Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S3 Ep135: Episode 136: Body Horror Stories

Episode Date: August 17, 2023

Today’s first phenomenal tale of tropical island terror is titled ‘Kalisa The Friend’, a phenomenal story by Heck Broke Luce, shared directly with me via my sub-reddit and read here with the author’s express permission: https://www.reddit.com/user/HeckBrokeLuce/ Today’s phenomenal closing tale of terror is ‘Bloody Bones and Green Eyes’, an original work by BearLair64, kindly shared directly with me via my sub-reddit and narrated here for you all with the author’s kind permission. https://www.reddit.com/user/BearLair64/

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Welcome to Dr. Creepin's Dungeon. Body horror is a genre of horror that focuses on the grotesque and disturbing transformations, deformities, and mutilations of the human body. Delves into the psychological fear and revulsion that arises when a human form is altered in unsettling and unnatural ways. In body horror, the human body itself becomes the source of terror as it undergoes horrifying changes, often beyond the control of the individual, as we will see in tonight's two tales of terror. Now, as always, before we begin, a word of caution. Tonight's stories may contain strong language, as well as descriptions of violence and horrific imagery. That sounds like your kind of thing.

Then let's begin. Galisa the friend. Hello? I don't know if this thing's recording. I don't know how these damn computers work. any damn kids in their damn internet I... well, I think it's time I told someone this story. Well, it's a crazy story.

One of you people won't believe, but it's one I have to tell for my own sake. The more memories you have that you're the only one alive to remember, the lonely you become. And this memory, well, it's a doozy. So I'm going to record me telling it here. Put it on the worldwide internet web thing, and then maybe you can remember it with me, even if you don't believe it.

It takes place a long time ago, 961 or 62, on a little island several miles off the coast of India. This island is mostly wilderness, but in the middle of that wilderness is a little village called Agrippina, named after the patron saint of those that suffer from leprosy. Started on a blistering hot Wednesday morning on the porch of the medic house. Well, the villages were getting restless. Dr. Geddes was late, as usual, and it wasn't often he had them huddled together so closely.

I think it would be a health concern if the inhabitants didn't all have leprosy already, but, well, what the hell did I know? I didn't have a medical degree, nor did I know a thing about medicine. I was ordered there some weeks ago by the English government as a means of their own idea of time served. Now, I knew it was an atypical punishment. from the usual way they did things, but not much more than that. I could have either served the rest of a 15-year sentence for trying to move cocaine back to the US, in prison,

or done six months working in an English-occupied Indian leper village and do whatever Corporal Burke, a US liaison, and the commanding officer there told me to do. I guess they thought I'd take the prison time. Corporal Burke instructed me to assist Dr. Gediz, the one medical professional on the first. the island, with whatever he needed as a kind of pseudo-nurse, and I'd done my best with that ever since I'd arrived, giving shots, taking vitals, handing out meds, and so on. With the proper

equipment and sanitary precautions, it's not as hard as it looks. It's better than lock-up. Take my word on that. He told the corporal to round up the village as in front of the medic house, a small stone building in the centre of the village, and await his announcements. He told me to wait outside and store them, whatever that meant. I just sat on the porch, playing my cup and ball toy that I'd found in Geddes' office, and glanced up at them occasionally, only to find them staring back at me. Leppercolines in the early 60s didn't have television, or YouTube or TikTok. They had cup and ball.

Very few of them spoke English, and none of them did particularly well. As we all waited there awkwardly, frying in the sun, All I could hear was them chattering with each other in their native tongue, punctuated every once in a while by the occasional coughing and jangling of the bells tied to their arms. The infected natives were all forced to wear bells, so they couldn't get too close to someone not infected, namely us, without making themselves known. At last the doctor had emerged from the doorway,

standing on the porch before the crowd. He looked like he could use a podium, nervously changing the position of his arms every few seconds, as if he didn't know what to do with his hands. He clearly wasn't born a public speaker, but he gave it his best shot. Attention, attention, quiet, please. The doctor had an overall pleasant, unthreatening demeanour,

though he made little effort to downplay as insufferably condescending, heightened R.P. English accent. Quiet, quiet, please, he continued. It wasn't until the few bilingual villages in the crowd began translating for the rest that the chatter silenced. I remember seeing one such native I didn't recognize, no more than eight years old,

explaining the doctor's words to her mother. Her left brow jutted out distortedly over her eye, and her skin, like many of the suffering islanders, sadly, was covered in lesions and blisters. I remember wondering how such a young child knew both languages so well.

As the doctor went on, so did the impromptu translators. As most of you are aware, shift captain Douglas and I are long-standing acquaintances, and once every month the shift captain and I discuss the quality of your efforts and labour in the mines. You are all allotted generous compensation for your work, and may spend it as you choose. Well, in reality, there were only two things a leper in the village of Acropina could spend money on for their work in the mines. Food at the cookhouse and meds. I guess you could call that a choice. Kind of.

Along with a document that goes into a more intricate analysis of how hard you've worked, the shift captain sends me a colour-coded card that signifies a rating of your toil. He does this month to month. Red is the worst, then orange, then yellow, and then blue. Green is the highest rating. Well, I'm happy to inform you all that the rating of your work this month is green. The crowd was silent. I think Gettis expected them to jump up in jubilation.

or clap or something. So then, you should all give yourself a rousing round of applause. Dr. Geddes tried to get them started by clapping first. The translators clarified every word he'd said, but no one clapped with him. Yes, well, that was the good news. I hope you all feel proud and enjoyed it somewhat, because I have some other news to share with you fine people.

Due to shortages and issues with trade, there will be a rationing of thiamine and niacin, which means their prices will rise. However, the price of vitamin L will stay the same. So, by the word, however, the crowd once again became unruly. If I needed these vitamins to stay alive, I'm sure I would have been pretty pissed, too. Now, Geddes was smart enough to use the old contrick of pre-thanking them for their cooperation and understanding. even if they weren't understanding. He tried his best to speak over the disgruntled crowd,

who were prattling swears in their native tongue while unintentionally chiming their bells. I want to extend my sincerest apologies on behalf of myself and Corporal Burke, and my thanks for your compliance at this difficult time. Thank you. He waddled back into the medic house with the quickness of a chicken into its coop after spotting a fox across the farm. Come, Mr. Rolfley.

That was my cue. I could see the looks on their faces as I turned from the crowd back inside. Frustration. Anguish, but not rage. More like they were woefully accustomed to this kind of treatment. The only one who wasn't scowling was the girl, who seemed more unfazed than upset. I didn't know if she wasn't aware of what she was hearing,

or she just didn't care. I was jealous of her optimism either way. "'And Mr. Ruffley, if you please.' "'Yeah, I'm coming.' As I walked inside, I turned to shut the door, but remembered there wasn't one. So instead I just took a seat at the conference table-land, like Burke and Gettys, tried to pretend I couldn't see the sea of frowns leering at us from the doorway outside. The crowd was taking painfully long to disperse.

"'Ungrateful, that's what they are. Ungrateful savages. Why? Did you see the way they looked at me? Never. Berg didn't seem rattled. Ah, stop getting your britches in a twist. They'll take the inflated price and they'll like it.

Do they have a choice? Well, no, not exactly. But they do scare me sometimes. I consider myself a compassionate person, but a man has his limits. I mean, did you see them? I saw you racing here with your asshole, puckered. Let me pour you a drink. Roughly? Scotch?

Rum, if you have it, I replied. Corporal Burke was an asshole. I wish I could describe him more eloquently or with more specificity, but there really wasn't much more to him. I'd hope with his seniority and experience, he'd be a wise, level-headed figure around here, but he was really just a child in an older man's body, a kid with a big gun. He was a large man, broad, cut shoulders, buzzed hair and skin that glowed orange tan from the sun.

He carried scars on his face, one that crossed diagonally down across his long angular nose. I knew he'd seen a lot of shit in combat. Shit you'd hope would mature a man, but I'd seen him around the village, seen how he treated the villagers. and heard stories of him up at the mine standing guard. Villagers would come back at the end of the day, bruised and beaten for, quote, slacking. Well, when he wasn't bullying them, that just left me and Gettys. He handed us our drinks and sat down.

There, dog, now drink that. When your pansy ass regains consciousness, tell roughly what you told me. Dr. Gediz took his time finishing his glass and cleared his. throat. Yes, uh, well, Mr. Roughley, you've been here for, uh, um, refresh my memory. Two and a half month, uh, two and a half months, so, and you've been here for long enough to, um, he paused. Well, the, uh, corporal and I have been running our humanitarian efforts out here to help these people for a number of years now. Before we'd come, we've heard all kinds of preposterous claims about this island and its inhabitants. Rumors of cannibalism. Curro from cannibalism.

Rumors of human sacrifice, mysticism, gods that roam the island. I've discussed it back and forth with Douglas. He seems to think the is plagued by an air of the supernature. Ah, Douglas is a fucking quat. Burk cut in. Dr. Gaddis continued. Ah, indeed. Well, Mr. Rofley. or better senses might have guessed. Neither Corporal Burke nor I have seen hide nor hair of any such hocus pocus. That is, until about a year ago. We were approached last August by one of the villages,

an elderly woman named Bimala. The woman told us that a friend close to her on the island was missing. Of course, we hadn't thought anything of it. I mean, the corporal and I would both be millionaires if we had a nickel for every deadly animal species that lives within a seven-mile radius of the world. village. She could easily have been ripped apart by crocodiles, or eaten by a Bengal tiger, or, well, I could go on. The doctor rifled for a cigar through his box of Dominicans,

put one between his teeth, bit the end, and lit it after nervously fumbling to light the match. He again went on, more relaxed than before, but still with a stern expression. But this wasn't an isolated occurrence, unfortunately. More reports came in of a missing person, or missing persons, I should say. No warnings, no bodies found utterly inexplicable disappearances. There wasn't even a pattern of quite which villages were disappearing. They had no notable similarities. The only constant was that their disappearances were always after nightfall.

The doctor sighed. Ah, this stopped a number of months ago before you arrived. whatever dark, unexplainable thing was going on here, we were at its mercy. We couldn't stop it or understand it. Needless to say, we welcomed it ceasing itself, and we all moved on. I could probably have guessed what the doctor was about to say. The truth was I already pretty much knew. Three days ago, a villager you may remember named Ishan was scheduled for

for his weekly medications and a vital check. You were supposed to give him those medications. I know Eishan never showed that day. I noted gravely. Yishan is nowhere to be found. He kept himself primarily, but we've been looking for him. Someone would have seen him by now. No one knows where he is. The stout, moustached Englishman flicked the ash from his comically large cigar onto the bare wooden table and took another part. I do so wish I could ignore this anomaly once again and wait for it to subside, but it's clear that whatever is going on in this village has resumed

and has no intention of ending permanently. The doctor had been glaring at me during his monologue, and continued to do so moments after he'd finished. The silence was growing increasingly awkward, so I assumed it was my turn to speak. Um, forgive me, Dr. Gettis, but... Why are you telling me all this?' Gettison Burke gave each other a knowing look,

then he rose from his chair and sauntered toward the window beside the doorway, cigar still in hand. The crowd had dissipated at this point, and the locals were back to their routine. The doctor gazed at them as they walked by. In our quest to locate the leper named Ishaan, I'd heard accounts from a few of the English-speaking villagers that there is a young girl, a local,

that regularly wanders outside of Agrippina, westward, into the jungle on the uncharted parts of the island. The others say they keep their distance from this girl. She only interacts with anyone when they need her translations. She's bilingual. I already had a hunch of which kid he was talking about. It's quite disturbing, actually. Gettis did look disturbed. I've been informed that the child claims she...

has a friend in the jungle. Geddes continued staring at me to gauge my reaction. A human friend, a woman, that she plays with who lives in the jungle. He sighed again. She says her friend's name is Calisa. Forgive me, Doctor, if I'm not following. I spoke up again. But what does this girl have to do with the disappearances?

