Fortunately, we only had to wait a couple of hours, because sleep evaded us for the remainder of the night. We sat on the couch, Kelly’s head in my lap as I stroked her hair. Once the morning light had brightened our room, I threw on my hiking shoes and ventured into the village square. Several townspeople had already emerged from their hovels, but I barely registered their presence. I spotted Ezekiel sitting at one of the tables in the dining area under the overhang and stormed directly toward him. He stirred from his watch to acknowledge my arrival. I confronted him immediately, raising my voice to show I meant business.
“Don’t unlock your door at night? What exactly were you so concerned about out there?”
He regarded me coolly. “I reckon you didn’t listen to me then.”
“We didn’t expect there to be people out in the damn woods.”
Ezekiel fidgeted slightly, seemingly bothered by that statement.
I spoke again. “My girlfriend and I are getting out of here. We appreciate everything you’ve done, but it’s clear that there’s an issue here, so we’re going to make our way back now.”
“That would be a very poor decision.”
“Come on!” I snapped, “You keep telling us what to do, but you haven’t told us why. Don’t treat me like a child. Tell me what’s going on, or we’re leaving.”
“Take a seat son.” Ezekiel replied in a steady voice, his gaze off somewhere in the distance and expression still hard. I reluctantly obliged.
“It all started years ago, exactly how many… well that’s not important. This village wasn’t always so isolated. We used to receive many visitors, stopping by during their travels. Us townsfolk were proud of what our parents and grandparents had built with their own hands. We still are despite what has happened, what has changed since those days. Around here, neighbors are friends and friends are neighbors. Kate and I were particularly close with John and Peggy Cook. Those would be the former owners of the residence you occupied last night.”
I recalled the couple from the old photograph Kelly had been looking at.
“Each day was relatively similar around here, just folks working to put food on the table, and this day wasn’t much different. Kate, the Cooks, and I were out picking berries from a grove of bushes back in the forest. The bushes had borne a plentiful amount of fruit as each of us had nearly filled our baskets to the brim and we were excited to bring our bounty back to the village. We had pushed our luck with the clouds that day and, unfortunately, they finally decided to break on our way home. The sky started to downpour and we beat a hasty retreat. About halfway home, we approached that area with the big old pit - yes, the one you’re familiar with. People in this town have been well aware of that pit for as long as I can remember. Our folks always made it clear that we weren’t allowed to go anywhere near that place. Whether due to old habits, or perhaps our instincts, we’ve always respected it and kept a wide berth. That day however, everyone just wanted to get out of the rain. We probably weren’t thinking with the same level of clarity as usual. So, we decided to cut through the clearing - or I did and they followed”.
I could hear an edge of guilt starting to form in his voice.
“We weren’t running very close to the edge, in fact I was closer to the trees myself. I still have no idea how it happened. Maybe she rolled her ankle, or tripped on her dress, or God knows what, but one moment, the four of us were making a beehive across the clearing, the next Peggy was crying out for help. I turned to see her stumbling towards the edge of the pit, her basket upturned and berries pouring into the dirt. John lunged to save her, but the rocky surface surrounding the drop was slick with rain. They didn’t stand a chance. I’ll never forget watching them flail and then hearing their screams as they disappeared into the void. I still remember the shock as I looked from the pit, to the berries spilled on the ground, to my wife’s disbelieving eyes.”
Ezekiel trailed off.
“Wow… that’s terrible. I’m really sorry to hear about that.”, I offered, feeling a little lost.
