Krewe 11 - The Night Is Forever

by Heather Graham

  “Andrew Johnson!” Matt called out.

  “Gold star for that boy,” Olivia said. “Okay, so there was a Union Army of Tennessee and a Confederate Army of Tennessee. On December 2, 1864, the Confederate Army of Tennessee came to face off against the Union Army south of the city. On December 15, the Union Army arrived and started the Battle of Nashville. While the Confederates fought hard, they were badly defeated and had to retreat.”

  “And that’s where we get our famous ghost!” Mariah said, beaming.

  Matt set his flashlight beneath his chin so the beam would give him an eerie look. “General Rufus Cunningham!” he moaned.

  “Hey, stop it!” Sean said. “Remember—we respect the dead.”

  “Exactly!” Mariah then took over the story. “General Rufus Cunningham had a daughter and she was married to one of the Union lieutenants with the troops occupying Nashville.”

  “Wow, the girl was kind of a traitor, wasn’t she? Ooh—maybe she hated her dad!” Sean suggested.

  “No, no! It was very sad,” Olivia said. “The whole war was tragically sad. Many of the men—the foot soldiers and ranking officers—were good friends or relatives of the soldiers they fought. Cunningham’s daughter was named Eliza. She married Nathan Randall in 1858, and she met him because her father had been his commanding officer at the time. Many of the men went to West Point or other military academies together. Many of them had fought together in Mexico. The thing is, General Rufus Cunningham loved his son-in-law. But even if he hadn’t loved him, he would have tried to save him. He’d ordered that any man who’d been injured—whether wearing blue or gray—was to be given medical attention.”

  “So,” Mariah continued, taking up the story, “Nathan Randall was injured. Seeing him—although he was already in retreat with his troops—General Cunningham stopped. In saving his son-in-law, he was caught in the crossfire between the advancing Union and the retreating Confederates. He died not far from where we’re camping tonight and he’s buried in the tiny Confederate Cemetery we just visited, where you saw his grave.”

  “And,” Joey added, “it’s said that General Rufus Cunningham still rides these hills, watching out for those who are in danger, trying to save lives.”

  “Yeah, well, he failed with Marcus, huh?” Matt said. His words were followed by silence.

  “I’m sure he would have helped if he could,” Olivia said.

  Brent rose and sat next to Matt. The tough guy smiled at the Down syndrome boy and placed an arm around his shoulders.

  “Hey, there’s a romantic story, too,” Olivia quickly offered. “The beautiful stream we can hear trickling. Know how that was formed?”

  “Someone’s tears?” Joey asked.

  “You bet,” she replied. “There was a beautiful maiden called Little Deer. She was in love with a warrior named Soaring Eagle. This was during a terrible time in our history when we were land grabbers—and we forced all the eastern Native Americans west, toward Arkansas. The two of them were torn apart because Soaring Eagle was with a peace delegation sent to argue out terms. He should’ve have been back before Little Deer was forced to leave. But the army was determined to get this done. There was a horrible mistake in communications. Soaring Eagle was only trying to reach Little Deer, but he was shot down because an army lieutenant thought he was trying to create an uprising. Little Deer heard the shot from miles away. She cried this stream that runs from the river down to the hills and plains. Sometimes at night you can hear the two of them calling to each other.”

  “And,” Aaron said, rising, “sometimes at night, people go to bed. I say we call it a day and we’ll get an early start tomorrow. Then we’ll argue with the black rock!”

  Dustin glanced over at Olivia. She wished she didn’t feel herself tense every time he looked at her now. Or that, in the middle of a group of people, she could tell him she didn’t give a damn what happened in the future, she’d like one night with him. Just one...

  “The black rock is a natural boulder stuck out here, and it’s black because it’s aged,” she explained. “Okay, maybe it’s more of a dirty gray. The kids tell it everything they’re angry about—and throw water balloons at it. Believe it or not, it actually seems to help.”

  “And it soothes the old soul,” Mason said. He stood, yawning. “I do have to say it feels great to be out here, huh?”

