38.

Odd, it is all odd to say the least; almost everything from the moment Terrence first stepped into a new town has been odd. If he could think about it, then odd has been with him for years. A kind of unseen and unheard calling chose this town for him. He had for a long time wanted to get away and this town was always going to be the place to go.

It felt right for many reasons, Terrence could not know. The want he had to get away from his life and even from his family despite everything being well and good, and as well and good as it really could be, was embedded in him, he never really knew why this exists. If he were to look back, he would be able to see what that want is, at least to some degree.

Over the course of his life, love had rarely visited with him, and he had never sought it out. The move had not changed that, well not completely. He still did not seek love but maybe it had always intended to visit with him. A visit is all it can takes at that too. Finding an exit to the oddest of odd locations may be one thing, reconnecting with a brief love once again may be something else.

Finding, gaining, or regaining love and all that may come with such things is not the top priority; it may not even be a possibility. If memories of the past can echo into the present, then why can't future memories do the same, given that most odd of all places and all that it is.

Anyhow, first things first, get out of the park ... if making an exit is possible then see what indeed may come from such a thing. Determined to leave, Terrence has two people and a dog in tow, a small group who in any normal situation are separated by over thirty-six years, none of whom have come anywhere close to be of such age in their own lives.

Sure, with what has been gained right now, Terrence might just get to do what he came to do, so shouldn't he at least have a quick look to see if this group could be extended, increased? Where he met the two boys, he should at least have a brief look there before making a way to either park exit. Yeah, he should at least do that.

The suggestion to briefly look for others is agreed upon. Terrence had previously met the fourteen-year-olds upon the horse chestnut trail and that trail is easily accessible from where he and present company currently are. The nearest path between trails is slim but easy to pass through and along. Terrence leads the way. In keeping with all things odd, Terrence for a moment is sure he can hear something quite odd; he is sure he can hear some kind of distant chanting.

'Anyone hear that?' he asks.

'Hear what?' asks Jason.

There is silence for a moment or two and it is clear that neither Jason nor Karen heard what Terrence thought he had and for Terrence the sound is gone.

'Never mind.'

'Nirvana, great album' Jason says.

Karen looks at Jason with a look which suggests a questioning as to what a state of minds has to do with albums or anything else. The group Nirvana of course would not have been around in Karen's present day in 1983. Odd continues for fourteen-year-old friends Jeremy Wright and Kenneth Torrance. They are indeed up on that Horse Chestnut trail as if Terrence had more than expected to see them there.

The boys are close by to where Terrence and his group join the chestnut trail and when the young guys see Terrence, they make a dart towards him for they have some news to share but when they see Jason, they suddenly become glued to the spot for they know Jason as the chainsaw guy who came at them with a live working chainsaw.

Once the frozen gasping moment passes, the boys turn to begin running. Realizing what has the boys spooked Terrence knows he needs to speak loud enough and forcefully enough to prevent losing the boys again.

'Hey ... guys ... no need to panic ... you are safe, we all are safe.'

The boys do not run but they do need a moment or two to take in the fact that are indeed safe or as safe as they can be in this moment and when they see this Jason fellow trying to act all friendly, they go on the attack.

'You came at us with a chainsaw ...'

'... I almost crapped myself, do you know that?'

Jason almost wishes he had his chainsaw so that he could retaliate somewhat, have himself a little ... fun, in a friendly manner of course. Karen has no idea what is going on but decides not to question anything just yet. For Terrence, he is more than happy the boys remember him, unlike any former encounter with Karen and he does not have to try to convince the two lads to come with him.

'Hey, hey guys, c'mon. No time for messing around. We're getting outta here, like right now.'

'No, not yet ...' says Jeremy.

'We have something to show you' says Kenneth, 'and you are going to want to see this.'

It is clear to Terrence that the boys are finding it too difficult to contain their excitement so he may as well have a look at what it is they have to show. The boys begin to move up ahead.

'C'mon, it's this way.'

What the hell? Terrence briefly looks at those in his company as if to say, 'why not?' and they do decide to follow. Karen feels like asking about the storm she has been informed about but again what the hell? She doesn't know why but she thinks that sticking within a crowd right now might be the best thing to do.

What this group do eventually come upon can't exist in a place like this, can it? There is a church and a rather large church at that, grey brick, and stone, whole and standing strong. How very odd all this really is.

'See ... we told you' says Kenneth.

A moment or two of awe passes and Karen now decides to say something.

'So, we all can go in here and wait out the storm?'

Terrence turns towards Karen considering what he could and should tell her. He in this moment feels the need to be truthful and has yet to explain anything to her relating the current predicament as a whole.

