Surviving Mancation

By L. J. Noker

What happens on mancation, stays on mancation.
Nine guys. A three-day weekend. A lakeside vacation home. One monster snow storm. What could possibly go wrong?
Friday night ends with the party of the century and a blizzard to match. Then Saturday begins with the shocking death of a friend. How did he die? Was he murdered? Is there a stranger among them, or something else...watching them? It’s up to the others to figure out what happened.
As the day descends into darkness, will these friends turn on each other, or will they band together and face whatever evil stalks them? In the end, will any of them survive Mancation?

• Language: English
• Publisher: L. J. Noker
• Release date: Dec 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311685568

L. J. Noker

L. J. Noker earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Penn State and his master’s degree in the same field from Carnegie Mellon University. He lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his beloved family and is hard at work on his next creation.I’d like to thank each and every one of you who took the time to read something from my imagination. The idea that you enjoyed my words is quite humbling. Please leave a review on amazon.com or goodreads.com.Check out Edge of Betrayal, The New Caporesso Chronicles, Book I, a family friendly epic fantasy adventure. Strength of swords, honor in victory.You can contact me at [e-mail].

Book preview

Saturday, July 8, 12:02 am

Water lapped at the banks of the serene lake, paying homage to the great forest that surrounded it. Climbing a gentle slope, the woods marched away from the lakeshore in quiet formation. The lake was old, but insignificant when compared to the ancient forest all around it. A camp was situated on the lake’s shore.

A fire crackled, its wood snapping and popping loudly. Heavy smoke drifted away from the blaze, dissipating into the night. The flames reached skyward, trying to escape from the fiery hell they had been born into. Damp logs hissed as their gases were released into the air. The fire’s light illuminated a small area around the campsite, but beyond that was utter blackness.

A poorly constructed tent sat a few feet from the fire. Sparks shot out of the inferno, landing dangerously close to the shelter. A tree lay nearby, silently watching the naïve visitors. Unseen animals chittered in the darkness, oblivious to the intruders. An owl screeched in protest of the unwanted light.

Music from a local radio station played through a large boom box. It sat on a small table, its antennae extended to its fullest to better tune in the shaky signal. Aww yeah…that was Good, by Better Than Ezra, which has become one of my favorites since I started playing it over and over and over…hey, I mean it’s one of the top requested songs lately and I can’t get enough of it. The DJ chuckled. "Hey folks, did you know that this Thursday marks the tenth anniversary of the Live Aid concerts that took place in London and Philadelphia back in nineteen-eighty-five? Yeah, Wembley Stadium in London and John F Kennedy Stadium in Philly were the scenes of one of the greatest, simultaneously broadcast concerts ever to take place in the world.

And did you know there was only one artist to play in both arenas that day? Do you know who it was? I’ll give you a few seconds to think on that. He whistled a portion of the theme from Jeopardy. OK, time’s up. It was Phil Collins, who is one of my all-time favorite singer-songwriter performers. He played two songs in London and then flew, on the Concord, to Philly where he played the same two songs again. They were Against All Odds, from the movie of the same title, and In the Air Tonight, which is one of the greatest songs ever written. The ominous notes of an electronic drum machine began. So in honor of that anniversary, let’s listen to Phil once again and see what’s in the air tonight.

A young woman said, Oh, I love this song. Don’t you, Jimmy? She sat on the ground, away from the fire. The firelight danced over her body, worshiping her. Her lips shimmered.

Jimmy’s eyes ran over her figure; he knew he was a lucky man. He chuckled. Yeah, it reminds me of Miami Vice. He reclined beside her. Rising up on one arm, he pretended to use his other hand like he was steering a car. When Tubbs and Crocket are driving in that Ferrari. They were fucking awesome. I don’t remem—

Oh, Jimmy, she interrupted, I don’t give a shit about that. She puffed on a joint and exhaled slowly. Biting her lip, she glanced at him.

Grinning knowingly, Jimmy lay back down and took the joint from her. He inhaled deeply and held his breath. The ash from the marijuana cigarette lit up momentarily. Exhaling, he handed the butt back to her. That’s some good shit, Stacy.

I know, baby. She set the roach on a rock beside her. Then, rolling toward him, she straddled his leg. You know what I was thinking? She giggled.

He chortled. No, baby…what were you thinking? He grabbed the back of her skintight jean shorts.

She glanced at the tent. I was thinking that there’s an empty tent over there, she raised her eyebrows for an instant, just waiting for us. Let’s—

He peeked down her tank top. What do we need a tent for, baby? There’s no one out here but us. We’re all alone. Let’s do it right here, under the stars. He reached up and kissed her.

She shook her head and chuckled. No way, silly. It’s too bright out here; I’d be too self-conscious to fuck good…and you like when I fuck good, don’t you, Jimmy? She grinned devilishly.

Oh yeah, baby. I like it when you fuck me good.

