Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S4 Ep152: Episode 152: Cabin in the Woods Horror

Episode Date: December 28, 2023

If you want to take ownership of your health, try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year  supply of Vitamin D AND 5 Free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase.  Go to www.drinkAG1.com/creepen We begin tonight’s podcast with ‘I Know I should never have Returned to my Cabin in Maine’, an original work by Paul Stefani, kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all.    Next we have ‘The Crying Baby’ an original story by Black Friday’s Witch 13, kindly shared directly with me and narrated with the author’s permission [original title: ‘The Crying Baby’].  Today’s third story is ‘What Lies beneath the Lake’ an original story by Chris Bird 93, kindly shared directly with me and read with the author's permission. A huge shout-out to my fantastic collaborators...  - Uncle Ulric as ‘Lukas’: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCILAHWYn1UQFy06o0HxGo4A  - Sketch Eli as ‘Josh’: https://t.co/7PrdSsoNda  - MizKatMac as ‘Jennie’: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEDdN-q9o_3FfAeaDYmr0qQ  - Momoteacup as ‘Nadia’: https://www.youtube.com/user/MomoLPanda  - Immunity Zero as ‘Chris’: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo_5tqDGYJOYgluchll-F6w   Today’s next wonderful tale is 'The Cabin with the Red Light’, an original story by Mr. Evan 312, kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all.  Tonight’s final fabulous story is 'A Cabin vs A Killer from the Stars' by the wonderfully talented James Caligo, kindly shared with me via my subreddit for the express purpose of having me narrate it here for you all.

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The dense canopy of trees casts dappled shadows, creating an environment where sunlight struggles to penetrate. The creaking of time-worn wood of the rustle of leaves, and the distant hooting of owls contribute to a symphony of eerie sounds that amplify the feeling of isolation. Imaginations may run wild, conjuring tales of the unknown lurking in the surrounding wilderness. The line between the familiar and the mysterious blurs in the dim light,

fostering an unsettling atmosphere that traps into our primal instincts, the age-old fear of the unknown that lies beyond the cabin door. As we all see in tonight's five tales of terror, now as ever before we begin a word of caution. Tonight's stories may contain strong language or descriptions of violence and terrific imagery. That sounds like your kind of thing. And let's begin. After a six-hour drive, Ted had finally arrived.

He had been working and saving for a couple of years for this vacation, and he stepped out of his car with a grin. He was finally home. Not his real home, mind you. His real home was back in South Dakota, here in Maine. just a little north of Sabago Lake was where he felt most comfortable. He spent many summers here in his childhood. The cabin, which was leased out by his father's landlord, Charlie, was a two-story beauty, set in the woods roughly ten minutes away from the sandy shore of the water.

Grabbing most of his stuff from the trunk of his car, he walked up to the heavy wooden door. Pushing the key in the hole, he bumped hard into the unmoving portal. The continuous heating and cooling of the old cabin throughout the seasons must have caused the door to stick, so he pushed harder, but he still did not budge. Turning the key back and forth a few times, he finally booted it in hard with a resounding crack. He stepped in to the musty living room to see that the door had been barred from the inside. This concerned him.

He went through the house, turning lights on, looking for any. who might be in there. The living room and kitchen was spotless, and the hallways leading to the up and downstairs were undisturbed as well. He opened the door to the basement and pulled the string to the light at the top of the stairs. Nothing. As he got out his phone to turn the flashlight app on, he glanced down into the dark void. A shiver ran down his spine.

It looked threatening and sad. The light switched on and he slowly went down the creaking wood steps. Each step was like the base to the solo his heart was giving. Hot sweat beaded down his cool face as he reached the landing. Snap! Something moved and made him nearly jump out of his skin. He reached for the light to the left of the steps and clicked it on, painting the concrete walls and earth and floors.

and earth and floor with the light. Ted looked where the noise had come from. On the wall under the stairs was some garden equipment and a rake had fallen over. Feeling incredibly foolish, yet relieved, he looked around. There was lots of old hunting and trapping gear,

which made sense, this being in the middle of nature. On the right side of the basement, where the dirt had not been packed down, was some uninteresting luggage, and to the front where the stairs came down was just a washing machine and dry it. Satisfied, he turned off the light and went back upstairs. Reaching the top, he shut the door, letting the rest of his fear run out of him. He checked the bathroom and downstairs bedroom and found nothing.

The top floor was two bedrooms, which were both spotless and not even that musty. Ted wasn't one to dwell on things So he just left it to the owner being an eccentric Feeling hungry He went back down to his car The cooler in the backseat had a six-pack of PBR A personal favourite from his teen years And some stuff for sandwiches

Closing the door He took a moment to admire the land as the sun began to set The trees in the surrounding woods were bright orange with a contrasting darkness, both blending together to make everything look like it was on fire. Thinking back to his childhood here, he remembered his dad dropping the first pile of logs into the fire pit to the south of the cabin. With a clunk, he'd stand up straight, put his hand on Tett and proclaim, Ah, this is the magic hour. Anything can happen, from elves visiting from the trees,

to the spirits of the Seiko River coming to enact the curse. He'd say that with a chuckle. Ted always felt spooky excitement run through him the rest of the night. And the years hadn't taken that from him. He sighed with exhilaration and went back inside. He walked into the kitchen, cooler in hand, and stopped. The fridge and all of the cupboards were open, and then the smell hit him. It was like rotting flesh.

he almost threw up. Moving towards the fridge, he saw the shelves had old food on them. How old it was, or even what it had been, he didn't know. Wait, were all the doors open when he walked in before? Sure he would have noticed, at least that horrid stench. He grabbed some garbage bags from under the sink and began to dump the fridge's contents. He couldn't believe the old man would just leave this stuff here for so long, but he had to be pushing 70 now and probably didn't give a rat's ass. After about 20 minutes of cleaning the fridge, the smell died down, and he could finally stomach a sandwich. He made his favorite, triple roast beef and cheese, and sat down on the couch to listen to the radio. Opening a beer,

he flipped it on, hearing nothing but static. He changed. He changed. He'd Soon passed a few scratchy country stations and finally found one with classic rock. ACDC's back in black was playing when he downed his beer in two and then got up for another one. Coming back to the living room, the station had cut out. It was nothing but static at first, but then he could clearly hear a girl's voice. She sounded like she was crying or pleading, and he made out the words, I'm so hungry Then the static cut back in again

And the song Bad to the Bone By George Thorogood took his place Ted was beginning to get nervous He ultimately shocked it up To a strange coincidence But with the sun barely visible now And being by himself His imagination was starting to get to him

He took a deep breath And a deep swig And went through his bags to get the Sudoku he did when he had free time. He rifled through it, but realized it was in his passenger seats. He got up and opened the door, and his heart leapt from his chest as he rushed back behind the door. In his front seat was a silhouette, just staring at him. He didn't get a great look, but it was definitely a woman with dark hair. He looked next to the wood stove and grabbed the small metal shovel on its wooden holder.

Slowly opening the front door, he looked again to see an empty car. He knew that there was someone in there just a second ago. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't feel comfortable here anymore. He packed his belongings into his bags, and with a careful glance, he went out to his car. He put his stuff in the back seat and got in to start it. Only his fingers didn't meet his keys. He looked over and sure enough, they were not in the ignition. Fuck, he yelled in frustration.

Now he would have to get a hold of the police and report it. Some vacation. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and went to tell the number for the local police. when he noticed the smell. It smelled exactly like that rancid food he'd thrown away. Through the sounds of his own gagging, he heard something else from behind him. A funny sort of crackling noise,

like that of a fistful of grass being pulled from the ground. He looked in his rearview mirror and saw something that made his skin crawl. It was the first of the world. woman again. Her dark hair about shoulder length glistened with something moist. One of her eyes hung limply from her dark bloody socket. Chunks of meat were missing from her face, and where her jaw should have been a gaping hole ripped from her cheeks down her neck, and her tongue flapped nauseatingly as if she were trying to speak. He let out a scream he never raised. He let out a scream

he never recognized before. In a flurry of motion, he opened the door, ran back inside, and slammed the door shut. The whole thing felt like somebody was moving his body for him, and he was watching it all unfold from outside of himself. Slowly he slumped to the ground against the door, his breathing, erratic, and his hands around his knees. as he felt like he was slowly gaining control again his entire body erupted in shakes he began to get a hold of himself and started to stand up the radio was playing something by aerosmith

and he went over to the couch Ted pulled out his cell phone to call the police but noticed it was out of service figures he said as he set it on the end table He got up and locked the door, putting a chair against the knob for good measure. He made sure all the windows were shut and locked and went upstairs to his old bedroom. He wasn't going to go to sleep, not after that, but being locked in the room upstairs made him feel a lot better about the whole thing.

He kept the light on as he got into bed. There was another radio up here, and he tuned it into a nightly talk show. They were talking about football, not that he cared what the subject was. The voices just made him feel a hell of a lot better. After a while of his mind still racing, he began to grow bored, which turned into curiosity. His instincts knew better, but he looked out of the window into the darkness anyway. The moon didn't provide a lot of light, and he had to squint for a few minutes. The trees swayed gently.

back and forth, and his car was empty. He saw nothing in the still night, and this made him feel better. Maybe the whole thing was just nonsense. He still couldn't talk himself out of what he'd seen, but it had been quiet for a while. Maybe he was just a... He trailed off in his mind, as he saw a figure emerge from the woods. It was slim, and when it was, and when it was, walked, it was in a jerking motion, like it had no feet, and it just gazed up at him. Ted reared away from the window and thought briefly about going down to get something as a weapon. But there was no way in hell he was going to leave this room. He was just going to sit up here and wait for the morning, and then run to the nearest house.

He was going to... He thought, as the power. went out. His pulse raced as the dark and quiet set in, almost as perfect as the woods during the magic hour. He swallowed dryly in his throat as he listened for anything coming from downstairs or outside. Tick, he heard. The sound of something dripping, coming from the bathroom to the left of the room he was in,

and the door was slightly open. He turned on his flashlight and slowly turned to it. He opened the door all the way and the light revealed the tub. The shower curtain was closed. He could hear the steady ticking coming from it. He moved forward to push the curtain aside

then felt better of it and pulled away as the curtain ripped open from the other side. There was an old fat man in the full tub of water, looking at Ted with hatred. That was when Ted recognized him as the landlord, Charlie. The swollen body rose out of the water and moved in an unnatural way towards him, falling as he reached a large leg over the edge of the tub.

Ted backed out of there and out of the bedroom to the downstairs. He grabbed a fire poker and sat on the couch shivering, just waiting for the waterlog corpse to come down after him. Nothing came. He crept back up the stairs, moving slowly, ready to bash it in with his iron weapon. At the top, he looked into the bedroom. There was nothing, but he still heard the teeth. Tick, tick, tick,

coming from the bathroom. Slowly, he moved to open the door. Water flooded the ground, but the curtain was shut. He moved the tip of the fabric. Swung it open to reveal nothing. There was no body or even any water. The faucet was just open enough

to allow a stream of droplets to tap the drain. He made his way back downstairs. to the couch. Crazy, he thought, I'm losing my mind. He gently rocked himself back and forth when he heard the door creak open. Suddenly, he remembered he'd left the back door unlocked.

