Where Nightmares Ride

by R A Baxter

  Carl came into view from behind him and grabbed the gun from him. “It’s my turn. This is awesome.”

  Jack couldn’t speak for several seconds. He turned to Damien, who stood there smiling.

  Katie’s eyes showed her fear and confusion. She pressed a hand over her mouth.

  “What is happening?” Jack said. “Stop him!”

  No sooner had Jack said this when two men in black suits stepped up behind Tony and Carl. They carried smug expressions on their faces. One of them was thin and wrinkled with age. He reached out and set a hand on each of the boys’ shoulders. The boys disappeared. Jack could only stare and wonder what he was seeing.

  The bigger of the two men reached his hands forward, palms up, and raised them slowly. He fixed his eyes on Katie while he and his elderly companion rose into the air, floated over the balcony railing, and lowered to the dusty ground in front of the lodge.

  Katie turned to Damien. “That’s your dad and that old grouch, Mr. Lynch!”

  “I told you they were here,” Damien said.

  “They were flying. What’s happening?” Katie’s voice broke.

  Fenton Murdock and Mr. Lynch walked up to her.

  “Look at her, Dad,” Damien said. “She has no idea what’s happening. Neither does Jack. I think we can skip Derek’s interview. These two are Sleepers if I ever saw them.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure,” Mr. Lynch said. He walked over to Jack and stared him in the eyes. “Jack Park, is it? What do you have to say? You just watched one of your friends shoot a boy. You saw the boy disappear. Then you watched me and my associate fly through the air. Tell me. How is any of this possible?”

  Jack gave a nervous laugh. He looked to each man, hoping they’d give him a hint, then he shook his head. “Is this a magic trick? This has to be some kind of illusion.”

  Lynch turned to Katie. “How about you? Explain it to him.”

  Katie shook her head, her eyebrows raised. “I’m with Jack. I mean, I know Montathena does dream research, but I never knew they could make me hallucinate.”

  “You’re not hallucinating,” Damien said. “This is important. Do either of you have any idea what is happening right now?”

  Jack and Katie shrugged their shoulders.

  Lynch turned to Fenton. “We’ll see how things go during the week.”

  “You got to admit this looks good for Katie,” Damien said. “Her dad was right; she doesn’t know anything.”

  “You are too trusting,” Lynch said. “I’ve known people who faked their ignorance for decades. Katie’s father would do anything to keep his daughter out of the business. I don’t trust him; thus, we must keep watching her.”

  Katie looked at Jack and her smile returned. “Are you as confused as I am?”

  Jack nodded, distracted by the chopping of an approaching helicopter. He searched the gray sky and watched it fade to the cold blackness of night. The camp vanished, taking Katie and everyone else with it. Only the sound of rotors remained, which then slowed and stopped. Jack looked at his alarm clock and read that it was three in the morning.

  “What’s a helicopter doing here in the middle of the night?” Travis dashed to the window.

  “I was about to ask the same thing,” Ming said. He sat up.

  Travis ran and opened the door, inviting in the echoing of a woman’s screams.

  “Get out of my head! Get out! Get out of my head! Don’t touch me. Get out!”

  The cabin’s floorboards rattled with the clomping of feet. Carl and Tony followed Travis out the door.

  Jack turned to Taylor but found only a wadded blanket in a heap on the floor next to the couch he used as his bed.

  “Where’s Taylor?” Jack stood and wrapped a blanket around himself. He pressed past Ming on his way out the door and a gust of cool air assaulted his face. He charged past the other boys, ignoring the small rocks bruising the soles of his bare feet. He brushed past shadowy leaves and trees until he collided with a warm body enveloped in flowered comforters.

  Barbara stepped backward to regain her balance, falling into Marina’s arms.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Barbara took the stance of a street fighter.

  “Someone’s screaming! It sounds like Alison,” Jack said.

  The screams had become muffled and unintelligible.

  “It is Alison,” Barbara said.

