Chapter 1 Chalk Valley, British Columbia – 19:00h Phil Lindsay sat back in his seat, eyes half closed, trying to calm down. He took another hit, held it, then slowly exhaled, watching the smoke slip away. He gazed into Chalk Valley, its cracked white walls like broken shoulders sloping unevenly into the dense pine forest below. The sun was dipping below the horizon, bleeding away the day’s warmth and colour, leaving behind a lifeless grey sky. The keening of cicadas echoed through the valley, a lonely, wordless song against the coming darkness. Then, like an eye winking shut, the sun was gone and all that remained was its scarlet stain like an angry welt across the end of the day. The toke had burned down so close to the tip that Lindsay could feel the heat singeing his fingers. He took a final hit before tossing it out the window. He shook himself from his daydream and checked the glowing green numbers of the dashboard clock. Shit. Where’d the day go? He felt spent, tired and hungry. He ate a half-melted candy bar he’d found stashed in the glove compartment, washing it down with a few mouthfuls of warm beer. Now what? Go home? Fuck that. Just fuck it. He started up the car, threw it into gear and gunned it up the dirt road, brown dust clouds boiling up from the wheel wells as he made a sharp turn onto the main road, the tires squealing. The road ran downhill fast and dark and empty, the early evening air rushing through the open windows of the car, smelling of damp, rotted cedar and faded summer. He followed West Gimly back to Highway 1 and headed back to Vancouver, an hour and a half away. Time enough to think … Sundale Mall, East Vancouver - 20:25h Lindsay stared at his reflection in the chipped metal mirror that hung over the bathroom sink. He hadn’t bothered to shave that morning, his dark hair was stuck up at the sides and his face and hands were caked with mud from the valley. He washed up with pink liquid soap from the dispenser, the filthy black water swirling around the bowl of the sink, then wet his hair with his hands and combed it carefully back off of his forehead. He splashed some water on his face and shaved as best he could with a plastic razor. Only a few nicks. He took a couple of red and black capsules from a ziplock bag in his pocket and washed them down his throat with a cupped handful of tapwater. He checked himself out in the mirror one last time, pointed at his reflection, cocked his finger and fired. A girl in a denim jacket was just coming out of the women’s bathroom. Her hair was short, dirty blonde. Her head was down, oblivious. Lindsay looked around. All alone. Two bathrooms, utility room off to the side, emergency exit down the hall. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs. Total rush. He moved quickly towards the glass door that led back into the main mall and stepped in front of the doorway, blocking the girl’s way. She looked up at him, confused. Lindsay smiled and stared down at her breasts pushing against her tight black T-shirt, bare at the midriff, too perfectly tanned and the gold belly button ring that glinted above her low slung jeans. “Hey, Tricia,” he said. Too fast, too anxious, he thought, take a deep breath, relax. The girl moved away, wary. Nobody to hear you, all alone, bitch. Lindsay smiled, reaching out a hand to grab her wrist. A teenage boy came up from behind him, shoving the door open into his back. Lindsay turned around, startled. “What the hell’s going on,” the boy asked, scowling at Lindsay. “Just some freak,” the girl said, taking the boy’s arm. “C’mon.” He watched them leave, then walked past the store fronts to the food court, ordered a cheeseburger, onion rings and a coke and glanced around for a place to sit. Most of the tables were occupied by low-lifes, old people, losers. A handful of teenage girls sat at a table in the corner, chattering with one another, their haunted eyes like bruises in the pale shadows of their faces. Lindsay felt deeply depressed all of a sudden. Look at them for God’s sake, they’re like empty shells, there’s no feeling there. What’s this world coming to anyway? Why did I even come— Oh. