CHAPTER ONE

A shrill horn blew from the north. Its echo galloped along the currents of the autumn wind like a stampede of horses crashing through the gates of hell. No one knew it at the time, but the sound signaled a new way of life in Bayberry Cove. Both death and freedom were on the horizon, and what began almost four hundred years ago was about to be concluded.

* * * * * * * * * *

The two boys knew these woods better than the squirrels scurrying along the maze of branches overhead. As little kids, they used the tall oak trees to play hide and go seek until darkness crept into the game and forced them to quit. When they got older, Bobby’s dad helped the two best friends build their first tree house in the very center of the grassy wilderness. And now, as teenagers, both Bobby and Jed used the forest as a laboratory to explore the growing urges of adolescent rebellion.

It was here that Bobby smoked his first cigarette, drank his first beer, and shot his first raccoon. It was here that Jed first kissed a girl, hid the evidence from his first petty theft, and helped his best friend bury a dead raccoon. On this day, Bobby and Jed were innocently tossing a football back and forth, getting Jed’s arm loose for the upcoming football season. Jed’s accuracy was more refined than Bobby’s hands, causing many passes hit the ground, but blame could rarely be given to Bayberry High School’s star quarterback. Bobby was the kicker, and kickers use their feet for a reason. Not to mention, it was after midnight, and the moonlight didn’t provide much help.

This is where our story begins – in a little town along the coast of Maine called Bayberry Cove. A paradise that had thrived for almost four hundred years because its people were kind and its ambiance was romantically old-fashioned. Bayberry Cove had computers, the internet, cell phones, and every other modern luxury enjoyed by the rest of the world, but its small-town values seemed to keep the unwanted evils of modernity away. Bayberry Cove was a Norman Rockwell painting on crack. A utopia that had been miraculously protected from the virus that seemed to infect the outside world. No one ever seemed to leave Bayberry Cove, and no one new ever seemed to arrive.

But Bayberry Cove was about to be torn apart by a secret that had held the town hostage for far too long. A secret that, when revealed, would change everything. And it all began with the sound of a tree limb snapping in the distance.

“What was that?” asked Jed.

Bobby dropped the football and walked toward the sound. Jed jogged after his friend, but Bobby turned to hush him. “Be quiet,” he insisted.

“What is it?” Jed asked in a hushed tone.

“I don’t know. It’s too dark to see anything.”

Bobby crouched down and looked into the distance, his view obscured by trees and darkness. Jed finally caught up and took a similar position next to his friend. They heard another cracking sound, but this one was different, louder. Then, a piercing, blood-curdling yelp that made Jed’s skin crawl.

Bobby seemed excited. “Come on, let’s go check it out.”

“Are you crazy?” asked Jed. “Something just got its neck snapped in two, and I’m not going to be next.”

“A deer probably stepped in a hole and broke its leg, you paranoid freak. You watch too many horror movies.”

“Dude, we have heard all the same stories in this town. Since we were little kids, it’s all we ever hear about,” said Jed.

“You can’t be serious. They’re stories. Urban legends. We’ve been hangin’ out in these woods since we could walk. In the last fourteen years, don’t you think we would’ve seen the infamous beast that supposedly roams this forest?”

“Well, now we are seeing it,” Jed replied.

Bobby rolled his eyes and emerged from their hiding place.

“What are you doing?” shouted Jed.

“I’m goin’ to go introduce myself to the beast. Want me to put in a good word for ya?”

“Very funny, jerk. I’ll stay here so I can identify the body after the beast is done snacking on you.”

Bobby stepped out from behind the tree and started walking toward the scene of the earlier commotion. Jed also stood, but still hung about twenty feet behind Bobby as he approached the thicket. Bobby was approaching casually – too casually – and before he realized what was happening, something sprung from the mass of shrubbery to his right and tackled him to the ground. Bobby’s arms and legs flailed in panicked protest as he screamed in terror. The creature’s rancid breath was hot on Bobby’s skin, and its razor-like claws dug into the fabric of his denim jeans. As Bobby prepared to be devoured by the urban legend, only the sound of Jed’s hysterical laughter broke the trance and snapped Bobby back to reality.

Bobby opened his eyes and realized the beast of the forest was a harmless squirrel defending his home against an unwelcomed intruder. Jed had fallen to the ground, his stomach aching from the laughter, tears of joy streaming down his face. Bobby jumped to his feet and brushed the squirrel aside, then dove on top of Jed and pinned his arms to the ground. Jed was taller and more muscular, but Bobby had a distinct weight advantage.

“Get off of me!” Jed screamed, but Bobby continued to hold his best friend down, trying unsuccessfully to smash his face into a nearby mud puddle.

Between the intense wrestling match with the squirrel and the finishing move he had placed on Jed, Bobby was drained, eventually rolling off of his friend and collapsing into a pile of soggy maple leaves. Jed sat up and started laughing again, this time covered in dirt and grass. “The stories were pretty scary, but I had no idea the beast would be so terrifying,” Jed joked. “Should I take you to the hospital to get that scratch looked at? They may need to amputate!”

Bobby was not amused, but instead of fighting back, he simply stuck out his right hand and extended his middle finger. Jed laughed even louder as the forest seemed to chuckle with him. After Bobby caught his breath and shook off the embarrassment, he and Jed stood and started their walk for home. As they turned the corner, they finally found the source of the yelp from earlier.

There, behind a thicket of bayberry bushes, a giant elk lay dead; its neck snapped like a twig; its eyes black and empty. Bobby avoided stepping in the pool of blood that encircled the carcass, but moved in closer for a better look. “No squirrel did this,” he said.

“No, no squirrel did this,” Jed confirmed, gagging from the stench of death creeping up his nostrils.

CHAPTER TWO

For nearly four hundred years, life in Bayberry Cove had been an exercise in predictability. Not that anyone complained. Since explorers settled the isolated community in the early 1600s, life had been nearly perfect. While thousands died in Southern colonies, the people of Bayberry Cove survived harsh winters by working the land together, stockpiling and eating wild bayberries as other food sources diminished, and relying on the gentle kindness of neighbors. Many early townsfolk believed the winter fruit was a miracle from God to keep them from starving, making the ceremony to officially name the town a formality. In 1628, seventy-five votes were cast to adopt “Bayberry Cove” as the official name of their settlement. One voter abstained. The motion passed, and the name stuck.

“Good morning, Larry!” shouted Tom Timmerman. Tom was senior editor of the Bayberry Post, and the town’s only investigative journalist. Of course, there wasn’t much to investigate. Larry smiled and nodded, but kept his voice low. As the sheriff of Bayberry Cove, he preferred to let his townspeople sleep as long as humanly possible, and seven o’clock in the morning was simply too early to shout greetings from two blocks away. Not that Larry had to worry about crime in Bayberry Cove. No, the last recorded incident was over a generation ago. Only a few of the town’s elders were even alive during the crime wave, and most of the details had faded from their memories with time.

There was no need to hire a deputy, so Larry spent very little time in the actual police station. “Too lonely in there all by myself,” he would tell Suzanne at the Bayberry Diner, or Roxanne at the Bayberry Coffee House, or Luanne at the Bayberry Bakery, or Maryanne at the Bayberry General Store. His wife, Anne, would sometimes visit the police station with a board game while the kids were at Bayberry Elementary School, but she had her own career as the town’s evening news anchor, so most of her days were spent trying to uncover a story exciting enough to put on the air. Too often, Bayberry News would broadcast thirty full minutes of weather and sports instead.

“Larry, this is Sam.” The call came over the sheriff’s shoulder-mounted radio as he polished off his third cup of Roxanne’s infamous coffee.

“Yeah, Sam, what’s up?” he responded.

“We need you to come out to the north end of Harper’s Woods. Bobby found somethin’ and, well, you better get out here and take a look.”

“I’ll be right there,” Larry answered. It sounded like real police work, which was rare in Bayberry Cove. The thought had his heart racing with fear and excitement. Ten minutes later, Larry was standing next to Sam, staring at the fresh corpse of a giant elk.

“What happened?” the sheriff asked.

“Bobby, head back home and tell your momma that I’ll be runnin’ a little late tonight for supper,” Sam instructed his teenage son.

“But dad,” Bobby protested.

Sam interrupted him. “Bobby, you know the deal about buts ‘round here. You give me one, and I smack yours.”

Bobby sighed and rolled his eyes at the ridiculous threat, but turned to begin his trip home, shaking his head back and forth as he walked.

“Sorry about that,” said Sam, “but the boy found this here elk with Jed, and he doesn't need to hear what I need to say about it.”

“What happened?” Larry asked again.

Sam turned his head right and left to make sure no one was spying on their conversation. “Bobby and Jed were out here goofin’ around last night when they heard some loud noise over by these here bushes.” Sam pointed to the area surrounding the elk’s carcass. “So they went to have a closer look and found this.”

Larry looked at the elk, the bushes, and finally back to Sam. “I don’t get it,” he admitted. “What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal,” Sam whispered loudly, “is that the beast is back.”

“The what is back?”

“The beast,” Sam repeated.

“What beast?”

“Stop playin’ dumb, Larry. You know the stories just as well as I do. The beast.”

Larry looked at Sam like he had antlers growing out of his forehead. “Are you kidding me, Sam? They are just stories. Urban Legends. You are the mayor, for chrissake, you can’t go around believing in childish nonsense!”

“Yeah, Larry, I am the mayor. And as mayor, I got some information that nobody else ‘round this town knows about.”

“Top secret pictures of Big Foot?” Larry mocked.

“I shouldn’t have called you. Get your ass back to the coffee shop and have another doughnut.”

“Sam, come on,” Larry protested. “I was just making a joke. Want me to come right out and say it? No, I don’t believe the stories are true. Hell, I have been around this town my whole life. I practically grew up in these woods, and I have never seen any beast. Never even seen any signs of him. No footprints, no half eaten animals lying around, no tufts of fur stuck on tree bark. I’m thirty-five, Sam, where has this beast been for three and a half decades?”

“Exactly, Larry. You've been in this town for the last thirty-five years. And I've been here for almost fifty. Ever taken your kids to Disney World? Ever been to the Grand Canyon? Hell, ever stepped foot out of this town?”

Larry thought for a moment and then admitted he hadn’t.

“Ever known anyone who left this place?” the mayor pressed.

Again Larry thought, and again he drew a blank. “Ok, no, I haven’t. I guess life is so perfect here, I just always assumed no one ever wanted to leave.”

“How’s that possible, Larry? How’s it possible that no one’s ever left? And how’s it possible that no one’s even had a conversation about it? Before now, you and Anne ever talked about leavin’ Bayberry Cove? Ever mentioned a vacation to anyone? Ever had the smallest desire to get the hell away from here for an afternoon?”

Larry paused and thought for another agonizingly slow minute, but nothing came to mind. “Ok, I'll play the game. If what you're saying is true, then how is that possible, Sam? How is it possible that no one leaves, and how is it possible that no one even thinks about leaving?”

Sam looked down at the elk and then back to Larry. He started to speak, but instead, nervously swiveled his head to make sure no one could overhear their next move. "We need to go visit someone," he finally whispered.

The sheriff’s eyes were panicky. “What the hell is going on here, Sam?”

CHAPTER THREE

Jed and Bobby were standing outside of Caroline’s bedroom window. She was only in the eighth grade, but Caroline was more intelligent than the two high school freshmen put together. Better athletes than detectives, Jed and Bobby both knew they needed Caroline's help to figure out what was happening in Bayberry Cove. Bobby threw the first pebble, but the stone missed its mark badly. He threw another and overshot the house by ten feet. His third attempt landed in a gutter. Finally, Jed picked up a rock and whizzed a fastball that crashed into the window's frame and ricocheted twenty feet in the opposite direction.

Caroline threw open her curtain and poked her head outside. “You Neanderthals,” she shouted, “that could have shattered glass!”

“Well, luckily, I never miss, so it hit exactly where I wanted it to hit,” Jed shouted back.

Caroline rolled her eyes and slammed the window shut. Her curtain fell back into place. Five minutes later, she was opening the front door.

Caroline was tall for her age, but had a typical teenage body – lanky and awkward. Her brown hair was long and straight, and her eyes were the shade of coffee with too much cream. She wore a pair of denim jeans and a pink fleece that protected her from the October chill. “Well, hello, Peyton Manning,” Caroline mocked. “Can I have your autograph, Mr. Star Quarterback?”

Bobby laughed, but Caroline was quick to emasculate him next. “Hey kicker, at least he is a real football player. Do you even wear a uniform or do you kick in your prom dress?”

Now Jed was the one laughing. “Caroline, good to see you as always,” he said.

“I wish I could say the same,” she replied. “What do you two Neanderthals want?”

“We need your help,” Bobby admitted reluctantly.

“You two need a lot of help,” she replied, “but I’m not in a very charitable mood right now, so how about you try back around Christmas.”

As she was about to close the door in their faces, Jed said, “It’s about the beast. We saw it last night.”

Caroline stood motionless, feeling her body tingle with excitement. “What do you mean, you saw it?”

“Well,” answered Jed, “we were goofing around in the woods and we heard a noise. We went to investigate, and there was this huge elk with its neck snapped like a twig. It had to be the beast, right?”

“It doesn’t have to be anything,” Caroline said, “but it does sound pretty suspicious. We need to go investigate the scene of the crime.”

“Ok, but not right now,” said Bobby. “My dad and the sheriff are up there checkin' it out.”

“Well, why did you go and tell them what happened!” Caroline shouted. “Your dad will have that elk buried before I can even get my shoes on.”

“Why do you say that?” Bobby asked.

“Remember last year when I did a research paper on the urban legends in Bayberry Cove?”

The boys both acknowledged the report with a nod.

“Well, part of my research was interviewing the mayor – your dad – and he wouldn’t tell me anything. So, my next stop was the Bayberry Library, but by the time I showed up, all historical records regarding the urban legends were mysteriously missing. Missing, my patootie!” Caroline shouted. She never cursed, but had an adorable way of substituting foul language with ridiculous sounding words like patootie.

“Why would my dad do that?” asked Bobby.

“Because he is part of the cover-up in this crazy little town,” Caroline answered.

“Cover-up?” interrupted Jed. “What cover-up?”

“I can’t talk about it here, but meet me tonight at eight o’clock down by the cove.”

“What about the elk?” Bobby insisted.

“Bobby, listen, the elk is gone. Forget about it. Anyway, we have bigger problems to worry about. Meet me at eight o’clock and I will explain everything.”

Caroline closed her front door and the two boys stared at each other. “What are we gettin' ourselves into, Jed?”

“I have no idea, Bobby, but I think we should stay out of the forest for a while.”

