The Terror Zone

PROLOGUE

As an eerie mist rolls over the Florida everglades, I squint at the numbers on the clock, only to grasp the reality that it's only been seven minutes since the last time I checked. Life is empty, cold and meaningless since that fateful moment my daughter was kidnapped.

Six months have passed; I've struggled to stay sane and begged for help from everyone and anyone. I did all the things a mother could do; handed out fliers of my little girl's face; pleaded with every agency I could muster and then some; and, to my dismay, we'd run out of options. Of course a mother would never give up...

My life was filled with warmth and smiles. Now I am but a shell, hollow and deprived of emotion. The closeness and love we shared echoes in my mind as insomnia creeps in and sanity fades to illusion.

This is my story, based solely on apparitions of the mind. I will begin at that most crucial moment in time, when I feared my life would change forever.

But before we get started, I feel it is my obligation to caution you upon reading any further.

Insomnia can strike at any time, to anyone. So cuddle up with a loved one or grab that fluffy blanket you are so fond of. Night is creeping in, and you may start to question reality as you read on; for in the deep dark pockets of your mind, harbors something, so unnerving, so appalling, so dreadful, it can only be described as the terror zone.

CHAPTER ONE

Another night of insomnia passes as he's startled awake, screaming and sweating profusely, from a nightmare he can't overcome. Afraid to close his eyes another second, he reaches for a towel to swab his drenched brow and burning eyes. Dreams of suffering and torment the likes of which only a monster could appreciate. Being hidden and alone for nearly three decades has taken its toll. He can't bear the thought that he could execute such acts of violence and horror. The thought that maybe he is inherently evil. Picking up the phone yet again, he dials a number etched in his mind so many times; he knows it by heart.

"Good morning, Dr. Skyler's office, Kerry speaking. How may we help you?" asked the person on the other end of the line.

Kerry was just like a sister to me. I'd known her many years, and when she graduated from college, I'd offered her a job, before someone else had the opportunity. She was all of four-foot-eleven-inches tall, brown hair, and 125 pounds. She studied hairdressing, but I talked her into working for me until she built up her clientele.

"I need to speak with Dr. Skyler please. It's an emergency."

Kerry hesitated for a second; she thought, the man sounded distraught so she said, "Whom may I tell her is calling?"

"My name is George Chatterly."

"Yes, please hold, Mr. Chatterly."

"Dr. Skyler, there is a Mr. Chatterly "on the phone."

"Can you take a message Kerry; I'm in the middle of a session with a client."

"I know Susan, but he insists he talk to you. He says it's an emergency; and he does sound a little disturbed."

"Could you excuse me for a minute Mr. Rhymes? I need to take this call."

Mr. Rhymes nodded in agreement and sat back on the couch with a magazine in hand.

"This is Dr. Skyler. Can I help you?"

"Dr. Skyler, my name is George Chatterly. I know where those children are that the task force is looking for."

I didn't want to get my hopes up again, like the last three times we'd had false alarms. Being in the psychiatry business had toughened me a little to strangers with useless babble; and I was sick and tired of ludicrous rantings from lunatics, so I had become what seemed impatient or short, (pardon my french) ever since my daughter was taken.

"Why did you call me," I asked. "Why not the police?"

"No, I'll only talk to you. Please believe me. I will not cooperate with the cops."

"Calm down, Mr. Chatterly. Are you talking about the children that are all over the newspapers?"

"Yes. They are locked in a box, in a marsh, by Lake Okeechobee on the north side of an abandoned old cabin. Please hurry, I don't know how much longer they will survive."

"Thank you, Mr. Chatterly. I will get right on it, but why did you call me?"

"I need help. I didn't do it. I just saw it happen," he chanted. Then all I heard was the infamous dial tone.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rhymes," I said. "There's been an emergency. I will have to call our session off for the day. I'll give you an hour and a half next time."

"Thank you, Dr. Skyler. See you in one week then."

I called Jared and his wife, Darlene, and they called two people and they called two people and well, you know what happens next.

By the time I'd rounded up the parents, I'd attracted more volunteers than Clinton has girlfriends. I explained to them that I had gotten an anonymous phone call about the missing children. I said it might be some lunatic trying to take the blame and sending us on a wild goose chase, but we had to try.

It was dark by the time everyone gathered together.

Jared handed us some hip boots, and while we put them on, he said, "I think the stranger was talking about an abandoned old meat cellar in the marsh. With the rainy season here, this might not be the best time to try and find a meat cellar. I'm sure the marsh is buried deep under water by this time."

"Yeah, and it's so dark out." said Darlene.

I met Jared one night at the police department. His son is missing as well. He was approximately six-foot five inches with dark hair and a dark tan. He had this great smile, with cute deep dimples on either side of his luscious lips. He worked f0r the post office.

I was way to petite - I hate the word "short" - for the wading boots. They bulged, wrinkled, and drooped around my hips. I pulled my blonde hair up and pinned it out of my face. I was five-foot-five-inches tall, 110 pounds, and these wading boots were made for demonstrative, hearty fishermen.

"Ha," laughed Jared. "You look like a shrimp in those boots. Here, tie these pieces of rope around the top so the snakes can't swim in and have you for dinner." All I could think of at this particular moment was Indiana Jones in an airplane with snakes crawling on him...(Shivers turned my arm hairs straight up and I felt that tingle of fear...as my body felt a cold rush of dread.)

The moon's reflection off the water shown like a beacon, in a mass of blinding darkness. While trying to keep the snakes at bay, we waded into the pitch-black unknown, searching for what used to be an underground locker for meat. As Jared commenced giving lessons on how to pick the snakes up by the back of their necks and throw them far enough away to discourage them from swimming back, I dredged the freezing lake on a mission.

I tripped over something and fell with a splash onto a large wooden object. After choking and spitting out the dirty water, I yelled, "I think I've found something."

