The Evil Element: A Columbia Gorge Paranormal Thriller

By Todd D. Clark

Alice, a teenage girl initiated into an occult organization by her late grandfather, is stuck in the resort town of Hood River, Oregon, for the summer, far from her Hollywood home.  

Determined to summon a spirit without the help of her overbearing mentor Victor, Alice enlists the help of a group of locals to perform a magick rit

• Language: English
• Publisher: tdcwritings
• Release date: Jul 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088207383

Todd D. Clark

When he's not writing novels, songs, or jokes, Todd D. Clark is usually walking his dog, Clover. An avid people watcher, he has a keen interest in "getting to the root of things" and enjoys concepts that upset the accepted social narrative: cryptids, conspiracies, alternative history, and general mischief.Published illustrator and short story writer, singer in a punk band, rapper in a hip hop band, muralist, graffiti artist, and stand-up comedian, The Evil Element is his first full-length novel.

Book preview

chapter 1

A hush fell over the forest as the sinking sun slipped behind the mountain’s ridge. Twilight. A transitory time, when both day and night exist simultaneously, neither dominant nor submissive, but both moving in opposite directions. Night to replace the day like shift workers passing each other on their respective ways to and from work.

When the sun’s last light is gone and the moon has yet to rise, the world is in limbo. There is no day or night, black or white, real or unreal; only the space between exists. This time is referred to as dawn, dusk, or twilight. It is the time of half-light, where two separate worlds, daytime, and nighttime, come together in concert and sing an altogether different harmony.

It is a time when shadows stretch out and slip away from their owners for the night, free to roam the landscape unseen in the coming darkness. A time when objects confined within their respective shapes throughout the day can finally let their boundaries bleed and morph into things unknown to the eye. It is a time when the mind can escape the constraints of what is known and allow fantasy to replace reality, if only for a moment. For those creatures in tune with the world, it is a time of magic.

As the slumbering nocturnal creatures rouse to begin their preparations for the night ahead, and the daytime animals settle into their nests for a night’s rest, the forest is buzzing with the activity of a variety of creatures that only operate during dusk and dawn. The correct term for these creatures is crepuscular, but only a scientist would know that. Most refer to these animals as nocturnal, not realizing there is a whole separate category for creatures who occupy the space between night and day.

To most people, the ambiguous space between two things isn’t even worthy of a definition. It is simply referred to as in-between. And whatever happens in this in-between time or space is regarded as irrelevant or insignificant.

The murky area between known and unknown is the home for all manner of creatures that are too diabolical or fantastic for us to accept their physical reality. Yet, we allow these inventions to live in our imaginations, explaining away any truth of their existence with all manner of words: fairy tales, fables, legends, myths, folklore, old wives' tales, and hogwash.

Before the invention of certain kinds of scientific instruments, there was a time when humans were ignorant of the existence of planets, solar systems, galaxies, and universes that we now know lie beyond the rim of the sky. Similarly, it is possible for all kinds of unknown creatures and phenomena to exist alongside us in our space and time. But most of us suffer through our day-to-day routine unaware of them because we haven’t acquired the insight or developed the appropriate perceptions to realize their existence. Not yet at least.

chapter 2

The sun flickered through the trees that stood like soldiers on either side of the freeway as the lush green scenery rushed past. The Columbia River, partly obscured by trees, ran alongside the freeway, and Alice was amazed at how wide the river was. She stared out the window on one side of the vehicle, her mother vacantly stared out the window on the other side, and her father drove. No one spoke as the family traveled from the Portland Airport to Hood River. Having just flown in from LAX, they were on their way back to the gorge for another summer.

Years ago, her father had surprised everyone in their family when he bought a house in the small Oregon town of Hood River. Claiming he had purchased the house so the family could escape their hectic LA life, she and her mother soon found out that he’d bought the townhouse so he could spend the summer windsurfing.

