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Stacie continued to run as quietly as Jack had pleaded with her to do after the Abomination focused its efforts on him.
Even at a considerable distance away, she heard the tree being destroyed and its ultimate fall to the ravine below the cliffs. She was most disturbed, not by Jack’s scream, but that he had gone silent.
She stopped for a moment, dropped to her knees, and looked back. She hoped to see Jack running toward her, but he was nowhere to be found. It wasn’t hard to discern what had happened to her friend.
“Damn you, Jack! Why’d you have to do that?!” She confessed. Her eyes welled up, but she quickly regained her composure. “Come on, Stacie! Jack said to do it for him and anyone else who might still be alive.” She then scolded herself. “Get your ass moving!” She picked herself up and ran for another twenty minutes or so until she could no longer run.
She collapsed onto the ground. It was understandable that she would be so exhausted after the events of the day and the subsequent long hours into the night. She thought if only she could rest for a few moments and, with that rest, possibly get a few minutes of precious sleep.
Then, she spotted her personal albatross. She decided her only chance was to hide in the foliage. But, even after throwing a rock to distract proved ineffective, there was no denying the predicament she had gotten herself in; she was caught in the foliage, and the Creature was moments away from attacking her.
At that moment, the events leading up to her current status flashed before her eyes.
With the repulsive Abomination approaching, she had to ask herself again, “How the Hell did I get myself in this situation?”
Suddenly, A man’s voice rang out from behind Stacie. “Carl!...Carl!” It said.
Stacie tilted her head back as far as she possibly could. She saw Lester approaching from behind her. “Carl! It’s me, Lester. You know me - I know you do. I’m the one who’s protected your burial site for over fifty years!”
Carl stopped its advancement towards Stacie and looked intently at Lester.
“I know you’ve seen me. I’ve looked many times into your tortured eyes. I have seen the pain you’ve carried for all those years. I’ve shared your pain.”
Carl looked hesitant, unsure of its next moves. Lester put his boot on Stacie’s shoulder, further restricting her from moving. He continued.
“You’ve had your revenge, Carl. It’s time to rest. Go on, now, go back to your site. I’ll take care of this one. It’s just as much my duty as it were yours.”
A confused Carl turned and stopped, then slowly walked away into the woods. Stacie could not believe it was obeying Lester. She noticed it had stopped momentarily and had turned its head around. “Now I told you...I’d take care of her. I’ll be along shortly.” Lester yelled out.
Carl stopped, turned back and disappeared into the woods. Lester pulled out the machete that belonged to Curtiss. Suddenly, Lester raised the machete high above Stacie’s head. “Time to end this!” He told her. “Now!”
“Lester! Don’t, please!” She screamed as the machete swished downward. But, instead of striking Stacie, it struck deep into the foliage, allowing Stacie to get free. Lester put his finger up to his lips - an instruction for her to remain quiet. She acknowledged his instruction and nodded. Lester raised his head and looked as far off as he could. He then turned back to Stacie, who showed a welcomed sigh of relief.
“For a moment...I thought.”
“Get those thoughts out of your mind. I’m here to help you.”
Stacie shook her head. “I thought you were in on it with Curtiss.”
“I’m sorry for what has happened. I warned Curtiss, and now he’s paid the price with his life.”
“Curtiss is dead?” She asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.” She said.
“Well, it were his own doing. As for Carl, if I can reason with him, then you might have a chance to escape.”
“Why risk your life for me? “
“It’s just as much my fault as it were Curtiss’s. You see, Carl was an ancestor of mine -my great, great, great uncle, to be specific.”
“After Carl was killed in the mining cave, it was forbidden to go there by the Woman Healer, so he lay there for years until she died. After that, some of my ancestors mustered enough courage to remove his body so that he could have a proper burial. When they went inside, they found his body had turned to stone. It took a long time to move his body, but they did it and buried him at the pit where your people gathered earlier tonight.”
“This is all interesting, but -“
Lester interrupted. “Please! I gotta finish my story. I need to confess it all.”
“Sorry, go on,” Stacie replied.
“My family has always protected his gravesite. But, I let Curtiss sway me from my obligations to protect him. Even after all these years of telling the tale, I failed to make Curtiss believe Carl really existed. By not doing what I was supposed to, I failed Carl.”
Stacie could see Lester was sincere. “Listen, you must know the way out of the woods. We could get out of here together.”
