The Lodge

By Shaun Kitching

Koby and his friends can't wait to return to Hollow Point High School for their senior year. Koby's best friend, Chad, is given the keys to his dad's endearing lodge, which is buried deep within Hollow Point woods alongside a beautiful, tranquil lake. They're supposed to use the lodge for studying and the serenity that comes with it. However, Koby, Chad and a group of students instead use this as a place to hold their social festivities. Swimming, relaxing, kayaking, fishing. Sounds like paradise, right? Paradise soon turns to horror as someone begins killing the students one-by-one. Can the killer be stopped in time or will the lodge become the final resting place for this group of teenagers?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shaun Kitching
• Release date: Aug 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476242569

Shaun Kitching

Shaun Kitching lives in South East Queensland, Australia with his wife and two children. He is a keen sportsman, with football being his favourite sport. In his spare time, he enjoys kayak fishing, going to the beach and spending time with his family. His favourite tv series is Breaking Bad and his favourite movie would have to be a flip between Jaws and the Rocky series. The Lodge is his first novel in the Hollow Point Horror series.

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The Lodge

By Shaun Kitching

Copyright 2012 Shaun Kitching

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is dedicated to Nan and Pa, for always having faith.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Daisy

Chapter 2: Koby

Chapter 3: Seth

Chapter 4: Koby

Chapter 5: Chad

Chapter 6: Koby

Chapter 7: Amber

Chapter 8: Daisy

Chapter 9: Seth

Chapter 10: Koby

Chapter 11: Seth

Chapter 12: Daisy

Chapter 13: Amber

Chapter 14: Amber

Chapter 15: Koby

Chapter 16: Reed

Chapter 17: Reed

Chapter 18: Daisy

Chapter 19: Koby

Chapter 20: Chad

Chapter 21: Koby

Chapter 22: Amber

Chapter 23: Koby

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Chapter 1: Daisy

Dear Diary,

It’s been a while since my last passage, hasn’t it? I remember how I used to share every thought that raced its way through my mind. I’m not sure why I stopped writing, why I stopped recording my feelings and outlook on your blank white pages. Why did I stop? Why have we become so distant? It doesn’t matter. Daisy is back. That’s right, me, your old pal Daisy.

The biggest question is why am I back? Well, Daisy has got something big coming up.

Very big.

And I’m very, very excited. I can already feel the adrenalin pumping through my veins. I can sense my brain cells dancing in anticipation. You see, tomorrow is our first day as seniors at Hollow Point High School. Tomorrow is when my duty begins. What duty you may ask? Let’s just say that I’m going to throw a deadly shadow over Hollow Point.

Certain students will pay. Certain students will die.

Yep, I’ve got a good feeling about this year.

Something tells me it’s going to be a killer!

Chapter 2: Koby

I stepped outside onto the front veranda, the wooden floorboards creaking heavily underneath my ageing white sneakers. My mum has been persuading me for months to purchase new shoes but I have worn these ones in so much they fit perfectly around my feet. I always reply to mum that every step is a slice of heaven, to which she simply gives her trademark groan. She doesn’t get my sense of humour but most people think I’m a pretty funny bloke. Creeeeeak! Again, the deck groans beneath my weight. Dad has been meaning to fix these floorboards for months but I guess he still hadn’t got around to it.

Mum, I’m off to school, I yelled, as I slung my backpack over my right shoulder.

Have fun sweetheart. Do you have all your books? Oh, and Koby, did you grab your lunch? Mum’s bubbly voice echoed out onto the veranda. She always manages to squeeze so much into one sentence.

Ok. Yes. Yes, I responded, very much familiar with mum’s army of questions. I jumped down our concrete stairs and made my way through the front gate and onto the sidewalk. The sun beamed down proudly; a vibrant peach in the cloudless, blue sky. Despite this, there was a slight breeze and I found myself surprisingly cold. I decided to make a brisk walk as I made my way down the street. Good old Hollow Point, I thought. You never know what weather you’ll be waking up to here. Yesterday was warm and muggy but today I had goose bumps forming on my arms. Very weird indeed. In fact, Hollow Point itself is a pretty weird place. The town was built back in the early 1900’s on top of an old, defective coal mine. When the mine first opened, keen miners flocked to the site, like moths to light; keen to earn a decent living for them and their families. I’ve heard many history lessons on how much time and effort went into constructing the coal mine and how it was structurally unfaultable.