Compared to LA, the quaint town of Hood River was a drastic change. To call it small was an understatement, the dozen or so city blocks of businesses nestled off the side of the freeway was what the citizenry referred to as downtown. The neighborhoods were filled with quaint, mid-century houses sandwiched between sleek, modern townhouses, and the lawns were well-manicured and green. Stately trees lined the town's narrow streets that wound up the steep hillside leading to acres and acres of cherry, pear, and apple orchards. Through the different phases in her life, Alice either loved the quiet community with its idyllic setting or hated the humdrum monotony of life in a small town. This year she looked forward to the summer in Hood River, happy to have a reprieve from the manic LA atmosphere and some solitude to reflect on the tragic passing of her grandfather.

She had always found it strange that her father decided the family would spend summers in the small Oregon town when they owned other houses in Maui, Aspen, and Sundance, not to mention the family estate in Laurel Canyon. But her father had chosen Hood River over the other more exotic locales because he said it had small-town charm. A place where people smiled, waved, and said hello even if they didn’t know you. So, the family spent the summers in Hood River and the rest of the year in LA, where Alice had grown up, gone to school, and spent time with her grandfather.

Her grandfather was a film producer in Hollywood who became wildly successful, amassed a sizable fortune, and made the family name synonymous with show business. But, instead of following in his father’s footsteps, her father rejected Hollywood and the casting couch culture that accompanied it. He opted instead to invest in real estate. And a few savvy investment properties later, her father had stockpiled assets of his own.

Compared to her grandfather, it seemed her father never worked hard at anything. He was always flying around the world on the pretense that he was looking at potential real estate investments, usually in places where the price was low, the area was undiscovered, and the potential to create an adrenaline sport tourist industry was high. If there was an activity where you went fast or fell far, her father had done it or wanted to do it: windsurfing, kiteboarding, kayaking, skydiving, hang gliding, rock climbing, downhill skiing, and even auto racing. Yet, despite his penchant for dangerous sports, her father was calm, laid back, casually dressed like a surfer or skateboarder, and didn’t look or act like he possessed the type of wealth that he did.

Her grandfather, on the other hand, was an old-school self-made mogul who wore suits and ties every day, regardless of whether he was going into the office. He disapproved of his son’s lifestyle and persuaded him to do something great with his life besides looking like a beach bum and trying to kill himself doing one dangerous sport after the next. As a result, every family dinner or vacation carried an underlying tension that would inevitably spiral out of control at some point. The older man’s disappointment with his son’s career and appearance would slowly simmer until it boiled over, causing an argument between the two men. Upset that his son hadn't created a legacy or left a mark on the world, the older man would chastise his heir, while his son would complain that his father never accepted him for who he was.

Unable to change his son, the older man focused his energies on his granddaughter instead. Doting on her and showing her off to his many influential friends, he doled out the advice and wisdom to her that he had been unable to give his son. With the guidance of her grandfather, young Alice learned about the adult concepts of power and control. She would listen in on his and his associate’s endless conversations about budgets, taxes, profits, and losses, but all those topics seemed dull and uninspired. Like her father, Alice knew that business was not an endeavor she wanted to pursue, but what was?

Through her grandfather, Alice met many important and powerful men and quietly observed the subtle power struggle that happened as the men negotiated. She understood that money meant power, but to Alice, having money wasn’t glamorous. Of course, she’d always had it and could buy whatever she wanted. But to her, making money wasn’t something she wanted to dedicate her life to. Having the ability to control people, however, was.

The one kernel of wisdom her grandfather gave her that had always stuck with her was that real power came from controlling people, especially controlling powerful people, and that excited her.

As a young girl growing up in the world of Hollywood, she had met plenty of what most people considered famous actors, directors, celebrities, rock stars, and the purveyors of culture. Yet every time she became starstruck, her grandfather would take her aside. Quietly reminding her that there was an even more powerful person behind the scenes, pulling the strings of every star on the cover of a magazine.

Now eighteen, Alice found herself far from her grandfather’s world of Hollywood as she sat in the car's back seat with her parents. They were headed to Hood River for another summer in the gorge, where her father would windsurf every day, her mother would tour the wineries and be drunk most of the time, and Alice would stay indoors, trying not to lose her mind. But, on this visit to the Gorge, Alice was excited to be left alone because she had discovered a new passion. Magick.