I reached down under the cold, black, murky lake but could not quite wrap my hand around the rusty lock that imprisoned what I'd hoped to be the missing children. I stepped up onto the door and jumped up and down. I dove under and stopped to listen. I heard muffled, terrifying shrieks coming from the little ones inside. My breathing became sporadic and my heart was pounding so hard I could barely catch my breath.

When my head felt the brisk, fresh air, I shuddered and shouted, "Some of them are still alive." The other distressed parents fell silent and the hero's who volunteered to help rescue the children were cheering and could barely believe we'd found them.

"Did anyone think to bring any weapons?" I asked.

"I brought an ax. It's the only thing I could find at the last minute," said Nora, the town librarian. She was a chubby-bellied fifty-two-year-old. She held story-time meetings with the children on Sunday evenings, while their parents held pool tournaments down at the local Croc'n Bull Pub and Eatery. Her husband passed away two years ago of cancer, so she had a lot of time on her hands.

As I looked out from the lake toward the shore, I saw everyone congregating together as the mayor dutifully controlled the crowd.

"I'll see if I can break the lock," I yelled.

I grabbed the axe and lifted it high over my head. My arms came down with tremendous force and the axe hit the water with a resonating splash. I lost my footing, and dropped the axe on the way down.

"Would you like me to give it a try, Susan?" asked the mayor.

"No, please let me do it. I need to do this, Mayor Porter."

I had to dive into the cold black beyond to feel for the axe. Except for the moonlight shining on the crowd, it was too dark to see. I felt around and got my hands around something hard. I brought it up and realized I was holding a leg bone that was small enough to have come from a child's carcass.

I screamed and instinctively dropped it, not knowing whether it was my child's bones or one of the other parents' children standing there, feeling the same desperation as I. Tears came to my eyes, and I could feel the hair on my arms rise up again as I stood in the freezing water, in the dark, trying to save my daughter's life.

Hurry, those kids can't have much more air down there," yelled Mr. Porter, the town Mayor," a typical well-rounded jolly man, standing five-foot tall with an infectious laugh. His white hair and unibrow made him look older than the sweet fifty-six that he was.

I dove back under, and the freezing water surrounded my face. Again I grabbed something resembling a handle. I hesitated bringing it up. I held my breath as I lifted it out of the water and thanked the lord I'd found the axe. I gripped it by the very tip of the handle and used it like a jackhammer. I felt someone tugging on me. I was irritated, being as not a moment should be wasted. I came up for air and heard screaming. Focusing, I discerned an incredible amount of splashing. I turned around and realized everyone was running to shore.

"What is it, Mayor Porter?" I yelled. "What's wrong?"

The Mayor walked to the edge of the lake, and pointed at something large, dark and Jurassic like.

"Get out of the water!" yelled Darlene, a short blonde haired women all of ninety-eight pounds, standing about five-feet-tall. She and Jared had six children. She worked at UPS part time, and the rest of the time she spent taking care of her children, going to school to be a teacher, and keeping her house immaculate. They too had been victims of the kidnapping.

Sirens brought us back to awareness. "The cavalry is coming," I yelled."

Same old psychiatric story, I'm sure you've heard this one a million and one times. Paul Boecker was my best friend and my lover. He introduced himself several years ago when I was taking care of a patient who tried to knife me during a session. Paul had blue eyes and brownish blond hair. He stood six-foot-four-inches tall and worked for the fire department. You have to love those firemen. Everyone needs an endless supply of heroes. That's my motto.

The fire truck drove up with its engines roaring and its lights glowing over the crowd.

I can't stop now. I was so close, I thought. I went back to banging the ax onto the rusty lock. I have to save my baby. Feverishly, banging on the lock with an up-and-down motion, the head of the ax slipped off the metal lock and hit the door hard. I pulled on the ax, but it wouldn't budge. I pulled harder, the ax came loose and I realized I had punctured the door.

The now-new rush of cold water seeping into the locker must have traumatized the children into reality. I heard them screaming and panicking for someone to get them out.

I started to cry but kept hitting the lock. Now I had to work even faster; otherwise, the children would drown before I reached them.

Harold, the town clown, who owned the Croc' n Bull Pub and Eatery waded into the glossy blackness, while trying to avoid oncoming snakes. His grandson had been kidnapped a few weeks ago. "I would like to help if I could," he said.

"I think I almost have it. Just give me a few more seconds," I pleaded.

Harold backed up and helped the others keep the slithery snakes away as the firemen watched for any obtrusive lizards swimming in the water. Oddly enough, they didn't seem intimidating to me at the moment.

"I got it," I yelled.

I dove into the water once more and yanked on the door. It was too heavy. I went up top and asked for some help. Once the doors were opened, we had to move fast to keep the children from drowning.

When we finally got to them, they were weak, near death, cold, and in shock.

We pulled their naked little bodies out, one by one and handed them to the volunteers, who wrapped blankets around them, while their parents hugged them dearly.

At this point I started crying out loud...

"Where are the rest of the children?" I asked. They didn't say anything; they just stared into the darkness like they were blind and deaf.

"My Lindsey isn't here," I cried.

"Jack is missing too," said Harold.

When all the children were safe in their parents' arms, we totaled twelve children still missing.

"Don't cry, Mrs. Shore," I said. "We will find them. We just have to stay strong and keep looking."

"They've been missing so long. I fear we are too late. I want to believe otherwise but look at these children we just rescued. They are weak and confused," said Mrs. Shore.

"My baby girl is missing as well. But I won't give up. I'll hunt to the ends of the earth until I know where and what happened to her. I have to believe she's still alive, or I'll have lost my will to go on," I said, choking back the tears.

"Round everyone up. I want to tell them where we go from here," said Captain Johnson, Captain of the Okeechobee Fire Department. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for lending your services. Thank the Lord for the children we've found alive. But now I humbly ask you all to go home."

"But what about the rest of the children? My baby is still missing," shouted Mrs. Carlton. "I'm not going anywhere until we find her."

"Please," I said, "my baby girl is missing too, but if we don't get some rest, none of us will be good for anything. I'm afraid we'll need to question the perpetrator one more time. Please do as the captain asks. Go home quietly, get a good nights rest, and we'll contact anyone whose children were not here tonight as soon as we can."

