Jason goes to Canada

A twist of fate

     Ray found that both his mind and the car were racing, and he'd do best to slow them both down before they crash.
Slowing the cruiser down was easy, (ease off the gas don't brake in the snow bad idea), but his mind was a different story. He tried to process the situation.
Obviously he needed help from an outside entity, the Provincial Marshalls maybe. What to tell them was the tricky part.
He rehearsed the conversation in his head, sticking to the main points about an armed murderer last seen in the North Woods, leaving out the part where he was seemingly immortal and last seen duking it out with a gigantic moose. All he knew was there were a dozen bodies in those woods now, and his meager department (where the deputies knew a lot more aboot fishing than police work) was in over it's head.
Even poor Harold had seen more than he could handle, and would possibly never be the same again.
His thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his cell.
Elizabeth, his wife.
He answered, careful to maintain control of the wheel.
"Hello?"
"Ray! Where are you? I heard there have been more murders!"
"How did you.."
"Jack's wife said he just got back from the woods where he was with some kind of hunting party, led by YOU. He said he saw Ross get hacked up!"
"I'm attending to that right.."
"Is it TRUE??!!"
Shit.
"I haven't seen Ross honey, I don't know.."
"Did you really go into the forest looking for that crazy man?!"
"Elizabeth.."
"DID YOU?!"
He wanted to say Yes dear, my job as Constable sometimes entails more than bar fights and speeding tickets, but he dared not while she was so close to hysteria.
"Where are you Ray?!"
"I'm headed back to the station, dear. I've got Harold and he..."
"You didn't catch him?!"
"No, Liz. We're gonna need some help on this."
"Oh God."
"What? What is it?"
"Jesse..."
"What..our son? What about him?"
"He took your damn truck to go camping with his friends! I told you it was a bad.."
"He WHAT?!"
"Oh Ray..."
"Stop, Liz. Listen to me. Where..did..they..go..?"
"To his friend Jacob's house! He said they have a big back yard and they were going to make a bonfire and.."
"Jacob Ellesky?"
"Yes!! Do you know where they live?"
He did. Dear God he did.
The Ellesky place was 5 miles east of the river. The same river that ran through the North Woods.
"Is it close to where that killer was? RAY? IS IT?"
"No, Liz."
He lied to her, but he didn't want her flipping her lid.
"He's a long way from there. But I'm going to go get him anyway. Do you have their number?"
"No, I wish to God that I had made him give it to me. Go get him Ray. Go get OUR BOY!!"
"I am, baby. Right now."
He hung up and stomped the gas, snow be damned.
"We better hurry Ray. The Ellesky place is close to where HE was."
Harold must have woken during the conversation. He spoke in a hoarse croak, his head still back and eyes closed.
"I know."
"Anyone we can call to help us with this?"
"No one that could get there before us. Listen Harold, I got this. You just stay in the car..."
"Fuck that, Ray. This is Jesse we're talking about. Your kid. I'm gonna be right beside you, I don't care how bad I'm messed up."
"Harold.."
"I'm going with you Ray."
He dropped it, knowing he couldn't convince him otherwise.
The snow had slacked up a bit to a slow dusting, already having laid down a good 12 inches of powder.
The snow plows wouldn't be out until dawn, so they were stuck forging their own path down the road.
Just keep it between the ditches.
Between the ditches.
10 miles until the turn-off to the Ellesky place.
He sped up a bit, focusing all his concentration on the wheel.

Over at the Ellesky's, Joanna Ellesky was just stepping out of the shower.
Her little brother and his friends were camping in his old tent in the backyard, and she had been tasked with keeping an eye on them while her parents were away in the city.
What kind of trouble could those nerds get into anyway? They were probably just out there looking at dirty books or swapping Pokemon cards, or whatever it is that teenage boys do.
She toweled her long hair dry, and stood in front of the mirror for a while admiring her breasts. They had grown quite a bit since last Summer. The Seniors were paying a lot more attention to her now.
She had her eye on this one particular tall stud, his name was...
A scream broke her thoughts.
Damn it, those geeks were getting on her nerves. They're probably yanking each other's ass hair out or something.
She sighed, and went to peek out the window at the tent.
Ah, they were just out there wrestling by the fire. Damn doofuses scared her for a minute. She went back to the mirror and began to brush her hair.

Ray and Harold were almost there. Harold sat up, collecting himself and stretching his ankle.
"How is it? Think you can put weight on it?"
"Yeah, I think so. I'll manage."
"You sure?"
"I'll crawl if I have to, Ray. It'll make me harder to hit with that big machete."
Harold smiled grimly.
"Okay. I'm going to pull up as close as I can to the front door. You go inside and find Mr. Ellesky and tell him the situation. I'll go around back amd secure the boys."
"What if..HE'S out there?"
"If you hear gunshots, then find you a window at the back side of the house so you can fire on him from the high ground."
"Yeah, that sounds good."
"Yeah. We're here."
He pulled the cruiser slowly onto the lawn, driving up real cozy to the front porch.
"No screaming. That's a good sign, ain't it Ray?"
"I don't know. It may be a bad one. You ready?"
"Ready and steady, boss."
Ray doubted that, but there could be nothing done about it."
"All right, let's do this, eh?"
They exited the car, Ray sprinting around the side of the house. He was already mostly around before Harold had even topped the steps.
Sure enough, the boys had built a bonfire. It was mostly died down now, they hadn't built it with enough logs. He approached the tent, pistol in hand. It was all TOO quiet.
He steadied himself, grabbing the zipper to the front flap. He prayed he wasn't too late.
ZIIIIIP.
Four young boys, very much alive and very surprised stared at him. They were passing around a cigarette.
"Dad?"
"Mr. Ferguson, it's not what you think."
"Get out of the tent, boys."
"Oh God, we're busted Jacob! I told you someone would catch us smoking!"
"Dad, put your gun away! It's just a cigarette!"
Ray held the flap, rushing them.
"Get out of the tent NOW. We have to go, I'll explain later!"
"Okay geez."
"Don't tell my dad Mr. Ferguson."
One at a time they crawled out guiltily, heads down and cowering. Ray looked around, focusing on the spot where the yard met the woods.
Nothing so far.
"I'm parked around front. You boys hurry up and go get in my car."
"What about the truck Dad?"
"We'll come back for it, just hurry."
He followed them around the house, protecting the rear.
They reached the car, and the four boys piled into the backseat. They stared at the wire mesh that divided the front seat from the back with amazement and fear.
Shit. Where was Harold?
The front door stood ajar, but he couldn't see anyone inside. Not wanting to leave the boys, he resorted to yelling for his Deputy.
"HAROLD!"
........
"HAROLD I GOT THEM LET'S GO!"
........
Shit. He scanned the house, looking for signs of movement.
There's something right...there...in a window on the second floor.
Something on the glass.
A handprint, wet and dripping slowly down the pane.

It was blood.