  “Yes, and may I remind you all...bathroom visits demand clothing of some kind,” Mariah said sternly. “Boys’ bushes to the left—girls’ to the right!”

  “Who wants to help rinse off the plates and pots and pans?” Olivia asked. “You can grab your toothbrushes and we’ll get water for face washing at the same time.”

  Joey, Matt and Brent said they’d come with her.

  Sean no longer seemed willing to be by himself and refused to leave a crowd.

  The boys helped her with the dishes. When they returned to the camp, everyone was settling in. Brent, Sean and Joey were in a large tent with Dustin, whose sleeping bag was closest to the entrance—closest to where she was, in the second tent with Mariah and Sandra. Aaron, Matt, Nick and Drew were in the third.

  “You think this was too soon?” Mariah asked worriedly as she lay on her cot. “I mean, too soon for one of these trips—after Marcus died?”

  Sandra, ready to turn down their lantern, sighed. “Mariah, we have to go on as usual. You’re just telling stories that you grew up with. It’s fine.”

  “I guess,” Mariah murmured. “What do you think? Did they all like the little cemetery?”

  “They seemed to,” she said.

  “No one ‘saw’ the general?” Mariah asked.

  “Oh, we all see him one way or another, don’t we?” Olivia said.

  “No,” Mariah told her. “I never have. I wish I could see him. I should see him. You can trace my family back in this area for two hundred years! You’d think he’d appear to me.”

  “He’s an image in people’s minds!” Sandra said impatiently. “Let’s get some sleep!”

  The tent went dark. The night was lit by an almost-full moon and the remnants of the fire in the clearing. Olivia lay still, listening to chirping of insects around them. There were coyotes in the hills, but they’d never bothered them, not here at the campground. The cows were sometimes in danger—the Horse Farm dogs occasionally came back with a piece of beef that hadn’t been processed. But there was really nothing to fear at their campground during the night.

  She’d never felt edgy before.

  That night, she lay awake in her sleeping bag.

  Through the canvas walls of the tent she could see the shapes of distant trees, making giant shadows that waved and moved in the breeze, looking like monsters that might reach into the tent and drag someone out. She told herself that was a childish fantasy, but couldn’t quite dispel her nervousness....

  She was just staring at the trees when she became aware of something moving outside—coming toward the tent.

  She bolted halfway up, glancing over at the other women.

  Neither Sandra nor Mariah was in the tent. She hadn’t heard them rise; maybe she’d dozed off, after all.

  Whatever was coming toward her seemed to grow large with menace—as if a tree had uprooted itself and become a monster stretching its skeletal fingers toward her....

  She jumped to her feet, ready to rush out and scream an alarm. But even as she did, she heard someone speak sharply. She recognized Dustin’s voice.

  “Aaron!”

  There were no monsters and trees didn’t uproot themselves to attack.

  She hurriedly left the tent to see what was happening.

  Aaron was out there.

  And Dustin was right behind him.

  “What’s wrong?” Dustin asked.

  “Nothing—I think,” Aaron said. He looked at Olivia. “I heard something rustling over here. I wanted to see if you three were okay. We should’ve put the women in the middle tent.”

  Sandra came walking out of the woods. �
��Aaron Bentley! You employ extremely capable women. I had to make a dash to the powder room, so to speak.”

  “Where’s Mariah?” Olivia asked.

  “Well, she must have taken a bathroom break, too,” Sandra said.

  “I don’t like this,” Aaron muttered. “I want to make sure she’s in her tent before I go back to sleep. I thought...”

  “What?” Dustin demanded.

  “I don’t know. I thought I heard someone prowling around.”

  “You did! Us. So much for privacy,” Sandra said, shaking her head.

  “How long can a break in the bushes take?” Aaron asked.

  He probably meant it as a rhetorical question, but Joey emerged from the tent, saying, “Um, it takes as long as it takes, doesn’t it? Especially for women...”

  Aaron ignored that and walked toward the bushes. “Mariah!”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Mariah!” he shouted louder.

