Growing up, I always loved visiting my aunt and uncle in
the Pacific Northwest, they had a secluded house out in one of
the sprawling. Pine forests and owned a large
portion of the surrounding untouched land.
It was lonely, but not Lonesome far away but not without a touch
of civilization within driving distance.
My uncle Verne built a place from the ground up together with
my aunt. Ellie they gradually renovated
it from a small cabin into the kind of place.
They could have made a ridiculous amount of money had
they converted It into a rental property, they loved living
there too much to even consider it every year.
Right, at the end of summer, my folks, and I always made the
Trek up to visit them, 12 hours in the car, both ways, but
entirely worth it. Watching the sagebrush, infested
desert escapes slowly, transform into the Lush Greenery of
Washington state. Honestly, felt as if I was
venturing into a Fantastical Place lost.
Holy in another time, I grew a real close to my aunt Ellie
amongst those trips. She really was Thing else.
While Uncle Vern was a contractor, turned Carpenter
turned Master Artisan, making a mint performing Renovations for
folks who did want to turn their rural slices of life into
lucrative rentals. Ellie was this hermit
survivalist? That wasn't so much living out
in nature but living as a part of it, she knew everything.
There was to know about the surrounding Woods.
Literally she had an encyclopedic knowledge about
every plant and Critter within 100 miles.
I memory alone, she could trace out Pat's into the forgotten
Depths of the woods. Reaching beautiful Retreats, you
typically find only on some travel exploration blog.
Most importantly of all she loved to show me all of these
neat things and I couldn't get enough of learning about
everything she told me, it's largely why I kept up the
tradition of going to visit her. Even after I grew up and started
Living On My Own, Ellie would still call every year and asked
if I would be making the trip with how amazing she made every
visit feel it was impossible to say, no even more.
So after Your uncle Vern past. There was no exception when she
called that particular year. We made the usual arrangements
and my departure couldn't come soon enough.
The moment I was on the road Bound for the Deep forests.
Once more, I remember my heart soaring in a way I haven't
experienced since and possibly never will.
Again, it was early evening when I arrived, the sun was already
dipping low. As I pulled into the gravel
driveway. It's distant light, not quite
able to pierce the enveloping shroud of nature that deep
quiet. Took hold immediately.
After stepping out of my car, even with only enough of a
breeze to occasionally nip, at my nose, I could hear it
rustling through the pine needles.
There was no one within a five-minute Drive of this place
curiously, the house was dark excited, as I was for the trip.
I made sure to call Ellie that morning to confirm that she was
expecting me. She sounded ecstatic when we
spoke. So I quickly reason her being
out at this hour could be any number of things, grocery
shopping in town came to mind as I made it.
To the front porch there. Also might have been some kind
of emergency at the workshop. She inherited alongside Uncle
Vern's business, or maybe, just maybe she was out there in the
woods as she typically was, and at simply lost track of time.
Didn't matter much, I had a key in the alarm code memorized I
let myself in without any issue and dropped my bags off near the
door. There was time enough for those
later as I was drawn further into the beautiful home, both
she and Uncle Verne had put so many years of their lives in To
the floor plan, wasn't anything special, the front door opened
into a short hallway that had Uncle Vern's.
Now, unused office, just off to the left.
At the other end of the hall was the living room, a lofty.
Two-story arrangement with tall Windows lining, the far wall
that looked out to the rear of the property.
Every inch of those walls was polished wood with the column.
Separating the windows being hand-carved by Uncle, Vern
himself with an ornate Woodland, Motif against the left wall
beside the stairs, leading up to the second floor.
An Alcove housed an odd, especially modern entertainment
center. It's wide adorning, Archway in
the carved, mural above to, Anglers fly fishing on a river,
or more of my uncle's, Masterwork carpentry.
I took it all in swiftly, retreating back to the simpler
days of my youth. I was all but ready to sink into
the sofa and turn my brain off before I remembered my luggage
was still in the cramped. Entryway hoisting, my bags up
the stairs, to the second floor, the guest room.
I typically use during my stays was right there at the top.
Top curious, I glanced down the connecting Hall to both the
bathroom and Ellie's room. Finding them just as dark as the
rest of the house. By the time I finished
unpacking, she still hadn't put in an appearance.
Still not overly concerned. I headed back downstairs through
the kitchen and out the back door onto the rear porch.
There was someone else here. I could visit with of sorts in
keeping with my aunt's nature. Concerning nature.
The rear of the property was dedicated holy to being a
self-sufficient as possible. You're the large porch in the
back. She kept a small herb garden
that paled in comparison to the much larger acreage further out
dedicated to fruit and veggie cultivation in front of the
Farmland. A small barn stood with a
fenced-off pasture large enough to accommodate a single steer.
Hank was his name, originally purchased one Uncle Vern wanted
to try his hand at cattle raising however, upon arrival
Ellie promptly deemed Hank was too damn cute to be.
Since then, the old boy had been living the good life as an
entirely. Early pampered pet.
The big oaf was about as friendly as most dogs.
And just as lovable, however, just like Kelly old, Hank was
nowhere to be seen both his pasture and the barn were empty
the massing of hey, he slept in, was there in the corner as
expected and not a single thing, otherwise out of place.
As I got dumbfounded at the empty Barn has some things
started to click, Hank might have been the reason.
Ellie wasn't here to greet me. This wouldn't have been the
first time, Hank had escaped and wandered off.
He could be out there. Roaming the forest like the
oversized innocent goofy was with Ellie hot on his Trail.
Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I was about to try a
call to my aunt when I noticed the no service message feature
prominently upon the screen that was rather strange.
As I never had any issues with my phone up here, it was then
that I remember. Delhi had mentioned that her own
cell reception had been spotty recently my conversation with
her that morning had only been possible when I called her
actual land line with that realization, And I made my way
back into the house to try and reach her by calling from there,
along with the TV set up and the alarm, the cordless telephones
were about the only hints of modern technology about the
house. Sure, the kitchen had a full
range of common large and small appliances, but we're all dated
by a minimum of 20 years dialing.
Her number on the handheld, the call failed to ring.
Even once before it went straight to voicemail seeing no
immediate alternative. I left her a message that I had
arrived safely and I was concerned About her and Hank.
I tried to assure myself. Everything was probably fine and
remember that she was beyond capable and about every
situation that came calling around here, but I just couldn't
wandering over to the TV. I flipped it on and parked
myself. On the couch, with the requisite
remotes, in hand, besides Island, shifting, tides of
static-filled the screen, and I began hunting through the local
channels for any sort of news program reporting local
troubles. Problem was the only thing I
could get out of the TV. Was that same Shower of static
on every channel concern mounting deeper.
I tried the satellite box, next it, powered on readily, but when
I swap to its input, only a reception error came up on the
screen. Even the guide failed to load
properly. By the time I had given up on
the TV and frustration, it was well into the evening.
I stood facing the hall. Back out to the front door keys
in hand, trying to decide if it was worth a trip into town to
ask around. I was still half convinced, I
was making a mountain out of a molehill.