“No! There’s something about Carl. He’s got magical powers. There are places in these woods where he can turn his body into rock, go underground only to reappear some miles away.”
Stacie was dumbfounded. “That’s unbelievable! But, it would explain why we weren’t able to outrun him.”
She theorized, “He must have shortcuts all over the place.”
“Of course, he does!” Lester exclaimed. Lester emphasized to Stacie.
“I fear Carl’s revenge is out of control. I fear he’s not going to stop until he kills everyone, the innocent along with the guilty! Trust me; your only chance is to let me try and reason with him.” Stacie was dubious about his chances with his hideous ancestor.
“And, if you can’t? I’ll have to face Carl alone. What’s one frightened woman against a monster like that?”
Lester reached in his pocket and pulled out a small object. “First, take this.” Lester opened Stacie’s hand and placed something in it. He described the object. “It’s a heart-shaped stone with a crack in the middle. If you should find yourself in a situation where he’s getting close to you, raise it up to his face. I guarantee he will recognize it.“
Stacie asked. “Why? It’s just a stone.”
“He’ll recognize it because Annie gave it to him. It should distract him long enough for you to get away.”
Stacie was not convinced a rock was the answer. “You mentioned you were going to reason with. What if that doesn't work?”
“Then there’s only one thing left to do, and that’s to destroy him.”
A frustrated Stacie pointed out. “How do you kill a giant rock?” Stacie continued. “He’s been drilled with bullets and shot with arrows, yet he’s still alive!”
Lester smiled. “Those things won’t kill him. You have but one chance to destroy him.” He squatted on the ground. “Now, listen closely. We don’t have much time.”
He picked up a small stick and drew their current location in the dirt. “You’re here.” He drew a line that traveled along the edge of the cliff. “These are the cliffs. Don’t stray too close to the edge.” He drew a large mountain wall.
“When you see the wall, turn to the left. After about five minutes, you’ll see the entrance to the abandoned cave. Just look for the large boulders scattered around the outside. In the cave, you’ll find boxes filled with sticks of dynamite.”
Stacie was not convinced of his plan. “Sticks of dynamite- in an abandoned mine? Won’t the blasting powder be too old?
“No, the sticks are new. Trust me; I’ve used them plenty.”
Stacie still had her doubts. “But...what am I supposed -?”
Lester got angry. “Do I have to spell it out for you? Your only chance is to blow him up.”
“Blow him up?” She asked.
“The trick is, you’ll have to get close enough to make sure he’s blown into a million pieces.”
“But, what if I can’t-?”
Lester placed Curtiss’ machete and sheath in her hand and squeezed it shut. “What’s this for?”
Stacie cautiously held the Machete. Lester drew more impatient.
“It’s got a razor-sharp edge! I’m giving it to you because I didn’t reveal the rest of the legend.”
“There was more?” She asked incredulously.
“Yes. You see, only the blood of a virgin can resurrect Carl...and only the blood of a virgin can send him back... to Hell!”
Stacie wasn’t clear as to the task he charged her with doing. She remained puzzled. “How will I-?”
“You’ll figure it out when the time comes!”
She stood there motionless.
This drew Lester’s ire. “Go now, I tell you.” He pleaded.
Stacie grabbed Lester’s arm, “If you go, you could be killed by the very thing you’ve spent your life protecting!”
He shrugged her hand away and ran off after Carl.
Stacie drew in a deep breath. “You can do this. I mean, how hard could it be? All you have to do is get close enough to an eight-foot petrified man to blow him up with a stick of dynamite. It makes completing a cost analysis report easy by comparison.”
Stacie slipped the machete with its sheath between her belt and pants, looked at Lester’s drawing one last time, and started off.
Lester was puzzled, he was certain he would have caught up with Carl in the amount of time he had traveled, but he was nowhere to be seen. That is until he turned and ran right into him. “Carl, it’s me, Lester.”
Carl halfcocked his head and stared into Lester’s eyes.
“You know me; I know you know me.” Lester grabbed Carl’s massive arm and started to pull on it.
“I’m sorry I didn’t take care of you like I should have. I’m sorry I....”
Blood began to ooze from Carl’s dead eyes.
Lester saw it. “What’s wrong? Stop looking at me that way. I couldn’t help what Curtiss was doing. I...”
The last thing Lester felt was his body flying through the air until it smashed against a tree.