Читать книгу Centralia. Eng - - Страница 3

Back to school… It’s so monotonous to get up at the same time every day, drink tea with sandwiches… Even if you are still asleep, you will still get up like a robot. The brain is still asleep, but the body is working, something similar to zombie syndrome. You think: “When will this nightmare finally end?” But wait… It’s Saturday, and I just dreamed about it.…

Alex graduated from high school a long time ago, but he was still in college.

Centralia attracted him with its mystery, and when the city was completely rebuilt, he moved from one state to another. His parents stayed where they lived. He was paid for his studies, as he studied very well, and with the scholarship he earned, it was quite possible to rent a small room. A lot of tourists came here almost every day to say, “I’ve been to this damn city!”

Nothing changes. People stay the same and pursue their desires. But sooner or later, everyone eventually dies, all our thoughts, desires, almost everything except memory and actions, turns to dust. We are powerless before time.

If you compare Alex with other people, he has always been a quiet, unflappable guy, in fact, that’s why he was not the center of attention of the society in which he was. His distinctive character trait was the ability to help anyone in need whenever possible. Alex himself was a thin young man with broad shoulders and slightly above average height. He looked like some kind of animal: a shaggy head with brown hair, gray eyes and a pointed nose. He lived alone in a small apartment, as there was not enough space in the small dormitory, everything was filled with women. Well, the guys were placed in apartments. But there are advantages here: a separate bathroom, kitchen and bedroom.

Nothing is more invigorating in the early hours of a Saturday morning than a mug of hot coffee. Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table rang.

– Yes? – Alex replied sleepily.

– Alex! Have you seen what’s going on outside? – Sarah was shouting into the phone.

Sarah was his college friend. Blonde with brown eyes and not too attractive appearance, she was a year younger than Alex. She recently turned eighteen, and despite the fact that almost all her friends were at her birthday party, Alex was not there, he does not like noisy companies.

– No, I’m going to look out the window, – he replied in the same hoarse voice and looked out the window.

The whole street was covered with a wavering thick fog, and the houses opposite were barely visible. Sarah screamed into the phone again, like a little girl seeing fog for the first time:

– Great! Really? Listen, Megan, Bill, and Tedd and I are going out somewhere, are you with us?

Megan was the exact opposite of Sarah. A pretty girl that the whole college was looking at. A brunette with blue eyes, a charming face and a slender figure. Despite the rich selection of guys, for some reason she became interested in Alex. Probably because he is the quietest and most unflappable of all, but the fact is that Alex did not look at any of the girls, he was constantly busy with drawings. Therefore, so that she would not be bored, Megan got herself dogs…

Bill and Tedd look like ordinary dumb jocks. They loved to make fun of Alex, but recently they started having life problems when they humiliated him every time, so no one touched him for several weeks. Someone even laughed, calling Alex a sorcerer and a witcher, as if he was making voodoo dolls and avenging bullying. But that wasn’t true either. The usual gossip.

– So, are you coming with us? Megan’s voice came on the line.

– Where are we going? Alex asked, rubbing his eyes.

– We want to go to the Quiet Hill.

Alex frowned. He knew this place, had read a lot about it. In the 90s, psychopaths took their victims there, the danger was not only in the fire underground. The prison convoy disappeared five years ago, deciding to take a shortcut along an abandoned highway.

– No, and I don’t advise you to go there, there’s nothing to do, it’s too dangerous, – he said seriously.

– Oh, come on, all they say about this city is that it’s still closed, and stories about rapists and prison cars are gossip, just like about you in college, – Sarah chimed in. Bill and Tedd laughed.:

– Yes, he’s a coward, there’s nothing to convince him, and we’ll do without him, he’s a nerd..

There were always things in Alex’s life that he didn’t want to remember himself, it was a similar case. He didn’t like being called a coward, and he suffered from it himself.

– I’m not a coward, I’m coming with you, – he replied decisively, – wait for me near the exit.

Throwing on his jacket and putting his phone in his pocket, he quickly left the apartment.

There was still a white fog on the street, the road was almost invisible, but the glowing headlights made it clear that a car was approaching. Without thinking twice, Alex headed to the outskirts of the city.

A few minutes later he went out onto the highway, there was no one there. There was silence all around, only the sounds of passing cars could be heard from the city.

“Maybe, as always, I was deceived? Another prank to get me outside?” He thought to himself. After a while, the sound of a car was heard in the fog. She was approaching him. Eventually she stopped, and Tedd looked out the window:

– Sit down, don’t get the seats dirty.

Alex silently opened the rear door of the semi-sports car and got inside. Megan was sitting next to him, but he didn’t show that he was embarrassed, although he was a little uncomfortable. Bill was driving the car, Alex warned him:

– If you want to reach your destination safely, I recommend turning on the headlights.

Bill just grinned, but turned on the headlights.

