Croatoan

Aiden opened her eyes to the sound of her family's brand new, boxy-looking, ‘93 Green Chevy Suburban crunching along the gravel driveway of their summer cottage.

Her younger sister, Rosemary, Rose for short as she liked to say, was still sleeping soundly in the seat beside her.

Aiden looked around in a haze rubbing her eyes, then propped herself up into the window to look. From her knees, she could see the quaint pale blue, white shuttered, summer home peeking around the tree line.

“Hey, wake up Rose. We’re here! I’ll race you to the stairs for chores!” Aiden laughed at her little sister's grogginess, as she scrambled out the door.

Rose stumbled out the other side,

“Aiden! You're cheating!” She called, scrambling to catch up with her. Rose managed to find her stride, meeting her sisters.

As she got close, she pushed into her. Aiden pushed back, trying to gain ground. The two struggled with each other as if their lives depended on getting to that cracked stairway before the other did.

Their parents called after them,

“Hey, you two! Be careful!”

Though Aiden put up a good fight, Rose managed to make it to the goal first. She jumped up onto the blue-painted, redwood planks of the wrap-around deck, lifting her hands in triumph.

Aiden arrived late noticing Mr.Dreacher and his son, Marty, standing just beyond the treeline waving to her parents, they waved back smiling.

“Rosemary Price wins the Gold! The crowd cheers!” She said, bowing to the non-existent revellers.

“Shut up, Rosemary. You cheated.” Aiden said, rolling her eyes,

“Race you to the back!” Aiden then took off around the side of the cottage, her sister on her heels. They both reached the railing at the same time, laughing.

Aiden took a deep breath and smiled, looking out across the big lake that sat behind their summer home. It was a sea of sparkling blue water and lush green trees, bathed in the fading red-hued sunlight.

Other Cottages dotted the shoreline and in the middle of the lake stood an old house with a run-down barn in the back. It was connected to the rest of the area by a rickety-looking rope bridge that extended from the small cliffside down to the isolated island it inhabited.

The smile left Aiden’s face a moment as she stared at that reddish-brown, gothic-style, blemish on an otherwise serene scene.

“Beautiful, right kids?”

Aiden and Rose felt their Fathers hands rest lightly on their shoulders.

“Dad, what’s that there?”

Rose pointed to the barn on the island.

“Well darling, that’s Mr. and Mrs. Arable’s old place. They had to move out of there because it wasn’t safe. Lots of spiders and the building isn’t sturdy from what I’ve heard.”

Aiden stared at the old burnt brick farmhouse and its peeling barn. It had just enough faded and sun-washed paint to know it had been a deep red once upon a time.

“Now, you girls are to promise me you won’t ever go down there, okay?”

Their Dad looked at them over his glasses sternly. The two girls nodded.

“Great! Let's all go have a snack and listen to some radio before bed! Early morning tomorrow.” he exclaimed loudly, clapping his hands together.

This pulled the girls out of their trance. They all headed back into the cottage and Dad slid the door shut, locking it behind him and pulling the blinds shut.

Aiden was awoken later that night by the sound of her sister fumbling out of bed and flicking on their bedside flashlight. Rose shone it into her closed eyes.

“Aiden, wake up! I think Mom and Dad are gone. I heard the door open and close, but nothing since. Let's go down to the old Arable place. Unless you’re a chicken!” Rose whispered.

“Rose, Mom, and Dad said not to go down there. I’m sure they are just out front with the Dreachers having a fire anyway, they will catch us if we go outside. Are you stupid or something?” Aiden snapped back at her sister, sitting up in bed.

“No, they won’t, loser. They are probably out there kissing or something!” Rose smooched the light laughing.

“I am going with or without you... and you are supposed to make sure nothing happens to me. Sooo, bye.”

Rose turned on her heels and slipped her velcro shoes on, opening the bedroom door.

“Last chance, Aiden. If I get hurt or go missing, Mom and Dad will be mad at you! It’s just a short walk across the beach... We will be back quickly.” she said, smirking.

“Rosemary, stop it! Go back to bed before Mom and Dad come in.” Aiden scolded.

Rose laughed and left the room, Aiden heard the familiar hiss of the deck’s plate glass door sliding open and shut again.

She jumped out of bed and looked out the back window to see Rosemary’s light bobbing its way down the gangway to the beach below.

“She’s so stupid! Going out alone.” Aiden huffed.

She watched the light shrink as her sister neared the jetty.

Finally, she got out of bed and slipped her shoes on.

“I am going to kill her! I swear!”

Aiden headed out the door after her sister in her PJs.