At this point and any moment Ellie would walk in with a story
to tell though honest I believe what held me back at that moment
was my lack of knowledge about the area beyond the woods.
Sure. Had been coming up here since I
was a kid but most of that time spent was largely in the house
or the surrounding Woods. Occasionally we'd make a trip
into the nearby town but only over to the diner, Uncle Vern's
Workshop or the gas station. I could tell you plenty about
the clearing of five minute, hike Northwest through the
Pines. But when it came to the town
itself, I was an absolute tourist.
Eventually, my apprehension one out, and I resigned myself to
making dinner. Instead, I found the fridge
stocked likely in anticipation of my visit.
I quickly threw together something for the both of us,
hoping she would return sooner than later, after dinner.
I tried the TV. Again, with no luck, trying to
find any alternative to Simply fretting away.
I snatched an old, Earl Stanley, Gardner novel from Uncle, Vern's
office. Not sure how far into Reached
before I passed out there on the couch in the living room can't
say I slept long as a house shaking crash of.
Thunder woke me around. Midnight days from the abrupt
Awakening, not even sure if it was actually Thunder that I
heard I dragged myself over to the large Windows.
Sure enough, a storm had descended with an absolute
onslaught of staccato. Drops hammering against the
house. It sounded bad out there like
dirt roads, washing away, kind of bad.
I immediately checked the house and found it.
No less empty. He then, before I passed out, at
least dinner was still on the table cold and uneven and all I
could think about was her being stuck somewhere out there, in
the rain, grabbing my phone again, no service was still
displayed meaning. No messages had come in while I
dozed. I went for the cordless and
punched a Nellie's cell number. Once more momentary relief,
came, when it didn't go directly to voicemail that faded shortly
thereafter, the ringing sound cut out as someone answered on
the other end. They didn't say anything.
Not even after I said, Hello and asked after Ellie the only thing
I heard from the other end was a rough ragged gasping unnerved.
As I was by the sound. I quickly blurted an apology and
something along the lines of wrong number before ending the
column trying to settle my racing heart.
I rationalize the whole thing is simply waking someone in the
middle of the night with my untimely.
Calm. Calm, somewhat returned but
didn't stay after confirming that it was Ellie's number that
I had dialed thumbing the redial anxiously.
I put my ear back to the Seaver anticipating the ringing once
more at the other end only. It never came instead.
It was those same painful. Staggered gasps.
After shouting myself hoarse to no response.
I what I could only imagine was an injured Ellie on.
The other end of the line. I hung up and went for the
emergency numbers, posted on the fridge, finding the contact,
info for the sheriff. I punched in the numbers
checked. All were correct and fumbled for
the talk button. I couldn't have been waiting for
all that long before someone answered but each Morning pulse
of the call ringing out, heightened the panic, I wasn't
sure what was going on with Ellie, but if those calls were
any indication, it definitely wasn't, right.
I nearly left right off the couch, when the call connected
and the voice of the other end announced, I had successfully
contacted the Stevens County Sheriff.
After a stretch of rapid-fire exposition, the deputy stopped
me short and calmed me down after a deep breath.
I was able to explain who I was and all about Antilles
disappearance. He asked me a few.
More questions to better, establish my identity and
repeated a few bits back to ensure he had taken down
everything correctly. Unfortunately, that was all that
could be done at that point. While the deputy promised to
send someone out of entually, it was unlikely, it would be
anytime soon. The storm had hit the area
harder than anyone had anticipated.
And the unpaved roads outside of town were far from safe that was
nothing. Unreasonable as much as I wanted
this all to be over and my aunt home safe.
There was only so much. That could actually be done even
if she was lost out there in the woods, it's not like a search.
Could be safely conducted with how bad the storm was without
anything else to do. I convince myself to try and
sleep instead of worrying, I checked the locks around the
house and made sure the security alarm was properly armed, not
that I was entirely expecting trouble, just a healthy
precaution. I then, hold myself upstairs, I
tried to focus on my bedtime routine to help, steer my mind
away from the dark thoughts that kept bubbling to the surface.
I sure as hell couldn't get those raspy gasps out of my
mind, even as I headed toward the bathroom to brush my teeth,
convinced it wasn't something, my panic-stricken mind had
trumped up In the Heat of the Moment.
My imagination began running wild with the possibilities.
Not a single one of them even remotely Pleasant preoccupied.
As I was, I suffered an awful start as a flash of lightning
came in, through the window. At the end of the hall.
My attention focused just in time to catch sight of the
Storms Fury, ripping through the darkened sky and trance by its
Brilliance. I was drawn to the window in
hopes of catching sight of an equally marvelous repetition.
Another glaring, barrage erupted branching through the sky
brighter than the last and that fleeting moment.
It illuminated the whole of the property below, maybe my memory
was filling in the gaps but I swear I could clearly see all of
Hanks pasture and the adjoining Barn that and what could have
been a figure lurking there at the far fence, my skin.
Rippled as I try to make sense of the Dark Shadow.
It stood out starkly against the blanched landscape burned.
In my eyes, someone was out there and I had never felt sure
of anything else in my entire life immediately.
My thoughts turned to a waterlogged, Ellie barely
managing to drag herself out of the storm without realizing I
was already halfway back down the stairs.
It wasn't until I reach the living room floor, that the
possibility crossed my mind. That it could be someone else
out there someone that might account for, why?
My aunt Her pets. Deer were now missing, I froze,
their white knuckling the banister.
When I recalled the deputies words about it being unlikely,
they would be able to send anyone out here at that moment.
I knew I should have gone back upstairs.
Barricaded myself in the guest room called the sheriff and
start praying that. I'd be alive to see morning.
I couldn't do it though. The idea that it was Ellie in
need of help, simply wouldn't leave my mind instead, I made my
way over to the fireplace Guided by the various Night Lights
placed in walls. Sockets around the house and
grabbed the poker. I then pass through the darkened
kitchen and into the adjoining mudroom.
I was reaching for the switch, that would turn on the rear.
Porches floodlights when I stopped.
Suddenly it took me a minute to figure why as I was standing
there listening to my own frantic breathing I realized
that it was the only thing I could hear not a particularly
uncommon thing. This deep in the woods were good
insulation deaf and the sounds of the forest at night but why
couldn't I hear the rain anymore before?
Reasonable answer took form a bolt of Thunder list, lightning
tour opened the night, shining through the large window on the
door, it cast an impossible, Shadow through the mud room,
someone or something lingered at the threshold towering, well,
over the doors height, I couldn't move the rain.
Choked night of the rural Woodland had reduced everything
to utter Darkness, even without the clouds.
And the rain, unless the exterior lights were on, you
often couldn't see more than a couple feet in front of you
after Sunset around here that Said I could feel something was
out there every hair on my body standing on end, Primal
sensation had taken hold ancient fear and unspoken reminder that.
There were reasons why we were once undeniably Afraid of the
Dark, there wasn't even time to try and explain away the dread
washing over me as I stood there.
