The dark zone, p.7
The Dark Zone, page 7
Hunter’s father had a wonderful smile, and the picture was one of those silly ones that young lovers might do. She became melancholy at the thought of what might have been. They had plans or at least they dreamed of a life together. Oh, there had been other suitors, men who found Marlene attractive and mysterious. That was saying a lot even for Glen Falls.
Eric Cronin had been one of those suitors. Even back then and so many years ago, Marlene found him to be arrogant and too self assured. But he was persistent and thought he had the inside track on winning her affections. That ended when she gave him the cold shoulder and for all intent purposes, gave him the heave ho.
It was Hunter’s father that she truly loved. It was as simple as that. There was no explaining or trying to understand affairs of the heart. She remembered what happened next as if it was yesterday, even though it was over twenty years ago. Glen Falls was rocked by the unwed pregnancy of Hunter’s mother. Hunter’s father dutifully married her, but couldn’t tear himself apart from Marlene. He still saw her when he could and the whispers continued throughout Glen Falls.
It wasn’t long after that, Hunter’s father disappeared for good, never to be seen again. The whispers faded away and Marlene sold her soul to the devil and married Pastor Cronin. He provided stability which included the finest house situated on the highest hill of the town.
Marlene held the letters to her chest and dreamed. She dreamed of the man she had loved and what could have been. She closed her eyes and thought back to when she was happy, when life was exciting and full of promise. It was better back then. Everything had gone wrong and it all seemed backwards. In so many ways, she didn’t know who she was anymore. Pastor Cronin as she referred to him under her breath… had made sure of that. She was stripped clean of what was good and right. A tear came to her eye as she thought of the man she truly loved.
Marlene didn’t hear the creaking of the stairs behind her or the swinging of the door to the attic. A shadow appeared behind her, blocking off the keyless light on the ceiling. She turned around and was startled, dropping the letters at her feet and directly in front of Pastor Cronin. “What’s this?” he barked with more than a hit of curiosity.
Marlene reached out to grab the letters, but he was quicker and he began to pilfer thru them. “There nothing.” She saw him scan the letters at breakneck speed, “They’re mine; give them back!”
“It’s from him! You little whore. I should have known.”
Marlene, saw the veins in his neck bulge and she lowered her voice, “That was a long time ago. They don’t mean anything.”
Pastor Cronin moved ever closer to Marlene, and she dropped to the floor, not sure what to expect. “Then why did you hide them from me? What else are you hiding? You’re no better than Judas. A liar and a whore.”
“Lower your voice.”
Pastor Cronin raised his hand as if he was ready to strike her, “What else?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You evil bitch.”
Marlene summoned all the strength from the bottom of her soul and blurted out, “You’re the evil one. You live a life of lies. You sit high on your throne and steal money from the church. You disgust me, and you have for a long time!”
“Lower your voice.”
No!” Pastor Cronin raised his hand and swung at Marlene. He missed and she cackled at him.
“By God, I will strike you down for your idolatrous deeds.”
Marlene laughed as she came to her feet. “Deeds? Is that what you call them? It was love and lust. More than you could ever give me. We made love in more ways than you could imagine: in the car, in his parent’s bed, in the choir loft at the church. Everywhere, and all the time. He mounted me front, back and sideways and I reveled in it.”
Pastor Cronin shuttered and moved away from her, “Stop!”
“Shut up, you pitiful old man.”
Marlene felt a sense of power that hadn’t been there before. It was as if she was reborn and very much alive. She turned her back on him and took a single step toward the door. Pastor Cronin clearly said, “I had him killed, your adulterous lover.” Marlene edged closer toward the door and the steep stairs. “He was tied up and left in the Dark Zone, to be eaten alive. Perhaps the creatures left his private parts for last.” Pastor Cronin laughed like he was the devil, hovering over a helpless human who had foolishly given his soul to him.
Marlene slowly turned around and faced her husband, “You killed him?”