"Calvin, behind you!" yelled Henrietta.

Calvin worked at the one and only fitness club in Okeechobee. He had a hard body, brown hair and wore glasses. He was tall, and yeah, Hot, if you catch my drift. He'd been married and divorced, and had a three-year-old son with his second wife.

Captain Johnson pulled out his pistol and shot at the monster.

"Calvin, the monster," screamed Wanda, as the big beast widened its jaws and bared its dinosaur like teeth. Calvin leapt to safety.

"What was that?" I asked under my breath.

“That was an American crocodile. They have hundreds of them here in the swamps,” the captain interjected.

“Yes, but that thing had to be at least twenty feet long. It looked like it weighed a ton.”

“Probably close to it. They get to thirty-feet and two thousand pounds,” said the captain.

Wanda, as she cried, hugging Calvin hard.

“I’d heard stories about those big crocks,” said Calvin, “but I daresay, I’d never seen one until now.”

CHAPTER TWO

Imagine driving into an old city district. All the houses made of brick; they had all turned an icky shade of green from age and, all the houses were spaced 6 inches apart. The grass was splotchy from age and trampled until the dirt shown threw.

I knocked on Mr. Chatterly’s door with Paul by my side.

A large man, standing about six-foot-eight, blondish-brown hair and sporting torn jeans and a disheveled t-shirt answered. Except for the dark circles under his eyes and the premature graying around his temples, I’d say he was in his mid to early thirties. A handsome fellow, with weary eyes and a helpless look about him.

“We went to the marsh where you said someone hid those children, Mr. Chatterly. There were only four children there. Where are the other twelve;” I asked, trying not to sound intimidating, yet realistically wanting to leap onto him and tear his heart out, if it would save my daughter.

“You must be Dr. Skyler,” said Mr. Chatterly. “I only took four, I swear. Um, I mean, I only saw four.”

“What do you mean?” I screamed. “First, you say you took four, and then you say you say you saw four. What the hell did you do, Mr. Chatterly?”

“I have dreams sometimes. Dreams that show my face hurting people, but when I wake up, I know I couldn’t commit such deviant acts. That’s how I knew where those children were. I saw it in my dreams. That’s why I came to you and turned myself in. I knew where the children were, but I didn’t put them there.”

“Will you excuse us for a moment, Mr. Chatterly?”

“Yes of course,” he said as he walked to the kitchen to pour himself some tea.

“What do you think, Sky? Do you think he’s a nut job?” Paul asked.

“I prefer to use the word confused, if you don’t mind, Paul.”

“Yeah, whatever,” said Paul.

“Look at this place, Paul. The newspapers piled against the wall date back ten years or more. The blanket is bundled up on the antique recliner, or easy chair as they used to be called, almost worn to nothing; the dishes could possibly have been sitting in the same place since Reagan was president. I think I need to question him in my office. We certainly can’t convict him if we don’t know all the facts.”

“All the facts; seriously sweetheart? I see where you’re going with this, but he so much as told us he knew where those kids were. I call that good hard evidence. Besides, he could be a child molester or rapist, not to mention a dangerous murdering creep!”

“He could have truly seen someone put the children there or blocked it out of his mind. If I hypnotize him, I could possibly get to the truth or he could confess.” I leaned close to Paul and whispered, “Okay, maybe this is selfish, but if I get inside his head, maybe I could find Lindsey. Please, Paul. If we turn him in to soon I might lose her forever and never know what happened.”

George walked back into the living room with a tray of cups and hot tea.

“We’re going to have to turn you into the authorities, George,” said Paul.

I jabbed Paul in the side and looked at him intimidatingly. I whispered in Paul’s ear, “What part of our little talk didn’t you understand?”

George set the tray on a nearby end table, pulled a gun from his pocket, and pointed it at his head. “No, I’ve been that route, and I’ll never go back. I won’t let you take me in.”

I walked toward George and said, “George put the gun down, please. You don’t want to do this. Once we take you downtown, I’m sure we can work something out. Trust me, George. I know you don’t want to live like this anymore. You said yourself. You came to me remember? Just trust me.”

“I’m scared, Dr. Skyler. I’m afraid I’ll find out I really did hurt people, and I know now, I can not live like that. Will you help me Doc?”

“Let’s take it one step at a time. If you don’t want to go any further, you can tell me, and I’ll do all I can to fight the system. Besides, if I’m your doctor, I can’t divulge anything we talk about in private.”

“Okay, Doc I’ll do it,” he said as he lowered the weapon. “I swear I don’t remember hurting anyone. It was just in my dreams, don’t you see?” mumbled George.

Paul slowly pried the gun from George’s hand and shoved it into his coat pocket.

As we drove George to the police station, I asked him several questions.

“Can you remember when your dreams started?”

“I have had them all my life. I always felt like someone was watching me. It’s this creepy feeling, like the devil has taken over my soul or I’m possessed. I was afraid to tell anyone, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to find out what I am or why this is happening to me.”

“Okay,” said Paul, to sum up what you’ve said, you see things in your dreams, you think someone’s watching you, and you think you are possessed by the devil. Is that right?”

Again, I nudged Paul. “Keep your comments to yourself, Paul, I’m the psychiatrist here, remember?” Then I turned to George. “Do you remember exactly when you realized those four children were in the marsh?”

“I had a dream a couple of days ago. I saw myself holding the door of the box open, shoving the children inside and locking it. I even saw myself take food to them. I don’t know all the children’s names, but I know what they look like. I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it, George kept mumbling. I kept watching the news to find out any information, that I could recall, about those poor tiny babies.”

“Where were you born?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I was orphaned and brought up in the bayou by a woman who couldn’t have any children. They said she died from encephalitis when I was four. I have been passed around ever since.”

“Do you remember what your mother’s name was?”

“No. It was so long ago. I just can’t remember anything anymore.”

“Could I set an appointment with you for Monday, for our first session?”