Shivering from a cold, I couldn't feel my ears begin to
which faint at first but growing louder over the silent
emptiness. A simple repetition filled the
void footsteps as I Lies there was coming from the door.
Another ill-fated flash of lightning arrived and the
impossible. Shadow remained cast in the
brief moment as the light burned, I vaguely.
Remember bloodless skin, pale near, Blue pulled tightly over a
frame far, too elongated a finger with too many Knuckles
extending towards the door. I choked on my screen back
through the house. Full Pelt, nearly sliding into
the wall at the foot of the stairs, up, and up, and up,
door. Slamming loudly.
That was it, it's all that. I I can remember amidst the blur
separating seeing what I saw. And the first grey light of
dawn, framed by the drapes, the pain in my hands came first
there, after having been wrapped tightly around, the fireplace
poker all night shakily. I Rose from where I had been
kneeling opposite the bed from the door trying to take careful
stock of both surroundings and situation aside from a few
cramped muscles and a racing heart, I was largely fine.
The guest room, door was still firmly.
Shut I held my breath a good long while.
What's that me? Running up here?
Terrified that at any moment. The tapping would resume upon
the door, I heard the rain steadily pounding upon the roof
long before my chest started to burn.
Other than that, the house brooded in Stony silence.
I reminded myself that if someone had tried to force their
way in the alarm would have been screaming.
So loud that set my mind at ease long enough to recall, I had
brought the cordless phone up here last night before all the
commotion dialing up. The sheriff station from the
phone's memory was easy. Enough.
I could only hope the threat of a Prowler on the property would
be enough incentive for them to send someone over sooner than
later, I was anxious to the point of bouncing my knees.
As I sat on the edge of the bed, the moment someone answered I
fell straight into frenzy ranting close to gibberish.
I hastily tried to recount the prior night's encounter
managing, to call my madness and a kind and concise manner.
It was clear. I was not this deputy's first
Stark raving lunatic. Once my composure returned, I
told him all about Prowler though I left out more of the
incredulous details at that point.
I wasn't exactly sure if my mind was just playing tricks on me
after taking everything down. The deputy promised me that he
would see what he could do about making this a top priority for
the Department, given a promise that someone would be by within
the hour, pending hazardous driving conditions from the
Storm still, in progress, I reluctantly hung up for a good
long while I sat there, listening to the Stillness of
the house, nothing stirred Within And there was only the
rain falling upon the roof and windows.
The Quiet gave me heart or at least enough to go take a look
around upon muffled footfalls fireplace poker.
Clenched firmly, I began roaming the house.
I checked every room opened every closet and Cubed.
I concluded. I was assuredly alone after
checking the mudroom with no small amount of apprehension.
No one lurk there in. And the easily, broken glass
pane, remained wholly intact. The door was locked dead-bolted
while the alarm Two-faced nearby proudly displayed armed feeling
a bit more secure about things and confidently.
Attributing last night's care to an overactive imagination.
I settled on taking a shower. While I waited for the deputy to
arrive, I was in and out rather quickly, do lessened, the
lingering threat of a home invasion.
Prompted swiftness more than missing the deputies untimely,
arrival after showering I headed into the living room to try the
TV. Again, the satellite was still
complaining about reception and Thing, local was coming through
either. Fortunately, I didn't have to
gross over it too long as the, deputy arrived, shortly
thereafter. However, I wasn't about to let
anyone inside, without peeking out the window.
And Uncle Vern's office. First, when I saw the clearly
marked Stevens, County Sheriff Insignia on the truck, I opened
the door without any further. Hesitation, the deputy himself
was a trim, man. Of no remarkable features aside
from the uniform and badge. These days, I couldn't picture
him, even if I really try, He asked me a lot of the same
questions as we systematically move through the house.
I rehashed. Both Ellie's, disappearance, as
well as the story of the prowler.
It didn't take much to convince him.
It was worth taking a look around the property exterior.
He gladly did it twice over before we reconvened on the back
porch, mostly a whole lot of nothing was what he came back
with. If anyone had been here last
night, the persistent rainfall washed out, any and all tracks.
The only other thing that caught his eye was that the Satellite
Dish up Up on the Roof had been torn, free of its perch
something else. He attributed to the weather
aside, from more reassurance has that, they would begin looking
into Ellie's, disappearance immediately and another promise
to send someone by later that night to check in on things,
nothing else could be done. Then, in there before leaving,
he mentioned that the department had their hands full with a
number of accidents, brought on by the sudden and unrelenting
storm. He stressed that I should
exercise all due caution and it might be a good idea to stay
inside until the storm. Let So there I was alone yet
again and largely unable to do anything productive, anxious and
upset. I was stuck trying to Stave off
imaginings of all the worst-case scenarios before I could start
screaming and cheer panicked. Frustration, I resolved to head
into town to see if anyone had seen Ellie recently, hazardous
road conditions, be damned deciding Uncle Vern's Workshop
might be as good, a place as any to start.
I grab my keys. And ventured out into the rain.
Once in my car, I wasted no time.
I'm slotting the key in the ignition, the electrical system
came to life as expected, but the engine repeatedly failed to
turn over glancing down to the fuel gauge, the display set
empty in no uncertain terms and impossibility to join all the
others currently surrounding me. I ever filled the tank while
driving through town yesterday, there was no way the 30-minute
trip thereafter could have depleted, the entirety of the
tank getting out of the car again, I recalled a time before
where my car wouldn't start due to the gas.
Not being fully tightened while it was highly unlikely.
That was the case this time around I still felt compelled to
check it as I reach the rear of my car.
However the faintest touch of gasoline, hit my nose faint, but
present in the same fashion that a gas station, smells of the
stuff, the sent drew me downward to beneath the car itself.
It grew only stronger, they're not particularly staggering, but
strong enough to confirm that it was gasoline.
I was smelling grabbing my phone out of my pocket.
It, I turned on its flashlight, I nearly dropped it.
When I saw what was waiting for me, just past the rear passenger
door. The undercarriage was gouged
deeply a quartet of long violent streaks.
Had torn through it and more than likely the gas tank
beneath, I may have taken a hard bump about a mile or so down the
road when I was coming in but there was no way it cause the
severity of the damage. I was looking at no something
else did this after pulling myself up in a daze State?
My gaze unconsciously fell upon the It's opposite the road from
the driveway darken from the Perpetual storm.
The Deep shade beneath the pine boughs turns Sinister as that
creeping sensation of being watched prickled.
My neck. I didn't actually see anything
lurking there or at least I don't think I did.
I was gripped by the overwhelming Sensation that
someone or something, just beyond the tree line was
watching me watching and daring me to try and leave.
I sprinted hard back to the house, slamming the door and
bolting it when I mustered enough.
Courage to peer out through the doors window, I genuinely
expected to see that same haunting Shadow bounding up, the
porch. Nothing was out there, but that
didn't make me feel any better. Even after I triple checked
every lock in the house, I still hold myself up in the guest
room, almost going so far as to slide the heavy dresser in front
of the door. The day might have only been
half over at that point, but I was already feeling exhausted
bargaining with myself to do it. The moment the alarm should
sound. I will really grab the cordless
phone. To call the sheriff, yet again,
no use. I must have listened to ten
straight minutes of different music.