Caroline walked back upstairs to her bedroom. She closed the door and fell backwards onto her down comforter, letting her arms and legs flail away from her body. She stared at her ceiling and pictured Jed Rogers. “He’s so cute,” she thought, but frowned at her weakness. “I don’t even like boys,” she said to the nearest stuff animal. “They are dirty and gross and smelly and stupid. Why would any intelligent human being be attracted to one of those Neanderthals?” She paused for an answer, but the purple teddy bear remained silent. “It doesn’t matter anyway, Mr. Cuddles,” she said to her lifeless friend. “I can’t compete with all those older girls in high school. Jed sees me as an annoying little girl. Why can’t I be beautiful? Why can’t I be older? Why can’t I be what Jed wants, Mr. Cuddles?”

Caroline hugged the bear and rolled over to stare out her window at the blanket of stars overhead, but turned and realized her curtains were still closed. “And why can’t my curtains be open!” she whined. Caroline stood and pulled them apart, but before she could look at the millions of twinkling stars filling the night sky, she noticed the mayor and the sheriff standing outside Max Tucker’s front door. Max was the town’s most accomplished hunter, and probably knew the woods surrounding Bayberry Cove better than he knew his own living room. Caroline saw Max’s front door swing open, the exchange of a few pleasantries, and the three men disappear inside.

For the first time in a very long time, the girl with the highest IQ in all of Bayberry Cove was utterly clueless.

CHAPTER FOUR

“So what can I do for you two gentlemen?” asked Max. The three men were sitting around a bear-skin rug next to an exquisite stone fireplace. It was too early in the season for a roaring fire, but the ambiance was still quite tranquil. A cup of hot cocoa and a good book would have felt like Heaven for Larry.

“We need to talk to you about something, Max.” Sam looked worried and Max realized this was more than a friendly visit.

“Am I in some kind of trouble?” he asked.

“No, no; nothing like that,” said Larry. “It’s about Harper’s Woods.”

“What about ‘em?”

“Max, you are this town’s best hunter. You know those woods better than anyone else in Bayberry Cove. Hell, I’m surprised you even live in a house,” joked Larry. Max stared back at him without cracking a smile. He wasn’t a bad guy; Max was just a very serious man. He was attractive in a rugged sort of way, with a scruffy beard and a solid frame. Max was one of those guys that never worked out, didn’t have noticeable muscle definition, but everyone knew he was always the strongest guy in the room. Not to mention the toughest. A loner by nature, Max was single and in his early thirties. No children, not many ex-girlfriends, but a house filled with hunting trophies from every kind of animal roaming Harper’s Woods. Well, all but one.

“You know the story of the beast, right Max?” asked Sam.

“Everyone in these parts knows that story, but it’s just a story, Sam. You know that.”

“What if it wasn’t just a story?”

“Sam, I’ve walked every square inch of those woods. Sometimes all in one day. I’ve been to the northern edge and stood at the foot of Mt. Misery, where no animal could live. I’ve been to the southern edge and stood on the shore of the cove. And I’ve been to the western edge and seen the creek that separates Bayberry Cove from the rest of the world. But I have never seen a beast. And if I had,” Max grinned for the first time, “his head would be hangin’ over my fireplace.”

“I don’t doubt that for a second,” said Larry. “But let me ask you a really important question, Max. Have you ever stepped foot out of the woods? Have you ever crossed the creek? Have you ever been hunting anywhere else? Gone into a neighboring forest?”

Max didn’t even think about his answer. “Why would I do that?”

“Don’t you ever get bored hunting in the same area? Hunting for the same animals?”

“Can’t say that I do. Never really thought about it before, I suppose.”

“Think about it now,” pressed Larry. “Why haven’t you crossed the creek? Why haven’t you left Bayberry Cove?”

“Never had the urge to. What is this all about, Larry? Sam? You guys never cared about where I hunt before? Why you so interested now? Did I break some law? I have all my permits right here and they’re all current.” Max stood and walked toward a drawer where he kept all of his important documents.

“Max, forget about the permits. You haven’t done anything wrong. We need to tell you something because we need your help. But you have to promise us that this information will never leave our group of three. Sam and I talked about this earlier today, and we have a plan, but we can’t do it without you.”

“Sure, you know me Larry.” Max closed the drawer and turned toward the sheriff. “We go way back. I may be a quiet man, but I’ve never turned my back on a friend. You have my word.”

Larry nodded and turned to Sam. “Maybe you should start from the beginning, Sam. Tell Max exactly what you told me on the way over here.”

Sam took a deep breath and began. “I know this will sound crazy, Max, but just keep an open mind for a few minutes and then feel free to kick us out when I’m done.”

“I’ll do my best, mayor,” Max promised.

Sam took a deep breath. He looked like a man about to tell an unbelievable story. “Three hundred and eighty years ago, this town was founded by a group of seventy-five Englishmen. The mountains, the cove, and the wilderness provided a barrier to the outside world, and seemed to keep everyone safe from the harsh winters of Maine. The mountains and trees knocked down the strong winds and, of course, we all know the importance of fresh bayberries in our history.”

Max nodded in agreement. “I already know all that, Sam. What’s the big secret?”

Sam glanced at Larry and then continued, “The founding fathers and mothers agreed on most everything, but there was one problem – someone was already livin’ on this land.”

“Who?” asked Max.

“The stories vary,” Sam answered. “Some say it was the only surviving member of a Native American tribe. Others say it was a stray Frenchman or Spaniard that separated from his people years earlier. Maybe it was another Englishman. But most records seem to indicate it was none of the above. He was just a mysterious man that didn’t welcome the intrusion.”

Max seemed intrigued. “So, what happened?”

“Well, our founders weren’t evil people, so they accepted him into their clan at first. They gave him the same rights as everyone else. Even allowed him to vote. But things went from bad to worse pretty quickly. They had a huge argument over what to name the town. Our founders wanted Bayberry Cove, but Boreas said he had already named the village Hyperborea. He lost that argument, of course. After months of conflict, the town voted unanimously to kick him out of Bayberry Cove. So, Boreas retreated to Mt. Misery.”

“Wow, I’ve never heard that before,” Max admitted.

“No one has,” said Larry. “But you haven’t heard the crazy part yet.”

“It gets crazier?”

“It definitely gets crazier,” confirmed Larry.

“I need a drink,” Max sighed.

“Make that three,” Larry and Sam said simultaneously.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Where the heck is she?” Bobby asked nervously.

“How am I supposed to know? Just relax and she’ll be here soon.”

The boys were standing on the cove’s northern shore, as far away from the forest as they could possibly be. Caroline hadn’t specified where they were supposed to meet, but the full length of the shoreline was less than two miles, so it was unlikely the three teenagers would miss each other.

"What's that noise?" Bobby asked with a shaky voice.

"Bobby, you are starting to drive me crazy. Just take a deep breath and relax."

"I swear I hear somethin' splashin' around out there, Jed."

"You ever think there may be a few fish out there? Or heck, maybe your squirrel is taking a swim."

Before Bobby could retort, both boys heard a loud noise coming from the opposite direction. They spun in a synchronized panic. Caroline’s silhouette was dark against the moonlight pressing at her back. Jed and Bobby both breathed a sigh of relief as she approached. “What took you so long?” Bobby whispered.

“Why are you whispering?” Caroline shouted.

“Shhhhhh, Caroline, someone will hear us!” Bobby whispered again.

“If you whisper one more time I will scream,” she threatened.

“Both of you stop it,” Jed demanded. “My parents are going to wonder where I am pretty soon. What is this top secret information you need to tell us?”

“So, I told you the mayor wouldn’t give me any information about the urban legends, but there was someone in town that did.”

“Who?” asked Jed.

“Charlie.”

“Crazy old Charlie that sits in the library all day? You dragged us all the way out here to tell us about the ramblings of some crazy old man?” replied Jed.

“He’s not crazy,” Caroline assured the two boys. “He was one of the only people alive in this town the last time the beast and the creature appeared.”

“The creature?” asked Bobby. “Now there's a creature? Now there are two of them?”

“Here is what I know,” Caroline began. “First, you have to understand the geography of Bayberry Cove.”

“We all took geography class in school,” said Bobby. “Get on with it.”

“Listen, loser, this is important, so pay attention.” Caroline picked up a nearby stick to draw in the wet sand. She drew a semicircle that looked like a crescent moon. “This is the cove. This is all water.” She pointed to the inside of the semicircle and drew waves. “And this is the town.” She drew a big square attached to the tip of the crescent moon and wrote BC in the middle. “Now, everything to the south and west of the town is a densely wooded forest.” She drew a few dozen lines to represent trees. “And everything to the north is part of Mt. Misery.” She drew a big triangle and a few smaller triangles to represent the mountain range. “So, water to the east, woods to the south and west, and mountains to the north.”

“No kiddin’, Caroline, what’s your point?” asked Bobby.

“My point is, no one ever leaves this town because no one can get out.”

The two boys looked at each other but didn’t have to say a word. Caroline knew what they were thinking.

“You know the legends. A beast roams the forest to keep people from escaping west. A creature lurks in the cove to keep people from escaping to the east.”

“And Santa Claus brings us presents every December; the Easter bunny drops off baskets of chocolate eggs; the tooth fairy gave me money every time a molar fell out of my mouth; the Loch Ness Monster is hanging out in Scotland; Big Foot has a weekly poker game with Dracula and Frankenstein…”

“Ok, I get it,” Caroline interrupted.

Jed continued, “It just doesn’t make any sense, Caroline. Ok, let’s say you are right. No one can ever leave this town. Don’t you think people would notice that we are all stuck here?” Caroline opened her mouth, but Jed kept speaking. “And if there is some magical reason we don’t notice we are all stuck here, then how are we even having this conversation? Wouldn’t that keep us from figuring out the secret?”

Caroline looked confused. Jed and Bobby stared at her and waited for an answer. After sixty seconds of silence, the two boys stood and started walking away from the shoreline. Before they could pass out of earshot, Caroline called out, “I’ll give you two the choice. We either go for a swim right now, or we sneak out later tonight and go for a hike into the forest. Either way, if I’m crazy, we’ll make it out of Bayberry Cove. If I’m not crazy, we’ll run into the beast or the creature. Or, are you two big, strong men too scared?”

Jed and Bobby looked at each other, then back to Caroline. Jed spoke first, “We’re not scared, but we’re not going swimming in the dark. Meet us at the tree house in an hour and we’ll go for that hike.”

Jed turned his back to Caroline and walked quickly through the sand. Bobby jogged to keep up. In between gasps, he said, “Jed, I don’t know if that is such a good idea.”

“It’s probably not, Bobby, but we can’t back out now. Dress in all black, bring a flashlight, and meet at my house in fifty minutes. Oh, and bring your dad’s hunting knife. I’m going to bring my BB gun.”

“Jed, if we run into the thing that snapped that elk’s neck, we’re goin’ to need more than a BB gun and a huntin’ knife.”

“Just bring the knife, Bobby. And don’t say a word about this to anybody, especially your dad.”

CHAPTER SIX

The three men had their drinks. Max settled back into his favorite chair and looked directly at the mayor. “Ok, Sam. Let’s hear the crazy part.”

Sam rubbed his temples and took another chug of beer. “On the day he left, Boreas threatened to curse the town.”

Max stopped Sam in mid-sentence. “Ok, you’re already losin’ me, Sam. A curse? Come on, you can’t be serious. I don’t like science fiction books or movies. And I sure as hell don’t believe my life is a science fiction story!”

“I know it all sounds absurd,” said Larry. “But Max, regardless of how crazy the story sounds, we need you to just hear us out.”

Max shrugged in agreement and Sam continued. “If they all liked his town so much, Boreas would cast a spell to keep them trapped in Bayberry Cove like prisoners. Except he didn’t put them in a cage; he simply made it so no one would ever want to leave. And it stayed that way for seventy-five years. But the spell’s power faded with time, and people began to realize no one ever left, so in year number seventy-six, the first person escaped Bayberry Cove and never looked back. Others followed, and Boreas became enraged. He wanted to punish the town for their disobedience, so he blew a conch shell to summon two monsters – the beast of the forest and the creature of the sea. They guarded Bayberry Cove’s borders, killing anyone who tried to leave. Hundreds of people were killed that year, and Boreas realized the whole town would die out if he didn’t reset the spell. So, he did, and things went back to normal. No one left Bayberry Cove. No one wanted to leave Bayberry Cove. But Boreas learned his lesson. Every seventy-five years, the night before the spell begins to wear off, a horn blows and his henchmen take their positions to the east and west. For one full year, people try to escape, but they’re all murdered. What is left of the town eventually gives up, goes back to their normal lives, and eventually the spell is reset for another seventy-five years.”

Max couldn’t speak. He stared at Sam and then back to Larry. Finally he said, “Well, if this is true, and we are realizing it now, let’s just get the hell out of town before they show up.”

“Max,” Larry said, “the horn blew last night. Jed and Bobby were in the forest after midnight. They heard the beast. The only reason this is starting to make sense to any of us is because the spell has already been lifted. The beast and the creature are already in place. It has already begun.”

“So what do you need me to do?” asked Max.

Larry had a stern look on his face. “We need you to kill the beast.”

* * * * * * * * *

Max was still trying to make sense of everything he heard. He was a simple man, but he was also a smart man, and he definitely didn’t believe in fairy tales. “So you two are tellin’ me there’s some immortal magician that lives up in the mountains. And he put a spell on Bayberry Cove four hundred years ago to keep us from leavin’. And every seventy-five years he has to recharge his batteries, so in order to keep us trapped while he cooks up another spell, he sends two monsters to guard our borders. And if anyone tries to leave by sea, there is a creature that will kill him. And if anyone tries to leave by land, there is a beast that will do the same. That is what you’re tellin’ me?”

Sam and Larry exchanged another look. Neither wanted to admit they believed the nonsense, but the day’s events were too bizarre to ignore. “I don’t know what is happening,” said Larry, “but I do know we need to do some investigating…tonight…before anyone gets themselves hurt trying to leave Bayberry Cove.”

Max didn’t know what to think. He knew Larry and Sam were trustworthy men, but their story was absurd. “And how the hell do you two know all of this?” he asked.

“There are records. The beast and the creature have appeared four other times in Bayberry Cove, and there are written documents of all four visits. Journals kept by various mayors. Letters from some former townsfolk. The papers have always been in the mayor’s office, but they never really made any sense until now. I thought they were just all part of the urban legends. But this morning when I saw that elk with its neck snapped like a twig, it all made sense. That’s when I called Larry and well, we have been tryin' to figure out what to do about this all day.”

