Once upon a Nightmare: A Collection

By Cherie Reich

A legend awakens...

A monster hunts us. After hibernating for a decade, it's ravenous. We long to stop this nightmare, but the end of the road is far. There is no waking up once a legend sets its sights on you.

Disappearances every ten or so years make little impact on the small town of New Haven, Virginia. Hikers get lost. Hunters lose the trail. Even when a body is discovered, the inhabitants' memories last about as long as the newspaper articles.

No one connects the cases. No one notices the disappearances go back beyond Civil War times. No one believes a legendary monster roams the forests in Southwestern Virginia.

I don't either until the truck breaks down on an old mountain trail. Cell phones won't work in this neck of the woods. It's amazing how much a person can see by starlight alone. So what if we can't feel our fingers or toes as we hike toward the main road. How many more miles left to go?

Crrraaack!

Hear that noise?

The collection includes the novellas Once upon a December Nightmare and Nightmare Ever After and the short story "Good Nightmare, Scary Monster."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cherie Reich
• Release date: Jan 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311562531

Cherie Reich

Cherie Reich has more books than she can ever read and more ideas than she can ever write, but that doesn’t stop this bookworm from trying, even if it means curbing her TV obsession. She is a speculative fiction writer and library assistant living in Virginia.

Book preview

Cassie cringed at each bump along Tree Branch Trail. Gravel crunched underneath the truck’s tires, yet somehow the dilapidated vehicle withstood the beating. Squished between her best friend Mary and the door, Cassie tensed and tried not to hit anything or anyone as the truck vaulted over another pothole. She wished she had a seat belt on, but with two seat belts and four people in the front seat, it wasn’t happening. They should’ve taken her car, but it never would’ve made it on this backcountry road.

How do you like your first off-roading adventure, Cassie? Denise asked with the harsh laugh of a smoker while shifting her plump hips between her boyfriend James and her sister Mary.

It’s great, Cassie said without enthusiasm and with a whole truckload of sarcasm. The vehicle ran over a monstrous rut, and her head knocked against the window. She sucked in air through her teeth. Checking for a bump, she glanced over to Mary. Although three years younger and still in high school, Mary was Cassie’s best friend and confidante. Cassie had missed her most since she moved to Missouri for college. She leaned close to Mary’s ear. I think we should’ve stayed and watched a different movie.

Me too, Mary whispered back.

James slammed on the brakes, and the truck fishtailed to a stop.

Cassie pressed her hand against the glove compartment. Dashboard lights illuminated Mary’s grimace and her white knuckles from clutching the seat belt so hard.

What’s out there? Cassie peered ahead.

Headlights illuminated a thick tree upturned on its side across the single-lane road. Snow glittered upon the bark.

Think we can get around it? Cassie asked James. She didn’t know the twenty-two year old very well since Denise had started dating him while Cassie was at school, but Denise had said James and she knew this trail and went off-roading often.

He shrugged, took off his baseball cap, and ran his fingers through thinning brown hair. When he opened the door, a blast of frigid air blew across the seat. He walked in front of the headlights, his breath visible in their harsh yellow glow.

Cassie pulled her winter coat closer to her while Denise and Mary shivered. Although the tree wasn’t the first one that had gotten in their way, this one appeared to completely block their escape. James had told them Tree Branch Trail curled back to the main road. She wished they were home now.

The entire night was a bust from the start. First, they’d packed into the faded black truck to go to the movies. When they got there, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was sold out, and they couldn’t decide upon another movie to see. They left and had dinner at Subway. Instead of heading home afterwards, James came up with the brilliant idea of riding around for the hell of it. Now here they were in the middle of nowhere on a one-lane off-road trail with a tree blocking their path.

Cassie sighed. They should’ve known some trees and branches would’ve fallen down. The past few nights had brought snow flurries and horrible howling winds. The Forest Service probably hadn’t had a chance to examine the road and remove any debris. At least snow didn’t cover the road tonight. Only a dusting of white lined the forest floor.