Styling of 90s, alternative music.
Before I hung up, the deputy wasn't kidding.
When they said they were going to be busy that day dejected,
but still far too antsy to Simply sit on my hands and wait,
I decided doing anything would be better than stewing in my own
anxieties, while almost anything.
I still wasn't feeling brave enough to chance wandering
around outside in the storm. So I took to searching the
House, instead looking for something anything, which might
allude to Ellie's disappearance, I started in Uncle Vern's office
and methodically tore through the house for even the slightest
inkling of Foul Play or some sort of intended destination, it
wasn't until much later, nearly dark outside that I finally made
my way into my aunt's bedroom. Last place to look at least
inside. I still really wasn't up for
checking out the barn, going through her actual personal
stuff without her, there felt bad.
Suddenly, I open the keepsake box on her dresser.
I was actually shocked, she still had the chin, see plastic
earrings in there that I gave her, as a birthday present when
I was a kid beneath those lay Uncle Vern's wedding ring.
As I picked up the gold band to admire it closer, it slipped
from my grasp and hit the hardwood floor with a bounce.
It went scattering across the floor and beneath the nightstand
next to Ellie's bed chasing after it.
I found that the gap which it had slipped through was too
narrow for my hand to fit with. No other choice, but to Move It.
I displace the lamp from. Atop it to the bed and easily
half. Did it off to the side waiting
beneath was not only Uncle Vern's ring, but what looked to
be a photograph facing away as it leaned against the wall
figuring, it was nothing more than an old picture had slipped
off the night stand. I reached down for it, as my
fingers, brushed its age. I felt the hair on the back of
my neck rise as sudden tightness in my throat.
Something telling me that I really didn't want to see what
this particular. Picture depicted retracting, my
grasp, I left it as it lie. A few glances over my shoulder
to the deepening Shadows from down, the unlit hall, proved
insufficient and I turned to give them my full attention.
I must have stayed pose like that staring at nothing for a
good few minutes before the ominous Sensation that the dark
was watching me finally faded a bit more determined that my
imagination was yet again. Running itself ragged, I turned
back and carefully scooped up the picture with a few steadying
breaths. I lip the glossy Side Up,
bracing myself for the possibility that this was going
to be an Telly's last few moments alive.
Captured sinisterly upon film. It was almost funny.
How confused I was when I realized what I was actually
looking at, instead of something gruesome, it was a half, Focus
shot of a woodland scene, I recognized the same styled Pines
as those surrounding the property perched.
High above a small Hollow large Boulders, free of overgrowth.
Formed a ring around, whoever had captured the photograph
there. Pain.
The one deepest within the hollow for what I first mistook.
As a shadow gradually assumed its true form.
The stone had been scarred heavily and charred, black H
deeply upon it numerous branching lines, surged outward,
in all directions, from a single, intensely cleft
Starburst drawn. Immediately to it, I stared hard
as my mind tried to puzzle together, where I had seen this
before. I froze on the spot.
My ears perking and straining flashes of light burned into
memory, the long shadow. Cast my eyes traced, the wounded
Stone in the photograph once more and possibly tall was the
silhouette. These Lions formed with a large
grouping surging together into a lung outstretched limb.
Then in there, I could hear it. I swear, I could hear it echoing
from somewhere in the house loud.
Footsteps fueled by pure horror alone.
I bounded toward the door and threw it shut only after I had
dragged the dressing over in front of the door.
Did I realize I had instinctually sealed myself in
the bedroom crouched. As I was, The whole of my
weight. Bracing against both dresser and
door. I remain deathly.
Still listening to everything and anything in the house.
The photograph remained as I left it having landed facedown.
When I dropped it, I could do nothing else.
Save stare intensely at its blank backside, my ear stretched
too painful ends. As I continue listening to the
silence, my legs began to cramp as the low Rumble of Thunder.
Overhead Brought me Back to Reality by the time.
My days Panic ended the last streaks of sunlight Light were
but a memory focusing intently. I could hear the rain hitting
the roof once more with erratic flashes of lightning coming
through the window. Dragging myself, back up.
I was trying to get the blood moving back through my legs when
the landline began ringing startled at first, but that was
quickly dismantled. When I realized it could be the
sheriff station, someone from town in the know, or even Ellie
herself calling I made my way over to the base on the
untouched nightstand, frowning? When it's paired, handset was
nowhere to be found. Taking only a moment to check
between the stand and the bed to see if it had fallen there, I
then threw myself upon the dresser and hopes to move it
before. Voicemail answered in my stead,
with some Furious tugging, the bedroom door came open and I was
halfway down the hall when ringing Chimes ceased abruptly
that didn't stop me from entering the guest room, where I
knew, at least one of the handsets was waiting for me.
Sure enough it was on the dresser where I had left it,
picking it up. I filmed the button to display
the caller ID and my heart. It practically punch straight
through my chest. It was the same number I become
far too familiar with since arriving here, Hailey's cell
number mashing, the Callback button.
I held the receiver to my ear nerves fraying.
As I waited for the tone to begin wringing out a crackled.
Click came through and then nothing frantically.
Turning my blurry gaze back, upon the handsets display.
Again, it showed the call was connected but I still didn't
hear anything. Coming through, I began shouting
into the phone desperately crying.
Out for my hand asking if she was okay, if everything was all
right, nothing came through only as I was about to hang up and
try again, did I hear something from the other end?
Those same slow, and ragged gasps.
I put the receiver back to my ear and had begun renting a new
one. I was stopped short by a voice
coming through the other end, it's too late, Wyatt resigned
but definitely not Ellie. It's too late came.
The whisper again it's too late. A numbness began spreading Ting
through me as I slowly lowered the phone.
The decisive click of disconnection told me whoever
was on the other end. Had nothing else to say, within
the last Bastion of Reason feverishly trying to decipher
the cryptic message was soon overwhelmed by the Stark
emptiness of shocked. I didn't stay that way for long,
as the clattering of the handset on the floor as it slipped.
My grass, brought me back to my senses.
I was honestly startled by how loud, it was crashing into the
floor between, it's echoing impact, and the pounding already
thump. Away in my ears.
It was hard to hear anything else.
It was too late. I realized thereafter as the
frenetic pounding of my heart grew louder still the rain the
Thunder all of it gone. I could see the lightning still
flashing through the window. Its glare splaying my shadow
upon the wall opposite yet the air remains still gingerly.
I crept toward the door seeking to shut it as silently as I
could. I hadn't even begun reaching for
it one. Another eruption of light filled
the dark and Heavens. It wasn't only my A shadow on
the wall this time. I Whirled around throat closing
fast over a screen never heard. I was alone facing a darkened
window whereupon noiseless raindrops splattered incessantly
nothing penetrated the awaiting Gloom The Dark Knight of the
forest besieged by the storm held complete this time.
