For many years, I was a park ranger. The most memorable thing that happened to me was in 1986. If you lived through the era, you don’t need me to describe it for you, and if you didn’t, you’ve probably gotten a sense of what it was like through movies, music, and TV. There was a vividness in the air that was unlike anything else. On my days off, I was always seeing movies now regarded as classics of the era. Most of the rangers did that on their days off, and after a shift, it wasn’t uncommon for us to go to the local mall and hang out in the food court. Since then, the mall has been demolished after years of decline. But I still have the memories.
And even if we did have work, we still had plenty of fun. Every Friday night, we would check out the latest movies released at the local video store. Because we would take our selections to the ranger station that served as our office, pop them in the VCR, and spend the rest of the shift watching our selections. This was before cell phones, when a movie being released on video was a big deal, and before there was the endless choices of TV or entertainment you have today. So being able to watch movies on the job with my fellow rangers was an event. Some of the best memories I have of my job as a park ranger, and of the era in general, were movie nights at the ranger station.
But of course, sometimes reality can be stranger than any movie. The week it all started, it had been raining on and off for a few days before, so we spent most of our shifts in the ranger station. I was working the day shift on that particular afternoon. It was late spring, and the air in that area near the mountains was crisp and fresh. So refreshing, it almost feels unnatural. But even the air is nothing compared to the view. You don’t see it so much as you feel it. It’s an experience. But then nature often is. Many times, I had moments that felt more like a vivid dream than a day at work. The pine trees were so lush, green, and vibrant that they stuck out vividly against the bright blue sky and the crisp white clouds. The thick outer layer of pine trees surrounding the park sloped down at a perfect angle, and there were enough trees that you could smell the scent of pine even if you weren’t incredibly close, which was fine by me. I’ve always loved the refreshing smell of pine. I also love seeing the tops of the trees swaying when its windy. And driving down the hills and slopes of the park with the windows open in the middle of summer is absolutely magnificent.
To make matters even better, the grass had just been mowed, and the smell hung in the air. The grass itself had been cut in rows that were so precise, you could trace them all the way to the park’s fence. I’d seen it done a thousand times, and the effect was always so crisp and neat, regardless of what trees, flowers, benches, or buildings were nearby. I knew the park employees who did it, and never failed to be impressed by their work. But that’s the thing about nature; even the parts of it we can have some influence over never fails to be a sight to see.
As I was walking past a cluster of picnic benches, I briefly looked to the left and saw something sitting there on the ground in front of the area. It was a plastic mask someone might wear as part of a Halloween costume, lying discarded on the grass like it had been forgotten.
I stood there, unsure of what exactly to think. Was this some kind of a joke? Or was this all deliberate? Back then, it seemed much more likely that something was a joke or an accident, because in order to film something, you needed an actual camera to do it. So I was leaning towards a joke. But if this was a joke, then who was it being played on?
The mask was one of those that covers your entire head. With its fangs and other features, I guessed this one was supposed to be a vampire. A costume store throwaway that could be gotten a million different places for a few bucks. But it obviously didn’t wind up here by itself, so what was the reason why?
After a moment or two, I radioed my superiors. They told me to sit tight, and they’d come check it out. They did, and they decided to just log the find in the record and told me and the others to keep an eye out for more of them. That’s not surprising, because most of the job is just keeping an eye out for anything odd. So I went on with the rest of my day and eventually, like most things, it wound up being just a story. Everyone working there had their own, and this happened to be one of mine.
A story that wouldn’t continue until several weeks later. It was warm out, but with the Sun setting, the air was getting just a bit cooler. As I headed back to the ranger station from where I had been double checking something, I could see the Sun peeking out from behind the trees. It wasn’t quite dusk yet, but it wouldn’t be long before it was time. The day had been one of those perfect spring days where it was warm, but not humid, and you can feel summer in the air.
There was also some fog out, which is always interesting in the woods. But my favorite part of nighttime out here was that on clear nights, the moon would reflect off the lake’s calm surface. The lake was surrounded by a quarry, so it wasn’t easy to get to. I don’t have much reason to go down by the lake, but when I do, and the Sun is setting, it’s magnificent to see.
