Monsterland

by Michael Okon

  Melvin was at the bow. Nolan twisted to look at Wyatt and Jade, his face tight, his eyes narrowed to slits. Wyatt realized he was being watched by the quarterback, and he gulped convulsively. It lasted for a long minute, and, when Nolan finally turned around, Wyatt wondered who scared him more, the monsters in the park or Jade’s boyfriend.

  The quarterback swung his arm over the seat, letting his hand rest possessively on Jade’s knee. Jade’s face grew red, and she moved her legs restlessly, but Nolan’s hand stayed. The gears hitched and then groaned. The boat pulled away from the dock.

  A guide jumped onto the stern, standing slightly above them on a block. He held a mic in his hand and began the ride with a bored attitude. The guide fixed a bush hat on his head, and his khaki uniform had both a werewolf and the Monsterland logo on the pocketed chest. He advised them to belt themselves in. To Jade’s obvious relief, the tight fit of the constraints forced Nolan to reluctantly remove his hand.

  “Doctor Vincent Konrad has long had a fascination with monsters,” the guide began. “Funding the Everglades expedition with his own money, he expected to search for and find Bigfoot, or, as it is known in Native American folklore, Sasquatch.”

  The boat glided over the water, its bow making arrow-shaped ripples on the still surface of the artificial lake. Shimmering dragonflies hovered over the water, frogs croaked, and the air became thicker. It grew darker, the dense brush growing over the water, the sound hushed.

  The howls began, softly at first, and then building in intensity and frequency as the strip of water narrowed. Wyatt had read somewhere that the water ride was behind glass walls to keep the guests safe from the werewolves. He fidgeted restlessly. They were completely out in the open.

  The boat rode low in the water. Sean leaned over, splashing the palm of his hand on its flat surface.

  “Keep your hands in the boat!” the attendant shouted.

  Sean gawped as an alligator swerved close, its long snout snapping open as the boy snatched his hand from the water. He looked up at the guide.

  “Indeed, the wildlife is real and not animatronics, as initially reported.”

  “They’re not robots?” Wyatt demanded.

  “Dr. Konrad decided that if the monsters were real, so should all elements of the park.”

  Wyatt felt Jade move close so that their thighs touched. Taking a deep breath, he placed his shoulder in front of hers, as if he were protecting her.

  “As I was saying, Dr. Konrad and his staff stumbled upon an unexpected colony, that special May first day. They were in one of the waterways, much like this, when, all of a sudden, they made contact.”

  The boat lurched sideways, the impact sending them spinning in a half circle. Jade screamed, and Wyatt sucked in his breath, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her close. He heard Melvin shout with joy.

  The announcer laughed nervously. “With an impact very similar to that, Vincent Konrad made the discovery of a lifetime. He found a pack of werewolves living in—hey!”

  The boat was smacked again, this time propelling them almost to the other side of the bank. They craned their necks, peering into the dark water only to see muddled images of something swimming close to the boat’s side. The guide reached into his back pocket and whispered urgently into a two-way radio attached to the lapel of his shirt.

  Melvin released his restraint and stood, pointing to an outcrop of rocks. Wyatt heard Jade gasp. His mouth went dry.

  Lining the boulders were five beasts, so large they blocked the light from above. Their long yellow teeth gleamed. Saliva dripped from their mouths like they were rabid. They panted deeply.

  Melvin stood at the prow, howling, his eyes closed in ecstasy. Sean pressed himself back into his seat so that his head almost touched his brother. Nolan crouched low.

  Wyatt stared at the wolves. The beasts’ eyes were bright with intelligence and something else. One walked out so that it was almost above them, his long body quivering with rage. His huge head lifted upward, his mouth opened, letting loose a chilling call. The wolf turned, his eyes narrowing with menace.

  The boat stalled and then drifted. The attendant pushed his intercom frantically. He flicked the ignition, and the boat roared to life once again.

  Melvin reached up, his face filled with wonder.

  “Sit down!” the driver ordered. “Now!”

  “Mel!” Wyatt called, breaking his trance. “Sit.” He turned to the guide. “Is this part of the show?” he asked frantically. “Is it?”

