Hidden Monument

Present

It wasn’t the frequency of weeping willow trees that surprised Max, but rather the length of their branches. The last time he drove through town the end of the branches seemed to hover the standard couple feet above the grassy ground next to the lake. Now, however, the autumn branches with long and thin yellow leaves dropped so low that they rubbed against the grass below. The drooping branches seemed to form a canopy that kept the base of the tree hidden, along with anything else that chose to crawl under the protective foliage covering. The drive back to town curved around countless ponds and small lakes, as well as over countless rivers and streams. The moist climate created the perfect conditions for the excessive number of willow trees that inhabited the land around Willow Grove.

His mind wandered back to the nights he spent driving the country roads that weaved through the waterways. He found an essential respite from the stresses of his normal life at B&T in the pleasant roads around the county. Driving on this road wasn’t meant to be savored now, he had a destination in mind and it was the shortest route to travel. He passed by a large hole in an oak tree where he was sure a great horned owl would be poking his head out at dawn. The wind sped up as he was curving around a murky pond with a layer of green algae floating on top. A tornado of orange and red leaves was swept up as the speed increased and were destined to be floated to another part of the forest floor.

Civilization emerged without warning and a sinking feeling began to form in Max’s stomach. The first building to emerge was the green-roofed state park headquarters that drew thousands of visitors in the summer months to rent canoes and kayaks. Then came the country homes, usually settled behind rows of wildly branching oaks trees and the occasional pine whose unrivaled height would look out of place. Max waited for the familiar stone home that had always caught his attention on these drives. He fully believed that all homes had character but as he peered through the trees he could read this home’s history completely.

The home was constructed of gray bricks that had varying levels of aging. Some retained their light grey color he imagined was present at construction while others were dark grey and seemed to have experienced countless winter/summer cycles. The most defining feature of the home, however, was a large window that extended nearly the entire length of the second floor. During the daytime, you could see indistinguishable shadows moving within. At night, however, the entire household’s activities became obvious to any outside observer. A passerby could see them settling down for dinner, enjoying a family game night, or each of them settled in their separate corners.

Max didn’t feel guilty because the house was so inviting to any eyes and almost begging to be observed from the outside in. His eyes darted back to the road when the property disappeared from view and he wondered how much the residents had changed since the last time he passed by. The campus was now very close and his heart began to race. The last time he had left he swore it would be his last, and that mindset had remained steady until he received a surprise call a few months earlier.

He arrived at an empty parking lot except for a cream-colored Ford Escape. He pulled in near it with one spot in between them. The car’s paint and tires seemed to suggest it was relatively aged but the flawless hood and windshield suggest it had been washed frequently in its long lifespan. Max approached the campus visitors center in a mechanical motion, he had to go on autopilot now to even make it to wherever Charlotte was waiting for him

He passed through an archway that read “Bentler and Thompson College” and felt an innocent wave of nostalgia befall him before being jerked to reality by her face. Charlotte stood in front of the doors to the visitor center. She carried a soft and neat smile that fit with her light brown hair that hung precisely an inch above her shoulders.

“Max, I’ve missed you so much”, she said, throwing her arms around his shoulders. He hugged her waist and was once again reminded of her height advantage.

“Charlotte, it’s been too long. I really hope that you’ve been doing well”, she was wearing a light grey peacoat with dark grey buttons that were unfastened.

“Yes… I get through my days like everyone else. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time. I can never fully forget about what happened but it does get easier over time.”

“That’s all you can do I suppose. Live your life as close to normal as possible and one day it will actually feel normal again.”

“Exactly. Tell me, how have you been Max? You are living in Clearlake now, right?” Her eyes kept glancing over his shoulder. She would only make eye contact for a second, he could tell she was waiting for someone else.

“Yes, that’s right. I’ve just been trying to live normally as well. Lately, that involves working as much as I can. I’ve been designing some homes in a gated neighborhood there which always makes things interesting. The bureaucracy is never-ending with places like that.”