Marlene didn’t see both of his arms slam into her torso. It happened all too fast. It was all a blur as she fell out the attic door and down the stairs. Pastor Cronin calmly said, “Yes, I killed him.”
Her head smashed into oak banister and then onto the hardwood treads of the stairs with a sickening thud. Marlene tumbled again and again, until she face planted onto the mahogany floor on the main level of the house. Everything went silent as Pastor Cronin carefully made his way down the stairs. He looked his wife over, as blood gushed from her nose. “Dear are you alright?” Marlene didn’t answer as she was unconscious.
Doris entered the foyer and screamed, “No!”
“Doris, get a hold of yourself.” Doris continued to scream. Pastor Cronin took hold of her shoulder and shook her, “Doris! Marlene must have fallen down the stairs. Call an ambulance at once; I’ll stay by her. Now go!”
“Yes, Pastor Cronin.”
Doris left the foyer and Pastor Cronin watched his wife struggle to breathe, “Let God’s will be done.”
* * *
Deputy Powers kept a steady eye on Hunter as he guided the police cruiser in the direction of the station. He wondered if his young friend knew that he was playing with fire. On one hand, he admired the young man who was brash and maybe too sure of himself, but then again, how many self assured men had been subtly crushed by the powers to be in Glen Falls?
Police Chief Barnes certainly was part of that power structure, and really, the rotund chief was no more than a stooge for the Mayor Turner and Pastor Cronin – a lackey who didn’t have the brains to come out of the rain. But the chief had a gun and the ever present nightstick, which had cracked many a wayward head.
A call came over the radio, concerning the emergency at the Pastor’s house and Police Chief Barnes turned white, “Turn it around and get going.”
“What about him?”
“I don’t give a shit about the punk. Step on it.”
Deputy Powers accelerated and took a hard left and skidded across the intersection. Hunter slid across the backseat and banged his head on the side of the window. The cruiser straightened out and its headlights shone on Leslie who was walking down the street. It roared past her and headed up to the steep hill, where the Cronin family house stood proudly, overlooking Glen Falls.
Leslie saw where the police cruiser was heading and she picked up her pace. Moments later, an ambulance barreled down the street and passed her as well. It made the long sweeping turn up the extremely steep grade which led to the Cronin estate.
The police cruiser reached the house, and Chief Barnes bolted out of the door. Deputy Powers dutifully followed him. They both entered the house and found Pastor Cronin hovering over Marlene. Pastor Cronin didn’t seem particularly upset, “There’s been an accident.”
Police Chief Barnes looked at the staircase, “Marlene fell down the stairs?”
“Yes, the ambulance will be here shortly.”
Deputy Powers eyed Pastor Cronin with suspicion, but he knew it didn’t really matter. The police chief was more than tight with the pastor, and anyone who didn’t see that was a fool. Deputy Powers leaned down to look at Marlene, “She’s breathing but unconscious. Don’t worry Pastor Cronin we’ll get her to the hospital right away. I’m sure she’ll be okay.”
“I pray that is the case.”
Hunter walked into the house. His hands were still handcuffed, and he approached the scene before Deputy Powers could stop him. Police Chief Barnes gave Deputy Powers a look, “What’s he doing out of the car?” The chief raised his nightstick.
Pastor Cronin’s face turned red with anger and he pointed at Hunter, “It’s him. The bastard child.”
Deputy Powers said, “What?”
Pastor Cronin took the nightstick from Police Chief Barnes and swung it at Hunter. It caught Hunter just above the hip, and he fell to the ground in pain. Pastor Cronin readied the stick again and took aim at Hunter’s head. “Burn in hell, with your father!”
He swung again, but Deputy Powers caught Pastor Cronin’s arm in mid flight. Deputy Powers raised his voice, “That’s enough!”
The police chief reached for the nightstick but Pastor Cronin held it to one side. The chief tried to calm the situation, “Deputy Powers lower your voice.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now Pastor Cronin, we’ll clean up this mess and get your wife off to the hospital.”
