Ghost Town II
by Rob Warr
Chapter 1
Note from Author: This story is a continuation of my story: Ghost Town, which was posted last year at Halloween. It is not necessary to read the first story to enjoy this one, but I do recommend it. The basic premise of the story is that a group of teenage boys discover a ghost town just outside the city limits of their small home town. However, the ghost town is visible only once a year, at Halloween, and strange things happen there to anyone who is pulled into it's web. A promise was made that the boys would attempt to right a wrong which befell two gay teenage lovers long ago, when the town was still alive and vibrant. The boys carried the tale to their peers, but as with most stories too weird to be believed, this one was discounted as scary, but just fantasy. However, the two ghosts who were wronged have never given up looking for their redemption.
It has been three years since brothers Doug and Jamie Keaton, and brothers Will and Dickie Wilson, stumbled upon the ghost town which had been called Centerville in it's heyday. Both Doug and Will had been 16 back then, Jamie 14, but Richard, or Dickie, as his friends called him, was only 12.
Doug and Jamie are nineteen now, and attending the same university, but Jamie and Dickie have remained close friends, and now it is Jamie driving a sporty red Jeep Wrangler of his own. Jamie has finally filled out to look even more like his older brother, though he has not lost the spirit that the younger version of him sported. Dickie, now 15, still has the boyish, almost impish quality about him that earned him many friends and made him a joy to be around.
Only recently, Jamie and Dickie had discovered that their friendship went much deeper than they'd ever suspected it would. Though neither boy was ready to proclaim their sexuality to the world, they were now comfortably in a relationship of sorts. It wasn't just sex, either, the boys loved to kiss, cuddle, and on the odd occasion they could sleep in the same bed, they made love, real love, going all the way, often twice.
But despite all that, the two behaved as two good friends might in front of their peers and families. In fact, the only two people that suspected the boys might be more than friends were their brothers, Doug and Will. For having gone through the ordeal in the ghost town together, the four had become even closer, and it was as if they could feel each other's emotions, and Jamie and Dickie seemed to give off an aura of pure love for one another.
Not that either of the older brothers was opposed to their younger brother's relationship. No, far from it, for the two older boys had done their share of messing around when they were a bit younger, though these days they were much too busy with their studies to worry much about sex. Both had dated girls, a few times, but most nights they were content to hang with their buddies when they weren't doing homework, then take care of their sexual needs by hand. In a way both boys envied their younger brothers, for they were quite sure the two of them were getting their share of sex, real sex.
Remembering that Halloween night three years ago, Jamie and Dickie vowed that this All Hollow's Eve they would make the trip into the country and see if the ghost town would reappear as it had back then. They'd also heard the story of two local teens who'd stumbled upon the town the year after they had, on Halloween, of course, but their story hadn't been nearly as interesting. It was as if they had been shunned by the ghosts and they became frightened and left quickly.
Since then they had heard no stories of the ghost town, but they were almost certain that it would be there this night.
"Got everything packed?" Dickie asked as he climbed into Jamie's shiny, almost new Jeep Wrangler.
"Yep, sodas, snacks, water, flashlights and batteries. You got your phone?"
"Yeah, never leave home without it," Dickie said smiling, "Do you really think we can video the ghosts?"
"Don't know. I've always heard ghosts don't show up on film, but I don't know if that's true for video or not."
"And if we can get pics of them, what will we do with them?"
"I dunno, I don't really want to post them all over the internet or anything. That would cause people to go crazy and try to come out here and see the town. And I really don't want that to happen. I think those two brothers still need to have the record cleared before they can rest in peace forever. And...I think once they have that peace, we won't see the town anymore."
"Do you think they'll be mad that we didn't tell their story and free them like we promised?'
"We tried, but no one would listen. That's not our fault. I was hoping that someone else would go there and hear the same story, but we both know that didn't happen with those two other guys."
"Yeah, they were probably jerks to the ghosts," Dickie laughed.
"What did you tell your folks?"
"The same, that I'd be going to a party with you, then sleeping over."
"True dat. And hopefully we will be back at my house sometime after midnight. I just hope the ghosts don't keep us too late," Jamie said grinning.
"Yeah, but we have to do this. It's been eating at me for a while now. I tried to talk to Will about it, but he said we should just forget it and move on, whatever that means."
"Yeah, Doug too. He wouldn't say it out loud, but I think he's a little scared thinking about the place now."
"I'm a little scared myself, but I don't think the ghosts want to hurt us," Dickie said looking at Jamie for his reaction.
"I think you're right. In fact, I don't think they can. I think they can only control what we see, but that they're not capable of anything physical."
