Beneath the Veil Read online

  “Fine by me, Doc.”

  The men walked into the dining tent. Word had already spread throughout the camp and most people were out of sight.

  “I’ll do it,” Jimmy said.

  He flipped open the tent and found Barry sitting inside by himself.

  “Where’s everyone else?”

  “Jen and Jackson took the kids fishing.” Barry didn’t look up as he spoke. “You’re here for me anyway, right?”

  His senses had changed, evolved, and every sound and smell was sharp and defined. He could smell sweat and fear coming off Jimmy like waves of heat. He leaped onto the table in an impossibly fast jump. His eyes were white and veins and muscles were visible through his translucent skin. Jimmy stumbled backwards onto the dirt floor.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Jimmy.”

  “Good.” Jimmy pulled the rifle from his shoulder and aimed it at Barry.

  “Doc! Sully! Get in here!”

  The two men ran into the tent with their weapons drawn.

  “Feeling better now, Doc.” Barry’s face had a vacant animal like stare. He smiled and revealed teeth reduced to jagged points.

  “Barry, you need to come with us,” Doc said. “So you won’t hurt yourself or anyone else.”

  The kids burst into the tent laughing and holding homemade fishing poles. Jen and Jackson were close behind them.

  “Get back!” Doc yelled.

  “What the hell is this?” Jen screamed.

  Jackson pulled the revolver from his jacket and pointed it at the men. “Put down your guns.”

  Barry slipped under a side of the tent when the men lowered their weapons.

  “He’s gettin’ away!” Sully yelled.

  “Don’t move,” Jackson said.

  A woman screamed somewhere outside in the camp, then Jimmy spun and hit Jackson in the jaw with the butt of his rifle.

  “Find him!” Doc yelled, scooping up Jackson’s revolver.

  Jen screamed, cradling Jackson’s head in her hands while the three ran out in pursuit. Doc spotted Barry running towards the elevator which was empty and moving towards the surface. Barry jumped and caught the bottom bars of the cage, hanging with his legs dangling. Doc reached the voice tube and shouted for the men above to stop the elevator. After a few confused seconds, the elevator jerked to a stop. Barry climbed to the top of the cage and then started up the chain. Jimmy shouldered his rifle and squeezed off a shot, hitting Barry in the leg. Unfazed, Barry kept climbing until he reached the top of the chain and then disappeared from view. Moments later, screams echoed through the voice tube.

  “Is there anyone there?” Doc shouted into the tube.

  A minute passed and then a voice answered.

  “Jesse here. Is that you, Doc?”

  “Yes, Jesse. You fellas okay?”

  “No, Todd’s dead! That thing ripped him up real bad.”

  C H A P T E R F O R T Y

  The rain turned to sleet as the temperatures dropped in the quarry. Two days had passed since Barry killed the man and ran. Jen and Jackson spent the time confined in their tents trying to come to grip with the situation. The camp gossip, Betty Peck, had circulated half-truths about them to anyone who would listen. Now Jen and Jackson were the outsiders that brought a monster into their midst. And thanks to old Betty, every one knew it. Marie Peters, a widow with two children of her own, agreed to look after Daniel and his sisters. They were settling in well and glad for the normalcy Marie provided. Jen peered out into the quarry where the sky was an opaque gray and the winds were picking up.

  “Close that tent Jen, I’m freezing,” Jackson said. He sat on an army cot wrapped in a tattered blanket.

  “Sorry. Looks like its getting worse out there.”

  As the hours passed into late day, the storm intensified and water began to accumulate on the floor of the quarry. Suddenly cries erupted throughout the camp. Jackson chanced a look and saw people emerging out from under collapsed tents. Briny water from the lake began to spill across the quarry flooding low areas. Lighting flashed within a swirling mass of clouds and the storm appeared to be stalled right on top of them. Jen and Jackson scrambled outside into sheets of freezing rain. When they reached the platform, it was surrounded by a crowd of people. A group of men coordinated the rescue from above bringing up the children first. Jen was relieved to see Tonya and Katy rising on the elevator, but alarmed that Daniel wasn’t with them.