Aside from a single wooden dock that’s kept locked up, there’s no way to access the lake. Not that you would want to go swimming in it, because it’s all rocky soil that’s a nightmare to walk on. And there’s not much fish in it, so it’s not much good for fishing either. But that view at sundown, sunset, or when the moon is full, beats any fishing or swimming in my opinion. I’ve always loved lakes and ponds, and this one was no exception. I love hearing the croak of frogs and the hum of insects. Nothing says summer to me like hearing crickets and seeing the fireflies floating over the water while the smell of campfires and charcoal linger in the air. It wasn’t warm enough for fireflies yet, but the lights stationed around the pavilions had drawn in the usual insects that were swarming around the light.
I was just about to keep walking when I noticed something small sitting there on the dock. I couldn’t quite make out what it was from this distance, so I got my binoculars from my truck and took a closer look. There was no doubt it was another mask.
How did it get down there? The dock and the lake are both carefully monitored, so I had no idea. But I wasted no time radioing it in, and they agreed to send some more rangers my way. I spent the rest of the time keeping an eye out on the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever had been leaving the masks around.
I stood there and watched as a team of rangers went to the dock, took a few polaroid photos, and eventually put the mask in a bag to log the find. This one was noted with a bit more concern, because it meant someone unauthorized got access to the lake. But just like last time, there wasn’t much to be done besides make a note and keep an eye out for anything more significant. So I went home and had some dinner before I relaxed for the rest of the evening.
Nothing significant happened for about a month after that. Summer and all the outside activities that come with it meant we were all kept busy. It was also possible that the increased crowds may have also temporarily scared off whoever was leaving the masks lying around. But one evening, after a hot day with a cloudless sky, I was patrolling the area in my truck. With the air conditioning blasting on high, I made my rounds to make sure nothing was going on. I had just finished one section of the park and was about to head to the one adjacent to it when there, sitting by a pine tree, was another mask. My stomach lurched slightly as I realized it looked very similar to the first one I discovered. But it was different from the second one. Which is exactly what I told the ranger station when I radioed the find in. And just like the other times, they logged it in and told me to keep an eye out for anything else.
This had officially become odd, which everyone at the park agreed on. Halloween wasn’t for another few months, so there wasn’t a clear reason these masks were turning up. There wasn’t a store that sold Halloween masks like this for miles, and none of them had any in stock. This was in 1986, so not only was this a time when people didn’t advertise for holidays months in advance, you certainly couldn’t jump on the internet and order Halloween stuff to be delivered to your house. So that meant whoever had done this had to have gone through special planning to just get these masks before they were deliberately brought here. I loved Halloween as much as anyone, but I was puzzled and unnerved by someone deliberately leaving these masks around.
When my shift ended, I went home, threw some dinner into the microwave, then went to bed. The rain was pouring when I woke up the next morning. That wasn’t a surprise, since the humidity had been stifling and it was only a matter of time before we had a downpour. And this was certainly that. It thudded on the roof in a rhythm I’ve always found calming. But it wouldn’t last. Summer rainstorms never do. It rains intensely for a few minutes before it calms down and the Sun comes out. So I had no problem relaxing for a while until the rain slowed down.
Since today happened to be my day off, I went to see my friend Nick for some information. He’d lived in the area his whole life, and if anyone had an idea about what was going on with the masks, it would probably be him.
Nick worked at the electronic store at the mall, so I headed there. He was perched behind the counter, casually watching people wander in and out when I arrived.
“Stuart!” he greeted me with a smile. “What’s up?”
“Not much Nick. Just busy with work. Speaking of that, remember I told you about finding random Halloween masks in the park?”
“What about it?”
“I found another one last night. Very similar looking to the first one, but different from the second.”
“Weird.”
“Tell me about it. No one seems to have much of a clue, and since you’ve always lived around here, I thought if anyone could tell me why this seems to be happening, it would be you.”
“I’m flattered Stuart, but I don’t know anything more than you do.” He paused. “But I do know one person who might be able to help.”
Nick grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something on it before handing it to me.
“This is the contact info for Eric Pierce. Professor at the local college. Knows everything about local history. He’s a good friend of my aunt’s, so just mention that and you’ll be good.”
