Mischief Night (5 page)

Rusty grew worried when Tommy soon disappeared from view. At first, he gave a short whistle, but lacked the air to project properly. He paused for a moment, hating to break the silence, but daring to anyway. "Tommy," he called. His voice sounded frighteningly loud, and he tried two more times.

Silence.

Not wishing to widen the distance between them, he hurried forward, his foot catching on a thick root, and he tumbled headlong onto the rough earth. The wind was knocked from his chest and he lay there, gasping on the cold ground. Disoriented, it was several seconds before he regained his footing, bruised and increasingly alarmed at his situation. He gazed around the woods, trying to remember any marker, but everything looked the same. Shadows surrounded him, threatening to swallow him if he made the wrong move. He was alone against the forces of darkness.

He felt ready to cry, realizing that he had become separated from his friend. How could he have lost Tommy so quickly?

Rusty started in the direction in which he thought his friend had gone, pushing back the thready vines that dangled from the mossy trunks. They whipped and tugged at him as he rushed by, and he felt like the entire forest was watching, trying to thwart his passage. He didn't know how much more he could take; he was ready to collapse on the ground. Fear of being caught kept him going though, and he urged his cramped legs onward.

Without warning, he broke through a high clump of bushes and found himself staring at the park. He had made it...Excited and relieved, Rusty surged ahead, coming out behind the small carousel, the painted horses bobbing and weaving before his weary eyes. Mesmerized by the churning machinery, he stumbled forward, staring as a figure plummeted towards him on a silver horse.

It was a woman, and he noticed that she was the only one riding. Looking around, he also realized there were no other people in sight, although most of the vendor and amusement stands were still lighted. The woman came closer, and he recognized her.

It was his mom.

Riding the carousel? Cold terror swept across him -- he knew immediately that something was dreadfully wrong here. His mother
never
went on rides.

She drew near, and the carousel slowed down. Her lips moved, and she was speaking to him. Fascinated and terrified in the same breath, Rusty staggered towards her and she smiled, the whites of her teeth showing. She spoke to him, and he listened with straining ears.

"Mr. Berger wants to see you, Rusty."

Rusty staggered as if struck a blow. The gears moaned as the carousel swept past him, his mother vanishing, and another figure appeared, riding a small pony. It was the dwarf.

The boy scrambled backwards, devastated and frightened. They'd gotten to his mom now, and he had nowhere else to turn. The dwarf spat at him, its hands gesturing, but he snapped his head away, knowing the consequence of letting the horrible creature work its magic on him. Rusty rushed forward, heading for the center of the park, looking desperately around for help. The place seemed deserted, and he knew the hour was getting late, but there still should be someone left.

Unless they were all under the sway of his enemies...He shuddered, tears forming at his eyes. His mother had been taken.
His mother!

Rusty was in a world of shadows and nightmares. Everything he knew had been warped, and he felt the claws of evil closing in rapidly. He glanced back, but the carousel was out of sight. Tommy had been lost in the woods, his mother hypnotized, and his father was unreachable.

A building loomed before him, and his only thought was to place a door between himself and the diabolical pursuers. Exhausted, he couldn't run anymore.

Bounding up the wooden steps, he saw that the small building was the information center. With any luck there would a phone inside. He pulled the storm door, sighing immensely as he found it unlocked. Rusty burst through, slamming it closed behind him, clicking the bolt into place. He ran to the single window, fastening that lock. He then scanned the interior -- several cushioned chairs, a file cabinet, a small brown desk with a swivel seat, and a shaded lamp giving off adequate light. And…a phone laying on top of the desk.

He hurried over, snatching the receiver and pounding an emergency number, but his heart dropped as he heard no tone. The phone line was dead. Everything seemed to be stacked against him.

Rusty slumped into the chair, thinking of his next move, but froze as a soft 'click' sounded behind him. There was only one door, and the single window. Both were secure. His eyes narrowed as he then noticed a small closet, the door slowly moving outwards. Rusty braced himself, his heart pounding wildly as a small, familiar figure stepped forward.

