by J N Tensley
“I think we should just go to that bar you were talking about.” Kia said. “The sooner we find out what’s going on the sooner we can put an end to this madness.”
Latrell sat there with his hands over his ears, trying to get the voices to stop.
Trisha looked at Latrell sadly wishing she could help him. Wishing she could make the voices stop.
“You have to fight it, Trell.” Malik said. “That’s the only way it’s gonna stop. You have to fight back. That’s what I did to get the evil outta me. I fought with everything in my body. I pushed it up against a wall and didn’t back up until it got outta me.”
Latrell squinted his eyes and frowned. He focused on pushing the voices out of his head. I can do this, he thought. I can do this.
A few seconds of trying the voices did seem to quiet down some. Latrell continued pushing them out of his mind. This is my mind, you’re not gonna control it, he kept saying in his head.
“Feelin’ any better?” Trisha asked.
Latrell nodded. The voices were just a whisper now. A soft whisper.
“Okay, good maybe now we can go take care of this.” Kia said, pushing herself up.
Everyone stood up and got ready to leave.
The night was just starting to come in. It was seven thirty. The sun was slowly disappearing in the sky.
Kia unlocked her doors and everyone hopped inside. Malik sat in the passenger side and Latrell and Trisha together in the back.
It was a cool night out. It felt moist and windy like it was going to rain. The clouds were dark and moving quickly in the sky.
“So do you know where this bar is?” Kia asked as she started up the SUV.
“Head North. It’s somewhere in the north side of town close by the forest.” Latrell told her.
Kia started driving.
The cool wind whipped into the open window in the back making Latrell shiver. He rolled up the window leaving a little crack exposed at the top. The wind felt good but it was just to chilly having the window open all the way.
After about fifteen minutes of driving Kia was on small highway that cut between the forest. She was driving about fifty miles per hour.
“I think it’s somewhere up here off to the right.” Latrell said looking out his window.
“Okay.” Kia said scanning the road back and forth.
“What do you think we’ll find out up here?” Malik asked, his eyes trained out the passenger window.
“Hopefully answers. That’s all I really want. To find out what the hell this thing is before it kills one of us.” Latrell said.
“I think I see something.” Kia said. She sounded excited that they were almost there.
Everyone looked off to the right of the road and saw a medium sized wooden building. There was a large sign out in front of it facing the road that said Jay’s Bar & Grill.
Kia pulled into the parking lot. It was packed with several cars and trucks.
“Well I guess this is it. Are you sure you want to do this?” Kia asked. “This looks like redneck heaven.”
“If it means saving us or someone’s life. Then yeah. We’ll just go in and ask around. I’m sure somebody’s heard something.” Latrell said staring at the bar from his window.
Kia turned and looked at each one of them. “Well what are we waiting for? Let’s do this.”
They could hear loud music playing from inside the bar. The ground seemed to shake the ground outside.
After climbing out the SUV Latrell felt a little chill sweep over his legs. He walked next to Trisha to the bar.
Kia and Malik seemed to be talking about something. They stood in front of the SUV and Kia had her arms crossed in front of her chest defensively.
I wonder what he said to her? Latrell wondered. Latrell opened the door and the smell of food and beer hit his nostrils. The music was even louder now. His eardrums felt like they were going to explode.
Trisha stayed close to Latrell hanging on to the back of his shirt.
It seemed like everyone in there looked at them as they made their way across the bar to the counter. They gave them a quick look and went back to drinking or playing pool or talking.
“What can I get you two?” A tall skinny bartender said as they walked up to the bar counter. He had on a leather vest on top of a white t-shirt and blue jeans. He put his hand on the counter and leaned towards them.
“Two beers please.” Latrell said taking a seat on a stool in front of him.
The bartender cupped his hand around his ear, telling him he couldn’t hear him.
Latrell said it again louder.
The bartender nodded and grabbed two glasses and filled them up with tap beer.
Latrell looked behind and noticed Malik and Kia still weren’t inside yet.
He looked at Trisha and raised his eyebrows. “I hope Kia and Malik are okay out there.”
The bartender put the glasses of beer right in front of Latrell and Trisha. “Haven’t seen you two around here before. Are you new to town or just lost?”
Latrell grabbed his beer and took a couple of big gulps. “Actually I’m here on business. I wanted to know some information.” Latrell said leaning forward and speaking loudly.
There was a middle aged white man that sat at the end of the counter staring at Latrell and Trisha.
What’s his problem? Latrell wondered. Probably never seen black folks before.
“What kind of information?” The bartender asked.
“It’s about the forest. I want to know what’s out there. Has anybody here seen anything crazy when they go out there?”
The man at the end of the counter stood up from his stool and made his way over to Latrell and Trisha.
Latrell grabbed his crutches ready to use them as a weapon if he needed to.
The man stopped right behind Latrell and leaned his head close by his ear. “That forest will kill you.”
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Chapter 12
Latrell felt uncomfortable as the man’s hot, alcohol filled breath, blew on the back of his neck. He moved to the side and turned towards him. “Excuse me?” Latrell didn’t know if he heard him right.