I didn't stop to confirm if my Phantom stalker was lurking
outside the window, I surge blindly through the door.
I wasn't sure where my feet were carrying me, but I was willing
so long as they carried me away from there.
I didn't actually get far, as I mentioned, the guest room was
near the top of the stairs, leading down into the living
room. Pure instinct told me firmly in
place teetering, upon the edge of the topmost, step from Beyond
the room below muffled and heard.
As if through plugged ears, came the sound of the alarm wailing
in desperate and muted tones. My Panic only deepened as my
thoughts, blurred into one frothing mess that demanded
Sanctuary. I was going to retreat into the
guest room when a creeping chill, paralyzed me once.
More just as distant and suppressed, as the alarms cries.
So, too, were the familiar beeps of the disarm code being
entered. The noise dropped off, sharply
leaving me alone and shivering silence.
My grip upon the banister tightened all, but to the point
of breakage, as I watched a ponderous Shadow drift between
the now, dimming bulbs of the scattered nightlights below when
it reached the foot of the stairs.
I still couldn't see what was now.
Lumbering up toward me? No footsteps, echoed.
As they always did with someone moving through the predominantly
What did living room? The third stair failed to Creek
as it did when any amount of weight was placed upon it.
Instead, my ears were filled with the sound of ragged and
raspy breathing. Bordering on absolute lunacy.
I ran back down the hall into Ellie's room in through the
door, shut between the swiftly closing Gap.
The shadow was seen rushing silently down the hall.
After me lock clicked easily into place the dresser groaning
across the floor. I didn't breathe again, until
both its weight and mine were firmly against the door.
Collapsing I saw because I leaned against the dresser
driven to Tears by a thick concoction of fear and
frustration, as I pounded my fist against the floor in
despair. I was answered by the dull Buzz
of the overhead light. Now intensely, brightening the
droning noise of surging electricity came to a fever
pitch and before I could turn my gaze properly upon the
sharpening glare a loud, pop proceeded, both shattering glass
and immediate Darkness, forcing a hand, over my mouth to
suffocate, the shrieks of surprise.
A dreadful Clarity within told me how pointless it was.
Whatever, was out there already knew I was in here the way in
which the doorknob rattles violently, as the lock held it
firmly in, place, told me as much, then all at once, it's
simply stopped. The knob was stilled the grown
of the door frame as the hinges. Graded against them fell off
into nothingness, another flash of lightning through Windows.
Drew my gaze as I heave my Panic, gasps against my hand,
still pressed to mouth, I waited for it to appear beyond the
glass. Glass as it had when it first
chased me from the guest room. I waited for the next flash to
cast that long impossible, Shadow over me as it had the
night before in the mudroom, I waited for the slow, tapping its
Rhythm already echoing in my ears until it sounded upon the
door behind me footsteps. Gentle unobtrusive and yet
harrowing enough to make my very Soul burn with oppressive dread
balling uncontrollably. Now, I pleaded for it to leave.
Just leave and let me be, let me in came a voice.
That struggled to form the words between ragged gasps, it sounded
distant and distorted like listening to someone on the
other end of a poorly connected phone call.
Let me in and then came the words that stick with me.
Even to this day words, I had heard so many times before that.
Now leave me in frantic Shivers something often heard even in
that very house, echoing throughout my childhood, I want
to show you something neat that I found.
I have no idea what happened after that it's all gone still
go. On nothing, but a long stretch
of repressed Darkness Remains the next thing I can actually
remember was gradually coming back into awareness and a
hospital room being treated for shock, severe exposure, and a
number of other smaller injuries.
Apparently, I had gone missing and a couple of deputies found
me, roadside some 60 miles away from Ellie's house.
A few days after the encounter I was conscious but completely
incoherent. At the time, they had to fly me
by helicopter to the next town, over for treatment.
After recovering, at least physically, I was released to go
back home. The sheriff was still
investigating, Ellie's disappearance, but I couldn't
add anything more aside. From what I could remember about
the Intruder, I left out the details that I couldn't that no
one could properly explain. But that was the end of my
involvement for a good long while they kept looking for her.
During that time, I was institutionalized for bouts of
violent delirium whenever a thunder storm descended, I
eventually Uh, came the dangerous outbursts, but I still
see a therapist now, and again, and I need earplugs on a sleep
mask to make it through a stormy night a few days ago.
Just as I was getting a handle on my life again, I received a
call from the sheriff of Stephenson County himself,
amidst my treatment and therapy seven, long years had already
come and gone with my folks passed on.
I was Ellie's only surviving next of kin as she still hasn't
been found. He was calling to inform me that
she was to be declared legally dead.
A lawyer's began calling thereafter.
I alone stood to inherit her estate, including the house and
the assets from Uncle. Vern's now-defunct business.
They keep calling, and I keep postponing the meetings to go
over the execution of the will I know the moment.
I finally, show up all of this becomes real.
Again, I'm afraid, I'll have to go back to her house.
Even if only to sell the property.
I can't do that. I can't go back.
What? If it's still waiting for me and
those woods? I was 14 at the time.
I was visiting my dad. I would go back and forth from
my parents. My dad stays on a farm.
We have a pretty average size farm with a barn shed, a bunch
of farming equipment in silos. Now we are literally in the
middle of nowhere. Like I mean, in the middle of
nowhere, the closest town to our house was around 60 miles,
believe it or not, we actually had two neighbors, a couple
miles down. I'm going to give you the way of
the land. We have a long driveway,
connecting to the main road. Road when you pull and it takes
around 30 seconds to go to the house driving at a comfortable,
20 mph. Once you pass the gate, we have
immediate left, we have the shed that holds our shop.
Then going back to the gate. If you look straight ahead from
it, that is our barn and a bunch of garages for our farming
equipment. Then lastly, we have four silos
going across that. Then to your immediate, right
when you enter the gates as our house, our house is actually not
that big compared to other farm houses.
It's a two-story. But it's quite small.
If you take a right from the gate, you will meet a screen
door. If you enter that screen door,
you will immediately be hit with a big table.
If you look to your right from where you entered, that's the
living room and then inside that living room in the back is a
spare room. Where I slept if you take a left
instead of taking a right, you will meet a section where
there's a bunch of rooms. If you stand in the middle of
that section to your left, will be the kitchen.
And then to your right, there's a bathroom, a computer room, and
my dad's room. But there is one door that leads
up to the second floor, but it's basically just an addict because
we barely go up there. As it's freezing cold, once you
enter the kitchen, if you take a right in the corner, we have the
basement and then the entrance way where you enter from the
front door. But anyways, let's get with the
story. So like I said, it's just me and
my dad at that house it was any other average day.
I woke up from the room and went to go eat breakfast.
My dad a hard-working man. Woke up extremely early he would
never Me up, but I liked eating breakfast with him.
But that being said, as I woke up and went into the living
room, I couldn't help, but feel I was being watched.
I know really ironic, but have you ever had that feeling where
you feel really uneasy or nervous.
But usually when that happens, you just brush it off.
