Secret In The Moutains

Chapter One

In the history of man, there has never been a town that has ever been perfect. There has never been a perfect person, perfect houses, or perfect story. Many people want to claim that their town has all that and more, but they don’t. Every town has a dirty, dark, little secret and my town is no different.

It’s a small town, nestled outside a large urban area, surrounded by hundreds of miles of country-side. Mountains surrounded us on all sides. We were isolated really, the nearest city almost a hundred miles away. It could be described as a farming town because many people owned a farm, grew their own crops and cared for their own cattle. Though, we do rely on our urban neighbors for other resources, like electricity. I love my town. I was born and raised here with my mother and father and two dogs. My eyes were always shaded to the darkness our town carried with it, and I was one of the many people who thought my town was perfect.

I always thought it was strange though, that my mother would tell me “Don’t stay out late or you’ll be taken away.” We lived out in the country; no one in his or her right mind would try to take me away. Our town was small, a population of a couple hundred. Everyone knew everyone else. Unless there were out-of-towner's visiting, there was no need to be afraid. If a person went missing, we would know who would be to blame, who would have a motive, case solved. I never knew about the secrets the town hid from view.

My best friend, Marissa, shared my same curiosity for our town that grew in us over time. We would sit outside on the front porch of my parent’s home, on the first step usually and try to make up the most impossible stories of what the town’s history might really be. One story was that thousands of years ago, a spaceship landed and deposited a few dozen aliens. Those aliens went on to found the town and over a course of generations, they learned to look more human so as not to raise suspicion.

Another story we came up with, is that Old Man Jenkins, just down the way, was a “pig” farmer of sorts. Harvesting the skin and organs of out-of-towners and selling them back to other out-of-towners that happened through. We were still kids, just joking around, none of it was real, but it always raised questions. What if?

“Jessica?” I looked to my right and stared at the blond, blue eyed girl questioningly. “Earth to Jessica, where did you go space cadet?” she said.

It took a moment for me to register what she was saying, my mind still working on more stories for the town’s history, but it clicked after a while. “Oh! I was just thinking.”

“Thinking? You’re never going to find a man if you think.” Marissa joked with me. It wasn’t necessarily true, but this small town of ours did believe in the ‘old ways’. Girls were supposed to stay at home, take care of the house and the children and please the man, who went out and worked and brought home the money and the food.

“Mar, you know that’s not true.” I told her with a small smile. I glanced down at the bottom step of the porch, strands of my brown hair falling over my shoulders, and sigh gently. “Not everyone is like that. Times are changing. People are changing.”

“In whose reality?” Marissa asked with a laugh.

I gave a small shrug. “In my crazy reality, that’s whose.” I told her with a grin. “Anyway, you know it’s getting late.” Marissa was silent next to me for a moment. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking about. Whenever she got quiet, it was never a good thing. She always came up with the most ridiculous ideas.

“Maybe. Let’s go find Chad,” she finally said.

Chad? Really? I could never understand why she wanted to hang around Chad. Well I mean I could. Chad was our friend, sort of. He was like the big guy in our town. His father was mayor, so everyone who was anyone knew him. He was a popular guy, very good looking. He was built and strong, because every summer he would work on his uncle’s farm. He wasn’t my type though. But, he apparently was Marissa’s. The only downside to Chad was that he was a douche. A complete and utter douche.

“Do we have to?” I asked, all the excitement from our conversations fading in my hazel eyes. If I could help it, I would try to stay away from Chad. It was no secret to anyone. His father expected him to find a nice girl and settle down, marry and father many children, just like every other person did in our town. But he came from a line of people who were the old fashion type, who wanted the blue blood type of people. Chad apparently thought that I was the good girl he should settle down with, so he would spend most of his time trying to woo me while Marissa fawned over him and did his bidding like a love sick puppy.

I could see the look on her face before she actually looked at me. It was a look she always gave me when I tried to get out of meeting up with Chad. “Why not? What do you have against the guy?”

“Nothing.” I told her, trying to hold back my sigh. It was a mini argument we always had. It was amazing how she seemed to just forget the day before we had a similar conversation. Or maybe she didn’t forget, maybe she just didn’t listen, letting it go in one ear and out the other ear. That wouldn’t surprise me; Marissa could be a little dense at times. But I still love her.

“Good, then let’s go,” she said as she got up. She brushed off the back of her pants before dusting off her hands. She turned and looked back at me, waiting expectantly.

“Okay, okay.” I stood and dusted myself off. Turning, I moved back up the steps and opened the front door, shouting inside “Going out to see Chad!” The door banged shut behind me as I joined Marissa on our journey to Chad’s house.

~*~

Walking into the large home, I let out a sigh. The Dugal family made it known to everyone how wealthy they were. Of course they had to, had to keep up the Nair-do-well appearance so Mr. Dugal would get reelected for Mayor in the coming term. Not that he wouldn’t anyway. Not many people could go up against him in the running.

