Part 1 - Amidst the Ancient Trees: The woods are lovely, dark and deep

Philipe slows his tracking as he spies a dim white light ahead in the thick forest. Not the feared blue lights but still...he raises his rifle in preparation. “Damn cra-zee Americans.” He’s found Herman sitting on a log, immersed in reading a book with his flashlight. “Give me a minute. I know I remember reading something in my aunt’s journal about blue lights and Gla’Aki.” [Herman's recent frightful encounter has left him with "Biblio-mania":  obsession with books and reading... at the most inappropriate times.] Philipe slaps the doctor trying to ring some sense into the fool. I mean, considering what’s transpired these last days…

Dr Herman Bunyard (Bill) WWI Marine Corpsman	Reggie (Aaron) Reporter A solidly built young reporter, wearing his college football jersey	Zebadiah (Zac) Hunter/Tracker With his coon-dog 'Slim' at his heels	Philipe (Tony) Canadian Trapper A throwback to the French-and-Indian war

 

Friday, June 19, 1926: Summertime in Vermont usually means joyful vacationing. Except this crowd is gathered in the Bennington city-hall for a more somber reason: a kidnapped teenage girl. Sheriff Ron Jenkins 

raps his nightstick on the podium to silence the uneasy dozen volunteers, “Quiet please. As you’ve heard by now 16 year old Jane Strong was kidnapped 3 days ago outside Manchester by Sidney Harris and his gang of misfits. Her father put up the $10,000 ransom which we tried to exchange this morning out at the edge of our woods. A gunfight ensued resulting in the death of my deputy. While the gang got away with the cash, it looks like we wounded at least one of them. Unfortunately Jane was not returned. Mr. Strong is willing to pay each of you $25 per day for your help in finding his daughter. And a split of $5,000 amongst all of you upon her safe return. Gather whatever equipment you need and meet back here in 2 hours.”

Philipe has no interest in shopping as he came prepared. Zeb on the other hand shops for more dogfood. Herman takes time to shop but more for the opportunity to ask the locals of the area. And the proprietor Arthur Spence is more than happy to gab, “Them Harris boys nothing but trouble. Pranksters and misfits but this the first I heard of anything like kidnapping. Won’t thought them smart enough nor bold enough. The woods? Called the Green Mountains. Old Indian grounds…most likely Iroquois. Some say haunted; at least hunter stories of ghostly sounds deep in the thick woods.”

We’re loaded into 3 trucks for the drive to the edge of the woods. 3 groups of 4 dropped at 2 mile intervals. Us starting last at the gunfight location where Zeb’s dog is already tracking blood. 2 sets of tracks, one limping…probably the one shot. But hours in and the dog is following a game trail. Philipe jabs at Zeb, "Bringing a hunting coon-dog instead of a bloodhound. That's like bringing a knife to a gunfight." Philipe has us back on track before crouching at the sound of nearby voices. We all freeze at the thought we’ve already found the gang, till we hear, “Quiet, I think I see the whites of a deer.” Only then does the doctor realize they’re sighting his white shirt, “Wo there guys. Careful what you shoot.” Allister taking his son George on his 1^st hunt. Warn us of another father/son pair while mentioning a group of Yale students…artists in a clearing 2 miles east. Also mentions construction to the east, “They’re building a reservoir.” We warn them of our hunt for bad guys which encourages Allister to get outa the woods. Only when they depart does Philipe come out of hiding, “You Americans…too trusting.” Herman counters, “At least he didn’t shoot me!”

More hours tracking till the setting sun has us pitching camp. A watch order set: Zeb, Philipe, Herman, Reggie. But all are waken by Zeb’s midnight screams. Philipe already on watch when Zeb startles awake from nightmares [yellow leaves, log cabin, eerie figure in strange clothing, “Come with us”, eyes gouged out, green ooze, can’t turn nor run.] Philipe with a large knife at the mountain-man’s throat, “Quiet, you trying to get us killed?!” Then the Canadian finally realizing, “Quiet. Do you hear that? Exactly. Dead silence. Not even crickets. Unnatural.”

And that’s when the shots ring out in the distance, miles away. 4 groups of 3 shots. Philipe calling us to break camp and track. Now fatigued for lack of sleep. We stop fumbling around in the dark and re-set camp.

Saturday 20^th: Strange there are no signs of large animals…no deer, bear, etc. At least we find the foot trail but only one set of prints...the one limping. Zeb’s dog “Slim” points at a fresh blood track that crosses the path. Philipe finds a bloody serrated knife to the right side of the trail but no signs of an attacker. Meanwhile Zeb and Reggie stumble upon a mutilated body to the left. Overalls and paint flecks hint at one of those artists. Sure enough Reggie finds his Yale student ID in his wallet, “Jack Johnson.” Then steps back with his camera to record the scene.

Where did we lose the other gang member’s tracks? Who (or what) attacked the student?

We continue following the single prints coming upon a campsite. And 12 spent shotgun shells. Human tracks circle the camp, having come in from the north. No signs of blood. Must have been a lousy shot to miss at this close range with a shotgun! Reggie finds a  blue wool hat.

Name inside liner, “Joseph Turner.” Philipe puts the hat on Herman (the southern doctor well aware of the union color) as the Canadian continues to track, coming upon an old dirt road with tire tracks. And once again Philipe crouches at the sound of an approaching vehicle.

While the others hide, Herman stands to the side as a truck rumbles by, the driver waving, not bothering to stop. Cargo boxes in the bed, “Looks like a worker for that reservoir dig to the east.” We press on till dusk when we see a reflective flash from the hill to the north. Something catching the last sun rays. “Bang!” as the branch above Zeb shatters. Now everyone dives for cover as we realize the glint was off a rifle scope.

