The Shadows

By Michael Lampman

Everyone is haunted by something in their past. David Hogan has his past hunting him down.

When nightmares begin terrorizing him, he decides to head back home to the place of his greatest loss. and once there, he learns of a terrible secret that is following him. People are vanishing. They see a black shadow stalking him wherever he goes.

Patty Gullman needs his help. Her father was one of those that disappeared. Together, they have to learn the truth behind David's past before that past takes everyone he knows.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Lampman
• Release date: Dec 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781502226136

Michael Lampman

Michael Lampman lives in Upstate New York. Writing stories ever since he was a young boy, he strives to write exciting stories about ordinary people dealing with extraordinary events.

Book preview

1

Don’t go too far with her, Charlotte Hogan said from her comfortable spot on the blanket that she was sharing with her family. It had been such a beautiful day so far. The picnic was working well, and everything was going better than what she had planned. She knew that it was hard to do. Getting everyone together like this always was. Her husband had to work most days, the kids had to go to school, and she worked part time. Now that they were all together, it made everything feel worth it. They day turned out perfect and family time went better than that.

The weather was even cooperating just as nicely. The sun’s subtle heat only added to the wonder of the day. The calm breeze blowing down the hill behind them only cooled off the heat with a gentle blend. With everything feeling right, Davie saying something about going for a walk didn’t worry her at all. She didn’t even give it a second thought.

Just make sure that you keep her with you. No leaving her Davie. She didn’t even bother to watch them as they stood up from the blanket and left her side.

I promise ma. Davie moved away from the blanket and headed straight to the trees. He moved across the clean cut grass with a purpose in his stride. He didn’t really mind if his little sister came along with him. He was now ten years old, and was now old enough to wander out some on his own. He just didn’t seem to care that she was with him. It still felt like power. It felt like strength and Mandy he knew wouldn’t get in the way.

Mandy, you mind your brother. Mrs. Hogan waved a casual right arm to them, as she watched them head into the trees.

Mandy nodded and giggled a playful little laugh. She wasn’t sure where Davie was going but didn’t really care. Nothing ever mattered to a small child of five. She just wanted to go, and wanted to be with her big brother. She loved him—she knew that—even if she didn’t know what it meant. She felt comfortable with him, and looked up to him. He was her world, and that’s the only thing that ever mattered to her the most.

Davie took Mandy’s left hand within his right as they entered the shade of the trees. Come on. He looked down at her and nodded. She looked so little to him and her hand felt so soft. You have to keep up.

She answered him with another one of her playful little laughs. This was their unspoken deal—a deal that a younger sibling always made with their older brother or sister. It simply stated you’d better not get in the way. If you want to come that’s fine, but you have to keep up without me helping you. In return, the younger one promises without question to do just that.

Getting his answer, he led her into the shadows as the sun vanished behind them. The bright green grass disappeared beneath his feet as they turned onto the dirt path.

We’re almost there. This thought brought a chill down and through his spine. He had followed that path a thousand times before. This was his home away from home. The path led to his sanctuary. He’d spent hours at a time down at this place—his place—doing nothing else but daydreaming about a different time. He dreamed about a different world. He loved the smells, which smelled of pine needles and the must of dirt. He loved the sounds of bugs chirping and the birds singing their magical songs. He loved the feeling of the coolness of the air as the trees stood tall around him. It all felt so magical to the senses. It all felt so right.

Mandy followed him finding it rather hard to keep up with his much larger strides, but managed to all the same. She was having the best of times. The coolness and the darkness of the trees stroked her soft and round face and cooled her mind. Her dark brown hair bobbed as she moved. It felt so wonderful to her. It made her feel grownup in a very grownup world.

Davie continued following the winding path. He knew each tree. He knew each dip in the dirt. He didn’t need to think where he was going. He knew this place like the back of his hand. Best yet, he was almost there. He was almost to the pond.

Where are we going? Little Mandy breathed with a soft puff. The walking and the speed they were moving were already starting to cause a slow burn in her little legs. She was finding it hard to keep up.

Just over to the pond. He kept up his stride and didn’t hesitate. He had to keep moving and couldn’t stop now.

Okay. Mandy remained gleefully entranced. The thoughts of seeing the pond flashed through her mind. She loved the pond, and the idea of the water as it splashed up to the shore. She loved the thoughts of the bugs causing ripples over its surface as they fell into the water. She couldn’t wait to see it and experience everything that she knew she was going to see.

Almost there. He could see a bright streak of sunlight just up ahead of him. Out beyond it was another large stand of trees. They marked the dividing line to the pond. Seeing them, he knew what was coming next. We’re almost there. I’m almost home.

Who are you? Mandy asked suddenly.