“Of course, Doctor. I need to get this off my chest.”

“I can’t promise you a miracle, Mr. Chatterly. All I can promise is that I’ll try to pick your brain enough to help you remember.”

We walked him into the Police station and turned him over to an Officer Beck, a small man with sideburns, like something out of the seventies. Sort of reminded me of Sylvester Stalone, only blond and taller.

I told Officer Beck I was Mr. Chatterly’s doctor and that I would be in to visit with George.

Before Officer Beck and George walked away, I turned and said, “Get yourself a lawyer, Mr. Chatterly. You’ll probably need to get a hold of a bail bondsman as well. See you Monday.”

“What do you think Sky?” asked Paul.

“You already asked me that, Paul. I have no idea what goes through people’s heads unless I spend quality time with them. I can tell you this much, I got an uncanny feeling of trust when he said he didn’t do it.”

“I don’t know how you can be so remarkably forgiving, Sky,” said Paul.

“It’s my job, Paul. I love people. Anyway, people are innocent until proven otherwise, remember?” I said, irritated.

“All right, I suppose I am being a slight bit cynical. What are you going to do this weekend?” asked Paul.

“I’m going to soak in a hot tub when I get home, curl up on my couch, read a book and wait for the phone to ring. I have all the confidence in the world that I will find my baby girl alive.”

“How would you like to go camping?” asked Paul.

“That sounds wonderful, but I can’t leave. What if they find information leading to Lindsey’s whereabouts and I’m nowhere to be found? Did you see the looks on those parents’ faces when they got their babies back? As tears welled up, I said, I would give anything to wear that face."

“You haven’t gotten out for quite some time. I’m sure they would call you on your cell phone, if they heard anything. We don’t need to go far.” Paul looked at me like a sad little puppy.

“Okay. Thanks for the ride,” I said, as I kissed him on the cheek.

“Really? I’ll pick you up at six tomorrow morning,” said Paul, jubilantly.

Paul rang my doorbell right at six a.m. He was always a stickler for time and his word. I rubbed my eyes and opened the door.

“Good morning beautiful. Did you sleep well?”

“I was restless. I kept thinking I heard noises, but I can sleep on the way to the campground.”

“Wow, great motorhome, Paul.”

“Thanks. I rented it for the weekend. There is a terrific KOA Campground about twelve miles from here. It offers a fishing lake, swimming, canoes, rubber rafts, a bike trail, indoor restrooms, seventy-two sites and water connections.”

“I see you’ve done your homework. You sound like you’re doing a commercial for the place.”

“I didn’t want you to be disappointed,” said Paul.

“I love you,” I said, with a big smile.

“Ditto,” said Paul. “So why won’t you marry me?”

“Paul, darling, you know I can’t commit to something like that when Lindsey is still missing.”

“I know. I just don’t want you to forget,” he said with a prod.

After sawing logs for what seemed like twenty minutes, we’d arrived at the KOA.

“Wake up Sky, we’ve arrived at the site.

“That was a short nap. This place is beautiful, Paul. What say we go swimming before we unpack?”

“Whatever you want, my love. Just let me change into my trunks.”

“I already have my suit on. I wore it under my clothes. Ever since my Girl Scout days, I like to be prepared. I’ll see you in the water,” I yelled, as I ran toward the lake.

I walked to the end of the pier and jumped in. It was nippy but not freezing. There were only a few people lying on the beach. It was such a beautiful place I couldn’t imagine why so few people were here. I swam to the middle of the small lake and already started to feel relaxed as I watched Paul dive in and swim to join me.

“I’ll race you to the other side,” I goaded.

“I’ll beat you to the other side,” Paul said, sniggering.

“Why do you think there are hardly any campers here?” I asked.

“It’s spring. Camping season doesn’t officially start until summer. Most people don’t like to camp in the rainy season.”

“And we do?”

“It’s not raining now,” said Paul.

“Okay, fare enough, But I beat you.”

“Oomph,” said Paul. “Just for that, I’ll fix dinner tonight.”

“Oh, you are a charmer.”

We decided on a campsite right near the water. It was beautiful. The sites were cleared of debris, and they had large barbeque grills. Paul fixed steak with baked potatoes, and later we roasted marshmallows, while Paul told scary stories.

“Look over there,” I said. “Heat lightning. Isn’t it awesome?”

“It lights up the whole sky. It is awesome. I think we’ll have a full moon tomorrow night. We can probably eat by candlelight and sip on wine. I happened to spy a grocery store on the way in.”

“You are the last of the romantics, darling.” I said as I kissed him gently on the lips.

“Did you hear something?” I asked.

“What, sweetheart?”

“Listen. I heard it again. It sounds like twigs crackling.” I said.

“I don’t hear anything, baby. Perhaps I should stop with the scary stories. You’re starting to imagine things.”

“There, I said, irritated, did you hear it that time?”

“Yeah. It’s probably some of the other campers or their dogs going for a walk.”

“Would you like me to play some tunes on my guitar?”

“I’d love that. Lindsey used to love to listen to you play,” I said unconsciously, and then as it sunk into my head, what I’d said, I started to cry.

Paul wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. “Lindsey’s going to be all right. We’ll find her. Come on, don’t think about it. Would you like to go for a walk?”

“Okay. It’s getting chilly, just let me slip on a sweatshirt.”

Paul gently wiped my tears, and off we went into the darkness of the woods, not thinking about the fact that bears and other large animals could have us for dinner.

“Paul,” I whispered. “Doesn’t it sound like someone’s following us?”

“It sounds like someone’s out there, but I don’t know about following us.”

“What if it’s a bear? Shouldn’t we go back to camp, to be safe?”

“If it’ll make you feel better, we’ll head back. But I gotta tell ya, if a bear is chasing us, he’s not going to use camping etiquette when he ruins our lovely evening.”

When we arrived back at the campsite, it was a shambled disaster.

“What the hell?” said Paul. “Maybe you were right. Perhaps there was a bear in the area.”

“Why would a bear search through our clothes? How would he get in the trailer, anyway?”