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the girl. Her face was delicate, pale as bone china, her eyes, pale green like spring leaves unfolding beneath the pink rose petal eye shadow and too-thick mascara. Her long, strawberry-blonde hair was parted straight down the middle, held out of her face by two plastic barrettes pinned just above her ears. Lindsay sat on one of the orange plastic mushroom-shaped seats just three tables away from her and watched her out of the corner of his eye. She wore silver rings on several fingers and half a dozen earrings in her ears. Her sneakers were a little tattered, her blue jeans frayed at the pant cuffs – nothing lasts these days. It’s a disposable society. The thing that impressed him most wasn’t so much that she sat by herself, but the way she sat by herself. She doesn’t check her watch, no half-expectant glances around the food court. No friends are coming to join her. Look at the way she’s dressed, she’s not on a break from her job at one of the stores. Sitting there all alone and lonely at that sad little plastic table, eating french fries and drinking a pop. Virtually invisible to everyone else in the food court, a vaguely pretty, forgettable face in a sea of forgettable faces. She glanced up at him. He gave her a friendly nod, pulled out his cellphone and pretended to talk into it. She looked away again. He began to daydream about Chalk Valley, only an hour and a half away, a hundred and fifty klicks, with its dense scrub forest, secret paths and deep rushing river, washing over the round grey stones ... In his mind, the thing was already done, played out in countless permutations. Lindsay shook himself awake. She’s getting ready to go, stacking her tray, gathering her things. He pushed his tray away, the burger half-eaten, and stood up. He staggered a bit, unsteady on his feet. The pills are kicking in. Hurry up. He walked past the few tables towards her. The tiles of the floor seemed to swell and sway beneath his shoes like puzzle pieces rearranging themselves on a board. Birds twittered in the trees that grew in the center of the court, little dark shadows that darted after one another against the backdrop of the skylights far overhead. He could see it all unfold before him, knew exactly what to say, how to say it, what would happen and how, he could feel the roaring in his ears like waves of a dark, inner sea, he felt like he was going to explode. Do it. Do it now. Alright. 20:40h Lindsay walked in quick, short steps, the girl had to almost run to keep up with him as he moved along the sidewalk that adjoined the parking lot. He kept looking over his shoulder, not to look at the girl directly, though, but to see if anyone was watching them. Nobody was. “I can’t believe my luck, I mean, running into you, getting an amazing job like this,” she said breathlessly. “Yeah, must be fate, huh?” Lindsay smiled. “I can tell a lot about people when I first meet them, Robbie, and I think you’ll be perfect for this job.” “I know I will. You won’t be sorry.” The car was parked at the far end of the parking lot in an all but deserted section, no other cars were around, the streetlight had burnt out so that the vehicle sat in shadows. He noticed the girl’s moment of hesitation, but he kept walking towards the blue sedan, totally confident she would follow. “Looks like an old shitbox, doesn’t it?” He smiled at her, a broad, confident smile. He could taste a hot, electric snap in the air between them. We’re alone, all alone, I could just take her now, but … “I keep my good cars at home,” he said breezily. “I just take this to the mall and stuff because I don’t want anyone ripping me off. Know what I mean?” She was right beside him now as he unlocked the door. Lindsay just barely restrained the urge to put his hand on her face and squeeze it. He bent into his car for a second instead, pretending to look around. Robbie moved a little closer, trying to see inside. “Shit. I can’t believe it,” he said. “I must have left the forms at the office. Can you believe this? Well, come on, we might as well go get them.” He could see in the back of her eyes a coil of fear, a deep, ancient sense of the predator, subconsciously drawing together the words, the tone of his voice, the place, the smells, the utter quiet that surrounded them. “No … um … I don’t … maybe I could come tomorrow, in the daytime.” Just get her in the car, nothing else matters except getting her into the car, just calm her down and get her in the goddamned car. “Tomorrow? No, that wouldn’t work, see, I leave for Hong Kong tomorrow, then I’m in Zurich, right, so I won’t even be back for like three or four weeks, know what I mean?” She looked pale, the light in her eyes flattened and she hugged her arms more tightly around herself. “Oh I totally understand, I mean, Hong Kong and everything, it’s just that I gotta meet my friend here and it’s getting late —” Just throw her in the car, motherfucker, nobody’s around, nobody will see. No. No. Just calm her down, it’ll be okay. “You still want the job, don’t you, Robbie?” “Of course, it’s just —” “Just what? You’re wasting my time here. Do you want the job or not?” “Oh yeah, no, like