“That’s not the end of the story.” Ezekiel refocused. “Word quickly spread about the Cook’s terrible fate. There was a great deal of sorrow, as they were beloved in the community, but still, nobody would go anywhere near that pit. A rescue - or recovery - effort was never mounted. We all had to accept that they were gone. A couple of weeks later, I was hiking in the forest. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just taking in the beauty of nature and trying to clear my mind. As I scanned the woods to my side, something out of place caught my eye, just for a second. I looked a little harder, and then I saw what it was. I couldn’t believe it, but way back in the woods, probably about twenty or thirty yards off the path, was old John Cook, just standing there completely still. Now, he was facing in the opposite direction and quite a ways away, but it was unmistakably him. He was even wearing the same outfit he had on when he vanished down the hole. I was about to call out to him when I was overcome with a strange feeling. Something just… unsettled me and caused me to hesitate. John must have sensed me because he cocked his head to the side and started to turn. I don’t know why, but something told me that if he laid eyes on me, I would be in trouble. So I ducked behind a tree and I hid. I’d reckon I stood there for at least a couple minutes. Then I started to convince myself that I was being ridiculous and a poor friend to boot. I left my hiding spot to look for John, but the man had vanished, without a trace that he had been there to begin with.”
I was ready to interrupt Ezekiel and ask him what this story had to do with the current situation, but the look on his face told me that this guy needed to vent and I had better listen.
“I didn’t tell anyone what I had seen. Figured it would just cause more trouble. But boy, I wish I had. A few days later, a group of children was playing on the outskirts of town, building a little fort or something. My two kids, our friends the James’ boys, and a girl, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harris. Around noon, four of the kids came running back, ready for lunch. The Harris girl hadn’t returned. We asked where the child had gone and the kids all told us the same exact thing. She had left with Miss Peggy to go make dessert. Of course, the Cook’s house hadn’t been touched. No one ever saw that poor girl again.”
Ezekiel’s face was the grimmest I had seen it yet.
“We don’t go into the forest much these days. People who enter that place have a habit of not coming back. So you might understand why it’s not a good idea for the two of you to go running off by yourselves.”
Ezekiel looked me in the eyes during that final statement. I took a moment to digest his story.
“Jesus.” I said, “So all of you have been trapped here ever since?”
“Trapped is a strong word. This is our home and we’re proud to live here.”
“Well, this isn’t our home. Despite everything you’ve told us and everything we’ve seen, staying here for the rest of our lives isn’t an option.”
Ezekiel blew out a long sigh, puffing out his weathered cheeks. “You folks can’t go alone. If you’re going to be that stubborn, I’ll have to come with you.”
“What? Why would you risk that for us?”
“I’ve taken ownership of this village over the years. As our guests, any harm that comes to you is on my shoulders. I’ve seen enough of our people go out there alone and I’m not going to sit back and watch it happen again.”
“Gee man, I don’t know what to say.”
“But I do have one request.” Ezekiel maintained eye contact.
“Sure, what’s that?”
“That we go tomorrow. I want to spend one more day with my family.”
That left me with more than a small knot in my stomach.
I spent the remainder of the morning bringing Kelly up to speed on my conversation with Ezekiel as well as the plan moving forward. Remarkably, she accepted the story. Her first reaction was to vacate the Cooks’ house as quickly as possible. So it was settled, we would stay the night in Ezekiel’s house and make our way out of the Darker Woods first thing in the morning. I felt a pang of embarrassment for encroaching on our hosts even further, but I had to admit that sleeping in that bed for a second night didn’t sit well with me either. We spent the day keeping to ourselves, and I even took up the barkeep on some of his vintage brews, trying to calm my nerves. As the sun started to dip below the tree line, the village people made their way indoors for the evening. Our time in the Darker Woods was coming to a head, and I couldn’t have been more on edge.
Ezekiel and I sat in the front room of his house, which was fortunately one of the town’s larger residences. A single wall roughly divided the house in half between a living room and a bedroom. Ezekiel had decided it would be best if he and I kept watch while Kelly, Kate, and the kids got a good night’s sleep. I insisted that Ezekiel get some rest with his family, but it was clear that was a battle of pride I was not going to win. I sat in one of a set of faded green armchairs while Ezekiel occupied a matching couch opposite me, his rifle resting on the cushion next to him. Both of us had been slowly sipping from our own warm beer bottle, trying to draw out the supply as deep into the night as possible. The front door of the house sat to my left and the bedroom door was tightly shut to my right.
“Ezekiel,” I started “You’ve been acting as if this trip is something like a death sentence. Do you really think we’re that certain to run into trouble? Maybe when it’s light out, we’ll have a better time making it through.”