“Oh yes, I’m sure. I am so proud of you for finally doing what you love, though. You deserve that. Well, listen, we will definitely have time to catch up more but why don’t I show you what I got you to come back to B&T for. I’m sure you’re anxious to see it.” Max felt the air beginning to escape from his lungs. He expected the reveal to be tomorrow night and tonight would only involve catching up. The question caught him off guard but he knew this was what she had been working hard on.

“Please lead the way. I’ve been very curious about it. I’m glad they chose to involve you in the project.” His hands closed at his side and he rubbed his thumb and forefinger together.

“Right this way,” she said and Max followed. They walked along the side of the visitors center where a few rose bushes had been planted and a tan-colored mulch bordered the sidewalk. “I was surprised to hear that you wouldn’t be giving input for designs as well. After all, you are far more experienced than I am.” Max opened his mouth to respond but then quickly shut it. “But I understand that you probably were starting to get closure and working on the memorial would bring everything up again.”

Max’s confusion grew as he had never been contacted for any input on the designs. His understanding was that Charlotte had taken the lead since she was the only one that remained in Willow Grove. He nodded confirmation, however, in the hopes of not making her feel guilty for mentioning it.

As they walked along the side of the building, Max could see the courtyard ahead that was bordered by several of the primary campus buildings. It served as the primary social, academic, and extracurricular area that he and his friends enjoyed while on campus. It made him happy that the memorial would be placed here. When he got a better view he could see the thick red tape that surrounded a newly erected stone structure. It appeared to be nothing but a stone wall that stretched almost ten feet high and had some sort of script etched into the side.

“There it is. It looks pretty plain from this angle I have to say but I think you’ll be surprised when we get to the other side.” She led him around the sidewalk bordering the edge of the courtyard. Just when he thought the inner contents of the memorial would be revealed, a concrete corner met his eyes and he realized that at least two of the sides were walled. They kept walking around and the true memorial was revealed.

“It is so beautiful Charlotte, I’m so impressed! And the fact that the college allowed for it to be so centrally located will make it so much more meaningful.” Over a dozen white marble shapes were spaced semi-randomly in the square space that was walled off on two sides. It wasn’t quite dusk but the sun had already dropped behind one of the walls of the memorial and Max couldn’t make out the details of each shape.

“Thank you, Max. That did take some work and the design didn’t come as naturally as you might think. Why don’t you take a closer look at them and tell me what you think.” Charlotte held out her hand and he approached the shapes. They were all roughly consistent: a square with rounded edges. Upon closer inspection, however, he realized that each one was slightly unique: a corner that was cut here, or a cylinder emerging from one of the shapes there.

Max started to take a rough count of the shapes in his head before a loud spitting noise interrupted his thinking. The roar of a motorcycle got louder and louder and finally ceased. Charlotte’s attention seemed to be completely absorbed by the noise. Max had a suspicion of who might accompany the sound.

They continued to circle the objects, Max inspecting each one and admiring how finely chiseled they all were. He then inspected the inscriptions on the walls. They were full of quotes, funny sayings, achievements, and anything else written that could be attributed to the memory of someone. Charlotte would look down for a moment but then her eyes would dart back up.

Finally, Max heard a stomping sound approach. He looked up to see the figure that appeared frequently in his dreams, without invitation. Holden’s jet black hair sat in an untidy mess on top of his head. He towered over Max and Charlotte, his intimidating frame always made Max uneasy. A long black coat laid on his wide shoulders, the collar of which was propped up so far that it covered halfway up his ears. He looked the same as in the dreams except for the fact that his coat was clean, no fresh layers of blood coated the fabric.

“Greetings,” he said to the both of them. He offered his hand to Max down below and he took it hesitantly. Holden’s powerful arm nearly rocked Max’s entire frame as he shook. He released his hand and then embraced Charlotte in half a hug. He looked past her to the memorial but her eyes stayed locked on him until after the embrace.

“What did I miss?” Holden said.