  The man ignored him, his face solemn. Wyatt felt a mixture of fear and the niggling doubt that he was being made a fool.

  Melvin slid silently into his seat.

  They traveled under the ledge, so close they could hear the uneven panting. Drool dripped onto the boat floor not protected by the canopy.

  Jade made a noise, moving so close she was practically underneath Wyatt. Slowly, the boat slid through the water.

  Wyatt turned around. The animals were gone, but he felt his scalp tighten. He knew they were watching. Peering through the thick leaves, he searched the foliage but could see nothing. Sean looked back at him nervously.

  “That was creepy. Right, Melvin? Mel?” Sean cried.

  Melvin was gone.

  “Melvin!” Wyatt stood on the rocking boat. The attendant cursed and ran toward the bow, his face white.

  The canopy over their heads stretched with the weight of something heavy. Jade shrieked and hid her eyes. Nolan scrambled to move to the back of the boat. A hand dropped over the top of the canopy, a Kickers Kandy Bar clutched in the palm.

  Melvin’s face appeared under the fringe—he looked like he had blond ringlets.

  “Melvin!” Sean yelled.

  “I want my money back,” Melvin called to the attendant. “It’s all fake.”

  He hopped into the boat, water sloshed over the edge, soaking their sneakers.

  “I’m reporting you as soon as we get back!” The employee stomped over to Melvin, making the boat rock dangerously.

  “It’s a hoax. There are no werewolves. Vincent Konrad is a big phony.”

  “You can’t get your money back,” Sean said, pulling the candy from Melvin’s hand. “You didn’t pay to get in.”

  “Just sit down,” the worker told him.

  “Or what?”

  “It’s the rules.” The guide peered behind them, realizing they were creating a traffic jam of boats. “Look, it’s going to get better.” He scanned the faces in the vessel. “I’ll let this incident go. It’s opening night, but you must obey the rules. Fasten your belts, please.”

  Melvin made a rude sound.

  “You won’t be sorry. I promise.”

  Melvin hopped over the seats, Nolan slid back into his place, and Jade took Wyatt’s hand, lacing her fingers with his.

  The ride attendant grabbed the wheel, pressed the throttle, and the boat chugged forward. “It’s all real; you’ll see.”

  Wyatt looked back as they passed the large outcrop of rocks, seeing the jerky movements of the wolves, and pointed to them. “They’re harmless, Jade. It’s not real.” He leaned close, whispering in her ear. “It’s probably all fake.” He felt foolish for being so nervous when he crossed over the bridge earlier.

  “You better hold on!” the attendant warned.

  The boat suddenly dived down a vertical drop that had to be at least fifteen feet. The echoes of their loud screams sounded canned, as though they were in a cavern.

  They landed with a jarring thud that doused them with cold water. Wyatt lost his grip on Jade’s hand as they both clung to the rails. The boat rocked, dipping so deep that water splattered over the sides.

  Wyatt’s eyes adjusted to the dark, misty air. He looked at his brother, who sat with his mouth open, his breath coming in pants. Wyatt was as white as a marble statue, his eyes bulging from his head. He could barely make out Melvin in the front of the boat. Nolan was frozen to his seat, his eyes glued straight ahead. It was pitch black, a
nd Wyatt decided to make the most of the darkness.

  He slid his hand over, taking Jade’s cold fingers within his own. He heard her expel a deep sigh. He looked sideways and saw a ghost of a smile on her lips. He had the urge to steal a kiss, but it was too risky with Nolan a few feet away. Wyatt squeezed her fingers instead. He felt the softness of her hip next to his.

  It was twilight on the bayou, the sound of croaking frogs filling the atmosphere. A motor whined, and the striped canopy rolled back like a convertible on a car, giving them a clear view of the sky.

  Jade’s head was pressed against his chest. He held her close, their beating hearts pounding in unison. Up ahead, they heard the steady sound of screams mixed with wild howls.

  Banjo music filled the cavern. The air was oppressive. Low-hanging Spanish moss dipped into the water. Fireflies lit up the gathering darkness.

  “Look up, the sun is setting.” The attendant gestured to the manufactured sky.

  The lake was covered by the dome, creating a weird echoing sound. The water amplified the splashing of the boats.