Besides, we brought the tent and it took you forever to put it up. She glanced at it again. Are you sure it’s not too close to the fire?

Ignoring her question, he kissed her again. Come on, just once. On the shore, under the trees, with no tent. How many people can say that they did something crazy like that? He pulled at her shirt, kissing where the material met her bosom.

The fire crackled and popped.

She moaned as he kissed her. Running her hands through his hair, she let him kiss her. A crunching twig grabbed her attention. She looked in the direction of the noise and whispered, What was that?

Still kissing her, Jimmy asked, What was what, baby? His breathing increased, as did his arousal. Probably just the fire. There’s nothing out there. There’s only me getting hornier and hornier by the second. Just relax and—

No. She pushed him down and sat up. Scanning the woods, she said, I know it wasn’t the fire. She adjusted her tank top. I heard something over there. She pointed to the edge of the firelight.

Come on, baby. He glanced in the same direction that she was looking. There’s nothing there, he grabbed at her breast, just your imagination. Several more loud snaps made him sit up. He tried to peer into the darkness. Pushing her off him, he stood up. He called out, Hey, who’s there? Who’s out there?

There was no answer. Another branch snapped.

Jimmy grabbed his axe and moved to stand between the fire and the noise. Hey, I’m warning you. We don’t want any trouble, but you’ll get it if you keep messing with us. This isn’t funny.

Stacy got to her feet and stood behind him. Who do you think it is? she whispered.

How the fuck would I know who it is? Jimmy’s heart was beating fast. He yelled again, Just leave us alone and go away. We won’t tell anyone about this. Go away and we’ll forget all about this.

Something stepped to the edge of the fire’s light. It was close enough that its outline was visible, but far enough away that its identity was indiscernible. It growled.

Stacy screamed in terror. What is that!

Hey…just stay back! We don’t want any trouble! Jimmy yelled, brandishing the axe defiantly.

After a moment which seemed like a lifetime, it slowly backed away from the light, disappearing into the blackness.

The radio continued playing music.

The shadow was gone, but Jimmy and Stacy knew they were not safe. What should we do?

Breathing erratically, Jimmy tried to answer. I…I don’t…know. I thought that…that we were alone out here.

I’m really scared, Jimmy.

I know, baby, I know. Me too. He glanced around their campsite, looking for any sign of approach from their unwanted watcher.

A crashing sound stopped the drum beats from the magic break. The sudden quiet made them look at the radio. It had been knocked off the table by something and was lying in pieces on the ground.

What just happened? screamed Stacy.

I don’t know. Jimmy held the axe high. He yelled, Come on. Come and get it, you fucking bastard. Swinging the axe, he charged up the slope into the woods.

Stacy hollered, Jimmy! She stepped after him. Wait…don’t leave me. Wait!

Ahh! Let’s see how you like it!

Jimmy’s shout rooted her to the spot. There was a commotion in the darkness. Then she heard guttural croaking followed by a wet thumping sound.

No…nah, Jimmy whimpered and gurgled.

Stacy stared into the dark void. Jimmy? she wailed. Jimmy, where are you, baby? Distraught, she fell to her knees. Almost whispering, she said, Jimmy, answer me. Oh, please, answer me. Movement at the edge of the void caught her eye and she jumped to her feet. She studied the shape for a moment and then shrieked in horror. Jimmy!

He staggered forward, holding his belly with both hands. Slowly, he walked toward the fire but dropped to his knees before he could reach it. A circle of blood was growing around his hands. Opening his mouth, he tried to speak but gagged instead. Agh…agh. Blood poured from his mouth.

Stacy screamed and ran to the tent. Once inside, her trembling fingers zippered the hatch shut. She turned off the lantern, trying to conceal herself in darkness. Crying, she said, Oh God, help me. God, help me. She uttered her simple prayer over and over, waiting.

After several minutes, her crying subsided, and she reached for the tent flap. As her finger touched the zipper, she heard a voice.

Help me. Help me, Stacy. It’s gone, it’s gone. Agh. Help me, oh God, help me.

Stacy shook her head and whimpered, tears streaking down her face. No, Jimmy, no. I can’t…I can’t help you. I’m sorry, baby, she gasped. It’s still out there…I know it is. It’s waiting for me. It’s—

Help me, help me, help me, repeated Jimmy in agony.

Terrified, Stacy listened to Jimmy’s desperate pleas for help. After what seemed like hours, she inched toward the hatch and grabbed the zipper. Mustering all of her strength, she unzipped the flap and crawled out of the tent. Jimmy was still where he had fallen, still holding his belly, breathing shallowly. She stood up and stepped toward him.

A guttural croaking behind her made her freeze with fright. She sobbed uncontrollably, her gaze fixed on Jimmy. The noise continued.

Jimmy blinked and a tear rolled down his cheek. He opened his mouth to speak, but exhaled fully and toppled over in a heap.