Gettis's expression didn't change. I've yet to speak to the girl directly, but I have spoken with her mother, another afflicted. She told me her daughter's spouted claims that she knows where our missing lepers are. At this point the doctor was again standing at the table, pouring Burke another drink, then himself, then resumed his slow pace around the room. The child's been saying that they went to see Calisa. The old doctor spoke with a subtle, scoffing inflection that made it seem like he was aware of how silly these claims were, which didn't explain why he was entertaining them or why he was telling me.

And, um, what do you make of this Colisa business? I asked. Dr. Gettis returned to his seat across from mine, though he didn't look at me. He swelled his scotch for a moment while staring out of the doorway and was once more studying the villages as they passed. by. You must think it practically insane to even take a note of such a thing. Our children make outlandish assertions all the time. It's practically their profession. Corporal Burke, who at this point had graduated from using a glass and was just downing the scotch straight from the bottle, finally broke the silence. Yeah, it's also insane that the tenth of the island just got up and fucking vanished in the past year. We don't have a single, reasonable,

lead. We can't afford to turn our nose up at this one, even if it is unreasonable. Personally, I couldn't give a shit about these people. The way they live, crazy shit like this probably happens all the time on this island. But less able-bodied lepers means less workers for the mines and less money coming in for vitamins and pharmaceuticals. Plus, whatever's out there picking these people off could come for us next. We don't even know what this thing is. You aren't that, roughly? I didn't answer him, or take notice of what he said at all. I never did.

Dr. Gettis, what does all this have to do with me? I asked, with a half idea of where this was going already. There could be someone escorting the quarantined villages off the island for pay, though at this rate it surely would have caught naval attention. The corporal believes an officer would have alerted him by now. It could be a mad serial killer on the island picking them off. We don't know. All we have is this lead.

Someone needs to follow this girl to wherever emblazes it is, she goes, and see what comes of it. That's where I come in, I guess. The doctor went on. Oh, I'm far too old to be stumbling about through some untravelled man-eating jungle off the coast of India, and the Indochinese peninsula. And, well, I'm afraid, call it. Corporal Burke is too crucial to the goings-on here in the village, and he's also getting up in age himself. I can still kick your ass, you piss and see.

As usual, your input is unnecessary, Mr. Burke. So, you want me to look into this because I'm expendable, I ask discruntedly. Oh, please don't look at it that way, dear boy. Get his pleaded in his best good copvoy. you'll be doing a great service you'll be saving lives i'm sure you only know that your sentence served here on the island as opposed to imprison only accounts if i write you a decent commendation to give to the courts i'll make sure i give you a glowing review as he spoke the doctor smiled an oily smile that oozed extortion i still wasn't convinced it was worth it to trow some girl through a perilous indian wilderness just a most likely end up another one of the dozens of vanished people. I don't know, Doctor. I still don't see why I should have to do this. I have to think about it. The smile slowly bent

into a disaffected grimace. The elderly Englishman panned his eyes toward Burke, giving him unspoken permission to try convincing me his way. It was as if the good cop was tagging out and the bad cop was tagging in. Without hesitant, he was. In hesitation, Burke slammed his glass bottle on the table. Just short of shattering it, stood from his chair and loomed over me. I still didn't look at him, though he was close enough to blow his hot, liquor-soaked breath on me as he spoke. You should do it because we told you to. You should do it because you're a sniveling shit who pushes dope and should be riding in a prison cell the rest of his life,

if there was any decent sense of justice in this world. You should do it because if you don't do it, will me. make sure you're in that prison, cleaning the shit out of every toilet on your block every single goddamn day till you choke on your own fucking vomit from the stench like the fucking insect you are. After taking a second to catch his breath, the corporal collected himself and sat back down in a relaxed position. Oh, and uh, you should do it because we asked you so nicely. As I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket to dab the beads of saliva from my hair left over from Burke's compelling speech, the doctor tagged back in.

One of us must look into this. You really have the least to lose. It's only fair. You believe in fairness, don't you, Mr. Ruffley? I didn't reply to that, nor did Gettis expect me to. Hymberg did expect me to agree to their proposition, however. They each lit another Dominican waiting for my response. Fine, I'll do it.

Splendid. Burke will point you in the direction of the girl. heart. Speak with her mother if she's not there. She knows a little English. She'll let you know where she is. Off you go. At that, Dr. Geddes fixed himself another glass of Scotch whiskey and shuffled through the loose papers on his desk, pretending to read them to avoid eye contact with me. Burke rose from his seat and motion for me to do the same and to follow him. We started down the dirt trail that led from the medic house, putting on our gloves and masks as we walked. At this point had become used to the sounds of children playing and the moos and glucks coming from behind

the cookhouse these people had enough problems as it was and the fact they were being picked off by this whatever it was was just too much well it's pretty messed up isn't it i asked burke as he was lifting his mask to take another hit of his cigar yeah sure it is life's hell look listen see that hut down there with the red and orange cloth strapped over the fence. Make a left after you hit it. The second one on the right is hers. I nodded. You think I could get one of those Dominicans?

His hand met my back with a forceful slap. No, now, don't come back to the medic house until you got something. He sauntered away, still puffing away with his mouth stretched over his head. I walked past the cookhouse on my way there. I could smell from inside Tinsky, the village chef, quote, unquote, cooking and preparing a lunch pot of slop for the village. I had to admit, Agrippina did have a strange, inexplicable quality to it. I wondered whether or not there really was a kind of magic to this island, and how a small handful of navy men could just waltz into it and help themselves to the mines and anything else they wanted. as I approached the door of the heart

I heard the singing of a child coming from the yard in the back I guessed it was her but I thought it best to speak with the girl's mother first I knocked on the edge of the doorway there was again no door I waited for a response there was none but

looking through the threshold into the dark barren little home I saw a silhouetted figure a woman seated by a would-be window holding the wall cigarette in hand um excuse me ma'am no response excuse me i'm sorry to bother you may i come in her voice was hoarse and monotoned apia se chalajai i'm sorry ma'am i don't speak hindia i'm here because i need to i know why you're here she's in the backyard she took another drag and she did so i could see her face in the window's light. It was badly coated with rugged red patches. At that I said a quick

thank you and went around back. I guess I could understand her jaded disposition toward the Americans and British. I trusted Gettis about as far as I could throw him and Burke went without saying. I suppose I was in the same club as those two. I could still hear that singing voice, behind the back of the shambled hut was less of a yard and more concrete and dirt surrounded by pockets of dandelions and crabgrass in the centre of one of those concrete slabs was a source of the artless voice a heartbreakingly thin girl in a yellow shirt with an orange flower pattern and brown pants a couple of sizes too big held to her waist by a makeshift rope belt sitting with her back to the modest home she was very short save for her puffy

unkempt hair that seemed to give her another five or six inches in height. As I approached her, I noticed upon closer look how vehement focus on a drawing she was making with chalk on the ground. My instinct told me the drawing would be of a dog or a flower or whatever kids normally draw. Instead, what I saw was a woman, nude except for a skirt made of straw and a couple of colourful garlands around her neck. The woman was drawn with a gentle smile, but there was some something definitely unsettling about her. Is this Calisa? I asked. Oh, forgive me, I didn't mean to sneak up on you like that.

The girl stopped singing and looked up briefly to acknowledge my presence, and then returned her attention to the illustration. That's okay, strange, man, she said. Yeah, she's my friend. Yes, I heard. She looks blue, like a blueberry. She again looked up. me, then continued drawing.

And you're red, like a tomato, but it doesn't really bother me. Ah, yes, I guess I am. It's from the sun. I was white when I got here. I know. I remember seeing him when you first arrived. I thought you were a ghost. While crouching down next to the kid, I noticed there were actually a few crude sketches

and chalk of this friend all around the yard. Can I ask you your name? This time she didn't take her eyes off her drawing. What's yours? Well, I guess it was pretty weird for a stranger just to walk up to this girl and start asking her questions about who she was. I don't think I would have answered me either. It's Lewis, I said. Some people around here call me roughly, but you can just call me Lou.

She was silent for a moment before speaking up. My name's Vina. Vina. her. That's a cool name. Thanks. I think it is too. Vena, I don't know if you know who I am. I work at the medic house with the doctor, Dr. Gettys. Mm-hmm. I've seen you.

I don't know if I've seen you there. Why don't you ever go get checkups or medicine? Don't you want to get better? She cut me a side-eyed look as if that was a stupid question. I didn't know kids her age even did that. I used to Calisa said that vitamin L doesn't work though

she's really smart she said vitamin L doesn't work is Colisa a doctor I asked thinking she wouldn't have an answer are you she replied damn I thought to myself

these kids good uh Vina can I ask you something she didn't answer but the way she'd been concentrating on her picture it seemed like she did didn't care one way or the other. Someone had told me that, well, that you know where the missing people of the island have gone. Is that true? She was silent again, this time opting out

of replying entirely. I figured I wouldn't wait for an answer. Vina, can I meet Colisa? She snickered slightly at the question, an adult-like snicket. I again got the impression that this kid who was definitely no more than seven or eight years old, was wise beyond her years. That's funny, she said. Funny and weird. You're funny and weird. What's so funny about that? I asked her.

Because she said today was the day. Today is the day for what? She sat down her chalk, having finished her friend's portrait, and turned to me. Today she's coming here to the village. Calisa said that I don't have to worry anymore that no one does. She told me she'd fix everything. She said she'd heal everyone, like she healed the others. Well, at this moment in my head, I felt I should have had some kind of response for this young kid.

As an instinct adults have to want to always, you know, just the right words to say to a child, even if they don't know what those right words are. I couldn't say anything. I couldn't speak. what I could do was try to keep my heart from sinking into my stomach. Heal everyone like the others? What the hell does that even mean? I didn't know in what God's name this Colisa thing was.

All I knew was that it was coming to the village, and that was bad fucking news. Apparently in the job description of a pretend leprosy nurse, you occasionally have to save the village from whatever the fuck of Calisa is. Who knew? I cleared my throat and pretended as best I could, that what this girl just told me wasn't as creepy as it was. Vena, I think you should take me to Colisa before she comes to the village. Is that okay? She looked down to ponder the request.

I don't know. I don't think she'd like that. She doesn't know you, and she only knows me. I had to think of something. Vina, why does Colisa only talk to you? Is she shy? The girl nodded. I thought so. Maybe it's best someone introduces her. But she has me to introduce her to everyone. You know everybody here? I noticed you like to play by yourself.

You taught her any of the other kids in the village. After a brief hesitation, she shook her head. I've never seen you at the medic house. You know the doctor? The corporal? I know most every. one here. I see them weekly to give them check-ups. Maybe it's best that I meet Colisa first, then I can help her meet everyone else. The afflicted girl mulled over the offer once more.

What's that? she asked, pointing to the cup and ball sticking from my left pocket. Oh, it's a cup and ball. Can I have it? I handed it to her. She gave it a few swings while I stood there until she excited and he landed the ball into the cup. Okay, I'll take you there. Great, I said. Which way does Colisa live? She didn't say anything. All she did was point to cross the village toward the western jungle.

She started walking. Come on, strange man, I'll show you. I followed. You know, you can call me Lou. I know. We trudged through less than a hundred yards of mud and branches and ivy before, feeling like I was in another dimension. The branches extending from the tree-tops obscured most of the sky.