“Rosemary! Wait up!” Aiden whisper-yelled as she hurried down the gangway into the darkness.

Aiden shot up in her bed with a cold sweat, breathing heavily. She knew exactly what was next in that dream. She had relived the night her sister died many times over the years. The clock on her nightstand read 3:00 AM.

Aiden sat in the dark, wiping tears from her cheeks. She knew that it would be her chasing Rose across the dark beach, up that steep pathway, and onto the rickety old bridge, then trying to catch her before she crossed. She never could.

She knew she would see Rosemary’s silhouette and flashlight falling away into the dark depths of the lake when she finally made it to the top of the steep pathway.

She would run to the bridge, and look over the side to see that light flickering in the dark depths of water for a moment, then vanish. Just like Rosemary did. It was the same dream every time.

Aiden slipped out the same back door Rosemary had all those years ago and pulled a half-smoked cigarette from the pack she kept hidden under a loose board on the deck, lighting it.

She sat down on that same gangway in her sweat-soaked tank top, rubbing her head with a shaking hand and taking a drag. She looked out across the Lake at the barn and its farmhouse.

It stood painted in shadow against the full moon, sticking up from the middle of the island; and that deathtrap hung silently over her sister's tomb in the darkness, connecting it and the mainland.

“Why the fuck do we still come out here every summer...” Aiden said to herself finishing up her smoke and flicking it out into the woods.

Just as she got up to head back inside, she saw a stream of what looked like torches bleeding out of the tree line and illuminating the dark bridge.

The lights seemed to march in single file, carried by indistinct black masses. The group crossed the bridge and entered the old farmhouse.

One by one the dark windows lit up, then went dark just as fast, as curtains were pulled across them.

“What?” Aiden thought to herself, standing up and crossing her arms.

She shook her head, “It’s probably Marty and the others messing around with an Ouija board or something. What a bunch of losers.”

She headed back into the cottage hoping that the dream had gone away for the night.

The next day dragged on, as many did while they were out here for the summer. This place always felt wrong to her, and knowing her sister's bones were somewhere at the bottom of the lake made it worse.

Aiden was 17 now, next year she would be an adult and never have to ever come out here again. During the last few years here, thoughts of being 18 were the only thing that helped her through this all.

This summer community she had been part of her whole life, the same people, same faces, always happy and chipper while she stared across that lake wondering where her sister was. The suffering she felt inside had begun to wear her out, Aiden was done with this place.

The girl stared at her book, thinking about these things. As she often did,

“Hey, Aiden! Are you coming out to the pit tonight?”

Marty Dreacher’s voice startled her from her thoughts, she jumped a bit and spilled her lemonade across her black “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” tank top.

His long black, greasy hair, and pierced face poked up over the railing of the deck where she spent most of her time reading.

For all intents and purposes, she was part of what was referred to as the Emo kids by all the jocks and preps that kicked around here during the summers.

“Jesus Marty, you scared the shit out of me, idiot,” Aiden said, wiping her drink from her shirt with a ringed hand.

“I know you guys went out to Hell Mouth last night. I saw you all cross the bridge when I was smoking. Where the hell did you get torches? That’s badass.”

Aiden finished the half-spilled drink, standing up from her chair and popping open the loose board with her foot.

She pulled her cigarettes out and put them in the back pocket of her washed-out skinny jeans before jumping down to the grass with Marty.

“What were you guys doing over there last night?” Aiden questioned, offering Marty a cigarette.

He took one and popped it into his mouth as they made their way down to the beach.

“Mom! I’m hanging out with Marty!” She called, her mother replied, but Aiden couldn’t hear what she had said.

She lit hers, then offered Marty the lighter. He lit his and took a drag, trying to blow smoke rings.

“What are you talking about, Aiden? None of us went to Hell Mouth last night. Must have been the jocks. Who knows what stupid shit they were doing over there. Partying probably.”

He flicked some of the hanging ash into the wind with his tattooed forefinger,

“Did you know that old Arable house is fully furnished and has working power and stuff? Not sure about that barn though, they keep that chained and locked up tight.”

Marty scratched his greasy-looking hair with his black nails and straightened the group of bracelets he wore around his wrist.

“Ah, whatever. Bunch of losers anyway. Hey, it’ll be dark soon. Maybe we should just head over to the pit now, I’m sure they’ve already started.” Aiden said, pulling out a baggy from the cigarette box, smiling.

“I’m ready to get blazed!” Marty laughed, agreeing with her.

They arrived shortly after the sun had set. As Marty and Aiden stepped into the clearing, the others who were hanging around a huge pile of debris and tree trunks cheered.

