Dark Ride (31 page)

Chapter 116

An undeniable cloud of misery floats around Jack's head as the others march back into the vault. Not only has Amy spurned him, but the narrator has disappeared just as he thought the secrets of the ride were so close to being revealed. His depression strikes him as a counter-balance to the wild enthusiasm and exuberance now coming from Mason.

“Look for the gold!” Mason exclaims. “The clue in the notebook clearly said there would be gold. There might be a secret stash in a wall panel or something.”

The inspired Mason immediately heads for the desk. He scatters papers and opens drawers.

For her part, Amy stands to the left of Jack with her back to him. She sifts through the books on a lower shelf.

Just let her cool off
, Jack tells himself. However, the tension is killing him. He can't resist the urge to make things right as soon as possible. He goes ahead and says, “Amy, I'm sorry. I had no idea that—”

“Scotty, none of these books will open,” Amy states, completely ignoring Jack.

“You're right,” Scotty says as he fumbles with another book on the far side of the room. “These things are, like, sealed up.”

Jack stares at Amy. His frustration is rising. He says, “At least talk to me.”

Oblivious to the rising conflict, Mason shouts, as he knocks over a large stack of paper, “Don't worry about the books! Look for the gold!”

Jack's hurt is starting to shift towards anger, and he's reaching a boiling point. He cries, “Amy, this is not fair! How would I have known that any of this would happen?”

The sudden outburst from Jack startles Scotty and Mason. Both boys turn to look at him. Suddenly, Jack is very aware that he has made a mistake. He is cautious not to continue in his outburst and risk giving his pals a clue that there has been something between Amy and him. Also, his urgent plea has not achieved the desired effect on Amy; she simply walks away and starts fiddling with more books next to her brother.

“Mason, Jack, look at this!” Scotty calls.

“What?” Mason asks as he looks up from behind the desk.

Jack does not move but looks in the direction Scotty is pointing. Above Scotty's extended finger on the fourth shelf up is a book with a gold spine. It is the only one like it in the entire room.

In spite of all the drama, even Jack realizes that they have found the gold.

Chapter 117

Mason is clearly disappointed that the gold is not an actual treasure, but he is undeterred after realizing this book is the item they have been seeking. Mason takes pride in concluding that the narrator is just a senile man full of riddles and that now Jack has to conform with his wishes. It is a relief for Mason to know that all they have left to do is get it to the gingerbread room in order to get out of this bizarre world.

The teens jump into action to retrieve the book. The desk slides with ease with Scotty and Jack on one end and Amy and Mason on the other. They place it right below the book, and Scotty places Lucky on the ground and then climbs on top of the desk. Mason notices that Scotty does not even grimace when using his hurt shoulder to lift himself up.

With Scotty atop the desk, Mason looks to Jack in eager anticipation of the victory and notices that Jack looks sullen and angry. He's guessing this attitude is a result of Amy's words, but he wonders why Jack should be so affected by them. After pondering this a moment, Mason thinks,
Wait a minute! How could I have missed it? Jack and Amy like each other, or at least they did like each other.
The pieces are fitting together for Mason like a finished puzzle. Now he understands why Jack faked the trip back at the Hall of Mirrors, and he can see why Amy would feel so betrayed.
It is so painfully obvious now
, Mason thinks,
but what in the world did Jack see in her? I mean she's no Lauren Van Wormer. She's Scotty's little sister for crying out loud.

The epiphany brings Mason to a drastic conclusion
.
He tells himself,
Mason, old boy, it's everyone for themselves. Jack and Amy…well, they aren't worth the effort. Not if your efforts mean getting kicked in the face by some elf wearing green tights and playing a sissy instrument like a flute. No, Mason, you're going to have to take care of yourself first. Let the lovebirds quarrel.

Mason looks at Scotty steadying himself on the table and entertains thoughts about isolating himself from his old friend.
Things have changed. What do the two of us have in common? I'm going to walk out of here alive and rich. If the others make it, so be it. But from now on, it's up to me to get outta here with or without them.

Mason says, “Come on, Carnahan, reach. Do I have to come up there?”

Scotty is standing with his right arm in the air. The book is tantalizingly just beyond his reach.

He replies, “No, I've got this—just give me a second.”

Scotty extends to his tip toes and taps the base of the golden book. It's not enough, and Scotty relaxes back on his feet. However, he doesn't give up but, instead, makes a sudden lunge upward. This time, he grasps the top of the spine and yanks at it with his fingers in a claw-like maneuver. The book tumbles from its notch in the shelf, and at the same time, Scotty tumbles and crashes to the floor.