He jerked his head down the hall and saw the dark shape of the woman. He could hear her joints crackle with every move she made and she made a disturbing noise from the hole in her neck, her flailing tongue punctuating every noise with a moist smack. Every step led out a sickening thud from her feetless legs, and she was coming closer. Panicked, he turned to run out of the front door,

only to find it blocked by their former landlord. With an angry sneer, he charged it. Ted. Ted stabbed the poker into his stomach with a wet squelch, and, like a hole in a barrel, dark water began pouring out. Ted's ways out were blocked, so he ran to the basement stairs, locking the door behind him. Quickly, he made his way to the bottom and turned on the light. He was now royally screwed and weaponless. He went over to the hunting equipment. Most of it was just basic supplies, nothing of any real use. But now he noticed the rust color on the bear traps was also on the earthen floor.

The wavy patterns looked like it made its way back to the darker part of the ground. He followed it, and as he bent down, that's when he heard a creek from the other side of the room. His head moved over to the lower outside window from the back. It was open, and pushing through it was the jawless woman. She crawled through and fell limply to the floor, unmoving for a moment. Then, in a grotesque display of rigour-mortis-consumed limbs, she stood up and started walking over to him. He had nowhere to go. Above, he could hear Charlie slamming against the door, demanding entrance.

Slowly the horror set in as she was now only five feet away. Her hands came up and he closed his eyes, letting out a whimper knowing that this was the end. Cold, stiff hands made their way on either side of his face, and he saw a vision in his head. A woman was being held in the basement. She tried to run, so someone broke her ankles using bear tracks. and then cut them off with a sore when they became infected. Then the scene changed to her begging for food. She hadn't eaten in a while and was looking gone.

A man was tired of hearing this, so he ripped her jaw right from her, killing her. That man was Charlie. Suddenly he snapped back to reality, and the woman was nowhere to be seen. banging could still be heard from above and he looked down at the uneven earth grabbing a shovel he began to dig the banging became even more desperate as only about a foot down he saw the decaying face of the woman all at once the banging stopped he finally lost his supper from this smell and went hesitantly to the top jarley was nowhere to be seen or was quiet. He ran to the front door and threw it open. The cold, fresh air felt amazing and as he reached into his pocket for his phone, he found his keys. Not thinking twice, he got into his car and drove away. The next day, police and a crime scene unit were all over the property. They determined that Charlie had kidnapped a young woman.

named Carol Burns. He kept her down there as a sex slave, and eventually when he got bored of her, he found new, interesting ways to torture her, eventually killing her. They weren't sure how Charlie's body had made its way into the well in the back of the house, so it was labelled as suicide. Ted wasn't found guilty of anything, other than being a loony to most of the officers he talked to. They marked the case close And all loose ends have been tied All except the small, round, bloody marks Leading from the back door to the basement

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I think the nostalgia wore off, though, after our fifth miscarriage. I wasn't prepared for the ways it had begun to wear on my wife. The deep depression and the small ways it had started to destroy our lives. Then we got the news. She was pregnant again over the summer. It offered us back a small glimmer of hope. and we tried to put our fears and anxieties to rest. We were excited and yet still apprehensive

because of all that we'd endured in the past. The doctors had placed my wife on bed rest and a special diet as well. We were so careful this time and we seemed to walk on eggshells whenever anyone would ask us about it. We were frightened we would jinx our new blessings. She carried our child further than she ever had with the other pregnancies. then around the end of the six month my wife said she didn't feel well and she needed to go to the hospital

she felt that something was wrong even though we just visited the doctor the day before and everything had been fine that's when the doctor discovered that there was no longer a heartbeat sadly my wife had to give birth to a stillborn child it was more devastating than all the others that had come before You see, this time she was able to hold our little girl. We had a small ceremony for our child and buried her. Anne gave her the name of her grandmother, Emily, because she'd been so close to her grandmother when she was a little girl, until she'd passed away.

We had made the quiet decision that we would stop trying to become parents and that perhaps it just wasn't in the cards for either of us. We decided that maybe we'd investigate the possibility of adoption when the time was right. But right now, my wife's mental and emotional health was in bad shape. I decided to take on a nice trip about three hours away to a quiet cabin in the woods, overlooking a national park. When I'd found the cottage online, it was pristine, with all its quaintness.

It had two bedrooms, one bath, a large wraparound deck and a hot tub. The kitchen had an old-fashioned stove, and the cabin itself had been refurbished, to its original state using original wood and stuff. It was beautiful, complete with flower boxes and all the windows, little purple and white flowers that seemed to enhance the fairy tale aspect of the cabin. The day we arrived, I met Sam, the owner of the cabin, where we were lined up for our little retreat. Sam looked like some character you would find in a movie. He wore a flannel jacket and dirty blue jeans.

He had a gun swung over his shoulder and a massive grey beard. Sam smiled and shook my hand when we met. He had a little girl with him, his granddaughter, Amanda. She smiled up at my wife, Anne, who smiled back at her. Hello, I'm Elliot. My wife Anne and I are looking forward to spending the week here. It's a gorgeous little cottage. I looked around, and the woods surrounding the cottage had a few.

field of green grass in between them and a little trail leading deeper into the forest. It was going to be a much-needed quiet place. Thanks. My late wife, Emma and I restored it to its glory, and it was always her dream to have it ready for us. It's just that, well, Emma passed away five years ago, and I can't bear to be alone without her out here. I'm sure you can imagine. Sam said, looking at me and then staring at Anne. Anne seemed very empathetic to Sam and nodded in understanding.

Now I only have my son and my granddaughter here to keep me company, he said, patting Amanda on the head. She sat down on our front steps and was slowly turning the pages of a book. What are you reading? Anne asked Amanda, kneeling beside her. It's a book about the forest here, she said, matter of factly. Oh, are there a lot of stories about this place? Anne asked, amused. Just the one about the birds that live in the forest. She then started to laugh.

Oh, what kind of birds? Anne asked. Scary birds that have red eyes. She giggled again. Sam looked at me and rolled his eyes. She has an overly active imagination. I imagine she gets it from all these silly fairy tale books her grandma passed down to her. We two have known loss. And that's what brought us here.

Needed an escape. Anne said, looking at Sam and then at Amanda with a gentle smile. Well, I think you'll find it to your like. There's a landline phone because you won't get a signal out here with your cell. Your closest neighbor is about six miles away, and that's me. He chuckled a bit as though he were embarrassed by that fact. I'm sure it'll be fine. I doubt you'll hear anything from us this week.

I said, looking at Sam. Well, you'll find everything you need in the cabin. But should you need anything else, you have my telephone number inside next to the phone. I hope you two will enjoy your stay. I smiled, and Anne stood up, wiping off some dust from her pants. Sam had decided it was time to go

because Amanda was getting hungry. He left, and after he pulled away in the driveway, I noticed that Amanda had dropped her boy. book. It was an old children's book titled The Stalk Book. It had these elaborate illustrations of the bird dropping off babies to couples home. I smiled, shaking my head, and walked back to the cabin. What a sweet old man, said Anne, as she watched the old man leave. Yes, he seems nice. Now, let's get the groceries before they go bad, and perhaps we can have a bite to eat. I'm famished. You're always...

famished, Anne laughed. We got settled rather quickly after that, and as the day drew on, we explored the woods, and Anne took photos of the birds and little red foxes that were able to see. She seemed quite happy, and it was nice to see her smile again. It seemed to get darker in the woods faster than anywhere else. Even the birds seemed to stop chirping earlier than in the city. The forest took on a life of its own, and soon it was dark out. We went inside, and I made a fire in the little fireplace.

Anne and I chatted for a bit over a couple of glasses of wine, and then we retreated to our beds a few hours later. I woke up early and noticed that Anne was gone. I was startled by this, as I was usually the one out of bed long before Anne. She liked to sleep in, well, just for a second I became concerned. I went into the kitchen and to my relief, I saw her sitting with the front door open, drinking coffee and watching the forest. Morning, I said, kissing her on the cheek.

Oh, good morning. I made coffee if you want some. Oh, I'd love some, I said to her, as I went back inside to make my out. So, you're up early, I said, looking at her with a sly grin. I couldn't sleep, so I thought to get up and make coffee. I nodded, and we chatted about other things while I looked at my phone, trying to find the news. But the damn thing wasn't getting any signal. Well, old Sam had warned us. So I noticed we had a newspaper on the front porch. I stood up and picked it up.

Give from Sam, I asked, holding up the paper. Well, he did say it was quiet here with little modern technology. I guess the newspaper is the only entertainment. I could think of other things, I said, winking. Later that day, we spent most of our time exploring the woodie area behind the cabin, and took photographs of the trees and the little stream behind the cottage. It seemed to relax her. However, after snapping one of her pictures, she had this strange look on her face. She held up her digital camera for me to see, and I looked at the photo she'd just taken. What is that shadow? You can't see it with a naked eye, but here it is, clear as day. Sure enough, there was something that appeared off to the side of one of the trees.

I handed my worried wife a camera back and then smiled. It's nothing to worry about. It's so odd, Elliot. Can you tell what it is? It almost looks like the shape of a man with a large bird wing. Oh, I can't tell, she said, putting her camera up to her eye and then taking another shot. come on her let's go get some grub i tried to navigate her away from where we stood because she had this worried look on her face i was afraid she would snap back into a deep depression and i didn't want this mysterious shadowy figure to be the trigger i began to hike back to our little cottage and anne seemed to linger behind me when we got back i started to prepare the grill for some much-needed food Anne helped me, but she seemed lost in a weird days. I studied her and tried to make her smile. But even through it all, she seemed not quite herself.

It got even worse as the night drew on. I woke up around 4 a.m. and found Anne missing from our bed. I got up, put on my glasses, and then went down to the hallway. When I reached the kitchen, the door was wide open, and there was Anne just standing in front of the cabin. There she was, in her nightgown, as though she was searching for something. Anne, I yelled, but she stood there unmoved. I walked over and grabbed her by the shoulder.

Elliot, do you hear that? Hear what? It's a baby crying. she said as a fearful expression took over her face she grew pale and her brown eyes appeared black there under the moon that peaked out from above the trees above us oh i don't hear it anne please come back inside i was getting worried now i hoped that perhaps she was sleepwalking i walked her back into the cabin and shut the door behind us she sat on the sofa and sat on the sofa and I lit a fire.

I made her sit on the couch, placed a blanket around her, and then made her some chamomile tea. I sat across from her, looking at her as she drank the tea, trying to figure out if she was okay, or merely just tired. I want to go back to bed now,

she said, getting up and handing me the cup of tea. Okay, let's go, I said, helping her up off the sofa and walking her gently, into our bedroom. Elliot, did you see the eyes? She asked as I covered her up.

I looked at her and shook my head, my heart dropping a little. That night I had strange dreams where I got lost in the woods and it was pitch blackout except for red eyes all over the forest staring at me. I woke in a sweat and found Anne laying beside me. I curled up around her, spooning her. I just wanted to hold on to her tightly hen, and I didn't understand why. It was as if I was afraid she would slip away from me forever.