“You didn’t do so well avoiding trouble when you were out there yesterday.” Ezekiel responded.
“I can’t deny that, but we still made it here. I think we’ve got this.”
Ezekiel didn’t reply. I continued on, feeling bold after the drinks I had consumed.
“Do you really want to spend the rest of your life here? Think about your kids. There’s a gigantic world to see out there. There’s so much more to life than what you have in front of your face.”
“We have everything we need in this town.” The man wore a stern expression, but I could tell that my words were getting to him.
“Come on, man.” I pried, “I agree, there’s some freaky stuff going on here, but you can’t live your life in fear. I respect the hell out of you, but I think you’re taking this too far. At some point enough is enough and you’ve got to face up to things!”
“Isn’t that what tomorrow’s about?” Ezekiel stared out the window behind my head. “I keep thinking that if someone, just one person, can get out of this forest, then maybe the rest of us…”
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
We were interrupted by three forceful knocks landing deliberately on the front door. Both of us bolted upright and Ezekiel clutched his firearm as my anxiety began to skyrocket. A familiar female voice rasped from the beyond the barrier.
“Hello? Ezekiel, are you there tonight?”
The man beside me tensed up even further.
“Ezekiel, please let us inside. It’s cold out here tonight.”
My host raised his voice, causing me to jump.
“This has gone on long enough. It’s time for you to leave. Please, leave this village and never return.”
The woman replied, seemingly ignoring his words.
“Hello? Ezekiel, are you there tonight?”
“Go away!” He shouted back.
My eyes detected movement and I could see the brass doorknob wiggling from side to side. Whoever was out there, they were trying to make an entry. The knob went still and I was sure I could hear the sound of scraping, like someone dragging their feet through the dirt as they shuffled around the house. Then, something abruptly flashed into the window beside the door - a pale face. The lantern in our room was enough to illuminate the features of the person, as their visage was nearly pressed against the glass, though I wish I had not been able to see. Even in the dim light, I could tell that I was unmistakably looking at the woman from the Cook photo, but everything was just - wrong. The greyish, sagging skin was covered in a green film of what I could only assume to be some kind of moss or algae. Her white hair, pulled into a tight bun, was laced with shreds of dead leaves and twigs. From what I could tell, she wore a dress that was similar to Kate’s, however the portion that was visible was filthy and tattered. Her dry, thin lips were twisted into a nasty grin, the teeth jagged and rotting. Worst of all were her eyes, two pupilless spheres of spoiled milk staring blankly into the house.
“Help me!” She yelled, her mouth the only thing that showed any sign of animation.
My heart in my throat, I caught a glance of Ezekiel through the corner of my eye. The man held his ground, training his rifle directly at the hag.
“Leave this place, fiend!” He yelled.
She called out again. “I’ve fallen and I think my leg is broken. You’re the first person I’ve seen in several hours. Please! You have to help me.” Her mouth returned to a foul smile even larger than the last.
“Get out of here!” Ezekiel’s strained voice sounded near to breaking.
The horrific woman stood there, as still as a statue. Then, much to my surprise, she peeled her face away from the window and melted back into the darkness. Reluctantly but quickly, I stalked forward and peered through the glass. In the light of the moon, I could make out a silhouette shambling towards the woods. I allowed myself to feel a tinge of relief. This respite, however, was short lived. A light jingling noise sounded from my right. In disbelief, I turned to see Ezekiel, hand gripping the doorknob. Dread flooded back into my chest.
“What are you doing??” I hissed.
“Something I should have done a long time ago.” Ezekiel murmured resolutely.
I watched in horror as in one swift motion, he flung open the door and raised the butt of the gun up to his shoulder. He held that position just long enough to take a deep breath and then he pulled the trigger. The crack of the rifle was deafening as it rebounded off of the room’s wooden interior. I faced the window just in time to observe the figure in the yard as it stumbled forward. It stumbled, but it did not fall. The form of the hag whipped around with inhuman speed and started to tear towards the house.
“No!”