And that's exactly what I did. I walked to the kitchen and grab
some bacon and eggs, and ate, and talked with my dad, me and
him laugh, but when we were done, he went outside to go work
on his truck and I stayed inside and watch TV.
Evie for a bit. Now, even with me being 14 years
old, I was pretty strong mentally.
Honestly, I rarely got scared, but what happened next was
something that I could have never prepared for.
So I was sitting in my living room.
When out of the blue, I heard this absolutely massive bang,
right above me. I about soiled my pants.
I jumped so bad. I actually fell out of my chair
and spilled all of my water. It sounded like somebody just
got dropped off of a skyscraper. I looked up almost immediately
thinking there would have been a hole in Ceiling.
But there was nothing at that point.
I knew there was absolutely no way something would have fallen
up there as there is nothing in that room.
Remember how I told you we never went up there.
Well the only thing in that second floor was right next to
the stairway When you entered it had nothing else.
So essentially either something was up there or the roof just
fell on top of itself and that house was completely silent
after that, I muted the TV and sat in this Frozen State
wondering if I should even walk for a couple.
Minutes, luckily I see my dad walking back into the house, but
it wasn't over as I didn't want to go investigate it.
I just thought I should lock the door, but as I was walking over,
I eerily heard some type of crying.
It was literally right next to that.
Door me being a fourteen-year-old.
My head was rushing through horror movies.
I locked the door in and sprinted.
The hell out of that house. My dad was now halfway walking
up. I immediately ran to him telling
him. What was going on?
Now, my dad was a. Jokester, and usually Messing
around with me when I did something like this.
But I'm just assuming he probably saw the fear in my face
and went in there. Now, this time, we didn't go
through the screen door and instead went through the front
door, you open the door and immediately took a left for
reference. When you open the front door and
take a left, we have a hidden gun.
In case of an intruder, he grabbed his Glock 19 and we
walked into the kitchen. I was a little behind because I
was scared to walk in there, but then I realized something the
base cement door. Sure as hell was not open.
As I went to, go check to make sure it was shut because the
heat from the basement was immense.
It's from our furnace. I didn't think much of it
though. Maybe thinking my dad opened the
door, my dad. And I both went to his room
right next to the door. I locked.
And this is where I connected to when two together, the door was
literally swung wide open and the lock was busted off.
By the way, those locks were designed to hold shed doors shut
in case of a storm. As a matter of fact, the door
was Early leaning on the wall as the hinges were blown off.
My dad. Just looked at me and my entire
life. I've never seen him look so
worried. My dad was a former police
officer for one year, so he had some training.
He taught me how to shoot a gun, and I've hunted, my whole life.
So he handed me a gun. Also, this might sound like
something out of Call of Duty, but I actually cleared out the
living room and my room, I went back to him whispering to him.
That the rooms were clear. Now, at that point, he was at
the basement door, as I entered the Kitchen.
I saw him sitting in fear, I asked him what was wrong and to
my horror, he heard somebody whispering and crying down
there. My dad took a quick look at me
and said, we're going down there and I agreed.
Each step was horrifying enough. Let me tell you how the basement
is set up. Once you reach the bottom step
which is about 10 steps to your right.
We have a workout please and then to your left, you have the
washing machine and an additional bathroom with a
shower. Now, in the left corner, we have
a boxed out room, it's like one of those P trap door as you
would see in movies. We've only been in there.
Once it's maybe eight feet tall and 15 feet wide so as we
reached halfway, we could hear some blatant shuffling.
We check the right and the left place but didn't see anything.
I already knew that whatever, or whoever was in this house was in
that place. My dad reluctantly posted up by
it and signaled me to go to the other end.
The basement is almost pitch black because we didn't turn any
lights on the only light source was illumination from the
sunrise. Which wasn't enough as my dad
entered. I enter behind him.
Reluctantly, we were maybe two steps into the room.
When my dad tried looking for the light switch, then we heard
this absolutely horrifying Screech come from the corner, my
dad pushed me and told me to go to one end while he went to the
other end. We heard this screeching in
crying away from the corner and it got progressively closer and
closer as time went on to my dismay, I could see it.
That thing was tall its head had to lean under because it was
hitting the ceiling. We're talking eight feet tall.
What made it even worse? Was this thing was really
strong. It straight up looked like a
body builder. Now, since it was Pitch Black, I
could only see it because of the illumination not being able to
see my dad. It walked out and started
walking up the stairway one. My dad appeared, we stepped out
and my dad was ready to yell it. Completely booked it out of the
basement. I heard a loud slam and then
some more yelling my dad and I walked up the stairway, very
reluctantly Now on the fifth step, before we entered the
kitchen, my dad stopped again, he cursed under his breath, we
went to the side of the stairway and saw that the door was blown
30 to 40 feet away from where it was supposed to be.
The whole doorway was completely ripped off, but oddly enough, it
was still standing in the doorway.
My dad was about ready to shoot the thing.
When it's printed away, my Dad ran right up the stairway and
tried chasing it. I was quickly following behind
him. When we saw it disappear in the
cornfield, we immediately Italy contacted the police and it took
them 45 minutes to get out here. They scanned and surveyed the
area for hours and found absolutely nothing.
We even checked the security cameras but oddly enough, it
wasn't working at that time. It's been a while since that
happened and I haven't seen that thing in a while.
If anyone can tell me what that thing is, I would love to know.
I have a hard time sleeping. Now, I just hope we never
encounter that thing again. I've always tried to rationally,
think through how we got here. What happened to lead us down
this path? Why did life turn out like this?
When I do my mind always comes back to that Summer's Day in
Scotland. Everything stems from that like
a collapsed vein. A happier time cut off from us
in the past and nowhere else to go.
But this tainted present back in 1977 my wife Jenna and I saw
something, neither of us could comprehend.
It changed us forever. We were staying in a small
Scottish Village. Village called a foil for a week
at the time, it was a quaint Place.
Surrounded by Pleasant Rolling Hills Woodland and locks from
our hotel, we could explore the Lush Scottish.
Scenery something Jenna had wanted to do since she was a
kid, her mother was Scottish. And although she had passed away
when my wife was very young Jenna, always felt a deep
connection to the country. It was a spiritual home of
sorts. She was fascinated by it, the
vast spaces of green and rock. Clear blue.
Is snow rain, wind and Sun piercing through it.
If you were lucky, it was the natural world in its element.
Most of all Jenna cherished, the few memories.
She had of her mother telling stories about Scotland.
It was a mystical place for her and her family and that poll to
see it firsthand. Only grew over the years, I had
spent my childhood in a small town in the midwest.
I'd had my fill of Nature and preferred the streets of Boston
as an adult, but when my wife turned 30, I knew that a trip
across the Atlantic would make the the perfect present.
When I told her where we were going, she was so happy.
I prefer oil Village was barely more than a main street at the
time with our hotel. Well, I say hotel but it was
more of a bed-and-breakfast sitting on one of the rare empty
back streets at night. The place shut down except for a
solitary Pub leaving us to breathe in the relative silence
and darkness of the surrounding Hills and forests.