Sight of civilization was already gone, and any sounds of human voices were replaced with the songs of tropical birds and the screeching of monkeys. Except for the sparkle of fallen drops of rain, every bit of light there was throughout the forest had a greenish-blue tint, as if it were a dream. every living thing in this place wanted to kill or eat me and my only guide into and out of it stood less than four feet off the ground less than that not counting her hair she didn't seem worried though

she passed through thorn bushes and bacteria-filled puddles as if walking through her living room I didn't know if I should have been comforted or disconcerted by that fact but she'd walked through this tropical hell before and lived she must have been doing something right "'So, Colisa lives here,' I asked, trying to make conversation to distract my own nerves. "'I don't think she lives anywhere,' she answered after a while, again trying to get the ball into the cup. "'But this is our special secret spot where we play and talk sometimes.

"'I still don't know if I should be taking you here. "'Are you sure it's better this way?' "'I told her it was, but in reality the further we marched into these uninsured, discovered woodlands, the less sure I was of anything. What I was going to do when I confronted this person or thing, how I ended up in this situation, who I even was. This jungle was surreal, like the further you ventured in, the more of yourself, your life, your identity, that you left behind.

It wasn't natural, it was nature itself. I don't think it's possible to explain. I guess you just had to be there. I stopped momentarily to lift my mask and catch my breath and at the moment of resting it back into place I'd lost my breath again entirely and my feet was what I'd at first thought was a striped vine but vines don't hiss

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If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact Connix Ontario at 1866-531-2,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. Bed-MGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. It was a crate, one of the deadliest, most venomous snakes in the world. I was too close to run. I'd assuredly be bit before getting out of striking range. All I could do was futilely wait and think of a better idea. I tried, but instead my mind chose to flash through the memories of my life rather than come up with a solution.

How did I end up here? Why can't I just function normally in society like a normal person? My childhood wasn't that bad. How did I end up trafficking blow for a living? The snake's fang snuck ever closer while my mind went adrift. I'd read a little about crates in one of Dr. Kettis's books on a little. local flora and fauna that he kept on a bookshelf in the medic house. They usually only went after humans were asleep.

In that moment I was so still, I might as well have been. In a split second, I could no longer feel its body moving on my foot. I'd assumed it had already bit me and moved on. The crate's bite is notoriously painless, until I heard what sounded like the crack of leather on bark. I opened my eyes to find my three and a half foot chaperone, and smacking the now-dead reptile against a tree like a lumberjack. She dropped its carcass at her feet and motioned her hand toward our destination as if to say,

ready to keep going. You save my life, I told her. Hmm. Now that I think about it, if you're going to keep spacing out like that, I might have to do it again before we get out of here. Do you have another mask with you by chance? I checked my pockets Yeah, I do actually

Without skipping a beat Vina grabbed the snake she just slayed And squeezed blood out onto her fingers From its wounds She dropped it again and reached her not bloody hand out to me I gave her the extra mask and With the snake's blood Drew a frowny face on it

She then fastened it to the back of her head Instead of her face I would have been more disgusted If I wasn't so confused Okay "'Now your mask,' she said plainly, pushing out her hand again. "'What—what are you—' "'I don't understand—'

"'Tigers. There are tigers in this jungle. "'They hunt by ambush. "'They attack you from behind when you aren't looking. "'Waring a face on the back of your head will make them think you're always watching them. "'Does it—' "'This works? "'M-hmm. Well, it didn't really make sense to me, but I knew this girl knew more about this place than I did.

I don't think I should take off my mask. It's nothing personal, but when I'm around people infected, for whatever reason, I found it hard to finish this sentence. Strange, man, if you think I'm the most dangerous thing in this place, you're not going to last very long. Well, that did make sense to me. I took off my mask and gave it to her. She gave it the same.

blood frown treatment. I took it back and wore it, the same as she did, and two bloody frowns receded further into the endless jungle. We're almost there, she said after some time, breaking the silence.

Good, I'm guessing whatever Colisa's plan is, we might not have much time before she decides to put it into action. She didn't say anything. Vina, I asked. Why are the people of the village gone?

What does it have to do with your friend? Did Colisa do anything to them? She looked slightly offended. No, Colisa didn't hurt anyone. Then what happened to them? I insisted. I feel I could help you better if you'd tell me. The look on her face suggested she was conflicted about what to say, but eventually told me what was happening.

Calisa visited them, but not in real life. In their dreams. She needs them so that she can help us. She tells them she needs their prana, their spirit, and then wakes them up. And then what? I asked. Then they go to her, of course.

She rolled her eyes again, as if it were another stupid question. Have you ever had one of these dreams? She shook her head. No, but she told me. She tells me everything. We're best friends, remember. Right. I decided not to ask any more questions until we got there. Every time I did, I just handed up having a lot more. The jungle was dark as the night at this point, so it couldn't

have been more than two or three p.m. in the afternoon. At least I thought it was afternoon. All I could see were shades of black and green, and all I could hear was a cool, singing wind that blew through the forest, punctuated by the jingling of Venus' bell and the crunching of leaves and tweed. beneath our footsteps i couldn't even hear the animals anymore just the wind calisa vina yelled my heart jumped at her shout i could see i run up ahead but i couldn't tell to what at first and then i saw her through bushes and thickets and vines stood a woman i was dishevelled and so black it didn't even look like individual strands more like one large shadow in the shape of a cloaking mane. Her skin was a royal blue, much like Venus Picture.

And like Venus Picture, she was naked, not including her garland and her skirt. But this garland wasn't of flowers. It was a string necklace of shrunken human heads that bled from their eyes and mouth. And her skirt was not made of straw. It was made of gourd, dismembered human arms. I remember how much her smile was just like her picture, right down to the creepiness factor. I'd only seen such a smile on murals of Jesus Christ or on the Mona Lisa, but I'd never seen so much blood come with a smile like that. It only made her expression that much more disturbing.

Her eyes blinked, slow and seldom, and her leer passed through me like two spears to the head. Vina hugged her a friend and looked up at her. She spoke to the blue woman in Hindi. Nothing I could understand. All I could do was stand there awkwardly while the girl talked. Colisa never broke her smile, or did she break eye contact with me while listening to Vina go on? I was petrified to look away from her for fear of what this woman, this thing, might do.

For a moment, I did go. glance at her garland. The faces around her neck were unfamiliar to me, all except one, which looked a lot like the missing villager Ishan. Eventually, Vina finished her explanation for me being here. Again, all that could be heard was the wind. The woman didn't say anything. She didn't react at all. Her expression didn't change. It never changed. After a moment or two of what seemed like time frozen still. She walked toward me quickly. I blinked, and in a second the warm but eerie grin

that would have stones throw away was at arm's reach. She was nearly seven feet tall. Her eyes were kind, but if the flesh that decorated her body was any indication, this inhuman thing before me was not. She was a monster. her left arm clutched me by the throat and raised me off the ground without the slightest hint of strain while her right pulled a scimitar sword from its scabbard strapped behind her back she cocked back the blade as if readying her swing and a freakishly long tongue unravelled out of her now open mouth grin I could faintly hear Vena shrieking in her native tongue from behind her in a way that sounded like she was begging her to stop.

I couldn't tell exactly what she was saying. Even if I could speak Hindi, I wouldn't have understood. I couldn't hear, smell, or feel anything. My senses failed, and once again time was still. I couldn't even feel the fear of my impending death. All I could think about was the juxtaposition of the blue woman's genial, loving gaze. and her obvious lust for human awful. It was indescribable.

The next thing I knew, my back was hitting the dirt below. This awesome, beastly woman was standing over me. Vina was tugging on her skirt of arms, still pleading for her to stop. I could only assume she still wanted to kill me, but I couldn't know for sure because she just kept smiling that smile, that insane fucking smile. As if in a horrible, off-key harmony, this creature called Calisa, along with the heads that rested around her neck, spoke together in a sing-song unison in both high and low pitches. The painful, collective sound of their voices nearly made blood bust from my ears, though they only spoke two words.

Samapan, Upsharatmaq, they screamed as one. With that, a white flash of light exploded throughout the forest like lightning, and drops of rain began to fall through the treetops from the sky. She was gone, and I was left touching my chest and face, convincing myself that I was actually here, and that what had just happened was real. Are you okay, Lou? asked Vina. I don't know, I said, stuttering.

What was that? Vina, what did she say? What's going to happen? The girl didn't answer. She just stared back in the direction we come and then looked back at me. We should go back to Agrippina now, she said solemnly. Not wasting time, I clumsily got back on my feet, and we started back to the village. By the time we'd reached Agrippina, it was pouring rain heavily. It was hard to see more than ten or twenty years. feet in any direction. We'd reached the trail that led down from the medic house, enough to be able

to faintly see it up the road. But every instinct I had told me not to go there. The downpour of the storm blurred my vision a great deal, but I could make out something in front of it, something small about the size of a volleyball laid in front of the medic house, slumped and drooping. I couldn't see just what it was, but my gut told me it had. had something to do with Vina's friend. Come on, I said, grabbing her hand. Where are we going? she asked. I'm taking you back to your mother's house.

When you get there, walk your doors and hide, okay? Um, okay, but I don't have a... A door, shit, I forgot. Then just hide, all right? Okay. We ran there as fast as one could through the storm. The entire town was suspiciously. quiet and empty.

Where the hell is everyone, I thought. We made it most of the way when, passing the window of the cookhouse, I saw two silhouetted figures walking back and forth against the glowing light of a burning lantern inside. I recognised both of those silhouettes. Go to your place, I told Vena. Run inside and stay safe.

Where are you going? she asked. I've got someone I've got to see. I knelt down to her eye level. I don't know what's going to happen. If I don't see you again, well, just take care of yourself. It's okay, Lou. Colisa won't hurt you. She just tried to kill me a few minutes ago, didn't she?

Yeah, but I told her you're okay. She only hurts bad people. I don't know if that means I'm in the clear kid. I think it does. She hugged me, then skipped merrily through the rain toward home. As the jangle of her bell and the metronome sound of her skipping footsteps faded further away, I could hear her singing her song again. I jogged up to the cookhouse cabin and banged on the wood paneling under the window.

Burke! Buck! What's going? Before I could finish the word going, the blast of a shotgun round fired out the window just over my head, nearly scalping me with shrapnel. Jesus Christ, Burke, it's me, Lou, I shouted. Roughly, roughly, is that you? Yes, God damn it. What the hell happened?

Son of it, get in here. The corporal stuck his head out to make sure it's me, then reached out with his arms, grabbed my collar and pulled me inside like a rag doll. He didn't waste his breath explaining him, himself. Grab it, Plank, help us borrow this place up. He walked over to a pile of two-by-fours gathered against the cafeteria counter to hand me one. Tinsky was by the doorway, hammering the last plank of wood across it to make sure no one could get through. Well, needless to say,

whatever Colisa was planning once she got to the village, it was already underway. Here, barked Burke, handing me a wooden plank. Start barrageting in the wind. There's another hammer and some nails on the dining table over there. He picked back up his 870 pump shotgun and started pacing around the room. His face was dripping wet. I couldn't tell if he got caught in the rain, or if he was just that unnerved. Damn it, Burke. He almost took my head off just now.

What is happening? Where's Dr. Gettis? Oh, Montinsky. Jesus, Ravi, if you say the words, head off and get us, Gedis in the same breath again, I'm going to throw you out the window you came in. What? I don't understand. Something came here, Burke said finally, to the village. Some woman with blue skin.

I thought I was hallucinating if I didn't already know how fucking unholy this place was. Gettis and I were at the medic house. I was half drunk. Didn't see her till she was there outside the door. and Geddis, oh God. He stopped. I never thought I'd ever seen tears fall from Corporal Burke's eyes. But there were plenty of things that day I thought I'd never see.