Ezekiel shouted beside me and I turned as a flurry of limbs and fabric flew through the open door, landing on the man and sending him tumbling. His weapon was knocked from his hands, skittering across the floor and coming to a stop mere inches away from my feet. Ezekiel screamed like a wounded animal as the woman pinned him to the ground, her arms pushing down on his and her knees pressing into his abdomen. Moving on pure instinct, I grabbed for the gun. The hag’s face snapped in my direction and she unleashed an ear-splitting shriek, pushing her vocal chords to the very limit. Rifle in hand, I retreated towards the bedroom door. The woman turned her focus back on Ezekiel, throwing her head back and extending her mouth wide. With an unbridled ferocity, she buried her face into his throat. The man’s screams warped into gurgles and he started to thrash violently beneath the weight of his attacker.
Panic coursed through my veins, but the gun was my lifeline. If I didn’t figure out what I was doing in a hurry, everyone in that house was going to pay with their life. It appeared that some sort of hammer mechanism needed to be engaged before the weapon would fire. I was a novice when it came to guns and I could only hope that there was a second round in the chamber. My focus wavered as wet, squelching noises emitted from the doorway. My fingers fumbled with the device as I tried to keep my mind on the task at hand. After a few precious seconds, I heard an audible click. I instantly raised the barrel, expecting the hag to rush me at any point.
The following events moved in quick succession, so I can only do my best to describe the scene before me. Two individuals were sprawled on the wood floor, one on top of the other. On the bottom was Ezekiel, his form lifeless and still, his glassy eyes staring at the ceiling. The woman, however, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, I was confronted with the top of a man’s bald head as he dug his face into the bloody mess that used to be Ezekiel’s throat. He paused to look up at me, crimson running down his chin and staining his white button-down shirt. He smiled hideously, and he was every bit as decrepit and rotten as the hag. A nasty green film coated his body and empty white eyes showed from behind clouded spectacles.
I could hear the sound of crying from the bedroom behind me. Kelly called my name while Kate called for the man who now laid deceased before me. My hands shaking, I tightened my finger on the rifle’s trigger. The spectacled man opened his mouth to speak, however, the voice that emitted was identical to the old woman’s.
“Help me! Help me! Hello?”
His voice dropped to a lower, hoarse tone and I froze with terror as he continued to vocalize.
“Hello? Is anybody home?”
The man stood, pushing down on Ezekiel’s chest for stability as he rose to his feet. Once again hearing the screams of the women behind me, I gripped the rifle tightly. I needed to act or he would soon be upon me. The sight quivered in my trembling hands, but I didn’t have time to think. I aimed for the head and fired. Another thunderous shot rang throughout the room and the butt of the gun kicked into my shoulder. The right side of the man’s face exploded in a shower of gore, his head whipping backwards and spectacles flying to the ground. I lowered the smoking barrel. Time seemed to grind to a halt as the fiend stood unmoving, his head pointed unnaturally towards the ceiling. Then he lurched back into motion, his head snapping into place with a sickening *crack*. I had hit my target. His right eye socket was now a gaping, leaking hole, but that horrendous, jagged smile remained completely intact. Before I had a chance to react, he dashed at me, slamming my body into the wall. I fell to the floor, striking my head against the wood.
I felt a crushing weight upon my chest, far heavier than what should be possible from a single person. His foul visage was inches from mine, stinking fluids from his wound dripping onto my face. His maw opened wide, and for a split-second I could see unspeakably putrid innards beyond the saw-like, rotting teeth. His breath was surprisingly icy, but the stench that washed over me was like something coming from a mass grave baking in the sun. My will to live broken, I closed my eyes and awaited the final blow. A vice clamped down on my throat and as the accompanying pain began to blossom, my mind went blank.
…
I opened my eyes to the morning sunlight penetrating through a canopy of tree leaves. A deep fog swirled in my brain and I lowered my eyelids once again, resting my head on the forest floor. As my head began to clear, the past night’s memories flooded back. I bolted upright, now wide awake.
“Kelly!” My shouts of distress disturbed the morning calm.