The next day, I talked Anne into going with me on another hike in the woods. It was an isolated area and had the feeling of serenity that we both needed. Even as serene as the scenery was, there was that aching feeling that something was off with Anne. She snapped photos again, as she had done the day before while we chatted. Then, as we approached a little creek bed, she stopped and looked up into the trees. What is it? I asked. Listen, can you hear it?

She asked me, almost gleefully. No, Anne, I can't, I said. Then I saw something move from above me. It took me off guard as I stood there, hearing what sounded like a crying baby. See? She asked, grabbing my arm as her wild eyes stared back at me, and she pursed her lips together.

I listened, and I watched as something moved again, something that looked as though it could be a massive bird, only I couldn't quite see it. I just saw a slight shadow, a movement near the top of the trees above us. "'It's a mockingbird or something.' "'I sighed, grabbing her hand. "'She stormed away from me, "'picking up her backpack and stomped off

"'through the thick grass and trees. "'Anne!' "'I followed her as fast as my feet could carry me, "'but I tripped over a small log "'that seemed to come out of nowhere. "'When I looked back up, "'my wife was about fifty yards in front of me. "'I figured I would let her be

"'and have a moment of alone time "'until I caught up with her. I was in no hurry for an argument. I could almost sense her slow detachment from me and the world around her. The pain we both felt from our loss was magnified in Anne tenfold. I knew better than to try and coax her out of the belief that what she heard was genuine. I'd let it slide for now, and maybe after a day or two, she'd realise it wasn't a baby crying in those woods after all.

only when I got back to the cabin she was already in the shower and I figured I would make her some dinner while I waited she didn't come out for a long while and when I knocked on the bathroom door there was no answer I slowly opened it and tried to peer in but there was so much steam coming out of the shower I could barely see her and is everything okay I asked peeking around the shower curtain. As soon as I saw her, I knew that everything was far from okay. She sat with her knees up to her chest

on the floor of the shower, sobbing. I turned off the water and wrapped a towel around my wife and just held her there for a long while. She is out there, Anne sobbed into my shoulder. No, Anne, she isn't. I said, referring to our daughter, who had come and gone too quickly from our lives.

But we can try again, or maybe finally talk to an agency to adopt. I tried to sound as gentle with my voice as I could, because she was so fragile. I was afraid she would permanently break. No, the other one. She is out there. I looked at my wife and I knew then something had already broken. I had no idea how to fix it or even how to help. I picked Anne up and took her to our bed,

covering up and letting her relax a bit while I made her some more tea. I shut the door to the bedroom and I began to sob uncontrolably. How on earth was I going to help my wife when I was as depressed as she was? I've been trying to hold it together until that moment, seeing her there so helpless. I wish then that someone or something could carry this pain away from both of us and bring us what we so desperately needed. There is one thing about wishful thinking. Sometimes you may get it.

Once things had calmed down a bit, I let Anne go to sleep, and then I cleaned up the kitchen and sat in the recliner. I read a bit, and then, after some time had passed, I fell asleep in the chair. I dreamt strange dreams. And the last thing I recall before getting awoken from a bitter chill in the air was a dark figure standing in the darkness of the woods, just glaring back at me with deep red eyes. The full moon above the trees cast strange shadows over its features.

It was tall, at least eight. feet with glowing red eyes that changed to black then back to red depending on the angle it moved from its massive head I found myself walking toward it as it dropped something from what appeared to be a long beak gently to the ground at my feet when I looked at it again it merely flapped large wings that came out of nowhere and flew up into the skull I was suddenly aware I was only dreaming but I just stood watching it in my dream and holding my arms as I shivered there in the darkness. Something jolted my body awake, and then I looked around the living room.

The door to the cabin was wide open, and I shut it, and then it dawned on me. Where was Anne? I went into the bedroom as quickly as I could, only to find her gone. Her bed wasn't touched, and her slippers were still next to her. her bed. In a panic, I ran into the kitchen and then back outside. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. Anne, I screamed her name loudly and waited for her to respond. That was the last time I saw my wife. Both the police and park officials completed a search. After days it was determined she was just a casualty of the forest.

People got lost all the time in those woods and never found their way back again. Couldn't bear to think of my wife gone, forever. I stayed for another month at the cabin. Sam was kind enough to let me stay for free, no less. I kept dreaming I would find her, and each time I did she would tell me, I found her, I found her.

after that last month I decided that it was time to go back home I don't know why but that cabin kept me there in its grip it was as though I was needed there longer part of me wanted to stay for Anne and the other part of me wanted to leave

and forget about all the pain and all the loss I had my bags packed and ready to go the night before as I'd planned to leave at daybreak Sam and his granddaughter Amanda had come to see me off Sam had become something of a friend to me during the incident of Anne going missing We stood and chatted for a bit about the fact that he would be here if I ever needed anything

And I thanked him for all he and his family had done for me The next morning I awoke around five or so Showered and dressed like a zombie I had my bags in my hands as I opened the door of the cabin, and then I stopped dead. I nearly fell over from shock, and from almost tripping over something lying on the porch. I looked down, and my eyes were trying to focus on what was beneath my feet.

It was a baby wrapped in a white blanket. I picked the child up and looked around, but there was no one around the cabin. It was still chilly from the night air And so I quickly brought the child into the cabin Shutting the door I looked around the back of the cabin To see if I could see anyone leaving

But there was no one out there I immediately called Sam And we called the police It was another mystery that would go unsolved Much like Anne's disappearance They tried to find the parents of the baby girl but after some time she became a ward of the States

that's when I decided to adopt her I had this feeling it would be what Anne would have wanted me to do in this situation I can't explain it but I've always felt that the disappearance of my wife was connected to the baby whom I named Emily

can't explain it but there's a part of me that knows Anne somehow sacrificed herself for this child It's my gut feeling And that dream I had of that bird Could that have been the stalk Bringing my child to me I'd always thought it was just a story

You told your kids So that you didn't have to explain sex Before they were old enough to understand As I sit here in my chair Typing this I can't help but wonder If it was some old fairy tale Based on fact

I wondered for a long while if there was a reason we'd gone to that cabin and not somewhere else well Emily is going on eight now and we live a beautiful, quiet life together she's in school, as many friends and I feel in some odd way

that she is a gift perhaps a gift from Anne or somewhere beyond my understanding yet Emily is here and she is my daughter Hey Ontario, come on down to BedMGM Casino and check out our newest exclusive The Price is Right Fortune Pick

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BenMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Lucas has been trying for the best part of ten minutes when, finally, he gives up and places his phone in his back. That's it. I'm officially out of signal. He declares, defeated. No one seems to notice his frustration with the situation, so he digs a little for a response. We'll have Wi-Fi here, right?

Chris puffs. You should be happy you've got a roof over your head. We're in the middle of nowhere. Lucas rose his eyes at the thought of an entire weekend over this. How far now? Nadia's head, which has been firmly nestled into her jacket and propped up against the truck's window for a good duration of the trip, lifts upright, and she squints as she gets her bearings. Chris continues speaking to the group.

So I was reading about the land we built this cabin on. The people that once settled here had these... He pauses why he thinks for the correct word, and then releases the wheel for a second as he bends his fingers into quotation marks. These shamans, right? And they'd banished people who had been deemed no longer worthy to live with the tribe. So the shaman would take this person

and throw them into this small lake just away from the settlement. If they climbed out, they were free to go. Simple, right? They lived like this for thousands of years. He waits for that to sink in, and then continues. What gets me, though, is that this lake is only about 20 meters round. I mean, it's less than a swimming pool, so how did so many people die? Nadia thinks about this for a second.

How do you know so many died? She asks, intrigued. Chris raises his eyebrows. You'll see. It turned out Chris had been wrong, and there were only 25 minutes from their destination. He pulls the truck up along a path shaded by a tunnel of trees that eventually give way to reveal the backside of the cabin. The long wooden logs that make up the outer walls almost make it fit in with the forest. But the solar panels that have been fitted to the slanted front side are a little more out of place.

A pipe running along the ground from the lake provides a one-way flow of water. Some of it will be diverted into the hot water cylinder, where the solar panels will have been doing their job all day. Truly, the only thing it needs is time. Time will allow the logs to age, for moss to grow and for the forest to slightly reclaim the little bit of land upon which the new cabin has been built. Each of them grabs a bag and heads toward the front of the building, and each one of them gasps as they round the corner. Down from a couple of wooden steps leading to the entrance, and through the trees, less than

a stones throw away, is the lake. No path has yet been forged out from the forest floor, and it all looks entirely untouched. The warped tree trunks surrounding the lake are a fuzzy green from a covering of moss, and the thin canopy of trees allow light to permeate through to the ground and glitter onto the floor. The clearing above the lake is an unblemished blue. It takes the five of them a couple of trips from the truck to unload their world for the weekend, although junk food and alcohol take up a majority of the items that aren't closed. Inside, the cabin is an open-planned lounge area,

with a wood fire and a small kitchen in the corner. A hallway leads to a double room for Jenny and Josh, and a twin for Nadia and Lucas. Chris is currently on the sofa, but a lot can happen in a weekend. It didn't take long for the drinks to start flowing. In the early evening, Lucas hooks his phone to a blue, Bluetooth speaker and heads outside for a cigarette. He watches as the sun hides further and further

behind the trees. Jenny and Nadia are laughing and chatting on the sofa. Their drinks leaving watermarks on the wooden table where the condensation has dripped down from the glass. Cards are scattered across the table, abandoned from a game earlier in the evening. Meanwhile, in the kitchen area, Josh's eyes are bright with excitement. You should go for it, man. man, he says eagerly, unambiguously looking over at Nadia. He turns to Chris and lowers his voice slightly. I'll make sure I put in a good word for you throughout the night. He winks.

In fact, I'll take Jen to the woods now and you go make a move. Before Chris can talk him out of it, Josh is walking over to the ladies. He lifts his chin like a king and places his hand out before Jenny, inviting her to join him. She raises her eyebrows at Nadia. and then takes a large gulp of her drink with one hand and Josh's hand with the other. Together they walk out through the veil of Lucas's smoke and down toward the lake. You know, you never told me. Nadia advises Chris, biting the end of the straw in her drink as he awkwardly wanders over.

He hums and sits down, taking a sip from his own. Hmm. Oh, what's that? you said once we got here, you tell me why you knew so many people were. She pauses for dramatic effect. Banished in the lake. This isn't quite the way he wanted the conversation to go, but he laughs. Not true. He points out.

I said you'll see. She sucks air through her teeth, pretending to be in a predicament. That's true. She admits. Nadia stands up and takes him by the hand. I guess. You'll just have to show me. Josh chases Jenny to the lake until her feet are on white sand and she's out of breath.

She turns to Josh to plea for him for forgiveness, but he simply wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her. A hand in hand Chris and Nadia, followed by Lucas, make their way to the small lake as well. Chris was continuing the legend. So if you don't want to make it out of the lake in the world you left, and means you have been sent to join. Mocking her. He pauses for dramatic effect as well. The Banished.