I totally do.” “Well you say you do, and I’m offering you the job, but you don’t want to fill out an application form. You seem very indecisive.” “No, I’m not, I want the job. Honest.” “Okay then. My office is only three minutes from here. Let’s go.” Lindsay smiled at her, still holding the door open for her. Get in the fucking goddamned car you stupid cunt. “I … I don’t know —” “Robbie, if you want to get anywhere in life, you gotta take some chances. It’s only three minutes away. Now. Are you ready to do something with your life?” Watch the eyes, he thought, pale green spring ponds, see how they widen with fear of losing out, watch the mouth, see how it makes a little round “O” with her lips, and she bites the hook deeply, forces a smile, a beautiful smile, she wants me to like her so badly, and I do. “Oh, okay, sure. Sorry.” She climbed into the car and Lindsay slammed the door shut. Chalk Valley, 22:05h John McCarty and Kate Morris stepped out of the Glass Tavern into the cool night air, their ears still ringing from the loud music the band had been playing in the bar. The only sound outside was a muted thrum of music through the windows, chirping crickets and the occasional car whistling by on the highway that lay on the other side of the grassy bank from the tavern. A full moon hung midway in the sky against an ocean of stars, flooding the land in a soft, silvery glow. “Why do we have to leave now?” Kate pouted, wavering on her feet, holding onto McCarty’s arm for support as they walked towards the line of cars in the parking lot. “It’s late, that’s why.” “But we were just starting to have fun.” “Then you stay. I have to get home,” McCarty said. “Oh of course,” she sighed. “You have to be home for the wife and kids, right?” “Right.” They reached the unmarked cruiser and he unlocked the door. “Okay then, go,” she sulked. “Come on, Kate, don’t be like that.” “Like what?” She pulled away from him slightly, swatting his hand away when he tried to touch her. She turned around and started back towards the bar. “Kate, where are you going?” “Wherever I want to go, Mac. You can go to hell for all I care.” “Kate. Kate!” McCarty grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around to face him, pushing her up against the unmarked cruiser. “Let go of me,” she snapped, avoiding his gaze. “I need to talk to you first.” “Fine. So talk.” McCarty put his finger under her chin and gently lifted her face up to him. Her pretty face was flushed, her cheeks tinged with pink, her short hair lit in gold from the parking lot lights. Her mouth was still turned down in an irresistible pout, her blue eyes welled with tears. He traced his hand along her cheek to wipe away the tears, then slipped his hand around the small of her back and pulled her close, feeling her resist at first, then melt into his arms. She smelled of night-time and wild autumn flowers. He kissed her on the lips, gently at first, but she returned it with wild passion, her lips soft and warm, the tip of her tongue dancing against his like velvet. “So I’m forgiven?” he finally said. “Maybe. For tonight at least.” McCarty bent to kiss her again when he heard a car racing down the highway behind them, the roar of its engine splitting the night. He looked up and saw a dark car speeding past the entrance to the tavern. It was washed with yellow light for a millisecond as it passed beneath the streetlights, blue sedan, two passengers. Then it rocketed past, its red tail lights trailing off into the darkness. “Asshole.” “He’s gotta be doing a buck eighty easy,” Kate said. “Maybe we should go pull him over.” McCarty considered it for a second, then shook his head. “Screw it. He’s headed out of town at least.” He stroked the back of Kate’s head, letting his fingers trace down her white neck, kissed the soft skin, listening to her moan. “I thought you had to get home to your family,” she whispered. “Don’t confuse me with details,” McCarty said. Chalk Valley, 22:15h Robbie King woke up with an incredible pounding in her head, a heavy, nauseating pain that crashed like waves of broken glass through her aching body. What happened? Why does everything hurt so much, my head, my mouth, I taste blood. Her eyes fluttered open. It was dark, the night was rushing past. I’m driving somewhere. Where am I going? She felt somebody move beside her. She looked over, wincing at the pain in her neck, the strain of keeping her eyes open. A man was sitting in the driver’s seat. His face was deep in shadows. “Who … who are you?” she asked, her voice slurring. “A friend,” he said. “Just sit back and relax, everything will be okay.” “Why does my head hurt?” “You were in an accident.” “An