Black Woods: Book 1 (Black Woods Series) Read online

"That’s what I said, and I meant it," Bob answers.

  "Think of something else." Greg says. He turns around in the front seat to look at Skinner squirm.

  "Maybe a gentle rain or taking a cold shower..."

  More laughter erupts from his friends. There’s nothing more amusing to a bunch of boys than watching one of them squirm.

  "How long are we staying down there?" Skinner asks. He doesn't ask anyone in particular. He just wants to forget the need to pee.

  Everyone quiets down. They hadn’t thought about it. The boys just jump in and take off. That's how they do things.

  "Oh, you dumb turds," Bob says while driving.

  "We have a week's break. Let’s enjoy it!" He’s actually only speaking about Greg and himself, as the other idiots don’t even have a job.

  "Sounds good to me. What about you fellers?" Greg asks the two in the back seat. He's still watching Skinner squirm.

  "I think we should change your nickname to 'Squirmer,'" he says.

  "Hey, Squirmer, is that your name or your thing?" Erick asks.

  This really gets the boys laughing and poking fun at Skinner again.

  Man, if he don’t stop soon I’m going to piss my pants, Skinner thinks when he asks, "Are we there yet?"

  The laughter is so hard and loud now, even Skinner is laughing. He realizes he has asked the age old question of a little kid. Shit, use your brain next time before opening your trap, he tells himself.

  Chapter 5

  Old Friend

  We pull into my driveway and begin unloading our gear when a white pick-up truck pulls in behind us. A man in his eighties, with thinning red hair, steps out from behind the wheel, along with his companion. Slower than her master, the dog drops to the ground with her nose down, sniffing her way slowly to us.

  "How you doing, old girl?" we say to his dog, Sugar, as we love on her.

  "Did you leave any mushrooms in the woods for an old man to find?" Dick asks.

  "Now you know we didn’t," I giggle.

  The thought of him in the woods is unimaginable. He hasn’t made it out there for several years. His old legs are too wobbly. He has hunted those woods for more years than he cares to remember.

  Julie gets our bags of golden sponges, holding them up as if they are prize trophies.

  "Woo Wee! I never could keep up with you girls!" he says proudly.

  "Oh, Dick, you know you gave us a run for our money for many years in those old woods," Julie says, as she's looking for an extra bag in which to put some mushrooms.

  "How you been?" I ask him.

  We walk slowly to the patio to rest our bones a bit, as we wait for Julie to get done.

  "Pretty good now. I had a little trouble with the leg." He points at his left knee, "All this rain lately got her acting up."

  "It’s sure good to see you today. It’s been a little while. When was it? Around Christmas we last saw you?" I say.

  We were both watching Julie walk to us with a bag full of mushrooms.

  "I believe that’s right." He reaches up and takes the bag, "Thank you so much!" He puts the bag on the ground next to him.

  "You know we always got extra for you," Julie says, and then she sits next to us.

  "Now you enjoy those!" I say.

  "You know I will, Laura," Dick smiles.

  There's a pause in the conversation as we watch his old border collie drink from a mud puddle in the yard. She must be twenty years old by now, and it’s amazing that she’s still here. Dick had trained that dog to go mushroom hunting with him when she was just a pup. Now that really was a sight to see: a dog sniffing out mushrooms like a pig on a truffle hunt. The poor dog has cataracts so bad now, the only thing left for moving about is her nose.

  Somehow sensing we are thinking about her, the old gal comes over to her master and relaxes next to his feet. Dick reaches down to pat her on the head.

  "Would anyone like a drink?" I ask, and rise to my feet.

  "Sure, a sweet tea for me if you have it?" he says as he is still patting his dog's head.

  "Diet Coke here." Julie always needs her caffeine after a long day.

  "Be right back," I answer over my shoulder while I walk into the house.

  Dale is lying down taking a nap, so I quietly get the drinks. As I'm stirring the ice in the sweet tea glass, I begin to think about how long we've known Dick. It’s been probably thirty years now. We met him for the first time in the woods. Our woods.