  Jack started to move, but Barbara took hold of his arm. “Don’t bother. Security’s forcing everyone back to their cabins. But don’t think that’ll stop me from finding out who hurt Alison. Someone’s head’s going to roll.”

  Jack turned to Marina. “They didn’t say what happened?”

  “Farley claimed Alison had an allergic reaction to some sleeping pills, but don’t believe it. I know what allergic reactions look like. They did something to her. It’s just like I feared. We need to avoid that lab, whatever it takes.”

  Taylor stepped up behind Barbara. Two men in black uniforms stood behind him.

  “Keep walking,” the shortest of the two men said. “Farley wants everybody in their cabins.” The guards stood still and waited.

  The group turned and climbed back up the hill.

  Taylor sidled up next to Jack. “Sorry I didn’t wake you, dude, but you looked like you were having a great dream.”

  “I wasn’t. It was weirder than ever. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. I’m surprised I was able to fall to sleep at all. What did you see?”

  “I woke up to something scraping on concrete and then heard something pounding on metal. It was so dark, I thought I’d gone blind. So much for all them lights Farley installed. Then I heard people yelling. I swear the noise went on for like, ten minutes. I couldn’t believe all you guys were sleeping through it.”

  “I wish I hadn’t.”

  “Dude, I started thinking an axe murderer was out there slaughtering people. Then some of the lights came on and a helicopter showed up. A bunch of security guards dragged Alison to a helicopter. She looked like a wild animal, screaming about something in her head.”

  “I heard that part.”

  “Look over here.” Taylor led him to a break in the trees where he could see the research facility below. Ming and Travis joined them and peered over Jack’s shoulder, along with Barbara and Marina.

  Someone had written Farley Must Die in huge red letters along the entire stone-clad face of the structure. The building, however, had been built much stronger than the main offices. Deep dents and scratches adorned the metal doors but hadn’t broken through them. A stone-clad planter lay on its side, black soil and green plantings scattered across the ground.

  “You know, it makes me feel warm all over knowing someone else out there understands that Farley is the Devil,” Taylor said.

  Jack and Taylor worked their way to their cabin with the rest of the boys. Jack glanced up and found Katie and Clara in front of the girl’s cabin, both wrapped in a single comforter. Katie stared at Jack with a face serious and reserved. Warm feelings overcame him until her look vanished, replaced with an expression of rage. She turned and marched inside her cabin, bumping Clara aside as she went.

  “That girl may have dodged a bullet, man,” Taylor said. “Damien didn’t make her do the sleep lab tonight because of what happened after the bonfire. It could’ve been her on the helicopter, along with Alison.”

  “Jorge did the sleep lab, too,” Ming said. “I hope he’s alright.”

  The boys gathered on the edges of their beds, anxious to discuss what they’d seen. Jack, however, dropped onto his bed and closed his eyes.

  A brilliant yellow sunrise played through wispy clouds above the pines of the rising hills beyond the east palisade. Campers crowded around the breakfast buffet and loaded their paper plates and bowls with cereal, homemade granola, plain yogurt, cinnamon toast, sausages, and apple slices.

  Jack nodded to Marina and Barbara, then dropped onto a nearby plastic chair to sit with Taylor, Ming, and Travis. Clara walked past him
carrying two cups of orange juice and balancing two full plates of food in her arms.

  “Somebody’s hungry today,” Taylor said.

  “Hi, Taylor.” Clara turned to him. “This isn’t just for me. I thought Katie might get out of bed if I waved some sausages under her nose.”

  “You’re a better friend than I am,” Taylor said.

  “Why does she get to sleep in?” Ming finished off a cup of orange juice. “Derek practically dragged us out of bed.”

  “Sherry was supposed to wake us up,” Clara said, “but she quit this morning.”

  A lump formed in Jack’s throat and he gave Taylor a knowing glance. He worried that Farley had found out about their conversation.

  “It’s true,” Barbara said. “Marina and I talked to Derek about all the uproar last night. He said Sherry helped someone vandalize the research facility.”

  “Tamera’s going to take her place,” Marina said.

  “Did Derek say what happened to Alison?” Jack took a bite of an apple slice.