The dwarf...

Shielding his eyes, he stood, unwilling to put his back to the vile creature. He was tired of running, and beyond the point of mindless fear. It was only one small creature, after all. As long as he didn't let the thing hypnotize him, he should be able to fight it off, or even kill it. Watching between the cracks of his hands, he moved slowly to the side, looking around for something to use as a weapon.

"Well, come on, you ugly creep. Come a little closer, and I'll knock that hat into the next county."

Rusty noticed that the dwarf wasn't wearing the hat, but it didn't matter. He spoke in confidence, showing the creature that he was not going to run anymore. The dwarf moved deliberately forward, out of the shadows. Its face was twisted and horrible. The nose was pointed, but something struck Rusty as being odd. He stared at the creature, which now made a gurgling noise, lifting its hands in the air towards him, reaching for something.

But it was time to act...

Rusty lunged forward, kicking the hideous thing and sending it flying against the wall. Exhilarated by his success, he kicked it several more times, the thing screaming in rage. After several moments, the dwarf lay still, battered and bleeding, its head facing the ceiling.

He approached cautiously, kneeling down to examine the wretched thing. The door to the building suddenly opened behind him, and to his shock
another
dwarf appeared. Shaking his head in disbelief, he backed away, unsure whether he was actually awake or sleeping. The nightmare wouldn't end.

Laughter broke the silence then, soft and utterly evil, and a gaunt figure stepped in behind the wicked creature. It was old man Berger…

Chuckling without a hint of warmth or mirth, Berger gazed at the boy with eyes of cracked sea-ice, green and cold. Dressed in black, face wintry and his skin lacking color, he looked more like a breathing corpse than anything else. He said nothing, but stared first at Rusty, then at the diminutive figure behind the boy. The injured dwarf gasped, lifting a finger towards Rusty.

The words were charred, pathetic and forsaken. But Rusty understood them.

"Your turn is coming, Rusty."

When he heard his name spoken, Rusty staggered in recognition and spun about, facing Berger's unforgiving face. The terrible man smiled, but his eyes smoldered with spite.

"Listen to your friend, yes?"

The other dwarf gurgled horribly.

Behind Rusty, the first dwarf moved, and Rusty stared deeply into the familiar eyes, his chest pained, his heart choked by dread and overwhelming pity.

"It's your turn now."

Rusty sobbed in defeat, looking at the terrible creature which he had once called his best friend. Tommy.

And now they would be together.

Rusty had only a moment to think. Tommy lay before him on the floor, moaning, his lips pronouncing the horrible warning.

"
It's your turn now
."

He felt like he was melting as tears streamed down his cheeks, his resolve crumbling after the defeat of his friend, and his mom's downfall, both victims of old man Berger. It was too much for anyone to stand against, much less a young boy like himself. The real dwarf stood there now, making hideous gurgling noises in his throat, while Berger's smile grew wider and more wicked.

Too much...it was all too much for anyone to take, no less a young boy like himself.

But there was something inside of Rusty, deep down, that wouldn't quit. Not even after all these things. He'd survived last Halloween despite the terrible odds weighing against him and his companions. Moved on to a new home, made new friends. The shadow of the past never really left him, but in a way it served to strengthen the boy, make him cautious, smarter. And that part of him
refused
to give up now.

Surprising his captors, Rusty spun around, diving past them and bursting through the door. He'd felt their overconfidence, and calling on his own reserves, now took action to save himself. But it was too late for Tommy. And his mother?

Fighting back tears and the fear which threatened to overwhelm him, Rusty bounded into the night, leaving the Information Center behind. He heard a shout from his enemy, and that could only mean that the chase was on again. He ran past the carousel, hoping to catch a glimpse of his mom even though she was under Berger's power. Two twin girls were riding a matching pair of white horses accompanied by their father, all of them giggling and looking completely normal. It seemed so unfair...how could the world go on as if nothing unusual were happening, while his own life was being taken away?