“So I'm the plan?” Max asked.

“You're the plan,” confirmed Sam.

“This just doesn’t make any sense,” Max said while rubbing his forehead. “Does the rest of the world even know we exist? Do we even exist? Is this hell?”

Sam stood and paced around Max’s living room. His hard-soled shoes made a clicking sound that caught Larry’s attention. “Sam, where do we get all of our stuff from?”

“What do you mean?” the mayor asked.

“Sure, we grow lots of our own food and make some of our own clothing and furniture. But what about our televisions, computers, and cell phones? We don’t manufacture that stuff here, so how does it get in? If no one gets in or out, how have we kept up with technology and trends all these years?”

Sam and Max both looked perplexed. “Well, I suppose I have no idea,” Sam finally admitted. “We’ll be sure to make a stop at the electronic store tomorrow and ask Mitch about it.”

“This whole thing gets weirder by the second,” Larry sighed.

“So what’s the first step? What do we do tonight?” Max asked.

“Well, that’s why we need you, Max.” Larry made eye contact will the burly man. “You are the best hunter in Bayberry Cove. You can track and, more importantly, kill any living creature on this planet.”

“Are you sure the beast is from this planet?” Max interrupted.

Larry grinned in spite of himself. “Either way, if anyone knows how to take this thing out, you do. They didn’t have someone like you back in 1856 or 1932. And they didn’t have our technology either. You have more firepower than most armies. And anything you don’t have, the sporting goods store is sure to stock. We can hit this thing with everything we got.”

“So I’m in charge?” asked Max.

“You’re in charge,” Sam assured him.

“We do things my way?”

Larry looked him square in the eyes. “We do things your way.”

Max walked out of the room and into the kitchen. He opened his refrigerator and pulled out an ice cold bottle of domestic beer. After twisting off the cap, he took a long swig, savoring the taste of barley and hops splashing over his taste buds. “And how the hell did you make it into town?” he asked the bottle.

“We don’t need any more guns,” Max said after walking back into the living room. “I have everything we’ll need right here.” Sam and Larry turned to each other and smiled. “But we can’t just go running into the woods with a bazooka and think we’re going to kill this thing, if it really does exist. A hunter’s greatest asset is his superior intelligence. We get into a fist fight with Mother Nature and we’ll lose. We have to outthink her.”

“So what do we do?” asked Sam, anxious to start.

“We get you two into some camouflage and we go on a scoutin' mission. I’ll bring a couple of pistols, and Larry, you can bring your primary weapon, but our gear tonight is gonna be night vision goggles, cameras, and a good pair of hikin' shoes.”

Sam looked nervous “And what if we run into the beast?”

“If you believe in God,” Max joked, “now would be a good time to pray that we don’t."

CHAPTER SEVEN

“This is where we found the elk,” whispered Bobby.

“Then where is it?” asked Jed.

“I already told you the mayor had it moved…or buried…or burned…or something,” answered Caroline.

Bobby jumped at the sound of a bird flapping its wings overhead. Jed laughed. “You’ll have to excuse Indiana Jones. He had a pretty traumatic run-in with a squirrel last night. Almost nibbled him to death.”

“Very funny, jerk.” Bobby punched Jed hard in the left bicep and then turned his attention back to Caroline. “So, what’s the plan?”

“The plan is that we start walking away from town and see how far we get.”

“I’m not sure I like that plan,” Bobby said nervously.

Caroline shook her head and started walking, muttering adorable insults as she distanced herself from the two boys.

Jed put his two hands on Bobby’s shoulders and told his best friend to look him directly in the eyes. “Listen, Bobby, I know this is crazy. Odds are, there isn’t anything in these woods besides all the animals we’ve been harassing our whole lives. And we know how to handle them. So, let’s humor her, and when this is over, life can go back to normal.”

“Do you believe anything you just said, Jed?”

Jed’s pause gave away his uncertainty. “I have to believe it. And so do you. Until we learn differently, we have to keep our wits about us or we’re all in big trouble.”

“I got my dad’s huntin’ knife,” Bobby mumbled.

“Good,” Jed smiled. “But hopefully, we won’t need it.” He turned and saw Caroline’s shadow passing behind a grove of maple trees. “Wait up, Caroline,” he shouted, and the two boys jogged quietly to catch up with their adventurous partner.

* * * * * * * * * *

“This is where the boys found the elk,” whispered Sam.

Max squatted down, balanced himself on the balls of his feet, and inspected the ground. “Where is it now?” he asked without taking his eyes away from the crime scene.

“We buried it a couple hundred yards north of here. Didn’t want any snoops findin’ the body and panickin’."

“Yeah, who knows, maybe they’d think there was a wizard livin’ up in the mountains,” Max joked. “Well, you two didn’t leave me much evidence to go on.” Max made eye contact with Sam and then Larry. Both looked away. “But I will tell you this. Someone has been here recently. Three sets of fresh prints.” Max pointed to each set.

Larry and Sam followed his index finger and leaned in for a closer look. “Are you sure those aren’t our prints?” asked Sam. “Or left by the boys last night? Or someone last week?”

Max chuckled to himself, but he didn’t think anything was funny. “Mayor, you either trust my opinion and we keep workin’ together, or you don’t and I go home and get a good night’s sleep.”

“We trust you, Max,” Larry interjected. “But just humor us – how do you know they are fresh tracks?”

“The ground inhales and exhales, just like any livin’ organism. In muddy conditions, sure, a print can last weeks. But in relatively dry conditions, like these, the dirt and grass are pressed down when someone takes a step, but they eventually rise again. I step and the ground inhales, but eventually the ground exhales and any signs of the disturbance are erased like a chalkboard.”

“So any prints from last night would already be gone?”

“Exactly. And the prints are all gym shoes. We're all wearin’ boots. Plus, look at this one.” Max pointed to the smallest set of prints. “I’ve seen Jed and Bobby, and they don’t wear a size eight shoe. And look at how narrow the foot is. This was left by a girl. And judgin’ from the freshness of all three, we’re about two minutes behind them.”

“Caroline!” shouted Sam.

Max and Larry looked at the mayor with confusion showing on their faces.

“Jed and Bobby are always hangin’ around that Caroline girl. She is smart as a whip. And she did a class project on Bayberry Cove’s urban legends last year. I would bet anything they went to her with all this elk business and she dragged them out here to investigate.”

“Which direction did they go?” asked Larry.

Max took a few seconds to track their footprints, then turned back and shouted, “They went west.”

“They’re trying to make it out of the forest,” Larry said to Sam.

“Come on, let’s go!” Sam yelled. “We have to catch up to them before it’s too late.”

* * * * * * * * * *

The town of Bayberry Cove was only two square miles. Seventy-five men, women, and children founded the community back in 1628, but the town had only grown to a little under two thousand people almost four centuries later. Most of the colonial houses had been standing for hundreds of years, updated each time a new resident took ownership. At the very center of the town was Bayberry Square, surrounded by various shops and restaurants. Some of the younger men and women lived in apartments near the square, but almost all of Bayberry’s families lived in the surrounding subdivisions.

The base of Mt. Misery was located on the very northern tip of the town; dozens of houses shared their backyard with the mountain’s grassy basin. The shoreline was a few hundred yards away from the nearest subdivision of homes in order to avoid flooding, but the location was still considered prime real estate for Bayberry Cove’s movers and shakers. Harper’s Woods bordered the town to the south and west, and while the length of the trees stretched for almost two miles, the depth of the forest was quite shallow. Less than a mile. Three healthy teenagers could make the hike in less than fifteen minutes, and they already had a two-minute head start on Sam, Larry, and Max.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Bobby! Jed! Caroline!” Sam frantically called out the names of the three children wandering through Harper’s Woods.

“Sam, I need you to keep your voice down,” demanded Max.

“My boy is out here,” shouted Sam. “We have to find them!” The two men spoke as they jogged. Nothing was going to slow down their pace, not even an internal squabble.

“Listen, Sam, I know Bobby is out here. And so are Jed and Caroline. Hell, Caroline lives across the street from me. Her dad and I have been huntin’ out in these very woods. But you need to trust me. If there is some beast out here, the last thing we want to do is piss it off by disturbin’ his turf. And we sure as hell don’t want to call attention to ourselves.”

Larry broke into the conversation. “Listen to him, Sam. This is why we asked Max to be part of this. He is the expert. He is in charge out here. If the stories are true, and you don’t let him lead us, we’re probably all dead.”

Sam thought for a moment and then added through gritted teeth, “You better find him, Max.” Then softer, “Please find him.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Ok, this is it. Who’s first?”

The three young friends finally made it to the western edge of Bayberry Cove. From shoreline to treeline, they had traveled over two miles. Now, only two yards separated Jed, Bobby, and Caroline from freedom. It would be the first taste of real freedom for any of them. Everything else had been a mass delusion – part of the curse that had trapped them for so long.

The illusion of freedom is the most secure prison of all.

“I say we all go at the same time,” said Caroline.

“Bobby and I will go,” Jed volunteered.

“We will?” Bobby’s voice cracked.

“There is no reason for all three of us to go,” explained Jed. “If Bobby and I make it, then Caroline can cross too. But if something happens, one of us needs to be able to run back into town and tell everyone.”

“That makes sense,” Caroline agreed. Bobby seemed much less convinced. “But you and I should go. Bobby can stay behind so he can go tell his dad if something bad happens.”

“Caroline,” Jed began to protest, but he quickly fell silent when she extended her delicate right hand and took hold of his trembling fingers.

“We’ll do this together,” she assured him.

Jed’s heart skipped a beat and his mouth went dry. Words eluded him, so he nodded his approval. He had never really thought about Caroline as a girl. She was a female, of course, but she was Caroline. More like a little sister or one of the guys. Definitely not a girl that gave him that wonderfully nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach. But all that changed the moment her hand nestled within his. Her warmth radiated through his body and flushed his cheeks. For a fleeting second, there was no one else on the planet Jed would rather take a leap of faith with than Caroline Flowers. And so they leapt.

* * * * * * * * * *

What happened next was a blur.

A streak of color appeared from their right. The smell of wet fur filled the air. The gunshot was loud and echoed through the darkness. Warm blood splattered against Bobby’s round face. The taste of fear was heavy on Jed’s lips.

Max fired a second round and hit nothing but thin air. Whatever lunged for the three teenagers had disappeared into the night. Bobby was screaming, desperately trying to wipe the beast’s blood from his face. Jed and Caroline were still clutching each other’s hands, but they had already taken a half dozen steps toward the sheriff. Sam ran to his son and hugged him close, red blood soaking into his white cotton shirt.

“Are you hurt, son?” Sam asked with a panicked tone.

“I don’t think so,” Bobby cried.

Larry ran to Jed and Caroline and put his arms around the two terrified teens. “Everything is ok, kids,” he assured them. “That thing is gone.”

Max walked to the spot where hot lead pierced flesh. He needed to collect a blood sample. If they were lucky, he might even find a tuft of fur. Anything that could help him identify the animal that tried to attack Jed and Caroline. But there was nothing. At least, nothing Max could see in the dark. He would have to come back at first light to search for clues.

Max stood and began backtracking his way through the wilderness.”Let’s go,” he announced. “There’s nothin' left to do here. We need to get back into town and have a little talk.”

Sam and Bobby weren’t far behind. Larry, Jed, and Caroline pulled up the rear. The two shocked teenagers still held hands.

* * * * * * * * * *

“What the hell was that?” Sam asked, now safely back in Max’s living room. It approached ten o’clock in the evening and all six were sipping from mugs of steaming comfort – coffee for the adults and hot chocolate for the kids.

“That was the beast,” offered Caroline.

“There’s no proof of that,” said Max. “It could have been anything.”

“Anything?” asked Caroline in disbelief. “I’ve never seen a squirrel move that fast. And I don’t think a raccoon could have shrugged off a bullet like that.

“It had red blood,” muttered Bobby. Everyone turned simultaneously to confirm the presence of dried blood smeared across Bobby’s face.

“Go wash your face, Bobby,” his father demanded, but Bobby didn’t move.

“Red blood doesn’t mean anything,” argued Caroline. “Monsters don’t necessarily have green acid for blood.”

“What did you actually see?” Larry asked the teenagers.

“Everything was a blur,” replied Jed. Bobby and Caroline nodded in agreement. “What about you guys? You were behind us. You must have had a better view. What did you see?”

Larry and Sam exchanged a glance, but Max was staring at the ground between his boots. “Well,” the sheriff began, ”we saw the three of you standing at the edge of the treeline, and right when I was about to call out to you guys, there was a flash of color that just came out of nowhere.”

“It was like a streak of fur,” Sam added.

“Next thing we knew,” Larry finished, “we heard a gunshot, realized Max had fired a round, and that thing was gone.”

“Wow, Mr. Tucker, nice shot!” said Jed.

Max nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. All he could think about was what happened thirty minutes earlier in Harper’s Woods. Finding the footprints, tracking the kids, and watching the beast appear out of thin air to attack Jed and Caroline. But, most of all, he kept thinking about the miracle shot that wounded the beast. The shot, contrary to popular opinion, that Max never got the chance to fire. The shot that seemed to materialize from thin air.

CHAPTER NINE

“Mornin’ Larry!” shouted Tom Timmerman from half a block away.

“Good morning, Tom!” Larry shouted back. It was the morning of Bayberry Cove’s annual Pumpkin Festival, and Larry knew most of the town was already awake preparing for the night’s festivities – even if it was only six o’clock in the morning.

“Ready for the big night?” Tom asked, his voice still booming.

“Oh, ready as I’ll ever be,” Larry smiled with fake enthusiasm. Every passing day moved the town one day closer to discovering the truth. The old journals Sam dug up explained the progression was slow. Without someone specifically mentioning the curse, it could take weeks or months for people to realize they were prisoners in paradise. But once a person was clued into his condition – the way Sam, Larry, Max, Jed, Bobby, and Caroline had been – there was no turning back. All six swore an oath the previous night to keep the secret as long as humanly possible. They needed time to form a game plan. Max needed time to scout his prey.

“Mornin’, sheriff,” Roxanne said enthusiastically. “You havin’ the regular?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Larry answered.

“And where is that sweet thang of yours this mornin’? I haven’t seen Anne in darn near two days.”

“Oh, you know her, Roxanne. My better half is probably out there uncovering tonight’s lead story.”

Roxanne poured Larry a mug of hot, black coffee. “The only story gonna be on the news tonight is the big festival! Heck, you know that as well as anyone, sheriff.”

Larry hoped Roxanne was right. His wife was smart – too smart. If anyone could uncover what was happening in Bayberry Cove, it was her. “Well, let’s just hope we have a peaceful night,” he said.