“I know why you are here.” The man stammered backwards almost losing his balance. “I know the reason why strangers come in here. They want to know about that goddamn forest.”
There’s been other people who came here about the forest? Latrell wondered. Well maybe that’s good news. Maybe some of the things that’s happening to us has happened to someone else too.
The man grabbed onto the empty stool next to Latrell and sat down. “Forgive me, I’m a little tipsy but don’t think I’m crazy.” The man said, his speech slightly slurred.
Latrell stared hard at him. The man was older, in his fifties. He had grey hair sticking out of the low cut beard on his face and his dark hair on top of his head. He had on a flannel button up shirt and blue jeans.
“Hey Billy pour me another shot will ya?” The man said to the bartender.
“It’s Bill! You know I don’t like it when you call me Billy. I’m not a fuckin’ child!” The bartender snapped. He grabbed a bottle of gin and poured him a shot.
“Thanks.” The man slammed the shot and his face twisted with a sour expression. He slammed the shot glass back on the counter.
“My name’s Adam. If you’re looking for information about that forest, I can help you out.”
Latrell had his doubts. Adam, or whatever his name was, was probably so drunk he could say anything. But he needed to know. He needed to know what was chasing him and his friends. He needed to know what kind of danger they were in.
Latrell turned to Trisha who was taking a sip of her beer. She shrugged as if to say “give him a chance.” He turned back to Adam.
“Okay, what can you tell me about the forest? I need to know what’s happening to me and my friends.” Latrell stared at Adam seriously. His hand was cupped around his glass of cold beer.
The music was so loud. So
uncomfortably loud. Latrell hated going to bars and clubs for that reason alone. But he would endure it now for the sake of his friends. If it meant he could save them he would stay there all night if he had to.
Adam’s eyes were bloodshot red, his head bobbed up and down to the rock and roll music playing. “That’s my mother fuckin’ jam man!”
Latrell looked annoyed. This guy is outta his mind! He can’t even stay focused.
Adam continued bobbing his head up and down and closed his eyes. He tapped on the counter with his hand to the beat of the guitar.
Latrell looked at him like he was a drunk fool. This guy isn’t gonna help us, he thought.
As if he heard him think Adam suddenly stopped moving, looked directly at Latrell and, put his warm hand on top of his. “That thing chasing you and your friends is evil. It’s the voices of all the people who died in that forest. All the hunters, all the people that walked through it. You should have never went to that forest.”
The voices! That’s why I hear so many voices screaming at me. The people who died are crying out to me. Warning me.
“But why is it possessing my friends? Why is it after us?” Latrell asked frustrated.
“You and your friends have something it wants. It’s not gonna stop until it get what it wants or you and friends are dead.” Adam said, his eyes were so serious looking. So cold.
Ice cold. The way he said that last sentence sent a chill up Latrell’s spine.
“How can we stop it?” Latrell asked.
Adam chuckled. “There ain’t no stopping no spirit son. You just have to be strong and fight it or…” He stopped and stared straight ahead.
“Or what man?” Latrell asked curiously.
“Run.” Adam said softly.
Latrell didn’t like those suggestions. He wanted to know if there was something that could kill that spirit.
“I’ve watched that thing grow stronger and stronger over the last twenty years. People don’t listen to the stories. They think it’s all a big fuckin’ game. Then they come up missing. That thing has possessed and killed more people than you can count and still people keep coming back to that forest. I think it calls people to it. I think that’s the reason why people don’t stay away. The stronger it gets, the more people it brings to it.” Adam said.
Maybe that’s why Malik wanted to go there so bad, Latrell wondered. Maybe the forest was calling him.
“It possessed my friends. It tried to get them to hurt my girlfriend.” Latrell told Adam.
Adam nodded. “Makes sense. It’s gonna start like that and then grow worse. The next time they’ll probably kill her. Don’t let them be alone around her.” He warned.
“It doesn’t make sense. Why is it after my girlfriend when she didn’t even go to the forest? Only me and my friend Malik went but, it possessed his girlfriend. Then his girlfriend attacked my girlfriend too but, they never went to the forest.” Latrell sounded confused.
“It’s punishing you guys for coming there. All your friends, your family isn’t safe until it gets what it wants. I would stay away from anyone you cared about for awhile.” Adam said. “It’ll hurt the people close to you first then, it’ll go after you.”
None of this was making any sense to Latrell. He still didn’t know what they were dealing with.
Latrell looked over at Trisha. Her pretty face looked sad from the news she was hearing. She kept her eyes trained on the counter.
“Don’t worry Trisha we’ll figure something out. I won’t let you get hurt again.” Latrell promised her.
Trisha looked up at him and smiled lightly. She reached over and grabbed his hand and held on to it.
“How do you know so much about it?” Latrell asked curiously.
“I’ve seen first hand what that thing can do. It killed my brother, Darren. We used to go hunting in the forest and one day we got split up. I looked everywhere for him but I couldn’t find him.” Adam’s eyes looked towards the ground when he talked. His voice started breaking up. “When I finally found him he was different. He didn’t say a word just stood there taking deep breaths.” Adam stop speaking and his eyes looked wet and shiny.
“What happened after that?” Latell asked.
