• Chapter 1


    Ron was twenty one. Hanging out with his friends out at the lake sitting around the campfire, talking about how life has been after high school. They often did this on the weekends, because it was a way to relax after the stressing week. There were mainly five people other than Ron that showed up to relax and stare at the beautiful stars. Steve, Chris, Bill, Travis, and John, were the usual to be at the fires. They normally camped on the weekends; Ron always went back into town to be with his wife and kids. His wife, Gracie, twenty year old, had beautiful blonde hair. She was a very smart woman and was very beautiful. His two kids, Davy and Michael, were both twins. He lives the perfect life.
    Out at the lake this particular night, it was a clear sky. You could see all kinds of stars. It was rather chilly, but the guys didn’t care. They had a fire to sit around. It was very quiet, practically silent except for the popping coming from the wood. Occasionally a car would be heard crossing the valley on the road a half a mile away. From the campsite to the road, only one house was in between, and it was laid off on its own with a huge driveway, protected by three bulldogs. As long as you do not touch the driveway, they will not touch you. You could literally stand in front of their driveway all day. If your foot does not go across onto the new pavement, they will not touch you. On the other side of the driveway is a field. Both to the left and right of that field goes to another field. Straight across the field is a hill, filled with trees and dead trees that fell from the harsh winter before. Occasionally you can pick up cell phone service on top of the hill before you enter the campground. It is rather interesting because one day you will have perfect service, the next day, there is no service at all.
    “Hey Ron, when you going to go with us and see the Cubs play?” Bill asked, he had always been a major Cubs fan ever since he was a little kid. He enjoyed all kinds of sports, baseball in particular. Bill had been friends with Ron since elementary school. They both liked lifting weights at school, just for the fun of it. Played a bunch of sports together, but Bill managed to love baseball the most. Bill was about twenty, little younger than Ron. Well built, very smart and well attractive with his short, laid back, brown hair.
    “I don’t know guys… With work and the kids, Gracie can’t do it all on her own. We’d be gone for a couple of days, you know me, and I cannot go away for very long.” Ron said, he was the one that kept sure everything was ok. Managed to keep his nerves when things weren’t its best, just so that he could be around when things were working properly. “I gotta commit to my family, I want to watch them grow and become strong. Make them successful in life, make sure they have a better life than what I once did. Though, I do have to admit, I did a good job growing up!”
    John laughed, “Gracie can do it for a couple of days. Look at what we’re doing right now! We’re sitting around this beautiful, warm, toasty, relaxing campfire and enjoyin’ some all American beer. I don’t see anything wrong with this!” He got drunk pretty easily.
    “No John, you stupid dumbass.” Steve laughed, “This is not beer you dumbass. This is liquor. You hate beer! Besides, it’s nothing to get us buzzed, just something to relax with.” As he slowly lifted his bottle of Mudslide, he looked up at the hill where the road makes it way down the hill. A set of car lights sit at the top of the hill. “Hey, look at that! The only people that know about that spot are the ones that come out here to camp! Who in hell would be coming out this late to camp?”
    With a sigh of concern, Chris got up and said, “I’ll go take a look at it…” He got up, grabbed his ‘piece-of-s**t’ 20 gauge. He says it’s a piece of s**t because it’s a single shot, have to put a new slug in every time after it has been used.
    He slowly climbed the hill, and once he got to start to see the headlights, the person driving put it in reversed and backed their way off of the hill. Pulled into the driveway, dogged started raising hell with the vehicle, then it sped off. Chris with a sigh of relief said, “Well… I don’t know what that was all about, but they’re gone now. I think it had a Ford logo on it? The headlights were too bright to see real well, it was a car. But who knows? Probably someone’s friend that comes out to see someone campin’ but decided not to. It’s hard to tell… All kinds of s**t go on in these areas.”
    “It had a Ford logo on it?” Ron questioned himself. He knew who came in and came out of the campground, nobody with a Ford camped in the area. Except for the people over at Greasy Ridge, but that is far off. They wouldn’t have any reason to be over in these areas. Ron looked down on his digital watch. 1:30 A.M. About an hour to go before Ron leaves. So he’s got enough time for another drink. “Well guys, I think this will be my last for tonight. I got to drive into town and I don’t want to be too messed up for the roads.” Knowing that his drive into town would take half-an-hour.
    Steve laughed hysterically, “Ron, you are without a doubt one of the biggest p***y drinkers I have ever seen! Look at him guys, ‘don’t want to be too messed up for the roads’! s**t, back in the day, I’d drink twice as much and that’d be just for my breakfast!”
    “Well, like you said, ‘back in the day’. Today isn’t that day” Ron suggested
    “Still, I can drink more than you and you would still be twice as ********!” Steve blurted in his drunk stage.
    “You’re already ********, Steve. Look at yourself! We’ll have to try that some other time.”
    Struggling to get up, Steve stands, attempts to walk over and get another drink, and falls. All the other five stand up, grab him, carries him into the camper.
    John stares in discouragement, “Take the rest of the night off. After all, I’m the one who you said was the drunk…” He wants to smother it saying he proved him wrong, but he didn’t. “I’ll see you in the morning.” All five leave while Steve lays on his bed. Feeling fine, little dizzy, he decides that sleep is the best thing right now other than make him look like a dumbass.
    Outside around the fire, the five just sit and stare at the fire. Wonder about what would change about past events, involving with a death of two of their classmates in a “suicide” though it was never proven. They dare not speak of it because they don’t know how the others would react, they don’t like to talk about it though. Everything that has happened in the past, stays in the past. Most hope to make it their future, but most people in this area, their past contains drugs and alcohol.
    After five minutes of nothing being spoken, Ron stands up, “Well guys, it’s that time. I got to go now, time to head into town.” Looking at the others, all give him their good-byes and so on. Ron got into the truck; it was a ’01 Grand-AM, silver, and in great condition. He wanted something “not as big” so he could save gas, but this was standard, so it saved some gas.