Cassie glanced behind them. Brake lights bathed several feet of forest in red. Trees lined their path like enemy soldiers waiting for the cue to fire. The isolation and cold blackness of this place caused her to shiver. She hated the dark and had slept with a light on since she was four years old. Anything could happen to them out here, especially since everyone thought they were at the movies. Her vision blurred, and she blinked back the unwanted tears.

Never show weakness, Cassie.

James returned to the truck, the door slamming shut as loud as a rifle’s shot.

How does it look? Denise snuggled against him.

No way ’round it. There’s a place not far from here to turn ’round. He threw the truck into gear and reversed down the road.

Tree branches slapped the passenger side window. Cassie winced, moving closer to Mary. She didn’t dare glance back. James couldn’t possibly see very well, and Cassie didn’t want to know what they were coming close to hitting.

This is fun, isn’t it? Denise looked over her shoulder. They edged to a clearing where they could turn around. I bet we’ve gone seven miles so far.

How much farther was it to the main road? Cassie noted Denise seemed to be having more fun, and she was glad James brought that out in her old friend. For many years, Denise’s seriousness and so-called maturity strained what friendship she and Cassie once had. She hoped Denise had changed and loosened up. They were twenty years old, after all! They should have fun, although perhaps not along old mountain roads.

’Nother mile or so. He laughed, passed by the open area, and pulled into it. Seven more to go instead.

Great. Cassie sighed and looked into the clearing. Oh!

The headlights landed on four carcasses. Cold black eyes stared blankly toward them.

Are those… deer? Being a vegetarian, Cassie had little desire to see dead deer out in the midst of the forest. Her stomach churned and soured the veggie sub she’d eaten. She lowered her gaze to the dashboard.

I think so. Mary gulped. She was an animal lover like Cassie.

It looks like they were just laid out there. Creepy cool. Denise leaned forward. Her nose pressed against the windshield and created a smudge against the glass.

Some hunter probably wanted the antlers and left the rest. James parked the truck and opened his door. Comin’, hon?

Sure thing. Denise stepped out and followed him, but Mary and Cassie stayed behind.

Who’d do such a thing? Disgust coated Mary’s voice, as if she’d eaten something bitter. She twirled a red wisp of hair around her finger. It’s so wasteful. They could’ve donated the meat.

I agree. Cassie brushed her hair out of her eyes. Denise’s bleach-blond strands gleamed in the headlights, and James’s and Denise’s breaths came out in smoky clouds.

Cassie didn’t like hunting as a whole, but she understood its purpose. She’d never condone killing a creature for sport, but her beliefs were not well received in the country where huntin’—most hicks and rednecks left off the last letter—was still a rite of passage. Some kids even took off from school for the first day of deer season.

The hunter—or hunters—had arranged the deer in a straight line, their heads pointing toward the road. Four pairs of eyes appeared to stare right into her soul.

Someone took a lot of time and effort to place them like that. Cassie quivered. It’s really disturbing.

Mary nodded in agreement.

Denise jumped into the truck, followed by James.

It’s really odd. Denise’s voice sounded hollow.

No sign of antlers. James shrugged.

I didn’t notice any bullet wounds either. Denise trembled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Their throats looked chewed out.

Probably some sicko havin’ a little fun. James backed the truck out of the clearing until they faced the way they’d come. He shifted into drive so they could head home.

Seven more miles to go, Cassie whispered, staring out the window to the dark forest beyond.

The truck hopped once again along the rutted road. James clutched the wheel. What had killed those deer? Their throats had been slashed, too ragged to be from a knife. He’d never seen anything like that in his life, but there was nothing they could do about it. He shrugged off the weirdness of that grisly clearing. He fiddled with the radio knob until it picked up a country station. Hank Williams, Sr.’s There’s a Tear in my Beer blared through the static of the speakers.

Do we have to listen to that? Cassie threw her hands over her ears.

"You live in the country, Cassie. You should learn to like country music." James chortled before singing along. Denise’s voice joined his. How could someone live in Southwest Virginia and not like Hank Williams, Sr.? He turned up the volume to further annoy Cassie, who had pulled up the hood of her coat and smashed her hands against it and her ears to block out his caterwauling.

The headlights flickered.