'Sorry Karen but there is no storm, we needed you to come with us, believe me it is in your best interest that you do stick with us. I can explain fully at another time.'

'How do you know my name?'

'Me knowing who you are is part of why you need to stick with us. Please, it is in your best interest that you do.'

Confusion is as much on the menu as is all things odd. Introductions, proper introductions should have been made at the bridge, but they weren't, and they will have to wait for a while as something else is added into this moment. That chanting Terrence was sure he heard as a change in trails was taking place is back and this time the chanting is so much louder, so loud in fact that he fears that this little group right here are going to come into contact with others that he would rather they did not come into contact with.

As with so much in this place, Terrence is going on feeling and instinct, his instinct on what is approaching tells him that he and those he is with, should take cover. Indeed, Terrence makes the suggestion that they hide, take cover and keep quiet until they all can properly react to what it is that is coming.

And come it does ...

39.

Changing trails, Terrence was sure he could hear a distant chanting. He was the only one to hear this chanting, now in the company of four others and a dog, a chanting returns, and this time it is not so distant, and everyone can hear it. In the presence of a large and intact church, Terence recommends that cover should be taken and not within that church.

Everyone remains quiet as they do take cover, for none of them quite know what it is that is coming their way. As the chanting comes near, the sky darkens. Fifteen monk like beings in five rows of three approach. Four flame torches guide their way, one held at each corner of the grouping.

It is difficult to make out what exactly is being chanted though the words 'bring out your dead' can clearly be heard. Jeremy and Kenneth, as they keep cover quite close together, find it most difficult to remain quiet.

'I am never going on the hop from school again' Kenneth whispers.

Jeremy tries to calm the fear he is surly feeling in this moment and what he does to try calm himself is to think of his maths teacher Miss Bradshaw and of Mister McCoy the town storekeeper and of when Jeremy himself and Kenneth were skipping stones across the park waters.

Both Miss Bradshaw and Mister McCoy approached the bridge while the stone skipping was taking place. The first thought Jeremy had in that moment was that he and Kenneth were busted, caught skipping school the very first time they decide to do that. Oddly enough there was no scolding to occur. Jeremy had been so sure that he was going to be in trouble that he had been in his mind trying to come up with excuses.

Excuses weren't necessary for Miss Bradshaw and Mister McCoy appeared to be relieved to find both the boys safe and sound. Soon it is known, apparently Jeremy and Kenneth had been missing for a full day which they both knew was impossible for they had only just entered the park a few moments prior.

Miss Bradshaw and Mister McCoy had joined a search team to find Jeremy and Kenneth and since they had been 'found' they all should join or re-join the search party. Teacher and shop keeper lead the way and the boys began to follow. Only a few steps had been taken when both teacher and shop keeper vanish when they pass beyond a couple of trees.

Both boys being as shocked at this disappearance as they were, probably found this disappearance more shocking than being told a full day had passed them by. Little did they know that such things were only the beginning of what lay ahead.

Now taking cover by a park side church, Jeremy attempts to get a quick glance at the passing monks. As he peers out from where he hides, one of the monks turns a head his way. Completely covered in hooded robes, a face is briefly revealed. This face, Jeremy is sure that it belongs to Mister McCoy, this cannot be right.

This Mister McCoy look-a-like monk does see Jeremy where he hides and does nothing more then add to the fear Jeremy is surly feeling.

'That is Mister McCoy' Jeremy whispers to Kenneth.

'What?'

'The monk out in front, with the torch, it is Mister McCoy.'

'You are messing.'

'I am not, and he saw me too.'

***

After coming across the boys and re-joining the search party, Miss Bradshaw and Mister McCoy were at a loss. They had found the missing boys, who protested that they had only just entered the park, only to lose sight of them in an instant and not see or hear from them again. They struggled with their own ethics when it came time to leave with the rest of the search party though leave, they did, and of their free will. What else could they do?

Leave the park they indeed were able to do; to live with what happened would never be such an easy thing. To add to the oddness there is a fact that has gone unknown. On September seventh, 2017, John McCoy had aged more than the seventeen and a half years which had passed since the boys disappeared. To those who knew him it could easily be said that he aged at least thirty years in this time. This is not the unknown fact, however.

No matter his age or how he looked, Mister John McCoy continued to work the store he owned. Of course, when September seventh, 2017, had come around, Terrence Williams had become the new guy in town only since just the day before, so could it be thought an odd thing that on the day of the seventh of September, Terrence Williams not only enters the store owned by John McCoy but he also buys a newspaper from the man himself. That is a fact that neither man could be fully aware of.