Amy starts to move toward her brother, but he's quickly back on his feet and tells her, “I'm okay,” while grinning from ear to ear.

“Your shoulder!” Amy says.

“It's okay. I fell on my butt,” Scotty informs and laughs.

The book has fallen directly in front of Jack, but he just stares at it on the floor before him.

“Well, Jack, pick it up,” Mason urges.

Jack reaches down, and with a sour look he hands it to Mason, who has closed in on him eager to see the prize.

Mason declares, “It's just a gold book. Won't even open.” There is a twinge of disappointment in his voice.

“I don't care if it were made of diamonds,” Amy announces. “Let's just get it and get outta here.”

“Here, Jack, you carry it,” Mason commands, keeping with his nasty habit of letting others carry anything burdensome to him. He shoves the book into Jack's arms and says, “Now, off to the gingerbread house!”

Jack responds, “Mason, who do you think you are ordering me around like you're some sort of king?”

“I'm the one who's trying to get us all out alive,” Mason retorts.

“Yeah, sure, and you sure tried to get us out alive by helping us get past the troll. You know, I'm not sure why I ever liked you in the first place. You've always been more concerned with yourself than anyone else.”

Mason stares at Jack with a look of shock on his face. He doesn't understand what has brought on this verbal barrage. As a result, his anger kicks in. He turns his head and says, “Come on, Scotty.”

The two of them start marching to the door. As they do, they hear Amy call out, “Don't you think I should carry the book? Wouldn't want someone to steal it, would we?”

Amy takes the book.

Mason thinks,
Ouch! Man, he's really burning his bridges
. Mason looks back for Jack's response and sees him bite his lip.

Standing there ostracized and clearly defeated, Jack offers a simple comment about the book in Amy's hands, “Why that book out of all of the books here? Why this one?”

Mason responds, “Braddock, you have to get out of your funk. Who cares? If it's our ticket out, then let's take it and go.”

“But isn't it curious to you at all?” Jack asks.

“I'm going home, Jack. You coming?” Mason replies.

Chapter 118

Clyde stands in silent bewilderment, looking at the glowing “Enter” sign humming just above the illuminated door, which has suddenly appeared, while continuing to hear the toots of the eerie organ music.

What is going on here?
he wonders. His thoughts trail back to that night years ago when Douglas Finch disappeared, and he ponders about a connection to this occurrence.
Did Douglas Finch walk through this door?
he asks himself. This thought unsettles him, but, still, he contemplates what might be waiting beyond the portal.

“Oliver!” he calls, but there is no response. The others are long gone.
Just how long have I been standing here?
Clyde wonders. Suddenly, a new, equally unsettling thought crosses his mind:
Did the kids walk through this door?

Before his mind calculates any further, his hand reaches out to open the door. But, he stops short, thinking,
Whoa, hold on there, partner. What if Finch went through this door and that's why he never returned? Could that happen to me, too?
He stands at the door for a long time, tossing scenarios through his head. He asks himself,
Where else could the kids have gone? We've searched every inch of the ride. They had to have gone through this mysterious door.
All of a sudden, a memory of Edna enters his consciousness. He remembers a time when they were in their twenties and a thunderstorm raged outside their home. They were huddled together, listening to the radio, and they began to hear the howling of their neighbor's dog.

“The Ferguson's are gone for the night, dear,” said Edna.

The memory is so vivid that Clyde's heart jumps at the mental sound of his wife's voice. He recalls that she asked him to get the dog and bring him in.

She had said, “Clyde, if you don't help that dog, who will?” In Clyde's mind, he sees the hesitation in his younger self.

Just like that, the memory fades.

Now Clyde wonders,
What would Edna think if I just stood here? I have to go through, for their sake. It's all up to me.
Emboldened with newfound courage, Clyde firmly places his hand on the door.

“Clyde!” a gruff voice calls out.

The old man is alarmed by the voice and turns to see three people with flashlights making their way into the room. He realizes it's the police and is somewhat relieved.

Clyde calls back, “I think they're in here.”

One of the policemen, Jimmy Dockins, knows Clyde, as most people in town do, and he walks closer followed by a female cop and Houston Carnahan.

Clyde turns back to the door, but it's gone.

“They're in where?” Dockins asks.

