Chapter 66
The sturdy little Trekker had seating for maybe six or seven people in the back. Harper wondered how they were going to get the whole village up the hill before dawn. As if reading her thoughts, Anna responded as she inched down the slick road.
“We’ll get the older folk and anyone who has mobility issues up first. The rest can start hiking up on foot.
It’s not ideal, especially in this weather, but the hike’s not impossible.
Once the first round is set, we can go down and start getting people off the road.
The sheriff has a couple of Trekkers down in the village too, he can follow us back up.
” She squinted as she drove through the rain.
Harper heard a faint clicking in her ear, and felt the invisible tentacle on her neck. It was pulsing with a slow urgency.
“We don’t have much time,” Harper said worriedly.
“What did Lady Bell mean by ‘weird psychic’?” Anna asked as they pulled off the manor road and onto the flat stretch that led to the village. Harper could see her body visibly relax now that they were off the twisty path.
“Long story. Let’s hope I’m not only psychic about inconsequential bullshit,” Harper replied as the village came into view, the electricity still miraculously intact. Anna cast her a curious look as she pulled through Main Street and headed toward the meeting hall.
“They’ll be at the clinic too,” Harper said as they approached.
“My guys are on it.” Anna pulled out front, already people were being helped onto the Trekkers that had beaten them to the site. Anna stepped out and surveyed the scene.
“Alright! Let’s get this done! Head up as soon as you’re full! Anyone who can walk needs to start to the hill.” The crew nodded acknowledgment, and several Trekkers headed off into the night, the first guests of Bell Manor on their way.
In the meeting hall, the air held a quiet panic. Families huddled together. An older man was arguing with a crew member; Anna crossed to them to intervene. From the back, Einar came running forward.
“Harper! Thank God you’re okay. What’s this about? Did you get an alert we didn’t see?” He glanced over his shoulder, where Harper saw Hedy and Sven sitting on folding chairs, wrapped in blankets.
“Not yet, but it’s on the way. We’ve got to get your folks up the hill.
Help me get them on the cart,” Harper said urgently.
Einar nodded and dashed back to where they were sitting.
Meanwhile, Anna was leading the man from the argument out the door.
Harper felt a tug on her neck; the tentacle tightened, it was coming and fast.
She climbed onto the riser that worked as a stage and waved her arms at the crowd.
“Everyone! Sorry! Can I get your attention for a moment!” The crowd settled.
Their wary eyes looked up at the stage. “We need to get you all to high ground as soon as we can. Bell Manor is ready for you. Lady Bell is preparing for your arrival. We will get through this, but we have to move now. Anyone who will have trouble walking needs to get on the Trekkers first, the rest of you need to start walking. We won’t leave anyone behind, but we need to move. ”
The crowd started a sort of collective muttering. A man in the front cried out.
“We’ve weathered storms before. This is no worse than the last nor’easter that rolled through, no need to scare all these folks.” His face was more scared than angry, the muttering escalated. Harper cleared her voice and caught Einar’s gaze as he led Hedy and Sven past to the open doors.
“This is far more serious than just a storm, we need to get to high—”
Harper was cut off as the earth jolted and the floor cracked down the center, throwing people to the ground. A child’s high-pitched scream pierced the room. Harper instinctively hit the floor, the aftershocks rolling through the space.
“We need to go NOW,” she shouted. “Anyone who cannot make it up the hill on foot needs to get to the Trekkers.”
She rushed off the stage to the man who had shouted up; he was on his back, clutching his ankle.
“C’mon,” she said as she slid an arm under his shoulder.
“Let’s get you to the vehicle, it’s time to go.
” A woman with a grounds crew badge took him from Harper’s arms, leading him to the waiting Trekkers.
Harper checked her phone. GeoRata alerts were flashing:
5.9 magnitude epicenter at following coordinates
Without checking, Harper knew it was just east of Bell. It was just the beginning. The quake that would start the horror was still coming. Anna came rushing back in the room, her eyes carrying a sort of quiet panic. Harper waved her over.
“I’m heading out, I have a full cart—you okay to walk? We’ll be back down as soon as possible; some are almost to the top and will head down as soon as they unload. Everyone okay in here?” Anna’s voice was controlled but urgent.
Harper nodded. “I’ll lead them up. Eyes on Murphy?”