He was almost choking, trying to hold back his sobs. She, it, grabbed the little guy by the arm, lifted him in the air, and... He took a deep breath and cut his fucking head. from his body, like it was made of wet sand. There was a long silence after he said that. How did you escape? I asked. The corporal took out a flask from the inner pocket of his fatigues and downed a few gulps before I went. She threw his head out in front of the porch and started, he exhaled again and started eating his remains. I guess that explains the volleyball, I thought. I fired at it

Point blank Four separate goddamn times He went on Didn't even flinch He just kept feeding The radio was out What the hell else could I do I crawled out the window

Like a goddamn coward And came here And at that He could choke back his sobs no more I knew it Tinsky panicked I knew this place was fucking evil We should never come here

They'll see something that bothered me about how he put that come here what did he mean you say that like you chose this place i said audibly confused weren't you stationed in agrippina for a moment no one responded to my question then gradually burke's whimpering morphed into an almost maniacal chuckle i wasn't amused something funny burke i asked he continued laughing where'd they find this guy he said to tinsky motioning to me he snickering diminished as he turned to look back at me how stupid are you roughly were you born in prison you must have been in there your whole life to not know how anything works i felt kind of defensive at that burke was clearly wasted though he had a point i'd been away for ten years but even on the outside i wasn't the worldliest guy I really didn't know how anything worked. Never learned how to do taxes.

I didn't vote. I didn't, still don't know the difference between a premium and a deductible. I'm just a drug dealer that got caught in the wrong country. Well, it's not a stretch that I didn't understand the finer machinations of the English military. The corporal lit another Dominican to cool his composure after his episode. Well, humor me then, I said. explain to this idiot just what the hell you're talking about. Roughly, why do you think we're out here?

Why do you think England still has some ships on the Indian Ocean, still occupying these islands, even though they pulled out of India years ago? Tinsky cut in. Burke, I don't think you should be saying it. Ah, what the fuck does it matter? We're all going to die out here anyway. I was embarrassed that I still wasn't following at this point, but I kept that to myself.

You know how much money there is in the mines out here on these leper colony islands? Iron, titanium, manganese, granite, garnets and diamonds even. The islanders don't have contact with the mainland. Oh, they're just as much in the dark as you are. They don't know we're not supposed to be here. No one does. The mining companies are still operating out here,

using the afflicted populace as low-cost labor. I was depressingly unsurprised by what Burke had told me. I shouldn't have been, knowing how the locals were treated. There was just one thing I still didn't understand. They use villages for cheap labour and treat them for leprosy. Why? He chuckled again. You know, that's what I always liked about you, Ruffly.

You're a funny son of a bitch. What's the joke, asshole? I'd run low on patience for him. his condescension. He gave one last look at Tinsky and turned his head to me. They're not treating anyone. The thiamine or whatever the hell else don't do anything. That vitamin L, it's a placebo. Not that the lepers and all that. They found a cure for leprosy a few years back. It's called Dapsone. Gettis ever have you give Dapsone to any of the villages? He took my silence for a no. didn't think so he took another swig from his flowers everything fell into place that second i didn't know how

but i knew why this monster this whole island would want us dead i guess it's the part where i'd say the cliche oh maybe we're the real monsters but do i really need to besides the banging of hammer on nail from Tinsky trying to board up the last window. I would have sworn I went deaf again at that moment. The rain outside sounded like white noise, and for what seemed like hours, no one said a word. Eventually that silence was broken. How do you think Douglas is holding up?

Tinsky asked before finishing putting up the last board, seemingly only to make conversation. You already know the answer to that, Tinsky, uttered Burke in a defeated, apathetic monotone. Now shut up, trying to drink myself to death over here. You're breaking my concentration. You know what, Burke? You're just...

What, Tinsky? Burke asked slowly. Mockingly answering his rhetorical question just to interrupt him. You act all tough with that gun. But when your life's really in danger, you're just a big Mary. You're supposed to be the muscle around here. When you actually have to do your job by protecting us, you curl up into a ball and cry and piss yourself.

Mary. Buck, but... You think my job is fighting a giant demonic blue Amazon woman for you? My job's protecting the mines, you idiot. Not you. The garbage you cook. If I shot you're a fat ass right now,

skinned you, cooked you and served you to the tribe, I'd be doing your job better than you ever did. Shut up. Go ahead and insult me. I don't care. I just know that I'm going to get off this island. I'm getting no help for. from you. Roughly, you can come if you want, but I'm not staying here anymore. Just as he'd

finished nailing in the last two-by-four, Tinsky put down his hammer and began pulling it off the very same window to climb out. You insane? He'll be killed out there. He ignored Burke and continued prying off the wooden plank. The corporal staggered to his feet gracelessly. Did you hear me? I order you to stop right now. Or to my mother. I order you. S. Tinsky. As quick as the flash that pierced through the jungle when Colisa had disappeared,

the second Tinsky had released the plank from its nail position. The crash of a blade, crimson and silver, shot through the window, splitting through the Cook's skull. The blue hand that held that blade by its hilt then drew it back outward, and the once living man

fell to the floor. Well, I wanted to yell, what the fuck or something but i couldn't speak the corporal and i were both in our feet by this point but my knees were buckling barely keeping me up burke looked like he was going to faint the instant we saw tinsie's life taken from him he vomited i stumbled over to him giving no thought about stepping in it and grabbed him aggressively by the collar you scumback you've doomed us all what are we going to do "'We're going to die, roughly. "'We're going to die.'

"'He was breaking down again. "'We're going to die. "'We're going to die. "'Oh, we're going to die. "'I drew back my arm and backhanded him across a face. "'Snap out of it, you drunken fool.' "'After I'd struck him, he laid his head to the side for a while, "'facing the windows, just kind of resting there,

"'having nothing to say in reply. "'At first I thought it was because he didn't want to look me, then I realized his eyes were fixated on something. I looked over and saw her. Through the creases in between the remaining boards that covered the windows, we could both see her walking her way glacially past window after window. I couldn't make out much, but for the brief split seconds it was visible, I could see that heinous smile. She was making a way around the cabin for the door, I took my hands from the distraught corporal's collar. He took one more unhelpful swig of whiskey and tossed his flask to the ground.

He pumped and raised his trusted 870 and pointed it at the door. I thought you said that thing didn't work, I said. I just didn't get a good shot off last time. I'll blow this bitch in two. You watch me. He was clearly more loaded than his gun. I had to admit I had no ideas, but I knew shooting at this thing wasn't a great one. She was in front of the door, still as a painted canvas.

Between two planks across the doorway, I could see her eyes. Through a nod in the wood I could see a fraction of a Prussian blue grin. Stand aside, roughly, slurbed the drunken corporal. Garden, I'm finished business, you know. I stepped back. I didn't know if this shell of a man was brave or just facing a death wish, but I wasn't either. We stood shaking like two thin, broken-up-rooted trees ready to fall, awaiting the monstrous

woman's next move. Bored, by board, she ripped the planks away like band-aids, taking her time as if she knew we had nowhere to run. The gun in Corporal Burke's grip trembled more with every part of her. second. He cocked the fore-end. His face was dripping with sweat again. She didn't bother taking off the final board at her feet. She merely stepped over it, aiming her Madonna gaze at Burke as she did. He fired, with each roaring sound of the trigger pulled, leaving a ringing in our ears. He fired again and again and again. When she wasn't phased, stepping toward him as if she was

being pelted with M&Ms rather than shotgun shells. He fired one final time as she grabbed the gun by the barrel. Holding onto the gun with his right hand, he threw a desperate, wild and inebriated left hook, only to be caught again by Calise's other hand. I stood and watched in horror as she lifted the man up with her hands like a child, just as she did meet. While she held Burke suspended, kicking and screaming,

two additional arms tore and grew from atop her shoulders above her other ones. Burke shrieked even louder as if he were rupturing his vocal cords in the process. She kept his body steady in the air with her lower arms, grabbed the top of his buzzed head with her upper left, and raised her sword with her upper right. Solomon! She cried along with her garland of heads. I couldn't watch.

I fell to the ground. covering my eyes with the black metallic sound of a slice a sound i'd only previously heard coming from the slaughterhouse out back his screams were no more and then she devoured him i couldn't see it but you can't mistake a sound like that nor do you forget it ever after that it was quiet i was afraid to open my eyes like a frightened toddler, as if covering them was the same as disappearing. It must have been a full minute since the sounds of chewing and ripping and tearing and swallowing were finished before I opened my eyelids. First thing I saw were two royal blue legs.

I looked up. She was standing over me. A trickling river of maroon red drip from that same virgin merry smile she'd had since I'd first seen her in the jungle. Well, that felt like years ago, but in reality it had only been a few hours. She slowly reached for the hilt of the scimitar. I wanted to close my eyes again,

but I was too frozen to even blink. As she wrapped her fingers, one at a time around the handle, her jingling sound came from outside, followed by a loud but gentle voice. Kalisa, Tum kahan, ho. It was Venus.

The blue woman unhinged her grip and laid her arm by her side. Still eyeing me, she spoke one last word. She spoke softer than she had before, without the heads that laid around her neck, but definitely loud enough for me to hear. Paravata! She unhurriedly backed away, turned, stepped over the board across the foot of the doorway,

and walked outside. Saying something back to Vina, The rain settled and as if on cue the local tropical birds began chirping and squawking in tandem with the shining of the sun. The sound of villagers talking with one another in Hindi could be heard from outside. I got up weakly and plodded to the doorway, almost tripping on the two by four as I walked past it. As I stood on the porch of the cookhouse, I'd found the chattering was coming from people I'd never met, though I did recognise them. They were the heads that hung around Colise's neck, now actual people with actual bodies underneath them.

I assume they'd look this way before they went missing, better than before, as now their skin was as healthy and clean as anyone I'd ever seen. All of them were healed. I almost didn't recognise his shot, who was laughing with his friends. They were all acting as if nothing had ever happened. To this day I don't even know if they knew anything had. Vina was drawing a picture on the porch with her chalk. I was surprised to see it was of a smiling sun.

I would have figured that was too normal for her. Well, her infection, and any sign of it, like her fellow villagers, was now gone. I told you you wouldn't die, she said. Yes, I guess you were right about, well, everything. Yep. Where did Colisa go? Don't know. well that was a good enough answer for me hey um maybe i didn't hear right but did your friend say anything to you before she left

yeah um she told me to tell you not to sell drugs anymore she said as matter of fatly as ever i sighed and nodded yeah i um i think i figured that out on my first day in prison what are drugs i didn't answer that but i did take the advice. Vina and the other villages stayed on the island. I stayed with them for the remainder of my stay, treating them for any other ailments they had as best I could. I reported the deaths of the others, but I told them a tiger at rampage through the village, convincing naval officials that a tiger decapitated multiple people isn't easy, but I figured convincing them that a giant blue, forearmed naked woman decapitated multiple people would have been less so. I was allowed release on payroll after my time served on the islands.

I think there was an unspoken agreement that if they took me back to prison, they had risked me leaking their operation to the public, so we all instead decided to look at the whole situation from the rear-view mirror. I left Agrippina after six months, never to see any of them ever again. I can only hope they got a long fine by themselves. I know of at least one friend they can turn to if they run into trouble again. When I left, I managed to swipe and smuggle a good armful of Getty's hydrocon stash, a stash that he'd ordered for his patience but kept to himself. I never sold Coke again, but I've been wrestling on and off with painkillers ever since.

It's horrible shit, but it's that or the panic attacks. and so that's it that's my crazy story told by a crazy old man I don't know why I'm telling you all this but don't expect anyone to believe me I don't really need anyone to truth is though

I remember it well it was so long ago I'm not even sure I believe it myself anymore well I'm lonely I guess I guess I could just use a friend myself bloody bones and green eyes samuel l clinton sam c to his associates and customers alike tramped down the trail that led to the driveway of the travis broxton family that would in turn lead to farm to market road 1988 and from there to his friend woos house where he'd left his car it was a long walk after dark

but worth it broxton's extended family was in town some of them had decent money and had been willing to part with it in exchange for some first-class blends of a certain THC producing plant. He and Wahoo had worked on the blend for years, and he was infamous in the area. He was, of course, stoned out of his gourd, but, hey, he had to party with these suburbanites and yokels to get them fired up by all that he'd brought. He managed to collect $250 profit from the relatives and was feeling satisfied. It even fed him and one or two of the girls had shown some interest in slumming with him. He'd definitely be back tomorrow night. As he wove his way through the brush, he thought it heard a noise or noises.