He heard her but didn’t really hear it. Her voice was soft but his mind was not. He was a thousand miles away. He could only see the water and could only see the blankness of his thoughts before it.

Hello. Mandy stopped and released his hand.

He kept walking. He was almost there. He stepped onto the grass as the path ended. The hint of water twinkled in his eyes through the trees. He stopped there realizing that he was alone. Mandy? He turned back.

The hint of a shadow crossed in front of him, but it was only a hint. It all happened so fast that he didn’t see it but he did. He just didn’t know what to think about it. Instead, he saw nothing. The path was empty and Amanda was gone.

Mandy? He expected her to be there on the path. He expected her to be looking off into the trees. He counted on it, but she wasn’t. She wasn’t watching the trees. She wasn’t there. Mandy? He walked back onto the path and walked back into the darkness of the trees. The deep cold struck his face, his mind, his soul. Mandy? Where are you Mandy? He scoured the trees. He strained to listen to her answering him, but found the area quiet and serene. With it all, he gasped. His heart pounded and his breathing began to grown. His thoughts turned cold, almost dim.

The entire area froze on that day in 1982.

Realizing this, feeling panic for the very first time in his young life, he moved up and down the path. He scanned the trees looking for the bright yellow and purple dress that she wore. He looked for her hair bobbing on top of her head. He looked for anything, but only saw nothing and with it, his panic only grew.

Mandy? Come on Mandy. He felt the full power of fear now rushing into his soul. It built up until tears blasted from his eyes. They even soaked his shirt. Amanda Hogan, come here. His voice started cracking and his hands went cold. His legs felt weak. Where did she go? Why did she leave me? How could she do it? How could she do this to me?

The forest kept still and nothing moved.

The panic now turned to an all-out shame. He felt shame for being with her when she vanished. He felt shame for letting it happen. He felt the shame for not protecting her like he should have done. Feeling it, realizing it, he had no idea what to do next. He just felt hopeless. He felt lost. It was then that an idea crossed his mind. He did what any other ten-year-old boy would ever do. He turned back to the direction they came and ran. He ran back to the picnic. He ran for help.

He didn’t stop until he reached his parents, all out of breath.

"What is it champ? Mister Hogan asked first watching his son come back out from the corner of his eyes. He didn’t see him run and he didn’t see the tears. It didn’t last long. When he did see them, the feelings of his dread came up stronger than it ever had before. What’s wrong? He stood up. Where’s Mandy?" He saw that she wasn’t with him and it made his dread grow into a resounding pain.

His wife however did see the run. She did see the tears. She saw her son’s dread written all over his face. Not seeing Amanda only added to everything else she saw. What happened? She stood up on shaking legs. What happened? She took her son into her hands and held him in front of her.

He didn’t answer her.

Doing this only made her fear explode a thousand times harder. What happened to Mandy?

He remained still—he remained calm. He just breathed.

Davie, answer your mother. His father stood on his right and kept his voice firm but gathered. It took everything he had to do it too. Inside he was breaking just as hard as his wife was.

Davie heard the voice, and suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, he gathered himself back together again. I don’t know. His voice came out soft. He almost whispered it. I don’t know. He shook his head, but it barely moved. Even the tears stopped as his face went pale. He even calmed.

His parents did no such thing.

What do you mean, you don’t know? Charlotte now had tears strolling down her face. Her heart raced as fast as her thoughts were flying.

Davie shrugged calmly.

Martin continued trying to keep himself together. Where were you? He reached for his son and pulled him away from his mother. What happened? If his baby was missing, he needed to know where to find her, but first, he had to know where to start.

Calmness continued to grow inside his young mind, and with it, he breathed. We were on the path heading to the pond. His voice came out low. He sounded steady and he would never know why. She’s not there.

Hearing this, Martin turned to his wife. He now had somewhere to go, and this made him feel confident again, if only for a little bit. I need you to go to the park office and call the police.

Charlotte could only shake her head. I’m going with you. Her voice shook and she didn’t know what to do. She just wanted to break down. She just wanted to find her daughter.

You have to go and get some help. Martin continued to shine with confidence, even though inside, he was breaking fast. You have to.

Again, Charlotte shook her head.

Martin felt the break. Damn it, just get over to the office, and get some help! I have to go and find her. He heard his voice crack, so he paused and took a deep breath before continuing. I’ll find her.

The sounds of his voice seemingly slapped at Charlotte’s face because she instantly nodded.

With the plan set, Martin turned back to his son. Go with your mother.

Davie nodded. He remained calm.

Martin said nothing else. He just turned from his family and ran to the trees. In all honesty, he had no idea where he was going. He just ran as he flew to the trees.