    As he was heading up to the gate, he drove straight to the shower house so he could turn and go through the gates. The shower house has three doors, a shower room for women, and one for men. The other room in the shower hour was for monthly meetings. In the middle of the building on the outside wall, what Ron was facing was he was driving to the gates, he could see the outside light. Underneath the outside light, was a little booth with a phone in it, it didn’t make long-distance calls. You could call anyone in the state though, so it’s good enough. As he was starting to turn, he heard the phone ring. “Who in the hell is going to call this late?” So he got out of the car, and picked up the phone. “Hello? Who is this?” Hardly anyone ever calls the shower house phone… Because hardly anyone answers because not many people ever camp out here. Most get their lot and membership, and drop of their stuff for storage and leave.
    Ron studied the area around him, nobody near sight. All he could see is the light of the fire overtop of the other people’s campers in front of him. No other people were to be around, except for the people that live in their house on top of the hill, though they did not interfere with others. They kept off to themselves.
    A man’s deep voice was heard on the other end. He cleared his voice, then spoke, “Mr. Ross?”
    “Yeah, that’s me?” He questioned what was going on? Who is this? How do they know I answered the phone?
    “This is Deputy Mike Linkson, I need to speak to you, as soon as possible.”
    Deputy? Why does he want me? “Yeah, sure. I was just heading in town, I got time to talk.”
    The deputy informed him that something was clearly wrong, something that was very incomprehensible. After the phone call, he looked around. Still yet, nobody around. All campers were vacant except for the five the guys slept in. He slowly got back into the vehicle, paranoid, feeling that someone was watching him. Though he could not locate from where he was being watched, he was still aware that there was a possibility. Ron drove out of the gates, onto the paved road turning right, but before he left the campground, he got out of his car from the road and walked back down to the fire. Told them that something was not right, they wanted to join, but they were too drunk to not be noticed.
    “Hey guys, I’ll come back tomorrow afternoon and tell you what’s going on. Don’t try to get back into town until tomorrow when you’re sober, none of you look good.” He sighs, looks at the clock, 1:56 A.M. “I will call back out here around noon, be ready.”
    As Ron finally reached State Route 93, he headed back to Ironton. He stayed on the road for about a mile and a half, still curious of what the hell is going on, he stopped at Tiptons. Tiptons was a convenient store that looked just like a gas station, with no gas pumps. It had pop, beer, snacks, all kinds of foods.
    Ron got out of his car, and walked inside. He looked at the cashier. The cashier was a bald man, mid-forties, well built with a white t-shirt on. Ron said, “What’s going on?” In a tone by which was not a curious statement, just as in a “What’s up?” to see how the other people are.
    The cashier stayed silent, wondering if Ron knew what was going on. He watched Ron roam through the store looking at bags of chips, pop, whatever else was in the store. He came back with two bottles of pop, a bag of chips, three strips of beef jerky, and a pack of gum. The cashier still stayed silent, didn’t move an inch.
    Ron, startled and questioning the fact that something is wrong. He wearily said “Is something wrong?” Though he was afraid to ask that question, in fear that there was something wrong. He put his hands down on the counter and leaned forward.
    The cashier with a straight grin, knew then that Ron wasn’t aware of what happened. “Oh nothing… Are you going back into town?” Well, duh! He always goes back to town about this time of day. Never does he go back out to the campground.
    Struck with fear, he said “Yeah, I got a call when I was leaving that something happened and something I needed to be aware about. Though Linkson never said what was wrong, he just informed me that it is something serious!” Ron stared at the cashier.
    The cashier shrugged his shoulders and looked off. “Take it, don’t worry about paying for it. Trust me, you will need it!” Oh no, did I say too much? The cashier said to himself.
    Ron struck in curiosity… Was speechless, after a couple of minutes he said, “You know what’s going on, don’t you?” Ron knows that something is wrong now, because the cashier has never offered him free stuff ever before!
    “I can’t tell you, you will find out soon enough. It’s ‘what’s going on.’ It’s ‘what’s happened.’” The cashier was basically trying to tell him “Leave now” though he never said it.
    Ron stepped back into his car with his items, and opened his bag of chips. What in the hell is going on? Did I forget to pay any bills? What in the hell is going on? Ron slowly lifted his hand onto the key, and turned the key over, starting his vehicle. Then he drove off into the darkness.
    After driving for a couple of miles back into town, he is still left clueless. He questions himself why this is so important many of times. Though, he still cannot figure out what is so important that the sheriff would call him out where a least likely place that he’d be found. Unless he knew that they hang out at the lake on the weekends, though Ron does not stay to camp during the night.
    After entering the “Ironton Hills Mall” (though, it really wasn’t a mall). Ron stopped at the grocery store in look of his friend that often does the night shift. Ron goes searching through the store, comes in contact with many of workers, though none of them was his friend. He asked a worker that did not know who he was and they said “He had to leave early… Something happened, though he did not go into detail.”
    He must know what is going on, what in the hell is going on in this town? Ron questioned himself. He then left the mall and went into town. Going down Park Avenue, it seemed like a ghost town. Then again, it’s always a ghost town, the town’s population is lucky to reach over 8,000! During the night, there is very little few people to be out on the streets in the night. Ron tonight, is on the streets.
    Ron approaches his house, there was only one sheriff car in front of his house. The house was white and had four front windows, the second last to the left was smaller and was higher off the ground, that’s the bathroom. The window on the corner was the same size as the other two on the other side of the bathroom, this is the bedroom. The bedroom on the inside is connected to the bathroom.
    He walked up to the cruiser, it was black with a yellowish-gold around it. He looked inside it was Dep. Linkson. Ron approached the vehicle and looked around it. He walked over to the driver side window.
    “Hey, I just got back in town… There is hardly anybody telling me what the hell is going on! Everybody practically knows what is going on and I am still yet to know what has happened!” Ron raised his voice incomprehensible.
    “Good morning, I am well aware that you do not know what has happened. Get in the cruiser.” Then he looked off at the garage door. He didn’t want to leave Ron in suspension, but he assumes what he said was enough.
    Ron got into the passenger side of the vehicle, and looked at all the “cool gadgets” the cruiser had. Then looked at Linkson, “What in the hell is going on?”