  “Jen, Jackson?” a voice called above the wind.

  They turned and saw Daniel standing in one of the mine tunnels.

  “Daniel, what’s wrong?” Jackson said, running over to the boy.

  “It’s the lightning,” he said in a shaking voice. “I don’t like the lighting.”

  The quarry flooded rapidly and when the elevator returned to the ground, a dozen people climbed into its metal cage. The chain tightened and lifted the cage, but jammed a hundred feet off the ground. The wooden structure supporting the overloaded elevator pulled free from the stone walls of the quarry and toppled into the lake.

  “Stay here!” Jackson ran to the lake, where screaming people were trapped inside the cage.

  The fall damaged the metal bars of the gate, making it impossible to open. He waded into the water and tried to stop the cage from sliding further into the lake, but it was far too heavy. The people inside fought to keep their heads above the water and reached desperately through the bars. Betty Peck reached out and grabbed Jackson’s belt, pulling him under water. He freed himself, then tumbled backwards onto the shore as the screams became louder. The screams stopped abruptly when the top of the cage disappeared under the surface of the water. He stared helplessly at the bubbling water, then ran back to the mine opening where Jen and Daniel waited.

  “Follow me,” Daniel said.

  Although strictly forbidden, the children made the mine their playground and Daniel knew of a long forgotten path to the surface. He led them into the dark mouth of the tunnel to a place where it spit in two directions. He stopped to light a tin lantern hanging from the wall, the light of the flame reflected off the turbulent water filling the tunnel.

  “This way,” he said. “That side goes to a ledge overlooking the quarry.”

  Within a few minutes they were near the surface and heard muffled voices above them. Daniel led them around a bend where an iron gate blocked the way.

  “Hold this.” Daniel handed his lantern to Jen.

  He squeezed between the gate and the stone wall of the tunnel, and then turned and motioned for the lantern. Water dripped from the roof of the mine and pooled in puddles on the floor. Jen handed the lantern between the bars to Daniel and then squeezed through herself. Jackson approached the gap with a frightened look on his face.

  “I can’t make it.”

  “Try,” Jen pleaded.

  Jackson slid sideways into the opening but was wedged firmly between the wall and the gate. Jen shook the gate but it wouldn’t move. He peered back into the tunnel where water was only a few feet from him.

  “Jackson!” Jen called out.

  She held an old pick with a broken handle. He rushed forward and grabbed the pick through the bars. Now knee deep in water, he desperately chipped the stone wall with the dull tool.

  “Go.”

  “No!” she screamed. “Try again.”

  He squeezed into the opening again, but the pickaxe had done little good. The water was up to his chin and rising quickly.

  “Go,” he said softly. She squeezed his hand through the bars as the water overtook him.

  C H A P T E R F O R T Y - O N E

  Doc and Sully helped survivors into their four operable vehicles. Jimmy managed to load a trailer of canned food and weapons before the rim of the quarry collapsed taking the mine building down with it. A grey sky hung over the remains of the camp, but true dark would soon be upon them. They planned to make a run for the cabin Bobby used to frequent with his brother. It was located in mountainous back country and difficult to rea
ch, even in good conditions.

  “That’s the last of it,” Jimmy said, closing the trailer doors.

  “Well, alright then,” Doc replied from behind the wheel of the flatbed. He took Hector’s hat from behind the visor and put it on. Sadly, Hector had been lost during the storm. He put the gear shift into first and pulled away from the camp, followed by the others. When he reached the gate a hand slapped his window, startling him.

  It was Jimmy standing in the cold rain. “Hold up Doc, we found some more.”

  Jen and Daniel, soaking wet, walked into the beam of their headlights. Sully helped them into the VW with Mrs. Peters and the other children. Katy and Tonya, overjoyed, leaped onto Daniel when he climbed inside.

  “Doc, I am gonna take one more look,” Jimmy said.

  “Alright, be careful and hurry up. We can’t afford to lose you.”

  Jimmy walked back into the teeth of the storm heading for the rim of the quarry.

