Where Nightmares Ride Read online

  Jack recognized the two-story, cedar-wood lodge from his brochure. Its glass front reflected the stadium lights and rose a story higher than the main offices next to it. He saw a row of two-story cabins across the stream and behind the lodge, likely serving as housing for staff members. Heavily trod paths circled every object, all leading to a clearing where he stood.

  “We’ve got it under control. Get to your cabins,” a scrawny staff member urged eight boys down a path toward one of the cabins near the lake.

  “Let’s find out who’s in charge,” Taylor said. “I need some sleep.”

  “There’s the guy with the megaphone.” Jack pointed to the bearded man now exiting the building with a white box of papers.

  A wiry, thin-haired man walked up to him. He’d been standing with his arms crossed and staring at the building, his lip set in a sneer. Pockmarks covered his angular face but couldn’t compete with the reddened burn mark that covered the upper left side of his scalp.

  “Derek,” the sneering man said to the bearded man, “find the security guards that were supposed to be watching the front gates. Send them to the lodge.”

  “Already done, Mr. Farley. They’re waiting for you. I looked around the office. The vandals planned the attack well. They blocked up the fire sprinkler in your office with wads of clay and they knocked the cameras off the walls and disarmed the fire alarm. They pulled all the papers out of your desk. The fire did some damage, but most of the papers survived. Your bug collections were smashed. They must’ve stolen the clay and paint supplies from the lodge. They painted death threats all over the lobby.”

  “Threats against me, I assume,” Farley’s voice was gravelly from too many years of smoking. “Thanks, Derek. I haven’t been back to this camp in nearly five years. Someone obviously told them I was coming.”

  “Told who? Do you know who did this?”

  “I know exactly who did it, but someone helped her. Look how dark it is.” Farley gazed up at two cracked light fixtures dangling from light poles near the lodge. Jack followed the man’s gaze and saw at least four more damaged light fixtures nearby.

  “There are a lot of broken lamps,” Derek said. “The lights at the lodge are out, too.”

  “Someone here wanted it dark,” Farley said. “Let me know if you hear anything. Get some staff together and move my belongings to the research facility. I’ll be safer there. Call headquarters and tell them we need some crews here to repair the office and improve the lighting. By noon tomorrow, I don’t want to see any sign of this attack. And let’s put stadium lights outside the perimeter. That should keep her away.”

  “Keep who away?”

  “Just do what I ask.”

  Jack turned to Taylor. “Why would lights keep vandals away?”

  “That’s what I was wondering,” Jack said. “People with the guts to attack during the opening ceremony aren’t going to be afraid of lighting.”

  A hand clamped around the nape of Jack’s neck. He winced and turned his head enough to see Taylor’s neck in the same predicament. The hands shoved them forward and let them go. Jack massaged his neck, then faced the leer of an elderly man with an unshaven, weatherworn face. He had a small Camp Counselor logo on his left pocket and a nametag that read Avard Slake.

  “What are you two doing, sneaking around in the dark after we told you all to get to yer cabins?” He shoved Jack and Taylor again, forcing them forward until they stumbled next to Mr. Farley.

  “Dude, we just barely got here,” Taylor said.

  “We don’t have a cabin yet,” Jack said.

  Avard squinted and offered a half grin, then pointed at Jack. “You must be the Korean kid we’ve been waiting for. Pack Jaygee, is it?”

  “That’s Pak Jaegi.” Jack wondered how the man knew the Korean version of his name. “Actually, I prefer ‘Jack.’ This is my friend, Taylor Bowman.”

  “Yer friend? That’s irregular,” Avard said.

  “You weren’t invited here, were you boy?” Farley sneered at Taylor.

  Taylor shook his head and gave an awkward smile.

  Jack winced. He should’ve known Taylor might try something like this. He was always trying to bend the rules to his advantage.

  “What?” Farley said. “Did you think you could just show up and we’d all just bend over backward to make room for you?”

  “The online registration wasn’t working.” Taylor produced cash from his pocket. “I’ll pay if I have to. I don’t even care if I have to sleep on the floor.”