“Not too peaceful, or I might be outta job.” Larry’s wife walked into the coffee shop and startled her husband by speaking before she was in his line of sight. “Then who would pay all our bills?” Anne asked mockingly as she kissed Larry on the cheek.

“Hey, sweetie,” he replied before taking another swig of his coffee. “What brings you in so early?”

“Like you guys said, I’m out looking for tonight’s big story. Got any hot leads?”

If she only knew, Larry thought.

“No hot leads, dear, but I do got some hot coffee,” interrupted Roxanne. “Would ya like a cup?”

“Oh, that would be great, Roxy.” Anne waited for the plump barista to walk away, then spoke softly to Larry. “I need to talk to you.”

“What about?”

“Once I get my coffee, just follow me over to one of the tables.”

“Ok,” Larry said calmly. Inside, his stomach churned with fear.

A few minutes later, the married couple sat at a secluded table in the back corner of the coffee shop. Customers came and went, in search of a shot of energy to power them through the day’s preparations. A few people waved to Larry and Anne as they spoke, but no one stopped long enough to become a nuisance.

“What's this about, Annie?”

“Something weird is going on around here, Larry.”

The coffee tasted bitter on his lips. “Weird? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe I’m just imagining the whole thing, but something feels different.”

This wasn’t supposed to be happening – not yet, anyway. The journals claimed it would be weeks or months before people started putting the pieces together on their own. Had someone talked to Anne? Or were her investigative reporting instincts finally kicking into overdrive? “Well, sweetie, I’m not really sure what you’re talking about. Are you sure you’re feeling ok?” Larry felt tortured lying to his wife. There had never been a need to deceive her in the past, but these circumstances were bigger than their marriage. The entire town was in danger. Bayberry Cove’s existence was in jeopardy.

“I’m feeling fine, Larry. I don’t know. Don’t you feel anything?” she asked with desperation in her voice.

Larry sighed. “I feel nervous about tonight.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. “I always get a little tense about these festivals. Nothing usually goes wrong, but you never know.”

“Yeah, maybe it’s just the festival.” Anne paused to consider her own diagnosis. “Will you do me a favor?” she asked.

“Sure, anything,” Larry replied. Anything except telling the truth, he thought.

“If anything strange happens, will you let me know? Not because I’m after a story, but just for my own sanity.”

“Of course, sweetie. But what counts as strange around Bayberry Cove?”

Just then, the front door of Roxanne’s coffee shop flew open. Luanne from the bakery stood in the doorway, breathless from her jog across the street.

“Sheriff, come quick!” she shouted.

“Luanne, calm down,” Larry said as he stood. She took a deep breath. “Now, tell me what’s got you so excited?

“Something terrible is happening, sheriff! You have to come right away!”

Larry looked at his wife. Anne sat on the edge of her seat.

“Luanne, what is it? What's the terrible thing that's happened?”

Luanne could barely find the words through her wheezing. “It’s Charlie, sheriff. Some kids found him washed up on shore, and he’s been hurt. He’s been hurt real bad!”

Larry looked at his wife again. “Sweetie, something strange just happened.”

CHAPTER TEN

A growing crowd gathered around Charlie Richardson and the town’s medical team. Dr. William Mallory and his nurse, Deanne Newhart, were already on the scene and cleaning Charlie’s wounds with an antiseptic. Once Deanne cleaned an area, Dr. Mallory sewed up the gash. The sheriff pushed his way through the crowd and asked no one in particular what happened.

No answer.

“Charlie, why did you try to swim across the cove?”

Charlie’s voice sounded weak. His words were slow and forced. “You know exactly why, sheriff.”

Larry thought for a moment. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. The journals said they had time – days, weeks, maybe even months. But people felt something. Anne knew; so did Charlie.

“So you know?” Larry asked.

“I’ve always known. I’ve known for seventy-five years. Something like that,” he coughed, “you just don’t forget.”

“Something like what, Charlie?”

“Horrible deaths. 1704 was pretty bad because no one knew what was happening. 1780 was a little better. There were almost no deaths in 1856 because everyone decided to stay in town and wait it out. But in 1932, we took a stand, tried a hundred different ways to bust out of this prison, but nothing worked. Hundreds died.”

Larry looked stunned. The crowd became restless.

“What are you two babbling about?” Nurse Newhart asked.

Larry ignored the question with two of his own. “Why didn’t you say anything, Charlie? Why didn’t you warn us?”

“I couldn’t, sheriff. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t. I tried. God knows I tried, but the spell. It keeps people from talking.”

“So you knew this whole time but couldn’t say a word to anyone? Charlie, my God, that must have been hell.”

His eyes grew heavy. He barely kept them open. “You know what is hell, sheriff? Standing paralyzed at the edge of those damn trees every single day. Dipping a toe in the waters of the cove, but not being able to dive in and swim for freedom. Hell,” Charlie coughed again, “is knowing you are a prisoner and not being able to do anything about it. You guys had it easy. We were in the same prison, but you all were oblivious.”

“Ignorance is bliss, right?”

“Freedom is bliss, sheriff.”

Larry sensed Charlie didn’t have much time left. “So why jump in now? You knew something was out there waiting for you? Why not just stay in town and play it safe?”

Charlie smiled for the first time. “Freedom is worth dying for, sheriff. I’ve been waiting seventy-five years to take that swim. Seventy-five years of dreaming what is on the other side of that lake.”

“But you didn’t make it.”

Charlie looked into Larry’s eyes and his smile grew wider. “But I tried. Now go save this town, sheriff. Go set Bayberry Cove free.” Then Charlie took his final breath.

The sheriff released the old man’s hand, stood and turned to stare into the night sky, and repeated the last words to ever cross Charlie Richardson’s lips. “Go set Bayberry Cove free.” Then, after a long pause, “How in the hell am I supposed to do that?”

“I might be able to help you out with that, sheriff.” The raspy voice belonged to Joe Tabor. Joe and Charlie were two peas in a pod. They had been best friends since sitting next to each other in Mrs. Mason’s first grade class.

“Joe, I’m so sorry about Charlie,” Larry sympathized. “He was a good man.”

“He was a great man, sheriff. And a helluva lot braver than me or you. I knew he was going to jump in that lake and make a swim for freedom. I knew it the minute that blasted horn sounded two nights ago.”

“We’ll have a proper burial, Joe.”

“Oh, I know we will, sheriff. This town is always so proper, isn’t it?”

Larry motioned for Joe to join him away from the crowd. Once they were alone, Larry spoke in a low voice. “So how can you help me, Joe? How can we set Bayberry Cove free?”

“Someone in this town can defeat Boreas,” Joe said. “Someone in every generation has the gift.”

“What gift?” asked Larry. Absurd statements no longer rattled him.

“Nature has a way of balancing the equation, sheriff. For every villain, there is a hero. What kind of world would this be if God didn’t give us light to chase away the darkness?”

“I’m not sure I believe in God anymore, Joe. What kind of God allows this to happen to good, innocent people?”

“No offense, but what you believe isn’t important, sheriff.”

Larry chuckled. “None taken. So what is important, Joe?”

“The truth. And the truth is, someone in this town can free us from Boreas.”

“Who?” Larry asked impatiently.

Joe looked disappointed. “I have no idea, sheriff.”

“Perfect,” Larry said sarcastically. “So let’s say we find this miracle person. Why hasn’t it worked in the past? Why didn’t your generation’s hero save the day?”

“We didn’t find out until it was too late. Even the person doesn’t know. By the time we made the connection, the year ended and the spell was back in place. Unless we figure out who has been given the gift, we’re doomed.”

“So how do we figure it out, Joe?”

“Well, anything strange happen lately? Anything you can’t explain?”

“I can’t explain anything that’s happened in the past two days! You need to be more specific, Joe.”

“I can be more specific.” The masculine voice reverberated through the morning air. Larry and Joe turned to find Max peering over their shoulders.

“Max, how much did you hear?” Larry asked.

“Enough,” replied the burly hunter. “Last night, I didn’t shoot the beast.”

Larry looked confused. “What are you talking about, Max?”

“I never pulled the trigger. I took the second shot, but I hit thin air. The shot that clipped the beast – well, I don’t know where the hell it came from.”

“Another gunman?” asked Larry.

“Not a chance,” answered Max. “No one could have made that shot without giving away their position. We were the only six people in those woods.”

“So what are you saying, Max?”

“Well, Larry, based on what Joe just told you, I think our hero saved our asses last night.”

Joe shook with excitement. “Who was with you last night? Who is the savior?”

“Well,” Larry said quietly, “There were six of us – me, Max, Sam, Bobby, Jed, and Caroline.”

Joe grinned. “There’s your answer, sheriff. One of you six is going to save this town.”

“But which one?” asked Max.

“That’s what you two need to figure out.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Ok, so what are we going to do about Boreas?” Caroline asked the two teenage boys.

Bobby spoke up first. “What are you talkin’ about, Caroline? We ain’t gonna do nothin’ because there ain't nothin’ we can do.”

She looked annoyed. “Do you always talk like a stupid hillbilly when you’re scared?”

“Now come on, Caroline,” Jed interjected, “leave Bobby alone. We’re all scared, even Mr. Tucker.”

“There’s a difference between being afraid and acting like a coward, and being afraid and acting like a hero,” she replied.

“So we’re going to be heroes?” asked Jed.

“Exactly,” Caroline grinned.

Bobby suddenly felt sick to his stomach. A knot formed in his throat, and he could barely cough out a sentence. “And how the heck are we gonna do that?”

“Well,” Caroline began, but before she could spit out another word, Sam came bursting into his son’s bedroom.

“Kids, come quick, somethin’s happened to Charlie!”

“Charlie!” they shouted simultaneously. The response sounded choreographed.

“Mayor, what happened? Did the beast get him?” Jed asked.

“No, it was…” Sam stopped, unsure how to even explain what happened in the cove’s waters. “Listen, just get your stuff together and meet at Max Tucker’s house in fifteen minutes. I spoke to the sheriff and we have a lot to talk about.”

Sam exited as abruptly as he entered, leaving Jed, Bobby, and Caroline alone. Silence filled the room. Caroline frantically paced in a circle, her mind busy with possibilities. Jed stared out the window at the early morning sunshine peaking above a patch of trees. Bobby wiped beads of sweat away from his forehead and upper lip.

“Let’s go,” Caroline finally announced.

“Go? Go where? To Mr. Tucker’s?” asked Bobby. Jed continued to stare at two squirrels leaping from tree limb to tree limb in search of breakfast.

“Yeah,” she replied, “but we need to make a pit stop first.”

“No way!” shouted Bobby. “No more of your crazy adventures. We almost got killed last night because we listened to you. Me and Jed are goin’ to Mr. Tucker’s. Ain’t that right, Jed?”

“Huh?”

“Jed, we need to get to Mr. Tucker’s,” Bobby pleaded.

Caroline looked at the cutest boy in town, hoping she would be chosen over his best friend.

“Well,” Jed mumbled, “I think we should probably listen to the mayor and get over to Mr. Tucker’s house.” Caroline looked crushed by the response. Bobby exhaled a deep sigh of relief. “We’ll have plenty of time to explore after the meeting, but I want to hear more about what happened to Charlie. Don’t you, Caroline?”

She pouted. “I know exactly what they are going to say – that it’s getting too dangerous for us to be involved, and we’re all going to get a curfew. Is that what you guys want?”

“Maybe we should stay out of it,” Bobby suggested. “We’re just kids; what can we do about two monsters runnin’ around our town?”

Caroline shook her head. “You are such a chicken.”

Bobby stood up and stormed out of his own bedroom.

“Jed,” she asked longingly, “what about you?”

He looked into Caroline’s brown eyes. “I’m sorry. Bobby may be a chicken, but I think he is right. We need to stick together on this one so no one gets hurt. Let’s go meet the sheriff and the mayor at Max Tucker’s house, and then we can figure out a plan.”

Caroline’s eyes watered. Her heart ached. She couldn’t find words, so she turned around and ran out of Bobby’s bedroom, then out of his house, and into the crowds of townspeople preparing for the Pumpkin Festival. Jed watched her bony legs flail wildly as she picked up speed and disappeared into the masses. His mind and heart warred against each other, but logic always won out in the life of Jed Rogers.

* * * * * * * * * *

Max, Larry, and Sam were already inside when Jed and Bobby arrived. Their voices lowered when the two teenagers stepped through Max's front door.

“Where is Caroline?” Larry asked.

Jed and Bobby exchanged an uncertain glance. “She didn’t want to come,” Bobby finally said.

“What do you mean, she didn’t want to come?” Sam asked, frustration heavy in his voice.

Jed sighed. “She wanted to check something out on her own – do some more investigating. She might show up later.”

“We need her here now!” Sam shouted. The boys flinched nervously.

“Calm down, Sam,” Larry said calmly. “Jed, Bobby, where did she go?”

“Honestly, sheriff, we have no idea,” Jed answered. “She asked us to come with her, but we wanted to hear about Charlie. What happened to him?”

“He realized what was happening. A few of the old-timers around here remember the last time the beast and the creature showed up. He made a swim for freedom, but didn’t make it.”

Bobby panicked. “So what do we do? Are we all gonna die?”

“Listen, boys, this part is very important. Joe Tabor told me we could defeat Boreas.”

“How?” Jed shouted.

“Well, that is why all six of us needed to meet. Joe told me one of us had the gift to overpower him.”

“And how does he know that?”

Max spoke up for the first time. “Because last night I didn’t fire that first shot at the beast.”

Jed and Bobby looked confused. “So what does that mean?” Jed asked. “Who took the shot?”

Larry continued. “Well, we’re not really sure how it all happened, but one of us hurt the beast. Maybe with our mind, maybe we created some imaginary gun…we really don’t know. All we know is that we need to figure out who it was so we can plan our next step.”

“So how do we figure out who has the gift?” Bobby asked.

“I found some information in one of the journals,” his father answered. “Max, Larry, and I have been readin’ it for the past hour, and we think we know what to look for...a mark.”

“What mark!” both boys screamed.

“One of us should have a birthmark on the small of his neck, just above the hairline. Whoever has the birthmark is going to save our town.”

“So, let’s get to lookin!” said Bobby.

“We already checked one another,” said Larry. “It’s not one of us. That leaves you two and Caroline. Bobby, let your dad check your neck. Jed, come here and turn around.”

The two boys stepped forward and turned around.

First, Bobby.

Nothing.

Next, Jed.

“Well, it looks like we figured out who our hero is going to be,” announced Larry. “We need to find Caroline immediately. She’s going to save Bayberry Cove.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

“If you’re up there, come down and fight like a man!” Caroline shouted skyward.

