Storymania - Hook by Amanda Connison

Hook
Amanda Connison

The car was filled with dance music coming from the radio and the voices of two teenage girls who were singing along with the song. After a tiring day at the mall, Josie and Naomi were heading home. The song on the radio came to an end and the girls giggled in unison at their singing talent. Josie quickly hushed Naomi when the DJ’s voice began to talk of the road conditions.
“There’s been an accident on route 92. You might want to find an alternate route if you’re coming from there. It’s bound to be backed up pretty badly,” the DJ’s smooth voice instilled annoyance in Josie.
“Shoot,” Josie swore. “We’re definitely going to have to find another way to go.”
“Hey, just get off here. I really don’t feel like sitting in traffic for an hour,” Naomi said as she gestured to an exit ramp.
Josie turned off the exit ramp, leaving the highway behind them. She looked around, trying to recognize where they were. She glanced over to Naomi, who was staring out the window on the passenger side. Wondering if she was trying to remember where they were as well, Josie only shook her head.
“Which way?” Josie questioned when she paused at a stop sign.
“Left. Well, we were going that way,” Naomi pointed with her index finger, although there was hesitation in her mind. “I think we should just keep going in the same direction.”
After several miles of dark secluded road, Naomi spotted an orange sign with thick black lettering that spelled out ‘DETOUR’. Across the intersection, the road was barricaded by a Road Closed sign. Great, Josie thought. What has she gotten us into now?
Sighing, she turned completely around to Naomi. Naomi looked back at her. “What should I do? The sign doesn’t say which way to go.”
Naomi paused before answering Josie’s question, “Just turn left here. And, then make the first left after that.”
Not completely understanding her logic, Josie thought over Naomi’s directions in her mind. “That doesn’t make any sense, though.”
“Of course it does! It’ll just take us in a circle and right back to the highway.”
“Alright.”
Taking Naomi’s advice, Josie turned left. The road that they drove down was isolated and barren. The trees lining the asphalt had grown in eerie positions with gnarled branches. The moon had risen in the sky above, but the trees filtered its light. Switching on her high beams made it easier to see the road that stretched in front of them. The road was winding and seemed endless.
“This is such a creepy road,” Naomi said with playful laughter. “It reminds me of the story of the Hook Man.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve never heard that before.”
“You never heard that story before? Wow, you’re missing out. It’s about a couple that was at Lover’s Lane. They were listening to the radio and someone on the radio was talking about a psycho that escaped from an insane asylum. He had a hook for a hand. So, the girl got freaked out because the loony bin was right near Lover’s Lane. She was really scared, but her boyfriend kept telling her that everything was okay. Eventually, they left because she was too afraid. Then, when she went to get out of the car, there was a hook on the door handle.”
“That’s a pretty corny story. All those urban legends are so stupid. You always know what’s going to happen,” Josie commented.
“Well, I thought it was good. My sister tells it much better, though.”
A song on the radio began to fade and static took over the sound. Naomi
pushed the button to scan for different radio stations. The only noise that came from the radio was the scratchy sound of music breaking up. The car began to move more slowly, even though Josie had not eased up on the gas. Realizing the car was breaking down, Josie pulled over to the side of the road. Something wasn’t right. Neither Josie nor Naomi knew anything about how to fix a stalled car.
“No!” Josie punched the steering wheel. “I hate this car. I really do.”
“What are we going to do now?” Naomi groaned in frustration. “Did you even catch what road we’re on?”
“Yeah. It’s something like Somerset Road. Do you have your phone on you?”
“Actually, yeah. I do.”
The girls got out of the station wagon to get a signal on Naomi’s cell phone. Despite efforts, Naomi couldn’t achieve a signal on her cell phone. After Josie tried, the girls gave up hope. There were too many trees surrounding the road.
“Great. Our night couldn’t get much better, could it?” Sarcasm drenched every word Josie uttered. She couldn’t believe they were stranded on a road, at night, without communication to the outside world. What could they possibly do except search the road for something residential?
Suddenly, Naomi noticed a figure outlined in darkness. Trying to make out what kind of person it might be, she squinted, but she couldn’t make out anyone. Still occupied with the cell phone, Josie hadn’t noticed the person until Naomi smacked her arm to get her attention.