  “Hey!”

  They heard her call back to them. Her voice didn’t come from the bushes. Olivia saw that she’d been down to the stream; she’d apparently filled her canteen. Her face was damp and she was smiling. “What’s wrong?” she asked quickly, her smile fading.

  “Nothing.” Aaron let out a sigh. “I was just worried about you.”

  “Oh, Aaron, I’m sorry,” Mariah said. “I went down to the stream for some more water. And it was so beautiful in the moonlight! I was looking across the water—hoping maybe I’d see the general on his horse on the other side.”

  Somewhere, far in the distance, a coyote howled at the moon. The sound was so forlorn, so chilling—and foreboding.

  “Well, we’re all here now,” Sandra said with a shrug. “Let’s get some sleep.”

  “Dustin, you’re going back in the tent, right?” Joey asked. As he spoke, Brent, too, came out. He looked frightened. Brent was a joy to be around, always loving, but he was also easily frightened when things weren’t precisely as they were supposed to be.

  “Livia?” he said worriedly.

  “I’m here, Brent. We’re all here. Everything’s fine,” she assured him, going over to give him a hug.

  “Oh, for God’s sake,” Sandra said. “We’ve got to get some sleep!”

  “Okay, okay, everyone back where they belong.” Grinning, Aaron joined Olivia and put his arm around Brent. “It’s all good, buddy.”

  Brent nodded solemnly. “The general is watching over us,” he said.

  “Yeah, that’s right, Brent.”

  “He is watching us. I saw him. I saw him—he was on the other side of the stream. I saw him with Livia when we were washing the plates,” Brent said.

  Sandra shook her head. “I’m not so sure we should’ve brought him,” she whispered.

  “He’s fine,” Olivia said. “Half the world sees the general.”

  “He thinks he really saw him,” Sandra snapped.

  “Come on, buddy, back to bed,” Aaron said.

  “Yeah, come on, we’re all going in,” Joey added kindly.

  “Good night, all,” Aaron said, and, ducking through the entrance, escorted Brent back into the tent. Joey followed.

  “I’m going to sit by the fire awhile,” Dustin said. “You all go back to sleep. Sorry. I’m just restless. I like to watch the dying embers—helps me sleep.”

  Sandra went back in. Mariah waited for Olivia, then returned to the tent. Olivia fell into a deep sleep.

  She awoke to early daylight—and the sound of a high-pitched scream. Bolting out of bed, she collided with Sandra as they both tried to get out at the same time.

  Drew was already outside, looking around wildly, trying to ascertain where the scream had originated.

  “Stay here!” Olivia ordered Sandra. “Watch the boys. Drew, come with me!”

  It wasn’t really her place to give instructions, but Olivia hadn’t thought it out. She started running into the bushes, assuming the scream had come from the women’s side of the “bathroom” area. But when she saw a glimmer of light through the trees, she realized it must have come from farther back. Olivia kept running, with Drew on her heels. They burst into a little clearing. The gray skies of dawn made it hard to see clearly.

  To her astonishment, Olivia found Dustin there—bending over Mariah, who was crouched on the ground. His small flashlight didn’t reveal much detail but did show her horrified expression.

  “What’s going on?” Olivia shouted.

  Drew barely managed to stop himself before colliding with her; she felt his hands on her shoulders.

  Mariah rose, shaking, clinging to Dustin. “Oh, Lord, I am sorry...again!”

  Olivia frowned at Dustin.

  He shrugged. “I wake easily and run fast,” he said.

  “What’s going on?” Olivia demanded a second time.

  “I—I thought I saw...oh, this is so stupid!” Mariah apologized. “I thought I saw the general when I went to use the, uh, bathroom, and I tried to follow him and I got here and...” She stepped aside, displaying what she’d stumbled on.

  The torn remnants of cow’s hindquarters lay there, blood trailing off into the bushes.

  “A coyote got a cow,” Olivia said calmly. “Unfortunately, it happens.”

  “I know, I know. I just wasn’t expecting it!” Mariah groaned.