  “Online registration wasn’t working because you weren’t qualified! We don’t open the gates to every punk with a computer. We investigate people. I invite them personally.”

  “I’ll have someone drive him to Kalispell,” Avard said. “He can find his way home from there.”

  Jack’s eyes widened. “It’s a thousand-mile drive to L.A.!”

  “Maybe he should’ve thought about that before he tried to invite himself,” Avard said.

  Taylor turned to Jack and shrugged. “Sorry, dude. It’s a summer camp. I was expecting Kumbaya and group hugs.”

  “Don’t be sorry, Taylor. This is strike three. Nothing’s worth this.” He turned for the gate and Taylor followed him.

  Farley rushed to block them. “Wait, wait. Avard doesn’t give the orders around here. Someone attacked our Main Office. We’re all on edge. I can actually appreciate someone willing to challenge the rules. I’m sure we can work something out. Derek, find a cabin for the boy. Avard, take their car keys and have someone drive his car to the satellite parking area. I’ll be in the lodge.” Farley walked away.

  “What a freak,” Taylor said.

  Avard presented a hand. “Keys?”

  Jack dug his keys out of his pocket and presented them to Avard, then a gut feeling hit him, and he withdrew his hand. “Actually, I’d rather hold on to these if that’s okay. Where’s the parking area? I can walk back.”

  “Listen here, pal. We deal with hundreds of kids at this camp. If doing as I say is too much for you, yer free to turn around and high-tail it back to yer mommy.”

  Jack didn’t intend to put up with this kind of treatment all week. He leaned into Taylor’s ear. “Let’s get out of here.” He turned around and met Derek’s outstretched hands. He brushed them aside and started walking.

  “You don’t have to convince me,” Taylor stepped up next to Jack. “Your nightmare problem can’t be worse than dealing with these people.”

  Jack stopped and stared down at his keys. He turned to Derek and looked him in the eyes. “Your brochure said something about dream technology. Would you be able to help me with my nightmares?”

  Derek nodded and smiled. “That’s one thing I can promise you.”

  “Fine.” Jack tossed his keys to Derek. “I’ll give you people one day to make good on that promise. Otherwise, I’ll be wanting those keys back.”

  “It’s a deal.” Derek handed the keys to Avard, who then walked away. “Follow me!” He walked to a table and dug through a cardboard box before pulling out two envelopes. “It’s good to finally meet you, Jack. Farley assigned me to your cabin. You missed the opening ceremony, but you’ll be fine. Everything you need is in this envelope.”

  He handed one of the envelopes to Jack. “There’s a document in there for you to sign, assuming you want to be paid for the dream research. And there’s an ID tag you’ll need to wear at all times. It lets us know you belong here and it’s the electronic access card you’ll need to enter the research facility over there.” He pointed to a building hidden behind trees up the hill.

  “Your cabin’s up there too, east of the research facility. Don’t wander beyond your cabin, though. The other cabin up there is for the girls on the research team. We’re strict about people staying out of other people’s cabins. After Farley’s opening remarks tomorrow morning, you’ll need to go to the research facility with the rest of the boys in your cabin.”

  “What about me?” Taylor said. “Can I st
ay with Jack? Like I said, I’ll sleep on the floor.”

  “No,” Jack said. “You deserve better. Just go where they tell you for tonight and we’ll make better arrangements tomorrow, if we’re even staying here after tomorrow.”

  Derek turned to Taylor and handed him an envelope.

  “Is this my lunch money?”

  “Very funny. The only cabin with beds available is cabin twelve. It’s the farthest one south of the lake. I’ll get you an ID tag tomorrow. Now, if it’s okay with you, I’ve got some calls to make. Get to your cabins and read through those info packets. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Just one thing,” Jack stared at the writing on the office building where three men stood scrubbing at the graffiti. “This vandalism seems too extreme for a prank. Why is someone attacking Farley?”

  “You didn’t hear it from me,” Derek said, “but the guy has no friends. Literally anybody on staff could’ve been behind this. I don’t know how they pulled it off, though. Everyone I know was at the opening ceremony.”

  “What do they have against him?” Taylor swatted at a mosquito.

