The Regulator (Complete First Draft)

Chapter 44: Brad - Past and Future

"I don't like it,” Brad said, standing in the camps parking lot. He stood still while he watched Andrew and Nick pack their guns into the truck. “I think it’s stupid, dangerous, and a waste of time.”

“Yeah, yeah you made that point already.” Andrew said, sarcastically.

“Why even trust that guy? We need you here, not going on some wild goose chase to a random house where there could very well be nothing.”

“There could be nothing, or there could be two people about to be murdered in some kind of sick experiment. I like to think we’re preventing the latter.” Andrew said, turning to face Brad, “I get your concern, but James house is only eighteen miles out. We’ll be back before sunset.” Brad sighed, he knew there was no changing Andrew’s mind.

“Stay safe, and keep Nick and Ivan safe. I don’t like that you’re going, or Nick, and I especially don’t like that you’re bringing Ivan, but do what you have to do, and you best all come back alive.” Brad stated firmly, Andrew nodded his head.

“We will.” He said.

“I’ll keep searching the woods for this guy. He’s gotta be held up somewhere.” Brad said, crossing his arms. Andrew nodded again, but didn’t say anything. Brad knew he understood. Brad watched as Nick climbed into the drivers seat, Andrew took shotgun, and Ivan got in the back. He signaled for Kyle to open the gates, and watched as the truck drove off down Hollow Rd. A few walkers even lunged at the car as it went. Brad turned and walked off, determined to find The Bedlam.

He’d been through these woods a million times. Fourteen summers. He’d been working at fireside for fourteen whole summers. Leading kids through the woods, telling ghost stories on stay-over nights, watching the kids grow into adults, some of them even becoming his staff. Fireside was Brad’s life, he knew everything about it. And he knew The Bedlam was living somewhere on the grounds. So why in gods name couldn’t he find him? That was all that was on Brad’s mind. Where could the Bedlam be hiding.

They’d already covered every possible inch of Mount Tempest and the surrounding woods, he was nowhere to be found there. They’d checked every single cabin for him, but he wasn’t in any of them either. They even checked the crawlspaces under the cabins without finding a trace of him. He wasn’t in any part of the Offices, Barn, or Mess Hall. The lake house was empty as well. He wasn’t by the ropes course, or in the Wilderness Arena. He wasn’t anywhere.

Brad racked his brain, there had to be something they were forgetting about, somewhere the Bedlam would be hiding. Brad walked along the path to the big field, looking up the mountain sides, hoping something would give him just a hint of where The Bedlam could be. Any hint, anything at all. And that’s when he thought of it. The Old Carpenters Lodge.

The Carpenter’s lodge was an old, rundown, building off past mount tempest and rather deep into the woods. It wasn’t really a lodge, Brad was pretty sure it was originally just a shack or something. It was a remnant of old times when the campground had been used as farmland and the only forms of travel in the area were the small hiking trails, require many places to stop and rest. All that remained of the Lodge were two, rotten wooden walls and an old stone fire place that had stood the test of time. If the Bedlam was anywhere, anywhere at all, it was there. With a determined look on his face, Brad walked off towards the hiking trail that would lead to the Lodge.