The Hidden, A Short Story [Excerpt]

Extremely angry, Mary grabs her keys from off the coffee-stained kitchen counter, opens the side door to the attached garage, and runs over to the parked blue-colored 74’ Chevy Nova.

Karamay, right on her daughter’s heels, calls out to her, pleading for her to stop. “Mary!”

Turning frantically to face her mother from inside the cluttered garage, “How can I trust you mom? When all you do is keep secrets. ” shouted, Mary.

Walking past the kitchen television … Karamay overhears the evening news anchor report on the weather.

“Rain totals are steadily increasing, and the fog is thickening. Roads are unbearable, to say the least. Good evening, Monticello. I’m John Woolington with Fox 16 News at 11. I have an important message for anyone venturing outside tonight. There are strange reports of an unusual, high-pitched sound that appears to be heard from residents near the surrounding fog. ”

We go live now with our Fox 16 News reporter; Grant Weiss, standing by at Mercury End, located just outside of Monticello’s oldest bridge, the Mercury.”

Karamay immediately stops to grip the corner of her old white stove. Turning her attention towards the television.  Karamay sees a photo of the bridge shown to the right of the screen.

“Grant… Grant? …Can you hear me? ”

“Apology, folks. It seems we are having technical difficulties; we will check back on that story as...”

The reporter is now missing from the background.

Static.

Karamay stares out to Mary with a look of concern on her face.

"It is not safe! Listen to me, please!” she yells out.

 “Mary, I know… I know, I haven’t always been straight with you. But, if you get in that car tonight; I can almost promise... you will not return.”

Shutting the car door, Mary turned to face her mother. “How do you know that mom?” Yelled, Mary.

Visibly shaking, Karamay replied, “Okay, you want the truth? We need to head down to the bunker right now. Where it is safe. ”

Mary stares back at her mom, “Okay, okay ...lead the way.”