Three Years Earlier

“Your first instinct might have been to guess Gothic architecture because of the stained glass windows and the pointed arches. While that would have been a good guess, these buildings are actually of the Romanesque style. It was the predecessor to Gothic.” George said. He pointed towards the impressive black spire that shot up from a large cathedral building that had many intricate crosses worked into the sides and gold emblems. His voice seemed to be an encyclopedia playing on text to speech mode throughout the trip. Nearly everyone in the group turned and looked at him with this piece of information.

“Can you just shut up and enjoy the scenery until we get to the big clock?” One of the students said.

“Yeah none of us got a very comfortable sleep last night” Another chimed in.

“Well, I for one voted for separate rooms so don’t blame me for your discomfort,” George responded. The group had collectively fundraised enough money in order to afford each person their own room. They had (almost) unanimously decided to pocket most of that money for drinks and entertainment and use what little remained to rent out a large hostel room. Privacy was virtually impossible but there was something about group suffering that made the experience even more enjoyable.

Max’s pace quickened past the group starting their scolding of George. He could see his other friend Charlotte whose face was buried on a map of the city. Prague looked like a labyrinth on any piece of paper: all of the roads split in seemingly random directions and large swaths of land were taken up by parks, forests, and palace grounds. He approached behind her and tapped on her shoulder to which she responded with a little jump.

“Oh, Max! You startled me. I was just thinking about the best route we can take towards the gardens after we finish at the astronomical clock.”

“Always planning one step ahead. You impress me that way. Could you get much sleep last night with all the commotion?”

“Yes, it wasn’t too bad for me! I tend to be a pretty deep sleeper so it didn’t bother me much, it sounds like many of the others had trouble though.” She folded the map four times and neatly tucked it into her jacket pocket. She then turned and gave me her full attention. “How did you sleep?”

“I just put my headphones in and that tended to help. I think I’ll stay out a little later tonight though to avoid being woken up by the late-night crowd.” Max said.

“I’m sure that helps. I overheard some of your disco music on the plane. I thought that was only for retired parents reliving their glory days.” She said with a smirk.

“What can I say, it keeps me feeling light and energized.”

“Maybe I should try it then, I could use some of that.” Her eyes glanced upwards toward a towering shoulder. “How did you sleep, Holden?” She asked. His muscular jaw came into view as he slowly turned his face.

“Didn’t sleep much, I was out all night.” His voice was deep with a consistent tone, like a tuba blaring one constant note. He answered her question but then his face turned again and his attention was elsewhere. Max could tell the rest of the group felt safer in his presence. A large, intimidating figure like his on its own demanded respect. Paired with his stern manner he became a force to be reckoned with. It didn’t have the same effect on Max, however.

The square in front of the tower came into view after a few minutes. The old cobblestone road they had been walking on expanded and hundreds of tourists walked around taking pictures of all the old architecture in sight. The main object grabbing their attention: a six hundred-year-old astronomical clock. It had yellow brick like the surrounding buildings but had a dark stone outline surrounding the intricate golden clock pieces. The most impressive pieces stood only a few stories high but a tower emerged far above it which surely had been used for astronomical observation.

They entered the building to pay their respects to the craftsmanship and complexity of the architecture. The loud buzz of tourists seemed to cease as soon as the doors shut behind them. They began their ascent to the top of the tour and Max spotted many tiny doorways off of the spiral staircase. He imagined that an astronomer in the 15th century could be tucked away here for decades without anyone ever knowing down below.

When they reached the top, they took turns looking out on an observation deck positioned away from the square. It had high railings to ensure safety and thick concrete footing that had been installed much later for tourists’ safety. They all took pictures and took in the breathtaking city skyline. The river in the distance with countless medieval bridges spanning its width made for an inspiring scene.

“This doesn’t look right”, Max could hear someone say from within the tower. “Hey guys, check this out.” They all gathered around a door that was meant to be a blockade to another balcony outside the tower but it opened and shut with the wind now. Someone had forgotten to lock the door. Many of them were clearly tempted to walk outside but no one dared take the first step.