  “People blame Farley for an explosion that went off at a mine near here the year before the camp opened. A lot of people died. It’s a sore point for him, so don’t bring it up. I’ve really got to go now. It was good to meet you. Now, get to your cabins.” Derek rushed off toward the lodge.

  Taylor joined Jack in the climb up the path toward Jack’s cabin. Jack frowned and kicked a rock along the ground.

  “You okay, dude? Don’t let that Avard dork upset you. I doubt he’ll steal your car.”

  “I know. I just wasn’t expecting the first people I met here to be a cranky old geezer and a weird guy who everybody hates.”

  “I know what you mean. Let’s get some sleep. Maybe it’ll be better in the morning.”

  Four rows of semicircular concrete seating lay embedded in the hillside facing a curved, wooden stage in front of Farley Lake. Fire tickled the air in a central pit. Nearly a hundred campers straggled in after breakfast, packing the arena and filling the air with overlapping conversations and laughter.

  Jack stood on the top step and watched for Taylor, shading his eyes from the early morning sun.

  “There he is,” Jack said to the olive-skinned Asian boy standing next to him. Jack waved until Taylor spotted him and waved back.

  “How you doing?” A smiling red-haired girl passed in front of Jack on her way down the steps. She joined three other girls, giggling and wrapping their arms around each other’s waists.

  “I swear, they only invited good-looking people to this camp,” the Asian boy said.

  Jack scanned the seats. Four boys, a few seats forward, laughed and shared photos on their phones with two girls. Two other boys tossed a blue foam football to each other over the crowd. Everywhere he looked, boys and girls were smiling, laughing, and telling stories. They were all sharply dressed, physically fit, and undeniably attractive.

  “You know, Ming, I think you’re on to something. Weird thing is, none of us knew each other until last night, yet everyone acts like they’ve known each other their whole lives. I feel out of place.”

  Taylor worked around the crowds on the gravel path behind the seating, stopping when he came upon eight boys facing each other in a circle. The boys stood frozen in ninja poses until the burliest young man of the bunch said “Ultimate!” Each boy then struck a new pose. The boy who’d yelled then slapped the wrist of the boy next to him. “You’re out,” he said.

  Taylor eased around the boys and bee-lined for Jack. “They’re playing Ultimate Ninja. I played it with the guys in cabin twelve last night.”

  “You missed breakfast,” Jack said.

  “I know. Its cruel and unusual punishment to force people to choose between sleep and food. Who’s this?”

  “This is Ming. His bed’s next to mine. I wanted to tell you, we have two leather couches in our cabin. I’d be glad to sleep on one if you want to stay in our cabin.”

  “Couches?” Taylor looked confused. “My cabin is lame. I’m talking old mattresses on plywood bunk beds along the walls, and that’s it. Cold concrete floor. No furniture whatsoever. The door doesn’t even latch.”

  “Wow,” Ming said. “Our cabin has a hardwood floor and six beds. We each have our own nightstands and our cabin has a shower.”

  “Not fair,” Taylor said. “I’m there, but I’m taking the couch. I don’t want to be a jerk and kick you out of your bed. I like the guys in my cabin, though. Who’s in your cabin?”

  “That guy’s Travis,” Jack pointed one row ahead at a muscular blond boy who’d wedged himself between a tall black girl and a petite girl with blue-dyed hair. The black girl stood up and traded places with the heavyset redhead sitting next to her.

  “The girl with the blue hair is Marina and the black girl is Barbara,” Ming said. “The red-head is Alison. Their cabin is next to ours. They’re the only girls on the research team.”

  Alison turned around. “Actually, two more are coming today. If things don’t get better soon, though, I’m out of here. This place has electricity and running water, so why don’t they have Wi-Fi or cell service? My mother never would’ve signed me up for this if she knew we’d have no contact.” She turned and continued complaining to Barbara.

  Jack turned to three boys sitting on the other side of Ming. “These three share our cabin, but I’ve only met the guy on the far end. His name’s Jorge. He’s from Peru. I don’t think he speaks English very well.”

  Jorge looked up and smiled.