Marty raised his hands, then grabbed the nearby fuel can holding it high like the Olympic torch. He ran a circle around the pile of refuse and then started to throw fuel onto the base of the logs. His half-smoked cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth.

“Let's start this thing!” Aiden ran up behind Marty and grabbed the cigarette from him, hauling back on it.

The cherry burned bright red and she quickly tossed it onto the fuel-soaked pile.

With a great rush of air, the triangular tower of wood caught ablaze, lighting up the tree line that surrounded them. “Ohio is for Lovers” began to play from somewhere and the party commenced.

Later on in the night, when everyone was thoroughly hammered. Marty approached Aiden, tapping her on her shoulder.

“Hey, let's head over to Hell Mouth. Chuck said he saw some lights crossing the bridge.” Aiden nodded, not completely hearing what Marty had said over the music and the chatting of her friends. She looked at her watch. 2:50 AM.

“Let's get out of here,” she said back to Marty.

Chuck, a tall kid with medium-length hair and chains coming out of every pocket he had, stepped up beside them.

“Hell Mouth, baby!” he said, sticking his tongue out and showing devil horns with his green fingernails.

They all slipped away from the party and through the dark woods, before Aiden realised where they were going, they came to that old rickety bridge of Aiden’s nightmares. The two boys were already making their way across before she could protest.

“Guys, common. We shouldn’t be here.” She whispered, looking at the oddly shaped boulder with a brass plack that marked Rosemary’s Grave as she passed.

Against her better judgment, she hesitantly followed them, gazing over the side wide-eyed. She remembered her sister's light flickering in the depths.

Her brain swam with THC and alcohol as the group hurried across the swaying walkway, coming up to the side of the house. They looked into the windows of what was now a towering gothic mansion. The lights were on but no one was inside.

“Hey, it sounds like chanting or something is coming from the barn. Listen.” Marty whispered when she finally made it to them.

“Guys, there is something wrong with this place. Rosemary died here, man.” Aiden said, panicking a bit.

“Common Aiden, don’t be such a pussy. Let's go check. Your sister isn’t going to come to drag you into the depths.” Chuck laughed callously.

“You are acting like a kid…” Marty said, he was clearly uncomfortable with Chuck's joke but didn’t address it.

“Aiden, It’s not like they are going to sacrifice us to the Devil. It’s probably a bunch of jocks playing drinking games.”

Chuck ran his hand through his medium-length platinum hair, and straightened himself out, walking around the corner.

“Hey yo! What are you idiots doing here, I’m going to call the cops!” he called as he walked towards the open doors of the old barn.

The chanting stopped a second, it was followed by whispering then continued. Aiden and Marty hung back, watching Chuck.

Two red robbed and hooded figures stepped into view. Arms crossed, they wore bizarre-looking, warped, animal masks. One was a dog, but its face was contorted and stretched with huge gnashing teeth. The other wore a bird-like mask. Its beak stretched to the wearer's chest.

“Charles Raymond! What are you doing over here in the middle of the night?” Aiden and Marty heard the figure on the left say.

They looked at each other in shock.

The one on the right spoke next, “Your eyes are redder than the devils. Have you been doing the marijuana!”

“Mom! Dad!” Chuck stepped back a second, confused.

“Christ Charles. You have to come with us now. We told you never to come out here.”

The figure on the left pulled down his hood and lifted the mask, Aiden and Marty laughed into their hands. It was Mr.Raymond. Chuck’s Father and the local Dentist.

The person on the left pushed theirs up as well, revealing Mrs. Raymond's soft, motherly face.

“Charles, you can’t leave now. This place is sacred ground… the master won’t be happy with this. We have your sister and brother’s future to think about.” She spoke to her son softly, pulling him close to her.

“What? What are you talking about Mom?” Chuck replied, more thoroughly confused than before.

Mr.Raymond moved around behind him, pulling something from his robes.

“Chuck, my boy, I’m sorry. We will still be able to use you at least.”

There was a great thwack, as Mr. Raymond hit Chuck in the back of the head with what looked like a leather-wrapped club of some sort. He fell into his Mothers arms and she gave him a hug. They both carried Chuck away into the barn.

“Jesus, did they just kill Chuck?” Aiden whispered, putting a hand over her face. Marty stayed silent.

“We need to get out of here Marty, we have to call the Police or something.”

“We got to go help him!” Marty whispered back, “We can’t leave him in there! The Police will take too long.”

Marty pulled a switchblade from his back pocket and engaged the spring. A long and slender blade popped out locking itself in position as he started to creep out from their hiding place,

“Wait, Marty. The House has power, it probably has a landline as well. We should go in and look for it.” Aiden protested.