  Upon meeting him, we didn’t know what to think. He wasn’t from around here and had driven down from the north to hunt. The nerve of an outsider picking our mushrooms! But, over the years, we got to know him in those woods, and he really is a good man. He loves nature as much as we do. Dick purchased a piece of property out in that forest and placed a camper on the land. A getaway, is what he called it, but some time ago he started calling it home.

  It's crazy how this place can get to people in a way. It's a gorgeous area with many lakes made by old stripped-mined land. The woods are thick with wild animals, and of course, mushrooms. This used to be the largest coal producing spot in the state of Indiana. Now there are only a few coal mines left. If it weren't for the coal mines, we wouldn't have a forest.

  Sitting outside, sipping our drinks, we are comfortable as we remember and visit with old friends. We discuss all the times we've been out hunting mushrooms, and we contemplate how many pounds we may have found.

  "I sure miss picking mushrooms with you girls, but there is a time and place for everything, and I’m grateful for mine," Dick says as he sentimentally looks to his friends.

  We know what he means, as we are grateful for our friendship as well, so we nod our heads in agreement.

  "Well, I better be going. C’mon Sugar," Dick says, and pats her leg to wake the dog from her dreams. "I got these bad boys to fry up soon!" He holds up the bag of mushrooms as he walks away.

  Dick gets in the truck, and waves a farewell out the window as he reverses from the driveway, bearing in the direction of home.

  "I better be going. Got some yard work to do before dark," Julie says.

  "You always got yard work to do. That’s why it looks like you have a full time gardener," I giggle.

  Oh boy! How she loves her gardens and herbs!

  "You could too if you just put more effort into it," Julie says, and grins.

  She knows I've tried, and it just doesn’t work out for me. She has a special touch when it comes to gardening, like magic in her fingertips.

  "Ah, if I did, your yard would look pale compared to mine. I couldn’t do that to you."

  Both of us laugh, because no one's yard could ever look like hers.

  "What time are we meeting on Saturday?" Julie asks, then gets in her truck and shuts the door.

  "I figured around four o’clock, and tell Chris to have his apron on. The grill will be waiting for him."

  "You know him, always ready to flip a burger!" She waves farewell as she leaves my home.

  I go inside to change clothes and to make some dinner.

  "Ah, how sweet." I say. I kiss Dale on the forehead since he is setting the table.

  "I saw you out there visiting, so figured I could cook for a change," he says.

  I didn’t realize we had been sitting out there so long. It must have been over an hour. Dale had time to fry potatoes and put some ham in the oven.

  I head to the bedroom, and then I return from changing my clothes. He has the table set and everything prepared.

  "I love you." I give my husband a big hug. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make me happy.

  Dinner was delicious, especially since I didn't have to make it. I retire for the evening, and crawl into the bed for some essential rest. I begin to dream after falling asleep.

  We had run straight home after that first encounter in those woods. We told everyone who would listen to us. Nuts! What kind of mushroom did you pick out there, was the common response we got from people. After that, we decided to share the s
tories only with our family. It's not that most people didn't believe horrible things happened in those woods. They just didn't want to believe some strange animal was running around in those woods. It's odd that people can accept the idea that those woods could be haunted or cursed, but could not entertain the thought of a fierce creature living among the trees.

  Julie and I were scared to go back near those woods after the encounter. Our husbands went back with us one day, and it helped us to face our fear. We knew that as long as we didn’t go into that one particular area we would be fine, as fine as anyone could be in Mother Nature.

  Those woods, those black woods, fill my dreams.

  Chapter 6

  Library

  Taking care of Mother Nature isn't enough for us. We love her as well. Letting her know we care is the most important thing to us. That's how Julie and I interpret the land.

  Did we ever love nature! We are always stopping to look at this creature or that plant, helping insects that are stuck in spider webs, putting a baby bird in its nest, removing fishing line from a beaver dam, and any little thing to help. We don't think about what we do. We see what needs to be done and we do it.