“Girls, is everything okay?” The figure yelled out to them, but they were too frightened to reply to him. They froze in place, too terrified to run from the approaching man. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Josie’s eyes darted over the figure that was only a few yards from them. He was a tall man, clad in a plaid flannel shirt, construction boots, and dirty denim. Long gray hair framed his manic looking features, which included an unruly silver beard. Next, she noticed his most distinguishable feature; attached to his wrist, where his hand should be located, was a silver hook. Josie gasped when she noticed the hook and took hold of Naomi’s arm. When Josie jerked her, Naomi’s cell phone flew from her hand. There was no time to waste on worrying about it and it was left lying in the unkempt grass.
“Who the heck is that?!” Josie yelled to Naomi, who was running ahead of her.
“I have no idea! But, he’s following us!”
Despite a sharp stinging pain in her side, Josie continued to push her legs. Boy, were they glad they had chosen to wear sneakers and not clogs. Naomi tripped on some gravel in the road and Josie helped her up. The man was advancing on them.
“Girls! Girls! I only want to help you!” Shouting, the man quickened his pace.
There was something up ahead, Josie spotted a large sign. She thanked God by offering up a silent prayer of appreciation, and latched onto Naomi’s arm. The darkness had obscured the faded lettering of the sign and the girls’ minds were too cluttered with panic to read it. Pointing in the direction of a long, dirt road, the sign seemed to be calling them to safety.
Naomi and Josie took the chance, their feet pounding the dusty road, overgrown by weeds. Climbing over a decaying split rail fence, the teenagers were awed at what by where the path had led them. Rows and rows of aged picnic benches encircled a few archaic amusement rides. A carousel, with forlorn and forgotten horses stood in the center. Next to where the two had climbed over the fence, was a fun house. It was a small building with flaking orange paint. Neon letters, once arranged to flash, “FUN HOUSE, STEP IN,” now no longer blinked.
The girls could hear their follower, his call reverberating down the country lane. “I’m only trying to help you!”
The decision to act was made by a tacit agreement of the girls. A padlock that had once barred the heavy rusted door of the fun house, was broken. With all her strength, Naomi pulled the door open, and the girls ran inside. Hiding was their only choice. Tracking them, the man knew exactly where they were. Right near the fence was the fun house, without a padlock.
He entered the fun house and the sound of his footsteps echoed loudly against the walls of the building. Listening attentively, he could hear their movements.
“I know you girls are in here!” He screamed loudly, scraping his hooked hand against the wall. A deafening nails-on-chalkboard noise filled the fun house.
A tangle of chains filled a hallway, blocking the exit to another section of the house. The girls struggled through the chains, moving ways they didn’t know their bodies could. Chains clanked together as they moved through the obstacle. Having no problem performing the task of getting through the chains, the man was on the other side of the chains in no time. As caretaker of the park, he had gone through it many times and knew the best ways to turn.
Filling the next section was a hall of mirrors, curved pieces of glass that reflected distorted images. Darting between the aisles of glass, the girls were tearful and terrified. Naomi clung to her friend, afraid of going on. With their chests rising in pain, they could no longer fight and slumped against a mirror.
Catching up to the young girls was no challenge for the man, as they were now exhausted. Trembling and anxious, they held onto each other’s shoulders and let tears stream down their faces.
Out of breath, the man finally was able to speak, ”I was just wondering if you needed help starting your car.”
In his right hand was Naomi’s cell phone. He had retrieved it from the ground and had every intention of returning it to her. Long fingers worked the keypad of the phone. A voice could be heard on the other end of the receiver.
“Please send a tow truck for Somerset Lane. Thanks,” he said into the phone.
After he was through with his call, he outstretched his hand with the phone resting in his palm. “I only wanted to help. I’m sorry if I scared you.”
Reluctantly, Naomi snatched her phone from the man’s hand. Josie was the first to stand and dusted off her jeans. She helped Naomi regain her composure, offering a hand to pull her to her feet. Still stunned from the macabre ordeal, they both gave an apologetic smile to the man. But really, how could anyone not think he was a danger, considering the circumstances?
Now that they could see him up close, he looked even more like a lunatic. His
hair was matted from running and beads of perspiration settled in the deep folds of wrinkles on his brow. He had shown kindness, though. They believed his words and couldn't help but think that he would not hurt them.
His hooked hand beckoned for them to follow, as he began to lead the girls out back to the road. A homicidal smile tugged at the corner of his lips and the benevolent countenance was transformed into that of a crazed man.