Not loud, but all the other night sounds had stopped. He looked around and saw nothing but shadows under the bright moonlight. He was about to cross a small clearing full of goat-weed plants and grass. He'd have to stay on the path to avoid the bull-nettles. Those things hurt like fire, and he'd have to piss on the affected area to get rid of the sting. So he'd been told as a child, and... He swore by it. His mind was still foggy and wandered.

It rushed back to the present when he saw a large shadow move, and then a head stared at him from out of a tangle beneath the trees. Large green eyes gazed at his own, and held him transfixed. And then they blinked. It broke the spell, and he picked up his pace. It couldn't be more than 200 yards to the driveway. He remembered this track. He recalled the clearing.

Once he made it to the road, he'd be safe. He stumbled along, his high, rapidly fading along with his remaining physical coordination. His fear morphed into panic when the eyes appeared in front of him, and he heard the rush of a large body in a roaring scream. His hindbrain, a feature left over from generations of evolution, knew that sound, as had his primitive ancestors. It caused the release of all bodily functions that were not critical for survival.

He didn't matter. The mess in his breeches were the least of his wise. Sam C. was on the ground and dying before he could let out a scream of his own, the result of which was a feeble, mulling sound, all that he could manage. Uncle Jim spoke in his low, raspy voice to the enthralled family members and friends, especially the children who encircled him around the bright campfire. He just finished telling a tale that ended with, bloody bones and green eyes, which elicited some intakes of breath and squeals of not quite fear, yet the little ones clamoured for more, supported by the adults who always loved his campfire stories.

He sat back for a moment, scratched his beard and pretended to think. Hmm, well now, this one ain't all that scary, but you might like it, since it happened to me and happens to be true. When I was young, the old folks shared all kinds of strange stories, and many of them featured cats, especially black cats. At this, he leaned forward and raised his eyebrows and bucked his eyes to the delight of his audience. While I was walking, well, to be honest, stumbling drunkenly, back home from Maydon's beer joint near Black Cat Ridge. They caught in an ice house, I guess that sounded better to some folks. tiny little place

They always had fresh catfish hairs Mounted by the door Don't know why Might the place stink Maybe they wanted people to throb So they'd buy more booze He waited as the crowd made Baff noises

And cheered him on Well, that night I had a good long taste of Lafayev's folly A local moonshine So I was in a merry mood And enjoy my moonlight staggot It was a really bright full moon That night

Made for sports, spooky silver shadows, especially along the little dirt road that wound through willows covered in drooping Spanish moss. I jumped. He said this last word with emphasis, raised his hands and grasping fingers. Uncle Jim Stoy's weren't always scary, but his behavior, as he told them, invariably was. When I heard a loud and deep, hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot. It was just an owl, but in the dark, and by myself like that, it sure scared me. My first thought was, a ghost. I heard a woman scream off in the distance. I knew better, though. That was a cougar. Good thing, though, it wasn't far away, and if it was prowling, chances were that the other big critters and booger-bearers would hunt elsewhere.

As I walked up to the little bridge over Ben's branch, though, I got a funny feeling. I sort of chill down my spine, like a spook was nearby. Hardly anybody used this old dirt road, wouldn't bridge anymore. It was scary even in daylight. As I was about to stop out on the feeble old bridge, I saw a figure in front of me. It sat right in the middle of the bridge. It was a big old black cat. Not a path to a cougar, mind you.

Plenty of stories about them big ones. but big, maybe like old Melvin, my black lab. It had huge, green, glowing eyes, and the moonlight made the whole thing kind of shimmer and shine. It blinked its eyes of me and then. No kidding. It spoke. He went quiet and waited for it.

True to form, one of the younger children asked, What did it say, Uncle Jim? It said, follow me darling in a voice like that of an old woman then it swelled away and jumped off that bridge now ben's branch was swollen it was springtime and rainy so so anyway that cat would have landed would have caused a splash but i never heard one nor saw it neither now i knew that cats weren't supposed to speak at least not in human talk so i up and decided to walk the main road i just have to suffer the extra distance and risked the laws catching me drunk and taking me to jail for the night. Now a talking cat ain't all that spooky, but the next day I found that the old bridge had

finally given up and fallen into the branch that night. If I'd walked on it, well, wouldn't be here telling tales. The moral to that one is that black cats don't always mean bad luck. Sometimes they're just a warning. There was general applause and Uncle Jim excused himself as another family member brought out a fiddle and others brought out various instruments and began an impromptu concert one of the older boys mid-teens approached jim as he left the campfire circle t jr jr jr davis trialed up to his great-uncle he didn't say anything he just walked alongside the elderly man jim stopped out of the circle of light from the fire and started to urinate the act no longer held any embarrassment for him since he was pushing 80.

T.J. shrugged and then emulated his older relative. Jim didn't mind. He'd worried some for the boy who'd lost his father last year. Natural for him to cling to elder men in the family with his dad, poor Travis Sr. gone. Oh, awful ending. Getting eaten by a sounder of saber-toothed hogs. Jim realized that if he was going to figure out what the boy wanted, he'd have to ask. "'So, T.J. How are you and your mar and your sister doing?' "'T.J shrugged. "'All right, I guess. It's been hard on Marlowe, having to work while Cassie and I go to school.

"'I turn 16 soon so I can get a regular job and help her. "'I've been helping with farm work and job jobs when I get them. "'He trowed off. Clearly he wanted to ask something, so it was Jim's turn to wait. "'Uncle Jim, I looked into black cats. ridge what do you said about the moonshine Jim cackled a little yep homemade corn liquor repulsive stuff stunts your growth DJ looked down clearly in thoughts then looked up a little startled oh I didn't want any I was just thinking about the people who've been there for a while dad didn't talk about it until just before he went down to help with the feral hog problem

He said the place could be nasty with the swamps around it And even more with the people who lived nearby It was hard, but I found everything I could About what had happened to him I'm proud of him for trying to help Jim patted his shoulder Well, T.J, I'm sure proud that you know how to research For all that he played the hillbilly

Your dad was a bookworm when no one was watching He laughed a little at the fun memories of Travis Sr. Now, how about we'd get back to the others and scourge up some grub? T.J. nodded and smiled. He'd found the approval he'd needed, and since he was 15, food always interested him. The rest of the family packed up the next day.

It was Labor Day weekend, and most of them had to be in work or school on Tuesday. There were many hugs and handshakes and promises of, Well, T.J. and his little sister, Cassie, watched us. watched as Uncle Jim, the last to leave, started to pile into his old pickup truck. Uncle Jim, thank you for all the stories. Sure was good to see you, T.J. said a little shyly. The old man grinned, his yellow teeth contrasting with his white beard

as he stretched out his hand for a manly shake. T.J., glad to see you growing into a man like your dad. He was my favorite nephew, even though he was the youngest. No, but he can miss him as much as you and your sister do, not even your mother, well, in a different way. You all keep looking out for one another, and if you need anything, you holler. Owen, don't go looking for the wild hogs outside the, uh, intranek. Well, the children assured him they would not, and Cassie gave him a big arms around his waisthound.

He climbed up into the cabin with soon a receding plume of dust as he headed down the dirt road that led to their home. The gatherings have been held here at the old farmstead property since Jim was a boy. The property had been in the family for longer than that. It was still pretty far from anything, just a small gas station town. Well, they now had an off-brand dollar something store that was somewhere between a grocery and a convenience store, what the old time was called a whatnot store, and they had a feed, seed, and hardware all in one. That wide spot in the road was six miles from their place. The nearest town of any size was 30 miles.

T.J. gave his little sister a playful and very gentle shove. You ready for school? Going to be a freshman. A fresh woman, that is. He grinned at the last. Cassie rolled her eyes. Yeah, how about you? You'll be a senior.

Mr. One year ahead of everyone else. Soon to be employed, hot shot. T.J.'s grin widened. Ready as ever. I really want to get done with high school. He trailed off as they approached the front porch. Hey, I'll... Back in a little while.

I want to go walk down to the pond and clean up some of the mess the cousins made before it rains. Tell Mar I'll be back soon, and I'll take care of cleaning up outside the house. Cassie nodded. Okay, you're going to take your gun? T.J. shrugs. Nah, got my big knife, and it's just a little walk.

not staying long and with all the people we've had running around nothing will be lurking at the pond besides you she stuck out her tongue and then dashed inside the house they were lucky to have one another these days it had been almost a year since their father had died he gone to help hunt down some saber-toothed hogs and had become one of the heroic figures to perish under the teeth and hooves of those monsters

the sheriff down there had sent him a photo of the head of the beast that was now mounted in his office. There was a plaque beside it that read, P-I-G, pride, integrity, guts, dedicated to those who went forth to serve and give their all. He hardly considered it a prized possession, but he understood that the man had meant well.

His mother had almost vomited when she'd seen the photo on his screen. Her thing had killed and eaten her husband, the father of her children. the love of her life. T.J. made it to the large pond and began to make his way around it. No doubt some of his idiot cousins had sneak beer or dope out into the woods. They'd have left the litter near the pond, and sure enough, in the clearing around their old fort, with several empty beer bottles and a few butts from cigarettes and blunts. He'd left a trash bag tied to a nearby tree, but none of the refuse had made it inside. He gathered it all and set down the bag.

He really wanted a few minutes to himself. He skimmed a few rocks across the otherwise still surface of the old cowpond as he processed the concerns of his life. Then he noted an odour, something foul, not overwhelming but fresh, the odour of recent death. Travis Sr. had raised his son to hunt and track and to pay attention to the woods around him when they were outdoors. The coppery scent of blood

the foul stench of open viscera and the gammy smell of a dead mammal caught his attention he paused to check the wind direction and then started walking up wind in search of the source of the stink he found the general area from which the scent had originated but saw no carcass

until he looked up in the crook of a tree was lodged a body not a deer or a hog as he'd expected This mass of necrotic flesh and clothing had been a person. He recognised only the bloody jeans as clothing. The rest of the remains were mangled and stained with dried bodily fluids. He backed slowly away from the tree.

He looked all around to ensure that the predator wasn't nearby. He knew better than to run, but it took every ounce of his self-discipline to keep his feet moving at a moderate pace. At the pond he paused to pick up the trash bag and then increased his pace back toward home. Along the way he was sure that something tracked him, no, paced him. He caught glimpses of a dark sheen out among the shadows and trunks of the pines that surrounded the area. At one point he could have sworn he'd seen a pair of eyes flash at him, large green eyes. The figure was lost from view

As a small tree with leprous bark obscured it for a moment And then it was gone The feeling of been stalked, evaporated And T.J. hurried in earnest. Not quite running to his home. He hadn't wanted to tell his mother, But he had to. She handled it better than he'd feared,

Though he'd hated to cause her more grief. She got on the phone and the sheriff's office Soon had a deputy on the way. After a few more calls, everyone who'd attended the gathering was accounted for, so at least no one from the family had been harmed. The big deputy arrived, and T.J. took him out to the site. This time he carried his rifle and the bowie knife his dad had given him for his 13th birthday. It was late afternoon, but they had plenty of sunlight left.

When they arrived at the death tree, T.J. remained alert and looked for his erstwhile stalker. And then he noticed that the tree was empty. There was still gore on it, and it still reeked of mortal remains. I know this is the right tree. You can see the blood. He gaped in confusion. The deputy eyed him suspiciously. He'd looked askance at the boy when he'd insisted on being armed, despite being in the presence of an armed deputy.