Marty waved her off, disappearing around the corner.

She sat for a moment, not sure if she should follow or not.

She thought back to her childhood, her sister Rosemary, and about how she could have maybe saved her life had she followed instead of hesitating.

Aiden decided to follow Marty into the darkness.

As they got closer to the open doors they could smell the burning, pitch-covered torches. They peeked in and saw a tight circle of people, all dressed in red silk robes with warped animal masks over their faces.

Above the pit of fire in the centre, Chuck was now chained up and hanging from the rafters of the barn.

Was he really dead?

Immediately to the left of the opening, there was a ladder to the second level. Marty had already noticed it and was climbing, Aiden stayed back out of sight as the chanting began again.

Then, just as fast, it stopped. a voice from the crowd echoed through the barn,

“Brothers and Sisters, tonight is the night. Tonight, we will bring our beloved Master through the gateway to our world so his plan may be fulfilled and our promise for salvation in the aftermath can be realised.”

It looked as though one of the robbed figures had stepped up to a stone podium of some sort, Aiden figured they were probably the leader of this strange animal cult.

“Tonight, we are lucky enough to have the four sacrifices required with us!”

“Four sacrifices?” Aiden thought to herself. She only saw Chuck.

The Master of Ceremonies continued, as Aiden moved up the ladder to get a better look.

“Mister and Misses Price have brought the bones of the innocent, their beloved Rosemary. The poor girl who perished in our Master’s resting place so many years ago.”

As the man wearing the Black Goat Mask spoke. Aiden saw her Mother and Father, who were both wearing Owl masks pull their hoods down.

They stepped out from the circle and threw a small cloth-wrapped package into the fire pit. Bones spilled out and clattered across the coals causing them to erupt in a blue blaze.

Aiden looked on in shock.

“Mister and Misses Raymond have brought their oldest, Charles, he will be the blood sacrifice...”

Two figures that had blended in with the dark red wall on the opposite side of the second story stepped out into the blue firelight.

They both reached up in unison, one had a machete. They then sliced the rope that held Chuck’s chains suspended above the pit and his body came tumbling down. There was a sickening snap as he hit head first into the steel brazier.

The flames spouted a brilliant white colour, and the body crumpled. There was nothing left but a pile of broken bones and blood.

The flames roared in glee as they turned from white into a dark red colour.

“Mister and Misses Dreacher have brought Marty, he will be the only Son sacrifice...”

Aiden’s eyes went wide, she looked around and spotted him on the other side of the second story. He was being held by two hooded figures with horse masks.

One of the two holding him raised a knife and shoved it into Marty’s neck. He gurgled helplessly, falling away into the flames below. His body bounced off the coals.

Aiden watched as Marty struggled silently in the flames, before being consumed by them. The fire shot high, almost touching the roof of the barn. The heat was intense enough to make Aiden move back.

The group began chanting loudly.

“We have one final sacrifice. The vessel.” Mister and Misses Price have brought that with them tonight as well... Aiden Price!”

The group turned in unison to face Aiden who was huddled against an old cask. She felt rough hands grab her shoulders and push her.

She stumbled forward, then tumbled to the hard wooden floor. Landing on her arm and breaking it. She was dazed, confused, and in pain from the impact.

Gloved hands pulled her across the wooden boards towards the goat-masked man, leaving a gore trail. He pulled her up onto the slab of rock under his feet and stepped away. The group around her raised their hands to the sky, singing something in an eldritch language.

The heat of the fire was so intense, Aiden felt it begin to singe her arm hair and blister her skin. The group continued the chant, and Aiden passed in and out of consciousness. She felt a stinging sensation on her back and finally blacked out.

Aiden woke up a while later, standing in the middle of a clearing in the Forest. She was still, staring at the tree line.

Confused and terrified, she snapped out of it and looked around her. It was dark out still, but she could see the blue hue of the morning sky on the horizon.

She turned to see corpses lay strewn about a glowing bonfire pit, set up in some sort of ritualistic circle. Blood and gore covered the Forest floor, soaking her feet. She stepped backward, wide-eyed.

“What the fuck happened!” she lifted her hands in horror, they were covered in blood.

Beside her lay a gore-covered machete. The treeline glimmered in torchlight as the group of hooded figures stepped out into the clearing. They slowly and methodically walked among the bodies, falling to their knees around her in praise.

“Croatoan, Croatoan, Croatoan...” The cultists began to chant.

Aiden felt a burning sensation on her back again, she stumbled fading in and out of consciousness. Before she passed out, she heard a raspy voice in her ears.

“I am Croatoan, you are mine now.”

The world went black.