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Eric stretched out his arms to hold the group back. He shouted. “Stacie’s right. Stop where you are!” But, Ed continued to advance, albeit slowly.
He stopped and yelled back. “We don’t know for sure that she’s dead. She might only be hurt.”
Stacie agreed. “You’re right. But, we don’t know if something else is going on, so it’s vital we use caution.”
“Caution?” Queried Ed. “We don’t have time to be cautious. The one thing that’s for certain is that she needs to be checked out. As I said, she might be badly hurt. Every second we delay could cost her dearly.”
“But, we don’t know who else might be around.” Responded Eric.
Stacie said, “I’m going to check her out!”
Ed pulled out a small revolver and moved behind Stacie. “Go ahead, Ms. Martin. I’ve got you covered.”
Stacie advanced toward Claudia’s body. She knelt beside her and extended her arm, but she couldn’t stop it from trembling. She dearly wanted her colleague to be alive. She steadied her shaking hand and just stopped short of touching her when Cole interceded. “Here, let me do it.” He stooped down on one knee, grabbed her arm, and rolled her body over. “She feels warm to the touch. Maybe she’s only passed out? If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to perform CPR on her.
“Let’s make sure she’s alive first, eh Cole!” Quipped Jack.
Cole picked up her hand, and it fell from his grip. “We’ll?? Is she, or isn’t she dead?” Vincent asked.
Cole’s grim expression was not reassuring. “Not 100% sure. Didn’t have a chance to feel for a pulse.” He reached down again, but before he had a chance to grab Claudia’s hand, he saw that her fingers had begun to twitch. He yelled back to the others. “Did y’all see that?”
“Yes! Her hand moved! I saw her hand move!” Cried out Ed.
Eric stepped forward, and he and Stacie initiated efforts to revive her. Stacie raised her legs and loosened the collar on her jacket. “Come on, Claudia. Come out of it.” Claudia smiled at her. “How are you doing?” Stacie asked.
Claudia spoke softly, “I’m ok. I’m slightly diabetic. My glucose level,”
“Say no more,” Stacie assured her. She stood up and asked, “Anyone have a hard candy or something sweet for Claudia to suck on?”
“We’ll...” Cole started to speak.
Stacie spun around towards Cole. “Don’t say it, Cole! Don’t say anything!” She looked around, “She needs some hard candy. It will help raise her blood sugar levels.”
Cole tapped Stacie on her shoulder. She turned to see a Tootsie pop in his hand.
“That’s...that’s what I was going to say if you had let me.”
Stacie was embarrassed, “Sorry, I thought you were going to.”
“I was.” He shrugged his shoulders, and she gave him a perplexed look. “Hey! I just happened to have one. I have a sweet tooth, ok?!”
A few moments later, Claudia sat up and was given a drink of water. Stacie smiled, “Seems our fears of her being dead were unfounded. Thank God she just passed out.”
“See, I told you. Didn’t I say she wasn’t dead?” a relieved Jack boasted.
Claudia finally stood up and smiled at those around her. Cora laid into her.
“Claudia! What in Heaven’s name possessed you to go out here all by yourself?”
Claudia composed herself and answered with one word. “Fear.”
Jack laughed, “Come on, Claudia, don’t tell us you were afraid of sleeping alone in your tent?”
Cole interrupted, “Speak for yourself, Little Man!” Claudia continued her rationale. “It wasn’t just being afraid. My mind reacted exactly the way Curtiss said it would. I allowed fear to take on an identity of its own.”
Vincent shook his head and asked. “What are you saying? That fear told you to get out of your tent?”
“No, not exactly. More like it forced me to keep playing out scenarios in my mind, over and over again.” She looked at Jack. “Especially about being alone in a tent.”
Ed squeezed her arm. She continued. “No way was I going to sleep in a tent, so I decided to come to the bus to sleep. I felt at home coming over here.” She looked at Ed. “I felt it provided the extra security I needed. But...”
“But, what?” Asked Eric.
“But, when I got closer, I noticed something was wrong with the tires. I squatted down to see, and as I was about to get a closer look at them, I saw a huge shadow cast upon the bus. I mean, I literally froze. I tried to move, but I couldn’t make myself get up.”
“As if you were... ‘Petrified’?” Asked Jack. “Yes, for better lack of terms, I felt petrified.”
Ed chuckled a little. Jack picked up on her having fun at his expense. “Oh, that’s funny, Claudia, very funny.”
“While I was trying to get up, I felt something cold and wet touch my shoulder.” Claudia’s whole body shuttered as she relived the moment. “Anyway, that’s the last thing I remember. I guess I must have lost it.” Everyone nodded in agreement. “Oh...except for the deafening scream - sorry.” She added.
Stacie patted Claudia on her back. “No worries. Completely understandable. I’d say, under the circumstances, any one of us would have done the same.”