Herman calls out, “Sidney, that you?” In rely, “I just want to get outa here.” The doc keeps him talking as Philipe sneaks around the hill soon placing his barrel at the attacker’s neck. Eugene confesses all as Herman treats his wounds (infected, not long to live). Sidney (with the ransom money) left him for dead last night. Chris has girl at cabin to the southeast. Something circled Eugene’s camp. “I just want to get the hell out of these woods. I can’t stand the dreams. Unrelenting.” 

It’s late so we camp. And more dreams [Forest closing in, yellow leaves, death around, clearing, yellow lights, snap behind as something plunges into my shoulder.] The same dream had by Philipe, Reggie, and Herman. All startled awake. Meanwhile Zeb has his own dream [black lake, unhealthy yellow light, light pulsing beneath water, polished metal, inhuman eyes.] and Zeb awakes with a scream. Then from the darkness beyond, “Whose out there?” 3-4 voices that we soon learn are from another search party. Jitters from all when the ground shakes from a large explosion from the southeast. A faint blue light hovers on the eastern horizon, before fading away. Their final straw as they packup to get the hell out of the woods. As for us: another restless night.

Sunday 21^st: The trees around us are gnarled with sickly yellow leaves. Eugene is barely hanging on; delirious. But we reach the cabin around 10am. The door shut and window shuttered. As we stand in the treeline to quietly observe, Herman feels moisture on his shoulder and looks up for the source.

And shutters at the sight of a beheaded man hung like a deer being field dressed. Eugene barely hanging on but conscious enough to recognize Chris’ clothing. We prod Eugene to call out to the cabin for Sidney. The answer: a shotgun blast that terminates Eugene. Then a shout, “Giver her back to me. Leave us alone.” Insanity? Who has her? Who is “us”?

As Herman continues to talk to Sidney, Philipe sneaks around the cabin. Shots ring out as the Canadian dances around the outside drawing fire as he attempts to fire back. Zeb and Reggie rush to the door, kicking it open to then blast away ending the standoff. The cabin is trashed. But we find the money bag and a single female shoe. Blinding flash as Reggie again captures a picture of the scene. And a photo of Sidney for proof to The Strong father.

We’re now on the trail of whoever took the girl. The dog Slim leading us east to soon intercept a truck trail that soon forks. The northern route most used. The eastern path …reminds Zeb of his dream, especially when we come upon another cabin. While the rest of us have stopped, Zeb advances calling out, “Dad?” Only when he reaches the door does he snap out of his dream state. The rest of us gathered behind him.

 

Slim wants no part of this as the dog whimpers and cowers in the trees before finally running off. An old one room cabin. Decaying animal carcasses hang from the rafters. A rack of blue wool coats with hats like the one Herman now wears. An old rusted musket hangs over the fireplace.

A pale blue light peeks through the floorboards, launching Zeb into prying the boards loose. Philipe stays above while the rest of us climb down into a  basement with earthen floor and 5 caskets (the source of the blue light). Dirt stairs rises to the side. Herman cautions, “From my Occult studies, blue lights signify undead.”

Reggie scoffs at the foolish talk, ignoring the blue haze within an open casket, as he is already plundering trinkets and a pocket watch. Within another open casket: a large metal spine (hollow tube). “Definitely not of this world.” Zeb is more cautious at the 3^rd open casket where he finds a mold covered book. Using his sleeve and blade, he opens the book to the 1^st page, “It’s a the diary of one Joseph Turner. Hey doc, isn’t that the name inside your hat?” The last page, “At last our journey is over. He called us in our dreams. He’s trapped in a crystal shell. One day it shall rise to the heavens. Gla’Aki, may your will be done.”

 

Herman seems to remember passages in his aunt’s book about this name:

[Glaaki is a Great Old One and dwells within a lake in the Severn Valley near Brichester, in England (though he has been reported in other lakes around the world). Glaaki has the appearance of an enormous slug covered with metallic spines which, despite their appearance, are actually organic growths. Glaaki can also extrude tentacles with eyes at the tips, allowing him to peer from underneath the water. It is believed that he came to the Earth imprisoned inside a meteor. When the meteor landed, Glaaki was freed, and the impact created the lake where he now resides.

Many people come to serve Glaaki willingly, in exchange for the promise of eternal life. What they don't realize is that he makes good on his promise by driving his spines into them, turning the worshiper into one of his undead slaves.]

As Herman summaries the lore, Reggie is busy opening one of the closed caskets. A body within, “You here to save me? They imprisoned me inside.” A quizzical look at our clothing, “You with the rebels?” From above, Philipe asks, “What year is it?” To which “August” answers “19 something.” He crawls out to approach the other casket, “Help me get Jacob out.” Something ain’t right. [Philipe’s heard enough and is already starting a fire in the cabin above.] 

Herman feels the man’s arm noting no pulse! The doctor loses all sanity as he bolts for the earthen steps to get the hell away from, “ZOMBIES!!”

Zeb blasts away at one before running for the steps. Claws rake his shoulder but don’t grab as the burley mountain-man runs for his life…Reggie already ahead of him (no thought of snapping pictures of the creatures). Storm doors burst open out in the woods, scattering the leaves piled atop them. Chaos. And the sight of Herman running deep into the woods; the burning cabin at his back.

CONCLUSION: https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2017/03/entry-6-stake-out-at-black-lake-fire-in.html