  “He said she’s at the hospital in Kalispell,” Marina said. “They’re still claiming she had an allergic reaction.”

  “Jorge left on the helicopter, too,” Carl said. Jack moved his orange juice aside to make room for Carl and Tony. They set their heaping plates on the table and sat down. “But he wasn’t sick. Montathena Research hired him on. He’s only like seventeen-years-old and he’s already got a high-paying job. And get this, Tony and I just came back from an interview with Mr. Farley. He offered both of us jobs at Baxson Financial, where our dads work. It’s an affiliate of Montathena. We leave tomorrow.” He turned and gave Tony a high five.

  “Dude, Tony isn’t even fifteen-years-old,” Taylor said. “They can’t hire him.”

  “Tell that to Mr. Farley.” Carl gave a shrug and shoved a whole sausage in his mouth.

  Taylor tossed his plastic fork on the table. “It’s always dorks like you two that get all the breaks. At least I’ll get to sleep in Jorge’s bed now.”

  “Working for Montathena is no break,” Jack said. “I’d turn him down if I were you.”

  “You’re just jealous,” Tony said.

  “Katie’s food’s getting cold,” Clara said. “I’ll see you later.” She headed up the hill.

  “How would it be to have a friend that brings you breakfast in bed?” Taylor said.

  Jack motioned for Taylor to move with him away from the tables and any bugged lanyards. “I doubt Katie’s still asleep. You should’ve seen the way she leered at me last night. I think she hates me, and I don’t know why.”

  “You’re overthinking it, dude. She could be angry about anything.”

  “That’s true, but it still hurts. You should’ve seen how different she was in the dream last night. And if Sherry was right about sharing dreams, Katie knows how different she’s acting. I don’t understand it.”

  “We’ll figure it out, bro. We’ll find a way for you to talk to her. Maybe she’ll be at Farley’s lecture.”

  Jack shook his head. “I can’t handle any more lectures. Now that Sherry’s gone, I’m going to find some time to read the book she gave us. We need evidence. I’ll see you later.”

  Jack tossed all but a green apple into the trash and headed for his cabin.

  Katie stood behind the amphitheater seating, next to Damien. She heard Farley speaking, but she wasn’t listening. She spotted Clara four levels down, sitting by Taylor. Travis sat on the other side of her, massaging her shoulders. Clara paid him little attention; instead, she laughed and talked with Taylor.

  “I’m going to beat that Travis kid over the head if he doesn’t stop ogling my cousin,” Katie said.

  Damien grinned and nodded.

  “Listen closely,” Farley said into the microphone, “and if you know anyone who didn’t show up this morning, make sure they hear this too, because the punishment for not completing this assignment will apply to everybody.”

  A buzz of whispers washed through the crowd. All eyes turned to Farley.

  “Now is the time to break from your cultural shackles and seize control of your lives. From this moment forward, every camper within these grounds will perform at least three offensive actions against other people at this camp, per day.

  Whispers erupted again.

  “We will collect a report from each of you every evening at six-o’clock, right before evening meal. If you don’t have the report, or your offensive actions are deemed too weak, don’t even bother coming to dinner. You shall not be fed again until you provide an acceptable report.”

  The whispers grew to angry chatter.

  “Anyone found lying on their report will lose a full day’s meals and will clean our outhouses every day for the rest of the week. I know this sounds cruel, but your empowerment is too important. The only path to real glory is to awaken the demon inside us.”

  “That’s enough!” A tall, muscular boy stood up in the middle of the audience and pointed at Farley. “I’d rather starve than go around offending people! I’m out of here.”

  At least thirty other campers arose throughout the crowd and eased past the ones that remained. Farley watched them, his expression flat and unconcerned.

  Katie looked at the ground and shook her head, then turned to Damien. “This place is an insane asylum. I’m not giving any reports to that creep.”

  “I doubt he’d dare ask you for one,” Damien said, “and I’m not just saying that because your father owns the place. Come on. Let’s go check out Farley’s office. I heard someone trashed it last night.”