Claudia's face went blank as she stared out into the woods. It was clear her mind was somewhere else. Then, she spoke softly. “For a while there, I was reminded of my days as a teacher in high school. Giving it all you had, each and every day, only to be constantly threatened and harassed by individuals who never really appreciated you.”
“Yeah, those high school kids can be a real pain in the ass,” Ed said in agreement.
Claudia’s slowly turned her face, “I was referring to the administration.” The group burst out laughing. “Of course, the kids weren’t the best of subjects to keep as a captive audience.” She shook her head. “Instead of trying to teach, I decided to take the easy way out. I wound up choosing money over self-achievement - a decision I’ve wrestled with every day since leaving. I keep asking myself if it was the right thing to do.”
Stacie reaffirmed to her. “Well, you’ve certainly kept us a captive audience.” She looked around the area. “Speaking of keeping a captive audience. Where’s that fellow Curtiss who kept us captive earlier this evening?”
Ed looked around and realized Curtiss wasn’t there. “She’s right. Where did Curtis and that looney uncle of his disappear to?”
Jack looked and walked around. “They had plenty of time to hear Claudia’s scream. Which means they would have been here by now. Unless? Maybe they didn’t hear her?”
Cole made it clear he was none too pleased. “No way they didn’t hear Claudia’s scream.”
Vincent joined in. “Yeah, so where are those two?”
Cole volunteered, “I’ll find them.”
Eric motioned to the group to relax. “All right, everybody, let’s calm down. Vincent, you, and Ed look around. See if you can locate our mysterious hosts. And, watch yourselves.”
“Yeah, you might run into a ‘petrified’ man.” Chuckled Jack.
Ed and Vincent began to walk off. Ed turned to Jack and patted his sidearm. “Don’t you worry. I’ve got a little something that’ll help me if I run into trouble, and it ain’t gonna be a petrified man. Let’s go, Vincent.”
As the two walked far away from the others, Ed suddenly turned around and pushed his hand into Vincent’s chest. “I don’t know what you and my uncle are doing out here with these people, but there’s one thing I do know, and that is you’re both up to no good.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. May I remind you, you’re supposed to be helping me find those two cretins. So, come on, let’s go.” He pushed his way past Ed but stopped when he heard the gun trigger being engaged.
Vincent cocked his head to the side, “That better not be what I think it is.”
“Oh, it is. Now you listen good. We’re not leaving here until you tell me exactly what y’all are up to.”
Back at the bus, Claudia was on her feet. “Feeling better now?” Asked Stacie.
“Yes, much better.”
Cole swung around from the front of the bus. He was visibly irritated. “Damn it! She was right about one thing - the tires. They’re all flat! No air in any of them.”
Eric stated the obvious. “Someone must have let the air out.”
“Probably our mountain men.” Said Stacie.
Cole pointed towards the tires. “Look closer. Don’t you see?! The air hasn’t been let out of the tires. Each one has been punctured.”
Jack got down to take a closer look. “Damn, he’s right. It looks like someone has slashed your tires.” They looked strangely at Jack. “Hey, having had a certain number of individuals who have had it in for me over the years. Trust me that makes me no stranger to slashed tires.”
Eric had examined the tires even more closely and made a startling observation. “These tires were more than just slashed. They were pulverized.
Claudia asked, “That’s all fine and dandy. But, it leaves us with an even more important question. Stuck out in the middle of nowhere, what are we going to do?”
No one seemed to have an answer. “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m going to do - I’m calling for help.” A discontented Claudia said.
Eric shook his head. “You can’t do that.”
“Oh, really? Just watch me!” She pulled out her cell phone and attempted to make a call, but nothing happened. “Damn.” She tried again. “Damn...Damn!!” Jack was fidgeting with his phone. “You too, Jack?” Asked Claudia.
“Yeah, I don’t have service either!”
Stacie pulled her phone out. “Here, let me try mine.” Her efforts were rewarded with the same results. “Shit! Mine doesn’t work either.”
Eric stated, “I told you earlier. There’s no reception here. The closest reception area is about twenty, twenty-five miles away.”
Jack was beside himself and had to let it out. “Great! Just great. Out in the middle of nowhere. Four busted tires. No phone service. Not the best of situations.” Jack saw Cole walking away. He had to ask. “What’s an outdoorsman like you have to say, Cole?... Cole? Hey, where you going, Cole?
They looked around and saw Cole disappear beyond the campground. “Now, what’s he up to?” Cora asked.
“Hey! Hey, y’all! Come over here. Come over here now!”
Stacie recognized the voice. “That’s Cole. Let’s go!” They ran towards Cole’s voice. “Where are you, Cole?” Continued Stacie.
“Over here, by the pit. Hurry!” They arrived and found him standing over it. Jack asked. “What is it?”
“I’ll tell you what it is. Look!” He dropped down into the pit and pulled back the tarp. They all gasped. As inconceivable as it seemed, the petrified man was gone.