In this place, you will age forever, slowly losing knowledge of everything you once knew. Your body will hunger for human flesh and will deteriorate until, after hundreds of years, the hunger forces you to throw yourself back into the lake, knowing it will mean certain death. Once they reach the lake, Chris bends down and scoops up a hand full of sand. It's pure white

Nadia says Chris stares at her for a couple of seconds It's bones He says Once you jump back into the lake Your bones just join the rest of the banished In this world He rubs his hands free of the human remains

And then points to the water In the dim light of the sunset The surface is so still and clear It looks as though molten glasses crept up through the ground To encase what lies beneath On the lake bed eroded hips, kneecaps, and every other bone in the body can be seen. Chris dips his arm in the water and retrieves a skull worn smooth over time.

That's amazing. Says Nadia, taking the skull. Lucas dips his hand into the water and picks out a slightly curved, smooth and flat bone. It will be impossible to tell which part of the body it came from. He skims it along the water and exhales a puff of smoke. Jenny screams, and the three of them turn their heads to see her kicking the air as Josh, laughing, lifts her onto his shoulders. He takes a few paces forward until the water is up to his thighs and then launches her into the lake. Water settles. Seconds pass.

Josh's laugh slows until panic stops him from breathing completely. Jen? He asks, hesitantly. Jenny? He waits another couple of seconds. Beneath the surface, all he can see is white. Jenny? He shouts.

Chris, Lucas and Nadia share a look, and then all three rush over to help. Chris and Josh dive in to search the water. Lucas scouts the surrounding area while Nadia checks the cabin. Jenny is gone. Jenny jumps out of the water. flicking her hair back and feigning anger. She wipes the water from her eyes and sees immediately that everything is different. She is alone and the air is heavy with silence.

She calls for each of her friends by name, but her voice barely travels in the thick air. She takes a few steps out of the water toward the way the cabin should be, but it's gone. Around her are only trees with long shadows dipped in gold from a setting sun. Dread clutches her. Jenny steps out of the water where in. Between the trees and quite some distance away, she sees a figure. It had been human once. Quite when, or how it had become what it is now, it had no way of knowing. For years, it has wandered the banished life. lands. Over time, clumps of purple and black tumours have grown, and now they extend the size of a rucksack on its back, where a vile black liquid seeps out from within the cracks and drips between

its feet. Dead, yellow skin, sunk into the bones, swells with each step, as ancient muscles try and shuffle the body onward. Broken, unheeled bones and dislocated joints hinder its progress. By the time the sun had set, this banished would have thrown itself into the lake. The hunger has become too great. The situation has rendered Jenny somewhat cautious, but despite this, she calls to the figure and breaks the silence around her. From behind, she carefully moves toward the shape, slow steps rustling leaves.

The form stops moving, and its whole, body goes rigid. Slowly, the head twists as far left as it can go. Then the shoulders turn, and in the fading light, Jenny can see the tumours bubbling from its back. She plants her hands over her mouth to stop herself from screaming and quickly cowers behind a tree, eyes wide with terror. The banish can barely see through the black tears that leak from its eyes, but it its ears are sensitive. It takes quick, uncoordinated steps toward the sound it has heard. The mostly intact left leg strides forward, but then the right leg clips the kneecap floating out of its socket. It catches momentarily, and the weight of the body crunches through it until the leg

slightly buckles inwards. Jenny can hear the creature getting closer with every passing second. With a quick whimper, she darts to the tree ahead of her. Slightly further from the banished, but slightly closer to the lake. She begins to cry. Her tears are black. It's impossible. Josh protests. He soaked through from the lake.

His hair matted against his head, eyes wild. It's the only explanation. Nadia says, collected. She, Lucas and Chris, had decided the story sounds better coming from her. We should bring her back. Chris adds. I know it sounds crazy, but we need a blood sacrifice. It allows the banish to get back through without...

He doesn't want to finish the sentence. Josh marches up to the cabin without another word. He rips open the door, grabs a small knife from the kitchen in the corner, and proceeds back to the lake. In the water? He asks, restless. The three of them nod, and Josh makes little noise as the blade slices down his palm. He squeezes his fist, and the first few drops of blood drip from his hand. It's almost dark.

Jenny darts from tree to tree to avoid the thing hunting her footsteps. From between two trees, the banish spots a blurred figure through hollowed eyes, and lets out a pained whale that echoes beyond the forest. With a long, laboured breath, the creature begins to run. It only manages to remain upright because the hunger is more powerful than any pain. It sprints from tree to tree. The left leg still crunching and buckling with every step. It grapples the trunk for a second before heading off in a more narrow direction.

It's getting closer in the near distance. The screamers alerted more banished. One, close to the lake on the other side, is standing upright and looking straight. straight at Jenny. Purple and black tumours bubble around from the left shoulder and the same black liquid covers the body from the chest down. It wails and, unhindered from broken bones or dislocated joints, begins to run. Jenny rubs her eyes and struggles to hold in a scream when her fingers are sticky with black liquid. She rubs it off onto her blouse, staining it with two black hand impressions.

She turns around to see how close her original hunter is, when, suddenly, out of the darkness that is settled over the banished lands, hundreds of tiny lights appear. They are about waist-high, shaped like a basin, and speckled like paint, flicked from a brush. And there they hover, in the middle of the forest, just up from the lake. Slightly further away, more of the speckled lights lay out in a perfect square, just above the ground,

illuminating the dead leaves and grass beneath. Just do it, Lucas says, going against any and all of his survival instincts. Without another word, Josh picks him up with one arm under his legs and another under his arms. In one swift motion, he throws Lucas into the lake. Jenny hears a splash. She whips her head back around from the lights to see Lucas springing up from the water. He takes a quick look around. Right in front of him, he sees the banished with tumours growing around its shoulders.

His lower body drenched in black liquid, running. To his right, Jenny is cowering behind the trunk of a tree. Her blouse is stained the colour of her eyes, which have two distinct black rivers running down her cheeks. behind her the stumbling hunched banished is only seconds away further in the distance lights from nowhere paint onto the ground she screams half in terror half in delight it takes him just a second to process what he's seen he swears under his breath jenny he shouts running towards her knee deep in the water jump in the lake She runs towards him, and they meet at the shore. Without hesitation, they sprint back into the water and hurl themselves beneath the surface.

The two banished are not far behind. In the near distance, another has been drawn to the noise. Jenny and Lucas leap out of the water, and Josh immediately runs to their side. Jenny's cheeks were washed clean of the fluid, but her blouse bears the marks, and the entirety of her eyes are pitch black. Josh's jaw drops open for a split second, and Jenny whimpers against his chest as he accompanies her out of the water. Lucas flaps his hand at Nadia, and she passes him his cigarettes,

and he lights one shakily. Let's get the fuck inside, he says. Jenny downs a couple of glasses of water, and Nadia refills it every time. Chris gets a bath running. And then they all sit in the lounge as Jenny recounts her story. From seeing the creature with the tumours, to the lights on the ground, to Lucas and her diving back into the water. Oh shit.

Lucas whispers, staring out of the window. From the settling water in the lake, a head appears, followed by a pair of shoulders with purple and black tumours arching around to the left. The creature pulls at the water. as it heads toward the cabin. The others look out of the window. In no time it has made its way out of the water. It starts to run. Lucas opens the door just a touch before Josh slams it shut.

We won't make it, he asserts, reading Lucas's thoughts for an early escape. Lucas locks eye contact with Josh and then nods. They grab one of the sofas and barricaded. the door closed, just as the creature outside slams into the wood. Chris and Nadia are up against the back wall of the cabin, eyes wide with fright. Jenny, however, is still sat on the second sofa, black eyes staring at the glass in front of her. The creature outside howls once again and slams fists and body into the door. Jenny picks up her glass, fills it with water from the tap,

and sets it aside. She stares at the droplets of water in the base of the sink and clinging to the sides. Chris. She says. Her voice, almost a whisper. Is this water from the lake? What?

He asks, incredulous. She turns around, stunned in her realization. The water. She says, both matter-of-factly and utterly horrified. black tears roll from each of her eyes the lights I saw were from the water in the sink Josh and Chris are still firmly pushing against the door but both slack off and stare at Jenny

the pounding on the door was nothing compared to the weight of what she has just said slowly two dead fingers rise out from the glass of water Jenny has put to the side The skin is purple, black, blistered and peeling. The fingernails are loose. Everyone watches in stunned silence, as the fingers work their way around the rim of the glass,

bending, flexing, and looking for something they can cling to. They find nothing, and slink back beneath the surface. They can all come back! Jenny cries, black tears falling from her eyes. through the water they can all come back a couple of very long heavy seconds pass

I drink the water she whispers this is the last thing Jenny manages to say from within her stomach a dead hand reaches out and grabs her flesh inside its fist the hand pulls down

back towards the layer of lake water Jenny is drunk and her stomach rips away from the rest of her body. The hand releases its grip and then flails and thrashes around. Jenny drops to the floor, writhing on the ground and screaming in pain, as the portal from the lake water falls within my stomach. The hand is cut from its host and is left inside a dying, lurching Jenny. Josh drops to her side, calling to her, shaking her shoulders, distraught.

There is nothing he can do. Her body is almost lifeless. Her eyes roll back in their sockets. Blood seeps from her mouth. And then she is still. Josh stands up. There are tears in his eyes, a mix of anger and sorrow. For now the front door is secure,

and the banished outside have taken to scraping down the wood, losing fingernails and skin in the process. Jenny's body is almost still when Chris, helplessly running his hands through his hair, looks over to Josh. The bath, he says. Josh picks up the hatchet from the side of the unlit fire and marches over to the door. He stands outside for a brief moment, listening to the water falling from the tap. Chris is right behind him, while Lucas and Nadia are back against the front door. Josh slowly opens the door

and the brand new hinges ease open silently before the two young men a single banished attempts to climb out of the half-full bath its face is a deluge of tumours and weeps black liquid into the water

against the porcelain and onto the floor the creature had obviously needed to lie down to climb back up through the water but doesn't appear to possess the capacity to heave itself upright For a brief moment, the two of them stare at the thing. It wails and thrashes around in the water when it notices them.

The sticky black fluid drips from the gums, and then Josh brings the hatchet down on the side of the thing's head. A few of the tumours burst open and spray onto the walls and floor, and onto the two of them. The creature gargles, the blade stuck into its head. Josh prized the axe from the wound And with the second swing The banish stops moving completely

His body falls limp against the bar Josh retrieves the hatchet The body slumps back into the water And disappears out of sight Back into the other realm Chris pulls the plug from the bar The four of them regroup back in the lounge We're going to make a break for it

Chris says, sounding more hopeful than he really is. Nadia and Lucas nod. Chris picks up a few of the sofa cushions and passes one to each of the unequipped survivors. Use these as a shield. Lucas, you open the door. I'll take it down. Just as going to kill it.