“Oh, well, maybe we left the door open.”

“Come on, Paul, you know there’s something weird going on here. Look, nothing is ripped open. I know you are just trying to ease my mind, but you’re taking it to far.”

“You got me there, Sky. Let’s clean up and we can go to the office in the morning and file a complaint. It’s probably just some kids goofing around.”

“You’re probably right, as usual. Let’s go to bed, I’m tired.”

When we’d finished cleaning up, we went to bed. It was late, and I tried not to show it, but I was still thinking of my daughter, so I was, as it seemed quite often these days, depressed even though Paul was being a perfect gentleman.

I woke up with Paul’s arms gently caressing me. It felt so nice. I moaned and rolled over, hoping he’d rub my back. He brushed his hands across my backside and squeezed gently. I moaned again. The peaceful quiet of the morning relaxed me, and the sensation turned me on. All I could hear were the birds singing. We made love in a way we’d never done before.

“That was wonderful, Paul. Thank you so much. I had forgotten how amazing it feels to just relax and enjoy myself.”

“You could have that wonderful feeling 24-7 if you chose to,” said Paul.

I just smiled. We laid there in each other’s arms and fell back to sleep.

CHAPTER THREE

We walked to the campground office and reported yesterdays' fiasco. They said they hadn’t heard of anything else happening around the lake but that they would keep an ear out and notify the proper authorities.

“I don’t feel so safe here anymore. Do you think we could head for home, Paul?”

“Sure, honey. Why don’t you go over and gather our things, and I’ll take care of our bill.”

“Okay, baby. See you in a few minutes.”

As I wandered toward our campsite, I thought I heard more noises in the woods. It sounded like they were getting closer, so I picked up the pace and found myself turned around and briskly walking toward the campground office. I ran into the office out of breath, and white as a sheet.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

I fell into Paul’s arms and the tears came rolling down my cheeks.

“Someone was following me. I heard noises in the woods, and then they became louder. I started to run and then I heard the footsteps get louder, faster and closer.”

“Are you sure you didn’t just imagine it?” asked Paul.

“Bite Me, Paul,” I said, irritated. “I know what I heard!”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. It just all sounds so bizarre. I’ll be done here in a minute. Calm down and I’ll finish checking out.”

I hugged him hard and stood by the door. As I stood there looking out the screen, I saw a shadow moving in the woods. I couldn’t quite make it out, but it looked like a person.

“Paul, look out there,” I said as I moved away from the door.

“What is it, Sky?”

“There’s a man out there in the woods. Can you see him? I couldn’t see his face, but he looked big, and he was wearing dark clothing with maybe a hooded jacket.”

“I don’t see anyone. He must have disappeared,” said Paul.

I peered out the screen door, but didn’t see anything either.

As I walked back to the campsite, I said, “I’m sorry, darling. I guess I’m a little fidgety from last nights raid. I’ll try to relax.”

“Sky, I already paid for the fishing boat and bait, and I have all the gear at the campsite. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to go fishing before we leave? It would probably be fun and calming.”

“What a sales pitch. I guess that’d be all right. I can’t imagine why someone would want to bother us on the lake.” I said.

We loaded the beer and bait into the boat and stepped in. It was a silver paddle boat with a small motor. Paul paddled out to about the middle of the lake and lowered the anchor.

“Gosh, this lake is deeper than it looks. It took almost all of my rope to hit bottom.”

“It’s so black, the sun hitting the surface is almost blinding,” I said.

“Yeah, most lakes look like that. There is muck on the bottom, which makes it look like a glossy dark mass of oil,” said Paul.

“Spooky,” I said, as I hummed eerie Twilight Zone music.

Paul laughed while he loaded my hook up with bait.

“There, that ought to bring in a big one,” he said. “No self-respecting fish can resist a fat juicy shiner.”

“I love it when you talk sexy, Paul.”

After about forty-five minutes of no action, I couldn’t stand the boredom. I kept cranking in my reel as it dragged the bottom of the lake.

“Yippee!” I yelled, “I think I have a bite.”

“Okay, play with him a few minutes, and when you feel him jerk, pull hard, and set the hook,” Paul whispered.

I pulled on the hook hard and started to reel in the fish.

“The tip of your rod is bowed big time,” said Paul. “I think I need to help you bring it in with the net.”

“It’s heavy, Paul. I hope I don’t snap the line.”

You’re doing fine baby. Reel him in slowly, and I’ll net it when you bring it up to the surface.”

“Okay, here it comes,” I said. “Get the net sweetheart,” I said, anxiously moving back and forth.

Paul picked up the net and stood by my side. He lowered the net onto the surface of the lake, pushed it into the water, and positioned it under the fish.

“Oh yuck,” I muttered. “It’s covered in slime. It’s heavy too.”

I pulled it into the boat while Paul held the net. I loosened my hold on the fishing pole and lowered it to the bottom of the boat.

“It doesn’t look like a fish,” I said.

Paul took hold of my fishing line and lifted it up to loosen it from the net. “It’s not a fish baby,” he said, as he stepped in front of me to block my view of it.

“What is it Paul? Let me see.”

“Just stay where you are, sweetheart. I’m going to shove it into the fish basket.”

As I sat down on the boat seat, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d pulled in. I tried to look around Paul, but he’d already shoved it into the basket and threw it into the lake alongside the boat.

Paul sat down and didn’t say anything.

“Sweetheart, your face is terrifying. What was that thing?” I asked.

“It looked like it might have been a human head. I can’t be positive, because it was pretty eaten away. I’m going to shore and hand it in to the authorities, and then we’re heading for home.”

All of a sudden, our little boat began to rock back and forth.

“What’s happening?” I screamed. As the boat rocked harder, my heart felt like it had risen into my throat.

“Did you hear that?” asked Paul.

“Oh my gosh, what baby?”

“It sounds like something is scratching the bottom of the boat!” said Paul.

