The Mountain Resort

By Bruce Allsman

The Mountain Resort, a horror novelette by Bruce Allsman

 

When their RV stalls on a deserted mountain road, Jasmine and Henry Waters feel grateful when a tow truck arrives to tow their RV to a nearby mountain resort. Due to a lack of replacement parts, they have to stay at the resort for a least a few days while their RV languishes in the workshop. While registering for a room, they meet a family of three, a couple and their child, who are also checking in. Later, Jasmine becomes aware of the unusual absence of the family, especially during meal times at the resort's diner. Deciding to investigate, Jasmine and Henry soon discovers that the family is indeed missing. With persistent efforts, they manage to unravel the mystery of the family's disappearance, revealing something terrible, unspeakable.

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bruce Yeoh
• Release date: May 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201583590

Book preview

The Mountain Resort

Bruce Allsman

All of the characters in this book

are fictitious, and any resemblance

to actual persons, living or dead,

is purely coincidental.

The Mountain Resort

Copyright © 2020, 2021 by Bruce Allsman

All Rights Reserved

Published by Bruce Yeoh

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Table of Contents

The Mountain Resort

About the Author

Books by Bruce Allsman

The Mountain Resort

WHAT'S THAT NOISE? asked Jasmine Waters, turning to face Henry in the driver's seat beside her. The RV continued shuddering as it inched slowly up the steep road. Feeling the strain in the RV, she said, Something is wrong.

We're going to be stranded, said Henry Waters. This road is too steep.

When the RV's engine sputtered and died, he steered to the side of the road. It rolled on and when it stopped, he pulled the handbrake to prevent it from slipping backward.

Do you think someone will come along soon? she asked. I don't want to be here all night. Daylight was retreating steadily. Surrounded by the wilderness, enveloped by trees on a narrow winding road in the mountains, this was clearly no place to park a RV, she thought.

A few minutes later, Henry glanced at the side mirror, smiled, and said, Help is on the way.

Looking out at the side mirror, she saw a blue SUV climbing steadily up the narrow road below them. It overtook their RV, slowed down, pulled to the side, and stopped. There were three persons in the car: a man, a woman, and a child, a three-year-old girl with curly blond hair. The man was young, not more than thirty-five years old and the woman was young too, probably around thirty years old. She waved at them and the cute little girl waved back.

The man got out of his SUV and came round to the window at Henry's side. Henry rolled down the window and explained his problem.

I'll go find help, the man said. There's a resort a couple of miles up. I think it has an auto shop.

Great, we'll need a place to stay, Henry said.

We'll be staying there a couple of days, the man said. It's a remote but pristine place. A sheriff friend I met the other day recommended it.

Thanks for the help, Henry said. We'll see you at the motel.

They waved goodbye when the SUV went off up the road. She wondered what resort the man was talking about and started checking the on-board navigation system.

I can't find the resort on the map, she told Henry.

It's probably a new place, Henry said. Let's stay awhile.

A hot bath in a real bathtub would be nice, she thought. Having being cooped up in this RV for too long, her psychic energy was seriously depleted.

I'd be grateful for a hot bath later, Henry said.

You too? she said and smiled. If they have a Jacuzzi, it'll be fantastic.

Divine, Henry said and reached out to kiss her.

WHEN DUSK HAD JUST fallen, the steady chugs of a vehicle could be heard, and moments later powerful beams of spotlight streamed down from the road uphill. That must be the tow truck, she thought. There was a loud obscene honk, and she could discern an old tow truck coming down the road toward them. Henry gestured her to stay in their RV, and they waited for the tow truck to come closer.

When the tow truck arrived, it stopped, turned about, and backed up, close to the front of their RV. Its door opened, a man climbed down, and walked up to them. He was a young Caucasian, dressed in blue overalls and dirty black boots. His large body frame, dark hair, and big hairy build made him look liked a bear.

Howdy, the name's Sean Cann, he drawled and nodded at them. Will ya pop the hood?

Henry released the hood, and the young man inspected the RV for several minutes.

Need to tow this to the shop, just a few miles up the road, he told Henry.

They got down from the RV.

Anything wrong? Henry asked.

You'll need a part changed, the young man answered. I ain't sure I got it. I'll need to check. You guys will need to ride with me.