He pauses for a second, while Nadia retreats, and the three of them get into position. One, two, three, he shouts. Lucas whirls, the door open and Chris sprints through the gap, slamming into the banished that had lost all of

its fingernails and burst a majority of the bubbles around its shoulder. He knocks it to the ground and Josh runs around the head of the creature. With one blow, the thing stops moving entirely. Nardia runs out of the cabin and all four of them stare towards the lake. At least three more banished of varying states of decay are emerging from the water. Another head appears, then another. Go. Josh says, solemnly. Get to the truck. Lucas, Chris and Nadia begin to run.

Just before he rounds the corner, Chris looks back. Josh isn't running with them. Josh! He yells, but he doesn't turn around. He circles the hatchet around in his hand and plants his foot back in a fighting stance. Three banished have left the water with varying ease. Chris turns back to the two ahead of him. Go, go!

He says. Let's go! Chris hops in the front of the truck. Lucas and Nadia jump in the back. Josh hears the truck start from behind the cabin. He is ready to fight every one of these creatures. He takes a couple of steps backwards as the closest banished strides ever nearer. From around the side of the cabin, the truck swoops round.

Chris accelerates and crashes into the banished halfway up from the lake. He leans over the passenger seat and opens the door. Get in, hero. Josh is dumbstruck. He pauses for a second, but then jumps into the car. Chris spins the wheels and whips the less than agile truck around the far side of the cabin, back onto the trail and away from the lake. as fast as he possibly can.

Her luck had officially run out when she felt her leg connect with a tall root arching out of the ground at shin height. Without so much as a second to curse, the young woman toppled to the ground in a heap, scraping along the dirt and leaves before coming to a stop in a moaning, defeated, miserable pile. Her fair skin was smudged with dirt,

her long, open hair was tangled in a mess of pine needles, twigs and birds. Her simple, light blue dress was all but unrecognizable from all the brambles and scrap she had endured in her flight. She knew these woods like the back of her hand, and even in the dark she'd know her way around if she were blind. But tonight she had gone too far, and even with the light of the full moon to guide her, as she laid on the forest floor nursing her bruise leg, she had to admit defeat. She was utterly lost.

The girl had known this time would come, and while she also knew that escape was certainly hopeless, it was better than meeting her fate in the isolated ranchhouse deep in the forest that had become her prison ever since she married that man. That man, so seemingly suave and handsome in his city ways, his nice clothes, a man who could speak with a feather song, voice one moment and bite into her soul the next just like the way his leather belt bit into her flesh three years she surrendered to his abuses his tirades his endless controlling of her there were no friends to see the bruises

no family to see her tears just her and that monster who made this poor young woman the soul focus of all the darkness in his blackened soul. But no man, no matter how evil, brilliant or forceful, can go forever without making a mistake. That night, he'd had too much to drink. The fire water had made him clumsy and careless. She managed to trip him, stunning him when his head hit the wall, and to her joy, the door had not been padlocked. With no hesitation, and just the clothes on her back, she bolted into the night, his furious roars fading into the distance as she ran into the darkness.

She felt no small amount of relief when she found that, while painful, her leg was not broken, and she could put her weight on it. It was swiftly bleeding, however, and she'd have to get it seen to when she found a town. If I find a town, she thought to herself. that would only come by sheer luck, for she had no clue where she was. Never in the past half of a decade has she ever gotten so far away from the house, and even if she had, the night masked everything in such a way that not only made her loose her way, but made her feel small.

It was all she could do not to curl up in a ball and cry. Ain't no time for that, the woman sternly told herself, speaking aloud for the first time in a while, no longer afraid of a back hand. You're a big girl. Big girls don't cry. Big girls keep chugging along. Dusting off her blouse as best she could, so she did, albeit painfully as her shin had begun to swell. The footfalls became heavy as her endless sprint through the forest had taken a toll on her energy. and just as she finally crested a small hill, hoping to get her bearings, she felt that her legs would give out altogether. She saw it.

A head, in a little clearing of brush and tall grass, lined with tree stumps, was a log cabin. It looked to be little more than a big shed and was roughly built, but looked solid. There was a single window by the sturdy-looking front door. but pulsed with a dim but distinctive red light. I must be dreaming, the young woman said out loud to herself. There shouldn't be nobody for miles. Then, as she blinked to clear her vision, as if something in her eye could be playing tricks on her,

she saw a shadow move past the window. Someone was home. Something must have come over her, for, exhausted as she was, the woman began to stumble towards the little house, tears running down her face and stuttering incoherently as loud as she could. Reaching the door, she fell against the indeed solid planks and iron hinges, hounding with her fist with all her waning strength.

Somebody in there? Please, help me, please. Somebody, any... The door flew open without so much as a squeak of a... a rusty hinge, startling the girl into losing her balance. Falling forward, she landed on her rear and stared up at the resident of the cabin who silently considered her from his place upon the threshold. The red light was dimmer than she thought, so most of what she could make out was his silhouette. He was not a big man, in fact he had narrow shoulders, a slim build and was not

much taller than she was. His cheeks looked hollow, with a hint of stubble. The bones of his face, what little she could see, were angular and sharp, as if the skin of his face were drawn tight over his skull. His hair was short and unkempt, and he wore a loose-fitting shirt and pants. Yet, despite all this, the eerie light gave the man an off-putting feeling. There was no doubt in her mind that this, was a strange man. One of his eyes was visible in the light, watery, but with a flinty, cold stare that almost sent a shiver running up this girl's spine.

He looked her dead in the face with an almost dead expression. "'What are you doing out here, this time of night, girl?' His voice was coarse, very low and gravelly, the voice of a man who smoked a lot and always kept his voice to a whisper. his tone was so passive the girl could not tell if he was angry or concerned please she whimpered still sitting on the ground he'll kill me if he catches me

i don't know where i am he didn't move from where he stood in the door nor did his eyes break contact with hers run along girl you're better off me not helping you and with that he made to shut the door, turning away from her. Wait! She tried to stand up, but winced in pain, and instead sat up straighter, reaching as far forward as she could. The man stopped and turned to her again,

this time eyeing her up and down. His eye finally drifted to her leg, which was visible in the dim glow, and he saw her wound. He looked back at her face, then to her leg and for a moment she could have sworn she saw the look in his eyes soften a little letting out a sigh the man swung open the door again standing aside to let her through best get inside there can't have you limping around the woods all scraped up like that can we

the girl could not get inside the house quick enough standing up successfully this time she hobbled into the home and plopped down onto a roughly built stool the man had provided for her. Now inside, she got a better idea of the cabin's layout. It was sparsely furnished, and all with what looked to be handmade furniture. There were two stalls, some crates, a small stove, a table, a pile of wood, and a bed in the farthest corner from the door. On a small box next to the bed was a lamp, its glass case coated in some kind of red paint that tinted the light it gave off.

The man shut the door behind her, but he did not bolt it, and he turned to face her, now with a light fully upon him. He was indeed not a big man. He was very thin, and his face was the most haunting that she had ever seen. His eyes were sunken. Iris is so blue that they almost look white, and he looked like he'd not shaved in a week. dark bags Hunang's eyes

and his unkempt hair only added to the image of a very bedraggled creature He looked like he should have been in his late thirties No older than the girl But the air about him Made him seem incredibly old

weary And spent like a dying old mule He advanced within a short range of her And knelt to examine her wound He brought his face close to it and sniffed it a couple of times, and she felt his hands clench a little tighter for a moment before loosening their grip.

She was surprised at this, but he seemed to pay her no mind. He poured some warm water from a kettle on the stove over the wound and began to dabberd it with a handkerchief he withdrew from his breast pockets. The water felt soothing, and his hands, while knobbly with spindly fingers, were very gentle. As he worked, without looking her, in the face. He spoke up

for the first time in what felt like hours that she'd been sitting there. You didn't answer me, go. She snapped back to reality, having nearly dozed off. The night's events had taken their toll on her.

Beg pardon? Was a girl doing out in the woods on a night like this with a herd leg, no less. She wasn't sure whether or not to trust the man with the truth just yet. Something about all this left an uneasy feeling in her belly. I got lost, hit my leg on a root or something while running around like a fool. This was, of course, true, but not the entire truth. She could not know if this man knew her

husband, after all. Indeed, he muttered. That don't answer why, though, don't it? He looked up at her face from where he knelt by a leg, and that passive, chilling look could come over him again. Something in his eyes was compelling, hard to resist like a steam train bearing down the iron tracks. Forcing herself to look away, she continued. My man, you see, he's a right, heartless bastard, beats me like a dog some days. It says awful things to me. He chokes me half to death. Marion Hymn was the stupidest thing I ever did.

I finally escaped tonight, and here I am. His face did not change, but his head tilted slightly to the side as he considered her story. That's so. The man did not sound disbelieving, nor did he sound surprised. He almost sounded disinterested, distracted like a busy parent trying to humour. an excited child. He tied the handkerchief around her leg, not too tightly, and stood up. His stance was slightly stooped, in a way that made him look incredibly tired,

and yet as he stood over her, she felt dwarfed by him. Well, it'd be a shame if he caught you out there. Sounds like you're quite the lucky little lady. With that, he turned and went over to the stove. casting a shadow over the girl. Her eye glanced over to the door. Next to the doorframe, there was a large wood axe leaning against the wall.

You wouldn't know my man, would you? She asked tentatively. A raspy, almost wheezy chuckle came from the man's throat. No, girl, I wouldn't. Matter of fact, I came to these woods to be alone. Why'd you want to be alone? However, it was not his isolation that worried her, but rather her own.

At that moment, she had never felt so far from salvation. Because I ain't like most people, girl. He still was not facing her, but something about his tone of voice was unsettling. There was almost a touch of excitement to his words that grew as he spoke. Perhaps the loneliness had gotten to the poor man. See, ever since I was a boy, something happens to me on nights like these, something awful. The man began to turn, and her blood turned to ice in her veins

when she saw the look in his eyes. eyes that seemed to have lost all pupils and were turning into a milky white. His mouth was beginning to twist into an evil smile as he slowly rotated to face her. And when it happens, I get this urge, see? He took a step towards her, causing the girl to squirm instinctively in her seat.

The grin stretched across the man's face was inhuman and his neck began to twitch. She could have sworn that suddenly he'd grown in stature right in front of her. His fire in my belly starts to burn me up from the inside out. I feel like I'm dying. I've got to get what I need and you know what I need, girl. He began to move closer. in her panic. The young woman fell off a stool and began to back into the corner of the cabin. Even the screams she so desperately wanted to release were frozen in her throat. You ever been so hungry? You feel like you got live coals in your belly?

Like you got boiling water in your veins, like molten iron in your skull. The man moves slowly, but your next one. Routly, pinning her in the corner with no escape. I've never been that hungry but me. God, it hurts. His voice climbed in volume and pitch, the excitement of fervor in his voice, building so high it threatened to burst the top off the house.