"Hmm...thinking back, I guess you're right. Other than the coldness when we touched them there wasn't anything else physical."
"You hungry? We can stop for burgers if you want. It might be a while till we can break out the snacks."
"Sure, best not to die on an empty stomach," Dickie joked and both boys laughed nervously.
After a burger, fries, and a large Coke, the two boys piled into the Jeep again and Jamie started the engine.
"I was thinking about how Doug's Jeep wouldn't start till the ghosts were through with us. Looking back, I think that was just in our minds. I bet the truth was: the Jeep started every time, but we just couldn't hear or see it."
"Like we were hypnotized or something," Dickie said nodding, "that would fit with them not being able to do things physically."
"Yep, so we might be able to overcome some of their mental suggestions if we go into this thing knowing it's all smoke and mirrors, as they say," Jamie laughed.
"As in, 'blowing smoke up our asses'? Dickie said, causing both boys to laugh.
"Something like that. I wonder if the ghosts will remember us? We were a lot younger when we went there the first time."
"I bet they will, I think they can read our minds."
"Really? I never thought of that. I wonder if they can tell we've messed around," Jamie said grinning.
"Well, we know the brothers won't mind if they do, and the rest of them, fuck them if they don't like it," Dickie smirked.
Jamie laughed, "Might freeze your dick off if you tried that," and Dickie laughed too.
"We're almost there," Jamie said turning serious again, "last chance to back out."
"Not me, I'm in," Dickie said stubbornly, "I ain't afraid of no ghosts," he added grinning.
"Okay, the big round barn is just ahead, and the road..." Jamie said slowing down, "is...is gone," he finished, sounding surprised and confused.
"How can that be, are you sure you didn't miss it...?"
"I don't think so, but I'll turn around and we can check."
But after slowly creeping up the road and back several times there was still no sign of the road that had led to the ghost town that night three years ago.
"Maybe last year someone found it and fulfilled the promise," Jamie finally concluded, "if so, then the town won't appear again, ever."
"Pull over," Dickie said suddenly, and when Jamie did, the younger boy grabbed a flashlight and piled out of the Jeep.
Jamie had no idea what he was up to, but nevertheless he grabbed the other flashlight and followed his friend out.
It seemed deathly quiet now, not even the sounds of insects or birds stirring the night air. It was muggy, too, for an October night, with clouds obscuring most of the stars and a half moon peaking out above them, then disappearing again as the clouds drifted slowly across the night sky.
"Spooky out here," Jamie said as a chill ran down his spine.
"Over here, take a look..." Dickie called from the other side of the Jeep.
"What did you find, oh..." Jamie said when he saw the newly strung section of fence, and beyond it the tire ruts leading off into the distance.
"Whoever owns this land must've put up the fence blocking the road," Dickie reasoned, "Damn, why a fence, why not a gate?"
"Because to them, there is nothing out there," Jamie reasoned, "and maybe, just maybe, adults can't see the ghost town, not even on Halloween."
"Of course, so...I wonder, does that mean our brothers are too old to see it, too?"
"19 is technically an adult, but since they've already seen it and believe in it, I think they might still be able to see it."
"So, what are we gonna do?"
"Ever seen what a winch can do?" Jamie said grinning.
"You're gonna tear the fence down?" Dickie said grinning back, "I'm in, we can worry about the consequences tomorrow."
The fence gave way easily as the 12,000 pound winch mounted on the front of the Jeep quietly reeled in the cable. The top part of the fence came free easily, and after reattaching the cable to the bottom of the short stretch of fence, they finally managed to pull it free.
"It wasn't attached very well, anyway," Dickie said, "we can probably fix it up so no one can tell, after we're done in there."
"Sure," Jamie said letting the winch wind up the cable and securing the hook.
"We're breaking the law, but for some reason, I don't think we'll be in trouble," Dickie said climbing back into the Jeep.
"I think you're right, bro. Well, here we go," Jamie said moving forward and over the short section of fence they'd pulled down, "Centerville, here we come."
"Yeah, you better be there, too," Dickie chuckled.
Once inside the fence-line, the grassy tracks disappeared, and ahead lay the gravel road they'd remembered from that night three years ago. It was just as rough as they'd remembered, but Jamie's Jeep took the ruts and holes with stride, and soon the dark silhouette of the town appeared just over the horizon.
"There it is," Dickie said excitedly as he grinned at his friend, "I just knew it would be. I...I've been having these dreams..."
Jamie's head snapped around and he stared at Dickie with surprise, "You too? About the town?"
"Yep, about the town and about those two brothers," then realizing what Jamie had said he gasped, "Too? You mean...you've been having dreams about the town?"
