by S A Jacobs
I frantically started to run along the perimeter looking for an escape. There was none. There was no break in the rock wall. I was trapped as the fire continued to spread out towards me. I pushed on the rock wall. It wouldn’t move and was hot to the touch. When the flames were only inches away from me, there was a loud crackling sound in the sky. The fire flashed hotter and brighter than anything I’d ever seen. I was blinded by the flash of light. I felt the heat quickly dissipate and fade away.
I opened my eyes and found myself standing in the center of Melanie’s loft.
I spent a few moments examining my hands and my body for any sign of the inferno I had just witnessed. Realizing I had escaped unscathed, I padded over to the edge of the loft and looked down. Melanie was still sleeping peacefully on the couch. Looking at her, I was conflicted. Part of me wanted to curl up next to her and forget about everything else. The rest of me was a jumble of emotions from heartbreak to rage.
I headed down the stairway, exhausted. I opted to sit in the chair across from the sofa. At the very least, I wanted to be near her when she woke. I emptied my pockets on the coffee table and took off my shoes. As I sat there and tried to let go of the day, my head began circling around the conversation with Robert. I had to choose. I had to sacrifice one person to end Spearfinger. The choice was simple: Austin. There was no other option that was nearly as satisfying and would truly bring closure. Austin would die, and because of that, everything would be right again.
With that thought, I slipped into a deep sleep.
When I opened my eyes, the cabin was filled with bright natural light. I groggily looked at my watch and realized it was just after noon. A flash of panic that I was late for something jolted me up. It took a few moments to realize where I was. When I did, all I could see was the crumpled up blanket on the couch where Melanie had been sleeping. She was gone. I scrambled to look through the house. There was no sign of her anywhere. I stepped out onto the porch. My truck sat exactly where I had parked it the night before, but Melanie’s Jeep was gone.
I stepped back inside to try and figure out a plan, and then I remembered that Melanie’s Jeep had never been there. We’d left it at the Gap the day before when I’d driven her home. I patted down my jeans looking for my phone when I realized I’d left it on the coffee table. I ran over to the table and picked it up and found the battery had died. After unsuccessfully searching the house for a charging cable, I ran out to my truck and plugged my phone in. With my phone slowly getting enough of a charge to power up, I tried to imagine where she would have gone. Either she walked somewhere or Austin picked her up. The only places within reasonable walking distance were town or the Gap.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up at the mere thought of her heading to the Gap again. She might have woken up and wanted to let me sleep, heading out to the Gap to retrieve her Jeep. Without knowing how long she’d been gone, it was impossible to even guess. I was too impatient to wait for my phone to come back to life. I hopped in my truck and started driving to the Gap. There was only one road up there. If she’d hiked up there to get her Jeep, I’d either pass her on her walk up or see her Jeep drive by on the way down.
I sped up the mountain, taking the hairpin turns and switchbacks far faster than what was advised. Only a few minutes later, I reached the top and found her Jeep parked in the same place it had been yesterday. Overcome with frustration, I parked next to it. I grabbed my phone and realized that it had finally powered on. I called her phone and waited for it to connect. It rang once and immediately went to voicemail. Her phone was turned off. I tried calling three more times just to be sure, but every time I got the same result.
I laid down on my steering wheel in defeat. I wasn’t content believing she headed out to town, but I didn’t have any other ideas and waiting around for her was not something I could handle. I sat up and looked out my windshield. In front of my car was the trail that headed down to Spearfinger. As I stared out at the small section of trampled brush hiding the trail, something caught my eye. In a tree, pointing directly at my truck, was a mounted trail camera. Gordon’s camera!
I picked up my phone and called Gordon.
“Hey, can you access the camera on the trail?” I asked. “The one you showed me the footage from yesterday?”
“Yeah, hang on. Anything in particular I should be looking for?”
“Melanie! She left while I was asleep, and I need to know if she headed down there.”
“Let’s see, been a busy morning there… Looks like there was a beautiful 14-point buck over there just after seven this morning… some birds of course… oh here we go.”
“What did you find?”
“That’s your girl. She went down there at 10:18 this morning. No other captures, well other than you sitting in your truck now. It looks like she’s still down there. Want me to check the camera I have set up over by the shack?”
“No. No need, I’m going down there.”
“Be careful! Call me if you need me!”
“Wait, Gordon?”
“Yeah.”
“Was she alone?”
“Yeah, no sign of Austin this morning. Look, I’ll keep an eye on the camera and let you know if I spot him coming.”
I left the truck and took off in a sprint down the trail. Fueled by a dangerous combination of fear and rage, I headed to the shack with abandon. The trail was mostly downhill, letting me cover ground quickly. Leaping over the small patches where water crossed the trail while dodging low branches, I made incredible time. I could see the turn in front of the shack was just ahead. I stopped to catch my breath so that I could approach as silently as possible.
The forest was quiet and still. It was also damp. The smell of the wet forest floor was overpowering. My shirt was wet from sweat as I began to creep towards the shack, watching every step to remain as silent as possible. My senses went into a state of hyper-alertness. I was keenly aware of every sound. I expected to hear some sign of Melanie up ahead, but there was nothing.