The road turned out to be a little longer than it seemed at first glance. It was about 10 kilometers long, as if it was twice as long, or even three times as long. One thing was good, there was no fog as thick as in the city.

Tedd was chatting with Bill about cars, and Megan was whispering to Sarah, giggling from time to time and glancing at Alex. And he was looking out the window at the trees flashing along the highway.

Soon the car stopped.

– Okay, you three sit here, and Bill and I will open the gate, – Tedd said, getting out of the car after Bill.

The road was blocked, the gates were chained. While Tedd was standing at the gate, Bill took the pliers out of the trunk and headed for the lock. A moment later, the gate was open. Both guys got back in the car and their journey continued.

“The Quiet Hill is 5 km from here.”

The fog, which had been almost absent all the way, began to thicken. The sky merged with the ground, and only the asphalt was visible in the headlights. Everyone in the cabin stopped talking and peered into the fog, trying to see something in it.

– That’s it, we’ve arrived, – Bill broke the silence and stopped the car in front of the Welcome to Quiet Hill stand

There was no sound, no wind, no smells, nothing at all.

– So where are we going? – Sarah asked, glad to be here.

– hm… Of course, we can go to the local school, – Tedd suggested, pulling an old map of the city out of his pocket. Alex went over to him to look at the map. The edges of the paper were slightly burned, and the date 1968 was visible on one corner.

– Where did you get this card? – Alex asked, starting to get a little nervous about all this. Something was bothering him.

– I found it in my grandfather’s book, – Tedd replied without taking his eyes off the map.

– What was the book about?

– In my opinion, “Ghost Towns of the whole world”, and the map is based on the history of the Quiet Hill, so it became interesting for me to visit here.

– If I’m not mistaken, your grandfather lived here…

– Yes, and what?

– And he left this place after the fire, and when he returned to Centralia, he was placed in a psychiatric clinic amid a nervous breakdown and insanity…

Sarah spread her hands:

– Alex, his grandfather was already ill, and everyone knows that he just inhaled carbon monoxide during the fire. Relax, especially if it calms you down, he was alone, but there are many of us. You can imagine anything, but it’s unlikely that all five of them would have made the same mistake.

Alex felt a little calmer, he didn’t want to go back to the big house with bars on the windows and cold white walls. He stayed there for a week, transitional age, frequent depression, he turned out to be too weak. He was saved, but no matter how much he said it wouldn’t happen again, no one listened to him. The doctors’ job is to follow the patient and tell him if he really feels better. He was marked in the medical record as a temporary guest, but, of course, with a discharge.

Megan slowly walked up to him and took his hand:

– Don’t worry, everything will be fine, – she smiled slightly.

– Here! The school is not far away, let’s go, – Tedd commanded and walked down the road, the others followed him. Everyone was walking calmly except Alex. He looked at every abandoned house, every car parked next to them. The city resembled a reflection of Centralia, there were not even signs of a fire. His hand trembled with excitement and a sudden chill. Megan felt it. She slowed down and ask him:

– What are you afraid of? It’s just a fog…

– It’s kind of weird here, no signs of a fire…, – he grumbled in response, casting sidelong glances at the gray buildings. Megan looked at the houses:

– Indeed, hmm.. Maybe there was no fire here?

– Yes, but then why did the edges of the map get burned, for sure this map is from here, and I didn’t think that his grandfather was so crazy that he played with a lighter and singed the edges on purpose. Moreover, the date corresponds to the date of the fire.

– Alex, you’re scaring me, – Megan stopped, and he also stood next to her.

– Well, here we are, – Sarah said cheerfully as always, standing near the school stairs. Tedd and Bill went straight to the door of the school, Sarah went with Megan. Alex took just one step as something warm flowed from his nose, a drop of warm water. A small red spot formed on the steps, the blood dried on the concrete. At that moment, Megan turned around.

– Oh, my God.. Guys! Alex’s nose is bleeding, – she screamed and ran up to him. But the guys were walking down the corridor of the school and did not hear anything.

– I’ll call them, – Sarah said and ran to school.

Alex stood there and did not understand what was happening to him, his knees were weak, his head was spinning, and an unpleasant squeak appeared in his ears. Megan grabbed his arm and sat him down on a bench near the school steps.

– So, tilt your head back… – Megan helped him lift his head, – what happened?

Alex looked at the sky, which was covered with fog and said nothing, after a few seconds he croaked,

– We need to… leave… and as soon as possible…

– Why?

– This place is still cursed, we shouldn’t have come here… I became a believer after God saved me from myself, and… I can’t go to this school, something won’t let me go there..

Megan frowned. There was silence for a moment. Suddenly she jumped up, obviously realizing what Alex was trying to tell her.

– I’ll run and get them back! Wait here and don’t try to follow me! – And she quickly ran up the steps to the school.

Alex didn’t see her enter the school, but he heard the door slam.