She stood at the base of Mt. Misery staring at its peak. If Boreas was real, she wanted to confront him. That was Caroline – not only was she the smartest kid in Bayberry Cove, but probably the toughest. She demanded perfection of herself. Anything less would leave her vulnerable. Caroline made boys the enemy – slobbering idiots – so she wouldn’t feel the pain of their rejections. But the same arrogance that protected her fragile heart also made her feel very alone. She didn’t need Bobby, Mr. Tucker, the sheriff, the mayor, and she especially didn’t need Jed Rogers. Stupid…slobbering…idiot…boy.

“We are sick and tired of you terrorizing our town!” she screamed. “So let’s finish this!”

No response.

“Fine, if you won’t come down, then I’m coming up!”

Still nothing. Caroline looked to her left and right. Nothing. She turned to capture a panoramic view of Bayberry Cove. The town she grew up in suddenly seemed so different. Safety had always been an afterthought – a birthright more than a luxury. But now, everything was different. Caroline knew she could never go back to the way things were – that is, unless she could talk to Boreas and set him straight. It was a long shot, but a shot worth taking.

“Ok,” she said nervously, “here I come.” Caroline took her first step up the trail leading to Mt. Misery’s peak.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Ok, boys, we need to you think. Where would Caroline go? Does she have a special spot she visits? A friend she talks to? A boyfriend?” Larry asked.

The last question made Jed flinch. Caroline was a pain in the butt – always has been and always will be. Growing up, she was one of the guys. Sure, she was cute, but her personality drove Jed crazy. He had always been attracted to cheerleaders, not tomboys. All she ever did was make fun of him and his friends. So why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? And why did the thought of her having a boyfriend feel like a punch to the gut? And why in the heck didn’t he go with her when she asked with those big, brown eyes?

“Jed, where could she have gone?” repeated the sheriff.

“I honestly have no idea. I don’t think Caroline has many friends. And she definitely doesn’t have a boyfriend. I mean, we all hang out in the Harper’s Woods, but she could be anywhere.”

“That stubborn bitch probably went swimmin’ after that damn sea creature,” mumbled Bobby.

“Bobby, watch yer mouth before I smack it off yer face!” scolded Sam.

“Sorry, dad.” Bobby shrugged.

“Wait, Bobby’s right,” said Jed. “That is exactly what Caroline would have done. Remember when we told her about the beast? Her first reaction was to walk into the woods and pick a fight. She’s always causing trouble.”

“Jed’s right,” added Max. “I’ve lived across the street from that girl for thirteen years and she’s always gettin’ into some kind of trouble. Drives her mother crazy.”

“Ok, let’s get down to the cove,” said Larry, “and pray we’re not too late.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Anne Wamsley loved her husband, but she trusted her investigative instincts. He was the sheriff, so maybe he couldn’t be completely honest with her. If something strange was happening in Bayberry Cove, she would have to uncover the truth without his help.

“Afternoon, Anne!” shouted Tom Timmerman. “Ready for the big festival tonight?”

“Yeah, Tom. I’m sure it will be another exciting night for Bayberry Cove.”

He smiled and turned to walk away.

“Listen, Tom, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure, Anne, what’s goin’ on?” They both sat on a park bench in the center of Bayberry Square.

“I’m not sure, but have you noticed anything weird going on around here these past few days?”

“Not really. Well, I guess what happened to Charlie was weird, but what was he thinking, takin’ a swim that early in the morning? Such a tragic way to die,” his voiced trailed off.

“How did Charlie die, Tom? What did Dr. Mallory tell you?”

“Just that he went for a swim, got caught up in the tide, and drowned from too much water in his lungs.”

“And what about all of the cuts and bruises?”

“Hit some rocks while his body was bouncin’ around out there. Why, Anne? What’s this all about?”

“Larry and I were there when Charlie died, Tom. I couldn’t overhear their conversation, but Charlie had quite a few last words.”

“I’m sorry Anne, but I’m just not followin’ you. Are you sayin’ Charlie didn’t drown? Are you sayin’ it wasn’t an accident? Who would want to hurt Charlie? Everyone loved him. Hell, everyone loves everyone in this town.”

“I know, Tom. But something strange is going on, and I plan to figure out what it is. Larry is being too quiet – he knows something, but thinks he can’t tell me – either to protect me or for professional integrity. You and I are the only two people in this town that do any real investigating. Want to partner up on this one?”

“Geeze, Anne, I don’t know. We already have a big story to run tomorrow about the Pumpkin Festival. And if Larry is keeping something from you, maybe it’s for the best.”

“We have a responsibility to this town, Tom. People rely on us to bring them the news, and for once in our careers, we might actually have some real news to report. And all you can think about is some lame festival?”

Tom looked hurt by Anne’s classification of Bayberry Cove’s Pumpkin Festival. The town took their parties seriously, and many people had been planning the evening’s festivities for months.

“Ok, Anne. I’ll tag along for a few hours, but if we haven’t found anything by mid-afternoon, I need to get back to work on tomorrow’s paper.”

“That’s all I can ask, Tom.”

“So, where do we start?” he asked. “Any leads?”

“Just one so far. I saw Larry talking to Joe Tabor after Charlie passed away. Joe knows something, and we need to find him before anything else happens around here.”

“Well, that’s easy enough. I just saw Joe sittin’ on his front porch not ten minutes ago. I offered my condolences, but he still seemed pretty shaken up. You sure you want to bother that old man after he just lost his best friend?”

“Positive,” she replied.

Anne and Tom left Bayberry Square to visit Joe Tabor.

Larry, Sam, Max, Jed, and Bobby were already on their way to the shores of Bayberry Cove.

And Caroline continued her long hike up the side of Mt. Misery.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Howdy, Joe. How’s the garden holdin’ up?”

“Garden is holding up same as always this time of year, Tom.”

Tom was out of icebreakers. He looked to Anne for help. “Joe, we’re so sorry to hear about Charlie. We’re all going to miss him around Bayberry Cove,” she said.

Joe chuckled. “The way everyone is acting around here, you would think Charlie and I were married. He was a good man, and I’ll miss him, but we all have bigger things to worry about now.”

Anne perked up. “Bigger things to worry about? What are you talking about, Joe?”

“Doesn’t your husband tell you anything?” the old man asked.

“Clearly not enough,” she muttered to herself.

“So, wait,” Tom jumped back into the conversation, “you’re tellin’ us somethin’ strange is goin’ on around here, Joe?”

Joe Tabor sighed deeply. He stared at the darkening sky. You two better get inside – there’s a storm coming. Wouldn’t want to get caught out in that mess.”

Tom and Anne stepping into Joe’s house. The décor hadn’t changed for forty years – brown, shag carpeting, two couches covered with floral prints, and walls painted a light shade of pea green.

“Wow, love what you’ve done with the place,” Tom leaned over and whispered into Anne’s ear. She choked back a giggle when Joe turned toward them.

“Let me brew a pot of coffee. Make yourselves comfortable and I’ll be right back.” Joe exited the living room, leaving Tom and Anne sitting together on the more hideous of the two couches.

“This should be good,” Tom said.

“This should be…something.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Ok, now what?” Sam asked after the five men had walked the length of Bayberry Cove’s shoreline.

Fear bubbled to the surface of Larry’s eyes. “You don’t think she would have gone for a swim, do you, Jed?”

“Sheriff, I don’t know what that girl is capable of doing,” he replied.

“Caroline!” shouted Sam. Bobby joined in. Larry followed, and suddenly a chorus of “Carolines” rang out from the beach. It was hopeless, of course – their screams were quickly swallowed up by the roar of the lake. Waves were choppy and crashing loudly against the rocky terrain.

Max stared at the oncoming storm clouds. “Unless one of you is gonna jump into the cove, we aren’t findin’ Caroline out here. She’s either someplace else or she’s swimmin’. Either way, we need to get back to town before that storm hits.”

Larry, Sam, and Bobby glanced skyward and reluctantly gave up .

Jed hadn’t spoken in minutes, having separated himself from the rest of the group. Larry saw him sitting about twenty feet away and jogged up to the teenager.

The sheriff crouched down next to Jed. “What’s this?”

“That’s Caroline’s diagram of Bayberry Cove. She drew it in the sand last night to explain how we were all trapped here.”

“She’s a smart girl, isn’t she, Jed?”

“Yeah, she’s…something.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Anne’s jaw hovered somewhere near Joe’s shag carpeting. Tom’s jaw hung even lower. The two investigative journalists just heard a story they refused to believe. How could they wrap their minds around such a bizarre tale? They were educated… intelligent… sophisticated. Joe Tabor was offering them a ghost story.

“Joe, you can’t be serious,” Tom finally broke the silence. “You’re expectin’ us to believe some wizard cast a spell on Bayberry Cove four hundred years ago? And now there are two monsters ready to kill anyone who tries to leave our town? Charlie was murdered by a sea creature?”

“I’m old, sonny. Frankly, I don’t care what you believe. You asked for an explanation, and I gave you one. That’s all I can do.”

Tom stood and thanked Joe for his hospitality. Thunder boomed overhead and the walk back to Bayberry Square was exposed to the elements. He wanted to get back before they were caught in a torrential downpour. Anne hesitated, but agreed to leave after Joe’s living room lit up from the first flash of lightning.

As they walked, he spoke. “So what do you make of all this, Anne? You didn’t say much in there.”

“Just processing, Tom.”

“Well, let’s hear it,” he said.

“I’m not really sure, yet. Something Joe said sparked a memory. You up for a trip to the library, or do you have to get back to finish writing that big Pumpkin Festival story you’re working on?” she mocked.

“I think the Pumpkin Festival just got bumped to page two,” he laughed.

* * * * * * * * * *

“That’s it!” Jed shouted.

Larry was so startled that he almost lost his balance. “What’s it?”

Max, Sam, and Bobby joined Larry and Jed around Caroline’s sand diagram.

“Look at the map!” Jed shouted. “If she’s not in the forest, and she’s not in the water, then where else would Caroline be?”

“Mt. Misery,” all four men said together.

“We have to get to Mt. Misery. That’s where Caroline is. I’m sure of it!” Jed pleaded.

Larry seemed to age significantly with each passing second. He thought for what felt like an eternity, then said, “Ok, how about Max and I head toward Mt. Misery. Sam, you take Jed and Bobby back into town and make sure everything is ok. If people are starting to realize what is happening, the Pumpkin Festival could turn into a riot.”

Sam and Bobby nodded in agreement. Jed stubbornly shook his head. “There is no way I am going back into town, sheriff. I should have gone with Caroline in the first place. I am going with you and Max and there is no way you can talk me out of it.”

Larry saw a desperation in Jed’s eyes that took him back two decades. The fiery passion of young love, he thought. A longing grin flashed across his face as he thought about his wife, Anne. He would crawl down into the pits of hell to rescue her from danger.

“Ok, Jed, you can come,” Larry said. “But listen to me…Max is in charge. We listen to him, or we could all end up dead. Do you understand me?”

Jed nodded in agreement.

“Sam, get Bobby back into town and you two make sure everyone is safe.”

Sam and Bobby nodded again and turned to walk away. Thunder boomed overhead. Lightning lit up the darkening sky. The first few drops of a cold, autumn rain began dotting the sand.

“You guys ready?” shouted Max. Larry and Jed gave a thumbs up and they were off.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Sam and Bobby made it back to town in time to warn everyone of the impending storm. People scattered for cover, leaving behind their preparations for the Pumpkin Festival. Families huddled together next to warm fires. Friends played video games in sheltered basements. Lovers ate early dinners by candlelight. Sam and Bobby waited in the mayor’s office for Larry’s return. Violent winds roared outside. Cold raindrops the size of quarters splashed hard against rooftops. Thunder rattled picture frames hung on living room walls. Lightning streaked across the charcoal skies.

“Bobby, you believe in God?” Sam asked his son.

“I don’t know. Not really, I suppose.”

“Well, pray anyway.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Tom peered out a smudged window to watch the rain splatter across its cold, glass surface. “Sure is nasty out there,” he said. “We made it inside just in time.”

“Lucky us,” Anne replied sarcastically. “We may be stuck here for a while, so let’s see what we can uncover.”

Anne and Tom had arrived at the Bayberry Library shortly before storm clouds burst wide open. They were greeted by Gabriel, the town’s librarian. “Why, hello, Mr. Timmerman; Mrs. Wamsley,” Gabriel had welcomed them. “What brings you in on a Saturday afternoon?”

“Gabriel, we need access to the Historical Records Room. Can you let us in?” Anne asked.

“Doing some research on the Pumpkin Festival for tomorrow’s big story?”

“Exactly,” replied Anne with a warm smile.

Gabriel led them to the locked room, fished around his left pants pocket for a key, and let them inside. “There aren’t many people here right now, so I’ll just leave the door closed. Do you mind locking up when you finish?”

“No problem, Gabe,” confirmed Tom. Gabriel smiled and walked back to his desk at the front of the library.

An hour passed and the two journalists had uncovered nothing significant.

“Found anything?” Anne finally asked.

“To be honest, I’m not even sure what we’re lookin’ for,” replied Tom.

Anne sighed deeply. “Me neither.” She closed a dusty book and walked over to a rusty filing cabinet. “Wonder what’s in here,” she said.

Tom looked up and saw the silver cabinet wedged into a corner of the room. “Open it and find out.”

Anne tried opening the filing cabinet. Locked.

“I’ll go get the key from Gabriel,” Tom said while standing.

“No, Tom, hold on a second.” He froze in place. “Why would they keep a locked filing cabinet in a locked room?”

“To keep people like us from snoopin’.”

“Snooping into what?”

“Wizards and beasts and sea creatures?” he grinned.

“You ever pick a lock?” she asked sheepishly.

“Come on, Anne, we’re not gonna break into an old filin’ cabinet. What if that’s where Gabe keeps his booze?”

“Well, either way, we win. I could sure go for a drink right now,” she joked.

“Darlin’, you just said the magic words!” Tom laughed. “Criminals need the right motivation.”

Tom walked over and pulled a pocket knife from his pleated khaki pants. “Now, don’t go tellin’ your husband I know how to do this.”

“My lips are sealed.”

Less than a minute later, Tom had picked the lock and the drawer slid open. Anne’s eyes grew wide when she looked inside. “What is it, Anne?” he asked.

“Tom, I think we just hit the jackpot,” she replied with a shaky voice.

* * * * * * * * * *

The wind howled. The storm grew more violent with each passing second. Max, Larry, and Jed stood at the base of Mt. Misery staring into nothingness.