Adam finally looked up at Latrell. “He attacked me. He put his hands around my throat and started choking me. No matter what I did nothing stopped him. He was so strong. Like he had superhuman strength. I thought he was gonna kill me so I shot him.”
Latrell looked surprised. “Did that stop him?”
Adam exhaled loudly. “Fuck no! It just pissed him off more. He grabbed me and threw me about twenty feet. After regrouping myself I fired several more shots as he was coming towards me. A couple hit him in the head. That stopped him. Do you know what’s it’s like to kill your own fuckin’ brother? It’s haunted me everyday since then. I’ll never forget the look in his eyes.” Adam shook his head as he said it.
Latrell thought about Malik’s eyes. How intense they were. How evil they looked. Like he wasn’t himself while that thing was inside of him.
Adam slammed his hand on the counter. “Another drink Billy!” He said loudly.
Bill had his back turned to him talking to another customer. He turned around and frowned at Adam. He held up his finger and told the customer he was talking to to hold on. He walked over to Adam. “I told you not to call me Billy! What’s your problem man?”
“I’m sorry Billy. Can you get me another drink please?” Adam asked his head swaying from side to side.
Bill’s face twisted up in anger. “No. I’m cutting you off for the night. You’ve had enough.” Bill said angrily putting both his hands on the counter and leaning towards Adam.
“What you mean I’ve had enough? I just got here a hour ago. Don’t do me like this man. You know I need my medicine.” Adam whined.
Bill shook his head disappointingly. “One more and that it. I can’t have you here telling customers your stories. You know damn well they’re not true.” Bill snapped. He grabbed Adam’s shot glass and filled it up with whiskey.
But they sounded true! The way he described his brother is the same thing that happened to Malik. Maybe he was right about no one believing him. Maybe they thought he was just a drunk fool all these years but he was telling the truth.
Latrell felt bad for him. He had to put down his own flesh and blood. He knew that must have been hard.
Latrell looked behind him towards the entrance. He still did see Malik and Kia.
What were they doing out there? Why was it taking them so long to come inside?
Bill looked at Latrell and Trisha. “I hope you two aren’t believing this assholes story about the forest. People get lost and people move. There’s nothing supernatural about Shadow Points forest. Don’t believe the bullshit.” He smiled quickly and headed back over to the customer he was talking to.
Adam held his shot glass up to his face and stared at it. “I never used to drink this much. But after losing my brother it seems like that’s all I do.” He said. “It’s like I can’t go a day realizing what I did. The alcohol numbs me to it. It makes me forget what horrors I done committed.”
Latrell stared at Adam sorrowfully. He could understand how he felt. He didn’t have a brother but Malik was like one. He could only imagine how he would feel if he had to do to Malik what Adam had to do to Darren.
“How many people have you seen gone missing?” Latrell asked.
Adam still held on to his shot glass, staring at it like it was his last glimmer of hope. “Dozens. Dozens upon dozens over the years. They’ve sent out search parties combing every inch of that forest but they never find anything. If the people would have just listened to me they’d still be here.”
Latrell wished he had talked to Adam before him and Malik went to the forest. He wished Malik could have heard the story Adam was telling.
He looked behind him again trying to see if he saw Malik or Kia but he didn’t see them.
“Is that all that happene
d to you? It just possessed your brother?” Latrell asked.
Adam set the shot glass down. “No. After that I started dreaming about that thing. It was haunting me wherever I went. At work, at home, in my sleep. That’s when I started drinking heavily. If I could just suppress it, it wouldn’t have control. It was like it was calling me back. Calling my name over and over. Adam! Adam!”
Latell remembered how the cloud was calling his name. The way it said it felt like it knew him.
Trisha’s hand tightened up around Latrell’s.
Latrell looked over at her. “You okay baby?” He asked softly.
She shivered and rubbed the back of her arm with her free hand. “This shit is scaring me. It just seems like a nightmare but I know it’s not. I know what I seen Malik and Kia do.”
If only it was a nightmare. That would be good. To wake up and know that it was all in his mind. But he had given up on that idea a long time ago.
This is real Latrell, he said to himself. This is really happening and, if you don’t stop it you and your friends will die.
Latrell took a big gulp of his beer. The foamy cold bubbles tingled his lips.
“So how did it stop following you? How did you get it to leave you alone?” Latrell asked.
“I guess I didn’t have anything it wanted? Or maybe it just didn’t want to mess with a drunk? I’m not sure why but, I haven’t seen it since it killed my brother.” Adam said
“You mean after you killed your brother?” Latrell said.
He nodded. “You know what I mean. I haven’t seen it since that day. I haven’t gone back to the forest. But I’ve seen so many people go there and never come back. I’ve been warning people for over twenty years about that damn forest. You’d think some people would listen. You’d think some people would connect the dots and see that people go in to the forest and either come up missing or come outta the forest different.” Adam stared at his shot glass while he talked like it was the only thing there. Like it was his whole world.
He killed his own brother! Murdered him because the evil tried to kill him.
Latrell thought about if he would have to kill Malik. Thought about if Malik attacked him like Adam’s brother would he have to put him down?