“She’s heading out from the clinic, they got everyone on the carts that needed it most. Murph is driving a few to the lower gates, we’ll come back for them first.” Anna paused. “I don’t know how you know this …”
“Thanks for believing me,” Harper replied, and without thinking she pulled Anna close, touching her forehead to hers.
They stayed like that for a moment, their skin connected, in perfect understanding.
Anna cast one last look and ran out the door.
The crowd in the meeting hall was already dwindling. “The rest of you! Come with me!”
Harper led the last of the villagers out of the meetinghouse and into the pelting rain.
Harper led the wary pack as they hiked down Main Street, the wind fighting their every step.
Harper was filled with a deep sense of terror.
It wasn’t enough, there wasn’t enough time, she was leading them all to their deaths.
The invisible tentacle on her neck tightened once again, and she turned to wave the others forward; they followed, sturdy and able.
They’d lived their lives on Bell, they knew the storms, and still they trusted her.
Harper swallowed her doubts and quickened the pace.
It wasn’t a long walk. They could be at the gate of the manor road in fifteen minutes, that was better than here on the shore, but they needed to be up above the cliffs by the time it hit. …
Harper could see a crowd ahead of them, Murphy’s charges from the clinic. The two groups merged together with Harper at the lead. She turned to see Einar rushing to keep pace with her.
“You didn’t go up with your folks?” Harper asked in surprise as they hit the end of town and led the people into the stretch of open land that would lead to the manor road.
“I can walk fine. Anna has my parents. What do you need?” Einar’s form cast a shadow on the dark pavement.
Harper started to answer and was distracted by what felt like a sharp stick poking her ankle. She looked down and her breath froze to see a pair of unearthly eyes catch the light and then disappear. Harper looked at Einar stunned.
“Take over! Get them to the manor road!” Harper half shouted over the wind.
“Where are you going?” Einar shouted back.
“I … I’ll catch up! Just get the crowd to the road, make sure you don’t lose anyone!”
Einar hesitated, his face confused. He looked to the figures moving against the wind and with hesitation, nodded and ran to the front of the crowd.
Harper turned back to the village, the ancient creature waiting for her in the brush, its eyes catching the moonlight.
It beckoned to her with a long, unearthly finger.
Harper followed. The huldufólk were not to be disregarded.
She had spent enough time on Bell to understand that truth.
The figure disappeared as Harper ran back to Main Street.
She hoped the grounds crew and the sheriff had pulled everyone out of their houses.
The village looked abandoned, except for a flash of light coming from the diner.
Harper charged forward, the wind knocking her back with every step, until she reached the door.
Inside, Bennie was pacing back and forth, bellowing, “Clara! Clara!”
Harper pulled the diner door open and fell inside. The sudden reprieve from the wind felt alien. “Bennie! You’ve got to go, we’re evacuating to the manor!” Harper reached forward to take his arm, but he shook her off violently.
“Not without Clara! She was just here, the storm spooked her—last goddamn cat left in the village and I’m sure as hell not leaving her here!” Bennie spun and glared at Harper.
“Alright, I get it. Let me help. I—” Harper stopped as she heard the tap, tap, tap of the huldufólk on the glass outside. Harper ran to the window and looked out. Underneath an overturned bench was a mass of black-and-white fur.
“Got her!” Harper ran out the door, Bennie following.
The huldufólk vanished as though it had never been.
Harper hit the ground, trying to pry the terrified cat out from its hiding spot.
It hissed and spit in fear. Harper felt the tentacle wrap its way around her neck, the urgency building.
From the end of the street, Einar’s shape appeared; he ran toward them full tilt.
“Get him out of here! I’ll get the cat!” Harper yelled.
Bennie looked at Einar and back to Harper.
“Go! Now!” The tentacle tightened, they had minutes until the next quake that would begin the end.
Harper knew this with a certainty that science had never provided.
The tentacle brushed her ear, whispering, Go now, run.
From the shadows, the huldufólk lurked, they would be fine, Harper knew this for the same reasons she knew the earth would split apart in a minute’s time.
The hidden folk would burrow deep, keep to their own, but anyone else caught in the path …
Einar reached the diner, pulling Bennie back with him. “Run man! Go!”
Bennie hesitated. Harper waved him on. “Go! Now! Get to the manor road!”