The kid and his mother had cajoled him into digging in the trunk of his car and taking along his issued AR. Now, T.J. Copses don't get up and leave. You know this area, no doubt. What you've reported is very serious. We can't have people calling and wasting our time. What kind of game are you playing?

You've never been a problem, kid. T.J. just looked astonished. Is this too blind or just lazy? He had to ask himself. I'm sure. Let's please just take a look. I know what I saw, and my dad taught me not to lie, especially to the laws. His dad had also taught him tracking, and in the shadowy light of late afternoon under the canopy

of the piney woods, he circled the tree in search of signs. There wasn't much to be seen among the leaves and pine straw, but there, clearly dragmaster led deeper into the woods. He pointed, there, that's where something dragged him out of the tree and into the deeper woods, look, you can still see the blood and other stuff on the tree bark. Deputy Briscoe looked, but was clearly unconvinced. Ah, it's just some leaves moved around, and yeah, that looks and smiles like blood, but well, something sure stinks, but how do I know it's human blood?

Without some proof, we don't need to be wasting time out here, traipsing through the brush. Without a body, we don't have any evidence. T.J. found himself again, looking astonished. "'So you aren't going to do anything? "'Maybe take some samples or photos.' The deputy rolled his eyes. "'I'll get the evidence tech to come out tomorrow and get a sample. "'But in the meantime, let's get you back home.

"'You all stay out of the woods until we can get back in good daylight. "'T.J. quickly snapped a few photos on his phone "'and accompanied Brisco back to the house in sullen silence. "'Oh, Travis Sr. had never held much much. faith in the local constabulary, and T.J. was picking up the same attitude. He grout to his mother and sister for a while, before they had supper, but there was nothing else really to do. They all settled in and prepared for the first big day of school. Hopefully Deputy Briscoe could find his way back to the tree with the evidence to him, and T.J.'s hopes were dashed at about 4 a.m. the next morning.

It started to rain. Then it started to pour. The water was still coming down in Bucket and, when he and his sister boarded the school bus. His heart sank as he plopped into his seat. He had a rain slicker and umbrella, so only his shoes and the cuffs of his trousers were wet. Soaked, he thought glumly. No way the sheriff's office would, okay, to be fair, could send anyone out to gather blood

that would no longer be there. This wasn't some TV program where crime scene texts would bring out a mobile lab and have the mystery solved in less than an hour. He was right. His mother sent him a text to tell him that Deputy Briscoe were called to cancel, and they had tray again when the rain led up, likely tomorrow afternoon. All that day he was distracted.

He barely spoke with any of his friends, just brooded in corners during breaks, all the while trying to puzzle out who the victim could have been and what exactly had killed him. He had no answers. There had once been black bears in the area, but no one had seen one for years. Cougars were back but they just weren't all that big and still very rare. Maybe a booger of some kind. His dad had told him that those were just stories but he shouldn't disrespect people who thought they'd seen such things.

A mixed message. What did he actually know? One party was unwilling to let him solve. His best friend, Will. Will's dad, Billy, had been Travis Senior's best friend since childhood, and had perished along with Travis Senior. The men had hung out together, so, naturally, so did T.J. and well. Will was a year younger than T.J., who was the old man of their group,

along with Cassie's best friend Natalie, who had a definite crush on T.J. They were normally a tight-knit group. T.J. was annoyed when the trio joined him at the lunch table. Will started in first. So, no idea who the body was. T.J. looked up, not at Will, but at Cassie and glowered. You know you weren't supposed to say anything. It could mess up the investigation.

Cassie just rolled her eyes. Seriously? Because old Fabrisco says, Will and Natalie are best friends. If we can't trust them, who can we trust? T.J. pursed his lips and sat back, clearly determined to be stubborn. Natalie placed her hand on his and said softly,

"'Travs?' "'She always called him by his name, "'which he secretly liked. "'You know that none of us would tell anybody outside our circle. "'We want to help to be there for you. "'We believe you.' "'Oh, those eyes, like some cartoon Disney princess,' T.J. thought. "'He considered for a moment more, and then shrugged.

"'You'll get it out of me sooner or later. "'I have no idea. "'We accounted for everyone at one of you. the gathering so it's either some local or someone passing through or someone who was brought in and killed maybe killed and brought in but there sure was a lot of fresh blood and other stuff he swallowed the bile that rose at the memory of the odor of he shivered i figured that i'd ask brisco or one of the other deputies if anyone was missing chances are that he didn't check because he didn't really believe me he just knows that sheriff green will kick his ass if he doesn't do his job in a

at least a half-assed way. Will Sniggard. Yeah, old briscoe is lazy and dull, but not so stupies as get caught being lazy and dull. You think it was anyone we know? T.J. shrugged. That's the half-million dollar question. The other half-million is,

what exactly happened to that person? They spoke on until lunch was over, and by the end of the day, T.J. was actually tired from the stress of thinking about it, trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. He went to bed early and had some disturbing dreams. He was sat out in the woods again, and his stalker was back. He was dark this time, and all he could see was a large shadow skulking inside the tree line as it pasted him.

He tried to go faster, but the shadow shape kept pace. He decided to make a stand, so he stopped and turned toward the source of his nightmare. From within the shadows in most large, gleaming, glowing green eyes. eyes. The eyes blazed into his soul and he shuddered as they grew closer and larger and as they came upon him he felt the hot breath of a large creature and he heard a scream in the distance. It sounded like a woman scream, like his mother or sister or Natalie. Yes, it was Natalie with her own big eyes screaming into the night. And then he was awake and breathing heavily. The nightmare images fading into the warm darkness of his room and he started as the scream became reality he could hear out in the woods

a woman's scream he scrambled out of bed and into the jeans he'd laid out for school he slipped on his boots and looked up startled as his door crashed open he was cassie she had a little two two three rifle t j picked up his three o eight and set it on the bed did you hear that she shook with fear and anxiety. What the f? She trailed off when their mother appeared, carrying T.J.'s old, 20 gauge. I heard that, Cassie. We worry about that later. Did you all hear the scream? T.J. rolled his eyes and raised his voice. If there's anyone else in the house, yes, everybody in the house heard that. The last bit of grumbling was distorted by the t-shirt he pulled up over his head.

"'Look, Cassie, will you a spotlight for me? "'Mom, I need you to cover me. "'S sounded like it came from the back of the house, "'so let's start on the back porch.' "'He snatched his rifle from the bed "'and checked the load as they trundled downstairs. "'He opened the door cautiously "'and shone his small but very bright light

"'out into the darkness toward the woods. "'Nothing.' "'He stepped out. "'Cassie closely crowding his heels "'with one of their father's big handheld spotlights. Once he was in position on the porch and the rest of the team flanked him, Cassie turned on the spotlight and shone it into the trees. Just shadows. Either of you see anything?

He asked without taking his eyes off the branches and brush shrouded in the darkness. Cassie spoke first. No, I think there's someone out in the woods. So... And at that, she was interrupted by another scream, this time followed closely by a yowl of some crows. creature in pain, much closer to the house. They stood for a while, but no more sounds burst from the woods. The rain started again, like this time of steady, and they gave up their vigil to try and get some sleep. Something was definitely haunting the woods. Terry Ann ushered her

brood inside and sent them back upstairs. Needless to say, firearms would be kept close. It was unlikely that anyone would sleep for a while, if at all. Wahoo shook and cowed as little Luther loomed over him, taking up an inordinate amount of space in his tiny, filthy living room. Little Luther, who was not little at all, stood, fist-bored, and glared at the smaller man. So you're telling me, Sam C took all of what I gave you to sell over that Brockston party thing? Wahoo stared for a moment, in abject fear, and then stammered out. yet he took all that was left along with our blend he said he'd call you little luther nodded hey he freaking called me asked for some fresh pills to sell of those broxton kids said he made 150 off

pills and it had guaranteed five hundred dollars sale for saturday night and then nothing where the fuck is he you two assholes party up my stuff and at that he edge just a little bit closer, and the smell of the rotting food between his teeth filled Wahoo's nostrils. Wahoo spread his hands to indicate haplessness, and to be ready to fend off the rain of fists he expected at any moment. No, we didn't party at all. Sam C heard about the party over there, went to sell some favours, maybe chase a little white tail the other. I fell asleep waiting for him. He never showed. Then I saw the laws over

that Monday evening. That Brockston kid, T.J., walked around with that fat deputy, Brisco. Little Luther frowned. Then what? Why the law's looking round? Wahoo tried to crawl up into himself.

I don't know. I just watch, but, well, they walked into the woods. Little Luther produced an evil smile. Well, Wahoo. Looks like you and me are going to take a walk in those woods. Little Luther couldn't believe that the two jackholes would have tried to stiff him. They never had before, and he was sure they were too scared to start.

Then again, Sam C had been hinting lately that their homegrown blend made enough that they might not need to sell the pills that Luther's pride. Dangerous thinking on Sam C's part. Ian Wahoo tramped along the muddy trail that led onto the back part of the Broxton place. They knew that the mom was at work and the kids were in school, so neither worried about anybody seeing them or saying anything if they did. Nobody messed with Little Luther King. Yet he still didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention,

so he'd part his car just around the next curve in the road from the Brockston's driveway. They could easily have walked, or whose trailer was just around the next two curves after that, and on the other side of the road. But Little Luther liked to drive, I'd like to show off his ride to the locals. Wahoo stumbled along behind him and cursed aloud at every trip and tumble.

These were frequent since he hadn't cared for going into the woods since he'd been frightened as a kid. Something about big green eyes that he'd told his parents. They never cared nor believed him, despite his night terrors and returned to bedwetting. Those just got him more thumps from his father. He'd taken his first illicit drugs, to be able to sleep.

Little Luther was about to turn around and tell him to be quiet when he realized that he hadn't actually heard the fool for the past few moments. He stopped and looked back. No sign of woe. He called out in a low voice. Whoa, get your ass over here, fool. No response.

Now a little angry, he turned back along the trail he'd just covered. He was going to smack. that dumbass around a little, maybe knocked some sense into it. Had he paid attention, he might have noticed that Wahoo's tracks in the soft wet ground stopped and then headed back toward the road. He didn't need to see them though. He knew that Wahoo had freaked out and fled. In his peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of a large dark form. What the f! was his fitting final utterance as he heard the primal scream and felt the sting of large claws grip his arms and shoulders and before he could even scream the fangs that sank into the back of his neck rotated and snapped his neck

he never managed another inhale of breath while who tripped and stumbled and fumbled his way back along the trail he couldn't believe what he'd seen that cat thing it had sat inside the the trees and stared at him, just stared with those ginormous green eyes. Then licked its chops with a big red tongue. He hadn't even thought about warning little Luther. He'd just bolted like the coward he was. He'd run so fast that he hadn't had time to make his normal noises. He heard the predatory scream, intended to momently freeze prey and make it vulnerable. He ran right past little Luther's park car and on down the road. to his crappy little trailer house. When he arrived, he locked himself in his room,

squatted on the floor next to his bed, and shook and cried. It had to be a bad trip. He lied, of course. He had been high. He was always high on something. Those pills, that scream. Surely little Luther would arrive soon and beat him to a pulp. But at least you won't eat me.

He shivered. Why, we spent a miserable afternoon in his miserable little hovel. T.J. was anxious to get home. Will was coming over, and they were going out on a hunt. There was something stalking the property. Cassie would cover for them if their mother came home early. Not lightly, but they'd be ready. As the bus slowed on the last curve in the road before their driveway,

he saw a car parked over on the shoulder. A gaudy thing. He'd seen it parked at Wahoo's trailer a few times. Wahoo was a piece of crap druggie who lived down the road, reasonably harmless, just trashy. And his friend and oftentimes roommate Sam C. was a full-fledged turds. We had placed a park, he thought. Never know what dope-heads were thinking.