Not hocus pocus, pull a rabbit out of the hat magic either, but real magick, spelled with a k.

chapter 3

Alice’s grandfather, a man of significant influence, constantly introduced her to many prestigious people to try and inspire her to find her calling in life. And when she was sixteen, he had brought her to a luncheon at an associate’s house to meet a group of people he called the Order.

The luncheon was at a beautiful beachside estate, and some of Hollywood's biggest stars were there. A man spoke to the group while the star-studded audience nibbled on the endive salad. It was a speech about finding one's True Will. Not one's ordinary wants or desires like those of the ego, but rather one's calling. The speech captivated Alice, who gradually understood what her grandfather had been trying to teach her. After the talk, her grandfather introduced her to the speaker, Victor, who invited her to start attending the weekly gatherings.

And so, the following week, she accompanied her grandfather to her first meeting. What transpired from that assembly was her subsequent initiation into a centuries-old occult organization.

The occult fascinated her and soon became an obsession. Alice began spending most of her time reading esoteric books from her grandfather’s library. Her friends inviting her to go to the beach or shopping became an annoyance. They suddenly seemed so shallow with their petty conversations about their self-inflated importance.

Soon, her usually sun-tanned skin began to fade back to its natural tone as she spent her days inside reading. She cut her long blond hair short and dyed what remained jet black. She stopped going by Allison and became a new woman, changing her name to Alice.

Confused by her new persona, her sycophantic friends slowly stopped texting or calling, and she replaced them with more compelling people from her new circle of friends: Thelemites, pagans, and witches. Older, more mature men and women who shared a common interest with her; how to unlock your power.

Victor became a mentor, taking Alice under his wing and patiently answering the many questions she asked. As the months went on, she observed the close relationship between Victor and her grandfather, who treated Victor as if he were his favorite son, while Alice's father, his flesh and blood, was viewed as disappointing.

With her father usually gone on business, Victor became a father figure for Alice, and under the attentive tutelage of both him and her grandfather, her relationship with the occult flourished. Alice enjoyed her new life, studying the different tenets of her newfound philosophy, and she quickly climbed through the ranks of the other adepts, becoming the star pupil.

It was mid-June, and the Order was planning a summer solstice celebration to be held at her grandfather’s estate, where Alice was to be initiated into the next level on her path to becoming a full-fledged witch. She was excited for the day, having spent the prior year diligently studying and absorbing the advice that her grandfather and Victor had given her.

Days before the celebration, however, her grandfather had a severe heart attack and was hospitalized. Soon came the inevitable reality for her, her family, and the members of the order that he was not long for this world.

Lying on his hospital bed, he called Alice to his side and told her he didn’t want to die in the hospital, that she should contact Victor to arrange his release, and that he had something special planned for her at the solstice ceremony. Her father was against the idea of his father leaving the hospital, but he was away on business, and by the time he made it home, her grandfather was already back at his estate.

Throughout the whole crisis, Alice’s mother was emotionally unavailable. For whatever reason, she had always had a quiet contempt for the older man, and so Alice was left alone to deal with the loss of her favorite human in the world.

The night of the solstice celebration, Alice had mixed emotions about the event. Her grandfather was dying, yet an upbeat party atmosphere surrounded the older man. Both Victor and her grandfather kept reminding her that life was to be celebrated and even death was a part of life. To be saddened by the graduation of a spirit from one realm to the next was to indulge in the ego's selfishness. Alice listened to their words but struggled to accept them. She didn’t want her grandfather to die. He had been her anchor throughout her life, and she worried how she would continue without him. Who would be there to lean on when she felt weak or needed advice?

Everyone at the celebration wanted her attention. The other adepts tried to hide their envy while the older members of the Order congratulated her and talked excitedly about her initiation. Alice was far from chatty, but she did her best to hide it, confused that none of them consoled her or even mentioned that her grandfather was dying. Then a gong sounded, announcing the commencement of the initiation ceremony.