"Yeah, it started about a week ago. I was going to tell you about it, but it just seemed silly."
"Me too, I wanted to tell you, but every time I thought about telling you I couldn't quite find the words."
"It's like they didn't want us to share that information or something," Jamie mused.
"Look," Dickie suddenly cried out, "a light in one of the second story windows..."
"And I bet I know which window that is," Jamie said grinning, "I bet the two brothers are at it again."
The distance to the town seemed greater than they'd first expected, but eventually they pulled up in the middle of the town, stopping in a cloud of dust in almost the same spot Doug's Jeep had rested in three years before.
"Well, here we are, fun land," Jamie joked.
"It ain't no Silver Dollar City, that's for sure," Dickie smirked, "but it is kind of fun, in a way."
"Yeah, I was thinking that, too. Even if I was so scared the first time we were here I almost shit my pants, afterwards it was kinda like you feel after you step off of a really scary ride at the amusement park."
"Exactly," Dickie agreed, "and this time, the fun is all ours. Do you think Will and Doug will be mad when they find out we came here?'
"Nah, as long as we come back alive," Jamie joked.
"Shut up, they're not gonna harm us, we already figured that out."
"Yeah, but we could fall through a rotten floor and break our necks, so be careful, okay?"
"Yeah, sure...Hey, want a soda before we go inside?"
So, there they stood, sipping their sodas and leaning against a shiny red Jeep, surrounded by the rot and decay of a town long since dead, as they anticipated there next move.
From somewhere a hot dry wind swept up the narrow dusty street, a dust devil dancing around the jeep before dissipating as the wind died away as quickly as it sprang to life.
"Are you scared?" Dickie asked softly as he leaned in closer to Jamie, his voice a mere whisper now.
"A little, more excited I guess. You?"
"Yeah, but not pissing myself scared, not yet," Dickie joked.
"Hey, we were both pretty brave the first time..."
"Yeah, but we had our big brothers to protect us..." Dickie reminded him.
"Yeah, but there really wasn't anything they could do either, we just had to let the whole thing play out."
"Yeah, but it was still nice to have them there."
"We could've asked them to come, I guess, but I bet they'd have said we shouldn't go at all."
"Yeah, well, we're here now, " Dickie said, "and we need to get this done before midnight or it might not work."
Jamie drained the last of his Coke from the can and crumpled it like it was made of paper with his powerful hands.
"Geeze, Superman," Dickie teased, "here, crush mine, we can recycle them."
Jamie chuckled as he crushed Dickie's can, then tossed it in the back of the Jeep with his, and turned to his best friend, "No matter what happens in there, remember, I got your back, and we'll get through this just fine."
"I know, I'm not worried. As long as I'm with you, I'll be fine," the younger boy said raising up on his toes to kiss Jamie on the lips.
Jamie didn't seemed surprised at all, and kissed back eagerly as he wrapped his arms around the other boy, "You taste like hamburgers and French fries, and love," Jamie teased.
"You taste like Coke," Dickie teased back, "or maybe it's just your natural sweetness."
"That, too," Jamie said grinning, "but enough smooching, let's do this?"
"Right now, in the middle of the street?" Dickie said giggling, "Oh, you mean the ghost thing. For a minute I thought you were gonna push me across the hood and have your way with me."
"Later, I promise. Maybe not over the hood, but in my bed for sure. Right now, we have things to do and ghosts to see..."
"Okay," Dickie said pulling back and reaching inside the Jeep for their flashlights, "I have a flashlight in my pants, too, but it doesn't give off much light," he joked as he handed one of the massive D-cell flashlights to Jamie.
"It shines in it's own way," Jamie said grinning, "and it's a whole lot more fun."
Dickie giggled again. Even at 15 he was just a big kid at heart and everyone loved him for that. Even those at school who would usually have picked on a kid like Dickie found him charming and likeable, and he made friends wherever he went. The girls loved him, too, but most had figured out long ago that he wasn't interested in them that way and they'd settled for just having his friendship. Most knew that he and Jamie were best friends, and had been so for what seemed like forever, and now that they were both going to the same High School, they were almost inseparable.
When Jamie had received the Jeep for his 17th birthday, he'd became Dickie's ride to school and to anywhere else the boy wanted or needed to go. Since the High School didn't have a closed campus, the two would often pile into the Jeep and go out for lunch, sometimes bringing a few friends along. They were both very popular among the other students, as well as the faculty, and most of their peers gave no thought to the fact that they were so close.
"Well, here we go," Jamie said taking Dickie's hand in his, "First stop, the Emerald Hotel..."
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