He hurtled along, passing a vendor selling candy apples and huge cookies, the smell of warm spiced cider strong in the brisk night air. He could use a drink himself now, as his throat was parched, but he never slowed.

Rusty made for the entrance to the theme park, considering his options. Who could he turn to? No one from here, that was certain. Berger could have his servants planted anywhere inside, having already hypnotized -- or whatever it was he did -- several already, including his mom. No, he couldn't afford to face him here, where the trap had been laid. The police? They'd come to his aid last year, but would they even believe him now in this new town? A young boy on Halloween night, the eve of prank phone calls and nasty tricks, running rampant along the streets and sidewalks? Maybe Berger had got to them as well. No, but there
was
someone else though. His father...

Rusty's dad was the one person who could get him out of trouble again.
He
would realize the truth, and come to the rescue of his son and wife. But he was at work doing a double shift in his position of supervisor, and wouldn't be done until early morning. And somehow Rusty understood that tonight was the crucial time -- it had to be
this
night, Halloween.

Just like last year.

He didn't know the reason, or even why he felt so strongly about it, but he relied on his instincts to guide him. What else did he have left?

Rusty reached the parking area, spotting a bored-looking teenager carrying a lantern, waiting to direct any late arrivals. He peered over, eyeing him suspiciously. Rusty couldn't ask
him
for help, that was for sure. He tried to think of something quick, but both of them were suddenly distracted as an SUV pulled through the entry, and the parking attendant hurried over, waving his arms. Rusty hesitated, glancing over his shoulder.

There was no sign yet of Berger or the dwarf, or anything else that appeared threatening. And then he had an idea...

Half crouching, half running, he slipped between the rows of vehicles, stopping at a bicycle tie-up. Normally he would never have thought of such an act but his situation was desperate. He tugged on the various ropes and chains, hoping that someone would have been careless...Nothing yet. It would be just his luck if he was caught trying to steal one. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea though.

There were two left; a yellow five-speed and a black mountain bike. Yes! The mountain bike had a rope wrapped around its handlebars, but there wasn't even a lock in place. Strictly a deterrent, or laziness. Silently thanking the owner, Rusty maneuvered it into the shadows and further away from the parking attendant, who was now out of view. Pulling his jacket tight, Rusty slipped on, finding his balance. It moved nicely, and he pedaled quietly through the grass field, giving himself plenty of leeway from the main entrance. In seconds he was on the road and moving swiftly away from the park and its horrors. But as to his next move, his mind could only chase itself around and around in dizzying circles, as the heavy cloak of horror tried to claim him as its own.

~ * ~

Rusty glided through the twilight, the wind tugging at his jacket, cold and unfriendly. He skirted the very edge of town, his first thought only to put distance between himself and the haunted theme park with its very real monsters. He passed the occasional house, some of them dark and quiet, others harboring costumed ghosts and ghouls. More than once he almost stopped, on the verge of complete panic, but something held him back. He tried to understand what prevented him from going for help, and knew there was more than one reason. Berger might be close behind, and he held the upper hand now, with Rusty's mom under his control. So the most likely course of action would be either to stop at one of these homes, or go straight to the police. That's what anyone would do under the circumstances, right? But it wasn't that simple...There was something special about tonight.

Halloween.

Two years in a row, old man Berger had been active. Last fall the boys had gone out on an October raid, and had faced a harrowing night after their encounter at Berger's home. Rusty would never forget it. The police had investigated the following day, finding no trace except for the small hat with a bullet hole through it. Then nothing. The house was subsequently boarded up, the bank taking possession. The police filed it as an unusual case, placing Berger on their lookout list. And there the story ended, or so Rusty thought. Until today, and all the weird events leading up to his present situation. The spider in the mailbox, the footsteps in the attic, the dwarf in the park, and finally the appearance of Berger himself. But why tonight only? Was there some reason Rusty had been left alone until today?