Charlotte waited until he disappeared. She then turned, grabbed Davie, pulled him across the parking lot and headed to the entrance of the park.

Davie followed her. He stayed calm and he stayed collected. He just watched everything turn into a blur.

The rest of the day went by just like that. Everything happened just as fast.

After that day, everything changed forever.

2

The path was there.

This is the place.

Everything looked dark as a steady mist hung over the ground like a damp and heavy cloth. The trees stood tall casting shadows everywhere around him. They made everything look evil, almost doomed.

This isn’t right. This is wrong.

Not a sound came from around him. Not one bird sang in the trees and not one bug chirped from the underbrush.

Something is wrong here. This doesn’t feel right. This can’t be the same place.

The area smelled like death. It smelled rotten almost carrying a stench of a heavy and strong must that overpowered the senses. With everything as it was, the place felt almost blank.

This isn’t the place that I remember. This can’t be the same path.

An endless cold flashed through the air and smacked against his skin.

Something is out here. David saw himself standing back on the path—that same frightening path from that day long ago. He looked ahead from where he was and watched a heavy shadow bob along the ground. It seemed to dance.

Who’s there?

The path shook beneath his feet. The mist danced with the shadow and it flowed, and whistled as it moved. The sight didn’t seem real. It made everything feel darker yet.

Something is here with me. I know it. I can feel it. It’s here.

Slowly, he moved down the path, walking towards the clearing just up ahead of him. From there, he could see the hint of the pond through the stand of trees. He walked slowly when he suddenly felt the sensation of someone or something watching him coming to the back of his neck. It caused gooseflesh to flare down his spine.

I know you’re watching me. I know you’re there.

He could now feel eyes shining back at him from somewhere in the trees on his left. In fact, he could almost see them. He just knew they were there. He just knew that someone was watching him quietly from the trees. The feeling only grew stronger as he moved. It grew even stronger when he reached the grass, and there, at the end of the path, he stopped.

The eyes didn’t as they grew stronger than before.

Who’s there? I know you are.

The wind hurled. It whispered and sighed.

He could now hear a sound coming on the breeze. He could almost hear it saying something to him. At first, he didn’t know what it said, it came too softly, but suddenly, he did. It sounded playful. It formed and even came directly behind him.

Davie?

Hearing his name, but more importantly, hearing the voice, he turned. A chill rolled down his back and he shivered as he saw her there. Amanda?

Why did you leave me? She stood directly in the center of the path. She stood motionless, and looked overly pale. The bright yellow and purple of her dress sparkled and it added to the color of her face.

With it all, he shivered again. Mandy? His eyes filled with tears and his heart flashed with every bit of the sadness he now felt. "Mandy?’ A single tear rolled down his face and hit his chin.

Why did you leave me? She didn’t move. She stayed calm. She stayed still.

I didn’t leave you. The tears now covered his face, and with them, the feeling only added to the gooseflesh flaring through his body. They made him shiver harder than before. I wouldn’t have ever left you like that.

Why? Her eyes looked hollow and her face almost looked like stone.

A shadow now came up behind her and came out from the trees.

He saw it and gasped. No. His mind now raced.

Why did you leave me? She never moved.

The shadow came to her with force. When it stopped behind her, it took the shape of a large looking man.

Before he could do anything, it grabbed his little Amanda, and wrapped its deep blackness around her with two bulges that looked like arms.

He watched helplessly as the shadow—a dark brooding blackness—pulled her back down the path. He watched as it then moved back into the deepness of the trees.

They were gone so fast.

He screamed. His heart exploded. Amanda! He wanted to move but couldn’t. He wanted to run after her but he felt locked in place. No. He reached up with his right arm to the direction she was but came back with nothing but air. No, Amanda. Again, she was gone. Again, he let her go. Noooooooooooo!

He opened his eyes.

He sat straight up.

He looked at the wall at the foot of his bed, and seeing it, realizing where he was, he took a huge and devastating breath. What am I doing? He cleared his mind. It was dream. It was the nightmare all over again.

For years, he had that same dream—that same nightmare—about that day. For years, he fought through the pain. He fought through the guilt for letting it happen and it took a long time to get right again after that.

I’m not doing this again. He shook his head. I refuse to dwell on any of this ever again. He looked down at the shirt he wore. It felt soaked and was. I’ll be damned if I’m going back there again. And again, he shook his head.

She’s gone. It happened. It wasn’t my fault.

At least that’s what the doctors told him back then. They convinced him that he did everything right but in the end; they answered him with nothing.

They’re right. There wasn’t anything that I could do. I did what I could. Everything happened as it did.

He lay back down, pushing two of the four pillows around him, back under his head. Feeling flushed again, he slid his right arm between the pillows