Clyde is taken aback by the disappearance of the door and is speechless to answer. He wonders,
Should I tell them about the door? They'll think I'm crazy?

“What kind of game are you playing?” Mr. Carnahan shouts. “You said they were in here. Well, where are they? I don't see my kids anywhere.”

Dockins spins to the angry parent and says, “Mr. Carnahan, cool down. Your inclusion, coming in here, was on the condition that you would not be a nuisance.”

“Sure, right, but it's not your kids who are missing, now is it? All I know is my son and daughter went into that ride with this man and—”

Clyde's heart sinks. He clearly knows where this is going.

“—he comes out without them. ‘They've disappeared,' he says. Can't you see?”

The officer is obviously growing irritated, too, and responds, “Mr. Carnahan, I am warning you, this is no time—”

“No, you listen to me,” Carnahan says. He points at Clyde and states, “He knows something. For all we know, he's the one who took them.” Houston takes a step toward Clyde and tells him, “Look, old man, tell me where the kids—”

“Honestly, I don't know what happened,” Clyde protests.

“Officer Quinn, I think it's time Mr. Carnahan goes back outside.”

“You're kidding me, right?” Carnahan defiantly exclaims.

“No, I'm not. Quinn, get him outta here.”

“No way! I'm not moving!” Carnahan insists.

“Yes, you are now. Don't make this any uglier.”

“How can you tell me to leave? Can't you see, he's your only suspect.”

“Look, I've known Clyde my whole life. If he's guilty of any of this, I'm a monkey's uncle. Now go with Quinn here before I tell her to cart you off to the station.”

To Clyde's relief, the man finally relents and Quinn leads him out of the room.

A few seconds pass. Both men are standing quietly. Finally, Officer Dockins breaks the silence, “Tell me I'm not a monkey's uncle, Clyde. Convince me.”

Clyde starts and stops several times, and then finally admits, “I don't know if I can, Jimmy. All I know is that I left the kids in the room before this one. When I came back, they were gone. Simple as that.”

“You're gonna have to do better than that, Clyde.”

Chapter 119

The group has made their way back down the tunnel. Three of them are moving quickly with the prospect of escape rejuvenating them. Then there's Jack. As far as he's concerned, the night's events could not be going worse. Aside from the situation with Amy, he's puzzled about the mystery of the book. It bothers him, and he's been thinking about it all the way down the tunnel.
Something is not right
, he tells himself.

Amy has already descended the ladder. Jack looks over to Scotty and nods. The heavier boy lowers himself down.

Before Scotty takes more than a couple of steps down, Jack says, “Scotty, the narrator said these books contained stories. What is it about this one that's so important? What if we are not supposed to take it?”

Although he is asking Scotty, it is Mason who responds, initially with a long moan and then, “Give it a rest, Jack. For all we know, someone in the gingerbread house wants something to read.”

Scotty wants no part of this and speeds his descent down the ladder.

Defeated again, Jack resigns himself to dropping the subject. He lowers himself onto the ladder and descends. After hitting the ground, he looks for Amy. However, after looking left and right, he doesn't see her.

Once Scotty is on the ground, he asks, “Where's Amy?”

“I don't know,” replies Jack.

“What's going on?” Mason asks after jumping down from midway on the ladder. “Where's Amy?”

“We don't know,” Scotty answers.

Mason looks around the room and asks, “Did she leave?”

“No way,” Scotty declares. “She wouldn't have left without us.”

Jack's stomach begins doing cart wheels, for he knows Scotty is right.

“Amy!” they all call.

There is no response.

Jack can't fight the feeling that something bad has happened. He even perceives that the room has seemed to darken and close in.

Then from the corner of his eye, Jack spies a new door that has been opened at the far side of the room.

“That door wasn't there when we were here before,” Jack announces.

The three boys dash to the new opening. On the ground is a black piece of cloth. Jack looks grimly at the others.

He says the two words none of them wanted to hear: “The wolf.”

“Guys, this is bad,” Scotty moans. “Do you think he took her?”

“Yeah, he's probably been following us waiting for the right time to strike,” Jack confirms. “At least she was level-headed enough to leave a clue.”

“What's worse is Amy has the book,” Mason remarks. “We have to get it back!”

Jack is appalled and asks Mason, “What about Amy?”

“Yeah. Of course, her, too, duh. Let's go.”

Mason takes off down the new tunnel with Scotty right behind him. Jack brings up the rear, hoping it's not too late.