I told you, though, you'd have been better off last in the woods. But don't worry. At least it won't hurt you as much as it hurts me. He raised both hands towards her face, only inches from grabbing her with those long fingers of his. Her eyes flicked futilely to the door, and the breath hitched in her throat. The door was open, having swung open noiselessly, and the axe was gone. There was a sickening crack like the sound of a breaking tree branch, and for a moment,

The strange man's eyes returned to normal as a look of shock came across his face. He groaned once and clapped to the floor, dead as a doornail. The axe, its handle still quivering, was buried deep in the middle of his back. The blow had fallen dead centre on his spine. The momentary warmth of relief froze as cold as ice when she looked up and dread robbed her of any words of thanks when she saw the face of her saviour. Her husband stood there, panting and furious. His eyes were still bloodshot from the drink and the sheen of sweat glistened on his face. He'd always been a burly man, a naturally strong specimen, vital and overpowering like the whiskey he guzzled almost every night.

compared to the stranger, who he had just killed with their own axe, he seemed like a giant. Fuming, he grabbed her by the collar of her dress and yanked the girl to her feet. Nice try, you silly little bitch. Gave your man an awful scare. Something could have happened to you. His tone was mocking without a tinge of concern to be heard. You know what this means when we get back. home. She struggled as best she could, clawing against his grip and trying to squirm out of his

grasp. But even drunk, his hands were like iron clamps. She may as well have been trying to wriggle out of the stocks. She kicked at his shins, distinctively hitting bone with her shoe and earning her a pained grunt. He released one of his hands and delivered a back hand to her face that blasted stars across her vision, knocking her to the floor all the way to the other end of the room. She tried to sit up and shield her eyes, but the room seemed to swim. He towered over her like a tree. She might as well have been resisting a mountain. In her despair, the girl could have sworn she saw something move in the corner behind her husband. He leaned down to grab her again, and she shone.

her eyes, bracing herself for the pain of another attack. You know, what's worse than feeling hungry? Said a raspy voice. She opened her eyes again, and the husband froze in place. The stranger's hand twitched, then clenched, placing its palm on the floor and pushing upwards with the sound of splintering bone. He hushed his back and got to his feet. the axe falling out of his spine with a squelch.

The eyes were now almost glowingly white, and a scowl covered the man's face, revealing a set of sharp teeth. In the red light, the girl must have misjudged the man's height. Now he stood a head taller than her husband. His limbs seemed longer than she remembered. His arms and legs, and now small body made him look like a huge, crooked,

bipedal spider. Making me angry before the girl's vile spouse could react, the stranger grabbed him by the neck with both hands, lifting the sputtering, choking abuser as if he were made of straw. Those limbs, spindly and thin as they were, must have been hopelessly strong. He struggled against the stranger's grasp like a fish on a hook.

The life rapidly being choked out of him as he kicked against thin air. As the husband squirmed and writhed with what strength he had left, the creature looked down at the girl whose head had now cleared and only sat on the floor watching in sheer terror, the shock having robbed her of words or flight. The scowl turned into a small smile as he regarded her. Best be running along, girl. It looked back at her husband

whose eyes were bulging in their sockets As his windpipe was being crushed And a distinct, crunching noise Could be heard as those long fingers drew even tight For I finish A main cause Releasing his grip with one hand The creature brought back his arm

And plunged his open free hand into the husband's chest with a sound like a hammer hitting a watermelon crushing bone and sloshing past flesh and muscle as he felt around

the man's ribcage the husband gave one last twitch and then hung limp his wet laundry left out to dry as the girl got up and made to leave just before she left

that cabin for good she saw the creature retract its arm and withdraw with it her husband's steaming, sopping, wet heart. As she sprinted away in the night, never to see her husband or that strange man, that creature, ever again. In that moment of shock,

a fit of laughter came over her. The woman struggled to breathe as she ran and ran, over hills, through the trees, around boulders, but almost the whole way she laughed and laughed. As the forest gave way to flatlands And the forest floor gave way to a dirt road She saw the lights of civilization on the horizon It was then that she stopped

And wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes And chortle to herself Well, I guess the bastard had a heart after all A cabin versus a killer from the stars Frost collected on the windows as we drove further into the woods. Next to me, my wife of eight years and bringer of many headaches.

Now, I'll be fair, I contributed to some of those headaches for her as well. Well, let's face it, we're having marital problems. I know, a cliche sort of story, but a common one in today's modern society. We were heading to my grandparents' whole cabin up north. My aging ancestors said

it would be the best place for us to reinvigorate romance, as they put it. Lovely. But that's not why I'm recording these papers, no, it was something far greater than a failing marriage. It was 2012 and we had our typical routines. I was an entrepreneur, investing in the stock market with the hopes of making it bid. To make the money in this risky scheme of mine, I had to work a regular job just like everyone else, though. I worked in a factory for cars while my wife, Cassie, was trying to become a hairdresser.

The topic of money was always a strenuous issue for us. Constantly we've thought about where the money should be going. Cassie believed that we should save as much as we can, while I was more willing to take the plunge into the market and try and milk this capitalist engine for all its worth. As you can see, putting those two together created a nasty scenario where two people who wanted to have the best of youthful intimacy slowly got destroyed by the years of conflicting interests.

I still thought she was the most beautiful woman in my life. But the way that she stood in the way of my goals for a better life was stunning to make me question this relationship to go on, and hence the cabin. Now it's December, and it's getting close to that date everyone seems to be obsessed over. The end of the world. What a load of baloney.

So anyway, that's a little background as to why we're going out to the woods. But the drive itself was unbearably quiet. Not once did Cassie say anything. She didn't put up much of a fight either when I suggested that we go out to the cabin. Deep down I think a part of me wondered if maybe she thought this was all in vain and wanted to get it over with. I believe a part of me believes that as well. Perhaps this is all a wasted effort, and the end result will be our inevitable divorce. Who knows? It's always that slim chance.

When I looked up at the sky and I saw that there was a meteor shower already happening above, "'Hey, Cassie, look,' I said, with childish delight. She looked up from her window with a stoic expression, but I noticed a slight twinkle in her eye. What I could tell, she was surprised to see such a glorious display from the beauty of the stars above. Although astronomy was always more her thing, and I still found joy in the little things too.

Well, I admit I wasn't expecting that. Right, once row the captain, we could... It just hit me when I realized it. I had no plan going forward. My goal was to get her out of the house. What are we supposed to do the moment we get to that cabin? It's not like I'm going to ask to be intimate right then and there. You've got to work things up to stuff like that,

especially with how strained our relationship is. This was going to be more debilitating than I thought. No matter what scenario I thought of, nothing seemed appropriately timed. Make a dinner. I'm watching TV. It sounded kind of stupid considering that we did a hold of that back of the house. Frankly, I'm not the most creative when it comes to trying to mend a relationship. Hey, um, want to go for a walk later? She cooed. My eyes drifted over to her. Looking at her as she fidgeted with her long, live blonde head.

A small smile grew on my face. At least she was trying to make an effort too. Perhaps there is hope after all. I sure think, Cassie. I don't know. mind once we arrived at the cabin it was within no time that we settled in although fully furnished there was dust everywhere surprisingly few cobwebs so spiders weren't going to be an issue the old cabin-like aesthetic with furniture that looked like it dated back to the 1800s and was handcrafted made the entire home feel like it was holding some dark secrets of a mysterious past thankfully my grandparents had been smart enough to remove any food from the house before we arrived

Yeah, the last thing I'd want is to see year-old spoiled food everywhere, forcing the two of us to clean up any more than we had to. The only thing I was concerned about was that I spotted something in the closet of the bedroom. My grandfather's guns. How couldn't you buy a gun safe old man? Cassie peaked over my shoulder and said, Why is that even here? My grandpa was a gun lover. What'd you expect to find here?

Those things should be melted down. My wife, though I still love her, was heavily against guns. She believed that they should all be taken away from the civilian population. But frankly, I thought the exact opposite. I believe that it should be every person's right to get one. Maybe not a semi-automatic or shotgun. A good pistol or revolver will be satisfactory enough for me. Another source of contention between us was our differing viewpoints.

I always voted Republican while she was a very important. voted Republican while she voted socialist Democrat. Back when we were dating, we knew this stuff from the very beginning. We were young, dumb and frankly didn't think that it would become such a hot issue. To this day, I can say without a doubt that it doesn't play much of an issue even now. The best thing to do is not talk about it and not try to force each other's ideals down each other's throat. Still, we occasionally had our slip-ups, but I let it go. Naturally the walk would have to happen tomorrow morning.

And after driving for the last ten hours, I can safely assume that we wanted to sleep in. As we were getting ourselves ready for bed, I looked up my wife with hopefulness bubbling in my heart. She always tried to do everything, so graceful, considering how she came from a family that was quite elegant and frankly made more money than I could ever hope to. Well, she wants to become a hairdresser, I have no idea.

It was a change of pace, out of spite for her appearance. I thought about saying something to remind her that I still loved her. But before the words could even escape my mouth, there was a flash of bright light coming from the window. She looked up and her eyes widened with a fearful stare. I turned around, wondering what was causing it. It was too bright for me to even see out of the glass. And a loud bang followed afterward.

making me believe for a moment that something disastrous was going on. Was it a nuclear war? Some random volcano, a freak storm. My mind was racing with every possible scenario. But as quickly as it came, both the sound and the light vanished into the woods. Oh, are you okay? Cassie said, hunkering down behind the bed. Yeah, I was afraid I was going to go blind there for a moment. I tried to look away as quickly as I saw it.

I was afraid I might go deaf from that. sound despite it being freezing outside i opened the window and looked around there was no smoke anywhere nor was there even a remnant of the light flickering somewhere off in the distance i caught the smell though it smelled like burning rubber perhaps it was more like plastic burning or either way it was awful and i quickly shut the door not wanting any of that to get in that was weird my wife agreed and surprisingly she wanted me to come to bed this was a bizarre turn of events for me considering that she never once cared but perhaps it was because she was scared reasonable response the next morning we went about our habits and freshened up after eating a light breakfast we

finally managed to put on some snow clothes and go out for that walk the brisk air and the gentle breeze were more than i'd expected to handle but i feel like the nervous tension was definitely keeping us warm. I never realized how hard it was to talk to her. Cassie, um, what do you think that was that strange light last night? Another brief moment passed before she replies. I don't know. Couldn't get a good look. Oh well, at least we got to go out on this nice walk. Thankfully both of us wore boots because the snow was unusually high. Not too far down the road though. We spotted a house. There was a family outside.

A man, woman, three kids, two boys and one girl. They were playing in the snow, building snowmen and forts. They waved to us, and it was a bit of a bitter reminder about how we'd squandered our marriage with our short-term goals in mind. Cassie had this longing in her eyes. I could tell she wished that we'd have done the same, and, if I honest with myself, maybe parenthood would have been something nice. We waved as we passed by, but neither of the same.

of us wanted to talk about the matter. Moving further down the road, I could spot some smoke rising from deep within the forest. I looked at Cassie, but she hadn't noticed it yet. I pointed it out to her, and we were both curious about what could be causing a fire in the woods. Yeah, I want to check it out, she asked. Only if you want to. Do you want to or not? She said, more forcefully. Yeah, God, all right, I replied back in my own angered way. I led the way. She followed behind as we trudged through the snow away from the road. As we got closer, I could smell that horrible stench again.