When they made it home, T.J. helped Cassie set up supper preparation. She was a good hand with her little rifle and had her dad's eye for tracking, but keeping mum unstressed was more important than her pride or her skills. Will rode up about a half hour after the bus dropped them at their home. He rode his own dead father's four-wheeler and had a twelve-gay shotgun slung in a long holster on the side of the vehicle. He wore his rubber boots and a floppy hat. His dad had left him with the name Billy, embroidered on the brim in bright green letters.

He treasured the goofy thing because it had belonged to his father, who died alongside his best friend Travis Sr. on Black Cat Ridge down south. He grinned. Something else had gotten from his father. A little crooked to one side, but sincere. His humor was a good counter to T.J. sometimes taciturned nature. Ready? Looks like we'll get some more rain before we get back. We'll hide the slate great clouds scuttling overhead. Maybe if we get ahead of it, we can find some tracks. T.J. simply nodded and hefted his 308. Take care, Cassie. Hopefully we'll get done and get back before Mom gets home.

If not, we're at the fishing pond, right? Cassie shook her head. Nope. T.J. looked at her, annoyed. It was a dumb lie, but one they could fade. What? She rolled her eyes. You may need these to be convincing.

She reached around the corner. corner inside the house and out of sight of the two boys who stood in the yard and brought out a pair of fishing poles which he held up triumphantly t j rolled his eyes but thanked her will's grin widened eagerly thanked her and praised her foresight t j rolled his eyes again they each checked their weapons and then set off toward the pond and forest and the fields out back and the two-legged things didn't smell very good at least at first. Yet they were starting to grow on him. He was getting old and tangling with feral hogs or chasing deer

had become more of a challenge than he likes. Well, the taste was similar to Pog, but the outer skins often stank and were inedible. The big one today had been tasty, and the leftovers were now safely stored in the crook of a tree, deep inside his territory. He had been taking a nice nap, but in the distance he had an annoying bus.

One of those things, things the two-legged creatures rose. The young honda might return. He didn't feel much like it, but decided to take a stalk around his perimeter. Not hungry, but he was feeling a little angry and protective. Too many two-legs in his territory over the past few days. The boys first looked around the pond and the blood tree. There were still a few rusty patches and streaks on the trunk, and in the crook where T.J. had seen the bloody mess resting, and just a little bit of the stench remained in the air. Even the rain couldn't wash away everything at once, yet nature would soon take its toll. Once the weather turned, insects would quickly devour and remove the evidence. Will's eyes grew wide

when he saw the blood stains. He'd believed T.J., of course, but seeing human blood from a dead body was novel and a bit unsettling for him. It wasn't the blood itself. He'd hunted and worked around livestock long enough to be nured to the mere sight and smell. No, it was the... knowledge that this blood had once been liquid and had coursed through the veins of another human being. He felt a few goose pimples arise as T.J. picked out a pathway that led toward the back of the property. T.J. C., the deputies should have been out here as soon as it stopped raining. If he and his friend could slog through the wet woodland, so could they. Of course it was his family's land, so he didn't mind the hunt. He just wanted to know who the victim had been.

"'Maybe someone with a family,' he worried. "'He couldn't help but think of his own father, and wills. "'They'd been killed and eaten by wild creatures. "'Maybe some kid or kids were sitting at home waiting for their parent to return. "'They needed to find and stop their own threat from the wild. "'The trees had stopped dripping, "'but the overcast cry had grown even darker "'as the boys reached the back fence line.

"'They hadn't really spoken about it, "'but T.J. had taken the lead and had a search pattern in mind. Billy trusted his older friend. He knew just how intelligent T.J. was, even if he brooded and grouched at times. The trust between them was as solid as it had been between their fathers. T.J. noticed it first. The shadow that paralleled their path. The creature that paced silently along beside their own squelching noisy steps.

It glided from cover to cover, never fully visible, but never fully visible. but never fully absent. He looked over his shoulder at Will and said quietly, He see it, out to the left. Will nodded and kept up the pace. Both boys considered alternatives. If they stopped, the beast might attack or simply disappear once more. If they ran or quickly changed direction, it might attack,

or they might lose sight of it and then it might attack. T.J. slowed to walk beside his friend. Let's just get the guns ready. When I give the signal, we turn and fire at the best target. I know that goes against hunting safety rules, but it's hunting us as much as we're hunting it. Once we fire, we advance together toward the target. Like our dad's taught us, he intended the last of his statement to harden the younger will, and it worked. T. Shee moved out ahead again, and then obviously clicked off his safety as a signal.

world did the same both of them turned in unison and raised their weapons to where the threat had been it wasn't there the shadowy figure had disappeared altogether after a few how it pounding moments of waiting each lowered his barrel and they turned toward one another

t j spoke in his normal tones maybe it knows what guns can do he didn't finish A large black and grey streak of fur engulfed them as a thunderous roar sounded and the hunter and prey tumbled across the forest floor indistinguishable from one another. Will stood motionless for just a moment, and then the panic seized him. He aimed his weapon at the massive cat that was mauling his best friend, and fired. The buckshot tore into the flank of the beast, and it screamed in its higher-pitched tone. leapt into the air and turned on him as he attempted to load his next round in the pump of the shotgun.

He instinctively pulled back the firearm as a defensive weapon, taking it from a firearm to a club. He felt a self-rise into the air, hovering on his side for a moment, as though he rested on an invisible couch. And he quickly hit the ground and felt the burning scratches along his lower left leg. The big cat had swatted him as it ran past. He now lay on the forest floor in shock and pain. He heard the sharp bark of T.J.'s rifle and stayed in place. Stayed low as his friend angrily rose and stalked in the wake of the enormous feline, all the while pumping rounds after the monster in a vain attempt to follow his plan and take out the beast.

He bled from a toothmark on his forehead and from several other wounds about his body. He was clearly bruised and battered, but he was also furious. Will was almost afraid of his best friend in that moment, of the boy who'd rescued him from bullies and at least two of the wounds on T.J.'s size appeared to be from the buckshot. Oh, God, I shot T.J. He wailed in his mind. Then the pain in his leg truly set in, and he realized that it was more than superficial scratches. T.J. picked up his groaning buddy in a firefighter's carry. Will would have to keep hold of his shotgun on his own. T.J. would need every out of strength just to carry and balance him. He gripped his own rifle, now depleted of ammunition,

and therefore nearly useless in both hands, and trudged along the trail at best speed. He kept looking around as best he could in case the big cat returned to finish them. Apparently Will had done some damage with a shotgun, but now that he'd started to come, and the first rush of adrenaline had had started to burn off, he started to feel the effects of his own wounds. Somehow the cat hadn't completely shredded him. He'd gotten his rifle up and between the teeth, and Will had acted pretty quickly. Still, it had hit him hard, and his claws had raked him. He'd need a new rain-slicor. Naturally, it started to rain as they reached the pot. Terry Ann was furious with both of them, but worried and terrified at the same time. So much for keeping her stress low, T.J. thought.

She'd been home when they arrived. T.J. exhausted and bleeding, Will bleeding and unable to stand. It had almost been too much for her, but she gathered them up and Cassie helped as she piled into the truck and drove to the small city, and it's pretty decent university hospital. She'd had to call Will's mother on the way. They met at the emergency room and clung to one another while their sons were patched up. Will had two younger siblings, and his mother, Cheryl, was even more frazzled than Terry Ann. They were barely making it now he'd gone and had his knee all but destroyed it would take multiple surgeries to repair it and she had no idea how they'd pay for it she sat on a small sofa near will's bed while her two younger

children slept a little head on each of her legs terry ann and cassie sat on the sofa on the opposite wall near t j's bed the same room for convenience among other things they both need to speak with the state game warden about what had attacked them. Terry Ann rose and let Cassie stretch out on the sofa. She patted across the two cold room and took a seat in the chair next to Cheryl. They'd been friends along with their husbands and the kits, but they hadn't seen each other as often since the men had been killed. There just wasn't time.

Well, they'd got an insurance fund, and go fund me money, but with maintaining homes and raising children, things were often tight financially. this latest incident had them both on edge. So they'll think it'll take four more surgeries to fix him. Terry Ann spoke softly to avoid disturbing the children. Cheryl simply nodded and held back tears. The boy said it was a big black cat.

They decided to take it on like their dads. Terry Ann trailed off in her own attempt to hold back the screams of pain and fear and anger that wanted to burst from her tortured mind and soul. She called a few family members, now her phone buzzed to alert her to a new text. She rolled her eyes, and Cheryl looked at her questioningly. Uncle Jim, says he's on the way and he'll go stand guard at the house. Might as well. He's hard-headed Brockston man.

T.J. washed in horror as once again the luminous green eyes grew to enormous proportions, and the giant black beast swatted him back and forth between his paws. the claws that looked like long curved sores that dug into his side with each swat and with each transit between the pores he spun dizzily then the cat rose and swallowed him whole his view switched to the front porch of his home and there was will seated in a wheelchair his legs missing and his face and body scarred and torn his wounds began to weep blood and he looked up at t j accusingly as the weeping turned to Torrance. Uncle Jim made a call once he'd packed, loaded his pickup and gotten underway.

Edwina, this is your father. Oh, I'm all right, sweetness, but there's been an incident with your cousin, well, second cousin, Travis Jr., with the one they call T.J. Some kind of big cat. Maybe the cryptid type that's hoarded the backwoods for centuries. Probably a good idea to send at least an exploratory crew, but I don't get around in the woods as well as I used to. The boys claim that they hit it with buckshot. Likely just pissed it off. Sorry, I know you don't like that word, sunshine. Anyway, I'm headed that way.

Kick it around and please let me know. Love you too, Blasson. He drove on into the darkness, anxious to get to the old homestead and protect his kin. So you knew that there could be a predator out in those woods, and you didn't tell anyone. Just made patrol notes. Sheriff Troy Green

He didn't raise his voice But Deputy Priscoe knew that he was in for it If he lied and got caught He'd be fired immediately If he told the truth He'd take a hit Likely a suspension without pay Well sir

I didn't really believe the kid There was some blood in the tree But I thought he was probably just imagining things And it was just some animal There was no sign of a body Then it rained and well after that I just forgot there were no more reports

than I didn't think the tech could get much after the rain and so he trailed off weekly fitting since the response was weak the sheriff's side tj emailed me the photos he took with his phone barney fife could have seen he was telling the truth

we'll deal with it after the crisis is resolved we need all hands on deck for the moment even yours First thing is to secure the area around the attack And we need to notify all the residents in the area To be on the lookout for a large predator Possibly an escape big cat We already have people working on fighting out

Whether anyone's missing such a beast And we have some experts from parks and wildlife on the way I truly don't have time for this briscoe You have no idea how thin your ice is Now get with Sergeant Norris he's on the notification to tell look alert and concerned when you tell people about this

they need to take it seriously TJ was young enough to cry openly and sincerely Will I'm so sorry I got you into this it's so bad I don't know what to do

you are a hero though you save my life Will looked up bleary eyed with pain medication and other fluids being pumped into his body Yeah, but I shot you too. T.J. suppressed the absurd laughter that rose through his tears. Only a couple of pellets. Those were outside the ribs.

It hurts, but they'll make cool scars along with the claw marks. He mainly hit that son of bitch. He leaned close and whispered. Now, it's my turn. I'm pretty sure I miss with the rifle, but I was too shaken and pissed to shoot. They won't let me join the hunt, but they can't stop me from following it. He rose and winked at his friend. Please get better and I'll make sure to do some overtime if, when I get a job, to help your

mum. We all manage one of his famous grins and shook his friend's hands. You know, you saved me right back. I couldn't have made it out on my own. Take care of it. Take care, T.J. Uncle Jim stood from the rocking chair on the front porch and set aside his shotgun as the pickup came to a stop. Cassie leapt out at the passenger's side and looked back and forth, confused.