As I approached the final turn before the shack, I paused. My hand instinctively reached for the knife I carried in my front pocket and rested, ready to wield the blade in an instant. I took a deep breath and stepped into the turn.
The shack appeared to be empty. I looked at the ground and saw a set of footprints leading there. They appeared to be Melanie’s. Now less focused on remaining silent, I walked up to the shack. It was empty. There was nothing to suggest that anyone had been there since last night.
I looked back at the footprints. They did lead to the shack. It was clear she spent some time there. The tracks moved every direction in front of the shack as if she had paced back and forth there for a bit. There was one line of tracks that broke out of that pattern and traveled out beyond the clearing and into the brush. Without hesitation I followed them. If Melanie had gone that deep, she was in trouble. Despite what had happened yesterday, I was not willing to let her be my sacrifice.
The brush was thick and wet. It was impossible to follow footsteps so I resorted to looking for any sign that someone had been through there. I was able to spot a few patches where it looked as if the small branches had been trampled. The brush gave way to the canopy. The tall trees blocked out the sunlight. There, with no foliage growing below ten feet on the trees, I was able to clearly see what lay ahead. I looked for any sign of Melanie. Off in the distance, I saw something unnatural. A bright orange backpack leaned against the base of a tree. Melanie’s backpack.
I jogged up to the pack, but there was no other sign of her. I looked again through the trees, not knowing which direction to go. I couldn’t find any sign of a track. Then I heard something. It was very faint, but it sounded like someone crying.
My head jerked towards the direction of the sound. About ten yards in front of me was a large moss covered boulder. I started walking towards it.
“Melanie!” I yelled.
I heard a loud sniff in reply, and then a disheveled Melanie appeared from b
ehind the boulder. She was shaken, and she wobbled as if her legs were going to give out. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was wet with tears.
“David, you…you’re not supposed to be here.”
“Neither are you! C’mon, let's get out of here.
“David, stop!” she screamed. “You cannot be here. You need to leave now!”
“I’m not leaving without you. You know it isn’t safe out here. You need to come with me.”
“You don’t understand. She’s coming. She’s coming now, for you! You need to run!
As she spoke, the ground shook with a massive thud. It sounded like someone was ripping the massive trees out of the ground and tossing them aside.
When the ground trembled, Melanie lost her footing and collapsed onto her knees. I sprinted up to her and grabbed her arms, trying to pull her to her feet.
“You have to listen to me,” she said, sobbing.
I ignored her, scooping her up in my arms. Her fists pounded on me, and she screamed for me to stop. I continued to carry her. There was a constant sound of rustling trees behind us, getting closer at every moment. I made it past where her backpack sat and continued forward, walking as fast as I could. She stopped punching me and laid there limply in my arms. We made it to the brush and back to the clearing by the shack. I laid her body down on the floor of the shack.
“Is this person here under your protection?” a loud witchy voice screeched.
I looked back and saw a figure standing there. A long wrinkled finger extended out from the brush. It was a foot long with a jagged, yellowed fingernail at its tip.
“Yes, she is here under my protection!” I shouted to the figure.
“I’m not speaking to you.”
“Yes, he’s under my protection,” a quiet and broken voice behind me said.
I turned to look and saw Melanie holding out her hand towards the figure.
“I told you to run! Why didn’t you listen to me?” she snarled.
I turned back to the figure in the woods, and it was gone. I looked back at Melanie, still standing there, still sobbing, still holding her fist out. As I looked at her, she slowly turned her hand and opened her fingers. In the palm of her hand was the coin. My coin.
“I’m sorry” she whispered as she collapsed on the ground.
23
“Gordon, send someone down to the shack,” I yelled into my phone. “I need to get Melanie to a hospital. She’s unconscious, and I won’t be able to carry her all the way to the Gap!”
“I’m sending help now,” Gordon replied. “But you gotta realize it’s gonna be awhile. They can’t exactly drive an ambulance down the trail. Not to mention the fact that I have to lead them so we don’t have some EMT’s tangling with that beast.”
“Aw hell, I might as well just carry her. It’s a hike, but I’ll get her out of here before someone else gets here.”
“Just stay with her! Help is on its way. The last thing anyone needs is for you to injure yourself while trying to be the hero. Just rest and wait. As long as she’s breathing and her heart rate is solid, you guys will be alright.”
“Yeah, got it.” I hung up the phone in frustration.
I looked at her lying there. A tear rolled down my cheek. I was confused and mad at her, but I loved her. I feared for her. She had been with Spearfinger, I knew she had the coin, but I couldn’t let myself believe she was safe. I wasn’t ready to let her slip away like my dad. The coin was still clutched in her right hand. I gently peeled the fingers away until I could grab the coin.
I thought back to the night before when I’d slept in her cabin. She was sound asleep on her couch. I’d pulled my phone, keys, wallet, and coin out of my pockets and put them on the coffee table before I fell asleep. She must have grabbed it there. When I’d woken up to find her gone and my phone dead, I’d never even noticed that the coin was gone.