  “The boy with the book is Tony,” Ming pointing to the short boy next to him who didn’t take his deep-set eyes off the book he was reading. He had wide shoulders, hardly any neck, and a babyish face.

  “I don’t know the guy next to him,” Ming said.

  The tall boy turned and stood up, holding out his hand. His crooked smile revealed gapped teeth on his acne-scarred face. His mop of blond hair made him look top-heavy. His unattractive face seemed out of place at this camp.

  “Name’s Vandal Hearthstone,” he said with a fake English accent. “Nice to meet you.”

  Tony looked up from his book and sneered, shaking his head. “His name’s Carl. His dad works with mine at Baxton Financial.”

  Carl huffed. “Vandal Hearthstone’s my penname, you dweeb. Thanks for ruining it for me.” His accent disappeared.

  “Pennames are for authors, idiot. Why do you think it has the word ‘pen’ in it?”

  “I am an author. Anyone who writes is an author.”

  “Well, I don’t consider someone an author until they’re published. You don’t know how to write, let alone get something published. You barely even read.”

  Derek stepped up on the stage with a folded wooden tray table under his arm and an open laptop in one hand. The boys turned their attention to him. Derek set up the scissor-legged table and set the laptop on it with the screen facing the audience. He turned on the computer and then left the stage.

  “That’s one of those Nebula 940 gaming laptops,” Taylor said, unable to control the excitement in his voice. “They must be starting the computer aided drawing training they talked about on your invitation.”

  “My invite didn’t say anything about that,” Ming said. “Mine said we’d be doing animal research. I only signed up because I want to be a veterinarian.”

  Jack and Taylor looked at each other.

  “Mine didn’t say anything about animal research,” Jack said.

  “Attention everyone!” Farley stepped onto the stage, wearing a dark trench coat. His voice blared over a loudspeaker. “Welcome to your first introduction to true self-realization!”

  The campers clapped in unison, but Jack ignored them. The campfire mesmerized him. Out of habit, he stroked the smooth steel lighter in his jacket pocket. He heard Farley’s words, but understood nothing. The fire called to him. He fought the urge to swim within the flames. He often imagined something living in them, hid
ing in plain sight. He needed to know what it was.

  A hush settled over the audience. Farley waited for complete silence, then spoke. “You’re looking at a Nebulas 940 wide-screen gaming laptop. It would go for upwards of thirteen-thousand dollars in today’s market.”

  Taylor’s eyes went wide. “I told you there was a heaven.” He elbowed Jack in the ribs, shaking his attention away from the campfire.

  “This marvel of innovation includes all the latest cutting-edge technology. Everything you could ever dream of is integrated into its design: forty-eight-hour battery life, noiseless cooling system, eighteen-inch swiveling screen, Wi-Fi, internet, 3D movie capabilities, two-way video cam, three brands of gaming capability, voice recognition, motion sensors—you name it. Would anyone like one?”

  Everyone’s hand shot up.

  Farley’s expression turned devilish, and he pulled a twenty-pound sledgehammer from under his trench coat.

  Ming and Taylor jumped up amid a chorus of gasps and shook their heads.

  Farley hefted the sledgehammer over his head and planted it into the laptop. The computer shattered along with the table below it and crashed against the concrete, its parts scattering across the stage. Only shards of broken plastic, crushed metal casings, and splintered wood remained, mingled with power connectors, memory chips, slots, sockets, and fans, shorn from the computer’s fractured mainboard.

  The campers froze. Silence fell. Even the birds stopped chirping.

  Farley savored the stillness.

  “Each of you already possess a technological marvel that far surpasses any piece of human ingenuity. It’s a technology so great, so powerful, so incomprehensible, that it renders all other technology insignificant.” He dropped the sledgehammer, its heavy thud echoing throughout the arena.

  “I speak, of course, of your minds. At this camp, you’ll learn to see reality in a new light. Montathena Research is committed to helping you rewire your minds to escape the false notions that have plagued your thoughts since the day you were born. We specially selected you because you’re the best this world has to offer. You’re the successful, the achievers, the winners. Let no one tell you otherwise.”