“Kelly!”
I sensed someone stirring behind me and was greatly relieved to see that it was my girlfriend. Kelly pulled herself to her feet, her hair a mess and eyes squinting in the light.
“What the hell are we doing out here?” She asked, her confusion apparent.
“I don’t have a clue.” I responded. “Where did everyone go? Are we dead?”
“Dead? All I can remember is waking up to a huge commotion outside our room. I thought it was possible that… that you didn’t make it. But next thing I know, I’m waking up next to you out here. What happened in there?”
I quickly recapped my recollection to Kelly, sparing her the worst of the details, including Ezekiel’s fate. We had found ourselves in an area filled with the crooked trees native to the Darker Woods. Other than that, there were no signs as to where exactly we had ended up.
“We’re lost. We have to locate the village, no matter what’s waiting for us there.” I proclaimed.
But Kelly was inspecting something that I had not noticed before, a pile of gray stone blocks, clearly once part of a manmade creation. They were wrapped in thick brown vines as if the forest had decided to reclaim the structure. Looking at the ground around us, I began to detect all sorts of debris scattered throughout the area, from rubble to rotted pieces of wood impaled with brown nails.
“Thomas, look at this!”
Kelly was ripping something out a nearby patch of ivy. As the vines gave way, I saw she was holding a large, rusted sheet of metal.
“Put that down!” I scolded.
“No, look!” She held out the object.
I had to squint, but I could make out letters pressed into the surface of the metal. It took me a few moments to put the words together - The Lame Horse.
“What’s going here?” I exclaimed more than asked.
Kelly gestured towards the sun, which was barely visible through the trees. “Assuming the time is about seven or eight o’clock, that way is east. Which means we most likely entered this place from somewhere over there.” She moved her finger down to point past me.
Kelly continued, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I think our only chance is to be confident in our sense of direction and make our way out. Are your keys still in your pocket?”
Miraculously, they were. I didn’t have any better ideas, so we proceeded into the forest. We moved cautiously, but fortunately, we didn’t encounter any danger. About ten minutes into our hike, the trees began to fall away as Kelly and I entered another clearing. We instantly froze as we realized exactly where we were. The great black pit yawned ominously in front of us, just as it had days ago when we first entered the woods. Recalling Ezekiel’s story, I turned to Kelly. “Keep a wide berth. We don’t want to go anywhere near that thing.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Kelly replied nervously. “At least we know we’re on the right path now. This was the last landmark we saw before we got lost.”
We carefully navigated the area’s perimeter, making sure to stay within the tree line. As we reached the other side and prepared to reenter the thick of the forest, I allowed myself to feel some optimism that we might make it out of this place after all.
*Clang*
The sound of a bell pierced through my thoughts. It rang again, and again, with a constant and steady tempo. Kelly turned to me, a smile on her face. “That’s the bell from the village! The people must be ok after all, if they’re going through their daily routines.”
After all I had experienced, I wasn’t so sure, but I returned her infectious smile. As the bell continued to ring, however, our shared expressions of joy turned to looks of confusion, and then to abject horror. Between each strike, barely noticeable at first, a dull roar began to swell. The sound became stronger and more distinct until it grew into a full on, agonized wail. My ears were assailed with a cacophony of dozens, maybe hundreds, of men, women, and children, shrieking, yelling and crying out in despair. Without another word, we bolted into the forest, away from the clearing. Even after we climbed the fence, we continued to run until our lungs forced us to jog and jogged until our legs forced us to walk. We didn’t stop until we had entered our car, putting as much distance between us and the Darker Woods as humanly possible.
I refuse to refer to that park by name because I know the skeptical among you would go out of your way to find it. But please, mark my words: If you’re aware of which park I’m talking about, do not enter the Darker Woods. Even to this day, I can’t help but feel that of all the souls to enter that place, Kelly and I are in a very small and lucky minority. I believe that something’s been going on out there for far longer than any of us could possibly imagine. Because, you see, when that bell started to ring, it had dawned on us where it was coming from. It was coming from inside the pit.