The first night there, we had dinner at a small restaurant
that night brought more than its fair share of surprises.
Sizes, the first was when I surprised Jenna with a silver
bracelet engraved with a suitably soppy message on the
underside but that wasn't worthy.
Unexpected ceased Jenna then dropped the biggest surprise of
all she was pregnant with our first child.
We had been trying for over a year and we were beginning to
worry that something was wrong and so to hear that she was
pregnant was overwhelming. We celebrated Jenna on the
orange juice, me on the scotch. The next day my head was
pounding and I asked that we stay closer to the hotel rather
than have our plan trip to Glasgow City.
Jenna was a little tired, but by lunchtime my headache had lifted
a little and I suggested a walk through the countryside, as a
compromise, the night before, one of the locals had told me
about a Scenic walk through Queen Elizabeth Forest, it
sounded perfect and just a short drive away.
If I had to hurl at least I wouldn't be doing it in front of
other people. Jenna was excited to get out and
about and so we drove for about 20 minutes from A foil and
parked in a small makeshift parking lot inside the forest.
This was the place, the trail started and they could only be
explored on foot when we got out.
The scent of Pines was sweet in the air, and the fresh smell
made me feel much better. Although, I've been told the
location is now more popular on that day.
We saw no other cars on the road into the forest and the parking
lot itself was empty. The sun was high in the sky and
as we headed on foot towards what was supposed to be a
relaxing Forest. Walk, I remember smiling at
Jenna, she was so beautiful. A wooden information board.
Showed us the route. We were to take given her
condition. I didn't want Jenna to overexert
herself so we took the path marked in green, which meant it
should have been the easiest Trail and it was for a while.
The path move through pockets of pine trees, and had clearly been
used many times before it was picturesque.
And with each step, I started to understand why Jenna had been so
happy to visit the place. There's undoubtedly Necessary
about getting away from the world to lose yourself in
nature. It's like we still have an
ancient part of ourselves that gets nourished by the Deep
Greenery. As we strolled along the dirt
path, we started talking about what we would call the baby.
If it were a boy or a girl, it was then that we realized we
were not alone in front of us in the distance.
A young boy walked out from the Treeline and stood on the path
ahead about 50 yards away. Just staring at us.
He looked to be about eight or nine years old being in an
isolated area. Area.
It would have been unnerving to begin with the sun reflected off
of his skin and his pale color was Stark against the Green of
the forest. What do you do in a situation?
Like that? This was in the 1970s?
And although there were always Whispers of terrible, things
happening behind closed doors. It was long before the public
truly accepted, that many children were being mistreated
still. The unsettling sight was soon
replaced with concern. For the child Jenna picked up
the pace and shouted. Hello.
But something. He made me grab her hand and
stop her from running up to the boy.
I ask Jenna to stay put not just for herself but for our unborn
child's sake. The last thing I wanted was for
a stressful situation to affect the pregnancy, reluctantly she
stayed where she was and I stepped forward towards the boy
as I drew closer. I realized just how pale and
emaciated he was as though he had been kept somewhere
malnourished and away from sunlight for some time.
Are you okay? I asked where are your parents?
And he just looked at me the skin beneath his eyes darker
than the surrounding skin cautiously.
I moved closer with my arms open so as not to scare him, let us
help you. Maybe we could take you to the
police or help you find your parents.
The closer. I got, the more I felt the
uncertainty of the situation. There was something very wrong
with the boy. I expected him to move back or
show some sort of fear, but he didn't.
In fact, I was sure that a subtle grin momentarily
flickered across his face before returning to The same somber
expression. As before, by this time I was
standing straight in front of him.
I asked him. What's your name again?
He said nothing but now he was looking intently into my eyes
and that gays carried with it. Nothing but Menace, the boy,
then reached out his right hand, I turned to look back at Jenna
down the path to ask her what I should do.
As I turned, I heard a rustling sound and when I looked back
towards the boy, he was no longer there.
I followed the wrestling to the side of the path.
The Round dipped down into a slight incline, their the trees
and bushes, created thick, clumps of leaves and branches.
It look difficult to Traverse and I thought that the boy must
have been scraped and cut to Pieces running about in there.
There was sewed in between the trees, a tangled, green mess,
waiting for a moment. I listened, there was nothing
other than the occasional Creak of a branch swaying in the
gentle breeze above the sun, shined down directly onto the
path, but just a few steps forward.
And I would have been engulfed by the Dark of the Just the
difference in light was Stark in my mind and although I wanted to
help the kid everything about the situation left me in a weary
state of mind seeing no sign of the boy, I walked back to Jenna,
she asked where he was. I said I didn't know and told
her that he disappeared into the forest when my back was turned
Jenna looked pale and she gave me a look.
I knew only too well I had seen it a few times over the previous
few years. Something was on her mind and
she just had to get it out. Jenna looked me straight in the
The eyes and said, I never saw the boy.
Leave the path. She insisted that it was as if
he had just vanished. One moment, he was there.
The next he was gone. I was caught in a difficult
situation. This was before the common cell
phone, one of us needed to alert the authorities that there was a
young boy stranded, in the Woods, running around,
considering how deep and thick the section of forest around us.
Was he could easily have fallen and hit his head on a rock or
later passed of hypothermia. When the night came, there was
Only one thing we could do one of us would have to stay put in
case the kid needed help while the other would walk back to the
car drive into a burr foil and raised the alarm.
There was no question that I would stay in the forest, but I
didn't feel right about letting Jenna go back to the car by
herself. Even if she hadn't been
pregnant, I wouldn't have liked it.
But Jenna was always stronger Wilt than me and although I
would try to pull the usual strong husband routine.
Common at the time she was nearly always immune to it.
Jenna insisted that. She would head back down the
path and that I should try and find the kid but not stray too
far. She would be back as soon as
possible with help. I told her to honk the horn when
she was leaving the parking lot that way.
I'd know she got back to the car.
Okay, I got a smile in a roll of the eyes and return, but she
promised to do it, if it made me feel better, she gave me a kiss
on the cheek and walked back the way we had went, I watched her
until she disappeared from view, although I'd spent the last 10
years living in Boston, I grew up in the midwest, so hikes
through the woods were not alien to me, but this was different.
There was something off about that long stretch of path.
It was flanked by pine trees, so close together that the forest
was as dark as Twilight. Once you stepped off the path
and into it and that was something.
I had no intention of doing the tree line was like an
impenetrable wall to me, nonetheless, I stared intently
at it in search of the smallest sign of life.
I was sure that since I hadn't heard anyone moving around in
there, the boy, must still have been near.
You would have made too much noise, moving through the uneven
and clutter terrain, it was a sense of loneliness about that
place. No, not loneliness, but
isolation. Like it was an arm cut from the
body of the world such environments.
Infect the mind with paranoia. And as I was entertaining, the
Stark atmosphere of the police, I kept my eyes on the side of
the path from where the boy had first appeared.