  Katie nodded and ran down a grassy hill near the amphitheater. Damien chased after her. They made their way across the dusty clearing and stopped to rest in front of the main office. The exterior of the building looked undamaged this time.

  Damien jiggled the door lever. “It’s locked. Let’s go around back.”

  Katie followed Damien and they made their way to the window of Farley’s office. She found broken glass, shards of white wooden trim, and twisted window framing scattered in the flower beds.

  Damien picked a few stray shards of glass off the windowsill before stepping over it, then turned and reached out a hand to Katie. She climbed in, wincing at the sound of glass cracking beneath her mesh slip-on shoes.

  Farley’s wide oaken desk lay cracked down the middle. Insect display cases lay in crumpled heaps, the dried bodies of scorpions and spiders scattered all over the wood plank floor amidst shards of glass and twisted wood.

  “Could the man be any creepier?” Katie nearly flattened a large hairy spider and shrieked before skittering to the nearest corner of the room.

  Damien laughed, though his sharp movements showed he was just as skittish.

  “They’re claiming Sherry did this?” Katie wagged her head. “That’s nonsense. She was the nicest person on the whole staff.”

  Group photos of staff members from years past lay scattered and broken on the floor. A poorly doctored portrait of Francis Farley rested crumpled in a trashcan with the words Death to Farley written across it in black spray paint.

  Katie zeroed in on a bronze plaque that remained untouched on the wall. It featured the original founders of the camp, half a dozen years ago. An inscription told how they’d all died in an explosion. A lump caught in her throat and her eyes grew blurry. She studied her sister Abby’s face at the top of a circle of photos. It occurred to Katie that Abby was the same age in the photo that Katie was now.

  “I felt like I lost a sister too when she died,” Damien said.

  Katie saw his moistened eyes and took hold of his arm. She surveyed the room again and let go of him, frowning. “It’s clear to me that whoever’s out to get Farley blames him for that explosion. Why else would they smash everything in the room but this plaque?”

  “It’s weirder than you think. Before last night, that plaque was hanging out in the lobby.”

  Katie sat with Damien in the lobby of the main office, looking into Damien’s eyes. “You know,
I was furious at first when you decided to come along, but now I’m glad you did. I was determined to be miserable the whole time, but you’ve made it endurable.”

  “I don’t see why you were mad at me. I’ve never done anything to hurt you.”

  “Never done anything? You just stood there when Lynch demanded that I join Montathena. And I heard him say, ‘they almost always survive assimilation.’ You knew it was dangerous and you didn’t come to my defense. That’s what clinched it for me. I’ve always counted you as one of my best friends. But if you don’t even care if I die, why should I?”

  Damien took her hands in his, but she yanked them away.

  “I’ve done everything I can. I don’t want you to join, or to do the sleep lab. My dad is right, though; Lynch is too dangerous.”

  “Some of the girls think something hurt Alison during the sleep study.”

  “I wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt you.”

  Helicopter rotors became increasingly loud. Damien ran to the window and peeked through the blinds.

  “Speak of the devil,” he said.

  Katie rushed to another window blind and looked outside.

  The helicopter’s rotors slowed and three muscular men in dark suits exited the aircraft, taking tactical positions around it. Fenton Murdock climbed out, adjusted his black suit coat, and lent Lynch a hand to help him out of the helicopter. The two men surveyed the camp before walking toward the main offices.

  Avard, Derek, and Tamera ran from the lodge and joined them.

  “My dad’ll freak out if he sees you in here with me,” Damien said.

  “I better go.”

  “I think we’re surrounded.” Damien turned to the window in Farley’s office. “In there.” He took Katie’s hand and pulled her back into Farley’s office. “Hope you don’t mind climbing out the window.”

  Katie tiptoed around bits of glass and exotic arachnids. A key rattled at the front door.

  “I have to go.” Damien released her hand and partially shut the door behind him.

  Whatever this was about, Katie didn’t want to miss it. Instead of escaping, she tiptoed back and peeked around the door edge.