  The guide gestured to a concave glass barrier above them, separating guests from the werewolves. “That glass is impenetrable. Four elephants can stand on it. It won’t even crack.”

  They heard other attendants repeating the information to their passengers.

  “A werewolf can eat four elephants for breakfast,” Melvin challenged the guide. Several chuckles emanated from nearby boats.

  An artificial sky turned from lilac to purple. The teens watched a thin strip of fiery sunset line the horizon, painting the choppy waters crimson. The sun dipped low and then winked out. The thick glass was transparent. Dark, hulking shadows flitted past them. They discerned the silhouettes of men and heard primitive cries of “No!” mixed with howls that seemed to come from the bowels of hell.

  Melvin was out of his seat, causing the boat to rock again. “Werewolves have a superior sense of smell.”

  Jade looked around nervously. “Do you think they can smell us through the glass?” she whispered. Wyatt placed his arm around her narrow shoulders. She fit against him as if they were made for each other.

  He caught Nolan turning around, the whites of his eyes gleaming in the gathering darkness. The boat shuddered violently, and Nolan grabbed the bar in front of him.

  This time the attendant’s eyes darted around the space above him, his stance alert.

  “Come on, already!” Melvin called out. “Show yourself!”

  Jade peeked from her haven in Wyatt’s arms. Wyatt noticed that Nolan and his brother sat closer together.

  Melvin pointed, crowing with excitement.

  Pressed against the glass, a man stood, his face a mask of agony, his hands gripping his head.

  Wyatt sat transfixed, their eyes meeting, and, this time, he knew the contact was real. He shivered.

  The man behind the glass blinked, his eyes turning golden. The LED moon appeared overhead, full, its pocked face mocking the man.

  He climbed on the struts holding the dome, lifting his face toward the beacon in the sky, letting loose an earsplitting howl. The veins stood out in his neck; his hand fisted and pounded the glass barrier above them. He wore a thick metal collar, a green pinpoint of a light pulsed under his jaw.

  The boat stopped moving. Wyatt noticed four other boats were bobbing around them. Another man jumped onto the rafters, wailing an answering howl, then another. Soon the glass was filled with creatures, their eyes narrowing, their backs elongating. Wyatt and his friends craned their necks to observe as silent witnesses as the miserable creatures’ bodies developed four legs, their noses changed into snouts, and their teeth became long yellow fangs. The green lights on their collars multiplied until it looked like the glass was dotted with alien eyes.

  He heard Melvin say, “Whoa!”

  His breath had stopped in his chest. Jade’s brilliant blue eyes peeked out from behind her hands. She sighed, “This is so wrong. In so many ways, it’s … it’s wrong.”

  Melvin stood tall, his chest puffed outward, letting loose a loud howl that silenced the wolves. The water lapped, and only their harsh breathing filled the cavern. Melvin called out again, and a cacophony of cries answered him. His face was ecstatic, and he pumped his fist in the air.

  “Stop, Mel.” Sean tugged his hand. “You’re too weird, dude. Really.”

  Melvin shook him off, pulled out his cell phone and started filming.

  Nolan followed suit and then Sean. Wyatt looked around, noticing everyone had their cell phones in their hands. The lights bobbed in the water as if the room was lit by hundreds of candles. The wolves wailed.

  Wyatt picked up his phone and then shoved it back in his pocket. He thought about recording the experience for a second, then paused, his face warming. Jade was right about this place. He felt ashamed for even wanting to preserve a moment on film of another living thing’s pain, even if it was a monster.

  Wyatt heard the sound of multiple boat engines roaring to life. The attendant yelled, “Hold on!”

  They gripped the rails on the seats as the front of the boat lifted half off the water and started racing down a tributary. The water narrowed to a rushing river, the glass coming to surround them like a tube, a handspan above their heads.

  Claws scratched the glass, nails clicking as long gray shadows ran next to the boats. Jade screamed, her face inches from the window, a wolf the size of a small car racing in tandem with them. His yellowed eyes watched intently, the golden glow emitting no warmth. The green lights on their collars bobbed along as they chased the boats.