  Our whole family is this way--husbands, children, grandchildren, etc. It's a trait that is passed on, the way some might hand down a family heirloom.

  The only other person we have met outside the family who loves nature the way we do is Dick. We have seen him trimming back a vine as it was choking a sapling from growing, and picking up a small fish stuck in the shallow waters, returning it to the deeper end. These little things told us that he truly loved nature, and that he was comfortable here. A few kind acts is all Mother Nature needs or ever wants from us. This belief is why we understand the animal in the Black Woods is not the work of Mother Nature or God. Nothing as evil as that could ever been born of this earth.

  One year, we decided to try to figure out what could have happened to this area in the forest. People talk, and word gets around in a small town like this. With all the stuff that has happened, the locals have dubbed the forest the "Black Woods." The name suits it well.

  This one small area is the only place I know to be affected. It is no more than forty acres at best; really a small spot of woods in a large forest with the largest lake in the area.

  With over 7900 acres of land now and a hundred plus lakes and ponds, this is truly a lovely area, and the claim to fame for our county.

  Julie and I headed to the local library to do research on the area. We tried to make sense of what happened in those woods. We scanned every newspaper article for information.

  Weeks of searching produced a mountain of evidence to sort, and what we found was stunning, even terrifying. We made copies of the articles, sorted them in order by date. Most were front page news. We took the copied articles home and begin reading. We wanted to understand it all.

  "36 men and 1 woman DEAD at the BEST FUEL mine."

  The headline was bold and dramatic. It was dated 1923.

  The Best Fuel mine, located near the western part of the county, looks as if the coal shaft running east to west opened up, collapsing the entire site, according to local officers. This small mine site had a horrible accident today. The employees were having their weekly meeting in the main building when the shaft opened. Search and Rescue personnel state they have located most of the victims. Three bodies remain unrecovered and it's doubtful they will be found under all the debris. The families have been notified. About 25 acres of the site is now gone, leaving a large hole in the area. We are asking everyone to stay clear of the place until the site is deemed safe….

  "Wow, what that must have been like to have your loved ones die like that." Julie shook her head. The thought was unsettling.

  "I couldn’t imagine anything like that happening. It’s so horrible," I replied.

  We were in our early twenties when we discovered the articles, and old enough to understand the impact of this accident.

  There was a map included with the article showing the location, warning everyone to stay away from the area. Our eyes went wide as we looked over the site map. It was the woods, the Black Woods.

  Local authorities are trying to figure out what went wrong… the article stated.

  "Do you realize the large lake at that site is…?" I couldn’t finish my sentence. I was too afraid to say it out loud.

  "Stop!" Julie said.

  Our families weren’t originally from around here. I was a young girl of thirteen when we came to live in this town. The accident with the mine would have been forty years before our arrival. Over time, people stopped talking about the mine, and what had happened.

  We had looked for articles before this date, but had seen nothing of relevance to the area. Just the usual news--land transfers, new mine sites, campsites opened, etc. The oldest article we could find was from 1901, the year the newspaper office arrived in town.

  It appears the mine accident was the beginning of the Black Woods, and the start to our local forest. Several other mines started shutting down, most likely out of fear, and by the 1930's, almost all of the coal mines were shut down. Following this, the mine companies began donating over 4,000 acres to the Department of Conservation, which was later on expanded into the Department of Natural Resources. The first land donated was the 65 acres from the Best Fuel Company. The company had closed all working mines in Indiana and was now out of business.

  The forest is now over 7,900 acres of stripped-mined land, luring in over more than 120,000 visitors a year. Unsuspecting visitors.

  Several "so-called" accidents or incidents have been recorded by the newspaper after that day in 1923.

  1925: A man went by the old accident site, was attacked by a black bear, and died at the scene. Another man hunting in the woods died from multiple snake bites.

  1927: A woman mushroom hunting in the accident site was found dead the next day from unknown causes.