“Sheriff,” Max shouted above the raging storm, “if Caroline is up there somewhere, she is in a tremendous amount of danger. She’s exposed to the elements, to lightnin’ strikes, and if a big gust of wind catches her frail little body, she could fly right off the mountain.”

Jed overhead Max and panicked. Without warning, he began running up the side of Mt. Misery.

“Jed, get back here,” Larry screamed. His words were either inaudible, or Jed simply ignored them. After a twenty-foot head start, Max and Larry reluctantly followed.

* * * * * * * * * *

Caroline was half-way up the mountain when the storm unleashed its fury on Bayberry Cove. First, rain turned dirt into mud and made her footing unstable. Then, winds gusted at dangerously high speeds, nearly knocking her off balance a dozen times. Finally, lightning began striking in bunches. Loud cracks to her left and right, with the loudest of all hitting above her. "If Boreas could control two monsters, he could surely control the weather," Caroline thought. "I must be close – this must be his desperate attempt to frighten me away."

She kept climbing.

And climbing.

And climbing.

Until the weather became too fierce. The conditions became too dangerous.

Caroline reached for a rock’s edge, but her left foot slipped out from underneath her body. She fell face-first into a puddle, squealed in agony, tasted blood on her bottom lip, and felt a sharp pain shoot through her right arm.

“Ok, Caroline,” she mumbled, “get back up and keep going.” Her body didn’t respond. Louder this time, “Get back up and keep going!” She scrambled to her feet, wiped blood away from her face, and put weight on both legs. Everything felt fine. Swinging her right arm, Caroline realized nothing was broken, but she also knew the storm was too brutal to keep climbing. That’s when a strong gust of wind smacked hard against her thin frame, knocking her off balance and sending her sliding down the mountainside.

Ten feet, twenty, thirty – she picked up speed, ricocheting off rocks and bushes as she slid further away from Mt. Misery’s peak.

Caroline was descending with so much velocity, that the end seemed inevitable. A few bumps and bruises would heal, but the impact of hitting the ground at such a high speed would certainly kill her. She had five minutes. Maybe less.

But that’s when he broke her fall.

Jed Rogers appeared from nowhere, anchored himself to a sturdy bush with deep roots, wrapped his arms around Caroline as she passed, and held on for dear life as his right shoulder popped out of its socket. His football career ended at that moment. Jed screamed, but didn’t let go. Short of his arms being ripped from his body, Jed would never let go.

The two teenagers gasped for air. Everything hurt.

“Jed, you came for me,” Caroline panted.

“Yeah, I came.” he winced.

“Where is everyone else?”

“We got separated a while back. The storm was too strong. They could be anywhere.”

“What are we going to do now?”

“We need to find shelter. Wait out the storm. Ouch!” Jed groaned.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s my shoulder. It’s separated. I need you to pop it back into place.”

“Jed, I don’t…”

“Listen, Caroline, I need you to do it or I could be in serious trouble.”

“Jed…”

“Caroline, please!”

“No, Jed, look over there.” Caroline sat up and pointed to a small opening in the side of the mountain. Jed could barely make out the cave through the sheets of rain covering its entrance, but it was there.

“Quick, let’s get inside.” Jed and Caroline struggled to their feet and hurried to the cave’s entrance. Jed went first to make sure it was safe, then Caroline followed.

Once safely inside, Jed and Caroline took a dozen heavy gasps before their eyes began adjusting to the low levels of light.

“Jed,” Caroline said nervously, “do you see what I see?”

“Yeah,” he gasped.

Her voice cracked. “What is this place?”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Jed, do you see that?” Caroline asked.

“Yeah,” Jed grunted, “I see it.” Caroline heard the pain in his voice. “But I need you to pop my shoulder back into place before we do anything else.”

“What!” she shouted. “I can’t pop anyone’s shoulder back into place. I’m not a doctor!”

“Anyone can do it,” he pleaded.

“Does this happen a lot?”

“Not a lot, but it’s happened before. Please, Caroline. I need your help!”

She paced back and forth in the cave while Jed held his right shoulder. His eyes were filled with tears. Caroline stopped torturing herself and crouched next to Bayberry’s star quarterback.

“What do I do?” she whispered nervously.

“I’m not really sure. The trainer always does it. Just find the grove and push.”

“Find what grove!”

“My shoulder socket or whatever. Just push!”

Caroline moved closer to Jed, grabbed his right arm, leaned in to rest her head against his, and pushed as hard as she could.

Jed screamed. His shriek echoed through the cave. Startled, Caroline fell backwards into a massive puddle of stale rainwater.

“Jed, are you ok?”

Through the grunts, he managed to reply, “Yeah, you’re a natural. Just give me a minute and I’ll be fine.”

Caroline smiled. Jed had saved her. Now she repaid the favor. Together, they were about to enter a world neither knew existed. A world beyond their wildest dreams.

* * * * * * * * * *

“What is it, Anne?” asked Tom Timmerman. “What’s in the filin’ cabinet?”

“It’s a book. Actually, more like an old journal.” She pulled out the leather-bound pages, being careful not to damage its fragile contents.

“Looks like somethin’ from medieval times. I hope it’s not the Necronomicon,” he joked.

“The what?”

“It’s from a movie. Evil Dead 2. Nevermind.”

“Actually, Tom, it’s from a short story by H.P. Lovecraft,” Anne smirked. “You should broaden your cultural horizons beyond your DVD collection.”

Anne opened the dusty cover and read the title aloud. “The History of Bayberry Cove,” she said softly.

“I don’t remember reading that book in school,” Tom replied.

Anne turned a couple of pages and found what she was looking for. “Tom, you’re never going to believe this.”

“Read it out loud, Annie.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“We lost him, sheriff,” Max shouted over the wind and thunder.

“How could we just lose him, Max? Where could he have gone?”

Larry and Max were twenty feet behind Jed Rogers when the storm’s intensity picked up, limiting visibility to no more than five feet in front of their faces. Jed had disappeared, and the gushing rainwater made it impossible to track his steps.

“Larry, we could be wandering a mile in the wrong direction by now. Finding Jed at this point would be like finding a needle in a haystack.”

“So, what do we do? Just leave him out here to die?”

Max Tucker wasn’t familiar with feelings of uncertainty. He always knew what to do. The next step was always so clear. But nothing made sense on Mt. Misery. Nothing had been making sense for the past two days.

“I don’t know what to do, Larry.”

The two men stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. The sheriff and the town’s ultimate hunter – both lost and afraid, unsure of themselves for the first time in a very long time.

* * * * * * * * * *

Anne read:

My name is Jacob Poole. I am writing this entry in the year 1705. I have survived the massacre in Bayberry Cove. Seventy-five years ago, a man called Boreas was banished after threatening the lives of our people. He retreated to the nearby hills. We now call his home Mt. Misery because so many have died on its slopes. People blame the curse, but there has been no sign of Boreas for many years. The town has buried its dead and hopes to begin again. There are less than two hundred of us left, but we will survive.

The next few pages were filled with drawings – maps, landmarks, blueprints. Then, another journal entry:

The year is 1780. I am now ninety-eight years old. It is happening again. People wander into the woods and never come back. Nigel Harper and his family were murdered yesterday. A little girl was found dead on the beach this morning. Noah Rogers is leading a mob to Mt. Misery’s peak tomorrow to look for Boreas. The fools believe the curse is real, but there have been no sightings of a beast, or a sea creature, or even Boreas himself in over a century. I am the only remaining survivor who remembers the massacre in 1704. I keep trying to tell the mayor what really happened, but his nightmares are filled with storybook legends. He is documenting false records, leaving behind lies for future generations to discover. I must continue keeping my journal as long as I am alive so the truth doesn’t die with me.

The next entry:

Noah came back today, but he was the only one. He is sick. This whole town is sick! I tried to escape this afternoon, but I was stopped by the sheriff. Too dangerous for an old man, he told me. He has no idea what danger is.

A few more drawings, then:

The year is 1781. It ended today. This is my first entry in months because they locked me up. Said I was a danger to myself and others, but I know the truth. I know too much.

Anne flipped ahead and found this:

I no longer go by the name Jacob Poole in case anyone ever finds my diary. How would I explain my longevity? I don’t even understand it myself. The year is 1856. I am technically 174 years old, but I stopped aging almost a century ago. I go by Jeremiah now. The horn will blow tonight and then all hell with break loose again in Bayberry Cove. No one knows about my past. No one believes I am crazy. I have warned the new mayor and his sheriff and they seem like reasonable people. We can avoid many deaths if we remain in town.

“So what happened in 1856?” asked Tom.

“Hold on, I’m looking for the next entry,” Anne responded. “Ok, here we go:”

It worked. The year is over and almost no one died. I had to tell everyone about Boreas and the curse. No one would believe me otherwise. Children now talk about the legends in school. Soon, no one will want to leave their homes for fear of being eaten by some wild beast. That is perfectly fine with me. The alternative is unthinkable. Bayberry Cove must survive, and since no one will listen to the truth, our future depends upon a lie.

“What lie, Anne? What lie!”

“Tom, you’re hearing the same information I’m reading. Give me a second. There are so many pictures in here. So much gibberish. Where is the next entry? Wait…here it is:”

It is 1932 and people now call me Joe. I have been alive for 250 years, every moment spent in Bayberry Cove. Townspeople have been reading the mayor’s records and seem to be mounting an offensive. It won’t work. It never does. I am considering telling them the truth, but what would it help? No one will listen to me this time, so, instead, I write in my journal.

Anne flipped ahead to the final entry:

It is over. So many are dead. It didn’t have to be this way. My youngest grandson found the cave recently and will be ready to take my place soon. The dear boy was named after me, so who better to carry on the family tradition? I am so old and pray for eternal sleep. But the legacy must go on. My journal must be maintained. The future of Bayberry Cove depends upon it.

“Anne, this doesn’t make any sense,” admitted Tom Timmerman. “Who wrote this book? Jacob, Jeremiah, Joe? Some guy who is three hundred years old? And why is it locked up in this rusty old filin’ cabinet? Why isn’t it with its owner? And why haven’t we heard these stories before today? Gabriel must have known the book was in here.”

“Wait, Tom, this person said his grandson’s name was Joe, right? How many Joe’s do you know in this town?”

“Not many.”

“If his grandson was a kid back in 1932, how old would that make him today?”

“In his eighties, I suppose. Wait, are you saying Joe Tabor is this guy’s grandson?”

“It makes sense, doesn’t it? There aren’t any other Joe’s around his age. He was alive the last time Boreas showed up. And, wait, doesn’t Joe have a granddaughter?”

“Yeah, Caroline Flowers. Why?”

“Tom, I think Caroline might be in danger. I think it’s why all of this is happening; why Joe Tabor led us to this book; why Larry has been acting strange.”

“If his granddaughter is in danger, why didn’t Joe just come out and tell us?”

“Maybe he can’t. Either way, we need to find Caroline.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“It’s like someone lives here,” Jed said through gritted teeth. The pain in his right shoulder was still intense, but the adrenaline rush provided enough medication to keep moving forward.

“I think someone does,” whispered Caroline. “Maybe we should leave before he comes back.”

“Or it,” Jed added.

“Oh my gosh! What if this is where Boreas lives?”

“Yeah, maybe. But I always pictured Wizards having nicer places.”

“Most of this stuff looks hundreds of years old.”

Jed used the silence as an opportunity to process what was happening in Bayberry Cove. Suddenly, the past two days seemed unbelievable.

“Caroline, do you notice anything strange about this cave?”

“Ummm…you mean besides the obvious?”

“Seriously, look around. Think about it. There is a small mattress where someone sleeps. A couple of chairs. A few storage containers. An old dining room table.”

“What’s your point?” she asked.

“A magical creature doesn’t live here. And neither does some wild beast. A person lives here. Flesh and blood. Maybe some homeless guy.”

“I suppose so,” she conceded.

“In fact, think about the past couple of days. What has happened that can’t be logically explained? A deer got killed in the forest; we were attacked by some wild animal; an old man drowned while taking his morning swim. That stuff happens every day.”

“But that thing in the forest wasn’t a normal animal. And who shot it? And why was Charlie swimming that early in the morning?”

“But can’t…” Jed was cut off by Caroline’s gasp. He turned to see what she saw. Walls of hieroglyphics, but nothing like they had seen in their history textbooks.

“What is that?” Caroline exhaled.

“Pictures,” replied Jed.

“Pictures of what?”

“I’m not sure, but I think they tell a story.”

“Well,” Caroline said in amazement, “let’s start reading.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Larry, Max, you’re back!” shouted Sam. “Where are the kids?”

Larry Wamsley and Max Tucker were forced to give up their search. Jed could have been anywhere, and they didn’t even know if Caroline was on Mt. Misery. The rain let up enough for them to find their way down the mountain and back into town. By the time they found Sam and Bobby at the mayor’s office, the skies had cleared and the ground had begun to dry.

“We lost Jed, and we couldn’t track him after the storm picked up. There was no sign of Caroline either,” Larry said.

“So you just left ‘em?” asked Bobby.

“Bobby, we had no other choice,” Max answered. “We could have wandered around Mt. Misery for hours and still been a mile away from Jed. The smart move was to come back and regroup.”

“Regroup how?”

“Well, Sam, we’re not really sure.”

The mayor panicked. “I have to go out there and officially open the Pumpkin Festival in about thirty minutes or people are gonna know somethin’ is wrong. What are we gonna do!”

Larry was tired of not having any answers, so he started talking, figuring any plan was better than no plan at all. “Sam, Bobby, you go out there and kick off the festival. Try to keep things as normal as humanly possible. The last thing we need is a riot.” Sam and Bobby agreed.

“Max, you and I need to figure out what the hell is going on around here. I don’t care what happened four hundred years ago – I’m not about to sit around and watch this town fall apart on my watch.”

“So, what do we do, sheriff?” asked Max.

“We get guns – lots of them. We go back into that forest. And we don’t come out unless we’re carrying the beast’s dead carcass.”

“And what about Jed and Caroline?” Bobby asked. “We can’t just leave ‘em up there!”

“No, we can’t,” admitted Larry. “But, for now, they’re going to have to survive a little while longer on their own.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Cut the bull, Joe. What the hell is going on around here?” asked Anne.

“I told you what I know,” Joe replied in a stubborn tone.

“That’s a bunch of crap, Joe, and you know it! We found the book. We know all about your grandfather.”

“You two don’t know nothin!” he growled.

“You see, right there, Joe. What does that mean? What are you talking about? What don’t we know?”

Joe Tabor took a long swig from his mug of lukewarm coffee. He had the look of a man reliving a previous conversation. “If this is going to make any sense, the first thing you have to understand is that my grandfather didn’t write all of those journal entries.”