Paul moved to the back of the boat, pulled on the motor’s cord, but all it did was sputter. He tried the engine one more time, but it wouldn’t turn over. The boat began rocking so hard that it was difficult to stay seated. Paul grabbed the paddles and hauled butt to shore. Neither one of us said a word until we hit land.

“May I see the atrocity now, Paul?” I asked.

“No. There’s nothing to see,” he said abruptly, having lost all patience by this time.

While Paul carried the atrocity to the front office, I packed up the rest of our gear and drove over to meet him.

“They’re going to turn it over to the proper authorities. I told them if they wanted to question us, they could call. They have our number, and we don’t live that far away.”

“Are you okay,” I asked.

“Sure, why?” asked Paul.

“You haven’t said anything the whole time we’ve been driving back.”

“I guess I’m a little shocked over the whole camping episode. I should have believed you when you said someone was out in the woods. We might have caught him.”

“It’s okay, Paul. I wasn’t really even sure myself what was going on. Besides, we have enough to worry about right here in our own backyard.”

“I love you, Susan. Please don’t ever forget that,” he said as he kissed me on the hand and then hugged me tight.

“I know you do, Paul. Thank you for that and for that wonderful mini-vacation. It was like being in an episode of Friday the 13th. Quite the experience.” That made him chuckle and when he smiles, I feel better…

“What say, I cook some pasta, and we watch The Walking Dead, after dinner?”

“Very funny Sky. Dinner sounds good,” said Paul.

Dinner went well, and we’d almost forgotten the terrifying incident at the lake.

CHAPTER FOUR

Good morning, Kerry. How was your weekend?” I asked.

“Quiet, Jeff and I went to the woods hiking and camped out for the night. It was a great relaxing weekend.”

“Paul and I went camping too, but it was not as quiet and relaxing as your weekend.”

“What do you mean?” asked Kerry.

“Oh, I will tell you later. I would rather not dredge it all up again. It is to much to fathom right now.”

“Mr. Chatterly called and left a message for you. He said, “His lawyer got him out on bail and that he would be in to your office this morning.”

“That’s wonderful new. You can just send him in. I’ll be ready for him,” I said, walking to my office.

“Good morning Mr. Chatterly. Dr. Susan is expecting you. You may go right in.” said Kerry, pointing to the hallway.

“Mr. Chatterly, how nice to see you again. Please come in,” I said, shutting the door behind us.

My office was suitably large. I had a mahogany desk with a matching computer stand, and one wall had bookshelves with a large rolling ladder. On the other side of the room were two stuffed chairs and a lounge sofa, which I sat in front of a stained-glass wall-sized window of squares. It, after all, was my second home. I decorated it myself. It was peaceful yet businesslike.

“Please sit down, Mr. Chatterly. I am anxious to get started.”

“What would you like me to talk about, Doc?”

“I think we should start with the basics first, so I can get to know you better. Can you tell me everything you remember from when you were a boy?”

“Alright. Like I told you before, I don’t remember much. I have bits and pieces in my head, but nothing solid to hang on to. I don’t remember the orphanage. I guess I was too young. I do, however, remember one person when I was there. Her name was Vicki. I can’t for the life of me remember what her last name was. She was very thin, had brown hair, and weighed about one hundred pounds. She stood about five-foot-six and she was very nice to me. She would hold me in her arms and read me stories at night when I had nightmares.”

“Can you tell me about your mother? Do you remember anything about her? Anything at all?”

“I told you, I do not remember her. I guess I was to young.”

“What about these dreams you say you have? Do you remember when they started?”

“What do you mean, I say I have? Don’t you believe me? If you don’t believe me, then I think I need to leave,” he said, angrily. He got up and started walking toward the door.

“No wait, please, Mr. Chatterly. I didn’t mean to offend you. I just don’t know all the facts and I guess I worded that wrong. Please, sit back down, and let’s try again.”

He appeared hesitant and then slowly walked back to the couch.

“I’m scared, Doc. I don’t want to find out that it is I doing those horrible things. I know I cannot be capable of such heinousness.”

“Let’s start there for a minute.” I said. “Tell me about the first dreams you had.”

“Well, I remember the dreams starting when I was just a little boy. I would see me looking up a girls’ dress. She let me. She would tease me and tell me to play doctor with her. She would be the patient, and I was the doctor.”

“What did the little girl look like?”

“She had white blond hair and a little chubby face. There were always other boys with me, and they would watch us play and take turns. She would play with my, she would, um, we would examine each other. You know, our privates. I knew it was wrong, but she told me we weren’t being bad, because we loved each other.”

“What did these other boys look like?” I asked.

“They looked like me,” said George.

“What do you mean, like you? Did they have the same color hair? Did they wear the same clothes? Were they your age? Did you know them? Were they your friends?”

“They were me,” said George.

“They looked like you?” I asked.

“No Doc, they were me.” George said, obviously getting frustrated.

“Okay, lets move on to a different subject, for now. Do you remember any other dreams?”

“Yes. When I was a teenager, I was on a date with a girl. We were at the Sarasota Zoo. She was wearing a tank top with a blue jean skirt. She kept teasing me. Asking me why I didn’t kiss her. Brushing her body against mine and hugging me and then running. I saw me chasing her and pushing her up against the lion’s cage and watching the lion tear at her clothes and, then bite off her hand. It was horrible, the screaming. She ran away, and the police questioned me. They put me in a home for bad boys. I was there nine months before they let me out to live with another couple. My other parents wanted nothing to do with me after that. I didn’t do it. I wasn’t there. I only saw it happen. Every time I told someone what I saw, they would punish me for what I hadn’t done. It happened so often that I stopped telling people. I trusted them but they would still treat me like a leper! Like a bad seed or be terrified of me. Then when I was out for few months, I saw that girl under a bridge by the ocean. She still teased me. She only had one hand so I knew it was she. She wouldn’t stop teasing me, so I hit her in the face, and she fell to the ground. I lay on top of her holding her arms with one hand while kissing her. She liked it. She kissed back. She told me to touch her breasts, so I did. Then she told me to touch her panties, so I did. I pulled her panties down and touched her privates. She liked it. She moaned and stopped fighting. I took my pants off and tried to push myself into her. She started to scream. I put my hand over her mouth and kept shoving. I raped her. I raped her,” he said, as tears flowed down his cheeks and sweat poured off his body.