“Hey guys I don’t think we should-” George started but then Holden glared at him. His voice was caught in his throat. Holden pushed past the rest of us and stopped the squeaking of the door for a moment as he walked through it to the balcony outside. Someone held the door open behind him. We could see a small balcony through the doorway, no more than four feet wide. A short railing bordered it and with Holden’s stature, he could be over the railing with one small step.

He turned back to us after a moment. “Here, come take a look”, he said to George but it wasn’t a question. He grabbed George’s collar and yanked him out of the safety of the tower. Hold held him from behind and hovered his body right against the railing. George wiggled but Holden held on tight. Holden finally released him and George’s eyes were filled with terror as he hurried back inside. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Holden as he glanced over us, looking for his next victim.

“I think it’s time we get going back downstairs. We don’t want to get caught hanging out around here.” Charlotte said, her eyes not angry with him, just a logical assessment of the situation.

They started their shuffle down the tower towards the square below.

Present

Max was awoken by the ringing of a bell and a woman’s call of “Breakfast is ready!” He rolled out of his unfamiliar bed. The sheets felt itchy last night and he had to take them off. The bare comforter was all that he allowed to touch his skin. Even with that, he still didn’t get much sleep. He was anxious for the night to come. He pulled out his earbuds which were playing a soft piano tune to soothe his nerves.

He descended a staircase to an inviting and warm living space. A sturdy oak table stood in the middle and a small brick fireplace was set behind it. Small embers flickered inside but it wasn’t generating much heat. His host had set out an array of eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, along with a variety of different jellies and cream cheeses. The quantity was far too great for just the two of them but he appreciated it greatly.

“Thank you, Mrs. Patterson. This all looks delicious!” Max said, standing behind one of the sturdy chairs.

“You’ll have to try it to make your full decision!” She said with a smirk. “Please take a seat and start eating, I’m just finishing up a few things.” She walked back into the kitchen. Max took a seat, filled his plate, and got one forkful of eggs near his mouth before she started again.

“How did you sleep? Were you comfortable in that old bed?” She asked from behind the kitchen cupboards.

“Just fine, yes. I adjust to new beds quickly.” He hoped that she wouldn’t suspect the lie. Although considering all that she knew about what he went through, she could assume he had a tendency for sleepless nights. “Thank you again for letting me stay here. It wouldn’t have been too much trouble to find a motel.”

“Nonsense, when I heard the three of you were coming back to town for the vigil, I had to invite you to stay here. Micky always spoke so highly of you.” The mention of his name sent a pang of guilt to Max’s core. He had only met Micky a couple of times before the trip to the Czech Republic. They had exchanged only a few words but Max could tell that she assumed their relationship had been much greater.

“I’m glad, Micky was a great person. All of them were.” The pages of a photo album with a dozen faces flipped inside Max’s mind for an instant and then stopped.

“Yes, it sounds like they were.” Her voice turned to a whisper. “I still can’t imagine the type of person that could ever be responsible. Robbing those young lives so soon. I hope no one ever forgets the tragedy that this town felt when they heard the news. And what the three of you experienced, of course.”

“I suppose that’s why we are having the vigil tonight at the campus.”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m looking forward to seeing what that young lady Charlotte has been working on. All of us have been waiting for it.”

Three Years Earlier

Max spotted the slender yellow building with a large sign printed above the doorway: “Youth Hostel”. He felt relief wash over him as it was time to settle in for the night after a long day of exploring the city on foot. He pulled in front of the group a little, his pace quickened so that he could be one of the first ones in the room. As he was about to reach the door he felt a hand rest around the back of his neck. A chill was sent down his spine.

“I heard you were looking to stay out tonight. I have a few ideas, so why don’t you join me.” Holden said. Max thought of a million reasons to deny it but Holden began to turn his body away from the doorway and brought Max along with him.