“Ok, so who did?” asked Tom.

“This is the part no one ever believes,” sighed Joe.

“What part!” Anne shouted impatiently.

“The journal is mine.”

“Wait, you wrote the entries back in 1932?” she asked.

“Not quite,” Joe said. “I wrote them all.”

“You mean…” her voice trailed off.

“That’s right,” he looked up and made eye contact with Tom and then Anne. “My real name…is Jacob Poole.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Howdy, and welcome to the three hundred and twelfth annual Pumpkin Festival!” Sam shouted from the temporary stage at the south end of Bayberry Square. The crowd cheered wildly in response. “Hopefully the storm is done for the evenin’, and just like every year, we have lots of food, and games, and music for everyone to enjoy.” Sam was putting on a good show, but his normal pep was noticeably missing. “So,” he concluded, “let the festivities begin!””

Small towns know how to do festivals. There was a pumpkin carving booth where kids could create holiday masterpieces, dozens of booths filled with every kind of homemade pie you could imagine. Burgers, chili, corndogs, funnel cake, popcorn, and sausages of various shapes and sizes. Carnival games were scattered throughout the town, with the ferris wheel attracting the longest lines. The whirl-a-twirl wasn’t far behind, but mostly boys waited to see who could keep their dinner down the longest after being spun in dizzying circles.

People seemed to be having a good time, either oblivious to the town’s troubles, or choosing to remain blissful in their ignorance. Sam and Bobby worked the crowd with fake grins while Larry and Max marched into Harper’s Woods.

* * * * * * * * * *

Larry and Max walked silently through town, into Harper’s Woods, and began the fifteen-minute hike to the edge of the forest.

Five minutes into the journey, Max spoke. “Sheriff, you can’t really believe all this nonsense, can you? I mean, you’re an educated man – smarter than most around these parts. Curses and monsters and saviors – it’s fairy tale bologna.”

Larry sighed deeply while he walked. “I don’t know, Max. If you would have asked me two days ago about the legend, I would have told you the same thing. But how do you explain the deer, Charlie, and that storm? And, you even said it yourself, who fired that shot last night?”

“Everything has a logical explanation, sheriff. You learn that when you spend a lifetime out here in these woods. Animals all have their habits, and they cling to them for dear life. Migration patterns, escape routes, defense mechanisms – you learn the logic behind their movements, and they don’t stand a chance.”

“Yeah, I guess people are the same way. I didn’t spend the past thirty years out here, but that jungle back there,” Larry pointed toward Bayberry Cove, “can be just as predictable.”

“How so?”

“Just like you said, Max – habits, patterns of behavior. Right now, I know Sam and Bobby are both wearing those fake smiles, sweating like caged pigs on slaughtering day.” Max chuckled. “My wife is off investigating this story. You can bet on that.”

“You told your wife about Boreas?”

“Heck no. What am I, crazy? But she’s smart. Smarter than me. She knew something was wrong, even before Charlie washed up on shore. Hell, she’s probably closer to solving this mystery than we are.”

Max laughed again.

“And the reason I didn’t feel bad about leaving Jed and Caroline alone on Mt. Misery? I knew Jed would find her. That boy’s in love, even if he doesn’t realize it yet. A prince always finds his princess. They’ll be ok until we get back to them.”

“Wow, sheriff, I am impressed.”

“Well, you learn to understand people after studying them for so long. It’s like a sixth sense,” Larry replied proudly.

The two men slowed as they reached the treeline separating them from the rest of the world. Larry turned to survey the land to his right, then back to his left. He heard Max’s voice behind him. “I’m surprised,” Max said calmly.

“About what?” asked Larry.

“With your sixth sense and all, I’m surprised you didn’t see this coming.”

An explosion of sound and light. A sharp pain filled Larry’s body as the bullet split his shoulder blades and pierced his heart. He fell to the ground and clutched his chest. Max stood over the sheriff and stared as his latest prey.

“Max,” Larry coughed, “what are you doing!”

“I’m sorry, sheriff. Really, I am. You’re sixth sense is probably kicking in right now, so you already realize I killed that deer two nights ago. And I actually did take that shot last night.”

Larry’s eyelids grew heavy. “What? Why?”

“You were right, sheriff. People and animals are a lot alike. This town is so predictable. You are so predictable. Suggestin’ we go off into the woods by ourselves? I couldn’t have planned it better myself. You know why people never leave this town, sheriff? Because they are scared to death of what is on the other side of these trees. Their precious illusion of security – this town’s most impenetrable prison.”

“I don’t understand,” Larry exhaled. It was his last breath.

Max finished him off with another shot. “You would understand,” he said to the lifeless corpse, “if you knew what I know.”

Max dragged Larry’s body out of Harper’s Woods, across the creek, and disappeared over the horizon.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jed and Caroline stood at the far left end of a long corridor of limestone. Shadows crept in, so Jed used his Eagle Scout training to build a small fire in the middle of the cave. Luckily, the dimmed flame produced enough light to read the colorful hieroglyphics. They moved to the first drawing and saw a picture of Bayberry Cove, similar to the one Caroline drew in the sand just last night. Primitive huts were drawn throughout the town with dozens of stick figures scattered among them.

* * * * * * * * * *

Anne and Tom stood speechless for at least two full minutes before she spoke. “What does that mean? How can you be Jacob Poole?”

“It’s complicated,” Joe replied.

For the first time – maybe in his entire life – Tom Timmerman became agitated. “Well, Joe, we got all night. So how ‘bout you start explainin’ what makes it so complicated.”

Joe picked up an old pipe and lit the tobacco stuffed inside. After taking a few puffs, he began. “The problem is that there have been so many stories told about this town over the years that no one knows what the hell is true anymore. A lie is told, so the other side counters with an even bigger lie. The lies just keep multiplying and neither side remembers what really happened. Hell, neither side even cares about the truth anymore. They just want to win.”

“Sides?” Anne asked. “What sides?”

Another puff of his pipe. “Can you both forget what you think you know about this town for a few minutes? Because if you can’t, there’s no point for me to go on.”

Tom and Anne exchanged a glance and nodded. “Sure, we can forget.”

“Bayberry Cove’s founders didn’t find an abandoned town when they arrived back in 1628.”

“We already know that, Joe,” said Tom. “Boreas was here.”

A smoky haze encircled Joe’s head as he spoke. “Not just Boreas. There was already a settlement of natives living here. Dozens of people just like Boreas – families, friends, lovers. All sharing a peaceful existence in this paradise.”

“What happened to them?” asked Anne.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jed and Caroline took a step to their right and studied the next painting. A giant ship was docked in Bayberry’s waters, crudely drawn men and women were carrying guns and knives, apparently killing everyone in their path. A red substance had been smeared over the drawing – perhaps dye, or maybe dried blood.

“They slaughtered everyone,” Caroline gasped.

“Who slaughtered everyone?” Jed asked.

“I think…we did.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Joe’s voice sounded thick with emotion. “The founders killed everyone. Took their homes, their livestock, and raided the bayberry fields. It was horrible.”

“But Boreas escaped?” Tom asked.

“Yes,” Joe answered, “but not just Boreas. There was another who escaped with him into the mountains.”

“Another? Who?”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Who are these two?” asked Jed. The teens had moved on to the next painting. It depicted two people escaping the slaughter and fleeing to Mt. Misery.

“I don’t know. One of them must be Boreas. But I never heard anything about someone leaving with him.”

Jed stared at the picture. “Do you think it could be the beast? Or the sea creature?”

Caroline giggled. “I’m going to pretend like you didn’t suggest a sea creature might have walked out of the water and hid in a cave.”

Jed wasn’t amused. “Ok, genius, who the heck is it then?”

Caroline took a closer look. Her face lit up. “It’s a woman!”

“How do you know that?”

“Look, she has long hair. You can barely see it because most of the color has faded, but look – that is definitely long, brown hair.”

“I thought little dresses represented women.”

“Idiot, these aren’t signs for the restroom, they are ancient hieroglyphics. Men were represented with no hair, women with long hair, and…oh my gosh!” Caroline shouted as her eyes moved to the next drawing.

“What do you see now?” Jed asked, trying to keep up.

“I think,” she squinted her eyes at the drawing, “they had a baby!”

* * * * * * * * * *

“A what!” shouted Anne.

“Boreas escaped to Mt. Misery with his wife, Oreithyia, and they had a son shortly after named Haemus.”

“Where did these people get their book of baby names?” joked Tom.

Joe kept a stern look on his face. “The baby was named after Boreas’ father, who was killed in the attacks.”

“Oh,” Tom replied out of embarrassment.

Anne interrupted. “Ok, Joe, so I get that your version of Bayberry Cove’s history is different from our version. But I still don’t get what all this has to do with you and Jacob Poole.”

“I’m getting there,” Joe said. “Just be patient.”

Anne sighed deeply. It had been a long day and her patience was wearing thin. “So what happened to their son? What happened to Haemus?”

* * * * * * * * * *

Jed and Caroline moved deeper into the cave. One picture after another, all showing the progression from Bayberry Cove’s earliest days to the present.

“Jed, I think their baby grew up and moved back into the town. Look at this drawing – it shows a man walking down from the mountainside and entering Bayberry Cove.”

“Wow, you’re right.”

“And look, he got married – to someone from town. That means Boreas’ bloodline mixed with our bloodline!”

“So, wait, you’re saying there are people in this town who are descendants of Boreas?”

“I mean, I don’t know, but I think that’s what the story is trying to tell us.”

“This is unreal,” Jed whispered.

Caroline pointed to a symbol carved into the stone. “Hey, look at this. What do you think it means?”

“It looks like a tiny set of wings.”

“That’s weird,” Caroline said with a confused look on her face.

“What’s weird?”

“Probably nothing…it just reminds me of my birthmark.”

Jed stood in stunned silence.

“What’s wrong with you? It looks like you’ve seen a ghost,” she laughed nervously.

“Caroline, I just remembered something. Where is your birthmark?”

“Why is that important?”

“It just is. Where is it?”

She hesitated. “You are freaking me out. It’s on the back of my neck, why?”

* * * * * * * * * *

Joe told Anne and Tom about Haemus’ descent into Bayberry Cove. About the claim his ship had sunk and how he washed up on shore, even mentioning a run-in with the hideous sea creature.

Of course, the whole account was fictional, but Haemus needed a believable back-story. He needed to infiltrate the town and find a wife. And they needed to have a baby. Boreas’ spirit needed to live on. He needed to plot his revenge on the people who destroyed his life, and only a bloodline of vengeful descendants could make that dream a reality.

“So, Joe, you’re telling us that people in this town are related to Boreas?” Anne asked.

“That is exactly what I am telling you.”

Tom lost control of his emotions. “So what does that mean? And how exactly do you know all of this? Explain how you are Jacob Poole!”

Joe’s pipe had run dry, so he opted for another mug of tepid coffee. “It’s not so much that I am Jacob Poole, it’s more about the spirit of Jacob Poole living within me.”

“That could not make any less sense to me,” Tom admitted.

Joe sighed. “You ever read the Bible?”

“Sure,” Tom answered unconvincingly.

“Well, the folks who wrote the Bible liked to trace genealogies. Most people just skip over those parts because they’re kinda boring. But I’m going to rattle off a genealogy right now and you both need to pay close attention, ya hear?”

“We hear,” Anne confirmed.

“Boreas beget Haemus who beget Jacob who beget Jeremiah who beget Joseph who beget Joe who beget Caroline. Now, there are some generational skips in there, because it’s always the grandparent passing the gift down to his grandchild. Once per generation, you see. And children are technically in the same generation as their parents, so that doesn’t work.”

“So you are…”

“Boreas is my great grandfather, going back many generations of course. I’ve lost track of how many greats should be in there.”

“And Caroline?”

“Is learning about her heritage as we speak. We all find that cave around her age. And when we learn about how this town has forsaken our family, well, that spirit of Boreas gets passed on. Just like it did to Jacob Poole three hundred years ago. And me seventy-five years ago. Just like is happening right now to young Caroline Flowers.”

“So there’s no beast? No sea creature? No wizard hiding up in the mountains? No curse?”

“You two are both adults. And supposedly intelligent ones at that. There are no monsters running around Bayberry Cove - only gullible people and their silly superstitions. Nothing more.”

“Unbelievable,” muttered Tom.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing about our family tree you might want to know,” said Joe.

“I’m not sure I can take anymore,” Anne mumbled to herself.

“There is a begetting you might find interesting. Caroline’s mom, Martha, isn’t my daughter, of course. Boreas’ genes were passed on through Caroline’s father.”

“But Caroline’s father has been dead for over a decade. He died before she was even born. What does he have to do with this?” asked Tom.

“Well, her adoptive father has nothing to do with it. But my son, her biological father, has a big role to play.”

Anne’s eyes grew wide. “Her biological father? Who the hell is her real dad?”

* * * * * * * * * *

“This is terrible,” sniffed Caroline through tear-filled eyes. “I can’t believe this town treated Boreas and his family so poorly.”

“If you believe all of it,” replied Jed. “They are just pictures on a wall – anyone could have painted them.”

“I can just feel it, Jed. I know it’s true.”

“Either way, what do you make of the birthmark on your neck? And why is it carved into the wall?”

Caroline kept moving down the long corridor until she came upon the last few drawings. He jaw dropped. “I think this might explain it.”

Jed stood by her side and read the names below the most recent children born into Boreas’ family. Joseph, followed by Hubert, then another Joseph, Maximilian, and then Caroline.

“Caroline? Is that you?”

“Jed, I think I’m a descendant of Boreas. And according to this, my dad’s name is Maximilian.”

“Who the heck is Maximilian? I thought your dad’s name was Jeffrey.”

In a flash, everything made sense. Her father didn’t die – he was still alive and well in Bayberry Cove. No wonder he lived across the street. No wonder her mother always took such an interest in one particular neighbor. No wonder that same neighbor had taken such an interest in a girl he barely knew.

“Jed, it’s Max Tucker. He’s my dad.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Max Tucker disposed of Larry’s body and said a prayer for his fallen comrade. Dying was difficult, but murdering innocent friends didn’t feel like a walk in the park either.

“I’m truly sorry, Larry, but I have to protect my daughter. God knows what this town will do to her if they find out who she really is.”

Max had known the legends were fake since his father sat him down twenty years ago and explained Bayberry Cove’s true origins. The story had angered young Maximilian, but Joe Tabor explained there was nothing he could do about it. The family tradition of torturing Bayberry Cove’s residents once every seventy-five years would be passed on to Max’s child. His job was to contribute his seed, nothing more. The future depended upon it.