Now I was certain we were getting closer to whatever it was that caused that late last night. Perhaps it was a meteorite or a satellite. Finally, we cleared past the last batch of pine trees and saw what it was. A huge crater with something metallic in the centre. Is that a ball? Cassie remarked from behind. I moved closer to the edge of the crater, looking down at it. Every time a snowflake touched the metallic surface of the orb, it instantly turned into steam.

I decided to circle the edge of the crater, wanting to see if there was a way to get a full view of what it was, just out of curiosity. I wasn't sure what it was, actually. It was a grey orb, and no unique details other than it was six feet tall, and, well, that was it. Well, that's what I thought until I moved over to the other end of the orb, and thought that there's an opening to the inside. It looked like a seat, which made me come to the conclusion that it was a space pod. Hey, um, does NASA build space pods, Cassie? Not to my knowledge.

I don't keep up with Spacester. As I kept inspecting the pod, I noticed that there was some green liquid that was trailing off into the snow up to the crater, until it was. vanished into the woods what in the world suddenly the piercing sound of children screaming as well as a man and a woman broke through the forest causing my heart to beat erratically like a pounding drum those are sounds i never want to hear again cassie's face ran white like the snow around her she looked almost like she was about to faint just from how sickening those screams were they had such an oppressive fear behind them something that made my blood run like freezing water through my veins.

I went back to Cassie and wrapped my arms around her as we kept looking around frantically. Both our minds were racing about what could have caused that sound. But then I remembered that other cabin that wasn't too far from us, the one with the family. I managed to convince Cassie that we needed to run back to the house. But in actuality, I just wanted to get over to the other cabin to make sure that family was safe.

We kept running as fast as we could until finally we reached near that cabin. I saw, with all my despair-inducing horror, why they'd made such a tormented display of shrieks. The bell came fast up my throat. I had to hold myself back from throwing up this horrific display. But my wife also gave way to shrieking, so loud it was that it was actually more irritating for me, but I couldn't blame her. That poor family, that poor, poor, poor family. We quickly moved on, but I couldn't stop thinking about how every single one of them had been torn apart like mincemeat, scattered about and indistinguishable. There was a hand here, a few toes there.

Something had shredded them until they were nothing more than a gruesome display of carnage. We quickly left the scene. When we got back to the house, I quickly decided to call 911. I told them everything about what we'd seen. They said they sent over a squad car to the house. But that wasn't the whole truth that I'd given them. All I told them was about the massacre that happened over at the family home. I didn't tell them about the spherical thing that we'd found in the woods.

My wife was still anxiously walking around in circles, checking every window as she went. I ran out to the car, I think it would be better if we just left right now. I tried to start in the car, but it just kept sputtering, but had no life. Something was wrong. The car should work. I'd given it a full tank of gas. I got out and noticed that there were some bolts and scraps of metal half buried in the snow. When I bent down to look underneath,

I saw that the entire fuselage had been torn open. Something had deliberately destroyed the car. I ran back inside, slammed the door shut and locked it. Went even further to place a door. chair and wedge the door-knob. Now, I was desperate. I mean, we had no car, and there was no way I was planning on walking out there again. What we could do was wait for help. At least I'd been able to make that call on a cell phone because when I went to turn one of the lights on, there was no electricity flowing through. The wires had been cut as well.

Whatever had done this, it was smart, and it was targeting us. Cassie had at this point started breaking down into tears she was scared I was scared I knew that I had to be there for her even though our marriage isn't so good right now there's no way I could leave her in such a vulnerable state I thought that maybe I should do something to comfort her but what else could I do what could either of us do anything we're able to do was wait for assistance I stretched my hands out to her and pulled her in towards my chest she didn't even try to fight back, but rather she buried herself in. This was probably the most affection I'd gotten from her in a long time. Hopefully the police can handle this. I wasn't sure

if we could make it all night, to be honest. Every crackling sound from the cabin was enough to get my hair standing up on end. Nothing seemed to have been damaged, so I came to the conclusion that whatever it was didn't come inside. Well, it would seem that we were in for a night of no sleep. the next day there was a knock on our door. I was disturbed from my rest on the couch with my wife next to me. I tried my best to get up without disturbing her and made my way towards the door. But I stopped before I went to open it. Who's there?

Police, the voice said weekly. I took a deep breath and exhaled. Ah, reassuring. I opened the door I saw that a bloody police office was standing in front of the door. to me. He had his hand covering over his abdomen which was dripping with it. Jeez, what happened to you? He was practically about to stumble over until I caught him. Wasting no time I brought him over to the armchair. I knew my wife would not like to wake up to this. Hey, Cassie, wake up, I ordered, panicking. When she opened her eyes and saw who was sitting

near her, she just about screamed, but I quickly covered her mouth. Much to her shock until she saw that it was me. Ben, what's... No time to explain it. I need you to go and get me some water. I cut her off. As much as I hated bossing her around, time was of the essence.

I didn't want to say anything to her, but I didn't think this poor fellow was going to last. She quickly got up and ran to the kitchen, faster than I would have expected. Perhaps it was just the adrenaline rush. I turned back to the poor guy who was wheezing. and coughing up blood. Hey, pal, listen.

I'm going to need you to tell me what happened. Don't worry. I know this looks bad, but I didn't walk the way over here for no reason. I need you to warn the station. What about? I guess he came in with some rags that was soaked and gently pressed them onto his abdomen.

He winced loudly, but we both knew this was for the best. Tell him, it's a cold protectorate situation. I, me and my partner, went to the house as instructed. When we got there we both nearly lost our sanity, and it was gruesome what we saw. I could relate to what he was describing. It was a messed up sight and wished I could unsee it. When we went into the house to investigate something launched from out of the darkness,

got clean through my partner before we could even have time to react. I fired eight shots into that thing. Oh, it was so mortifyingly alien. So, we're dealing with an alien. I don't know if you can count that thing as one. Oh, man, it was so savage, so brutal. Naked and abominable. I got out of quickly, and that thing managed to get me in the stomach.

I fired one more shot near his head, and that seemed to scare it away. Then I came here. Both my wife and I were awestruck, so there really was an alien in our area. And it's killing people. How original. But my biggest concern at this moment was the fact that we were now caught in the middle of it. The cop coughed a few more times with drips of blood coming down his chin. My wife quickly rushed over with the cloth to try and clean it out so that he could breathe properly.

But he just grabbed hold of her wrist. Through more agitated coughing, he chopped. vote leave leave if you can and his eyes quickly went lifeless and he fell limp in the armchair his hand released my wife and she quickly backed up into me I held her in my arms as we both stared at this lifeless man who had given us the only advice I think he could give us but I had to honor what the fallen cop had asked me and I got back in touch with the police to tell them that the cop had died after investigating the murder scene I gave them his name and they were ready to send more help until I cut the lady off and told her that he requested protectorate. They cut the line after that and I had to deal with the questions I had no answers to. But then a new voice asked it. Please evacuate the area. Your area has been

labelled by the Protectorate extermination committee as a targeted zone. You have less than one hour to comply with this direct order. Well, that wasn't what I was expecting to hear. No sooner after hearing those words, Cassie ran back to the kitchen and started washing the blood off her hands. I took a blanket and covered the officer, but I was going to heed his words. I went upstairs and quickly started grabbing what I could, throwing it back into our bags. We were leaving, and that was not up for any discussion. Thankfully Cassie was on the same page as me.

Once finished with the packing, I had the pounding beat of a rotor. There was a helicopter flying overhead. Quickly I went outside and tried to get a good look at it. It was a Black Hawk helicopter flying rapidly. Out of desperation, I started waving my hands, hoping that maybe they'd land and get us out of here much sooner than what my car could manage for us. But they flew off.

Now, I know they saw me, but they simply ignored me. Cassie came out of the house and asked, Did they just leave? I heard them flying by and thought they may be land. I don't think they were looking for survivors. They don't look like any military group I recognize. What did they look like? The voice was trembling.

I don't know who they are, but their helicopter was painted black, and there was a symbol on the side. It looked like a shield with six wings coming out from the side and an eye in the center of the shield. We heard the sound of distinctive gunfire off in the distance. whatever it was I doubt it was military engagement there was only one firing it was followed by deafening screams of a man only to be drowned out by something unnaturally low and clicking but this roar boomed across the land that was coming from another cabin not too far from us or whatever it was surely we were going to be next in the line of fire for this thing must have been going around destroying people's vehicles if there were still people

around after what had happened to that first group i can't imagine all of our neighbors still being here willingly i ordered cassie back into the house knowing full well that something bad was about to go down when i saw three more of those blackhorts flying into one single location i shut the door again and told cassie to get down as low as she could i didn't want a stray bullet hitting either of us but i couldn't help but being curious to see if they could get it i was expecting them to rain down machine going fire but instead I saw three huge plumes of fire shoot from each of the choppers they were trying to burn this thing they were hitting it hard too the amount of flames coming down at such a rapid speed made me think that it would catch the entire woods on fire well thankfully it's winter

so i don't think a forest fire is likely to happen but they never stopped firing and it almost seemed as they were chasing after whatever it was my eyesight's not so good so i wasn't able to get a visual of what it was, but I saw something running on all fours, darting through the woods as the blackhawks chased after it. What's happening? Cassie cried. It's momentarily forgotten about her. I was expecting bullets, but I guess it wasn't so dangerous after all.

They're trying to burn that sick monster. Is it working? I didn't have the heart to tell her that I think the thing was getting away. Whatever it was, it was weaving fast enough to where the hell is. helicopters couldn't keep up. But at least it seems like it couldn't hurt them, either. They're driving it away. It's moving further away from us. Maybe we could leave right now. Cassie started panicking and started. We're not going out there. Cassie, don't be stupid. We have to get out of here. That creature might come back for all we know. And I don't want to be outside all vulnerable when it gets here.

That was always something I'd hated about her. Once she made up her mind on something There was no way you were going to get her to change her mind God, it's always about your issues It's always going to be your way Don't you realize that there's something that we can't handle Running around willy-nilly We've got helicopters outside blasting it with fire

That doesn't seem to be doing too much You want us to stay here like a bunch of sitting ducks Because you're too scared to try and escape Like the officer who died for us You think I want to stay here and get torn apart by that savage? She got up from her hiding place and pushed me as hard as she could. Don't get me wrong, I didn't fall down to the ground. When she gets angry, she's a little extra forceful than you'd expect.

She tried doing it a second time, but I caught her arms and threw her back, not hard enough to make her fall. How about you calm down and think? I shouted back at her with increased ferocity. I was at my limits, and I was having thoughts of leaving her here. We were on the verge of divorce anyway. Maybe the last thing I should care about is someone who will become a stranger to me in no time. I did. I want to hide and not be an open target.

I don't want to sit here like it's an all-you-can-eat buffet for that thing. But before the argument could continue down this heated path, one of those flamers happened to come by, burning everything nearby. Thankfully it didn't hit the house or even the yard for that matter, but it was enough to leave me with a shaking stomach. We both dropped the ground, but I was still curious about what was happening outside. I crawled up to the front window again, my eyes went wide as I saw one of the helicopters blasting its flamethrower down. Inside the inferno, that creature was walking about untouched by the heat. I whispered to myself, it's immune to the fire. How?