Holden had a collar around Max’s neck but still chose activities that Holden deemed entertainment. The first stop was to an underground nightclub that could easily be identified by a stairwell illuminated with neon green lights and a fog machine whose product spilled onto the street outside. They descended and (since his captor was generous) Holden bought Max several rounds of Absinthe. It was a green liquor usually found in a skull bottle and tasted of rat poison. The shots continued to make his time with Holden more bearable for Max, however, so he continued to accept them. A pink-haired girl came up to request a dance with Holden but he waved her away with a flick of his wrist.

The next stop was the brothel that had red lights illuminating several windows in the three-story building. Figures moved around inside but Max didn’t look for too long. Holden held out a few bills for Max to take inside with him. Max assured him that he preferred to wait for him outside. Holden shook his head in disappointment and went inside after being checked by a massive Czech man that almost rivaled Holden’s height.

This would have been the perfect time to escape but Max had to admit that he felt safer in the presence of someone like Holden. It would make him a lot calmer walking back, especially in the red light district of Prague at this time of night. Max occupied his newly found time by evaluating the events of the day and shifting into the shadows whenever a shady figure seemed to be approaching on the sidewalk.

Holden finally emerged after half an hour and they began their walk back to the hostel, sharing only a few words between them. His face remained unchanged after almost every experience Max saw him have. His words usually spoke of adventure and thrill but his face looked like he wasn’t entertained by any mortal activities.

When they arrived back, the hostel was quiet and Max wondered if any of the others were still out. Four in the morning tended to be the only time they could all be found in the room together. Only the most nocturnal of creatures stayed out past then. Max took a left towards the shared bathrooms and Holden turned right towards the shared rooms.

Present

Max felt the hand of another community member on his arm. Max held the unlit candlestick in front of him so one got too close, but many people still offered a touch to make the sense of shared grief even greater. He was aligned in a row with Holden at the start and Charlotte in between them. People passed through one by one, greeting them, offering support, or just nodding and acknowledging their existence.

They stood parallel to one of the walls of the memorial and opposite the three of them were the family members. A steady crowd of people passed by them as well. Max was thankful that the darkness covered their faces from the fifteen-yard distance. He couldn’t bear to look any of them in the eyes. He could make out the frame of Mrs. Patterson standing towards the end of the line.

He felt another hand on his forearm. This time from Charlotte. He could see that tears were running slowly down her cheeks. The only imperfection on such a balanced and orderly woman. Max took her into a hug, placing her head on his shoulder. This felt right again. It was much needed after the three-year respite. He thought coming back to town would rake up old memories he had fought hard to forget but now he realized it was something he needed: closure.

Max looked over her shoulder to see Holden in conversation with a short man wearing a trenchcoat and a fedora. The man spoke softly and Holden just nodded. His lack of emotion never ceased to amaze Max. Holden nodded deeper this time and then the man moved on. Charlotte lifted her head from Max’s shoulder and then spoke, “I think it’s time”.

People had begun to form a group in front of the memorial and a few scattered between the marble blocks. A small stage had been erected in the corner of the structure where the two stone walls met. The dean of B&T was already positioned on the stage with a tall floodlight illuminating the memorial next to her. Charlotte shuffled slowly through the people and Max could she sent meant to join the dean on stage. As Charlotte approached, Max took another rough count of the shapes present. The number seemed off… thirteen were present here. He assumed Charlotte’s intentions were one for each victim but that would mean that there was one too many.

Three Years Earlier

Max began to wash his hands and he thought he heard a thump of some sort. Then a man’s voice slowly got louder. “HELP, HELP! GET IN HERE NOW.”

Max rushed out of the bathroom, hands soaking wet at his sides as he sprinted out the door and down the hall. Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he saw Holden’s broad back outside the door to the room. His head was shaking nervously. As Max approached, he turned. A crimson mess was splattered all over his black jacket and down his cheeks. His hands were open at his sides and were coated with another crimson layer.

“They are all gone… all of them. No one is breathing, they’re all...” Holden started but couldn’t complete it. Max’s voice was stuck and his feet were cemented to the ground. He couldn’t open that door, whatever was behind it meant a lifetime of suffering trying to forget what he had seen.