“Thanks Nick. You’re the best.”
I called the number, and I was told that Eric Pierce was available for me to talk to tomorrow after I explained who I was and why I wanted to talk to him. Since I didn’t have to work until late the following day, I headed over before my shift.
Pierce’s office was filled with books and papers. Even the elegant mahogany desk was covered with them. Eric Pierce himself was a tall man in his early 50s with grey hair neatly combed back, and he was dressed in a dark grey suit coat, white dress shirt, and slacks.
“Hello Stuart,” he shook my hand. “I think I have information that may be of interest to you and your colleagues.”
I sat down in one of the comfortable armchairs facing the desk. “Excellent.”
“When did these masks start appearing?”
“Late this spring.”
“And never before?”
“Never.”
He nodded. “I suspected as much.” Then he grabbed a folder on his desk and pushed it towards me.
I opened it, and saw it contained several newspaper clippings about a man named James Findlay. They were relatively recent and explained that Findlay was a local criminal who’d gone missing in the woods adjacent to the park where I worked. I was about to ask Pierce a question before the answer was right there in the article. Findlay was often known to wear Halloween masks while robbing stores.
“This is starting to make more sense,” I said.
Pierce nodded. “I thought it might.”
“But It doesn’t explain everything.”
Pierce responded by pushing another file towards me. When I opened it, I saw three missing persons fliers. All three were men in their late 20s, early 30s from neighboring states who’d gone missing within the last several months.
“It’s not official, but I’ve heard local talk from people who’d seen them that the three men were looking for treasure they thought Findlay had hidden in the woods close to where you work. Or maybe actually in the park you work.”
“No kidding?”
“Indeed.”
“So what do you think happened?”
Pierce leaned back in his chair. “No one knows what exactly happened to Findlay. Maybe he fled somewhere and is living under a new name. Maybe he’s right under our noses. Maybe he messed with the wrong person. Maybe something happened to him out in the woods. Or maybe it’s a combination of things. But I can say this. People like Findlay just don’t stop voluntarily. And since there’s been no word of him doing something similar elsewhere, I think it’s reasonable to suspect something happened.”
I nodded. That made sense to me.
“Where the masks just found laying around in random places?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He sat there quietly for a moment. “When you go looking for treasure, two things can happen. You find nothing, or you find something. And if you find something, it might not be what you wanted. I’ve found nothing to believe there was even the chance Findlay, or even someone remotely like Findlay, ever buried treasure out in the woods anywhere near here. Or anywhere else for that matter.”
“So why would they come here?”
Pierce looked at me, and in that moment, I saw him look more than a little unnerved. “I think they were lured out there. And I don’t need to tell you, people who try to lure people out to the woods by telling them a story typically aren’t up to anything good.”
A chill shot through my body at this. He had a point. “I think you may be onto something.”
“Just a theory. But that’s all we have right now. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you.”
“I really appreciate it, Professor Pierce.”
“Anytime.” He pushed the two folders towards me. “Take this with you for your colleagues. It may help.”
“It may. Thank you again.”
I left his office and went to work. Once I was there, I told everyone what I found and what Professor Pierce’s theory was. They all sat there in silence before agreeing it was just a theory, but beyond plausible. So it was decided to patrol the place more thoroughly in addition to other steps to increase security and keep out people who may be up to something. We involved local people with close ties to the area and had them alert either park personnel or the police if they thought they saw something funny going on. It worked, because none of us ever found any more masks. The three men who disappeared were never found, just like James Findlay, and we never figured out how someone got access to the lake. A search team was sent in, but they didn’t find anything in the lake itself.
The last thing I ever heard about the matter was that a car that was registered to one of the men who disappeared was found abandoned in a field about two hours away from here. Nothing was wrong, and there was no sign of a struggle. How it got there is anyone’s guess, but Paula, one of the rangers I worked with, is certain she saw that car in the area right before the masks started showing up. Paula didn’t get a good look at the driver, but she swears it wasn’t who it was registered to, or any of the other men who disappeared. The creepiest part is that they never did find out who that guy was or what he was up to, but witnesses were able to confirm he had been to the local hardware store and bought a bunch of chains and rope.