“Okay, that’s enough,” I said. “Please try to calm down George. How old were you when this happened?”

“I think I was seventeen. I don’t think she ever told anyone, because no one came to get me! I felt terrible, so I went to her house to apologize, or maybe just to see if it was real. She screamed at me through the door. She told her mother not to let me in. They slammed the door in my face, and I never saw her again.”

“What was her name George?”

“Sally. Her name was Sally Frampton.”

“We are running out of time George. I have another client in a few minutes, but I’d like to question you some more about the children that have been in the newspaper. Can you tell me anything else about them?”

“I think I know where some more of the children are. I don’t know if they are alive, but they are trapped in a warehouse?”

“Good lord, George, you should have led with that first thing! What kind of warehouse?”

“I don’t know. It has papers in it. Old dirty papers and there’s dirt on the floors, with puddles of water. The children are cold and hungry. Once in a while, I see me bringing them scraps of food. I want them to be scared. I say mean things to them. I tell them their parents aren’t coming to save them. I tell them nobody loves them. I push them to the ground and they aren’t aloud to touch me or talk to me.”

Startled back into reality, the phone rings. By this time, I am shaking like a leaf and I feel those horrid goosebumps again.

“Yes Kerry, what is it?”

“Mrs. Silverman is here for her session.”

“Of course, could you tell her I cannot see her today. Please apologize for me, Kerry. I have an emergency here, and I need to take care of it immediately.”

The phone rings, again.

“Susan, Mrs. Silverman is angry but she said she would make another appointment. What’s wrong?” asked Kerry.

“I can’t explain right now, Kerry. Please clear my calendar for today, and I’ll give details later.”

“Yes, Susan,” said Kerry.

Picking up my purse and taking my car keys out, I was distracted as I thought, I need more information from George before I go head-on into this endeavor.

“George, I know I’ve already asked you this question, but I feel like you weren’t honest with me. Why did you insist on me? Why did you choose me?”

“I saw you. I saw you in my dream. I know that your daughter is one of the missing children. I didn’t see your daughter’s face, but I saw you sleeping on the couch in the living room when I took your daughter! I mean when someone took your daughter.”

“George, I have to ask a favor of you. I want to try to hypnotize you, so I can possibly find the warehouse you speak of. Can I get your permission?”

“Of course, Doc. Anything to help,” commented George.

“Okay, George, Please, relax and watch the metronome tick back and forth. Concentrate on the metronome and nothing else. You are lying on the beach and the warm sun is caressing your body. It is enveloping your being and making you sleepy. You are relaxing from your head to your toes, as if you were lying in a warm bath. You feel soothed and comfortable, and your eyelids are getting heavy. So heavy, in fact, that you can’t hold them open. You shut your eyelids to ease the sensation and it relieves your anxiety. You are fading into a deep sleep. Deeper and deeper until you cannot hear the pendulum ticking anymore. All you hear is my voice and the sound of ocean splashing against the sand. Are you there, George? Do you feel relaxed and hear the waves slapping on sandy shore?”

“Yes,” said George.

“Describe what you see, George.”

“I see nothing but sand and ocean. No people, only beach for miles.”

“That’s wonderful George,” I said. “Can you take me to the warehouse, the one where the children are? Can you do that George?”

As I question him, I am recording our session and the answers he gives.

“Yes, I am floating to the warehouse.”

“Can you read the signs, George? Can you tell me what the signs say?”

“I’m in the low rent district. One of the signs reads Harbor Drive. I’m traveling west, going under a bridge, and so far I’ve passed three stoplights. I’m slowing down. I’ve arrived at the warehouse. It’s on the northeast corner of Harbor and Chase.”

“Is there a name on the building, George?”

“Mariners Rent-A-Space. It’s dark. There aren’t any lights. It looks like, wait, it’s not a warehouse. It’s a dock with boats tied to it. There is one large boat and several small boats.”

“Does the big boat have a name?”

“I can’t read it from here. I’ll get closer. It reads Five Musketeers. There’s music playing. I don’t know what it’s called, but I remember it from when I was a little boy. The words “hush little babies." Don’t say a word. Yes, ‘Mockingbird’ …It’s the Mockingbird song. I remember mommy singing that song to me when I was a baby. Oh No! George screamed. It can’t be. It’s me… I’m there…noooo! It can’t be. I’m cutting a baby open with a knife. No, stop! Stop this is insanity, stop!” screeched George.

“George, I am going to count to three, and you are going to wake up, only to remember what we talked about and feeling fine. One, two-“

“No, the baby, I’m throwing the baby over the bow. I see it hitting the water, I’m watching it sink!” screamed George.

“And three…Are you all right George? How do you feel?”

“I’m fine. I feel rested. Did I help you? Yes, I remember we found a boat with, Oh my god!” George screamed again.

“You’re okay George. Stay calm. I’m afraid we need to stop for now. If you don’t mind, I’d like to see you tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Is that okay with you?” I asked.

“Sure Doc, but I didn’t do those things I saw. Honest, I didn’t. I couldn’t.”

“Okay, George. See Kerry on your way out and set up an appointment for tomorrow morning.”

CHAPTER FIVE

“Paul, its Susan. I just had a session with George, and he gave me some clues as to where some of the children might be.”

“Call the police and I’ll be over right away,” said Paul.

“Okeechobee Police Department. How may we help you?”

“This is Dr. Susan Skyler. I have a clue as to where some of the missing children are. Please hurry, I don’t know exactly how long they can survive! I have it on good authority that a small child was being thrown overboard.”

“Yes, Dr. Skyler, tell us what information you have, and we’ll get right on it.”

“I have bits and pieces. I think there is a warehouse nearby called Mariners Rent-A-Space on the corner of Harbor Drive and Chase Avenue. The children should be locked on a docked boat call the Five Musketeers.”