“What is this? What is this?” The hostel manager must have heard the scream and came rushing down the hall. His eyes seemed to bulge out of his head as he approached. He wore white pajama pants with Snoopy printed in the fabric.

“Call the police! Our friends are hurt!” Max shouted. The funny-looking man swiveled quickly and ran towards the phone.

Max swallowed hard and took the brave steps towards the door. He pushed it slightly and prepared for the worst. The warm scent of death filled his nostrils and made him uneasy but he had to enter. His eyes quickly went to tunnel vision, because one figure lay wriggling on the wooden hostel floor in the center of the room.

“Help! HELP” Max shouted towards the outside. Holden quickly entered the room and they lifted the figure out of the room and onto the floor of the hallway outside. Max put pressure on a visible stab wound on her thigh and rested her head on a bag that he had slung around his shoulder all day.

“It’s going to be okay, Charlotte. It’s going to be okay.”

Present

Charlotte’s speech finished and it received a very emotional response from the crowd. Her eyes remained watered but she never lost herself completely in the feelings that had been brought forward again. She explained that each of the shapes represented one of the victims lost three years ago. It each had certain external qualities to it that represented the individual. On top of that, each was hollow on the inside and contained an item that was important to them.

When Charlotte finished, the crowd expressed their gratitude to her and eventually began to diminish. The first to leave were the community members who only came to show their support, with little connection to the victims. Then many of the students who were acquainted with those present on the trip. Finally, the family members began to dribble out until just Holden, Charlotte, and Max remained.

“Great job Charlotte, we all appreciated your hard work,” Holden said, to Max’s surprise. “This is the closure we all needed. And now their memories will live forever here at B&T. In a place we all loved.” His statement seemed genuine and he looked down, directly at her. It was the first time since their reunion last night. Max felt hopeful that they actually had come together for a sentimental moment with Holden for the first time in three years.

“Thank you, Holden.” She looked up at his face, miles above. “We all know that the memorial should be thousands of miles away though. In the city that really took them from us.” They all agreed and expressed their frustration over the poor investigation by the Czech police, but described that they would have to live with the unknown.

Holden apologized but said he thought it best to depart before he began to overthink everything again. He turned and departed the memorial. Max felt satisfied with the fact that he began to see the human within this man for the first time. Maybe his dreams would begin to lose their disfavor with Holden.

“Max, I have one more thing to show you,” she said and offered a casual smile. “Please follow me.” Her tears seemed to have all dried up on her face and Max was relieved that it was just the two of them once again. He wanted desperately to leave Willow Grove forever now, knowing that his companions had received the parting they deserved. Another voice told him to stay, however, to stay with her as long as he could. She was the only one that truly made him feel better since returning from the tragedy in Prague.

She took his hand in hers and walked him around a few of the marble figures and Max appreciated their complexity once again. He moved his fingers along hers and she moved hers in response, glancing back at him appreciatively. She stopped him in front of the marble figure that was closest to the podium and the stone corner. She pointed to it and Max inspected it. It looked smaller than the rest around it and had two egg-shaped rocks emerging from the top as its distinguishing features.

She got down on her knees next to it and began to push the marble away from her. It remained still for a moment but then gave way. She stood up and pushed with her foot the remainder of the way to reveal what looked like a black cavity underneath. His confusion turned to horror as he realized that the two shapes on top of the marble rock represented a pair of earbuds.

“It is time for some closure, Max.” She said menacingly and Max received a violent shove forward. His body fell convulsing into the hole, he flailed his arms and legs but it was of no use. Darkness engulfed his eyes as he plummeted to the bottom and felt a violent snap in his wrist as his left arm broke his fall at the bottom. The stone at the bottom was damp and he tried to lift himself up but couldn’t, his legs rendered useless by the fall. He opened his mouth to speak but he couldn’t produce anything.

“I love closure,” said the haunting voice of Holden.

“Me too,” Charlotte responded.

Max saw the last bit of the exposed flood light fade from above him as the rock was pushed forward. Then it all went black...Start writing here…