She wanted to run to her great uncle, but she needed to help T.J. She settled for, Hi, Uncle Jim, thanks for coming. In the end, T.J. helped himself. He moved a little gingerly, but he was young and athletic, so he managed and waved for Cassie to go. Terry Ann lingered to see that T.J. made it, but had already learned that he wanted to get by on his own and not have his mother hovering over him. Just like his father, she fought, as fresh tears threatened to well up and trickle down her cheek, tears of love and pride. She watched as the young man climbed the stairs and greeted his great uncle with a handshake and a man hug.

She winced along with him, though Uncle Jim was clearly careful to avoid the bandages as much as possible. I told you young uns to holler if you needed anything. The old man had moorished the youngsters. T.J. smiled a little. Well, I hollered when that big booger cat hit me. Cassie assured the Septuagenarian. I would have called Uncle Jim, but in the rush, I left my phone here at the house. With that, she registered a horrified face.

She hadn't been able to chat with her friends, with Natalie. and she ran into the house without another word you two sit here and visit i'll get supper started terry ann told thee well she had to think it sooner or later about her boy no man t j don't stretch the truth cool wounds and scars tell their own tale with that she entered their home glad to have a task in mind to keep her busy and to avoid her rushing thoughts T.J. took the porch swing, while Uncle Jim resumed his seat in the old rocking chair. So, you've met green eyes. Uncle Jim half-assed, half-stated. T.J. nodded.

I didn't know it had a name. So you already knew about that thing. You didn't think it might be important to warn us. Uncle Jim shrugged. Nothing to warn about. you likely met a descendant of old green eyes new green eyes if you will we killed the other one your grandpa and me first real predator i ever faced wasn't the last my point is no one has seen one around here since we killed that one over 50 years ago

it took to eden cattle and pa was afraid he would take to eden youngans tj relaxed i'm sorry uncle jim I didn't mean to snap. It's just... Jim nodded in return. It's tough, T.J. You went up against a big cat and fought it to a draw. Your friends hurt, and you blame yourself. Rightfully so, at least in part.

Of course, plenty of problems for others as well. With that and, well, we're losing your dad last year. Been worried about finding work? It's a lot to ask for someone at your age, at least these days. Plus, I'm sure the pain is a little. little distracting. Hey, anything new on Will. What's his prognosis? He altered the subject to give the kid at least a little break. He's going to need multiple surgeries and even after that he'll have a limb for the rest of his life. I don't know how his mom's going to be able to pay for it.

Her insurance is crappy, so is a job. There are three kids. I'm going to give her at least half my paycheck. The other half has to go to mom. I'll just put school on hold. He paused. That should be the last thing on my mind. But there are all sorts of thoughts, ideas and plans running around in your brain at the moment. Uncle Jim said with understanding. Never know what thoughts will intrude under stress. He looked up as an official-looking SUV approached. It took him a while to get started but here comes the warning the experts will be here shortly then the hunting party won't that be fun t j had never asked what uncle jim had done for a living the stories were variant and myriad among the family he thought that it must have been something interesting since he was exactly right on the list and order of official visitations a young one issued a low triumphant growl and partially closed his eyes in satisfaction. The old beast was dead. The one that had beaten him in his territorial challenge last year. He lay there frozen with rigamarges. The young hunters had indeed found their marks,

yet the old one managed to make it to his favourite sleeping tree, at least to the foot of it. The younger animal cast about, but didn't like this place. It smelled too much of the two legs. creatures in which he'd had no interest, unless they came his way for a fight. He'd fleshed out in the past year and had come here looking to make a new challenge. The old one had made it easy. Wahoo was hungry, almost as bad as when he'd been a kid and under punishment. He was long out of the other trucks, so he'd sparked the last of the special blend on hand. Now he had serious munchies, yet he was afraid to go outside.

There'd been some stale crackers in one of the cabinets, nothing in the fridge but some beer and rancid butter. He was miserable and worried for Sam's seat. He was glad that Little Luther hadn't returned. Asshole. Hope that green-eyed monster with the red tongue got him, he thought resentfully. He hadn't eaten enough to crap his pants, but he expelled gas in a loud fart when there was a sudden pounding at his door. Oh shit. Luther's back. Oh, he's pissed. He's gonna...

These things raced through his mind until it registered what his visitor was actually saying. Sheriff's office, Deputy Briscoll. Come on, Wohu, Sam C, one of you must be here. Wahoo made his way to his feet and stumbled over to the door. He opened it at a crack and peeked out into the bright midday light. Hey, officer, can I help you, ma'am? He sputtered out in confusion and redoubled fear. Fat briscoe, as the locals called him, stood at the crack of the open door.

Oh, don't worry, you ain't in no trouble. There was an animal attack just down the road, would let everyone know to stay inside until we can catch or kill the thing. Wahoo considered what he'd heard. His thoughts moved at high pace, so the deputy was almost to his car before Wahoo was able to come to a conclusion. Oh, the jail had food. He stepped out and waved at the deputies retreating back.

Uh, hey, um, you, uh, officer, I mean, deputy. Briscoe barely heard the tremulous voice behind him, but he had to turn to get back into his car, so he saw Wahoo out in the yard, vaguely waving and saying something. What is it, Wahoo? Wahoo stopped. Unsure what to say?

He desperately wanted the deputy to take him to jail. It was over 30 miles from here. Maybe he'd be safe from those glowing green eyes. I mean, it's like Sam C. and another guy, yeah, Luther. Yeah, they went into the woods over the, um, yeah, that Brockston place. And I haven't seen him since. Sheriff Green, Sergeant Norris and two officials from the Parks and Wildlife Department crowded onto the porch to hear T.J. tell his story firsthand.

Uncle Jim remained, still seated firmly in his rocking chair. Let the youngsters do the standing. He cackled to himself. Sheriff Green spoke to T.J. Mr. Broxton, looks like you and your friend Will barely escaped alive. Would you be up to showing us where you found the body and where you were attacked? We'll have a strong, well-armed party to protect you, and our tracker and his dogs. At this he indicated a man who was.

stood over by a pickup with a trio of leashed hounds. Yeah, dogs will be on hand to find the animal that attacked you. You're absolutely certain what you saw. DJ nodded. Yes, sir. It was a cat, no doubt. It had to be around nine feet long. I sure felt like it. Thing weighed a ton.

At this, he grasped his ribs. Are you sure you'll be able to do this? The sheriff asked, doubtfully. T.J. nodded again. Yes, sir. Well's laid up in the hospital because I took him out into the woods. I owe him my life, and I'm just sore. The ribs are bruised and, well, yeah, crack, but not really broken. Everything else is bandaged tight.

I really need to help with this. To tell the truth, I plan on going back out behind your group no matter what you said. I want to take down that killer. I have a family to protect and revenge to get. I know it's not personal with animals But Will's unlikely to walk right for the rest of his life He'll always have some pain I don't know why this thing came to us

But I want to help put a stop to it Sheriff Green offered him a tight smile Yeah good enough We'll be moving slowly at first anyway And from what you've told us It's not too far By the way you can take that big knife from your belt But no rifle this time

The rest of the party will take it take care of that. The game warden and the large animal removal specialist had remained relatively silent, but the expert now spoke his piece. This may be an old cat, one that can't hunt anymore. Could be escaped and not afraid of humans. No zoos or listed shouters have reported a missing black pantera genus, but sometimes private owners lose interest in them as pets, or lose control and don't report it. Damn, too many illegal owners. They're not. They're not. They're not. They're wrapped up the planning session and took off towards the pond cassie sat on the front porch with uncle jim each with a firearm across the knees ready to guard the homestead jim was proud of the youngs travis senior and terry ann had raised them well

t j pointed out the blood tree and the tracker took his hounds around it they took off down a game trail and shortly inside of a stand of brush they found some shreds of clothing and a gnawed human skull. The sheriff approached the pile, the expert in tow. The fussy man squatted near the corpse and examined it closely, despite the odor. Definitely pantera, but I've never seen anything quite like it. Looks like a panther or jaguar on the first examination, but the radius indicates something larger, like a tiger. Sheriff Green squatted next to him and reached for a section of the pants.

it included a back pocket and miraculously a wallet. An even greater miracle, the wallet contained an ID card. The sheriff stood quickly and used his phone to call the dispatch center. After greeting the dispatcher, he asked, Have there been any new missing persons reports today? The lead dispatcher took over the call. Funny you should ask, boss, I was about to call you with this one. Debbie Di Briscoe called about a young man.

from a location just down the road from where you are, a little over half a mile. Wahoo reported this from his friend, Sam Clinton, aka Sam C, and a man named Luther King. Both are missing. I can preliminarily confirm that we found one of them. There's an old school ID with the name Samuel Clinton. Now, keep that under wraps until we confirm and notify next of kin.

If Briscoe is on hand, please have him a report to the Brockton residence and wait for us. The sheriff wrapped up the call and the tracker led off with the dogs once more. T.J. had pointed toward where he and Will had been attacked. The tracker wanted the dogs to try and pick up the scent of their own. If the cat was still up and moving, they'd find it. Worst case, there'd still be plenty of scent trace left at the scene of the attack, maybe even a blood trail. Before the party got moving again,

a shot rang out from within the group and everyone jumped and readied their various weapons. Each hunter looked around quickly to discover the source of the gunfire. Sergeant Norris raised her face, then quickly looked towards Sheriff Green. That was me. She pointed at the ground with a still hot muzzle of her AR. There lay the writhing corpse of a large copperhead. The reptile had been coiled and prepared to strike the large animal expert, as he'd knelt to tie his shoe.

Sergeant Green nodded. Good shot, Saj. Now, everybody breathe. In short order, the track had moved out ahead to the attack scene. The hounds didn't need to circle. They immediately picked up on the scent of the killer and bade in excitement. They led the hunting party, each of whom held a weapon at the ready, to the base of a large hardwood tree.

there stretched out before them was the carcass of a huge cat stiff and with its once baleful eyes torn from its head by scavengers its tongue protruded from one side of its mouth and flies swarmed all around it it was indeed just over eight feet in length and quite heavy some of the hairs around its muzzle had gone white the expert advised i was definitely an old cat definitely pantera genus but otherwise unfamiliar he placed a rack from his pocket over his mouth and nose and bent to look more closely he looked up at tche well young man looks like the animal was hidden the ribs with shotgun pellets but at least one large caliber rifle round entered its torso he pointed here that was the kill shot not immediate but it lightly didn't suffer for long Sergeant Norris's key nights had spotted more human remains in the main fork of the tree T.J was soon free to return home for so much-needed rest

while the others remained and processed the scene. The tracker was no longer needed so he and the hounds escorted the young man home. When they arrived, fat briscoe was seated on the porch in a folding chair and talking with Uncle Jim. A scraggly figure sat in another folder

next to him and chewed hungrily on the last bites of a sandwich. Two girls sat in the porch swing. His sister, gun across her knees, and Natalie, Disney Princess, eyes glowing with admiration. T.J. awakened from a troubled sleep. He'd taken some pills for the pain in his ribs and had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room. His sister had been sprawled back on the same piece of furniture down near his feet. Her head was now forward, and her eyes were open and alert. Natalie had been curled up on the recliner and now sat up and looked around in confusion

with a hint of fear they heard voices out on the porch and then in the distance they heard again what had awakened them the core of a big pantera genus cat on the hunt and so once again

we reach the end of tonight's podcast my thanks as always to the authors of those wonderful stories and to you for taking the time to listen. Now, I'd ask one small favor of you. Wherever you get your podcast wrong, please write a few nice words and leave a five-star review as it really helps the podcast. That's it for this week, but I'll be back again, same time, same place,

and I do so hope you'll join me once more. Until next time, sweet dreams and bye-bye.