A man she didn’t recognize dressed in a black cloak approached Alice, escorted her to a side room, and gave her a cowled cloak to wear. The man led her out of the room and down the stairs to her grandfather’s theatre room. Instead of the couches that usually occupied the space, a four-post bed was positioned in the center of the room, looking more like an altar than a bed. Red tulle hung between the bed’s posts, and the bedding was also red. Candles lit the darkened space that was dead silent as her escort led her into the chamber.

Similarly dressed in cowled cloaks, the Order members stood encircled around her grandfather, who lay in the bed, dressed all in white. Victor stood at the foot of the bed wearing a red robe emblazoned with an upside-down pentagram on the chest. Her escort led Alice to kneel at Victor’s feet, who instructed her to remove the cowl from her head.

The quiet of the room was upset by Victor’s sudden words spoken in a language that Alice didn’t understand and repeated by the rest of the congregation. The echoed incantation continued as Victor produced a bottle and a black chalice from his robe. Reverently blessing the bottle, he poured its contents into the vessel and held it to her lips. Alice drank.

Expecting wine, she was shocked by the metallic taste of the liquid. It was wine, but something else was mixed in too. The taste reminded her of when she had nosebleeds, and then horrified, she realized blood was mixed in with the wine.

Alice didn’t want to upset the ceremony, so choking back a gag, she obediently swallowed, looking into the approving eyes of Victor, who then took her by the hand and led her to her grandfather’s side. More of the liquid was poured into the chalice and handed to Alice. The older man locked eyes with Victor as he dropped a yellow pill into the cup. Alice’s grandfather laboriously lifted himself up, eager to drink from the chalice. Alice obediently held the goblet to his lip and slowly tilted it up as the congregation again broke into a chant.

Her ailing grandfather lay back down, and looking up from the bed, he squeezed her hand and feebly pulled her close. Then, whispering in her ear, he told her not to worry, that he was continuing his journey on a different plane and would still be nearby if she needed him. He then gave her instructions, telling her to keep studying and searching for her True Will before he told her he loved her.

Holding his hand, she stayed by his side, watching him fall asleep as the group around her continued their chant. At some point in the night, her grandfather died, and Alice understood the most powerful puppet master was death itself.

Even now, speeding down the I-84 freeway, Alice still couldn’t distinctly remember much about the rest of the night. It wasn't clear whether the grief of losing her grandfather and the madness of the initiation ceremony was too much for her or if she was drugged. Either way, her recollection of the night consisted of blurry images at the edge of her consciousness that she couldn’t bring into focus: her grandfather dressed in white looking like an angel, Victor’s blood-red cloak, a naked woman dancing, a masked couple fucking, and a candle being blown out.

Alice couldn’t string her memories together enough to make sense of them no matter how hard she concentrated. Instead, they stood disjointed and separate in her mind, like Polaroid snapshots.

chapter 4

Saddened by the passing of her grandfather, who had also become her spiritual guide, she found more comfort in the presence of the members of the Order than her distant family, who came crawling out of the woodwork, hoping for a piece of the older man's estate. So, before his house was sacked, she went to his library where she had spent so many hours and, as instructed, found her grandfather’s safe. Inside it, she found books, a few manila envelopes, and a sealed envelope with her name written in ink by her grandfather.

The books from the safe weren’t like the generic over-the-counter books she had been reading in her grandfather’s library. Instead, these were ancient tomes with aged leather covers that hid page after page of strange symbols, spells, and incantations. Alice immersed herself in the arcane texts, hoping to gain some insight into the world of magick, and before her family left for Hood River, she packed the contents of her grandfather’s safe in her luggage instead of clothes. Now, almost to Hood River, she was eager to begin the next step of her journey into the world of the occult by herself without her grandfather or Victor’s help.

Turning off the freeway at the Hood River exit, the car slowed and then came to a stop at the big red stop sign. A tall homeless man with his shirt unbuttoned stood next to the stop sign, holding a sign of his own that read, Anything helps God bless. Alice’s mother huffed, Looks like they have these horrible vagrants up here too, as she pretended not to see the man. Alice looked at him sympathetically as they drove past, wondering what circumstances had brought the man to beg for money on the side of the freeway.

Alice looked disinterestedly at