“Don’t you just love their home” Marissa asked. She was looking around in awe again, but she always did that. I have to admit though, the house was beautiful. It was full of beautiful antique furniture, portraits imported from other countries. In the main sitting room, just to the left of the main hall, Mr. Dugal’s trophies from hunting hung over the burning fireplace. A shiver ran through me as I glanced at all the dead heads. I always felt like they were watching me, their eyes following me no matter where I go. I blame some of the nightmares I have on them.

“Well, it’s nice.” I said. What else could I say? These people had more money than the entire town. I shook my head, a sigh escaping me. The place was so neat, so clean. I felt wrong being in here, that just my very presence was dirtying the home. I wondered for a moment, what it must have been like for the Dugal’s when they tried to conceive Chad. Though it was an icky thought, still a valid one. How could they have done that in such a clean home? Maybe they didn’t. Maybe Chad was a test-tube baby.

“It’s more than just nice. The architecture is late Colonial. Look at the color pallets they chose. Not to bright, yet not too dreary. It’s the perfect balance of warm and bright. Inviting, yet homey.” Marissa said while spinning in a circle to marvel at a home she has seen over a dozen times before. How should could still be in awe was way beyond me.

“They’re light orange walls Marissa. Nothing too special about that.” Moving through the main hall, I headed for the back sitting room, the one used for personal use. The main sitting room was only used when guests came over, they had to rub their wealth in other’s faces somehow. Peering into the smaller room, I gave it a once over and spotted Chad on the sofa, reading a book.

“Knock, knock.” Waltzing in like I owned the place, I moved to the leather chair adjacent to Chad, who’s brown eyes gleamed in the streaming sunlight as he looked up at me.

“When did you get here?”

“Just-”

“Chad!” Marissa came bounding in and over to him. She threw her arms around him in her half bent state. It seemed awkward, more so for Chad than for me. The moon was full today and apparently wearing a bright green thong that peeked through the top of her shorts.

“Hey Mar.” Chad said, giving her a hug back. They pulled apart and Marissa planted her butt on the seat next to him.

“What are you reading?” Marissa asked.

Chad glanced at her as he picked up his dropped book and flipped open to the page he had been on to insert his bookmark. “Dracula.”

“Oh, sounds scary.” Marissa said, a shiver running down her back.

“Not really. Dracula is a made up character, portraying a man call Vlad the Impaler that once lived in Romania. It was believed he drank the blood of his victims after impaling their severed heads on stakes.” Supernatural things were very interesting to me, as well as serial killers. Vlad the Impaler essentially “killed two birds with one stone” for me.

Chad chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re such a nerd.” He stood and moved to the bookshelf, placing his book back into its rightful spot before turning to face us once more. “So what brings you here?”

“We got bored.” Marissa said simply, shrugging her shoulders. “There’s nothing really to do and with the long weekend coming up, well it’s going to become insufferable.”

I raised a brow at her in surprise. “That’s a five syllable word.” Marissa was not known for her brains, but for her body. To hear such an advanced word come from her mouth, well it was almost as amazing as a person speaking in tongue.

“Shut up.” She shot me a glare and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“So then, what did you want to do?” Chad asked, glancing between us.

“I want to go on an adventure.” Marissa told him. She got that dreamy look in her eyes again, no doubt thinking about Chad and her going off somewhere to make out.

Chad laughed and said “What kind of an adventure?”

“What if we go camping?” I suggested.

Marissa cocked her head, looking back at me confused before asking “What? Camping? How boring.”

“It’s not boring.” I protested.

“Jessica’s right. Camping sounds like fun. We could totally go on our own adventure, hike through the mountains, maybe even discover a hidden Oasis or something.”

I couldn’t hide my smile. Though I ragged on Chad a lot, the guy was pretty good. At least he was always there to back up my suggestions when Marissa shot them down. And with her “love sick” attitude, she would always agree to anything Chad wanted to do.

“You want to go camping?” Marissa asked Chad. He gave her a small nod and she seemed to ponder on it for a while. A bright smile broke across her face and she stood, cheering. “Alright then! We’re going camping!”

I laughed. Marissa was so silly. It was hard to believe that these two were my closest friends. But I wouldn’t change it. They seemed to suit my lifestyle just nicely. We all sort of complimented each other, brought out the best in each other, and at times the worst. Though I had a feeling this camping trip was going to bring out the worse in us.

“Great, then let’s meet up at Jessica’s at sun down tomorrow.” Chad said. “Make sure you pack your clothes, sleeping bag and food.”

“What about a tent?” I asked.

“I got that covered, don’t worry.” Chad reassured me. I didn’t feel too reassured, but I trusted him enough that I didn’t press the subject. Once the details of which mountains we were going to hike through was cleared up, Marissa and I left the Dugal mansion and headed back to our respective houses to pack up.

As sun set neared, an uncomfortable feeling washed over me. Not a feeling of dread or that something very bad was going to happen, just a strange feeling. I felt like I shouldn’t go, but at the same time I felt compelled to go on this camping trip. I’m not entirely sure what lies ahead, but all I know is that I’m going to confront it head on. I just hope I won’t live to regret ever mentioning camping.