  Inhuman wails mixed with menacing growls filled the chamber. Melvin stood, holding onto the metal pole, his face rapt with wonder. Nolan was frozen, his fingers holding the sides of the boat in a death grip. Sean had slid down, his face bleached.

  The boat picked up speed, but the creatures kept up the pace; their seven-foot-long bodies and long legs stretched to obscene proportions. Wyatt could hear their impatient snarling. He could swear he felt the heat of their breaths on his cheeks.

  Ahead, a pinpoint of light teased them. The boat’s speed increased, the wind rushed past them, the wolves howled like mad. One huge wolf dogged their boat, its eyes glued to Melvin. The ride felt endless, like they were going to be stuck for eternity. Wyatt felt trapped.

  They were traveling so fast in a downward direction the teens were half lifted out of their seats. Wyatt gripped the handles, his knuckles white. Jade’s keening wail filled his ears. A light flashed, blinding them all for an instant.

  The boat landed with a large splash in a vast lagoon. The teens twisted in their seats to see the animals slowing, turning to chase after another craft.

  Wyatt exchanged a look with his brother and burst out into nervous laughter. Soon, all the teens were laughing hysterically. Even the attendant joined in, “Don’t forget to purchase your photo at the booth on the way out,” he added.

  “Photo?” Melvin asked.

  “Yeah, of your faces as we went down the second waterfall—$59.99 plus tax. Thank you for experiencing Vincent Konrad’s Werewolf River Run.”

  Stark LED floodlights lit up the lagoon. The sounds of the park visitors could be heard again.

  Melvin leaped off the boat onto the dock, his face beaming. “That was ah-mazing!” he crowed. “Wanna buy the photos?”

  “Not for $59.99.” Nolan stepped off, putting his hand in front of Wyatt, rudely pulling Jade from the vessel. “I wasn’t that impressed,” he said with cocky self-assurance. Wyatt stiffened and then felt himself deflate. Jade was not his girl. She was with Nolan. He backed away.

  Melvin wandered off, pulling out his wallet. “Well, I want them,” he mumbled to no one.

  “Are you kidding me? That was intense. You were a wreck,” Sean said to Nolan.

  Jade looked longingly at Wyatt as Nolan brushed past them. “Let’s try to find Theo and Keisha,” Nolan said, dismissing them.

  “And Howard Drucker,” Wyatt added.
>
  “Did they answer anybody’s texts?” Jade asked.

  Chapter 15

  “Look, Howard Drucker.” Keisha pulled Howard into the commissary, separating them from Theo. “I’m tired of waiting for you to notice me.”

  They both jumped as the doors slowly descended, alarms warning the crowd away from the hermetically sealed portal. They turned in silent awe as the thick metal slid into place, followed by a sucking noise.

  Howard spoke as if he hadn’t heard her, his voice filled with curiosity. “It’s a vacuum.”

  Keisha wandered to the sealed door, momentarily diverted. Her love for science overtook her hormones and attraction to Howard. “Nothing gets in or out.” She ran her hands along the smooth surface of the vulcanized seal. “Not any odors.”

  She turned, looking at her shorter companion. She considered the gentle slope of Howard’s shoulders, the lightly freckled complexion, his total lack of animal attraction, and, yet—she shrugged—she was attracted. Not mildly, not slightly—there was no denying it—she was in a total overload of obsession for this peculiar boy.

  While she could explain magnetic shifts in the polar ice caps, she couldn’t understand her primal desire for Howard Drucker, but he filled her every waking moment with his keen intellect and sensitive understanding of anything from climate change to the study of chiaroscuro in Renaissance art.

  A guard smiled. “Dr. Konrad created this seal especially for the comfort of the inhabitants. Not only the odors but sound as well.”

  Howard nodded. “The mere sound of food would trigger all sorts of responses.”

  Keisha agreed, “Like Pavlov’s dogs.”

  “Huh?” The guard cocked his head.

  “A Russian scientist proved that if you ring a bell every time you feed a dog, it conditions the animal to associate the sound with feeding time,” Keisha informed him.

  The guard shook his head. “I don’t think those monsters need no bell.”

  “No, you see,” Howard explained, “it was an experiment.” He paused to look at the guard’s glazed eyes. “Oh, forget it.”