The ambulance crew could be heard outside the entrance, and seconds later they entered the foyer. One of the two attendants was smoking a cigarette, which was hanging down from his lips. The other attendant motioned to him and the first attendant let the cigarette fall to the marble foyer floor. He crushed it under his black boot. The head attendant asked, “Which of the two goes?”
Police Chief Barnes barked, “Mrs. Cronin, and be quick about it!” Marlene was placed on a stretcher.
“What about him?” asked the other attendant.
Pastor Cronin moved closer to Hunter and he kicked him in the ribs. Hunter rolled to one side and Deputy Powers helped him to his feet. Police Chief Barnes calmly said, “Get him out of here.”
Leslie entered the foyer and it was evident that she was out of breath. That didn’t stop here from looking at her mother being carried out of the house. “Mother!”
The police chief looked at Pastor Cronin, who said flatly and without emotion, “There’s been an accident.”
Deputy Powers helped Hunter walk past Leslie. She saw that he was hurt. Leslie saw the nightstick in her father’s hands. A look of disgust came over her. “What have you done?”
She turned on her heels. “Leslie.” She left the foyer. “Leslie, come back here. Do you hear me?” Leslie joined her mother in the ambulance, and it pulled away.
Deputy Powers eased Hunter into the backseat of the squad car, “Are you okay?”
“I’ll live.”
“I’m not so sure, Mrs. Cronin will.”
* * *
Hunter was ceremoniously placed in the holding cell by Deputy Powers, who felt the chief’s beady eyes looking at him from the front desk. Hunter sat on a hard cot and Deputy Powers asked in a low voice, “How’s the stomach? Pastor Cronin really kicked you. I wanted to shove my nightstick up his ass but—”
Hunter looked at Police Chief Barnes who was snacking on a bag of potato chips. “Yeah, I get it.”
“I’ll get you out of here as soon as I can.”
Hunter lay back on the cot, “Much appreciated.”
“I better go before the chief puts two and two together.”
“You know this doesn’t change anything. Not one bit.”
“Get some rest.”
Deputy Powers went to the front of the station and tried to keep himself busy while Police Chief Barnes munched away on his potato chips. After ten minutes of unbearable silence, Deputy Barnes said, “How long are you going to keep him locked up?”
“What’s it to you?”
“He’s just a kid. I think he got the message.”
Police Chief Barnes laughed, “Especially after Pastor Cronin kicked in his side.”
“I don’t find that funny. He could have hurt him.”
The chief sat up in his chair, “Since when do you care about some wet nosed high school kid?”
“I don’t; besides, there’s been enough accidents for one night.”
“And your point?”
“The pastor pushed his wife down the stairs.”
“Don’t say that ever again.”
Deputy Powers knew he should have stopped, but he couldn’t. Everyone has their breaking point and apparently he had reached his, “You know it’s true, so stop pretending.”
“Listen up, there’s a certain way how things are done in this town.”
“Really?”
The police chief rolled the empty bag of potato chips into a ball and tossed it toward the garbage can. He missed and went on, “Did I make a mistake in bringing you onboard? I don’t think you get it.”
Deputy Powers shook his head, “I get it all right. But I have to wonder, why do we carry badges if we’re not going to use them?”
“For what?”
“The truth.” Deputy Powers stood up, “I’m taking him home.”
Police Chief Barnes snarled, “Go ahead, and come back tomorrow with you head screwed on straight, or don’t come back at all.”
“Yes sir.”
Deputy Powers unlocked the cell and escorted Hunter toward the front door. Police Chief Barnes absentmindedly said, “And do a full inventory of the weapons cage. I want that on my desk by Friday.”
“Yes sir.”
The chief turned his attention toward Hunter, “And I don’t want to see you around here again. Stay in the shadows, if you know what I mean.” Hunter turned his back to Police Chief Barnes and left the police station with Deputy Powers. “I can see you’re going to be a problem.”