“Thank you, Doctor. Officer Grant will check out your story right away, we will send an officer over to question you, so please stay put.”

“Hurry,” I said.

The Officer showed up quickly. “Ms. Skyler, I’m Officer Kent. Could you please come with me?”

“It’s Dr. Skyler, Officer. Where are we going?”

“Down to the station. We need to question you.”

“No, I can’t go. I need to get to the docks. I need to see if my baby girl is there.”

“Just come quietly Doctor. I don’t want to have to cuff you.”

“Please, try and understand. I got this information from one of my patients. I couldn’t divulge any info even if I wanted to, client-doctor privilege and all that. Le me go to the docks, please!”

“Can’t let you do that, ma’am. Now follow me.”

“Paul,” I yelled.

As the officer turned around, I hit him over the head with one of my pieces of art on my mantle. In the midst of running toward Paul, I grabbed his hand, and told him to hurry.

“What’s going on Sky? What’s this all about? You do realize you just assaulted a police officer?”

“He wanted to take me downtown for questioning instead of acting on the emergency at hand, which was going to the docks to save the children. Hurry, please Paul, before I have to knock you out too!”

“Okay,” said Paul, as they entered his Jeep, which way madame?”

“Turn on your navigation system. Look for Harbor Drive and Chase Avenue. We need to head to the docks to find the children.”

“Could you punch it in for me? I’m a little busy driving.”

“Sure, just don’t stop,” I said. “It's about twenty minutes from here. Turn left off the freeway, here.”

“You want me to turn on Holt?”

“Yeah, I know a shortcut.”

When we arrived at the corner of Harbor and Chase, there was no sign of the cops. Paul and I got out of his SUV and walked toward, Mariner’s Rent-A-Space.

“It’s got to be here,” I said.

“It’s locked, sweetheart. How do you expect to get in?” asked Paul.

“Let’s walk around back.”

“Wow, this isn’t a warehouse, it’s a rental dock,” said Paul.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what George said. Look for a big boat that reads Five Musketeers. That’s where the children are.”

“Over there,” yelled Paul, as he pointed to a big boat.

“Hurry Paul,” I said, as I ran toward the boat. “I don’t know how much longer the children have.”

“What do you think we should do, once we get there?”

“Save the children, of course!” I said.

“What if the perpetrator is still there?”

“Oh yeah, well, you’re a big, strong guy. Knock him out! Be quiet,” I said.

We climbed the ladder to the big boat and quietly boarded.

“This is a big place. We’re going to have to split up so we can cover more ground. I’ll go this way, you go that way,” said Paul.

I crept silently down the deck, looking in every portal, and finally came to a door. It led down into an area that looked like a cabin. I went through desks, opened doors to bathrooms and closets, but found no children. I headed toward the top deck when I heard a shuffling noise like someone coming. The hair on my arms stood straight up. I knelt down low and listened. When I figured it was safe, I proceeded to scan the boat.

Paul quietly opened a door that led to another cabin. He filtered through the mess but also came up empty-handed.

We met in the middle and shrugged. “Maybe George made a mistake,” said Paul.

“I think he was right on. He was panicking and screaming. I am sure he was at the right place, besides… Listen. Did you hear that?”

“What sweetheart?”

“That. I hear something.”

We tiptoed toward the noise. It was coming from deep inside the belly of the boat.

“We’re getting closer,” I said. “The noise is getting louder.”

I tripped over a rug. “Look, there’s a trap door on the floor, and it’s locked.”

“That’s where they put their catch every day to keep it fresh,” said Paul.

“I hear the children,” I whispered.

We looked for something to use to break the lock. Paul found an axe, and he started whacking at the lock.

“I got it,” he said. “Stand back, Susan, I don’t want anything jumping out at you.”

“The cops are coming, I can hear the sirens,” I said.

Just then, someone snuck up behind us and hit Paul over the head. Paul went down, and I saw him coming after me. “George,” I screamed, but he didn’t stop. “George, it’s me, Dr. Skyler.”

As he raised his arms to hit me, Officer Beck pointed a gun at him and said, “Don’t move a muscle, and I won’t have to pop a cap in your ass!”

The man lowered his arms and stood still.

“George, what are you doing? Don’t you recognize me?” I asked.

“Why do you keep calling me George?” asked the stranger. “My name is Alex. Alex Finch and you are?”

“I’m Dr. Susan Skyler, and the young man you clobbered is Fireman Paul Boecker. Paul, are you all right?”

“What are you doing on my boat?” asked Alex.

“Officer, please raise this door so I can release the children. It’s heavy, you will need extra hands,” I said.

When they opened the door, there were six children huddled together trying to keep warm. Officer Beck and a few others climbed down the ladder and retrieved the children one at a time. When they brought up the last child, he wasn’t breathing.

“That’s Kenny,” said Lacey, with tears in her eyes. “He said he was hungry and cold, and then he started coughing and breathing funny. We didn’t know what to do, so we gave him our jackets. Then he quieted down, and we thought he was asleep. It’s dark down there, and we were so hungry.”

“You are all going to be okay now,” I hugged them one by one. “Tell the officers what your names are and they can take you home,” I said, as I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

“Oh, Paul, will I ever find Lindsey alive?”

He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. “She’s going to be all right, Sky. Don’t give up hope.”

When we arrived at my house I said, “Will you stay with me tonight, Paul? I don’t think I could tolerate sitting here alone.”

“Of course, I will, sweetheart.”

We cooked chicken on the grill. I made my famous cheese fried zucchini and mashed potatoes.

“Would you like me to pour you some wine, darling?” asked Paul.

“Yes, that would be wonderful. Do you want to choose a DVD to watch?”

“Okay. How about Saw?

“That will be a little rough to take at this particular juncture. Could we choose something a little less violent tonight?” I asked.

“How about Pirates of the Caribbean?” Paul suggested.

We sat in the spa and watched Pirates and then went to bed and made love before passing out.