Dark of Dawn
...
Lucas lighted a candle while Farkle and Smackle were seated on a round table in the Minkus library. The spirit board was in the center of the table while Farkle careened through an old book.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Smackle asked.
"Of course," Lucas exclaimed. "C'mon Smackle, it's just for fun."
"Yeah, well this isn't exactly my definition of fun."
"It is now," the Texan told her.
The three placed their hands on either side of the board, "Who wants to lead us?"
Lucas, Smackle and Farkle exchanged looks.
"I guess i'll go," Lucas grunted before speaking to the board, "Is anyone there?"
It took seconds before the planchette began to move.
"Who's moving it?" Smackle asked in fear.
"I didn't do anything," Farkle replied.
"H" Lucas stated as it moved to the letter.
"What's it spelling?"
"Hold on..."
"E"
"Guys this isn't funny!" Farkle advised.
"It's not us."
"L"
"Shit."
"P"
"Help," They all said.
"Who needs help?" Lucas clarified.
"Here it goes," Farkle instructed as it moved.
"D"
"A" Smackle said.
"D"
"Oh my God," the brunette looked at Farkle.
"Ask it who's dad."
"Farkle, what more clarification do you need?" Lucas queried.
"I don't care," his voice was firm, "Ask it who's dad."
"Stuart?" Lucas asked after a seconds pause. "Is that you?"
The planchette moved to the word 'yes'.
Farkle clenched his jaw merely because he didn't want to break down in front of his girlfriend.
"We can stop - "
"No."
"Dude, it's fine - "
"I want to hear what he says..."
"What do I do?"
"What would you say if you could talk to him one more time?"
He didn't know. What would you say to someone who came back from the dead?
"Let me think..."
"Ask it what happened?"
"What happened to you?" He probed. "Were you murdered?"
The planchette moved to the word 'yes'
"No," Smackle sighed.
"Where?" he questioned. "Who?"
"B"
"A"
"S"
"E"
"Base?"
"It's still moving - "
"M"
"What is it spelling?"
Before the board can make out a letter, the planchette burned their fingers sending it to the floor.
"What the hell?"
Farkle immediately stood up. "This," he gestured to the board. "Is just a whole bunch of bullshit."
"I don't know what's going on."
"Listen. If you two thought that messing with me would somehow help me - "
"What?" Lucas asked. "We didn't do this."
Farkle walked away and slammed the door shut. Leaving Lucas and Smackle alone.
Riley closed the door to the guest cabin and sighed. This trip was meant to be about her friends, but somehow she and Lucas managed to make it about themselves.
She didn't like how their argument played out, especially in front their friends.
"No, no, no, no," she rummaged through her purse then checked her back pockets to see if her phone was on her, but it was no use. It wasn't there. "You fucking kidding me?"
A minute passed and explicit profanity erupted from the brunette as it was the second phone she had lost in the same year. She sauntered to - what she could make out - as a light switch. Just then she stepped on a book as she squatted down to pick it up. "Native Americans, Myth & Legends"
"Sounds like bullshit, but whatever," she opened the book and read the first chapter. "Signs and Symbols. Native hunters used symbols carved on trees as signs to communicate with other tribe members...and now i'm bored." The brunette closed the book and moved to the fireplace on her left, but as she did so, she found a rifle leaning against it.
"Looks like Farkle's dad knew how to hunt," she uttered as she picked it up. After she placed it down, a lantern appeared.
She turned on the lantern and it illuminated the room. Now since there was light, the brunette longed for warmth. She spotted a packet of matches, but that wouldn't get the fire going. "The book," she spoke as she came to a realization.
Riley ripped a random page from the book and as she was about to crumble it she spotted a weird, demon like drawing on it. "What the hell is a wendigo?"
A cannibal monster or evil spirit native to the northern forests of the Atlantic Coast and Great Lakes region.
In some traditions, humans who have became overpowered by greed become wendigos. This illness feeds on a spiritual void. Canada and the US are presently in advance stage of the Wendigo Psychosis.
"Blah, blah, blah," the brunette sighed as she crumbled the paper and burned it with the remaining matches.
Zay roamed the Minkus lodge, passing rooms, a library, the kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and a lounge. The Texan was minutes away from falling asleep until he entered Farkle's dad's office and found a family portrait. Farkle was about four years old in the picture, as he stood in the center of his mom and dad. He would've never imagined they'd soon be broken, they all looked so happy in the picture.
He turned to the bookshelf filled with dusted books and pulled one out. A button soon appeared and being the curious Zay, the Texan pressed it. He entered the now open room and eyed another picture.
"How'd you find this place?" Farkle asked, frightening Zay in the process.
"I…there was this button behind a book and I pressed it," he noticed Farkle's watery eyes. "Are you okay?"
Farkle turned on the flashlight in his hands and joined Zay in the room.
"What are you doing?"
"Well, there's a door over there," he pointed to the door right behind Zay. "And i've never seen this place in my life." He opened the door, "You coming or not?"
Zay eyed the door and sighed, "Let's go."
...
Writers Name: Many hints were revealed in this chapter about Stuarts disapearance and a...monster? Let me know what you think.
jaleftwich02: Zay and Smackle have a relationship/friendship that won't exactly be explored in this story, but it will end in a way you'll never forget. And thank you for the compliments. I've been through so much and my writing seems dull to me, but i'm glad you're enjoying it. There are still some surprises up my sleeves. ;)
KindessFan: Thank you. That's all I can say. Reviews make my day and yours certainly did. Thank you so much.
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