    The deputy took a deep sigh, and bowed his head. “Twenty sum years, and yet we are still left with no clues. Twenty ******** years! Why would we still have secrets between us that lead to future conflicts like this!? Something happened that you do not know what has happened, I am well aware. Get your seatbelt on, this is not going to be an easy ride. I have a lot to explain.”
    Obeying what the old man said, he put his seatbelt on. “What events are about to occur, does not go out to anybody until we know what is going on. Understood?”
    Ron didn’t have much of an option, he shook his head with a concern to his voice “Yes?”
    “Well, with no further to do, here we go.” Put it in reverse, got onto the street. Then sped off through the neighborhood, going onto the highway. “We have a hell of a lot to talk about, so you better listen. Tonight is the night that will change your life. Sadly though, it’s not good news.”
    Ron was extremely scared… He was struck with fear and was practically numb all the way through his body when he tried to breathe, though he struggled a little with his nerves. “Are you sure that I need to know what is going on?”
    The deputy kept his eyes on the road, “This is something you cannot avoid. Trust me, you will find out soon enough, tonight is going to be the night that changes your life, I don’t want to tell you it that way, but there is nothing more to say”
    The deputy got off the ramp at Hanging Rock, looking around. There was nobody to be seen. He could see the lights at the truck stop, though there was not many truckers out getting gas. All were sleeping getting ready for tomorrow’s leave. He looked down to the left, under the highway above, all he seen were the train tracks and the salt plant far down the road; the salt plant was the plant where they made road salt for winters. Some winters it can get pretty rough in these areas.

    The chill outside was making it really bad. Thanks to the beef jerky and bottle of Coke Ron bought back at Tiptons. The combination made a terrible aftertaste in his mouth, though it hid the scent of liquor in his breath. They turned right onto State route 650 going back into the country. Ron tried to see around and look at familiar places, but it was too dark outside. Hardly anyone had their lights on, if they were home.
    The deputy turned the music up, it was on a classic rock station. Listening to the end of a AC/DC song, over the air a man spoke, “This is 92.7! Thanks for tuning in all you across the tri-state area looking for the best classic rock to ever be played. That was ‘Highway to Hell’ by AC/DC. I hope you all enjoyed that, because I sure did! Let’s turn the table and let’s go with some ‘VooDoo Child’ by Jimmy Hendrix!”

    Then the deputy turned it down, and it was silent. Ron stayed silent in motion of what’s going on? Then Linkson spoke, “Well, I assume what you want to know what is going on?” As soon as he said that, he slowed down at a sharp turn to the left, but he turned right onto a gravel road.
    “Yes, very much so, I would love to know what is going on!” Ron sounded nervous.

    “No sir… You would not ‘love’ to know what’s going on. I will tell you right now, this is something you do not want to see. I would love to have this settled right now. “
    Ron did not like the sound of that, not at all. “Then, can’t you take me home so I can be with my family?”
    “Did you not see? The lights at your house were off?”
    Ron thought for a couple of seconds… No, he didn’t see any lights inside on? Usually the lamps in front of the windows are on before Ron gets home? They should be on!
    Ron’s startled face made the deputy speak, “Do you remember now??”