Up North
by
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Ordinarily, the lodge would have been a welcome respite for the three travelers, but tonight the three guests were confronted with a strange and frightening awareness that something unexpected and possibly nefarious had occurred. Matt walked down the first-floor hall to check the fuse box, but then the lights began to flicker once more, and suddenly, all was black again. They had to rely on their flashlights. Sam began to climb the stairs to the upper floor slowly and cautiously, with Alex close behind. As he reached the first landing, he noticed a slight bluish hue on the wood-paneled wall of the hallway leading to the rooms. His heart began to race. He hesitated and then called out, “Alex! Matt!” Alex was standing at the foot of the stairs right behind him. Matt had disappeared into the hallway leading to the rooms below. Sam whispered, “Do you see that, Alex? What could that be?” He turned toward his friend. “Stay close behind.” Outside, the wind had picked up and was blowing snow against the windows of the lodge, issuing a high-pitched whistling that sent a chill down their spines. Despite their mounting anxiety, they proceeded to climb the stairs. When they reached the upper-floor landing and gazed down the hall, they saw a blue light emanating from several rooms. Sam called out to Matt again. “Matt, come up here! We’ve found something.” They walked ever so slowly down the hall toward the first room. A sense of fear was beginning to embrace them, yet their curiosity moved them forward. Upon reaching the first room, they cautiously gazed in and were jolted back in shock and horror. Alex shouted, “Jesus! What is that, Sam?” In the corner of the room was a large cylindrical object standing on end, about seven feet high. It was translucent and glowing with a fluorescent bluish light. Inching closer, they were able to recognize the figure of a woman within the cylinder. She appeared fully clothed and suspended, floating in a clear blue liquid.
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About the Book
In 1959, a college student, Matt, is contacted by his cousin who was presumed killed during the Korean War. His cousin invites him to spend the winter break at his parents’ remote lodge in northern Minnesota. Matt persuades two friends to join him and together, they drive to the lodge in a blinding blizzard. On arrival they are shocked to find a horror scene at the lodge. Matt’s two friends and the owner of the lodge disappear after a confrontation with Matt’s cousin, but Matt escapes. Matt is subsequently arrested and accused of murdering the occupants of the lodge including his two friends, his aunt and uncle. No evidence is found to convict Matt; however, he remains a person of interest and is restricted by the court to reside in a small town nearby. Years later, the lodge is acquired by a computer programmer and his friend, but on their initial visit to the property, they encounter several strange and frightening incidents that prompt them to investigate the history of the lodge. They find an article that details Matt’s account of the 1959 incident and set out to locate him in the small local town. After they locate Matt and compare notes, they discover that Matt’s cousin disappeared in northern Alaska. They then set out to locate the site of his cousin’s disappearance. After an arduous trip into the Brooks Range Mountains of northern Alaska, they are captured and find themselves in a large subterranean city.
About the Author
James Tetrud is a retired professor of neurology at Stanford University Medical Center. This novel was inspired by a bedtime story told to his three children. They suggested he write the story in book form.