accident? I should go to a hospital. Where’s my Dad?” “He’s not here. I’m taking you to him. We’ll be there soon.” “Oh. Who are you?” “My name’s Phil. Now shush, we’re almost there.” The pain in her head was horrible. She felt like she was going to puke. She closed her eyes for a moment, just to block out the pain. Fractured images rushed through her brain. None of them made any sense. She wanted to ask her parents what they meant, she looked everywhere for them but everything was moving so fast … When she woke up again, the car had stopped. Everything was dark. The shadow man was gone. What was his name again? Phil. She reached for the door handle, but there was only an empty cavity where the handle should have been. She felt herself slipping away again. The door opened. Phil was standing there, a harsh white light swept over her face. “Hey,” she groaned, holding a hand over her eyes. “Sorry,” he said, lowering the flashlight. “Come on, we need to go. Can you walk?” “Of course I can walk,” she slurred. He helped her climb out of the car. Everything was so quiet and dark. Trees everywhere. We’re in a forest. Why are we in a forest? He put his arm around her, his hand gripped painfully under her armpit while the other hand held the flashlight. They walked carefully along the dark path, deeper into the forest, but everything was spinning around, her head was aching. “I don’t feel good. Where’s my parents?” “We’re going to see them right now. Just keep walking, you’re doing great.” After a dozen steps, the ground seemed to swirl around her, she felt her legs give way. Phil stumbled as he caught her, almost dropping the flashlight. “Shit.” He bent down and hoisted her over his shoulder. She felt chilled now, her head was aching, her mouth was throbbing. Why do we keep moving? I just want to lie down and go to sleep. His shoulder was digging into her stomach, thrusting into it with every step as he walked through the darkness. Somebody said something about a hospital. Did I have an accident? It all felt like a bad dream, images flickering through her throbbing head. I was at the mall. I was talking to somebody in the food court. He said something about a job. He had to get some papers out of his car. Then … suddenly the grey veil lifted, and everything became terribly clear. “Oh God, where am I?” “Just shut up, do what I say and you’ll be okay.” Robbie listened, terrified. The smell of him was sickening, sour sweat mixed with alcohol, and something else, something ghastly, like rotted meat, like death. He kidnapped me, oh God, he’s going to rape me, or murder me. I have to get away, just punch him, kick him, run away, go back to the road, or deeper into the forest. It’s dark, he couldn’t find me, I could hide there until morning, then I could get away, flag down a car, call my parents ... They stopped moving. Lindsay’s breathing was heavy, gasping. “Please let me go,” she whimpered, “I don’t want to …” She felt herself falling, felt the earth blindly rushing up at her, she cried out, tried to reach out her hands to slow herself but she wasn’t fast enough. A thick wall of pain exploded through her, shattering against the most painful parts of her body, her head, her mouth, casting her back into the numb darkness. Robbie awoke again. It felt like hours had passed, it might only have been minutes. Where am I? She smelled the sharp deadness of the earth, like worms and rotting leaves. She saw that she was in a hollow of a dense, dark forest. The moon was high, lighting up the tree line that lined the broken hills climbing up into the cold black sky. Where is he? Where’s Phil? I can’t hear him anywhere. Maybe he’s gone, maybe now I can get away, just crawl into the forest and hide, he’ll never find me, not out there. She tried to sit up, but the pain was so intense, worse than before, she felt like she was going to pass out again. Oh God, what should I do? All thoughts of running away now seemed hopeless. She was shivering so badly her teeth chattered, her whole body shook. “Please,” she called. “Somebody please help me.” There was no answer. Please, I don’t want to die. Please God, help me … Robbie awoke to the sound of something moving next to her. She turned her head towards it, her head ringing, the roar of blood in her ears. Two eyes looked back at her from only a few feet away. A mirror. I’m looking at a mirror. But why … the girl in the mirror had short, dark hair. It isn’t me at all, it’s someone else, another girl, her eyes are so dark, and the look in those eyes, so filled with despair, with fear, with pain. The other girl closed her eyes, a tear coursing down her cheek. And Robbie started to scream.