Instead of taking Hunter straight home, Deputy Powers took him to the Adventure’s warehouse. Kip was there, dutifully working on the jeep. “Hey guys this thing is almost a go.” Kip saw that Hunter was a mess, “Hey, what happened to you?”
“Nothing.”
Kip rolled his eyes and looked at Deputy Powers, “Right.”
Deputy Powers said, “Hunter got whacked by Pastor Cronin, the son of bitch.”
“Why?”
Hunter shrugged, “There’s something there, that’s for sure, but there’s more.”
Deputy Powers nodded, “Kip, it’s what you call a big cover up.”
Deputy Powers laid out what happened at the Cronin Estate. When he finished, Kip calmly said, “I bet things are different in Pittsburgh. Isn’t that right Hunter?”
“Maybe.”
Deputy Powers smiled, “Could be. Then again, Pittsburgh might be nothing but a desolate place occupied by the creatures of the Dark Zone.”
Now Kip smiled, “Who knows; maybe they have bright lights.”
Deputy Powers softly replied as if he knew that wasn’t so, “Maybe they do.”
Hunter picked up a wrench and winced from the pain on his side, “Let’s finish it.”
Kip nodded, “Now you’re talking.”
At the same time, Leslie was at the Glen Falls Hospital with her unconscious mom at the trauma center. The trauma center wasn’t much to speak of, as it only had a few beds and a rather sparse staff. Even though Leslie was still somewhat in a state of shock, she couldn’t help but notice that the room was dated. Little did she know that it was a relic from the past, and there was nothing progressive about it. Many things had stopped in their tracks because of the creatures of the Dark Zone.
Marlene was hooked up to a respirator and was still. Leslie picked up her hand but there wasn’t any sign of recognition. A doctor came over to Leslie, “Your mother needs rest.”
“Will she recover?”
“Only time will tell. She has severe swelling of the brain; there’s nothing to do but wait.”
“Do you mind if I stay for awhile?”
The doctor smiled ever so slightly, “That would be fine, but you may want to go home and get some rest. I don’t see any other family members, are you all that she has?”
“Yes, there’s no one else.”
“Too bad.”
Chapter Seven
Mr. Marks was back at the blackboard in his Health and Wellness Class. He talked about personal hygiene for awhile, which wasn’t going anywhere with the students. Hunter sat uneasily at his desk, as the pain on the side of his stomach, courtesy of Pastor Cronin, still bothered him. Leslie was at the desk next to him, and she knew what had occurred inside her house. She still wasn’t talking to her father, and she had her suspicions about her mother’s accident.
Kip was to the right side of Hunter, and he eyed Dirk with skepticism. Was Dirk telling the truth about the lights going out days earlier at the stadium? Or had his intense jealousy of Leslie and Hunter finally got the best of him?
Mr. Marks couldn't care less about the intricacies of a bunch of highschool kids. He was only interested in putting Hunter Boone in his place, once and for all. Finally, he put down the piece of chalk and cleaned his hands with a hand towel on his desk. “Hunter, I understand you had a problem two nights ago.” Hunter didn’t say anything which only made Mr. Marks boil. “Hunter?”
“Yes, Mr. Marks.”
“Well?”
Hunter calmly said, “For personal hygiene, do you recommend bar or liquid soap? I understand bar soap leaves a film on shower walls.”
The class came awake and laughed. Mr. Marks felt that all of those adolescent eyes were on him. “You can fiddle around with the truth, but that won’t get you very far. You went over the wall the other night after soccer practice. And what for? A ten dollar soccer ball.”
This seemed to be a revelation to the class and Kip added, “Mr. Marks, those soccer balls go for closer to twenty dollars. It was real leather you know. Cowhide, though wouldn’t it be cool if was made of the hide of the creature of the night.”
“Yeah, way cool,” said another boy in the class.”
“Kip.”
“Yes sir.”
“Sit down and be quiet.”
Dirk laughed at Kip, “Dork city.”
Kip raised his voice, “I’m not the one who got clobbered on the head. What a tough guy, maybe a cheer girl took you out.”