  C H A P T E R F O R T Y - T W O

  Jackson escaped drowning in the mine by swimming up to the quarry ledge. Strangely calm, he was able to feel his way through the darkness to the other tunnel Daniel mentioned. He now found himself ten feet from the surface, but the water below him was a churning river of debris spinning within the quarry. He began to scale the stone wall, his muscles aching from the cold. Near the top, someone grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him up.

  “I got you.”

  Jimmy pulled him to his feet and put an arm around his shoulder.

  “Have you seen Jen?” Jackson asked through chattering teeth.

  “She’s right as rain. So is the boy. You’ll see them both in a minute.”

  Jimmy walked Jackson to the VW bus and swung open its squeaky door.

  “Got room for one more?”

  Jen grabbed Jackson and smothered him in a hug, sobbing in disbelief.

  “How we looking, Jimmy?” Doc called out.

  “Looks clear, but we oughta come back and check again tomorrow.”

  “If we can, we will. Let’s move it out.” Doc shot a wary look at the sky and then drove past the gates with a small caravan of vehicles following close behind.

  C H A P T E R F O R T Y - T H R E E

  Barry spent days wandering the wilderness, often hiding in abandoned houses discovered along the way. During the daytime, he operated in a sleepless dream state, and at night, he became fearsome and savage, unencumbered by self awareness and fear. He was energized by the change and no longer cared about what he was before. He neared the dilapidated Rhodes mansion where the remnants of sunlit clouds hovered on the horizon. The house changed as he walked closer, jagged holes in the roof disappeared and overgrown weeds gave way to perfect gardens. Candles began to glow in the windows and dead oaks lining the drive straightened and grew vibrant green leaves. The front doors of the house glided open to a magnificent circular foyer. Barry walked inside, pausing to admire a silk tapestry of a man and a woman. All conscious thoughts fell away with the setting sun. He spun around the room with his senses surging, then dropped to his knees to feel the glassy texture of the marble floor. He was more alive than he could ever imagine, with no illness or fear. Any thoughts of Jen and the others were distant memories, like long forgotten dreams.

  He walked through the empty house to a sweeping veranda, then bounded down stone steps to a thick carpet of grass. The smell of the earth was strong, but another scent attracted him. Behind sculpted hedges was a cemetery surrounded by an iron fence, topped with pointed arrows. He jumped the gates with ease and approached a freshly dug grave. He smelled blood in the soil and a unique hunger began to form within him. Blackened grapes grew on twisted vines throughout the cemetery. He picked one and bit into it, letting oily juice run down his chin. He ate until he was satisfied, then curled up and slept among the vines.

  C H A P T E R F O R T Y - F O U R

  Jimmy hit a patch of ice in the VW and slid off the road. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and Doc and Sully managed to pull the van out using the flatbed. They lost valuable time and their protective daylight was rapidly slipping away. The temperature dropped rapidly as the sun slid lower on the horizon. Bobby rode on the back of the flatbed with an M-16 trained on the shadows surrounding them. When they reached the turnoff to the cabin, he banged on the roof and pointed towards a steep incline. Doc accelerated and took a run at the icy road with the truck’s double wheels fighting for traction. The rear of the truck slide back and forth as it inched its way up the incline. When they all reached the cabin, Bobby jumped down from the back of the truck and walked over to Doc’s window.

  “Got to warn you, Doc,” he said. “Ralph and me weren’t much for housekeeping.”

  “That’s alright. How secure is she?”

  “Not bad. All the windows are boarded up real good and we cut us some shootin’ holes for when them creeps show up.”

  Doc climbed out of the truck and began unpacking. Bobby put his gun down and grabbed a case of food.

  “Bobby, can you stay on that gun in case we have trouble?”

  “Sure Doc. Just tryin’ to help.”

  Inside the cabin, empty bottles and debris covered the floors and a stack of broken furniture sat piled in a corner, ready to fuel the fireplace. There was a flurry of activity as people carried supplies in and garbage out. Bobby and Sully patrolled the perimeter of the property, careful to remain within the glow of the lanterns. Both men knew the creatures could come fast from the dark woods surrounding the cabin.