Now he was sitting alone. The taste of blood appeared in my mouth, it no longer flowed down my throat, it stopped. Slowly, he lowered his head. “Why did I let her go?” – he thought, coming to himself. Alex tried to stand up, his legs were still heavy, but he was able to get up from the bench. Standing outside the school, he knew he couldn’t go there, but what should he do?

“Phone!” flashed through his mind, but as soon as he took it out… The school bell broke the silence. The phone made an unpleasant crackling sound. Alex fell to his knees, there was a terrible noise, and he put his fingers in his ears.

Suddenly, abruptly, that’s all. The street was filled with silence again. As if nothing had happened. Alex got up from the ground. Nothing has changed around, but the lull was not as long as we would like. A few minutes later, the heavy, long-drawn, terrifying wail of the city siren echoed throughout the city. The last time she worked was during a fire, but this time it’s completely different. At that moment, everything seemed to come alive. The fog began to dissolve in the air, and the light gradually turned into darkness. Alex panicked, his heart pounding in his chest, when he saw the darkness at the very end of the main street, which was quickly swallowing up the houses, one by one, like a black hole. There was a scream in the school. Alex didn’t know exactly whose, because he was already far from the school and running to the car. He was praying out of fear, his legs were giving way, adrenaline was pounding in his head, and the siren was getting louder and louder.

And now he sees the car! With a final tug, Alex jumped into it. For a second he was afraid: “Tedd might have the keys!!” But, alas, this guy left the car open with the keys, he probably thought that it was unlikely that anyone but them would come here.

The engine roared, and Alex started backing up. Darkness engulfed the entire city and pursued only him, but the car turned sharply and sped down the highway at full speed. He had to get off this highway before the darkness swallowed him up. Ahead, a “2 km to Centralia” sign flashed in the headlights.

“Where am I?” Alex thought.

He opened his eyes. There was no fog, and he recognized the area. He was glad to be back in Centralia. A man in a firefighter’s uniform knocked on the car window.

– Are you all right, are you alive? – he asked.

Alex began to come to his senses a little. It turned out that he lost consciousness at the wheel, drove off the highway, very close to the city and crashed into an apartment building. The impact crushed him under the steering wheel, the airbag did not work.

Alex tried to get out, but the pulling pain in his ribs prevented him from doing so.

– So don’t worry, kid, and sit up straight, we’ll get you out, – the firefighter continued to talk to him. The door jammed, and Fortune’s cry was heard. After a while, the door was removed, the steering wheel too, and Alex was helped out.

After inhaling fresh air, Alex felt dizzy and lost consciousness again.

He woke up in the hospital. Next to him sat a policeman in a white coat and a man, judging by his clothes and badge, a psychiatrist. The man looked at Alex and smiled:

– Welcome back, if I’m not mistaken, Alex, right?

– Why ask me about something that you already know perfectly well? – Alex replied calmly. The Doctor chuckled:

– There’s nothing wrong with his memory, it’s good. Tell me then, please, where were you yesterday?

– Where was I yesterday? Alex repeated. “By the way, where were you yesterday?” flashed through his head, memories like needles stabbed into his brain, darkness, blood, siren…

– Okay, calm down, nurse, bring gauze, the guy’s nose is bleeding, relax, Alex, it’s okay, you’re safe.

Meanwhile, the policeman was writing something down in his journal. Alex spoke softly:

– Yesterday, my friends and I went to a Quiet hill..

– Go on, – the doctor replied, wiping away the blood.

– We decided to go to school… Then…

– What?

– Something happened…

– What happened?

Alex frowned for a second. The thought that he might end up in a psychiatric hospital again haunted him, he did not know what to answer.

– My nose started bleeding. Megan ran after Bill, Tedd and Sarah to school, – he continued.

– Where are they now?

Goosebumps ran all over his body.

– They stayed in that city… at school…

– Why did you leave without them?

– The alarm went off, the city siren… darkness… it enveloped everything and haunted me… I couldn’t stay there.

The doctor stood up, sighed, took out his glasses from his pocket and, putting them on his nose, opened a magazine. After making a few notes, he nodded to the policeman and left. The policeman closed his notes, adjusted his cap, and then looked at Alex.

– Orderlies! Take him to Hospital No. 16, the boy inhaled too much gas…

His heart was pounding in his chest, and Alex jumped out of bed:

– No! There was no smell of gas! Everything was safe and sound there, this place is still cursed! Why don’t you believe me? – the fear that he would have to spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital prompted him to take actions that were not typical of him. He remembers all too well the days when he was first brought to this place.

– Don’t be nervous, it’s all right, – the policeman tried to calm him down, the nurse was already standing behind him with a syringe.

– I know! You want to take me back there! – Alex couldn’t control himself, adrenaline surged in his blood, and he tried to run out of the room. But they grabbed him and injected him with sleeping pills.

“I’m telling the truth…” were his last words before he fell asleep.