The Tree on the Dike - chapter 10

"The Tree on the Dike"  [13+]

Chapter 10

         Hate poured out of Fiona's eyes like a torrent river. "What did you do that for?"

         Susan looked down the track, the orange cat was nowhere to be seen. Had she just imagined it?

         "Are you all right?" Brad's voice was unmistakable. Had he run all the way from the stands to make sure she was all right?

         "I think so." Susan untangled herself from Fiona. "Nothing's broken."

         "Here, let me help you."

         Expecting to see his hand held out for her to grab, she turned toward Brad. Instead, Brad was lifting Fiona into his arms.

         "I hope my sister didn't hurt you too badly." Brad brushed some of the dust off of Fiona's track uniform.

         "Just a few scrapes, nothing serious. I think little Susie got the worst part of that deal." Fiona looked at the girl she had run into. "You better have that cut looked at."

         Susan couldn't take her eyes off Brad. Had the whole world gone crazy? She had a sudden flash of the cat standing on the track. No, I'm the one who's crazy.

         "Is everyone all right?" Ms. Kennedy hurried over to the group carrying a First Aid Kit. Spotting the blood on Susan's shin, she knelt down and began cleaning the wound. "What happened?"

         "Susan turned into my lane as I was passing her." Fiona couldn't hide the annoyance in her voice. "She should know that's against the rules."

         "Is this true?" The nurse looked her patient straight in the eyes.

         "I ... I thought I saw something on the track," Susan stammered.

         "I didn't see anything." Fiona looked around. "There certainly isn't anything on the track now."

         Susan stared at the ground. If she told the truth, they would think she was crazy, but the alternative was that she knocked Fiona down on purpose. She could say goodbye to getting on the team. Her social standing wasn't likely to survive this either.

         "Susan's just jumpy after everything that's happened." Jill knelt beside her friend and helped her to sit up straight. "She's just a little paranoid."

         Jill to the rescue. But was being paranoid better than imagining orange cats everywhere she looked? Susan wasn't sure.

         "The cut wasn't deep. You should be able to walk." Ms. Kennedy and Jill helped her to stand. With a little effort, they got her to a bench where she could sit and rest.

         Susan watched the rest of the tryouts in silence. Jill offered a few words of comfort, but she didn't respond. Her world didn't make any sense anymore. What was real and what was imaginary? Was she dreaming now?

         Saying goodbye to Jill, she slipped away from the crowded field and wandered around without any thought to where she was going. It wasn't until much later that she realized that her leg was healed.

         In her wanderings, Susan found herself in downtown Wolfville. Looking around, she noticed that the store windows were decorated with bats and skeletons. That's right, she thought, Halloween is only ten days away. My life is a horror movie all ready. The last thing I need is witches and goblins prowling the streets.

         Suddenly, there was a loud crash in the alleyway nearby. It sounded like a trash can fell over. Susan looked into the alley, but because of the closeness of the buildings and the lateness of the day, she couldn't make out many details. Her heart beat faster. Don't go in there, she thought, that's how the killer always gets his victim. She started to turn away when a familiar orange blur caught her eye. Was the cat a friend or foe? She stood there for a long time debating what to do next. Curiosity won out, and she entered the narrow passageway.

         She turned a corner and saw a staircase going to the second floor of one of the buildings. The alley continued for a few yards, before turning again. The cat was no where to be seen. Taking a few cautious steps, Susan was startled when a flower pot smashed to pieces at her feet. Ducking under the stairs, she looked up but couldn't see what caused the pot to fall. The smell of garbage was strong here. Looking at her feet, she realized she was standing in the remains of a garbage can that had been knocked over. She also noticed something else. A thick fog was starting to form all around her.

         Looking toward the direction she had come, she saw that the passage was filling with fog. She looked down the other end of the alley, and saw that fog was pouring in from that direction as well. That only left the stairs.

         With a few quick movements, she was on the staircase, heading for the landing. Once at the top, all she could do was watch as the alleyway filled with fog. She couldn't climb any higher, the roof was several feet beyond her reach. The only place left to go was the door into the building. The lawn chairs and the hibachi suggested that this was someone's home. Could she really ask a stranger for sanctuary from the fog? The more she thought about it, the sillier it seemed. It was only fog after all.

         Susan tried to convince herself to go back down the stairs, but her body wouldn't listen. A thought in the back of her head told her this fog was created by something unnatural and it was waiting for her down there.

         The fog billowed around her, as she turned toward the door. Maybe I can pretend to be lost and ask to use the phone, she thought. Walking toward the door, she reached out to knock on it. Before she could touch the door, however, it seemed to dissolve into the fog and a dark tunnel appeared in its place. She took a couple of steps backward, when she saw the hooded figure coming down the tunnel toward her.

         I must be asleep, she thought. But a pinch on the arm told her otherwise. She took off down the stairs without any arguments from the rest of her body. Once at the bottom, she was lost in the fog. She tried to guess the way she had come, but she was blocked by walls at every turn.

         Once more, the voice echoed in her head, "Susan, . . . I come for you. . . . Susan. . . ." Only this time it was not a dream. She could see the hooded apparition coming through the fog toward her. Keeping one hand on the wall, she hurried as fast as she could, away from the specter. Before she could get very far, she tripped on something hard and fell to the ground. She tried to stand but all her strength had left her, absorbed by the fog. A cold chill spread throughout her body was the hooded figure drew closer.

         "Now I have you," it said.

Continued in "The Tree on the Dike - chapter 11"