He paused mid-note. The truck was twenty-five years old and not in the best shape, but he didn’t think much about it until they wavered again.

Is something wrong? Denise turned the volume down.

Nah, we’re good. Not wanting to worry his girlfriend, he gave her a comforting smile, which fell into a frown. Shit, he’d almost forgotten to tell Denise his plans—or a version of them. By the way, I’ll be headin’ home tonight. Work early in the mornin’.

On a Sunday?

They called me in this afternoon.

Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Denise glanced over to her sister and friend before looking back at him. I thought you were going to stay the night again.

But I have to work. James huffed. Denise knew his apartment was closer to his job than her house. We’re gettin’ back mighty late as it is. No time to… you know.

He winked at her, and she blushed.

Denise had begged him to come along. She wanted to show him off to her old friend, the always single Cassie. He would’ve liked to stay with his own old friend April for the night instead. When he ran into his ex-girlfriend in Roanoke a few weeks ago, he was thrilled to see her. They picked right back up with a relationship that began in high school when they both lived in Franklin County. He liked Denise a lot, but he enjoyed April too. It wasn’t the first time he’d juggled two girls.

Yeah, sure. Whatever. Denise crossed her arms and stared straight ahead.

The truck continued along the twists and turns of the bumpy, hilly road. Hank William Sr.’s voice faded away and changed into the upbeat Dolly Parton singing 9 to 5. Yet they had all fallen into a state of uneasy silence. James glanced over at the three women beside him. It was unusual to hear them quiet. Women rarely stopped gabbing when in a group. He chuckled to himself, but the laughter drifted away.

The headlights turned off, and he slammed on the brakes. The truck skidded to a stop.

James looked at the dashboard, but he hadn’t bumped into anything. The headlights should still be on.

What happened? Cassie asked.

Why did the lights go out? Mary added, a touch of fear entering her voice.

It’s nothin’, James said in his I’m-the-man–and-I’ll–fix-it tone. Lemme check under the hood. Wire probably jarred loose.

He turned off the engine and popped the hood. After exiting the vehicle, he lifted the hood and propped it up. He squinted at the shadowy parts. It was too dark to see anything beyond dark blobs, so he returned to the truck.

Gotta find a flashlight. Can’t see squat out there. He reached behind the seat and grabbed his rusty red toolbox. A hammer, various wrenches, a screwdriver, but no flashlight. They’d be screwed if he couldn’t get the truck started. While he searched for it, Denise scrounged around in the glove compartment. The overhead light illuminated them, and he shook his head when he saw Mary and Cassie just sitting there.

Check under the seat, Cassie. James put the toolbox back.

Cassie leaned forward. Her dark hair hung in front of her eyes while she searched for the flashlight. I don’t feel anything there.

Get out and check. Dumb-ass. James tried to figure out where he’d last seen the flashlight. The truck door opened, and Cassie looked under her side of the seat. He always kept a light in the truck, so where the hell was it? His forehead scrunched up as he thought hard and long about it. The power had been out recently, and he knew the flashlight had needed more batteries, which they didn’t have. When you got the flashlight out, hon, did you put it back?

I thought you had. Denise slammed the glove box shut.

James tried to keep calm, but his patience was wearing as thin as ten-year-old briefs. I told you to put the flashlight back after we got more batteries. Did you go to the store and get them?

No, I haven’t had a chance yet. I’m not the only one who can do things. Denise glared at him.

I know that, but I’m not the one sittin’ on my— James held his tongue before fat ass came out of his mouth. He didn’t want to air dirty laundry and have this argument in front of her little sister and her sister’s friend. Hand me your lighter. Lemme see if I can figure out what’s wrong.

Denise threw it at him, but he caught it. He took it with him and purposely left the door open.

Let them freeze.

He flicked the lighter on and used the tiny flame to search underneath the hood. Although he considered himself handy around a vehicle, he could barely tell the battery from the radiator in this light, or lack thereof. If any wire was loose, he’d never find it.

Dammit. He slammed the hood down and went back into the truck. There’s not enough light. Lemme try startin’ the engine again.

He turned the key. After three tries, the engine turned over, but they still