Markham Road A novel

Chapter One

The time was 5:00 PM.

The radio DJ said: 'This is Rich Anderson from Markham Radio. As you know, the President is here in town. Of course, there's a cheerleader team doing their dances at 6:00 PM. In other news, Daniel Richter, the Fraternity President of Alpha Beta Alpha house, was forced to leave because his father, Edward Richter II, a Bank America Manager, died from a brain aneurysm. He was 47 years' old. Daniel, who was twenty-one, decided to let Avery James, the Deputy Fraternity house head, twenty-three, to take over. Lastly, there was a storm coming in the Markham area. It will happen at 8:00 PM tonight'.

***

Rachel Moore walked towards the sorority house.

She was eager to deal with the idea that Craig Harris, the fraternity house member, would ask her out on a date. The weather was cold. He had been away in Ohio with his parents. The weather was 73 degrees. 'Isn't it nice here?', Emma James asked her. 'Yes, it is. I'm Rachel'.

'Emma', she answered.

'You're a sorority house sister?'.

'Yes'.

'Hey, we can be friends'.

'Sure', Rachel smiled.

***

Mark Roamer smoked a cigarette.

He hadn't attended a rally for a long time.

The Vietnam War went on and on and on.

And the Zodiac killer went on a rampage.

Then Watergate brought down President Richard Nixon.

And then chaos reigned across America.

***

Mark looked at the sign.

It read: APARTMENTS TO LET-SEE RICHARD HAYES

He saw the phone number.

555-555-555

He opened the door.

A woman smiled at him.

'Can I help you?', she asked.

'Yes, I'm Mark Roamer. I like a room please', he answered.

'Of course. I'm Anne Franklin. I'm Richard's sister'.

'Oh. I see'.

He saw the ring on the right, middle finger.

'You're married?', Mark asked.

'Yes, my husband, Tod Franklin, is a solider in 'Nam'.

'We're losing the war. I hate wars', Mark said.

'War is death', Anne stated.

And she let him inside.

***

'Come on, Reggie'.

'What now, Peter'.

'Someone's coming'.

'Who?'.

'Zane Cromer'.

'You're joking, right'.

'No'.

'The American Dream is dead'.

'No, shit'.

'Look, everyone is turning a blind eye to...'.

'Hush!', Reggie said.

There was movement.

As they looked around, the shadows hovered above them.

***

The room was spacious.

'The lamp is on. It is time for dinner. Would you like something to eat?', Anne asked Mark.

'Yes, I will need to spend a month here. Longer if it is possible', Mark answered. In the room was grey curtains; a color TV set; a record player; and a Dining Table with chairs in the other room. A poster of 'The Deep' was on the walls. 'Jacqueline Bisset fan?', he asked her.

'Mike Frank, my ex-boyfriend, read the Peter Benchley novel from 1976', Anne answered.

'My favorite novel is "Demon Seed", the 1973 Science Fiction classic by Dean R Koontz'.

'I read that novel. Seen the movie'.

'Yeah, it is scary'.

And Anne nodded.

***

Rachel walked to the sorority house.

'Bid Day is tomorrow morning', Emma said.

'Let's see if our names are on the list on the white walls', Rachel said.

They looked, and smiled as they saw them on it.

'We're in!', Rachel said.

'Yes', Emma said.

Then they celebrated.

***

Carson Winthrop looked at the house.

He begun to deal with the fact that Stacey Meadows was leaving him. He had been prepared for the inevitable; he was sick. The flu was bad in Markham. He saw Arthur Thomas, the old man who lived near the school. For awhile, there was memories of the past.

Carson heard the sound of footsteps.

He turned, and saw Harriet Dorman, the neighbor.

'How are you doing?', he asked her.

'Better', Harriet answered.

'Where's Fred?'.

'In the United States Army'.

'The Army'.

'Yes'.

'Can you tell him not to go?'.

'No', Harriet said.

And she cried.

***

Mark smiled.

He ate quietly.

The darkness came.

And he watched television in silence.

***

The killer, Adam Moore, sat on the chair.

He saw Mr. Franklin, the owner of the Diner.

'Good evening, Adam. How're you doing?', Mr. Franklin asked him.

'Fine. I think that you were afraid', Adam answered.

'Afraid'.

'Yes', Adam said.

He grinned, and ate his lunch.

***

The lights were dim.

Jason Broacher sipped his warm coffee.

He focused on the road.

It was dark now.

It became intolerable these days.

The rain came down harder...and harder.

And then the knife came downward, and his screams were rendered silent.

***

Rachel grabbed her book.

'It is English'.

'That's good', Emma said.

In her right hand was a History book.

'Let's see Mrs. Chambers, the Sorority house mother'.

'Fine by me', Rachel said.

***

'You don't understand'.

'About...'.

'The killer'.

'Markham is a town in which he is here'.

'Yes, April'.

'Do you know what it is when we fear?', Karen asked her.

'Death', April answered.

'That's correct'.

'Then we have to do something', April said.

***

Theo Nate Carters walked along the road. He was yawning. Nearby was the sign that read LOVER'S LANE. 4 MILES TO THE LEFT. He saw four cars that was parked. Teenagers were necking, or making out. The lamps illuminated the windows. Theo looked at the restrooms. He went inside the Men's Area. Afterwards, he washed his hands, and the weather was cold.

'It's going to rain tonight', Amy James said.

'Really'.

'Yes'.

'I'm Theo'.

'Martha'.

'Are you alone?', Theo asked her.

'Yes', Martha answered.

'Are you with someone?'.

'No'.

'Would you like to get some burgers?'.

'Yes, that will be great'.

'Let's go. It's across the road from Lover's Lane. Did you hear about the killer?'.

'No'.

'His name is Adam Moore'.

'I don't know him'.

'He is evil'.

'How do you know that?'.

'Because he is my brother', Martha said.

And she told him a story about her childhood.

***

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