  “It’s all in,” Jesse said, walking over to Doc. “Jimmy’s parking the trucks along the porch to keep them things from getting a running start at the door.”

  Suddenly a shot rang out, startling them both.

  “Dammit, Bobby. Save the ammo!” Jesse yelled. “Ain’t nothin’ but a squirrel.”

  Once unloaded, they settled in, and prepared for a night without the safety of the camp. The younger children slept in a windowless bedroom, while Daniel stayed up to help keep watch.

  Jackson put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Good thing you knew those mines so well. Or we’d still be on the bottom of that quarry.”

  Daniel looked down at the floor. “I should have realized you couldn’t make it through the bars.”

  “Listen man, there’s no way you could have known. Besides, you knew about the ledge which saved my life. And you got Jen out safe. That makes you a hero.”

  Daniel looked embarrassed by the praise. “Do you think we can keep those things out of here?”

  “We’ve got twelve hours to find out.” Jackson turned and watched as Sully boarded up the front door.

  C H A P T E R F O R T Y - F I V E

  “Welcome home, Barry.”

  Unafraid, Barry rose and turned towards the sound of a voice. A woman and a man walked towards him through the splendid gardens of the plantation house. The woman had waist length black hair, translucent white skin and wore a gown with no shoes. The man was dressed in trousers with a leather vest and boots, with black hair slicked back. Both had the same black eyes. The woman stepped closer and took his hand.

  “My name is Evangeline and this is my brother Ezra,” she said, gesturing with a delicate hand tipped with long nails. “We are your family.”

  Barry stared in silence and everything that came before was gone from his mind. He only knew the present and the moment he now shared with these creatures.

  “Come join us, we have been waiting for your arrival,” she said.

  Barry followed them across a lush lawn where a mist hung over the ground. The house was brightly lit and the air was filled with the sound of music. Revelers stood along the veranda drinking wine and laughing. The crowd parted as they approached. Onlookers gazed at Barry with their black eyes shining in the light cast by oil lamps hung along an iron railing. A young woman approached and handed him a crystal wine glass. He sipped the wine and let the earthy liquid pour down his throat.

  “Specialty of ours,” Ezra said. “We grow the grapes ou
rselves.” Ezra swept his arm around at the crowd. “All these are your kin, Barry.”

  He took another sip of wine and breathed in the cold air. The sky was dark and clear and the shadows from the light of the moon painted the grounds of the plantation. He twirled around looking at the sights and sounds around him, drunk from the wine and the power he felt inside.

  “Feels better than the headaches and sickness, doesn’t it?” Evangeline asked. She moved in front of him and looked into his eyes. “You’ve spent enough time with those fools clinging to their guns and superstition.” Her lips peeled back showing a line of jagged teeth when she spoke. “You are back where you belong.”

  She left him to join the rest of her flock, drinking and laughing under the night sky.

  C H A P T E R F O R T Y - S I X

  Jimmy tended to the fireplace in the cabin, while Jen and Jackson sat nearby trying to stay warm. Sully approached and placed his rifle against the wall, then sat down and picked up Jimmy’s flask. He took a long swig and put the flask back down.

  “I guess we should’ve seen this coming,” he said.

  Jimmy finished tending to the fire and sat on a wooden stool. The newly added logs began to crackle as the fire engulfed them.

  “Your brother is one of ‘em,” Sully said, looking at Jen. “He always was.”

  “Aren’t there any others with you?” she asked.

  “Not anymore. They either died young or joined in with those things.”

  He took another sip from the flask.

  “The Rhodes family is connected to that thing called Evangeline and it controls them all. When it first showed up, times were hard and that family was desperate for a change.”

  “They got a change all right,” Jimmy added.

  “They did get a change,” Sully echoed. “The whole town prospered for a while. Gold money poured in and banks, hotels and churches were going up on every corner. Ezra was elected mayor and ran the town, while Evangeline spread the gospel of the true religion, claiming that an angel came to her every evening.”