One of the safest mines ever built, I muttered, mimicking my history teacher. However, only weeks after the coal mine began operations, the unexpected happened. Apparently it was a clear November morning when the mine suddenly collapsed. I pictured it in my mind; the dusty smoke mushrooming the heavens with an eerie dominance, cutting through the air like velvet. The clear skies transforming into a hazy powder, as the earth rumbled into its new terrain. Wave upon wave of black rubble, like surfers slicing through a tube. Tragically, the horrific incident claimed the lives of over a hundred miners that fatal November morning. I had seen old newspaper clippings which claimed many miners died instantly, the sudden impact crushing their bodies like plastic cups. The more unfortunate miners were buried alive, a muddy tomb they would forever call home. In the weeks following the heartbreaking tragedy the coal mine was never excavated and a decision was made to not retrieve the bodies. Family and friends of the ill-fated miners didn’t want the burden of a potentially long investigation burying their lives, just as it had their loved ones. They didn’t want to see or hear of the miners’ rotten corpses being raised from the grimy depths below, their mangled bodies encrusted with dirt. So the area was closed off and the so-called flawless coal mine was left to be.

Just another piece of history blowing in the breeze, I thought to myself, remembering my teacher’s words. Approximately a decade later, the foundation was approved suitable for construction and a new town was formed and built over the coal mine. That town was Hollow Point. I think it was the people’s way of moving on from the incident and getting on with their lives. Even though Hollow Point now blankets the land, the mine will always remain a part of this town and its abrupt collapse will forever remain a mystery. Some people say there were stronger forces at play that day. Some say Hollow Point is cursed; the twisting roots beneath the earth seeded with an evil presence. Others believe the miners haunt the town of Hollow Point. I’ve even heard stories of people diverting their travels, just so they don’t have to drive in the vicinity. Did I mention Hollow Point is a weird town?

Yooo, Koby! a voice suddenly shouted from behind, breaking me from my time travels.

Seth, long time no see, I replied, without even making the effort to turn around. I would recognize that voice anywhere. Seth’s deep voice sounded like it belonged to a grown man as opposed to a sixteen year old high school student.

Man, I missed you brother. Let’s never go that long without seeing each other ever again, Seth said, running up alongside me and slapping an arm around my shoulder.

Haha, you’re a funny man, I answered. Seth and I had hung out all day yesterday. In fact, Seth, Chad – our other best mate, and I practically spent every day of the holidays together. We have all been best mates since we were kids. I think it was our comparable sense of humour that led to us being friends. We never miss the opportunity to have a good laugh. Just looking at Seth was enough to make me smile. With his curly brown hair and buck teeth, I had always thought that he would make a good cartoon character. I often joked that we should pay an artist to draw a caricature of him and then we could make millions after selling it to some big animation company.

Today is the day! Seth suddenly boomed, his voice echoing down the street.

The day we start our senior year? I ask with confusion.

Well, yeah. But I was referring to something else. Today is the day you finally tell Amber how you feel about her, Seth says, as a big goofy grin forms on his face.

Amber? What are you talking about? I murmur. I try everything to fight it, but I can feel my face slowly turning pink.

"Duuuude, I know you like Amber. The whole school knows you like Amber!"

She’s alright, I respond, not knowing what else to say.

Alright? Man, you are hot for her bod and don’t you deny it, Seth says, grinning once more.

I was about to challenge Seth’s statement once again but instead I let out a long, ambiguous sigh. Seth knew me better than anyone.

Does the whole school really know? I ask, succumbing to the truth.

Koby, Mrs. Ingleton even knows and she’s the most anti-social person on this planet! Seth exclaimed, referring to our dearly beloved English teacher.

I was just about to reply when something in the distance caught my eye. As I strained my eyes against the morning sun, I noticed a hazy silhouette emerging from the shadows. It was coming towards us. Shielding my eyes with my hands, I squinted intensely, trying to better make out the object heading in my direction.

What was that?

There were still remnants of a faint fog covering the distance. It was like the fog and the sunlight were dancing; a constant pirouette of luminosity and mist entwined in