  1928: Two men were working an alcohol still in the woods when the still blew up, killing them both.

  1930: A local miner, taking a lunch break by the old site, was clawed to death by a mountain lion.

  1931: Two boys were hunting in the area. Later, bodies were discovered. Their heads were missing.

  Numerous other accidents have been reported over the years with a total of over one hundred deaths in those woods alone, a very high number for such a small area. Sure, there is gossip about all the deaths here or there, talk about the woods. "Stay away so you don’t have to deal with it," is the most common saying. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away, but knowing doesn’t change it either. The woods will do what they want. There's no changing that.

  Of course, bad things happened over the rest of the forest, but these were normal accidents--shootings, lost child, hit and runs, dog bites….And the accidents weren't as numerous.

  Chapter 7

  Arrived

  The guys never really have to worry about anything when they are with Bob. He will pay the bills and make the decisions. It's a good thing his parents haven’t cut him off. The only reason Bob's parents haven't is because he has a 3.8 GPA, leading them to believe he has a bright future.

  "Man, I got to pee!" Skinner complains while squirming in the back seat. "If you don’t stop I’m going to whiz on your seats!"

  "You dumb shit," Erick says with a laugh, "we’ve only been on the road an hour."

  "I know, but it hurts!"

  Skinner's almost in tears from the pressure in his bladder.

  Bob slows down the SUV to the side of the road. "I’m stopping here. You get out and find a damn bush to piss on."

  Making an unnecessary stop aggravates Bob. Skinner jumps out, undoing his pants as he runs. Bob revs up the engine while Skinner is relieving himself.

  "Stop that shit! I'm hurrying!" Skinner yells.

  He distracts himself by looking around the road's shoulder as the pain leaves his body. Finishing up, he shakes and zips. "I told you it wouldn't take lon..." His words a
re cut off as he hears the vehicle's engine rev again. The gravel crunches under the weight of the SUV as the tires move forward. He lets loose with a string of curses while running. "Damn it, guys!" he screams.

  The brake lights go red as the SUV stops. Bob revs the engine once again to warn Skinner the vehicle can leave at any moment. Skinner reaches for the door and grabs the handle. The SUV leaps forward. Laughter rolls out the now open windows like a bomb exploding.

  Skinner gets the door open and then jumps in. "Damn you, fools! Now I'm outta breath," he says, panting. He slides onto the seat then slams the door.

  "We thought you might like the exercise." Bob adjusts the mirror to peek at Skinner.

  "Nothing like seeing all that bouncing fat!" Greg jokes.

  "I think you ought to get a bra," Erick adds.

  Laughter is now bouncing around the vehicle like a super ball that's out of control.

  "I bet y'all are hard from watching them!" Skinner squeezes his chest, pushing his nipples up acting all girly. "Who wants a suckie?" he asks.

  Everyone is laughing, even Skinner. When the boys get on a roll, the laughter is contagious. They laugh until they can barely breathe.

  Eventually the laughter calms and the music gets louder. Country music blasts from the speakers, there are guns in the racks, and the four country boys are having a good time. Each boy is now occupied by his own thoughts.

  Skinner hasn’t had many girlfriends, with the exception of a few in high school. He can count all of them on one hand. He's thinking about that fat chick. He really likes her, but she broke his heart. To him, she is lovely, the kind of girl he could settle down with. He didn't see her as fat. He thought of it as having more to love. Maybe when we are home, I'll beg her to take me back. He smiles to himself, genuinely happy about the last thought.

  Greg is wondering about the trip. What kind of forest will it be? He hopes it's the rugged kind. He hates the fancy woods, the kind they clean out manually, with little walk ways and resting spots. Yuck! Those aren't real woods. They are basically large parks for tourists. Erick's uncle didn't mention any lakes, but Greg knows there will be some. All forests have at least a few. In anticipation, he packed some poles in hopes of getting them wet. He loves to fish; the silence of the lake is calming while in the distance the deep sounds of the water frogs echo.