I took a deep breath and shook my head as I put the coin back in my pocket. I put my fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. It felt normal. I looked at my watch, then down the trail. I balled my fingers into fists and quickly released them.
“Fuck it!” I said to no one in particular.
I took a deep breath and wrapped my arms around Melanie’s limp body. I was going to carry her out of there. There was no way I was going to wait for someone to find us down there. I lifted her easily, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I spent a moment repositioning her in my arms, and I quickly started to make my way back up the trail.
The first few hundred feet went smoothly. Then, as my arms and my back started to burn, I looked for a place to lay her down for a moment. I quickly realized that wasn’t an option. I knew that it would take far more energy to pick her back up than it did to carry her. If I put her down then, I’d be done. I had to power through.
I took each step slowly to ensure my footing. My gait was short to conserve as much energy as I could. I kept my head up and eyes focused on the trail ahead. I knew the trail like the back of my hand. Yet, I found myself playing mental games.
“That tree, right up there, once you pass that you’re almost done,” I’d say to myself. I knew the Gap wasn’t just past that tree, but I needed to focus on my progress. Two thirds of the way up, I found a large rock. I leaned back on the rock for a few minutes. It was the best I could do to relieve the pain in my lower back for just a moment. My shirt was soaked through with sweat. I continued and fought the pain. Doing anything else would have meant stopping indefinitely. I couldn’t reposition her or my arms around her. The slightest shift and I would’ve lost my grip. I had no choice but to continue.
The sky darkened, and there was a heavy mist in the air. I gritted my teeth to fight off the pain I was feeling and continue forward. The last turn of the trail was in sight. As I trudged forward, my phone started ringing. Unable to answer or even silence the phone, it became another annoyance. I hoped that it was Gordon calling to tell me that help was coming. I made my way past the final turn and faced the last incline of the hike. That gave me a renewed sense of resolve. My tired, heavy feet slowly trudged toward the end of the hike.
Nearing the top, I saw a figure plunge through the brush separating the trail from the parking lot. Blinded by the constant flow of burning sweat in my eyes, I could only make out the silhouette of a man, but I knew it was Gordon.
“Gordon, down here!” I choked out.
The figure quickly descended towards us, navigating the uneven footing with ease.
“Dammit, David!” he yelled as he took Melanie from my arms. “You will never listen to me, will you?”
“No way I was gonna wait for someone to make it down there to help!”
Gordon moved up the trail with ease while carrying Melanie.
“Listen, the EMT’s are up there. Do me a favor and shut up about what happened down there. Story is you two were hiking and she passed out. That’s all we know.”
I followed Gordon through the brush. The flashing red and blue lights of the ambulance were blinding as they reflected off the mist in the air. I made it as far as the hood of my truck before I collapsed. Knowing Melanie was being cared for immediately drained the adrenaline that had kept me going. Every ounce of energy I had was gone. I was exhausted.
Later that evening, I sat in the waiting room at the Johnson County Hospital. Gordon bitched me out for letting the coin out of my sight and not listening to him. I waited for the first word on Melanie’s condition. I was covered in mud, and I stank yet there was no way I was going to leave until I found out if she was all right.
I was furious with her for so many reasons. I felt completely betrayed; however, the moment she collapsed all of that disappeared and was replaced with concern for her well-being. I wanted to pace, but my legs were so tired that I wasn’t sure if I could stand. The silence was killing me though. I forced myself to slowly stand, and on very shaky legs, I walked over to the small gift shop. I grabbed a bottle of Cheerwine and made my way to the cashier.
I patted
down my pockets and pulled out a five dollar bill. It was completely wet, soaked with what I could only assume was sweat. I hesitantly handed it over to the young blonde woman.
“Sorry, I… It’s been a long day.”
“It’s fine, I understand completely,” she replied cheerfully.
She handed me my change, and I started to walk out.
“Excuse me.” she called out.
I turned back to face her.
“Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s just… Are you David, from… you know… Paranormal Archaeology?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” I said, smiling slightly for the first time all day.
“I can’t believe it’s you. I’ve seen every one of your shows. I love that stuff!”
“Thank you!”
“You know, you should really get in touch with Renegade Jack! It would be a dream come true to see you two collab on somethin’!”
“Sorry, Renegade who?”
“Seriously? You know Renegade Jack, the Youtuber? You can’t tell me you have never seen any of his videos. You guys would be perfect together!”
“I’ll be sure to check him out, but right now I gotta get back to…” I gestured to the waiting room, “I guess sitting on my ass.”
I paused and saw a display with phone chargers and cables and such. I picked up a set of earbuds and set them on the counter.
“Since I’m waiting here anyway, I might as well check it out now.”
The woman beamed with excitement as she rang me up for the earbuds.
I sat back down in the waiting room and pulled out my phone to search for Renegade Jack on YouTube. I landed on a page that had hundreds of videos, all with hundreds of thousands of views. The subject matter of the videos seemed to vary, covering everything from urban exploration to haunted houses. They all featured super spammy-sounding headlines like “Millionaire Gangster’s Abandoned Home” or “My Ride with the Infamous Hitchhiking Ghost.”