Max was supposed to follow a very specific plan – the same one that had sustained Boreas’ bloodline for nearly four hundred years – get married, conceive a child, and wait a dozen years for that child to find his way to the cave to be filled with the spirit of Boreas.

But a drunken one-night stand changed the plan dramatically.

Nine months later, Caroline was born – a daughter – and the birthmark was unmistakable. For the first time, a girl had been chosen to lead the next generation.

At first, Joe and Max were shocked, but Caroline had grown up to be a remarkable young woman. More intelligence and character than the two men had combined.

As Max walked through Harper’s Woods and back into town, he thought about all he had done to protect his daughter over the years. And he cringed over what was left to do. He heard music blaring from the Pumpkin Festival, and with one final prayer for courage, Max Tucker walked into the center of Bayberry Square and found Bobby inhaling a massive corndog.

“Bobby, come quick,” he said in a panicked tone. “We need to get to Mt. Misery to find Jed and Caroline!”

“Where’s the sheriff?” Bobby responded, his mouth stuffed with meat byproducts and corn meal.

“He’s already on his way. Let’s go!”

“What about my dad? Shouldn’t we get him?”

“No time! Your friends need you right now. We have to go!”

Max swiveled his head to make sure Sam was nowhere in sight, then turned to lead Bobby away from the festival and toward Mt. Misery.

* * * * * * * * * *

“I don’t understand, Joe. Why are you telling us all of this? A confession at this point doesn’t make any sense.” Anne was doing all of the talking. Tom had retreated into his own cluttered brain to try piecing together the mystery.

“Because there has been enough killing. Four hundred years worth of killing. One too many deaths for my taste.” Joe looked out his front window and sighed.

“Charlie,” whispered Anne. “Max killed Charlie, didn’t he?”

“That son of a bitch is the real beast! Charlie was my friend. He knew what needed to happen this year. He knew I would have to pull the trigger. He took that swim because he wanted to force my hand, and he did. But not the way he thought. I couldn’t kill my best friend. But Max could, and did.”

“But why is Max doing all of this?”

“He’s trying to protect Caroline, but he’s only going to make things worse. He thinks if we come out and tell the truth, the town will kill all of us.”

“So he’s trying to keep the charade going so the town blames a ghost instead of his daughter?”

“I suppose.”

“So what do we do, Joe? How do we stop him?”

“Get to Caroline. Find her. It is tradition for one generation to pass on the spirit to the next generation through a shared sacrifice. I refuse to be a part of it, of course, but Max is planning to take my place.”

“A sacrifice! Like a human sacrifice?"

“Yes,” the old man confirmed.

“That is absurd! Who will be sacrificed?”

“It can be anyone from the town. Just has to be a pure-blood.”

“Why won’t Max just let the legend die! Why force this destiny upon Caroline?”

“Because the spirit of Boreas is strong within him. Vengeance is in his genes. Anger, hatred, unforgiveness – they eat away at your soul until revenge becomes an obsession.”

Anne shook her head in disbelief. Tom rubbed the temples of his forehead, hoping to wake up from his nightmare at any moment.

“Hurry, find Caroline,” Joe pleaded. “Take this map; it will lead you to the cave. There still may be time.”

Anne grabbed the map from Joe’s hands, Tom stood and nodded at the old man, and they were both out the door, on their way to Mt. Misery.

* * * * * * * * * *

Caroline’s legs felt like rubber. She balanced herself against the limestone wall, then slid to the ground.

“I can’t believe this, Jed. What does it all mean?”

Jed sat down beside her. “I guess it means our families pissed each other off a long time ago and we’re supposed to hate each other now.”

“I don’t hate you,” she whispered.

“Good,” he smiled.

“But I can’t believe people did that to my family,” she said, suddenly agitated.

“It was four hundred years ago, Caroline. Maybe your family should stop holding a grudge.”

She turned to look at him. “How can you say that? One of your relatives probably murdered Boreas’ brother; probably led the mob to run him and his wife out of town.”

“Caroline, that was four hundred years ago! Even if one of my relatives did murder his brother, who cares?”

“Who cares?” Her eyes widened. Fire seemed to burn in her retinas. “I care. My dad cares. My grandpa cares.”

“Fine, calm down.” Jed looked frightened. “I apologize for my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather who might have run your great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather out of town. Geeze!”

Caroline’s thoughts became cloudy. Without thinking clearly, she punched Jed hard in his right shoulder. His screech was deafening. She stood and ran deeper into the cave, around a corner, and out of Jed’s sight.

Caroline found herself standing in the middle of a large, open room. A slab of rock was positioned in the center of the room – it looked like an operating table. Above, a small hole had formed, allowing soft moonlight to peak inside and illuminate the limestone bed. Hanging on the wall to her right was a gorgeous dagger – its ten-inch steel blade supported by a meticulously carved marble handle.

“The wings,” she said aloud to herself as she picked up the dagger. The symbol imprinted on the back of her neck since birth was also carved into the black marble. “Beautiful,” she murmured.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Jed, what happened?” Bobby shouted as he ran to his best friend’s side.

Max led them directly to the cave, having visited Boreas’ ancient home dozens of times over the years. That intimate knowledge also made it incredibly easy to lead Larry away from the cave earlier that day.

“It’s Caroline, she’s going crazy. And Mr. Tucker!” Jed shouted when Max was in sight.

“Bobby,” Max interrupted, “I need you to run back into town and get Dr. Mallory and Nurse Newhart. Jed is hurt and he needs medical attention.”

“No, wait,” Jed argued, but Max was persistent.

“Bobby, now!” he demanded. Bobby looked back to Jed, who was about ready to speak again, but Max leaped forward and pulled the mayor’s son up by his shoulders. “Bobby, hurry before it’s too late!”

Bobby took off running after Max threw him out of the cave’s entrance.

“Mr. Tucker, what is going on? Why didn’t you tell Caroline you are her dad? Are you the one who is killing all of these people?”

Max grinned. This was working out better than expected. He liked Jed, and wouldn’t take any pleasure in watching him die, but it needed to be done to protect his daughter. Jed was a pure-blood. Noah Rogers had fought against Boreas’ descendants. He would make a perfect sacrifice. And not only would it appease the Spirit of Boreas, but Jed was the only other person who knew about the cave’s contents. Eliminating him would solve everything.

“Jed, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but your girlfriend is about to stab a dagger into your heart.”

“What are you talking about!” Jed shouted.

“It’s the only way to protect my daughter and keep Boreas alive. You understand, right?”

“Mr. Tucker, there is no way Caroline is going to kill me. She…well, I think she…”

“Loves you?” Max laughed. “Well, we’ll have to see about that, kid.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

From a few hundred yards away, Anne and Tom saw a tiny speck emerge from the rocks and begin a hasty descent down Mt. Misery. It was Bobby, and he was moving with record speed to find his father, Dr. Mallory, and Nurse Newhart.

“That must be the cave,” said Tom. “But who the heck was that?”

“I have no idea, but something must be wrong. We need to get there fast.”

“Maybe you should try callin' the sheriff again. We might need some heavy artillery for this raid.”

Anne reached for her cell phone and dialed her husband’s number one final time. The previous two attempts went to his voicemail. Larry almost always answered his phone when she called. Hearing his outgoing message a third time made her worry.

“Still nothing,” she said.

“Well, maybe he got your first message and is on his way,” reassured Tom.

Anne wasn’t convinced. “Yeah, maybe.”

“For now, we should keep goin' and try again once we’re closer. It should take us a few minutes to get to the entrance, so let’s not waste any time.”

Anne agreed. She was ready to confront whatever was happening in that cave, but a part of her was elsewhere, wondering if her husband was safe.

* * * * * * * * * *

“You can’t fight your destiny, sweetheart.”

Max Tucker had dragged Jed into the sanctuary, strapped him to the stone slab in the center of the room, and repeated the terrifying words to his daughter. “You can’t fight your destiny.”

“My destiny is to murder the boy I…” her voice trailed off.

“It’s ok, Caroline. You can say it. Love. The boy you love,” said Max.

“Mr. Tucker…Max…dad…uhhh…I don’t even know what to call you.”

“Dad has a nice ring to it,” he grinned.

“I just don’t understand. Why did you leave my mom? Why didn’t you just tell me you were my father? Why all the secrets?”

Max touched his daughter’s shoulder. “Because I was tryin' to protect you. There are some smart people in this town, and one of them was bound to figure everything out. If they did, I didn’t want them to find you.”

“Mr. Tuck…dad…I can’t kill anyone, especially not Jed. I’m sorry.”

“Boreas was a good man, sweetheart. He and his people – our people – lived on this land for hundreds of years before the murderers came along. Hyperboreans were loving and peaceful. And they cared about Bayberry Cove’s mysticism.”

“What mysticism?” she asked.

“Can’t you feel it? There is somethin' magical about this town. People grow up here and they never want to leave. Some of the ancients used to say God himself lived in the valley. We were given paradise and,” Max pointed to Jed, “his ancestors took it away from us.” Max’s voice rose. “They murdered members of our family, and this may be the only opportunity to get our revenge!”

Caroline’s demeanor changed. Jed turned his head and realized she looked like…Max. Angry, hurt, confused, and hell-bent on getting her vengeance.

She took ten steps toward the dagger, picked it up, walked to Jed’s side, clutched the marble handle with both hands, and said, “You murdered my family.” Tears filled her eyes. A single drop ran down her cheek and fell onto Jed’s damaged arm.

“Caroline, what are you doing?” he pleaded. “It’s me, Jed. Please, Caroline, don’t do this. Please…I love you!”

She closed her eyes, squeezing out more streams of salty water.

“Caroline, you must do it!” shouted Max. “This is your fate. This is how it has always been and how it must always be.”

“Caroline, you can choose a different path.” The voice came from behind Max. It was strong. And it was feminine. Tom and Anne had arrived.

Max turned and looked frustrated. “What are you two doin' here? This doesn’t concern you!”

“Yes it does, Max,” said Anne. “We know everything, so it’s already too late.”

“You don’t know anything!” he barked.

“We spoke to your father.” She spoke louder. “Caroline, your grandfather. He’s Max’s father. Max is your dad and he is confused right now. And I think you are too.”

“Mrs. Wamsley,” Caroline cried, “I don’t know what to do.”

“I know, dear, but I know you don’t want to hurt Jed. This isn’t your fault, sweetie. Just put the knife down and everything will be ok.”

Max was furious. “Caroline, don’t listen to her. They are all against us. They are all murderers. Sacrifice Jed and you will see everything so clearly.”

Jed breathed heavily just inches away from the ten-inch blade. He stared into Caroline’s eyes, but she wouldn’t return the look.

Another new voice. “What the hell is goin’ on here?” Sam, Bobby, Dr. Mallory, and Nurse Newhart had arrived.

“You have to be kiddin’ me,” said Max. “Is the whole damn town waitin’ outside?”

“Caroline!” Bobby screamed. “What are ya doin’?”

“Do it!” shouted Max. “Kill him!”

“Sweetie, just put down the knife,” pleaded Anne.

More voices – Tom Timmerman, the mayor, Dr. Mallory, Nurse Newhart. Everyone had an opinion. Jed kept staring. Caroline shook from the tension.

“Did you guys ever read Greek Mythology?” she finally asked. The question stunned everyone into silence.

“There is this story about two monsters – Scylla and Charybdis.”

No one spoke.

“Well, these two monsters protected this narrow strait. If you tried escaping in one direction, Scylla got you. And if you went the other way, Charybdis was waiting. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”

More silence.

“Well, I was just thinking how this situation is just like that story.”

“How do you mean, Caroline?” asked Anne.

A steady flow of tears streamed from her eyes. “There is no right answer, is there? I mean, if I put down the dagger and forgive everyone, then it’s like I’m condoning what happened four hundred years ago. And it wasn’t right what people did to Boreas and his family.”

“Exactly, Caroline, so kill him!” demanded Max.

She looked at her biological father with brown, puffy eyes. “But, if I kill him, then I am just continuing four hundred years of hate and murder. Revenge isn’t the answer, dad. I mean, look at you. You are so angry right now. I don’t want to be like that for the rest of my life.”

“Then put down the knife!” Sam shouted.

“There’s no right answer,” she mumbled, “except this one.”

Caroline gripped the handle tightly, lifted the dagger in front of her chest, and plunged the blade toward her heart.

Instinctively, everyone moved forward to prevent the suicide – Max, Anne, Tom, Sam, Bobby, Dr. Mallory, and Nurse Newhart – but none of them were close enough to prevent Caroline’s death.

Only one person had the power to save the girl he loved.

Jed Rogers.

The ropes Max used to restrain the star quarterback were old and rotted. Eagle Scouts have a few tricks up their sleeve. Jed had freed his left hand just seconds before Caroline lifted the dagger, and lunged just in time to catch her arm before steel touched skin.

The dagger fell from her hand; the crowd rushed forward; everyone was safe.

Max fell to his knees and wept. In one act of selfless heroism, the Spirit of Boreas had been destroyed.

The town was finally free.

* * * * * * * * * *

Tom Timmerman held Anne as she sobbed. News of her husband’s death seemed to release a flood of emotions that had been collecting all day. Larry Wamsley was a hero, dedicated to protecting those he loved, and he would be dearly missed by everyone.

For the first time in a long time, Bayberry Cove had a prisoner. Max Tucker was horrified at the man he had become, and demanded to be executed for his crimes. The judge refused, mostly because Anne Wamsley spoke at the trial, insisting Max be spared the death penalty so he could watch his daughter grow into a woman. Caroline’s forgiving heart seemed to infect others with a love that could not be explained.

Sam continued his job as mayor. Tom had one hell of a story that he buried in order to protect his friends. And the rest of the town remained blissfully ignorant to what happened in that cave carved into the side of Mt. Misery. After all, Thanksgiving was around the corner, and they had a festival to prepare.

Bobby felt a little queasy as he watched Jed and Caroline hold hands the entire walk home. And he nearly gagged when he saw his two best friends wander off beneath a maple tree and share their first kiss. The embrace was awkward and uncomfortable, but it was real. Something Bayberry Cove had been missing for a long time.

* * * * * * * * * *

The year is 2008. The beast has been destroyed. So has the sea creature. Very few were killed in the final battle. Boreas has fled Bayberry Cove and we don’t expect to see him back again. There is so much blame to go around, but thankfully, a young girl taught us all a lesson about forgiveness. We are free because she was willing to sacrifice her own life to save Bayberry Cove.

That’s my girl.

Joe Tabor closed the journal, lit his pipe, and sent a smoke ring toward the Heavens.


THE END