Resigned to her fate, Stacy tucked her chin into her shoulder and slowly turned around. She exhaled sharply when she saw it.

It growled…and then charged at her.

Stacy shrieked in animalistic terror for as long as she could. And then, as suddenly as her cry had begun, it was silenced forever. The stillness of the night was restored. Now, the only remaining sound was that of the water lapping at the edges of the lake, a silent witness to the horror that had been awakened.

Chapter 1

Friday, January 6, 10:52 am

The sound of far-off, distorted voices disturbed him. He moaned incoherently.

Silence…then laughter met his ears.

Hey, sleepy? Wakey-wakey, said a voice.

A deeper voice joined in, trying to rouse him. Come on, Steve, wake up, dude, we’re almost there.

Umm. What? Whe…where are we? he asked, still half asleep.

We’re almost there, dude, the driver said.

You told us to wake you up a few minutes before we got there so you could collect yourself, the passenger mocked. We’ll be there in about ten minutes, so wake up, Sleeping Beauty.

Steve smacked the passenger side headrest. Fuck you, Danny. Like I said, he yawned, give me a minute to collect myself. With his eyes half open, he grinned.

Danny turned around in the front seat to inspect Steve. Dude, you’re wearing that I’m-so-fucking-tired-I-can’t-open-my-eyes-yet shit-eating grin. You’re still not sleeping at night?

No. Steve blinked repeatedly, trying to clear his eyes. When it did not work, he gave up and rubbed them instead. I power nap a lot, though, he joked.

The driver looked at Steve in the rear-view mirror. I thought you were taking pills for that.

He exhaled deeply. I was, Jack, but they didn’t help. Even with them, I’d be up all night. A yawn interrupted him. I’d take them before bed and nod off for a few minutes at a time, but never get more than an hour or so at night. They never really started to work until after my kids got home from school, so I stopped taking them and just nap whenever I can. Wiping the cobwebs from his eyes, he added, Aww. It’s been almost two years and I still haven’t adjusted to her being gone. This single parent thing sucks. He extended his arms, stretching.

A strange silence followed. Jack and Danny were at a loss for words. Some Nights, by Fun played quietly on the iPod.

Realizing he had made his friends uncomfortable, he tried to pull himself upright. It’s OK, guys, I’m just talking. My shrink says it’s good for me to talk about Marcy; it helps me cope. He sighed heavily. It’s either that or cry all the time, and I’ve had enough of that.

How was it sending your kids to school today? Any tears? Jack, the driver, asked.

Steve sat up and stretched. Nah. They were fine with it. We’ve talked about today and this weekend for about two months now, and they’ve accepted the fact that I was going. They understand that nothing bad is going to happen to me. He turned his head to the right, cracking his neck.

They’re going home to your brother’s house for the weekend, right? asked Danny.

Yep. He’s picking them up after school. Steve looked at the hilly terrain around them.

Jack glanced in the rearview mirror. I know you’d never admit it, but you do need some time for yourself. Some time to recharge your batteries and blow off some steam.

Steve chortled.

Captain Jack, by Billy Joel played in the background.

It’s gonna be weird seeing everyone again, Jack mused after a few more minutes.

Surprised, Danny asked, You haven’t seen any of them since Marcy’s funeral?

Just you and Steve, and only every now and then.

That was the last time I saw any of them, too, Steve said.

Danny corrected him. Richie wasn’t there.

Well yeah, I meant everyone but him. I don’t really see anyone anymore, except for you two blockheads.

The only one I’ve seen since the funeral is Chris, Danny continued. And only a handful of times since his divorce.

Yeah, Danny, I was sorry to hear about that. How’s your sister doing anyway? Moving on, I hope, Jack wondered.

She’s doing real well now. I think she has a new man in her life. He gazed out the window for a moment. So, this’ll be the first time we’ve all been together in almost two years.

Two crazy years, remarked Steve.

Speaking of Chris, Jack said, how’s it gonna be between the two of you?

Steve and Danny exchanged glances. Between who? Me or him? Danny asked, thumbing in Steve’s direction.

Jack replied, Well, both, but let’s start with Steve.

Steve’s eyes narrowed, but he replied with a level voice. I know what you’re thinking but you’re wrong. I’m fine with Chris coming down.

If you say so, dude. And you, Danny?

Danny picked up his travel mug. We’ll be OK. We were friends long before he married my sister. In fact, I introduced them. You know I always thought he only married her for our money. He sipped from his mug and swallowed.

But he’s a lawyer, countered Jack. He’s got plenty of money.

He does now, but he was just starting out when they got married. He didn’t have any then and he was in debt up to his eyeballs. Danny returned his mug to the cup holder. The first thing he had Jessie do was pay off all of his law school loans. And you can imagine how much that was.

And she was able to pay it all at once? Steve asked.

Danny nodded.

Wow, said Steve.

He snorted softly. "Yeah. She hated it when I called her his sugar mommy, but that’s what I