My imagination took over. I began to think about the kid
lost in the woods. I thought about how he'd gotten
into such a situation in those thoughts were too dark to dwell
on. I turn my mind to a lighter
explanation. Maybe there was a lock nearby,
and he was swimming there with his friends.
I thought they pranked him and then he'd followed the path
trying to get back to town. Yes.
That made sense and must have been something like that.
But why did he not speak to me? And what of his skin, it was
unusually pale and that flicker of a smile on his face.
It caused me doubt just to think about it.
Continuing my vigil, I wondered why Jenna hadn't, honked the car
horn? Yet, as she left the parking
lot, I was sure she should have made it back there by then
that's when I thought I saw movement.
I didn't know if it was a deer or the missing boy himself
slowly. I stepped forward to the edge of
the path and peered in the quiet of the place took over and I
stared steadily for any hint of movement.
I was so focused that I had no time to react to the real
danger. Something walked out of the
woods from behind me at speed. I barely had a moment to turn
and when I did something large and white put its hands on me,
it knocked me from the path and as I fell down the incline into
the trees and bushes in front. A searing pain cut across my
vision. A branch of pine needles,
scratched across my left. Eyeball leaving me unable to see
out of it Instinct kicked in and I flood deeper between the
trees, the branches cracking and prodding around me as I did.
So, red tears fell from my injured left eye.
And as I looked back momentarily with my, Right?
I saw standing on the sunlit path, two people a man and a
woman. Both were tall and their skin
was as white as the boys. I had seen gleaming in the
Summer sun, both figures stepped forward towards where I was and
I quickly attempted to hide within the cutting Embrace of a
large pine tree. But it was clear that they could
see me somehow it was at that moment that I heard the distant
sound of a car horn, a sense of relief, cut through my
adrenaline, I could at least be happy that Jenna had made it
back to the car without without incident.
Hopefully out of the forest and away from my attackers a man and
woman stared at me through the trees, their gaze dark and
malevolent angry. Even when he and the woman moved
towards Where I Stood I panicked and picked up a moss-covered
rock on the ground at my feet. It was the only way to protect
myself. I watched anticipating their
movements waiting for them to attack the woman, spoke to the
man and her words, were unlike any I had heard before.
It wasn't just the language. That confused me.
But I'm uncertain, how any human could make such a sound beneath
the words. There was an unusual noise.
Each word lay on top of a breath like a storm swelling and
pushing through a constricted space, the man answered with a
lower yet. Equally Airy voice there.
We were waiting. I might not have understood the
language, but I knew they meant to harm me.
And for the first time, the thought that I might never leave
that Forest alive. Rose up in my mind.
Just as the man, finally Lurch towards where I was my heart
began to race. A race.
If the sound of Jenna striking our car horn had made me feel
more at ease. The second time, it sounded put
me on edge, when the horn sounded for a third and then a
final fourth time, I knew something terrible had happened
Jenna needed help. There was no time for dialogue.
These people, whoever they were at undoubtedly hurt.
That boy we had encountered and now they were hell-bent on
hurting me and my wife who knew how many of them there were?
I had to get back to Jenna to make sure she was okay.
A the man continued moving forward.
The pine branches breaking against his skin.
When he reached me, I left forward and swung The Rock in my
hand with all of my might. When it contacted his head I was
certain I had got him something cracked inside his head.
I felt it. Crimson sprayed across me and he
staggered back onto the trail. I will never forget the piercing
and human. Screamed, the woman let out when
she leaned over to help her companion.
The man's pale white face had come apart from the Attack the
woman, stood up to run of me and shocked.
At what I had done. I ran back down the path.
Looking back with my one. Good eye, I could see that she
was still with the man's crumpled body and so I focused
purely on reaching Jenna when I got to the parking lot.
I wasn't sure what I saw at first.
The car door was open and Jenna was lying in the driver's seat.
A small pale. White figure was near her doing
something as I ran to the car. The figure who I could now see
was the boy we had first encountered.
Let out a screech and held a red mess in his hands.
I was too late, the boy scampered off towards the
surrounding Forest, but as he reached the Tall, Grass just
before the tree line, he stopped crouching down.
He turned and stared at me, his white skin bleached red.
I didn't care if I was going to die.
I took a deep breath and turn to look at what he had done to my
wife. She was sitting in the driver's
seat, her eyes glazed, but I didn't understand she was
looking at me in a daze smiling. And there was no blood no
visible wound that I could see I dreamt about our child, she said
then she lost Consciousness. I pulled her still breathing out
of the driver's seat and put her gently in the back.
She was talking to herself mumbling.
Something as though she were in a deep confusing dream, my only
thought was to get her to a hospital climbing into the car.
I slammed the door, shut all the while, the boy covered in
Crimson, nestling something in his hands, stared at me from the
tall grass. But he was no longer alone.
The man and woman I had encountered on the path were
with him. And the man, though he bore a
scar down, the side of his cheek looked as though, his entire
face had been sewed back on, they watched silently as I drove
out of the parking lot and I was left with the uneasy feeling
that they allowed me to leave. Jenna recovered in a local
hospital and to my complete surprise.
Enjoy, our baby was still alive and healthy inside of its
mother. We spoke with the police, of
course, no one believed us. Us.
And why would they there wasn't a scratch on Jenna and
bizarrely. Even the Crimson witch had,
sprayed across me during my fight on the forest path had
vanished like disappearing ink. What I asked Jen about what
happened at the parking lot. She said, all she remembered was
a flash of white on the windscreen as if something had
jumped up on the hood of the car then nothing.
But she did say, she dreamed about a crying baby months
later. When we were back in Boston,
Jenna gave birth to our son, he was beautiful.
We're happy for a few days to our horror just a short while.
After getting him home, his skin began to change color, like
food, going bad because of the air is skin dark and does he
cried for his life? I called 911, but it was too
late. He stopped breathing in Jenna's
arms. We were overcome with grief.
I Can't Describe looking down at our beautiful boy his skin.
Now, the color of mold is eyes. Frozen Open.
Looking up at us. We heard the paramedics come
into our home downstairs, but before they They reached us the
miraculous happened, suddenly our son began breathing, again,
his eyes rolled around and then his skin began to change color
back to its original healthy tone.
But the change did not stop it. Grew paler, and paler and till
there was no doubt that we were staring at one of the children
of the forest before our very eyes and I will swear this until
my dying breath, our son then began to fade away.
Just as the Crimson had evaporated on my clothes as the
last outline of him vanished. He let out the laugh of Child
far older than his few days that laughs moved off into the air
and out through the nearest window fading to nothing if it
wasn't for the paramedics who saw the last moment themselves,
the police would have thought we disposed of Our Own Child.
We did not, he was never our child to begin with, he was of
the forest and I'm certain that's where he now lives lost
in a sea of green and would have our own unborn child.
Was he taken from Genna's body at the forest, is it possible?
He lives Is there to that possibility?
Haunts me as do these memories? I finally put into words Jenna
and I remain married though. He swore after that day, never
to have another child, perhaps the effects of what we
encountered in that Forest, still linger in her body, her
knows what we would have brought into this world.