  “Let’s get the hell back now,” Drew suggested. Olivia could feel him close behind her—and she could tell that he was shaking. “The others are going to be worried.”

  “Yes, let’s go!” Mariah said. “Oh, Lord, I’m going to have to apologize to the kids and tell them what an idiot I am!”

  They walked back. By then, the others were milling around by the fire, waiting wide-eyed.

  “What happened?” Sandra asked anxiously.

  “Freakiest camping trip ever!” Mason said.

  “Cool,” Nick murmured.

  Sean jabbed him with an elbow. Mariah went into her explanation, but before she’d finished Dustin interrupted.

  “Where’s Aaron?”

  They looked around; Aaron wasn’t among them.

  “He must be...I don’t know, in the bushes, too?” Mason asked.

  “With this much commotion going on?” Dustin demanded.

  “We’ll all go look for him,” Joey said.

  “No, you boys stay here. Drew, you, Sandra and Mariah stay. Mason, check out the bushes. I’ll try the stream. Liv...” His eyes were on hers.

  He didn’t want her alone with any of them, she realized.

  “I’ll go with you,” she said. “We can cover most of the stream that way.”

  They headed off together.

  When they reached the stream he stood dead still for a few seconds. Then he swore and ran straight in.

  Olivia saw why.

  They’d found Aaron.

  He was floating facedown in the water.

  10

  Dustin was afraid that Deputy Sheriff Frank Vine simply didn’t like him. Vine arrived with Jimmy Callahan, but Vine did most of the talking. Callahan was younger, more sympathetic, more concerned about those who’d witnessed the event, especially the boys.

  Dustin knew damned well that he’d done everything right, performing artificial respiration competently and with determination.

  And he’d gotten Aaron Bentley breathing again, although not conscious, before the rescue crew made it to the campsite via helicopter.

  The med techs had commended him. Everyone around him had been in shock; they’d watched helplessly, holding one another while he brought Aaron out of the cold water. Olivia had run back for blankets, and the others had followed her to the stream. They’d carried him back to the campsite, where Drew had gotten the fire going again.

  But Frank Vine... He and Callahan had arrived on the medevac helicopter, then stayed behind at the campsite.

  Now Vine stared at him as if he were the Antichrist.

  Dustin had watched as Frank tried to find out what had happened. The group had mostly talked at once, tr
ying to explain where they’d been, how no one had any idea that Aaron was down at the stream. Mariah was nearly hysterical, certain that it all was her fault. If she hadn’t been startled and screamed, they might have found Aaron earlier.

  No one could say just how long he’d been in the water. The med techs didn’t know if he’d live. If he did, they didn’t know if he’d suffer brain damage. He was breathing; he was alive. That was all anyone knew. He might walk out of the hospital, perfectly fine, the next morning.

  Or he might live for years in a vegetative state.

  They’d find out when they got him to a hospital.

  “So, no one saw Aaron get out of the tent and walk to the stream?” Frank demanded.

  Sandra was sobbing. “No. We heard Mariah scream from the other direction. Some of us stayed right here...some of us went to look for her.”

  “It’s all my fault!” Mariah said again and again. “All my fault. If I didn’t want to see the general so much...”

  “That’s right. You were chasing a ghost,” Vine said sarcastically.

  That made Mariah cry harder. Olivia went to slip an arm around her. So did Deputy Callahan.

  Olivia looked at Deputy Sheriff Frank Vine and spoke evenly and clearly. “None of us was anywhere near the stream. The fact that Mariah was in the bushes had nothing to do with Aaron. Even if we hadn’t run after her and she hadn’t screamed, Aaron was still at the stream. He probably thought nothing of being down there. We’ve all been camping here dozens of times.” She turned to her friend and coworker and said, “Mariah, there’s no reason you should feel guilty. What happened was not because of you. Aaron was already there when you screamed. And think of it this way—we were all up, and Dustin found him at the stream because of you. If it hadn’t been for you, we might not have known he was missing. We might not have searched for him until it was too late.”