The flames eventually stopped raining down, who I think they got the idea too. I looked up at them as one of the soldiers was changing their weapon of choice from a flame-thrower to something a little more ballistic. Okay, run, I ordered, to the bathroom. Both of us got up, and as we got into the first-floor bathroom, the sound of explosions rained down from above. A small-scale explosive were now being used against this alien. It led out another one of those guttural bellows. Apparently this actually heard it more. I could hear the constant firing of bullets raining down now.

But this was all I could interpret. As Cassie and I were both huddled in the bathtub, praying to whatever God exists that we don't end up being shredded by bullets in the process. Already I could hear parts of the house getting hit by stray bullets, as it seemed like the helicopters were moving more erratically as they chased after this creature once again.

At least it seems like they were moving away from us, but those were the most intense 30 seconds of my life. And finally, everything fell silent, other than the distant explosions that slowly toned down. Both Cassie and I were breathing heavily. I even found myself wrapping my arms around her instinctively. Hey, you're okay? I asked. She wouldn't quit crying.

She never responded to my question. Granted it was a stupid question. Nothing about this was okay. I decided to concede. Perhaps we should just hunker down and hope for the best. Although I was still completely on board with up and going, Cassie was partially right. We would be caught out there in the open,

and there was no guarantee that these people who are fighting the monster are even going to care about civilian casualties. They certainly didn't mind incinerating entire section of the woods away, regardless of whatever houses happened to be nearby. Okay, Cassie, we'll stay here tonight, but I'm using Grandpa's guns. I don't care. I want that thing dead. I'll take one for myself. Well, this was a sudden change of heart. Someone who's always against this stuff suddenly wants one. How I should have known better when I saw her pick up the pistol.

If you fail, I'd much rather be able to take the easy way out of this mass. Honestly, I'd rather have that option as well, but I have to try. Plus, if I was to die today, at least I can go down with this beautiful shotgun in hand. So that's where we are. Black Ops group is currently leveling the area as best they can to try and kill this thing. My wife's ready to do what she can to avoid a painful way of dying, and I've got a shotgun. Scared out of my mind as I wait for this thing to eventually try and get us as well. And thus begins another long night of no sleep.

The clock had now turned to 12.43 p.m. I was dead tired and the exhaustion of staying up for two days without getting any consistent sleep was starting to take its toll. Thankfully the sun had come up and this creature did not attack during the night. I'm telling you that's probably the most luck we're ever going to get out of this. Cassie was getting more sleep than I was, but she refused to leave the bathroom. She stayed in that tub the entire night. Well, I made myself a little pillow fort in the living room.

Before you start to get in judgmental over childish behaviour, if I'm going to die, I'm at least going to die in comfort. All throughout the night, I had the occasional bursts of gunfire far off in the distance. Tightened my grip around the shotgun, preparing myself for whenever I'd need it. This particular shotgun was a special type that my grandfather was obsessed over, and it packed quite a wallet.

A browning BPS. With sleek black metal, this high-powered shotgun is all that stands between us and a ravenous deadly alien that came from outer space and, well, that and me getting torn apart. And so began the weight. Hours were going by. Every moment that I heard them chasing that thing out there was another moment that told me it wasn't over yet. I was drenched in sweat, despite the temperature getting increasingly.

cold with every passing hour. How we managed to survive this whole time is beyond me. I guess the tension alone was enough to make sure that we stayed warm throughout the whole thing. Then I heard a rumbling sound outside. And I heard multiple rumblings. Then suddenly a blast of sound exploded so loud that it shattered all of the glass in the house. I was so scared that I almost fired off a shock. I quickly got up from the pillow thought. Cassie was looking out in the bath. door she was as confused as I was what are they doing now when I took a look outside I had a surge of hope outside were eight tanks as black as the black hawks and they were firing off at a distance firing off their machine gunfire at the same

time as they tried to destroy whatever the thing was with cannon fire from their turrets when I peered further out at the patch of woods that were being shredded to pieces by the barrage I saw that the alien was moving as quickly as it could to avoid them. But it kept stumbling around, and explosives kept burning away layers of its skin. There were more helicopters outside that were trying to flame it,

as well as firing explosive rockets at it. I was cheering them on. The creature was definitely taking a beating from the constant attacks. It was only a matter of time before that thing would get too worn down. Already I could see parts of its flesh burning off. Go on, guys. I shouted instinctively at the hype of us actually winning.

Maybe I could get out of this alive. From the distance, I had to wear my glasses to get a better view. But my God, the battle was intense. Hey, I think they've nearly killed it, I shouted in early triumph. Cassie came out of the bathroom and crawled up next to me, wanted to join me and watched as they finally killed the alien. We both watched with anticipation, as they finally seem to be destroying its tough outer exterior.

Well, the animal looked disgusting. That barbaric creature had two long arms with five fingers that looked about as long as a human forearm. It had a triangular-shaped head, rounded around the edges. I distinctly remember seeing it having bluish-gray skin earlier, but I guess after all the flaming bullets and bombings, now it was reduced to a muscular frame. It staggered around after getting hit for over a day

worth of fire, and I was surprised that they were willing to keep pounding this thing so hard that extended amount of time. Suddenly the sky overhead had a long, loud engine noise burst through the sound barrier. We looked up and my heart sank into what felt like ice-cold water because those were F-22s coming down fast from the sky. I looked over to Cassie who looked like she'd frozen over. Without much rational thoughts, I grabbed hold of her and we both did. We both duck load of the ground. The glass exploded above us as I heard missiles raining down, explosion after explosion, detonating and leveling everything nearby. They were going to keep hitting this thing till it was either ash or the entire area had been left in ashes. Gassie kept

crying, but I also felt a huge overwhelming feeling of dread laying on top of me. I hugged her tightly, wanting to give myself some warmth from the otherwise cold, apathetic attack that we found herself stuck in. She kept whispering through choked up words. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Cassie, listen. We're going to be all right. You hear that? We're going to live. The last explosion was so close to our house that I think part of it was coming apart at that point. The whole house shook violently and Cassie and I were momentarily lifted off of the ground by how much power was behind that last explosion. I slowly got back to my feet, my ears ringing, exceedingly loud. I can barely hear whatever Cassie was saying to me. I still had the shotgun

in hand, and I was clutching that thing as if my life depended on it. Everything was a blurry mess. I was so dizzy I couldn't even focus entirely on anything. Cassie was trying to tell me something. She kept pointing around me, her face full of fear. Finally, things were going back to normal quickly, and I was able to understand what she was trying to say. It's coming this way. My eyes widened, and as I turned around, the entire wall exploded inwards. I found myself being tossed over the couch, and Cassie was quick to try and crawl back to the bathroom. I think she'd left her pistol there when I got a good look at it.

I realized it was at death's door. It was all bloody, muscular, and one of his eyes had come out. This blood-filled shrill escaping from its mouth, that made your skin curl in itself. Frankly, it sounded like no animal on earth. Bullet started raining in, a little too close for comfort for me. I had to make a decision.

The thing was eyeing down my wife. She turned around towards me, her eyes filled with tears. Without much hesitation, I pumped the shotgun and unloaded an entire blast into its chest while it was distracted. Ah, it screamed out in a horrific. bit shrill, probably more standard that a simple firearm is enough to finally get this thing injured at this point. I kept blasting, pumping, blasting, pumping, and repeatedly doing this while screaming as I kept

shooting that sick animal. It swung its broken fingers at me, cutting a bit of my leg in the process. I fell down for a moment, but I knew I had to get back out for Cassie. Well, they didn't do so well when I was finally able to get close enough to it to point the double barrel right at its head and blushed straight into its mouth. Strangely enough, that wasn't even enough to kill it. It fell back, squowing around in writhing pain, and I was shocked when I saw Cassie come out with her pistol and unload eight bullets into the creature as well.

I joined her in the attack, and we kept shooting at it until it finally stopped moving. We were both out of breath, completely in shock and frankly just wanting to go home. maybe even see a therapist I rested on the floor next to Cassie who had lost her strength as well we were just too tired to even run and I had no intention of getting out on my own through the smoke

four soldiers in full body armored gear painted black entered through the gaping hole in the wall I was so tired I was sure I'd lose consciousness and sure enough everything faded to blen I could briefly hear the chatter of radios, but what they said I could not remember.

When I woke up, I was sitting in a hospital bed. I looked around in frantic movements, wondering where Cassie was. Where was my wife? I saw her completely passed out in the bed next to me. I was so relieved to see her safe and sound. When I looked around, I saw that we were in a military infirmary tent. It was still snowing outside, but thankfully these tents know how to get. keep you warm as I was about to get comfortable in my bed two guys in suits not black

suits thankfully they weren't going to be so cliche walked in with two guards in uniform behind them the man who appeared oldest complete with a bored head and a big bushy gray mustache said good morning soldier I chuckled a little bit soldier I wouldn't say I'm a soldier he had a charming enough laugh that I could tell you he was more of a lady in his spare time when he wasn't working to be some high-up government official. Ah, but weren't you the one who managed to kill the extraterrestrial? Clearly he knew what I'd done, so there was no point in lying. Yes, sir.

That makes you a soldier, I guess. You may be just a civilian, but anyone who has the gust to take on something that took tanks and blackhawks an entire day's worth of fighting to kill is deserving of such a title. I'm honored, I responded with unease. Well, I feel it's the least we can do, considering that even though we did most of the work, the fact that you managed to kill that thing with a shotgun and revolver is my definition of bravery. So we'll be needing you to do a few favors for us in return with some added benefits for your heroism today. I was well-versed in this kind of stuff.

You watch enough movies, read enough books, you learn a little bit about what they're going to tell you next of course i had to sign the documentation that neither of us would ever talk about what we'd seen today we were to never acknowledge any information that was related to what had happened today and we were to tell anyone we came across that we had a lovely second honeymoon trying to rekindle our marriage but in return i did get some financial help from these guys they gave us a reward of a hundred thousand dollars each for more, I'm not going to pester them with that feeling. Beggers can't be choosers, right. Although, after all of that happened, Cassie and I did manage to recover our marriage somewhat

for the time being. What happened that day wasn't going to save it, though. In 2018, we decided to go our separate ways, and we still get together occasionally to talk about what happened on that fateful winter day in 2012. She said that she still has nightmares of that thing chasing after her. I don't suffer from nightmares of that thing, but I can understand where she's coming from. The recent events have changed that. After everything that happened, and now that I've been a single man for quite some time now, I recently became more interested in what's going on above us. I started collecting information about aliens, thinking that they were nothing more than little grey men and the occasional giant monster creature. Well, how I was wrong.

I was extraordinarily wrong about what was really going on in the stars. But I suppose that isn't relative to this story. Despite all of the horror that I experienced, the horrors I experienced now even, well, I think it's time just to sign off on this message. And so, I'll go back to another night of no sleep. And so once again, we reach the end of tonight's podcast. My thanks as always to the authors of those ones.

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 from, 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.