryker will be staying for dinner, so there will be more time to get to know each other later.”

  Kai looked at his mother, a look that relayed his disapproval for being first surprised, then brushed aside with no explanation. He would get his explanation later, though. That much he knew, and it gave him something to look forward to. He dropped his bag off on the floor where he was standing, silently daring anybody to say anything, then made for the rear sliding door.

  “Don’t you have homework?” Sophie asked.

  “Do I ever leave anything unfinished?” He responded brusquely over his shoulder, then stepped out into the backyard, flicking the door along its tracks behind him and moving off without looking to see whether it had closed completely.

  He was feeling a storm rising inside. He didn’t like that man, and he didn’t like being treated like a child in front of him. He was no child, he was . . . what was he, exactly? Something different, that was something he’d always been aware of, but lately is was more than that. Ever since he could remember, he’d enjoyed the subservience of others. It wasn’t even something he had to strive for, it just happened. After years of others bending their will toward him, he’d come to expect it, like it was his right. But now, there was a thirst. A growing need for dominance. He hungered for it, drank it up, but still part of him wondered why.

  Is this how it was for Bundy? For Dahmer? Maybe I’m not special. Maybe I’m just broken.

  But those thoughts were quickly swept aside. The hunger took over.

  Making a beeline through the backyard, he passed underneath the tall pine boughs interlocking their needled fingers high above him and made his way into the more untamed part of their rear property. The part that stretched on for acre after acre.

  He thought of Jenny, of what it felt like to be inside her. An intoxicating mix of power, physical pleasure, and intimacy. He thought of shrewd-eyed Ms. Garret and her dutiful cop son. Mostly, he was lost in thought about rumpled James Ryker. There was nothing threatening about the man from a physical sense, but something in his demeanor set Kai’s nerves to tingling in a way that was completely foreign to him. It was as if those faded blue eyes judged him and criticized his every thought and mannerism. That was something he couldn’t tolerate. Not in his kingdom, and he was beginning to believe that wherever he happened to be was his kingdom.

  As he moved along, lost in thought, he traveled in a bubble of silence. His feet trod along a forest floor blanketed in dead leaves and pine needles. The birds and skittering critters that made the woods their home moved along with him, but never too close. There was an invisible barrier they paid heed to, interested in the man that walked its center but fearful of getting too close. Squirrels chittered and flicked their tails side to side and Ravens cawed and flapped from branch to branch, matching his pace. He noticed none of it.

  What he did notice as he watched the ground directly in front of his feet was the trees and brush opening before him. He stopped and surveyed the clearing and did so with a widening smile on his dark face. It was almost as if he had created the spot from his own mind, completely unaware of doing it.

  There was a large clearing that stretched on for a couple hundred yards in all directions, disappearing over a small rise to his left, and bordered again directly ahead and off to his right by the continuation of towering pine trees. A creek wound down the gentle slope from the left, only ten feet wide or so, and disappeared at the opposite side of the clearing. Directly ahead of him, the path of the water bent into a half moon shape, re-directing itself to account for a small plateau that just begged to be a focal point of something, and
Kai knew what that something would be.

  “My kingdom.” The bright whites of his teeth flashed in the afternoon sun and he let tilted his face toward it to soak up the heat. The wind picked up, brushing his mop of dark hair around, caressing his cheeks in a loving and welcoming manner.

  The three men sat on different sides of the table, staring uncomfortably back and forth between each other. Sophie swept over from the kitchen counter and sat a steaming glass dish on the center of the table.

  “Tater-tot casserole,” she said, smiling apologetically. “Sorry, I need to do some grocery shopping, and this was all I could think to whip up that might feed all of us.”

  “Apologizing for tater-tot casserole? Never heard of such a thing. It’s a fine dish, one of my favorites in fact, right next to Shit-on-the-Shingle. Goes great with Pabst.” James looked at Sophie, with a hint of hope or amusement she couldn’t tell. “You wouldn’t happen to have any Pabst now, would you?”

  “Sorry, Mr. Ryker,” she said, smiling, “fresh out of Pabst. I think I could manage a glass of wine.”

  “No, thanks anyway. That stuff will kill you. Well now, do we need to do any prayer stuff before we dig in?”

  Kai snorted. “Prayer stuff? To whom would you be praying to, Mr. Ryker?”

  “Kai,” said Thomas, his voice holding a hint of warning.

  “Just curious, Uncle.” He turned his attention back across the table to James. “Are you a religious man, James?”

  “Mr. Ryker,” Thomas said, correcting him.

  “James works just fine, Thomas. And no, I can’t say I follow any religion, Kai. I could never bring myself to kneel to a ghost, and I can’t say I’ve ever met any gods, that I know of.” He shoveled a healthy scoop of casserole onto his plate, eyeing greedily the string of cheese that stretched from one dish to the other. “Food fit for a king,” he said to Sophie with a large smile on his face, before shoveling an obscene amount of it into his mouth.